Chapter Seven; A New Guest

Professor Snyder congratulated the class once pet day was over and told everybody to have a great weekend. Harry and Ron were the most excited students out of all of them that it had been the weekend, because that meant that Ron was going to sleep over at Harry's house that night. Mrs. Weasley told Lily that she would drop Ron off after dinner through the floo-powder network.

Once Harry got home that day, his heart skipped a beat when he saw that he had had a letter addressed to him lying on the doorstep. He quickly tore it open and he was even happier to learn that his hunches had been correct when he had suspected that it had been from his father. He carried it inside and started reading it aloud to his mother who was busy changing Tobey's diaper.

"Dear Harry, I'm so glad to hear that you're doing so well in school. How was pet day? I sure hope that Cowboy behaved himself and wasn't too energetic for you. I hope you have a great time at your sleepover, and I always love hearing from you. I love and miss you all. Love, Snape." He read although he was rather surprised that he hadn't signed it "your father" since it had been addressed to him, but Harry was still glad to hear back from him.

"That's great sweetheart." Lily began as she finished changing Tobey's diaper and lifted him back up inside her arms. "Now can you watch your brother for a little bit while I start cleaning the house up?" she asked him before she set Tobey back down on the ground.

"Okay Mummy." Harry agreed with a nod as Tobey sat down in front of him. Lily smiled down at her two sons before she left the nursery. "So Tobey, what do you want to do?" Harry asked him before Tobey grinned and covered his eyes before uncovering them again.

"Peeky." He told him.

"Alright then, I should have guessed." Harry said knowing that peek-a-boo was one of Tobey's favorite games along with hide and go seek. Although that usually turned into a game of hide and go chase the way that he played it.

…..

"Alright now remember when Ron gets here, I want you boys to be on your best behavior. And don't be too noisy because Tobey has to go to bed." Harry's mother told him before she lifted Tobey out of his highchair. "Come on baby, Mummy's going to get your bath ready for you." She told him before she removed his bib and carried him away. Luckily for her, Tobey enjoyed his baths very much.

However, the very mention of the word caused Cowboy to perk up his ears and start to whimper before he darted down the hallway and hid under Harry's bed with his tail in-between his legs. "It's alright Cowboy, I wasn't talking to you!" Lily called as she carried Tobey into the bathroom. That's when all of a sudden a great burst of flames and flash of light came from out of the fireplace. Harry quickly rushed inside the living room to greet Ron and his mother with a welcoming grin up at them.

"Hullo Ron, hullo Mrs. Weasley." He said very politely.

"Ah, hullo again Harry dear." Mrs. Weasley began. "Ron has everything already packed in his suitcase along with his sleeping bag." She explained.

"Thanks Mum, you can go now." Ron told her.

"What about Lily?" she began while she stretched her neck as far as it could go and looked down the hallway. "I want to tell her goodbye and thank her for allowing Ron to come over and spend the night." She said.

"I'll tell her for you, she's giving Tobey a bath right now because he has to go to bed." Harry told her.

"Well in that case, I'll be off then, shall I? And as for you, be good young man." She warned as she pointed a finger at Ron before escaping back into the fireplace. Ron heaved a huge sigh of relief as there came another great flash of light and she disappeared.

"Thank God, free at last." Ron said before he tossed his things on top of the couch.

"What are you talking about? Don't you love your mother?" Harry questioned him.

"Of course I do, but I'm sick and tired of her always nagging at me. Besides that, you don't have any idea what it's like to grow up in such a large family." Ron said.

"I think they're wonderful." Harry said even though he had only seen them all together a couple of times.

"So where's your dog? I want to play with him." Ron said as Harry giggled.

"Under my bed, he went under there when he heard my mummy talking about Tobey's bath and thought that it was for him. He hates his baths!" he exclaimed as Ron grinned.

"Most dogs do." He began. "Or so I've heard." He told him before the two boys raced down the hallway together. Cosmo, who was busily taking his own bath on top of Harry's bed, paused from washing his face and looked up at them as they entered the room.

"Oh, and this is my cat Cosmo." Harry said.

"I figured that much." Ron began. "Hullo Cosmo, I've heard an awful lot about you." He told him as he put his hand out for him to sniff.

Cosmo eyed him for a few moments before he stood up and started rubbing his head against it and started to purr. Ron scratched his head while Harry tried to persuade Cowboy to come out of hiding. Harry climbed down onto his hands and knees while he lifted the sheet and looked in on the dog who was still whimpering anxiously.

"Hey Cowboy, Ron's here and he wants to play with you." He told him but Cowboy simply ignored this and continued to whimper. "What if I gave you a biscuit?" Harry suggested. At that instant the puppy stopped crying and perked his ear before he scrambled to his feet and raced out of the room. "That usually always does the trick." Harry told Ron while glancing back up at him.

"Can I give it to him?" Ron asked.

"Sure, just make sure that he doesn't jump up on you, and make him sit first." Harry replied as he stood back up again and Ron followed him out of the room. Harry showed his friend where the dog treats were while Cowboy continually sprung up into the air wagging his tail.

"Alright Cowboy sit." Ron instructed but the puppy simply ignored him.

"Sit Cowboy!" Harry ordered with a snap of his fingers and the puppy immediately stopped jumping and made his furry behind touch the ground. "Good boy." Harry told him. "Now give him the treat." Harry instructed before he watched Ron toss it over to him. It was a perfect catch just like the boys had suspected it would be and then Cowboy finished it up by licking the rest of it off of his lips.

At that moment Lily carried Tobey out of the bathroom wrapped up in a little blue towel. "Is that your brother?" Ron asked as Harry nodded while his mother quickly whirled around to face him.

"Well hullo there Ron, it's nice to see you again." She told him.

"Hi Mrs. Snape," Ron began. "can I see Tobey before he has to go to bed?" he wondered.

"Sure you can." Lily agreed as she smiled warmly at him and carried the baby over to him. "Tobey, this is Ron Weasley, your brother's best friend." She explained as Tobey grinned up at him.

"Nice to meet you Tobey." Ron began before he turned to look over at Harry again. "He looks just like you." He told him.

"I know he does doesn't he?" Lily began. "Well Tobey, you better say goodnight to them because you won't see them again until morning." She told him as Tobey continued smiling at them before uttering the words;

"Night-night." He said as Harry bent down and kissed his cheek.

"Goodnight Tobey." He told him and smiled back at him before he watched his mother carry him back into the nursery.