Harry Potter Junior Level: Year Two

Ch. 31

Vacation at Home

A/N :Thank you to Jess for allowing me to use her real life amusement. :-) Thanks to all who have left reviews. If you have suggestions or ideas for storylines, all ideas are welcome. We'll be headed back to Hogwarts next chapter.

When Severus arrives home the next morning, he calls Harry down from the upstairs playroom.

"Good Morning, Harry. Your Dad has just arrived home and wishes you to join him. Go get the bag you brought with clothes and I'll floo you home."

"Yes Uncle Sev. Uncle Severus?"

"Yes Harry?"

"Please don't punish Draco. Uncle Remus punished him already. He spanked him and made him go to bed before tea even!"

"Go get your things ready, Harry. You don't want to keep your Dad waiting."

"Yes sir."

After Harry leaves, Severus thanks Remus for staying and bids him goodbye also. Going in search of his son, he finds him in the playroom putting the games he and Harry played away.

"Thank you son, for cleaning up the room. Leave off the cleaning for now and come sit on the sofa with me. We need to talk." Severus says.

"I know what you want to talk about, Dad. Before you say anything, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I worried you and Uncle Remus. I won't do it anymore. He spanked me! He didn't have the right to do that!"

"Draco, he had every right to spank you and I believe you know this. He was in charge of you and you disobeyed and worried him very much! Thank you for the apology, that is nice to hear. You did worry us and you also put yourself in danger. You could have wound up anywhere other than the Burrow, son. What if their floo was not called "The Burrow"? You also broke the rule of having permission to leave the house. Draco, one doesn't just show up at someone's house as you did. You were not invited and yet you went. None of what you did is acceptable behavior. Running away, which is what you did when you just left without permission or without anyone knowing where you were, using the floo without permission or proper knowledge of the outcome, going to someone's home uninvited, worrying myself and Remus. All of this was very wrong, Draco. You knew not to use the floo alone without permission. You did it anyway."

"I'm truly sorry, Dad. I am. I won't be bad like that again, I promise." Draco whimpers as Severus tilts him over his lap.

"I think after I get finished here, you will at least think about the consequences before behaving in such a way again!"

Severus says as he applies his hand to the upturned target. After many attacks to his poor bum, Draco sobs out "Daddy! Please stop. I'll be good! Don't hate me."

Stopping immediately at hearing this, Severus cuddles the boy to his chest. "Dragon, I LOVE you. I could never hate you. I spanked you because I could not bear it if something happened to you because of your misbehavior. Consequences are put in place to teach you to think about your actions. Next time you are tempted to floo without permission, will you remember how your bum feels right now?"

"I think I will always remember this whenever I start to floo! You set my bum on fire, Dad! How do you do that with eight smacks?" Draco asks wiping the tears off his face.

"That's my secret young man. Now that we have this settled, will you join me in having some breakfast? I haven't eaten yet this morning."

"I've eaten already, so am I to stay in my room?"

"You may come downstairs. You have one more punishment, you will be completing lines for me."

"That's not fair, Dad! I already got two spankings and an early bedtime last night! That's enough punishment!"

"You do not dictate to me what is or is not fair, young man! Fair, would be being able to trust you to behave as a young gentleman while I was away. Instead you run off and cause Remus and myself to worry! You will complete the lines!"

"Yes sir." Draco answers wincing from the stern look he's receiving.

Twenty minutes and four redirects later, Severus is fast reaching the end of his patience with his recalcitrant son. The sighs, the getting up to fetch a different quill and more parchment, asking for another drink or a snack plus the questions to stall the punishment are all getting to him. Trying to read a Potions magazine he does his best to ignore the child. Not hearing any quill movements he looks over the top of the Potions Journal to see Draco sitting staring across the room.

"Are your 100 lines completed?"

"No, I can't do any more than the twenty I have."

"And why is that? What is the reason for you not being able to complete your punishment lines?"

"The scratching of the quill on the paper makes my ears hurt really badly. I think they are bleeding inside." Draco answers with a smug smirk.

"I see. Well Draconis, you can either finish your lines or your bare bum is going to 'hurt really badly'! ACCIO hairbrush!"

"I'm writing! I'm writing! See Dad? I just wrote "I will obey what adults tell me and will not deliberately put myself in danger." Draco replies having hurriedly written the line as a thick, oversized wooden hairbrush came flying into his Dad's hand.

"Yes, and I see you have no bleeding from the ears! It's a miraculous recovery! Good job, son. Now continue and you'll have the punishment all finished. I, for one, would enjoy a stress-free day after yesterday."

Handing over the parchment with his 100 lines, Draco asks, "Dad? Were you really going to use the brush on me?"

"Yes, if you had delayed and attempted to get out of your punishment any more, you would have been assigned a different punishment that would have resulted in a stinging bum, grounded to your room and early bedtime. I'm happy you decided to accept the lines instead."

"Dad, I'm sorry again for acting so badly. I'm almost eleven and I shouldn't act like this. Maybe I do deserve a paddling."

"Your apologies have been accepted and your punishment is over. Let's go outside and you can drink my dust on the racetrack!" Severus replies rubbing Draco's hair.

Giggling now, Draco says "Dad, that's not the way you say that! It's not 'drink' my dust, it's EAT my dust. YOU are the one who's going to be eating dust! I'm faster than you 'cause I'm young."

"ARE you saying I'm OLD, young man?" Severus asks in mock anger.

"Yep! Come on Dad. Let's go race!"

"You may be right, son." Severus says after four trips around the track with Draco winning each time. "I'm getting old. This is tiring me out. I'll watch you practice if you like."

"No, Dad. It's not as much fun on my own. It's a racetrack, you need to race someone on it. Can Harry come tomorrow?"

"He was just here, son."

"I know but he wasn't really. He came for the night only and we didn't get to do anything together but sleep. Please Dad? I promise to behave and not let Harry cause trouble either."

"I'll floo Sirius after Tea and we'll see if they both can come for a visit. If he says no then you just have to accept it. Agreed?"

"Yes sir."

After their meal that evening, Severus floo calls Sirius. "Sirius, Draco and I would like to invite both you and Harry to the manor tomorrow. He wishes to play with Harry and you and I could discuss recent events. Would you be interested? If you have plans, feel free to say so."

"We have some plans that can't be postponed, Sev. Harry wants to visit his Mum and Daddy at the cemetery. We'd be happy to come the following day. Would lunch be a good time? We can bring the lunch if you'd like." Sirius replies.

"That would be an excellent time but there's no need to bring anything. I'll have one of the elves pop out and get fish and chips while I make a salad."

Later that evening after enjoying afternoon Tea, Severus and Draco are relaxing before bedtime in the living room.

"Dad, can I ask you something?"

"It's "May I" and yes you may."

"Were you ever punished at school?"

"A few times, most of them unwarranted, why do you ask?"

"I just wanted to know. Why do you say they were unwarranted? Did someone set you up to get in trouble?"

"Yes, there was a group calling themselves the Marauders who lived to cause trouble for me. They often played pranks that I caught trouble for being involved with. Professor McGonagall would assign essays, lines and at times detentions for all of us."

"Dad? Harry has talked about his birth Dad and a group called Marauders. Was his Dad one of them?"

"Unfortunately both James Potter and Sirius Black were in the group. So, both of Harry's Dads were Marauders. They outgrew their bullying though. We are friends now, son. Time for your bath."

"Wait Dad. I want to know just one prank they played on you? Please?"

"There is one that I will tell you, but if I ever hear of you doing this you won't see the outside of your room for days! Understood?"

"Yes sir."

"The one that was the worst was when they cast a charm to make me hang by my toes. Then they pantsed me in front of my best friend and many others. It was humiliating."

"What does 'pants'd' mean?"

"They made me lose my trousers so I was hanging upside down in just my underwear or as we call it, pants. Now, I've answered your questions so it's time for your bath and bed. I'll come up in fifteen minutes to tell you good night. Get moving, my dragon child."

"Yes Dad. I'm sorry they were mean that way. That's not a nice prank, Dad. Harry wouldn't like it either if he knew how his Dads acted." Draco tells him as he stands to walk out of the room.

"I'm sure he wouldn't and you are not to tell him. This is between us, Draco. There's no need to bring up the past at all. It's behind us and we are all adults."

One day later, Sirius and Harry arrive for lunch. The weather has turned stormy and cold again with a threat of rain. Arriving wearing yellow rainboots and Macintosh, Harry looks very yellow.

"Harry! You look like a yellow duckling in all of that gear! Mimsy has fish and chips for us for lunch and guess what else?"

"What?" Harry asks grinning as he takes off his rain gear.

"He went by Florean Fortescue's on the way home and we have four sundae's under cooling charms, for dessert! Dad said I have to eat all my salad and fish to get pudding though."

Smiling at the animated young boy, Sirius says "That sounds wonderful, Draco. I haven't had a good sundae in a long time. Do you suppose that salad rule applies to all of us or just you?"

Walking into the room, Severus answers "It applies to anyone having lunch at our home. Right, Draco? Everyone has to finish their fish and all of their salad in order to have their pudding. House rules apply to anyone in the house as long as they visit. Speaking of which, There will be no visits to the Potions lab, No going anywhere without adult permission, No running inside the house, only safe flying if you fly and treat everyone respectfully. Understand the rules boys?"

"Yes, Uncle Severus. I'll behave." Harry answers as Draco answers "Yes, Dad."

"Wash up boys the lunch is on the kitchen table." Severus instructs. Watching the two boys begin to run to the bathroom, he calls "WALK! Didn't I just tell you that rule!".

"Those two act more like brothers every day, Severus. It's hard to believe they were once sworn enemies. Draco was just teasing Harry and neither boy was upset."

"Yes, they get along well. I'm grateful for their friendship, Sirius. Draco needs someone to play with and Harry is perfect for the role of brother/cousin/friend."

The two boys go up to Draco's playroom after they finish their sundaes leaving the Dads to talk.

"Draco? Did you get in humongous trouble from your Dad? I asked him not to punish you but I'm guessing he did anyway."

"He spanked me again. He warmed my bum really good! You know, I used to wish for regular spankings instead of caning but now that I get them, I don't want them." Draco answers frowning at the thought.

Giggling, Harry says "No one likes spankings Draco. Now what can we play with? Do you still have that set of knights and horses? We can battle for an empire!"

"Yes, I have them. Let's play that and then we can play with my new snitch."

"How're we gonna do that?"

"The same way they do in Quidditch, fly after it."

"Are you mental? Have you seen the weather out there? It's pouring rain. The Dads are not going to allow us to fly today."

"We'll fly in the cellar, Harry. There's enough room down there and it's not used for anything."

"Where did you and Uncle Sirius go yesterday? Dad said you two had plans so you couldn't come over then. Was it somewhere really brilliant? Uncle Sirius takes you to cool places! Diagon Alley for lunch and muggle places! Dad doesn't like shopping or crowds so he won't go often. When he does go to Diagon Alley he's so irritable all the time it's not much fun. I'm ready to get back to Hogwarts and get time away from him some."

"I'm loving my holiday with my Dad. He is cool, you're right. We went to muggle London yesterday and then back to Godric's Hollow. I needed to talk to Mummy and Daddy for a bit. I miss them a lot. Dad told them how I made all Excellent's and Outstandings in my classes this last grade report. Do you know what else? Dad is teaching me to control the wandless magic better. He's letting me use it more too. I have to ask first but then I can try it."

Feeling twinges of jealousy at Harry's gushing about his cool Dad, Draco says "My Dad let me help him in the potions lab, remember? We invented a better tasting Pepper Up potion because he let me try out my ideas."

"I'm glad Draco. That potion tastes and smells like dirty socks! Has your Dad said anything about what they had to do at the school the other day?"

"Yes, it's something about the wards but that is all I could find out. How about you?"

"Nothing. I asked and he said "It's all fixed and I don't need to worry." Harry huffs. "Why would I have been worried, I want to know!"

"I don't know but let's go down to the cellar and fly awhile. I'm tired of playing knights." Draco answers, standing up to leave.

"Wait! Aren't you going to help me clean this up? I can't just walk off and leave my things all over the floor and I'm pretty certain Uncle Sev has that rule too."

"Ah, we'll clean up later. C'mon let's go flying!"

Walking past the room where the men are talking without them even noticing, Harry hears Sirius say "I know. They seem strong but what if they aren't? We can't risk..."

Feeling a tug on his arm he looks at Draco who is motioning to keep going.

"Draco! I wanted to listen in back there! They were talking about the wards, I think. Why'd you pull me like that?"

"What does your Dad do to you if he catches you eavesdropping? Mine would make me drop my pants and spank my bare bum! He says if it's something I need to know he will tell me otherwise I'm to respect other people's right to privacy. He caught me eavesdropping once when Uncle Remus came to visit. That's when he said if he ever heard of me doing it again he'd have me dropping something, my pants!"

"Dad's never told me anything like that but I've never tried to learn something by eavesdropping and sneaking around either. I think he'd probably be upset about it but how'm I supposed to know what's going on?"

"If they want us to know they'll tell us. That's what Dad told me. Besides, it's just boring grown-up talk. Why do you want to listen to that? Here, put the helmet on. Dad won't let me fly in here without wearing it. You take the Comet 200 and I'll use the Comet 100. We'll keep score of who can catch the snitch the most in ten tries. Okay?"

"Sure, but don't you want the newer broom?" Harry asks.

"You take it for five times and I'll take it for five times how's that idea?"

"Good plan. Draco? We can't knock into each other or try to unseat the other person, okay? This floor is concrete and I don't want to fall on it."

"We'll fly safely. Besides, the floor has a cushioning charm placed on it. If we fell we would bounce and not be hurt."

"Ah, brilliant idea! Okay, I'm ready when you are."

While the boys are flying downstairs, Severus and Sirius are discussing what possibly could have happened at Hogwarts.

"Sirius, I just don't see how those wards could all fail at one time that way. Wouldn't it take someone with extremely high magical ability to make them all fall at once?"

"Well, it could but it is also true that the castle itself can control the wards. Hogwarts is a magical castle, remember? Moving staircases, portraits that move from frame to frame and talk, ghosts, plus the founders themselves still have control."

"How is that? They're not alive."

"Magic lives on, from what I've researched. The founders have been gone for many years so it could be the wards failed because their magic is beginning to fail. We were able to place the wards back around the castle so everyone should be safe when we return. I'm sure the combination of Dumbledore, McGonagall, Filius Flitwick, you, myself and Professor Raunbaum all strengthened the wards sufficiently." Sirius answers.

"What do you know about this Raunbaum person? If Harry is going to be instructed in Muggle studies, I'd at least like to know more about the man."

"He's a half-blood, like myself. His Father was magical but his Mother was a squib. He was raised in Mousehole, a muggle town near Cornwall."

"Do you know anything else about him?"

"Why all the suspicious questions, Sirius? You are usually much more trusting than this."

"I don't feel a good aura when I'm around him. I don't know, I just feel uneasy. I want our kids to be safe. What do you suppose they are doing? They are very quiet."

"Maisy!" Severus calls.

"Yes Professor Snape?" The house elf asks as she pops in.

"Do you know where our boys are?" Sirius asks.

"Yes sir, they are in the cellar flying. Do you sirs need Master Harry or Master Draco?"

"No thank you. We were just checking on the boys." Severus responds, dismissing her.

Downstairs, Harry stops flying to sit and watch Draco. "Draco? This isn't fun anymore let's do something more fun. I have an idea but I need you to help me."

"What kind of help? Will we get in trouble for this? I've had all the bum warmings I want for a while, Harry." Draco asks suspiciously. Something about the look on his cousin's face makes him think this idea could be bad for his health.

"I want to play a prank on our Dads. Not anything to get in major trouble, I promise. Just something funny. My Dad used to prank people all the time. He wouldn't think bad of us."

"Hmm, Okay, maybe I will help. What do you have in mind?"

"Well, there's a potion we can make with your Junior Potions kit that will make them sprout feathers and a crown like roosters. Will you help me? We can slip it in their teacups and serve tea to them."

"Let's do it!"

Thirty minutes later, the two boys are bringing a tea tray with teacups and biscuits to serve their Dads.

"My, what a surprise. We thought you two were flying downstairs and here you have fixed tea and a snack!" Severus says, smiling at the boys.

"We were ready for tea but it's too early so we just fixed a few snacks to share together. Here, Uncle Sev, this cup is yours. Draco said you don't like but one spoonful of sugar and no cream."

"Thank you, Harry."

"Uncle Sirius I fixed yours. I put two spoonfuls of sugar and half cream, half tea. Is that how you like it?"

"That's perfect, Draco. Thank you, boys." Sirius replies, sipping his tea.

As the boys drink their own cups, they can't help but steal glances at the Dads. Suddenly, bright yellow and red feathers appear on Severus's head and at nearly the same time, Sirius is sporting a head full of white, orange and yellow feathers.

"What in Merlin's name...? Severus sputters as he sees Sirius.

"We seem to have been victims of a prank, Sev." Sirius replies chuckling over Severus's outraged expression when he feels his own feathers.

"DRACONIS! HARRISON! Did YOU spike our tea? Where did the materials used come from? Not my lab, I hope." Severus asks the two giggling boys.

"It's just a prank Uncle Sev. We used Draco's Junior Potions kit. It'll stop in an hour." Harry replies as Draco eyes his Dad warily.

"AN HOUR! Sirius! Say something about this!"

"Good job, Pup. You pulled off a good prank here." Sirius praises Harry.

"GOOD JOB? That's all you have to say? I have something different to say, boys. STAND! EYES ON ME!" Severus snaps in his stern Professor Snape voice.

When both boys jump to their feet and look at him he asks "Is it respectful to prank your Fathers?"

"No, I guess not." Harry answers as Draco answers "No sir."

"One of the rules I told you today was to be respectful. This is not showing respect. I'm not one of your friends, I'm an adult. I do not appreciate being used as a practice dummy for pranking! Both of you stick your nose in a corner and stay there until I say you may come out. No moving or talking! Disobey me and you will be writing lines as well! Go!" Severus points to the corners he wants them to stand in.

Hesitating to see if his Dad will help and with a sad look at his Uncle, Harry trudges to the far corner. Passing Draco standing in his corner, he hears him whisper "Good one, Harry!" earning a stern "DRACONIS!" from Severus.

Happy Mother's Day to all Mom's and those who take on the role of Helper Moms, aunts, cousins, etc. Happy Mother's Day to all Pet Moms out there, also. Pets count too. :-)