Severus knew the second that Harry was on Hogwarts' property. Being the headmaster, he was keyed in to all the wards. He normally used his occlumency to block out feeling who was in the wards with so many people coming and going. However because there were so few people at Hogwarts currently, and because he wanted to know if Harry returned there, he let his shields down enough to feel if the shifted to allow Harry to enter. He also knew Harry was with someone else, probably that Thalia girl, assumed Severus. Severus did not those in the Great Hall know that Harry was on the property, he wanted to save their reactions for when Harry walked in.
He and Filius were having a delightful, and animated, conversation about use ordinary charms in defense. Severus and Filius were both quite enthusiastic about all the possibilities that neither of them had ever thought of before. Soon others had begun to join the conversation, talking about how transfiguration, arthimancy, potions, and even herbology could be used in defense. None of them noticed when the doors opened admitting two lithe figures.
Perfect. Harry saw that they were all deeply engrossed in conversation. He quietly and quickly pulled Thalia into a shadowed corner. He then wordlessly cast a silencing spell around.
"I want to make a grand entrance. You stay here while I do this, I will call you over when I need you. Just watch and enjoy the show. This will be funny."
"Oh, it better be. I can't wait for this to happen."
Harry snuck to right outside the Great Hall doors. He adjusted his robes, which were a deep emerald to match his eyes, and when he walked, the billowed, and you could see different shades of green in them. He then used a wandless, nonverbal blasting hex to get them to swing open. He then strode purposefully toward the one circular table in the middle of the hall.
The hall was silent in shock. Even Severus. They all knew that this man was Harry, yet not.
Harry transfigured a napkin off the table into a chair. spun it around so the back was facing the table, and spread his legs on either side, sitting down, Severus on one side of him, Hermione on the other.
Severus was the first to recover. "Mr. Potter?"
"Why, yes Professor Snape? Or if the rumors are to be true, Headmaster?" Harry inquired politely. Everyone was surprised that he was being polite to Severus.
"Yes, Mr. Potter, the rumors are true. Now, if I may inquire, where have you been for the past couple of months?" Today was August 18, and the final battle had taken place on April 24.
"Oh, here and there, Headmaster Snape." Harry said, not disclosing anything, yet.
Hermione was the next to recover. "Harry!" She shrieked. She laughed herself at him with hug.
"Nice to see you too, Mione." Harry said in her ear.
"Don't ever leave me like that again." She said, crying, still hugging him.
"I won't Mione."
Hermione let him go.
"Do anyone of mind if I summon one of my friends to join us?" Harry said as everyone began to come out of their stupor. Severus gave a sharp nod.
Harry turned his head around to the corner Thalia was in. "Thals! You can come out now. Don't worry, they don't bite!" He shouted jovially across the hall.
"I"m not worried about them biting. And how many times have I told you to not call me Thals, Potter?"
"Oh, they may have been time 623. I've been counting." Harry then turned back to everyone, as Thalia sat on the empty seat between Minerva and Neville.
"Everyone, this is my friend, Thals, Thals this is Headmaster Snape, Professor Flitwick, my friend Neville, Professor McGongagall, Remus, Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasley, Charlie, Bill Percy, George, Fred, Professor Sprout, and my best friend, Hermione." Harry said, pointing to everyone as he went a pound the table, and throwing his arm around Hermione's shoulders.
"Hi everyone. Just call me Thalia. Knucklehead over there thinks calling my Thals is funny."
"Nice to meet you Thalia. As Harry said I'm Hermione."
"Nice to meet you too, Hermione. Harry has told me all about you. Actually he has told me about all of you." Thalia said.
"Only good things, I hope." Hermione replied.
Thalia and Hermione both laughed at that. Hermione and Minerva switched seats a few minutes later so she could sit next to Thalia and talk without them yelling across the table to everyone.
Minerva leveled Harry with a glare when she sat in Hermione's chair. "I hope you have a very good reason for nearly giving me a heart attack, ."
"Of course not, Professor McGonagall. It was my stupid pride. I thought it was my fault. I didn't realize until recently that me blaming myself took away from those who sacrificed their lives for the war. And also that my departure was cowardly and similar to the one of Sirius Black. I do deeply apologize for causing you to worry."
"Oh, Mr. Potter, what are we going to do with you?"
"You can start by calling me Harry."
"Only if you call me Minerva."
"Okay, Minnie, I mean, Minerva." Harry said cheekily.
"Your father did the same thing when I gave him permission to call mme by my given name. Of course, your mother whacked him on the head."
Harry laughed. "I wish I knew more about her, I know so much about my dad."
"I couldn't help but overhear," Severus interrupted, "Mr. Potter, that you wish to know more about Lily. I can tell a lot about her before she was fifteen, as we had an argument after then that neither of us ever got over. If you would like, you can come to my office tomorrow morning after breakfast?"
"That would be great, sir." Harry said with a small smile.
"Oh, and for the love of Merlin, drop the sir, and call me Severus. And don't even think about using some nickname. You will not live long enough to regret it."
"I don't doubt it, Severus, but I must insist you call me Harry. And I dare you to come up with a nickname for me."
"Of course, Harpy."
"Not good enough, Sev."
"I believe that Stupid is a good name for you."
"Still not good enough, Sevvie."
"Harold."
"Sev'rus."
"Potty."
"Sneep."
"Tot."
"Snapey."
"If you two are quite done,' Thalia said, amused, as both Harry and Severus turned bright red, forgetting they had an audience. "I believe we have sort where Harry and I shall be staying."
"In the guest rooms of course." Severus said. "I believe I have a pile of paper work waiting for me on my desk."
"Bye Severus." Everyone mumbled.
Harry was relieved to fall onto his bed at the end of the day. After Severus left, comments about his hair, attire, piercings, and tattoos began.
Even though he had on robes, he still had his new clothes on under. His hair was still blonde, but he dyed the ends green, and his latest tattoo was on his opposite wrist that said, "Listen to your heart…" were all visible.
"Harry, dear," Molly had said, "why do you have all those tattoos and piercings?"
"Because thats what I want."
"You shouldn't do that to yourself."
"I'll do whatever I fucking please." And with that Harry stormed out of the Great Hall, Thalia and Hermione hot on his heels.
Molly was upset with Harry's language. Minerva was in the middle, Severus had warned them about annoying Harry, but Harry did swear at Molly.
Harry had stalked up to Severus's office. He then proceeded to slam the door and drop himself in one of the chairs.
"If she makes one more fucking comment about me, I swear to Merlin I will kill her and anyone in my way."
"And who would that be, Harry?"
"Molly fucking Weasley."
"Ah. I'll talk to her for you, now Harry, did anyone show you where you will be staying?"
"No, I sorta stormed out of the Great Hall. I think I shocked Minerva with language. I should probably apologize to her later."
"Yes, she would appreciate that. Now, if you don't mind, I can show you your rooms?"
"Thanks, Severus. I'm sorry to bother you, I know you are busy. I just didn't know where I was staying and didn't feel like going back to the Great Hall after that scene."
"It's okay, I understand how it is. Now follow me, I'll show you where you are staying." Severus said getting up from behind his desk, "Besides, I need the distraction."
"Okay, lead the way."
Hermione and Thalia lost Harry as he ran through corridors, he was just so much faster than either of them.
"Do you think he's okay? I just got him back."
"He just needs time to cool off, Mione. He had expected something like this. We both know he has a temper, by the morning he'll be fine and apologizing to everyone. Except maybe Mrs. Weasley, he'll expect her to apologize first."
"I just don't want to lose him again."
"Mione, trust me, by morning he'll be okay."
"Okay, let me show you your rooms are for the night. Maybe we'll run into Harry."
"Okay, lead the way Mione."
"So," Harry said, as they walked down the stairs from the Headmaster's office, "Headmaster now?"
Severus sighed, "Yes. When I tried to let Minerva have it she said that I deserve more than her. She knew Hogwarts was my first home, and that I hate teaching. This way I can stay here."
"So you too?"
"Pardon?"
"Hogwarts was the first place I called home."
"Oh, I'm sorry your life was like that."
"Its all behind me now."
"Harry, nothing like that is ever 'behind you,' Trust me. I know."
"You're probably right, I haven't been dwelling on it, probably after things settle down, it will affect me more."
"Harry, if you ever need someone to talk here, I'll be here."
"Thanks, why are you being so civil?"
"I had to be mean to keep my cover. I don't have a cover to keep anymore, I can be civil toward you now. Besides, you seem like a good friend."
"Severus, I am a terrible friend. I have a bunch of baggage and I just left my friends behind without telling them anything. What kind of friend is that?"
"Harry, no one is perfect. You needed time to yourself, especially after that battle, I completely understand why you left."
"Thank you, Severus, honestly. It means a lot."
"No problem, these here are your rooms, you can set a passcode."
"Thank you. See you at breakfast?"
"Yes. Breakfast is at 9."
"Okay see you then. Have fun with your paperwork!"
"I won't. Bye."
"Bye."
That night Severus summoned Molly, Minerva, Remus, And Hermione to his office.
"Which one of you wants to tell me why Mr. Potter came to office earlier, very upset?"
No one said anything.
"Well, I'll tell you all something. He did not take well to Molly reprimanding him about his tattoos and piercings. Did I not warn all of you? Do I have to babysit all of you?"
"No, but Thalia and I did try to run after him, and calm him down. We weren't fast enough, we didn't know where he had gone."
"Thank you, Hermione. Now I want all of you to listen, and listen carefully, Harry is in a fragile state of mind and the slightest thing can set him off. I have viable reason to believe he is depressed. You guys reprimanding him will not help! I don't want to hear about another incident. You all are dismissed."
Everyone left, except for Hermione.
"Severus, I don't know why Harry came running to you, but don't abuse his friendship. It's valuable."
"Thank you for your concern, Miss Granger. Now I believe I said you were dismissed."
"Yes, I'm going."
As soon as she was gone, Severus placed his head in his hands. He knew that this was going to be a rocky couple of days. Especially now that Harry had had a temper tantrum because Severus knew everyone was going to be walking on eggshells around him, and that will only make Harry angrier.
Severus was not looking to breakfast in the morning, especially since he was stuck in the middle.
