Disclaimer: A not for profit fanfic. The Harry Potter Universe belongs to J.K. Rowling, not to me.
A/N – I am feeling particularly evil today. He he he.
This chapter doesn't say much really. The fun stuff is next chapter. I promise I'll get it up soon.
As always, thanks to everyone who reviewed. I love you guys!
*Gusha sticks her tongue out at sadilou who hasn't read it yet. What good is a secondary editor who goes off to work when you need her to read?*
*****
Harry was a few minutes late for lunch that day.
"Punctuality?" Severus said, frowning. They sat down to eat.
"Yes, I know how it offends you when I am on time, Severus, so I am trying to improve." Harry grinned.
Severus shook his head in mock despair.
Zinnia chose that moment to poke her head out of Harry's sleeve. "Sssss" She said, tasting the air. "New place?"
"The rooms where Severus lives." Harry told her.
"Father. Not father. Scary. Confused. Right?" She said.
"Something like that." Harry agreed. "Right." He had been telling her about Severus every day, but this was the first time she had come with him to lunch.
Severus was watching them with a very odd look on his face. "I can hardly wrap my mind around the concept of a Parsletounge at Hogwarts." He said. "Dumbledore warned all the professors about your new snake at the beginning of the term." His mouth twisted wryly. "I have been dreading it showing up in class."
"I have brought Zinnia to class many times." Harry said. "You didn't notice?"
Severus raised his eyebrows. "I didn't. That rather surprises me. I thought she would be a distraction, or cause a disturbance."
"She is very shy really. She tries not to attract attention much." Harry stroked her back.
"We all noticed her a dinner last night." Severus said wryly. "She has taken a liking to Longbottom?"
"Yes, she rather has." Harry agreed. "Neville is the only person who has held her besides me."
"Well, introduce us, then." Severus ordered.
Harry looked startled. "All right." He lifted Zinnia so she could see him better. "Zinnia, love, this is Severus. He teaches Potions and as I have told you, he is my father."
Severus did not flinch when Harry lifted Zinnia to his face so they could see one another.
"Smelly class? Dark room?" Zinnia asked, tasting Severus' smell. (Perhaps an awkward way to put it, but…)
"Yes." Harry agreed with her. He looked up at Severus. "This is Zinnia. She hatched the night of the opening feast."
Severus let out a very carefully controlled hiss.
Harry and Zinnia both jumped a little. Both had understood him. He said, in an odd, slurred accent. "My greetings."
"I…" Harry began, his eyes very wide.
"No, Harry, I'm not a Parslemouth. The Dark Lord thought it would be amusing to have us all learn a few words, is all." He winced a little at the memory. "I can also say 'take me to the master' and 'please don't bite me.'"
"Speaks." Zinnia said. "Sounds funny."
"He says he learned from another Snakefriend." Harry told her. "One who was not a nice person."
"Interesting. Smells like smelly class." She complained.
"Well, that's what he does." Harry told her.
She retreated up his sleeve and settled around his neck.
"What sort of snake is she?" Severus asked.
"A python." Harry said. "A reticulated python, actually. Her markings are beginning to show up. They look a bit like a net. That's where the name comes from."
"She is very good looking." Severus said. "You can tell her I said so."
Harry relayed the message.
"Ssss. Flattery." She said.
"A python can grow to be quite large, can't it?" Severus asked.
Harry grinned. "Yeah. Reticulated pythons are the biggest. Ron was compensating for not being able to get me something poisonous. According to my reading, she is likely to grow to be sixteen to twenty five feet long, and may live twenty five to thirty years."
"A long term pet." Severus said.
"A long term friend." Harry countered.
"Of course." Severus agreed pleasantly. "I have spoken with Madame Hooch." He said, suddenly changing the subject. "She has the equipment that we will need to teach you trick flying. She is checking it for soundness. Everything should be ready soon."
"Good." Harry smiled, but it faded quickly. "Severus, I'm worried about Malfoy. Do you think that we ought to make some sort of announcement before he starts rumors?"
"That is entirely up to you, Harry. It is your life. One thing to consider – despite our blood tie, the Potters are your parents. I have no legal claim on you, none at all."
"I almost wish you did." Harry admitted. "You are not as bad as I used to think. You are still aggravating in class."
"That is about discipline around dangerous substances, Harry." Severus scowled. "We have been over this before…"
"Yes, I know. We know each other's arguments inside and out." Harry smiled. "Maybe we should try debating from the opposite points of view."
"You mean I would have to defend the cauldron melting students?" Severus said with a look of horror that might possibly be slightly theatrical, but it was hard to tell.
"And I would have to try to justify intimidation and detention." Harry grinned.
"I think I'll pass." Severus shuddered.
Harry laughed. "Still, you have mellowed a little."
"Take that back!" Severus scowled darkly.
Harry laughed harder and Severus' scowl melted into what passed for a smile.
Just then Lupin's face appeared in the fire. "Harry? Severus? You have a guest."
"What?" Severus snapped. He turned to glare at the werewolf's head.
"Padfoot wants to talk to you. Would you like to come up here, or should we come to you?" Lupin asked blandly.
"Black is not welcome in my rooms." Severus said through clenched teeth.
"I guess we will go up there, then." Harry said. "We'll see you in a few minutes."
Severus growled. Lupin left the fire.
"I don't like it." Severus said.
"You just stressed that you have no legal claim to me. Well, Sirius does have one." Harry said. "The Potters named him my legal guardian. He is my godfather. He has a right to know what's going on."
Severus sagged in defeat. "Right. Let's go."
They trudged up to Lupin's office.
"Harry!" Sirius said as they walked in. He embraced his godson, ignoring Snape's growls. "I've been worried. No one will tell me anything."
Sirius held him at arms length to look at him. "Harry! You look even different than you did a month ago. What is happening to you?"
"The disguise Lily, James and Della placed on me is wearing off." Harry said.
"What?" Sirius looked completely confused.
"The Potters adopted me when I was a baby. Della was my mother."
Sirius' jaw dropped. "So he…" He pointed at Snape.
"Yes." Severus said.
"Oh, inverted enemy." Sirius said. "And life altering revelations."
Sirius sat, hard on the floor and howled into his arms. It was hard to tell if he was laughing, screaming or crying.
*****
Ah, the infamous cliff hanger. He he he.
The next segment will be out soon I need revise it and edit it one last time. Most likely in the next couple of days.
La la la la la. Sooner only if I get bored. Not too likely today. I have to cook dinner. A good meal takes all day.
Gusha waves at Darth Stitch. Welcome back! Lighter? Yes, perhaps. As for AR, I heard he was going to play Snape and I watched our copy of Sense and Sensibility to see if I could see him in the role. A resounding "Yes."
A/N – I am feeling particularly evil today. He he he.
This chapter doesn't say much really. The fun stuff is next chapter. I promise I'll get it up soon.
As always, thanks to everyone who reviewed. I love you guys!
*Gusha sticks her tongue out at sadilou who hasn't read it yet. What good is a secondary editor who goes off to work when you need her to read?*
*****
Harry was a few minutes late for lunch that day.
"Punctuality?" Severus said, frowning. They sat down to eat.
"Yes, I know how it offends you when I am on time, Severus, so I am trying to improve." Harry grinned.
Severus shook his head in mock despair.
Zinnia chose that moment to poke her head out of Harry's sleeve. "Sssss" She said, tasting the air. "New place?"
"The rooms where Severus lives." Harry told her.
"Father. Not father. Scary. Confused. Right?" She said.
"Something like that." Harry agreed. "Right." He had been telling her about Severus every day, but this was the first time she had come with him to lunch.
Severus was watching them with a very odd look on his face. "I can hardly wrap my mind around the concept of a Parsletounge at Hogwarts." He said. "Dumbledore warned all the professors about your new snake at the beginning of the term." His mouth twisted wryly. "I have been dreading it showing up in class."
"I have brought Zinnia to class many times." Harry said. "You didn't notice?"
Severus raised his eyebrows. "I didn't. That rather surprises me. I thought she would be a distraction, or cause a disturbance."
"She is very shy really. She tries not to attract attention much." Harry stroked her back.
"We all noticed her a dinner last night." Severus said wryly. "She has taken a liking to Longbottom?"
"Yes, she rather has." Harry agreed. "Neville is the only person who has held her besides me."
"Well, introduce us, then." Severus ordered.
Harry looked startled. "All right." He lifted Zinnia so she could see him better. "Zinnia, love, this is Severus. He teaches Potions and as I have told you, he is my father."
Severus did not flinch when Harry lifted Zinnia to his face so they could see one another.
"Smelly class? Dark room?" Zinnia asked, tasting Severus' smell. (Perhaps an awkward way to put it, but…)
"Yes." Harry agreed with her. He looked up at Severus. "This is Zinnia. She hatched the night of the opening feast."
Severus let out a very carefully controlled hiss.
Harry and Zinnia both jumped a little. Both had understood him. He said, in an odd, slurred accent. "My greetings."
"I…" Harry began, his eyes very wide.
"No, Harry, I'm not a Parslemouth. The Dark Lord thought it would be amusing to have us all learn a few words, is all." He winced a little at the memory. "I can also say 'take me to the master' and 'please don't bite me.'"
"Speaks." Zinnia said. "Sounds funny."
"He says he learned from another Snakefriend." Harry told her. "One who was not a nice person."
"Interesting. Smells like smelly class." She complained.
"Well, that's what he does." Harry told her.
She retreated up his sleeve and settled around his neck.
"What sort of snake is she?" Severus asked.
"A python." Harry said. "A reticulated python, actually. Her markings are beginning to show up. They look a bit like a net. That's where the name comes from."
"She is very good looking." Severus said. "You can tell her I said so."
Harry relayed the message.
"Ssss. Flattery." She said.
"A python can grow to be quite large, can't it?" Severus asked.
Harry grinned. "Yeah. Reticulated pythons are the biggest. Ron was compensating for not being able to get me something poisonous. According to my reading, she is likely to grow to be sixteen to twenty five feet long, and may live twenty five to thirty years."
"A long term pet." Severus said.
"A long term friend." Harry countered.
"Of course." Severus agreed pleasantly. "I have spoken with Madame Hooch." He said, suddenly changing the subject. "She has the equipment that we will need to teach you trick flying. She is checking it for soundness. Everything should be ready soon."
"Good." Harry smiled, but it faded quickly. "Severus, I'm worried about Malfoy. Do you think that we ought to make some sort of announcement before he starts rumors?"
"That is entirely up to you, Harry. It is your life. One thing to consider – despite our blood tie, the Potters are your parents. I have no legal claim on you, none at all."
"I almost wish you did." Harry admitted. "You are not as bad as I used to think. You are still aggravating in class."
"That is about discipline around dangerous substances, Harry." Severus scowled. "We have been over this before…"
"Yes, I know. We know each other's arguments inside and out." Harry smiled. "Maybe we should try debating from the opposite points of view."
"You mean I would have to defend the cauldron melting students?" Severus said with a look of horror that might possibly be slightly theatrical, but it was hard to tell.
"And I would have to try to justify intimidation and detention." Harry grinned.
"I think I'll pass." Severus shuddered.
Harry laughed. "Still, you have mellowed a little."
"Take that back!" Severus scowled darkly.
Harry laughed harder and Severus' scowl melted into what passed for a smile.
Just then Lupin's face appeared in the fire. "Harry? Severus? You have a guest."
"What?" Severus snapped. He turned to glare at the werewolf's head.
"Padfoot wants to talk to you. Would you like to come up here, or should we come to you?" Lupin asked blandly.
"Black is not welcome in my rooms." Severus said through clenched teeth.
"I guess we will go up there, then." Harry said. "We'll see you in a few minutes."
Severus growled. Lupin left the fire.
"I don't like it." Severus said.
"You just stressed that you have no legal claim to me. Well, Sirius does have one." Harry said. "The Potters named him my legal guardian. He is my godfather. He has a right to know what's going on."
Severus sagged in defeat. "Right. Let's go."
They trudged up to Lupin's office.
"Harry!" Sirius said as they walked in. He embraced his godson, ignoring Snape's growls. "I've been worried. No one will tell me anything."
Sirius held him at arms length to look at him. "Harry! You look even different than you did a month ago. What is happening to you?"
"The disguise Lily, James and Della placed on me is wearing off." Harry said.
"What?" Sirius looked completely confused.
"The Potters adopted me when I was a baby. Della was my mother."
Sirius' jaw dropped. "So he…" He pointed at Snape.
"Yes." Severus said.
"Oh, inverted enemy." Sirius said. "And life altering revelations."
Sirius sat, hard on the floor and howled into his arms. It was hard to tell if he was laughing, screaming or crying.
*****
Ah, the infamous cliff hanger. He he he.
The next segment will be out soon I need revise it and edit it one last time. Most likely in the next couple of days.
La la la la la. Sooner only if I get bored. Not too likely today. I have to cook dinner. A good meal takes all day.
Gusha waves at Darth Stitch. Welcome back! Lighter? Yes, perhaps. As for AR, I heard he was going to play Snape and I watched our copy of Sense and Sensibility to see if I could see him in the role. A resounding "Yes."