Sensing Magic
by Teddylonglong

Please refer to chapter 1 for my disclaimer and warnings. Thank you.


Severus observed in anger how Mrs. Weasley ushered her whole brood of children minus the oldest boy into the Great Hall.

"Why did she bring them all?" he whispered to Minerva. "Harry only invited Charlie, Ginny and on my request the twins."

Minerva shook her head in apparent understanding. "He must be totally overwhelmed. Let me handle this."

"I shall take the twins to the Potions classroom for an hour then, if you will have an eye on Harry," Severus resolved.

"Of course." Minerva cast him a reassuring smile, before she hurriedly walked over to where Molly Weasley and her children were approaching Harry, who had taken to hide behind Draco.

"Molly," she addressed the woman in a voice that would make any of her Gryffindors' blood coil. "I am very sorry, but Harry cannot handle so many children. He already has Nymphadora and Draco here and merely wished for Charlie and Ginny to attend his birthday party. We invited the twins on Professor Snape's behalf, as he would like to speak with them for a while."

"Sorry Minerva, but as Ron is of the same age as Harry and I couldn't well leave Percy at home if his older and younger siblings were all invited…"

At this point, Severus decided to cut in. "You heard Professor McGonagall's reasoning, and I suggest that you take those of your children home, whom my son did not invite." Turning to the twins, he changed his voice to the soft tone, which he normally used towards Harry and his Slytherin students. "Messrs. Fred and George Weasley, please follow me into the Potions classroom to discuss the abnormal concoctions, which you handed over to me the last time we met."

Glaring at Minerva, who scoffed at his words muttering something sounding like "corrupting soon to be supposedly Gryffindor first-years," he strode towards the doors, making his robes billow behind him. 'Leave everything to Minerva,' he reassured Harry. 'She will throw everyone out, whom you don't want to attend your party.'

Smiling upon receiving a telepathic 'Thank you, Severus', he led the seemingly frightened twins towards the dungeons. Instead of the Potions classroom, however, he chose to take them into his and Harry's quarters, where he motioned them to sit down.

HP

Harry sighed in relief, when Minerva and Severus came to his help and sent Mrs. Weasley with a loud protesting boy and an older, seemingly grumpy boy back home.

'Thank you, Minerva,' he thought to the professor, before he happily greeted Charlie and Ginny. Apparently sensing that he still did not feel comfortable talking, although Harry had spoken aloud with Draco and her, Tonks ushered the children back to the playground and eagerly explained what they had been doing, when they had interrupted their play to greet them.

"Sorry Harry that Mum brought Percy and Ron with her," Charlie apologized, when they sat on a large stone on top of a mountain, from where they could closely inspect the ceiling of the Great Hall.

"It's fine," Harry replied, smiling, "and not your fault anyway."

"Sorry for asking, but what is Professor Snape's problem with my twin brothers?"

When Lucy relayed the boy look at him in apparent concern, Harry chuckled. 'Ginny, can you explain for me please?' he thought to the girl, who nodded, reassuringly. 'He deems them extremely competent at brewing and will probably make them brew a test potion to watch them brew today. If they do well, he wants to ask them if they want to become his student assistants.'

Ginny repeated what he had told her aloud, and Charlie stared at him in apparent disbelief. "Harry, are you sure? Mum always complains about them, because they do nothing but nonsense all day."

Harry shook his head. "No Charlie, I am sure. He told M… Professor McGonagall they were brilliant and asked about hiring student assistants."

Charlie shook his head, seemingly stunned. "Wow, such a praise coming from Professor Snape of all people is gross. They must be really good then. He doesn't easily commend people."

"Harry!" Tonks suddenly spoke up, sounding bewildered, and he felt her soft touch against his chest, as she seemed to be inspecting his brooch. "You received the Order of Merlin first class?"

Harry nodded. "Together with Professor Snape," he admitted, "for curing werewolves."

"Oh wow, I must tell my father about that. He will be very impressed." Draco sounded amazed, and Harry cast his newest friend a happy smile.

"Shall we go flying?" Charlie suggested, and everyone agreed, just when Severus and the twins returned.

"Let's have tea and cake first," Minerva suggested and ushered the children towards the table.

'May we go flying afterwards?' Harry quickly thought to her, causing the professor to smile.

"Afterwards, you may go flying. If my colleagues agree to join us, we'll probably be able to set up two Quidditch teams."

Cheering, Harry's friends hurried to sit around the table, and Harry quickly followed their example. He felt uncomfortable but happy at the same time, when everyone began to sing the birthday song for him – a feeling that only intensified, when Lucy showed him the table in front of him, where a huge birthday cake in the form of a giant Snitch was waiting for him. It was decorated with nine tall candles.

'You have to blow out the candles,' Severus informed him, once they were finished singing.

'Blow out the candles. You can do it,' Ginny thought to him from where she was sitting further down the table.

Quickly returning two 'Thanks' to Severus and Ginny, Harry rose from his chair and informed Lucy of his intention, before he obediently set to blow out the candles. However, Lucy was faster, and with a loud breath coming from the canine, the candles went out, and everyone applauded with apparent enthusiasm.

'Thanks Lucy,' Harry thought to his familiar, feeling highly amused at her behaviour.

'That was fun,' the canine replied, lightly waggling her tail against his side.

"Harry, do you want me to distribute the cake?" Remus caught Harry's attention, and he gave the older wizard a grateful nod.

"Mr. Weasley, Miss Tonks, have you met Professor Lupin before?" Minerva spoke up. "He is going to be our new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor."

"Oh, I thought that Professor O'Neill was going to remain on the position, seeing that she is still here..." Tonks sounded disappointed.

"No, Miss Tonks, in fact, I am going to take turns teaching with Professor Lupin. He will teach next year, and I'll be back the year after. In the meantime, we will teach Harry…"

"… or act as replacement for your other teachers if needed," Minerva completed.

"Excuse me, Professor Lupin." Charlie sounded pensive, as he enquired, "Are you perhaps Remus Lupin, the new head of the Wizengamot?"

Remus smiled. "Yes, Mr. Weasley, that I am."

"Congratulations to your new position then, and I'm looking forward to our Defence Against the Dark Arts classes. I'm also glad that Professor O'Neill is still going to remain at Hogwarts, as she was the best Defence Against the Dark Arts professor we had since our first year."

"That's true," Tonks confirmed, smiling.

"Thank you both for your kind words," Miranda replied. "I'm sure that Professor Lupin's classes will be even more demanding than my own. He's just brilliant."

HP

When everyone was sure that they were unable to stomach any more of the delicious cake, Minerva ushered them outside.

"I suggest that Harry as the birthday boy heads one team and Miss Weasley as the youngest the other team," the professor suggested, and everyone nodded their agreement. "Harry, what position do you wish to play?"

'Minerva, could you please make Draco head of the team? I'm not so sure…' He slowly trailed off, feeling very relieved, when Minerva nodded in apparent understanding.

"Mr. Malfoy, will you please act as head of Team 1 instead of Harry? He just informed me that he is not exactly sure what to do. He wishes to play Seeker though I suppose."

Harry nodded, smiling.

"All right. I will play Chaser then. Ginny, do you want to begin?"

The younger girl nodded. "Thank you. Charlie as Seeker."

"Harry as Seeker."

"Fred as Beater."

"Professor Snape as Chaser."

"George as Beater."

"Harry, who is any good?" Draco cast him a questioning look.

'Minerva as Chaser,' Harry thought to his friend, who stared at him, seemingly startled, before he spoke up.

"Professor McGonagall as Chaser."

Draco and Ginny continued to set up their teams, before everyone who did not have their own broom took one of the brooms which Madam Hooch offered.

Making sure that Lucy was safely settled in front of him, Harry took into the air. 'Thanks, Lucy, for flying with me,' he thought to his familiar, knowing that without her professional assistance, he would not be able to fly at all, let alone catch the Snitch. Twenty minutes into the game, he saw the winged ball and hurriedly brought his broom over to the other side of the pitch, where he grabbed the Snitch out of the air, before Charlie had even noticed it.

When Harry caught the Snitch for the second time, winning another game, Severus suggested, "Why don't we play a match of adults versus children? With Harry as the Seeker, we won't have a chance, but it might still be fun."

While the professors managed to score a couple of times, they did not get the points needed to win the match by the time Harry caught the Snitch.

"Too bad that I won't be at Hogwarts anymore, when you're going to be a first-year," Charlie stated, sighing. "Otherwise, I'd try to convince the headmaster to make you Gryffindor's Seeker in spite of being a first-year."

"Mr. Weasley?" Severus quirked an eyebrow at the soon-to-be sixth year and Gryffindor's Quidditch captain. "What makes you certain that Harry is going to be a Gryffindor? I believe that he has more Slytherin traits."

"Yeah Harry, let's go to Slytherin together," Draco added, grinning.

"I'd like that," Harry whispered, only for his friend to hear. 'Am I going to be sorted into a house at all? Although I am the heir to all four founders?' he thought to his guardian, who nodded in understanding.

"We'll see what is going to happen in two years' time. Mr. Malfoy, I'd appreciate it if you convinced the twins to let themselves be sorted into Slytherin in any case, as some people might find it strange to have two Gryffindors become student assistants for the Slytherin head, first-years at that."

"I will try," Draco replied, grinning.

Shortly before his friends had to return home, Harry unwrapped the presents, which he had received from the other children. He found books and several kinds of sweets – much to his pleasure. 'These liquorice wands are delicious,' he thought to his guardian, grinning broadly, while he quickly saved one of Bertie Bott's Beans from Lucy.

"That's good to know," Severus replied, making Harry understand from the tone of his voice that he did not like them at all.

'Thank you so much for introducing Draco to me by the way. He is my friend now, and I like him a lot.'

Harry could not see the smile that played on his guardian's lip, as Lucy had in the meantime fallen asleep with her head resting on his lap; however, from Severus' reaction, he realised that the older wizard was happy about it. "That's good, as I am good friends with his parents."

HP

A few days later, Remus received a letter from Amelia Bones informing him that Sirius' trial was going to take place on Monday the following week.

"Harry, do you want to accompany me?" the older wizard invited him during breakfast on Saturday morning.

'Should I? But I can't tell them anything anyway, plus I don't know anything,' Harry thought, quickly beginning to panic.

"Easy Harry, you do not have to attend the trial," Severus said in a soothing voice. "I am sure that Mr. Black will accompany Remus here afterwards, and you can meet him sometime next week. Provided that everything goes well for him."

'Thank you,' Harry replied, feeling very grateful for Severus' thoughtfulness. 'I wouldn't want them to ask me anything.'

Severus returned a small nod and smiled.

HP

On Monday at dinner time, Lucy showed him the image of a wizard, whom he could not recall having met before. Before he could ask if it was Sirius Black, the older wizard addressed him.

"Hello Harry, I am so happy to meet you. I missed you at the trial in fact. Only the thought that you needed me kept me sane all these years in prison."

Harry merely smiled, not feeling safe enough to speak with the man, especially as he knew that the headmaster was present as well.

"I told you that Harry is not able to speak, and he can only see through his canine familiar's eyes," Remus said in a small voice, causing the other wizard to turn to the headmaster.

"Albus, how dare you place my godson with abusive muggles?" The man's growl reminded him of Lucy's, and he felt strangely happy at the thought that he was standing up for him. 'He probably doesn't know that he's not my real godfather anymore,' he thought, deciding to not mention the matter.

"I am sorry, Sirius, but at that time, placing him with Petunia was the only option."

"No," Harry contradicted in a firm voice, feeling upset enough to not care anymore that he was speaking aloud. "Severus, Minerva and many others would have been willing to take me in, and they would have kept me safe in contrary to the Dursleys."

"Harry!" Minerva gasped, casting him a broad smile. "That was well said."

"Oh well, I am going to get the guardianship over him to finish this nonsense once and forever," Sirius declared.

"No," Harry repeated. "Professor Snape is my guardian and my adoptive father, and I want it to remain as it is."

"Snivellus? Your father?" the older wizard groaned. "Remus, please tell me that this is not true."

"Professor Snape has taken Harry in and has adopted him. It was a mutual decision between Harry and him," Remus explained.

"You better accept it if you wish to see Harry again, as he is not officially your godson anymore." Severus' voice was calm; however, Harry knew him well enough to know that he was extremely angered.

"Before you reply to this," Remus said, warningly, "remember that none of us could know that you were innocent. Only last week, Lucius Malfoy told me about it, and Amelia and Minister Bagnold went to see you on the same day. Until then, we all believed you to be a criminal."

Sirius nodded, however, did not contradict. "Harry." His voice was much softer, as he addressed him. "Please see to it that I'll be allowed to at least be your unofficial godfather and see you every now and then."

Harry nodded, giving the man, whom his parents had made his original godfather, a genuine smile.

HP

Arthur Weasley smiled, as three of his sons and his daughter excitedly told them about Harry Prince's birthday party, which they had attended at Hogwarts.

"Professor Snape…"

"… or should we say Lord Prince?..."

"… Anyway, he invited us…"

"… to become his student assistants…"

"… from the beginning of our first year."

"Fred, George, don't tell such nonsense." Molly rolled her eyes, as she reprimanded the twins.

"Mum, it's true," Ginny spoke up.

"No dear, that can't be true."

"Are you really our mother?..."

"… How come that even the man who is said…"

"… to be the most evil professor at Hogwarts…"

"… realises that we're geniuses…"

"… and you don't?"

tbc...

Thank you so very much for the kind reviews for the previous chapter. Please tell me what you liked or disliked in this chapter and what you expect from this story. Any ideas are welcome, and my muse appreciates any constructive feedback.

Several people voiced opinions against a Harry - Ginny relationship. I have no idea yet about the pairing in this story yet. Therefore, I'd appreciate your opinions on this matter. Thank you all.