Hi ya'll. I've been having some real problems with this chapter and, even more so, the one that follows it, which is the reason for the delay in posting. I apologize for that, but there really wasn't much I can do about it. It's here now, so I guess that's all that matters.
I've decided to stop replying to individual reviews here, but you all brought up a few things I'd like to address, because I can.
We're still not sure what's going to happen when Harry goes back to Hogwarts, you'll just have to wait and see. (Honestly, you all are way ahead of me, Harry's appearance hasn't even started to change yet!) As for Harry's appearance, Meggplant, you brought up a very good point. But don't forget, it's magic. I happen to agree that Harry ending up twelve feet tall is overdone, but I have not yet decided how this particular story will work out. I am still entertaining several options (which is part of what's taking so long.) Remember, too, this is a Severitus' Challenge fic and I intend to follow ALL the Rules.
I read lots of stories and I appreciate all reccomendations, but I can't promise when I'll have time or the interest to read all of them right now. I guess what I'm trying to say is please don't be offended if I don't read yours.
Thank you to all my reviewers, I really appreciate knowing what you do and don't like. You inspire me as well and I can't tell you how much your praise means. Thank you.
Okay, on with chapter 9
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Chapter 9
Ron and Hermione's replies arrived at breakfast the next morning. Harry had, at first, been unsure of what to write, but the words flowed easily and only twice had he been forced to stop himself from writing things he shouldn't. For the most part, the letters had told about his Aunt and Uncle and told that he was going into hiding. He'd also told him that all correspondence should go through Hedwig or Dumbledore, for safety.
The dining room had no windows, but apparently Hedwig didn't mind because not long after they had sat down, she flew in through the archway and settled neatly on the back of Harry's chair. Snape, who was seated across the table, looked at her intently. Harry removed the letters and fed her a piece of bacon.
"May I examine your owl?" Snape asked.
Harry looked up Hedwig. "I don't see why not." He held up his arm for the bird to step on, then passed her across the table, transferring her easily to Snape's outstretched arm. The bird ruffled her feathers at the man but subsided quickly when Harry said, "It's okay, Hedwig. Professor Snape is a friend now."
"Remarkable!" Snape exclaimed. "She understands everything you say?"
Harry shrugged. "She seems to." He fed her another piece of bacon as he began tearing open his letters.
Snape muttered a bit over the owl as Harry read Ron's note.
Harry,
Sorry to hear about your Aunt, I suppose. Though I'm not really sure what to say. I know that your relatives were horrible, but they were your relatives.
I hope where ever you are now is better.
Hey, I just got a letter from Hermione asking if I'd started on my homework yet. You didn't say anything to her did you?
-Ron
Harry grinned. He'd asked Hermione about the Potions essay, to see if she had any advice. Obviously she'd taken that to mean that Harry was well into his homework and begun nagging Ron. That was good, though. They both needed nagging occasionally.
Harry Moved on to Hermione's letter next.
Harry,
Sorry to hear about your Aunt and Uncle, that must have been horrible! I saw a bit in the Prophet about your aunt dying, I've included the article. It seemed Rita Skeeter simply didn't have anything to say on the matter. A Junior Correspondent wrote it.
Hermione went on to list several things that he should make sure to include in his essay as well as a list of reference materials that he would find helpful. He found the article pasted to the back of the letter.
"Harry Potter Orphaned Again
It seems that tragedy has once again hit young Harry Potter's life. He has been, yet again, orphaned.
After his parent's murder at the hands of You-Know-Who, little Harry Potter was placed in the care of his muggle Aunt and Uncle. It is not known exactly what occurred at the Dursley residence more than a week ago, but Petunia Dursley (Lily Potter's only sister) is dead and her husband is currently in a muggle prison; accused of her murder.
The boy-who-lived has been unavailable for questioning or comment. Young Potter was apparently injured at the same time as his Aunt's murder and is now in hiding and, in the words of Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, "recovering nicely in the care of friends and loved ones."
Some speculation has occurred about a third party that may have been involved in this horrible crime but so far there is no evidence that is the case."
Harry snickered at the article.
He was glad to see that Rita Skeeter was keeping her word, at least, she was while under Hermione's threats. Harry passed the article across the table to his father without thinking about it.
Last was Neville's letter. Unlike his other friends, Neville already knew about his aunt. Neville, actually, knew a great deal more.
Harry,
How are things going on? Were you right about them getting better? I really hope you were, you deserve to have something nice in your life.
My gran is doing much better already. Your owl found me as I was packing up my things to leave with my uncle, he's waiting while I write this, so I'll have to be brief.
Feel free to write me if you need anything, Harry. I don't know how much I can do (You seem to have really BIG problems) but I'm always ready to listen if you just need an ear.
Take care,
Neville Long bottom
Harry smiled at the offer of a willing ear and set Neville's letter with Ron's. Snape was frowning at the article, though Harry thought it really didn't bear that much consideration.
"What's wrong?"
Snape looked up at him. "There's something wrong with this article. I can't put my finger on it, but it's far different from your usual press."
"That's because it isn't accusing me of killing my aunt or being deranged or something. It also isn't going on about my love life (or lack thereof) and it isn't insulting anyone I know. It's making no accusations or assumption whatsoever."
The older man caught Harry's smug tone.
"Why do I think you have something you're hiding?"
"Oh, I'm not hiding it. Rita Skeeter is on a shorter leash now and I'm glad to finally have some say over what is written about me. Or rather, a good friend of mine has some say."
Snape raised an eyebrow. "It sounds as if there is a story there."
"Uh huh," Harry said.
"I don't suppose you're going to share?"
"Huh uh," Harry said.
"May I ask why not?"
"Because that would be telling and part of the agreement is that my friend and I won't tell," Harry's triumphant smirk did not fade. "I always keep my end of an agreement."
Silence fell while Snape worked out what this meant. When understanding dawned, he moaned, "Please tell me you are not blackmailing Rita Skeeter."
"I'm not blackmailing Rita Skeeter," Harry repeated dutifully.
"Potter!"
Harry's doe-eyed innocent look returned, but this time it was coloured with indignation. "I'm not! One of my friends is blackmailing Rita Skeeter. Don't worry, my friend wouldn't even be able to if Skeeter wasn't doing something illegal to start with."
Snape sighed and rubbed the bridge of his long nose with one hand. "Well, that's Gryffindor logic if I ever heard it."
The indignation was back. "Hey, how do you know my friend is even a Gryffindor? I rather thought the whole situation was handled in a very clever manner and that's a Ravenclaw trait. Not to mention the blackmail itself, which is most definitely Slytherin."
Harry frowned. "Though, come to think of it, I know of at least three Gryffindors who have at least attempted to blackmail someone in a position of authourity. I wonder if this whole house system isn't flawed?"
"I believe the house system was originally designed, not to segregate based on abilities and traits, but rather to put students with a teacher and classmates who would understand them best. And you are changing the subject."
"I am not. That was a natural conversation turn as the old topic was exhausted."
Snape glared.
Harry held his ground, however. "Look, I'm not going to tell you anymore about Rita Skeeter. It would get several people I care about into trouble they don't need. They are only trying to protect me."
The glare lessened and Snape deliberately looked away. He was too annoyed to keep this from turning into an all-out shouting match and possibly a duel and that was not what he wanted.
"The house system is not flawed, though I think that hat has a few stitches loose if you ask me."
The determined look on Harry's face faded to disbelief, and then into a smile. "Oh there is definitely no doubt about that one. Would you believe it tried to put me in Slytherin? Nearly scared me back onto the train."
Snape snorted into his juice. "It what!"
Harry grinned outright. "Yep, it kept telling me what I could do in Slytherin house. 'You could be great, you know,'" he quoted. "But if I hadn't already been convinced I wasn't Slytherin material, seeing Draco Malfoy sorted there was enough for me. I definitely did not want to share a dormitory with him."
"You were sorted into Gryffindor because you didn't like Draco Malfoy..." Snape said very slowly, with a strange look on his face. It was only a moment before he burst out laughing.
"What?" Harry asked, fighting laughter himself. When worded that way, it did seem rather funny.
Snape just shook his head and laughed, covering his eyes with one hand.
"Harry Potter, saviour of the Wizarding world would have been a Slytherin if not for Draco Malfoy."
Harry finally joined him in laughter. The man's face was totally different when he was smiling and his laughter had the contagious quality that occurred every so often. Harry thought that it was probably lucky that he didn't laugh more often, nobody would get anything done in his classes. Though they would probably be more enjoyable.
The laughter trickled off into comfortable silence, that was broken now and then by quiet snickers. After a time, Snape broke the silence.
"I spoke with the headmaster last night."
Harry looked up, but said nothing. Fear gripped him, wondering what the Headmaster would think of them being father and son. Would he try to keep them apart? Everyone knew they hated each other...
Snape seemed to realize what Harry was thinking. "Don't worry, I didn't tell him about... about us. I merely requested that he arrange for your friends to visit in a few days." Snape scowled. "He seemed inordinately pleased that I would ask such a thing and promised it would be done."
Harry, however, was not nearly as pleased as he had thought the boy would be. The boy was breathing heavily and his eyes were pressed tightly closed.
"What's the matter?"
He shook his head. "I'm not ready to face them. I'm not... I'm not ready to tell them yet. They'll never speak to me again, I just know it. I'm going to have to choose between you and them."
The older wizard was shocked. He hadn't realized that Harry was quite that attached to him. Sure, they had formed a friendship of sorts, but that wasn't quite the same as what the boy was implying. Obviously Harry, at least, wanted this friendship to be more, to be stronger.
Severus realized he should say something comforting, but he wasn't sure what that would be.
"I won't make you choose between us, Harry."
The boy looked up. "They will, though. They don't like you."
"And do you 'like' me?" Snape asked, honest curiosity in his eyes.
That made the boy pause. "I don't know. But..." He swallowed. "I want to."
Snape nodded slowly but said nothing.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
In the end, it was decided that Harry's friends would come and Snape would avoid them. They would only be here a few hours, so it wouldn't be terribly difficult. He spent most afternoons locked away in his laboratory anyway.
Still, Harry felt terribly guilty. He hated people lying and hiding things from him and that was what he was doing to his friends. Not to mention putting his father out of his own home.
Snape was secretly relieved. He knew it was childish, but he was in no greater hurry to share this secret with anyone then Harry was.
Part of it was the obvious. He was an ex-Death Eater and the boy was Harry Potter. There would be whispers and rumours. He would be accosted left and right. And that wasn't even considering what being a father would do to his reputation. His students would never respect him again.
But also, if he were entirely honest with himself, he was worried about what would happen to their relationship if they were forced out into public. They weren't even sure how they felt about each other yet. There was no way they could survive the outside world.
Harry wrote to Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Fred and George and four days later, on July 31st, they all appeared in Snape's drawing room with Professor Dumbledore.
"Harry!" Hermione and Ginny cried out in unison upon seeing Harry waiting by the door. They both ran over and hugged him tightly.
He was completely buried in hair and arms, which was fine for a moment. Finally, he was forced to say, "Uh, guys, air would be nice."
Both girls let go with muttered apologies and, not to be outdone, Fred and George gave him the same treatment. When they let go, laughing, Harry looked around and finally spotted Ron.
"I am not hugging you, mate," Ron said. Neville nodded his agreement and everyone laughed and even Professor Dumbledore smiled.
"Happy birthday, Harry," Dumbledore said. "I don't suppose you could tell me where Professor Snape is? I must speak with him."
Harry nodded. "He said he would be in his laboratory most of the day. Do you know where it is or should I take you?"
"Thank you Harry. As I have not been here before, a guide would be most appreciated."
Harry nodded. "This way, then."
He led the headmaster out of the drawing room and down the hall to the closed laboratory door. Unthinking, Harry opened the door and leaned in.
"Professor Snape, Professor Dumbledore is here for you."
"Thank you." Snape called as Harry ducked back out, gesturing toward the open door.
Dumbledore went inside and closed the heavy door and Harry turned to his friends.
"What?" he asked upon seeing their open-mouthed stares.
"You're staying with Snape?" Ron asked, finally.
Harry laughed. "The looks on you guys faces!" He turned and led them toward the stairs at the end of the hall, still talking. "Yes, I'm staying with Professor Snape. But this place is huge, I hardly ever see him. Just once in the morning and once in the evening," 'and in the afternoons when you work together or when you ask him for help with your homework,' Harry finished silently.
Harry led them all up the stairs and into his room, which was slightly less bare, but far too large for him to fill with his few muggle-safe belongings.
His friends gaped at the room, which was quite impressive when one thought about it. Harry plopped onto his bed while his friends walked around, eventually following him.
"So, what's going on? Why are you staying with Snape? What's been happening the last couple weeks? Why are you staying with Snape?" Ron began. Harry cut him off when it looked like he would continue in this theme for a while.
"Really, guys, it's nothing. Well, it's a lot of things, but nothing horrible. After my Aunt died, the blood protections my mother set up went all wonky. Snape has been studying them for Dumbledore for a long time and he knows the most about them. So I have to stick around and see Snape twice a day so he ca make sure I don't die or anything when the wards fail."
"D- Die?" Hermione stuttered.
"It's an exaggeration, Hermione."
"Well," Fred said. "We can see this..."
"Is a prime opportunity!" George continued.
Each pulled a small box out of their pocket and tapped them once with their wands. The matching boxes were covered in mini-explosions of fireworks, moving of course.
"Here you go, Harry," Fred said.
"These are the finest, newest," George was cut off by his brother.
"And mostly tested, don't forget that part."
"Too right! And mostly test products Wesley Wizarding Wheezes has to offer!"
The passed the boxes to Harry, who didn't hesitate to lift the lids. A shower of confetti flew out, covering the bed and most of the rest of the room. A few mini-fireworks flew about the room before tapering out.
"That was brilliant!" Ron exclaimed. Everyone else agreed quickly.
Harry was peering into the boxes as Fred and George explained.
"We're not marketing that effect just yet. It' s rather expensive and we have to wrap the boxes ourselves."
"But we're working on it!"
Inside the gifts were prank tools of every shape and size. Dungbombs that could be directed so that only a single person (or small group) could smell them. Multiple sets of skivving snack boxes, fog bombs (in multiple colours) fake wands in multiple styles, Canary cremes, and a dozen other prank snacks.
"These are great!" Harry exclaimed.
"And you've the perfect target handy," Ron chimed in while Hermione and Ginny offered the boys weak glares.
Neville was silent, for which Harry was grateful.
"No, guys, no pranking Snape."
Ron and the twins stared at him as if he'd grown an extra head. Harry sighed ans stood up. After checking the hall and closing the door, he sat back down.
"Look, Professor Snape would kill me if he knew I told you guys this, so you can't let anyone know, alright?"
Everyone nodded, the twins leaning forward, eager to hear what they hoped would be a juicy secret.
"James Potter and Severus Snape were horrible to each other in school. Ja- er, My father and Sirius took every opportunity to prank Snape and they were downright vicious about it. They were awful to him."
Fred and George high-fived each other and Harry glared at them. "This isn't funny. My dad was a horrible bully and his friends weren't any better."
Fred, George, and Ron all looked sheepish. "I don't want to be like that. I figure, eventually, someone's got to say, 'alright, this has gone on long enough.' So that's what I'm doing."
"Good for you!" Hermione said.
Harry nodded, feeling relieved. His friends agreed with him and he hadn't had to tell the big secret, just the little one. Everyone sat in silence for a moment, then Ginny jumped up.
"Oh, hey, why are we all just sitting here? Mum sent cake!" She pulled a tiny wooden box out her pocket. "Where's the kitchen? I want to set it down before Fred and George un-shrink it."
Harry jumped up and led the way back to the dining room.
The box turned out to be huge and it held not only a cake, but an entire three course dinner as well as more sweets than Harry had seen anywhere but Honeydukes.
After everyone had eaten and they were feeling kinda drowsy, Harry said, "Anyone up for a game of chess?"
"Hang on!" Hermione protested. "You haven't opened our gifts yet."
"Oh!" said Harry. It honestly hadn't occurred to him there were more gifts. Presents were pulled from pockets and un-shrunk by Fred and George. Hermione and Ron had gotten together to get him a wand-holster and a very thick book on duelling techniques. Neville had brought a self-watering pot with a miniature garden.
"It'll never outgrow the container it's in, so you can plant it in a garden outside, or a window box in the house. I thought it would be neat until you get out of school.
Ginny had gotten him a journal. A plain, leather-bound, muggle journal.
"I had mum take me to muggle London to get it. I've always kept a journal, but recently I like the muggle ones better."
Hermione frowned. "What's so special about a Muggle journal? I would think an enchanted one would be so much more interesting..." She then clamped her hand over her mouth, an expression of absolute horror on her face. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I completely forgot!"
Ginny grinned, though. "You're forgiven, Hermione. You did spend most of that year petrified. The thing is, there's absolutely nothing special about it, that's what makes it great. You can write in it for hours and it doesn't talk back, it doesn't try to keep you company, it doesn't judge you... and you can put a privacy spell on it so it can't tell your secrets no matter what. It's a perfect friend, sometimes."
Harry rather thought she had a point and gave her a quick hug. "Thanks, Ginny."
She blushed and ducked away, muttering, "You're welcome."
"So... Neville said, breaking the silence. "What else is there to see around here?"
Harry thought for a moment. "You want to see something cool?"
They nodded and he pulled them out of the room and up the stairs again. "This is my favourite room in the whole house..."
He took them to the far end of the upstairs hall and led them to the spiral staircase.
The sight of the glass room brought a chorus of ooh's and ahh's from his friends, who tore down the steps for a closer look. Ginny hung back.
"You're the one who is backing the twins, aren't you?"
Harry was startled. "What do you mean?"
"Don't play innocent with me! That may have worked a few years ago, but I know you better than that. The twins have been going on all summer about how they can't stop the business because it would make their investor unhappy. I think they just do it to annoy mum, but they obviously got the money from somewhere and you are the only person they know with that much money."
Harry gulped audibly. "Don't tell your mum, I don't want her angry with me..."
Ginny laughed. "You are probably the only person in the world that could get away with it, Harry. But I won't tell her."
Harry nodded, grateful.
"Actually, I think they are going to be quite a success. Their stuff is brilliant, really. Or at least, it was once they realized it all had to be on timers, they couldn't just last forever."
Harry laughed.
Suddenly, the room got very quiet as a man appeared in the middle of the garden, though he obviously didn't apparate in.
"Well, what's all this, then?" he said, scratching his short beard. The man was neither young, nor old, though he had a great deal of grey in his hair. He was rather heavy-set, and exceptionally tall, though not nearly as big as Hagrid. "I 'avent' seen kids in this 'ouse in... At leas' fifteen years!"
He looked around at everyone who had frozen in place. Finally, he said, "I s'pose one of you is Mr. Evans?"
"Me, sir," Harry said to keep one of his friends from saying something wrong. "I'm sorry, if we're in your way we can go. I just wanted to show my friends the garden."
"No, no! You all 'ave a good time. You're not botherin' me. I'm just checkin' the equipment."
"Equipment, sir?" Harry asked.
The man chuckled. "I see we need an introduction! My name is Randolf Harrison. I'm the only person on this continent who is capable of maintaining the instruments that run this greenhouse. My grandfather designed it."
"Oh," Harry said thoughtfully. "Instruments?"
Randolf laughed again. "Yes, instruments! What d'ja think, it was all run by magic? No, boy, let me show you."
He walked over to the nearest raised bed and reached down to the wall around it, sliding open a panel. "See here? The moisture sensors under the ground tell when the soil is getting too dry and turn on the irrigation system." He crossed to a wall. "And here, the temperature sensors tell when it's too hot or cool and open the windows or turn up the boiler accordingly. It's all automatic and not a drop of electricity used."
He said that last rather smugly and Harry smiled. The man's rather heavy accent disappeared when he was discussing his equipment and Harry wondered if it wasn't put on to start with.
"You said your grandfather designed it?"
"Yes, sir. My grandfather was commissioned by the late Gerald Romaine to build this room when his wife, Emmaline Romaine became ill. I believe these two were the current Mr. Romaine's grandparents."
He paused and looked around. "I don't suppose Mr. Romaine is around, is he?" Randolf asked nervously.
Harry smiled. "No, sir. He's, er, working on his novel today. He's hiding in his study."
Ron was edging closer and the twins had dropped to the ground and were sitting cross legged, listening. The girls were both paying rapt attention, as well. Neville was the only one not focussed on the story.
"Good, Mr. Romaine, he don't like people telling stories about his family."
"I know," Harry admitted. "I won't tell him if you don't."
Randolf nodded and continued. "Well, Emmaline got real sick, couldn't handle sunlight on her skin but she loved growing things so much. So Gerald commissioned this room to be built with shutters that could be pulled closed when Emmaline wanted to garden or just be around the plants and greenery."
He looked around sadly. "The shutters are gone now, once Emmaline died they weren't worth maintaining. There used to be a manual lift where the stairs are now. Poor Emmaline wasn't up to stairs in her later years but the lift wasn't terribly practical. It took two people to move it."
"This is brilliant!" Neville exclaimed, standing up from his examination of the mechanism. "Its all springs and pulleys!"
Randolf nodded. "Know something about mechanics do you, boy?"
Neville shook his head. "No, I know something about greenhouses. My gran's has a pulley system for opening all the windows at once, but someone has to pull it." Neville pulled open the panel Randolf had opened earlier. "You said it has moisture sensors, too?"
Randolf nodded again, and, with a huge grin on his face, began explaining how the system worked.
Harry pulled the rest of is friends aside. "Great job guys! I didn't know he'd be here, or I'd have warned you. Snape has really got to start telling me when he expects muggles to visit!"
"Don't you mean Mr. Romaine?" Fred asked with a giggle.
Harry glared. "Do you really want to start making fun of his family? I would think you would know what that feels like."
Fred fell silent.
"Now, let's all pretend to be muggles and I'll fill you in on the parts you missed later."
Randolf was in heaven, apparently glad to have someone interested in his delicate work. Neville helped him finish his adjustments and he stood.
"Well, I have to say boy,"
"My name's Neville, sir."
"Well, Neville, you certainly have a knack for this sort of thing. Look me up when you get out of school and you'll have an apprenticeship waiting for you. I know it's an outdated practice, but it's the way I learned..."
"That would be wonderful! Of course, I can't commit to anything now..." Neville said, obviously pleased with the praise."
"'Course not! But in a couple years..." Randolf turned toward Harry. "Well, Mr. Evans, if you would be so kind as to give Mr. Romaine my regards?"
Harry nodded and the man disappeared toward the stairs.
"So, what was the rest of that story, Harry?" Hermione asked.
Already regretting his promise to pass on the parts they missed, filled in about Snape's maternal grandmother being the first witch on that side of his family.
"Emmaline must have been his witch grandmother. I'd bet money the lift and the sun shades required magic and that's why they were gotten rid of after she died."
"Harry," George queried in an odd voice. "How do you know all this?"
"I asked," Harry replied simply.
His friends exchanged looks and Fred looked ready to ask further questions, but Harry started for the stairs. "C'mon, we've got just enough time for another piece of birthday cake before you have to go."
"Do you think the headmaster stayed all this time?"
Harry shrugged. "If he did, I'll bet they are talking about me," he said in a slightly put-out tone.
Harry was only partially right. Professor Dumbledore was fighting a losing battle with his curiosity where his two favourite students were concerned. He'd been glad to see them cooperating earlier in the summer, but Snape's request to take the boy into hiding at his family estate had nearly given him a heart attack. And now the professor had personally requested Harry's friends be allowed to visit for the boy's birthday.
He knew Harry and Severus were not on pleasant speaking terms. As far as he knew, the truce they'd started after the third task was the first civil moment the two had ever shared.
No one was sure where this feud between he two had started. He'd discussed it with several people close to both, but had not found the key. Harry had always been mistrustful of Severus, ever since the first time he'd seen the Professor to hear some tell. And, of course, Severus had that old feud with Harry's father to contend with...
The catalyst didn't seem to be there, however. He could not find a single reason for them to have become so combative toward each-other.
And now, seemingly, just a suddenly as this had started, they seemed to have ended it. All without a single word to him.
This was what bothered the old Headmaster. There was something happening between Harry Potter and Severus Snape, something big, and he had no inkling of it. He'd thought that they both trusted him.
"Ah, how are you today, Severus?"
"I am well if one can ignore the swarm of teenagers that have invaded my home," he said with a sigh, finally looking up from his work.
"If I recall, Severus, they are all here at your request." Dumbldore's eyes twinkled, though he didn't really feel it.
The younger professor sighed heavily as a flitter of laughter sounded outside the heavy door. Footsteps pounded as seven children headed toward the kitchen. "An idea I have regretted almost from the moment I received your approval."
Dumbledore thought he heard pain, rather than annoyance, in the younger man's voice.
"What is troubling you, my boy?"
Severus shook his head and paced the room for a moment before retrieving his notes from his desk.
"Potter's protective shields are practically gone. The more complicated under-layer of Lily's magic is fading much more slowly as it was apparently put together with more care. I'm guessing the outer protection layer was not added until the Potters went into hiding. This underlay was definitely started before that."
Dumbledore frowned. "And what does this layer seem to include?"
Snape shook his head helplessly. "I've identified everything from minor healing charms to appearance altering charms. There is protective magic there, as well and a hundred other things that I couldn't identify if I had Lily sitting here pointing them out to me."
The headmaster was stunned. "Lily, Lily, what did you do?" he muttered to himself. "And what made you feel you needed to do it?"
Severus cleared his throat. "I have made Potter aware of the ramifications of this information. I must say, he is rather worried about the appearance altering charms."
"I have to say, that is most perplexing," Dumbledore agreed. "Still, I'm sure we will discover what the motivation was with time."
Snape sighed inwardly with relief. The headmaster was dismissing this as inconsequential. They had a prayer of keeping this secret after all.
"Was there anything else, headmaster?"
The older man seemed to shake himself and came back to the conversation. It took some effort for severus to avoid all the older man's inquiries, discreet as they were, into his and Harry's relationship.
It was really annoying Severus that the older man would not leave the topic alone and he was near the point of flat out telling him to 'bugger off,' when a soft chime suddenly sounded from the older man's robes.
"Oh, dear me, it's time to collect everyone and leave. How the time flies when one is engaged in interesting conversation."
He swept from the room before Severus could protest and the younger professor found himself following him.
They found the children in the dining room, obviously finishing off a rather large cake.
The room was eerily silent as they approached, only Ginny and Hermione conversing. Everyone else was simply looking at Harry, who either hadn't noticed or was forcibly ignoring them as he carefully studied what appeared to be a small planter.
Correction, everyone was studying him, except Neville Longbottom, whom Severus had been surprised to see invited. Longbottom wasn't usually in Potter's close circle.
The timid boy was fishing in his pockets for something. He seemed to find it and passed Harry a folded sheet of parchment. Harry seemed delighted and unfolded it to reveal instructions of some sort.
"Come, our portkey leaves in five minutes!" Dumbledore called into the room, making most of it's inhabitants jump slightly and breaking the uncomfortable silence.
"Already?" Ginny Weasley asked, though most everyone seemed relieved at the interruption.
The Headmaster nodded and everyone stood slowly. Severus watched as Hermione rounded the table and enfolded Harry in a huge hug. The boy tensed slightly at the contact but returned the gesture hesitantly. Ginny Wesley gave him the same treatment which Harry reacted to slightly more favourably for having a warning. The Wesley twins seemed ready to do the same, mischievous grins on their faces, when Harry spotted him.
"Professor Snape!" he said, his tone almost grateful.
The room turned as one and Harry ushered them towards the door. "You really should be going..."
"Yes, yes, a portkey waits for no one," Dumbledore said merrily. They gathered at the end of the table and he held out a sheet of parchment. "We have, precisely," he checked a rather garish pocket watch, "sixty-seven seconds."
Everyone reached for the parchment and Harry said, "Thank you for coming, everyone!"
A chorus of, "Take care Harry!" and "Happy Birthday Mate!" sounded through the room, then the entire group disappeared.
The moment they had gone, Harry's relief became as palpable as the tension had been earlier. The boy sighed and dropped his shoulders heavily.
"I think I'm going to bed. I'll see you in the morning," Harry said. His eyes were blank and he seemed exhausted.
Snape just nodded as Harry left the room rapidly. It was still very early in the evening, so he returned to his lab to get some more work done.
