BLOOD OF THE MOTHER by BertaS Nov 2005

Chapter 28

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Disclaimer: They belong to JKR. I'm just playing with them.

Lesson Planning

Harry entered the dining room to find Sev surrounded by books, parchments and folders. Very much like Hermione in research mode. Harry stood watching him with a smile as he paged through one book, shook his head grabbed another and skimmed a few pages, smiled and made a notation on one of his numerous parchments.

Sev suddenly realized he was being watched, and looked up. He blinked a couple of times and said, "Harry, is something wrong?"

Still smiling Harry shook his head, "No, it's just, it's lunch time." He gestured at the mess on the table, "I learned a long time ago, when someone barricades themselves with books, they should be left alone. Hermione is a bit mental at times about having her research interrupted. However since I have already got you to pause, do you want a sandwich or something?"

"I..." Sev looked at his mess of books and frowned, he hadn't realized he had gotten Dobby to bring him quite so many. "I had not meant... I guess I should... I'm sorry..." he started to gather his things.

Harry interrupted with a chuckle, "Sev it's alright, leave it. Are you at a place where you can take a break and eat? What is it you're working on, anyway?"

The Potions Master looked at the parchment in his hand, shrugged and dropped it back to the tabletop, picked up another and made a notation on it. He then straightened, arching his back as he stretched. "I'm revising my lesson plans as we discussed."

Harry frowned slightly, he didn't remember discussing lesson plans, but shrugged it off since Sev seemed happy with what he was doing.

When they entered the kitchen Dobby immediately served them plates of several types of sandwiches, fruit, salad, and a large glass of milk each.

Sev was so excited by his lesson plan project, that he told Harry what he was thinking and planning, and started asking for Harry's opinions. Harry was pretty amused by the fact that the Professor was almost prattling while wearing a milk mustache and waving his sandwich to illustrate his points. He was so excited that Dobby finally handed him a napkin and glared saying, "'Fessor Snapes, Dobby knows you is good wizard now but yous is not having to act like Harry Potters Wheezy."

After the Potions Master stopped sputtering and cleaned himself up, apologizing profusely for his bad manners, and Harry stopped rolling on the floor, they continued their conversation in a slightly more subdued fashion. Although they were both still pretty excited.

They both rather liked the idea of guest speakers. Sev said that he thought he could get the old wizard that had created the Dreamless Sleep potion or maybe Madam Marsh who was the only master to rank above Severus in Britain.

Harry suggested that maybe the twins would be willing to give a demonstration of some of the products they had used potions to create and explain a little about the process of creating new potions.

The idea of the Weasley twins back in his dungeon was a bit disconcerting, but he had to admit they were certainly creative and the students would see that potions could be fun. To be fair and not promote just Harry's friends at WWW they decided that Sev should approach some of the other business that use potions frequently in their daily work.

People such as Berti Botts, Mr. Zoko, Mr. Flume owner of Honydukes, or the proprietor of one or more of the apothecaries in Hogsmead or Diagon Alley. Mediwizards, Aurors, and others that had jobs that require a potions NEWTs to even apply were discussed.

Just as they finished eating an owl swooped in and landed in front of Harry. When he opened the letter a frown appeared and he seemed to be getting slightly agitated. He finally huffed, "Why the bloody hell is she asking me this?" and he handed the letter to Sev.

Mr. Potter

You may or may not have been made aware that Albus was taken into custody yesterday. The Board of Governors have removed him from his position and I have been appointed Headmistress. I would like to have a staff meeting however if the entire staff is not present this is difficult.

Do you think that you will be returning my Potions Master anytime soon?

I do hope that he has not changed his mind as replacing him would be nearly impossible.

I do hope to hear from you soon.

Minerva McGonagall

Headmistress HSWW

Sev sat a little straighter and a small smile appeared, as he read. "She knows that you are my Liege Lord." When Harry just looked at him like he had lost his mind Sev continued a little more hesitantly realizing that Harry just might not take this well. "She has to ask your permission to retain my services." his voice trailed off as Harry continued to stare.

Sev bowed his head, "I am sorry Master, it is the way it is done."

Harry finally closed his eyes taking a deep breath and letting it out he said, "It's alright Sev. I... well... I thought... " He snorted, "I don't know what I thought. It just seems that she should ask you. It is your decision. You know that, don't you?"

Sev' smile was brilliant, "Thank you Master. May we go to Hogwarts in the morning?"

Harry chuckled a little as he stood and bowed with a courtly flourish, "As you wish. Does this mean I have to start calling you Professor again?"

The Potions Master failed spectacularly as he tried to sneer and wound up chuckling instead, "It would only be proper."

Harry laughed so hard that Sev had a hard time understanding him when he said, "You know, you are going to give people heart failure this year when you do that?"

Sev smirked eyes shining, "Yes, this year is going to be a lot of fun." The look on his face was positively evil as he went back to his planning.

Harry shook his head and went back to the office where he was trying to answer some of the questions the reporters had ask. He had answered some of them, the ones from some of the daily papers, and returned the sheet but there had been very little in the Prophet, what with the arrest of Dumbledore and the Cotillion taking precedent.

There were some questions that Harry had no idea how to answer, he really had no idea what he wanted to do after school. He didn't feel that he knew enough about most goings on at the ministry or French trade agreements to have an opinion. And his opinions on Dumbledore, Deatheaters, and the rights of magical beings weren't polite enough to write down. There were others that there was no way he was going to answer, whether he wore boxers or briefs was no one else's affair. He did wonder if they had had the stones to ask Sev that same question even if he had no interest in the answer.

The next morning Harry received a note from Madam Malkin that first part of the special project he had ask her to do was finished. He immediately called Dobby and sent him to pick it up. The elf reappeared with a huge grin. His nose touching the floor as he bowed after giving the package to Harry, and said, "Madam says thank you Harry Potter Sir for chance to work with material again and you is to be having tea with her at yous earliest con… conve… as soon as yous can."

Sev was smothering a laugh when Harry thanked the little elf. There was also a note reiterating the message Dobby had given him as saying that the other things requested would be finished soon and what did he want done with the scraps.

Harry immediately placed the large package in front of Sev who just sat and looked at him astonished. Harry had to prompt him to open his present. When he got the package open he recognized the basilisk leather, but was amazed when he realized that Harry had ordered it made into sleeveless teaching robes. Tears sprang to his eyes as he held the wonderful gift that his master had given him. He was unsure that he deserved such a gift but Harry seemed happy to provide him with things he would never get for himself.

"I don't know what to say… I… Thank you, Master." he bowed almost as deeply as Dobby had. He was tall enough that his nose was in no danger of banging on the floor but Harry was pleased that he had not thrown himself to the floor as he had so often during the first few days after having his mark removed.

Harry and grinned, "You are welcome. Now put them on, I want to see how they look."

Sev hesitated, "I should get my jacket. To see the finished look, shouldn't I?"

Harry shook his head; "I haven't figured out why you wear that thing all them time unless you're cold and then I would think a nice warm jumper would be more comfortable."

Sev seemed to think this over before he slipped the robes around his shoulders and turned to Harry as he adjusted their drape across his chest. Dobby suddenly squealed crying, "Oooh, 'Fessor Snapes is getting clothes from Master, whats has 'Fessor Snapes done?"

Sev and Harry both looked at the small elf. Harry was quick to kneel next to the weeping Dobby, "No, no, Dobby. I am not giving him clothes because he was bad. I'm giving them to him so he will be protected and look good and be happy. He can wear anything he wants." Harry leaned down further to whisper in the little elf's ear. What he whispered, Sev never did figure out, but Dobby calmed down immediately.

Harry quickly grabbed his jacket and staff and they headed to Hogwarts arriving just in time to have tea with the Headmistress.

A/N OK, I have no idea what Madam Marsh does in Canon other than get motion sick on the Knight Bus. In this story she is the top ranked Potions Master/Mistress in the British Isles and Sev is ranked second. Sev is ranked fifth in Europe and eighth in the world. Not that that is terribly important to the story.

Thanks to anyone who reviews.

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