Disclaimer: All the usual things. :p

Chapter 108

Harry glanced at the clock. "For the love of Merlin's knickers," he muttered when it said 3:10 a.m.. He pulled his pillow over his head and groaned softly. 'Why can't I sleep in like a normal teenager?' he wondered for the thousandth time.

Sighing out of frustration, he got up and took a shower. After gathering the days books he would need, he scrawled out a note for Ron telling him that he would be in the Great Hall eating breakfast when he woke.

He then headed toward the Founder's Library.

Technically, he should be studying for his Herbology test, but he didn't feel like it. So long as he passed, he figured he'd be fine.

Thankfully, he was allowed entrance this time and sat down to resume reading the Skin Magic book that he had began before Sirius died. However, before he started reading, he set his wand to warm against his arm at six.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry I broke the wards and you had to redo them. I was in a panic crisis. I couldn't let him die."

He then became engrossed in the book.

Invisible, three of the Founder ghosts smiled at each other. The other simply rolled his eyes.

Around 5:30 a.m., Harry heard a noise. He looked up from his book and glanced around the room.

Another noise made him jump.

Despite the fact that he knew nothing could harm him, he drew his wand and backed into a corner for what he hoped was a defensible position.

"How extraordinary."

Harry gasped. "Headmaster?"

"Harry?"

He came out of the corner. "How did you get in here?"

"There's a door, which appeared out of nowhere, in my office. Is this the Founder's Library?"

Harry nodded.

"How did you get in here? Because I'm quite certain you didn't enter through my office."

He sat back down in his chair. "Originally through the Chamber of Secret's but lately through the Room of Requirement."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow at him then turned to go look at the books.

"Sir, unless they've found a way to reverse it, all the books in here are spelled to only be touched by a parselmouth."

"I thought only -"

"He is. It was Slytherin's own sneaky way of adding extra precautions to the books."

"Sneaky?" The Headmaster's lips twitched slightly.

"Yeah. They didn't realize he had done it until I mentioned it."

"They?"

Harry frowned. "The Founder's Ghosts. You've already seen Slytherin. The other three are ghosts too."

The Headmaster stroked his beard. "I had always wondered ... especially after you returned with Severus ... but to have confirmation - why, that's simply amazing."

He smiled and watched as the Headmaster sat down next to him.

"What are you reading?"

"It's a book on Skin Magic. This is one of the books that Voldemort had access to." He pointed to the stack of other books on the table. "These are the rest."

"He had access to this room?"

"No. Some of these books were in the Chamber of Secrets. After Voldemort left the school, the ghosts pooled what magic they had and had them transferred into here. I figured I'd see what I was up against."

"This is where you got those books on Occlumency, isn't it?"

Harry nodded and watched as the Headmaster picked up a random book. The second it made contact with his hand, it flew across the room.

"Heh, sorry Professor. Even if the room wasn't spelled for parselmouth's, I doubt you'd be able to read these. All of Slytherin's books are written in parselscript."

"How extraordinary," he said again.

Harry laughed as he got up to retrieve the book from the floor.

"How often do you come in here?"

"This is the first time since Sirius died," he said quietly. "I've tried a few times since then, but this room is warded very heavily. If I was too angry or upset, I couldn't get past the door."

"And you found this room when?"

"During my 4th year. I don't sleep much and I kept having dreams about the Chamber of Secrets." Harry shrugged. "So I went back down there. The dead basilisk is still preserved, by the way. It looks like it just died. Anyway, there were two doors down there. One went to an empty room and the other led to here."

"Have you found anything interesting in your reading?"

"Some of these books make my skin crawl. There is a book on the table on something called an anima. It reeks of so much Dark Magic that I can barely stand to touch it. That means that I should eventually read it, as Voldemort no doubt did."

The Headmaster's eyes widened as he eyed the books on the table. "You want to be careful with all of this knowledge, Harry. It is a great gift being allowed access to this room. I imagine there are books on magics' that have long since been forgotten in here. You do not want to abuse what you learn."

Harry smiled. "I know, sir." He then glanced at his arm. "It's six. I need to get to breakfast."

"How are you and your father getting along?"

Harry froze. "Uh, fine sir. I've been spending a couple hours after Quidditch practice in his rooms with him."

"I'm pleased to hear that. Whenever you are ready, Remus and I will transfer full custody over to him."

Harry's eyes widened. "But ... wouldn't that mean ... I'd have to live with him ... Like during the summer?"

The Headmaster put a hand on Harry's shoulders. "Harry, Remus and I would gladly still be your legal guardians until you are an adult, but Severus is your father. I know that it takes more than just a name to be a father but I know that he wants to be there for you. He wants to do everything a father does.

"You told me a while back that your aunt and uncle never treated you like you belong."

Harry nodded.

"Now, you and Severus can belong to each other. I can promise you that it won't be easy, on either of your parts, but it will be worth it."

"Why won't it be easy?"

"Because he is used to being alone, you are used to doing things on your own, and neither of you are used to trusting anyone else."

"Oh," Harry replied quietly.

"I won't pressure you, but whenever you are ready, we can transfer legal guardianship over to Professor Snape."

Harry nodded and as he picked up his book bag, the Headmaster spoke again.

"And as your current guardian, I feel the need to add that if you don't pass your Herbology test today, I'm going to withhold your Quidditch privileges for a week."

His eyes widened in shock. "Yes, sir." He then left the Founder's Library and headed toward the Great Hall for breakfast.

Thankfully, thanks to some last minute studying with Susan, he managed to pass his Herbology test.

The fact that he had knocked off his notes and scattered them everywhere before they started, had been entirely irrelevant.

"Er ... sir. Can I ask you a question?"

"Certainly."

"Today's homework assignment that was written on the board was wrong. Was that on purpose?"

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Have you ever known me to do anything meaninglessly?"

Harry frowned. "No, sir."

Severus watched as the boy started flipping through the past weeks worth of notes. He had to say that he was impressed. This upcoming lesson had to do with how books can be misleading, and unless someone had actually paid attention the past couple of years, it would be brewed incorrectly.

Finally Severus' curiosity won out. He wanted to know just how smart his son truly was in potions.

"Harry, do you know anything about the Wolfsbane potion?"

The boy looked up. "Yeah. I looked it up during my 4th year when I realized that was what you had been brewing for Remus."

"This weekend I'm making a batch. Would you like to join me?" This potion was difficult and it would give him a good indication of the boys' skills.

"Sure!" Harry agreed, wide-eyed.

Severus nodded and returned to the essay's he was grading. He found that he liked spending time with his son, even when they were working on different things.

It was surprising and very satisfying.

"What are his rooms like?" blurted out Ron as the fifth years got ready for bed.

Harry snickered. He had been expecting this question for a week now. "They're not all black and green, if that's what you're wondering."

"Are there a lot of books?" asked Neville.

"Yeah, but I've not read any of them."

"I'm surprised, Potter. I figured he would be teaching you how to be a Death Eater," spat Seamus.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Snape is not a Death Eater - at least not anymore." These accusations were coming nightly. Hermione kept encouraging him to just ignore everyone.

"He's actually got a chess set down there," Harry said as he sat down on his bed. "I watched him and Dumbledore play part of a game the other night while I was doing my homework. It was fairly evenly matched. Snape told me their games normally take two or three days to play."

Ron looked awed.

"Hey Neville, can you quiz me before our Charms test tomorrow?"

Neville laughed at him. "Harry, you have the highest grade in there of all of us, other than Hermione. I doubt you're going to fail."

"I just want to be sure. Snape's been on me extra hard about passing everything."

Neville grimaced. "I would, but I have to meet Justin and Ernie before class. Ask Hermione."

It was Harry's turn to grimace. The last time he had asked her a question, he had gotten a twenty minute response - and he still wasn't sure his original question had been answered.

Plus, Hermione was in full O.W.L. study mode. If he and Ron were not studying according to her schedule, they were going to fail.

When he had pointed out that it was only February, he got glared into silence.

Severus placed a blanket over Harry. He had done an excellent job in preparing and starting the potion. In fact, he felt quite a bit of pride in the boys' abilities.

He had corrected only a couple of minor things, skills that were fine in class but needed more attention to detail in this potion.

After making sure Harry was resting on the couch, he went to a side room and summoned an elf.

"Harry Potter's father needs something?"

Severus narrowed his eyes. This same elf had been answering his summons and cleaning his quarters ever since he had returned from the hospital wing.

"I need you to take a note and place it on Potters' bed in his dorm room so that when his friends wake, they do not worry unduly."

"Dobby is being happy too!"

Severus turned to scrawl out a note and handed it to the elf. "I'd like for you to return after you have done so. I'm curious as to how you have bonded to my son."

Dobby twisted his ears as a response and popped out of the room.

A minute later the elf returned.

"Explain," demanded Severus.

"Harry Potter freed Dobby from bad master."

"Who was your previous master and how did he free you?"

Dobby twisted his ears again. "Lucius Malfoy was being my master and Harry Potter tricked him into giving Dobby a sock."

Severus frowned. "And does Harry know that bound you to him?"

"No, sirs. I be going and seeing the world and when Harry Potter was fourteen, I be coming back to Hogwarts to be near him. I is figuring I tell him eventually."

Severus rubbed his temples slightly. "How can he not know this? And how were you able to go and see the world without his permission?"

"I be thinking that he is not taught about elves."

"And the other question?"

"Er ... well, you see, sir. Harry Potter made Dobby promise not to save his life again and then he be telling me to leave before he headed up to the hospital wing. I was thinking that I always wanted to see the world, so I was going and seeing the world."

Severus raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "You are not bound to him like a normal servant?"

To his surprise, Dobby looked pleased by that. "No sir. It is because I be liking Harry Potter and he be liking me too."

"I've never heard of a bond that depended on that."

"I be thinking you needs to learn about elves, too."

He sighed. "You need to tell Harry. He does not like surprises."

Dobby started wringing his hands together. "I is thinking his friend, Miss Hermy, might get upset at him."

"And why would that matter?"

"Because she's on a campaign to free all elves from slavery," said a voice from the door.

"Harry Potter, sir!" squeaked Dobby.

Severus turned and looked in the doorway and saw Harry frowning down at the elf. He really was getting too good at stealthing.

"Why are you awake? Is everything all right?"

"I had to go to the loo." He then focused on Dobby. "Am I really your master?"

"You is. I being sorry I not telling you. When you is graduating, I is hoping to follow you when you get your own house."

"But I thought you wanted to be free?"

Severus watched as Dobby snapped his fingers and a book appeared in the elves tiny hands.

"If elves being not bound to a master for a year, we is losing our magic."

Harry took the book from Dobby and glanced through it. "Hermione has no idea. Dobby, I've given you clothes as presents. How did I not accidentally free you?"

"Because our bond is being different than a normal one."

Severus watched as Harry plopped down on the floor as he looked through the book. He then had a question. "I was told that when we both went missing, you were summoned by Mr. Weasley to open his trunk. Minerva said you volunteered to look for him. Elves are able to go straight to their master - why didn't you?"

"Dobby be trying the entire time he being gone, but the place is being warded against elves. If Harry Potter sir was calling Dobby, I is thinking I could have went to him, but I is unsure."

"What about Winky?" asked Harry suddenly. "Does she recognize Hogwarts as her master?"

Severus watched as the elves ears drooped. "No. She is being sicker every day."

"I don't need another elf bound to me. You are going to be hard enough to explain to Hermione without her flipping out."

"After you and Professor Snape be reading that book, I be thinking you should let Miss Hermy read it too."

Harry's eyes widened. "Ron!"

Severus groaned. "Mr. Weasley does not need a house elf bound to him," he said, guessing his sons' thoughts.

"Not him, Mrs. Weasley! But ... er ... well, she may not take her."

"I'll have the Headmaster ask her in the morning. It's still four hours before the next stage of the potion. Get some more sleep."

Severus watched as Harry stood up. "Dobby, are you sure about being bound to me? I don't want you to be unhappy and I want you to be sure this is what you want."

He watched the elf grin a very toothy grin. "I is sure."

"If you're ever unhappy, for any reason, you're to tell me. If you want to work someplace else, you're to tell me then too. I won't be mad, so you don't have to worry about that."

Severus was slightly bemused when Dobby launched himself at Harry. The elf then popped out of the room.

"I suppose a part of me has always known that he was bound to me. I did choose him to be the elf to have access to my trunk after all. I'll read this in the morning. It ... uh ... is okay for me to stay here right?"

"It is. Dobby took a note and placed it on your bed for your friends so they won't worry when they wake."

Harry nodded and headed back toward the couch.

Severus picked up the book the elf had left behind and started browsing through it. On nights that he brewed the Wolfsbane potion, he did not normally sleep.

An hour later, he put the book back down and shook his head. He hadn't known about half of the stuff it contained. He then snorted. 'When Harry finds out how deep the bond that the elf used goes, he is going to explode something.'

Severus walked to the doorway and leaned against the door frame and watched his son sleep. He felt a warm feeling spread through his body and let a rare smile take over his face.

For one of the few times in his life, he was content. He just wondered how long it would last.

A/N: anima = soul, btw ;)

As for the word anima, I had another latin word in there (which I thought sounded way cooler :p), but when I went to double check it's meaning, I saw that it didn't mean what I thought it meant. I don't have my original dictionary with me at the moment either. So, for now, I had to use the online latin translator.

Lookie see! They had another bonding moment! :D I like their bonding moments, but like I said, eventually one or the other is gonna start pushing buttons and well, I'm sure everyone knows how family can get at times. *whistles innocently*

As for the Headmaster not being able to touch the books, he can touch the other books in there, just not the ones that had been written by Slytherin. He just hadn't tried yet. A later chapter will reveal that. (The ghosts had indeed managed to remove the spell that the ghost of Slytherin had cast.)

I hope everyone also liked the Dobby scene. And as for how Severus didn't know Dobby was bonded to Malfoy previously (he did have to go to Malfoy Manor a lot as a Death Eater), Malfoy doesn't like it when the servants are seen, thus, he had never laid eyes on the elves employed there before.

And I must say, I've really enjoyed the reviews that have been coming in and for those sticking this story out with me. It really does mean a lot. Also, I wanna thank the first time reviewers as well. There is cake and pie in the corner for everyone, so help yourselves! :D hehe

Up next, Hermione and Harry have a bit of a spat plus Harry finally realizes why he knocks everything down when he's around Susan Bones. We'll get to see if he does anything about it too. Oh, and unless I move it to a later chapter, Harry brings his friends down to Snape's quarters for the first time to study. *cackles gleefully* (I had fun writing that scene. we get to see Snapes 'fun' side in it. bwahahahaha)

I'm hoping that I'll get the next one up within the week. My printer died so I've caught up to myself in typing my chapters, so I have quite a few to type now. As for what my printer has to do with that, I print out my chapters and edit them that way (after I write them long hand). It makes it easier for me to spot mistakes (sometimes :P).