Author note: First of all, I just want to say thank you for all the favorites, follows, and reviews on the last chapter! I'm so glad you all enjoyed it!
Secondly, this chapter carries on immediately from the last, so if you need a little refreshing just go back and read the last paragraph!
Harry's smile completely diminished when the muffled chatter they had heard in the backroom coming from the shop, quickly disappeared into a deafening silence, as everyone in the shop turned to look at the boy who lived and his now-husband.
The silence turned into loud whisperings as quickly as it had changed to silence.
Severus advanced towards the main door of the shop and Harry quickly followed, determined to get out of the way of all the whisperings of the crowd. But if he had thought inside was bad it was nothing compared to what he faced when he stepped outside. It felt like the whole of Diagon alley had stopped in their tracks to look at them now. Silence echoing throughout the road.
Harry sighed. Even Severus looked a little confused. He had never been out with Harry before, and he was completely unaware of how people treated him. He knew they would get reactions, but people had stopped mid-step just to get a glimpse of the two. Other shoppers in different shop windows all pressed their faces to the glass.
Surely this was not the reaction he got every time he came here, surely this was because of his latest marriage.
"Harry," Severus said, looking down at the young man, who just had an annoyed but tired look on his face.
"Look, I'm just here to do my shopping for my next school year," Harry said loudly, addressing the crowd. His voice was stern, it was still not unkind. "I would very much appreciate it if you would allow me to do that in peace," he said loudly again.
People started chattering again, mothers pushed their young children into the nearest shops to go about their business and people now walked past quickly, only briefly glancing at the young man.
Severus was still looking at Harry concerningly.
"Happens all the time" Harry shrugged with a sigh. "Sometimes I think it would just be easier if I drank polyjuice potion," he snuffled a laugh.
"This happens all the time?" Severus asked him.
"Well not to this extent, but I suppose this has something to do with you. But people stare, I'm just glad there weren't any cameras there, or we would have made the front page of The Daily Prophet again tomorrow. How on earth does a schoolboy buying things for his next school year become the front page I don't know, but it would." Harry said.
"Maybe we should look at brewing you some polyjuice potion" Severus half-joked.
"Well, I know just the man who could do it" Harry joked back. "And I'm sure he has the ingredients for it after buying half the shop" Harry smiled up at him.
Something had definitely changed in the last hour they had been together. He had seen a completely different side of Severus, and the person he used to know, who was mean and vindictive, was definitely at the back of his mind when he stared up at this man now. He was someone who just generally loved potions and loved learning, he enjoyed an intellectual conversation and a good cup of tea. Harry much preferred this man to the teacher he had had for six years, and he wondered if this man would stay when school began again, or if the teacher would come back. Although he wouldn't go as far as to say he liked him, he didn't have the hate for him he once possessed.
They continued shopping, and for anyone who stared at Harry, Severus just glared at them and they moved on rather quickly.
They retrieved all the items in a good time, and after another two hours, they were ready to go. Harry had to admit this hadn't been a bad day in the slightest, in fact, he rather enjoyed himself, minus the constant stares and chattering as he walked past.
Severus too was thinking along the same lines. He actually couldn't believe he had almost enjoyed his day. He was dreading it, and as soon as he had stepped out of the floo he wished he had never told Harry and wished he had come alone. Even hearing his name on Harry's lips now sounded very normal to him and he made a mental note to remind himself that he could call him that whenever, not including in class, of course, it didn't make any sense to revert back to Sir while alone. What concerned Severus the most, and surprised him, was the fact that this boy got absolutely no privacy, people literally stared at him wherever he went. It drove Severus mad. Did they have nothing else to do except ogle at a 17-year-old?
"If all is done I suggest we head back to the castle," Severus said. Although he would have rather stayed, which surprised him, he meant what he had said. Harry was safer in the castle, and although Albus or himself had no suspicions of an attack in Diagon Alley, and didn't expect one in broad daylight, Harry was undoubtedly safer back at Hogwarts.
Severus had had to ask permission from Albus to go to Diagon Alley, something he found rather degrading. He was a grown man, he should be allowed to do as he pleased. But these were different times, and they had taken every precaution. He strongly felt there would be no attack here, and so he and Harry were safe.
"We will apparate back to the gates and walk the rest of the way," Severus said to Harry, which he nodded at.
Although Harry was 17, he was yet to pass his apparition test, he would do it when they first got back to school, like the other students who had celebrated their 17th birthdays in the summer holidays.
Severus held out his arm for Harry, which Harry took, and he found himself leaving the cobbles of Diagon alley and finding himself outside the gates of Hogwarts. It was a lovely summer evening, and the sun slowly setting behind the castle made it very picturesque. Harry was happy to call this place his home.
"I actually rather enjoyed my day, so thanks," Harry said, as he watched Severus open the gate with a wave of his hand, and walked through, Severus following him behind. "Frank is nice," Harry said when the gate slammed shut.
"He is a good man" Severus replied, as they began their short walk up to the main entrance.
"He likes you a lot" Harry pointed out, although he knew Severus already knew that.
"Makes one person then" Severus replied sharply before he could stop himself.
"No," Harry said bluntly, snapping his head up at Severus.
Severus caught his eye and raised his eyebrow in return. Harry snapped his head back and carried on walking. That just wasn't true, he knew Albus liked him, and he was sure some others did, but he wasn't sure as of who just yet, but he was sure.
"You don't talk that way about potions in class, the way you did in the apothecary," Harry said, keeping his eyes firmly in front of him as they walked up to the main door.
"That's because no one listens, or cares remotely enough" Severus retorted.
"But they would if you spoke like that" Harry said, now staring up at Severus again.
"Like what?" Severus replied harshly, now looking at Harry. He could see the main door and they would be there within seconds, but both had stopped in their tracks.
"Excited! interesting! You made it sound interesting." Harry exasperated.
"The whole concept should be interesting enough, they don't need me to explain that," Severus objected.
Harry could see this becoming a full-blown argument if he wasn't careful. He had been trying to avoid an argument since they had been married. Harry had never been one for arguments anyway, and he certainly didn't want one with a man he now lived with. It was awkward enough without the tension of an argument between them.
"People are scared of you, especially the first years, that's why they don't listen, that's why you think they don't care, show them a nicer side I'm sure they will care then" Harry spoke calmly.
"Don't tell me how to teach!" Severus sneered back at him. "I've been doing it for years and every student passes so I must be doing something right" Severus shouted at him.
The nerve of Potter. He spent one day with him and suddenly thinks he knows everything about him. Severus was fuming, how dare he question his ability to teach. It wasn't him, it was the idiots he taught.
"I'm not telling you how to teach" Harry spoke calmly again, he didn't want to ruin this rather pleasant day on a bad foot. "Yes, you teach well and we get the knowledge, but-"
"But what?" Severus interrupted loudly.
"But anyone could teach us the basics, you're so passionate about it, make us feel that" Harry stated.
"If you're suggesting I crack open tea and embark on an hour-long conversation with every individual student in my classes-" Severus said once more, unable to stop the snarkiness.
"I'm not suggesting that," Harry sighed. He took a deep breath in and looked straight into his eyes, his expression calm and peaceful. "Look I'm just saying, you teach well, very well, but we could excel if you spoke like that in potions class. It was fascinating to see you so engaged in something" he paused. "It made me listen, and that's saying something." Harry half-smiled.
Severus sighed. He understood what Harry was trying to say to him if anything it made it sound like he admired him.
"Well if it made you listen that certainly is something," Severus said calmly to Harry. They made their last steps towards the door and Severus pushed it open, letting Harry wander in first.
Harry stopped at the doors to the great hall and shrugged slightly.
"I'm going to go in for dinner," he said, turning his head slightly to face the doors, he paused slightly before adding. "Would you want to come?"
"No thank you, I will eat in my rooms," Severus said, although he was starting not to hate Harry he didn't want to spend the evening with his friends.
"It's only Remus, Ron and Hermione," Harry explained, but even he realized that was not a good thing in Severus' eyes.
"Exactly the reason why I'm saying no" Severus said bluntly.
"Albus usually eats with us too," Harry replied, even though he had no idea why he was trying to tempt him to come. He would have been perfectly happy if Severus wanted to eat alone, but still, he tried.
"Professor Dumbledore" Snape corrected.
"Fine." Harry sighed, "Professor Dumbledore usually eats with us too," he said, giving Severus a look as if to say, happy now?
"I'm fine, thank you all the same" Severus replied, turning around and heading off to his rooms.
"See you tonight then" Harry shouted after him.
"Yes, see you tonight" Severus replied, not turning around to look.
A few days later Harry found himself sitting next to Remus and Severus, opposite Dumbledore having all been called in for a chat.
Something had changed between Harry and Severus. Remus could tell that Harry had a newfound respect for him, by subtle things he said and did. He was now brought up in conversation more, although not a lot still enough for Remus to notice, and whenever Ron or even himself made a joke or playfully insulted him Harry was the first one to his defense. Although Remus was certain Harry did not like him as a person, something had definitely changed. Something had changed with Severus as well, he wasn't as snappy, was calmer and didn't seem so angry all of the time. Perhaps he realized being married to Harry wasn't as bad as it had first seemed.
"The reason I have called you here today is to tell you of the rather distressing news I read in the paper this morning," Dumbledore said, looking at the three men sitting before him, and when none answered he carried on. "I take it none of you three have read it?"
As the three shook there head almost in sync Dumbeldore passed over the paper to them. Not the front headline, but a couple of pages in.
'Oliver Davies, Head of the Department of Social Care for the Ministry of Magic, found dead.'
Harry quickly read it and snapped his head back up.
"Did Voldemort do this?"
"We believe so, it was discovered that the killing curse had killed him, so we can only assume, it is too much of a coincidence for it not to be. He also appeared to have died the night after you two were married. We also can only assume it was because Mr. Davies was working for Voldemort, and he let him down." Seeing Severus start to say something, Albus quickly continued. "The paper states there was no dark mark on him, so it would make sense that you didn't know who he was. Our best guess was that he wasn't marked as he was too high up in the ministry." Albus shook his head, taking the paper back from Harry.
"Well surely now the threat is gone?" Harry questioned. If the main threat of Oliver Davies proving their marriage wasn't legitimate was now gone, surely there was no need to carry on. "If Oliver Davies is dead then surely…"
"This doesn't change the fact that you would still be without a guardian," Severus finished off his sentence for him. Although he wouldn't mind having a quick annulment and ridding himself from the man, he knew this still would be no longer possible until he turned 18. "The threat is by nowhere means gone just because this man is now dead. Yes someone might come along and be nicer to you, but you are legally still underage to be without a guardian, they would have to do what they see fit."
"Harry if anything this makes this ten times worse if Voldemort is willing to kill someone, for what we suspect, not giving him what he wanted, he is stopping at nothing" Remus chimed in.
"Indeed" Severus agreed with Remus.
In any other situation, Harry would be shocked to see the two being in the same room, with Severus not being sarcastic, or disagreeing with Remus every chance he got, but obviously, this was too important.
"I just thought you all needed to know" Dumbledore informed them calmly, drawing their attention back to himself.
"Yes of course" Harry replied.
"Now Harry, due to current events, I would also like to inform you that I would prefer if you would stay in the castle for the rest of the half term, and unfortunately when it comes to Hogsmede trips this school year, you will not be permitted to attend."
Harry's face dropped. He was supposed to go to the Burrow with Ron and Hermione the day before school started, surely he would be allowed at the burrow?
"It is well known when the students go to Hogsmede and I would hate to put you and the other years in danger if there was to be an attack, so as a precaution I would like you to stay here," Dumbledore explained further.
"What about if I went with Remus or Severus at some random point during the year?" Harry asked, trying to keep the desperation out of his voice. He loved the castle, but even he needed to venture out a little.
"We will talk about that when the occasion comes, due to the reception you received at Diagon Alley I'm surprised you would even want to go down to Hogsmede" Dumbledore questioned.
Remus looked at him questionably.
Obviously, Severus had told him what had happened. Harry had left out that part when telling Remus, Ron, and Hermione what Diagon Alley was like. He hated when people stared at him, he wasn't some sort of celebrity, he was a schoolboy, and he preferred his friends to feel like that instead of thinking any different.
"Severus and I were talking about that, it started as a joke, but maybe I could take some polyjuice potion or something, gives me a bit of a chance to have a bit of normality?" Harry asked.
Dumbledore glanced at Severus with a questioning look in his eye. Severus held his gaze entirely. Although they had not spoken about it since Severus thought the polyjuice potion was not a bad idea. He could definitely brew it and then at least Harry would be out of his way for a few hours when he needed to be.
Dumbledore turned his head back to Harry when he saw Severus made no notion to object.
"Although I do not think that is wise, I cannot keep you cooped up here for the remainder of the year, but again we will discuss it when the time comes." Dumbledore paused slightly before continuing. "Another reason why you are here as obviously I have people in every corner of the world letting me know if they've had any information."
"What have you found out?" Harry asked.
"Nothing, unfortunately, he's been unbelievably quiet, but this does cause us some concern." Dumbledore turned his head back to Severus once more. "Obviously we've lost our inner spy, which although my dear boy I'm so glad you are out of this now, it does not help our situation."
"Can you find another spy? get them to infiltrate the inner circle?" Harry asked.
"I feel the dark lord would be prepared for something like that, if we were to find someone else it would have to come from inside already," Severus explained.
Harry turned his face towards him.
"Do you suspect anybody would come to us?" He asked hopefully.
"Not from his inner circle, they are devoted to him," Severus explained to Harry. "You have people like Bellatrix, Lucius Malfoy, I can't see them ever coming to offer to spy for us."
"So what we're just supposed to do nothing, while he conjures up a plan?" Harry said, aware of his voice getting louder.
"No, not nothing," Albus said calmly again, diffusing all anger which was slowly rising in the room. "We are going to prepare, but right now you are in the safest place you could possibly be" Albus explained.
Remus and Severus both glanced at Harry, but Harry was still staring at Dumbledore. A strong look in his eye. Their gaze turned to each other and both of them knew that there was nothing they could do except plan. Plan for any outcome possible, and hope to Merlin that soon Albus would get a spy into the Death Eaters so at least they would have some sort of idea of what was coming their way.
Severus knew Albus was right, there was no way he could have carried on as a spy. The Dark Lord now killed those closest to him as much as enemies and Albus had no intentions to see Severus die. But still, Severus couldn't help feeling responsible for the current situation they were in now. If he had still been a spy he would know if the Dark Lord was planning anything, but if he had still been a spy then Harry could have been in an orphanage, and worse still, he could be dead.
"Because we don't know what he's planning, and until we have some sort of idea, when school starts again I want both of you to be teaching Harry extra defense lessons. Remus, I also want you to teach certain members of the school, either individually or groups." Dumbledore continued. Although he spoke calmly what he was saying alarmed Harry. He was training for a battle.
Severus and Remus nodded curtly at Albus.
"I want us to prepare for an attack, I want us to prepare for the worst," Albus said gravely.
"If it's so important, shouldn't we just start now?" Harry said. To him that made sense, he, Ron, and Hermione were already in the castle with the two mentors who were going to teach them. This could be a headstart.
"You need your rest, Harry," Remus said kindly at him.
"Remus is right, there is no point tiring yourself out before anything, there will be plenty of time when school starts," Dumbledore said, pushing his glasses up his nose a little as he studied the 3 men in front of him.
Harry suppressed a sigh. So now along with the extra potions classes he had sort of offered to take and these defense lessons, he was going to have less and less time to spend time with his friends. As for quidditch, when was he going to find the time to practice now. He made a mental note to practice quidditch with Ron as much as he could in the last two weeks of the summer holiday. He was going to win the cup this year. He was determined to beat Slytherin, he couldn't wait to see the look on Severus' face.
Severus looked over at Harry. He knew he was upset by this, he had just been told that his school year would consist of not leaving the castle and extra lessons. Severus decided then and there to make sure Albus let him out of the castle, just for a day or two to go to Hogsmede with his friends like every other 17 year old should be able to do. He would also push for him to be allowed over to the burrow when he wanted to see the Weasleys. Of course, this was just to get him out of his rooms for a while, but even telling himself that Severus knew it had nothing to do with that. He wanted to do this because he thought Harry deserved this at least.
"For now I suggest we all just enjoy the rest of the holiday, it's such a wonderful summer, I've been spending most of it outside" Dumbledore hummed. "I believe I may have even caught a tan," he said, holding his pale arm up for everyone to inspect.
Harry chuckled.
It had only just gone past 9 when Harry entered his room for the evening. As soon as he entered he saw the living room was empty, but faint clangs of jars and cauldrons could be heard from behind the door at the back of the room.
Harry had never gone into Severus' potions laboratory before, after being told to not go in there alone and he never felt the need to go in there to see Severus, but tonight he was back early, and he just wanted to check that everything was okay. It would be rude to not say goodnight before going to sleep.
"Evening" Harry said timidly, opening the door slowly, to an array of smells and smoke. Half expecting Severus to shout at him to get out, Harry kept half his body in the door frame.
"Evening" Severus said, pushing some of his hair that had fallen into his face behind his ear. "you're back uncharacteristically early" Severus noted.
If he was going to shout it would have been immediately, so Harry closed the door behind him. Severus was right, he usually had dinner with his friends and others in the great hall before heading off to one of their rooms for a game of exploding snap or just for a chat.
It was fantastic for Remus to be here again and so present in Harry's life. Watching how his friends acted around him too he guessed they were both happy he was back too, although Hermione acted a little differently around him, Harry could not put his finger on why.
He usually didn't come back to his quarters until 10 at the earliest, less time he spent with Severus the better, or though he was beginning to realize that wasn't entirely true. The man's company wasn't terrible, and he found him sometimes actually enjoying a conversation with him.
"I feel really tired today," Harry shrugged.
"Well, get some rest" Severus suggested while mixing the cauldron he had in front of him.
"Yeah," Harry replied plainly. He could have just walked out then, said goodnight and gone, but he didn't want to. "What are you brewing?" He asked.
"Just experimenting" Severus replied, turning quickly to grab some tiny flecks which were next to the cauldron.
"Anything I can do to help?" Harry asked, watching Severus sprinkle the tiny flecks in.
Severus stopped what he was doing, took one look at his potion to make sure he got the reaction he needed, and then turned to Harry properly.
"Although I do appreciate you trying to better yourself at potions, I feel this one may be a touch advanced," Severus said regretfully back.
"Right," Harry said and nodded his head. There wasn't much else to be said or to do now, so he went to move back to the door.
"However," Severus said before Harry got anywhere, "I was thinking about this earlier, why don't we start with teaching you how to make polyjuice potion?"
Harry smiled, and hesitated to tell Severus something, but decided to let him know anyway, it was 5 years ago now, it wouldn't matter now.
"Well I've already brewed that, well actually no I didn't, Hermione brewed it but I was there with most steps of the way," Harry said with a shrug.
"When did Miss Granger brew polyjuice?" If Severus wasn't already facing Harry he definitely would have been now.
"In our second year" Harry mentioned nonchalantly.
"Miss Granger brewed polyjuice potion when she was 13 years old?" Severus exclaimed, almost in disbelief.
"Yes," Harry said, enjoying the fact that Severus was rather taken back by this. Would serve him right, now he could see how clever Hermione was.
"That's remarkable," Severus said simply. He stood there for a second, before turning back to his potion and giving it 4 stirs to the right and 1 to the left.
"Is it?" Harry asked him, though by the look on Severus' face he already knew it was.
"It's an amazingly complex potion, with hard to come by ingredients," Severus said, tapping the spoon on the metal pot, before turning back to Harry. "May I ask why she felt the need to brew it?" He paused and something clicked in his mind. "You stole from my lab, didn't you? I said to Albus someone had taken items from my lab in the classroom," Severus remembered now. He had been sure someone had been stealing but when reporting it to Albus, Albus simply said he must have misplaced them. Severus had been livid at the time, and even more livid at Albus for saying it was his fault, but now he found himself more in awe that Harry and Hermione, and he assumed Ron brewed a potion meant for 7th years when they were 12 and 13.
"Yes we did, and I do apologize for that now, but it was all to do with the chamber and who we thought the heir was, we just wanted to prove it wasn't me" Harry stated.
"Well, of course, it wasn't you," Severus said matter of factly.
"Why couldn't it have been me?" Harry said, smirking, pretending that was an insult.
"You weren't sorted into Slytherin, I just think the heir of Slytherin would have at least been sorted into the right house," Severus said, raising his eyebrows.
Harry did not miss the use of the word 'right'. He ignored it, although he was determined to prove that the right house was not Slytherin, but of course Gryffindor.
"Actually the sorting hat wanted to put me in Slytherin but I said no" Harry informed Severus, and for the second time in a minute, Harry saw Severus looking shocked.
"You said no to the sorting hat and it listened," Severus asked.
"Yes," Harry declared.
Severus did not want to get into how Harry had made a magical object listen to him, so he ignored that fact for another day.
"Why didn't you want to be in Slytherin? What's wrong with my house?" Severus asked, intrigued by the answer.
Harry just shrugged in return.
"Just wanted to be a Gryffindor," he said plainly.
"Of course you did" Severus replied, before turning back to his potion that was now turning a remarkable shade of purple.
"I'll let you get on, I'm going to have an early night, I really am exhausted," Harry said smiling at Severus, although he couldn't see with his side facing Harry now.
"Probably the heat" he replied, not taking his eyes off his potion, which was now at a crucial point.
"Probably" Harry agreed. It had been unbearably hot today. Rare for an English summer. "Goodnight then," Harry said, opening the door to the much colder living room
"Goodnight," Severus said, quickly glancing up from his potion to see the door close behind him.
He stopped and stood upright. He couldn't believe it. He was actually starting to like him and was actually enjoying a conversation with him. He shook the thought out of his head and got back to working on his experiment.
Author note: In my honest opinion nothing is more attractive than someone who speaks passionately about what they believe in or enjoys, I may be wrong on this but I hope someone agrees with me and understands where I'm coming from writing the first half of this chapter. I also absolutely promise that they will talk about something other than potions but right now it's common ground - gotta start somewhere right?
Thanks for reading!
S L x