Chapter three

Harry didn't see Sorin again for the rest of the day, between working on the wall with his small group Harry popped up to visit Severus and make sure that he was ok, and not trying to get up and move around as they had caught him doing a few times now.

He stopped by Andromeda's rooms to collect Teddy who he had only had the chance to see at lunch time and made his way to Severus' quarters. Despite the fact he was notoriously terrible with any child not placed into Slytherin, Severus was shockingly good with babies, and seemed to be quite fond of Teddy. At first Harry had been a little worried considering Teddy was Remus' son, but Severus had seemed to enjoy the distraction that the two month old baby provided, so Harry kept on bringing him, and was fairly sure that the two of them had bonded.

"Well this is a surprising sight!" Sorin's amused and accented voice had Harry spinning around wide eyed where he had been leaning against the footboard of Severus' bed watching Teddy blow spit bubbles at Severus.

*sod off* Was pulled from Severus' pile of saved papers making Harry chuckle.

"I am sorry it took so long, it was a little bit of a fight," Sorin sighed taking the seat beside Severus' bed with a groan.

"Its fine, we have been ok," Harry assured him. "He broke into the notes for his potions and healing again while you were gone,"

"I am not shocked," Sorin gave Severus a dry look who just raised his eyebrow back and then went back to fluttering his fingers for Teddy to try and grab hold of. "Whose is the baby?" Sorin asked curiously.

"He's my godson,Teddy Lupin," Harry smiled fondly at the baby.

"Lupin...Oh I am sorry, Remus and Tonks were..." Sorin trailed off unsurely looking between Harry and Severus.

"Part of the losses, yes," Harry smiled sadly at the gurgling baby.

"I'm sorry," Sorin said so softly that Harry looked up to meet his eyes. He smiled a little more honestly when he saw the honesty in Sorin's black eyes.

"Thank you. They left us Teddy though, he's made things a lot easier," Harry admitted.

"Oh my!" Sorin leant forwards in interested surprise when Teddy sneezed and his hair went an impressive shade of red.

"He's a metamorphogus. Right now he doesn't have much control over it, we're learning different colours and shades from different moods. It does come in handy," Harry chuckled.

"Like a muggle mood stone?" Sorin smiled.

"Yes, blue for hungry, green for dirty nappy, red for wanting to play," Harry laughed.

"Definitely comes in handy," Sorin nodded.

"Right, I will go and start supper," Harry heaved himself to his feet and started towards the door when Sorin made a slightly panicked noise.

"Are you leaving the baby here?!"

"Don't worry Severus is good with him," Harry said amused at the naked fear in the man's eyes.

*He isn't very sure with babies* Severus smirked.

"I have hardly been around them, is it any wonder?" Sorin defended.

"Don't worry Severus is brilliant with him, he's a handy babysitter as well considering he can't get away," Harry laughed when a pen bounced off of the door way as he raced down the hall to his own rooms.

Three days later he slipped into Severus' rooms with a breakfast tray to see Sorin carefully leading his brother around the room, supporting him but allowing him to enjoy the bit of exercise he was now allowed to take. The warm and caring look on his face as he helped his brother, the small smile, had Harry's heart fluttering in a now very familiar way and he could not bring himself to interrupt.

Charlie had no such concerns.

"Looking good there Professor! You'll be up and stalking about in next to no time," He said brightly opening the door wider and bouncing into the room. Sorin and Severus both looked up surprised, before Sorin looked confused and Severus annoyed.

"Charlie!" Harry hissed walking fully in now too and setting the tray down.

"Erm..." Sorin looked at the redhead, this time in How to train your dragon pyjamas, and where he was making himself comfortable at the table.

"Charlie this is Sorin Snape, Sorin this rude bugger is Charlie Weasley," Harry rolled his eyes as he pulled out the chair for Severus to sit in.

"Nice to meet you," Charlie said brightly waving at Sorin.

"You too," Sorin nodded.

"I have heard a lot about you...ow!"

"Oh sorry!" Harry smiled moving the knife he had sharply poked Charlie with onto the table setting.

"That hurt," Charlie grumbled.

"Aww poor baby, want me to kiss it better?" Harry asked cheekily.

"No. You probably bite too," Charlie pouted.

"Only if your good," Harry smirked.

"So how do you two know each other?" Sorin asked loudly as he helped Severus sit down.

"Harry is best mates with my little brother Ron, I adopted him and helped him out with his fashion style when he was fourteen and we have been close since then," Charlie grinned wrapping his arm around Harry.

"Oh that's nice," Sorin smiled tightly.

"Well there is only so many times that you can see someone naked and not become close," Charlie nodded.

"Charlie! He means when he helps me shop, not that he has ever really seen me naked, I always have my boxers on, and obviously it has been a while since we went shopping," Harry rambled quickly. He mentally groaned as the three of them stared at him, glaring at Charlie at the amused glitter he saw in his blue eyes. He was doing this on purpose!

"I have to admit that you do look even more scrumptious, I guess something good comes of being on the run!" Charlie grinned, opening leering at Harry.

"Oh stop it!" Harry glared at Charlie as he blushed darkly at the words and look.

"Do you mind me asking how you did manage to hide from Voldemort for so long? It is quite impressive," Sorin asked interupting their glaring match.

"You said his name!" Charlie said shocked, all signs of teasing gone.

"That bastard ruined my brother's life, he does not deserve me showing the fear he desired to create with his name," Sorin sneered, looking so like Severus that Harry had to stare.

"I like you," Charlie grinned making the youngest Snape stare at him a little confused.

*Can I have breakfast now? Or would you all like to natter a little more like 11 year old Gryffindor girls?* Severus snapped his fingers to get their attention.

"Why is it always Gryffindors? I'm sure even Slytherins gossip, in fact I know they do, I have caught Draco doing it enough" Harry grumbled as he quickly filled a plate for Severus with the full English he had made.

*He's an exception,* Severus quickly scribbled.

"Still a Slytherin!" Harry sing songed laughing at the glare he got in return. "So last year you wanted to know about?"

"Yes I did," Sorin nodded. Severus' ears perked up as well Harry noticed, and he realised the potions Master didn't know how exactly they had stayed hidden for those months.

"It was mainly Hermione's planning to be honest," Harry admitted as he plated up more food for himself.

*Why am I not shocked*

"Because you knew there was no other way we would have survived two days if it wasn't for Hermione?" Harry shrugged.

*True*

"She stole the Weasleys tent, and we planned everything that we would need. We knew we were going to have to go on the run. Hermione came up with the idea of keeping everything in a bottomless bag, which she kept on her at all times in case we had to make a dash for it. She was right. When Bill and Fleur's wedding was attacked, we fled. We set up the tent as home after we had to flee the old Order headquarters when it was compromised. We stayed for no more than two days anywhere, and we took it in turns coming up with places to move to. And we spent hours setting up wards we researched while we were at the headquarters," Harry explained as they started eating.

"That must have been hard," Sorin said softly looking at Harry intently.

"A lot of other people had it worse, it was more the pressure to know that we had to stay free to figure out how to defeat Voldemort," Harry looked up and met the eyes of Severus, a sadness and understanding greeting him.

"Enough to put you off of camping for life," Charlie said breaking the moment. Harry chuckled and nodded.

"I admit not even a wizarding tent is appealing anywhere in the near future," Harry snorted.

"Harry said that you have quit your job to stay here?" Charlie asked pouring them all more tea.

"Yes, my leave was not long enough, but also I have decided to stay here perminently, I can not work from this country with the same people,"

"I have found myself making the same decision, I have put in for extended leave, but I think that it is understood for the minute that there is no set time on how long i will need to be here. I am lucky in the fact that I am well respected in my area and with the Dragon keepers in Romania, I am unlucky in the fact that there are no jobs I can do here, so at some point I will have to go back," Charlie explained.

"Until then we are putting him to slave work helping rebuild Hogwarts!" Harry chirped.

"Too right, I have been less tired wrestling horntail babies all day than I have been here!" Charlie groaned.

"What is happeneing with the repair work?" Sorin asked curiously.

"The wards around hogwarts helped it mintaint he least damage in the wizarding world considering the fact that the...battle took place here. Diagon, St Mungo's, Hogsmead they all achieved massive damage along with a lot of wizarding villages across the country. It was agreed that the majority of the builders would go to those places, a few have stayed behind here. They are doing the heavier work that we can't and teaching us what we can, and we have a small selection of us that is working away. We are hoping to get the school opened again for September," Harry told him.

*How is it going?* Severus snapped his fingers to get their attention.

"We are getting there. We reckon at the rate we are going we aren't going to be able to open on the 1st but we will be able to open the second week hopefully," Harry said.

"Spaking of we are going to have to get going, we're working on the Great Hall today," Charlie groaned stretching himself out.

"I imagine you need to change before that, though your comment about being a dragon tamer does mean your pyjamas make a lot more sense," Sorin said straight faced, but his eyes were glittering amused.

"Harry bought me a pair for my birthday and christmas since we met when he was 11, its a little inside joke between us," Charlie posed slightly dramatically.

"Come on you floosy," Harry snorted grabbing hold of Charlie and tugging him to the door. "I have made lunch for you, its in my rooms, just pop through and get it when you need it,"

"We shall see you later, have a good day," Sorin nodded.

"Harry," The green eyed wizard turned around and smiled when he saw Sorin approaching him.

"Sorin, hey, everything ok with Severus?" Harry asked concerned.

"He is fine, I thought that I could bring your lunch to you," Sorin motioned to the bowl in his hands.

"You didn't have to do that!" Harry protested.

"You cook breakfast, lunch and supper for us, the least I can do is bring it to you and make sure that you eat on time," Sorin shook his head.

"I...would you keep me company, while I eat?" Harry asked feeling his cheeks heat up.

"I would like that," Sorin nodded with a small smile tilting his lips.

"Come with me?" Harry asked cautiously.

"Lead and I will follow," Sorin agreed. Harry turned and led the way out of the courtyard he was working on after securing the spells he had been using.

"How was he after we left?" Harry asked.

"Tired, and grumpy because he was tired, and more grumpy because he had to admit that he needed to go back to bed," Sorin sighed.

"That bad huh?" Harry grimaced. "He can be surprisingly scathing on paper,"

"He is a terrible patient!"

"I guessed you could probably use a break," Harry smiled.

"I dearly and completely love my brother. But an hour would do us both the world of good while he is sleeping," Sorin breathed out.

"Well this is the perfect place to hide out," Harry stepped into the clearing just on the edge of the forbidden forest.

"Wow, this is beautiful," Sorin looked around wide eyed.

The clearing was a small area of grass, three sides secluded by the trees, the other had part of the lake running by it. The trees blocked the wind so there was only a nice breeze going through the area. And you could see the opposite bank with a beautiful blanket of wild flowers that had life all year round was waying beautifully in the wind.

"I found this in my second year, I come here when I need a break from everything. Its a peaceful break away from eyes and nosy people that are all around the castle," Harry explained taking the bowl that Sorin passed him that contained his lunch.

"That sounds like a story," Sorin said softly.

"Growing up in a castle where you're either the hero one moment, or the next biggest threat to the wizarding world the next, that doesn't make for a lot a peace when your in a school ful of teenagers and teachers, not to mention the portraits and the ghosts," Harry shrugged.

"That must have been difficult," Sorin frowned.

"No more than it is now. It's part of the reason I have decided to stay here,"

"If you wish to talk about it, I would be more than happy to be an open ear for you. I imagine it is hard ot talk to those whose lives are also being effected by the things of which you might wish to talk. I am only involved because of Severus," Sorin offered.

Harry stared at him for a few moments before he lowered his eyes to his bowl, playing with the soup.

"It was just a suggestion you don't have to..." Sorin's tone had become sharp, so haryr was quick to interupt.

"No it's not that...I just, I realised how suspicious I have gotten recently. I trust you, and I trust you to keep my privacy completely even though I have only known you for a few days. But my mind immedietly went to suspicion when you offered. I guess I hate a little how paranoid all of this has made me. Everyone seems to want to get something out of me, I think you are the first person out to actually offer me something just because,"

"That is...sad. I have found that there are very few people that want to help you 'just because' in life. What about your friends?" Sorin asked.

"They're all busy with their own lives, Hermione is being head hunted by nearly every department in the Wizarding world, and she is busy trying to save the world. Ron, he is torn between enjoying being a hero of the Wizarding world and mourning his brothers. All his family are mourning. I think right now Andromeda and Charlie are the only ones...I can't think of anyway to phrase it that doesn't sound completely childish," Harry laughed taking another spoonful.

"They're the only one that is taking the time to think about what you are going through too?" Sorin finished for him, nodding when Harry grimaced. "Andromeda is Teddy's grandmother, correct?"

"Yes she is,"

"And you and Charlie, you're close?" Sorin asked. Harry glanced to him, there had been something in his tone, but harry just could not put his finger on it.

"Yes we are. I had a such a crush on him when I was fourteen, I just got to know him and he was cool, and he spent time with me," Harry grinned.

"Fourteen, he said you had been sending him pyjamas since you were eleven," Sorin narrowed his eyes in a very Severus like way.

"Oh I have been, we met for the first time when I was 14, but when I was eleven Charlie arranged for some of his friends to come and collect a baby dragin from us here so that Hagrid didn't get into trouble. The first set of pyjamas was a thank you, and we swapped letters a few times a year and it kind of became a thing," Harry explained.

"...Does Severus know that you smuggled a baby dragon out of the school when you were 11?" Sorin asked a little wide eyed.

"Nope, not yet, I am however using stories abot things that I got up to, and confirming things that he suspected I did, to get him to do what I want," Harry smirked.

"I'm sorry?" Sorin asked.

"It was a fair exchange that we agreed upon, he takes his potions and stays in bed, answers how he is feeling honestly, and I tell him all the things that I got up to that he has been trying to figure out for years," Harry snickered.

"Knowledge is always a very good motivator with my brother, a very clever way to control him," Sorin nodded, he paused for a few seconds before turning back to Harry. "So what sort of things did you get up to?"

"You can be scarily like your brother!" Harry laughed. "And my time sent with him, has taught me to be more Slytherin. I will tell you some stories,"

"In return for what?" Sorin smirked.

"Stories about you, and about Severus," Harry said nonchalently.

"That seems like a fair exchange," Sorin hummed.

"Ok...I can't actually think of anything now," Harry laughed.

"Severus mentioned something about a club in your fifth year," Sorin offered.

"Oh ok. Yes I did, I set up a club with Hermione and Ron called the DA to help teach the other Defence when Umbridge wasn't letting us practice magic here. We did really well actually, all of the people I taught passed their exams with Outstandings and Exceeds expectation," Harry smiled proudly.

"That's impressive, how many of you were there?" Sorin asked interested.

"28 of us, including myself and Hermione and Ron,"

"Did you enjoy it? Teaching?" Sorin asked before frowning when Harry quickly looked back across the bank. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No no, it's just. Minerva has asked if I want to take up a teaching position here, Defence against the Dark Arts," Harry said out loud for the first time.

"Oh, how are you feeling about that?" Sorin asked.

"I don't know. I enjoyed teaching, and it would be nice to be able to stay at Hogwarts, especially as i have no idea what I am going to do next," Harry grimaced.

"I imgaine you have been recieving a lot of offers,"

"From basically every department in the Ministry,"

"And you aren't interested in any of them?" Sorin questioned.

"I used to want to be an auror," Harry said softly.

"But not anymore?" Sorin guessed.

"I have seen enough violence and death. I have no interest in seeing anymore," Harry explained.

"So teaching here sounds like a good option, and you know you are being offered the position because you're good at it and not because of your name," Sorin said thoughtfully. "What?"

"Most people pressume that I want the attention and fame," Harry raised an eyebrow.

"No,"

"No?" Harry frowned at the basic answer.

"I have spent enough time with you to know that that is not something you are interested in. Its clear in your eyes and the way you speak about your fame," Sorin shook his head.

"Thank you, I think you are the first person to actually say that," Harry snorted.

"People can be foolish, they desire power and attention, some of them enjoy it, most realise that the attention is not everything that they wished it be," Sorin said softly, his eyes intently on Harry as he spoke. Once again Harry ished that he could reach out and brutsh that silky looking black hair from Sorin's face and see him completely.

"I had no idea, when I frst came into this world. I knew nothing about being a wizard, what had truly killed my parents, that everyone thought of me as the Boy-who-lived until my eleventh birthday," Harry admitted.

"Nothing?!" Sorin asked in wide eyed horror.

"Nothing, I thought that my parents had died in a car accident, my family told me it was because my dad was drunk. I don't really know why I am telling you all this sorry, i have't even told Hermione and Ron all of this,"

"I offered to listen when you needed to talk, I meant it," Sorin reached out and touched Harry's shoulder making the younger man look back to him. "Now I owe you a story!"

Harry wateched as Sorin thoughtfully cast his mind around for something to tell him. He really had no idea what had brought him to be so honest with Sorin, it had just slipped out, with the thought that he could trust Sorin with his secrets. And trust was depressingly something that was few and far between at the minute.

"Ah I know! I think you will like this," Sorin smiled. "I became a charms master because of Lily,"

"My mum?" Harry asked shocked.

"Yes, I only really remember the last summer she was over, I was too young before that, and after..." orin looked to Harry to see him nod, telling him he knew about the break up of Severus and Lily's friendship. "That last summer, she told me all about the charms that she had been practicing and coming up with herself, her charm work. When I asked she showed me her books and told me what she wanted to do with her future. She would have been a great charms women and spell crafter. When I got to school I had remembered how excited she had been about charms, and I was so excited to get to that lesson and get to perform some of the spells that she had told me about. My love for Charms just got bigger from there,"

"Thank you," Harry smiled. "Ugh I had better get back to work, we are hoping to finish up the courtyard this week," He groaned.

"You work very hard," Sorin said standing and reaching down to help Harry up. The blush that flooded his cheeks Harry could do nothing about at the touch of those long, tanned fingers.

"Hogwarts was my home, it is horrible seeing it like this. I want to make sure that it is put right,"

"And yet you are hesitant of staying here? Taking on the teaching job?" Sorin asked cautiously as they started slowly walking back to the castle.

"I am worried I am locking myself in here out of fear of going out there," Harry bit his lip. "I don't know whether it is because I want to stay and teach, or because the safety of Hogwarts is all I have known, and I am afraid to let it go,"

"Only you can answer that one I am afraid, however if you let Headmistress McGonagall know you are interested, I am sure she will give you the time you need to think it over," Sorin advised.

"You're right. Thank you," harry smiled brightly feeling a little bit of the weight taken off of his shoulders.

"Hey Sorin, getting a break?" Charlie grinned jogging over to them.

"Yes I needed a little fresh air," Sorin nodded his head slightly.

"Can't blame you, hey don't suppose you know any charms that can work rock together, we have a chunk of this wall that is going to take months to rebuild if we can't pull the rock back together, its basically been shattered," Charlie asked hopefully.

"I do actually, where is the piece of wall?" Sorin asked.

"You're a life saver, right over here," Charlie led the way to where he had been working with Seamus and three Ravenclaws Harry embarrassingly hadn't known the naes of until they started working here.

"It is no bother, I am happy to be of help," Sorin shook his head, before to Harry's horror - and renewed blush - peeling his robes off and draping them over a piece of wall. Charlie had to smother his laughter as Harry went wide eyed and tried not to stare at the fitted black trousers and white shirt, especially when Sorin rolled up those white sleeves to reveal tanned, strong forearms.

And then he started to perform his magic. tHe shine in his eyes as he uttered the magic told them how much he loved charms and what he was doing. His straight back and perfect psosition, the control over his wand - not a movement or twitch of his fingers wasted energy in the casting of his spell - and Harry felt the prickle of his magic over his skin when he cast the spell. The three of them watched as the rubble and stone dust danced into the air and pulled itself together to rebuild itself into one huge block of unmarred stone.

"It is a powerful spell, I would advise frequent breaks and drinks to refresh yourselves, but it should save you a lot of time," Sorin turned to them.

"Thank you, that is amazing," Charlie answered for them, still fighting down his laughter as Harry could only stand there open mouthed and nod.

"You're welcome, I had better head back inside to make sure Severus has not decided to try and make a great escape," Sorin said dryly.

"You might want to close your mouth, you're drooling a little," Charlie said finally breaking into laughter as Harry watched Sorin heading back into the castle with his robes in one hand and Harry's bowl in the other.

"I think I might be having a heart attack," Harry groaned.

"I wouldn't be surprised with the amount of blood that has rushed to your face!" Charlie said still snickering.

"Oh Merlin do you think he noticed?" Harry covered his face.

"I don't know how he could have missed it," Charlie said sympathetically.

"Shoot me now," Harry moaned.