You Can Live: Chapter 29

My word! I have ben gone far too long! College really started to catch up with me. I just survived midterm week, and now have a nice little break. Hopefully, I will be able to get more writing done.

This is all I have been able to get out these past two weeks, and I am running low on fumes. If you have any suggestions, now would be the time to let me know!

Disclaimer: you know

***Warnings: This chapter implies some very not good things!

You're On

Severus, in fact, received an official summons from the Ministry that same day. It seemed some were very eager to try him. He had hidden himself away in the basement, brewing for hours to avoid Harry. Snippy had given him a strange look when he said he would take lunch down there. He did not want to face his ward, however, he had to make plans for Harry. He agreed with Kingsley that his ward should not go anywhere near the trial, and if Severus could, he would try to make sure Harry never even heard of it.

After going through his few options, he had settled on Draco. The fewer people that knew about it the better, and if he tried to get Harry to stay with Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger then the entire Weasley clan would find out. No. Draco it was. But the secrecy was a strain on their relationship as guardian and ward. After a long while fighting with himself, Severus came to his decision. Harry would never step foot in the courtroom, but he had to know that Severus was being brought up on charges. If he found out about it from someone else…

No. Severus steeled himself and went back upstairs.

"Harry?" There was no answer. He only had to search through two rooms before he found his ward. Albus was perched on the back of the couch, guarding over the boy as he slept. There were a few books laying on the coffee table in front of the couch, all of which had been bookmarked. Harry himself curled in on himself, facing the back of the sofa. He actually seemed to be getting some peaceful rest, and Severus couldn't make himself wake him just yet. He allowed himself a few moments of just watching the boy. The passing fancy in his mind reared its head again. In school, he used to day dream of him and Lily getting married and having children. He couldn't help but think that…if they had…it would be Harry. Snape's dark hair and Lily's green eyes. Her heart and Snape's magic. Severus shook his head to banish the thought. It was no use dwelling over the past, but he could focus on now, where the boy was legally his and he could care for him as he should have many years earlier.

He walked forward and sat on a small space on the edge of the couch. Albus watched his every move, but did not hoot or flap at him, so Severus took that as permission. He laid a gentle hand on Harry's shoulder and called his name.

"Harry. Wake up, Harry." The young wizard slowly pulled his head out and turned his neck to an awkward angle to see Severus. His guardian straightened his glass for him, and he furrowed his brows.

"Mmm, yeah? S'Everything, okay?" The boy must have really been asleep, because it was taking him a while to become fully alert. Severus did not want to bring this news to the boy, but he had to.

"Harry, I received a letter from the Ministry today." Harry was sitting up and wide-eyed in a second.

"About what? Are they-" Severus knew the words on the tip of the boys tongue, and shook his head.

"No, they aren't going to take you away. However, there have been accusations against me that I threatened certain officials into giving me guardianship of you." Harry grew angry upon hearing that.

"But you didn't do anything! All you did was tell them the truth."

"Which will be revealed in the trial. They have to investigate these claims, Harry. And once it is shown I am innocent, any further claims will be seen in a negative light. This could help us against Strant, and the Minister of Magic says he gives me his full support. This will get worked out, Harry; you don't need to worry." Harry stared into his eyes the entire time he was speaking, and after a few moments, he nodded.

"Alright. But I'm coming to the trial with you." Severus saw the challenge rise in Harry's eyes the moment he began to shake his head.

"Harry, no. I do not want you to be there." Harry's brow furrowed.

"But why not? I could help!" Snape laid a hand on Harry's shoulder in hopes of calming him. It didn't appear to be working.

"They are going to be discussing things you do not need to relive. And if you are there, there is no doubt in my mind you would be pressured into going to the stand."

"Exactly! If I do that, then I could be a witness for you, or character reference." Severus knew this would be difficult.

"I will not allow them to pour veritiserum down your throat and force you to talk about some of your most dreadful memories from the Dursleys. Because that is what they will do. They will tear you apart just to ruin me, Harry. I can't let that happen." Harry clenched his jaw, and Severus could see him battling on the inside. Harry wanted to help, but even he could see that it would do more harm than good. Severus squeezed the young man's shoulder.

"It will be alright, Harry. Kingsley will be there, and my own memories and testimony under veritiserum will prove enough. The accusers have no real proof, because it does not exist. The trial at this point is a formality." Snape waited until Harry nodded his understanding to continue. "So, while I am at the trial, I do not wish for you to be alone. I am going to request that Draco stay with you. He already knows about what we have been fighting with Strant and will tell no one of the trial. Is that alright?" Again, Harry nodded, but he surprised his guardian with his next move.

Harry swooped forward and wrapped himself around Severus's torso. Snape hesitated only a moment, before putting his own arms around the boy and pulling him closer. His chin rested on Harry's head, and they just sat there holding each other for a long while. They were both surprised when they heard a crack, and suddenly a pair of arms was wrapped around both of their legs.

They pulled apart enough to look down, and sure enough, Snippy had popped in and was hugging their legs. Harry smiled and patted her head. Snippy looked up at her masters with wet eyes.

"Snippy will take care of Masters! No one will take Master Harry away! Master Harry is Snippy's, and Master Snape is Snippy's!" Severus chuckled at the silly elf, but could admit that he was a bit moved by the display of affection. Finally, all three of them let go, and Snippy bowed, still sniffling.

"Snippy came to tell Masters Snape and Harry that dinner is ready." Severus gave the house elf and smile.

"Thank you, Snippy." The house-elf jumped up at that and beamed from floppy ear to floppy ear. A quick snap and she was gone again, though Harry was certain he could hear her humming whilst she set the table. Together they went to the dining room and seated themselves.

Severus was glad to see that despite his earlier distress, Harry didn't seem to have lost his appetite. Another thing he noticed, was the way the boy's eyes kept wandering over to the window. It was a beautiful day outside, and Snape had a pretty good idea what the boy's mind was on.

"Harry, I would say that it has been long enough." Harry dragged his eyes away from the window to furrow his brows at his guardian.

"Sir?" Snape kept his eyes on his plate and tried not to smile, which had been growing harder and harder the longer Harry rubbed off on him.

"I told you that you could not fly your broom for two weeks, however, I think that it has been long enough." He heard the surprised gasp and finally looked to find Harry's eyebrows half way up his forehead and a smile slowing crawling onto his face.

"Really, Sir? I can go flying?" Severus nodded, but had to make something clear.

"Yes, but, for now I want you to stay within the wards. It still gives you plenty of space, and I can keep an eye on you." Harry didn't seem to mind any of that as he was still vibrating in his seat. "We can go as soon as you are finished." Harry took that as a challenge and immediately began shoveling the rest of his food in his mouth. Severus narrowed his eyes at his ward.

"That was not an invitation to choke yourself, Mr. Potter. You will eat like a normal human being." Harry slowed down, but only a tad. The house was beginning to feel stifling, and he couldn't wait to get back on his broom. Once he was finished, he waited for Severus's permission to be dismissed. However, Snippy beat his guardian to it, by popping in and snapping their plates away.

"Master Snape should let Master Harry go outside now." Harry bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing, and Severus raised a brow at the little house-elf. The eyebrow got turned on him.

"Well, Mr. Potter. It seems that Snippy has dismissed you. Go get your broom." Harry beamed at both his guardian and the house-elf.

"Thank you." He bolted up the stairs and had to stop himself from slamming the door on Albus, who had flown up behind him. Harry smiled at his owl. "Come on, Albus. We're going flying." The bird hooted and swooped out the open window to wait for the boy. Harry grabbed his broom and was heading for the next door in a second. He paused though in the doorway. A strange feeling had crept up the back of his neck. Slowly, he turned and looked towards the corner of his bedroom.

It was gone in a second, but Harry swore he saw a figure in the corner of his room. His heart was pounding in his chest, and his palms were sweating.

"Harry?" Severus calling his name shook him out of his fear, and Harry took a deep breath, and hurried back down the stairs.

Snape raised a brow at the boy when they met at the bottom, but Harry smiled to ward off the question.

"Ready. Albus is already waiting outside too." Severus scoffed and turned to head out the door.

"Well, we shouldn't keep the owl waiting." Once they were outside, Harry checked with Severus one last time before taking off into the sky. Snape, for himself, settled onto the little garden bench and alternated between reading and watching Harry fly.

The boy truly was magnificent on a broom, even if he gave Severus multiple heart attacks in the process. Harry appeared to love diving down and only pulling up at the last second. His owl would follow the boy, but even the bird pulled up sooner than Harry did. On more than one occasion, Severus found himself clutching his book tightly in his fists, until his knuckles were sore. He could practically hear Lily laughing at him.

"You are such a worrywart, Severus. Have fun once in a while." Snape snorted. Lily had been the only reason he had ever gotten on a broom in the first place. Though, he knew for a fact she would be thumping Harry upside the head for the moves he was pulling. He considered calling the boy down and giving him a good tongue lashing for being so reckless, when an even better idea came to mind. He smirked and stood.


Harry smiled wide enough to make his cheeks sore when he first took off into the air. However, simply flying about wasn't clearing his head as it normally would. He found himself dwelling on the trial and what Menos was offering and he just couldn't shut it off. This led him to diving. It always brought a thrill through him, and cleared his mind like nothing else. Hermione constantly berated him for it, and Harry would humor her for a little while after each lecture. The next time he was out though, he would be back to diving and pulling up at the last second.

The young wizard laughed as he saw Albus diving with him, and he started playing with the bird. See who would pull up first. Albus always did, and Harry gave a bitter chuckle. Even an animal has better self preservation instincts. More than once, after Harry had pulled up and met with Albus, the owl nipped at his ear as if in place of Hermione.

"Come on, Albus. It's fun." The bird hooted at something, and Harry turned. His jaw dropped and he had to clutch his broom with both hands to keep from falling off.

Severus Snape, his guardian, was flying towards him on his own broom. The man had his trademark smirk on when they met in the air.

"You know I can ride a broom, Mr. Potter. Stop gawking." Harry snapped his mouth shut and smiled.

"You came flying with me!" Snape's smirk turned into a fond, exasperated smile.

"Forever stating the obvious, Harry. Now, I challenge you to a friendly race. No diving or reckless moves. What do you say?" Harry's eyebrows went up.

"Wha- Really?" Snape lifted his nose haughtily, reminding Harry of Draco when he was younger.

"Unless, of course, you are too scared you would lose to an old Dungeon Bat." Harry's mouth set into a determined grin.

"You're on." And they took off.


Let's see if this weekend will spark my writing bug again...

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