Chapter 8 – Diagon Alley

Hey everyone. I've been a bit slack with posting new chapters quickly so I've worked really hard to get chapter 8 up for you all. It's not the best, but it to me is important, and it was really fun to write too! Thank you godot for reviewing! I also want to say a special thank you to musicwolf7! You have inspired me to keep writing this story, and have been unbelievably kind! Thank you again, I really appreciate it! Well, here it is.

HP

Harry began to stir as a rough hand started shaking his shoulder. "Mr Potter wake up, we're going to Diagon Alley today, remember?" Harry rolled onto his back, looking tiredly up at his professor. "Ok, ok, I'm getting up," Harry croaked in reply. "Come on Harry, I'll give you a potion for your throat, it's bound to be sore after last night." Harry was blushing now, memories of his last nightmare flooding back to him.

As Harry glanced at the clock, he nearly swore at seeing the time. He was late for breakfast! He quickly spun back to face his professor, his apology sitting on the tip of his tongue. "Don't Harry. I let you sleep in, you needed it." How did he know what I was going to do? "Sir…how? "How did I know you were going to apologise? I knew because you had a guilty look on your face. You apologise far too much Harry, for things that aren't even your fault." "But sir, I slept in, it was my fault!" "It wasn't, it was the dreamless sleep potion. That dose was designed to work over an eight hour period. When you're dressed we will have breakfast. I'll meet you in the study." "Ok sir, I won't be long."

Harry pulled on a pair of torn, faded blue jeans and a dark grey long-sleeved shirt and made his way out into the study. Snape had already made breakfast. A big plate of bacon and eggs and a glass of pumpkin juice were sitting on the table for Harry. "Sir, you didn't have to go to all this trouble for me!" "It was no trouble at all Harry." "It looks really good, thanks sir!"

It looked delicious, but he just wasn't hungry. As Harry cleared the table after consuming only half of his breakfast, he noticed Snape staring at him, giving him a strange look. "Sir?" Did he do something wrong? His professor didn't answer him, causing Harry to panic. "Sir, what is it, what did I do? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you mad. I'll just…go then." Harry was hurt. He was annoyed with himself for angering his professor. He turned and rushed to the door, feeling the need to escape.

He sprinted from the dungeons, not knowing where he was going, and found himself at the bottom of the Owlery. It was at that moment he realised just how much he missed Hedwig. Hedwig. I wish you were still here girl, I miss you so much! He ran up the steps, taking them two at a time, and sat down at the top, leaning back against the cold stone wall.

SS

Not again! Severus you complete idiot!

He didn't even realise he had been staring at the boy, he was just thinking of ways to increase his appetite. Harry thought that he had made him mad, which wasn't true. He was concerned and didn't even realise the boy was speaking to him until he ran out of his quarters.

Severus stood up, wanting to go and find Harry, but he stopped. He was forgetting something…the letters! He went into the guest room and retrieved the letters that the boy had to send and stuffed them into his robes. He decided to check Hagrid's Hut and the Black Lake first, so he made his way out onto the Hogwarts grounds. Having no luck there, Severus made his way to the Owlery to post Harry's letters. He didn't, however, expect the boy to be there. The boy was so caught up in patting the owl on his knee that he hadn't even noticed him. The owl turned its head, seeing him walk in and flew away. It took Harry another minute to realise that he wasn't alone.

"Sir?" "Harry." Severus walked over slowly and crouched in front of the boy, bringing himself down to his height. "Harry, you didn't make me made before. I'm just concerned with how little you have been eating, that's all. I didn't even realise you were talking to me. Please don't think I'm mad at you." "You're really not mad?" "No, of course not." "Oh. Sorry I ran out on you again, I just wanted a bit of time alone." "That is understandable, considering everything you have been through. I was much the same as you when I was your age, I constantly needed time to myself."

HP

Harry didn't know what to say to that. Severus stood up and Harry followed, feeling ashamed of himself for overreacting and running out. "Here Harry, I picked these up for you." "Thanks sir, I forgot all about them. You don't forget anything, do you?" "Harry, I'm a sneaky Slytherin, of course I never forget anything!" Snape was smirking now, causing Harry to giggle a little bit. "Silver, come here," Harry called gently to a small, grey barn owl perched on a ledge. Harry stroked his head a few times before giving him the letters.

"It's not too late to go to Diagon Alley, if you're feeling up to it." "That'd be great, let's go!" Harry was exited. He led the way to the dungeons, smiling the whole way. He was looking forward to a day in London. He watched Snape pick up two vials from the potions cabinet, and took one from his outstretched hand. "Here, I prepared these this morning." Harry quickly drank it, his face scrunching up at the foul taste. "Yuk! That stuff is awful!"

Harry felt his body changing, and ran to look at his new, temporary self. He was slightly taller than usual, and had more muscle. His hair was short, fine and blonde and he had amazing bright blue eyes. He wished he really looked like that, instead of his usual short, scrawny self. He wondered what his professor looked like.

Upon re-entering the study, Harry found that the greasy dungeon bat looked much the same as he did. His hair was a little longer though, wavy, golden locks were falling down nearly to his eyes. "The polyjuice potion will last us for three hours only. While we are out, we will be father and son." Harry's head snapped up. That just sounded…weird, and unfamiliar. He never had anyone to think of as a father before. He knew it wasn't meant to mean anything to him, but it did. It hurt. "You are to call me 'Arnoth', and you will be 'Arrin'."

Harry snorted at the names, earning himself an evil glare from 'Arnoth'. How the bloody hell am I supposed to call him 'Arnoth' without laughing? It has to be the most ridiculous name in the entire Wizarding World! "Something funny, Mr Potter?" "No sir, nothing at all." His professor sounded annoyed, but Harry was sure he could see a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his professor's mouth. "Good, come along then Arrin, we don't have much time." "Ok sir." "Arnoth, Arrin, we're not us, remember? Actually just stick to calling me 'father', it would be strange for anyone to hear you call your father by their first name."

"But that's just weird, you're not my father." A sad look was sent in Harry's direction. "Harry, I know this will be hard for you, and it may seem unfair, but it is the only way we can leave the castle and still be relatively safe." "Ok, sorry…father. There, I said it, happy?' "Yes. We will talk later. For now, let's enjoy a day out." "Ok."

Severus grabbed a handful of floo powder as they entered the fireplace. "The Leaky Cauldron." As they stepped out into the Leaky Cauldron, Harry discovered it was a lot quieter than usual. There was only one witch there, sitting alone in a corner, reading the 'Daily Prophet'. "Where did you want to go first Arrin?" "I need to go to Gringotts to get a bit of money out." "Okay then. Did you want to meet me at Scribbulus Everchanging Inks in an hour? I need to go to Slug and Jiggers Apothecary." "Ok father, that sounds good. See you in an hour." Harry waited until his 'father' nodded in approval before heading in the direction of Gringotts Bank. It still hurt him saying that.

After dealing with the rude goblins and withdrawing enough money for his fourth year at Hogwarts, Harry decided on buying new clothes first. He didn't want to be shopping for clothes with his professor. He purchased a new robe, trousers and shirts for school, 2 new pairs of black shoes, 3 pairs of dark blue jeans, a pair of runners, 5 new shirts, 4 pairs of socks, a pair of black dress pants, a nice, royal blue collared shirt, a warm emerald green jacket and a pair of gloves for winter. It was expensive, but Harry couldn't help it. He exited Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions, 5 heavy bags weighing his arms down.

Harry, still having 20 minutes to spare, decided to look in Quality Quidditch Supplies and Gambol and Japes before making his way over to Scribbulus Everchanging Inks. He waited patiently out the front, placing his heavy bags on the ground beside his feet. He couldn't see his professor anywhere. It wasn't until a blonde man walked up behind Harry and startled him that he remembered they were disguised by polyjuice potion. "Blimey father, you scared me!" The shock must have been evident on Harry's face because Snape was…laughing!

"Umm…you're laughing." Harry realised how stupid he must have sounded, but the thought of his professor laughing was unbelievable. "Well spotted Arrin. That's generally what we humans do to show amusement." "I know, it's just…I've never heard you laugh before." "I know, I couldn't help myself. I knew you wouldn't have recognised me. I had the opportunity to scare you, and I took it." Snape was smirking evilly. "Hey, that's not fair! It was a brilliant plan though…" "Yes, it was, wasn't it? Come on, let's get your new parchment and quills." "Ok father."

As Harry was about to pick his bags up, he noticed his professor had gone in without him. Harry stood there, staring at the door, looking dejected. He thought his professor would have at least walked in with him, especially after he had waited out the front for him. Harry suddenly didn't feel like going in anymore, he just wanted to walk off, but he didn't. He stood there for a minute longer before bending down to scoop his heavy, over-packed bags into his arms. His professor walking back out stopped him though.

"Arrin, what's all that?" Snape questioned, his gaze lingering on the stuffed bags in Harry's arms. "These are all my new clothes." "They're from Madam Malkin's, they would have been very expensive. Where did you get the money for them?" "My bank vault." His professor looked confused and angry, Harry couldn't understand why though. "You bought your own clothes?!" "Yes, father, of course I did, how else would I have gotten them?" Now Harry was confused. Why did his professor care how he got them?

"Did I do something wrong? You look really mad." "No Arrin…Harry. Child, you have done absolutely wrong. You need to understand that at your age it isn't your responsibility to buy your own clothes, your relatives should have purchased them for you. I had actually planned on buying them for you today, seeing as you are my responsibility these holidays."

Harry looked horrified. "No. I wouldn't have let you. You shouldn't have to buy me clothes. It's not your job. I'm not related to you, and you don't even like me. You shouldn't have to waste your money on me!" "Harry, I do like you, you imbecile! You're the child, I'm the adult. You are staying with me so it is MY responsibility to ensure you have adequate clothing. And I WANTED to buy them for you." "Still doesn't mean that you had to buy them. It doesn't matter now anyway, I've already got them." "You are too stubborn Harry. I do not wish to argue with you. Reducio!" Harry watched as Snape stuffed his shopping into his robes. "Thanks. They were getting kind of heavy. "No problem Arrin. Let's go in."

SS

Severus watched on in amusement as his 'son' happily paid for his parchment, quills and ink. 'Son?' Severus snorted. Watching the boy, Severus came to the conclusion that even the smallest, most insignificant things made Harry happy, he hadn't stopped smiling since they walked in. The abuse must have been horrific. Everything that wasn't his relatives, or Voldemort, must have been a sort of escape for the boy. Anything to take his mind of his terrible home life. Who in Merlin's name gets excited over a bottle of multi-coloured ink?!

They just had one more stop to make, Flourish and Blotts. Harry gathered all the books he needed for the next year and made his way to the counter to pay for them. "I'll get them Arrin." "No that's ok, I have money." Severus ignored the boy, and handed the money over to the man at the counter. He looked down at Harry and cracked up laughing. Arrin's eyes were bulging, his eyebrows were nearly to his hairline, and his lips were pressed together. "What are you laughing at?" "Nothing Arrin."

"Here…" Harry had his hand stretched out, attempting to hand money to Severus. "No, I wanted to get them for you." "Please, I always buy my own things." Harry was at the point of begging. "Not anymore. Please don't argue, just accept it." Harry sighed heavily and allowed his shoulders to slump forward. "Thank you. I'll make it up to you." "You don't need to. What's wrong child?" "Nothing. I'm just wasting your money too." "No, you're not. We need to…"

Severus stopped talking when he realised Harry wasn't listening to him anymore. The boy was looking at a snowy owl, hooting loudly in a cage outside of Eeylops Owl Emporium. He misses his owl. Damn that blasted uncle of his! The boy turned to face him, looking miserable. "I'm ready to go when you are father." Severus knew that the boy was hurting, he need to get him to talk, and soon. Severus didn't say a word, he just nodded in understanding and turned around, leading the way back to the Leaky Cauldron, to floo back to Hogwarts.

There you go. Chapter 8 = done! Severus may be a bit confusing in this chapter, so sorry about that. I just wanted to show that he's still not quite sure how to deal with Harry yet, and he is trying to be more friendly towards him, even if it makes him feel awkward. Because who would want to open up to someone that has previously made their life hell? Well I wouldn't, but that's just me. Anyway, please review, you all know how I love your opinions. Thanks.

AsSafeAsSnape