Chapter twelve

Harry arrived seconds after Severus and even though he had been surprised and a little wary, Severus held his hand, but to Harry it felt nice.

'If you feel uncomfortable at all, please let me know.'

'Your hand feels nice,' Harry shrugged.

'Because you know you're safe with me, but I also meant from others. You are still the worlds hero, so you will receive attention. Let me put your worries to rest though, we are going to join the rest of the staff, yet there are bound to be some of your friends inside.'

'As long as your close I know I'll be okay,' Harry and Severus walked off but Harry stopped, 'You don't mind that I'm starting to count on you, do you?'

'No, I do not mind, you have not had anyone else to count on since your godfather died. So even though I do not want to become a parent to you Harry, I am here for you, no matter what it is.'

'I don't think of you as a parental figure Severus, I see you as a man who hides who he truly is, but also someone that does not care what others will think. I used to feel like that, I was always worried about what people think of me, I don't anymore and part of that is because of you. I'm not sure exactly why, I just know that because you're with me words or looks don't concern me anymore. With them,' Harry shrugged.

'You don't need to explain about them or why you did it. But I am a man that does care for you and just maybe that is all you need to feel which has given you back your self-confidence. Now are you ready to go inside?'

'Yes,' Harry gave his normal half smile before they stepped into the Three Broomsticks, still holding hands. Harry didn't look around but he could tell the place was packed and it became quieter than it was they moment they stepped inside. Severus bought them both a drink before heading to the table where some of the staff was sitting.

'Hello Harry, how are you?' Minerva smiled.

'I'm good professor, thank you,' Harry half smiled again then faced the other staff of Hogwarts, 'Hello Professor's.'

'Harry, it seems we are finally getting that question answered, who did Harry Potter marry,' Pomona said.

'Yes, Harry and I realised half our problem was our denial about our feelings,' Severus and Harry sat down but Severus kept hold of Harry's hand, 'An old age custom for some, hide behind snide comments and sneering looks instead of facing the truth and speaking out.'

'Yes, we have seen that many times with students. Very similar to Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley, all they did was fight,' Filius said.

'They deserve each other,' Harry murmured but he did receive nods of understanding from the staff even if they only knew half of why Harry did not like them anymore.

'So tell us, since you did not return to Hogwarts to finish your last year, what do you intend to do now?' Filius asked.

'I don't know, but I've got some time to think about it and one idea was maybe to open my own business. I'm trying to work on what it will need before I seriously consider it.'

'Can you explain what type of business you are considering?' Minerva asked.

'Brooms, I love to fly, but I used to tests the different brooms to see how they would fly, how different they were. When Sirius gave me the Firebolt that is when I realise that making them look different or out of different wood helped with how they would fly, then the charms needed of course. Some brooms weren't as good as others just because they had less bristles or the type of wood wasn't the correct weight.'

'It seems you've been putting a lot of thought into this,' Severus said.

'Recently I have.'

'Harry, can we talk?'

'Go to hell Granger and take those with you,' Harry snarled but he never faced his ex-friends.

'It's fine love, remember, you have me and you have your other friends who did support you,' Severus gave Harry's hand a light squeeze.

'Please Harry, I wish to explain.'

'Explain, that it's the second time you were wrong by supporting him and not me who happened to be right, so there's nothing to explain.'

'I've always supported you.'

'Yeah, right, like during the triwizard when that idiot believe I added my own name. Sure you believed I didn't but you stayed beside the one that was wrong and I was left alone, to put up with everyone's ridicule. Well fuck off Granger, have your red head and stay away from me, for good. You two deserve each other.'

'It's best if you leave Miss Granger,' Severus said in his usually unpleasant snarl, 'Now,' Severus waited until Hermione hurried away before he faced Harry, 'It's fine, there've gone.'

'She goes on about right and wrong, she just pisses me off,' Harry looked up, 'Sorry for swearing, they just get to me sometimes.'

'You do not need to apologise Harry, your words were not aimed at us,' Minerva said calmly.

'I would never disrespect any of you like that,' Harry turned to Severus, 'I thought they weren't going to get any freedom.'

'They are restricted to the castle which means they snuck out somehow. I will deal with them when I return to Hogwarts.'

'We sealed all the tunnels so I am not sure how they got out of Hogwarts,' Minerva said.

'They might have worked out how to unseal them and if they did I would say it would be the one to the shrieking shack.'

'Maybe that is where they have been disappearing to. We have Mr. Filch keeping watch on the seventh floor, we also had a charm placed around the entrance to the room of requirement to alert us if anyone went into the room.'

'I wonder,' Harry reached into his pouch and pulled out some parchment, 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good,' Harry tapped it with his wand then checked the map, 'The map changed, the tunnels used to look exactly like any other room, now they're faded, but the tunnel to the shrieking shack looks the same.'

'May I see that?'

'Yeah, sure Severus,' Harry pushed the map in front of his husband then saw all the other teachers staring at it, 'My father, Sirius and Remus invented that, Fred and George gave it to me in my third year. We used it for the DA, I used it to work the egg clue out for the triwizard and again during the fighting. It shows every room at Hogwarts and every person including the ghosts. It doesn't show the room of requirement, because it's unplottable and can be changed so the map can't pick it up. It even showed me when I was using my cloak.'

'Very advanced magic Mr. Potter, extraordinary actually and should have been impossible to make,' Filius said.

'Sirius told me it took then two years of continuous work, he believed that Hogwarts wanted to help the marauders because you're right, it should be impossible.'

'I would like to ask if I could borrow this Harry?'

'Since I'm not at Hogwarts, yeah, you can use it to catch all those students out of bed of a night. I don't think Sirius or my father would like the idea though.'

'No, I'm sure they would not and it now makes sense how they got around Hogwarts of a night. Do you know if this picks up an animagi?'

'Yes, I saw Pettigrew's name on it, that's what I was doing that time when you found me and Remus rescued me. I saw his name and remembered that he was supposed to be dead. He was right there when you came upon me that night but I was looking for a man not a rat.'

'Ah, so this is the parchment that insulted me.'

Harry turned the parchment to show the front, 'Moony was Remus, Padfoot was Sirius, Prongs was my father and Wormtail was Pettigrew. They four of them worked it so anyone that tried to reveal the map would get insulted.'

'Then I could just imagine the insults Severus received as I did hear your father and his friends quite often,' Minerva said.

'I had a feeling all the staff would be here but I was not expecting to see Harry since he never returned to Hogwarts,' Kingsley said.

'Harry is my husband minister, and since it's my day off we decided to go out,' Severus folded the map and put it in his pocket.

'If you are here in Hogsmeade Harry then why won't you return to Hogwarts so you can become an auror?'

'I told you Kingsley, it's personal,' Harry glanced at Severus, pleading with his eyes.

'We should get to our shopping, Harry, there are a few items we both need.'

'Yeah, there are,' Harry and Severus stood, 'It was nice to see you all again,' Harry gave his half smile at Minerva before turning to the minister, 'I'll see you around…minister.'

'Minister, everyone,' Severus said then took Harry's hand before leaving the pub.

'Thanks, Severus, I know Kingsley, he would have asked to speak with me privately then he would want to know why.'

'Yes, I realised that, but what I said was not a lie there are a few items I need. Would you care to join me while I purchase my items?'

'I like being with you Severus, so I'll look around as well. Oh the map, if you want to close it the password is mischief managed.'

'Yes, mischief, they certainly did cause a lot of mischief in their time.'

Harry couldn't help himself, he chuckled because he heard all about the mischief Sirius and his father got up to as students, and not just hexing Severus.