Chapter Ten: New Jobs and Servants:
Mrs. Weasley looked up from her editing to see Severus Snape standing before her. It was summer again and he was back here at the burrow looking for Remus she was sure as he needed his potion. The school year after the death of the basilisk and the exoneration of Hagrid from opening the chamber had gone very well. Remus had taken over as the defense teacher and he was an instant success with the students. Even Severus Snape was impressed as the students liked the werewolf and enjoyed his lessons, but damned if Snape would ever say that.
"How is the editor position at the Quibbler Molly?" He asked.
"Very well, Xenophillius loves my work and suggestions for improving the magazine." Mrs. Weasley said. "Subscriptions are up and the money is really coming in now."
"That is great, you are very talented." Snape said.
"Why thank you Severus." Mrs. Weasley said smiling up at the young potions master, he was not one to give complements lightly.
"I speak the truth, oh and look who the cat drug in." Snape said to Remus who came in, grabbed a large pastry and threw himself into a chair. "The student's favorite werewolf, I see the girls fall all over you."
"Not as much as they do with you." Remus shot back reaching for the goblet of potion and growling when Snape withheld it from him.
"What do you mean?" Snape said coldly.
"Oh come on, the dark dangerous potions master of the dungeons." Remus said. "The girls fall all over you." Remus said holding his hand out for the potion. "May I please have that now?"
"Hnn, well all I can say is thank heavens for the wards." Snape said and at a memory, "now who learned the most about those in school?"
"Sirius, he ah tried to have some relations for lack of a more polite word and well Poppy was not happy to have to call in a healer to take care of the stinging charms on his manhood." Remus said taking the potion from Snape. "James teased him about it for weeks."
"Yes well we all knew what happened with the way he walked for a week after." Snape said smirking.
"It would be good if we could share those charms and wards with the muggles." Mrs. Weasley said looking over the article on the professor of the week at Hogwarts. "It would keep the children safe from each other."
"And teachers, if not for those what trouble could have Goldilocks gotten into." Snape said, "of course he would have ended up dead at my hands muggle style. No-one takes advantage of a student ever."
"Agreed." Remus said finishing his potion.
At that moment Harry burst into the room and Snape looked up at him and his eyes widened in shock. Harry was no longer wearing glasses, Moody had read up on a new and not public study on something done with muggle lasers to correct eyesight and of course both he and Remus had let Harry get the surgery. That was not all, Harry had grown a few inches and his eyes free of the glasses were a very intense green, exactly like his mother. Harry grinned at Snape's reaction and Snape looked at Mrs. Weasley who smiled at Snape's reaction.
"Harry why are you not wearing glasses?" Snape asked.
"Oh this new muggle surgery with lasers that corrects eyesight." Harry said his green eyes lighting up.
"Indeed Harry?" Snape said looking at the slender teen before him.
"Yes sir, and you called me Harry twice." Harry said. "You are brilliant."
"Flattery Mr. Potter will get you no-where." Snape said coldly.
"Will outright bribery sir?" Harry said smirking.
"Harry respect your professor." Mrs. Weasley warned him.
"Yes Aunt Molly." Harry said then to Snape. "Sorry sir, just joking."
"Yes be grateful we are not in school or it would be points from Gryffindor." Snape said.
"Yes sir, I know." Harry said grinning.
"What are you grinning at boy?" Snape asked Harry.
"I really do like you sir." Harry said. "You are the best potions master ever."
Harry grabbed a sticky bun and was out the door before Snape could respond. Harry was an interesting boy that was for sure. He could bend the rules just enough not to get in trouble and he did like to help the Weasley twins with a prank or two. Yet he was a kind and caring boy and it was clear he was very strong in his magic. It was good Moody and Remus had raised him and drawn out his strong magical skills, last year it had taken him less than fifteen minutes to defeat the Horcrux of Voldemort for Horcrux is what it was Snape was very sure of that.
A week later the order was called back up as a confirmed sighting of Sirius Black alive and in the east of England was spotted and was clear that Voldemort was using Horcruxes in hopes of coming back. Moody had a bag he threw on the table in greeting of the newly gathered order. He had studied up on Horcruxes and realized only a few things could destroy them, the venom of a basilisk, a Phoenix and goblin or elf made steal. As such he had done some research and found on his own that somehow some way not only had Voldemort managed the nearly impossible task of creating a Horcrux he had made more than one. Most witches and wizards who tried to make one ended up dead or insane.
"What is in the bag?" Remus asked as he ate some jerky. "Not food, smells like metal."
"That is because it is." Moody said dumping out the objects. "No' anyone know what a Horcrux is besides Remus an' Severus an' the headmaster?"
"Ah it is a dark object an evil wizard stores part of his soul." Mrs. Weasley said. "He has to kill and do a charm to do this, I don't know that charm and I don't want to know."
"Well the dairy was one." Moody said. "That was why young Ginny was easily entrapped."
"So you found more?" Dumbledore said clearly impressed. "All on your own?"
"I was bored, w' Harry here I do' have t' worry about the house standing." Moody said smiling.
"He is not that bad, he is very respectful and a great young man and you know it!" Remus said.
"He keeps throwing things at me." Moody shot back.
"Only because you started it, all those tests of constant vigilance." Remus countered.
"So I am guessing you destroyed these?" Kingsley Shacklebolt, a bald black man with gold earring in his ear asked.
"Yes I did." Moody said holding up a goblin made knife. "Had fun doing that too."
"How many are here?" Dumbledore asked.
"Well there is the diary, this locket that I will give back to Kreacher, goblet, ring you kin have headmaster, and that is all I found, I doubt it is the last, he would want t' make six t' have seven parts."
"That is very evil." Mrs. Weasley said. "How could he do this, most witches and wizards who try end up dead or mad trying to make one!"
"He is very, very powerful in an evil way." Kingsley said. "He nearly won that last round, if not for Harry's parents well we could have all died."
"Aye, but we are way ahead of him." Moody said. "He may come back but he will no' stay fer long."
"What of Sirius Black?" Arthur asked. "Will he try to help bring him back?"
"No, if he was goin' t' he already would have, he is headed fer Hogwarts." Moody said.
"Any reason why?" Remus asked.
"No clue, but w' Dementors guarding th' school anyone who thinks their child is ready kin be taught a Patronus by me an' Remus." Moody said.
"I will talk to the children." Molly said.
Later that very week Moody started to teach in earnest those that wanted to learn the Patronus charm. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George and Percy all took these lessons very seriously. Yet it was only Harry who produced one on his very first try. He looked embarrassed as he realized he had shown more skill than even Hermione. He continued to get stronger and stronger with his Patronus charm over the next few weeks and helped his friends learn this as well. It was considered highly advanced magic, NEWT level magic in fact. Harry's Patronus was a stag, Ron's a lion, Hermione and Neville an otter, Fred and George had foxes and Percy's was an owl.
The last week of the summer the teens headed to Diagon Alley to get their books and school supplies. Ron was able to get a new wand and as Molly Weasley was making good money now with her job she got new robes for Ron and Ginny, a new wand for Ron and an owl for Ginny as she really wanted one. Ginny was beside herself with joy at this gift. Hermione went into the pet shop to get herself and owl but she did not come out with an owl, she came out instead with a large orange squash face cat that she said was named Crookshanks. Ron was not happy, he was sure the cat would be after his rat Scabbers who had taken to hiding as much as possible as it was most days now.
"No-one wanted to buy him but he is so sweet." Hermione said petting him.
"Just keep him away from my rat!" Ron said.
"Well you don't have Scabbers here with you now do you?" Hermione shot at him.
"He is at home, sleeping somewhere." Ron said as Remus came up.
"You know I have never seen Scabbers." Remus said, "seems he likes to sleep and hide."
"Yea that is him." Ron said. "Lazy stupid rat."
"Yea but you care about him." Harry said.
Remus bought them all ice cream from Fortescue ice cream shop and they sat out in the warm summer sun enjoying the weather. The day came to an end and they headed back to the burrow to pack and get ready to head back to school. Harry was looking forward to this year, Remus was going to continue teaching defense and what was more Moody was coming to take over teaching Magical History as Binns had finally crossed over. Harry knew that this school year was going to be a great year and he looked forward to it.
As always, I want to thank all who have reviewed so far: Tumshie, The Geeky Quill, graypheonix, Lady Clark-Weasley of Books, JWOHPfan, AllMightyPen, DeliaDee, Rainbow2007, Charcoal Hunter Winston, danielle72679, HarrySirius Fan, Auralia Mortimer, world peace, kloette, excessivelyperky, Blueowl, Tristan Cartier, Frost Merry Darkness Luver, miss sophie potter. Thank you all for your reviews!