Hogwarts - A Homecoming
Advent's Calendar 2012
by Healer Pomfrey
Please refer to the disclaimer and warnings in chapter 1!
December 7
Harry and Hermione decided to spend the whole day in their guest quarters, knowing that Sevvy had to rest. After the small boy had obediently eaten a little breakfast, he spent some time playing with a Lego Hogwarts Express that his father and godmothers transfigured for him from tissues. However, after a while, he became very cranky, and seeing that his cheeks were getting flushed again and he was apparently feeling miserable, Hermione knelt in front of the boy and carefully felt his forehead.
"Sevvy, I think you're not well enough to be up and playing," she said gently. "Let me take you back to your bed."
However, being put into his crib did not go well with Severus, who was feeling cold and miserable and wanted warm body contact. He immediately began to cry, and after a few minutes, his sobs turned into coughs. Hermione and Harry exchanged an exasperated look. "He'll only make himself more ill if he continues crying like that," Hermione said worriedly. "What are we going to do?"
Finally, Harry decided to take Severus back to his own bed, realising that he would not mind some more undisturbed sleep either. To his relief, Sevvy immediately stopped crying, when Harry picked him up, and when they went to bed together, he contentedly nestled in Harry's arm. His left hand was busily cuddling his cat, and the thumb of his right hand wandered into his mouth. A mere minute later, the two wizards were fast asleep.
At the Burrow
"Tomorrow night, I have to attend dinner at the Ministry," Percy said, haughtily.
"Why dear? Will there be a special event tomorrow?" Molly Weasley asked, glancing at her husband.
"Yes, the Minister has invited a whole lot of people to celebrate the end of the war. I'll have to be there as well, by the way," Mr. Weasley explained. "Harry is going to receive the Order of Merlin first class."
"Harry?" Ron threw in, suddenly feeling very upset. 'After all that Hermione and I helped him, he gets the Order of Merlin, and we won't get anything. Typical Harry,' he thought, angrily. He stood up and stormed from the room. However, by the time he reached his bedroom, he remembered how hungry he was and grudgingly returned to the dinner table.
"Now sit down and don't make such a fuss, Ronald," Percy immediately scolded him, glaring at the younger brother.
"Harry here, Harry there," Ron shouted, "it's always only Harry, who gets everything. Hermione and I did so much, and what do we get? Nothing as usual."
"Ronald, stop this or go to your room," his father said sternly. "Your jealousy of the poor boy is ridiculous."
"Your father is right, Ronnie. Harry is such a nice, cute boy."
Ron wolfed down his dinner, while his thoughts went haywire. 'Sometime I'll get back to him,' he mused. 'When school begins again at the latest.'
At Hogwarts
After a day of resting and cuddling with Harry and Hermione, Severus' condition was much improved, and the two students decided to go on a shopping trip to Diagon Alley before their appointment at the Ministry.
When they entered the shop, where they wanted to buy clothes for the child, Harry felt extremely grateful for Hermione's presence, since apart from buying school clothes he had no experience with clothes shopping at all. However, Hermione knew exactly what to buy for Sevvy, and when she was finally finished choosing this and that, there was a huge pile of mostly blue and green clothing on the counter. To his relief, Severus behaved very well and always remained quietly beside Harry. However, when they headed to Madam Malkin's to buy robes for Severus, he protested vehemently.
"No mowe shop," he growled, trying to pull Harry away from the entrance door.
Harry lowered himself so that his eyes were on the same height as Severus' and said firmly, "Severus, yes, we will go into Madam Malkin's shop to buy robes for you. Otherwise I can't take you with me to the Ministry tonight and you'll have to stay at home all on your own. This one more shop and then we'll go to the toy store and you may choose a toy, okay?"
Still pouting Severus let out a small "Kay."
Hermione and Harry could not decide between blue robes, which Hermione found most reasonable, and green robes that Harry somehow liked most, and when Hermione tried to question Severus, the boy showed absolute disinterest in any robes at all. Finally, Madam Malkin promised to charm the robes so that they would grow with the boy for at least five years, and the students agreed with relief to take both.
"Now where're we going now?" Harry asked, jokingly, when they left the shop, two piles of shrunken clothes in their robe pockets.
"Toy stowe," Severus replied, immediately, jumping up and down with excitement.
Hermione and Harry exchanged an amused look; however, when Harry turned into the direction of "Magical Toys", Hermione pulled him back. "No Harry, let's go to the 'Magical Child's Learning Centre'. I once looked at that shop. They have awesome toys for small, magical children."
"All right," Harry agreed, slightly confused as he never had heard of that shop, and followed Hermione to a small side street off Diagon Alley. From its appearance, it seemed to be a very small shop; however, from inside it was enormous. He led Severus to the left side, where the children could try out several kinds of toys in what seemed to be a playground.
"Harry, do you think you can watch him alone for an hour?" Hermione suddenly whispered. "I'd like to go to the bookshop for a bit."
"Of course, no problem," Harry replied, glancing at his wrist watch. "We still have two hours, before we have to go to the Ministry. Maybe we can take him to Fortescue's when you're back."
Hermione hurried away, and, seeing that Severus was happily playing like all the other children, Harry began to look around with interest. Soon a broom set on a nearby shelf caught his attention, and he stepped over to take a close look. 'First learning broom' was written on the set, which consisted of a toddler's toy and snitch as well as a remote control. 'No wand needed' was written on the remote, and Harry curiously studied the explanation on the shelf. 'The broom is equipped with all possible safety charms, the Snitch remains in a gripping distance of the broom, and with the remote control parents can safely guide their little wizard or witch, whenever they want.' Harry considering buying the set, wondering if he had ever seen the Potions Master fly during his time at Hogwarts. 'Maybe he doesn't like it, but on the other hand, if he learns it at this age and I fly together with him, he'll surely do,' he mused and finally decided to buy the set for Severus.
The broom set in his hand, he turned back to the playground, only to realise in shock that Severus was not present anymore. 'Oh no, where is he?' he thought, looking around in panic. He frantically began to search the nearby corridors; however, by the time Hermione returned from the bookshop, he still had not found his son.
tbc...
Thank you so much for your valuable feedback for the previous chapter! Have a good evening. See you tomorrow!
