BLOOD OF THE MOTHER by BertaS Oct. 2005
Chapter 19
Description: the guys go to Grimauld Place. And we hear Sev say "oops".
Disclaimer: They are, sadly, not mine. They all belong to JKR
You Can't Keep Him
The trip into the Chamber was quite uneventful and a bit anti climatic, although Sev was thrilled to actually be there, to see the statue of Salazar Slytherin, the snake pillars, the way the snakes crawled across the door when it opened was all fascinating. There just was no denying that it was just a big nearly empty room. The only thing there of real interest was the dead basilisk.
They gathered what they wanted, several sections of hide, more small fangs some of the bones, unfortunately most of the internal organs where beyond being useful and had to be discarded.
When Harry and Sev stepped into the kitchen at Grimmauld Place, nearly all the females and about half of the males in the room immediately mobbed Harry.
Severus' first instinct was to curse them away from his Liege Lord, but he knew that Harry would not be best pleased by that course of action. So he waited quietly for the hubbub to subside.
Harry for his part had his hands full, literally, with Tonks, Ginny, and Hermione all trying to hug him at the same time. Ron simply wrapped his arms around them all in a group hug. While Lupin and the Weasley twins, hovered on the edge of the group patting Harry on any area they could reach.
Molly quickly took control of the situation by insisting that every one 'let the poor boy breath' when he was finally unencumbered she promptly tried to hug the stuffing out of him, causing Sev to snigger.
Sev realized he had made a mistake when she gave him the same treatment, whispering "How are you feeling, Severus?"
He surprised her, and himself, by actually hugging her back and whispering a response, "Frightened but happy. Thank you Molly." Yes, the 'golden rule' Harry had given him would be hard, but as Harry had said it was worth it.
Molly was beyond shocked, she had actually expected to have him push her away and sneer at her for her sentimental nonsense. She was quite pleased that he not only allowed the familiarity but also returned it along with a confidence.
Everyone else in the room, except Harry, had stopped to stare with dumfounded looks. Harry knowing that it had only been about forty-eight hours since the Dark Mark had been removed was the only one who could tell how hard this was for Sev.
Ron suddenly whispered in a way that the whole room heard "Oi, mate, what'd you do to Snape?"
"Oh honestly Ron, I know you have seen the paper and there was no silencing charm up for the meeting last night, I'm surprised the neighbors couldn't hear what Harry did." She turned to Harry and continued solemnly. "I'm sorry Harry but from what I've read and what Professor Dumbledore said, I may have to be cross with you. What where you thinking? Putting your own mark on the Professor? And using 'Blood Magic' to do it?"
The way she said 'Blood Magic' you would have thought she was talking of sacrificing virgins in a dark ritual instead of the two or three ounces of blood Dudley had actually given.
Harry frowned, "You don't actually believe every thing in the Prophet? You know how they are. And after what I've found out about Dumbledore, he has no right to criticize anything I do. Also in case you missed it in your reading, blood freely given cannot be used for Dark purposes, intent makes a big difference too. I changed the Dark Mark into a mark of protection; it makes it impossible for anyone to ever control Severus through that mark. From what I've read using Dudley's blood the way we did, in effect makes Sev, his blood brother, kind of like the red Indians in the American old west used to do."
Severus made a choking sound and Harry turned to him, "I told you, you are family, and 'blood brother' is the easiest most accurate way to explain it.
"Harry, you can't keep him you know." Ginny huffed with a scowl at both Harry and Snape.
Harry grinned, "The choice is his Gin." Looking up at Sev, "Professor, I have no objection to you staying with me for as long as you wish. I won't send you away."
Arthur spoke for the first time, "Of course you won't. One does not simply send family away; however they may leave of their own accord." He was reminding his family that they would always have a place in his home. "Speaking of which, I understand you have left the Dursleys, will you need a place to stay, being as we count you as family?" There where many nods and several muttered affirmatives from the other Weasleys.
"Thanks, Mr. Weasley we have a place to stay that no one can find us. We kind of planed to hide out for a few days at least. We have to meet with Madam Bones and the new Minister soon, the Goblins said they would send out notices on the reading of Sirius' will, then there are The Trials which I've been ask to attend. Hopefully we can be done with most of that before school starts.
They all settled down at the table and Molly served them tea and snacks. When she noticed Harry and Severus where eating hungrily she added sandwiches to the impromptu menu.
While they were eating there was a noise near the storeroom and Severus reached down and was suddenly holding a gnarled old house elf in a tattered loincloth. "The one thing I actually agreed with Black on was that this toe-rag needed dealt with properly." Shaking Kreacher and holding him toward Harry, "I believe your new Master will take pleasure in giving you clothes." The small thing was struggling and whining that he had no Master.
Harry looked from Snape to the elf biting his lip. He finally sighed, "I wish Dobby where here. He would be able to…"
There was a popping and, "Eep! Harry Potter Sir, whats is 'Fessor Snapes doing to poor old elf?"
Severus immediately lowered Kreacher so he could breath. Sev quirked his eyebrow at Harry and said quite insincerely, "oops," as he smirked.
Harry was hard pressed not to laugh out loud. "Dobby we have a little problem with Kreacher he is a bad elf and was responsible for Sirius' death because he lied to me. With me being Head of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black now I would like you to help me decide what should be done with him."
Dobby had a very feral look in his eyes as he stripped off most of his clothes leaving on the red child's shorts and yellow vest. Holding the pile of clothes and hats to Harry he said with a bow during which his nose touched the floor "Harry Potter Sir, you be taking Dobbys clothes now."
There where several gasps from the watching Weasleys, Hermione, Tonks, and Remus.
Harry reach for the clothes, hesitated then lay is hand on top of the clothes "Dobby, I accept you in to my service, so that you can help me take care of my friends, my family and my property." He then leaned forward and kissed the top of Dobby's head. There was a bright flash and all of Dobby's elf clothes now had a double crest on them, the traditional Potter Crest and a modified Black Crest with a grim superimposed over the original. "You may wear what ever you want Dobby."
The little elves face was alight with joy as he again bowed, "Thank you Master."
Kreacher was once again fighting Severus weakly mumbling about how his Mistress would be so sad to know that this son of a blood traitor and his whore had usurped the true heir.
Dobby sprang into action and before the wizards knew what he was about he had grabbed Kreacher by the ear and popped them away. He came back alone about 15 minuets later, with a look of disgust on his face.
While he was gone Hermione hissed, "Harry, you can't keep him, it's wrong."
Harry replied that as he did not take his clothes Dobby was not enslaved but adopted, and could therefore ask for his freedom at any time he wanted it.
Harry was afraid to ask what he had done with Kreacher. But Severus was not and asked with a bit of his old snark, "Dobby, May one ask what you have done with the 'poor old elf'?"
Dobby smiled his feral smile again and said, "I has gived him what him is asking for. Hims head now is be decoration for Miss. Cissa wall at Malfoy Manor." He turned to Harry, "Master, Dobby is liking to be going to be sick now. I be cleaning after that yous call if yous need Dobby." And the little elf popped away.
Harry and Severus stayed talking with the others for some time but did not want to chance an encounter with the Headmaster just yet, so they left before the normal time for Ministry workers to get off. Arthur and Tonks where both working nights which was the only reason they where there. Fred and George had stopped by for lunch and had decided to wait for their business partner to arrive.
Next Chapter: Playing Games
Harry and Sev's day off. Bueller? Bueller? Bueller? Opps not that kinda day off.