A.N. ~ Well I don't own these characters. First fanfic so if you are going to review, please be nice. Constructive criticism is definitely ok, being an ass isn't. That said... Please leave comments, good or bad, so that I know what readers think. Thanks
Ch. 7 Life goes on
After Harry's birthday, Severus discussed Sirius and the events of "that night" with Dumbledore. The two coming to the conclusion that Sirius would have to voluntarily take Vertiserum in front of the interrogating Aurors. Dumbledore accompanied Sirius to the Ministry of Magic and sat with him in the very small interrogation room, along with two Aurors. Four hours later, Albus walked out of the Ministry with Sirius, his name cleared.
As that first summer was soon coming to a close, Severus had invited Sirius to spend the remaining weekends with him and Harry at Prince Manor. When it came time for the young professor and his son to return to Hogwarts, Severus suggested that Sirius live at the Manor. The day after Sirius had officially moved into the home, he bid farewell to his godson and Severus as they stepped through the floo, luggage shrunk and tucked carefully into Severus' pocket. Father and Son would come back to spend one weekend a month with Sirius.
This custom continued for years. Small changes seemed to sneak in unnoticed by the small family. Slowly over two years, Sirius moved into the Master Bedroom. Neither Severus nor Sirius noticing it until the next summer. The relationship that started in their teen years at Hogwarts seemed to pick up where it left off, with the addition of Harry. While the adults were working building a stable and loving home, Harry was busy absorbing every piece of information he could while at Hogwarts and spending his summers making mischief with his friends Draco, Ron and Mione.
Before anyone realized, it was the last summer before Harry and his friends joined the ranks at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As was customary, Draco, Ron and Hermione were spending the summer with Harry, Severus and Sirius at Prince Manor. Sirius and the boys were outside in the Quidditch pitch that had been built for Harry's fifth birthday. Hermione was of course in the Library with Severus, going over her latest magical discovery. The pair had a natural sibling relationship since the day they met, consequently, Hermione spent quite a bit of time at the Manor. More specifically, the library. She became well versed in all magics. She especially enjoyed learning charms and the Dark Arts, even though Severus made her promise to "Never use any of the Dark Arts you learn, unless you find yourself in a life or death situation and for the love of Merlin, NEVER tell your mother!"
The group of six made their way to Diagon Ally via floo to The Leaky Cauldron. "Alright everyone, listen up. You've all got your lists haven't you?" Severus waited as all four children nodded. "Good, now we are here for school supplies and NOTHING else. No splitting up. No lagging behind. No running ahead. And please, no whining. " With that said, Severus took off toward the bookstore.
After purchasing school books, parchment, quills, ink, cauldrons and scales, Severus lead them past a curious little shop that had very large windows. Glancing inside as they walked by, Hermione was the first to stop and stare. Looking inside, she could see animals of all types and sizes. "Sev! Wait!" She screamed at Snape's retreating figure. Severus turned to see what the commotion was about. He sighed heavily when he noticed the shop they were all standing in front of.
"Yes?" He said calmly, already knowing what Hermione would ask.
"Sev, Mum said that it would be alright if I looked for my familiar today." She looked at him with her big innocent eyes.
"You know very well that a Witch or Wizard may spend years, decades or even a lifetime trying to find their familiar. What makes you think you will find it here?"
"I'm not sure, but that doesn't mean that I don't want to look. You wouldn't want me to inform our mother that I was denied the opportunity to seek out my familiar, would you?"
Severus raised an eyebrow at the small girl in front of him. He walked to the door of the shop and held it opened as Harry, Draco, Ron and Hermione, who was wearing a smug look, entered. "That girl could get away with murder around you." Sirius commented as he too walked past Severus and into the shop.
"Hello. Is there anything in particular that you are seeking?" Said the older gentleman behind the counter.
"No, Sir. I'm just looking. Hoping that I'll find my familiar." Hermione smiled.
"Oh, well good luck Miss. If you don't find it, don't feel bad. A lot of animals come and go from the shop, you can always come back and take a peek again."
With that, the group split up, looking through the cages. Each one of them hoping to feel that little pull of their familiar. It was a well-known fact that when a witch or wizard laid eyes on their familiar, they would feel a pull, a tugging sensation toward the animal. Another well-known fact regarding familiars, was communication. A witch or wizard was always able to communicate with their familiar, sometimes even over great distances. None of the group had felt a thing. Harry and Ron were making their way to the front of the store when they heard a loud gasp shortly followed by another.
"I can't believe it! Oh, I've always wanted a cat. Sev! Look who I've found!" Hermione screamed from in front of a very large orange feline with a very flat face.
"That is not just a cat, Miss. That there is a half kneazle. He isn't the friendliest feline. Are you sure you felt the pull?" The shop keeper asked, looking slightly concerned.
Severus came to stand behind the small girl, who was taking an orange monster out of a cage. "Is this the one?" He asked. Hermione only gave him a look that said "do not test me".
"How much for him, Sir? I will be taking Crookshanks here home today." Hermione addressed the shop keeper.
"Oh no dear. We don't charge when a familiar meets their witch or wizard. It's a rare enough thing, no need to make it harder." The older man smiled down at Hermione. "I'm sure I heard another little gasp coming from this section. Better go see what they found."
In another section of the store stood Draco Malfoy. He was staring into a cage that held a small white animal that almost looked like a long rat. "Hello. What is your name? Squirt? What kind of name is that?"
"Draco? Who you talkin' to?" Said Ron, as he and Harry came around the corner.
"This is Squirt. She is my familiar. I'm just not sure WHAT she is." Draco explained.
"Oh! How exciting. You've found your familiar too. You've got yourself an albino ferret. Better keep your eye on that one. Ferrets are known to cause a little mischief. They also like to take things and hide them." The shop keeper appeared out of nowhere.
While the shop keeper was chatting with Draco and Ron, Harry heard a whisper. Looking around he didn't see anyone. When he heard it again, Harry started walking in the direction he thought it was coming from. Soon enough, he found himself along the back wall of the shop. There were glass aquariums lining the entire wall. There were all manner of lizards, insects, fish and snakes in the aquariums. "Can anyone hear me? Please, my tail is stuck." Harry heard coming from an aquarium near the floor. Kneeling down, Harry spotted a small orange and yellow snake. Her tail was stuck underneath a rock that seemed to have fallen over inside the aquarium. After lifting the cover off the aquarium, Harry removed the offending rock, letting it fall to the shop floor. "Thank you, kind Sir. I've been stuck for a long time. Thank you!" The little snake was overjoyed.
"It's no problem. I wouldn't want to be stuck like that either." Harry replied.
"You can understand me? No one understands us! And I can understand you!"
"Of course, I can understand you. Obviously you can also understand me as well."
"Harry, we are..." Severus watched as Harry happily hissed at the tiny snake. He wasn't sure what to think. I looked as though Harry and the snake were having a conversation. The two hissed back and forth until the little snake nodded it's head in Severus' direction.
Looking up from the floor Harry seen his father staring at him with a concerned look on his face. "Hi Dad. I heard her calling for help. Her tail was stuck under that rock. She said that no one else is able to understand her. Do you know why we can understand each other? I mean she says that she can't understand what anyone else says either. Only me." Harry stood from the floor waiting for Severus to answer.
"Parseltongue. Harry, you were speaking Parseltongue. That's the language of snakes and humans. There hasn't been a Parselmouth since... for a long time. Is that snake your familiar?"
"No, I don't think she is. I didn't feel anything, just heard her calling for help. She is very nice. If it isn't too much trouble, do you think I could take her home with me? After getting to know her, I feel terrible to just walk away." Harry asked.
Two adults, four children, a half kneazle, an albino ferret, a barn owl and a tiny corn snake all left the small shop and headed back to Prince Manor. Sirius whispered into Severus' ear as they followed the children to The Leaky Cauldron "I stand corrected. You'd let them ALL get away with murder."