Snape allowed himself a small smirk. Of course, it wasn't as if it had been due to anything but his own blind luck and the boy's completely misconstruing the situation, but he wasn't about to admit that.
"Clearly you have a special bond with the child," Dumbledore continued approvingly.
Snape lost his smirk. The last thing he wanted was for anyone to think he cared about the brat. This was James Potter's spawn, for Merlin's sake! Already Minerva had contracted some wildly incorrect notion about his relationship with the boy, calling Snape his "protector", of all things. He certainly did not want the Headmaster to fall into the same trap and imagine that he felt anything but loathing for the little creep.
After all, Harry Potter had already been the reason Dumbledore had actually levied a death threat against Severus тАУ and meant it. Snape suppressed a shudder. He could still feel the power of Albus' magic blasting past him as he issued the warning тАУ the only warning Snape was likely to get on the topic. Obviously, his best strategy was to stay as far away from the brat as possible lest he do something stupid. Again.
Snape forced away the surge of guilt that still accompanied the mere memory of the skinny, raven-haired child with the enormous green eyes. It wasn't as if he meant to strike the child тАУ well, yes. In fact he had, but he hadn't meant to strike him so hard тАУ well, actually, at the time he hadтАж But he instantly regretted his actions. Now he was tortured not only by the fact that he had lost control of himself enough to injure a child, but also by his memory that at the time, he had actually wanted to do so.
During all his time as a dedicated Death Eater, he had consoled himself with the thought that unlike many of the others, such as Lucius Malfoy or Voldemort himself, he had never taken pleasure in the torture and killing that accompanied their raids. Even before he lost faith and fled to Dumbledore, he had felt himself superior to the others for not sharing their perverse pleasures. When Dumbledore had saved him from Azkaban and encouraged him to spy on his former Master, he had been able to do so knowing that his attendance at any future Death Eater revels would only serve to strengthen his commitment to the Order of the Phoenix and cement his revulsion for the Dark Lord. How then was he to square that image of himself with the one who deliberately slapped a small boy hard enough to throw him into a wall?
Better not to think about it at all, and much better to avoid the boy in question as much as possible.
"No such bond exists," he said firmly, frowning at Dumbledore. "The boy confided in me because I tricked him. As usual, Gryffindor na├пvet├й proved no match for Slytherin cunning."
"If you say so, my dear boy," the Headmaster's tone made it clear he was humoring the Potion Master.
Snape scowled more fiercely, but Dumbledore just twinkled back. "As I was saying," Snape decided it was better to continue with the task he had come to discharge, rather than get immured in an argument he suspected he would not win, "I am here to discuss where Potter is to be placed."
"Yes?" Albus invited.
"Following extensive research into child psychology, proper child-rearing practices, and best treatments for the victims of child abuse тАУ" Dumbledore briefly closed his eyes, the pain on his face making even Snape feel a twinge of pity "- I have determined that Potter would be best served by a combination of environments. Having no experience with normal families, he requires exposure to typical family life. By immersing himself in a family, he will be able to observe a healthy parent-child dynamic as well as observing how siblings normally interact with each other. While he may have been raised alongside his Muggle cousin, it is clear that their relationship was anything but brotherly. Potter needs to learn about normal sibling rivalry as well as the closeness that тАУ I am told тАУ is possible. This will serve him well later in life, should he have children of his own, as well as assisting him in his interactions with classmates."
"This sounds very reasonable, Severus. Do you have any potential candidates for such a family?"
"Potter has already befriended the latest Weasley, and since the parents were both Order members in the War, I assume they would be all too pleased to foster The Boy Who Lived. What is more, with the size of their litter, an extra child will hardly be noticed." Noticing Dumbledore's frown, Snape lifted a defiant eyebrow. "Besides, the always-impecunious Weasleys could doubtless use the allowance which you had provided to the Muggles. There is no doubt in my mind but that despite their greater need, they would be infinitely more likely to actually use it for things that would benefit Potter as well as the Weasley whelps, rather than, as the Dursleys did, reserving it for the exclusive advantage of that walrus of a son of theirs."
Dumbledore nodded gently. "I quite like your idea, Severus. I have noticed how Ron and Harry have become close friends quite quickly, and I think Ron will benefit from Harry's presence in the family as well. He is a bit too tempting a target for the twins, being without a twin of his own for backup, and while his younger sister might ally with him, Ginny's status as the only Weasley girl in seven generations tends to result in her being protected from the twins' more excessive pranks as well as causing her to overshadow Ron in her own right. I think having an ally his own age might be very good for him."
"I hardly consider the Weasley child's welfare to be an important factor in the decision," Snape objected forbiddingly.
"Yes, Severus, I know," Dumbledore's tone was reproving. "That is why I had to consider it. Harry will hardly experience a harmonious and helpful family experience if his presence negatively impacts members of the family, particularly the one member with whom he is likely to bond most closely."
"IтАж had not considered the matter in that light," Snape admitted reluctantly. "Perhaps it was my own experience as an only child that made me less attuned to the complexities of inter-Weasley relationships."
"No matter," Dumbledore's beaming smile reappeared. "After all, we are agreed that it will in fact be a good thing for both boys, and I also think that Molly and Arthur are very likely to agree to the arrangement. But I believe you mentioned something about a combination of environments? Does that mean you do not want the Weasleys to be named Harry's guardians?"
Snape shuddered at the thought of consigning anyone тАУ even a Potter тАУ to the exclusive mercies of the redheaded clan. "Hardly, Headmaster. I envision the Weasleys to be a frequent destination for the boy but not, under any circumstance, his guardians. While it is important for Harry to experience normal family life, it is even more imperative that he have a guardian with whom he can develop a close, trusting relationship. Given his history, this will be difficult. He has been told for years now that he is worthless and freakish; he will require guardians who can work to overturn this conditioning. They will have to be dedicated to assisting him in this by focusing on his unique needs. The books make it clear that Potter may not himself know what he needs, let alone be able to request it. For this reason, his guardians will have to be able to give him their undivided attention. The Weasleys can hardly do that."
"Hmm. I see your point. Perhaps some young couple тАУ"
Snape frowned. "Young couples breed, Headmaster. Did I not make myself clear? Potter must be their sole concern; I will not have his guardians distracted with their own mewling brats. Besides, Potter will likely require a firm hand тАУ " Snape colored at Dumbledore's sharp look. "I do not mean that literally, Headmaster," he protested defensively. "I meant simply that even under the best circumstance Potter must be considered a troubled child, and as such he will require his guardians to establish a clear structure for his life with appropriate consequences for misbehavior." Snape cleared his throat. He hadn't come up with a way to say this next bit without sounding all touchy-feely. "They will also be required to provide Potter with something called 'positive reinforcement' which seems to refer to copious amounts of support, encouragement, and reassurance. In short, l-l-love."