Chapter 11: Departure
Beta'd by: Bombadilo Baby (thank you for proof reading with such little notice! You're the best!)
Foreword? What foreword? The only words running through my head right now are 'sleeeeep', and some weird/random nonsensical garble. It was a long weekend, but, as promised, here's the next update! Hope you like it
Wishing you all spellbinding weekends!
-G
Do I own any legal rights to Harry Potter? No. No, I do not. But cheers to J. K Rowling for dreaming it up! I would, very much, miss the Harry Potter sized hole in my life if she hadn't.
"Harry."
Harry heard someone call his name. He groaned, burrowing his head down further under the edge of the pillow. Feeling strangely comfortable and safe. Even the nearby voice didn't bother him like it normally would.
Much.
"Harry" the voice persisted, far closer this time.
The raven cracked open an eyelid, squinting to locate the source of whatever had woken him.
"Hmm?" Harry mumbled, when faced with a pair of very close grey eyes.
"Come on Harry, if you sleep much longer there's no way we'll be able to sneak past everyone." Draco urged his drowsy friend, poking him in the side for good measure.
Harry let out an undignified yelp, jumped, then glared sleepy green eyes at the other boy.
Draco paused, eyes suddenly glinting with an evil delight. Harry watched with alarm as Draco slowly raised his nearest hand, not breaking eye contact, in a universal threatening gesture to all those who were ticklish.
Harry tensed warily, poised to spring away, all traces of sleep abruptly erased from his face.
Harry glared, in a manner that Draco actually found more hilarious than actually cautioning. The blonde, temporarily distracted, struggled not to laugh and ruin his threatening appearance.
". . . Don't." Harry warned. Draco watched as the raven prepared to leap away, wound up as badly as a twitchy cat.
Draco smirked, and ever so slightly hovered his hand closer.
Harry let out a pre-emptive wail, and tumbled from the bed as he tore away, legs tangled in the blankets from his new position on the cold floor.
Satisfied, having achieved his original goal, Draco calmly sat up and walked towards the door.
"Oh, look. You're up." Draco said, his face held in deliberate (and antagonising, at least from Harry's perspective) pleased surprise.
Harry muttered lowly into the blankets tangled around his shoulders, and flickered a disgruntled glare at Draco, before worming his way up onto his feet.
"You'll thank me later." Draco said, dismissively waving his hand, even as the corner of his lips twitched with laughter. "Dobby's hot chocolate is brilliant." he remarked. Though the blonde was a secret (not so secret to anyone who actually knew him) chocolate fiend.
Draco tapped his fingers impatiently as Harry made his way over to where he stood at the door. Harry let Draco to lead the way, since both of them knew that the raven would only get lost in the ridiculously, magically enlarged, Manor.
The blonde scowled in warning, flicking his hair back impatiently from his eyes "Follow my lead Harry" he ordered, then considered the raven before deciding to add. "And for Merlin's sake, don't make any more loud tumbles to the floor. Either Mum or Severus will catch us for sure, they have ears like bats." He shivered, glancing warily both ways down the long corridor.
Harry raised an eyebrow "Why don't we just ask Dobby to bring us some?" he asked (quietly) in confusion, even as he automatically followed Draco's lead in scanning their surroundings for any of the adults.
Draco rolled his eyes "Pfft. Are you Slytherin or not? No, don't answer that, though we really have to work on that before Hogwarts." he mused, distracted. "We don't want witnesses. . . especially Dobby. He'll babble it out as soon as he see's Mother, and not even realise." Draco trailed off in a half-hearted resentful mutter, clearly remembering some other incident.
Draco shook his head, and then flicked a smirk at Harry. "Besides, it'll be good practice for Hogwarts. I've heard that none of the Snakes have been able to sneak past Severus yet." He said, a curious mixture of pride and creeping horror in his voice.
Harry paused uncertainly at the mention of his Godfather. "Doesn't that mean he'll be mad at us for sneaking into the kitchens today?" Harry asked, doubt suddenly clouding his face.
"He won't care. . . okay well, he will . . . but not much." Draco said dismissively. "Besides it's chocolate." Draco said emphatically, as though Harry were missing a crucial piece of information.
Harry was still wavering, but his feet automatically followed Draco as they slipped round another corner and down a small slight of steps.
When Draco finally pushed a small blue door open, hidden behind a huge painting of a soft yellow field of hay, tufts of clouds drifting in the sky above it, Harry's mouth sucked in a quiet breath.
The Manor's kitchens were huge! There were tall pantries brimming with so many different types of food. Harry was startled to even see things like pitchers of milk stored without a fridge, though as he walked closer to them he could feel the chill radiating from them.
Draco was already busy peering cautiously around all the nooks and crannies, double checking that they were alone. He smiled at Harry once he was sure the coast was clear, then began rummaging around one of the shelves, mumbling to himself.
"Yes!" Draco hissed, pulling out what appeared to be another large glass pitcher of milk. Harry wandered closer and was surprised to see that it was in fact warm perfectly frothed milk, with the tantalising scent of cocoa drifting up from the beverage.
Harry's mouth watered. Draco smiled in glee, holding the pitcher close. Draco carefully placed it atop a work bench, then whipped out two large beautiful ceramic mugs.
Their prize was quickly poured and shared. Harry tentatively, after watching Draco speedily take his first gulp, tipped up his mug for a sip.
Harry nearly melted as the first taste settled on his tongue, he would have purred had he been able to.
It wasn't long before the two boys had settled on the floor behind a large table, Draco had pulled out a long table cloth for them to sit on, sipping away at their drinks happily.
And that was how Severus found them. Giggling on the floor, with milk moustaches, and far too much sugar in their systems for the early morning.
"And what." Severus' voice slithered around the boys. The potions master watched with his unique brand of sadistic amusement as the two boys yelped in terror, practically jumping out of their skins. "Do you think you are doing?" he continued, keeping his voice low and silky. It was a tone many troublesome students at Hogwarts wished they weren't well versed with.
Harry winced, peering cautiously over his shoulder at his Guardian. Draco was far less concerned with Severus, and was more occupied by the almost-loss of his hot cocoa during his moment of surprise. The blonde sent Severus a dirty scowl.
"I wanted Harry to try some of Dobby's hot chocolate, he had a nightmare last night and I thought he might like some." Draco said calmly.
Harry looked over at Draco in betrayal, thinking that Severus would blame him now, and so missed the flicker of concern that passed over Severus' face.
Severus allowed the disapproval to drain from his face, and made his way over the boys picnic-like setup. He wished now that he'd placed a monitoring charm on Harry last night.
"Are you alright now, Harry?" Severus asked, somewhat awkwardly to his frame of mind, though the boys didn't notice.
Harry peered up at his Godfather doubtfully. Wasn't he angry? Harry was sure they'd been about to get into big trouble. . . "I-I'm fine, sir." Harry stuttered, clutching his mug tightly, eyes on the liquid inside.
Severus' frown increased "Whilst we are not within the walls of Hogwarts, I would prefer that you continue to call me either Godfather or Severus, Harry." He replied gently.
Harry's eyes flickered back up to his Godfather's, and felt the tension drain out of his as he met black eyes: they were warm. The raven smiled slightly, just a curl at the corner of his lips, and bobbed his head in agreement. "Okay, Godfather." He said, with a small but happy smile.
Severus' eyes crinkled slightly to smile in return, before he once again eyed the mugs of cocoa in the boys hands and then the mostly empty pitcher. With an internal groan for the upcoming day of supervising sugar-dosed young boys, Severus flicked his wand, storing the remainder away.
"Since you two are so eager to start the day drinking sugared rubbish, I trust there will be no complaints with your lack of desert tonight?" Severus asked ominously, daring them to complain.
Both boys wisely remained silent.
"Good. Finish your glasses and place that pitcher back where you found it. I will be tutoring you today, Harry, in the basics of the wizarding world. There are several topics with which you are sorely behind. Draco, your father indicated that you could also benefit from some extra lessons, so you will be joining us. If you both successfully finish todays work, this afternoon I will supervise you in brewing a potion from the first year curriculum at Hogwarts." Severus let out a smug smile when he saw the dismayed faces perk up excitedly at the mention of brewing. Harry's eyes were dancing with excitement, and even Draco's glinted eagerly.
Finishing the remainder of their beverages, the boys trailed after Severus like ducklings back up the staircase.
...
Harry could barely believe how swiftly time had passed at the Manor. He stared around in disbelief at the collection of people milling in the East drawing room, talking idly amongst themselves in the pale morning sunlight. It was the first of September, mere hours from when he and Draco would be boarding the train to Hogwarts. He was going to learn magic! He clutched his wand tightly.
But even more than that, he was surrounded by a group of people who had, from their first instance of meeting him, treated him kindly. He was so glad that both Draco and Severus would be at school with him, though a scared flutter thrummed in his chest when he thought about the Sorting. Everyone here, he'd learnt, was from Slytherin. . . he was terrified what they would think if he was put somewhere else. Harry bit his lip.
Would they care? Would they no longer be interested in him? . . .Would Severus still want to be his Guardian?
Draco had told him a couple of days ago that his Godfather was the proud Head of Slytherin house, though the blonde boy hadn't been able to say exactly how they were sorted. Draco had been trying to wheedle the answer out of every acquaintance he knew for years, and with no success, much to Draco's embarrassed chagrin. Though he'd learnt some rather disturbing theories from his friends. . .
Of course, unlike Harry, Draco wasn't actually all that worried. The blonde was positive that he would be in with the rest of the silver and green housemates, given that his entire family for seven generations had been sorted there. Both of Harry's parents, from what he'd heard, were Gryffindor's. It was the house that both the Malfoy's and his Godfather seemed to despise, though they were careful to never say anything outright in Harry's presence.
"Alright Harry, where's your head wandered off to this morning? You've got that mopey look about your face. Again." Draco demanded, peering closely at Harry down his pale aristocratic nose.
Harry shot an affronted look at his friend, though it was ruined by the pink blush staining his cheeks. "Nowhere." He mumbled embarrassed at being caught. Unfortunately they now had the attention of the entire room.
"Nope." Draco said, popping the sound with his lips. "Not buying it. Stop worrying about the Sorting. As the person who watched you trick Severus into wearing a colour other than black just last week, I think we can safely assume you're more then devious enough to qualify for Slytherin House." Draco lolled, rolled his eyes.
Harry froze as he felt Severus' glare aimed at him.
"Something you'd like to confess, Harry?" he asked, dangerously. Dark eyebrows twitching as he remember the incident. One of the potions stored in his personal chambers had inexplicably broken, the fumes had died his entire wardrobe magenta. It had taken the house elves all day to remove the stains.
". . . er" Harry stuttered.
"Oh leave him alone. It was all part of his training. How else do you think I was preparing him?" Draco said, waving his hand dismissively.
Though still slightly annoyed, Severus had to admit is was surprised. His naturally suspicious nature meant that he warded his chambers, and storage areas, quite heavily.
"Impressive." Lucius murmured, eyebrow raised as he eyes the two boys with approval.
Narcissa patted her husband's arm absently "Don't encourage them, dear." She murmured, already absorbed again with reading the morning paper. The Mornings Herald was of far better quality then the drivel currently printed in the Daily Prophet.
Lucius, seeing Severus' perturbed sneer, quickly nodded his head in apology.
"I trust, during this time, you were also teaching Harry the finer qualities of the noble Slytherin house?" Lucius inquired, peering down at Draco.
Harry and Draco glanced quickly at each other, frozen momentarily. Draco shuffled uncomfortably. "O-of course Father." He quickly assured. The lie unfortunately immediately evident by the pink blush and stammered voice of the younger Malfoy.
Severus snorted.
Harry bit his lip nervously, anxiety tripling in his stomach. There was something else he was supposed to learn to get into Slytherin? Was there even time now to get it right? He fisted his hands tightly, small knuckles turning white. He scowled, green eyes determined. No. He refused to give up his newfound family and friends now. If he had to, he would happily cheat at the Sorting to make sure he was placed with Slytherin.
Narcissa sighed, placed her paper aside delicately. "Lucius, dear, you wouldn't be implying that Harry has to be sorted into Slytherin now, would you?" She inquired sweetly. Heaven knew that once Slytherin males got stuck playing their little games they wouldn't resurface any time soon. All four of them would be caught up in creating the perfect training for Slytherin first years before she could blink, if left to their own devises.
Lucius winced. "Of course not, love." He quickly agreed.
Narcissa eyelid lowered. "Excellent." She purred, picking up her paper again "Besides, you needn't worry about our Harry here. He has everything sorted, I'm sure he will be placed exactly where he wants to be. Won't you Harry, dear?" she inquired, calmly.
Harry froze, startled. Then his determination returned to the forefront, blazing. Attempting to duplicate his Godfather, the raven raised a dark eyebrow (sadly, it was somewhat uncoordinated). "Of course." He said, then ruined it by smiling.
Narcissa tried not to coo. She nodded in satisfaction. "You boys have both finished packing I trust?" she inquired, glancing pointedly at Draco.
The boys both shared a quick sheepish glance. "Yes, Mother. Though I was just about to assist Harry, and check though his trunk before leaving." Draco lied smoothly.
Harry nodded vigorously in agreement.
Severus rolled his eyes, muttering about lazy teenagers. Lucius chucked beside his friend.
"Go and bring both your trunks down here." Severus demanded, waving a long potion-stained hand impatiently "Harry, I will check through yours myself that you have packed adequately." He stated.
Harry beamed, still overjoyed that his Godfather would want to help. The Dursley's had never so much as offered to assist Harry's learning to tie his own shoes.
"Okay!" he said, quickly standing up and running to his rooms to gather his belongings. He thanked Merlin that, unlike Draco, he'd mostly packed everything last night. Though that was likely because he had far less possessions to choose from. . .
Soon both Draco and Harry's trunks had been carefully checked though, and parent approved, before carefully being placed in the centre of the room. Severus gestured Harry over.
The raven walked up to his Godfather curiously.
Severus cleared his throat uncomfortably, his voice and posture unusually stiff. "It has recently come to my attention that I did not bestow you a birthday present for this year." Severus said.
Harry froze, hardly daring to breath. His birthday was not something he usually considered a joyous occasion, given the number of times he had celebrated it alone and miserable.
"Godfather?" Harry, unsure what his Guardian was trying to say.
Severus' dark eyes met Harry's and softened slightly. "Happy birthday, Harry." The man said, in a low quiet voice. Harry's Godfather pulled out his wand, and with a flick, summoned an covered object from across the room.
Harry stared at it with disbelief, arms immobile at his sides. "It's for me?" Harry asked, in a choked voice.
He'd never been given a present before. Well, nothing except the second hand holey socks the Dursleys had been kind enough to bestow on his a couple of years ago. . .
Harry felt tears clogging his nose, and attempted to keep them from his eyes.
"Yes, Harry, it's for you." Severus said, still holding the object out to him quietly.
With slightly trembling fingers, Harry reached out at grasped the object. He gasped, surprised at the heavy, awkward weight.
Harry looked up in confusion to his Godfather, who gave a tilted smile and reached out a hand to remove the cloth draped over the object.
Harry's eyes grew round as saucers.
There was an owl. He was holding an owl in a silver cage, with soft beautiful feathers of creamy white, and pale brown wings. He looked up into the birds face, framed by heart shaped line of brown feathers, and eyes dark as his Godfathers. He peered closely at her eyes, and caught a glimpse of the same secret warmth.
Harry turned his astounded gaze back up to his Godfather, speechless. He opened and closed his mouth several times, with nothing but puffs of air escaping him.
Harry bit his lips, trying not to cry. "Thank you." He whispered, clutching the silver cage.
Severus nodded, dark eyes fixed on Harry.
"She's yours." He replied. "That breed is known as a Barn owl. You're Mother had one just like it when she went to Hogwarts." Severus told him quietly.
And that was all it took for Harry's tears to tumble down his face. Shuddering, he carefully placed the bird on the table to his left, then pushed forward to tightly hug his Godfather.
Severus froze in surprise, then began to awkwardly pat Harry's back.
"You'd best name her now, before we leave. That way Narcissa and Lucius will know what to address her as when you send them letters throughout the school year." Severus said, hoping to distract Harry from whatever had caused his emotional outbreak.
Harry snuffled, trying to clear the tears from his voice. Slowly, he pulled away and turned, walking back over to the patiently waiting owl. She was watching his with dark eyes, standing straight on her perch.
Harry reached forward and unhitched the cage door. Carefully he offered his arm to the beautiful bird. Ever so delicately, she gracefully stepped onto his forearm and allowed Harry to lift her from the cage. She shuffled closer to Harry's shoulder along his arm, already pleased with her choice of human.
"Caladrius?" Harry questioned the owl quietly.
The owl nodded regally, then bumped the side of his neck, prompting him to softly stoke along her feathers. She turned to nibble gently at his finger every now and then or quietly hoot, happy with the attention.
"A curious name." Lucius mused, though apparently Severus recognised it from somewhere if his expression was any indication. "You best place her down, Harry. Neither she, nor, Draco's owl will enjoy the apparition." He advised.
Reluctantly, and with one last pat, Harry carefully held her near the back of a chair, waiting as she stepped off before moving.
Draco had walked to stand beside his trunk and two parents, whilst Harry stood with his own beside Severus. Harry glanced up to meet Severus' eyes questioningly.
"We'll be apparating straight to the platform at King's Cross. Far less confusion and time wastage." Severus sniffed haughtily." He looked down at Harry, with a tug of guilt in his gut. "I'll need to leave soon after you both get to the platform" He told Harry "I'm expected back at Hogwarts to assist Minerva in preparing the Hall." He regretfully informed his Godson.
Harry was a little disappointed that Severus would have to leave so soon, but was reassuring that it would only be a short separation. "That's okay. I'll see you when we arrive." Harry said smiling, excitement brewing in his stomach again.
"There is a sickle in your bag should you wish to purchase something from the food trolley on the train," Severus grudgingly admitted to packing for Harry "however I would advise that you don't gorge overly, the welcoming feast contains a frankly ridiculous amount of foods." Severus cautioned. "The same goes for you, Draco. I expect both of you to eat a proper meal tonight and tomorrow morning in preparation for your first classes."
Narcissa stepped forward, secretly amused by Severus' lecture. "Excellent advice Severus, which I expect you to heed Draconis." She said, peering at her son. "However, if we don't proceed now, I'm afraid the suggestion will be moot as the train will be long departed." She said pleasantly.
Lucius straightened, clasping Draco's trunk in one hand, and offering the other arm to his wife. Narcissa gracefully accepted, and reached down to hold Draco's hand in her other. With a loud pop they disappeared from the room.
Severus turned to Harry, silently offering his hand, the other tightly gripping Harry's trunk handle.
Excitedly, Harry reached up and took it. He was really doing it! At the stroke of eleven, just under an hour away now, he'd be on a train to a wizarding school, all for the purpose of learning magic!
And both his newfound friend and Godfather would be right there with him!
There was a moments pause after Harry's hand was held firmly in his Godfathers, then there was a sharp pulling sensation as they were both transported away from the Manor.
When Harry blinked open his eyes, he was looking out onto the smoky Kingscross station, more specifically known as Platform 9 ¾.