~~~~~~Harry's POV~~~~~~~
Harry trailed up to the office very soon after Snape left. He didn't really have any appetite, so he might as well get the interview over with. He greeted the ghosts and portraits that he passed on his way, until he came at last to the gargoyle barring the entrance.
"Liquorice Allsorts," he said dully, and stepped confidently onto the staircase to be carried carefully up. He found it hard to summon any sort of emotion actually, apart from pain and loneliness, and his present attitude was now very familiar to him.
He took a seat at the desk, politely waiting for Dumbledore to finish writing a letter.
"Good morning Harry, did you sleep well?" the old teacher asked amiably.
"Yes, thank you sir."
"Professor Snape tells me you've been having nightmares. What are they about? Please tell me, they might be very important for all of us."
"I doubt it. I see S-Sirius dying every time."
"Not Voldemort ever? Excellent, he's obviously learned that you won't fall for that one again so easily. Now, we hope to have another visitor here for the holidays, a young boy called Mark Evans. He'll be starting his first year in September, so it will be excellent experience for him. Do you know him at all?"
"Only by sight sir. Dudley bullies him regularly, and Aunt Petunia disapproves of his father. None of the children near my uncle's house talk to me."
"Hmmm. Do you have the photograph album that Hagrid made for you, by any chance?"
"Yes Professor, its in my trunk."
"With your permission then, acci album!"
The familiar, leather bound album appeared with a flash on the desk. Dumbledore picked it up carefully, and opened it to the page of wedding photographs, one of Harry's favorites, although how his teacher knew that, he didn't know. Maybe there was some other reason for his selection.
"Sir, isn't that Professor Snape's sister?" he exclaimed. He'd just noticed her for the first time standing next to his mother. He'd probably seen her before, of course, just hadn't taken any notice of her. "Why is she there?"
"He told you about her then?" Dumbledore asked, a curious, closed expression on his face.
"Well, there were pictures up, and he saw me looking at them and explained."
"Really, how very unlike him. She was your mother's best friend at Hogwarts, so it was only natural that they named her your godmother when you were born. She was engaged to Sirius, I believe, although I had no confirmation."
"That's what Snape said."
"Professor Snape, Harry," Dumbledore corrected gently. Harry rolled his eyes. The number of times he'd been reprimanded for doing that. . .
"Yeah, well I never knew I had a godmother until just now. Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"Probably because the memories hurt too much. She's dead, now, and I know for a fact that her death broke the lives of both Professor Snape and Sirius. I don't think that Sirius could ever bring himself to say her name again."
And now he was dead too, Harry thought guiltily. Still, maybe they were together again, with his parents as well and Cedric and all of the other people who were killed by Voldemort.
"Eeuuuuuwwww!!! That makes Snape practically like my uncle!" Harry said, pulling a face and trying to forget about all of the deaths the only way that he knew.
"Harry," Dumbledore said warningly.
"Sorry sir, Professor Snape then."
"That wasn't really what I'd wanted to show you. Do you know that man standing two along from Lily?"
"The one with the red hair? No, I don't think I've seen him before in my life."
"He's your mother's cousin, Rowan Evans. Petunia despised him practically the same amount as she hated James, but Lily was like a sister to him. I fear that Petunia forbade him contact with you and didn't even tell Dudley of your relationship. Mr Evans is Mark Evans's father, and he's probably been keeping an eye on you since you came to live in Privet Drive."
"So Mark would be my, uh, second cousin?"
"That's right."
Harry sat thinking about that for a while. He'd never even considered the idea of having any relatives other that the Dursleys, but if Aunt Petunia had hated that man so much, he must be okay, and Dumbledore liked him - always a good sign.
Suddenly, there was a muted pop, and three figures appeared behind Harry. He swung around to look. Snape was scowling again, looking his usual self.
"He insisted that I bring him along," Snape said sourly. Dumbledore stood up smiling, and Harry promptly followed his example, wanting to make a good impression.
"Good to see you again Rowan, you don't look a day older. Is this Mark then? He looks a lot like Lily."
"I know," the red haired man said with an indulgent smile. "Especially since he refuses to have his hair cut short. It's the latest fad, I think."
"Boys will be boys, I suppose. Please, take a seat. This is Harry Potter, I'm sure you recognize him."
Rowan Evans stared at him. Harry grinned at him, guessing what was running through his mind. Maybe, despite keeping a weather eye on him, his cousin had never seen him close up before.
"Pleased to meet you sir. I look like my dad, but I've got my mum's eyes, right?"
"Harry," Dumbledore said sharply. He relaxed again as Rowan grinned back.
"Well, yes, that's what I was thinking. How did you guess so quickly?"
"Its what everyone says. I'm sorry to have caused all of these problems for you."
"Not your fault, Harry. I wanted to ask if Mark will need new things for school, and how I can get hold of them. I seriously doubt I'll be able to go to a uh Muggle? shopping street. Lily used to talk about going somewhere special, taught me a lot of your jargon as well, like Muggle."
"Quite right. Yes he will, but we can sort it out easily for you. Harry needs some new things too, clothes especially, so a few wizards can escort them in sometime and make sure they don't get into trouble. Will you let Mark stay for the summer?"
"Oh yes, I'm perfectly happy for him to. It will be a bit of a blow, doing without him, but I'm out at the office most of the day, and its lonely for him at home on his own. I know he's been nervous about starting here, and it ought to help him settle down."
Mark was squirming in his chair now, his face going red with embarrassment. Harry tactfully pretended not to notice, although Dumbledore looked mildly amused.
"I'd be happy to introduce him to the wizarding world, sir," Harry volunteered, remembering how odd it had all seemed to him at first. "It can take a bit of getting used to, but it's better than the Muggle world by far."
"Call me Rowan, Harry, please. Think of me like your uncle, if you want, because that's a good way of describing it. And thank you, it would be good. Lily loved the school, I know, but I think even she was a bit bewildered at first. Will that be all, then?"
"Unless you have any other concerns?"
"None - what could be more logical than Mark spending the summer with his cousin. That's the story I'll be spreading around at home, in case you need to know. If Mr Snape will return to my house with me, I'll pack Mark some clothes for his stay. I know you wear robes, mostly, but he'll still need some things."
"If you would, Severus."
Snape reactivated the portkey, put a hand on Rowan's shoulder and they vanished again. Mark, Harry and Dumbledore were left looking at each other uncomfortably.
"Harry, why don't you take Mark and show him around, to Gryffindor tower perhaps. Whatever house he ends up in, it will be far more convenient for everyone if he shares a dormitory with you for the present. Go to the Great Hall for lunch, I will ask Mr Evans to eat with us - we've got a lot to discuss."
"Yes sir," Harry said, picking up the album. "Ii!" he said sharply, and it vanished.
"You've been busy over the holidays, Harry. You don't learn that charm in school for a long time yet, or at all, on the main syllabus."
"Nothing to do at the Dursleys' but read. I think I've picked up a lot of new stuff, but I couldn't try it out then. Now I'm at Hogwarts, its okay for me to use magic, isn't it?"
"Of course."
"Great. Shall we go, Mark?"
"Okay."
Harry trailed up to the office very soon after Snape left. He didn't really have any appetite, so he might as well get the interview over with. He greeted the ghosts and portraits that he passed on his way, until he came at last to the gargoyle barring the entrance.
"Liquorice Allsorts," he said dully, and stepped confidently onto the staircase to be carried carefully up. He found it hard to summon any sort of emotion actually, apart from pain and loneliness, and his present attitude was now very familiar to him.
He took a seat at the desk, politely waiting for Dumbledore to finish writing a letter.
"Good morning Harry, did you sleep well?" the old teacher asked amiably.
"Yes, thank you sir."
"Professor Snape tells me you've been having nightmares. What are they about? Please tell me, they might be very important for all of us."
"I doubt it. I see S-Sirius dying every time."
"Not Voldemort ever? Excellent, he's obviously learned that you won't fall for that one again so easily. Now, we hope to have another visitor here for the holidays, a young boy called Mark Evans. He'll be starting his first year in September, so it will be excellent experience for him. Do you know him at all?"
"Only by sight sir. Dudley bullies him regularly, and Aunt Petunia disapproves of his father. None of the children near my uncle's house talk to me."
"Hmmm. Do you have the photograph album that Hagrid made for you, by any chance?"
"Yes Professor, its in my trunk."
"With your permission then, acci album!"
The familiar, leather bound album appeared with a flash on the desk. Dumbledore picked it up carefully, and opened it to the page of wedding photographs, one of Harry's favorites, although how his teacher knew that, he didn't know. Maybe there was some other reason for his selection.
"Sir, isn't that Professor Snape's sister?" he exclaimed. He'd just noticed her for the first time standing next to his mother. He'd probably seen her before, of course, just hadn't taken any notice of her. "Why is she there?"
"He told you about her then?" Dumbledore asked, a curious, closed expression on his face.
"Well, there were pictures up, and he saw me looking at them and explained."
"Really, how very unlike him. She was your mother's best friend at Hogwarts, so it was only natural that they named her your godmother when you were born. She was engaged to Sirius, I believe, although I had no confirmation."
"That's what Snape said."
"Professor Snape, Harry," Dumbledore corrected gently. Harry rolled his eyes. The number of times he'd been reprimanded for doing that. . .
"Yeah, well I never knew I had a godmother until just now. Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"Probably because the memories hurt too much. She's dead, now, and I know for a fact that her death broke the lives of both Professor Snape and Sirius. I don't think that Sirius could ever bring himself to say her name again."
And now he was dead too, Harry thought guiltily. Still, maybe they were together again, with his parents as well and Cedric and all of the other people who were killed by Voldemort.
"Eeuuuuuwwww!!! That makes Snape practically like my uncle!" Harry said, pulling a face and trying to forget about all of the deaths the only way that he knew.
"Harry," Dumbledore said warningly.
"Sorry sir, Professor Snape then."
"That wasn't really what I'd wanted to show you. Do you know that man standing two along from Lily?"
"The one with the red hair? No, I don't think I've seen him before in my life."
"He's your mother's cousin, Rowan Evans. Petunia despised him practically the same amount as she hated James, but Lily was like a sister to him. I fear that Petunia forbade him contact with you and didn't even tell Dudley of your relationship. Mr Evans is Mark Evans's father, and he's probably been keeping an eye on you since you came to live in Privet Drive."
"So Mark would be my, uh, second cousin?"
"That's right."
Harry sat thinking about that for a while. He'd never even considered the idea of having any relatives other that the Dursleys, but if Aunt Petunia had hated that man so much, he must be okay, and Dumbledore liked him - always a good sign.
Suddenly, there was a muted pop, and three figures appeared behind Harry. He swung around to look. Snape was scowling again, looking his usual self.
"He insisted that I bring him along," Snape said sourly. Dumbledore stood up smiling, and Harry promptly followed his example, wanting to make a good impression.
"Good to see you again Rowan, you don't look a day older. Is this Mark then? He looks a lot like Lily."
"I know," the red haired man said with an indulgent smile. "Especially since he refuses to have his hair cut short. It's the latest fad, I think."
"Boys will be boys, I suppose. Please, take a seat. This is Harry Potter, I'm sure you recognize him."
Rowan Evans stared at him. Harry grinned at him, guessing what was running through his mind. Maybe, despite keeping a weather eye on him, his cousin had never seen him close up before.
"Pleased to meet you sir. I look like my dad, but I've got my mum's eyes, right?"
"Harry," Dumbledore said sharply. He relaxed again as Rowan grinned back.
"Well, yes, that's what I was thinking. How did you guess so quickly?"
"Its what everyone says. I'm sorry to have caused all of these problems for you."
"Not your fault, Harry. I wanted to ask if Mark will need new things for school, and how I can get hold of them. I seriously doubt I'll be able to go to a uh Muggle? shopping street. Lily used to talk about going somewhere special, taught me a lot of your jargon as well, like Muggle."
"Quite right. Yes he will, but we can sort it out easily for you. Harry needs some new things too, clothes especially, so a few wizards can escort them in sometime and make sure they don't get into trouble. Will you let Mark stay for the summer?"
"Oh yes, I'm perfectly happy for him to. It will be a bit of a blow, doing without him, but I'm out at the office most of the day, and its lonely for him at home on his own. I know he's been nervous about starting here, and it ought to help him settle down."
Mark was squirming in his chair now, his face going red with embarrassment. Harry tactfully pretended not to notice, although Dumbledore looked mildly amused.
"I'd be happy to introduce him to the wizarding world, sir," Harry volunteered, remembering how odd it had all seemed to him at first. "It can take a bit of getting used to, but it's better than the Muggle world by far."
"Call me Rowan, Harry, please. Think of me like your uncle, if you want, because that's a good way of describing it. And thank you, it would be good. Lily loved the school, I know, but I think even she was a bit bewildered at first. Will that be all, then?"
"Unless you have any other concerns?"
"None - what could be more logical than Mark spending the summer with his cousin. That's the story I'll be spreading around at home, in case you need to know. If Mr Snape will return to my house with me, I'll pack Mark some clothes for his stay. I know you wear robes, mostly, but he'll still need some things."
"If you would, Severus."
Snape reactivated the portkey, put a hand on Rowan's shoulder and they vanished again. Mark, Harry and Dumbledore were left looking at each other uncomfortably.
"Harry, why don't you take Mark and show him around, to Gryffindor tower perhaps. Whatever house he ends up in, it will be far more convenient for everyone if he shares a dormitory with you for the present. Go to the Great Hall for lunch, I will ask Mr Evans to eat with us - we've got a lot to discuss."
"Yes sir," Harry said, picking up the album. "Ii!" he said sharply, and it vanished.
"You've been busy over the holidays, Harry. You don't learn that charm in school for a long time yet, or at all, on the main syllabus."
"Nothing to do at the Dursleys' but read. I think I've picked up a lot of new stuff, but I couldn't try it out then. Now I'm at Hogwarts, its okay for me to use magic, isn't it?"
"Of course."
"Great. Shall we go, Mark?"
"Okay."