The next day was much more hectic than Severus wanted. You could tell he was about two more bows from the house elves away from just kicking them out the window and hauling our luggage ourselves. Honestly it was slightly hilarious.
"Dobby, tell the house elves that they just need to take it to Severus Snape's quarters. They do not need clean the clothes or make us breakfast, we already ate," I told the small elf. He nodded and began shouting orders at the surprisingly large group of house elves. Severus visibly relaxed, his patience reserves already drained for the day.
"What does Bobbles do in the summer why you're not here?" I asked when the house elves finally popped away.
Severus frowned, "I'm not sure, I know upkeep on the house isn't the best of work for her, but I don't know what else I could have her do."
"Dobby!" I called. Once again the eager house elf popped into view, "yes Master Harry Potter Sir?" I felt something in my head pulse rather violently at my title. I then summoned Bobbles. Now the two house elves were standing side by side.
"Dobby, this is Professor Snape's house elf, Bobbles. If she would like to, and only if she would like to, I wanted to see if you and Bobbles could take care of Professor Snape's quarters this school year and his home?" I asked the two. They both nodded, eager to be given a chore by the Great Harry Potter himself. Why house elves thought I was god I will never know.
That being done, they both popped away to unpack our belongings. I straightened and sighed, "you just need to know which house elf to talk to. I highly suggest Dobby, he can usually get things done with a minimum of bowing."
Severus just growled wordlessly, still thinking up horrific tortures for them even though the house elves were gone. I rolled my eyes and pulled him over to the Floo, "come on, the Headmaster is expecting us any minute. Now go," I ordered.
Surprisingly he obliged, grabbing a handful of floo powder and tossing it in the grate, dissappearing in a swirl of green flames. A moment after that, I did the same, taking one last look around the place that I had called home for so long. Finally I tossed the powder in, "Headmaster of Hogwarts Office!"
Finally, for the first time in almost six years I've been using the floo, I didn't fall on my face. Thank you vampire agility.
I dusted myself off before greeting Professor Dumbledore. As usual, he was wearing gaudy robes, only these were a bright orange and were speckled with suns. His smile and normally twinkling eyes clouded with confusion and concern as he took in my appearance. I guess I did look different, not being a human anymore. I just shrugged it off, "hello Professor, nice to see you again."
He nodded, "likewise Harry. Am I to understand that there were some changes in your living conditions through the summer?" I nodded, going with the story that Severus and I had made.
"I was randomly attacked at the beginning of the summer and Professor Snape found me. I've been at his cottage healing and recuperating. I can say I feel much better," I told the much older wizard. I was now at eye-level with him, no longer looking up at him with a child's innocence.
"That's good to hear my boy. I take it you and Severus have settled your differences?" He asked the two of us, peering at us over his spectecals. We nodded. He smiled, rubbing his hands together eagerly, "fantastic. Now, if you will excuse me, I must meet Professor McGonnagal for a rousing game of chess." He eagerly left the room.
I turned my attention on the view from the office window. It gave you a spectacular view of the Quittich pitch, so nicely maintained. Severus obviously saw my longing and gave my a light tap on the head, "go on, we can wait to unpack until this evening." I let out a whoop and shot out the room and down the stairs.
On the way I called for Dobby. He appeared, eager to serve me yet again. "Dobby, can you get me my broom and meet me in the Quittich Pitch in five minutes?" He nodded eagerly, "yes, Dobby will get, Dobby will wait for Kind Harry Potter." With a pop he left.
I ran through the halls, eager to be outside. I had gone outside at the cottage, but nothing compared to the expansive lawns of Hogwarts. Sliding down the bannister, I made it to the Quittich pitch just as Dobby showed up. I smiled, "great work Dobby, you can get back to whatever you were doing before this."
Taking my broom, I mounted and kicked off. I flew at breakneck speeds, as fast as the broom would go, which was pretty damn fast. Once I got the need for adrenaline out of my system I flew at much slower, much safer, speeds.
As I flew in gentle circles around the pitch, I did an unusually large amount of thinking on my part. Enough to make my brain hurt. I thought about the upcoming school year, and my birthday that was a little over two weeks away, the odd way Dumbledore looked at me, and most of all, Severus. Just weeks ago Severus had been Snape. I honestly don't know who changed more, him or I?
I guessed it was around tea time a while later, deciding that I needed to get down. I was going to be sore tomorrow. Glancing in the distance, I saw smoke rising from a very familiar chimney and decided to go visit my friend, Hagrid.
Walking down the familiar path to the gamekeepers cabin brought a sense of nostalgia of much simpler days.
I knocked on the huge wooden door, hearing Fang barking inside. The door creaked up and suddenly I was being crushed. I struggled before realizing Hagrid was just giving me a hug. Or what he called a hug. I was sure he broke a rib or two. "Nice...to see...you too...Hagrid," I managed. He finally set me down and I leaned against the doorframe, gasping for air.
"Sor'y 'bout tha' Harry, forget me own strength some 'imes. Anyway, wha' 're ya doin' 'here? School hasn' star'ed now, 'as it?" The half-giant asked, leading me inside his cottage.
"No, I'm staying for the rest of the summer. I've been staying with Professor Snape, and he's been really decent to me, even friendly," I said, trying to rescue the hem of my robes from the puddle of dog drool accumulating at me feet. Fang was a loyal dog, that's for sure, but he was practically a waterfall.
"Tha's good to 'ear. Now, tell me wha' ya've been doin' o'er the summer," he said, setting tea and rock cakes in front of me. I sighed, some things never changed.
I had a very pleasant chat with Hagrid, slipping Fang at least half of all the rock cakes I appeared to have eaten. I was just having tea with an old friend until he leaned in conspiratorially. "Now, 'Arry, ya know I care 'bout ya. Which is why I'm tellin' ya this. Be careful. Rumor 'as it, that he-who-must-not-be-named is more powerful than 'ever. They sayin' tha' he's targeten' Hogwarts next, so be careful 'Arry, I know ya get in more 'n yer fair share o' trouble." The bearded man told me with a wink.
I forced a smile, "don't I know it Hagrid. I better be heading back, Professor Snape likes me to be punctual at meals." I eagerly made my escape, my head spinning. Hogwarts was next?
A/N: Dun! Dun! Duuun! Told you I'd update soon. So tell me what you think. Did you love it, did you find something horrifically wrong or stupid with it (I try to make it as realistic as possible...for the magical world, anyway) or did you hate it and want me to go fall in a pit? Tell me in your review :)
The Walking Dead is on in like five minutes, so I have to go...Yay zombie killing!