Chapter 10
Slowly, slowly
*In the last chapter*
Molly was not sure if she could be a student again even if most of the assessments were practical in nature. But there would be no drawbacks to this and Molly was still young for appearances sake.
"I'll do it, only on the proviso that I can talk this over with Arthur tonight and get back to you tomorrow. What is the wage of the apprenticeship at St Mungo's?"
"One of the students showed great promise in healing from this very school, she was 17 and a Hufflepuff, I think. She earned 60 galleons a week because of her age. You would be classed as a mature student, so I would roughly gather about 125 Galleons a week."
Molly was eager to prove her worth, so she made a verbal agreement to come back to Hogwarts the next day. "No need, Molly, would you like to owl Arthur from here and you are welcome to spend the night in our guest quarters? I will write up a contract of agreement and a sponsorship form and you can spend overnight discussing this proposal?"
====Line Break====
"Albus, What, are you up to?" Minerva was watching as Albus smiled to himself.
"Nothing, my dear Minerva, what makes you so suspicious of me?"
Minerva narrowed her eyes "You get that smug look about you, when you know something that the rest of the staff don't know." Albus brandished his tea spoon threateningly with a wide smile.
"Surely not, Minerva" Albus tried to look innocent.
"Oh, no, you won't be holding out on me this time, old man. It is obviously good from the smirk on your face."
"Oh, very well" Albus said with a big sigh "I have decided to sponsor Molly for an apprenticeship at St Mungo's in mind-healing. Muggles call them Psychiatrists, I believe."
"She wants to do something meaningful and her counselling Harry will show experience in children's mind healing in her practical assessments. Did you realise that Molly wanted to be a healer when she left Hogwarts? She only just passed her potions N.E.W.T with an *Acceptable*. Minerva shook her head "I didn't know, Albus, Molly was head over heels in love with Arthur Weasley and we all visibly accepted that when Molly left Hogwarts, she was going to get married and be happy raising her children well."
"I am doing this for both Harry and Molly. Harry needed a maternally instinctive person and Molly needed to throw aside some of her prejudices and pre-conceived notions about Slytherin House."
"Anyway, I hope Arthur will realise that Molly has never put her own needs first and that she desperately needs to feel needed, appreciated and loved by other children besides her own."
Minerva nodded in complete agreement.
====Line Break====
Harry was working with his Dad and Lena on a calming draught potion for the hospital wing. "That's it, Harry, you did it!" Lena rubbed Harry's shoulders "You should be proud of yourself, young man, let's flask this up and then you can do some paragraphs of your essay, remember only one foot of parchment, explaining the properties of each ingredient. Go on, after that, we can go to London Dungeons with Lena as you requested. I got tickets!" Severus said with a smile.
"Wicked!" Harry shouted and ran off to his bedroom to do his homework.
"I think that you just made his day in a year!" Lena smiled. Severus was bottling some potions for the Hospital wing as Lena spoke and looked up. "Lena, I know that we missed our first date, but can we rearrange for next week?"
"Severus, it is perfectly okay, after all Harry's been through, I am not some heartless bint who would expect you to not put Harry first. When this relationship progresses beyond dates and we start talking about a seriously committed relationship, I am fully prepared to accept those responsibilities and Harry is a delight."
Severus grinned and wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her fully on the mouth with passion.
"You have brought out the best in me, Miss Rosario"
"And you have brought out the best in me, Professor Snape"
Severus smiled and kissed his girlfriend on the cheek. The floo flashed green. "Severus, Miss Rosario, can we have an impromptu staff meeting. It will but take a moment of your time?"
"Ten minutes, Albus, I promised Harry a day trip to the London Dungeons"
"It won't take more than that, I promise"
"Uncle Severus!" Dante called out "Come in, Dante" Severus let the young man in "Keep an eye on Harry for the moment, there's a good lad."
"Sure, shall I help with his essay?"
"He completed a calming draught and is describing the properties and purposes of each ingredient."
"Oh, also I will have Muffy serve up lunch for the both of you." Severus said then he called out for Muffy
"How is Muffy be helping you, Professor Snape?"
====Line Break====
When Severus and Lena stepped through to the Headmaster's office, they saw Arthur and Molly sitting in the two chairs and Madam Narcissa Malfoy in another off to the side.
"I don't have time for this, Headmaster" Severus snapped
"This is not what you think, Severus, please sit down, this is just a formality. Molly has decided to undertake a mind-healing apprenticeship at St Mungo's, but Mrs Weasley needs to retake her Potions OWL and her Herbology NEWT to get into the apprenticeship. And because she needs a sponsor, the school fund for training staff will be partly put towards the cost of her training at St Mungo's. Madam Malfoy and Arthur Weasley have agreed happily to put their feud in the past so Madam Malfoy has also agreed to fund half the cost."
"All we wanted was yours, and Professor Sprout's signature to the contract of this course."
Severus breathed a sigh of relief and signed the parchment "Molly, I expect nothing less than Exceeds Expectations on your OWL Exam"
Professor Sprout also signed the parchment "Molly, I expect nothing less than an *Outstanding* on your Herbology NEWT Exam, be prepared to graft."
"When will my classes take place?" Molly asked worried "Every Sunday, Molly, you will start with Professor Snape at 09:00 sharp, we will provide you with guest quarters, Friday through to Monday. At 13:00pm, you will have a decent lunch at the Faculty table, then at 14:00 in the afternoon, I expect you to join Professor Sprout in the greenhouses, start with greenhouse one."
Arthur put his hand on Molly's shoulder "I am so proud of you, my dear, go for it and I have no doubt that you will succeed" Molly was moved to tears by her husband's faith in her. "Thank you, Arthur, so much" she choked out and kissed her husband's cheeks as they hugged. Even Madam Malfoy was moved by such devotion.
====Line Break====
Lena and Severus bumped into Hermione on their way back "Hello, Professor Snape, Ms Rosario, you seem in a hurry." Hermione smiled happily.
"Hello, miss granger, we are taking Harry out for the day, he wants to see the attractions in muggle London. Today, it is the London dungeons. Harry was going to invite you anyway." Severus pulled out four tickets from his cloak. Hermione looked choked up that the Head of Slytherin would think of her. "Thank you, I'll get dressed into my weekend clothes right away. And I'll come down to the dungeons in half an hour."
"Very well, miss granger, dress lightly?"
Hermione waved as she ran back to the Gryffindor tower.
"You are such a good man, Severus" Lena beamed at Severus "Oh, please, I happen to know that Harry has a huge crush on Miss granger but don't tell him I know, otherwise he will get that embarrassing teenaged blush and never confide in me again" Severus drawled smoothly
"You have my word, let's go and fetch Harry, oh, by the way, another bit of gossip, Dante is apparently dating Padma Patil, the pretty Ravenclaw, that is who he is mooning over, I wonder who it will be next month."
"Dante is settling in nicely and has become his own person because my father beat Dante literally black and blue because my father was drunk as usual when Dante came for a visit, he knows the difference between right and wrong" Severus got lost in the memory for a moment and blinked away tears. "Severus, are you alright?" Severus blinked and swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. "I'm fine, just lost in the memories of my awful childhood. Can we just not talk about my father, please?"
"Of course, I didn't mean to upset you." Lena said quietly "Maybe I need a session or two with a mind healer" Severus chuckled softly as he grabbed Lena's hand and kissed her palm. "Maybe, but I understand, Severus, you are a private man who has opened his heart to love an orphaned boy, an orphaned boy who was the son of your childhood bully. But he is nothing like James Potter and Harry chose you because I believe that Harry and yourself have made a good start on the healing process and you are healing each other with this special bond."
====Line Break====
London Vauxhall Bridge. 13:00 pm
"Dad, I see it!" Harry said excitedly. Harry and Hermione leaned over the Vauxhall Bridge and watched the busy Thames river and as Harry's hand brushed over Hermione's, they both felt a spark and they both jumped back shyly. Severus and Lena smirked then ushered the two pre-teens over the bridge to the underpass. The queue was quite small, and Severus had a fast pass to skip the queues.
Harry and Hermione laughed as they enjoyed the scary past but when they got to the trial bit in the London Dungeon's traitor's gate and Hermione was called up, Severus and Lena and Harry burst out laughing as the Judge looked severely at Hermione. "Your name is?" Hermione giggled "Hermione Granger, your honour"
"Hermione Granger, you have been accused of using your witchcraft on various boys to ensnare them into a false romantic liaison. How do you plead?" Hermione winked at Harry "Guilty, your honour"
"Well, well, well, miss granger, we can't have that, you now have two options. You can show us how you ensnared these innocent boys into your charms or you can go to our interrogator for some torture. What is your choice, miss granger?" Hermione chuckled "I will show you, your honour." Hermione winked at Harry again as she pulled out a fake wand that Fred and George had pranked her with. "Imperio" she incanted, and Harry acted the part well as he locked eyes with Hermione and walked like a lovestruck young teenaged boy towards her. "I will do anything for you, my love" then Harry kissed Hermione's hand as they both giggled.
"That's enough, you two, you are free to go." The crowd clapped and cheered as Hermione and Harry bowed to the cheering happily.
The last bit was "Jack the Ripper" in the Whitechapel scenery, the children were starving and tired as they left the London Dungeon. So even though it was unhealthy, the two adults got on the bus with two tired children and made their way to a bistro and ordered Chips and Quarter pounder burgers with a pot of coffee and milkshakes for the Harry and Hermione.
By the time they had apparated back to Hogwarts, the children had fallen asleep, Lena helped Hermione as they drowsily made their way to the Gryffindor tower and Harry was fast asleep on Severus' shoulder as he kissed Lena softly and bid her goodnight.
Skullduggery was entertaining Dante with impressions of all the teachers in Hogwarts and Severus put his finger over his lips to signal his familiar to be quiet. "Hello, Uncle Severus, Harry looks wiped out" he whispered.
"He is, we have had an excellent day, he really relished the chance to be 'Just Harry' and that is just what Harry needed." Severus pulled back the covers and with a swish of his wand, Harry had his pyjamas and was tucked into bed. "Goodnight, my son" He kissed Harry's forehead
"G'night, dad" Harry murmured and turned over.
A/N Please read and review