6. Introductions

A/N: The long-awaited meeting between Harry and Snape.

Minerva had put off introducing Harry to the staff for as long as she could. However, with Boxing Day past, there was no reason for her to avoid the Great Hall at mealtimes. "Mum?"

"Yes, Harry-lad?" She crouched so they were eye-to-eye.

Looking adorable in his solemnity, Harry asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Harry-lad," she assured him quickly, tousling his hair, which had been suffered to grow a little and thus be more manageable. His eyes had been changed from their bright green to a dark blue and a concealment charm hid his scar from view.

Albus, Minerva, and Poppy had agreed to keep the boy's true identity a secret for the time being, though Harry himself had been a little confused as to why it was necessary. "Why do I have to change my appearance, Mum? Do I not look right?"

"It's not that, Harry-lad," Minerva was quick to assure him.

Harry frowned as Minerva cast the spell that would change his eye color and lengthen his hair. "Then what is it, Mum?"

"You'll understand when you're older," Minerva finally replied after weighing her options as she cast the concealment charm on his scar. Naturally truthful, she had no wish to lie to her adopted son, but she didn't want to tell him about being the Boy-Who-Lived just yet.

Harry heaved a hefty sigh. "Adults always tell me that when they think I shouldn't know something yet."

"I'm sorry, Harry-lad." Minerva hugged him. "I promise I'll tell you when you're older."

He hugged her back without hesitating. "All right, Mum."

"Mum?" Harry's voice drew Minerva from her thoughts. He was gazing up at her with some concern.

She hugged him tightly; taking comfort in the fact that he didn't hesitate to hug her back. "It's all right, Harry-lad."

"Minerva, Harry?" Albus' voice preceded his entrance. "Ah, this looks like fun."

Harry laughed, greeting Albus with a hug. "Hi, Mr. Albus!"

"Hello, m'boy!" Albus returned Harry's hug with one of his own. "Are you ready?"

Harry nodded, pushing a lock of hair out of his eyes. "Yep! I'm hungry!"

"It has been my experience that little boys are hungry all the time," Minerva commented dryly as the three of them left her rooms, Harry's hands held by the two adults.

They chatted amiably amongst themselves as they made their way down to the Great Hall, but Albus could see that Minerva was becoming more and more tense as they drew closer. Even Harry noticed that his 'Mum' was being rather quiet. "Minerva?" Albus waited until she looked at him. "Everything will be fine."

"Thank you, Albus." Minerva smiled faintly at him just before they entered the Great Hall.

As they made their way to the table where the others were eating, a sardonic voice commented, "I didn't know you were hiring professors so young, Albus. Perhaps I should fear for my job."

"Nonsense, Severus," Albus countered cheerfully as he conjured a chair for Harry between himself and Minerva. "Your job is perfectly safe."

Harry clambered into the seat with Minerva hovering nearby as Severus rolled his eyes and snorted. "Severus, be quiet." Rolanda Hooch inserted from her spot beside Poppy. "Min, is he yours?"

"Yes, he is," Minerva replied and Albus knew the moment she said those words just how much trouble they were in, for every member of the staff looked from Minerva to Albus to Harry and back to Minerva. "What?"

Rolanda yellow eyes were gleaming. "Just how long have you two been together?"

"Whatever are you talking about, Rolanda?" Minerva asked, her brow furrowing.

Albus cleared his throat. "I believe she's referring to how long have you and I been together, Minerva."

"Oh." Minerva's cheeks grew very pink before turning to her friend. "We are not 'together', Rolanda."

Rolanda nodded to Harry, who was listening intently to the exchange. "Then where did the boy come from?"

"'The boy' is Harold McGonagall, my nephew," Minerva explained, laying a hand on Harry's shoulder when he flinched. The Dursleys had always called him 'the boy' and Albus knew Minerva would keep from calling him that as much as she could. "His parents have passed away and I agreed to adopt him."

Minerva's eyes swept the table, as if daring anyone to object. Harry was looking at the adults around him with a pleading expression that was hard for even the hardest heart to resist. Severus, however, seemed to be making an effort to resist the pleading eyes, "What do you intend to do with him while you're teaching, Minerva? Keep him in a bassinet?"

"That's enough, Severus." Albus stepped in firmly as Harry's head drooped. "I will be helping Minerva look after Harry." His own gaze swept the table. "I expect you to assist without complaint. Harry has experienced enough loss already."

Severus narrowed his eyes at Harry's nickname, but Albus met the younger man's gaze blandly. "I have more important things to do than look after a brat."

"Severus!" Albus exclaimed as Harry burst into tears. Minerva quickly gathered him into a hug, glaring at the Potions professor. "Minerva's workload is larger than yours, yet she is willing to be Harry's primary caretaker. An occasional afternoon watching him should not be too much ask of you."

Severus glowered, but said no more as Minerva rocked Harry, attempting to soothe him. "If I find any staff member mistreating Harry in any way, they shall answer to me, do I make myself clear?" Albus asked, radiating the power that had defeated Grindelwald and held off Voldemort.

There was a general chorus of "Yes," and Albus finally sat down, glancing over to see that Harry's sobs had subsided, but he was still in Minerva's lap. "Harry-lad?"

"'M Sorry, Mum. I don't mean to be so much trouble," Harry whispered, sniffling back the last of his tears.

"No, Harry-lad, don't feel bad," Minerva replied, smoothing his hair back from his forehead. "Do you think you can eat?"

He nodded, a smile appearing on his tear-stained face. "Yes, Mum."

"Go ahead, then," Minerva coaxed, letting him slide to the floor from her lap.

Harry climbed into his chair once more, giving Albus a watery smile. "Thank you, Mr. Albus."

"You're welcome, m'boy," Albus ruffled Harry's hair before turning to begin serving himself.

Everyone took this as a sign to begin serving themselves. Minerva busied herself pouring a bowl of cereal for Harry. "Mum?"

"Quiet, Rolanda," Minerva replied without looking at the flight instructor.

Albus chuckled as he passed a filled plate to Minerva. "Here you are, Minerva."

"Oh, thank you, Albus." She smiled as she accepted the plate from him.

He smiled back at her. "You're welcome, Minerva."

After the rocky beginning, the staff adapted quickly to Harry's presence between Albus and Minerva's chairs at the mealtimes. During the rest of the day, he could be found in either of their offices, playing quietly. The 'quietly' surprised most of the professors, but they chalked it up to Harry still grieving for his deceased parents. Only Minerva, Albus, and Poppy knew that it was because the Dursleys had preferred Harry to be quiet. The rest of the winter holidays passed quickly, with Minerva taking time to play with Harry each day. Albus, too, made an effort to spend time with Harry.

The return of the students for the spring term, however, overwhelmed Harry, who disappeared shortly after breakfast. Minerva assumed he was with Albus, while Albus assumed he was with Minerva, whose class was with second-year students. A panic at lunch was headed off by Rolanda's arrival with the missing boy. She'd spotted him running to the Forbidden Forest while doing laps on the Quidditch pitch and had decided to give him a taste of flying. This kept him occupied, while also helping him to forget what had precipitated his attempt to flee in the first place. "Thank you, Rolanda."

"No problem, Min," Rolanda answered with a grin, ruffling Harry's hair. "See ya, Harry."

"See ya, Aunt Ro," Harry replied, grinning himself. Then he turned to his 'Mum' and saw the look on her face. "Am I in trouble?"

Minerva waited until she'd taken him into the small antechamber behind the staff table before asking, "Why were you running, Harry?"

"I dunno." He shrugged. They were seated on a sofa Minerva had conjured with a wave of her wand, with Harry perched in her lap. Minerva waited patiently and was rewarded when Harry added, "There are a lot of other kids here now."

Minerva nodded, suddenly realizing what the problem was. "It felt like being lost at sea, didn't it?"

"Yeah." Harry nodded, looking relieved that she'd understood. "I didn't mean to make you worry."

Minerva hugged him, her heart squeezing with sympathy. One of six children and tall for her age, even at eleven, the crowds of students had been intimidating enough. She could only imagine how overwhelming it had been for five-year-old Harry, who was small for his age and had only grown up with his cousin. "I know, Harry-lad. It's easy to get lost in the crowd and feel very alone."

"May I join you?" Albus asked from the doorway, looking relieved to see that Harry had been found.

Laughing, Minerva and Harry gestured for Albus to join them, which he did. During the past week, Minerva had gotten used to sharing hugs with Harry and Albus, so she wasn't surprised when Albus' arms encircled both of them, his whiskers tickling as he kissed Harry's forehead, and then Minerva's cheek. She didn't hesitate to return the hug, or the kiss on the cheek.

They took a few moments to compose themselves before going out into the Great Hall for lunch. Severus gave Harry a sour look as Minerva helped the boy into his seat at the table. "I trust he won't be running again?"

"No, I won't, Uncle Snape," Harry replied, even though the question had been addressed to Minerva.

Severus raised an eyebrow at Harry and sneered, but Minerva could see the corners of his mouth twitching, as if to hold back a smile. "I did not ask you."

"But he's perfectly capable of answering for himself," Minerva replied calmly as she scooped food onto Harry's plate for him.

Severus snorted. "Wonderful."

"What would you like to drink, Harry?" Minerva asked her adopted son, ignoring Severus, who'd turned back to his lunch.

Harry studied the choices in front of him before replying with, "Milk."

"Milk it is." Minerva poured it into Harry's glass and, by the time she'd finished, Albus was handing her a plate of food. "Thank you, Albus."

"You're welcome, Minerva." Albus smiled at her before turning to his own food.

As Minerva began to eat, Rolanda came up behind the Deputy Headmistress and asked, "I thought you said there isn't anything between you and Albus?"

"There isn't," Minerva answered, her voice soft, "he's just helping me raise Harry." She smirked as she added, "Aunt Ro."

"Can I help it if he has good taste?" Rolanda asked with a grin. "See ya later, Min." Rolanda ruffled Harry's hair again. "See ya, Harry."

Harry grinned. "See ya, Aunt Ro."