Pretty Boy
Chapter 10
The Prophecy And More Books
"How's the reading going?" asked Severus, Apparating directly into Harry's bedroom. He really shouldn't have, but he had. It's not as if Harry had anything he hadn't seen before anyway. He found him in relatively the same position as last time, only awake as apposed to asleep. He stood at the side of him, once more observing the beauty Harry held. His parents didn't hold a candle to him. It's as though he'd gotten the best of both parents, as well as some of his own unique features. Which Severus was grateful to, if Harry had looked like James' double, no matter how gorgeous he would have hated him instinctively. Even though James had in the end earned his respect and disgust at the same time. Dying defending his family, but being stupid enough to trust what he thought was Black, back in the day.
"Fine, although I don't see the use for these, unless I'm going to turn Dumbledore into a water goblet, is that even possible?" asked Harry curiously, turning side ways, leaning on his elbow to get a good look at Severus. Despite himself he was beginning to trust him, after all Dumbledore or no one magic had showed up at his door yet.
Severus smirked, "They use those examples in the books to make it easier for you. Such as matchsticks into needles because they are the same size. Animals are more susceptible to transforming hence the water goblets."
"I don't suppose I could sell those then huh?" asked Harry wryly, "They do look like real gold."
"They do, but they're not." said Severus, so he had been practicing. He went over to them, picking it up, he tried to undo it with little magic, trying repeatedly using more and more magic. Eventually he succeeded in changing it back; Harry had put a lot of magic into transfiguring them.
"These books have better spells, useful spells that you can use." said Severus handing over fifteen books and unshrinking them. The one on top happened to be Severus' old potions book, he'd added the effects of the spell so Harry didn't go and make a mistake, casting the bloody curse on anyone. "It seems you might not have to make your way up, with lower spells and such so you could get a tighter grasp on more difficult spells."
"What year are those for?" asked Harry curiously, beginning to look at the front of each book. Most seemed geared towards advanced charms, or defence with an occasional Potions book thrown in. What could be expected? After all Severus was a Potions Master and he probably had thousands of books related to the subject.
"None, well the book on top is the sixth year potions." said Severus, "They are extremely difficult after all its N.E.W.T's year."
"I guess I won't be brewing then huh?" asked Harry, feeling strangely disappointed, he hated Potions, and the two he'd attended had been hell on earth. Mostly thanks to the wizard standing in front of him. Yet he was no longer eleven year old, he had realized it was probably a violate subject. Neville had ended up covered from head to toe in potion, and it was just a first year potion. What if he'd continued on doing that all the way to more difficult potions? Potions that might do more damage? Even kill. Not just him but everyone in the room.
"Not unless you are in a properly sterilised lab," said Severus. "With the best ingredients." he added as an afterthought as he sat down, he still hadn't fully recovered. His ribs and back easily began aching. He didn't want to become addicted to pain reliving potions, which can easily happen. With him brewing them, nobody would notice the addiction, the only downside to being a Potions Master.
"Hmm," was all Harry said.
"Have you been eating?" asked Severus his eyes boring into Harry's.
"Yes," said Harry honestly.
"Have you eaten dinner?" he then enquired.
"No," admitted Harry.
"Then go make us something, you need to take a break from reading," said Severus. That was the cauldron calling the silver stirrer black. He knew, since when he got into a project he forgot to do anything else as well.
"What did your last servant die of?" asked Harry, but nevertheless stood up as his stomach was growling loudly. Or so he told himself anyway, but without him, Harry wouldn't be eating the filling meals he was these days.
"Poison." taunted Severus lying.
"Doesn't surprise me, you should be careful the next hand might slip." said Harry wryly, as he left his bedroom for the first time since breakfast.
Severus chuckled quietly as he left the bedroom as well, then to Harry's surprise, un-shrunk a worn down green leather seat. Then promptly took a seat, and sat there watching him. Glaring slightly, he shrugged his weirdness off before he began preparing for dinner. He decided upon noodles, chicken chow mien. Thankfully he'd already brought the chicken out this morning, so it would be defrosted enough to cook. He cut up carrots and broccoli and let it steam, instead of adding mushrooms and water chestnuts since he didn't have them available. The noodles were already in the water, ready to be put on the hob when necessarily. Since they only took five minutes to cook, he wouldn't have to put them on until everything else was cooked.
"Who taught you how to cook?" enquired Severus, assuming it going to be an innocent enough answer, but nevertheless wanting to know Harry more. This would make potions making easier for Harry, it was good news.
"I've been cooking since I was four years old, the Dursley's forced me to cook for them and I never got to have any of it." said Harry impassively, "Of course nobody seemed to care I went to Hogwarts looking eight instead of eleven. I was the smallest of them all, yet not one of you enquired as to why."
Severus felt as though he'd been punched despite the fact it wasn't just aimed at him. It was true; Harry had by far been the smallest of the new batch of first years flooding Hogwarts. The thought of 'The Harry Potter' being abused would never have crossed their minds. He was a hero, he'd survived Voldemort, nobody would treat such a boy horribly he's saved everyone. Of course none of them had known the bitter, Jealous Petunia Dursley, who apparently hadn't let go of grudges. The thought of comparing himself to that…woman turned his stomach but it was plainly obvious they were actually alike. Shoving the disdainful thoughts from his mind, refusing to dwell on it further. Should Petunia and he ever meet again, he'd kill her. He didn't care that Lily might not approve, but when it came to her son, he had a feeling she'd kill Petunia herself. His resolve strengthened, Petunia had better watch her back, she had a homicidal Slytherin maniac ex-Death Eater turned spy after her blood.
"Touché," replied Severus after some time had passed. The smell of the food was now making his stomach grumble. He'd not eaten much at breakfast or dinner, Minerva hadn't attended either. So it had been just him and Dumbledore, which had admittedly diminished his appetite considerably.
"It's almost ready." said Harry, as if to change the subject.
"Indeed." said Severus, still observing Harry from where he was sitting. This flat was bare, with furniture that was well past its sell by date. Everything was ripped, torn and faded; it reminded Severus of Spinners End, and his childhood. Merlin he wished there was a way to have Harry come to Hogwarts. He deserved better than this, a lot of people did but unfortunately, life didn't work that way. It was notable that if they had a humble upbringing they appreciated the finer things in life, unlike those who grew up with it.
Harry stirred the sauce, tasting it after cooling it down a little, nodding in satisfaction. Adding the peppers to the chicken, stirring with experience, he swiftly added everything into one pot. Putting the noodles on, he placed the now empty pans into the warm soapy water. He'd gotten gas and electricity so he didn't have to worry, the money Severus had given him would even pay for the rent for four months.
Stirring the noodles stopping them from burning on to the bottom of the pan, as he removed two plates from the cupboard. Wiping his brow, the steam making him sweaty as he nodded once again in satisfaction. Everything was ready, turning everything off, he drained the water from the noodles before plating the food. Grabbing some cutlery he walked over to Severus, and gave him one of the plates. "Here." he stated before he sat down on his couch.
"Thank you," said Severus still casually observing Harry, without really meaning to.
"You're welcome," said Harry, knowing how much it probably cost for the man to say. He let it go without gloating, but did wish he had a recorder since he was pretty sure he'd never hear it again.
"They do not make meals such as these at Hogwarts." said Severus, the noodles were delicious, he was definitely going to request his elf to get some more. If memory served him well, he'd not had these since he was a very young boy. Pasta was cheap and stretched further than most food. Which meant they had many meals consisting of pasta or noodles, but it was filling so nobody could really complain.
"They don't?" asked Harry, thinking back, it was true he'd never seen anything like Pasta and noodles on the tables. He'd only remained there for two weeks, but the food…had almost been worth staying there. Even after he heard those two speaking about him, as if he didn't have feelings of his own.
"No," said Severus twirling his fork around the noodles and effortlessly, eating them without making a single mess.
"I have information I feel I should share with you," said Severus as they continued to eat. The TV was on, but the volume low enough so they could hear each other speaking. It was flickering different colours again.
"What?" asked Harry eyeing Severus suspiciously, unable to help himself it was in his nature as much as it was in Snapes.
"Dumbledore told me about a prophecy concerning you," said Severus, "Or rather the rest of it."
"A prophecy? That's a written prediction right?" stated Harry.
"It's actually spoken, then recorded in our archives." said Severus.
"The rest of it? That means you knew some of it." stated Harry, calmly staring at Snape.
"Yes, I overheard some of it, this was before you were born, I was twenty years old and I had just joined the Dark Lord. It was also before I was able to shield my mind from people reading it. As it stood I wasn't the only person to overhear it, Lucius Malfoy did also. He immediately sought out the Dark Lord and told him. I had no choice but to confirm Malfoy's statement." said Severus impassively, no hint of his nervousness showing. "It is what led the Dark Lord to hunting you down."
"A baby?" scoffed Harry, "So he really was after me not my parents." he wasn't sure how to feel about that so refused to feel anything regarding it, until he knew more.
"The part of the Prophecy he heard was the one with the Power to defeat the dark lord approaches, born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies. He became obsessed with finding out who it was. He came to the conclusion it would be you, a half blood like himself." stated Severus.
"What does the entire thing say?" asked Harry, "I assume Dumbledore told you the rest?"
"He did." said Severus placing his empty plate on the table in front of him.
"The one with the power to defeat the dark lord approaches, born to those who have thrice defied him…born as the seventh month dies, and the dark lord shall mark him his equal, and he will have the power the dark lord's know not. They must die at the hand of the other for none can live while the others survive." recited Severus calmly. "Dumbledore has assumed wrongly that another Dark Lord will rise up after Voldemort is defeated. His arrogance will be his downfall. You see Dumbledore sees himself as the Light lord, apposed to Voldemort who is the Dark Lord."
"Me? Kill him or I won't survive? Kill both of them?" asked Harry, "Why would he bind my magic if that's the case? If I truly was the last hope for the Wizarding world?"
"I have no idea; I do not understand the inner workings of Dumbledore's mind. I could speculate he felt threatened by how powerful you were, perhaps he was hoping when you both battled it out…your magic would unbind and kill both of you? I truly do not know there are many possibilities but none that are concrete." said Severus his hands together, both middle fingers in the middle of his lips as he thought deeply about it.
"I thought Prophecies were supposed to be tricky, unable to decipher until all was said and done?" said Harry, there was nothing unclear about that prophecy anyway.
"They are, it's why Dumbledore has interpreted it wrongly, and I probably would have come to the same inevitable conclusion as him if I'd heard it earlier. As it stands, I know you want revenge on him…so I was able to correctly interpret it." said Severus.
"I don't like to think my life has been mapped out before me," said Harry his lip curled in repugnance. He chose his own path! He had been doing so since he was eleven years old. Whether he liked it or not, it was his choice, his path and damn it, it sucked.
"I know," said Severus in understanding, he wouldn't like it either. "At least you are strong enough to see it through. Revenge has a tendency to make people…slightly irrational but in the end do what needs to be done. If know that life isn't about right and wrong, light or dark magic, you accept what life has thrown at you and grown with it."
Harry smiled genuinely, "You get that impression from me?" asked Harry.
"I do." admitted Severus.
"Even knowing what I was…am." said Harry.
"Was." said Severus glaring at him as if to say, 'just try me and I'll make you regret being born' kind of way. "And yes, that is my impression of you."
"Heh," was all he had to say in reply.
"Here are some pointers on magic, pay particular attention to the wrist movements. Without them you could create accidents, they are vitally important in spell casting." said Severus. "Also the pronouncement of the spells, how it's written and said is sometimes different."
"I've noticed that," said Harry, "Like with Wingardium Levisoa the incantation is different."
"It is," smirked Severus nodding his head in approval and pride.
"Are you staying tonight?" asked Harry, getting up carrying the plates through to the sink. He was around to begin washing them, when a spell breezed passed and everything begun washing itself. Grinning in amusement, his head cocked to the side, watching a pot get scrubbed with a scrubber by itself. This sight was new to him; he hadn't seen much magic before leaving.
"Perhaps," said Severus, but he knew he was already lost, there was no way he'd say no to staying the night - especially by this young man in front of him. The only thing that could make him leave was if the Dark Lord called.
There we go! another chapter (and for the guest reviewer no Moody hasn't been killed yet :) i was asking everyones opinion lol) R&R PLEASE!