Living in the Highlands
Lady Countryrose
Ch. 7
When the weekend came. Severus had packed everything that they would need. If they needed anything, he could always use magic to make whatever they needed. Minerva agreed for them to go, but she wanted Harry to have a true experience. Meaning, outside the borders of McGonagall Manor.
Severus Snape quickly agreed, since it would be better for Harry if he knew the true meaning of survival. The morning after breakfast on a Saturday. Severus had apparition away with Harry at his side, to a place that was sacred to those that live on the Island of Skye.
"Where are we," asked Harry.
"Fairy Glen, at least that is what the locals call it. But an easy place to hide from the muggles," supplied Severus.
From that moment, Severus showed Harry how to set up camp without magic. While Harry had listened to what he was told, he only grumbled a little. But managed to set up a tent with ease. Then with Severus' help, he built a fire pit, by surrounding it with rocks.
Severus had to cheat by making some grass blades into logs. Then he started a fire.
Harry had let out a sigh. "Who are the Death Eaters, Uncle Sev?"
"They are mostly made up of pure-blooded wizards. Those who hate everything to do with muggles or muggle-borns. They believe that we should rule them, and not have to hide our magic." There was a time he wanted power, but not the kind that enslaves muggles. No, he just wanted one to fear him. Only to stop that muggle from hurting his mother.
"Why do we have to hide our magic?"
Severus smirked, "Believe it or not, it was because of the witch trials. Muggles, who used their religion to make it okay to kill others. All because they didn't understand. We are not the children of the Devil."
Severus shook his head from images of long ago. "No, magic is just a natural thing. Similar to someone having blue eyes. It's in our blood, something we couldn't control."
Harry nodded his head in understanding. "How are we to eat, while camping?"
Severus glared at Harry for a moment. "Normally I would teach you how to hunt, track and set up traps. But I will not do that now, since I brought things with us. But I will teach you how to tie knots."
With a wave of his wand. Severus started cooking over the fire. While dragging two pieces of rope. Then showed Harry different knots, while Harry mimicked with his own rope. The knot that Harry picked up easily was the slip knot. The one after that was the clove hitch knot.
"Those two should do well for you," grumbled Severus. "Remember one thing, Harry, if you are in pain. Boil some willow bark and drink it like tea. It is a natural aspirin you can find in nature."
Harry blinked at him. "So, you're also giving me a potions course out here?"
Severus raised his eyebrow. "At least the medical aid ones. But there isn't any on the Island of Skye."
"Uncle Sev, can you tell me something about my parents, while they were in school?"
Severus had taken a deep breath. "Your father was a Gryffindor Quidditch player. He played chaser, I believe. He was a captain during his sixth and seventh year. Along with being the head boy of the school.
"He enjoyed pranking people. With his group of friends that called themselves the marauders. Calling themselves stupid names, thinking they were clever. But they were hated by those that couldn't stop their teasing."
Severus glanced around the landscape. "Your mother, on the other hand, stayed as a rule-biding student. She strived to have good grades. Read as many books as she could. Helped others where she could. She was a very open and friendly person, to those that were just as kind back."
Harry glanced at him in thought. "My mum didn't like my dad?"
Severus looked at him in a worried look. But had taken a deep breath. "Your dad had teased your mom endlessly. Before it became flirting, and she didn't know if he had meant it. Since he would try asking her out, in front of the school, loudly.
"He even tried to start proposing to her in fifth and sixth year. But in seventh year, when they were forced to work together. Something had changed. She saw something in him that she hadn't seen before. They started dating near the end of seventh year."
Harry blinked at him. Severus felt that he might have overwhelmed the boy. By unloading a lot of information that he had done. But only found out that Harry was just trying to think of another answer.
"Did my dad and his friends bully you," Harry asked softly.
Out of all the things for Harry to ask, Severus thought that this was not one of them. "They did," he nodded his head.
Harry had taken a deep breath. "Do you know why they did that?"
"Harry, you don't need to have a bad picture of your dad. Those things happened out of jealousy and hatred for the house I was in. They thought all evil magic users came out of Slytherin. But in reality, mostly yes, but they had also been in other houses as well."
Harry shook his head. He looked lost. "Is Hogwarts even safe?"
Severus Snape didn't know how he should answer that. "It's mainly safe, safe from the outside world. But within, that is another monster in itself. It will be hard to stand up against stupid people. Overall, it is a good place to learn magic."
After they had eaten their lunch. Severus had walked Harry to the four corners of their camp, starting from the north. "Draw the protection Rune on the ground, then lay her hand over the Rune. Feeding your magic into it, by believing that it will protect us."
It had taken a few times for the Rune to become active. But soon became quicker with the others. Leaving Harry slightly drained, since he had never channeled his magic before. But Severus believed he had done better than he had thought.
'Lilly, you should be proud.'