Chapter 5 - explanations

"The flight is quite short – for us muggle at least, just a couple of hours, I strongly suggest you to . not . eat . what is called food while we are abroad Severus or I'll never see the end of your lamentations. Once at home you will have my leave to raid the kitchen, ad long as you will not hurt Marietta's feelings, she is a mother hen and I like her cooking, so be warned!"

Harry did his best to hide the chuckling as hiccupping but Remus didn't care to.

"If he has your leave Mistress, soon your kitchen will be transformed in his private lab and none of us will ever have the chance to taste your cook's work."

"And were am I supposed to brew your Wolfbane Lupin, or you would go without all summer long?"

Remus blushed and stared at the floor, he could not effort to offend the Potion Master, nor their Mistress, Severus had provided the only teacher who could really help Harry and after having sworn to obey he was already making fuss and insulting the hand who had provided help and shelter … his Marauder's bad attitude was endangering them all … again …

"Mr. Lupin you may be sure Severus will brew your potion in his lab, in the far side of the garden. I would never let him brew anything more dangerous then tea in the kitchen! And before you ask, yes I've stored your beloved brand my beloved, as well as some new ones you should find nice enough to satisfy your British taste …"

"Mistress, could you please call me Remus? I'm not really comfortable in being called Mister by my owner"

"Neither you nor Harry are properties, I've used your laws to bend things to my will, I would - and will - do it again as many times as it will be useful or swifter, but I would prefer to be a friend for you Remus, if you wish you may call me Morwenna "

"Nice to meet you Morwenna and thanks for offer us shelter in your home"

"You are welcome Remus"

Following the advice of Morwenna none of them took the lunch offered by the flight attendances but they accepted juice and water.

"You asked an explanation about my farewell greeting Harry, why do you feel an explanation is needed?"

"Because your words sound more a treat than a greeting. May you reap what you have soiled. Just the sound of it is dangerous and you are not a person to be crossed, if I may say this, Mother"

"You are right Harry, it is better not to cross me but I'm quite easy to please too …"

"Just like myself .." was the half voiced comment of Severus Snape

"Yes, just like yourself Severus, if our instructions are followed step after step young Harry, not only you will learn useful things that may save your life in the future, but also you will earn our respect, from now on you will be trained and treated fairly … both our fields are dangerous ones and you have better to pay attention, errors are not allowed on the Path of the Deads, if you misstep you will never come back, you would be lost forever, neither alive nor dead, lost in darkness and unable to help anybody else"

lost as Sirius is behind the Veil

This tought arose in Harry's mind following the words his mistress has delivered upon him with a soft voice, words that seeped deeply in Harry, making him shiver with fear, he was not going to be punished for his errors, no points taken from his House, no detentions … if he did not pay attention he would have to pay with his own life … and would endanger the lives of those he loved too.

"As for answering your question Harry, yes it was a course and not a greeting. I was granting them the gift of reaping in their next future whatever they have soiled in the past. They had mistreated you in the past – do not bother to deny it, I have eyes to see and ears to listen and not all your friends are known to you – then your relatives had left their greed and stupidity rule them one last time, your uncle had signed the contract who sold you as a slave and your aunt has not checked was she was signing, not bothering to understand what she was doing you; acting this way they had allowed me to ask the Above to grant them was they deserve. Geis is not just a word Harry, it is the inner core of the laws ruling the lives of all living beings, as a Guardian I've used my powers to cast their own geis unto them, they have forged the chains that will carry from now on."

"Be careful around a Guardian, Mr. Potter, she may looks safe and soft but her core is made of the steel of truth. She does not lie, she may bend the truth but she will never lie, nor will she ever let alone one of her Children, never. Mother is a title with many duty attached to and she had earned it many times, in this life and in the pat ones."

Harry looked his Potion Master in the eyes, feeling that he was hinting him something really important but unable to get it at once.

His attention as well as his confusion were not lost to the adults but Morwenna silenced Remus, if Harry could realize this was his first lesson ….

And Harry voiced his thoughts slowly but without fear, a question still lingering unspoken but not so bad to make him unsure or afraid of the future ahead …

"… and asking me to address her as Mother she had claimed me as one of her Children, therefore granting me protection and care as a Mother will do …"

he was not asking, he was not fishing for answers, he was stating the situation, wording the new status quo of his life, how everything had changed when his relatives had signed those papers … and Severus Snape could be trusted to tell him the pure unadulterated truth …

while everything around him was spinning and twisting, his Professor was the rock holding the future, so it was natural for Harry turning to him for confirmation of his deductions, of his hopes … and Severus Snape was there, with his dark obsidian bottomless eyes, with his hard face, with that thin lipped mouth for once not snaring at him …

"Yes Mr. Potter, from now on you are one of her Children, not a slave, not alone ever again. Be a good Child and pay attention so the wizard world may have a chance to survive the madness of Riddle and his minions."

"Will you ever be able to call me Harry, Professor? I know I'm not dear to you but I would really like to be called Harry by you … just to be sure you are addressing me and not my father … I'm not him …"

and he left the rest of his speech unspoken, but into those green eyes Severus could see it

I am not my father, I will not act as my father did, look at me … see ME

Dark eyes searched golden ones, speaking volumes in a brief glance, admitting feelings by long time hidden behind the spy-Death Eater-Great Git mask

"I will try … Harry "

"Thanks, I really appreciate this Professor. Thanks to you too Mother, I will pay attention and will do my very best to be a good Child of yours"

"I'm sure you will Harry"

Her smile was the most beautiful one Harry had ever seen and it was directed to him, it warmed his soul as a cup of hot cocoa in winter, making him feeling safe and cared for, making him feeling he belonged, he was no more alone, he had a Mother now who had claimed him as one of his Children … may be he would have siblings too … maybe …