Title:
A few days more

Sequel to:
Twenty-one days

Author:
evil minded

Date:
November, 23rd 2010

Timeframe:
Fourth year at Hogwarts

Summary:
"A few days more" is the sequel to "Twenty-one days" – read and review this first or you wouldn't understand all that happens in this story.
The fourth year Slytherins and Gryffindor have survived their imprisonment in the potions classroom situated in the dungeons. How will they go on in all-day life after their survival? How will they manage to reintegrate into the castle's routine and their classes? How will they be able to go back to life at all? Watch how those who survived fight for their lives and for their peace.

Disclaimer:
Did you see Severus alive at the end of 'The deathly hallows'? no?
Do you think I would have had him died if I had written those books? no?
Then you know that 'Harry Potter' does not belong to me … nor does Severus … regrettably …
But Hereweald Hrothgar does …

Rating:
M – Not suitable for children or teens below the age of 16

Author's Notes:
Uhm … alright … I have to admit … English is not my language by birth … so … please do not kill me while reading … neither for the – perhaps – sad language, nor for the subject of my writing …
Also, this is a story written for NaNo, a story written within thirty days only and even though I go over the chapters before uploading them – I do apologize if it might not have the same quality at one point or another than those stories of mine you are used to by now … thank you …

Warning:
Story contains bad language and swearing.
Don't ever use such, it's neither good manners nor proper use of language and never mind how 'cool' it might sound, it surely isn't a sign of intelligence. It won't get you anywhere and people will think less of you if you are unable articulating properly.
Story contains references to child neglect.
Child neglect is a really, really serious thing, and there are a lot of children in our world that are neglected, children that lack food, clothing, often love, and perhaps even a roof over their head – and closing our eyes, and pretending it does not exist – is no solution …
Story contains references to child abuse.
Child abuse is one of the most evil things, and there are a lot of children in our world that really would need help but have to live without hope – and again, closing our eyes and pretending it does not exist – is no solution … instead show sympathy, and understanding … and handle people, children as well as adults, which are showing any signs – whichever – of once having been abused … with understanding and with help …
What does not mean I am not as evil as I pretend to be … ^.~ … believe me – I am …

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

Previously in A few days more

The room slowly emptied with congratulations to the other three participants, Maxime and her student leaving for their carriage that stood between Hagrid's hut and the lake, the woman being anything than happy, Karkaroff taking Victor to his ship, clearly angry and upset, and Diggory being led out and most likely to the great hall, by Pomona to partake in the feast.
"One thing I will put straight from the beginning, Albus." He growled at the headmaster, not even minding Crouch, Bagman and the minister hearing his words. "Never mind any morality, I will see my son through that tournament alive, and I do not care how often I will have to cheat for that, because I do not see any morality in a fourteen year old and ill child being chosen by that goblet just because someone else has put his name in. Harry has been through enough and I will make sure that he won't be harmed any more than he already is." And then he turned and led his son out of the chamber, too, led him back to their table and from there – picking up the others – to their common room, knowing that the boy surely would not wish to partake in the festivities that took place in the great hall.
He knew that he would have all hands full with keeping the child healthy, calm and able to sleep and eat regularly during the coming weeks and months, because if he had learned one thing about his son so far, then it was that stress was always making an impact on his sleeping patterns, on his eating habits, and on his nerves generally.
But he would manage, like he had always managed.

A few days more
Chapter twenty-three
The meeting in the forest

"Dad?" Harry asked and he frowned at the tired voice coming from the child.

"Hmm?" He asked back, trying to sound not worried but – casually.

"Why do we have to eat in the great hall if we're having classes at home?" The boy asked, unsurely, but at least he had not said – "our quarters" but "at home" – and that was something he took as a good sign, because that meant that the child felt at home there, that he was happy there, and that he felt safe there. "We'll have our lessons at home, won't we? You've said we would."

Yes, he should have known that the boy would be scared about that, that he would fear about his lessons after the encounter with Fenrir just a few days ago.

"Yes, you will have your lessons at home, Harry, we all will." He calmly said, leaning back at the backrest of the bench the castle had created in the great hall, and taking a sip of his second cup of coffee this morning. "I do, however, not plan on cutting you off the student body of this school. You are the fifth house of Hogwarts, Harry, you are part of this school, and never mind where you will have your lessons, you cannot hide away completely. I deem it important that you have your meals here in the great hall together with the other houses and together with the other students, at least most of your meals."

"Ok." The boy answered, but it was clear that he only gave the answer he, Severus, wanted to hear, not the answer he truly meant – or felt.

"The first lesson will be potions?" Draco asked and he inclined his head.

"And transfiguration after that." He affirmed.

"Will you teach transfiguration, Severus?" Neville asked and again he inclined his head.

"For the time being, yes." He answered. "Perhaps in a few weeks you might be ready for Minerva to come down to our quarters, to teach you too, and perhaps Filius, too – but for the time being it will be me."

There was silence for some time, the children minding their breakfast – scrambled eggs with toast, hot milk with honey and orange juice – and he enjoyed the freedom at their table while watching the children.

As he had predicted, Harry and Adrian, Neville and Miles, and Draco and Theodore had become a sextet while Vincent and Gregory had become an independent duo, something he was very happy for as those two now had to use their brains instead of relying on Draco only the way they had done in the past.

Hermione and Emma had – together with Tracy and Parvati – become a quartet while the remaining girls had become another quartet consisting in Daphne, Lavender. Millicent and Pansy. Blaise and Cameron were both independent singles who were both able partaking in this group or that group, depending on their activities.

The remaining three students, Dean and Seamus as well as Ronald were starting to form a trio.

He was sure that it wasn't easy for them, neither for Ronald having to settle into a new group after he'd been able to rely on both, Hermione and Harry for three years now, seeing that neither Dean nor Seamus were ready to do the other boy's work, nor for the other two as they still seemed somewhat reluctant to trust their housemate after Ronald had attacked his best friend a few weeks ago and had caused severe harm.

But he'd had a serious word with Cameron a few days ago, telling him his worries and asking the older boy to – act as some kind of bridge between the duo and the single, and Cameron had every now and then pulled Ronald into the group with the other two so that they were once in a while forming a quartet and it had worked.

Dean and Seamus had gotten used to Ronald being in their group and Ronald had stayed even though Cameron was back to partaking in other groups' activities as well.

"How do you get the big blue stone eater into the fridge?" Harry asked, after a while, and he lifted his eyebrow.

He was glad that still the boy was coming up with such nonsense, because as long as he did – well, he knew that the boy was at least somewhat alright. But into the fridge?

"Why would you put the big blue stone eater into the fridge?" Adrian asked, looking up at Harry questioningly.

"Can it be eaten?" Miles asked, looking up at Neville questioningly.

"Surely not." Draco snorted. "It's been eating so many stones, it's surely hard and heavy, as if being stone itself."

"Just tell us, Harry." He growled, shaking his head.

"But that's so easy." The boy sighed, shaking his head himself and nearly looking disappointed. "You open the door to the fridge, put the big blue stone eater in, and then you close the door."

"I should have known." He sighed a suffering sigh.

"Vhat iis the big blue stone eater?" Victor asked, and inwardly he groaned, knowing that surely soon all the stone eater jokes would make another appearance, if they even remembered all of them, that was.

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

Potions had been an easy affair, seeing that he'd had them doing theory only instead of having them brewing a potion. He could have had them brewing a potion, of course, the wit-sharpening potion as was required by the fourth year syllabus, but he also had the authorization to skip any potion and to throw the syllabus overboard if he deemed it necessary, seeing that – as the recent Potions Master he had to regard their health before their teaching. He wasn't a simple potions teacher after all.

He hadn't even taken them to their potions classroom, but he'd kept them in their quarters, in their large living room, Harry laying on the sofa, when he'd done the theoretical lesson. They'd had other such lessons too, back then in the beginning of the school year when they'd been locked up in the potions classroom and he knew that most likely they would even learn more if they were allowed to sit in small groups on the armchairs and the sofas instead of the classroom. It had been a discussion worth a potions lesson and even though Harry had fallen asleep at one point or another, he had been satisfied at seeing the calm and peaceful faces around him.

And the same had been with transfiguration. He'd had them just sitting there and discussing the recent subject.

Flashback

"It's like in the beginning, when we had to transfigure pine needles into needles, or small stones into buttons." Gregory said, and he nodded.

"Exactly, Gregory." He answered. "And after that you learned how to transfigure buttons into plates or leaves into a piece of parchment. And now I will teach you how to transfigure a piece of parchment into a blanket or a small notebook into a pillow."

"Professor McGonagall had started the theory on the transfiguration of guinea-fowl into guinea-pigs." Harry's soft voice came from the sofa, and he smiled, watching the boy that had just woken, that was looking rather – like a pillow himself.

"I know." He said. "As the head of a house I am aware of the syllabus from not only the subject I am teaching, but all the others too. However, I think it is more important that you learn transfiguring things you actually need instead of small animals, as well as recognizing things transfigured out of other things. Have you slept well, Harry?"

"Sorry for that." The boy said instead of giving him an answer to the question he had asked.

"I did not ask you to apologize for falling asleep in my lesson." He sighed. "On the contrary – I would have pulled you out of classes for the time being anyway had you been taught by any other teacher than myself. I expect you to rest and to sleep if you feel the need to sleep, and I rather asked you if you had slept well. So, did you?"

"Uhm – yes, sir." The boy answered and he inclined his head.

"Very good, so, transfiguration of a leaf into a blanket." He said, getting back to the subject so that the boy couldn't get ideas. "You start with transfiguring your leaf into the parchment – and then the parchment into the blanket – what do you think will your blanket look like?"

"Mine surely would look like the leaf itself, just bigger, if even that." Neville said and he frowned at the boy. "When we had to transfigure the cup into a glass, mine always still had a handle."

"And what is wrong with a glass that has a handle?" He asked, lifting his eyebrow at his more clumsy student. "Take a tea glass, Neville, they do have handles. Not to mention that, actually – why should a piece of parchment not have the structure from a leaf? Parchment is, actually, made of cellulose." He explained. "What are you doing the moment you transfigure the leaf into a parchment?"

"I wave my wand and say 'herba ad folium." Draco said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Why would you say that?" He asked the boy.

"Because it's the incantation for the transfiguration from a leaf into a parchment." Draco answered, not understanding his question, but he was glad that the boy had remembered the incantation he'd learned in his second year.

"That is correct, but why would you say it?" He asked.

"Uhm, because I always need an incantation for using spells?" Draco asked and he leaned back in his armchair.

"Harry, when you first came to Hogwarts, you haven't been able to really read all the Latin spells in your textbooks, correct?" He asked, watching the boy averting his eyes for a moment before he looked up at him with a sigh.

"Yes." Came the soft and unsure answer.

"There's no need to feel bad about that, Harry." He said, just as softly but seriously, leaning forwards to reach a cup of tea with honey over to his son. "I think, we are over this point. Now, what have you done instead of saying the incantation? Because I am sure that often you haven't been able to understand the spoken words correctly."

"Well ..." The boy said, taking the cup but still looking unsure. "I ... I have hoped that something would happen when I waved my wand, so that the others wouldn't laugh at me."

"And did something happen?" He asked.

"No." Harry softly answered, this time really averting his eyes. "Not at first. But then I've learned that I indeed had magic, and then I started to form it, somehow. Don't know how. I just did it."

"And you did well." He confirmed. "Because actually, you don't need an incantation – the incantation isn't doing the magic anyway, but it is your power, your will and your wand, even though you don't even need a wand for doing magic, but we will come to that later. You just need your own power and your will to bend your magic so that it does what you want it doing. In other words, the first step to transfigure a leaf into a blanket, would be to transfigure it into a parchment and you simply ask your magic to do it – and so, of course, it would look like the leaf itself, only larger. At the beginning you just add a second step to it by forming it into a blanket after you have enlarged the leaf. Later and with more practice you combine the two steps to one without needing the step between, but it is alright to have your parchment looking like a leaf in the beginning. After that you just will your magic to form the parchment into the blanket, first by enlarging and thickening it, and later doing both steps in one step."

End flashback

After those two lessons he'd taken them to the great hall for lunch – much to Harry's dislike. The boy would have preferred staying in their quarters but again he had explained that they needed to stay in contact with the other students, that they were still part of the school and couldn't cut themselves off.

However, after lunch he'd had the children resting for an hour and right now they were doing the essay on transfiguration, some in groups, some working alone, just the way they could work best.

He would be satisfied with discussing the subjects only, but the ministry demanded the essays they were to write and even though he could skip one essay or another, especially from those children that were still ill – it only would take him a report and they were excused – but he knew that he couldn't skip all of them anyway.

A sharp knock at their quarters got him out of his thoughts and he frowned, getting off his armchair to answer the door.

He knew that it wasn't Hereweald, because Hereweald would knock more softly and especially more – 'askingly' instead of demandingly. He also knew that it wasn't Albus either, because Albus always addressed him by floo. And Minerva, too, would use the floo instead of bothering with coming down all those stairs to his dungeon, especially now as it was even deeper down than it had been all the years before.

And except of those three – well, he didn't really expect visitors.

"I demand to see Harry." Black shouted the moment he had opened the door, not even waiting for any kind of greeting – nor an invitation – and shoving past him roughly, entering their quarters without his permission and he growled angrily.

"I ask you to leave, Black, as these are the private quarters from several students." He hissed back, getting into the man's way, wondering where the dog kept his wolf.

"You can't keep me from seeing my own godson, Snape!" Black growled at him, trying to get past him. "You have no say in Harry's life, and I will make sure that he is as far away from you as possible before I leave this room."

"Not only is Harry a member of my house, but also is he my son – and neither have you any rights, Black, nor do you have the slightest chance." He growled back at the idiot man. "And now I suggest you leave the privacy of our quarters."

"Not without my godson!" Black said. "You say you're his father? You're not even able to keep him from doing idiot things like putting his name into the goblet! I would have kept him from ..."

"That boy has not put his name into the goblet of fire, Black, and you better don't hurt him any more than you already have by accusing him of such!" He seethed at the idiocy of the mutt, not daring to imagine how Harry might feel at his godfather's accusation, not now at least while he still had to concentrate on the idiot man. Merlin, a few weeks ago he would have dealt with Black much more easily, not so right now – right now he was just too tired for such idiocy.

"Not that I'd say James wouldn't be proud of his son." Black said, causing his annoyance to grow a few notches. "But it was a foolish thing to do, and you should have kept the boy from putting in his name ..."

"Are you even listening, Black, or are you simply unable understanding human language?" He hissed at the man, close to exploding. "Perhaps I should bark it out for you? Harry has not put his name into ..."

"He's put his life in danger, Snape!" Black shouted. "Harry is out of your control, and if you're unable handling him, then I'll put a stop to this! He's deliberately and blatantly put his life in danger by throwing his name into that goblet and the boy will come with me right now!"

The shattering of what sounded like a glass falling reached their ears and Severus cursed under his breath before he sent a scathing look at Black and turned to the dining table where Harry was doing his essay together with the other five of the sextet, looking startled – and not only at him and Black, but at the glass of water that had slipped out of his hand, and he waved his wand to discard the shards, before the child could do something stupid – like picking them up.

He cast a privacy charm and a protective spell the moment he approached the children, just the moment Black started coming up behind him, but the satisfaction of seeing Black's angry gestures at the inability of penetrating the bubble and entering their private area was short lived the moment he saw Harry's petrified face. Except of Harry all the others were focusing on their essays, not even acknowledging his presence and he huffed at their pitiful attempt, seeing that not even their eyes were moving while – apparently – reading what they had written so far.

"You all can stop pretending to read, I know you heard all of what was said out there." He said, ignoring their slightly guilty looks, especially from Harry. "And you, Harry, stop feeling guilty. It's not your fault that your godfather is behaving like a Bactrian Camel. We should have put up a privacy charm or at least made sure to speak quieter."

"Can he really ..."

"No, he cannot." He said even before the child had finished his sentence. "Neither can he take you away rightfully, nor can he take you away without permission from the ministry, you are safe here. Remember Diagon, Harry, he will protect you as much as will I – and any other."

"I haven't put my name in there, dad." The boy desperately said. "I'm no out of control, and I ..."

"Don't even say it, Harry." He said. "Don't even try to reassure me of something that has no need of reassurance. I do know that you are not out of control, nor is there need for control in the first place, as you are a responsible and very thoughtful child, Harry. Do not listen to your godfather's antics, Harry, please."

Well, at his own use of the word 'please' the boy's head shot up, startled.

"Ok, dad." The boy said, even smiling at him and he inclined his head towards the little imbecile.

"Will you be able going on with your essay without my presence for the next few minutes so that I can show your godfather the exit door to our quarters?" He asked, receiving a relieved nod when his son realized that he did, indeed, not listen to Black's words, that he didn't blame him for anything and that he wouldn't have him gone. Giving the boy's shoulder a squeeze, he turned and went back to the mutt who was standing outside their private and protective bubble, raging with fury.

"Know how you get the little blue stone eater into the fridge, dad?" The boy asked, and he turned back to the boy for another moment, smiling at the child's ability of not only distracting him, but also – the child always managed to make him happy, to make him smiling, and to forget his anger, be it with a hug or be it with a silly question.

"I guess opening the door to the fridge, putting the little blue stone eater in, and then closing the door would be a bit easy, wouldn't it?" He asked, sure that the answer couldn't be so easy, knowing his son.

"Dad!" The boy whined in a mixture of still being unsure and playing the shocked child – but he still could see the unsureness in all his son's gestures and expressions, as if he wanted to ask with his joke – if everything were alright. "You open the door, and then you have to take out the big blue stone eater first, before putting the little blue stone eater in, or there wouldn't be enough space of course! Only then you can close the door again."

"Of course!" He gave a suffering sigh, but he couldn't resist the smile that threatened his facial muscles, especially when the child smiled back at him so openly.

"You bloody bastard ..." The man started the moment he finally turned back and left the privacy bubble he'd cast earlier.

"Black, come with me." He calmly growled at the man. Harry had not taken it too badly, the man's forceful entrance and his new threat of abduction – and nothing else it was – but he hadn't taken it too well either.

"Why?" The idiot asked, incredulous, clearly not happy about him, Snape, being unimpressed by his ranting.

"Because I can arrange a date with a Dementor for you ..." He turned towards the man sharply, nearly taking him at the front of his shirt.

"You wouldn't dare..."

"Do not tempt me ..." He hissed, his face only inches from Black's face. "Perhaps that would shut you up, mutt ..."

"I'm ..."

"You are still an escaped convict and yes, I may keep you away from the child." He growled, taking Black at his shirt over his shoulder and shoving him towards the door. "Not only should you realize that the child needs rest and peace, instead of his godfather storming into his private quarters and causing havoc, but also do I need to know your intentions first. Harry does not need people waltzing into his life and then disappearing behind a golden snitch or some skirts."

"You ..." Black hissed, trying to turn but he ignored it, shoving black out of the door before closing it and shoving him against the wall in the corridor.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Black?" He then growled out. He'd kept the privacy charm he'd cast when he'd approached the boy up and now he cast another protective charm so that they wouldn't hear them, neither inside nor if one of them by chance left their quarters or passed the dungeons. "Can't you even wait until a silencing charm, or a privacy charm, is erected before you let your tongue loose?"

"Why would we need a silencing charm?" Black asked back, not grasping the real need for such a charm, of course not as the man was self-centered, only thinking about himself instead of the child. "I have no secrets! Harry's to hear everything I have to say, I want him to hear everything I have to say!"

Severus took a deep breath in order to calm himself and not curse that bloody mutt of a dogfather.

"The silencing charm is not to keep Harry from hearing what, I have no doubt, will be idiocy upon idiocy from your side about my person as I trust Harry to use his own common sense instead of listening to an idiot that behaves like a teenager." He then growled out. "The silencing charm rather is to keep you from hurting Harry even more than you've already done."

"What do you mean with – more than I've already done?" Black asked and he wondered if the man was just deaf or if he was stupid. "I haven't hurt Harry. It's you who's hurt him and ..."

"Just give me one reasonable example about when exactly I have hurt Harry, Black!" He finally growled. "And until you can do that, you better keep your bloody tongue under control and from spitting lies, while at the same time I can tell you exactly where you have hurt the boy, namely last time you've seen him, he came running home, crying, and it has taken me hours to calm him down after you have upset him, and not enough, later you've even abducted the child and had his father at wand point and under threat! Of course, the child was upset and hurt by you. Perhaps you think of just accepting Harry's wishes and needs for once, instead of being focused on your own selfish wishes only."

"But someone has to make Harry realizing that he's been put under a spell, under the imperious by you, or he wouldn't accept you as his father, ever!"

"Just because you are holding a grudge against a person does not mean that your godson holds the same grudge against that person too, Black." He huffed at the idiot man. "Perhaps you start realizing that, and for Harry's sake we should try to at least ignoring each other if we cannot get along without hurting Harry."

"I'm not hurting him!" Black stubbornly said and he knew, he could say whatever he wanted, Black would never see it that way. In Black's opinion he was the bad guy who was about to hurt and then kill the boy.

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

He had called for Albus, and the headmaster had taken Black away – not before he had told him about Black's new idiocy however, much to Black's anger, and accompanied by a lot of the man's unthought comments – and then he had gone back to Harry and the other children.

The boy had been exceptionally calm, considering that his godfather had just come into their quarters by near-force, and had – again – threatened to take Harry away. Not so calm had been Adrian however, the boy had been leaning against Harry, crying and upon his entrance the first question from the second year had been if Black would be able to take Harry away from them.

Of course, he had tried to reassure Adrian – and Harry, too – just like any of the others, that neither Black nor anyone else would be able taking Harry away, but even though Harry had been so very calm, he knew that neither Harry nor Adrian had really believed him, and the tension in their quarters had been thick enough to be cut through with a knife – until ...

Flashback

"How do you see that there's been a stone eater in the fridge?" Harry asked and he wasn't sure if he – for once – should allow himself to smile at yet another joke, or if he should be worried, because surely no other child would be able to come up with joke over joke in a situation like that, seeing that not only were they all still recovering from imprisonment and a near death experience, but also was the boy chosen to partake in a dangerous competition, and had above all else two madmen lingering over his head, one that wanted him dead, namely the Dark Lord, and one that was harming the child with plain stupidity. Not to mention the boy's abuse and neglect at the hands of his relatives.

And still Harry was able to come up with jokes about the stone eater.

"Because of the stone-crumps in the fridge?" Draco asked, taking the opportunity of lightening the mood, something Harry, Draco and Theodore had become very good at, closely followed by Neville and Cameron. Adrian and Miles didn't have the necessary understanding of humor, nor the necessary twisted sense to really grasp and then going on with the stupid jokes Harry was coming up with, as they still were trying to find some logic within those jokes.

Maybe he should tell them that the stone eater didn't even exist? And surely not a blue stone eater?

But well, as long as they were trying to understand those jokes, so long they were busy with thinking about them instead of thinking about other things, like their situation.
It wasn't that he didn't want them thinking, because he needed them thinking in the long run anyway, he knew that they had to deal with what had happened, never mind if it was their imprisonment or the imprisonment of their friends or head of house. They had to face it and they had to think about it – but not brooding over it what they would do, would they think about it without his help.

He was holding daily conversations with them in the evenings, sometimes short conversations and sometimes long conversations, even disregarding curfew if he deemed it necessary, and during those conversations he wanted them to think, and to remember, too. He even didn't mind if they were thinking about it outside of those conversations – as long as they didn't drown in their brooding. And Harry had become remarkably good at diverting them whenever necessary, whenever the mood in the room dropped into the lowest dungeons possible.

"No, that could have been the big blue stone eater just as well." Harry shook his head and he huffed at them.

"Then because the milk is empty?" Theodore asked, leaning back in his armchair and shaking his hands, trying to loosen cramped muscles from writing.

Theodore was, just like Harry, one of those children who were holding their quills in a strange way, due to either missed training or injury – or simply weakness in the muscles, and sadly two of the three were applying to Theodore and all three to Harry.

"Give me your hand, Theodore." He said, going over to the boy and sitting at the dining table where the sextet was working on their essays, starting to massage the boy's fingers.

"That wasn't the small blue stone eater!" Harry said, nearly shocked and he shook his head at the boy's playing abilities.

"Then how do you see it?" Adrian asked, nearly pulling at the hem of Harry's cloak.

"It's easy." The boy said, smiling at Adrian and shrugging his shoulders. "You see it on the footprints in the butter."

End flashback

Well, after that he'd taken Harry's hands, too, to massage them, but he'd been still worried at the tiredness he'd been able to see in the boy's face, and he'd ordered them to pack their things away and to go outside into their garden for some time, and to sit in the autumn sun.

"I'm not really hungry." Harry said, when they crossed the entrance hall.

Well, he'd covered the boy with one of the blankets he'd stored outside even though he had Harry wearing a warm cardigan over his hoodie, and he'd made sure that the boy's legs were securely packed into the blanket.

"You didn't eat much for lunch, nor for breakfast and your snacks between, you haven't finished either." He said, not really happy about Harry's eating habit today. Normally the boy was doing his best, even though it was by far too little he was eating for his liking still, but he was doing his best – not so today, and he knew that Harry was simply too tired to actually do better than he did right now.

"I think you should go to bed early today." He said, sighing, knowing that today just wasn't a good day.

There would be better days coming.

"That would be nice." Harry sighed, and he already thought about everything that could make sleep easier for the child, including falling asleep.

"Severus?" Minerva asked, coming over from the sideway that led to the staircase leading to the Gryffindor tower and he stopped, giving Harry a little shove and telling the children to go on towards the great hall, that he would follow them shortly.

"Minerva?" He asked, turning towards the Gryffindor head of house.

"Severus, I'm sorry, I know that you have other worries on your mind right now, but I wanted to talk to you for a moment about Miss Weasley." Minerva said and he inclined his head.

"That is alright." He said. "Miss Weasley is one of those outward students that are still under my responsibility, too. What is it with the girl?"

"Well, she's still much too weak and tired, not partaking in meals regularly, often sleeping instead of having them, and even though she's struggling, I fear she won't be able catching up on the other students."

"I already thought, so and I have warned Molly about that." He said before taking a deep breath and pinching the bridge of his nose.

"What do you suggest, Severus?" Minerva said, sounding desperate. "This is over my head. The girl would need a place where she can get more attention than in a house with more than seventy students."

"Exactly what I have told Molly." He said. "Well, in no way do I enjoy it, but I think we need to go against Molly's wishes. I have already offered Miss Weasley a place in my house, and I have explained my reasons to Molly, but somehow she seems to see her son's needs but not her daughter's. She understands that Ronald has suffered, but neither is she able to see that Ginevra is still suffering, nor that the twins have suffered, too."

"I agree with you on that." Minerva sighed. "And I fear that Molly won't be happy about it, if you take Miss Weasley into your house and out of regular classes."

"That might be." He huffed. "But not only am I the respective Potions Master at this school, but also do I have unrestricted authorization concerning the care of all from the castle's shutdown affected students – and in my opinion Miss Weasley is affected. Not to mention that I have never cared about what one or another person might think, or if they are amenable with my actions."

"Shall I tell her?" Minerva asked and he shook his head.

"No." He said, turning towards the great hall for dinner. "Bring her over to our table tomorrow morning for breakfast should you not hear differently by then. I will prepare my students and our quarters for her arrival until then. I will then explain anything else to the girl."

"Thank you, Severus." Minerva said, walking beside him. "I really don't know what we would do without you. What in Merlin's name ..."

"What the ..." He growled at the crowd of students in the middle of the entryway, between the double winged doors. "Move aside!" He snarled at the idiots, making a path for himself and Minerva towards the center of the group, catching one thing or another on his way like –

"What happened?"

"He fell."

"Who fell?"

"Dunno, can't see anything."

"Hey, anyone know what happened there?"

"Let me through, I'll take a picture!"

"Vhy vould you not get Proofessor Snape?" He heard a voice that was unmistakably Victor's voice. "Just make room!"

"Go to your own tables, right now!" Cameron's voice added to Victor's followed by a "leave him alone" coming from Ronald and his worry increased.

"Take a picture and I'll confiscate your camera, Creevey." Another student said and he was close enough to make out Diggory "Just get a move on, there's nothing to look at here!"

He took the last two reaming students on the scuffs of their necks and simply pushed them aside, but what he saw a moment later stopped him dead in his tracks for a moment before he was at Harry's side in a heartbeat.

"Get the Wolvenhowls to the table Victor, Cameron, and make sure that they actually eat." He said, not even bothering with trying to wake Harry in front of the crowd but simply picking the boy up and carrying him out of the hall. Bloody, idiot and sensation-seeking children! He would have at least Creevey in detention – and he would reward not only Cameron and Ronald for their trying to get them away from Harry, but Victor and Diggory, too.

That would be one of the first times that a Hufflepuff would get points from him, but well, his son was worth it!

The door to their quarters did already open for him when he approached their home, and he went through the doorway, through the parlour and into the hallway that led to the children's rooms, Harry's and Adrian's room being the first on his left side.

Of course, it was no wonder that the child had dropped – again – seeing that he was still recovering, seeing that he was worse than the others, only few weeks away from nearly having died and magic could only do so much, especially on the weak bodies of his students. He couldn't use much spells or potions, or he would overflow them with magic, causing their bodies to shut down and to go into shock, even now after several weeks – he had to act careful and he needed to have them recovering slowly but safely.

And honestly – down here, in their own environment, they could recover slowly and safely. At least if there weren't some idiot godfathers who were self-centered and only caring about what they wanted, and if there weren't some idiot headmasters who thought they needed a competition between their schools – or students who were nosy and sensation-seeking.

Laying the boy atop the bed he summoned a wet cloth and gently ran it over his son's pale face.

Merlin, he was tired himself and considering the boy's health, it was no wonder that he had dropped – and anyway, he was worried to no end. Gently he ran his hand over the child's head, over the forehead, the temples and over the back of his head, looking for swelling or open wounds and taking a deep breath at the swelling he found at the side of the boy's head. He checked the remainder of his son's body, only finding a few bruises but no broken bones and with a sigh of relief he finally summoned two vials – one with a potion that would temporarily strengthen the child's system and one with a healing draught.

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

Waking with a dull headache and feeling the remnants of a particularly vile potion lingering somewhere in his mouth he knew – something had happened, again, and he tried to open his eyes, slowly. There wasn't, however, the harsh, white light of the hospital wing that always hurt his eyes upon waking there and he knew – he wasn't in Madam Pomfrey's care – not yet, he thought sarcastically, closing his eyes. He would try figuring out where he was in a moment, when he would be able opening his eyes completely.

Slight movement to his left told him that he wasn't alone, and he forced his eyes open again, tried to sit up, but a hand on his chest kept him from that particular movement.

"You will stay in this position for a bit longer, Harry!" He heard Snape's voice even before he could recognize the blurry black outlines of the Potions Master, the man's voice soft and definitely worried. "You have collapsed on your way to dinner, and so I brought you home."

"'m sorry." The blasted boy said, apologizing for something he had no control over – again.

"There is no need to be, Harry." Severus growled softly, his heart not being in the growl at all. "You will stay in bed for the reminder of the day, and we will see how you are tomorrow."

"But I'm fine, sir." The idiot child said, and he took a deep breath.

"Unfortunately, I do not believe you, Mr. Snape, seeing as you are always 'fine' even if you are just an inch from death's doorstep, and so I fear that I will have to be the judge of such things for a while now." He said, fixing his dark eyes with the boy's green ones. "And for now, you won't go anywhere alone."

"But ... but I have to use the loo, and surely you won't go with me there, because ..."

"Hush, you foolish child." The Potions Master said, placing his hand onto the child's cheek, silencing him instantly. "It would not be the first time, and I simply cannot lose you, Harry." He couldn't help saying, his voice shaking slightly now from withholding his emotions. "Not after you have been so close to death just some weeks ago. You are not out of the woods now, and I will not lose another person I love, Harry!" He then firmly added, nearly as if it were a command.

"Uhm … alright dad, I get it." The blasted child said, and he wasn't sure if the boy looked scared of him or worried over him. "I scared the hell out of you. I'm sorry, ok?"

"Actually, yes – you did." He huffed at the idiot child. "But there is still no need to apologize for things which are out of your control. You have collapsed, and I have known that it would happen sooner or later, and it won't be the last time either. Your recovery will need time, Harry. It won't be alright from day one to day two, and magic or not your body needs rest, or it will simply take its rest by shutting down, it's as easy as that."

"That's annoying." The boy whined and he couldn't blame Harry for it. The child had gone through enough already, and without complaining so – so, if he whined once in a while, then Merlin, he would not ridicule the child for that.

"I agree with you on that, but it is also necessary." He said. "Now, why don't you let me help you preparing for bed and then go to sleep?"

"That would be nice." The boy answered with a sigh, and he knew, if Harry by free will retired to bed for the night, then he had to be really tired.

"Then up you go – but slowly." He said, helping Harry to get off the bed and steadying him when the boy was clearly unsure on his legs. "Allow your system to get used to the new position your body is in, and take small steps, just the way you have learned down in the dungeons, small steps and don't lift your feet from the ground."

"You know, aunt Petunia would be angry because of the feet dragging." The boy sighed, clearly glad that he was allowed to show his tiredness here, in the privacy of their home.

"I would be shocked were it different, but your aunt is not here, and she won't be here ever." He said. "I have never told anyone to stop dragging their feet, because I know that in most cases it is not laziness, but a sign of tiredness, and people are simply unable to pick up their feet. Not to mention that in your case it not only will save you energy, but also will give you a sense of security while walking."

"Thanks, dad." Harry said when they came back from the bathroom, and he – mentally – rolled his eyes.

"Whatever for, you silly child?" He asked.

"For always being there, and for always caring." The boy answered and he – again mentally – sighed.

"There is no reason to thank me for that." He said instead.

"There is." The boy insisted and suddenly the child seemed so much older than his fourteen years, older than he, Snape, even. "I know that it isn't a matter of course, dad. No one has done, but you do, and that's what I thank you for, never mind what you say."

"Foolish child." He growled, not knowing what to say, not knowing how to handle the boy's words, not knowing how to react to the boy's gratitude. "Sit down for your hot milk with honey." He then added, ignoring his heartbeat increasing at the happy smile the boy gave him upon his growl. "Cameron, Victor, I do thank both of you for your consideration in the great hall where you have tried to keep the crowd away. Please get me Harry's cup, Draco. Victor, when has your headmaster appointed curfew for the Durmstrang students?"

"Ve do not haaf a time for beed." The boy answered and he frowned. "My apology for invaading your privacy, I only vanted too knoo if Haary is vell."

"Harry is tired, but otherwise as well as the situation allows." He said upon a look at his son before he poured the milk. "But you have not invaded our privacy. Had one of my students not taken you here with him – or her – then you wouldn't have been able to come as the wards are keyed to the children's magical signature. They are allowed to bring guests, and I do not care what house or school those guests are from."

"As long as they're not the blue dressed Barbie girls from Beauxbatons." Harry groaned out and he smirked when he brought the now hot cup over to the table. They all were drinking a cup of hot milk with honey before bed, seeing that not only did they need the calories, but also the calming effect of the hot milk.

Not to mention that he thought the ritual was important and that the children liked it.

"I will invite them all over for dinner next weekend." He smirked down at the boy who had just taken a sip of the hot milk and now looked up at him with clear shock written all over his face.

"Please, not, dad ..." The teen gasped out and he actually chuckled.

"Drink your milk, Harry." He then said. "Of course, I won't do such a thing. However, with one added girl you will have to deal for the time being as I have decided to pull Ginevra out of her regular classes and house, and to take her into this house."

"Great. Thank you, Severus!" Ronald said, looking up at him with actually a smile on his face – before his face went scared. "Oh, oh, mum won't like it." The boy then added.

"Your mother will understand, do not worry yourself over something that is not your place to worry about, Ronald." He said. "I will deal with your mother, and she will understand. Now, why don't the rest of you imbeciles drink your milk, too, while we are here? Do you wish to have a small snack, Harry, or do you think that for now the nutrient potion I have added to your milk will suffice for the night?"

"Dad!" The boy called out. "Are you trying to get me exploded?"

"Sure." He smirked. "Because shortly before that, we will put you on a roast and have a nice barbecue."

"Nice, then I'd like to have one of the thighs, I think they're best." Draco said, laughing, causing Harry to roll his eyes.

"May I have your fingers then, Harry?" Adrian asked, looking up at Harry with large eyes, and he nearly couldn't keep from laughing at the seriousness of that child – and the seriousness Harry answered with.

"Sure, Adrian, but I won't make good barbecue meat." The boy said. "Dad always says I'm too skinny."

"Regrettably that is correct." He huffed at his son. "If you were to be put on the roast, not even one of us would have a good meal. Don't look so shocked, Mr. Krum, we of course do not eat children, never mind what the papers say, it was a joke only."

"Uhm, jokes ... all the stone eaters are meeting in the forbidden forest – who's missing?"

"I should not have used the word joke." He said, sighing playfully. "Please remind me to not using that particular word in future."

"Dunno, the big blue stone eater of course?"

"No!" Harry smiled, even though he could see the tiredness and the exhaustion through the smile. "It's the small blue stone eater, he's still in the fridge."

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

To be continued

Next time in A few days more
time is like

Added author's note
thank you for reading - and yes, I would be glad if you took the time to review this chapter, thank you
also, of course I have re-installed the house cup – with each review, please state your house, so that your house can get a point. There won't be loss of points, only gains … may the best house with the most reviews win …

House Cup:
At the present time it looks like this:

Slytherin 98
Gryffindor 54
Ravenclaw 27
Hufflepuff 15
Hogwarts 21
Durmstrang 04
Tennessee Institute of Magic & Technomancy 01