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Chapter 27: Magic Orientation

Severus Snape hated the summer time. There were only a few things worse than a bright sunny English day. One of them included a bright sunny English day at his family home. Good thing, that most days in England were rainy.

But it wasn't rainy the day that Tuny Evans, better known as Petunia Dursley, came ringing his doorbell with a pig in a wig.

Well, that's what the boy looked like. A pig in a wig. In a polo shirt. Tuny hadn't changed much. She still had an affinity for horrible looking housedresses and horrible haircuts. God, he forgot how Lily had gotten all the looks in that family.

"Petunia." He sneered. "I didn't think I'd ever see you at my doorstep."

Petunia frowned. "I need to talk to you, Severus."

He raised an eyebrow. "So, you do know my name."

"Please," The blonde said. "It's about Dudley."

"I'm assuming that's the pig's name."

"I am not a pig." The boy glared at him.

Didn't mean, he didn't look like one.

Snape ignored him though. He really could care less for Petunia's boy. But he did find her appearance interesting. "Why would I care about Dodo?"

"It's Dudley." Petunia said.

Snape shrugged. "I'd invite you in, but you might deem the interior of my house freakish."

If this bothered Petunia, Severus couldn't tell. Instead, she just shrugged. "Then I guess this discussion will have to do here."

Snape shrugged. "Fine. But who knows my porch's freakiness might rub off on you."

Petunia sighed heavily. "Severus, please. I'm sorry, okay. I'm sorry."

He doubted she was, sorry that is. She just wanted something. He had seen the same act plenty of times with other people. The only reason he hadn't turned her away yet was because he was interested after all these years, why Petunia turned up on his doorstep.

It wasn't to reminisce about Lily. He knew that.

She said it was about Dodo. He looked at the boy a little closer. This time, he decided that maybe he should peer a little bit into his mind.

He didn't really like looking into muggle's minds. Especially a boy like Dodo. He didn't have to be a genius to know that the boy probably mostly thought about food, television, and maybe the latest teeny bopper star.

That's why Snape usually didn't tough first year's minds. Really anyone's mind until they reached the fourth year. Save for that Potter boy.

That boy was weird.

There was just something off about him that Snape couldn't pinpoint. That entire first year, he tried to see something that reminded him about Lily. Sure, he had her green eyes, but they didn't really seem like Lily's eyes to Snape.

He didn't really remind Snape of Potter either. They looked just alike, but the boy was quiet and Snape really couldn't get that good of a reading of his minds.

He had natural shields, something the potions professor wasn't expecting.

But Dodo didn't have natural shields. Snape was very easily able to unravel why Petunia was visiting.

Her son was a wizard.

"So, Dodo has magic." Snape finally said.

"It's Dudley." Petunia corrected. "And don't say the 'M' word."

If he rolled his eyes again, they probably would've fallen out. Instead he said, "I call it what it is, Petunia. And your son has magic."

"But he didn't before." Petunia said. "He never got an invite from that freak place."

She had a point. By all accounts if Dodo had been a wizard of any kind, he should've gotten his Hogwarts acceptance letter. Because God knows, the school accepts any and everyone—look at Neville Longbottom.

"I think you're going to have to come in." He finally said.

Petunia frowned. "Are you sure?"

"I need to test his magic," Snape said. "Besides, I think some Irish coffee might be in order."

Petunia nodded. Noting that the time was three o'clock, this showed the direness of the situation since Tuny was never one to drink before five.

She gasped when she saw how ordinary his house was.

Snape wasn't surprised. She probably pictured the place looking like something in one of those Tim Burton movies. Instead of an elaborate set, his cottage was moth eaten and essentially a time capsule for the late 90's. Not exactly a look you'd want to have.

"Dreadful, I know." He said. "I don't have time or that much of a budget for decorating."

Petunia nodded. He could tell she appreciated the small talk. That was something Lily never did like. She always wanted him to get to the point, but right now Snape didn't know what the point was with Dodo.

They sipped coffee for a few minutes before Petunia spoke, "Is there a way to get rid of it?"

He chuckled. "Magic is something you can't get rid of, Tuny."

"But I don't want it." Dodo whined.

He reminded Snape a lot of his godson, Draco. Save for the fact Draco didn't resemble a small pig. Bless the house elves for being nutrition minded.

"Magic isn't something you can exchange at a store." Snape snapped. "Now, I need to see what you can do. Maybe that cousin of yours put a prank on you."

"That freak!" Petunia growled. "I should've known. Wait until I get my hands on him!"

Snape rolled his eyes. "I really doubt that Potter did anything, but it is a possibility. Dodo, I'm going to hand you a stone. It's going to tell me more about your magical powers."

Dodo looked at him, "I'm not going to touch anything that's freakish."

"Now, Diddykins, give the man a chance. He's trying to help. If we can get rid of the freakiness then…"

Dudley sighed. "Fine, give me the stone."

Snape handed the boy the stone. He didn't tell him that the stone was actually called a witch's stone and that it was charmed to see the source of the subject's magic. No need to get the boy even more upset than he already was.

But not even Snape could help it but gasp when the stone turned a dark blood red.

"That's not normal, is it?" Petunia asked.

Snape didn't answer. Instead, he just shook his head at Petunia. Before he noted. "The Potter boy didn't have anything to do with this, Petunia."

She looked at him, "Really? You just said."

"His magic isn't this color." Snape said. "But the magic isn't natural either."

"Then it can be reversed? And Dudders can be normal again?" She asked hopefully.

Snape bit his lip. He didn't know how to answer her. Truthfully, he didn't know. If what he thought he was seeing her was correct, then no one could help her but the caster. And that was someone who Snape wouldn't want helping him.

"Sev?" Petunia asked noting his expression. "Please, for Lily?"

He sighed. She had to mention Lily, besides she probably wasn't going to leave until after he told her anyway. And he had some Mama's Family reruns that he wanted to watch that evening. So, he wanted her out "That color. That color of magic is only known to one sorcerer, Petunia. A sorcerer, who I'm not sure is even real. He's the stuff of legends."

Petunia laughed.

"What?"

"Stuff of legends. Seriously, freaks have legends?"

Snape sighed. "The Dark One is a legend, Petunia. You haven't ran across a magician offering you a deal, have you?"

"I don't deal with your lot, you know that. There has to be some other way. You sure the Potter boy…"

"I'm sure." Snape said. "This magic reeks of the Dark One."

"Well, I've never came across anyone." Petunia said. "Is there anything you can do to help Dudders?"

"Well, he can go to Hogwarts. Learn control over his power. But no, I can't reverse it. Only one person can."

Petunia frowned. "Well, is there a way to find this sorcerer?"

A way to find the Dark One? Snape wanted to laugh. Many people have been trying to find a way into the sorcerer's realm for years. All of them unsuccessful. Voldemort included.

He was obsessed with finding the Dark One. Severus, being one of the more scholarly out of the Death Eater's was in charge of trying to find a way into his realm.

He had thought he was finding a way into the realm as well. Until one day, his notes vanished. And he had no idea what he had found if anything.

He looked at the stone again. The color, now muted a little, since Dudley was no longer holding onto it, still resonated the ID of its origins.

Snape wondered, what if the Dark One was here? It seemed impossible. Truly someone of such great power, would've had to make an impact on the wizarding world by now. Glancing at Petunia he said, "Do you mind if I hold on to this for awhile?"

"You never answered me, Snape, is there a way to help my son?"

"If we find the Dark One there might be," Snape said before adding. "There will be a price though."

"A price." Petunia said with a frown. "That seems familiar?"

"You sure you haven't been making deals with any sorcerers lately?"

The woman shook her head, "No sorcerers. Here, let me give me my phone number if you find out anything else. You do have a phone, right?"

Snape rolled his eyes. "Of course. "

After they finally left, and he watched a couple of episodes of Mama's Family and had a couple of glasses of wine, Snape decided to do some research and look at the remaining notes he had about the legendary sorcerer:

The Dark One:

Legendary source of dark magic embodied in a single sorcerer.

The idea you can't have your cake and eat it too is embodied with this entity. Always, expect a price to pay.

Can essentially make anything happen—limits bringing back the dead and changing time. However, the Dark Lord thinks that the conjunction of this world's magic could make the impossible possible—I disagree.

Has been known to want in this world (he has left something precious here) which is why the Dark Lord thinks that if we can penetrate his world we might have leverage. I have researched this claim to get leverage of my own, but I have no idea what the Dark Lord might have that the Dark One wants.

Further research has indicated that trying to get the upper hand is a very bad idea. Tried explaining this to the Dark Lord, can I got hit with a nasty Crucio. Note, never try to tell the Dark Lord he's wrong again.

And that was it. Nothing else. Snape sighed his fingers going through his greasy hair. He really needed to shampoo—how long had it been, a month? Really, he didn't have time to bother about those things. Instead, he circled what stood out to him the most in his notes. Leverage.

What did Voldemort have over the Dark One?

It seemed silly wanting to know what sort of leverage Voldemort could have a possible mythical wizard, but Snape wanted to know. There was a part of him that would love to have the power of the Dark One.

If he could make Dodo, a boy that was so dull, have magic who knows what else he could do?

And if Voldemort was right, maybe he could have his beloved Lily back. Apologize to her; make her understand that he wasn't the monster she thought he was. But even Snape knew deep down inside that that was bullshit.

He was a bastard.

A bastard through choice. A bastard that had regrets. But still a bastard.

Snape frowned. He needed more Momma's Family. Binge watching old TV shows helped ease self-loathing, almost as much as grading papers.

In a way he wished the magic was Potter's. It would be nice to pin something on that odious family.

Alas, that as not the case.

He wondered where Potter was that afternoon. God, he was glad he had to live with Tuny. It was really the perfect punishment for a son of James Potter's.

Snape sneered as he thought of James Potter and his little friends. Though James wasn't the ringleader in their little gang. That would be Sirius Black.

Now Snape really smirked. As pathetic as his little life of Mama's Family, cheap bottled wine, and TV dinners were they were not as near as pathetic as Sirius Black's life. Life in prison with no trial.

The Ministry of Magic at its finest, in his humble opinion.

He always remembered Black in school. So much wasted potential. There was a lot of raw power there, but Black never tried. In the earlier years, it almost seemed he was almost scared of his magic. Of power. But in later years, there seemed to be vigor to his spell work that Snape couldn't exactly place.

He shook his head. He didn't even know why he was thinking about those jokers. Instead, he should be focusing his attention on the Dark One and the leverage that Voldemort supposedly had over him. If he could find it, perhaps Snape could secure his own freedom.