As strong as were are united.
Chapter Seven - Are they for me?
Harry looked at Snape for a moment, trying to judge whether he was serious. Snape was forced to break eye contact; the level of intensity and insight in the young boy's eyes was almost frightening. A true smile escaped Harry's lips as he realised that Snape meant every word that he had said.
Snape was stunned at the difference it made, the boy's entire face lit up with pure, undiluted joy, and his eyes lost their weary look. For the first time since Snape had laid eyes on him, Harry looked like a normal boy, rather than a little old man in a child's body.
"Mister" Harry spoke urgently "did you know my." he hesitated, "my mother?"
Snape replied in a quieter voice than he had used so far, "Yes Harry, I knew your mother, very well in fact."
"What was she like? Aunt petunia never talked about her, and she didn't like me asking questions." Harry seemed desperate for any information about the mother he had lost when he was just one year old.
Snape considered his answer carefully before replying. "She was kind, loyal, caring, and very smart, but she had a real temper when pushed, to be sure."
"Oh." Harry's voice was wistful as he said, "I wish I could remember her, or my Dad." For once the mention of James Potter didn't bring a scowl to Snape's face.
Harry and Snape sat in silence for several long moments, both deep in thought; Snape recalling memories he had long ago [pushed deep into his sub- conscious, and Harry wondering what it would have been like if things had been different, if Voldemort had never visited Godric's hollow on that fateful night eight years ago.
Snape broke the silence by pointing to the bundle on the bed, and muttering a spell "Engorgio". The package immediately became much larger, swelling until it was several times larger than it had been. Harry jumped with surprise at this unexpected display of magic, and, much to Snape's amusement, reached out a tentative finger to touch the bundle, seeing if it was solid.
When he found that the bundle was indeed solid, and not just a figment of his imagination, Harry grinned and muttered "wicked!"
Snape, who was fighting to hide a grin too, growled "well open it boy, I haven't got all day." Harry blinked in surprise at this sudden change of tack, but did as he was told. The package was full of clothes; everything was there, from several sets of underwear and pyjamas to a pair of very solid looking boots, and a thick coat.
Harry looked up in confusion. "Are they for me?"
Snape snapped out his reply, tired of sating the obvious. "Of course they're for you! They'd hardly fit me, you daft boy." With that sorted, Snape handed Harry some underwear "Put these on." He then picked up the discarded towel, rubbed the boys hair vigorously until it was dry.
Whilst Harry tried to recover his sense of balance, Snape quickly picked out several items of clothing and handed then to him. First came a light blue shirt and a pair of long, woolly socks. Next was a pair of red corduroy shorts held up with braces, a knitted blue, tick jumper with a roll neck collar completed the boy's new outfit.
"Can you tie laces?" Snape asked, totally business like.
Harry rolled his eyes as he replied; of course he could tie laces, like the Dursleys would have let him wear trainers. "Yes mister."
Snape noticed the eye-roll, but made no comment, simple handing Harry a pair of shoes. "These are for inside, the boots are for outside. You don't wear the boots inside or the shoes outside. Clear?"
Harry nodded whist he pulled his socks up, folding then over below the knee. When he had straightened up again, Snape had opened the cupboard door, revealing a full length mirror. Harry, curious as to what he might look like in his brand-new cloths, stepped forwards. Snape meanwhile was casting a critical eye over him from head to toe.
Apart from the fact that his knobbly knees stuck out amusingly sparrow like, Snape was satisfied that the boy, emerald eyes and lightning-bolt scar apart, looked nothing like the pathetic specimen that had walked in his door the night before.
He nodded. "You'll do lad."
Harry smiled, pleased that Snape was pleased, and then waited.
"Now, take these downstairs" Snape handed Harry a coat, cap scarf, gloves and the boots." Hang them up on the lower peg I put up in the hall. Put the boots on the stand underneath. I'll be down as soon as I've put the rest of these away."
Harry moved to do as he was told whist Snape began to fold up the other clothes still left on the bed, but hesitated in the doorway. "Thank-you for all the clothes mister."
Snape looked up briefly and flapped an arm in Harry's direction "Go on boy, get away with you, but be careful on the stairs." Harry grinned, and left the room. Snape placed the rest of the clothes neatly in the cupboard, and then made the bed, leaving a pair of starchy striped pyjamas under the pillow as he did so.
He then followed Harry downstairs, expecting to find him in the kitchen. Instead, he found Harry on the first floor, looking around with curiosity. To answer the question that he knew the boy was about to sum up the courage to ask, Snape gestured to each closed door in turn and said "Those two lead to guest bedrooms and adjoining bathrooms. That one leads to my room, and that one," pointing to the only door with a key in the lock, "leads to my private workroom."
Harry nodded, his curiosity at least for now abated, and began to descend the second flight of stairs, with Snape close behind.
Notes
I am so, so sorry you have had to wait till today to get this when you should have had it on Saturday, all I can say is that whilst it was written, it was not typed up, and we had family around all weekend, if I had been on the computer for longer than it took to check my email, my mum would have come and chucked me off! Sorry. On a brighter side, chapters eight and nine are written, and I am halfway through chapter ten already.
Jeaniebeanie33 - I hadn't planned to bring the Malfoys into it yet, but if I can think of a non cliché way to do it, I will try for you, but I can't promise anything.
LoMaRiBa - sorry about the typo, its meant to be grave at the end of the chapter, but hey, it works either way! You find out in chapter nine about why Snape picked Harry up, so you'll have to wait till then.
Wytil - I'm busted, yes one of the main reasons that I picked age nine was because I wanted there to be some time before Harry went to Hogwarts, but enough to have some interesting interactions, also, I think nine's a pretty important age, where you go from being a total child, to being less so, expected to be a bit responsible. I dunno, I didn't want a very young Harry anyway.
sparkle-2oo3 - You're not the only one to say the yes/no mister thing is getting tedious, and I promise there will only be a few more days until Harry gets a new name for Snape, and becomes less formal. Hope you can last till then.
Chapter Seven - Are they for me?
Harry looked at Snape for a moment, trying to judge whether he was serious. Snape was forced to break eye contact; the level of intensity and insight in the young boy's eyes was almost frightening. A true smile escaped Harry's lips as he realised that Snape meant every word that he had said.
Snape was stunned at the difference it made, the boy's entire face lit up with pure, undiluted joy, and his eyes lost their weary look. For the first time since Snape had laid eyes on him, Harry looked like a normal boy, rather than a little old man in a child's body.
"Mister" Harry spoke urgently "did you know my." he hesitated, "my mother?"
Snape replied in a quieter voice than he had used so far, "Yes Harry, I knew your mother, very well in fact."
"What was she like? Aunt petunia never talked about her, and she didn't like me asking questions." Harry seemed desperate for any information about the mother he had lost when he was just one year old.
Snape considered his answer carefully before replying. "She was kind, loyal, caring, and very smart, but she had a real temper when pushed, to be sure."
"Oh." Harry's voice was wistful as he said, "I wish I could remember her, or my Dad." For once the mention of James Potter didn't bring a scowl to Snape's face.
Harry and Snape sat in silence for several long moments, both deep in thought; Snape recalling memories he had long ago [pushed deep into his sub- conscious, and Harry wondering what it would have been like if things had been different, if Voldemort had never visited Godric's hollow on that fateful night eight years ago.
Snape broke the silence by pointing to the bundle on the bed, and muttering a spell "Engorgio". The package immediately became much larger, swelling until it was several times larger than it had been. Harry jumped with surprise at this unexpected display of magic, and, much to Snape's amusement, reached out a tentative finger to touch the bundle, seeing if it was solid.
When he found that the bundle was indeed solid, and not just a figment of his imagination, Harry grinned and muttered "wicked!"
Snape, who was fighting to hide a grin too, growled "well open it boy, I haven't got all day." Harry blinked in surprise at this sudden change of tack, but did as he was told. The package was full of clothes; everything was there, from several sets of underwear and pyjamas to a pair of very solid looking boots, and a thick coat.
Harry looked up in confusion. "Are they for me?"
Snape snapped out his reply, tired of sating the obvious. "Of course they're for you! They'd hardly fit me, you daft boy." With that sorted, Snape handed Harry some underwear "Put these on." He then picked up the discarded towel, rubbed the boys hair vigorously until it was dry.
Whilst Harry tried to recover his sense of balance, Snape quickly picked out several items of clothing and handed then to him. First came a light blue shirt and a pair of long, woolly socks. Next was a pair of red corduroy shorts held up with braces, a knitted blue, tick jumper with a roll neck collar completed the boy's new outfit.
"Can you tie laces?" Snape asked, totally business like.
Harry rolled his eyes as he replied; of course he could tie laces, like the Dursleys would have let him wear trainers. "Yes mister."
Snape noticed the eye-roll, but made no comment, simple handing Harry a pair of shoes. "These are for inside, the boots are for outside. You don't wear the boots inside or the shoes outside. Clear?"
Harry nodded whist he pulled his socks up, folding then over below the knee. When he had straightened up again, Snape had opened the cupboard door, revealing a full length mirror. Harry, curious as to what he might look like in his brand-new cloths, stepped forwards. Snape meanwhile was casting a critical eye over him from head to toe.
Apart from the fact that his knobbly knees stuck out amusingly sparrow like, Snape was satisfied that the boy, emerald eyes and lightning-bolt scar apart, looked nothing like the pathetic specimen that had walked in his door the night before.
He nodded. "You'll do lad."
Harry smiled, pleased that Snape was pleased, and then waited.
"Now, take these downstairs" Snape handed Harry a coat, cap scarf, gloves and the boots." Hang them up on the lower peg I put up in the hall. Put the boots on the stand underneath. I'll be down as soon as I've put the rest of these away."
Harry moved to do as he was told whist Snape began to fold up the other clothes still left on the bed, but hesitated in the doorway. "Thank-you for all the clothes mister."
Snape looked up briefly and flapped an arm in Harry's direction "Go on boy, get away with you, but be careful on the stairs." Harry grinned, and left the room. Snape placed the rest of the clothes neatly in the cupboard, and then made the bed, leaving a pair of starchy striped pyjamas under the pillow as he did so.
He then followed Harry downstairs, expecting to find him in the kitchen. Instead, he found Harry on the first floor, looking around with curiosity. To answer the question that he knew the boy was about to sum up the courage to ask, Snape gestured to each closed door in turn and said "Those two lead to guest bedrooms and adjoining bathrooms. That one leads to my room, and that one," pointing to the only door with a key in the lock, "leads to my private workroom."
Harry nodded, his curiosity at least for now abated, and began to descend the second flight of stairs, with Snape close behind.
Notes
I am so, so sorry you have had to wait till today to get this when you should have had it on Saturday, all I can say is that whilst it was written, it was not typed up, and we had family around all weekend, if I had been on the computer for longer than it took to check my email, my mum would have come and chucked me off! Sorry. On a brighter side, chapters eight and nine are written, and I am halfway through chapter ten already.
Jeaniebeanie33 - I hadn't planned to bring the Malfoys into it yet, but if I can think of a non cliché way to do it, I will try for you, but I can't promise anything.
LoMaRiBa - sorry about the typo, its meant to be grave at the end of the chapter, but hey, it works either way! You find out in chapter nine about why Snape picked Harry up, so you'll have to wait till then.
Wytil - I'm busted, yes one of the main reasons that I picked age nine was because I wanted there to be some time before Harry went to Hogwarts, but enough to have some interesting interactions, also, I think nine's a pretty important age, where you go from being a total child, to being less so, expected to be a bit responsible. I dunno, I didn't want a very young Harry anyway.
sparkle-2oo3 - You're not the only one to say the yes/no mister thing is getting tedious, and I promise there will only be a few more days until Harry gets a new name for Snape, and becomes less formal. Hope you can last till then.