Harry woke up suddenly on the first Friday in December to find a distinct chill in the air. It was still dark out, but he could tell there was another figure in the room.
"Dad?" he asked, groggily.
Severus's face approached the bed, a mischievous grin on his face. Harry, anticipating what would happen next, pulled the covers over his head.
"Daddy! It's still dark out!" Harry protested, but he was already giggling.
"Barely," his dad answered, and Harry could hear the smile in his voice. "Prepare yourself for the invisible tickle monster!"
"You'll have to get at the blankets, first!" Harry retorted, gleefully.
His dad easily removed the blankets from his frame, and proceeded to tickle him mercilessly. Grinning ear to ear, Harry tried to turn on his side, but his guardian would not be deterred.
"Stop! I've had enough!" Harry managed to get out, after a few seconds.
His dad immediately stopped, allowing Harry to catch his breath, and removed the invisibility cloak, placing it on the bedside table. Harry, now feeling wide awake, glanced at his guardian's back in an evaluating manner, deciding whether he should pursue his own tickle attack. But before he could decide, Severus had picked Harry up, carefully placed his glasses on his face, then tightly wrapped the blankets around him. Harry wondered what was going on, when he found himself sitting on his guardian's lap, on his lovely window seat, with the older man's arms wrapped around him tightly, warming Harry further.
It was snowing.
"Ohhh," Harry breathed. He leaned his face against the window. "It's so beautiful, Dad."
Severus spoke softly. "Isn't it? I always found the first snowfall of the season to be particularly magical. Even as an old grown up," he amended, laughing. "Are you glad that I woke you up for it?"
"Yes!" Harry murmured, then continued to stare out the window. "Ohh! Do you think there will be a lot of snow?"
The ground was covered, but aside from that, Harry couldn't tell how much there was.
Back at Privet Drive, snow usually meant no school. For Dudley, it meant mugs of hot chocolate and extra biscuits. Occasionally, he'd play outside, and Aunt Petunia wouldn't care if he tracked it inside.
But with the teachers living in the castle, no amount of snow would mean cancelled lessons. Still, Harry supposed the kids would play outside afterwards. If there was enough to play in.
"At least a foot by noon, according to the forecast." Severus's voice was gentle. "It's not due to stop until late tonight."
Harry stared outside the window, watching the flakes fall. He turned to his dad, whose expression was kind, and he was still smiling. "C-could I-d'you think, maybe...could I play in it? Please?"
He'd never been allowed, before. Dudley could make a mess, but Harry was not to burden his aunt. Even though he'd promised to be extra careful, the answer was always no.
"Of course you may," Severus said, sounding almost...surprised? "I had assumed you would want to."
"I was never allowed to before," Harry admitted.
"And your relatives were very wrong to forbid it," his guardian reminded him, turning Harry to face him, then hugging him tightly. "You may play in the snow to your heart's content, after lunch." Severus kissed the top of his head. "If you like, I will speak to the first years, so you can play with them. Perhaps Miss Tonks, as well?"
It felt too good to be real, but hadn't that been the way Harry's life felt ever since Severus had become his guardian?
"Thank you," he murmured, wanting to say more, but the lump in his throat prevented it. "I'd like that, if you could find her."
They had seen each other a couple of times since the Quidditch game. Tonks, or Dora as she was known to her friends (Harry didn't think he qualified, even if she had cared enough to keep him from getting hexed or beaten up...) had always smiled and said hello to Harry, but as he was always with his dad, she hadn't stayed to chat. Still. If she was there, he'd feel rather more comfortable playing in the snow with the older kids.
"You're welcome, owlet." Severus smoothed some stray hairs out of his face. "Shall we watch the snowstorm a bit longer?"
"Yes, please," Harry said, leaning against his dad, resting his head against his chest.
Several moments later, Harry and Severus returned to his bed. Harry curled into his guardian's side, and Severus held him close to him with one hand, and carded Harry's hair with another. It felt so nice, so relaxing, and so toasty...
A few hours later, they rose again, then ate breakfast still clad in their night shirts and dressing gowns. Harry ate more than usual, knowing he would need the energy to keep up with the older kids. He was excited, if a bit nervous. Perhaps, they would make snow angels and snowmen!
Professor McGonagall came by afterwards for their usual Friday morning lessons. His dad would teach his first year class of Gryffindor and Slytherin students. He was always in rather a bad mood afterwards. Harry knew, from his years of experience with his aunt and uncle, that it was best to say as little as possible until his guardian had finished his mug of tea, and read a bit. At first, Severus had been overly apologetic towards Harry, but Harry had shrugged it off.
"I reckon it's okay to be in a bad mood on occasion, Dad," he'd said. "And you won't stay that way forever."
"As far as you know," he'd grumbled, but chuckled as he'd given Harry a hug. "Very well. For the time being, we'll try it your way."
While his dad was suffering with teaching first year students who still couldn't follow directions, Harry was learning the very, very basics of Transfiguration. Of course, he didn't have his own wand, and wouldn't be able to do magic with it even if he did, but the Gryffindor head of house walked him through the basics, and had him read chapters of a book that was the very, very basics of the lesson.
"Once you begin formal lessons, you'll have a much better understanding of the theory than most of your classmates, even those from magical families," she encouraged, "and it will show in your work."
Harry hoped that she was right. In the meantime, he watched as she transformed matches into needles and back, answering her questions about the next step. Soon, they would progress to hairpins.
"Will you play outside this afternoon, Harry, dear?" she asked, glancing outside. "It's quite a snowstorm!"
"Yes, ma'am!" Harry grinned. "Dad said it was all right, once he put extra warming charms on my clothes and cloak. I can't wait! It will be my first time ever playing in the snow."
The older woman's eyes widened. "Why would it be your first time, Harry?"
"Oh, I wasn't allowed before. My cousin was, but my aunt and uncle didn't want to risk me getting snow on the floor. I had to stay inside," Harry concluded.
She muttered something under her breath, then reached out and pulled Harry into her arms. "That was very wrong of them, dear."
"I know." Harry nodded. "But I reckon they did a lot that they shouldn't have. I'm glad I live with Professor Snape, now. He's far kinder."
Professor McGonagall chuckled. "He has a rather hard exterior, but I dare say it's all but broken when it comes to you."
Harry wasn't sure what that meant, but it was probably a good thing.
"Now, dear." Her tone was back to the one she used for teaching. Kind, but a bit brisk. "Do you understand the difference between transfiguring the exterior of the object versus the interior?"
Harry answered with ease, and they continued in this manner until his guardian returned. This time, he was nearly in a pleasant mood.
Professor McGonagall noticed as well, judging by the way she gave Harry a secret smile.
"Your morning went well, I take, Severus?" she asked, handing him his customary mug of tea.
"Thank you, Minerva." He accepted the drink, then took a long sip, then smiled. "Yes, I encountered fairly few problems. I gave them a test, and permission to leave upon finishing it. No doubt, the marks will be abysmal as a result, but at least no one nearly lost an arm or eye brewing a potion when their focus was elsewhere." He drained the mug, then reached his arms out to Harry, who happily hugged him. "And how did your lesson go?"
"Very well, as always." Professor McGonagall smiled. "I believe Harry will be very well prepared by the time he is in his first year."
"That's very good news, indeed." Looking down at Harry, he added, "I know it's rather early, but I thought we'd have lunch. I expect you're eager to play in the snow."
Harry, grinning, nodded vigorously. "Do you think they'll make snowmen? I've always wanted to make one."
Professor McGonagall made an odd sound, then reached out to hug Harry. It was surprising, but not unwelcome.
"I'm certain we can find children who wish to build one," Severus promised, softly.
Once Professor McGonagall had left and Harry and Severus had eaten a good lunch, the two set to work preparing Harry for the wintry weather. Severus warmed his robes and his socks before Harry put his feet into his comfortable winter boots. Then, Severus helped Harry into his cloak before casting a similar spell on that. A long, brown scarf, matching hat, and thick gloves joined his clothes and cloak, along with a Heating Charm. Harry felt very toasty, almost too warm, but he supposed some of the heat would fade once he was outside.
"You can stay as long as you wish, as long as you're back before dark," his dad said, adjusting Harry's hat. "I expect you'll feel rather chilled by the time you return, so I'll have prepare a hot bath for you. We can have biscuits and hot chocolate, too."
"Thanks, Dad!" Harry hugged him fiercely. "Are you sure you don't want to join me?"
"Not this time, owlet. Perhaps, over Christmas holidays. We'll see," Severus answered.
Then, he donned his winter cloak, then cast a similar charm to warm it, before they left the quarters and headed outside. The air felt cold on Harry's face, and while he wasn't exactly cold all over, he certainly didn't feel on the verge of being too warm. Kids all over were playing, and once again, Harry was all too aware at how much larger everyone was.
The bullies surrounding Harry after the Quidditch game swirled around in his head, but Harry didn't think he saw any of them here.
Anyway, the kids froze upon seeing Severus and Harry, which made him feel a little more confident. He was further relieved when he saw Dora Tonks, who waved cheerfully at him and strode over.
Severus smiled at her. "Ah, Miss Tonks. I am happy to see you here."
"Hello, sir. Hi, Harry," she added, grinning at him. "Can I help you with anything?"
Severus glanced around the area. "I had hoped that you could keep an eye on Harry, and include him with your friends in your entertainment," he began, in a rather firm manner.
"Of course!" Tonks answered, still grinning. "We're planning to make a snowman, maybe have a snowball fight."
Harry's dad smiled, slightly, and looked at the students, many of whom were now watching Harry. "That's fine. Harry, you know the way back?" At Harry's nod, he smiled. "Good. Miss Tonks, I am entrusting his safety to you."
"Yes, sir!" Dora answered, cheerfully.
"Good. Enjoy yourselves, then." Severus gave Harry a final hug, then tousled the bottom of his hair.
Then, he was gone. For a moment, Harry had the urge to run after his dad, but he stopped himself. He was eight, not a baby, and he could manage playing with older kids without his dad there. Besides, Dora Tonks would likely be able to keep any bullies at bay.
A boy came up to Harry and smiled. "I'm Andrew. Andrew Eldridge. Fifth year Prefect for Slytherin house," he introduced, sounding proud. "We were about to have a snowball fight, and you can be on my team, if you like."
"Don't worry, we'll go easy on you!" a girl with long, black braids called.
"Yeah, as you're a kid and Snape's to boot!" another girl laughed. "No one fancies detention until they're thirty."
A few other kids snickered.
Dora put a hand on his shoulders. "I'll also be on his team! You'll be safe with us, as we'll flatten you lot!"
Some of the other kids began voicing objections to this, but it seemed cheerful enough...
Harry soon found himself being placed in line, next to Dora Tonks, a large snowball in hand. He waited until seeing what the other kids did, and ended up getting lightly hit on his right arm with a snowball, nearly causing him to drop his. Grinning, he aimed his in the direction of a boy a bit larger than him, and was thrilled when it got him straight in the stomach. Harry leaned down to gather up more snow.
Perhaps it was the thickness of the snow, or the texture of his gloves, or the charm his dad had applied, but it took awhile for any cold to seep in. Even then, it was slow-and besides, the kids had gotten tired of hurling snowballs at each other by then. They divided into two groups-one who fancied building a snowman, of which Harry joined, and the second who wanted to build an igloo. Harry vaguely remembered learning about snow igloos in school, and assumed that the people in the group would use magic.
Andrew appointed himself the leader of Harry's group, and began to assign instructions for building the snowman. There were ten kids, himself included, and he divided them into three groups of three, each to create as big of a ball of snow as possible. They rolled it around the snow, gaining weight and height, until it was at least half the size of Harry. And there were still two more balls to go!
"How will we get them on top of each other?" Harry asked the girl next to him, whose name was Emma.
"Probably the Levitation Charm, as it's a first year one," she answered, smiling. "Can you imagine how big the snowman will be once it's put together?"
"Bigger than an adult, I bet!" Harry grinned.
"Oh, easily!" Emma laughed.
Andrew did issue this charm, and performed it with ease. Harry was right-the snowman was more than twice his size, and larger than the largest of students there.
"Must be close to seven feet," Dave marveled. "I'm over six feet tall, and can barely reach the top." He stretched his hands out to demonstrate.
"It needs a proper face," Alice, a second year Hufflepuff, commented. "Perhaps some stones will do for that..."
"We'll need to act fast," Andrew noted. "The snowfall is thickening. Look, there's a spot near Harry with only a few inches."
"I'll do it!" Harry volunteered. "Please, may I?"
"Sure!"
Andrew handed Harry the shovel, and he got to work. Weeding at the Dursleys was paying off, because sometimes there had been stones embedded with the grass, and he'd been expected to dislodge them.
This was similar work, but far more fun.
He worked for several minutes while the others smoothed down the snowman, making the body less lumpy. Harry handed his handful of stones of varying sizes to Andrew, who gave him an approving grin, and sorted them out. They placed the stones on the snowman, giving him a proper face, and then one of the students whose name Harry didn't know said he had a camera in his dormitory, and he could take pictures.
Harry hoped he would be quick, as he was starting to feel a bit cold. Between the snowfall quickly covering his cloak, and the cold definitely making its way into his hands, he was looking forward to getting back inside. Come to think of it, his toes were starting to feel a bit chilly. The thought of a hot bubble bath was far more appealing than staying outside to go inside the igloo, which, at any rate, wasn't nearly finished...
Well, he hoped that he would be allowed to play outside again the following day. Certainly, the snow wouldn't disappear overnight!
The boy returned with his camera, and they took turns taking a group picture with him, where Andrew held the camera, then without him and with Andrew holding it. Then, they gathered into smaller groups, including one with Harry on one side of the snowman, and David on the other side. There was certainly a huge difference in height between them.
"I'm going back inside," Harry said, feeling his teeth chattering. "Thanks for letting me play with you!"
"Do you want me to take you back?" Tonks asked. "It's no trouble!"
Even though he knew the way, it would be nice to walk with someone. Feeling a bit shy, he nodded, and Tonks grinned.
After receiving hugs by nearly everyone there, Harry and Tonks turned in the direction of the castle, happy to be heading into the warmth. She chatted as they walked, but Harry's attention was focused on how increasingly cold he felt. Especially his feet. They felt heavier with each step, and he was glad his dad's quarters were on the first floor. By the time he put his hand on the door, he really was tired, and not much warmer despite being inside.
Severus had been sitting at the kitchen table, marking papers, when he saw Harry and Dora, and strode over.
"Ah, Miss Tonks. Thank you for escorting Harry back," he said. "All in one piece, I see, if rather chilled," he added, wryly. "I shall see you in class on Monday."
"Yeah, we both had a great time. See you, Harry! Professor," she added. Then, she was off.
Severus glanced at Harry, who felt warmer, but definitely still cold. He tried not to shiver, but his dad's eyes were sharp.
"You are nearly soaked through!" he half laughed, half chided. He pulled Harry into a hug, and warmth flowed through his frame. After Harry let go, his guardian held him at arms' length. "You look bone tired, too."
"A bit," Harry admitted, beginning to unbutton his cloak.
"Here, allow me." Severus expertly removed the top buttons, then the cloak itself. "Well, the cloak took most of the snow, but you still feel cold. How are your hands and feet?"
"Cold," Harry admitted, taking off his boots. "But it wasn't too bad until the end."
"I hope you don't have frostbite," Severus murmured, removing Harry's gloves. He began to rub his hands. "Does this hurt?"
"Not really."
"Hmm. Well, let's get you into the bath. I know you don't usually need help with your hair, but as you look rather tired, would you like it today?" he asked, gently, as he peeled off Harry's wet socks, then frowning at his reddened feet.
"I-I think so," Harry murmured.
"Very well." Severus now lifted Harry into his arms.
Harry managed to remove the rest of his clothes without aid, and get into the tub on his own, for which he was grateful. Eight years old was too old for your guardian to see you without clothes on, he knew. As soon as the warm water covered his body, he let out a small sigh. Hot baths were always lovely, but after being out in the snow, it was especially so. He sank until the water came up to just below his chin. He let his head rest on the neck cushion-it was too small to be a proper pillow, but just the right size to support his neck-that his dad had asked the house elves to add just after they'd moved in. Harry closed his eyes, sighing again, letting the hot (but not too hot) water warm him all over from his toes to the top of his neck. He thought he might even fall asleep...
He must have, or at least dozed, because the next thing he was aware of was his dad's voice.
"Harry? May I wash your hair?" he asked, softly.
Harry opened his eyes to see the older man kneeling by the tub, facing him. He sighed, just a little. His dad would probably have him get out of the tub once his hair was clean, so that the bathtub suds didn't get in and require another rinse. But Harry was so comfortable-he didn't want to get out.
"Okay," he answered, reluctantly.
His dad chuckled, perhaps reading his mind. "I'll give you a nice, long scalp massage, and you don't need to get out right away. But once you do, you can take a nap in your bed or in the sitting room. It's still early, owlet, and we can have the hot chocolate and biscuits afterwards."
Harry nodded, smiling at the thought of being able to remain in the tub even longer.
Severus chuckled, then moved to behind the tub. The thought of the man responsible for getting his hair clean-a task that typically fell on his aunt who had been determined to be as fast and harsh as possible-had set Harry to tears more than once. But between his dad's gentle hands and the fact that the shampoo could not get into a child's eyes, Harry simply melted as he felt it touch his head. The shampoo was charmed to give him head a good rub, but with Severus adding his own hands to Harry's scalp, he felt almost boneless. After several moments of this, his dad gently lifted his head, and began to work on the bottom, even the top of Harry's neck. Harry sighed in utter contentment.
It certainly seemed to go on for awhile, longer than Harry remembered. His eyes closed, and he was vaguely aware of his dad carefully propping him into a sitting position as he placed the warm spray of water over his head. Then, the flow stopped, and Severus eased Harry back down on the cushion.
"Do you wish to stay here for a bit longer, or shall I rinse you off and get you dressed?" Severus asked, softly.
The embarrassment at being seen naked and dressed was enough to wake Harry up.
"I can do that!" he said, quickly.
"Very well."
Severus tousled his hair, and then rose to leave.
Harry made short work of rinsing off, then draining the tub. His feet were rather red, but they didn't hurt when he walked the few feet to the towel rack. He dried himself, then put on his night shirt-which his guardian had applied a Warming Charm to. He combed through his hair before heading to the sitting room.
Severus eased him towards the couch, then covered him in blankets. Except for his feet, which Harry found strange, until he began to rub them.
"I want to test your feet, especially your toes, for frostbite," Severus explained. "If it hurts, let me know. Even if it only hurts a bit."
But it only felt lovely. Harry had never had a foot massage before, even though he'd seen his aunt give them to his uncle.
"It doesn't hurt at all, Dad. It feels really good," he murmured.
"Then, you won't mind if I continue for a bit?" Severus asked, and Harry could hear the amusement in his voice.
"I don't mind," Harry assured him.
Before long, Harry could hardly keep his eyes open.
Harry heard Severus chuckle. "I see it's time for a good, long rest," he said, running a hand over Harry's hair. "If you like, I shall join you?"
Harry nodded, and after a bit of maneuvering, found himself wrapped securely around his dad, the couch now a bit larger. Both of them fit comfortably under the blankets. Harry felt his eyes close of their own accord, and he soon fell into a deep, sound slumber.
When he woke up, there was a lovely smell in the air. Vegetable soup, he knew. And hot chocolate.
His dad was still next to Harry, but his head was in the man's lap. He had a book in his hand, with a stack of parchment over it, and was writing with a quill. Upon seeing Harry stir, or perhaps he just guessed at it, he smiled.
"Have a nice rest?"
"It was great. So was the bath, and playing outside." Harry sat up properly. "Is that soup I smell?"
Severus lightly touched his nose. "I intend to keep my promise regarding hot chocolate and biscuits, but I thought you might be hungry for something more substantial. And with the snow, soup sounded appropriate."
Harry's stomach growled, slightly. "Thank you, Dad. It smells great. What time is it, anyway?"
He glanced at his watch, then placed the papers, book, and parchment on the table. "A bit after 3:30. You slept for over two hours." As Harry was about to rise, Severus shook his head slightly. "You can eat here. I'll fetch everything."
A few minutes later, a pot of soup, a tray of biscuits, and a large pot of hot chocolate sat on the table in front of them. Along with bowls and mugs, of course. Severus poured out a generous portion of soup into two bowls, added some biscuits and a mug of chocolate, and placed it on a tray in front of Harry. He did the same for himself.
Harry ate slowly, savoring the flavors. The food his dad served was more flavorful than anything he'd had at the Dursleys. Not unnecessarily hot or spicy, just with more aspects that, together, all tasted delicious. Maybe it was because Severus was so good at Potions that he was also great at cooking.
"I came to the conclusion that your gloves and socks are insufficient for vigorous play in the snow, especially your socks." Severus glanced at Harry, who had just taken a spoonful of soup. "My woolen ones would be more appropriate, but they won't fit you. I believe they could function temporarily over your current ones. I placed an owl order for proper socks and gloves, which should arrive by Monday. As I've no doubt you will wish to play outside before then, you may use mine."
Harry swallowed. "Thank you. Er, will wool socks...itch?"
His dad shook his head. "They're quite soft. You can try them on later, if you like." He squeezed his hand. "We're quite fortunate that your feet were not frost bitten. An error on my end-hardly your fault. Of course," Severus added, with a smile, "You did get a nice foot massage out of it."
"It was lovely, Dad. Thank you," Harry said, happily.
"I'm glad. I'll give you them in the future," he promised.
The rest of the day passed peacefully. They drank some of the hot chocolate immediately after their soup, and it was wonderful. Thick, frothy, and so sweet. The biscuits were hot from the kitchen ovens, too. Later, they relaxed in front of the fireplace, eating popcorn and listening to the radio. After brushing his teeth, Severus tucked Harry in, and read to him, holding him close.
As Harry fell asleep, he thought it had been the best time he'd ever had when it snowed.
Author's note:
Kind of strange to be writing a chapter about snow just before the start of summer, but there you have it. The next couple chapters will focus on Christmas, both the holiday and the preparations.
Additionally, in my last chapter, I asked for ideas for the next couple of years before Harry started school. The results were mixed, from ones I had already been implementing in previous chapters, to flat out outrageous, to decent ones I plan to use. Please know, however, that when I ask for ideas, I don't want them INSTEAD of chapter feedback. In fact, if you're choosing to comment solely to leave ideas for future chapters, while ignoring the one in front of you, it doesn't sit well with me. Perhaps, it's unintentional, but if you're going to bother to comment, please make it relevant and constructive. I haven't needed to block anyone for this story-thankfully-and I hope it will stay that way.
With that said, at the risk of being redundant, thoughtful and constructive (and yes, positive) feedback would be much appreciated.
