Well here's the next chapter. Surprised how quickly I go this out actually. Enjoy.
Love Has No Boundaries.
Chapter Four: Summer.
"Who are you?" Harry asked the elf bouncing up and down on his bed. Upon hearing the question, the elf immediately jumped off the bed and looked down at the ground, its long spindly fingers playing with its bat like ears.
"I is Dobby the house-elf" he told Harry, "I is here to warn Mr Harry Potter sir, there is a plot sir. A most terrible plot" he told him, his voice becoming squeakier the more he talked.
"What plot? What are you talking about?" Harry asked the small the creature, "and why are you telling me, why not tell your masters, they could stop whatever it is?"
"It is masters that is being bad and plotting Mr Harry Potter sir. Dobby shouldn't have come here, but Dobby wants to protect Mr Harry Potter sir" Dobby told him before his large eyes became even wider and he began to look around frantically. "Dobby is bad elf to go behind masters. Bad, bad elf" he said before he ran over to the wardrobe and began to bang his head against the door, creating a large amount of noise that his dad was bound to hear and come and investigate.
"Stop please just stop" Harry asked the distressed House-Elf, hoping that his dad hadn't heard. Unfortunately he did in the next second Harry's door burst open, revealing a frowning James his wand drawn, his eyes quickly scanning the room for any danger. "I don't know how to stop him, he just keeps saying he's a bad elf."
"He must be disobeying his masters orders by being here" James explained to his son as he put his wand away again. "Why's he here anyway? What do you want?" he asked the elf, grabbing it's tiny body and hauling him away from the wardrobe.
"Dobby is here to warn Mr Harry Potter. Warn of evil plot. Terrible things are going to happen" told them, repeating his warning over and over again before disappearing with a snap of his fingers, leaving James holding nothing but thin air.
Looking over at his son with confusion, father and son shook their heads at the elf's odd behaviour. "Right well, warning noted" James said before urging his son to hurry up and get his stuff together for his stay with his mother, Sirius, Cassie and new baby brother.
"Yay, two weeks of awkward conversations and babysitting" Harry said with a grimace as he packed his rucksack with the things he wanted to take with him as well as the last of his homework, even though he knew he wasn't likely to be able to finish it. "What fun" he finished sarcastically before making his was over to where his dad stood waiting for him, an amused look on his face.
"You'll enjoy yourself. You always do" James told his sulking son, wrapping his arm around his shoulders as they walked down the corridor to the stairs. "Beside you love little Cassie. And you get to meet Delphinus. You haven't seen him yet" James pointed out to his son as they arrived in the living room. Sharing a quick hug Harry stepping into the fire and in a flash of green flames he was gone for two weeks. Shaking his head knowing how much his son disliked going to his mother's house James made his way to the kitchen needing a strong drink. "You could have knocked you know" James told his friend when he saw Severus sat at the kitchen table, the firewhiskey and two glasses already laid out in front of him.
"I never knock" Severus told him taking another sip of the amber liquid, "you should know that by now surely" he pointed out with a smirk that had once drove James wild with anger, but now didn't bother him at all. It was just Severus.
"You're right I should" James said as he sat down opposite his friend, pouring two fingers into the glass and knocking it back in one go, the liquid burning a trail down his throat to his stomach where it settled into a warm, somewhat comforting feeling. "God what am I going to do for the next two weeks?" he asked aloud although he didn't expect an answer.
"What did you do last year when Harry was at his mother's?" Severus asked as he poured them both another glass, clinking them together before they once again downed the entire contents in one.
"I did paperwork mainly. Answered any questions that the Grangers had about where they were sending their only child off to at the end of the summer" he told his friend, "but now there's no paperwork to do and the Grangers know what goes on in our world and Hermione can answer any questions they have now she knows enough" he said before looking at his friend closely. "Why are you here anyway? Shouldn't you be getting ready for the next set of … what did you call them?" he asked him, another frown creasing his brows.
"Dunderheads" Severus answered with a shake of his head at the thought of the next bunch of idiots he would have the pleasure of teaching for the next five years. "That's all done. Nothing changes, still the same potions, still the same explosion and mess ups to look forward" he told his friend before shaking his head and once again downing his drink in one go, the thought of returning to those student in a months' time depressing him slightly.
"Still don't see why you stay there if you hate it so much" James told him before standing and making his way over to the fridge, grabbing two muggle beers, the firewhiskey having done its job of soothing the pain of not having his son with him, for the time being at least, and now he wanted something cold and smooth. Handing one to Severus they made their way into the living room where they both got comfortable. "You could work for the Ministry. Become an Unspeakable. Be with likeminded people who won't blow up your lab by just thinking about potions" he told his friend, knowing that he would knock the idea back just as he always did.
"You know full why I'm still at Hogwarts James" he told his friend with a sigh for what felt like the hundredth time. "Besides" he said, a smirk stretching across his face as he looked at his friend, "someone has to keep an eye on that son of yours. Before he really hurts himself" he said, his voice softening as he thought of the injuries that Harry had sustained during his battle with Quirrell at the end of the school year.
Before they could continue to discuss Harry further however there was a knock at that door. Getting up to answer it James was surprised to see Hermione on the other side of the door, smiling at her best friend's father, feeling totally comfortable with him. "Hay Mr Potter, hope I'm not interrupting you?" the young girl greeted her friend's father.
"No not at all Hermione, how are you?" he asked as he stepped aside to let the young girl through. "You're parents okay?" he enquired knowing how the Grangers sometime struggled with their only daughter being a witch.
"There okay. Enjoyed the south of France. Didn't want to leave really" she told him before bringing her hands from behind her back and presenting him with a gift. "This is for you. It's not much, but my mum and dad thought that they should thank you in some way and they saw this and thought you'd like it" she explained quickly, suddenly nervous being alone with her friends' father.
"Your parents didn't have to get me anything Hermione, but thank you" he told her leading her into the living room, the young girl stopping in her tracks when she spotted her potions professor sat on the sofa, ankle resting on his knee, sipping from the bottle of beer he held loosely in his hand. "You know Severus" James said indicating that she should take a seat on the sofa while he went to get her a drink.
"Good evening Professor Snape" Hermione said politely, noticing how comfortable and relaxed her usually surely professor was. "Enjoying your summer?" she asked politely, not knowing if she was overstepping her boundaries.
"Good evening Hermione" Severus replied with a slight smile and nod of his head, "I am actually. After the drama of last year it was nice to relax" he told her taking another sip of his drink. "And yourself?" he asked.
"It's been good thank you. Spent the majority of my time was spent reassuring my parents that I'm safe at Hogwarts" she told him with a sad smile and slight shake of her head, "after I made the mistake of telling them what happened last year, they were a bit apprehensive of me going back come September" she told him, revealing the troubles her parents were facing.
"Well, if you want, I can visit them and reassure them that you're perfectly safe at Hogwarts" Severus offered, "if you want me to that is?" he asked her. Having dealt with his father not understanding magic, Severus was more sympathetic towards muggle-born students and their parents.
"Thank you, sir. Their probably more likely to listen to you than me or Mr Potter" Hermione told her teacher, thankful that he was being understanding and offering his support. "Thank you Mr Potter" she said to James when he handed her a bottle of Butterbeer.
"I've told you enough times to call me James, Hermione" he told her with a smile as he grabbed his present from the coffee table. Opening it up he pulled out a bottle of eighteenth-century cognac and a smaller box. Once he opened it he saw a miniature portrait of himself and Harry. The tiny painted canvas had such detail that it could almost be mistaken for a photo. "Hermione this is magnificent" he told her, passing the picture over to Severus to look, having already examined the cognac.
"It's just small, but like I said they felt they had to say 'thank you'" she told him with a small smile before quickly finishing her drink. "I'll leave you and Professor Snape alone. Bye" she bid them before rushing out the door before he suggested that she stay.
"Well that was sweet, but strange" Severus said as he examined the miniature of James and Harry, admitting that it was a magnificent piece of artwork.
"Maybe, but it's not the strangest thing that's happened tonight" James agreed before tell Severus all about the elf that had come to warn them that Harry shouldn't go back to school this year. "Just wish I knew what this threat was. Or who Dobby belonged to even. Then I could get a warrant to search their house" he told him, frustrated that he couldn't use his position within the Auror office to protect his son.
"Wait did you say 'Dobby'?" Severus asked, "That's the Malfoy's family elf. He belongs to Lucius" he told him when James confirmed the name. "You won't be able to search his manor James, he's deep in Fudges pocket, you'd never get away with it, he'll have you fired like that" he told him clicking his fingers, knowing that Lucius would do everything to stop the Aurors searching his house.
"Well what am I meant to do then? This is my son were on about! He's already been attacked one psychopath, I will not let another get anywhere near him!" James exclaimed before collapsing back into the sofa, angry that he wouldn't be able to do anything without losing his job.
"Just bide your time. Lucius will give you a reason to search his house" Severus told him as he stood up to leave. "After all, he's not that intelligent. And who knows what his guests will bring into his house when they visit him. I mean they could conceal something dark within something harmless. Like a gift for his son" he told him before breaking into what could only be considered an evil smirk, "or should that be godson?" he told him innocently before leaving to go back to his own house, leaving an equally smirking James behind to plan how to get the warrant to search the Malfoy manor.
"He's called what?" Terry asked his friend as they all lounged around the pool in the Potter's back garden, the warm summer sun beating down on all of them as they relaxed in the last days of their summer holiday.
"Delphinus" Harry told him again with a slight grimace at the name of his new little brother. "It means dolphin. I looked it up. He's a black dolphin. Thank god they named me Harry. Remind me to thank my dad for that later" he told them causing them all to laugh at the look on the young boys face at the thought of being named something ridiculous.
"Why name him 'Delphinus' though?" Daphne asked her friend, "I mean, surely there are nicer names out there. They didn't name Cassie something ridiculous" she pointed out.
"Actually Cassie is just her nickname. Her full name is Cassiopeia Flos Black. And no I'm not joking" he told his friends, shaking his head the naming skills of his mother.
"Isn't Flos Latin for flower? Why name her that?" she asked when Harry nodded, not understanding the meaning behind the name.
"All the women born on my mother's side seem to have flowers for names. Mum's is Lily. My aunt's is Petunia. My grans was Marigold although everyone called her Mary. And my great gran was called Iris, apparently because, and I quote, 'her eyes are the same colour of the flower in question in the garden'" he told them shaking his head.
"My God, I daren't aske but, what's Delphinus' full name then?" Daphne asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.
"Delphinus Canes Black" Harry told his friends, "but they said that they'll call him Fin. Which makes him a dolphin sea dog with a nickname that's the limb of a fish" he told them.
"Well they really screwed him over didn't they?" Terry said attempting to be serious but he couldn't stop the grin from spreading across his face.
"Poor kids going to have a complete complex by the time he gets to Hogwarts" Hermione said, also attempting to stop the grin from spreading across her face, also failing.
"We'll have to keep him away from the Black Lake" Daphne said before all five friends burst into laughter, the ridiculous of the Black children's names becoming too much of them, unable to stop for the rest of the visit.
"Now are going to promise me that you'll stay out of trouble this year? Don't really want to have to visit you in the Hospital wing again" James told his son as they walked through Kings Cross station.
"Do many bad memories there for you dad?" Harry asked his father with a cheeky grin, "how long did you spend in there altogether? Two or three years?" he asked laughing at the face his dad was pulling.
"More like four" he grumbled, wincing as though he was reliving some of the most painful reasons he ended up in the hospital wing, under the severe guard of Poppy Pomfrey. Laughing father and son bid each other goodbye and Harry rushed off to meet his friends, James having to return to work at the Ministry.
"Excited for a new year Harry?" Terry asked as Harry sat down opposite him, between Hermione and Daphne.
"Can't wait Terry" he told his friend, throwing his arms around the two girls he was sat between. "Who wouldn't be excited having these two lovely girls in their class" he told him with a cheeky grin, wincing as the two girls in question simultaneously elbowed him in the stomach. Grinning as he rubbed his stomach he winked at the two girls causing both of them to blush slightly and avert their eyes. "I think it's going to be good year" he told them, "I mean, after all the drama of last year, this one's bound to be quieter" he said with a confident grin as the train shuttered forward, sending them on their way to their second year at Hogwarts.
Well there you go. I figured that it'll probably be easier to little summer chapters between school years. Hope you liked it and don't forget to leave a review, and thank you for those that have reviewed already. I'm glad you like it so far. Until next time. Ciao.