A/N: I'm so thrilled by the response to this story. I hope everyone continues to enjoy it.
o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
After dinner, the Slytherins settled down in the Common Room. Everyone was broken off into little groups. Some people were doing homework, other playing games, or chatting about their day. Harry was sitting at a table in the corner, playing chess with Draco. His former enemy was taking the time to teach him, rather than just beating the pants off him. It was a refreshing change.
"Draco," Harry said as he ordered his bishop across the board, "thanks for this. It really helps, you know?" He gave the other boy a small smile.
"I know. It keeps my mind off things too." Some weariness showed through in the teen's voice.
"Yeah." Harry nodded. "If you ever need to talk...I'm not a bad listener either." He offered in kind.
"I wish I could, but there are some things I can't really share right now." Draco said. "Hopefully things will change, soon." His voice was low, being very cautious about what he said.
Harry nodded, understanding. He knew all too well about the weight of secrets, and how hard it could be to keep them. He stretched and looked over at the clock above the fireplace. "I've got to go. My father wanted to see me before curfew tonight." He had fifteen minutes.
"Ok." Draco and helped Harry pack up the game.
"See you later." Harry said after putting his game away in his trunk. He headed out of the Slytherin dorm and hurried to his father's rooms. He gave the password and entered.
"Have a seat Septimus." Severus smiled and handed him a mug of hot chocolate. "Lupin should be joining us shortly." He looked much calmer than he felt.
"What if he does go to Dumbledore about this? What can we do then?" Harry finally had a family and his greatest fear was having that ripped away.
"There is little the Headmaster could do now. You are my son, and it's been made known publically. The time where he could have tried to take you away from me, is long past." He knelt and met his son's eyes. "No one will ever separate us again. I will not allow it." He might not be at the level of Albus Dumbledore or the Dark Lord, but if Albus pushed him on this, he would fight with everything he had.
Harry swallowed past the tight feeling in his throat. He believed him, and that scared him more than anything. He'd never trusted adults, not completely. He knew some meant well, but none of them had ever kept their word to him. Somehow he knew that this time, this promise would be kept. He nodded. "Okay."
Severus was saved from further words when a knock sounded at his door. He stood and schooled his features before opening the door. "Thank you for coming Remus." He said and gestured for him to enter. As soon as he did, Severus cast several non-verbal privacy spells.
"You said it was urgent." Remus said. He paused as he noticed the young man sitting on Severus' couch. He hadn't noticed just how much the boy resembled Severus; it was almost like looking back in time.
"Yes, and it concerns my son." Severus said. "If you'd take a seat?"
Remus moved to sit in one of the armchairs, but as he reached it he stopped dead. He smelled something familiar, someone familiar. He drew a deeper breath and his eyes widened. "Harry?" His jaw nearly hit the floor.
"It's Septimus now." Severus stated quickly. "Sit down, and I will explain." He forestalled the coming flurry of questions.
Lupin sat down, still looking at Harry as if he'd grown a second head. He did recover enough to accept a cup of tea from Severus. What in the name of all the Elements was going on here?
"First and foremost, he is my son Remus. Lily employed an old form of blood magic to fool both James and myself." Severus said gently. "The charm began to disintegrate on his last birthday, and we both received time-delay letters to explain her deception." He let the man digest the broad strokes. It neatly bypassed the intense emotions involved.
Remus looked over at Harry. "I am relieved that you are safe." He said first, wanting the boy to know that he wasn't angry with him. "I knew that James and Lily were having problems but I'd never have thought..." He trailed off, reminding himself that Lily's son was sitting in the room. He couldn't imagine Lily with Snape, it was just beyond his comprehension, but the evidence was sitting a few feet from him. He forcibly reminded himself that he really hadn't known Lily as well as he'd known James, only in as far as she'd been his friend's girlfriend, and later his wife.
"We were very discreet." Severus was not going to elaborate further on that topic. "No one else knows about this, and I've asked you here tonight to request that you respect our wish for silence on this matter."
"Surely the Headmaster knows, he told me Harry had been moved for his safety." He looked confused. Why would they be hiding this from the Order?
"He lied." Severus snorted. Was everyone fooled by the old man? "It's why you're here this year. He wanted you where he could watch you, in case Harry attempted to reach out. He believes Harry ran away this summer, distraught over Black's death. He's trying to conceal it from everyone." He explained.
Remus blinked and took a sip of his tea while he tried to process it all. He owed Albus a great deal for his kindness over the years, but the bigger question was what he owed to Harry. There was also the matter of what he owed to the man sitting across from him. Severus never failed to get his wolf's-bane potion to him; even though they both knew he'd never be able to pay him what it was worth. To his knowledge the man even supplied the ingredients himself. While Severus had been no innocent in their school days, often giving as good as he got, Remus had ever felt completely easy about all that had passed between them. No, his debts to these two wizards far outweighed whatever he might have owed Albus.
"I will keep your secret. You have my promise on that." Remus finally said, nodding. "Elements know, you both deserve the chance to have a family." He gave Harry a small, sad smile. "I will take pains to guard my thoughts as well Severus, though admittedly I am a bit rusty." He looked to Severus.
"Thank you, Professor Lupin." Harry said, letting go of the breath he'd been holding. He couldn't explain the tears in his eyes.
"You're welcome, Septimus." He winked a bit, having to get used to the name. "Though, I might suggest on this one occasion, not being overly successful with your Patronus Charm." He said.
Harry nodded. "Dumbledore knows my Patronus is a Stag."
"Professor Dumbledore." He corrected. "Patronuses are funny things, Septimus. They often change over time to reflect the happy memories that form them." Remus gave him a smile. He had a feeling that now Harry would have some real memories to draw from, not just the idea of them. "Practice it privately before we do the practical lesson next week." He advised.
Severus smiled and let the tension leech from his shoulders. The first crisis had been averted. He had no doubt that they would face many more. "Remus, just to be on the safe side, I'd ask that you only refer to him as Septimus now. While I am confident of my silencing spells, I cannot be sure that the Headmaster has not devised some sort of listening charm tied to his name, similar to the Dark Lord's."
"Agreed." Remus nodded gravely. "He may ask why you wanted to see me. I will tell him it was merely to arrange some tutoring for Septimus to catch him up to his classmates in preparation for his OWLs." He smiled. "I hope you will allow me to see him, from time to time?" He asked hopefully.
"Gladly." While he did not particularly like the wolf, he knew his son had a fondness for him. "Just take extreme care with your conversations." He warned them both. They both nodded and after a little more conversation, Remus said his goodnights and left father and son alone.
"Come, you can use the passage way into the dorm." He said and opened the hidden door between his sitting room and the Slytherin dorm.
"Night dad." Harry said as he tried to stifle a yawn. He headed straight for his dorm and flopped into bed.
o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.
Harry relaxed in his seat as Professor Lupin explained the Patronus Charm to his double class of Slytherins and Gryffindors. He took notes like everyone else and watched as the Professor demonstrated the wand movements. He was reminded just why Professor Lupin was his favorite Defense teacher.
"Now, many witches and wizards are never able to produce a fully corporeal Patronus. However, most can learn to create a basic shield of white mist to help deter a Dementor. While this is most definitely a NEWT level spell, you have all impressed me this year and I feel this class is up to the challenge. Today we will practice our wand movements and work on focusing on our happy memory. I want everyone to close their eyes and see it in your mind. Remember this memory needs to be both happy, and powerful." He lectured and walked through the room.
Harry let his eyes fall closed and found himself remembering this past Christmas Eve, sitting beside his father as they looked through pictures of his mother. The feeling of family filling him up, the only thing he'd ever really wanted. He smiled and opened his eyes, finding his Professor looking at him with a similar smile.
"Now that you all have your happy memory, use strong movements for your wand. Remember the purpose of this spell, it is meant to save you from one of the most feared dark creatures in our world." Remus coached them all. He was teaching this to his NEWT students as well. With Voldemort back in the world, his students needed to know how to defend themselves. He had no illusions that the coming battle would spare the children.
"Mr. Harper, if you would come to the front of the class? I believe we have just enough time today for you to try." Remus smiled encouragingly.
Terrence looked at Harry nervously and then squared his shoulders and walked to the front of the room.
"All right, wand out Mr. Harper. Find that memory, focus on it...let it fill you up from the soles of your feet to the very tips of your hair...now say the incantation." Remus said in a soft tone.
"Expecto Patronum!" Terrence said and a fine white mist came from the end of his wand, shimmering in the air for a few seconds and then dissipating. Terrence then staggered a bit, catching his breath.
"Excellent Mr. Harper, that was a wonderful first try. I again stress this is very advanced magic, well above the Ordinary Wizarding Level. Any Patronus, even a mist is very good work." He smiled. "Next class we will begin practical work on this charm. I am assigning an essay on Dementors, two feet due next Wednesday. I would like you to focus on historical facts, effects and methods of protection. Class dismissed." He said just as the bell chimed for lunch.
"That was brilliant, great job Terrence." Harry said as they gathered their books. He remembered his own disastrous first attempts.
"That was hard, I can't believe how drained I feel." Terrence said as they left the class. "He wasn't kidding when he said it was hard."
"Let's get you to the Great Hall. You probably need to eat something."
"I think you're right." Terrence said as they headed down the corridor.
Harry was busy paying attention to his friend, when suddenly he was shoved hard from behind and sent spinning into the wall. He grimaced as his shoulder impacted the unyielding stone and sent pain shooting down his arm. "Hey!" He shouted at the offender, turning to face none other than Ron Weasley and Seamus Finnegan. Seeing his former best friend made him hesitate. What were they even doing in this corridor? The sixth year's had a study period right now.
"Should watch where you're going, Snape." Ron sneered.
"Shove off Weasley." Draco's voice cut through the air before Harry could respond.
"What's wrong Malfoy? Your little boyfriend can't fight his own battles?" Seamus baited Malfoy.
"I'm not even going to dignify that with a response. I am however going to inform your Head of House that you were picking on a younger student. Now move on." Draco said in clipped tones, the venom almost dripping off his words. He wanted nothing more than to hex both boys to oblivion and back.
Seamus was about to say something else when Ron nudged him. The other boy looked around and realized there were no less than twelve Slytherins in the corridor around them, and not another soul to be seen. "Let's go Ron." He said and spun, stalking off.
Harry's jaw was clenched with anger. He'd never imagined such an ugly side to his best friend. His cheeks were a bit pink from Seamus' insinuation. How fucking DARE they! "I could have handled it." He said to Draco after a minute.
"I know, but Slytherins stick together Septimus. The Gryffindors need to know that when they take you on, they're facing all of us." Draco said. "Outside the dorms, we are a united front." He said.
"Thank you." Harry nodded, understanding it.
"No problem, let's get down to lunch." Draco said.
As a group, the fifth and sixth year Slytherins went down to the Great Hall. As if it had been orchestrated, Harry walked in the center with the others forming ranks around him. They walked past the Gryffindor table, making the message clear. Septimus was one of them now, and they would all protect him.
The display did not go unnoticed by Severus as he sat at the head table. His snakes did not advertise so blatantly unless threats had been made. The serpent's den had been roused, and if their warning was not heeded, they would strike back with all their force. The only question remained was if the lions were stupid enough to ignore the line that had been drawn in the sand. Sadly, Severus knew that they were. He glanced down the table and noticed that Minerva was blissfully ignorant to the display. It did not bode well. He would not interfere, not unless it went too far. If his snakes were willing to rally around his son, he would let them.
TBC