Severus looked up when the door to his lab opened. He of course knew it was Harry as he could not expect another emergency so soon. He had hoped to speak to Harry soon but he had thought he would spend the evening with his dads.
Severus put his potion in a stasis for Harry had not put on an apron which meant he had come only to talk. "I would have thought you'd spend tonight at home."
Harry smiled and nodded. "I have only come for a few minutes to talk, not our usual potions. I just wanted to tell you something first."
There was something about the glimmer in Harry's eyes as well as the tone of his voice which made Severus' heart pound slightly and he wondered what this was about but he motioned for Harry to sit.
"You know I am happy to talk to you about anything Harry." Severus assured him.
"I kind of wanted to talk to you about your second condition for helping me with my scars this summer." Harry admitted.
Severus was worried. Harry had agreed to maybe go into town with him on a proper date some time after their first success but he was starting to wonder if Harry had changed his mind about it.
Harry seemed to have picked up on his thoughts. "I was thinking about it. And I know I already said yes to our having a proper date into town..."
Severus cut him off. "I would understand Harry if you're not ready. I mean Ron and Ginny's reaction to your adoption and everything else, I'd understand Harry."
Harry stopped him."I actually wanted to say I'd like it to be more then just going for one date. I promised to consider allowing you to court me, and I have."
Severus was speechless for a moment. "You're telling me that you're willing to let me court you? You will go out with me?"
Harry nodded and surprised Severus when he came over and gently pulled him down for a kiss. Harry had never been the one to initiate anything and while the kiss lasted only a few seconds and was barely a touch, Severus was left blushing nearly as much as Harry from the kiss.
"Yes. I am not going to let them ruin this. If they can't be happy I have a family, I am going to let them ruin me finding out how this might turn out." Harry admitted.
Severus ran a hand down his face. "We will take this as slow as you need and we won't tell anyone until you're ready Harry. I really care about you, I promise Harry."
Harry smiled. "I know. I know because you have already proven you care and proven I can trust you. It is one of the things that I love about you Sev."
Severus reached down and gently kissed him, a bit longer and a bit more pressure then the one that Harry had given him but still not intrusive or pressing. When he pulled away he was delighted to see the twinkle back in Harry's eyes. He had been concerned he had to admit, after the last few days, he had been worried.
Harry did not stop surprising him for he had more new. "Well you and my brother and dads can finally stop trying to convert me into a snake for once."
Severus stared at him. "One evening with the snakes and they converted you already? I guess I should have tried those years ago then."
Harry laughed. "You know I was seriously considering before and I wanted to make sure I could be friends with Draco's friends, and see how my friends reacted to."
Knowing that Severus had not been up stairs for dinner that night he explained how things had gone with his friends at Gryffindor and Severus was not surprised like Harry really had not been, that Ron and a number of others had been angry and stalked off. He had known Hermione would support Harry after seeing her at Slytherin table the day before and breakfast that morning as well.
"I will speak to the headmistress and we can have you re-sorted at breakfast." Severus told him.
"You worried that I will change my mind if we wait any longer then that?" and then seeing the look on Severus' face.
"Something like that." Severus joked but more seriously. "Your fathers and brother would just feel better if you were with Draco. And I would too."
Harry knew he could point out the fact that he did not live in the dorms and he would be taking all the classes that Draco was also taking, so everything but herbology, with his brother but he felt the same way as his dad and brothers. There was more to house life, like quidditch and meals, and hanging out with housemates and such, that would be safer for him in Slytherin. He would not have to be worried about being attacked on the quidditch pitch or in tower by unfriendly housemates.
Severus smiled. "Well if you can convince the sorting hat to put you in Slytherin, you will have quidditch on Saturday. Perhaps we could go Sunday to town?"
Harry smiled and nodded. "You know the hat wanted me a snake before so I have no worries there. And I'd like to go with you to town on Sunday."
Severus kissed him gently one last time and scooted him out the door knowing his fathers would be anxious to have him home as Harry mentioned them wanting to have tea after he was done his reading for the night. Severus smiled as he watched him go. He was not only so thrilled about the date but also about the fact that Harry would finally be where he should have been all along.
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The next morning Harry was a bit anxious. He had told his fathers after he told Severus, that he was going to re-sort, when they had tea the night before. Severus had spoken with the headmistress and though she was sad to loose him as a lion, Minerva kept to her promise to allow Harry to re-sort.
Lucius looked up when Harry came into the room. "Ready to get back to the classroom finally Harry?"
Harry nodded and smiled. "I happen to be looking forward to a few classes more then others though I hear the transfiguration teacher is a real strict tyrant."
Lucius pilled him into a headlock. "Keep that up kid and I will forget that you are my son and I will have you in detention for the next month."
Harry gave him a pleading look. "But then the Slytherins would be out their new seeker and you know Sev really wants his team to win for once."
Lucius let go of him and laughed. "That he would. Now Severus asked us to come to breakfast a few minutes late this morning so the re-sort can be done.
Harry grimaced at the thought of doing it in front of everyone but he was reminded he had to do it the first time around too. Back then he had not been alone though as all of the first years had been re-sorted. He knew though that all of the students would be talking anyways and his dads and brother would be there with him.
Remus smiled as he came in from their bedroom. "I think we have given them enough time. Ready to become a snake, cub?"
Harry smiled. "You know for a former lion you're in an awful rush to make me a snake. I think we have both been turned by our loved ones."
Remus kissed his head. "Even James and Siri would have been happy for you to be a snake if you were happy and safe with your brother."
Harry knew they were right, at least in the case of Sirius for he had never known his biological parents, who died when he was a baby but from the stories he heard of them he knew Remus was not simply trying to make him feel better.
When they got to the great hall Harry stopped suddenly and Lucius turned to him. "Are you okay? If you want to wait to do it or be sorted in private we could..."
Harry cut him off and shook his head. "No. I want to be re-sorted this morning so I can go and sit with my brother without looking out of place there."
Remus felt like saying Harry was welcome there as a lion but he knew Harry just needed the reasoning. "Well when you're ready we will go in with you."
Harry only took a moment or two later when he walked into the room. The other students had been told what was happening and while the snakes were beaming, even the older students and younger among them who he had yet to meet, there were only a few friendly smiles from the lions, those he expected. McGonagall was waiting with the hat at the front and after a reassuring smile from his dads and thumbs up from his brother he put the hat on.
"Well Mr Potter, well Mr Malfoy now is it, I don't usually get to see a person twice. Not happy with my previous placement are you?" The hat seemed to chuckle.
Harry had his second conversation with the hat. "You had wanted to put me in Slytherin and said I'd be good there. Please put me there with my brother now."
"I said it before and I still think it true, you're true greatness lies with the snakes. So better be SLYTHERIN." The last part of course the hat shouted out.
Harry beamed as he handed the hat back to Minerva and he noticed as he ran to take the seat next to his brother and Pansy at the table, that the patch on his robes had gone from lion to snake. There was a lot of cheers from everyone at his new house and a number from the eagles and badgers but only a few claps from the lions.
Draco smacked him on the back. "Flint says we will have an official try out on Thursday night but he says it is just a formality."
Thomas Flint nodded from his place down the table. "We have all seen Draco play keeper and we'd be insane not to want you to play seeker for us Harry."
Harry smiled and found himself easily slipping into life at his new table as a snake as he talked with the Slytherin quidditch team. Thomas was the younger brother of Marcus Flint. Though Marcus and members of the Flint family had been supporters of Voldemort, Thomas and his parents were not. Draco had assured him there were no worries among the snakes any more, the only threats having graduated or no longer in school for other reasons.
Draco smiled. "Ready for classes? We have all of our classes together today since there are no ancient runes or herbology today."
Harry nodded and grabbed for his book bag. "I never thought I would be so anxious to start classes but I actually can't wait to get back in the classroom."
Draco smirked and told his brother that the thought might go away soon enough but he understood what his brother meant. After all Harry had been through that summer, even the good like having a new family, getting back onto the normal pace of things would be good for Harry now.
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The only downside for Harry had been Tuesdays and Thursdays Harry only had charms and transfiguration. He had always thought potions would be his most dreaded subject but he actually found himself looking forward to it after that summer with Severus. Hermione was taking the same classes as his brother so he had them both in all of his classes but herbology but he was surprised to see little of Ron. Hermione admitted he had done as bad as the twins and only passed three OWLS and only one his mother said was a real class, DADA thanks to the DA. He was taking DADA with them but he was also in history of magic and care of magical creatures.
After dinner Draco turned to him. "Do you want to come to Slytherin and hang out or are you headed to see Uncle Sev?"
Harry smiled and the look told his brother the answer without Harry putting it to words. "I think I need to brush up on my potions work before class tomorrow."
Draco hugged him. "I won't feel too insulted but if you get done in there before curfew, you could always come to Slytherin and do homework with us."
Heading for the apartments Harry slipped into Severus' potions lab and he told Severus he was there to work more then talk by heading for his apron. When he saw the one on the hook though he turned to Severus in surprise.
Severus smiled. "I thought that since you were spending so much time in my labs with me, you could use your own instead of one of the borrowed school ones."
Harry put on the apron which was identical nearly to the one Severus wore though in green and not black. "Thanks Sev. That means a lot to me."
Severus motioned for him to do his usual first task with the slugs and Harry was actually happy to fall into the job. Severus had wondered when school started if Harry would spend as much time with him in the lab and was pleased to see Harry intended to when he did not have too much homework or quidditch. He asked Harry a bit about his classes and Harry admitted he had been surprised at how good of a teacher his father was and amazing he was at transfiguration.
Severus smirked. "You know you're going to have to be careful about saying what is your favourite class, now that you have me and your dads all teaching here."
Harry's favourite had always been DADA even with the odd teachers they had over time. That seemed oddly to change. "I don't know, I think it might be obvious."
Severus hid a blush as best as he could. "Well I would not be telling your dad or father that or they might be hurt to hear that they aren't your favourite class."
Harry laughed. "Who said I was talking about potions? You know how much I love making apples do ballet. I mean who would not think that was the best."
Severus chuckled and he knew if he had any competition for favourite subject for Harry it was his other father's class, DADA. He knew DADA was always Harry's baby considering the DA club Harry had started last year. But even beyond the relationship they had started together, he could see Harry really enjoyed it now.
Severus looked at the time. "I am sure you have some homework and I know your dads like tea with you before bed. I would not want you to fall asleep in my class."
Harry smiled and reluctantly hung up his new apron behind the door. "I think this is the first year that I actually don't have to worry about flunking your class."
Severus nodded. "Well just to make sure we are still pairing you with your brother this year. Between these private lessons and Draco, you might top the class."
Harry smirked at the thought for he doubted he would ever beat either his brother or Hermione in the grades in any class but DADA but he thought he could at least come in a very close third in grades with the help of his brother and of course of Severus as well.
