Chapter 7: challenge answered

Harry was in an amazing mood, try outs for the team had gone as expected, with Harry as the new reserve seeker for the team. He knew his dad would have pointed out if he had been a Gryffindor, he could have made team first year. Harry knew there was little chance a first year would; even with his skill, besides he would die as a Gryffindor. Harry would have rather been any house than spend seven years with Ron, and though he knew his birth parents and the marauders were lions, he was not. Severus had always told his nephew he would be a snake, he was too much like him and Lucius, proving it even more now he was in school.

Remus was anxious to see the boys, they could not officially see Harry, till the dinner Albus knew of. He hated the secrecy as much as Harry did, but he understood as much as Harry really did, Albus needed to think he was in control. Harry would be home at Christmas, and the summer, and for now he was here at school.

When the boys came in, Johnny was the one who spotted them. "Arry, Dayco, Arry Dayco, Arry, Dayco."

Harry bent and scooped the two and half year old up off the ground. "Hey my little wolf, given your daddy a hard time."

John Severus Snape, named in honour of his Lupin grandfather and his Papa, was definitely a little marauder in the making. Severus thought Lucius was in for a handful considering he was married to the sensible marauder, and his son was a total monkey. Sirius had always been the child of the group, and his son or daughter was bound to be ten times a monkey that John was. Sirius reminded them Harry had never been so bad, but his childhood also had never been normal either

Remus kissed both boys. "Your Uncle has been telling me you have become the stars of his class. No surprise there."

Severus smirked from where he had come from the new nursery. "Not hard to do, considering Ron and Neville seem to be competing for a new record."

Actually Ron was doing worse, for neither of his partners could offer much help, and he had almost destroyed a cauldron three times. He was lucky they could be saved, for his family could not afford to buy him a new cauldron a few times a week, he was using a used one as it was. Neville and Hermione were in different houses, but the two houses got along well, and she had helped Neville as his partner, to keep him from blowing them all up.

Draco looked at his Uncle. "You have blown up in the few weeks since we saw you this summer."

Severus put his nephew in a headlock."Keep that up and I'll see about putting you in Gryffindor. "

Severus was nearly six months pregnant, and it had only been mid August, less then a month since they saw him out of robes, but he had definitely grown. The billowing black robes did a lot to help conceal some of it, not using a charm, for the school knew he was pregnant. Neither he nor Lucius had ever thought to be carriers, but neither had a choice, if they wanted kids. Remus would miscarry at the first full moon, only female werewolves could carry, and after years and one heart wrenching miscarriage, Lucius could not ask his husband to try again. The men did not regret it though, they both wanted more kids, and didn't mind.

Remus laughed when Harry told him about the sleepover plot."Albus really is desperate to keep you under thumb."

Severus shocked him. "I say you do it, but in the dungeons, and make it all houses. See if any of them have the guts to come."

Harry and Draco thought their Uncle was surely joking, and from the look on Remus, he thought so too, but Severus was serious. Severus thought the best way to play the old man was to turn the game back around on him, and it could not hurt. It always was a good thing for houses to bond, though he doubted that they'd mix. Over dinner they spoke, and Severus convinced the boys, in a few weeks, to do it.

Johnny had no idea what was happening and bounced up and down."I sleepy with Arry?"

Harry kissed his cousin on the head. "How about at Christmas? You know you will be staying with us when your little sister comes."

The couple had decided they would have her here, like Johnny, since Lucius had pulled the governor's card. Albus had not wanted him and Sirius here, hoping to bring Harry around by summer, but Sirius reminded the old man he got his godson for holidays. They would be taking the boys at Easter, for the birth of their sister or brother, the men never finding out the gender yet though the boys were sure it was a brother. Albus decided it was better to have them come, and still hopefully have some influence over Harry, then Harry to be out of his control at the manor.

Remus reminded the boys after Johnny was in bed and they were going. "You know our password. You know you can come visit us any time."

When October came, Harry and his friends well into classes and life at school they were sure Severus forgot about his idea. He had not mentioned it again, but when Albus was on Harry again, Severus told the boys to invite kids their age, to a Halloween sleep over. It fell on a weekend, and though the school party was always fun, a sleep over in the dungeons for other houses, would seem cool. The girls in their house heard, and it was soon agreed it could be both

Harry knew it was a good idea, though he was not sure he wanted them in their rooms. Severus suggested they could camp out in the potions classroom, and there was a second empty one, so they would still be in the dungeons, but not in their house. Harry doubted Ron and his friends would come, but it was a good idea.

Ron looked up when Harry came over to their table. "You finally are coming to spend a weekend wit us? Dumbledore says he can have you re-sorted if you like."

Harry hid a groan. "I actually have an invitation of my own, to any first years. Slytherin is hosting a Halloween sleep over in the dungeons."

The news spread through the first years at the table, and some of the older kids, but no one was too disappointed on the age limit. Harry thought this would be a good test really of the so called courage of the Gryffindor lions, to see if they could come to such an offer.

Ron stared at him. "You actually expect us to come and sleep in a pit full of snakes? Have you lost your mind or something?"

Fred called from down the table. "What's wrong little brother, scared one might jump in your bed roll with you?"

Harry repeated he invitation before he headed back to his own table, where he was joined by Draco and Blaise who had gone to the other two. There were some from the other houses who genuinely seemed excited, if only for how creepy it would be, perfect for Halloween. Harry could still hear Ron being ribbed hard by the twins and others at his table, and he thought it would be interesting to se if any from that house, came.

Harry could see from the look on Albus' face, he had been told."It seems the headmaster might not be so for our little experiment."