Chapter Seven:
Adventures in the Forest
As predicted, Minerva had supper on the table for them.
Sitting down at his seat, Harry flinched. Trying to find a comfortable spot to sit after a spanking is a challenge!
Smirking, Severus sat down across from Minerva and said politely, "Thank you for making supper, Minerva."
Minerva nodded, "You are quite welcome." Then she turned and looked over at Harry, "How was your stay with Aunt Poppy?"
Shrugging slightly, Harry muttered, "It was fine, I guess."
Minerva raised her eyebrows curiously, "Just fine? I bet she gave you a firm talking to."
Blushing slightly, Harry shook his head, "Not really, no. She had me ride an exercise bike for a while and then I showered and drank tea."
Minerva nodded as if accepting his daily activities, "Did you behave for her?"
Harry blushed but nodded his head, "Yes, m- ma'am." He contemplated calling her "mum" but chickened out because of Severus. I can't call her mum in front of him without calling his dad! That would just be rude. . . Right?
Severus frowned as he watched different emotions fly across Harry's face, "What made you want to smoke today, Harry?"
Biting his lip, Harry looked down at his empty plate, "Can we eat supper now?"
Minerva shook her head firmly and placed a warming spell on the food, "Once you answer your father's question we may eat."
Huffing, Harry crossed his arms over his chest, "I don't want to answer his question."
Severus' frown deepened, "Drop your arms, Harry James. I hate when you do that. You look like you are throwing a temper tantrum like a little brat."
Minerva threw him a glare, "Severus!"
Severus shrugged, "It's the truth."
Ignoring him, Minerva looked over at Harry again, "What made you want to smoke today, Harry?"
Keeping his gaze locked on his empty plate, Harry muttered, "I was bored."
Shocked, Severus thought he heard him wrong, "I'm sorry but can you please repeat yourself without mumbling?"
Biting his lip harder, Harry glanced up at him and repeated, "I was bored."
Severus felt his blood boil, "That's what I thought you said!" Harry flinched at his tone but Severus ignored it and continued admonishing him, "You got high because you were bored?! You realize there are a million different things you could have done to fix your boredom, correct?"
Frowning, Harry slumped in his seat.
Minerva's lips thinned at this, "Harry sit up and pay attention while you are being reprimanded."
Begrudgingly, Harry slowly sat up. This is bloody ridiculous!
"What are you going to do when you run out of marijuana?" Harry shrugged at his question. Severus continued, "You are going to run out and be off the drug cold turkey. Do you know what a drug withdrawal feels like?"
Harry threw him a glare, "Do you?"
Severus ignored his question and continued on his rant, "It will be much easier for you to slowly get yourself off the drug than it would be if you ran out and went cold turkey."
Glaring at the plate, Harry hated the fact that Severus was correct.
Noticing his silence, Minerva added, "If this becomes a problem we will send you to a drug rehabilitation facility."
Snapping his attention to her, Harry's jaw dropped, "You wouldn't!"
Minerva thinned her lips and leveled him with a firm look, "We would indeed."
His heart start pounding harder and faster as he glared at his guardians, "That's ridiculous! I'm the Chosen One - I can't go to a rehabilitation center! That's preposterous!"
Severus sat up straighter in his chair, "Then if I were you I would get my act together."
Huffing, Harry stood from his seat, "That's not even fair!"
"Sit back down!" Severus snapped, irritated.
Glaring at him, Harry forced himself to not act like a toddler and stomp his feet, "No! I won't ever go to a rehabilitation center!"
Minerva stood from her seat and levelled him with a dangerous stare, "Sit back down, now, Harry James! We can discuss this civilly once you are seated."
Clenching his teeth, Harry flopped back on the chair and ignored the stinging pain that erupted throughout his backside, "I won't go."
Slowly, Minerva sat back down, "I said that we will send you if this becomes a problem."
Severus nodded in agreement, "If we see that you are trying to stop using the marijuana then you will not be sent."
"Trying to stop means slowing your intake of the drug and learning when and where is proper to smoke. We do not approve of you smoking but we also realize that going through withdrawal would be torture." Minerva told him sternly.
"I keep telling her we should make you go through withdrawal," Severus said.
Harry gave him a glare. Go fuck yourself, Snape!
Minerva ignored Severus and continued speaking, "If we catch you smoking in an inappropriate place or you smoke so much that you become "high" then you will be in trouble and face stinging consequences."
Harry flinched at the warning.
"If you do not seem to be trying to quit the habit then we will send you to the facility, no questions asked," Severus told him matter-of-factly.
Harry frowned as if they were asking the world of him.
"Do we have an agreement?" Minerva asked.
Harry's frown deepened, "Do I have a choice?"
Severus nodded his head, "It is your choice whether you try to stop or you do not. However, if you do not try to stop there will be consequences including the rehabilitation facility. Do you understand?"
Still frowning, Harry gave a small nod of his head, "Fine."
Nodding, Minerva grabbed Harry's plate and filled it with food. Then, she filled Severus' plate and her own before eating.
Supper was awkwardly silent with Harry still pouting.
Once they were all finished eating, Minerva asked, "What do you want to do tonight?"
Harry shrugged, Run away.
Severus frowned as he looked at the boy. Harry was obviously still pouting and upset. "He will be coming with me."
Harry snapped his attention to him, "Why? What are we doing? Am I in trouble again?"
Severus couldn't help but sigh at Harry's questions. It's true that the only time he really ever spends with the boy is if he is being punished. "I could use some help looking for certain plants in the forest. Think you could help me?"
Harry gave him a suspicious look, "Are you going to hit me with a stick again?"
Severus smirked, "You deserved that."
Minerva's eyes went wide, "You switched him?!"
Severus paled slightly at her tone, "Yes, I did."
Harry couldn't help but smirk as he watched Minerva's eyes turn deadly on his new father.
"No, Harry, he is not going to hit you with a stick again. Are you, Severus?" Minerva asked, threateningly.
Severus rolled his eyes, "You told me I could punish the boy as I see fit. Today, I felt he deserved something more than my hand."
Minerva huffed, "Why did you not paddle him then?"
Harry felt his cheeks flame as he listened to them talk about punishments.
Severus gave her a frustrated look, "I felt he deserved the switch. If I feel he deserves the switch again, I will give it to him." Ignoring Minerva's glare, Severus turned to Harry, "No. You were already punished today. If you misbehave yourself while out in the forest with me and I have already reprimanded you then I might give you a smack with my hand. However, I doubt you will get yourself into any trouble."
Harry nodded, "I won't."
Severus nodded, satisfied, "So, will you help me?"
"Sure. I can help you but you can't get mad if I struggle to find it!"
Severus smiled and shook his head, amused, "You have never worked with this plant before and so I would not expect you to know what it looks like."
"Alright, I will go with you," Harry told him. He still felt unsure but it would be nice to hang out with the man a little without having his backside smacked.
Minerva stood and started clearing off the table, "Do not forget your robes, it will be chilly in the shadows." Turning to Severus, she leveled him with a stern look, "You will keep him safe, Severus Tobius! If he comes home with even a scratch I won't let him go prancing around the forest with you again!" Minerva forced herself not to smile at the shocked look on Severus' face.
Harry laughed and shook his head, "I will be fine, Minerva."
Minerva turned her attention to her son, "You know exactly what kind of creatures are running about in this forest, Harry. Do be careful and stay by your father's side. Take your wands too!"
Severus rolled his eyes, "Honestly woman! We will be fine."
Minerva couldn't help but feel worried as she watched them put on their robes and exit the house. After they closed the door behind them, Minerva made herself a calming cup of tea and went to the living room to read a book until they return.
Bending down, Severus pointed to a dark green plant. This plant in particular has six leaves and the veins of the plant are red.
Bending down beside him, Harry looked at the plant curiously, "What is it called?"
Severus pulled out a pair of gloves from his robe pocket and put them on. "This is called the Vladmier plant. It was discovered in 1769 by Cal Vladmier. The Vladmier is poisonous though so one must be very careful when near it. To pull it and touch it one must wear gloves. Vladmier, himself, lost his hand by pulling the first Vladmier plant ever found. His hand turned black and in the span of a week it had fallen off."
Harry stood and backed away from the plant, "And you want to pull it?"
Severus chuckled, "Yes. I need it for a potion I am brewing."
"What potion are you brewing?" Harry asked, curiously.
Before Severus could answer his question, the cracking of sticks sounded behind them.
Standing, Severus spun around with his wand raised, "Who is there?" Severus shouted to the forest.
Eyes wide, Harry forced his Gryffindor bravery to not run away as he too raised his wand and frantically looked around them.
He couldn't see anyone.
Glancing at Severus, Harry said, "It must have been an animal."
Glaring at the tree line, Severus nodded slightly and bent back over to pull the Vladmier. Bottling the poisonous plant, Severus shoved it deep in his robe pocket, "We need to find one more."
Keeping his wand out, Harry followed Severus deeper into the forest.
It took about an hour of searching before they found another Vladmier plant.
Handing Harry his gloves, Severus said, "You can do the honors of pulling this one."
Hesitantly, Harry put the gloves on and bent down to the plant. Closing his eyes nervously, Harry quickly pulled the Vladmier and bottled it. Standing, he handed the bottle to Severus who put it in his pocket with the other one.
CRACK!
Harry and Severus spun around with their wands raised.
On the bank above them stood a tan wolf with blue eyes. This wolf seemed smaller than Remus' werewolf form.
Eyes wide, Severus pushed Harry behind him and kept his wand raised, "Stay back!" Severus shouted at the werewolf.
Peeking around his father's back, Harry stared at the wolf. The wolf's icy blue eyes seemed to follow his every move. "Those blue eyes. . . They seem familiar," Harry muttered.
Instead of coming toward them like Severus anticipated, the werewolf turned and ran in the opposite direction of them.
Leaving out a huge sigh of relief, Severus turned and pulled Harry into a hug, much to both of their surprises!
Pulling Harry an arms length away, he checked him up and down, "Are you alright?"
Harry rolled his eyes, "I'm fine. He didn't even come down here."
Eyeing him, Severus gave a satisfied nod, "What did you say about his eyes?"
Staring off in the direction the werewolf ran to, Harry bit his lip, "They looked familiar."
"Maybe you have met his human form before," Severus wondered aloud. Without waiting for a reply, Severus grabbed his arm and forced him to stay at his side as they made their journey home.
Upon stepping on their porch, Severus sighed as he dreaded telling Minerva. "Your mother is never going to let me take you out again."
Harry laughed, "We were fine! Besides, I'll admit, it was fun looking for the Vladmier plants."
Smiling, Severus watched Harry enter the house. His smile quickly turned into a cringe as he heard Harry shout, "Minerva! We saw a puppy in the forest!"
Harry winked at Severus as he entered the house.
Minerva quickly came to his side, "A puppy?"
Harry nodded his head vigorously, "Yeah! He was tan and had blue eyes! He was as tall as me!"
Minerva's eyes went wide and she looked at Severus, "What kind of puppy is he talking about, Severus?"
Severus sighed, "We met a young werewolf in the forest." Before Minerva could freak out, Severus quickly told her, "It did not bother us. It went in the opposite direction."
Minerva pulled Harry close to her, "I knew it was a bad idea to let you go out there!"
Harry rolled his eyes at her as if she were being dramatic, "I'm fine!"
Pulling him away, Minerva checked him up and down like Severus had.
Harry couldn't help but love the attention, "Seriously, Minerva, I'm fine."
Nodding, Minerva looked at Severus, "I hope that plant was worth it."
It was Severus' turn to roll his eyes, "You're being ridiculous Minerva. He is fine. He even said he had fun!"
Minerva glanced at Harry, "Really?"
Harry could see the hope that was sparkling in her eyes. He nodded, "Yes. It was fun to hang out with him and not get in trouble."
Severus smirked, "It was nice to not yell at him for once."
Minerva shook her head, amused, "We should tell Albus that there is a young werewolf among us."
Harry frowned, "Would the student get in trouble?"
Severus shook his head, "No, he would just have to get licensed if he is not already."
Harry nodded in understanding, "Alright."
The rest of the night consisted of Severus and Minerva working on grading papers while Harry worked on his essay.
