AN: Today's theme... Red and Green. ^-^

Thanks for Yen for the clean up.

Chapter 14: A Trip to Hogwarts

Severus was surprised when Harry got up with him. The younger man typically didn't rise with the sun unless he couldn't help it. "Are you going to feed the owls this morning? Bre would love your company."

Harry pulled on a shirt before shoving his feet into his shoes. "Is she the only one who would love my company?" He looked up when Severus stopped next to him.

Severus smirked before dropping a kiss on the up turned face. "Of course." He walked out the door. "Are you coming?"

Shaking his head, Harry followed the billowing robe down the stairs. He continued the conversation once they were settled on the back porch. "I have to head in early this morning. So, once I help feed the owls I'm off."

"What about breakfast for yourself?" Severus' eyes didn't leave the rising sun.

"Hermione is sending something in with Ron." Harry watched as Severus finished his drink a little faster than normal.

Severus headed back into the house while calling back over his shoulder. "You should not rely on that. We can put something together for you to take with you. It doesn't take but a moment to fry eggs and bacon."

"But Severus, Hermione is planning to do it already. If I don't eat, there will be lots of leftovers." Harry stood in front of the fridge.

Folding his arms across his chest, Severus glared at him. "You shall take some fruit with you at the very least."

Harry grinned. Severus had to trust that Hermione was really going to do it to give up so early. Reaching into the fruit bowl, he pulled out two apples. "I'll take these, and I can share one with Ron."

Looking at the red and green apples in his hand, Severus picked out two more before handing one to Harry. "Take those, and eat this one on the way to the greenhouses with me."

As they stepped out of the house, he looked over at what Harry was wearing. The scruffy jeans and a jumper was not normally what Harry wore to the office. "You going there dressed like that? Where are your robes?"

"Notesworthy has assigned us to clean up the records room."

The grimace that accompanied those words caused a evil grin to slide onto the Potions Master's face. "So, how did you earn a detention?"

Harry glared at the grinning man. "It is not a detention. It just happens to be our turn, that's all." He shifted his gaze to the owls and let his glare fade to a concerned look. "What's the matter with Blanch?"

The grin dropped off Severus' face as he took in the hunched posture of the Great Horned owl. "I don't know. She was fine yesterday." He lengthened his stride to reach the greenhouse faster. Harry kept up with him.

They both looked over the owl before looking at each other. Harry was the first to speak. "Who is going to deliver for her?"

Nise hooted and landed on Severus' shoulder. "Nise can do it. She used to handle all three runs until I got Blanch and Bre. I'll just go to Hogwarts and talk to Minerva in person."

Harry ran his fingers through Blanch's back feathers. "Talk to Hagrid and see if he has any idea on how to help her."

Severus nodded. "Go ahead and feed them. I'll get the deliveries."

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Wearing one of his standard robes, Severus made sure that his old Slytherin scarf was looped at least once around his neck. His eyes were trained on the front gates of Hogwarts. 'Will they let me in? Albus' spell should have broken all ties with the wards. I am no longer a teacher here, I am not a concerned parent, nor am I a governor.'

Glancing at the forest to his left, remembered the day he had to meet Harry in the Shrieking Shack. 'Well, if they don't I'll slip in through the Forest.' Stepping towards the gates, he was positive that they would remain closed. He was shocked when they opened for him the same as normal.

He felt the wards slide over him as he passed them, allowing him to enter. Strolling through the snow, he took in the peacefulness that seemed to be soaking into his bones. 'It is so different from the last time I was here. This time I am not worried about Harry or being attacked.'

A trill above his head caught his attention. Looking up, he saw Fawkes making lazy spirals in the air above him. 'Could it be because of him that I was able to come in? Did he partially block Albus' spell? Is that why I am still connected to the wards, and why the Infinity Bond with Harry is still there?'

His thoughts stopped spiraling when the bird alighted on his shoulder and hunched down against him as if to absorb his warmth. "You silly bird. You know you don't care to be out here in the cold. At least not this soon after your burning day."

Sighing, he wrapped part of his scarf around the firebird's feet and tossed the free end over its neck. He scratched under the phoenix's neck feathers as he continued towards the front doors. His steps were accompanied by a gentle trill.

Stepping through the front doors, which he wasn't surprised when they opened for him, Severus noticed the students milling about the entry hall. Several stopped and stared at him. A few of the sixth and seventh years blanched a bit. He caught the eye of one of the sixth years. "Miss Gipson, where might I find Headmistress McGonagall?"

The Ravenclaw blinked for a moment, surprised at being picked out. "She is still at breakfast, Headmaster."

"I am no longer the Headmaster, Miss Gipson. I'm just Master Snape." He nodded at her before striding across the entry hall towards the Great Hall. He hadn't paid attention to the time and was not expecting to have to walk into the room filled with students.

He stopped at the door for a moment, attempting to find the courage that Albus always assured him he had. Fawkes trilled and rubbed his head against Severus' cheek. Glancing at the bird, he realized what the students had to be staring at. It wasn't just him. The red plumed bird had settled onto the loop of the scarf like it was a nest. The green loop about its neck made the feathers look even more like flames.

Taking in the courage that Fawkes offered, Severus opened the door and strode in. He could feel the eyes on him as he walked between the tables. He buried his smirk as he imagined what he had to look like, black robes billowing about him, and a red and gold phoenix on his shoulder, nestling in the folds of his Slytherin green scarf. He made eye contact with Minerva and had to hide his amusement at her expression. A quick glance showed Pomona, Filius, Rolanda, Septima, Aurora and Bathsheda's faces were the same as the Headmistress'. Hagrid didn't seem to be the least surprised. The three new faces were just curious.

He stopped just in front of the dais. "I'm sorry to intrude, Headmistress, but Blanch took ill this morning. So, Nise is busy." He left the rest unsaid.

Minerva quirked a small grin. Severus was never one to make a bland entrance. It was either an unseen one or a dramatic one. "Why don't you join us for breakfast and we can talk afterwards? I believe there is a spot near Professor Hagrid."

Nodding, he took the seat that appeared between Filius and Hagrid. He looked down at the house elf that appeared. "Good morning, Mimpsy. Just some tea for me, but Fawkes would like a bite to eat."

"Yes sir, Master Snape."

He turned to talk to Hagrid about Blanch's symptoms when Fawkes trilled at him. "If you want it, you have to remove yourself from the scarf. I'm not feeding you." He turned back to Hagrid.

It wasn't until the end of breakfast that he caught Filius levitating the bowl up to Fawkes. He glared at the diminutive professor. It proved to be ineffective as the Charms Master just smiled at him.

After breakfast, he followed Minerva to the staffroom.

Minerva started speaking as soon as the door closed behind them. "You are going to have to go into the Headmaster's office before you leave. But I thought you would like to hold this discussion without their presence."

"Thanks." Severus settled into one of the seats. "Harry agreed, so I will teach for the rest of the year. I would like to be able to supervise the detentions that I assign, as well as accept some from other teachers if they pass them through me first." He waited for her to nod. "Can I have my quarters back?" He wasn't sure why he wanted them, but it just felt right. What he was sure of was that he and Harry could definitely chase the old memories out of them.

"Of course. No one has been in them since you left. I'll send one of the house elves to prepare them. You will use the current potions teacher's classroom?" While Minerva waited she watched Fawkes groom Severus' hair.

"I take it his room isn't my old one?" He scratched at Fawkes' feathers in an attempt to distract him from the hair.

Minerva smiled when the green draped bird nuzzled into Severus' hand but didn't let go of its prize. "No, it is closer to the main stairwell into the dungeons."

"Then I want my old room back." He waited for her to complain about changing things too early.

Minerva refused to be baited into one of their old argument. She knew he had to have a good reason for his request. "Severus, why?"

Keeping his disappointment off his face, he explained. "My old classroom is the closest one to the only non-moving direct paths to the infirmary."

Minerva blinked, she had not been aware that there was an unmoving path to the infirmary. "Then, of course, you may move back there. Is Harry going to be coming here during the week?" She tried to keep the hopeful sound out of her voice.

When Severus nodded yes, she grinned. "We will need to tell the other teachers about you so that they aren't surprised."

Severus sighed lightly as he unwound the scarf from around his neck. "Later. I want him here for that."

Minerva nodded. "Bring him by Christmas or the day after."

Severus smirked as he undid the clasp of his winter cloak. "The day after."

Minerva stood up and gestured towards the door. "You need a copy of the lesson plans taught so far and they're in my office."

Severus met her eyes and knew he wasn't getting out of this one. Shedding his cloak carefully, he stood to follow her. "Then lead the way, Headmistress."

Left alone, Fawkes comfortably settled down in the green scarf and black cloak, preening his feathers and basking in the heat of the flames of the nearby fireplace.