Rowling owns Harry and everyone else. I own Lafaera, Myihel and anyone else not associated with the HP books. I am looking only for reviews and the enjoyment of my readers.
Chapter Nine: Catching Up and Lesson Plans
Early morning light found a little girl, with dark brown hair and shining emerald green-blue tinted eyes, humming softly to herself as she drew at a table that was placed in front of the fireplace. She smiled down at two snakes as they slithered up to her, and gave them her arms so they could climb up onto her shoulders. She laughed softly as one hissed in her ear before smiling down at the picture she had made. It was of Hogwart's and a pretty well drawn picture, considering it was a six-year-old child who had drawn it after seeing it once the previous afternoon. Still humming, the child started drawing herself, the two snakes and her father into the picture. She didn't notice the side door open or her father standing there watching her in the early morning light. Harry smiled softly at his daughter, marveling at how childlike she was.
"Good morning, Sunshine." Lafaera looked up a huge grin on her face before grabbing the picture and running to Harry with laughter.
"Daddy! Lookit what I drew." Harry smiled warmly at his daughter as he swung her around before placing her on her feet and having a picture shoved into his face. He examined it and smiled brightly. His daughter never ceased to amaze him in her creativity.
"It's lovely. Do you want to put it up?" Lafaera smiled, and dashed towards the colorful wall they had decorated together the evening before. "Very well then, shall it go here?" Lafaera giggled as Harry started to place the picture over their handprints.
"No, Daddy, beside it." Harry huffed causing Lafaera to be sent into giggles once more. Harry smiled and waved the picture to stick to the wall next to the hand prints. He smiles at the colorful picture and picks Lafaera up, throwing her over his shoulder, eliciting a scream of laughter from the small child. Harry laughed and glanced over his shoulder at the laughing child. She was looking at him upside down with hair in her eyes.
"Shall we disperse from these rooms and find our way to breakfast." Lafaera giggled and nodded before shrieking in laughter as Harry started tickling her. Harry laughed and, still carrying his laughing daughter over his shoulder, he left his rooms heading towards the Great Hall for breakfast. Lafaera was still giggling as they entered the Great Hall.
"Sev'rus!" She cried happily seeing him sitting at the staff table. Severus looked up, as well as many other teachers, before a smile lit his face for a moment. If anyone noticed no one said anything. It was easy to tell that even after one day she had him wrapped around her little finger.
"You seem a bit hung up, little one." Harry snorted and Lafaera wiggled in his arms as the few other teachers watching smiled at him and his daughter.
"Daddy, let me down." Harry frowned before turning her right side up and setting her down.
"You're no fun." Lafaera stuck her tongue out at her dad before smiling at the blonde who was sitting between Severus and Sirius. "Sorry to cause such a disturbance ladies and gentlemen." Harry bowed before straightening and striding to the seat open between Severus and Ron. Lafaera had run up to the dais and hugged Severus.
"Dr'co." Draco looked down at the little girl standing next to his chair. Harry looked over Severus with a smile on his face before going back to his conversation with Ron.
"Yes, little one?" Lafaera smiled at him before climbing into his lap. Draco was startled at first before he rested his arms lightly around the six-year-old. She seemed completely unconcerned that she had only met him the night before.
"Can you teach me healing?" Severus snorted into his cup and Harry laughed at the look on Draco's face.
"I-I… You're only…" Draco looked to Harry for help as his adoptive father Sirius started laughing at his side.
"'Faera, you're too little to learn that. I told you when you were a bit older." Lafaera pouted before sighing and offering a big smile at Draco.
"When I'm older?" Draco smiled softly down at the child, ignoring the laughter from his adoptive father. He ruffled her hair affectionately causing her to grin at him.
"Yes, when you're older." He was looking at Lafaera so he missed the look of gratitude and hidden love in Harry's eyes. Severus and Hermione on the other hand didn't.
"So, Harry, how did you manage to disappear so thoroughly?" Harry looked up at Professor McGonagall a sad smile on his face.
"You remember Myihel right?" At the nods of his friends and teachers, well fellow co-workers now, he continued. "She helped me and we changed our names and found work together once I was well enough. We helped each other out and told whoever asked that we were siblings. Her magic, as well as mine kept us hidden from searching spells." Harry looked down at Lafaera, who had come to him. He picked her up and cradled her against his chest. She always seemed to know when he was going to be talking about difficult things.
"Daddy…" Harry shushed her and kissed her head. Lafaera sighed as her dad started talking once more.
"When Myihel died, I was able to keep up the location and names we had used for about three years. Two or three years ago I had to move and change my name back to Harry Potter. Lafaera and I had been living comfortably in the apartment we were in for about the past year." Lafaera buried her head in her father's robes feeling sadness and regret radiating off of him.
"Wow." Hermione jabbed Ron in the ribs and he grimaced. "It's just, you've been gone so long." Harry shook his head and stroked back Lafaera's hair causing her to smile slightly into his robes. She wanted her daddy to be happy again and stop being so sad.
"Myihel? I never would have guessed Harry. That's the child's mother then?" Harry blinked at McGonagall and his other old professor's before remembering they hadn't heard the story the night before.
"Yes, sorry for not introducing her more correctly sooner. This is Lafaera Lillian Potter." Lafaera pulled her head away to look at all of the teachers smiling at her. She smiled slightly and held out her hands to reveal the two small snakes. "Oh, and this is Sirius and Remus more fondly known as Siri and Remi." Harry grinned at his Godfather and the man he had called Godfather.
"Well it's very nice to meet you Lafaera." The girl grinned at McGonagall and smiled.
"It's nice to meet you, Prof'ss'r McGon'all." The teachers all laughed at that and McGonagall smiled fondly at the young girl.
"She is always welcome in my quarter's Mr. Potter." Harry smiled and stood cradling Lafaera to him. In his eyes was gratitude and respect for his old Professor.
"I was hoping you'd say that because Myihel and I had agreed before she died to name you one of her Godparents." McGonagall's eyes widened and her eyes started tearing up. Lafaera climbed into her lap to give her a kiss on the cheek before racing off to Sirius and Remus down the table.
"I'm honored Harry." Harry smiled and leaned down to kiss his old Professor on the cheek. He turned when he felt Lafaera go up to his Godfather's. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to go save my Godfather's from my little terror." McGonagall smiled and nodded as Harry strode quickly towards the end of the table where Lafaera was.
"You're my daddy's Godfather?" Lafaera questioned Sirius who started laughing and ruffled the small child's hair. Harry sighed in exasperation but smiled none the less.
"I am." Lafaera smiled and climbed up into his lap.
"He talked about you a lot. Stories of Mar'ders… Mau'rders…" Remus laughed at the girl's flustered face as Harry strode up to the two laughing Marauders.
"Marauders, Sweetheart." Lafaera beamed up at her father before tugging on a piece of Sirius' long locks. Sirius smiled and tugged on a piece of Lafaera's own.
"I wanna fly like the fer…" Harry clamped a hand over Lafaera's mouth before glancing at the group watching them.
"Lafaera, what did I tell you about that…" Lafaera just smiled at him as he slowly brought his hand away. Draco was frowning slightly before turning to Lafaera who was looking at her father innocently.
"Fly like the what, young one?" Lafaera looked up at her dad before smiling.
"The ferret!" She cried. Harry groaned and Draco glared at him. Lafaera looked between her father and the blonde man before looking at Sirius. "The ferret?" Sirius nodded slightly and Remus started laughing again. "He's too pretty to be a ferret, my daddy said so." With that Lafaera hopped off of Sirius' lap and went over to Hermione who was staring at Harry's flaming face and the laughing canine duo. Draco had frowned at the girl's blatant remark and stared at Harry who muttered something before turning and going to Severus who was smirking at him.
"Don't say a thing." Harry muttered sinking into the seat next to Severus. Severus hide a smile and glanced back at Draco who was staring between Lafaera and her father and back to the child happily watching Hermione and Ron make things dance around the table. Dumbledore was smiling at Severus sending a knowing glance at Harry before winking and looking back to the laughing child before adding his own bit of magic to it.
"Not a word, Harry, not a word; though I must say that Draco was attracted to you while you were still in school." Harry's head bolted up at that and he stared at the man he had come to think of as his father. He could not believe that, he and Draco were on two separate planes.
"You're joking?" Severus shook his head and Harry glanced at Draco who turned to look at him causing him to blush and look away. "Well nothing can come of it, anyways… He probably doesn't feel that way anymore." Severus just shrugged and turned to watch Lafaera who was happily trying to catch the glitter that Professor Flitwick had sent flying from his wand. She caught his eyes and he blinked at the intelligence he saw there that was way beyond her years, before they went back to those of an innocent child once more.
"Harry…" Harry sighed and nodded sadly.
"I know. It's the elfin blood in her. There's just so much that we don't know, but I can't take her to the elves. I refuse to because I know that I won't get her back." Harry smiled at Severus sadly. "Just don't think too much on it."
"Sirius?" Sirius turned to look at the blonde he had adopted years before.
"Yes, Draco?" He turned to look at the blonde who was staring at Lafaera who was dancing happily in the glitter.
"Do you think Harry really said that?" Sirius blinked slightly at the blonde and Remus smiled winking at Sirius over Draco's head.
"A child doesn't lie Draco." Draco turned to look at Remus before looking back at the laughing child. She seemed so carefree and happy, Harry had raised her well.
"But… Harry had never…" Draco trailed off and looked at Harry who quickly looked away a blush staining his cheeks.
"Had never what Draco?" Hermione asked sitting down in front of the blonde having come over from playing with Lafaera.
"Harry never showed an interest…" Hermione laughed at that causing Draco to look at her. Hermione shared a knowing look with her husband down the table before turning her gaze to Draco.
"Poor, Draco… Harry's liked you since the beginning of our sixth year." Draco blinked and looked at Lafaera who was shrieking in laughter because Harry had joined her and was swinging her around. Harry tossed Lafaera up in the air causing Draco to jump before he caught her deftly and placing her on her feet. Before Draco could say anything Lafaera raced up to him and tugged on his hand.
"Come play with me. Daddy has to work on lessons." Draco looked down at Lafaera a small smile on his lips.
"I don't know… I should help your father work on those lessons." Lafaera pouted and Remus clasped his son on the shoulder.
"Don't worry about it, I'll help Harry." Lafaera laughed happily and tugged on Draco's arm once more before racing to Harry.
"Daddy, Dr'co said he'd play while you work on lessons. Remi's gonna help you." Lafaera smiled happily and Harry looked up at Draco.
"Thank you so much, Draco. I hope she won't be a problem." Draco waved it off and scooped Lafaera into his arms.
"No problem at all. Besides I'm sure Severus wouldn't mind helping me watch her." Harry smiled and looked at Severus who had looked up from his paper. "Would you Severus?" Severus stared at him before looking at Lafaera who turned pleading eyes to him.
"Very well." Lafaera let out a sound of happiness before launching herself at the normally stoic Potions Master.
"I'm glad, by the way, Sev. I named you her Grandfather." Severus stared down at the child in his arms for a moment longer before looking to Harry who waved and allowed Remus and Sirius to drag him from the room followed by Ron. Hermione stayed a moment longer to speak with Flitwick before she as well disappeared from the room. Lafaera was smiling up at him as if she knew what they had been talking about. He shook his head and looked at Draco before looking back to the energetic six-year-old.
"What shall we do young one?" Severus asked looking down at Lafaera, who looked at the two Slytherin's before smiling.
"Play outside." Draco laughed and took her from Severus' arms.
"Outside it is then." Lafaera laughed and wiggled from his arms to race towards the doors, her hair flying behind her. Dumbledore watched with a twinkle in his eye at everything going on before him. Now that Harry was back he could help fix the young Dragon and maybe even heal the boy's own scars. The child would definitely be a big help. Yes, things were definitely looking up.
"Remus, I don't know what I'm doing here. I'm not cut out to be a teacher. I've been working in restaurants and writing books for the past ten years. I have no idea how to teach." Sirius laughed at his Godson before slinging an arm around his shoulders.
"I had the same thoughts, Harry." Remus nodded and handed Harry a book that read, 'Training in the Dark Arts: A Teacher's Guide'.
"Don't worry about it Harry. This will help you. I wrote this after working here in your third year. It wasn't published until two years ago, so I don't know how much use it's going to be but it's a start." Harry stared at Remus for a moment before relief flooded his eyes.
"Thank you so much, Remus. I don't know what I would have done if you weren't here." Ron laughed looking up from his own lesson plans, which weren't much, causing Hermione to roll her eyes.
"Harry, if Ron can teach, you can teach." They ignored Ron's 'Hey!' and laughed when he huffed going back to his lesson plans.
"Thanks, Hermione." Harry smiled at them and started working on his lesson plans getting input from the four Professors occasionally. When he was taking a break he looked up at Ron and Hermione. "Hey, 'Mione, do you and Ron have kids?" The two looked at him and smiled looking back at each other.
"Yes we do." Ron said smiling at his wife. Hermione smiled back and frowned thoughtfully.
"Actually, our youngest is about Lafaera's age, maybe a little over." Hermione said with a wry grin. "She's the only girl out of three boys. We have a set of twins that are the oldest and then another boy in the middle."
"They're terrors, Harry! Terrors I tell you. Worse than anything." Sirius mock squealed. Hermione threw a quill at his head and he ducked laughing. Harry was laughing was well and smiled.
"I want to meet them. Maybe your youngest could make friends with Lafaera. I'm afraid I've kept her from a lot of children her own age." Hermione and Ron nodded smiling fondly at Harry before they all started working on their lesson plans once more. A few hours later Harry looked up and noticed that it was getting stormy outside. "I wonder how Lafaera's doing." Sirius looked at Harry and smiled at the look in his eyes.
"I'm sure she's fine, Harry." Harry nodded going back to his work, a foreboding feeling starting to grow in his stomach that something bad was about to happen. He just couldn't figure out what.