The Weasley household was buzzing with activity. Severus watched, annoyed, as that energy fizzled into nothing the moment the youngest male Weasley opened the door and everyone noticed Severus standing slightly behind Harry. Ron Weasley stared at the potions master with terror and a rather pale complexion.

"It is disrespectful to gawk and stare Mr. Weasley." Severus replied with as much disdain as he felt for the annoying redhead whom alongside Potter, had ensured him no peace of mind since their enrolment. Potter, however, he could forgive.

"Uh..."

"I see where you've learnt your extensive vocabulary Potter." Harry only smiled nervously up at him. "Off you go then... I'll come for you in the evening." He turned without looking at the boy.

"Nonsense Severus!" Severus cringed. He should have left faster. Molly Weasley came forward and shoved her son to the side to get to Harry. "Oh! There he is!" She cooed as she held Potter in a fierce hug against her chest.

"Mfl tho hm ynn." She pulled back and tried to brush his unruly hair with her fingers. "Nice to see you Mrs. Weasley." Harry seemed to repeat.

"Oh my dear, come in. Severus feeding you well? Of course he is look at how rosy you look!" She said pressing his cheeks. He would be amused if she didn't look at him as well. "You come in too Severus Snape!" She urged them inside.

Severus could leave. He certainly wanted to. But it wasn't about just him anymore. Potter was friends with Weasley, for whatever unfortunate arrangement of fate. As such Severus had to suck it up. He also didn't want the boy to start disliking him again for being rude to the mother of his friend.

Well… he supposed of all the things he'd done for Potter this was the least of it. He had no choice but to follow Molly Weasley into the house of silent and confused teens.

Ronald Weasley remained frozen by the door with probably too many questions to process. He left Potter with the teens and simply followed Molly Weasley, preferring to hide in the kitchen. This was a battle he was willing to throw Potter into with no remorse.

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Harry tried smiling though he was sure it looked as forced as it felt.

"So… everyone." He looked at where Snape had disappeared to with Mrs. Weasley and suddenly wished he was safely in the kitchen as well. Still, Snape now gave him permission to say as much as he wanted to.

"Mate… what the hell is Snape doing here?" Ron asked softly pulling him to the centre of the room where the twins and Ginny also gathered around him, trying to hear.

"Well…" Harry said and sat down, to which everyone copied him too. "I live with him now." He mumbled. He wished he could say it with pride. He was proud it was just… that Ron had no idea of how much Snape had helped him this year. Snape had kept him sane and had cared for and about him. Harry was attached and now he was scared of what arguments he would have to use to defend him. Ron did not disappoint.

"That's some nasty luck mate. Why doesn't Dumbledore just let you stay here?" Ron said.

"You can share Ron's room Harry." George said patting him on the shoulder.

"What's Snape's house like?" Fred asked.

Harry squirmed. He loved being in Spinner's End. It was small and old and creaky but it was a home he was welcome to. A home he was welcome to call his own with a parent figure he could also call his own.

"It's small." He said. "But I like it."

"No need to hide it. How horrible is Snape? Is he worse than the Dursl-?"

"No! He isn't!" Harry thought he would have better control than that but he couldn't help it. The words made a bolt of anger course through him and the angry words just came out. It shocked Ron into silence for a few seconds.

"You're not actually… liking living with Snape are you?" He asked.

"So what if I am? He's a million times better than the Dursleys. He's even helping me study for the O.W.L.s!" Harry said.

"You said you don't even care what you get!" Ron exclaimed. Harry remembered when he said that on the way home from Hogwarts.

"But… it's different now." It was getting really awkward, really quickly. "Eh… lets change the subject. What have you guys been up to?" He asked, looking away from Ron's defiant expression.

Fred and George talked excited about the joke shop they were going to open in a couple of weeks. It sounded fun though Harry didn't understand their insistence to give him whatever he wanted for free. All he did was give them some money.

Ginny showed him the squashes she was growing with a magic tip from Neville. It was fascinating seeing how big they were and how proud Ginny was with them, though when she started going into detail about the theory behind vegetable growing with magic he started to get bored.

Ron followed but didn't talk. As if he was waiting for the right moment to spring up the topic again. It was annoying. He'd been a little bored at Snape's house and finally he had a day off and here was Ron being a git.

Dinner was awkward though the twins and Mrs. Weasley helped keep it as light as possible but Harry felt Ron's silence and he knew Snape wasn't comfortable here. He started feeling a little nauseous wondering what Ron could be thinking about saying. He really didn't want a scene to happen in front of the Weasleys when Ron's parents had been there for him several times.

Surprisingly enough though, Ron contained himself. Harry thought he would get to go home in relative peace with him but Ron surprised him with a sudden spike of cunning. Or maybe it was his strategy prone mind trying to keep the topic alive. The moment it was time for them to leave, Ron perked up and turned to his parents.

"Mom, can Harry stay the night?" He asked his parents straight away and Harry blinked surprised at him, looking up at Severus for permission. He wanted to spend more time with his friend. Maybe the redhead would drop the topic once Snape was gone.

"You have lessons at ten." Snape said with a slight frown. Harry sighed remembering that he had Charms first thing in the morning.

"Oh it'll only be one night Severus. We'll have him ready to go home by nine thirty." Mrs. Weasley said. Severus looked from her to him and Harry perked up once more.

Severus eventually rolled his eyes. "Very well then. I'll pick you up tomorrow at nine thirty." He said.

"Ok!" He said a little more excited than he intended.

"Thanks!" Ron said and tried pulling him away. Harry tried to wave a goodbye to Severus.

"Ah… I'll see you tomorrow." He would come back for him tomorrow right? He wasn't angry because Harry decided not to refuse the invitation was he?

"Behave yourself." Snape said softly and Harry nodded, his worries at ease. Snape would come back for him. He was sure of it.

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Severus sighed. He had to get used to saying no to that kicked puppy look at some point. Last thing he wanted as a spoilt Potter on his hands.

"He'll be fine." Arthur Weasley said and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "You're doing fine." Severus simply fixed his robes getting ready to leave.

"Call me if you… need anything." Severus said, looking at where Potter had been dragged off to. Strange. Surely he couldn't miss the brat already. No that was ridiculous.