A/N: I know, it's been forever since I've updated. Good news it, I also have another chapter in the works for The Changer, so look for that one soon as well. Enjoy!
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Chapter 7
Severus scanned the back lot, looking for his brother. As usual, the moment that Harry could get outdoors, he ran with all possible haste to get out of the house. Even in the light drizzle, Harry had been undisturbed. But it was getting to be lunchtime, and Severus had decided to tackle the daunting task of introducing his brother to both proper food and silverware at the same time. Best to get it over with in one fell swoop, as it were.
He finally caught sight of those bright green eyes peering out at him from underneath a partially fallen tree. Severus walked closer and came to a stop about five feet from the wolf.
"It is one o'clock, the time I usually take my luncheon," he said by way of explanation.
Silver Wolf huffed quietly.
Severus was unclear whether this indicated understanding or irritation. "I would like for you to join me in the kitchen, so we can continue with your lessons."
Silver Wolf huffed more emphatically.
Well, that meaning was quite clear. "I know I promised you no more rules for today," Severus acknowledged, "but we have quite a lot to review and not much time to do it in. A meal in the kitchen will hardly be a difficult lesson," he said, hoping that the wolf wouldn't see through the blatant lie.
Silver Wolf eyed him warily before sliding out from under his temporary shelter. He moved to Severus' side and nipped at his hand gently before moving toward the den.
Severus followed him with a sigh of his own. Gods, this would be difficult. He may have been able to bluff his way through convincing Harry that the lesson would be simple but he was under no such delusion himself. He knew that the next hour would likely be the longest hour of his life to date. And the worst part was, he was quite certain that he would have even more draining lessons to come.
He found Harry sitting in the kitchen, still in wolf form. "You will need to be a boy for this," he said patiently.
Silver Wolf transformed quickly, although he remained squatting on the floor.
Severus grasped on tightly to his patience, knowing that he could not under any circumstances blow up at the boy so soon after the breakfast debacle. He needed to remain calm and soothing or else the boy would never learn. He pulled out one of the chairs at the table. "In a seat, if you please."
Harry looked dubiously at the seat. It looked wretchedly uncomfortable and strange. But his pack member seemed to really want this, so he shrugged his shoulders and stepped onto the chair, before sinking into a squat once more.
Severus pulled out the seat next to Harry to demonstrate how the boy should use the chair. With a bare minimum of silent fighting and glaring, Harry complied and sat, visibly uncomfortable, in the seat properly.
"Very good. Now, when you are eating with a wizard, you will see the table laid out as such," Severus said, standing up to better demonstrate the basic table setting. He hadn't bothered to lay out anything too fancy, and so had started with only a plate, cup, napkin and silverware. He hoped the boy could handle it all. "You will lift your napkin like so—" he said, demonstrating for Harry. "And place it in your lap."
"Why?"
"To prevent you from spilling on yourself," Severus said patiently.
"Why would spill?"
Severus bit back a sigh. "If you were careless, food might drop onto you. If it were hot, it could harm you."
"Ah!" Harry said. "Silver Wolf wears men's clothing for this," he said, pointing to his trousers.
"You wear clothing to protect yourself from the elements, and to remain covered as any decent wizard should be. The napkin serves another purpose."
"This other cloth is a trick?" Harry asked, picking it up and inspecting it closely for magical properties. "Is better than clothes?"
"No, it merely serves a different purpose."
"Is good to spill on this than on trousers?"
"Yes," Severus said, assuming that they were done with the debate.
"What…when I spill on it?" he asked, unable to articulate his question.
"If you spill something on it then you will continue your meal, unless the napkin is so saturated with food and drinks as to be useless. In that case, your host will give you a second napkin."
"Why not lick off? Still food, yes?"
The sigh exploded from Severus' throat before he could catch it. "Wizards never lick their napkins. Or their plates. Or themselves, for that matter."
Harry scrunched his nose in confusion. "I do not think you know this right," he said slowly.
"I assure you that I do," Severus said firmly.
"This is why men are stupid," Harry announced with a grin. "Wolves much better at this. When something is on fur, wolf cleans and is better. No new fur needed."
"Men—" Severus it back his reply. Now was not the time to debate with a child why wizards do or do not lick themselves, and whether that was a good thing or a bad thing. He refused to lower himself to that level. "This is immaterial. Wizards use napkins. When dining with wizards, you will do so as well," he said firmly.
Harry patted the piece of fabric that lay over his lap. A brisk nod signaled that he was ready to continue.
Severus took a brief moment to collect his wits. "Moving on," he said. "Your host will have a drink in this glass," he said, signaling the glasses that stood by both of their place settings. "For now, even if given an option for what to drink, you will always say water."
"What other choice?" Harry asked, perking up at this new information.
"The type of beverages available is nearly limitless. Until you are more familiar with our food and drinks, you will continue to drink water. We will need to introduce you to a proper wizard's diet slowly, or it will be too great a shock to your system. In a few weeks you can try some other drinks."
Harry scowled at this. "What you have?"
"Water," Severus said dryly, lifting his glass for Harry to inspect. This seemed to perk the young boy up, now that he no longer felt slighted.
"Perhaps we should practice drinking from a cup?"
Harry shrugged his indifference. It was clear that he took these 'lessons' more as eccentric suggestions than as reasonable rules to live by.
Severus lifted his own glass to his lips to demonstrate how Harry should drink from the cup. Harry grabbed his with both hands and stared down at it dubiously.
"Bring it to your lips and tilt it back slowly," Severus instructed.
Harry complied, his eyes crossing as he attempted to keep the foreign object in his eyesight the entire time. He tilted the glass too sharply and water spilled out, running down his face. Harry kept drinking, oblivious to his mistake.
Severus pulled the glass out of his hands. "Are you a complete fool?" he snapped, slamming the glass back down on the table for Harry and grabbing his own napkin to help dry off the soaking wet boy. "What is wrong with you?"
Harry turned to him, completely bewildered. "Is not right?"
"No, is not right," Severus snapped back irritably. "We have already learned napkins, and reviewed the fact that all food and drink should end up inside your mouth, not on your lap. And when you start to spill on yourself you should generally stop what it is you are doing so you don't make an even bigger mess."
Harry stopped Severus' hands as they tried to dry off his bare chest with the sopping napkin. "Is just water, Sev'us. Water is good."
Severus sighed heavily, dropping the soaked napkin to his side. "I know, Harry."
"Not Harry," he reminded his pack mate gently. "Silver Wolf. Remember?"
"Harry is your wizard name," Severus said wearily, sinking back into his seat. "It is the name that your mother gave you when you were born."
"Not from father?" he asked, quickly forgetting his previous concern over his pack mate's odd response to a little water. After all, men did unexplainable things all the time. It really wasn't so odd that his man would have such a bizarre response to some water. He expected no less than complete irrationality from men. They couldn't help it. "Is how men do this?"
"Not usually, no," Severus said. "I will explain more later. But do you understand, Silver, why we call you Harry?"
Harry nodded slowly. "Is good name, Har-e?"
"Harry. And yes, it is a decent name."
"What is it?"
Severus stared at him blankly for a moment, trying to understand the question. "What does it mean?" he repeated back for clarification. At Harry's nod, he elaborated. "I imagine that your mother meant to name you after a great muggle king of old. He was greatly loved by the common men, and a great leader. He won the hearts of his people as few kings before or since have done."
"Har-e. Is not bad name," Harry said, pulling his feet up onto the seat and hugging his knees to his chest. "Is name of alpha. Of Prime alpha?" he asked, seeking clarification for the word 'king'. At Severus' nod he nodded his head in conviction. "Is not so bad, even if it is from men."
Severus nodded again, too wiped out from recent events to contribute anything else.
"I make decision," Harry announced proudly. "With pack, I am Har-e."
"The other wizards will wish to call you Harry as well," Severus said, perking up with this new turn of events. Perhaps the boy was not a hopeless cause after all. If he could at least respond to a civilized name, perhaps he could learn other things as well.
Harry scowled.
"It is common among wizards to address each other by their personal names, particularly when they are among those that they trust."
"I am not a wizard," Harry said firmly, although it seemed that he was saying it as much to convince himself as he was to convince Severus.
Severus found himself hiding a smile. "I know."
Harry nodded once more. "Is not so bad. Har-e."
"No," Severus agreed. They sat in silence for a moment or two when Harry's stomach growled loudly. Severus smiled again. "Would you like to continue our lesson?"
"Is food now?"
"Yes," Severus said, moving to the side board to collect their meals. "Now we can eat."
