Chapter 2
A Common Goal
Severus sat with Lena in his arms as they watched the fire in comfortable silence. Lena's eyes were drooping shut. "Sev" she murmured "Will Harry be okay?"
"He will, darling, with us on his side, he will accomplish great things. Did you know, he wants to be a magi-zoologist like our famous Newt Scamander and his wife Tina? He has either choice. His first choice was a Healer at St Mungo's Magical Hospital, but since he has met Zalina in the Chamber, he's done a complete 180 on his career choice." Lena chuckled "He has a unique gift. Perhaps India would be a good place to travel. Parcel-mouth's are worshipped there."
"Merlin, no, he would baulk at that, he hates it, 'hero worship is for fools' I quote Harry directly there"
"I'm ready for bed, I think, are you" Severus' perked up "Hmmm…. Now there is an offer I can't refuse" Lena smirked and pulled Severus up to his feet and he followed her swaying derriere eagerly.
—-
'Dear Dogfather'
'I got into my fourth year with Exceeds expectations on all my exams, I hope that I will continue in this fashion, as I need three Outstandings and four EE's in my OWL's, to qualify for an approved apprenticeship in Magi-zoology. Care of magical creatures with Hagrid is fairly easy going. Herbology, Arithmancy and Ancient Runes are really difficult though. Potions is getting much easier with Dad's instruction. Transfiguration is hard for me to grasp. Maybe I could swap it for charms, I hope?
'Can you spare some time to go to Chessington WOA Theme Park with me in the summer holidays? My girlfriend Hermione is hesitant to come to a park with fast rides but I said that it is very safe because we will be strapped in.'
'I am looking forward to our time, together immensely' Please write back when you can, dog-father' Love you lots'
Harry
—-
"Oh, Harry" Sirius sighed happily. He had been waiting for Harry's monthly letters like clockwork and enjoyed reading them.
He got his ink, quill and parchment ready and started writing that he was pleased with Harry's progress and that he would be delighted to take him to Chessington WOA Theme park with scary rides as Harry put it. A girlfriend already. Sirius knew how James had wanted to woo Lily properly and court her, he just went about it in the wrong way. And finally James had decided to grow up, he stopped bullying Severus in their 6th year after the debacle with Remus' furry problem once a month. That was a monumental gigantic mistake on his part, he had to admit. Sirius was done making excuses for his behaviour towards Severus in his youth. After their heart to heart in the Leaky Cauldron, Sirius realised a few things about Severus and himself. Sirius had been carrying around a lot of resentment because his mother and father were dark as dark could be. So he saw Severus as an evil, because of one evil wizard, and many dark magic practitioners came from Slytherin. His parents (specifically his mother, Walburga) had cursed him and abused him terribly. Regulus….his perfect brother who could do no wrong, joined the death eaters right out of school and he was worshipped by his parents… until he died. Now back to his letter, he could think of bad things and brood later.
—-
"Dad, Mum, guess what?"
"I won't be able to unless you tell us" Severus chuckled and Lena bought tea into their front room "I got Outstanding + on my ancient runes exam for fourth year. Hermione helped me to revise and I did it!" Harry got his exam result out of his bag and shoved it under their noses. Severus and Lena almost jumped for joy when they saw the Outstanding + and a 'Well done Harry!' scribbled on the bottom of the slip.
"You really did it Harry, this means you will get into your fifth year automatically." Harry peered up at his dad and he grinned. "I'm surprised I made it this far" Harry muttered "Don't you do that to yourself, Harry, you are smart, you have bundles of intelligence, and you use cool logic in all your lessons. All the teachers say you and Hermione are a shoe-in for Prefect status already." Harry got excited "Really, wow, I thought I'd caused too much trouble" Severus smiled faintly "You know why you wanted to venture out into the castle at night?"
"Why?" Harry asked quietly
"Because you were left an orphan by a terrible man and you were searching for acceptance, a family and love" Severus' eyes got watery as did Harry's
"I've got that in abundance, Dad, with you and mum, Hermione, Ron and Draco, and Luna is included too"
"Yes, you do, Harry, I am so proud of you"
Harry blushed and had a sudden urge to hide in his room from the compliments that he wasn't used to, Harry had low self-esteem from his time at the Dursleys. But it was improving slowly.
Severus saw that instinctually ingrained habit and hugged his son.
"I do love you Harry, one day, you might believe it" he sighed as Lena shed a tear at the beautiful sight. He kept hugging his son in pride.
—-
The Goblet of Fire AU
"You are bloody well joking, aren't you?" Severus said with acid in his scathing tone
"The Triwizard Tournament is going to be held here, Severus, Fudge wouldn't hear any other option. Like the Celtic Quidditch Stadium or the QPR Quidditch Stadium.
No! He just wants to stick out his feathered chest and show off Hogwarts as though we hadn't gone downhill in the Magical School League. Did you know we are fifth in the Best Magic Schools League?" Albus needed a calming draught after his meeting with Fudge.
"What! I thought that bringing back Magical Culture, Etiquette, Healing and Magical Law classes would improve our status, we didn't do it to have some death tournament here!" Severus snapped at Albus who could be rather naive some of the time.
"I think he's been bribed by a rogue death eater. Harry is no longer safe here, I didn't want to do this, but he may be placed in this tournament deliberately. We have to remove him to another school" Albus shook his head sadly
Severus went white "He was looking forward to a nice normal fourth year as a junior prefect. This is a disaster in the making, Albus, but, I'm beginning to see that you are making sense, by removing Harry from danger. This removes the chance of anyone putting his name in the goblet of fire."
"Actually, Minerva gave me the brilliant idea of having Harry go on a student exchange programme at Beaux-Batons for a year. To learn the french language and about another culture altogether is going to be a wonderful experience for him"
Severus smirked "I see you have been hiding that ace up your sleeve for a while. I take it that I have been placed in the teacher exchange programme for the next year as a DADA and Potions Professor at the Beaux-Batons school?" Albus just smiled and nodded. "My wife as well?"
"I may have had a word or two in the ear of the Raven-croft High Priestess in France, I gave Lena some excellent references to transfer for the year."
Severus smirked "You are a sly old man" he muttered, but inside he was overjoyed that his son and wife would be saved from Fudge's Machinations and spluttering about not having the boy-who-lived as his poster boy.
