Pretty Boy

Chapter 22

Going Back Home - Back To Reality

As fun as it was to be secluded, knowing nothing but the waves and the gentle heartbeat of each other, it couldn't remain that way. Reality awaited them, and they couldn't risk anymore than a few days. They had but a week to put their plan into action before Hogwarts begun again. The holiday's had gone by so quickly, September was fast approaching. Severus almost wished they could remain in their own little world. Harry had been different these few days, less bitter, angry and actually showing a side he'd bet no one else had seen. Underneath that impassive, sarcasam enforced armour lay behind it a vulnerable nineteen years old.

"Ready?" asked Severus coming into the bedroom.

Severus his normal teaching robes once again back on. It was odd; they'd been walking about in their boxers for days. Harry was disappointed to see him fully dressed, even more so that he was dressed again. He had even gotten a little sun burnt; it had turned into a tan when Severus put some sort of potion onto him. Severus however, was still completely white, pasty pale as if the sun had absolutely no affect on him. "You don't look like you've been away at all."

"That's the point Harry," said Severus wryly, he thought of everything. He wasn't a spy for nothing, everything he did was for a purpose, and he thought fifteen paces ahead. He'd used a spell to stop the sun affecting him whatsoever. "We are late, and I'm never late."

"As the saying goes, there's a first for everything." said Harry grinning, amused by the grouching the man was doing over a few minutes of lost time.

Severus scowled but remained silent; it was a stupid thing to get irritated over. It was as if he suffered a little from OCD, especially when it came to being on time. The best bit of it all, Harry seemed completely impervious to his moods. Although he hadn't truly lost his temper yet, but Harry could hold his own he knew that. Severus held the Portkey out, waiting for Harry to reach out. It didn't take long, since Harry didn't have anything other than the clothes he wore on his back. "Let's get the show on the road." oh he was so looking forward to it, despite the fact he didn't want to leave.

Harry touched it, then Severus said the activation words, and with lingering sadness, they were transported back to the United Kingdom. Back to the war, back to Lupin and Black.

"Thank Merlin! I thought you were never going to get here." shouted Sirius clearly relieved, before they'd properly materialized.

"Keep your hair on," said Harry, steadying himself. His first time he'd Portkey'd on his own. Successfully might he add an accomplished smirk graced his features.

"You're late." said Sirius almost sounding wounded?

"Time difference," sighed Harry rolling his eyes.

"Oh," said Sirius suddenly sounding very sheepish indeed. "Err, sorry."

"Hmm," said Harry. "We were a few minutes late though, we slept in."

Sirius flushed bright red, even his ears were looked as though they were burning. He couldn't help it, the thought of his godson and Snape…it didn't repulse him per say, it just made him on edge and a little sick.

"Did you get the Aging Potion?" asked Severus, as always getting straight down to business.

"Yes, eventually, do you really need to have so many wards?" asked Remus, it had taken him three hours to get passed them all.

"You're lucky it was just my private lab, and not my quarters otherwise you'd have been trying for a long time." said Severus, only Dumbledore was able to override his wards, that's because he's headmaster and Hogwarts overrode all wards.

"Here," said Remus shaking his head, he didn't know what he'd been expecting, certainly not an apology.

"Wait, I want to know what you are planning first. I want to know if it's safe for Harry." said Sirius protectively; he didn't want anything happening to his godson that he didn't know about.

"I am nineteen years old, I can look after myself so stop it." snarled Harry, irritated, he'd been looking after himself all his life, having an overprotective Godfather wasn't something he wanted. It just made him feel pigeon holed, as if he couldn't be trusted to live his own life, to look after himself.

"He doesn't mean it in a bad way Harry; you'll just have to give him time to adjust to an adult godson. He still thinks of you as a little boy he used to play with." said Remus soothingly. "However, I to, would like to know what's happening so I'm at least prepared."

Harry looked around the house, no, actually flat. It was very modern, tastefully decorated. Done in cream and soft brown, caramel colours. The couch was thankfully very plush. He'd been sitting on the hard surfaces for the past few days. It was a relief to be able to sit down on something that didn't cause his butt and back to ache like blazes. Severus did the same, but his back as always stayed ramrod straight. Harry was beginning to think he didn't know how to relax. One day though he'd remove that stick that was wedged up his backside.

"Do we really need to get into this again?" asked Severus exasperated, he'd been back two minutes and he was already getting a headache. Rubbing his temples in vain hope he could somehow relieve the ache.

"Fine, I'm taking the potion; we will be meeting up 'accidentally' at Diagon Alley where it's guaranteed that someone in the Order will overhear. Especially when I happen to mention my Mastery in Defence, ancient runes and charms…and will be receiving my Potions Mastery."

"You don't have any of that." stated Remus, "How do you expect to get away with it?"

"You expect me to prove myself to you?" sneered Harry his green eyes glinting coldly, fury bubbling inside of him, his magic reacting wildly scaring the crap out of Sirius and Remus. Who sat there frozen in their seats, eyes wide as if Harry had just been possessed.

"Harry," said Severus, sounding if he was chiding Harry.

"What?" asked Harry staring innocently, as if the past few seconds had never happened, although to some it felt like minutes.

"I think they just pissed themselves," said Severus regarding them as if they were about to spout the most disgusting thing imaginable in his direction.

Harry snorted and smothered his laughter. "I'm not going to play nice." he finally managed to choke out, his face going red in his suppressed amusement.

"Well I suppose that would work." said Remus, "That won't make Dumbledore trust you."

"Oh he'll trust me alright, he just won't like me." said Harry smugly.

"Smart," said Sirius wryly.

"I wouldn't be able to smarmy up to the bastard anyway." said Harry a deep shudder wracking his frame. There was no way in hell that would happen, he couldn't do it. Not when he just wanted to kill the bastard so, he'd just have to settle with tolerating and maybe disliking people.

"No he wouldn't and shouldn't have to." agreed Severus, they'd discussed it a lot and had been in mutual agreement.

"Alright," said Sirius, "After that?"

"Dumbledore will come to you asking about him, you tell his story. I have no doubt he'd ask you to write to him immediately. After that things will take off pretty quickly." said Severus, still sitting straight backed and smug.

"What's the story then?" asked Remus.

"The same as Hadrian Williams." said Severus, "You haven't seen him in years and out of the blue you meet him in Diagon Alley."

"When?" asked Sirius.

"Soon, I'll get in touch." said Severus. "But first I must inform Dumbledore of my new Apprentice."

"No, first I need the potion. I'd like to test drive it so to speak." said Harry. Taking the potion, he stood up before sitting on the floor.

"Wait hold on," said Remus, placing pillows on the floor, keeping Harry from hurting himself unduly. He could see Harry wasn't amused, but did it nevertheless. He might think he's totally independent, and he might be. Yet Remus wanted to show he cared, even if it was in small ways without getting emotional.

"Can I proceed now?" asked Harry arching an eyebrow.

"Yes," said Remus, Merlin they were so very alike, it was beginning to give him the creeps.

Harry swallowed the potion gagging at the taste, one second he was thinking they really had to fix the taste, then nothing but agony. As his body began to grow his bones getting longer until his entire being felt as if it was going to explode. It felt like years, but it was only minutes. He lay there, eyes closed for a while adjusting waiting for the pain to fade.

"Harry? Open your eyes." said Severus calmly, moving hair from Harry's face. He was crouched down beside him, scanning him to make sure he was fine. The wand wasn't his original and he didn't like it as much, but he wasn't a spy for nothing. He'd had a second wand for years now, using it only in dire emergency. This was exactly that, since the Dark Lord had his proper wand.

"That fucking hurt," groaned Harry, "Whoa." he said holding onto Severus as he regained his equilibrium.

"Easy," said Severus.

"Help me up," said Harry getting clumsily to his feet. It felt so odd; he was taller, bulkier, sort off. He knew because his clothes were still on him, completely ripped and torn. Severus thankfully repaired them and made them fit him properly in this form. His other clothes, which were tighter and more revealing, would not fit him. "Thanks." he did not want them to see him in his birthday suit.

"He hasn't changed much," said Remus, "Just a bit bulkier a few wrinkles."

Harry grimaced at that thought, he was nineteen! He didn't want wrinkles.

"Go to Grimmauld Place, get an eye corrector potion from the Lab." demanded Severus, he'd been meaning to bring it with him, yet he'd been busy and kept forgetting. Harry couldn't see very well, he kept catching him squinting, especially reading labels with the food.

"You made an eye corrector Potion? I thought you were only supposed to brew pain relievers?" said Sirius, but Remus was already leaving.

"Yes because I only ever do what I am told." sneered Severus, barely refraining from rolling his eyes.

Harry sniggered as he held onto the wall; it was so odd being up this height. He wasn't used to it; he was level with Severus now instead of being able to just snugly fitting under his chin. "Is this what I'll be like when I'm older?"

"Depends on whether you look after yourself, keep fit, the diet, this is only a manifestation of yourself at this point in your life." said Severus in lecture mode.

"Heh, I'd have loved to try this out at the age of eleven, I probably wouldn't have changed much." Harry mused wryly.

"Here you go," said Remus, "What did I miss?" he then asked at the tense silence, Sirius looked pained.

"Nothing." said Severus, "Hand it over."

"What's that?" asked Harry as he was handed a second potion. He'd been in too much pain to comprehend what anyone was saying earlier.

"It will correct your eyesight." said Severus.

"How the hell did…" gaped Harry.

"You squint from time to time." said Severus.

"He got James' bad eyesight then." said Sirius laughing in amusement, but was promptly stopped, when both Severus and Harry glared at him. If anything his scolding was more severe now.

Remus shook his head at Sirius' antics, honestly he would never learn.

"Are you a couple?" asked Harry surprising everyone. He'd seen that look, it's the one Severus sometimes gave him. When he was beyond exasperated at something he'd done or said. He moved back to the couch, sitting down trying to adjust to the new body.

"Yes," said Sirius immediately.

"And you are a pureblood?" Harry then asked.

"Of course," said Sirius slightly insulted that Harry didn't already know.

"So why do you live here? Not somewhere more…extravagant." said Harry settling on a word eventually.

"We like this flat, most of the Black properties are filled with my relative's portraits." said Sirius grimacing in disgust.

"And? Just put them in the attic or something." said Harry staring at them strangely just as weirdly as they were staring at him.

"They are like the ones at Hogwarts," said Severus.

"Oh, of course." said Harry remembering the fat lady, smacking his hand against his forehead at his own stupidity. Opening the vial he drank the potion, this didn't taste as bad. Wincing he closed his eyes, he felt as if he had pins and needles in his eyeballs. Just as quickly as it started, it ceased completely.

"Open your eyes, I need to check if its worked." said Severus, once Harry had opened his eyes, he scanned him and realized it had worked; his eyesight had been completely restored.

"Wow, I can read the spines of those books from here," said Harry impressed, "I love potions."

"Good," said Severus, "You will be brewing constantly in the coming months."

"If this works," said Sirius, as Remus joined him arm of the couch.

"I am taking him to Hogwarts, we will be in touch." said Severus.

"Of course." said Remus.

"Bye," said Harry just as both he and Severus disappeared from the flat. Leaving two men wondering when they'd see them both again.

There we go another chapter of Pretty boy now i'm off i think i'll update invisible tonight :) if the muse will allow it! R&R Please :) takes me all night to write chapters and it only takes you five seconds to review guys :)