A/N Hello, welcome back!
Xikum – always good to hear from you. I received your email, I just misplaced it somewhere (yes that is possible, you'd have to see my inbox. I will get caught up on filing someday.) I've gotten a bit overwhelmed with stuff I need to do lately, I have not intended to neglect this story. Thanks for understanding. Anyhow, I hope you enjoy the new chapter.
As always, thank you to athenakitty, emeralddragonofslytherin, HermioneGreen, insanechildfanfic, HecateDeMort, Anarane Anwamane, LGM, Jedi Buttercup, Melwasul, xikum, starangel2106, Makalani Astral, Raclswt, Elbereth in April, Kateri1, karlin88, MikiBaby, and Lisa Liz for taking the time to review and for encouraging me to continue the story. I love hearing from everyone.
Chapter 11
Weasley's Wizard Wheezes
Severus hung his cloak on its peg and made his way across the dark room. He lit a fire before seating himself on the couch, stretching as he watched the flames slowly begin to warm the room. His son would arrive soon, but that knowledge did little to deter him form his present train of thoughts.
Supper had not gone well. He had to admit, the passing 16 years had treated his parent well, but their distrust of him…
They had asked about him, his life. It sounded accusing to his ears, the questions about his wife, why he had abandoned his son, actions he could never atone for. Their concern for him extended only as far as their grandson. He understood; they had reconciled themselves to his loss long ago. They had no son.
He desired forgiveness; he knew that he had made mistakes. Pride rescued and cursed him, Severus could not ask, and they couldn't give. Still angry about the fresh hurt of missing their grandson for 15 years, there was nothing that could make them understand why Severus had denied them a legitimate heir. They hid behind the gulf they helped create the day the disowned their only son. They made no secret of their stand. Henry should not be raised by a servant of Voldemort. He was their grandson, they would welcome him into their home, the son they should have had.
They wanted Henry to spend Christmas break with them, it was not a request. Severus stalled; some time would be acceptable, but not the entire break. They wanted custody, total and permanent. He pushed the papers back in their faces; he wouldn't give up his son, never again. He wasn't looking forward to that day in court.
"Severus?" Harry asked as he entered the room, breaking his father out of his muse. "The bonding; that is tonight isn't it?"
"Yes," Severus stated checking the clock. "It will take place in the garden. Dobby and Winky should have completed the preparations by now." He rose and started undoing the many locks and charms on the door to the garden.
"What will the bonding do exactly?"
"How much do you know about the abilities of House Elves?"
"Not much, I grew up in a Muggle family, remember?"
"How could I forget those…?"
You have known Dobby for awhile, what do you think of his abilities?"
"Well, he seems to have very well developed magical abilities. He doesn't need a wand to channel his magic. It seems fairly similar to Wizard magic though, the Ministry of Magic couldn't tell the difference between his magic and mine and sent me a warning for using magic outside of school once."
"What about the strength or power behind House Elf magic?" Severus asked the figure following up the many stairs to the staff garden.
"Dobbys magic seems pretty strong; he went up against Lucius Malfoy once and won."
"And was that an offensive or defensive move?"
"Well… I guess it was an offensive move, but he was defending me from an attack from Malfoy."
"You are correct in noting that House Elves have very powerful magical abilities. The offensive move Dobby made toward Lucius would not have been possible had he not already freed, a House Elf bound to a master cannot knowingly cause harm to that master in any way. Being bound to a family also increases their magical power because they can then tap into the united power of the family. "
"But… Doesn't that take away their freedom of choice? I wouldn't want to do that to Dobby. He is so happy free."
"Dobby and Winky both requested that they be bound to our family, it is their choice. I would not force this on them. They trust… probably you more than me."
Just inside the outer door Harry stopped his father.
"I would like to ask them again for their decision before the ceremony. It's not that I don't trust you, I just need to hear it from Dobby for myself."
"I understand," Severus replied, and they entered the garden.
The beautiful area that he had spent a happy afternoon with his friends in was no longer recognizable to Harry. Darkness enveloped what had once been a warm comforting place. Harry stumbled after his father in the late September evening, passing clumsily through the fragrant flowers that he could no longer see, toward a single light in the center of the courtyard.
The last time he had visited the garden after dark there had been torches lighting up the beautiful flowers and fountains. Heat had radiated throughout, keeping all visitors warm without the bulk of a cloak. Now, the darkness attempted to overwhelm the soft dots of the stars overhead, making them seem farther away than ever. Instead of the comfort he usually felt here, he found himself desiring to reach out for his father, anything to chase away the lonely emptiness that surrounded him.
Staring down at his toes to keep from tripping, Harry didn't notice his fathers' abrupt stop until he crashed into him.
"Sorry," he whispered; squinting at the tiny fire that provided the only light to the dark night.
The flames danced merrily, changing its soft colors from orange, to blue, to yellow, and then green. They lapped the top of the tiny desert-sized bowl they occupied casting their light in a fading circle, battling the blackness, and apparently losing.
The simple setting matched the ceremony. The binding of Dobby and Winky to the Snape family took only a few minutes of well chosen words. No complicated spells were involved; the only physical part of the ceremony was the burning.
Four fingers were placed into the flames, one from each of them. Unlike the harmless fires Harry was used to, the dancing flames burned their fingers, but he held still as the last few words of the ceremony were completed, this is what Dobby and Winky wanted, he would honor their request. They and their decedents would forevermore be tied to the Snape family. Looking across at his two small friends Harry knew in his heart that they would always be his friends. Never, even with the binding, would they be property. He would make sure of that.
The ceremony ended when the flame abruptly went out. Barely a second passed, before the garden was once again bathed in its usual warmth and light. Harry found himself tumbling to the ground beneath a strong hug from a very excited Dobby.
"You is officially Master now. I will serve you and your family well," the happy House Elf squealed.
Shaking his head, remembering Dobby's penchant for protecting him, Harry smiled and welcomed the two to the family. This would turn out well, he was sure of it.
Tuning out the chatter of the two new members of his family as they descended the stairs to his rooms, Severus stopped as a surprised shout escaped his son.
"WHAT?" Harry asked turning his confused eyes on Winky.
"Oh, yes Master! You is to have a great household returned to you," she nodded vigorously. "I have the list and is preparing for that great day!"
"What do you mean? List of what?"
"Youse House Elves, Master!"
"What House Elves? I don't have any other House Elves besides you two."
"Actually Harry," Severus calmly interrupted the conversation. "It is quite likely that you, as the sole Heir of the Potters, inherited more than just a vault at Gringotts."
Harry stared at his father a moment before returning his gaze to Winky.
"Yes, Master Potter. This is correct. The Potter House Elves have been waiting for you to come of age so they can rejoin their family. I has the list! All has requested to be rebound."
In a daze he completed the journey and crossed the room to a chair before the fire. He examined the list Winky held out to him. One hundred and fifteen House Elves, what was a fifteen year old boy supposed to do with one hundred and fifteen House Elves?
"As Winky said, you will not have to make a choice on this until you are of age."
"Have you seen this list?"
Severus reached over and took the list from his son. Reading the title he understood his sons concern. Printed in bold lettering across the top it read 'Potter House Elves Who Request to be Bound Immediately.' He sat down on the couch. One hundred and fifteen House Elves? He didn't have room for them all! He had already cleared out his private storeroom for Dobby and Winky.
"Perhaps we should discuss this with the Headmaster, although this list appears to be in his handwriting. I am sure he will have something to input into this situation. This may help you as well," he stated moving towards one of the bookshelves and removing a well-worn book. "I believe your friends are waiting for you, we will visit on Monday?" his face attempted a long neglected smile as he handed Harry the book.
"Um, yeah… Monday. I'll see you in class," Harry replied distractedly pondering an inheritance that should have gone to another.
Remus wandered the halls of his former school and job; it had taken to long to return from the post he had been assigned to with Sirus. He, at least, was content in the knowledge that his friend, as an escapee from Azkaban, would have far more difficult time of making the journey. It would still be a few weeks before Sirus arrived, in his estimation.
He greeted his former students, shaking the hands that reached towards him as he passed. Stopping to smile at a familiar face, Harry; he had changed some. Not much, just enough that Remus could see the man emerging from the boy. His hair has grown out a bit; it was now slightly longer than he remembered and was tied back at Harry's neck.
"Your glasses?" he asked.
"Contacts!" Harry greeted his dads' friend. "How have you been? Why are you here? How long are you staying?" he asked, barely stopping for breath.
"Fine, to speak with the Headmaster, I don't know but I promise I'll see you before I go. How about you?"
"Good, I've got homework… I'll see you?"
"Yes, see you later." Remus smiled as he watched Harry hurry down the hall towards the Astronomy tower. Why the young man had gone to the trouble and expense of Muggle contact lenses baffled the former professor. A properly licensed mediwizard could correct vision problems with a simple spell. Even those annoying spectacles James had taken on in their third year had only been plain glass. James was convinced the glasses gave his face 'character,' as he called it. Not that James needed anymore character than he already had.
The paper must have been wrong he pondered to himself. How could anyone question his linage? Potter looks with Lilys green eyes. There was no doubt in his mind that the boy was in fact the son of his deceased best friend. Shaking his head he continued on his way only to be stopped by the stone gargoyle guarding the Headmasters office.
He smiled softly as he was granted entrance; Dumbledore must know he was there.
"Ah, Remus! How good to see you," The elderly professor greeted him. "Lemon Drop?" he asked while pointing Remus toward a comfortable chair in front of the desk.
"No, thank you." Remus waited. He knew that his presence was expected yet the Headmaster gave no sign that he knew the reason for his visit.
"Have you a report?"
"No, no report," Remus smiled, the game had begun. Whatever had happened Dumbledore knew, and it was important.
"Yes, well… it is fortunate that you chose now to visit. I have just had a lovely afternoon with Mr. Lucius Malfoy. Delightful conversation! He did take the opportunity to echo the concerns some of the other parents are having."
"Really?" Remus asked, noticing the change of subject, a classic.
Dumbledore mused a moment before answering. "Yes, it seems some of the parents are unhappy with our new DADA professor. Professor Books came highly recommended; I had a great deal of difficulty talking him out of retirement to take the post. Unfortunately he is not as young as he once was. He has actively supported the parents in their call for his removal, wishes to return to his quiet life. I explained the difficulty I would have replacing him to the board, middle of the year and everything. But, the board is unmoved. That was Lucius delivery, notice from the board that I have three days to replace Professor Books. They were very considerate in the way they went about it, to be honest."
Remus waited, it was all a part of the game.
"Very considerate. They gave me free reign to bring in a new professor, no restrictions on my decision, just so long as Professor Books is returned to his happy retirement." Dumbledore smiled at his former employee. "I am hoping that I can talk you into taking the position."
"But?"
"No restrictions… That is what the decision from the board states. Both the professors and the students would love to have you back. Please?"
The game. Remus had not expected this turn. "Yes," He decided. "I will take the position. I enjoy teaching."
"Excellent, excellent! Make yourself at home in the staff wing you can take over with Monday's lessons, but this was not the reason for your visit, I believe."
"I came about this actually," he held out the now faded newspaper he had carried with him on his journey. "I cannot understand where such a report would have come from. Sirus seemed quite troubled by it as well. Surely, if anything of the sort had happened we would, if no one else; have known. I have been checking the Daily Prophet every day, there has been no follow-up on this report. A controversial headline such as this, at least there should have been a retraction."
"Ah," Dumbledore smiled, set the paper down, and popped another lemon drop into his mouth. "Lovely things, are you sure you won't have one?"
"Is there anything you can tell me about this report?" Remus asked, slowly getting annoyed with the game but hiding his feelings well. "It is obviously false, why was it never retracted?"
"Why are you so certain the report is false?"
"Lily went into the hospital pregnant and returned a few days later with a baby. How much more obvious can it be?"
"Have you ever visited James and Lilys graves?"
"Yes, many times! I don't see what that would have to do with anything." Remus growled slightly, this conversation was not one he ever wanted to have. He took a deep claming breath before continuing. "They are buried in the Potter corner of the Hogsmede cemetery."
"Perhaps you should visit them again, and say hello to their relative's while you are there. Tomorrow is sure to be a lovely day for a visit."
Remus understood the dismissal; he would get no closer to an answer tonight. A visit with Hagrid would not be out of order he decided. Maybe he could learn something there. He nodded his parting to the Headmaster before leaving. He was pleased with the return to his former position at Hogwarts but the lives of James and Lily were not fodder for a game. No matter who was playing it.
After hurrying through his Astronomy homework to catch up with Hermione and Ron who had already completed theirs, Harry left the chilly tower beside his two best friends. They had, in the past few weeks, found the least noticeable ways to enter and leave their private sitting room. At this point they were masters of the system and could easily enter or leave from either entrance without anyone suspecting. These days, an escape caused no more alarm than the many other disappearances the three had managed to pull off. So, seated on the furniture Hermione's parents had thoughtfully sent they got down to the business at the front of their minds.
"Two and a half Malfoy free years," Ron dreamingly intoned leaning back into the soft plastic of the couch he was seated upon.
"He didn't seem too happy," Hermione reminded Ron. "Perhaps he will manage to talk his father out of the transfer?"
"Don't ruin my good mood!" groaned Ron in reply.
Harry sat thoughtfully watching his friends debate their longtime Slytherin rival. There was one thing he didn't understand.
"He didn't tell…" he noted quietly, pulling his friends attention toward himself.
"Didn't tell what?" asked Ron.
"He was there that day in Diagon Alley; he knows that Severus Snape is my father. He didn't tell."
Hermione looked at him questioningly. "You're right," she finally answered. "The article in the Daily Prophet, everyone has been wondering about it. The Slytherin students have been teasing you about being adopted but no one has mentioned having any idea of who your birth parents are. He didn't tell."
"What does that have to do with anything? He's been horrible to all of us for years! So what if he didn't tell, we should still be glad that the git is leaving. It's just too bad we have to wait until break for him to go."
"Maybe he's changed Ron; he has been really quiet this year. I've barely seen him outside of class; usually he'd have been the first and loudest voice to complain about anything."
"What about that threat he made to Harry at the beginning of the year?"
"What threat Ron?" Harry asked. "His exact words were, I believe, 'best be careful this year Potter.' Where exactly is the threat in those words?"
"The words themselves sound like a warning. It was the way he said them that made us infer a threat," reasoned Hermione.
"You're mental, both of you. Malfoy is dangerous!"
"Ron, we are just…"
"You've only just completely lost it! I'm not listening to any more of this!" he shouted escaping to the Gryffindor common room.
"That went well," Harry mused.
"Do you really think there could be something going on with Malfoy?"
"I don't know what to think," Harry honestly replied. "But we should be going to bed if we want to get any sleep tonight, it's late."
"Right, goodnight."
"'Night."
Harry sat alone thinking awhile before he followed his own advice. Between sealing the court proceedings and legal blocks on the newspapers, he had managed to avoid most of the questions about his parentage. Only the one story had slipped through.
He expected to find the common room empty as he slipped quietly through it toward the staircase to the boys' dorms. But glancing around, he noticed it wasn't. There, in the far corner, two red haired heads lay snoring on the table before them.
Weasleys, Fred and George. He surmised puzzled as to why they sat sleeping in the common room, wands still in their hands, heads cushioned from the hard tabletop by stacks of parchment. Gently he shook the two awake.
"You have beds upstairs, you know. They might be getting lonely."
"Uh?" George asked blinking is eyes. "Fred, wake up! We fell asleep, we have to finish this. Fred!"
"Hmm? What?"
"Wake up, were never going to finish this order!"
"What order?" Harry asked, beginning to understand.
"For Wheezes,"
"The business has been doing well then?"
"Alright, it would be doing well if we could only fill the orders fast enough."
"They're coming in faster than we can fill them, especially with Halloween coming up."
"We just don't have time between classes, homework and Quidditch."
"Three weeks into the school year and we are already two weeks behind!"
"Well, is there anything I can do to help you fill the orders?" asked Harry.
"What?"
"You did make me a partner. It's only fair that I help the company that I am a part owner of, succeed. You shouldn't have to do all the work, what can I do to help?"
"Could you, um…"
"Make the boxes?"
Harry looked at the stacks of uncut cardboard and the few completed and decorated boxes. "Sure, just show me what needs to be done."
With three working instead of two the project the twins had laid out for the evening was quickly completed. After dragging his partners away from the table and shoving them forcefully up the stairs to their dorm he was finally able to stretch out on his own bed, falling into a restless sleep before his head hit the pillow.
Afternoon came too quickly for Harry, and with it Neville's attempt to gently poke him awake.
"You coming to lunch?"
"Agh?"
"I said; are you coming to lunch? You already missed breakfast."
"Ahm… yeah. Thanks for waking me," Harry replied. "I'll just be a minute."
"I haven't been able to wake Ron."
Harry remembered the chore typically left to him. No one else in their dorm had ever managed to wake Ron from his coma-like sleep. With Harrys' sleeping-in, it made sense that Ron was still asleep. "I'll get him."
Now, Harry knew of two ways to wake his friend, the easy way and the hard way. After his behavior the night before Harry was inclined more towards the hard way, only the fact that he wanted today to improve caused him to use the easy way.
He slowly pointed his wand toward his friend. "Avoir froid," he stated clearly, and waited. It wouldn't take long.
"Agh! You… I'm up. Take it off!"
A wave of his wand released the spell. "Good afternoon," he welcomed his friend to the day.
"Afternoon… Why didn't you wake me for breakfast? Some friend you are," grumbled Ron annoyed at missing his morning meal.
"I just woke up myself. I probably would have slept through if Neville hadn't woken me. Hurry up, would ya, I'm hungry."
"Oi, Neville! Why didn't you wake me for breakfast?" shouted Ron as he crossed the common room.
"Harry!" a red haired head called from the corner.
"After food," he called back. "Are you coming?"
"We'll grab something later."
"You're coming to eat with us," Harry dragged the twins out behind him.
A/N The companion to this story can be found at:
In case anyone was wondering if they were missing something…