BLOOD OF THE MOTHERby BertaSSept. 2005

Chapter 17

Description: Harry has an early morning fright and we see some more correspondence.

Disclaimer: They are, sadly, not mine. They all belong to JKR

Dreams and Things

Harry woke to a scream. He was in the hall, wand out before he was totally awake. It took a few minuets for him to determine why he was there, and then there was another scream. It came from Snape's room across the hall.

He entered the room cautiously. Harry didn't know what was wrong and thought he was ready for anything. However what he found was not anything near what one might reasonably expect when entering the bedroom of a nearly 40-year-old man.

Severus Snape was curled against the headboard of the large bed with his hand in his mouth obviously stiffing the whimpering noises he was making. Huge tears rolled down his cheeks more in the manner of a young child, than an adult, that had been awoke by a nightmare.

Harry carefully approached the bed slipping his wand up his pajama sleeve. Not wanting to scare Severus any more he spoke very softly, "Sev, you okay?"

Severus started, looked at Harry and whimpered a little louder. Harry wasn't sure Sev knew who he was.

Without making any moves that Sev would interpret as threatening, Harry sat on the edge of the bed saying, "It's okay Sev, it's Harry. I won't hurt you. You're alright."

"H-H-Harry?" Snape asked in a whisper.

"Yes. Sev. Harry. What happened?"

Severus suddenly launched himself at Harry. As his long arms wrapped around the boys waist and he pressed his face into his master's chest he sobbed, "I was so frightened."

Harry automatically cradled the larger man albeit somewhat awkwardly. Having never received this kind of comfort he was unsure how to give it.

By the time Severus finally fell back into a fitful sleep, it was too late for Harry to attempt the same. Harry made sure that Severus was comfortable and went down to work on cleaning the kitchen. And have a cup of tea.

When Severus entered the kitchen several hours later, Harry was looking through some of the mail that was in the basket they had brought with them from Privet Drive.

"Good morning Severus, how do feel this morning?" ask Harry.

Severus shrugged, "I'm not sure. I… Harry…Master… you have yet to punish me for any of my mistakes please let me atone for them. I still don't understand what you expect." Severus was kneeling again but he was looking up and while his breathing was a little rough he wasn't crying.

Harry sighed; maybe he needed a different tactic, so pointing at a chair he simply said, "Sit". When Severus was seated in the chair Harry put a cup of tea in his hands, and sat across from him. "Explain."

Severus was sure that he was in big trouble, but he did not know how to explain. He had disturbed his Liege Lord's sleep, shouldn't Harry be angry for that. The Dark Lord had killed for much less.

Harry was watching closely waiting, when Severus spoke, "I am unsure what you wish to hear Master."

Harry cocked his head to one side and sneered, "Master? Am I Voldemort? Do you really think I would settle for that crap? Only hearing what I want to hear? Tell me, why do you believe any one has a right to tell you what to do, or to punish you?"

Severus knuckles where turning white on the cup he was still holding. "You are nothing like him." He rasp then took a deep breath to speak more calmly, "You accepted my services before the battle, then again at Gringotts." He forced himself to put the cup down before it broke, "You are my Liege, and I am yours to do with as you wish. You have the right of command the right to make the laws by which I live or die."

There was a strange smile playing on Harry's mouth as he answered, "I accepted you as a friend and a member of my family. Not, as a servant, you have the right to tell me to stuff my requests where they will never see sunlight again. And if my requests are stupid I expect to be told so." Harry sighed "I'm 16 years old; I have responsibilities that most have years and year of training for, not to mention having help to understand, I don't even know what is expected of a Head of Family. All I have is a 5 inch thick book and you, my friend, to help me. I don't know how my other friends will react considering the rot in the paper." Harry motioned to that days' paper with the front page showing a riot in front of Gringotts.

"I will do my best to be of assistance to you Harry." Sev said gravely. Hedwig flew in then and landed on Harry's shoulder, a letter in her beak.

Harry took it noticing it was the kind his Aunt always used.

Harry,

Someone sent me a magic letter that yelled really loud during dinner last night gave me a raspberry and shredded itself, it was really cool. Did you let that red haired woman know you are okay? Cause it kind'a sounded like her.

Good thing Hedwig stopped by this morning. I thought Dad would have a coronary. Mum is pissed about the flowerbeds evidently they are trampled almost beyond repair. I almost whish I had come with you since she is making me help fix them.

You said you didn't want to try to explain, well I had to. It wasn't pretty.

Hedwig seems impatient so:

See ya,

Dudley

Harry started giggling, he held out the letter, "Think we should go to Headquarters first Sev?"

Severus looked from the letter to Harry, "I… I think I wish to stay as far from Molly as possible. She may hex me first and ask questions latter. I also think I would like to have clean clothes. I have repaired what I have on, but it is not done properly."

Harry noticed for the first time that Sev was not wearing his jacket just the white shirt under his robes. He looked down at his own attire and realized he needed to change. "Okay, Hogwarts first then Headquarters, I'll send a note to Ms. Weasley letting her know I'm alive and safe."

Just before they left a large pompous looking owl came in with a small scroll.

Harry,

Congratulations, you did a better job of insuring your right to use magic freely than I could have hoped. I would never have thought to have you claim Head of Family status. Under some of the old laws still in operation you in essence declared yourself an adult. It, of course, took many in the department by surprise when three goblins came in with the paperwork and insisted on watching the destruction of your monitoring globe. I think you may have impressed them.

Of the three notices you received before your emancipation, I have cleared all but the first one and on that one, I am sorry, the minister pro tem is insisting you come in for a hearing. Let me know when you are available and I will set it up for in my office.

Director of Magical Law Enforcement

Amelia Bones

Harry was looking at the floor frowning while Severus read the letter from Amelia. "That is good news, is it not?"

"Yes mostly, but I just scrubbed the floor by hand; now I find out I could have used magic." Harry huffed.

Severus smirked, as he looked around the now nearly spotless kitchen "At least you have learned something in my class, my Liege."

Harry opened his mouth to make a scathing comment but suddenly realized the potions master was joking and smiled. "Is that what you were teaching? Here I was thinking I was there to learn potions. Umm. Umm. Umm." He shook his head.

They headed out the door to the back yard to apparate again with Harry supplying the power and Sev giving the direction. Severus was confident that Harry would be apparating alone by the end of the week.

Next chapter: Hogwarts

I think we go to Hogwarts and headquarters. Or maybe just Hogwarts?