So, if there is anyone still waiting for updates on this story, all I can say is: Wow, thank you! Like, seriously. (Or you know, Siriusly)
All I can say is that life took me in a different direction for a while and I actually almost completely abandoned all fanfiction, even reading it. But, I've missed it. Half of this chapter was typed about a year and a half ago and half has been typed tonight.
All I can say, is that I hope it was worth the wait, and I promise it won't be years before I update again. My only beta is Grammerly and of course, I claim no ownership.
Also, I haven't read The Cursed Child yet or stayed active on Pottermore, so nothing from those sources will appear in my story unless I'm really good at guessing.
Harry often wondered how Teddy managed to stay awake and alert all the time when he insisted on waking up at ungodly hours every time something exciting happened. This time, it was Hermione's birthday.
"Potter-Snape, tame your monkey!" Draco's voice growled from under his covers on the bed next to them.
"He's not my monkey," Harry protested.
"Harry, we have to get ready!" Teddy whined, sitting on Harry's legs and bouncing with excitement.
"No, bad Teddy, go back to sleep," Harry whined back, making Draco laugh.
"But Harry!" Teddy started.
"I will put spiders in your bed," Harry threatened, pointing back at Teddy's bed. Teddy stopped bouncing and froze, wide-eyed with horror.
"You wouldn't," Teddy breathed.
"I will," Draco answered. Harry raised his eyebrows and shrugged at Teddy's puppy-dog eyes, which he directed at both of them.
"Severus will have our heads if we're caught out of bed. I'm already in trouble with him. I cannot afford to piss him off any more than I have already managed, Teddy. So go to bed, and plan quietly for the next hour, at least. Or write it down. But everything we're doing today is already planned and sorted, and the only thing left is to get through Potions. Do you want to be doing Potions while tired, Teddy, do you really?" Harry spelled it out. He didn't blame the other boy for waking him - Teddy was more hyperactive than a puppy on red cordial.
"But Harry!" Teddy whined. Harry raised his eyebrows at him and glared until Teddy crawled backward off the bed and slunk over to his own. "Spoilsport."
"Pain in the butt," Harry retorted. He quickly lay back down as the door to the boys' dormitory swung open and Severus appeared in the door. He was still in his dressing gown and Harry saw that he was holding his wand loosely under his crossed arms.
"Why is it always you?" Severus asked, sneering as Teddy popped up in greeting.
"Harry had a nightmare?" Teddy said quickly, ignoring Harry's sound of protest. "He's been awake all night anyway, so I thought I'd give him an excuse to get up and stop pretending to sleep," Teddy explained. Harry groaned and dragged his pillow over his face, annoyed at his friend's perceptiveness.
"Harry, come with me. Theodore, go back to sleep. Or at very least, go back to pretending you were asleep," Severus said. His jaw muscle jumped as he clenched his teeth.
"Yes, sir," Teddy answered, disappointed. He went to pull the covers back up over his legs and Harry made sure to pin him with his most angry glare.
Harry pulled his dressing gown off the end of the bed and followed his Dad, pulling it on as he walked. He shivered as they got to the Common Room, which was cold from hours of disuse. Severus flicked his wand at the fire, causing it to roar with life. Harry moved towards the heat, sliding into the armchair that was closest.
"Do you want to talk about the nightmare?" Severus asked, seating himself in a chair next to Harry's.
"No," Harry drew out, picking at the hem of his dressing gown rather than look up at his father's expression. "It was nothing, really."
Harry heard Severus sigh and pressed his body further into his chair. He didn't mean to keep things from his Dad but all he remembered about these new nightmares was that he was having them, not what they were. "This is not the first time this year you've had a bad nightmare, is it?"
Harry grimaced. "Maybe."
"Harry," Severus said warningly. "Tell me what's causing you to lose sleep. I will listen." Severus leaned forward to catch Harry's hand in his before he kept picking at his sleeve and Harry was reminded of sitting in a classroom, all that time ago. He hadn't trusted Severus back then, in fact, Severus had given him good reason not to.
"Please don't make me talk about it. I don't even know what it is yet. I just feel weird and confused and I know I'm having nightmares I've never had before. And it's Hermione's birthday," Harry trailed off, knowing that if his Dad chose to push the issue, it wouldn't matter what day it was.
His Dad stilled for a moment. He then leant back, considering Harry. "Do you remember, this time last year, when I told you that I will demand an answer from you if I think that something is hurting you and you're hiding it from me?"
"No mouthwash," Harry pleaded. Even the memory was enough to leave a bad taste on his tongue.
"Then give me an answer, Harry. What has you so out of sorts?"
"I think it's Lockhart," Harry answered, pursing his lips together after he'd said it. Severus' brow furrowed and Harry rushed on before his Dad dismissed him again. "I know I shouldn't judge him by what everyone else says, though he is a git-"
"Harry!" Severus said sharply.
"He is!" Harry insisted. "He doesn't even know how to teach. And he gives me the creeps, Dad. Like skin crawling, hair on the back of my neck raising, you told me to trust my instincts, creeps! Please, it's not just because he gave me detentions, there's really something wrong," Harry said pleadingly. Remembering how this conversation had gone previously had him leaning back, crossing his arms and looking away from Severus. He squeezed his arms around his body as Severus sighed, blinking quickly to dispel the stinging in his eyes. That meant he wasn't looking when Severus put a hand on his arm and pulled him so he was standing. He flinched away from him as his feet hit the ground, but relaxed as Severus pulled him into a hug.
"I believe you," Severus said quietly. Relief flooded through Harry and he slumped a little, amazed at how tense he'd been. "I will pass your concerns onto the Headmaster, as well as the general opinion of the students. I cannot promise anything, but I will pass it on."
Harry nodded. He didn't like his chances of the Headmaster believing him. Harry stepped back from the hug and yawned, wincing as his jaw cracked.
"And with that, I think you should be back in bed, at least trying to get another couple of hour's sleep. I know you and Theodore don't get up until the absolute last moment on an ordinary morning," Severus said, gesturing back towards the dorms. Harry nodded and had turned towards the boys' dormitory when Severus spoke again. "I know that today is not the day, since it is Hermione's birthday, but we do need to talk, Harry. About a lot of things - though your inability to sleep through the night will be the most important at the moment. Perhaps after your tryouts tomorrow?"
"If I can, you mean," Harry replied, glaring down at his sore knee. Yvette was coming in the morning to check that his knee had healed properly.
"I am sure it will be fine for you to fly tomorrow," Severus answered. "I know that if you are successful, there will be a good reason for you to be in the Common Room tomorrow night. However, you could spend the night in our quarters and we can talk on Sunday morning." While it didn't sound like an order, Harry had heard that tone before. It wasn't a suggestion.
"Okay," Harry said, with a small smile.
"Good. Now, go back to bed, and stay there," Severus said, with only a slightly exasperated tone.
Three hours later, Harry was hugging Hermione at the Gryffindor table while the Weasley twins conjured confetti around them.
"Happy Birthday, Hermione!" Teddy said as he draped himself over their hug. Hermione laughed and squirmed away, squealing as Teddy chased her up the table, trying to hug her again. Harry shook his head at Teddy's antics and sat himself down. Hermione would come back and Teddy would come trailing after her so they could eat their breakfast.
Rachael had been watching their exchange with a raised eyebrow. "Little Teddy's enthusiastic this morning."
"He's been awake since five AM. He's a little over tired," Harry explained, taking a piece of toast from the plates in front of him.
"Oh god," Neville said. "We have Potions!" Harry smiled in greeting at the boy, making a 'what can you do?' gesture.
"Is that a general dread, Neville, or more in relation to the fact that an overtired and hyperactive Teddy in Professor Snape's class is a recipe for a disaster?" Fred asked, grinning evilly.
Harry burst out laughing as Neville dropped his head to the table with a 'thunk'. "Could be worse," Harry said after he'd finished laughing.
"How?" Neville turned his head to the side to say.
"He could have had loads of sugar," Harry replied. Hermione sat down next to him and Teddy sat down on her other side as Harry spoke.
"Oh, I'm having so much sugar this morning. Have to make it to this afternoon, don't I?" Teddy replied, smirking at them. He quickly started piling pastries onto his plate and Harry shook his head at him.
"I'm not pairing with you today," Hermione said, looking at Teddy's pile in disbelief.
"I suppose that's fair, since it's your birthday and everything," Harry said to her, passing her the pancakes.
"Well, I could probably salvage anything he ruins, but he fidgets something horrible," Hermione said, smiling sweetly at Teddy.
Teddy looked insulted briefly before Harry answered, "Constantly. It never stops. Even when he's sleeping." At that Teddy stuck his tongue out at both of them and then turned his nose up in the air.
Hermione giggled and then watched Harry pour maple syrup over the pancakes that she had dished up for herself. "You should try it with bacon," Harry suggested. When Hermione looked up in confusion, Harry elaborated. "Remus did it for me on my birthday. It was yummy."
"Thanks, but I think I'll stick to this," Hermione said, pointing at her pancakes.
"You said bacon with maple syrup, right Harry?" George asked, looking at his plate.
"Yep," Harry answered, spreading jam on his second piece of toast.
"Awesome," George answered, layering his plate with pancakes, bacon and maple syrup. He cut himself a forkful and bit into it experimentally. He lit up when he tasted it and said to his twin, "Fred, you have to try this!"
Harry shrugged in Neville's direction at his scandalised look. The twins jumping on every strange idea presented to them wasn't really worth the surprise that Neville was showing.
"Professor Snape looks extra angry this morning," Neville pointed out, watching the teacher with wary eyes. Harry looked over at Severus and wasn't surprised to see him glaring at Lockhart.
"He got woken up early. And he's mad at Lockhart, not at us," Harry explained.
"Doesn't mean he won't still be impatient in class," Hermione said.
Harry frowned in her direction. "Not with you, though. And as long as Neville keeps his ingredients away from Dudley's cauldron, he won't be with Neville."
"That's not the point, Harry," Hermione said, frowning back at him. "He shouldn't be impatient with any of us. Unless we're doing something dangerous of course."
Harry gave Hermione a doubtful look. "It's how he teaches." Seeing Hermione open her mouth to retaliate, he said quickly, "But at least we only have to get through Potions and then we can celebrate your birthday properly." He smiled at her innocently and she rolled her eyes.
"It will be nice," Hermione said, getting a far off look on her face. "I wish my parents could come though."
"Maybe Severus will let you Floo them?" Teddy suggested, looking up from licking the jam off his finger like a cat licks it's paws.
"I can't, Teddy, they don't have the Floo network connected," Hermione said, laughing as his brow creased in confusion.
"But you know they can, right? Because they have a witch living in the house?" Teddy asked. It was another rule that Hermione couldn't possibly have known but came so naturally to their wizard-born friends.
"Really?" Hermione asked excitedly. "Nobody told me that."
"Yeah, since you'll need it for transportation," Neville answered, finally lifting his head from the table. Hermione glanced at him curiously. "My Gran used to work in the Department of Magical Transportation."
"Guys, Dad's on the move," Harry said as he noticed Severus stand up and make his way around the table.
"It can't be class time yet," Neville protested.
"It's not," Hermione answered, glancing at her watch.
"I wonder where he's going then," Harry wondered out loud.
"Why do we care?" Fred asked. "He's probably doing an errand or starting a Potion or something."
"He doesn't brew before classes. And he hasn't got time to go far. Plus he usually stays for breakfast because then we have time to approach him if we need anything," Harry explained. His desire to keep Severus in sight wasn't new to him, though he was beginning to resent his constant anxiety.
"Maybe he really needs to pee?" George suggested with a giggle.
Harry scrunched his nose in disgust at George. The other boy burst into laughter and they were distracted for a moment. When he stopped laughing, Harry noticed Hermione looking upwards towards where the owls usually appeared every morning.
"Waiting for a letter?" Harry asked her under his breath, so that the others couldn't hear.
"My parents would have sent me something for my birthday," Hermione said with a frown. "Except it's not here yet."
"I'm sure it will get here before classes. The owl might just have run into some bad weather," Harry explained.
Hermione smiled and then shrugged. "I know, it's no big deal if it doesn't come."
Harry gave her a doubtful look but left it alone. The owl would make it anyway. He hugged her quickly round the shoulders to bring her smile back and then finished off the rest of his toast.
"I'm going to head to class and read over my assignment before I submit it. Anyone want to come with?" He asked while he stood. Teddy nodded at him and stood up. He bounced a little while Harry looked at Hermione.
"I'll come. I'm not sure my third paragraph is quite right," she said. Harry hoisted his bag onto his shoulder, glad that his leg was feeling better and the weight was no longer a strain.
"See you in class," Neville said with a little wave when Harry looked at him. He gestured apologetically to his half-eaten breakfast in explanation. Harry gave him a little wave as they walked away from the group at the Gryffindor table.
They walked in silence down to the Potions classroom, though Harry had to resist the urge to comment on the way Teddy's eyes were darting from one thing to another. When they arrived at the Potions classroom, they found that Severus had yet to arrive and that the classroom door wasn't unlocked yet. Harry resigned himself to pulling his assignment out of his bag and reading it over while standing in the corridor. Hermione pulled hers out as well and they both ignored Teddy rolling his eyes dramatically.
By the time Severus arrived, all the students in the class had arrived and were queuing outside the room. He unlocked the door with a flick of his wand and let them in, raising an eyebrow at Teddy's exuberance as they walked past him into the room.
Once the class had begun, Severus approached their bench with an unimpressed look. "Why is Theodore bouncing in his seat when he was awake so early today?"
"Because he's had a lot of sugar," Harry answered, watching his friend fidget with raised eyebrows. "And it's Hermione's birthday, so Teddy's excited."
"Lots of sugar," Teddy echoed with a smile. The look of disgust Severus gave them had little effect, as Harry could see the smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"Then perhaps it is a good thing this potion is so complicated. It will give Theodore a reason to burn off his energy," Severus said. Harry looked over the instructions on the board quickly and groaned. Severus knew Teddy would be useless today. "Good luck." Harry wasn't imagining the brightness of Severus' eyes when he said it.
"Harry, thank you so much," Hermione said as she hugged Harry after her birthday party. Harry smiled and hugged her back.
"Did everything go alright?" Harry asked her.
"Yes, it was perfect, Harry," Hermione assured him. Harry grinned proudly, glad that he and Teddy had managed to make Hermione's party great. They'd come straight from Potions to decorate Severus' quarters in the same light blue and yellow as Hermione's room at home. They'd moved the furniture around and strung up a banner that read 'Happy Birthday'. Remus had helped them decorate and Severus had surprised them all by bringing Hermione's parents through the Floo. After the noise and bustle of almost 20 students and adults crammed into Severus' quarters, Harry was happy just sitting on the rug in front of the fire in the now-restored-to-order lounge. Teddy had passed out on the couch, crashing off of sugar and general excitement. Hermione was sitting with her back against the couch next to Harry.
"Good," Harry answered Hermione. He picked up a piece of birthday wrapping paper and sent it skittering past Aiko, who pounced on it. Harry laughed as her pounce went wide and she slipped on the stone floor. Hermione shook her head at him, picking up one of the books she received for her birthday.
"You shouldn't laugh at her," Hermione said.
"Why not?" Harry said. "She's so proud, it's funny when she messes up."
"Well, she's probably embarrassed," Hermione said.
Harry looked at her skeptically but she was busy in her book. He shook his head and threw another piece of wrapping paper to the cat, who had recovered and was sitting, watching him. She chirruped happily and then batted the piece across the floor. Harry watched her for a few moments and then lay down on his front with his head toward the fire.
"Looks like it's bed time for you lot," Remus said as he and Severus walked into the room from Severus' office ten minutes later. Harry leant up on his elbows and blinked sleepily at them, having been hypnotised by the flames. "I'll take Hermione back to Gryffindor, since I'm leaving now," Remus said. Harry sat up and returned the hug Remus gave him before Remus turned to Hermione. "I'll Shrink your presents and bring them with us."
"Thank you," Hermione said, watching with interest as Remus Shrunk Hermione's present, which was mostly books. "Can you teach us that spell, Remus?"
"I can, but not tonight," Remus said. "I need to get back to the farm and check on the horses." Hermione nodded and accepted Remus' flourished arm with a giggle, waving to the boys as Remus guided her out of the room.
"Exactly how much sugar did Theodore have today?" Severus asked, looking doubtfully at Teddy, who just shifted in his sleep under the intimidating look.
"About the same as he weighs, give or take," Harry replied, leaning back on his elbows.
"Indeed. I am going to take him to his bed in the dorms while you get ready for bed. Do you want to read tonight or are you tired enough to fall asleep on your own?" Harry squirmed at the question, wondering internally if he wasn't too old to be read to sleep.
"I'm good," Harry answered, standing up. He watched Severus lift Teddy into his arms easily and wished he had a camera so he could take a photo to tease his friend with. "Goodnight, Dad," he said as Severus turned to him. He walked out of the lounge room without looking back, though he could tell from the sound of the door that Severus had watched him for a moment before leaving.
Harry changed for bed and brushed his teeth before grabbing his book, settling in bed to read, knowing it wouldn't be long before Severus came knocking. He snorted when Severus did indeed rap his knuckles on the door and then called out for his Dad to come in.
"Did you enjoy the party?" Severus asked, bringing Harry's desk chair over to the side of his bed.
"Yeah. I'm glad Hermione did too. She told me that she hasn't had a proper birthday party before," Harry said, frowning in empathy for his friend.
"A first for both of you then," Severus said. Harry nodded and then looked quizzically at his Dad.
"I just wanted to give you this," Severus said, holding out a familiar vial. Harry made a face but reached out to take it. Severus didn't let go though, holding onto it as he met Harry's eyes. "Since you haven't come to me about the nightmares, I'm going to assume they've been happening quite regularly. I will make sure Trixie brings you a Potion every second night so that you can get some sleep."
Harry winced at the disappointment in Severus' tone. "You would have asked what they were about. And I didn't have an answer. And you were mad at me," Harry pointed out, knowing it might not help his case.
Severus let go of the potion and sat back in his chair, regarding Harry with a measuring look. "Indeed. And I suppose it was too much to hope that you would have gone to Madame Pomfrey," Severus remarked dryly. Harry gave him an apologetic look and his Dad sighed. "Well I know now, so take your potion and get some rest, Harry. I'm sure you need it." Harry thought about the day ahead and smiled.
"It's Quidditch tryouts tomorrow," Harry said, perking up a little.
Severus laughed softly and smiled at him. "Oh, yes, of course. Goodnight, Harry."
Harry laid down on his bed and let his Dad pull his covers up to his chest. "Goodnight, Dad."
The next day, Harry was mounting his broom on the Quidditch pitch, smiling as the Slytherin Quidditch team went through drills over his head. There were two positions available on this year's team and Teddy, Draco and Harry had all decided to try out. Harry could see that there were a few people from the older years who had decided to try out as well. He couldn't stop the ball of apprehension in his stomach. There were a few good fliers trying out this year.
"Okay, Seekers, you have an easy task. First one to catch the Snitch gets on the team. Then I'll release it again and the next one to catch it is Reserve," Flint roared from where he stood with the chest of Quidditch balls. Harry fixed his eyes on the golden ball in Flint's hand, knowing that he wouldn't be able to track the movement but unable to resist the instinct. "Ready, set, SEEK!" Flint yelled, letting go of the Snitch. As one, Harry and Teddy kicked off from the ground. Harry shot up, aiming to the outside of the pitch in an effort to stay out of the way of the other players – Flint had the other students running drills for their chosen position and the Quidditch pitch was crowded.
Harry flew up over the stands as three Chasers came too close to him and smiled when he saw Severus and Hermione sitting in the stands. Rachael was with the Weasley twins back at the castle, who had been banned from watching earlier that morning after a fight between the Slytherin team and Gryffindor teams over pitch time. As a student from Fourth year also trying out for Seeker came close Harry moved away from the stands, looking for reflections of light across the pitch.
After half an hour of flying, Harry could see that some of the people trying out had lost focus. He flew lower, trying to see if the Snitch had stayed closer to the ground. When he was 7ft off the ground, he spotted a glint of gold, near the goal post closest to him. He quickly checked if any of the other Seekers had seen it, relieved to see that they hadn't. He drifted in that direction, watching the Snitch closely. He was just close enough to see the actual gold ball when he noticed Teddy flatten himself to his broom, aiming for it. Harry copied the movement, feeling his broom leap forward. The Snitch seemed to realise they had spotted it and it flitted upwards, both boys turning sharply upwards to follow it. Harry fixed his eyes on it, ignoring Teddy's presence at his side, letting his body follow the movement of his eyes and guide his broom after it at full speed. As it led them through the other players Harry twisted his broom into a roll to avoid Draco's thrown Quaffle and then snapped his hand out to close around the Snitch as it tried to turn back on itself. He dropped down close to the ground and pulled his broom up, seeing Teddy do the same out of the corner of his eye.
"Congratulations Potter, you caught the Snitch!" Flint yelled, causing the other players to pull up and clap for him. "Welcome to the team."
Harry looked at the Snitch in his hand in disbelief, amazed that he'd managed to catch it before the older Slytherins. "Good job, Harry," Teddy said with a smile, coming up and clapping him on the back. Harry looked up at him, shocked.
"Sorry," Harry said. "This means you didn't get on," he said, feeling bad for taking it away from his friend.
"There's still reserve. And given how much trouble you get in, I'm sure to play at least one game," Teddy replied with a wink. Harry made a face at him as they both dropped to the ground and dismounted their brooms.
"Go get 'em, then," Harry replied with a laugh. He handed the Snitch to Flint, who had walked over to them and held out his hand.
"Seeker tryouts, stay in the air," Flint called, beckoning for Teddy to get back in the air. Teddy saluted with a smirk and climbed back onto his broom, kicking off with a war cry. Flint waited until he was higher up and then let go of the Snitch, watching to make sure it flew off.
"You can watch the rest of the tryouts from the stands. Later we'll celebrate," Flint said to Harry with a smirk. Harry nodded and carried his broom over to the stands, quickly jogging up the stairs so he could keep watching the tryouts. As he reached the benches where Hermione and Severus were sitting, Hermione leapt up and hugged him round the neck.
"Congratulations, Harry. You looked really good out there," Hermione said as she pulled back. "Flying through all those players," she said with a shudder. Hermione hadn't gotten over her fear of flying like Harry had.
"Thanks Hermione," Harry said, laughing at her horror. He looked over at Severus with a grin.
"That was very good flying, Harry. I'm not surprised at all that you were the first to catch the Snitch," Severus said with a smile. Harry straightened a little bit further at the proud look in Severus' eyes. Harry turned to watch the flyers as they swept over their heads, with Draco holding the Quaffle and headed for the goals.
Harry cheered loudly as Draco ducked past a Bludger and threw the Quaffle through a goal post. Draco paused to look over at them proudly and then darted forward on his broom to line back up for the run. Meanwhile, Harry could see Teddy looking around for the Snitch from above the gameplay. Harry noticed the Snitch just as Teddy did and Harry crossed his fingers as Teddy competed with two other flyers to catch the elusive ball. He watched with awe as Teddy risked flying so low that he skimmed the grass, only to swoop up higher with his arm held up in triumph.
"That's all three of you on the team," Severus said, watching Draco talk to Flint on the ground. Harry looked over at him in surprise.
"How do you know?" Harry asked.
"Draco's scored the most goals, which was Flint's criteria for the new Chaser. Three second years, beating out all the others, isn't usual. At least it will mean that there will be some usual players on the team through the next few years," Severus answered. He stood up and brushed off his teaching robes as Flint called all the flyers to the ground. "I have to go to a meeting but I will be in our quarters when you come back tonight, Harry."
"I'm going to be late," Harry answered, frowning.
"Why?" Severus drawled dangerously.
"Because Lockhart gave me detention this morning. I wasn't even doing anything wrong and then he gave me detention for arguing," Harry groused.
Severus' eyebrows rose. "Indeed."
"I wasn't," Harry repeated. Severus held up a hand to stop Harry continuing.
"I will fetch you from detention then. So that you don't have to worry about being caught out of bed. And I might mention to him the appropriateness of holding a student after curfew for detention," Severus said, eyes glittering. Harry nodded quickly. The warm feeling that usually accompanied his Dad's protectiveness broke through the adrenaline rush.
Severus nodded sharply and then went down the stairs, passing Teddy and Draco rushing upwards on the way.
"We made it, we did it, we're on the team!" Teddy yelled, hugging Harry around the shoulders. Harry laughed at his friend and bounced along with him, deciding to worry about Lockhart later.
"Well it wasn't like there was any doubt Harry would make it onto the team," Draco drawled, watching them.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked him.
"Your real Dad was a Chaser on the Gryffindor team the whole time he was at Hogwarts. They said he was the best flyer the school had ever seen," Draco said. When Harry gazed at him in amazement, Draco finished, "Honestly, Potter, it's public record."
"I didn't know. Thanks Draco," Harry said, looking out to the Quidditch pitch to hide the sudden rush of emotion. He had known that his Dad had liked flying. He hadn't known how good he'd been. It felt good, knowing that his biological Dad would have been proud of him too.
It was the sharp sound of someone rapping on the classroom door that jolted Harry out of his daze. He had been cleaning desks in Lockhart's classroom but he had been lost in the rhythm of his swipes on the desk and couldn't think when he'd started this desk in particular.
"Come in," Lockhart called from where he was sitting at the desk in the front of the classroom. Harry glanced up, frowning, confused that he hadn't noticed Lockhart's presence.
The door opened and Severus entered the room, looking to see Harry before turning to look at Lockhart. "I am here to retrieve Mr. Potter-Snape as it is nearing curfew and I prefer that my Slytherins are back in their House before that time," Severus said, sneering so Lockhart understood the implied criticism.
Lockhart looked surprised and glanced at the clock. "Oh, I had completely lost track of the time, Professor. Of course, of course, Harry's all done now anyway," he said, flashing a big smile. Severus' sneer deepened and Harry thought quickly of the running bets that Severus would end up hexing Lockhart.
"Indeed. In that case, we will be on our way. Harry?" Severus gestured for Harry to follow him as he spoke and Harry looked quickly down at the cleaning supplies. Severus paused and then his wand appeared in his hand. He flicked it quickly at the cleaning supplies and they zipped back over to the cupboard Harry assumed he'd taken them out of. He frowned at the cupboard as he walked over to Severus, realising he couldn't actually say that for sure.
He ducked around Severus out of the door and then waited while Severus shut the classroom door behind him. "Did you manage to enjoy the celebrations for the new team members before you had to leave for your detention?" Severus asked as he gestured for Harry to start walking in front of him. Harry looked up at him as Severus stepped into line with him and nodded.
"A little. Flint knew I had detention so he made sure they started early."
"And they've been celebrating ever since. Exactly what I love for my students to be doing on a Sunday night when they have classes tomorrow," Severus said with a slight sneer, though Harry knew he was just being sarcastic.
"We have History of Magic tomorrow first up, so at least we won't have to worry about messing up any spells," Harry pointed out.
"True, however, you are still supposed to be concentrating on a great amount of detail during History of Magic, which is not easy to do when you do not get enough sleep. Perhaps I should give my first year's a little pop quiz tomorrow night, just to make sure you were all able to focus," Severus said, smirking at Harry.
Harry glared at his Dad. "That's mean."
Severus snorted a laugh. "It would be what a teacher is supposed to do, Harry. It is my job, after all."
"Yeah, but if you warned me about it, I could just warn my friends and then you wouldn't really be finding out if we were paying attention because we would have just been doing it because we knew you were going to test us," Harry pointed out, smiling when Severus' eyebrows rose.
"Indeed. Then maybe the reason I told you is because then I wouldn't even have to test you. You all would have dedicated yourself to the class in fear that I would, which would serve my purpose of making sure that you were all concentrating," Severus replied. Harry gaped at him in shocked admiration, realising that his Dad was right. Either way, the safest thing for the second year's to do would be to focus on their History of Magic class, and that was exactly what Severus wanted them to do.
"Has anyone ever called you an evil genius?" Harry asked.
"Not to my face. I'm sure the Gryffindors have said it occasionally," Severus replied. Harry took it from Severus' small smile that he wasn't insulted.
"Probably, they don't really like you," Harry admitted.
"I'm aware and unconcerned. Not every teacher craves being admired by their students."
Harry smirked, well aware that admiration was the last thing that Severus wanted from Gryffindor students. "It's only because they don't know that you're really really nice. Not that they'd ever believe it."
Severus cast Harry a sideways look but didn't comment and Harry let the silence take over as they kept walking down to the dungeons. His mind drifted back to the end of his detention and he felt dread curl in his stomach as he thought about how out of sorts he had felt. He didn't feel sick. He knew that when you were sick you could lose track of time but then he thought back to the first detention he had done with Lockhart and how he had felt then too. If he had been sick this whole time, he would have known.
"Harry?" Severus asked softly. Harry looked at him, breaking from his thoughts and Severus continued, "What are you thinking about? You look very concerned."
"Um, my detentions with Lockhart," Harry answered uncertainly.
"Professor Lockhart," Severus answered, raising an eyebrow at Harry when Harry gave him an exasperated look. "Was it that unpleasant?"
Harry bit his lip and shook his head. "I feel like it didn't take any time at all. Like I lost track of time."
Severus stopped, taking Harry's arm to pull him to a stop as his black eyes fixed on Harry. "Like you lost track of time because you were fixed on what you were doing or like you can't remember time passing?"
"Like I can't remember time passing. I don't remember cleaning those tables at all, but apparently I did?" Harry answered, squirming under Severus' gaze. Severus' expression was suspicious and Harry was momentarily glad that Severus was listening to him this time.
"Has this happened before?" Severus asked, indicating that Harry should start walking again.
"No," Harry answered while thinking back over the last couple of weeks. "Apart from falling asleep in my other detention with Professor Lockhart."
"If it happens again, come find me immediately," Severus said in a tone that demanded no objections. "If you are in class or a detention, inform the teacher that I have instructed you to contact me. I will also let the teacher's know, just in case they notice it before you do."
"Am I sick?" Harry asked, dreading the idea of more time spent in the infirmary.
"I don't know, Harry. That's why it's important you tell me if you have any more experiences like that. It will help us work out if something, in particular, triggered it," Severus explained. They were just reaching the entry to the dungeon as Severus spoke and Harry was reassured to feel Severus' arm come around his shoulders and give a comforting squeeze. "For now we just have to watch and see. If you start to feel strange while you're flying or doing anything else where it could be dangerous, do try to show some survival instinct and remove yourself from the situation, understood?"
"Yes sir," Harry said, rolling his eyes at Severus' wording.
Severus smiled and led the way through his office into their quarters. Harry stooped down to pat Aiko as they entered, earning a purr from the now large cat. "Since it is curfew, you'd best start getting ready for bed, Harry," Severus said over his shoulder as he removed his outer robe and hung it on the hook in their hallway.
Harry paused where he was, telling himself off for having to gather his courage before asking, "Can you read to me tonight? Please?"
Severus turned to where Harry was and Harry could see he was surprised. Harry started to take back the request but Severus answered before he could. "Of course I can. Go change into your pyjamas and I'll Trixie if she's in the mood to spoil you," Severus said. "Not that you need more sugar."
Harry stuck his tongue out at Severus before walking quickly to his bedroom to change into his pyjamas. As much as he didn't want to feel like a baby who needed his Dad to read to him before bed, he couldn't resist after the disconcerting evening he'd had.
Severus jerked awake later that night in time to hear the end of Harry's cry ring through their quarters. Swearing softly to himself, he stood up and grabbed his dressing gown. He threw it on while walking into Harry's room, sighing when he saw the familiar sight of his son fighting a nightmare.
With the ease that came from too much practice, he quickly sat on the edge of Harry's bed and pulled him upright, calling his name in hopes of rousing him from sleep.
"Dad?" Harry's voice was muffled with sleep and while Severus saw Harry open his eyes, Harry quickly buried his face in the front of Severus' dressing gown.
"You were having a nightmare. Quite a bad one, by the look of it. Is this what Theodore was talking about?" Severus asked softly, carding his hand through Harry's hair when Harry made a noise of refusal and shook his head without unburying it. "I'm going to take that as an affirmative."
He was rewarded with a slight nod of Harry's head and Severus sighed at the thought that they really hadn't made much progress in a year. "Is there a particular reason you chose not to tell me about them?"
Here Harry pulled back slightly, glancing upward for a moment before staring at his lap. "You were mad."
The hesitation in Harry's voice pulled at Severus' guilt and he took a moment to settle more comfortably on the bed before replying. "I was. Are you talking in reference to my anger about that flying car or my mood in general?" Severus knew he had no choice but to hold himself accountable for his potion-induced irritability, especially since he had made the point before with Harry that just because you felt emotions, didn't mean you had to act on them.
"The car. I mean, you have been angrier than usual lately but that never stops you caring if I'm upset," Harry answered.
"Indeed. For future reference, even if I am angry at you in particular, that will not stop me caring if you're upset, or taking action to keep you safe and happy. I may inflict any number of awful punishments on you but my first priority will always be your health, Harry."
"I know I should have come to you anyway," Harry said, looking as though he didn't believe a single syllable.
Severus sighed and tapped Harry's chin to get him to finally make eye contact. "If you are not comfortable talking about something that makes you feel scared with me when I am in a mood or angry with you, then in most circumstances I have no issue with you approaching someone else instead. As long as you do it," Severus said. "You are already aware of the circumstances I am talking about, of course."
Harry looked away guiltily. "I thought about telling Remus," he admitted.
"Yet you didn't?" Severus asked. Surely the idiot wolf would have told him Harry was having problems.
"No. I was going to at Hermione's birthday party. I guessed you'd let him come," Harry said. When Severus raised his eyebrow, Harry continued, "But then we talked that morning and I knew that you knew about it now and you wanted to talk tomorrow morning, and I figured we were going to talk about it anyway and that it feel under those special circumstances."
"That was a good deduction. In terms of the special circumstances, that depends on how long you've been having the nightmares again. Has it been since we returned to school?" Severus suspected otherwise but thought it best to confirm before going any further.
"Not quite. It started the first week," Harry answered.
"So you haven't slept through the night for almost two weeks?" Severus tried to keep his rising frustration out of his voice.
"Yes," Harry answered slowly, glancing at Severus in a way that let him know that Harry knew very well that he wasn't impressed.
"Then this does indeed fall under those special circumstances. Do I need to make you write me an essay on the effects of sleep deprivation before you'll start to remember that sleep is important?" Severus asked.
"I know that sleep's important, I do!" Harry protested as Severus raised his eyebrow doubtfully. "It's just, I didn't know what the nightmares were about and you always want to know, and I can't explain them."
"Are they similar? Or always different? And I take it that they are not about your upbringing?" Severus asked.
"They're always the same. Just hard to describe. And no, they're not about the Dursleys." That piqued Severus interest even more since Harry rarely complained of nightmares that didn't consist of his relatives.
"What can you tell me about them?"
"I feel like I can't move. Like something's wrong and I need to run but I try to and I can't move," Harry said with a shudder. Having felt the same feeling, Severus sympathised.
"Does it feel as though you are being restrained or as if you just can't make your body respond to your wishes?" Severus asked.
"I feel like my body isn't listening," Harry said. Severus could see fear and exhaustion warring in Harry's expression and decided that he would have to leave the rest of the questioning to another time. Preferably when the sun was awake as his son was.
"Does it feel as though you are remembering something that has happened or have you had any conversations with anyone about this sensation that could have provided your brain with the subject of your nightmare?" Severus asked.
"It doesn't feel like my brain's making it up," Harry answered. "But I've never been put under any jinxes that stopped me moving."
"It seems, Harry, that it is another mystery we will have to keep an eye on. In the meantime, you can not continue surviving on interrupted sleep. You will need to start taking your potion again, every second night." Severus waited while Harry made a face before continuing, "And this year I am going to start teaching both you and Theodore some more exercises that help with clearing and calming your mind. I was going to let you both settle back into classes first, but since it might help with the nightmares, I will start with you later this week."
"Okay," Harry replied.
"I did want to have a conversation in the morning regarding not only your nightmares but also about our fight during the first week." Here Severus felt Harry squirm in discomfit. While they had reconciled after the fight and hadn't had any further problems since, there was still things left unsaid that Severus thought it would be best to air before they festered. "However, since you need your sleep, I'd rather you used your time tomorrow morning to rest. We can talk later this week, once you've caught up with your rest."
"Okay," Harry said. Severus turned away to summon a Dreamless Sleep potion, noting from the label that his store must be running low. "Are you still mad about that?"
Severus hated that Harry had to ask. He particularly hated the small voice in which Harry asked, that Harry hadn't used with him for quite some time. But in truth, the Harry of last year would not have had the courage or confidence to ask, and Severus was determined to focus on progress. "No, I'm not still mad. I promise. It isn't a bad conversation I want to have, merely one that shouldn't be done late at night when we're both tired." Severus gave Harry a quick hug as extra reassurance and then pulled back so that he could see Harry's face.
Harry didn't look suspicious or doubtful, so Severus hoped Harry was reassured. When no more questions were forthcoming, Severus held out the potions vial to Harry, watching as he drank it down. It took effect almost immediately, faster than Severus would have considered healthy if he hadn't already known just how sleep-deprived Harry was.
"Whoa, that's strong," Harry complained.
"No, that's showing me how tired you are," Severus responded, standing and pulling Harry's blankets down and out from under him. "Unless you plan on sleeping sitting up, I suggest you lie down, Harry," he added softly, smirking as the boy crinkled his nose at him. Harry shuffled in a lying down position and Severus pulled the blankets up over and placed them on Harry's chest. He couldn't resist tucking the boy in properly, ignoring the slightly slurred giggle when he went down Harry's ribs. Harry's eyes were almost completely closed when he bent to place a kiss on Harry's forehead, just next to the lightning bolt scar. "Goodnight, Harry."