Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to J.K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.

Thanks a lot to my beta-reader, saiyanwizardgurl, for correcting my mistakes.

I also would like to thank my motovation betas!

I'm not a native speaker of English!

Chapter 37 – Egg Rolling

-II-

Severus groaned. "Why does it have to be so early?"

Ivy chuckled and stood on her tiptoes to kiss her stiff husband.

"Harry!" Some boys came running over to them.

"Hey, Charlie. This is my friend, Victor. I told you about him."

"Yeah, come on. There is still time. We'll introduce you to the rest," Charlie said, excited. "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Snape." Alastor, Albus, Poppy, and Minerva had stepped a few feet away to give Ivy time to get Severus to behave. It was routine for them.

"Hello, Charlie. Don't run off too far. Harry doesn't know the place, and I want him to be punctual for the service."

"Sure, Mrs. Snape. I'll bring him and Victor back to you in time. Big promise."

Ivy smiled and then nodded at Harry. Then she looked at Victor. "Victor, you should get your okay from Alastor and Poppy."

"All right," Victor said and ran over to his soon-to-be-adoptive parents.

-II-

"Hey guys, this is Harry and his cousin, Victor," Charlie introduced them.

First Harry wanted to protest, but then he remembered that Poppy had told him that the people in the village thought she was his aunt. Victor was still too shy to protest at all.

"That's Leroy," Charlie said and gestured to a boy with very short black hair of maybe eleven years. "And that's Tom and Jonas." The two blond nine-year-old boys nodded at Harry and Victor.

"You already know Lorenz and Vincent, Harry." Charlie looked at Victor. "They're my best buddies, and we'll train together a lot for the football match at the end of the summer. Are you in?"

Victor nodded. "Sure, but I haven't played much."

Charlie waved dismissively. "No problem. We'll show you a few tricks. Until now, we've never won against the adults, but sometimes it was close. At least this year there's more of us."

All the boys nodded. Harry saw with satisfaction that most of them were fumbling with their ties to loosen them and felt just as uncomfortable in their Sunday suits as Harry.

"Cool dog. He's a giant!" Tom said, a bit frightened.

"He's harmless, just a bit overexcited sometimes. His name is Sly."

The first few minutes of conversation were awkward, but then everyone, including Harry and Victor, relaxed and they chatted and laughed openly.

"You need to come with us to the hill when the service is done. We play a few rounds of egg rolling after," Leroy said and grinned at his buddies.

"Yeah, we'll see how good you are in our version of egg rolling. You just have to be able to sneak away from your parents," Charlie said and laughed.

Harry had no idea what they were talking about, but just the tone they said it in made it clear that Severus and Ivy better not get wind of it.

Before they could answer, the bells of the church started sounding and immediately the mass of people started to move into the church.

Harry panicked and looked around wildly. Where was his family? He walked with the boys in the direction of the church, trying not to let them realize his panic. What thirteen-year-old boy panicked over not seeing his parents?

Suddenly, Harry saw Eathan and Lysander, but they were with strangers. Both held the hands of two girls of maybe three or four. When Harry moved to go over to them, Charlie grabbed his arm. "Hey, I promised your parents to bring you to them for the service. Don't run away from me. There are a lot of people around today."

"But there are my brothers."

"They are with the Lincolns. Poor guys. They have no clue what a nuisance girls are and still prefer to spend time with the Lincoln twins. Soon they will realize their mistake and then we will get two more players on our football team," Charlie said, looking at Eathan and Lysander as if he really felt sorry for them at the moment.

"They seem to be happy," Harry stated.

"Yeah, now all the girls think they are cute, but wait until they realize how odd it is for guys to go to dancing classes and play tea party."

Harry blushed as he remembered the dancing in the clinic. He made a mental note never to let that slip.

"Look, over there are your parents," Charlie said to Harry and Victor and gestured over to a bench in the middle of the church.

"All right, thanks, Charlie. See you later."

The service was boring. Harry could hardly keep his eyes open. The lack of sleep last night made it even harder to stay awake. Eathan and Lysander's giggles made Harry jerk his head up. Damn, he had fallen asleep. A short glance over to Severus showed that he was being watched by his father and mother as well.

Blushing, Harry looked away at Victor who sat beside him. "You could have woken me." Alastor looked amused, but Poppy looked as if she was close to drawing her wand and waving it at him. Good thing they were around Muggles.

"You just were off for few secs, mate," Victor whispered.

Harry looked back at Pater Brown on the pulpit.

Harry almost yelled when he jerked awake again and Severus was holding him at his wrist. Eathan must have switched places with him while Harry had been asleep.

"Do you think you need something to stay awake?" Severus asked in a low voice, leaning over to Harry.

Harry shook his head. "No, I'm all right. Just not enough sleep last night."

"The service is almost over." Severus looked at Ivy as if he was non-verbally communicating with her about what to do. Then he let go of Harry's wrist.

Harry nodded off a few more time before the service ended. Finally, the Pater went down the gap between the rows of benches and the people stood up to leave the church.

What the hell took them so long to get out? Harry was sure they waited at least ten minutes to leave, and they were only halfway through the church by now. When they finally made it to the door, Harry saw why it took so long. The Pater stood behind the open door and greeted everyone personally and spoke a few words with them.

"Ah, so good to see you all again." Pater Brown shook Ivy's and Severus' hands and did the same to the rest of the adults. Eathan and Lysander followed, and as soon as the Pater released their hands, they ran off to their little friends.

"This must be Harry and Victor, then," Pater Brown said and smiled friendly at the boys. "It's good to hear that you've already made friends here."

Harry nodded and Victor said absolutely nothing, obviously feeling uncomfortable to be in the middle of attention.

"I hope you will like living here, and I also hope I will see you more often in service than your parents." Pater Brown looked a bit sternly at the adults.

Harry hoped he would not have to be at service ever again. It was so boring, and everything that Pater Brown had said had made absolutely no sense to him.

"I see they're waiting for you now," Pater Brown said, amused, and waved his hand over to the group of boys who looked impatiently at them. "I will see you all later."

They all nodded and let the next family greet the Pater. Before Harry could run off over to the boys, Poppy had a death grip on his arm. Harry looked confused at her.

"What's wrong with you, Harry? Didn't you sleep well? Did you have nightmares again?"

Harry blushed.

"Let him go, Poppy. I also have to fight sleep every time we are here."

"Alastor," Poppy scolded, but let go of Harry.

Ivy pulled Harry over to her. "Go play with your friends, but try to not get your clothes too dirty."

Soon, Victor and Harry were off, breathing with relief when they finally were out of sight.

"Let's go egg rolling," Charlie suggested, and they all ran over to a small hill were already a few adults and children were gathering. After they climbed up the hill, they saw three women with a big basket full of colorful eggs.

Harry looked at Victor, but it seemed his friend also had no idea what this was all about. Luckily, Tom and Jonas were overeager to play whatever game this was, so Harry and Victor could watch what was expected from them.

A friendly woman gave Tom and Jonas each a colorful egg and, on a signal, they placed their eggs on the hill and let them roll. Laughing and cheering, they started to run after them until the eggs stopped rolling. Jonas pulled his hands up in the air and danced around as his egg had rolled farther down the hill. Another woman went over to him, and he rummaged around in the box she was carrying until he pulled out something that Harry could not see from the distance.

"Come on, Vic. Let's go next," Lorenz said and bumped Victor on his arm.

Victor was not as enthusiastic as Lorenz when he ran down the hill, but Harry was sure he liked the game, nevertheless.

"Up for a challenge, Harry?" Charlie asked. "Not that you have any chance against me." Charlie grinned.

"You're on, Charlie," Harry said and grabbed a red egg out of the basket.

Harry was surprised at how much he cheered for his egg to roll faster and further down the hill, but in the end, Charlie's egg won. "Don't fret. Revenge?"

"Sure," Harry said and was already running up the hill again.

Their eggs were still intact, so they used the same ones again. This time, Harry was more careful about where to let his egg roll and he won. The box that the woman had for the winner was full of little toys and sweets. Harry took a small chocolate bar.

After everyone had won at least once, the boys gathered a few feet away from the hill.

"Hey, Jonas," Tom called, and when his twin looked at him, he smashed his egg on his forehead. Both boys giggled and Tom held his face in front of Jonas. Giggling, Jonas smashed his egg as well.

As Harry watched Jonas and Tom, he got an egg on his forehead by Charlie. "Damn, that was a hard one," Charlie said and watched, concerned, if Harry would protest.

"Damn right," Harry said rubbing his forehead. Then he quickly used Charlie's tilted stance and smashed his egg against the other boy's head.

"Not bad, mate," Charlie said, and everyone laughed. Soon, everyone was munching on their eggs. They didn't taste very good without salt, but it was still fun.

"So, let's go for the real egg rolling," Vincent said enthusiastically. All boys nodded and ran off. Harry and Victor followed suit.

"Okay, here's the challenge. You wrap yourself in this plastic sack and then we roll down the hill. Whoever rolls the farthest is the winner. The loser will get an ear flick from everyone else."

"And the winner?" Tom asked.

Charlie shrugged. "The winner can choose his position on the football team for this year first." All the boys agreed.

Looking skeptically at the plastic sack around him, Harry got into position. All the boys had one wrapped as carefully as possible around them. If they made this each year, it should be safe.

Harry always liked challenges, and so he tried to get as much drive as possible to roll very far. Too bad he had underestimated the speed and felt sick very soon. The plastic sack was only covering him halfway, and Harry tried to hold onto it in panic. Ivy would kill him if he ruined the suit. A loud crash happened close to Harry and a scream filled the air. Harry hoped it was not Victor. He could not concentrate as he felt too dizzy and his lungs burned.

When he finally stopped rolling, he could hear groaning and frightened muttering all around him before he could even open his eyes to look around. Sly was barking loudly.

"Damn, you said the plastic sacks would work, Charlie," Leroy muttered and sounded close to tears. "My mother will kill me."

"Mine, too," Jonas said.

"Oww, my hand hurts," Tom whimpered.

"Harry?" Victor asked, kneeling in front of him. "Where is your applicator?"

Harry fumbled in his pants pocket for it and then really started to panic. He jumped up to look around, but immediately fell down again as he still felt dizzy. Heavy footsteps came closer. "What has happened here?" a man asked and then called at someone else. "Get the doc, Peter."

"Mr. Snape," Victor called a moment later and waved frantically. Only a second later, Severus was kneeling beside Harry. He did not even ask for Harry's applicator and pulled his own emergency applicator out of his jacket.

Severus held the applicator to Harry's mouth and Harry gulped the potion down, holding onto the applicator in his father's hands as if his life depended on it.

"Only one dose, Harry," Severus said and pried Harry's hands off.

Slowly, Harry's breathing calmed down, and he heard the doctor call from close by. "Are you managing on your own, Mr. Snape?"

"Yes, Harry took his medication. Take care of Tom." Harry tried to stand up but had to steady himself on Severus' arm. When the world stopped spinning, Harry looked around. Close to him stood Victor, very pale and muddy, and behind him was Tom. The doctor was wrapping his hand in a bandage.

"They will kill me, Harry!" Victor said, close to tears.

Severus rolled his eyes. "Come over here so I can check on you."

Scared, Victor stepped closer. "I'm all right."

"Really? Then why are you bending over and holding your chest?"

Now Victor really fought against tears. "She will kill me!"

Again, Severus rolled his eyes and then looked at Harry. "Can you stand on your own? I need to have a look at Victor."

Harry nodded and looked, worried, at Victor.

"Let me see," Severus instructed and pulled at Victor's shirt.

"Victor!" a shrill, female voice shouted from the hill and Poppy came running their way.

"No, no, no, please clean me, Mr. Snape!" Victor said in panic and stepped away from Severus, hiding behind his frame in the vain hope that Poppy would not see him.

"Stop that, Victor. And watch what you're saying," Severus said warningly.

Poppy was all over Victor as soon as she reached them and Alastor was not far behind. Harry had been so concentrated on watching Poppy that he missed Ivy coming over as well. Only when she was starting to prod him did he notice her, and his breath got caught in his lungs. She would kill him for ruining his suit.

"What were you doing, Harry?" she asked when she was sure he was unharmed.

"We were just playing."

Harry looked over to Victor for help, but his friend was busy holding his shirt up for Poppy and the doctor. Harry gasped when he saw the purple bruise on Victor's ribcage.

"I fell on a stone, I think," Victor explained.

"This has to be X-rayed. You'll need to drive into the clinic in Welsh as I can't do it here."

"We will do so immediately," Poppy explained and helped Victor to lower his shirt.

"We will leave as well," Severus said and grabbed Harry's shoulder.

Please review! I hope you are still reading and liking my story even so I'm not updating so often anymore.