Trust

Severus Snape stood in Godric's Hollow, concealed deeply in shadow. He was a fool for coming here, but something drew him.

Presently, he heard the tell-tale crack! of another wizard Apparating. He watched as Harry Potter strode confidently towards the ruins of the house... the house that had once belonged to his parents.

Potter walked deferentially to what remained of the front porch, and looked around. He called softly into the black night "I'm alone..."

Snape took that as his cue and stepped into the light. "As am I."

They raised their wands simultaneously; Snape casting a Disillusionment Charm and Harry Muffliato, a reaction which caused both of them to raise their eyebrows at the other.

"It's not safe for you here," Harry said finally.

"Nowhere in England is safe for me. However, nobody knows I am here, unless you told them."

"I have not... but I don't believe we should stand out in the open, chatting."

"Nor do I."

"Have any place in mind?"

"You should not leave the country, Mister Potter, but I cannot take you any place that I am privy to, as I am not the Secret Keeper, and even if I were, it would not be safe for you... for either of us. I know that 12 Grimmauld Place was destroyed. It would be foolish of me to attempt to take you to the school, and stupid of us to try to meet in Hogsmeade. There is only one place I can think of...and I will need to check it to ensure it is safe. Would you please excuse me for a few moments?"

Harry nodded.

"I will return shortly." Snape disappeared in silence.

A few moments later, he reappeared silently. "You can Apparate silently?" Harry asked.

"All of us can," Snape replied evenly.

"'Us'?" Harry asked.

"The Death Eaters," Snape elaborated darkly, lest the foolish boy forget whom he was meeting with, as unlikely as that possibility was. "They do not always do so, occasionally preferring to announce their presence, but they can."

"Hm. Useful skill to have."

"Indeed it is."

Harry eyed Snape for a few moments, seeming to size him up, as the older man looked on calmly. "Can you teach me?"

Snape snickered. "Are you now planning on becoming a Death Eater, Mister Potter?" he queried with a raised eyebrow.

It was Harry's turn to snicker. "Well... you know... I thought, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, and all that."

Snape snorted. "I must admit, Mister Potter, that having had six years of what I deem to be poor success in instructing you, I am reluctant to enter into such an agreement again, particularly given that such a skill is typically used for such dark reasons. Perhaps, then, I should just scribble the instructions in the margins of an old textbook... ?"

Harry stifled a laugh, as what he said really wasn't funny, but the other man did have a point. "Yes, that did seem to work well, didn't it?"

Snape didn't reply, he just raised his eyebrows.

"So... your 'place'... is it safe?"

"It is... but I will have to Side-Along Apparate you."

"That's fine," Harry said, meeting his eyes. There was no fear there whatsoever. "You've done it before."

Snape snorted in spite of himself. "You were... considerably smaller, then."

"Yes... well, somehow, I don't think it's a skill you'd have forgotten with time."

"I must warn you... when I... left... Hogwarts, I asked some... 'old friends'... to raze the place, to throw the Ministry off my trail. It is in quite poor condition, now; don't be alarmed."

"All right."

Snape tilted his head, and held out his arm. "I have been to your home... will you now accompany me to mine?"

Harry nodded, and grasped Snape's arm.