Not What It Seems Chapter 7, a harry potter fanfic

Dudley looked into the room. "Sorry to disturb you two, but it's nearly lunch time and weren't we supposed to go somewhere today?"

Snape sighed and shook Harry awake. "Right. Right. I told the headmaster I would bring the two of you to Grimmauld place today."

Harry nodded and yawned before mumbling, "Can we go to Gringotts first? I want to unbind Dudley's magic."

Snape looked between the two cousins. "What do you mean?" Dudley smiled slightly and explained what had happened. Snape nodded. "We can sort that out at Gringotts. Come along."

Harry smiled tiredly at Dudley, who smiled back, and followed Snape out of the room. Soon enough the three of them were pollyjuiced and heading to Gringotts. As soon as Snape mentioned unbinding Dudley's magic the teller ushered them into a room at the back where they were met with another goblin who took them to a ritual chamber.

An hour and a half later they were back at Snape's house. Dudley was sitting on the couch with a ridiculous grin on his face while Harry and Snape made lunch. After lunch Dudley was still grinning like a loon but the goblin healer had told them it was just a side effect from the ritual and suddenly being able to feel his magic.

One they finished Dudley went to Harry's room to lie down for a while. Harry sat cuddled into Snape on the sofa, his head tucked under the man's chin. Snape summoned a parchment, quill and bottle of ink and started writing out a list of addresses with apparition co-ordinates. Some of them had an asterisk at the start. He then summoned another two pieces of parchment and wrote a single address on each.

When he finished he just sat in silence with Harry for a while. Eventually he spoke up. "Harry, we need some safe houses during the war. This is a list of all my properties, the Prince family was rather wide spread. This one is an orphanage, though there is no one there at the moment. I was wondering if we could borrow the Potter properties."

Harry nodded. "Sure, but I haven't seen any of them."

Snape nodded. "No problem. I am sure Jacob could take you around them."

Harry laughed at Snape referring to his pollyjuiced self in the third person. It made sense for Jacob to take Harry around rather than Snape. They couldn't let anyone know about Snape being a spy. "When is Dumbledore expecting us?"

Snape sighed. "This morning." He huffed. "I suppose we should get up." Harry nodded. They stayed still for a moment before Harry sat up and moved away from Snape. They both stood up and, after making sure Harry and Dudley had everything they went to the floo room. Dudley had calmed down after his nap and was no longer grinning like a loon. Snape turned to Harry. "These are some books on Occlumency. I want you to read them. We have made a start on clearing your mind during our therapy sessions, since getting all of that off your chest will help you block your mind better."

Harry nodded and took the books, putting them into his bag. "I'm sorry about our lessons last year."

Snape shook his head. "That's alright, Harry. I was doing a poor job of teaching you. When I realised the method I was using was doing no good I should have tried a different method."

Harry sighed. "We've both done a lot of things we regret."

Snape nodded. "Now, you know I have to pretend to hate you in public, right?" Harry nodded and Snape nodded back. "Good, don't take anything I say to heart. It's all an act, alright?" Harry nodded again. "I will be spending as much time as I can at Grimmauld place but I have a lot of potions to make and I need to have plausible excuses to leave so Jacob can come to see you every Saturday and at some point this week to take you around your properties."

Harry nodded. "Alright."

The three of them gathered themselves and Harry flooed through first, Snape flooing with Dudley behind him. He stumbled but caught himself and moved out of the way for Snape and Dudley. Snape helped Dudley over to a chair, not giving a glance to the three order members in the room. "Now, remember Mr Evans, you need to exercise your magic daily to stretch your core. I will check your progress in a week or so." He looked up at the order members. "Is Minx here?" They nodded and he swept out of the room, robes billowing behind him.

Dudley looked up at Harry. "You were right. He is an ass."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, but don't worry. You'll be seeing a lot of him over the next year while you catch up."

Dudley groaned. "So, what's magic school like, anyway?"

Harry grinned. "Well, Transfiguration is turning one thing into something else, Defence is magic used to attack and defend, charms is every other kind of spell, astronomy is studying the stars, Herbology is magical gardening and potions is magical cooking though don't tell Professor Snape I said that."

Dudley nodded. "I won't."

Harry sat on the arm of the chair. "Anyway, welcome to my home." He said sarcastically. "We've got bleak and depressing wall paper, a house elf that hates all of us, a portrait that screams at us-"

"FILTHY MUDBOODS! DIRTYING MY—" she was cut off as whoever disturbed her pulled the curtains closed.

"That's the one, and we have a few pests living in some of the rooms too. The only upside, is the company. Most of the time."

Dudley blinked. "So... a hell of a lot of bleach and white spirit, some cans of Dulux, some spray paint, air spray, fresh carpets and new furniture?" he ticked each item off on his fingers.

Harry nodded. "Yup. Here's my credit card. 3173. This bag is bottomless and won't weigh anything. Go nuts." He turned to the three conveniently located order members. "Go with him." Dudley stood up and took Harry's card and schoolbag. The three order members looked at each other and shrugged, following Dudley and showing him the way out of the house.

Harry stood up and stretched. He wandered quietly around the house before finding Ron, Hermione and Ginny in a room, scrubbing the floor. He leant against the frame. "You know, it works better if you do it in outward clockwise spirals."

The three of them jumped and spun around. Hermione shrieked. "Harry!" and hugged the life out of him. She pulled back and frowned. "Harry?"

He sighed. "They starved me again. It's okay though. Jacob gave me food whenever I saw him and Snape gave me some nutrient potions to take."

Hermione frowned. "About that man, Jacob..."

Harry grinned. "Yeah, he's really cool. He's been helping me out a lot. I'm really glad to have met him."

Ginny glared. "How can you want to see a man like him?"

Harry frowned. "What do you mean? Jacob's amazing. He's great at what he does. Why wouldn't I want to see him?"

Ron sighed. "Harry... I'm not judging your preferences or anything... but the age gap is a bit big don't you think?"

Harry tilted his head. "What's age got to do with anything?"

Hermione sighed. "Harry... we just think it would be better if you don't see him anymore."

Harry glared. "Since I've been seeing Jacob I've been happier than I have ever been. Why take that away?"

Hermione frowned. "Are you sure, Harry? You were fine before you met him, why is it suddenly a big improvement now?"

Harry blinked at her. "You really don't get it, do you?" He turned around and slammed the door behind him as he made his way upstairs, not wanting to be near them anymore. So what if he had a therapist? So what if Jacob was nearing fifty? So what if Harry enjoyed spending time with him? Was that so bad? Harry shook his head and looked around. He found himself in front of the door Buckbeak used to be behind. He poked his head around the door and found the room completely empty. They moved Buckbeak. He went inside and sighed, leaning against the door and practicing some of the basic occlumency techniques.

A few hours later he heard voices outside and looked out the window. Dudley was back, bringing the three order members with him. Harry went and met them downstairs and he and Dudley spent a good few minutes debating about Mrs Black. In the end they soaked some rags in white spirit and pulled her curtains open, vigorously scrubbing at her face. In a few moments she fell silent. And they both reached up and steadied the portrait as it fell towards them.

Dudley steadied it and placed it on its side on the floor before sliding it along the floor and he stashing it behind the sofa in the living room on the ground floor. The curtain rail was easily lifted off the hooks and stashed with the portrait. Harry then went into the kitchen and started on the dinner while Dudley looked through all the cupboards. He threw away all the mouldy or gone off food (occasionally asking Harry if something was good or not. Harry told him 'if in doubt, chuck it out.')

When Harry finished the food Dudley yelled up the stairs that dinner was ready. He had an impressively loud voice sometimes. Harry absently mused that he could probably give Mrs Black a run for her money.

Dinner was a slightly awkward affair, no one knowing who Dudley was (but not asking since he was sitting next to Harry) and Ron, Hermione and Ginny staying strangely silent. People were also wondering why Snape was eating with them. Eventually Molly spoke up. "So, Harry dear. What's this I hear about you hanging around with that man, what's his name, Jacob?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah, Jacob Walker. He's awesome." He grinned lopsidedly at her.

Molly frowned. "Don't you think the age gap is a bit too big, dear?"

Harry frowned back, silently wondering why this kept coming back and why Snape seemed to be trying not to look too eager. "What's age got to do with anything? He makes me happy. Makes me feel like I actually matter to someone. What does how old he is have anything to do with it?" Now Snape looked even more like he was trying not to laugh, though Harry was probably the only one here who knew him well enough to tell.

Molly glared at him. "Harry James Potter, you listen to me. I don't want you seeing this man anymore."

Harry frowned. "Will all due respect, Mrs Weasley, you are not my mother, you cannot tell me who I can and can't see."

Molly stood up. "You are too young to be making such choices, young man?"

"Oh, but I'm old enough to fight in a war? To fight one to one with the darkest wizard this side of the millennia? Old enough to kill one of my teachers to save a stone that should never have been in the school in the first place? Old enough to fight a basilisk with a sword to save your daughter? Old enough to participate in the triwizard tournament? Old enough to be tried in front of the full Wizengammot? I'm not a child, Mrs Weasley. I never have been. I can make my own decisions."

Dudley looked at Harry and whispered, "You killed one of your teachers?" Harry gave him a 'we'll talk later' look.

Molly glared at Harry for a moment before deflating and sitting back down. "I'm sorry Harry... I just see you as one of my kids and thinking of you with that man... but you're right... you can make you own decisions... if you want to date him I won't interfere."

Harry blinked in shock. Dudley spat out the water he had just drank and coughed violently for a moment. "Date?" They coursed, going very pale. "You think I'm dating him?" Harry went a bit green. "MERLIN NO! Mrs Weasley, that's disgusting! He's three times my age!"

Molly blinked. "You're not dating him?"

Harry violently shook his head. "NO! He's my therapist!"

There were a lot of shocked and relieved expressions all around the room before everyone turned to Snape when he started chuckling. He then started to laugh outright at the new expressions on everyone's faces.

Harry sighed and slouched in his chair. "You didn't tell them?" Snape shook his head and tried to get his breathing under control. "I hate you so much right now." He moodily went back to eating. Snape managed to get himself back under control and carried on eating. He put some more food on Harry's plate and Harry huffed but ate it anyway.

Ron then spoke up. "So... you're 'seeing him' as in seeing a therapist?"

"Yup."

A lady spoke up. "Why did you tell him your ass hurt?"

Harry blinked. "He took me ice skating. I fell over a lot."

They then spent a good half hour going over every conversation they had seen Harry having with Jacob, with Harry explaining it in context. Everyone was pretty embarrassed by the end of it.

Hermione cleared her throat. "So... are you seeing him because... of what happened with Sirius?"

Harry nodded slightly. "That and I've seen two people die in the space of a year. A year before that I was forced to repeatedly watch my parent's get murdered, a year before that I nearly died by basilisk venom and a few hours before then via a colony of Acromantula and the year before then I murdered our teacher. I killed a guy when I was eleven and no onethought I might be troubled by that? I nearly killed myself a little over five weeks ago!"

He rolled up his sleeve. Snape's eyes narrowed slightly at the small number of scars. Harry sent him a look, glanced at Dudley and scratched his back. Snape's eyes widened and he nodded. "If Professor Snape hadn't found me... I would have died of blood loss two weeks before school ended."

Dudley gently gripped Harry's shoulder. "And how our relatives treated him didn't help."

Several people blinked. "So, you two are related?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah. He's my cousin. He's going to be starting Hogwarts this year but will be in special classes to catch him up the where he should be." They then had to explain everything. A lot of people were upset and refused to believe Dumbledore would do that. "Oh, no more than he would put an orphaned baby on the door step of a woman he knows hates magic, in the middle of the night in November? It snowed that year!"

There was a long silence.

Ron looked up at Harry. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Harry sighed. "I couldn't... I couldn't face you... about any of it. I was able to tell Jacob because he's a neutral third party. I can tell him because I won't get hurt if he is disgusted by me after. But I can't face you hating me..." he looked down and took a deep breath before standing. "Sorry." He dashed out of the room.

Severus sighed as he watched the boy flee. There was no other term to describe it. He fled.

He sighed heavily and stood up. "You all put so much faith in one man that you forget that he is just one man. He's not omniscient. He's not all knowing. He made a horrendous mistake and did nothing to correct it, even when he knew he had done wrong. In fact, he keeps trying to cover it up, while making the situation worse." He nodded to Evans who stood up and went after Potter.

He shook his head and decided to move on from that. He spent several minutes going over some more things with various order members. He gave Lupin the address for the property in France. The wards were set to only allow were-wolves in and no one else. He gave Molly the address of the orphanage with a list of his elves and staff and what all of their duties were. He had already given the list of his other properties to Minx earlier.

After dinner he went off in search of Potter. He found him asleep in a pile of bodies and smirked, quietly backing out of the room.

Harry sat in the master bedroom. This was his house now and this was one of the two clean rooms in the house. Dudley came up not long after he did and they sat together on the bed. He leant against him. "Why does no one ever take my feelings into consideration? I need help. I get hurt. I see and do things that no one my age should. Why can no one see that?"

Dudley shook his head. "They're all idiots. They can't see further than their own nose unless they are looking at one person they think can save them. They worship that Dumbledore bloke like he's a god or something."

Harry nodded. "They all act like he's the only one who can save us all from Voldemort but then turn around and ask me to do all the work and once I've done it they go right back to praising Dumbledore again. It's so frustrating. They all look to me for something I did as a baby but they won't acknowledge anything I've done since."

Dudley sat thinking for a moment. "You should write a book. An autobiography, but make it like a novel."

Harry blinked. "Hey, that's a good idea." Harry broke off when the door opened and Ron, Hermione and Ginny walked in. "Hey."

They Ron and Ginny looked embarrassed and nervous but Hermione launched herself at Harry. "Oh Harry!" they both toppled over backwards on the bed and Hermione buried her face in Harry's chest and cried. "Oh Harry. I'm so sorry. I should have seen it sooner. I'm so sorry! You shouldn't have to feel like that! You shouldn't. We're here for you. We always have been! Oh Harry!"

Harry tipped his head back and stroked Hermione's hair. "Mione... don't cry... please... It's okay. I'm getting help. I'm getting better. Please, don't cry."

Ron and Ginny came over and joined the pile. Harry and Dudley were now at the bottom of the pile with Hermione curled up against Harry's chest, Ron curled up next to Harry and Ginny lying on top of Hermione and Dudley.

There was crying and apologies and calm reassurances for a while before they all went to sleep.

Harry cracked his eye open as the door closed. What was that? He sighed and slid his way out of the pile without waking anyone and padded softly to the bathroom. He was glad that the master bedroom had an en suite bathroom.

He cast a silencing charm over the room and turned on the shower, letting it warm up while he got undressed. He put his tablet on the counter and set it to play randomly from the songs available that he could download. He tested the water and stepped in the shower, he had showered that morning but he felt like he needed one again.

As he washed, he listened to the music, taking note of which ones he wanted to download.

"And I can't believe how I've been wasting my time. In twenty four hours they'll be hanging flowers on my life. It's over tonight."

"Even though I'm the sacrifice, you won't try for me, not now. Though I'd die to know you love me, I'm all alone. Isn't something missing? Isn't someone missing me?"

"Believe me when I tell you that I been persistent, cus I'm more scarred, more scarred than my wrist is. I've been trying to long with too dull of a knife but tonight I made sure that I sharpened it twice. I've never bought a suit before in my life but when you go to meet god you know you wanna look nice."

"In the white freeze, I never spoke of tears, or opened up to anyone including myself. I would like to find a way to open to you. Been a while, don't know if I remember how to. I'm here waiting on the edge. Would I be alright showing myself to you? It's always been so hard to do."

Harry shook his head. Most of these songs were really depressing if you actually listened to the lyrics. He stepped out and dried his hair with a spell since he was practically falling over backwards with the weight. He glanced himself in the mirror and stood staring in disgust for a minute while the mirror insulted him.

"Far too thin, nothing but bone! Horribly pale and what is up with your hair?! You should-"

The mirror was cut off when Harry vanished it. "I know." He finished drying off and got dressed in some of his old cast offs. He slid out of the room and went back downstairs. He found his bag easily enough and took out the cleaning supplies. He went back into the kitchen and found Molly doing the washing up. He silently began scrubbing at the counter opposite her. Neither of them spoke for a long time.

Eventually the silence must have gotten to her because Molly was the first one to speak. "You're far too thin, Harry dear. Did you eat enough at dinner?"

Harry sighed. "I haven't eaten much at all this summer Mrs Weasley. It will be a while before I can eat a full meal. I will get better though. Jacob has been a great help."

Molly sighed. "Did you really try to kill yourself?"

Harry stood still for a minute before he silently went back to scrubbing. Molly seemed to get the hint as she didn't try to speak to him again after that. Once she finished the dishes she left, leaving Harry alone in the kitchen.

Harry sighed heavily once she was out of the room. He loved her, he did, but she was so overbearing at times and that silent disappointment was not helping him. He finished scrubbing both counters down and cleaned the rest of the kitchen. He rummaged through the bag and found tiles. He smiled. "Thanks Big D." He mixed the plaster and tiled the space between the counter and the cupboards above them. He then looked at the blank wall at the far end of the kitchen. Should he tile the whole thing, the top half or the bottom half? Top half was out, it would look strange with nothing underneath. He shrugged and painted the top half of the wall with the black, silver and gold paints Dudley had found. He swirled them around creating swirling, churning patterns before drying it with magic.

He stood in shock as the paint began swirling on its own, creating and endless swirling abyss of silver and gold clouds over a black background. He grinned and tiled the bottom half of the wall. The contrast between the silver and gold paint and the black tiles was nice.

He got the wood paint out of the bag and sanded, painted and varnished all of the cupboards, staining them light brown. He used the silver polish to clean the door handles. He used a levitation charm and a sticking charm to get all the furniture on the ceiling before pulling up the floor tiles and replacing them. He put the table and chairs back in place, vowing to deal with them later. He trudged back upstairs, washed up, put some pyjamas on and climbed back into the pile of lovely warm bodies in his bed.

Severus walked down to the kitchen. He got to the front hall before he stopped. He turned to the side and stared at the blank section of wall where the paper was clean and bright instead of peeling and faded like the rest of it. He stared for a moment longer when he realised that was the spot Mrs Black's portrait had been.

He blinked and shook his head. "That boy." He walked into the room and raised both eyebrows at the scene. The room was a lot cleaner than before and the back wall was brilliant. He shook his head and grabbed some breakfast. Potter would never cease to amaze him.

Once everyone was seated and had eaten he stood up. "I hope none of you are planning to completely blow my cover by mentioning anything you've seen of me this summer to anyone?" It was a rhetorical question but everyone frantically shook their heads. He nodded and swept out of the room.

He had things he needed to do.

Harry woke in the morning with his head falling off the side of the bed. He lifted his head up and looked around. Hermione was on her back with her feet on the pillow, her head at the end of the bad and draped over Harry's back. Ron was lying diagonally across the bed with one leg under Harry, the other over both him and Hermione and his back over Dudley, who was the only one in a seemingly normal position. Ginny was curled up in practically a ball next to Ron. She had both her feet tucked under Dudley and her head between Harry's legs.

Harry cast a tempus charm and moved about. He poked Hermione until she began to shift. He kicked Ron who jumped and elbowed Dudley, who jumped and slapped Ginny on the ass by accident. They all eventually managed to untangle themselves and Harry slid into his bathroom. He decided against having a shower. His neck hurt enough as it was without weighting his head down with his hair. He had a quick wash instead and stepped out into his room so Dudley could use the shower.

Once they were both dressed in cast offs they went downstairs for breakfast. Harry poked his head into Snape's room on the way past and was slightly disappointed when the man wasn't in there. They went downstairs and found almost everyone in the kitchen eating. They must have woken up late today. Breakfast was eaten mostly in silence as people looked around the kitchen.

Harry raised an eyebrow when Snape stood up and threatened everyone. He looked to Hermione. "What was that about?"

Hermione blushed slightly. "Um... well... Professor Snape had shown up here in his... sleepwear a couple of times now."

Harry nodded. "Ah, and he doesn't want anyone to know about it? Makes sense. What kind of Death Eater has a muggle T-Shirt with 'Keep Calm and Be Slytherin' on the front?"

There was nodding for a moment before Hermione asked. "How do you know what Professor Snape sleeps in?" total silence as everyone stared at Harry.

Harry nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "Um... Jacob took me and Dudley to Snape's place after he picked us up night before last. I saw it then."

There was nodding. Hermione looked around the kitchen. "So what happened to this place? It wasn't this nice yesterday."

Harry grinned. "I woke up last night and since knew I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep unless I did something physical I fixed up the kitchen. I just need to do something with the counters, the table and chairs and the contents of the cupboards and I'll be done." He stood up. "Unfortunately I don't have anything I can do that with so I'll work on other rooms first and do the furniture when I'm done."

He waved over his shoulder and left the room. He spent several hours cleaning the front hallway and the stairs leading down into the kitchen. He knew Kreature was watching him the whole time. Eventually the elf came over. "Why is you doing this?"

Harry sighed but carried on scrubbing. "Work keeps my mind off things I would rather not think about. Besides, this house is a disgrace to the most ancient and noble house of Black. It gives the family a bad name."

Kreature snarled. "What?!"

Harry nodded. "A family's home reflects on the family themselves. The Weasleys family home, The Burrow, is warm and homey, it's full of things that have a personal meaning to the people who live there. It shows that the family are warm and kind, welcoming to others and not interested in material goods. They care more for family than they do money and possessions. This home is dirty, full of pests and falling apart at the seams. It tells everyone that the Ancient and Noble house of Black doesn't give a damn about anything. They don't care about appearances or making an impression. It shows the family is too poor to take care of their own home"

Kreature growled. "What can Kreature do about it?"

Harry glared at the old elf. "You are the house elf. It is your duty to take care of the house. Do your duty to the House of Black and clean this place up!"

Kreature popped away instantly and Harry huffed, finishing his work on the floor and starting on the wall. He stripped the old, pealing paper off and painted it gold. He painted the skirting boards silver and polished the silver candle holders on the wall. He polished the silver on the stair rail and cleaned and re-stained the doors. Once he was done with the hallway it was lunch time.

Dudley left the kitchen and went up to the room he and Harry had slept in last night. He planned to spend the morning working on those exercises the goblins told him to do. He was only at it for an hour before the three people from last night came in.

He smiled hesitantly at them. "Hey..."

They looked at him suspiciously. Eventually the brunette girl (Hermione?) came and sat next to him on the bed. "What are you doing?"

He looked down at his wand. "Um... some exercises the goblins at Gringotts gave me to do. They said it will help bring my magic out."

The red headed boy (Ron?) tilted his head. "Because of your magic being bound?"

Dudley nodded. "It will never be where it should be. It was bound for too long, but I can get it a good way there before it stops growing."

The redheaded girl (Ginny?) sat next to him. "So, you're Harry's cousin?" Dudley nodded. The girl twirled a bit of hair with her fingers. "Does he ever talk about us?"

Dudley shook his head. "We only got close a couple of days ago. He's told me a bit about you all and showed me his photo album but we haven't really had much time to talk about things."

She nodded. "Has he said anything about... having an interest in someone?"

Dudley smirked. "I think he has a thing for my friend Mike. From the stories he told me it sounds like you have a thing for him but when I asked him he made it quite clear you will never be more than a sister to him. Don't get your hopes up."

The girl huffed and left the room. Hermione sighed. "I've been trying to tell her that for ages. She won't believe it. So, Mike?"

She and Ron sat next to Dudley and he told them about their day out at the cinema. He was actually astonished at how little Ron knew about the muggle world. He was actually quite interested. By the time lunch rolled around Dudley felt a lot better about leaving his old life behind and moving into the wizarding world. He had his cousin, he had a budding friendship with Ron and Hermione and he was finally going to be a part of the world his cousin belonged to.

He smiled as he made his way downstairs for lunch. Things were starting to look up.

"And I can't believe how I've been wasting my time. In twenty four hours they'll be hanging flowers on my life. It's over tonight." – 24, Jem

"Even though I'm the sacrifice, you won't try for me, not now. Though I'd die to know you love me, I'm all alone. Isn't something missing? Isn't someone missing me?"- Missing, Evanescence.

This chapter feels kind of rushed and most of it is filler, sorry. The story should pick up pace from here.