Eye of the Storm
Chapter 12- Somewhere to Live
During the hour Harry had to wait he thoroughly inspected the room. He found that, along with the dresser there was also a spacious closet, even a specific place to hang shoes. 'Too bad I only have one pair of shoes.' Harry thought to himself before heading for the windows. He was shocked to find that the curtains were made of a very light material, he recognized it at once to be the kind that Aunt Petunia prized and only hung in her bedroom. Gently pushing them aside Harry looked at the scenery. A forest extended as far as he could see toward large hills in the distance. A small lake sat behind the house next to a good-sized greenhouse, no doubt holding all kinds of poisonous plants.
Harry laughed at the thought of Snape on his hands and knees pulling weeds out of his garden. His potions master simply didn't remind him of a gardener. The voice behind him made Harry jump.
"Ready Potter?"
Harry turned to see Snape standing in the doorway, his face expressionless.
"Yes professor."
"Follow me then." He said shortly, walking down the hall.
Harry rolled his eyes slightly before running out of the room and following Snape down the hall.
"Every door that is locked is so for a reason. Don't open them. There are four floors, counting the basement, one above this one. There is no reason for you to go up there, nor is there a reason for you to be in the basement."
Harry was silent as they walked the long hall to the stairs. When they got to the main floor, Snape showed him the dining room, library, study, more rooms that he was forbidden to enter, and the back door which lead to a beautiful backyard. Harry wondered why someone who lived alone needed such a large manor, then he realized it must be one of those old magical family traditions.
Snape lead him outside and they walked in silence for a long while until they stopped suddenly. "This is where you should go if I am out and there should happen to be a breach in the wards around the house." He said and took his wand out and waved it. A small shack appeared. "It is protected with only a cloaking device so as not to draw attention to it. If you should happen to be inside, or anyone for that matter, would be cloaked as well. However, I don't need to explain to you that although cloaked, you can still be felt and heard."
Yes, Harry knew that. During Christmas the previous year he had got a package containing his father's old invisibility cloak. He almost got caught wearing it by Snape himself while out in the castle late one night.
When he looked up Harry saw Snape watching him, as if waiting for an answer.
"Yes professor, I understand."
"Good. When we get back to the house it will be time for lunch. Breakfast will be at 8:00, lunch at noon, and dinner will be at 6:00. I expect you to be there, if your not I will assume you are ill and I will call Madame Pompfry to come check on you."
Harry nodded but didn't say anything. As they made their way back to the house a wonderful smell reached Harry's nose. It was shocking at first but he quickly got over it. Snape obviously had a house elf.
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Lunch was as good as it smelt and Harry wandered the house looking for his room. Snape had left him during lunch mentioning something about making potions and not to bother him. So now he was left to entertain himself. Not that he could see Snape trying to entertain him. The image of Snape wearing a jester costume and telling him lame jokes made Harry laugh.
Snape Manor was larger on the inside than it looked, more than once Harry found himself in the room he started in. Deciding to head to the right this time Harry walked down a hall that held portraits of the Snape family. It was almost like a life-size family tree.
At the beginning was Patricia Wise and Glenn Snape followed by their four children and the one that continued to Severus. Names like Malfoy, Goyal, and Black speckled some of the nameplates. Eventually the families grew smaller as fewer children were born. Harry could have sworn he saw someone with the last name Weasley before he got to Alexander Snape and Melanie Telos. The portrait after them was empty, the nameplate read Severus Snape.
Harry frowned when he realized that his potions professor would most likely never get married, let alone have a child. The Snape family line would end. 'It's for the best.' He thought to himself, 'Who would want another Snape anyway?'
With that last thought Harry walked a little farther down the hall until he reached the stairs. Going up one floor Harry saw the door to his room open. Relieved that he found his way around, Harry walked in and moved to open his trunk.
"It has been quite a while since I left you in the dining room. You haven't been gorging yourself I hope."
The way his potions professor spoke told Harry very clearly that he wasn't at all interested in his well-being. He was just there to be an annoying bastard.
"No. I just got lost for a few minutes." Harry said, meeting Snape's unfriendly gaze.
"I already showed you around once. Make sure it doesn't happen again."
Harry only slightly nodded before Snape crossed the room. "I will be in my lab the rest of the evening. You are to eat your dinner then come back to your room for the rest of the night." Snape went to leave but turned around, "Your name has no meaning in this house Mr. Potter. I couldn't care less who you are and what you're supposed to do."
Harry watched the door for a while fully expecting Snape to reopen it and verbally slash him again. It didn't happen.
TBC
I think I'm leaning towards having Snape be Harry's biological father. If that bothers you please let me know.