Living in the Highlands
Lady Countryrose
Ch. 8
Severus Snape couldn't believe his eyes. Once the sun had set, Fairy Glen was covered by swarms of Fairies. With the protection Rune in place, none had passed through them. Leaving Severus and Harry free from their unyielding glee.
"Uncle Sev, about Hogwarts, what aren't you telling me?" Harry's eyes turned to him.
Severus closed his eyes. "When you start school, I wouldn't be openly kind to you. I would have Slytherin parents watching me, by the eyes of their children. Everyone thinks I am a loyal Death Eater. So, I am forced to act on it. But that being said, my office will be open to you, matter what house you're in."
Harry smiled kindly. "Thank you for telling me, Uncle Sev."
The two then went into the tent, which was a magical tent. Where Harry looked taken back, when they had first gone in. Only for Severus to explain that magic creates pockets of extended living spaces. The two broke away from each other to go to their own rooms for bed that night.
Once Severus had closed his eyes, he was met by the one person he had thought he would never see again. James Potter, who Harry, was starting to look a lot alike. But the eyes, James had hazel eyes.
"Snape," spoke James with very little emotion. "I am sorry for what I have done." The man then looked away from him. "You were right, I was jealous. I just didn't understand why Lily would be your friend."
Severus Snape had many dreams about the torment of James and his gang. But never once did this come to him.
James turned back to him. "Death has a way of teaching you things. You were the last thing Lily had that reminded her of home. Not realizing the muggle-borns are being distant from their own family. All because they can't tell their parents about magic."
"Why are you here, Potter?" Severus didn't really understand why James Potter would talk to him.
"I realized how bad I had tormented you and for that, I am sorry. I appreciate that you're teaching Harry, like you have been doing. I hate to say it, you became a better dad than I would have." With a sad smile. "But I still think you're a git."
Severus Snape shook his head. "No, Potter, you're the git that got his family killed."
"Touché," James sighed softly. "I shouldn't have trusted Dumbledore like I have done. I should have just listened to Lily. We should have warded the house ourselves. Making her the secret keeper, or left the country without telling anyone."
Severus shook his head. "You would have told someone. Especially your trader friend Black."
James shot him a hard look. "Sirius was not our secret keeper. We changed that at the last minute to Pettigrew. He led your lord to our house," he growled out.
Severus shook his head. Not believing what he was hearing. "Who knew of this?"
"No one, just the four of us and Dumbledore. Since he was the one who set the spell." James glared off to the side. "It was all because of a prophecy that he wanted to fulfill. Nothing else had mattered to the headmaster."
"What should I tell Harry," asked Severus with a sad tone of voice.
James looked sad, and it made Severus feel unsettled for some reason. "Protect him, even against Dumbledore. Even if you have to lead Harry to that conclusion on his own."
Severus nodded his head. "Alright, nothing else different, then." His tone was biting and harsh.
James gave a look that he didn't know how to name. "Snape, you are a hard person to befriend. How in the Bloody Hell did Lily become friends with you?!"
Severus Snape just glared at him. "I am doing this for Lily, Potter. I have kept Harry alive because of her."
James nodded his head. "Have you seen Remus or Sirius?"
Severus groaned. "I do manage to allow Lupin around Harry. Since Minerva thought it would be wise. Since he knew Harry's parents the most, but I don't think he has asked him a lot of questions. Not like he has for me.
"But have you forgotten? Black has been in Azkaban for nine years."
James blinked at him before he smirked. "You do send a photo to Sirius, though. Haven't you?"
"Only the day after Harry's Birthday. Just so he can have an updated photo of Harry. Nothing more."
James sighed, "You knew we had a spy, didn't you?"
Severus blinked at James, then an image came into his thoughts. A Gryffindor that had followed James and his crew. Only to remember Pettigrew, who he had found out was a rat. A rat that came down to the Slytherin common room. Where it would visit Avery, of all people.
"The rat," growled Severus, darkly.
James had started to fade. "Somehow clear, Sirius Black." Then he was gone.
The first thing that Severus did when he woke up was growl. 'Even in death, that guy can't leave me alone.'