Severus led Harry down a little dirt road that opened up into a town square.
"This is Godric Hollow," Snape said, as he waited for Harry to catch up.
Looking around Harry saw people out in the streets, little children playing and people selling food.
"It looks just like Hogsmead," Harry said as he looked around.
"Well, must wizarding villages look like this with small family owned stores and just enough things around to help them with their day to day lives, for anything big they normally have to go to Diagon Alley."
"Wow I never actually thought about that, I mean the only wizarding home I really know is the Weasleys." Harry said while the two walked down the street.
"Yes, but they don't live near a wizarding village, I believe the village next to them is muggle so it would be different in that situation."
"I'm just now starting to realize everything in our world that I don't understand. I mean outside of Hogwarts I have no idea what life is really like. You would think, we offer muggle studies why can't they offer like a wizards study for the muggleborn?"
"I have no idea. I don't think that anyone has ever thought about it. There aren't many students who didn't grow up in non-magic homes." Snape said as the pair walked into a small inn.
He led him over to a booth on the far side of the room.
"Look around Harry, tell me what you see." Snape said as they sat down.
"There are all pictures all around." Harry answered as he spun around.
"Yes, what they did was take all different pictures of the town people or other pictures and put them up to help and remind everyone in here, of everyone who has ever lived in this village. If you look over there," Snape said pointing to a picture on the wall opposite of them,
"Are pictures of Albus and his brother running around the square when they were younger. I also believe that by the door is a picture of your father and his quidditch team the year they won the Quidditch Cup. And if I remember correctly, above the bar is a picture of your father showing you the fountain that is in the square."
Harry got up and went to the bar to searcher out that last picture, right there in center of the wall behind the bar was a picture of him with his father.
"You were just a youngling when your father brought you here for the first time; against your mother's wishes if I remember correctly." The barman said as he walked over from the other side of the bar.
"You knew my parents?" Harry asked
"Yes, very well, if you look around, there are pictures of your grandparent and back farther in your family history at least on the Potter side all around these walls. Name is Williams by the way; my family has been running this inn for as long as our town has been around."
Harry was still looking up at the picture,
"Harry, but I'm guessing you already know that." Harry said as he grasped William's hand.
"Harry, would you like that picture of you and your father?" William asked
"No, that's ok, Sir." Harry said as he started back to the table, not wanting any special treatment.
"Harry," William said before Harry got more than a step away, "Many times members of different families come here to see pictures of their families; I am making you the same deal I make with each one of them. They get to choose one picture in here to take home with them."
"Well, I guess than, yes I would very much like to have that picture of my father."
William than turned and took the picture off the wall,
"Here you go Harry, come back anytime to visit with the rest of your family." William said before turning around and going back to the other end of the bar.
Walking back over the table, Harry sat down and placed the picture on the table,
"He gave it to me, says he makes the same deal with everyone who comes in here searching out their families." Harry said as he looked down at the picture again
"That is true; I seem to remember Albus mentioning that it was here that he got the only family picture that was ever taken." Severus said as he looked down at the picture.
"How is it possible for there to be pictures of the Headmaster and his family, I mean now that I think about it, that technology was not around than, the Headmaster is over a 100 years old." Harry said as he placed the picture on the other end of the table as not to get anything onto it.
"Harry, a lot of these pictures are at least 100 years old if not more. Just because muggles did not have the, technology as you put it, doesn't mean that wizards didn't. We have had the capability to take pictures for about 200 years, before that they used portraits just like at Hogwarts. I believe that your mother once told me that the oldest picture was over 300 years old."
After looking around again Harry sat down and turned to the picture that was at their table.
"Oh my god," Harry said as he stood up again to examine the picture closer.
"Mum, Dad," Harry whispered as he brought up a hand to brush away the tears that were threatening to fall.
He sat back down and looked at Severus,
"I thought that you would like to know of this place, where you can come an eat dinner with your family whenever you need to."
Harry looked up at his mentor,
"Thank you Severus I think that this is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me." Harry
"Harry I had another motive for bring you here besides showing you this place. Have you given any thought to where you are going to go when the school year ends? We only have about a month and a half until summer holiday."
"I just assumed that I would be going back to the Dursley's until my 17th birthday."
Just as Severus was about to respond a man walked over to their table.
"What can I get you two?"
Harry shrugged his shoulders as Snape respond,
"Two orders of your stew and two ales."
"Very well."
The man walked over to the bar to get the ales than brought them over to their table before leaving the two,
"As I was going to say," Severus started as he took a sip "if you would like to stay with me for that first month of holiday I have no objections after that you may choose what you would like to do since you will be of age."
"I'm not sure Severus." Harry said as he looked down at the table, giving a side glance to the picture of his father and him.
"That's ok Harry it was just an offer. Now have you given any thought as what you would like to do upon finishing Hogwarts next year? I know that you wanted to be an auror, but do you still want that life."
Harry looked up at the picture if his parents than shakes his head,
"No, I don't want to keep fighting for my whole life. There have been very few times I have felt happy, teaching and working with the DA and play quidditch. But I don't think that I could be a seeker for the rest of my life either. So basically I really don't know anymore. I don't really know what else is out there for me."
"When we get back to the manor I will give you the information that I normally give my Slytherins, maybe which can give you some ideas on what there is out there for you."
"Thank you sir, I think that will help, I still have the things Professor McGonagall gave us too."
Harry finished just as their food arrived and both men turned to their food and quite conversation.
After the meal the pair walked around the village, with Severus pointing out different areas that would interest Harry.
"I think it's time we return. Do you remember what the path looks like at the manor to apparate on your own or would you like me to assist again."
"I can do it that path we went to right."
"Yes now I will go first, if you do not arrive within a minute, I will come back here looking for you." Severus said as he step back and disapparate.
Harry appeared at his side a moment later,
"See no trouble," Harry said
"Yes this time, but trouble follows you Potter."
"Yea yea yea, what ever you say Severus." Harry said as he took off running for the manor
"Cheeky brat," Snape yelled after him as he walked up the path.
The Harry arrived at the front door, just as Niffer was opening it up, Harry was sitting on the stairs by the entrance door when Snape entered the Manor,
"Getting slow in your old age," Harry said as he laughed
"No, just not too young anymore, and see no point in rushing, the veil of death was lifted from our world. I plan on taking it nice and slow now." Severus said as he shut the door behind him.
"Would you like a tour around the manor, Harry?" Severus asked as he sat next to the boy on the stairs.
"That would be nice Sir, but I still know that I am going to get lost in here constantly." Harry said as he stood up than put out a hand to help Snape up.
Severus ignored the hand as he stood up, "If you are ever lost just call for Niffer, she will be able to bring you back to the part of the manor you know. The manor is open to you, but if you come across a lock door, please don't force the door, it is locked for a reason." Severus said as he started down the hallway.
Harry spent the afternoon exploring the manor, after Severus showed him the main parts before retiring to his potions lab. Mid-afternoon Severus found Harry sitting on a bench on the patio over looking a magnificent backyard and a small lake.
"Would you like to help me harvest some potions ingredients from down by the lake?" Severus asked as he stepped outside the backdoor.
"Sure," Harry said as he stood up and brushed his jeans off.
The two spent the rest of the afternoon collecting ingredients that as Severus explained,
"Were fresher here than at Hogwarts, and better for his potions."
Niffer came out just as the sun was setting and the two were starting their walk back up the house,
"Dinner will be ready in 10 minutes, Master Severus." Niffer said before she popped out.
"Head up to your room and get cleaned up Potter, I'll meet you in the dinning room." Severus said as he ushered Harry into the house, "And if you get lost again, just call for Niffer."
Fifteen minutes later Harry walked into the dinning room,
"Sorry Sir, made a wrong turn at the Sun mirror." Harry said as he took the seat to Snape's right, since Snape was sitting at the head of the table.
"I figured as much, but once you learn the layout of the main section of the house, I do not expect it to happen again." Snape said as dinner appeared on the table.
"Of course Sir," Harry said as he took in the meal.
"Well what are you waiting for," Snape said as he helped himself to the feast on the table.
The two spent and enjoyable meal together with Severus telling Harry about some of his more enjoyable memories from his time at the manor as a child.
"Would you like to join me in my study for a game of chess?" Severus asked as the dishes disappeared into the kitchen.
"In a few minutes if that is ok, I have something that I need to do before hand." Harry said squirming on his chair.
"Very well, I shall met you in my study than." Severus said as he got up from the table.
Harry stood at the same time and headed in the opposite direction of Snape, just as he walked back out onto the patio, Harry took out his pack of cigarettes and a lighter.
Well at least only one in a day, is doing good
Harry thought as he light up and took his first drag. Harry quickly finished his cigarette before casting freshening charms on himself before walking back into the house.
Harry again found Severus sitting on one of the couches in the study reading a book; he looked up when Harry walked in,
"Enjoy your cigarette," Snape said as he set the book aside and moved over to the chess board.
"How did you know?" Harry asked as he sat across from the man.
"You haven't had one all day, and today was an emotional day for you, if its between you cutting and you smoking I will learn to live with the smoking for now." Severus said as he made the first move.
"But don't take that to mean that you will continue smoking, Potter, we will take it one step at a time, and I know that you have not totally given up cutting either."
Harry looked down after making his move,
"I'm sorry," Harry said
"It's ok Harry, I knew that there would be steps forward and steps back, you have been under an enormous weight for the past 16 years, even more this past year. I'll help you son, don't worry about that." Severus said as he summoned over the bottle of Brandy and two glasses.
"Thanks," Harry said his voice showing more meaning than could be explained in words, accepting the glass Harry took his first slip, savoring the taste and the smoothness of it going down his throat.
The two played into the night, with simple conversations keeping them entertained, every so often Severus would point out a different strategy that Harry could us in the game.
"Wow," Harry said as he sat back in his chair, "A few more games like that, I might just make Ron have to work to win a game."
Severus chuckled to himself as he sent the Brandy sniffer and glasses back over to his liquor cabinet.
"Good night Severus," Harry said hiding a yawn.
"Good night Harry, if you need anything my rooms are right across from your. I shall see you in the morning. Breakfast will be at 8am." Severus said as he to get up, but instead of leaving the room he walked over to his desk and sat down.
Harry took that as his dismissal and made his way up to his room and settled down for a restful night.