She sat surveying her school. And it was hers now, she had control over it, and there was very little that the batty old Headmaster could do about. He would be evicted soon enough. Her every decision ratified by the Minister. Yes, now she could start to have a real impact. And she was going to start with Potter. The only question was how to do it. Potter didn't seem to care much if she attacked him, he was more responsive if he attacked his friends, but it still wasn't enough. Who would he jump to the defence of? She tapped the rings that encircled her fat fingers against her glass, watching as the boy walked into the hall. He nodded and waved to various children as was his way the fool, and then sat down at the correct distance from his constant companion. That was interesting too, Cornelius had told her in very clear words that she was not to do anything to Percival Graves at all. It was most vexing, as she could see that he was the one Potter was most likely to defend.
A much smaller child approached the group Potter was sitting in, speaking at first to the girl with curly hair and before they were rebuffed. Potter then spoke to the child a doting expression on his face. With an excited little 'hem' Delores bounced in her seat. Oh, what a wickedly marvellous idea.
Next to Delores, Albus Dumbledore sat, watching the march of emotions across her face. Clearly, she had something planned. That presented some interesting possibilities. Perhaps he could turn the situation to his advantage and get the little brat back under his control again. There were a couple of options, the wards had alerted him to the potentially dangerous artefacts that she had bought with her. If she decided to use them on the Wizarding worlds saviour there would be quite the outcry, though it would need to go long enough for there to be residual evidence of course. No half-hearted measures or the public wouldn't care. Then she could be safely removed from his school and he could bargain Harry's guardianship against pressing charges against the Ministers Senior Undersecretary.
Yes. The only fly in the ointment was the boy himself, who appeared much calmer this year. It was surprising really that he hadn't already had detention with Delores. Dumbledore had been expecting it to occur in the first week. The Occlumency lessons he had arranged would help. Severus was so sure that the boy was just like his father that he refused to see what was before him. Indeed, if anything Harry was more like Severus had been when he arrived at school than he was like James. He would tell Severus that he had given Harry some texts to read in preparation so he should be able to get right into 'practicing holding someone out'. That was always an unpleasant emotional experience, having your hated enemy viewing your worst memories. Dumbledore chuckled. It was sure to put the boy on edge.
"Something amusing Albus?" Filius Flitwick asked.
"Oh. My yes, did you see today's joke in the Prophet. Well a goblin a centaur and a hippogriff walked into a pub."
"I don't believe that's appropriate Albus," the short man chided.
"You need to stop being so sensitive." Albus said. "It will give you indigestion."
Flitwick huffed and turned back to his breakfast.
Albus returned to his musings. As an added bonus Occlumency training performed that way would do little to prevent Tom from seeing into the boy's mind, nor would it be helpful in any way except to make him more emotional. Which should help Delores rather obvious plan to get the boy into detention. Would it be enough though? Perhaps he could add just a little more pressure. Surely Remus had met his demise by now. Even if Sirius hadn't gone to find him, it would surely start to break the attachment between them as the boy would see it as a break of trust. Yes, he would call the boy to his office at his early convenience. Albus shovelled a fork full of pancakes in his mouth, ad swallowed hurriedly. Wondering what on earth was wrong with the food, it had barely any taste today. He sighed, the Weasley twins had probably been upsetting the Elves again. He pushed himself up from his throne with a sigh. He would have to send Minerva to sort the little pests out, or they wouldn't have a decent meal for months. Sometimes he wondered why he had bothered being Headmaster at all.
It was funny sometimes the way different teachers achieved the same ends. McGongall, with the simple thinning of her lips, would bring her class to silence, Binns would bore them into slumber (which was relatively), and Snape merely walked into the room.
He made a sweeping turn which sent his outer robes flaring around his feet, "The instructions for today's potions are on the board," he flicked his wand to make it so. "This will be your only warning to follow them precisely, you will be working individually and there will be no need for talking as I expect after nearly five years of tuition you have achieved a certainly level of competence." He sneered at the Gryffindors, noting that Harry was in the far corner this morning. "Do not disappoint me, you will not like the consequences."
The potion was a fiddly one, involving multiple steps for the treatment of one ingredient, for example the knot grass needed to be cleaned, shredded into long strips then diced. Surprisingly the Gryffindors were managing reasonably well, though Granger was hissing at her neighbour, Neville Longbottom, so much that she was beginning to sound like a boiling kettle, the boys she was 'helping' was growing less confident as time went on.
"Miss Granger, I believe you have failed to understand the instructions I gave at the beginning of classes. I clearly said, no talking!"
"But, Sir, Neville doesn't…"
Snape glared, "As surprising to us all at it is Mr Longbottom's potion was looking adequate before you began 'assisting' him. Desist at once!"
Bless the boy, but Longbottom looked vaguely pleased at the backhanded compliment. A sideways glance showed that Graves's potions was exemplary as usual and Potter's was not far behind, with the rate that he was catching up perhaps he did have some of his Mother's talent after all. He whispered a near silent 'well done' to the two boys whose potions were nearing completion. Potter lifted a hand hidden on the back side of the cauldron to display the poorly hopped piece of willow bark he held in his hand. If added it would render the potions inert but what could be a rather spectacular explosion of foam. He inclined his head. Turned and moved to the front of the classroom.
Woosh! Turning he was unsurprised to see that the entire classroom was covered in a lurid green foam and Potter standing by his cauldron, looking thoroughly surprised.
"You blasted boy. Can you not even follow simple directions?" he went into his usual rant. "Detention with me every Wednesday until the end of the year. Now get out of my class and don't return." He pointed a finger at the door. Potter ducked his head and made his bedraggled way out of the classroom, looking suitable chastised like a whipped cur.
The Slytherins were still laughing over the incident at lunch drawing the Headmaster's attention.
"Your students appear in high spirits after this morning's classes Severus. Do you know what has occurred?"
"I have finally had reason to ban the bane of my existence from my classroom," Snape sneered.
"Really, which of the senior students have upset you, my dear boy?"
Snape huffed and said, "Potter, blew up his cauldron, covered the whole room in foam. It took me an hour to clean the ceiling. Thankfully it wasn't toxic."
"Come now Severus, that's not enough reason to turn out a student before their OWLs. You know you have to continue teaching them until they have sat those teams. I'm sorry to say that you will need to take the boy back,"
Dumbledore knew what this was, oh his clever spy. It was one of his wisest decisions turning the man into a pawn, no he was more useful than that, and shouldn't be thrown away so easily, a castle then. He had come up with the perfect cover to teach Harry Occlumency and not only that, with this stunt, he had given Albus the opportunity to intercede and therefore the boy would feel indebted to him once more. After all Harry surely wanted to be an Auror and for that he needed his Potion NEWT which he wouldn't have a chance of getting without achieving his OWL first.
"The boy is a menace Albus!"
The Headmaster affected a stern look over his half-moon spectacles, "I am afraid I must insist Severus. All students must sit their potions OWL. It is compulsory. You will have to have him back in class. However, you may use his detentions to teach him remedial options, in fact I insist on it."
Scowling at his plate, Severus gave the appearance of giving in sullenly.
"Oh, what a face," Dumbledore chuckled, "How about you try the quiche I believe it is delightful.
It wasn't.
"Inside," Snape said sharply, after opening the door to Harry's knock. It was closed, locked and warded the moment the boy was inside. When they were seated opposite each other Snape spoke, "The Headmaster has advised me that you have been given an introductory text to read on Occlumency. Is that correct?"
"I haven't seen Dumbledore since well before Christmas Professor. However, I have read 'Protecting the Mind' and 'Looking Inwards'. Sirius arranged copies for me."
"Yes, they would be included in his library, with proclivity the Blacks have for mind magic. Do you have any questions?" Harry shook his head. "The Headmaster wishes for me to commence immediately with testing the protections you have in place, after reading whatever text he recommended. What have you achieved so far? Can you empty your mind?" Harry shook his head again. "What have you been doing dammit! Harry I was under the impression you were progressing well…."
Harry held a hand up. A slight smile on his lips at the use of his first name, when Snape stopped, Harry spoke, "I don't have the sort of mind that lends itself to becoming completely empty. We trialled a number of different techniques, but I couldn't achieve it," Snape looked ready to interrupt but Harry kept talking. "Instead we used the single focus technique, which worked much better, though it still took a few trials to find the right focus. I have created a mindscape and implemented protections including walling in the …..well you know."
"Fine, we'll try Albus' suggestion then. Hold me out as long as you can?"
"Um," Harry looked uncertain. "Is the aim for you not to get in, or for you not to see my memories and thoughts?"
"They are the same thing!"
"Um, not really. I'm kind of more prepared for the second one than I am for the first. Which might work better given that Dumbledore doesn't really want me to succeed at this."
"Fine. Stop me from seeing anything."
"Ok."
Green eyes were raised to meet black.
"Legilimens."
Before he could register anything else there was the sensation of falling, then the sound of rushing wind, finally his eyes adjusted to the bright light and whipping his head to look around revealed with gut clenching certainty that he was falling and that the ground was fast approaching. He closed his eyes and withdrew.
" .That?"
"Did you like it? That's my first line of defence!" Harry smiled.
His potions professor was looking like he had just sucked on a lemon. "What happens on impact?"
"Oh, you just get evicted, I couldn't figure out a way to link it to any other consequences like hexes or whatever, without revealing where my thoughts lie, I'm still working on that."
"The novelty of it was certainly startling," Severus could appreciate the ingenuity now that he had had a moment to recover. "Though it might not work as well on Riddle." He said seriously.
"Why is that?" Harry asked curiously, head tipped to one side.
"Because he can fly…unaided," Severus said.
"Hmm. It's only really good for one attack anyway," Harry shrugged, "Any wizard could conjure or transfigure a broom in the time that the fall takes. Once they know what to expect it isn't really much of a defence. I don't expect he will attack that way, as he already has a means of getting in."
"Hmmm, well you had best show me the rest." The green eyes looked up once more. It was truly shocking the amount of trust the boy was giving him. "Legilimens."
This time they were floating opposite one another on brooms, the feeling of the wind blowing on his face was present once more, giving Severus an insight into what the boy had finally found to focus on.
"I never liked flying all that much," Snape said as they descended.
"Well you could try transfiguring the broom into a parachute instead?" Harry suggested cheekily.
"I'm not sure that is any better," Severus stamped hard on the ground before glancing up and taking in the landscape. "Where are we?" The boy beside him just shrugged. "Nearly all mindscapes are simple adaptions of the world we see, usually a place that has meaning to us. If Riddle knows this place or has been here as well, he will know his way around. Where is this?"
"Nowhere," Harry shrugged.
"Then how did you create it?" Snape was genuinely curious now.
"When I was little and had just starting nursery school," Harry stared into the distance. "The teacher asked us to draw a picture of where we went on holidays. I said, quite truthfully, I hadn't been anywhere. The teacher knew from Petunia's bragging that the Dursleys had been away, so she told me to stop lying and start drawing. I had overheard them talking about the places they had been, mainly about green rolling hills and a castle, by the sea. So, I drew what I thought it looked like. It became a kind of weird hope that one day I would get to see it for myself," he gave a sad little laugh. "It's funny you know; I can't even remember the name of the place that they actually went to."
"Well, that's probably better," Severus nodded a little sadly, making a note to mention it to the mutt, even he had been to the beach. "If it isn't a real place then Riddle won't know his way around. What is this?"
They had been wandering aimlessly and arrived at the silo like structure that Harry had built around Riddle's soul piece.
"That's where the piece of Riddle is. As far as I can tell, it's actually imbedded into my brain, which means I can't keep him out as such. I built this to try and contain him as long as possible."
"Was this open while you built everything else?" Snape asked intently.
"No!" Harry denied. "We didn't know how far in he was at that point, so this went up first. I didn't see the point otherwise." He watched as Snape breathed a sigh of…..relief? It was so hard to tell with that man.
"And there are other safety mechanisms?"
"Yes Sir. There is a warning system in the ground, ceiling and walls. If he breaks though I should know. Then…well…can you find out where memories are?"
The black eyes, glanced around considering the options, "Initially I would have said in the grass and rocks but thinking about you now that I have seen this, I think they are …" He glanced skyward. "I won't think on it too hard, just in case something goes wrong."
"You're in danger, every time you go to him, aren't you?" Harry asked quietly.
"I will not lie to you Harry. Yes, it's dangerous, but it's worth it."
"I don't think I could stand it if something happened to you because of me," the boy fretted, and Severus was reminded that the boy in front of him was still so very young. "And now that we think Dumbledore is also a danger, we are asking even more of you."
"I don't do it because of you Harry. I do it to honour the friendship I had with your mother, to protect those like yourself who are innocent, and to redeem myself, for I have made a great many mistakes. Come let us return."
Green eyes blinked and closed in pain.
"Even as gentle as we were, there will still be pain. I think in each of your detentions we still work on how to evict someone from your mind. You need more then deceptions though. Work on that. Still, I am most pleased with how much you have achieved, with only another teenage to teach you." He turned away and rummaged through a box on his desk, eventually removing a vial. "This is for your headache. Do not take it until you have returned to your common room. The portraits need to see you acting unwell after our session. And above all things remember to meditate before you sleep."
With a hesitant nod, Harry took the vial. Then in a move that surprised them both, he stepped forward quickly wrapped his arms around the professor, tucked his head under the older man's chin and gave the man a firm hug.
"Thank you," he squeaked before he hurried out the door, leaving Snape standing leaning against his desk for support.
Though he was aware of how the eyes of the portraits all followed him, there was no need for Harry to fake his misery as he stumbled his way back through the castle. His head was throbbing. Eventually he made his way to the portrait hole, uttered the password and was granted entry. It felt immensely difficult to drag himself all the way over to the couch that Percival was sitting on and allow himself to fall, head landing in Percival's lap.
"How was detention or shouldn't I ask?" Neville asked sympathetically, staring at the position they were in, with a snicker.
"Arrrr," Harry groaned, motioning his desire for a quieter environment. Percival raised a hand and with a flourish, created a barrier to the sound of the room's other occupants.
"Can you do something to obscure the view as well?" Harry asked. Percival didn't answer but waved his hand again. Harry pulled out the vial he had been given, downing it in one pull, shuddering at the taste. "It wasn't bad, just the after affects. He was testing my Occlumency. We didn't really get to the bit the Dumbledore wants him to do yet. Which is a full-on assault. More just checking out what I have done already, so I got to test out my first protection. Still hurts though. Why is that?" he looked up at his boyfriend. "You've been in my mindscape for longer and it didn't hurt this much.
"You allowed him to trigger your defences, so your mind was immediately placed on alert." Percival replied. "And you don't trust him, like you do me." He lifted a hand and began massaging Harry's head. The moan he drew from the smaller boy had Neville and Ron laughing.
"Don't laugh, it's sooooo good," he groaned. "Hey, what's that hand wavy, wavy thing. You haven't shown me those spells!" He pouted adorably at Percival.
"I'd be keen to know as well," Ron said eagerly, Neville nodding in agreement.
"Alright I'll show you, just not tonight. I think someone has got to do some homework, before he goes to bed," he jostled Harry's shoulder, disrupting the doze he had fallen into.
Harry was happy to note that his headache was completely gone the next morning, though it had been replaced by a feeling of foreboding, which he shared with Neville. Neville was also the first one to notice something had changed between the pair over the break.
"Harry?" Neville said quietly as they waited for the others to finish in the bathroom so that they could all head down to breakfast together.
"Yeah," Harry glanced up from where he was packing the books and homework he needed for the day into his bag.
"What's going on between you and Percival?"
"Ah."
It was strange now the question had come. A part of Harry wanted to keep what he had with Percival completely private. It was selfish in a way, but Percival had said that he wanted to be able to hold hands with Harry as they walked around the school, if they did that everyone would know anyway. Harry snorted; they couldn't do that with Umbridge now. And if there was one person who had never broken his trust it was Neville.
"What did you want to know?" Harry finally said.
"Are you together? As in together together?" Neville blushed.
"Is there another sort of together?" Percival chuckled as he emerged from the bathroom.
"Well you could just be close friends without being, you know…" he waved his hands about.
"What's…." Harry waved his hand around in an amusing imitation, "that mean?"
"Boyfriends," Neville mock glared at him. "You knew what I meant."
"Yeah, I did," Harry looked at Percival who was smiling at him. "Yeah."
"Yeah?"
"Yes Neville, Harry and I are dating," Percival said.
"Dammit," Ron said as he re-entered the room.
"What? Why?" Harry asked unsurely.
"I was sure you were so oblivious it would take until at least Easter. You made me lose a bet with the twins."
"What do you owe the twins then?" Neville asked shrewdly.
"Test subject, on two products," Ron fell on to his bed with a dramatic sigh.
"What would they have had to give you if you had won?"
"No surprise testing on me until the Summer holidays. It would have been bliss. Thanks Harry!" he ended sarcastically. "Still I'm better off than Lee."
"Well I'm just glad that all the gooey eyed stares are over," Neville said, hoisting his bag over his shoulders.
"Stares what stares?"
Neville shook his head as he walked to the door, "Come on we'll be late for breakfast at this rate."
Percival took Harry's hand and didn't let it go until they left the common room.
Breakfast began as usual. As they entered the Great Hall, they could see coffee and tea pots dotted around the tables, each surrounded by little islands of cups. Not long after that more students began to arrive and at a predetermined time the platters of food appeared, carafes of pumpkin juice followed. Halfway through the meal, the owl post began to arrive. Harry wasn't expecting any himself, but it was nice to see that Hedwig had decided to come for a visit and he fed her leftover bits of bacon rind. Glancing up at the table revealed that Hagrid had returned from whatever mission he had been on for the Order. Though from his beaten-up appearance, it hadn't gone all that well. Kicking Ron in the shin, he nodded towards the teachers table. Ron smiled in acknowledgement before kicking Harry in retaliation but missed getting Ginny who was sitting on the other side of Harry instead. Without warning the boogers flew out of Ron's nose.
"Stop it now!" Percival warned with a growl, as Ron now had his wand out. His tone made them all freeze and hurriedly return to their breakfasts.
It was the ever-observant Percival who was the first to notice that something was wrong with Neville as he turned to say something to Harry. The blonde boy appeared to be frozen, the Dailey Prophet unrolled in front of him, his face was an odd grey shade. Harry followed Percival's worried gaze.
"Neville?" he gently reached out a hand to touch his friends' shoulder. When that failed to elicit a response, he shook the shoulder. "Neville."
By now the whole group was looking. Seamus took the drastic step of reaching across the table and flicking Neville in the middle of his forehead, "Oi, Nev, snap ou' o' it!"
"Ow!" Neville rubbed his forehead. Glanced at the paper and swallowed, turning grey again. "Not feeling so well, might just…." he stood and quickly walked out, leaving the paper behind him. The others staring after him in confusion.
Percival reached in front of Harry to grab the paper and look at the headline.
Mass Breakout From Azkaban
Harry leaned over to scan the article, "I'll go and see if he's ok."
He picked up both their bags and scurried off after Neville. Percival passed the paper to the others, saying, "Not a word about it to anyone!" before he followed.
Harry didn't manage to find Neville before class, and the blonde slipped away into the press of students afterwards.
"He probably needs some time to process it." Percival advised, glancing around quickly and giving Harry a brief hug. Stepping away as one of the enchanted tape measures floated around the corner.
Neville wasn't the only one struggling as a result of the Death Eaters escaping. There were other relatives of their victims amongst the students, who now found themselves the unwilling objects of a gruesome sort of reflected fame as they walked the corridors: Susan Bones, whose uncle, aunt and cousins had all died at the hands of one of the ten, said miserably during Herbology that she now had a good idea of what it felt like to be Harry.
"And I don't know how you stand it – it's horrible," she said bluntly, dumping far too much manure on her tray of Screechsap seedlings, causing them to wriggle and squeak in discomfort.
Harry thought it was a nice sentiment, but it didn't change that she had been only to happy to sneer and deride him during the Heir of Slytherin debacle and again just last year. An actual apology may have convinced him that she had some idea of what he actually had to put up with. The article had renewed the interest in Harry again though the pointing fingers and mutterings seemed to have a less hostile tone then they had at the start of the year. Once or twice he was sure he overheard snatches of conversations that suggested that the speakers were not satisfied with the Prophet's version of events.
It was not only the students' mood that had changed. It was now quite common to come across two or three teachers conversing in low urgent whispers in the corridors, breaking off their conversations the minute they saw students approaching.
Neville had managed to hide away the whole day, not appearing for either lunch or dinner. It was not until they returned to the common room that Harry found him.
"Nev," Harry called softly as he entered the dorm alone having convinced the others to stay down in the common room.
The room was silent, but the curtains were drawn around Neville's bed. Tentatively, Harry drew them aside. Neville was lying on his stomach, head buried under his pillow. Cautiously Harry touched his shoulder, Neville turned away a little more.
"I don't know what you're feeling, Nev," Harry said quietly. "I know there is nothing I can say to make it better, Nev, but we are here for you if you need us. I don't know if you are feeling scared or angry or something else entirely but …." Harry gave Neville's shoulder a squeeze and sat on the bed in the space behind him. "if you want to talk about it, we'll be here. If you want to throw punches or hexes, we can do that too. If you don't want to go to meals because people stare, then we can go to the rec room and have Dobby bring us something. Just….don't shut us out ok?"
Harry waited a moment, when there was no response he slid from the bed, "I'll keep the guys down in the common room, for a bit. When you're ready come down. You know they won't say anything." He returned to the common room.
It was half an hour later that a pale faced, Neville approached the group. He looked determinedly at Percival, "I need to get better. I want you to teach me how to fight."
"Fight? Not duel?" Percival clarified.
With a nod, Neville replied, "I doubt that they will be obeying rules."
"Alright," Percival considered. "Get your cloak Harry." The smaller boy dashed up to the dorm taking the stairs two at a time. He looked around at Ron, Seamus and Dean had moved away from the group and were playing exploding snap. "Ron when do you have rounds?"
Ron shook his head in disappointment, "Nine. Fifth years go first. I'll come next time, I said I would do my Divination homework with Lavender and Parvati," he pulled a face at the last.
"That'll make it easier. If anyone asks, say I'm taking Neville to the Infirmary."
"Yeah, looking at him it's that'll be pretty believable," Ron grimaced, for once glad that he wasn't the focus of the attention. Neville grumbled a complaint.
"I assume I am following?" Harry's voice whispered from the air beside Percival.
"Hmm," Percival hummed his agreement. "Come on Neville," he slipped a supportive arm around the boy's shoulders. "I'll help you to the Hospital wing."
"I'm fine," Neville complained faintly.
"I'm not cleaning up the mess if you throw up in the dorm room," Ron stated.
"I would never, Ooff," something sharp jabbed him in the stomach and he doubled over.
"Ewww. Take him away now!" squealed Iris Midgen, a tiny second year, looking slightly green. "Don't let him be sick in here."
"Come on," Percival led Neville away, not looking at Ron who was hiding a snigger behind his hand.
"Will he be ok?" Iris asked Ron.
"He sure will. Madame Pomphrey is the best; she'll fix him right up don't you worry. Have you had Pepper Up Potion yet?" She shook her head. "Well," he smiled at her, "It makes steam come out of your ears. Just imagine what that makes me look like." He pursed his lips and puffed out his cheeks, blowing out the air when he heard her giggle. "Right then, do you need a hand with your homework?"
"No, thanks," she grinned at him and moved back to her where her friends were sitting in a circle.
"Padma said you were a right git to her at the Ball," Parvati said as she and Lavender moved over to where Ron was sitting on the ground.
"Yeah. I was," Ron admitted easily. "To busy being jealous to see what was right in front of me I guess," he said pulling his textbook from his bag. "Now can you explain what she meant about in the last lesson? She lost me once she started mentioning cycles of seven."
That was not the last night that they retreated to the Study room. It seemed that the escape from Azkaban was the fire in his belly that Neville needed to begin to push himself. Ron often joined them when he wasn't required for Prefect's duties.
"Hey Harry," Neville said as he entered the room.
"Neville," Harry looked up from the Arithmancy essay he was working on.
"Thought you guys might be able to help. I found this," he showed them a book.
"What is it?"
"You know how I sit next to Hermione in potions now. Well, she dashed out of the room the other day and I think this fell out of her bag. It's a bit odd, because as far as I can tell its next year's text."
"Yeah I saw it in her bag before the holidays," Harry said.
"It's got a lot the same hints in it that you've been teaching us, but, there's other stuff as well. Spells and things." He passed the book to Percival. "Thought they might be worth trying out."
Percival flicked through the book, "Most of them look harmless enough. They seem to be mainly based Latin, so it's easy to figure out what they should do. Levi Corpus or to lift the body and it's counter Libera Corpus to free the body. They could be useful. And this Muffliato, not Latin based but I bet it muffles sounds or something. Those should be safe enough to try out on each other." He continued flicking.
"Langlock, looks like a cross between language and lock so perhaps it stops you being able to speak?" He paused frowning at the words written on the next page. "Sectum Sempra for enemies…this one is not so nice."
"Why's that?" Harry, who had stopped studying to listen to Percival's mutterings asked.
"Sectum Sempra, based on the Latin it means to cut forever."
"That's…sounds….horrible."
"Hmm," agreed Percival. "It might be worth looking at but only for extreme circumstances. If we can find a dummy to practice on, I'll try it but otherwise no."
"Couldn't it help against Death Eaters though?" Neville asked timidly.
"Depends what it does. Cuts are made to heal. Using a Diffindo will cut but can be healed if used on a person." The younger boys both winced. "If it is a simple cut that stays open, and there is a counter curse then it is possibly only a little worse than using a Diffindo on someone, however, if it causes irreparable damage to the body then that goes against the natural order of things."
"But didn't Sirius say…"
"Sirius was trying to explain it in a way you would understand, and the easiest way to explain it is using necromancy. Regardless if there is a distinctly seductive malevolent feel to it, we will be treating it just like an unforgiveable." He paused to consider something. "Actually, we might need to find somewhere else to practice that as the school should have wards in place to either detect or prevent the casting of dark magic. In the meantime," he pointed his wand at Harry, "Levio Corpus."
Harry was hoisted into the air by a foot.
"Oi!" After that it was a bit of a free-for all as they ran around the room, each trying to hit one of the others with the spell, while dodging out of the way when it was cast at them.
"Harry Potter, Sir!" Dobby popped into existence by Harry's shoulder.
Bang
"Shite," Harry swore as his spell let go, dropping Ron on his head. "Sorry Ron!".
"Ow. That sure packs a punch Harry," Ron rubbed the back of his head as he tried to push himself upright.
"Um, Perce is there a spell to check…" Harry asked. "Sorry Ron." He moved over to support his friend.
Percival, looked the red-head over, then waved his wand, "Slight concussion," he pronounced. "We should take him to see Pomphrey."
"I'll go," Neville volunteered. "Looks like your House Elf, wants your attention Harry."
Dobby was bouncing on his toes, as he waited for them to finish speaking. "I founds it!" he said as they turned to look at him. With a click two trunks appeared next to the Elf.
"What?" Harry asked trying to remember what he had last asked the Elf to do.
"I has founds Harry Potters Lily and James's school trunks," Dobby squealed.
"Oh, oh, both of them," Harry whispered.
"We'll head to the common room when we are done," Neville told Percival. "So, he can take his time."
"Nev, if I find anything about your parents I'll let you know," Harry said as Neville helped Ron stagger out of the room. He turned back to look at the Elf, "Tell me everything!"
With his hands twisted in the apron he now wore Dobby wailed. "I looks and looks for trunks and couldn't find them anywhere. Then Dobby visits Harry Potter's Dogfather. Mr Serious Black says that trunks could be in old house."
"In their old house? Where's that?" Harry asked eagerly.
"Godric's Hollow. Lots of wards," Dobby said sounding a little smug.
"How did you get through them?" Percival asked.
"Dobby sneaky," the Elf's ears wiggled. "Wards keeping out, bugs, and cold and wet and peoples, but not Dobby. Dobby is having lots of practice with finding Potter things."
"So they were just there in the basement?"
"No, basement empty, they in attic."
"But Remus said he went and picked up things from the house and took them to Gringott's for me," Harry said.
"Many things gone from house," Dobby agreed. "To much broken, only Elves get to attic."
"Thank you, Dobby. If there is ever anything you need, just let me know," Harry smiled.
"Dobby asked already," the little house Elf said sternly. "Be asking Mr Serious Black if he wants House Elf?"
"Oh! I forgot. If you get the mirror from my trunk, I'll ask him now. Sorry," he apologised.
Two pops later and the mirror was in his hand.
"Sirius," Harry called.
"What time do you call this?" Sirius griped. "What are you doing out after curfew? This isn't fair the Maurader in me wants to commend you on your obvious rule breaking and the responsible adult in me wants to scold you and tell you to get to bed, because it's a school night!"
"We lost track of time," Harry tried to look contrite. "Nev found this old potion book and we were trying some spells out."
"Woah, hold up there Harry. Trying spells out? Who is supervising?"
"Percival," Harry replied, and Sirius could tell that he was rolling his eyes.
"Harry. If you are trying out spells you don't know. I want you to have a teacher on hand," Sirius looked at his Godson with concern.
"But…"
"No buts, Harry."
"Sirius," Harry whined. "Who do we ask? McGonagall never listens. I don't like Sprout after how she treated me last year. I don't know Babbling, Sinestra well enough. I suppose I could ask Snape?"
"No don't ask Se…Snape, between Dumbledore and Riddle he has enough going on. How about Flitwick?"
"He's ok I suppose, but he squeaked and fell off his stool the first time he read my name out," Harry pouted, making Percival and Sirius laugh.
"He's also non-judgemental and loves to see students learning new things," Sirius smile grew sly. "You know your mother was one of his favourite students, I bet he would have some stories to tell."
"Fine!" Harry noticed a pull on the bottom of his shirt. "Oh! Um, Sirius, Dobby knows a House Elf who is looking for a family. She used to be Crouches Elf but…Ow!" Harry rubbed his arm from where Dobby had given him a hard pinch.
"It's alright Harry, I get the picture. I would like to talk with her and see if she gets on with Kreacher before I make any commitments. Tell her to come and visit tomorrow after lunch."
With a nod, Dobby disappeared.
"Promise me, you'll have a teacher with you, if you are trying spells you don't know," Sirius pressed.
"But Percival has been teaching me heaps of spells," Harry whined
"Did Percival know these spells?"
"Well he knew what they meant," the boy hedged. "And there was one spell he wouldn't let me try."
"It's different if he already knows the spell. Harry," Sirius tried to explain. "He knows from experience how much energy it uses, what it does and how to fix it if it goes wrong. A new spell he won't know those things."
"Alright," Harry finally conceded.
"Good now get the Cloak out and straight back to the common room."
"But Dobby just found Mum and Dad's trunks." The picture in the mirror went so still that Harry had to ask, "Sirius, are you ok?"
Black, shook himself from the head down, though Harry noticed his voice was a bit gruff when he spoke, "Yes. I'm fine. Consider this your punishment for being irresponsible. Shrink them down and take them back to the dorm and look at the tomorrow."
"Fine."
"Harry," Sirius said.
"I get it Sirius," Harry said feeling slightly guilty.
"Goodnight," Sirius tried to fill his voice with all the emotion he was feel, while he really wanted to give Harry a hug. Why was it so hard?
By the time Harry had tucked the mirror into his pocket, Percival had already shrunk both the trunks and had the Cloak unfolded.
"Did you want to carry them?" he asked softly, holding the trunks out in one hand. Harry took them silently and put them in his pockets. "Come here," Percival coaxed, holding his arms out wide. Harry stepped in close and wrapped his arms around Percival's waist, burying his nose into the firm chest, as Percival closed his arms in.
"It's unfair," Harry complained into Percival's shirt.
"Which bit, the trunks or the spells?"
"Both."
"Think about it from his point of view. He doesn't know about my history, so it makes perfect sense to him for us to require supervision and he raised some excellent points. With curfew he is just trying to be a responsible adult."
"He's a hypocrite."
"Yes, though I think most parents are. Once they take on the responsibility for another being, they begin to see the world a bit differently and things they once did are no longer acceptable. It shows that he cares and loves you."
"You think he loves me?" Harry tipped his head back so he could see Percival's face.
"I think he loves you more than anything." Percival bent closer and gently brushed his lips against Harry's. "We had better go." He wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulders and flipped the Cloak over them both.
"Um, Professor?" Harry asked hesitantly, he had hung back as the rest of the class departed Charms, so he could speak with the Professor. It was only knowing that Percival, Ron and Neville would be waiting just outside the room that gave him the courage to ask.
"Oh, yes, Mr Potter," Flitwick smiled genially. "Do you have a question about the homework?"
"Um, I have a question, but not about the homework, Sir. I've always found yours to be well set out. I have a question about my mother."
"Oh," Flitwick squeaked. "I'm not sure how much of an old teachers wafflings you'll want to hear."
"Anything, Professor. You see Sirius and Remus both knew my dad well, but they don't know as much about my mother. Um Remus said there was a clause in his contract that had some restrictions….to do with me in it. Are you….?" Harry stopped unsure how to raise the question.
"Well, Mr Potter," Flitwick grinned mischievously, "being part Goblin comes with some benefits, including being quite good at negotiation. While I do have some restrictions, mine are not as tight as some. In fact, I am only limited by needing to wait until you approach me. Though we may need to disguise the meetings as some sort of study to avoid unnecessary complications."
"Are you allowed to help me study?"
"Hmm, not as such though I think we could get away with creating a fifth-year charms club."
The boy grinned, "Well then Professor, my friends and I have found a book and there are number of spells written in it that we would like to try out. My guardian has made me promise to only try them in the presence of an experienced teacher like yourself. Would you be available?"
Flitwick nodded. "Have you got the book with you?"
"Um, no we left it in the dorm. "
"Well bring it with you to our first meeting. Shall we say Saturday at three?"
"Three sounds great Professor, thank you."
"Oh, it is no problem Mr Potter. I've heard things from my cousins Mr Potter, and I am only too happy to assist. Don't forget to bring your friends. Now off with you before you're late for your next lesson."
He was nervous, long ago he had sworn to his brother that he would never ever do this. Yet here he was dressed all in purple like some old-fashioned popinjay. With a snort, he wondered how much Lily and James were laughing at him now. A bell sounded from the other side of the doors indicating that it would be soon be time.
Breath in.
Breath out.
Breath in.
The chime peeled again, and he raised his left hand towards the door, there was a slight chime and then the doors opened. He stepped forward into the light. Glancing around he could see the rows of seats spiralling above him, Albus Dumbledore was smiling and twinkling at him from his chair which sat on an elevated platform in the middle of the floor. A single light beamed onto a seat on the first tier.
"Ah, our first order of business is to welcome back, Lord Black. Are you ready to swear your oath?"
Sirius did not acknowledge that the man had spoken, he simply raised his wand skyward, "I swear that I shall honour magic, and take care of and protect her realm and all who dwell here, with honour, dignity and courage. On my life I swear, so mote it be."
It was their first Care of Magical Creatures lesson since Hagrid had returned. Harry and Ron had hurried the others away from their meals as soon as possible so that they were the first to arrive. They desperately wanted to give their friend a warning. After the latest education decree, Umbridge had commenced inspecting the teachers lessons. So far she had only attended Divination for the fifth years and it had been a bit of a debacle resulting in the women being placed on probation. Harry didn't want his friend to go through the same experience.
They found Hagrid standing on the patch of grass beside his house on the side near the Forbidden Forest. There were healing wounds visible on the large man's hands and a fading bruise over his left eye.
"Hagrid! What happened to you?"
"Nothin' Now tell me what's going on with you?" He nodded to Ron and Neville and stared for a moment at Percival. "Where's 'Ermione?"
"Um," Harry looked at his feet. "We don't talk much anymore. She's been different this year, and we're worried that something is wrong with her. I talked to Sirius about it but there is nothing we can do at the moment except keeping an eye on her."
With a shake of his head, Hagrid frowned, "She's been a good friend 'Arry. Remember with Buckbeak. Don't get rid of 'er jus' 'cause someone else comes along. She's already been along to visit me."
Harry tried not to sigh, of course she had already been to see Hagrid. He wondered if it was because she wanted to see Hagrid or whether it was so she could convince the tender-hearted man that she was in the right. He desperately wanted to believe that it was the first but had a sneaking suspicion that it was the second.
"It's not because of anyone else Hagrid. It started during the summer….." Harry began his explain before he was interrupted by a cough from Neville, who was glancing over his shoulder watching the other students approaching. With a start Harry realised that he hadn't even had the chance to warn Hagrid about Umbridge.
Rubbing his hands together against the cold Harry looked around at the group that had gathered on the edge of the forest. Hermione moved over to join them standing close to Ron and Neville.
"We're workin' in here today!" Hagrid called happily to the gathering students. Jerking his head back at the dark trees behind him. "Bit more sheltered! Anyway, they prefer the dark."
The Slytherins started whispering in slightly panicked tones, while the others stamped their feet trying to keep warm. Harry remembered the only other occasion; he knew of that Malfoy had entered the forest before now; he hadn't been very brave then either. While he wasn't opposed to any situation that caused Malfoy discomfort, he wondered whether it was the dark or the forest that was the problem. Perhaps all was not right in the world of the silver prince of Slytherin after all.
"Ready?" said Hagrid cheerfully, looking around at the class. "Right well, I've been savin' a trip inter the Forest fer yer fifth year. Thought we'd go an' see these creatures in their natural habitat. Now, what we're studyin' today is pretty rare, I reckon I'm probably the on'y person in Britain who's managed to train 'em."
Hagrid ignored the continued mutterings of the Slytherins, hoisted half a dead cow over his shoulder and strode into the forest. Harry glanced at Percival, Ron and Neville and with a nod they followed, leading the rest of the class.
They followed the path and it didn't take them to reach a place where the trees were gathered so close together that there was no snow at all on the ground. With a grunt, Hagrid deposited his half cow on the ground, stepped back and turned to face his class many of whom were fidgeting nervously.
"Gather roun', gather roun'" Hagrid encouraged. "Now they'll be attracted by the smell o' the meat but I'm goin' ter give 'em a call anyway 'cause they'll like ter know it's me."
He turned, shook his shaggy head to get the hair out of his face and gave an odd, shrieking cry that echoed through the dark trees like the sound of some monstrous bird. Nobody laughed: most of them looked too scared to make a sound. A minute passed during which Hagrid repeated the call, while the class continued to peer around at the trees for the first glimpse of whatever it was that was coming.
A pair of blank, white, shining eyes were growing larger through the gloom and a moment later the dragonish face, neck and then skeletal body of a great, black, winged horse emerged from the darkness. It looked around at the class for a moment, swishing its long black tail, then bowed its head and began to tear flesh from the dead cow.
A great wave of relief broke over Harry and he shared a small smile with Percival, "Thestrals."
"Righ' yer are 'Arry," Hagrid said. "Five points fer Gryffindor."
Most of the class were wearing expressions of confusion and were still gazing everywhere but at the horse standing just feet in front of them. There were only two other people who seemed to be able to see them: a stringy Slytherin boy standing just behind Goyle who was watching the horse eat with an expression of great disgust on his face; and Neville whose eyes were following the swishing progress of the long black tail.
"Oh, an' here comes another one!" said Hagrid proudly, as a second Thestral appeared out of the dark trees, folded its leathery wings closer into its body and dipped its head to gorge on the meat. "Now…put yer hands up, who can see 'em?"
Only four hands were raised.
"I knew you'd be able ter see it, Harry," Hagrid said seriously. "An' you too, Neville eh? An' –"
"Excuse me," said Malfoy in a sneering voice, "but what exactly are we supposed to be seeing?"
"Didn' yer hear 'Arry?" Hagrid pointed at the cow carcass on the ground, as if it were self explanatory.
The whole class stared at it for a few seconds, then several people gasped, and Parvati squealed.
"What's eating it?" Parvati gasped.
"Like 'Arry said, Thestrals!" Hagrid stated proudly. "Hogwarts has got a whole herd o' 'em in here. Now who knows -?"
"But they're supposed to be really unlucky!" interrupted Parvati, looking alarmed. "Professor Trelawney told me –"
"No, no, no," said Hagrid chuckling, "Tha's jus' superstition, that is. They aren' unlucky, jus' misunderstood. They're actually dead clever an' useful. Now who can tell me why some o' yeh can see 'em and some can't?"
Hermione raised her hand, but she wasn't the only one.
"'Arry!" Hagrid said almost reflexively.
"Um, because only people who have seen death can see Thestrals," Harry said quietly, ignoring the sniff from the girl standing to his right.
"Tha's exactly right," said Hagrid solemnly, "ten points ter Gryffindor. Now Thestrals -"
"Hem hem."
Professor Umbridge had arrived. She was standing a few feet away from Harry, wearing a green hat and cloak, a clipboard at the ready. Hagrid, who had never heard Umbridge's fake cough before, was gazing in some concern at the nearest thestral, clearly worried.
"Hem, hem."
"Oh, hello!" Hagrid said, smiling, having located the source of the noise.
"You've received the note I sent to your cabin this morning?" said Umbridge in a loud, slow voice, as though she was addressing someone both foreign and very slow.
"Oh, yeah," said Hagrid brightly. "Glad yer found the place all righ'! Well we're doin' Thestrals today."
"I'm sorry? Said Professor Umbridge loudly, cupping her hand to her ear and frowning. "What did you say?"
The question clearly confused Hagrid and it showed, "Er – Thestrals!" he said matching her volume. "Big -er- winged horses, yeh know!" He flapped his arms to demonstrate.
Professor Umbridge raised her eyebrows at him and muttered as she made a note on her clip board: Has to resort to crude sign language.
"Well….anyway…" said Hagrid turning back to the class and looking slightly flustered. " Erm…what was I sayin'?"
"You mentioned that Hogwarts has a herd," Harry said ignoring Malfoy as he snickered at Umbridge's loud mutterings as she wrote again: Appears to have poor short term memory.
"Oh Yeah," said Hagrid, throwing an uneasy glance at Umbridge's clipboard, but ploughing on valiantly. "Yeah, I was gonna tell yeh how come we got a herd. Yeah, so , we started off with a male an' five females. This one," he patted the first horse to have appeared, "name o' Tenebres, he's my special favourite, firs' one born here in the Forest –"
"Are you aware," Umbridge said loudly. "That the ministry has classified Thestrals as dangerous?"
Here Percival spoke up," Madame Umbridge they are a class four x animal, and are on the Ministry's list of animals that may be studied by students who are studying for their OWLs. You might not be aware that this in an OWL Care of Magical Creatures class." Harry was impressed at how pleasant Percival sounded.
Umbridge looked like she had swallowed a lemon but didn't respond. Instead she looked at Hagrid and said very slowly and loudly, "Please continue teaching as usual. I am going to walk," she mimed walking (Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson were having silent fits of laughter), "among the students" (she pointed around at the individual members of the class), "and ask them questions." She pointed at her mouth to indicate talking.
Hagrid stared at her, clearly at a complete loss to understand why she was acting as though he did not understand normal English. Hermione who had been simmering for a while as she stood beside Ron, now had tears of fury in her eyes.
"You hag, you evil hag!" she whispered.
"Erm…anyway," said Hagrid, clearly struggling to regain the flow of his lesson," so- Thestrals aren't dangerous, though they migh' take a bite outta yeh if yeh really annoy 'em-"
Shows signs of pleasure at idea of violence.
"No!" Hagrid tried to explain, looking anxious now. "I mean, even a dog'll bite if yeh bait it. Thestrals jus' have a bad reputation 'cause o' the death thing. People used her think they were bad omens, didn' they?"
Umbridge didn't answer, instead she turned to the nearest student and asked in a ringing voice, "Do you find, that you are able to understand Professor Hagrid when he talks?"
Pansy Parkinson had tears of laughter in her eyes, as she tried to respond, "No…because….well…it sounds…like grunting a lot of the time."
Umbridge scribble on her clipboard. The few unbruised bits of Hagrid's face flushed, but he tried to continue as though he had not heard Pansy's answer.
"Er right, so Thestrals. Well, once they're tamed, like this lot, yeh'll never be lost again. 'Mazin' sense o' direction, jus' tell 'em where yeh want ter go. Tha's why we use 'em to pull the school carriages-"
"Assuming they can understand you, of course," said Malfoy loudly, and Pansy Parkinson collapsed into a new fit of giggles. Professor Umbridge smiled indulgently at them and then turned to Neville.
"You can see the Thestrals, Longbottom, can you?" she said.
Neville nodded.
"Who did you see die?" she asked, her tone indifferent.
"I do hope," Percival said loudly. "that such uncouth behaviour is not demonstrative of the whole British Ministry. I had heard that they had rather better manners." He glanced sideways at her, noting her pause.
"What do you think of them?" she asked Neville, waving her stubby hand at the horses, who had now stripped a great deal of the carcass down to the bone.
Neville shrugged, "They're alright, seem quiet enough."
Students are too intimidated to admit that they are frightened: Umbridge muttered making another note on her clipboard.
"No!," said Neville, looking upset. "No, I'm not scared of them!"
"It's quite alright," said Umbridge condescendingly, patting Neville on the shoulder with what she evidently intended to be an understanding, smile.
"Well, Hagrid," she turned to look at him again, speaking in that loud, slow voice once more. " I think I've got enough to be getting along with. You will receive" (she mimed taking something out of the air in front of her) "the results your inspection" (she pointed to the clipboard) "in ten days' time." She held up ten stubby little fingers, then, her smile wider and more toad like than ever before beneath her green hat, she moved to depart the clearing, but she was stopped by a firm voice.
"Madame Umbridge, you placed your hands upon my person without invitation."
She turned to look at the boy who had spoken. Neville drew himself up to his full height.
"That is inappropriate behaviour in a Professor of this school. If I were you I would expect to hear more on the matter," Neville turned away from her a clear sign of dismissal.
Her face now puce in anger the horrible women bustled away.
"Well done Neville!" Harry said quietly, earning a small smile from his friend.
"Gran rather likes Hagrid, she thinks he's funny. When I tell her she'll know what to do."
As they walked back to the castle it was almost like old times, Hermione walked with them, still seething about Professor Umbridge.
"Oh it's not fair," she complained with a sideways glance at Harry. "That really wasn't a bad lesson at all- I mean when you compare it to the Blast-ended Skrewts. Thestrals are fine - in fact for Hagrid they are really good."
"So are you actually agreeing with Umbridge Hermione. Cause it sounds like you are saying that usually Hagrid is terrible but this once he was ok?" Ron asked, with a frown.
"Nooooo," Hermione hedged. "I just meant they were really interesting, and sure Professor Grubbly-Plank might not have shown them to us until NEWT level, but, well, they are really interesting, aren't they? The way some people can see them and some people can't! I wish I could."
Harry stopped walking suddenly and stared at her. "Do you?" he asked her quietly.
She looked flustered for a moment then horrorstruck.
"Oh, Harry - I'm sorry - no, of course I don't - that was a really stupid thing to say."
"I wish no-one had to see them ever," Harry whispered out hoarsely, Percival, stepped closer and wrapped Harry in a hug. While Ron, reached out and squeezed Neville's shoulder.
"Oh, hope that's alright mate?" Ron asked to break the tension. "You know the touching thing?"
Neville just reached out and shoved Ron sideways, "You're an idiot Ron."
Really wanted to put this in, but it just didn't seem to go with the flow, so I'll try adding it here. Please give feedback, if this does or doesn't work. Am still looking at a missing scenes fic, because there are some from much earlier I wish to add.
This fits in just after Harry's detention with Snape.
-cut-
"Mutt!" Snape called immediately he spun out of the floo into the kitchen of Grimmauld place. "Mutt. Where are you damnit!"
"Hold Your hippogriffs Sev…." Sirius registered who was speaking. "Snape? What are you doing here it's a school night?" he asked in astonishment, as the other man burst into the parlour
"Something is wrong with Harry?"
"What happened?" Sirius asked not even attempting to squash the burgeoning panic, rising to his feet.
"He hugged me!"
Sirius stared at the man, and blinked. "He hugged you?"
"Yes. After detention he hugged me said thankyou and left. It was very odd," Severus was astonished that the other man wasn't more shocked. "I think he is sickening with something."
"Let me get this straight. You are worried because he hugged you?"
"Yes!" Severus nodded emphatically.
"In fact, you are so worried that you think he is ill, and rushed over here to let me know?"
"Yes!"
Sirius started laughing, only Severus's glare managed to get him to stop.
"What do you want me to say?" Sirius replied to the glare.
"If he is not sick then why did he do it!? And why are you not more shocked and screaming and yelling and things?" Severus waved his hands around.
"You have to understand where he has come from," Sirius started to explain.
"I understand. He comes from the same place I did!" Snape protested.
"No," Sirius shook his head, and seeing the other man start to build up to protest. "Severus, no he didn't. He comes from the same place as I do."
"He wasn't molly coddled!"
"He was until he was fifteen months," Sirius refuted, "and so was I and then it changed." Sirius shook his head. "When Regulus was born, mother changed, she was always cold. Father wasn't but he was never there, always away on some business trip. There was no softness in this house. No hugs, or cuddles or soft touches. No love. Until you were older you still had your mother and you knew that she loved you."
An image formed in Snape's mind, his mother picking him up from where he had fallen over, she had knelt down, and held him so close that he could feel her heartbeat. Her warmth keeping away the chill wind. A gentle hand wiped his tears away and then she offered to kiss his grazed hands better. It was a magic kiss she had said, and sure enough the moment her lips touched his palms, his wounds had been healed.
"Neither Harry nor I have any memories of that kind of love and softness. Harry was a very tactile baby, always wanting to be held and cuddled. He gave kisses to everyone who walked in the door, even if I was in my Animagus form," he smiled fondly at the memory of the expression on a six-month-old Harry's face after he had given Padfoot a large open-mouthed kiss. "Then he was taken to a place where he was kept locked away from everyone else, no touches unless they induced pain. He wants that contact Severus. The softness that he doesn't rememeber having experienced before."
"He surely can't expect such softness from me!"
"No. I rather think he sees something similar in you and was trying to give it to you, instead." Sirius laughed outright at Severus's shocked expression. "I actually don't know why he hugged you. He was always a loving child, maybe Percival being around and talking to the healer has bought that to the fore again. Or perhaps he just wanted to thank you. Does it matter."
"No student has ever hugged me before!" In fact, he had made himself so unapproachable that they rarely came to him for any reason.
"Now," Sirius looked at his….friend. "Just exactly when did you start calling him Harry?"
- cut -