Author's Note - Whoa. What chapter are we on now? /looks idly back over all her past work/ Chapter 13? Really? That's exciting especially since there's a few interludes…

Well, who am I to keep the good people waiting? /grins/ Onward to lucky thirteen! (BTW, read the a/n in bold at the bottom)


Chapter Thirteen

Severus Snape glared down from the Head Table at the students chattering inanely in the Great Hall. He'd been working here for a few years now but he still hadn't gotten used to the sheer amount of noise the little brats made.

He wasn't eating, in fact, he hadn't even touched the food in front of him; instead he was watching the brats and thinking- thinking about a particular brat. It had been a while since he'd heard from the boy, three weeks in fact, not that he cared of course but he'd grown accustomed to, over the past year, getting a letter from the green eyed imp every week. The only time he didn't receive a letter was when the child was ill, which happened often enough and despite willing himself not to be, he was a bit… concerned.

Broodingly, he sat up straighter in his seat and crossed his arms, making an imposing picture whilst he wondered what the brat had got himself into this time. Obsidian eyes glanced down the table to the school nurse. He knew the older woman hadn't received any news from the boy either as she'd been very vocal about discussing the brat's letter after the boy had encountered Lupin during the full moon.

Severus snorted quietly as he did every time the thought passed through his head. Only Harry-bloody-Potter could survive an encounter with a werewolf with nothing to show for it but an absent minded story about how nice the wolf was to those who were in on the 'secret'. The boy really was special. When Lupin had finally dug up the courage to write to both him and Pomfrey about the circumstances, he could do no more than roll his eyes at the insanity of it all. Apparently, because the wolf considered the brat his cub, he hadn't attacked. At least that was what was being assumed, as he understood it, the incident hadn't been repeated, for experimental purposes or otherwise. As it was, on the nights of the full moon, the brat was kept under strong lock and key, figuratively speaking. Severus, for once, hadn't been quite sure what to make of the situation. He proceeded to make humor of it and otherwise try to ignore it.

--

"(Papa, when are we leaving?)"

Remus jumped slightly and blinked down at the small boy at his feet. He hadn't heard the child come into the room but as always, he smiled at the sight of his son.

Harry Potter-Lupin stood before him, four-years-old, going on five in a few months, looking very different than he had when he came into Remus' custody over a year ago. Harry stood straight backed and proud though he was still rather small for his age and his green eyes shinned brightly with humor and intelligence. His skin, though it was in the middle of winter, glowed in a healthy way from months of eating well and playing vigorously. His inky black hair was highlighted a dark purple courtesy of Lianna as a 'going away present' and in his small hands he slightly clutched onto his old teddy bear which he'd hadn't let out of his sight once since they'd managed to convince him to stop sucking his thumb several weeks ago. Remus hadn't commented on it and wasn't planning to; he figured that Maurice was being used to keep his otherwise idle hands busy when he got nervous.

He felt a warm feeling inside as Harry gazed up at him with love and admiration. Though he absolutely adored the rest of his family, Remus felt a certain joy in knowing that he was still Harry's favorite person. The boy no longer had any hesitation about coming to him for anything and Remus loved the time he spent with his son.

He'd, in the last year had loved every second he spent with Harry, teaching the boy how to read and write in both English and French and assisting the rest of hid family when they made their own endeavors to teach the child and number of other things. Their life, though not quite, was all Remus had ever hoped for. Harry deserved the best and Remus would do anything to give it to him.

"(Papa?)"

Remus shook his head to clear it and smiled apologetically down at the boy. "(I'm sorry, cub, what did you say?)"

"(I asked when we were leaving.)" Harry replied patiently, his French flawless, down to the last syllable and it even held Maman's lilting accent. Being enveloped in the language for so many months had ensured that Harry understood it to it's fullest and Remus was sure he no longer even thought about it before speaking anymore.

"Ah," Remus nodded and checked his watch. "(Well I'm sure they are still at lunch now. Let's wait another hour or so before we surprise them, okay?)"

Harry nodded happily. "(I can't wait!)" he exclaimed and giggled at his own excitement. "(I haven't seen Madam Poppy and Mister Sev'rus in so long!)" Remus watched in amusement as here Harry paused and a worried look grew on his face.

"(Do you think they will recognize me?)" he asked conspiratorially. Remus laughed and bent slightly to ruffle the child's hair.

"(I'm sure they will,)" he chuckled.

Harry blushed a bit and bit back a smile as he hugged Maurice close to his chest. Remus looked fondly down at him for a moment before going back to his unpacking. They'd been back in the country for just a few days after all, he still had a lot to get in order with the house after leaving it uninhabited for just over a year. When they'd first came through the floo, in fact, Harry had had a bit of a sneezing fit from all the dust that coated just about every surface. Remus had had to sit him down and just wait until he cleared some of the dust just so the child could breath properly.

Harry was healthy enough, sure, but he'd always have a below average immune system and a slightly weak body from the damage he suffered at the Dursley's. The little incident with his magic adjusting had proved that. Though it had not had a lasting effect, it also hadn't helped any.

Harry was typically a good sport about it, knowing not to play to hard with Maxie and taking the few potions he was on, now once a week as instructed, but sometimes the childe got understandably frustrated when he easily goy hurt just running around with his friends. However, even if threw a bit of a tantrum (if you could call silently crying a tantrum, either way it broke Remus' heart) he took it in stride as long as he had something to entertain him and with the entire Lupin/Cahors family at his beck and call should he need them, the childe certainly never wanted for anything.

Remus turned his head slightly as he heard Harry start to hum as he waited. He was, after all, only four and couldn't be expected to sit quietly forever, but Remus didn't mind and continued putting the clothes he was unpacking away. He vaguely recognized the tune as something the little veela girl, Fleur, would sometimes sing. He liked the child, she'd grown on him and Harry enjoyed spending time with her as much as anyone else. Her family was a bit reclusive and didn't come around in public very often, but that was normal for those who carried magical creature blood. However, when they did decide to venture out into the world, Fleur always made point to come visit Harry, even if only a few minutes. She also wrote at least once a week and her letters where one of the things that really inspired Harry to learn how to read and write in French just as well as he spoke it so that he could read and respond to her letters by himself.

Of course, if Remus was honest with himself, the real reason he liked Fleur was because she got along splendidly with everyone. She and Maxie knew each other from the normal social gatherings and were friendly long before Harry come into the picture, but the girl also made a point of making nice with Loretta and even Keyoshia who had become a common enough presence because Maribell considered her a proper playmate for Harry.

Remus smiled to himself at the thought. He could see why Mari would think that but he could also see why everyone else thought the little girl was a bit… strange. Keyoshia was growing up very much in the center of Maribell's little empire as the daughter of Mari's must…ahh, trusted 'employees' and it showed.

Remus thought the child would be a wonderful dictator one day, no doubt.

But, despite her oddness, Keyo was sweet to an extent, at least to Harry, and polite enough to everyone else besides Maxie. Remus didn't know where the animosity between the two came from but it was obvious whenever both were in the same room together. But Fleur, lovely girl that she was, kept the potential bloodshed at bay with her calming presence and her nonchalance about playing with everyone.

Remus came out of his musings when the humming stopped and was replaced by giggles. He started when he realized he'd been standing there for a few minutes, with nothing in his hands as everything was already neatly put away. He turned to look at Harry to see the bright eyes glinting in amusement.

"(Are you done Papa?)" the boy asked pleasantly and Remus rolled his eyes with a smile.

"(I guess I am. Come on, cub.)"

--

Severus stayed silent as Pomfrey chattered away about any manner of things but nodded every once in a while to seem as though he was paying attention as he kept on with his task. She'd apprehended him before they'd left the great hall from lunch and for a moment he though she wanted to talk about the brat but he soon figure that her stopping him had to purely do with business.

She reminded him, none to nicely for someone who'd been a Hufflepuff in her day, that he'd had the responsibility of restocking the shelves in the hospital wing and he'd forgotten. Again.

Not wanting to hear her complaining, he'd gone to the dungeons and gathered the potions he'd promised the woman and brought them back up and proceeded to put them away the way he knew she kept them. She still managed to fill the otherwise quite and empty room with complaints but at least it was about the brats that inhabited this school and not him. He could even agree with some of her points and wasn't as frustrated as he could have been in this situation. After all, he was Severus Snape and he didn't just walk around doing chores for just anyone but even though he'd never acknowledge it, he had a grudging respect for the hospital matron.

It took a lot of patience to do what she did and even though she complained and tutted to high heavens about the little monsters that passed through her doors, she still healed them. Merlin knows he would have just let them suffer.

Her loquaciousness was cut short by a soft knock on the double doors of the wing. Pomfrey frowned and rolled her eyes as she strolled forward purposefully. Severus, smirking slightly, turned back to his task and decided to ignore whatever imbecile had managed to injure themselves this time. If only the brats knew how much Pomfrey talked about them in distaste, maybe they'd grow some brains and decide to stay away…

"Harry!"

Despite himself, at Pomfrey's loud and surprised exclamation, Severus' head snapped around to look at the door. Much to his astonishment (though one would never know it as he kept his blank mask carefully in place) he saw Remus Lupin standing in the doorway of the Infirmary, smiling down at a scene that was even ore surprising which was Pomfrey on her knees hugging the life out of a giggling, dark haired little boy that mysteriously resembled the Potter brat.

Severus stood slowly from where he had been kneeling himself to place bottled Potions on a lower shelf and his gaze was met with amused amber eyes tinted with blue.

"Hello, Severus." the man said cheerfully and grinned a bit at him. "I'd wondered where you were, we stopped by your quarters first and when we didn't get an answer at the door, Harry became a bit concerned."

Severus blinked. Harry? So the child Pomfrey had finally stopped suffocating was Potter…

"Mister Sev'rus!" a jovial and childish voice called and he suddenly found himself bending to intercept the little blur that had suddenly ran towards him. Before he'd even realized what he'd done, he'd straitened up and had his arms full of a cheery four-year-old. "Mister Sev'rus!" the boy cried again and then he started to spout off rapidly in what Severus recognized as French.

Severus found himself staring at the childe who was grinning widely at him and gesturing wildly with his arms. It actually went on for several moments before Lupin's amused voice broke in.

"Now Harry, don't you think that now that we're here we should be using the vernacular?"

"Huh?" the boy turned his head to his adoptive father and Severus could practically see the wheels turning in the little black haired… tinted with… purple? head as he tried to distinguish the meaning of the word. "Oh!" the boy finally said and blushed a soft pink. His voice lowered significantly and he bit his lip in an embarrassed half grin.

"Sorry Papa," he then looked back up at Severus. "Hello Mister Sev'rus. I'm very happy to see you again." he said softly and politely and with slightly accented English.

"Potter." Severus stated simply, mostly because he lacked anything else to say as surprise was still weighing heavily on him. The boy just grinned happily at him though and it was then that Severus noticed why the boys face was so close to his own and hastened to put the child down. The boy didn't seem to mind though as he trotted back over to Lupin and held out his arms to be picked up by the man who obliged to the silent request easily.

When Lupin had settled the boy on his hip with well practiced ease they both smiled back at Severus and Pomfrey. "Sorry to surprise you both like this," Lupin said and actually managed to sound apologetic despite his twitching lips and the boy's giggles. "It seemed like a good idea at the time."

"Nonsense!" Pomfrey protested instantly and Severus saw that she herself was grinning madly and his eyes were teary though she did not openly cry. "This was a wonderful surprise, right Severus?"

The man didn't get a chance to reply, not that he was planning to, as the woman kept talking. "Oh, Harry dear. It's so good to see you. Look how you've grown!"

The boy grinned back at her shyly. "It's good to see you too, Madam Poppy. I really did miss you and even though we got back a few days ago we had to wait a while to come and visit because we had to clean up our house. It was so dusty!" Here the boy giggled and held closer to his chest something Severus had just noticed was in his hands. It was the blasted bear the boy used to carry around… he would have thought Lupin would have gotten rid of it by now…

"It's quite alright dear, I understand. Have you eaten?" The child shook his head still smiling as Pomfrey tutted. "Well then, that won't do. Would you like to get something from the kitchens?"

The boy looked eagerly at Lupin who raised his eyes to the ceiling before lowering them and gazing into green eyes affectionately. "I suppose…" he murmured and lowered the child to the ground who promptly went to Pomfrey and grabbed her waiting hand.

"We'll be back in a while," the Matron told them absently, already her attention was almost entirely focused on the small boy.

"Alright," Lupin agreed amicably as he watched them both leave talking to each other with barely concealed excitement. Severus watched as the boy turned wide and glowing eyes back to him and waved happily with the hand that was holding his bear.

"Don't worry," Lupin said as the pair passed through the doors on their way to the kitchens. "He'll want to talk your ear off later. Poppy just gets the pleasure of being worn out first."

Severus started for a moment at the man before raising a sardonic eyebrow and returning back to his previous activity of putting away potions. He heard Lupin laugh slightly behind him and then the mans footsteps coming closer. Lupin stopped next to him for a moment and Severus could feel the mans eyes on his back before said man bent down, gathered a few potion and started to help. Severus was about ready to protest when he remembered that Lupin had been rather good at potions himself back when they were at school and combine that with the amount of time he spent in the hospital wing back then too, he probably knew where the potions went better than Pomfrey herself.

"How are you Severus?" Lupin asked pleasantly and Severus sneered a bit at him but Lupin remained unaffected.

"I was better before I knew you and the brat were back in the country."

Lupin laughed again. "Yes, well, this wasn't an impromptu trip, let me assure you." The man said smiling. "I'd only been planning to stay in France for a year or so and I did. My sister was significantly outraged when she found out too. She kidnapped Harry for a day and a half as, well, as punishment for me I suppose. Harry rather thought the whole thing was funny."

"Hilarious." Severus deadpanned.

"He had lots of fun, though." Lupin continued as though he had not spoken but his voice was softer now and saturated with fondness. "He adores my- his family. I'm glad. And he made quite a few friends which is about all I can ask for. He's grown and doing much better health wise. He's still his potions though, but they're down to once a week which is better than nothing and he's happy and safe."

Severus looked up at Lupin who was smiling softly as he put potions away, hardly glancing at them as he did so but placing them all in the right spot regardless.

"I think though… I want to take him to places. Let him see the world. Maman did that with us before I started school here but every summer we would go places. Mostly Italy, but other places too. She has contacts everywhere. I'm sure I can find someplace Harry would like to go and have fun. I'm sure we'll be traveling back and forth between here and France often enough at the very least. We have a home in both places after all, and he has people he loves here, who he wouldn't want to leave behind."

Severus saw Lupin glance at him and fought with himself to withhold a sigh.

"Don't get sentimental on me now, Lupin." The dark haired man muttered and after the werewolf chuckled a bit they continued to work in silence for another half hour before all the potions were put away neatly and in proper order.

"Well," Lupin said straitening up. "I should go find Harry and Poppy. Should I… I mean, would you like me to bring him by to see you later, before we leave?"

Severus stood to and with a wave of his wand banished the crates the potions had been in and turned to stare darkly at Lupin. They held each others gaze for a few minutes before Severus sighed and gave the impression of shrugging without actually doing so. "You may as well, Lupin," he said whilst walking away. "I doubt the brat will go peacefully with you if you don't."

He opened the door to the hospital wing and slipped out fully prepared to go back to his quarters and child proof it as much as he could.

He also pointedly ignored the amused grin on the wolf's face.

--

Harry was pleasantly surprised when Mister Sev'rus didn't protest to them staying for dinner. Madam Poppy had work to do back in the hospital wing but he and Remus were staying to eat in the other man's rooms and Harry was excited. He'd missed his older friends dearly and having lunch with Madam Poppy and now dinner with Sev'rus was a lot more fun then sitting around the house while Remus fought an epic battle against dust bunnies and spiders to make their home livable again.

He'd heard the man more the once grumbling about how he should be asking someone could he borrow a house elf.

Harry thought it was funny that his father was so against just calling his mother to ask for some lesser known house hold spells that would speed up the process but Remus was adamant about the fact that if he called Gran she'd storm down there, clean the house and then try to drag them back to France.

Harry smiled a bit sadly to himself as he sat listening to his Papa's and Mister Sev'rus' conversation and picked over the food on his plate. He'd missed Gran's house and all the noise that came from every corner of the place when the whole family was there. Lianna's room would be shaking with small explosions as she experimented with new potions or she would be having a loud conversation with Leverett through the house, usually in Latin and more than likely blatantly insulting Maribell who would either be asleep if it was before noon or in the kitchen sipping from a mug and ignoring the talk about her.

Gran would be flitting around the kitchen cooking or baking this and that and holding a mostly one sided conversation with Maribell while he and Remus would be sitting in the living room, either playing or studying one thing or another, whatever struck Harry's fancy that day. They group would move about during the course of the day, Harry often ending up with Lianna or Levi, playing some game or pulling a prank or on the days when his friends would visit he'd be outside in the vast back yard with them playing under Maribell's watchful eyes.

It was always something going on and Harry had gotten used to the fast paced life he was living and it was a bit hard to readjust to it being just him and his Papa again. It wasn't bad, he loved Remus more than anything, it was just different. Quite.

"Cub, are you okay?"

Harry looked up and smiled when he saw his Papa's concerned face. "I'm alright. Madam Poppy just gave me a big lunch." he told the man and Remus smiled lovingly at him as he always did and Harry smiled back at both him and Mister Sev'rus.

What was he complaining about? He would see his family again soon he was sure, they'd promised after all, and right now he could just enjoy having his Papa to himself for a while.

--

Promised. Right. More like threatened poor Remus.

Author's Note - This chapter was brought to you by Ham and Cheese HotPockets and Cranberry juice- Where real inspiration comes from!

Right, anyway, I 'm sadly just giving you guys these two chapters for now, But I want to think you all for your outstanding, undying support. I won't promise to update soon, but I do promise to update.

Stuff's moving fast in my life now. I have exams coming up in the next month or so… AP testing and Finals because I'm a senior and all my teachers are on my back. I do have good news though. I'll be going to UMBC this coming fall (that's the University of Maryland- Baltimore County) as a freshman! God, has it really almost been four years since high school started…? Ah well. The not so good news is that I can imagine that in the near future things will be getting rather hectic… so… don't give up on me yet! I'm insistent if anything and I will finish this story! Eventually! Even if it happens when I'm like thirty-five with three kids and a dead end job, I will finish!

But back to more important things then me whining. I haven't even started writing the coming chapters yet but like I said, the time line at least will be moving faster a bit before Harry starts Hogwarts. As it is, I anticipate some people being a bit ticked off about me skipping over the last year or so of Harry's life, so I'll make you a proposition: you tell me what characters you want, children or adults or both, and I'll post one-shots. Not only will it build my profile up, but it'll make me less guilty about my chronic lack of updates for this story. This way I can start and finish something relatively easily while adding more depth to my characters. Really, this is something I want to do if you guys are all for it. Let me know, 'kay.

As always, feel free to correct anything and comment. this chapter has hardly been edited. I'm loving the review love, so love me up some more my lovelies! (whoa, that was a weird sentence…)

Love you all,

hitori