Summary: The war is over for everyone but Harry. He is still fighting just to survive, but he won't make it on his own. Just when he's given up, help comes along.
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, but I do own my imagination which takes me on wonderful adventures.
PLEASE NOTE: I am in the process of revising and finishing this story. I have removed all the chapters that had been previously uploaded because they have been slightly modified.
Chapter 3: Apprenticeship
Breakfast over, Severus told Harry he needed to fill some orders and then the two of them needed to talk. Harry nodded, stood and proceeded to clear the table.
The morning passed quietly. Severus prepared the necessary batches of potions for his customers, finishing just before lunch. Harry showered, baked and prepared their meal.
As Severus came up the stairs from the basement potions lab, he breathed in the scents from the kitchen. "Smells good, Harry. I'm just going to owl these orders, then I'll be right back."
Harry stared at Severus' retreating back. "He called me 'Harry'," he said, stunned. He stared for a moment longer, shook his head and began to set the table.
Severus returned, washed his hands and sat down. Harry joined him.
"Where is this place?" Harry opened the conversation.
"This is my cottage – Dove Cottage – and it is located within the Brecon Beacons Park in Southern Wales. The nearest village is about sixty kilometres away. This cottage has been mine since I finished my mastery. I wanted a secure place to hide in the event that I ever needed to escape. The cottage is under a fidelius and it is un-plottable. There is other warding, as well. Aside from Poppy, and now you, no one is aware of my continued existence."
"Poppy? She's alright, then?" he asked, relieved. "I thought the worst when I couldn't get in touch with her after the war."
"Poppy also managed to go into hiding. She uses the professional name, Paula Romani.
"Oh. That's why. I suppose she is also un-plottable?"
After Severus' acknowledgment, Harry continued, "You said you work for St. Mungo's, though," Harry pointed out. "How can they not know they are receiving potions from you?"
"To clarify, aside from the two of you, no one knows that Severus Snape is still alive. To all others, I am Ethan Prince. I run a small, but successful, mail order business called RusMeds. I work with both wizard and muggle clients.
"This is quite good, Harry. Given your rather mediocre skills in potions, I would not have believed you could cook," Severus commented, appreciatively.
"I had to cook for my relatives from the time I could reach the stove top. I learned to be an intuitive cook, especially since my culinary skills earned my Aunt praise from Vernon and their guests. It would put her in a… a generous mood and I was allowed to eat after everyone had finished and all was cleaned up," Harry explained. "Despite the extra work it entailed, I looked forward to those meals not only for the reward of food, but also for the opportunity of being given free creative reign. Cookbooks were my only permissible reading material and I learned how to manipulate ingredients and spices according to my desires. I could invent new combinations and recipes in my head ready to try at the next dinner party. My imagination was often my only sustenance," he added miserably.
Severus raised an eyebrow in amazement at Harry's description and obvious delight in cooking. "In light of your apparent culinary expertise and creative passion, your poor potions showing is rather surprising. How do you account for that?"
"My, um, instructor hated me and promptly sucked out all the interest and excitement I had for the subject," Harry responded carefully, glancing quickly at Severus and frowning. "Once I graduated, though, I somewhat rediscovered potions. I had to brew some for my own use – pain, headache, dreamless sleep, pepper up and a few others now and then. I do feel the pull of the subject, but I have yet to find a book on the topic that clearly explains interactions. I have come to believe that this must be a master/apprentice passing of knowledge rather than textbook learning and I don't have the means to experiment on my own."
"You are correct in that regard, Mr. Potter."
"Please, Sir, you called me 'Harry' earlier," he pleaded.
"Then you must call me by my given name as well. It makes sense if you wish to stay."
"You… you want me to stay? Why? You hate me!" Confusion was clear in his face and voice.
"Have you another option?" Severus asked. At a reluctant shake of Harry's head, he went on. "As I said yesterday, I do not hate you. I admit that I formed some preconceived notions and prejudices before ever meeting you, but in time you managed to dispel most. I have always been impressed by your courage, dedication, perseverance and compassion for others, Harry. I was just never allowed to freely express that to you – or anyone else, for that matter. I was forced to play a role at Hogwarts – one in which any misstep could have resulted in tragic consequences."
He raised his hand to prevent Harry from interrupting. "I spent all day yesterday and most of the night reading your manuscript, gaining an understanding of you and coming to terms with the realization that I severely misjudged and underestimated you. I would very much like the opportunity to rectify that if you'll allow me."
Harry stared at him in shock. He swallowed emotionally and said, "I'd like that very much, too, Si-Severus. Thank you." His voice trembled and a tear slipped down his cheek.
Severus nodded, then stood up from the table. "Let's get this cleared away and discuss what your living here will mean."
O-O-O-O-O
Fifteen minutes later, Harry and Severus were sitting at the kitchen table with a parchment and quill.
"All right," Severus began, "the first order of business is to assess your health and magic. If it is all right with you, I would like to bring Poppy in to help. If not, we'll try it first on our own." He waited for Harry's answer.
After thinking a bit, Harry nodded slowly. "I think that would be okay, but I want her to keep my presence here and my status secret as she does with you."
"I don't see any problem with that request; however, it does bring up another issue. We will need to create a new identity for you. Have you any ideas on this?"
Harry hesitated a moment, then said carefully, "I suppose I could pose as your nephew. How about Harden as my name? That way I can still use Harry as my shortened form."
"Hmmm… Harden Prince. Yes, that is acceptable. And your reason for being here?"
Harry grinned mischievously. "You have agreed to apprentice me for a Potions Mastery."
Severus looked up sharply at that. "You haven't suffered enough of my teaching?"
"I'm hoping that our new understanding and tolerance of each other will lead to a different experience. Additionally, I'm sure Harden Prince is a much more willing and talented student than Harry Potter ever was. Otherwise, you would never have agreed to the apprenticeship." Harry smiled widely, eyes sparkling in mirth.
Severus contemplated Harry for a long moment. Finally, he nodded. "All right. I will draw up a trial contract this evening and we will review it tomorrow.
"In the meantime, until your health and magic issues are sorted out, you will be in charge of meals and assist me in the garden and greenhouse. We will also begin a regimen of strengthening exercises to help you regain your physical health."
While he was speaking, Severus penned a letter to the Medi-witch inviting her to come on Friday for lunch to meet his nephew, Harden, whom he has agreed to apprentice. He whistled for his personal owl, Chelsea, and attached the invitation. "Please take this to Poppy and wait for a response." Chelsea hooted softly and flew out the window.
"Come, I'll show you around the garden." Severus rose from his seat and Harry followed. They toured the cottage, the owlery (housing an additional three owls used for business) and the small greenhouse and attached plant beds, which held a small, but varied, selection of potions ingredients. Most of them, Harry remembered from Herbology lessons at Hogwarts, but there were some which were not familiar to him. Severus assured him he would learn about them in time.
As he led Harry to the front of the cottage, they passed the lake where Severus pointed out the water plants he used. Between the lake and the cottage was a wide, flat expanse of lawn. Severus came to a stop and faced Harry.
"I would like to have an understanding of what you mean by 'erratic' magic. Start by levitating that rock." Severus pointed as he spoke.
Harry hesitated, then nodded. He palmed his wand, focused on the rock and attempted to levitate it. At first, nothing happened, then the rock began to vibrate as Harry concentrated harder. Suddenly, it shot straight up into the air and moved swiftly out of spell range. Just as quickly, the rock fell and slammed back onto the ground, shattering into smaller pieces. He looked mortified. "I'm sorry, Sir."
Severus blinked at the unexpected display and cleared his throat. "Try to move that rock from where it is… to over there," he pointed again. Taking a breath, Harry tried moving the indicated rock. It skittered across the grass like a drop of oil on a hot skillet. Then it picked up speed, zigzagging across the lawn before finally flipping over about a meter away from where Severus indicated.
Harry hung his head, defeated. "Nothing works like it should. Sometimes the outcome is disastrous. The results are not consistent and there doesn't seem to be any correlation to proximity, spoken volume, intent or whether or not I use a wand. Nor does the wand itself affect anything. I have tried dozens of different wands and other focus devices and nothing makes any difference.
"I've gone to all manner of healers, even specialists. No one can figure out what's wrong with me. They can't even determine if my problems are the result of one or more spells cast on me or if it is caused by damage to my magical core." He blew out a large puff of air. "And this thing with the muggles – they don't know what that is either.
"I've tried calming draughts, enhancers, meditation, hypnosis, magic dampeners – I don't even remember what else! I've been through the restricted section at Hogwarts, the University and the Black, Malfoy and Ministry libraries. There's nothing!" Harry was angry and frustrated.
"Harry, have you noticed any fluctuation with relation to your emotional or physical states?"
"No, there doesn't seem to be any connection there either. I've thought of that, too. I have even monitored what I eat and the weather." Defeat was evident in his whole posture.
"Don't worry – we will find a solution," Severus soothed, then promised, "If we can't find one, we'll invent one."
"Severus, I… I…," Harry stammered, then swallowed, clearly at a loss, "Thank you."
"It is my pleasure, Harry. I have always enjoyed a challenge. Come, let's go in and work on dinner, now."
O-O-O-O-O
Harry learned that Severus alternated days for wizarding medications and muggle medications. On 'wizarding' days, he would owl the potions off to the customer. However, on 'muggle' days, Severus would assume a glamour and deliver them personally.
The first time Harry saw Severus under a glamour, he pulled out his wand (regardless of how useless it was) and confronted the stranger, "Who are you? How did you get in here?"
"Relax, Harry. It's me."
Harry lowered his wand and controlled his breathing. "You should have warned me. I might have hurt you."
"I apologise. This is my delivery disguise. Please meet 'Stephen Smith'. I use a glamour to deliver potions to my muggle customers as well as delicate potions to my magical ones. And this one," Severus modified his appearance yet again, "is my Ethan Prince disguise. I use this when I have any legal business to conduct or I need to make purchases."
"In any case," Severus said changing back into 'Stephen', "I have some potions to deliver. I will return shortly."
The days settled into a comfortable routine. Harry prepared most meals and worked in the greenhouse and plant beds during the mornings while Severus brewed his potions.
Afternoons were set aside for determining the limits of Harry's magic, physical training and discussions of potions theory and related herbology. Since potions often were imbued with a bit of the brewer's magical essence, they both felt it would be safer to avoid the practical application of the study until more was known about Harry's magic.
Evenings were spent in quiet reading and conversation. Occasionally, they engaged in a game of chess. In this way, the week passed easily.
O-O-O-O-O
A/N: Please review – I'd really like to know what you think!