The Half-Giant Family

Chapter 5: Potions and Feelings

Severus was in his private lab, brewing potions for the hospital wing. Harry was with Hagrid, as he often was since Hagrid's Hut was a lot safer for toddlers than Severus' quarters were currently. He was in the process of moving any of the potions' ingredients into his lab, sorting out his bookshelves so Harry couldn't get hold of anything not somewhat age appropriate when he was able to read, and just baby-proofing his quarters. As well as decorating the room that had been added, building new furniture, and such. However, between teaching, brewing, helping Hagrid with Harry, Albus trying to get Harry away from them, and everything else he really didn't have much time at all. And that was without the time he took to eat and sleep.

Not that he took much time for those tasks.

Never mind the fact that he was still grieving his once best friend, and trying desperately to get Harry to stop calling him 'mummy'.

He had been reading books on child development, too. And Harry was definitely a bit more advanced than the typical fifteen month old. Though fifteen months olds could speak some words, they usually couldn't speak as many as Harry could. He surmised it was a mix of Lily wanting to teach him everything she could, and how bloody powerful he was, despite only being a toddler.

According to the books magic could in fact aid in child development, although not majorly so in most cases. It could help you say your first word sooner than a non-magical child, it could help you in the potty training stages, it could help you learn to walk a tad sooner. But there were a number of factors that went into it. Magic was rather sentient, it knew where you were, who you were surrounded by, how powerful you are, and so on. So Muggleborns didn't tend to get too much help from their magic, just incredibly minor things that the muggles wouldn't notice too much. Especially if the muggles weren't… particularly loving. However, if you were in a loving, magical household, then your magic could help you a bit more. In that case, though, how much your magic helped you would depend on how magically powerful you were. Harry, being as powerful as he was, and being raised with love and care, was able to speak more than most children at his age.

Not that Severus particularly minded. He found it rather endearing. Even the 'mummy' made Severus' heart swell with love and pride, even though it hurt and he felt like he was taking Lily's place, which he definitely didn't want to do.

He figured Harry's intuition also helped to a degree. Such magical gifts often can.

There was a knock on the door and Severus sighed, putting a stasis spell on the three potions he was working on, and went to see who it was.

Albus was on the other side, and he resisted the urge to sigh again as he let the older man in and closed the door.

"Where's Harry?" Albus said, looking around the room as if expecting to see the toddler.

"With Hagrid. Did you really expect me to have a toddler in my potions' lab when I'm brewing potions that could potentially be dangerous to him?" Severus snarled at the man.

"Well, Severus, it is only recently that I found out you care for the boy. I had thought you hated him," Albus said.

"He is a child. I do not hate children," Severus growled.

"And yet you had been treating the students horribly," Severus glared at him harder than he ever had, but the old man didn't seem to notice, or care, "Although I hear that you have been lightening up lately, and are now being… nice to the students. Would you like to tell me why? I thought we had a deal,"

"Because, Headmaster, I was thinking that now the Dark Lord is out of our hair for a while, at least, it might be the ideal time to actually work on some unity in the school. Now is the time to protect the students from what has been happening, and to get them to cooperate, support each other, and move past the hate of the past. Then maybe, when the Dark Lord finally returns, less people will go to him. And we will have a better chance at defeating him for good. I want to protect the students, Albus, and I will. That is my job. That is why you hired me. And I will do so in the way I see fit to now that the war is over, for a period of time,"

"I hired you to protect Harry when he arrived here," Albus said.

"And here he is," Severus smirked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Albus glared at him, "I meant as a student, Severus,"

"That wasn't part of the wording of the oath. You just said I had to protect him, and that is what I am doing. I am just trying to protect and look after the other students whilst I am at it. Because none of the other staff seem to care enough to do so,"

"What has gotten into you, Severus? Ever since Lily died you have been… different," Albus demanded.

Severus just looked at the man, "It is called grief, I believe. She was my best friend, she's dead. I am grieving. And I am trying to protect her son, but you keep trying to put him somewhere where he may be safe from Death Eaters, but he will not be safe from abuse. I know Petunia, I know how she feels about magic. She would treat him horrendously. I am keeping him safe from that. I am keeping him safe from Death Eaters. I am keeping him safe from prejudice. And I am trying to keep him safe from the man who seems to want him to be abused with how you are trying to send him to her. All whilst doing all of my regular jobs when most people who adopt a child get to have at least a little bit of time off to spend time with them. I am tired, I am stressed, and I am grieving. And you trying to take Harry away from Hagrid and I isn't helping,"

"I didn't even realise you and Hagrid were dating," Albus said questioningly.

Severus grimaced, "We're not dating. He is like a father to me, if you must know of our relationship. But it matters not, does it, what our relationship is. All you are concerned about is getting back your control of the boy that you are trying to raise like a pig for slaughter," he really tried to hide the crack in his voice.

"It is all for the greater good," Albus said, raising an eyebrow.

"Everything is with you, isn't it? And yet it is really only for what your greater good is. Not for anyone else's. We are people, Albus. People with feelings, and lives, and minds, and souls. You shouldn't be playing us like pawns on a chessboard. You should be letting us live the way we want to. I became a spy for you. I put my life in danger every day, for you. Because I had nothing else. But now I have a son, and I have the students, and I will do everything in my power to look after and protect them all. Even if it means going against your version of the greater good. I'm not going to hurt them or myself anymore. Not for you. Not for anything," Severus said firmly, hoping that he didn't say too much.

"You know what I can do to you, Severus," Albus warned.

"You can't do anything to Severus, Albus," Kingsley said from the doorway and Severus spun to look at him, trying to hide his shock.

Albus wasn't hiding his shock at all.

"Kingsley, how lovely to see you," Albus said.

"Hm, pleasure," Kingsley said, looking at the man with hard eyes, "You can't do anything to Severus, Albus. He has the right to conduct himself how he sees fit in his classroom. He is the Professor. Not you. You can't send him to Azkaban because you have already released a statement, and more evidence, to show that Severus was a spy for you all along, and if you were to attempt to do so, then there would be a lot of questions as to why you apparently 'lied' during your official statement despite being Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. And I'm sure you don't want those questions, do you?" Kingsley said, grinning when Albus blinked at him in shock, "And if you trying anything else, then I will find out, and I will make sure Severus, Harry, and the students are safe, before coming for you. Do you understand?"

"Kingsley, my boy, this is all just a misunderstanding,"

"It didn't sound like it to me. I heard rather a lot of your conversation, and I am willing to use it as evidence against you when you have just tried to threaten a member of your staff for wanting to protect children," Kingsley said, smiling at the man who seemed to be lost for words, "I mean almost all the magical parents in this country, and the muggle parents, put their faith in this school, in you, to keep their children safe whilst they're not at home. And you have just threatened a teacher for wanting to do that. If the people found out about this little incident, I can't imagine them wanting to continue sending their children here,"

Albus huffed and left, clearly not knowing what else to say.

Kingsley shut the door behind him and turned to Severus, "You okay, Severus?"

"Hm, yes. Thank you. Though you really didn't have to-"

"I know, Sev. But it won't hurt to have someone to stand up for you for once, will it?" Kingsley smiled, "I'm your friend. I'm not going to let him threaten you without having my own say,"

"Yes, well," his throat bobbed slightly as he tried to calm himself.

He sighed and went back to his potions, he was safe with Kingsley.

"So, how is it going with the students now that you are being yourself, or easing them into it anyhow?" Kingsley asked gently as he took a seat opposite Severus to watch the man brew with almost fascinated eyes.

"Okay, I guess," Severus sighed again, "I just have to build their trust. And… I don't really know what I'm doing, I'm just going with it at the moment. My instincts, I guess. But, it is difficult when I am so tired and stressed, and when Albus is giving me funny looks, or the other staff members. I… I don't know," he said, not sure, again, exactly why he was so open with the man opposite him.

"Hm, it will take a little time, but once they know they have you in their corner I am sure things will be okay. Have you introduced them to Harry yet?"

"No. We thought it best to wait a little while. So that Harry has some time to settle into a routine of sorts, and so that I have time to show my true self to the students, and get them to trust me. He has been staying in Hagrid's Hut since not many people go near there, these days anyway," Severus said.

Kingsley nodded, "What potions are you making?"

"Just a few for the hospital wing. Some pepper-ups, some skele-gro, and some pain relievers," Severus said gently.

"Isn't skele-gro incredibly difficult to make?" Kingsley said, eyebrows raised.

Severus smirked at him, "Not if you're a Master, Kingsley," he snarked, "Not that my Mastery means all that much at the moment. I haven't the time for research or creating things. But maybe during the holidays I can put a little time towards it. Or when Harry is a bit older and things here have settled down a little. We'll see, I suppose,"

"Your Mastery doesn't mean nothing, Severus. Even if you aren't experimenting, and making new potions at the moment, it doesn't mean nothing. You are teaching and protecting the next generation. That means everything. You are creating the potions that help them feel better when they are hurt or sick. You are protecting them from even their own Headmaster. You are working to make sure we win this war fully. You are the youngest Potion's Master in the continent, Severus. That is a bloody brilliant achievement. You are incredible, Sev," Kingsley said earnestly.

And Severus looked at him in shock, trying not to blush too much at the words, or the strange look in the man's eyes.

Kingsley just smiled at him and Severus went back to work, trying to ignore the feelings that were floating around inside him.

He couldn't.

He couldn't.

Kingsley stayed with him as he finished the potions, and they didn't speak again, letting a comfortable silence fill the lab in the hours it took to finish them.

"They need to cool for a few hours before I can ladle them into their vials," Severus said softly as he looked up at the man who was still watching him, "I'm going to see Harry and Hagrid. Feel free to join us. Harry would love to see you,"

So off they went to Hagrid's Hut, where they found Hagrid sitting in his large armchair, Harry in his lap as the half-giant read a book to him, making Harry laugh brightly with his voices.

"Mummy," Harry squealed as soon as he saw Severus.

And the man couldn't help but smile at the boy who had stolen a large part of his heart, even as he tried to quench the pain that the word brought him.

"Harry," Severus said gently, walking over and placing a kiss on the boy's head before moving to sit at the table, Kingsley followed him, "Have you been a good boy for Hagrid?"

"Mhm," Harry nodded, beaming, "Hel-lo, Kingey,"

"Hello, Harry," Kingsley smiled at the boy, "How are you?"

"Good," Harry slumped back against Hagrid and the half-giant continued to read to the child who listened to the tale with wide, interested eyes, and a smile.

When the story was done Harry slid carefully off Hagrid's lap and toddled over to Severus with his arms in the air. Severus held him gladly, letting the little one burrow against his chest and cling to his robes. And the toddler was soon asleep, his ear resting against Severus' heartbeat.

"Was he good, Hagrid?" Severus asked the half-giant who was beaming at the three of them.

"Of course. Harry's a lil' angel 'e is," the man said as quietly as he could.

Severus snorted good naturedly.

"So Kingsley, what brings you 'ere today then?" Hagrid said as he moved to make a pot of tea.

"Oh, I just wanted to drop in for a visit. It's been a while since I've seen Severus, and Harry, and you, and I wanted to see how you all were," Kingsley said, smiling at Severus and Harry in such a way that sent a pleasant, and yet almost nervous warmth through Severus who looked down at the boy in his arms to try and hide the blush which he was sure had spread across his pale cheeks.

"Well, it's good to see yer," Hagrid said gently as he placed a pot of tea and some mugs on the table and sat with them.

"It's good to see you, too, Hagrid," Kingsley smiled at the half-giant before turning his attention back to the man and child opposite him, completely oblivious to the grin the older man was giving the three of them. So was Severus as his attentions were mostly focussed on Harry, and on trying not to let the warm feelings overwhelm him as he felt his tentative friend look at him.

But Merlin was that hard. Especially when his stomach wouldn't stop fluttering in ways it never had before.

Hiya, how are you all?

I hope you enjoyed the chapter, I wanted something... mostly light hearted because I am just very dead at the moment. Severus and Kingsley will be getting together, at some point in the relatively near future. Next chapter will be Harry and Hagrid centric though as I feel like I have neglected that part of the story in favour of Sev, which, I didn't mean to. But Severus is my favourite character and I need to make him happy, ya know? So, what do you think is going to happen? How will Sev and Kingsley get together? How fast/slow will their relationship be? Will they get married/have kids? Will Harry come up with a new name for Kingsley? What will Albus do next? What will happen with the students? How will everything that is going on affect the coming war when the Dark Lord returns? Let me know what you think, if you want to of course, no pressure.

Anywho, I am working on some spotify playlists for my fanfics, so if you can think of any songs you think work with the stories as they are so far, or where you think they are going, or songs that give you the vibes you get from the stories, then please do let me know and I will give them a listen, then potentially add them to the playlists. I will let you know as soon as they are ready, though it may take a few weeks because life.

Anyone want an essay/rant regarding my completely honest opinions about my favourite character, Severus Snape? Or a petition as to why I think I should be cast as Severus in the HBO series despite being a woman? You know, just so he is played by someone who loves, understands and respects the character properly?

All jokes aside (are they jokes though, really?) I have a Facebook group called Maraudering_Paige which you are all welcome to join if you would like to and are able to. It is where we can talk about Harry Potter, fanfics, life, share memes and more. It is also where I have somewhat of an update schedule for my fics and will be keeping you up to date on what I am working on, in regards to fanfics, original works, and more things. So if you are interested in joining then I am more than happy to accept you all.

I hope you are having an amazing day!

Kind regards,

Paige xx