December 6

BOOKS

Harry Potter - Harry/Snape

Title: Gifts of the Yuletide-----Part 1
Author: Altaira
Date: Dec 6th
Fandom: Harry Potter / Books
Pairing: Harry/Severus
Rating: overall R
Summary: When the holiday seasons starts off just plain bad, Severus and Remus set out to fix up a bit of Yuletide cheer for Harry Potter.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to JK Rowling. I just took them out to play for a bit.
Feedback address: ajmummy@yahoo.com
Advertisement: Part of the SAC-2004 at: http://www.kardasi.com/Advent/2004/SAC-2004.htm
Note: This is the first of four parts which will all be up on the calendar. Also, Harry is 17 and of age in the Wizarding world and England, and is considered such for this story.
Beta: Thank you so much to Claudia and Penny for the wonderful work they did. All left over mistakes belong to me still.

GIFTS OF THE YULETIDE

Friday, November 28th, not quite midnight.


Albus’ office was full of professors screaming loudly enough to out wail a banshee, again. The topic that induced such chaos was a Gryffindor dealing gone wrong, again. Although apparently, this time, it involved only Gryffindors. It occurred to Severus, he wasn’t doing any yelling this time either. This was rather an odd feeling, now that he thought of it.

“Albus, I demand something be done about this incident. I don’t care who did what to whom and what happened to start it. Further more I don’t think we know the answer to that either question, I do know I don’t buy the story I was told. Something must be done. It is as simple as that.” Poppy yelled.

“It’s a Gryffindor matter, Poppy! It was just a prank that went awry.”

“I don’t care, Minerva! He had three broken ribs. Three! There is internal bruising which will take weeks to heal. A punctured lung, Minerva! Those injuries were caused by feet and fists, not by some sort of sweet that didn’t work right.”

“Ronald Weasley insists that it was just that. He’s a prefect, Poppy. You honestly don’t think he’d lie do you?”

“Yes, actually, I do. I know those injuries were not caused by a prank sweet, and Neville’s first ramblings when he brought my patient in were more consistent with them being caused by a person, not a sweet.”

“The Head Girl backed Mr. Weasley’s story. Do you think she’d lie?” Minerva hissed.

“Minerva, Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley are at it like minks. She’d say anything he wanted her to.”

“Albus,” said Minerva, turning her back on Poppy. “It is a house issue. Until proven otherwise, I don’t see why I can’t take care of it.”

“Poppy, what has the patient said about matters?” Albus asked.

“The patient was unconscious when he got to me, although he wasn’t when Neville left the dormitory. The patient should remain out until tomorrow afternoon, although knowing him, he probably won’t. So he hasn’t said anything about it.”

“Hmmm…” The twinkle in Albus’ eyes wasn’t as bright as it usually was, and his eyebrows were pulled down in deep thought. “Minerva, for now, you will get your way. I will allow this to be treated as an in house issue. However, I, like Poppy, do not believe the sweet story. I happen to know for a fact that the twins have no items that will leave such injuries, not even in research stage. I want you to find out what really happened. Poppy, did you take records of the injuries? Make sure you have them, so IF it turns out this wasn’t a prank gone bad, we can review them at a later time. Now, if anyone else has anything else to say…”

“Albus, I really think that more should be done.” Filius started to add to the conversation, but Minerva cut him off.

“Why? We let Severus take care of house issues all the time; pranks gone bad, inner house fighting and cursing, misfired hexes. We have even let several infractions and indiscretions between your precious Ravenclaws be dealt with in house, why not my lions?”

Poppy eyes popped towards Minerva again and she shouted “Three broken ribs and a punctured lung, Minerva! We wouldn’t ever allow something like that remain “just a house matter” if it had happened in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff or even in Slytherin, and you KNOW it!”

“My Hufflepuffs would never do something like that to each other, anyway.” Professor Sprout added in a rather puffed up voice. Severus covered his laugh with a coughing fit, and rolled his eyes.

“It was a prank gone wrong. Ron Weasley said it was and I am sure he wasn’t lying.”

Severus decided he might as well enter the fray; after all they would probably all have coronaries later if they realized he’d not said anything the whole evening. “Why? He’s certainly done so often enough to me. I imagine he’s done so to others in this room as well. ‘Oh, no Sir,’” Severus mimicked in a falsetto voice. “‘I would never ever start anything with Malfoy, I couldn’t possibly have been taunting him, or irritating him, not me. Oh this food? Umm, my mother sent it to us, really.’ Or my recent favorite, ‘Oh no Sir, we weren’t kissing Sir. I was helping her with her robe, a button came loose and it was being difficult. She just needed help. You can’t possibly think I’d do something as silly as kiss some little fourth year Hufflepuff, when I’m dating the Head Girl. Honestly, Sir.’ Even Potter hasn’t lied to me as much as that Weasley boy has over the years.”

“Severus!” gasped Minerva. “You take that back! Ron Weasley has NOT been fooling around with other girls! He is dating Hermione and they are in love! He would never do such a thing.”

Severus rolled his eyes and said “Fine Minerva, have it your way.” He wasn’t about to argue with her about one of her precious darlings in the golden trio. He already knew that to her they could do no wrong. Let her find Mr. Weasley with his hands down a Hufflepuff fourth year’s robes next time. “Albus, are we finished? Some of us have more important things to attend to.”

“Yes, Severus we are, however, I would like you to stay a few moments longer.”

Severus grumbled, and leaned against the wall as the rest left the room. Poppy was still muttering under her breath about blind women who refused to see facts, and Filius and Pomona were chattering with each other about how glad they were their charges didn’t pull pranks on each other like Gryffindors and Slytherins did. Minerva simply stalked out, slamming the door behind her. As soon as the door closed Severus muttered the reply to Filius he’d been holding in. “Of course dear Filius, your darlings just hex and curse each other for practice!”

“Severus!” reprimanded Albus.

“What?” Severus replied in what was, he’d admit only under a cruciatus curse, close to a whine.

Albus sighed and started talking. “Severus, sit, please. And don’t yell, whine, grump or growl at me until I’m done.” Albus gave Severus time to reply, during which Severus only glared at him. Rolling his eyes, Albus continued. “I know this is a standing request, however, I need you to keep a close watch on Harry just now.”

“Albus, that’s been a standing order since the brat started school. It became doubly so when you appointed the wolf guardianship, and decided to use me as back-up. Have you informed the others about that yet by the way? I am getting awfully annoyed at not being able to do that job without the rest of the staff getting on my case every time I ask after the boy’s work.”

“Severus, do you know WHO Poppy’s patient is?”

“No, Albus. That was never mentioned tonight, and I haven’t made my nightly check to the infirmary to spy on all the renegade children yet.”

Albus sighed again. Severus smirked. He liked making Albus sigh.

“Well then, I think it is obvious that Minerva at least doesn’t know Harry Potter is under your legal care. It is Harry in the infirmary.”

Severus sprang to his feet. “What?! Has Remus been told? What happened? How long has he been there? How long has he been injured? WHAT HAPPENED?”

“Severus, sit.”

Severus sank back into his chair. He concentrated hard to keeping the blush that was threatening to creep to his face at bay. He really needed to remember that he didn’t want Albus to think he actually liked the boy, let alone might be interested in him in anyway except as someone to be annoyed with constantly.

“I don’t know Severus. Poppy came up here an hour ago and demanded a meeting with at least the heads of house. She only told me it was about Harry right before everyone else came in, and asked me not to mention his name. She seems to think that Harry wouldn’t get fair treatment if people knew it was him. I need you to go down there now and see if you concur with Poppy. Unfortunately, you know what marks from beatings look like. I’d go myself but I have to leave tonight to headquarters. I’m meeting in London tomorrow with Tonks to look into a few possible new recruits for the order, two auror friends of hers and a few people from overseas. I probably won’t be back till Sunday night. It is imperative right now that we enlist into the order people who have some experience under their belts. You have to watch over him tonight and tomorrow night.”

“Yes, sir.” Severus snapped. “Now may I go?”

Albus dismissed him, and Severus swept out of the office. Poppy met him at the infirmary door.

“Come look,” she said. “Then you’ll believe me. I knew you’d be down here tonight. You always come and check on him, at least someone still does now days.”

Severus moved the screen which was blocking Harry from view and looked over the boy’s bare chest. Indeed, Poppy was correct. The marks that covered Harry’s chest were made from a foot, he couldn’t think of anything else which made a mark that shape and size. There were distinct hand prints on his upper arms and neck and what looked to be knuckle prints along his hip bone. His abdomen was a nasty blue black shade all the way across. Severus had a hard time believing there wasn’t more internal damage done.

“Poppy, are you sure there is no internal bleeding? No more damage than just bruising?”

“Amazingly enough yes. I honestly think his magic activated itself to protect his internal organs. There ought to have been more severe damage inside, but somehow it didn’t happen.”

“Sadly enough, it wouldn’t be the first time Harry’s done that.”

“Summer after fifth year?”

“Yes, we know that between what that Dursley Demon, his spawn and the spawn’s fiendish friends did to Harry, Harry should not have made it through that last week he was there. He certainly should have been more damaged physically than he was. We figure he must have shielded and healed himself somewhat, but he couldn’t recall doing so. After viewing the pensive memory of that time Albus decided his magic just activates itself in cases of abuse like that, to minimize the damage done. Probably has done so since he was first placed there, poor child.” Severus reached down and brushed a lock of hair falling in Harry’s face to the side, tucking it behind his ear. Then he straightened up and glared at Poppy.

Poppy smiled. “Don’t worry, Severus. I keep lots of secrets about who actually cares for whom in this place. Even some for him. You’ll be staying tonight?”

Severus nodded.

“Let me transfigure this chair into something long enough for you to be comfortable on if you decide you can risk some sleep. He’s had all the potions he needs, but is running a fever. If you’ll agree to check his fever and make sure it goes down within the next two hours or come and get me, then I’ll go to bed and you can pull this screen shut and ward it with your best. I’ll wake you at dawn. Do you need to check your Slytherins first?”

“No, I’ll be fine staying here. Have that babysitting charm Filius found for me when Draco was born and I was named Godfather running on each bedroom, bathroom, and the common room. That spell has literally been a life saver within Slytherin.”

Poppy laughed. “So that is how you do it. I might have to get Filius to teach it to me. I put a monitoring spell on my patients but it doesn’t warn me if others who aren’t patients are up to things in the infirmary.”

“It is a wonderful spell; you can tweak what it alerts for as well.”

“Hmm, I think I shall be chatting with Filius tomorrow. Night Severus, watch after him please.” Poppy slid the screen back to closed position and almost had it shut when Severus called out.

“Oh! One last thing Poppy…how is Neville? ”

Poppy looked back, and tilted her head as she considered the question before answering.

“Neville was extremely distraught himself. He was babbling. Kept repeating “Gotta get him outa here, gotta get him away. Make him safe, make him safe.” Not a complete sentence out of the boy when he brought Harry in here. When I asked him what happened he started hyperventilating, and I finally had to shove a calming potion down his throat. Then he looked at me, asked what he was doing here and then froze, looked at me again and literally ran out of the room. I couldn’t go after him; Harry was in too great of danger. I got Harry stabilized, repaired and healed what I could and then went to see Albus. It took over two hours to get to the point where I could see Albus. Would you like me to go find him?”

“Thanks, Poppy, but no. I’m sure Minerva will talk to him.” Severus said, laying his hand on top of Harry’s. Poppy pushed the screen closed and felt Severus place his wards up.

Severus watched as Harry slept until he was sure the fever had broken. He had Dobby come and collect Harry’s uniform and robe, with orders to bring them back mended by the morning, and checked his Slytherins once more before laying down and dozing. The last thought that ran through his head was that maybe he ought to firecall Remus in the morning. If not, then he’d have to remember to talk to him about this when he was with him in a week and half to talk about where and how Harry was to spend the winter holiday. Albus had just informed everyone that no students were to be able to stay in the castle during the Winter Holidays. By Solstice, the first of the traditional Wizarding 12 Days Celebration, everyone but those involved in the working of the castle’s main wards would have to be gone. Albus had somehow managed to get the Goblins to assist in warding and the goblins insisted. They would be strengthened in two rounds, and would be strongest if started on Solstice. Strengthening would continue through 20 days, with the strongest sets of wards going up or being worked during the 12 day long Yuletide. The gist of it all though, was that everyone had to be out, including Harry and himself. Harry was supposed to stay at the Burrow for some of it though; at least he should have fun there. Harry had finally managed permission from Dumbledore to spend Christmas there, but only because of some huge event for which they’d be strengthen the wards. They’d been working on getting the wards on the burrow strong enough since the Weasleys’ had invited him in March. Bill’s wedding probably, that was when that was announced….and with that, Severus fell asleep.

*********************************************************************************

Friday, December 19th, just before midnight.

Severus Snape stalked towards the left staircase, hoping that he would make it at least to the main floor before the damned things moved again. Why that overgrown beetle who called herself a seer couldn’t come down to the infirmary and get the pepper-up potion to battle her head cold herself, Severus couldn’t quite figure out. She had, after all, been well enough to blather on and on about a beam of light that was to grace his dark existence, brightening his eternity if he could but keep it from being snuffed out in the depths of its night Then there was all that “Yule as the season of hope” stuff. Severus’ head was starting to pound again just thinking about it. “Three more floors,” Severus thought as he stepped onto the staircase.” Never again, Pomfrey can do it next time!”

He’d managed to get one floor down, and turned to step onto the next flight of stairs when the staircase swung from under his foot. Severus growled, and turned to walk across the landing and catch the right staircase. It was set at a reasonable spot for getting to his quarters at the moment; he’d only have to go across the next landing down and then catch the left hand staircase there. At least it is quiet! , Severus contemplated as he moved through the hallway. All the students were supposed to have left by today. Only Draco, Blaise and a first year Slytherin girl were still be in the castle. They were only here because they were his responsibility, and he couldn’t leave until he’d finished at least half of the potions for Poppy and removed his own personal wards from his quarters, the Slytherin common room and his workroom and classrooms. They would be heading to Snape Manor first thing in the morning. And he knew where his Slytherins were as well. They were happily still playing cards in the common room. He knew, thanks to that wonderful babysitter spell. Handy little spell that, Filius found it in a book of charms and potions for parents of young children years ago, right after he’d been asked to be Draco’s Godfather. Now they were attempting to tweak the spell to allow its use over extreme distances. Then he’d place that spell right on young Potter’s head, he already had Remus’ ok to do so. Maybe then he could ease his worrying on the boy a wee bit. Probably not, but maybe.

Past the first suit of armor and an alcove containing a bench, a patch of light coming from a recessed window fell. As he was about to walk into it, Severus noticed that it wasn’t right, there was something causing a large shadow at the base. Wondering what Albus had added this time, Severus turned to look at the window.

The reflection in the window stopped short the words Severus was about to let fly. It took just a second to recognize the dark head of wild hair and the slight body that accompanied it; a body who wasn’t even supposed to be in the castle today, as far as he’d known. And as he was co-guardian of a sort, supposedly, he ought to know these things. The biting lecture and removal of house points that he was expected to dole out to this student in particular caught in his throat as he watched tears flow down the pale cheeks and over the jaw, paths of reflected silver streaming from luminous green eyes which radiated loss and misery. “The essence of Slytherin tonight,” Severus thought as he stared into the reflection. Witnessing the sight, his heart tugged at his mind, pulling for the granting of its desires. Severus remained silent, caught in his study of the reflection, waiting for the youth to acknowledge his presence. He knew he’d been noticed when those eyes had connected with his.

“There’s a wedding at the Weasleys’ tomorrow,” a soft disconnected voice started talking, as if to himself. “I won’t be going. My invitation was revoked. I should have realized it really. When Dumbledore came yesterday and instead of taking me to the Three Broomsticks to floo to the Weasleys he told me that I was to be staying here, I should have known. I thought, Oh Security issues, you know? So I told him that it was Ok, I understood, and asked him to take my gift to Bill. I started digging in the knapsack for it and then he told me that he couldn’t do that. That I hadn’t understood. The Weasleys didn’t want me there, or any thing I have had contact with there. I should have known really though, after all…” The voice trailed off.

“I don’t understand.” Severus whispered. He knew something wasn’t quite right with Harry and his cohorts lately; they weren’t spending a lot of time together. However it had seemed to be the common pattern during the last three weeks of term for them for several years, so he hadn’t thought too much about it. He’d had his hands full with Draco, Blaise and the other Slytherins who were trying to avoid being marked. His classes had been at the end of term rush and an overload of potions to brew for Poppy and the Order took what little time he’d had remaining. When he was at dinner, he’d noticed that when Harry was actually there, he’d sat apart from his friends. However, that hadn’t been too unusual for the whole year anyway, most people sat apart from the Weasel and Miss Know-It-All if they could. Watching them hanging on each other tended to ruin ones appetite. Not that he’d made it to dinner all that often. His Harry watching time had been greatly diminished since that night in the infirmary three weeks ago, even after being asked to do more of it. Not to mention, he’d been scolded for being too obvious at what little Harry Watching he’d managed. Apparently, he hadn’t been stealthy enough, but he simply hadn’t the time to try to be sneaky. Heck, he’d even missed teaching several of his classes about a little over a week after he sat by Harry in the infirmary due to the wizards flu epidemic that ran through the school requiring almost a week full of non stop potion production to make sure those who came down with it were made well and those who hadn’t caught it yet were dosed and not going to.

“Ron found out, sort of. I just, well…I didn’t figure it would be a big deal to him honestly. I didn’t know, but gracious, at least three of his brothers swing both ways. And he knew about two summers ago, he knew. So the last Friday of last month, we were just sitting in the common room playing chess, and he demanded to know why I hadn’t asked his sister out, why I wouldn’t date Ginny. I haven’t dated anyone since that fiasco with Cho, not a single person. That scared me off dating for the rest of fifth year and then summer happened and well, I couldn’t stand even the thought of anyone near me you see. It wasn’t even until mid-summer this year that anyone could touch me without me flinching. Well except Remus, Dumbledore, you, and Pomfrey, but you guys don’t count, you know? Not even Professors McGonagall and Flitwick. I didn’t purposely touch anyone unless I absolutely had to until I hugged Hermione at the Welcome Feast. So I reminded him that I hadn’t been dating anyone and didn’t think I was really ready to date yet and then left to our dorm room. Anyhow, I didn’t see the Weasleys this summer. I wasn’t allowed to leave headquarters and when I invited everyone, they choose to stay at the Burrow and not come to headquarters. Not to mention, Ginny hasn’t really said more than 20 words to me in over the last year and half. Why should I be dating her even if I thought I liked girls or was ready to date? If I were going to date someone, I think I’d prefer it be someone who at least talks to me. And I don’t even know if I am… you know? I mean, I’ve lately been noticing I like the way guys look just as well as girls, but I’ve never done anything with a guy when it wasn’t…well you know. And it’s not like I only dream of guys, you know. Anyway, Ron followed me up to our room and started demanding to know why I wasn’t dating Ginny, again. So, then I said I just didn’t think I’d like dating his sister, and when I couldn’t come up with any other girls I was seeing or wanted to see either, well…he just flipped out, and decided I was...well you know. So I told him well maybe I was. Maybe I did like boys better than girls. He went berserk. I still have bruises from him; I think he was almost as bad as Dudley was. Did you know he broke three ribs and punctured my lung? Neville finally managed to stupefy him. He took me to Madame Pomfrey and since it was a Friday night…I didn’t even miss any school.”

Severus watched the mop of dark hair shake from side to side, the youth’s eyes still connecting to his in the reflection. He tried to keep the fury from showing in his eyes. He didn’t want Harry to stop talking; the teen had a tendency of not talking when he really needed to talk to someone. Severus didn’t want this chance, this openness, to be cut short because of his fury, and he didn’t want to scare Harry either. And Severus was indeed quite livid, he and Poppy had been right. Albus had promised him that he would check out that Weasley brat‘s story about the sweets and Minerva had refused to discuss it after that night so he figured the mystery had been solved. That somehow he and Poppy had been wrong. But they were right all along, damn it. Honestly, how was he supposed to “keep an eye on the boy” like Albus insisted if they didn’t inform him of important issues! Did the headmaster even check up on the story at all? Did Minerva? That horrid Weasley brat. Severus always knew there was a reason that child irritated him so.

“I probably should have known really.” Harry’s voice was a little bit stronger as he started talking again. “I expected Hermione to support me and be there for me, but then her folks are Muggle Dentists, maybe I shouldn’t have. Anyway…no one came to see me the whole weekend. No one, not even McGonagall or the Headmaster. It hurt. I kept telling myself that maybe Madame Pomfrey forbade them, or the Headmaster wouldn’t let them. I thought maybe the headmaster came once, I dreamt someone holding my hand at night, but he always stays and makes sure I know he was there when he visits, so it must have been just a dream. Maybe he was tied up, order business, or something. I kept telling myself that, until I walked into the common room Monday night after classes. I hadn’t been to the tower yet, I hadn’t had time. Didn’t even take my books to classes that day. It seemed like everyone was sitting in the common room. Then Hermione started screeching at me. “How could you do this to the Weasleys’? How could you lead them on like this? How could you ruin all our plans? After all they have done for you, don’t you know how to be grateful? You are supposed to be with Ginny…that is just how it is supposed to be. They expect it from you. You know it is supposed to be that way, so make it so. Besides as the boy- who- lived you just can’t be what Ron says you are. As my friend, you can’t be that way, it’s just wrong. You are messing everything up. What is your problem?” She went on and on and on. And I just stood there; I think I was too shocked to move. I couldn’t figure out what she was yelling about. Surely they hadn’t been my friends just so someday I’d marry their daughter. That seemed just ridiculous to me, impossible. They had to have liked me for just Harry, just me. After all this time, they had to have. Right? ”

The dark head tilted back until it rested against the side of the window well. The green eyes slid shut, breaking eye contact with Severus. Severus opened his mouth to comfort the youth, tell him he hadn’t always been alone, but Harry started talking again before he could speak. He knew Harry needed to talk this out. And he needed to know, so Severus swallowed his words. The voice, which had been mimicking Mrs. Granger’s shrill very well, albeit, much softer than one would ever hear the real thing, hitched as it continued.

“Ron confirmed it all though. “How could you do this to me? I stood by you, I helped you, I let you come to my house all those summers and this is how you repay me? My family? This is how you show your gratitude, by not following through and doing what we had planned on and worked at for so long, by not marrying Ginny? How could you be so stupid?” I fled upstairs to our dorm room and found all my stuff that hadn’t been locked and warded in my trunk had been trashed. All my books, all my clothes, all my supplies, even my bag. I just couldn’t believe it. Why would anyone do that to me? They know that what is there is all I have. I didn’t understand; I was so sure I’d just missed something, because their words made no sense to me. So I wrote the twins. I mean, they are who I’d been going to when I had questions about the Wizarding world as it was, so I figured they answer me. Plus, business wise it is judicious for them to cooperate. Then I called Dobby to help me with the mess and ask him to take everything we could salvage and have it mended. But there was too much damage done to everything but a few books, everything was just ripped to shreds. Dobby informed the Headmaster of the loss of my property. Dumbledore decided to punish them by getting the replacement cost of the books and school robes from the families of all four my dorm mates. That is all he did. He wrote notes to their guardians saying they’d been involved in an instance of vandalism and to please send the money for replacement costs of the destroyed objects. That was all. I don’t think he even brought them into talk; he didn’t talk to me about it any. I don’t think he even told the heads of the other houses. I know McGonagall knew though. She dug up an extra robe and some pajama pants for me to wear until they could take me shopping. Dobby found me an old knapsack from some storage room. It had been mended at least two dozen times already, but would at least hold the quill and almost empty ink bottle he’d also found me.”

“I got the twins’ letter back, oh probably Thursday of that week. After informing me that they wouldn’t know what the family is really thinking as their folks haven’t been open with them since they left school their 7th year, they did tell me that they had indeed been asked in the beginning to befriend me. They both promised, though, that after playing on the team with me a year, it was because they liked me that they were my friends. However, they noted that several times they had heard their mom telling Ron and Ginny that they were to remember that they needed to be good friends with me and not to fight and get so upset at me when I got recognition for something or did something. They just always figured it was because she cared about me and knew how hot headed and pig headed her youngest two could be, not anything else. The word ‘with’ never caught their attention till I asked, but they said that now they’d thought about it, they would have thought the phrase should been, be a good friend TO Harry. The days between Monday and Thursday though really weren’t that bad, though. I mean sure, no one was talking to me and I ended up having to beg parchment off Draco of all people, but it wasn’t too bad. Madame Pince lent me my school books until the replacements came, so at least I wasn’t too far behind.”

Harry sighed and opened his eyes, looking out the window. He set his gaze off to the side, avoiding meeting Severus’ gaze through the reflection again. He swallowed a few times, before resuming.

“Then my dorm mates found out they were paying for the replacements of my stuff. Neville’s grandmother sent a howler that Friday, no names mentioned, not even any reference to his being involved in vandalism. Just a howler yelling at him for causing his grandmother extra expenses during the Christmas season. It was enough to make Ron question things though. Ron wrote home afterwards and he got the confirmation of it on Sunday. Monday, my new clothing and books came. They ended up ordering it all because supposedly no one could take me anywhere to buy stuff, and it was easier that way. That was too bad really; I was looking forward to going shopping for real clothes all for me for the first time. Thinking about that is what kept me from getting too down that whole week, but well…you know and it doesn’t matter. And new clothes that fit were just rather a treat anyway. Monday night, for the very first time, I wore new pajamas to bed. Ron noticed Tuesday morning as we got up. He started swearing and screaming at me as I got dressed. On and on about how I couldn’t even be satisfied with what I had, I had to go and take and take from everyone without giving anything in return”

Harry’s hands closed into fists as he continued. “But I have given to him, I have given back. I have offered and been turned down even more often. They’ve spent more time in headquarters, my property, than I have spent at the Burrow. It was spent there at others expense, sometimes my own. And it’s not like they went out and ordered me tons of clothes or anything. They bought two pairs of pajamas, two sets of school uniforms and a set of plain Muggle clothes, one school robe, and socks, underwear and one pair of brown ankle hiking type boots to go with it all Even Ron has more clothing than that, and most his has been new since he’s grown so tall. I don’t even have a winter cloak anymore and they didn’t get me a new one, since a lot of the books’ costs were higher because they weren’t at back to school prices. No new bag, no new supplies, nothing to replace things that weren’t school items that had been destroyed. But I didn’t say anything to Ron; I knew he wouldn’t hear me. Seamus held him back as I walked out. The rest the day was just a day, just like the week before had been. It was just a Gryffindor thing and it wasn’t that bad. Really… it wasn’t too bad. Then came That Wednesday. ”

Severus watched the tears still coursing down Harry’s face, silver paths against his pale cheeks. When the young voice broke completely, he finally reached out to the boy. Resting his hand on the thin shoulder, he gave it a slight squeeze and kept his hand there. He’d figured out which Wednesday, he’d known something had happened the next day while he was teaching. There had been exploded cauldrons in every class that day, but since no one dared explain to him, he’d not known why. He had not known it centered on Harry. He’d also missed lunch and dinner that Thursday, making up for his missed day the day before, and getting started on some potions for Poppy. Then the first cases of Wizards flu had started and by the time Severus had a few moments to question it, he’d blanked that day of class after class of disasters. Severus had been to see Remus that Wednesday, they were working together on order issues, and oddly enough issues pertaining to the young man before him. He moved closer to the youth, and Harry leaned so his side was against Severus’ chest.

“Harry, what happened Wednesday?” Severus asked, his hand still on Harry’s shoulder, trying to control the urge to wrap it around his body and pull him closer. He felt Harry’s body shaking against his.

“Things weren’t too bad until dinner.” Harry’s voice was just above a whisper, and shaking as he continued. “I mean, my housemates were ignoring me, but that had become usual. I left a book in the Charms classroom, and had to run and pick it up before dinner; so I came into the great hall a little bit late.”

Harry’s voice cracked here again, and his trembling increased. Severus’s resolve broke and he wrapped his arms around the youth, holding him closer. Harry rested his head against Severus. After taking a few deep breathes, Harry went on.

“I walked in the great hall and moved towards the Gryffindor table. Ron stood up on his seat as soon as he saw me, and Hermione cast “sonorus” on Ron. ‘Look at your Hero everyone. Take a long look at your Savior. Do you know what he is? The pathetic piece of flesh you all are placing your hopes on is a freak! He is a faggot, a homo, he is gay. A freak, an ungrateful waste of flesh! He used me and my family for years, taking our food and shelter without repaying us in any way, shape or form. He took our offered gifts and what did he give us in return? Nothing, because he is a gay freak! This loser, who can’t even see, recognize and follow through with carefully laid plans that are obvious to all those involved, is what you are counting on to save you. We all might as well die right now! Freaks have no place in our world, how can we trust one to do what is right by us?’ People started dropping their silverware, turning their heads away from me. I tried to sit down at the table to eat dinner and they blocked me, scooting so I couldn’t find a spot to sit down at. You’d be proud of me I think…I raised my head up, lifted my chin, and turned around to walk out. The only table not hissing and booing at me was the Slytherins’, go figure.”

Severus’ breath caught as Harry spoke of that dinner. When Harry paused and lifted his head, Severus brought up one hand to wipe the tears dripping off his chin. Those green eyes that drew Severus heart forward every time he looked into them recently were shining but so lost looking.

“Professor? The headmaster didn’t do anything to stop them. McGonagall didn’t punish them at all. No one gave out a detention, no house points were taken, nothing? Why? Why didn’t they do something? Why didn’t they say something? Why? Am I?” Harry’s voice dropped even lower, if Severus hadn’t been holding him so close he wouldn’t have heard the last tiny whispered words. “Am I? Worthless? A waste? A freak?”

Severus didn’t notice the tears that had been flowing down his own face as he scooped Harry into his arms and held him close against his chest. Pulling him up until Harry’s head rested on his shoulder, Severus turned so he was sitting on the windowsill.

“Oh Harry, No! You are NOT worthless, you are not a freak. You could never be a waste.” Severus told him, as he stroked his hands over the boy’s back and tucked his head to rest on Harry’s.

Harry lifted his head from Severus’ shoulder and traced his finger in the tears on Severus’ cheek. “Are those for me? You? Crying for me? You shouldn’t, you’ll hate me. When I finish telling about the day, you’ll hate me. You will be so disappointed in me. Remus will be so disappointed in me. He will hate me too.”

Severus pushed Harry back till he could look into his face. “Why Harry? Why would I hate you? How could you think Remus could ever hate you?”

Harry buried his head in Severus’ chest, his speech muffled, but not enough that Severus couldn’t understand. “Draco found me. After I walked out of the Great Hall and didn’t come back in at all during the dinner hour, he and Blaise decided to come find me. I don’t know why really. I mean, sure he and I called a truce of sorts, but I didn’t think he liked me enough to come looking for me. He first went to the kitchens but found out from Dobby I hadn’t been there. He sent Dobby to the tower to find me and Dobby told him I wasn’t there, either. When Dobby couldn’t find me out by the lake or at the Quidditch pitch, Draco and Blaise split up and hunted for me. I guess they got more than half the Slytherins to look for me that night. Draco finally went to the prefects’ bathroom, and found me there. Draco screeches when he panics. Did you know that? He sounds like a little first year girl. He started screaming at me and ranting, tossing his arms around and making these huge gestures that made his robes billow around him and his hair swing and I started laughing and couldn’t stop. And I couldn’t stop and then laughing turned to sobbing and I couldn’t stop that either, and then I couldn’t breathe. I just couldn’t get a breath and Draco slapped me. Then he held me. You’d have been so proud of him. He took the knife that wouldn’t cut away from me, and he emptied the tub. “Silly Harry,” he told me as he rocked me in his arms. “Didn’t you know? Hogwarts will not allow it’s occupants to commit suicide.” When I asked how he knew…he told me he’d once been on the very floor where I was crying in a fit of rage after trying himself.”

Harry pulled his head back and looked at Severus. “You must hate me now, Sir. You above all must be so disappointed. You are always so strong, and always keeping me safe and protected and for me to want to do that. It wasn’t that I haven’t been grateful for you always being there and always helping you know. It wasn’t. And you need so much for me to be strong enough to fulfill my purpose. And I’m so tired and so weak. Remus will be so upset with me too. I’ve let him down so often, and this is the biggest. I’m so sorry.”

A bitter chuckle rose from Severus.

“Harry, for either of us to be upset with you, to be disappointed in you, for those feelings and actions would be hypocritical. I, too, found out about the castle’s unique behavior in that prefects bath, on that floor. Remus found me, and admitted to have been there often himself. Albus went and worked similar protective wards on all my properties without my permission at one point. For many of us, sometimes life just gets too much. Honestly, I am surprised you hadn’t found out about that little trick of the castle’s long ago. “

Harry just stared at Severus. His big eyes were searching Severus’ eyes, looking for the truth to Severus’ words. Severus just looked into Harry’s gaze, letting him see the legitimacy of his words.

“Really?” He finally asked.

“Yes, Really,” Severus answered. “Now how about we go to my quarters and we can finish this discussion.”

Harry just nodded and Severus stood up, holding Harry against his chest like a young child. He is so light, Severus marveled. Severus started worrying about how he’d been eating, if he’d been eating. He’d always been small, Severus worried about that as well. More then half the third years were taller than him. Maybe he could have Poppy check on that next time he saw her, see if there was anything they could do about his stunted growth this late in the game. Severus pondered different potion combinations that might work, as well as different nutritional potions as he walked.

The staircases behaved for the rest the trip to the dungeons and Severus wondered just how sentient the castle was. Harry had fallen asleep in his arms by the time he’d got to his quarters. He laid Harry down on his bed and went back into the sitting room. Starting a fire, he tossed in a bit of powder and shouted for Remus to answer the fire call. They had planned on Harry being at the Weasleys’ house for a week and five of those days were still left. They would have to figure something else out now. His fury with Albus and Minerva was simmering just beneath the surface at the moment, but he was desperately trying to keep it in check...he didn’t want to frighten Harry at all tonight.

Remus’ head popped into the fire, and he shouted out to Severus, who was pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace.

“Remus! What can you tell me of the events of two Wednesdays ago?”

“What do you mean? You were with me and we talked over Harry’s stay at the Weasleys’ and how to bring him to me for the rest of the Holiday. Didn’t we decide on a port-key with a calming potion given before he touches it? Then we ate dinner, and discussed where to spend the holidays after Harry took the port-key to Headquarters. We decided to spend it with you at Snape Manor, in an attempt to get the Slytherins you’re taking care of to become friends with Harry.”

“Then Dumbledore hasn’t talked to you about Harry and what was going on here? He hasn’t said anything? Did he talk to you the week before that about replacing Harry’s stuff? About house problems? He didn’t get hold of you within the last few days to cancel the port-key?”

“Severus? What are you not telling me? What’s wrong? Where is Harry? Why won’t he need the port-key? Severus, what is wrong?” Remus was yelling, almost in hysterics, by the time he was done.

“Calm yourself a bit. We won’t need that port-key because Harry is here still. He was all set, waiting for Dumbledore to come and take him to the Weasleys’ yesterday. When Dumbledore came, though, he instead told Harry that he wouldn’t be going at all. That nothing associated with him was welcome. The younger two Weasleys have been terrorizing him since the last Friday in November. I told you how he was put in the infirmary that night, that Poppy called a house meeting due to the nature of his injuries, and how Minerva insisted it was a house matter. She bought Ron’s story of some sort of trick candy gone wrong, but said she’d look into it. Remember we figured that since we hadn’t heard anything more about it, it’d been taken care of. That somehow, Poppy and I had been wrong about his injuries. It wasn’t, and we were right. I found out from Harry tonight that Ron had beaten him. Longbottom was the one to put a stop to it when he stupefied Ron. Over that weekend, while Harry was in the infirmary, they destroyed all his stuff. I didn’t even know about that until Harry told me tonight. None of the teachers were informed. Didn’t Dumbledore get in touch with you about replacing things?”

“No, I haven’t heard any of this! What is that Weasley boy’s problem now? Hell Severus, you were a better friend to me through school, even after, than Ron has been to Harry, and my friends were beyond horrible to you. I wouldn’t have blamed you at all for turning your back on me completely after most the tricks they played. We weren’t ever supposed to be best friends.”

“Remus, can you come here tonight? I think you really need to see Harry, hear what is going on, and… Remus, he needs to see you as well. Needs to know you still care. He doesn’t realize that you have not been told about any of this. Or are you going to Bill’s wedding tomorrow?”

“No. The invitation I expected never came. I wasn’t invited. Molly said something about wanting to keep it a small affair. That’s the main reason we were port-keying Harry. If I’d been going, I’d have just brought him home again with me. I would have figured you’d be going though. I thought Bill was one of your favorite students and that you’d become friend after he’d finished school.”

“I, too, wasn’t invited. I was told the same thing, small private affair, just “family”. I didn’t think it the truth then and now I really have my doubts about that reasoning. I think I’d like to really know why. Remus, think you can find out why? Maybe Owl and ask Charlie or the twins and see if they can shed some light on the subject before you come over. I’m going to go talk to Draco now. Don’t be too long though. You need to see why I am so angry. You need to see I’m not blowing things out of proportion this time. I hate to think what else you and I have missed because we haven’t been told.”

“Do you think it’s because Albus has guessed how you feel about Harry?”

“No, in fact the long standing order to watch out for him and keep him from harm was reinforced the night he was in the infirmary. However, you know Minerva will not let me interfere with house issues, so I can’t watch and protect him there.”

Severus, is…is Harry all right?”

“I hope so, Remus.”

“I’ll be there in less than an hour, open your wards to me.”

Remus’ head disappeared, and Severus had just stood up when he heard the cries coming from Harry in the bedroom. He ran and saw the youth tossing in his sleep, crying out. “No! I don’t understand! Stop! Stop! Why? Why? How could you? Why? No! Stop!” Harry cried out over and over. He was thrashing about, and his legs were getting more and more tangled in the bed sheets. Right before Severus made it to the bedside, Harry’s thrashing changed and became frantic, his breathing became uneven and he seemed to start panicking. “No! Get off me, don’t! Don’t touch me…get off! Get off!” Severus ran to the bedside and had just reached Harry’s side, about to call his name when Harry awoke. He shot into a sitting position, and he turned straight into Severus’ arms.

“Do you know what they tried to do? And the worst…the worst? Ron knew! He knew. He knew what happened the summer after fifth year. He knew how it affected me, still affects me, and he did that again. They did that to me again. I’m so tired. So dirty and just so tired. I can’t fight any more Severus. I can’t.” Sobbing, Harry collapsed into Severus’ arms. Severus lifted him up cradled him in his lap, rocking him back and forth, whispering promises of it being all right, that he was here. When Harry had calmed down enough Severus dared to ask a question he wasn’t sure he wanted to answer to.

“Harry, did Ron rape you?”

“No, he didn’t get that far.” Harry choked out. “He just kept touching me there though, pulling at me, and grabbing, and it hurt so badly and they made me suck them off, forcing my jaws to open, pulling my hair, choking me. They got interrupted before they could go farther, or I bet he would have. It wasn’t rape like after fifth year though.”

“Maybe not technically, but it was still a sexual assault and I would go so far as to call it rape. Harry, don’t be afraid to call it what it was.”

When Harry had settled down and started to doze off, Severus started to put him back into the bed.

“No!” Harry cried out. “Don’t go! Please don’t go.”

“Harry, I need to talk to Draco.”

Harry had started to doze against him again, muttering the whole time “Don’t go. Please don’t go. Not Alone.” and Severus couldn’t bring himself to set the boy down. He stood up and shifted Harry so his head rested on his shoulder as he walked out of the bedroom and into the main room again. He went to a side door that was generally under a concealment spell, opened it, and walked down the back passage into the Slytherin common room.

“You three! Get your trunks and gear; we are sleeping in my quarters tonight. We have to leave early in the morning. We will have visitors, and you will respect them. I will have no reason to be ashamed of my Slytherins or you will be quite sorry. Understand?”

Draco was the first to look up; the first to notice his godfather was carrying a rather unusual bundle in his arms.

“Sir?” He questioned. “Is that Harry? Is he ok?”

“It is Harry, Draco. Go get your stuff. We’ll talk later.”

Within just a few minutes all three children were back, trunks trailing behind them. They exited through the front door, and headed through the normal hallways to Severus’ quarters, Harry still sleeping in Severus’ arms. They had just tucked the first year girl… one of the four Amy’s in first year alone… into the quest room and moved the furniture off to the edges of the room to accommodate several sleeping bags on the floor when Remus shot into the room.

“Severus! Do you know what they did?” Remus shouted as he entered Severus rooms, the door slamming shut behind him.

“SHHHHHHH!” Severus hissed. “We have sleeping children.”

“Children?”

“Yes. Amy is in the spare room and Harry is sleeping.”

Remus blushed as he stomped into the room and threw himself onto the sofa.

“Do I need to whisper?”

“He hasn’t woken yet and we haven’t been overly quiet, Sir.” Draco piped up. He sat himself next to Blaise on the floor by the chair in which Severus was resting. Harry on his lap still, tucked against his chest, Severus watched as Remus ran his hands through his hair and then massaged the bridge of his nose.

“You remember Blaise and Draco. You can speak freely with them here. I don’t think Harry would mind. It seems we owe them a lot the last few weeks. Harry seems to be sound asleep right now. As long as he isn’t alone he sleeps ok, but he doesn’t look like he’s been sleeping at all otherwise.”

“Severus? Do you know what they did? He scared Fred when he sent that letter to them, so Fred used one of his Order sweets on Ron, the light truth serum one and asked about the last night in November.” Remus brought his head up to look into Severus’ eyes and looked back to Harry, who was stirring in Severus’ arms. “Is Harry Ok?”

“I don’t know Remus, I mean as the night goes on and I learn more and more and I really don’t know how he is managing as well as he seems to be. He wears so many masks, and I want so badly to be able to find Harry, sans the masks. For two weeks, I have not known there was anything really wrong, Remus. For two weeks, all I knew was that he wasn’t spending much time with the others of the trio, but that was normal for this time of year. Hermione always shuts herself off from the boys in the library and I just figured since her and the Weasley boy were an item this year, he followed and Harry just didn’t. He did it last year as well when they were first getting together. I figured he was spending more time in the great hall with Draco and Blaise because of the tentative truce they called earlier and because I had asked him to. Two weeks, two weeks where he has been ostracized by his house and half those from the other houses, two weeks where he was tormented within his dorm room. Two weeks of having to go there every night, every day, to face those who were harming him and NOONE told me! No one told me, they just keep saying “Remember Severus, you must take care of Harry, watch out for the boy, keep him protected! How was I to do that Remus? How was I when I wasn’t told of important things that happened while I was gone? Or even those things that happened right under my nose.” Severus’ voice became quieter as he spoke, his arms around Harry tightened, and his head tipped forward to rest on Harry’s head. “They won’t let me talk to him and ask how he is; they get irate and testy when I ask them how he is doing. I am not allowed to follow him or go looking for him other than when he might be breaking curfew. That just might not be in character for the death eater after all. I get to see him during meals and during class and yet somehow I am supposed to protect him. How? How?”

Severus lifted his head to look at Remus and saw Draco and Blaise looking at him as well. The fury that had been building dissipated again as he watched Remus and Draco’s eyes fill with tears, and Blaise stroked Draco’s back, his head on Draco’s shoulder.

“Let me guess? This has something to do with his not going to the wedding at the Weasleys’, doesn’t it?” Draco said.

“Draco? Would you tell Remus what you know so far? A quick version? I don’t think I can repeat it without exploding.” Severus asked, as he rocked slightly in his seat, as if to calm a small child.

As Draco filled Remus in on the events of that last Wednesday of November, Severus soothed Harry’s back as he stirred in his arms. He hadn’t held Harry like this since that summer after fifth year and it hadn’t felt nearly as right then as it did now. He’d still been too full of hate towards the boy and Harry had been so hurt and broken in body. And yet, somehow his spirit seemed so much stronger then than it seemed now. Severus could feel the fury he’d been dancing with all evening rolling off Remus as he heard Harry’s story from Draco’s point of view. Draco hadn’t talked about the destruction of Harry’s property or anything that had happened within the Gryffindor tower, and he didn’t seem to know about how Ron had violated Harry. He talked only of that Wednesday’s dinner performance and what he’d been able to gather about those accusations. He talked about finding Harry in the bathroom, about Harry’s deep hurt that no one did anything about it. Tears were running down Remus’ face as Draco finished talking and his hands were balled into fists, knuckles white.

“And I never got any notified of any of this. He thinks I don’t care because since I never got any notice, I didn’t know to come to him. Oh Harry.” Remus started to speak when Draco finished his tale, his voice heavy with anger and despair. He let his head hang there for a few moments before lifting it up. “I think I’ve an answer for part of this puzzle. I did some asking about the wedding issue. I fire called the twins at their apartment above their store after Severus fire called me. I was too worried to just owl. I was not expecting to catch them there though, let alone Charlie. After all, Bill’s wedding is tomorrow. I figured they’d be out with Bill or at home having the tradition family gathering. But all three were at the twins’.”

“It seems Bill’s intended got together with Hermione to plan this whole wedding thing. Since Bill’s been away most of the time in Egypt finishing up the projects he was working on, and couldn’t help much with the planning himself and she is Egyptian and unfamiliar with our customs, she asked for someone here to help. She wanted to do things the British Wizarding way while having a Yuletide wedding, since it almost coincides with ancient festivals that are still tradition in Wizarding circles in Egypt. Hermione, in all her I-Know-Everything glory, offered her services. That way they wouldn’t have to postpone it until Bill could be home to help with the planning. Everyone would get what they wanted. Molly was all for it, she bought them several books about Wizarding Weddings for the Modern bride. Charlie said that had he had any inkling what his family was up to he could have given us a heads-up this past summer when Hermione read those books. You see all the books recommended that when finding those to pronounce the traditional series of blessings upon the couple in the blessing circle, at least one of those who are saying a blessing ought to be a person who is in a same sex relationship, or has leanings towards that. This is often the priest officiating in our world of course, especially in an old religion or non religious wedding.”

Remus looked around the room and saw Draco and Blaise nodding. “Of course you do.” Blaise said. “The inclusion of a person within a same-sex relationship adds its own blessing of honest and open communication and understanding between couples, or good problem solving abilities. That way you can include other blessings within the circle that would have had to be dropped instead of using one of those two. And one or the other of those blessings is required. Makes perfect sense. I mean, if you follow the recommendations of inclusion, in a traditional 12 blessing circle, you can bestow upon the couple all 20 traditional blessings, and have four blessing spots which are open to be used as gifts for that couple personally. If you went with a 6 blessing circle and follow the recommendations you can cover all 12 required blessings without sacrificing any. Completely logical and perfected over thousands of years. How can you argue?”

Remus smiled at Blaise, before he continued. He’d always liked that boys mind. “Well, Hermione flipped. She started screeching and yelling about how wrong that was. Charlie made the mistake of telling her she didn’t know enough about the Wizarding world to do a proper job of putting together any sort of Wizarding event if she thought that it was wrong. After all, often those of that lifestyle were the most powerful and influential Wizards and Witches and those who had powers which were of most value or talents most unique. Hermione told him the only reason he could even say that would be if he were that way himself, so he was just blinded by his own perverted desires. He answered her that she was wrong. He, like most wizards and witches, liked whomever he liked, and so far that had meant both men and women in his life. He told her it was souls and magic that counted for real magical folk, not gender. Hermione took it as an insult and said she’d put together a good and proper Wizarding wedding that everyone would follow from now on. She’d fix the blessing circle bit, she’d make it more open to individual likes and dislikes and tastes. Make them easier to understand for all witches and wizards and an easier system so you didn’t have to worry so much about what religious paths fed into it. She’d make Bill’s wedding so perfect all those who witnessed it would want to copy it. So the girls spent months over dusty tomes picking and choosing which wedding traditions to include and which bits and pieces through Wizarding history to adhere to. When the announcements went out, all of us, males anyway, who the Weasleys’ had any inkling that might have been in or thought about a same sex relationship were left off. Because Hermione had found one, in over 2500 years of histories, just one reference that said allowing a homosexual to a wedding ceremony would doom the couple to infertility. A few exceptions were made, but mostly because either Hermione refused to believe it of those or because they were immediate family. She couldn’t get out of that one, everything insists all family possible be included in the ceremonies. Charlie found out and went to his mother about it. She told him that he was just to go along with it, because Hermione was a key person in their plans, plans which could bring the family back to the glory they all deserved. He asked if Bill knew more than two thirds of his guest list had not been invited, and was instead filled with friends of Percy and ministry officials and he was told to stay out of the whole thing. He was to show up, act the part of a proper brother and proper Wizard, give a gift that looked good and was worthy of the position they were showing, and to behave. That was the beginning of November…”

“And Molly is just mad enough after Harry’s “defection” to continue on with the sham and…” Severus’ voice trailed off. “Hmm, I wonder if Bill knows yet. I didn’t think he got home until this morning, did he?”

Remus let out a very cynical laugh when he said that. “He will know the basics by now I think… he had just stormed into the Apartment when I was telling them that you were upset about Harry and that something was wrong. The twins were just starting to tell Charlie about Harry’s letter when he came in and I said bye and left to come here.”

“Do you think they knew? About the rest they family’s plan?”

“Honestly, Severus, I don’t think either they or Arthur knew about it. They were too far away and not involved enough to risk telling them, plus Bill and Charlie have a strong sense of what is right and wrong, but they come to those decisions on their own. They didn’t fall into house prejudices and they don’t worship the ground someone walks on just because of that person’s status or rumors about them. I don’t think the twins really knew either, just that they were supposed to be friends and remain that way. They knew just enough to see what had been going on in hindsight, but not put it together before hand. Also, they don’t have the same view of Harry Ron has had. Harry gave them the money they used to start their business. Harry has helped them out a few other times when they were in a bind. They accepted his offers. Personally, I think using Harry, his money, and his boy-who-lived status was Percy’s brainchild and Molly backed it. Ron and Ginny knew what roles they were supposed to play to make it work and weren’t adverse to them. And by the time Percy wasn’t playing along anymore, Molly and Ron especially had gotten so enthralled with the whole idea, had built it up so much in their heads that it was just a given that that was how it was. Ginny was Lily, Harry was his Father and in 7th year, Harry would ask Ginny out and they would get married, and the Weasleys would be back to what a pureblood family ought to be.”

Severus gave a deep sigh before he answered. “I hope they didn’t Remus, I would hate to have lost such friends as Bill and Charlie have been to me over the years. I am thinking I might need to try to get to know those twins, now I’m not teaching them anymore and don’t have to be the butt of their jokes.”

They all heard a giggle when he said that, and Severus looked down to the youth in his lap.

“You’re awake, Harry? How long have you been awake?”

Harry’s cheeks turned a slight pink color as he answered Severus. “I woke a bit before Draco started talking, was a bit in and out while you were talking.”

“Oh? And why didn’t you let us know?” Severus asked.

Harry’s blush deepened and he hid his head in Severus’ robes. “I was too comfortable and enjoying being held too much. I didn’t want it to stop. Did you mean it? Did you really?”

Severus blushed as well and Draco and Blaise laughed.

“So why did you giggle when I said I wanted to get to know the twins?”

“It wasn’t that, sir. It was that you thought you wouldn’t be the butt of their jokes. I’ve been their surprise tester for years! They like testing things on all their friends.”

Harry giggled again when Severus groaned. Even Remus managed a giggle.

“Harry?” Remus asked as the giggling stilled. “Would you mind telling me what has Severus so upset? Is there more than what Draco has reported and what I found out from the twins?”

Harry stilled and tried to hide, while Severus turned him so he couldn’t bury his face in Severus’ robes. Harry sighed and leaned his back against Severus’ chest and finally looked into Remus’ face.

“I suppose I’ll tell you everything.” he started in a small voice, and then took a deep breathe before starting again a little bit louder and stronger. “I suppose I ought to start with the first scene in the tower.”

As Harry told Remus about Ron and being beat up, about Hermione and her betrayal, about That Wednesday, Severus watched Remus’ fury grow. When Harry broke down and told them all for the first time about Ron and Dean, and some other 7th years from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, assaulting him in the Quidditch showers after the Gryffindor practice just a week after That Wednesday… not even three days ago… Severus was rather glad he was quick with his wand and that the area stunning spell he’d been practicing was just strong enough to manage to talk sense into a pissed off werewolf and two very furious teens.

After the spell wore off, Remus asked Harry the question Severus was afraid to ask.

“Harry, why didn’t you tell anyone? Who healed you after that?”

“I did tell, Remus. Neville overheard Ron and Dean before practice; when we didn’t come right up to the dorms with the other Quidditch players he and Seamus came out and saw what was happening. Ron told them to come and join the fun, but they said they didn’t want to get into more trouble and this would not be passed over. Ron told two of the other guys to beat them up, but Neville and Seamus managed several lovely hexes and took out enough of them that Ron got nervous and those still standing ran off. Neville and Seamus took me to Madame Pomfrey. She brought in Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall and told them that she was going to report this and there would be something done about it this time. The headmaster told her it had to wait. Bill’s wedding has turned into this huge thing, and Ron has been riling up the other students about Dumbledore favoring me. The students wrote home and their folks have been hassling Headmaster Dumbledore about it. They keep telling him how much just my being here and allowed to “wander freely and allow entrance for trouble” is putting their children in danger, and how I’m obviously a heartless child to have been so selfish to a family who did so much for me. Just complaining of course, not knowing anything about it all really and not asking to see what is what, just like always. So, Dumbledore didn’t think he could do anything to Ron and the other four students who assaulted me without the parents turning against him and that can’t happen right now. Plus he can’t make a fuss about Ron this close to Bill’s wedding. Poppy insisted that my guardians be notified immediately though, something about legal problems that the school would face if they weren’t. The Headmaster told her to write a letter for my guardians and he’d make sure they got it as soon as possible. But you never came, no one ever came. I was released really early the next morning. I was supposed to go to Bill’s wedding, you know. I walked up to the dorms and finished packing and got ready to leave with the Headmaster when he took all the Weasley personal guests to the Weasleys for the wedding. Ron and Ginny was supposed to have left right after Quidditch practice Wednesday night. I wonder if Ron made them late. No one even knew I was in the infirmary at all except those who hurt me and Neville and Seamus, I bet. I’m supposed to go back after the wards are all done and have her check to see if I am healing ok. She wanted me to stay longer, but thought I’d be leaving that morning too, you know, so she eventually agreed with the Headmaster to just keep me over night and gave me the potions and such to take for healing.” Tears flowed over Harry’s cheeks as he talked.

Remus rushed over to Harry and Severus, and knelt before them, taking Harry’s face within his hands. “I never got a letter Harry. I promise, I never got the latter. If I had known any of this had been going on, I’d have been here, with you, the whole time.”

Severus hugged Harry to him. “I’d have been there as well, I promise. I wouldn’t have left you alone in the infirmary all night. Did Poppy sit with you at least?”

“Yeah, Poppy sat with me. She said she’d stay until someone came to sit with me. She was there when I woke up from nightmares and in the morning.”

“Damn it! What was Dumbledore thinking? How dare he? We all agreed, Severus. If Harry was not in any shape to defend himself, one of us would be there with him or Dumbledore would. Poppy wasn’t supposed to have to do that anymore!” Remus stood up and started to pace.

Harry cocked his head at Remus’ words. “When’d you make that agreement?”

“We made it the summer after fifth year. Severus and I agreed to make sure one of us would always come and sit with you at night after there was a failed deatheater attack in the infirmary. Poppy held four of Voldemort’s followers off, but was out for a day afterwards and it set you back almost a week. We were in other parts of the castle sleeping and just assumed that we’d have time to respond because we’d get early notice. Instead we didn’t get notice until the first spells were cast inside the infirmary because Voldemort used unmarked adults who were recognized by the school as being able to be on grounds due to their positions on the board of governors. After that we decided we couldn’t risk you or Poppy any more and so someone else would also be present.”

Harry nodded. Then he yawned. It was way too late, and they had to be up and out of the castle way to early in the morning. He leaned back against Severus and had started to doze when suddenly he sat up, blushing. He looked at Severus and smiled.

“It hasn’t been just dreams. You were there the last Friday of November; I thought I’d dreamed you. You’ve been there many times. You always brush the hair off my face and tuck it behind my ear.”

Severus had a slight blush to him as well. “Yes, I do.” he whispered softly, slightly tightening his arms around Harry. Some people might even have called the action a hug. He held it for a few moments before clearing his voice. “I do believe we all need to go to bed. As Amy is in the guest room, can you boys sleep out here in sleeping bags? Harry? Will you be able to sleep out here with Draco and Blaise? Remus? Heading to your quarters or what?”

Harry nodded, although Severus thought he might have heard a very quiet “Would sleep better in your bed with you.” Severus brought out the third sleeping bag and placed it on the large rug in front of the fire.

“Severus, put one out for me as well. I will go remove my personal wards from my quarters and come back here for the night I think, if Draco and Blaise don’t mind. It shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes and then I won’t have to come back to the Castle during the holiday.”

Blaise and Draco said they didn’t and Remus left. The boys had fallen asleep by the time Severus entered the main room after checking on Amy. He checked on Harry, who had moved his sleeping bag away from the others. He seemed to be sleeping soundly, so Severus left the room to remove the wards he’d personally set upon the potions classroom. He’d already taken care of the storage rooms and he’d deal with his laboratory in a little bit when the potions for Poppy cooled and he’d taken them to her. He’d finished the Slytherin dorms yesterday when most the students had left and his office just after that, and just needed to remove the babysitting spells. They weren’t actually wards though, so he wasn’t sure it’d matter if it didn’t get done.

It took Severus ten minutes to remove the extra wards from the classroom. He left a note on the blackboard listing the other extra spells he had left running incase they needed to be removed as well. He rather hoped the strengthening spell on the student table Longbottom had occupied all his years in the potions class didn’t need to be removed. Severus wasn’t sure the table would keep standing when that happened. Everything was quiet upon entering his quarters. Severus considered just walking to his room without checking closer, but he found himself falling to his obsession for checking on his charges just one last time before he went to bed. Draco and Blaise were still in their own sleeping bags, but had still managed to entwine themselves. He also noticed the silencing spell one of the two had put around them. Upon a closer look, each had an arm down the other’s sleeping bag. Severus just sighed, and thanked the gods once again those two were purebloods and knew where their actions could lead. Harry’s sleeping bag wasn’t where it had been. He looked around and saw the foot of it peeking out from behind the large chair that usually sat near the fire place.

He walked over and noticed a silencing spell around Harry as well. He pressed through it and was horrified at what he was hearing. Screams, muffled by the sleeping bag that was pulled over the boy’s body, filled the air.. Severus opened the sleeping bag and pulled the top down, cringing as the sound level rose. Harry was curled in a ball, his head tucked close to his chest, his hands trying to protect his private areas. Severus felt his heart twisting and had to close his eyes and take several deep breathes before he could kneel beside Harry and try to get him to wake.

“Harry!” Severus called softly. Harry didn’t respond at all. “Harry! I’m here, it’s ok now. Harry!”

Harry started thrashing around, but the screaming died down to a sobbing. Severus kept calling his name, trying to wake him. Harry was caught deeply in whatever was upsetting him though and not responding to Severus. Severus was worried as he watched Harry hit his head into the chair leg, leaving a cut over his eye, but not waking. He didn’t want to startle Harry by touching him while he was so deeply asleep, but the head cut was gushing blood and needed to be tended. Not to mention he couldn’t take Harry’s repeated sobs of “No, Leave me alone. Go away, go away.” anymore. Severus stroked his hand over Harry’s hand. Harry grasped onto his hand and started calming down, coming out of his nightmares.

Harry opened his eyes, and Severus tried to mask his fear for the boy from the boy. He suspected he hadn’t quite managed when Harry started to scoot away and muttering about being sorry for being such a bother. Severus told the boy “Hush!” and scooped him in his arms. It wasn’t until he had Harry tucked into his hold and had pressed a bit of cloth to Harry’s head to ease the blood flow that Severus realized Harry had not hushed at all. In a tiny mutter Harry was whispering to himself about how it wasn’t as if anyone could ever want something as dirty and freaky as himself anyhow. Severus didn’t know if he should scream or laugh or cry. Harry was so wrong about that and Severus knew he couldn’t do anything to fix that perception quite yet. He just held Harry tighter, gathered to him in what just might be called a hug to some, and shouted through the school’s floo network to Poppy. “Thank Merlin she was still here taking stock and waiting for those potions!” Severus thought as he noted the blood flowing from Harry’s forehead was slowed to just a trickle.

“Severus Snape, what did you let that boy get into now?” Poppy demanded as she caught sight of Harry, who was simply covered in blood.

“It was a nightmare, Madame Pomfrey. Not his fault.” Harry piped up in Severus defense.

“He started thrashing about and hit his head into a chair leg. I wanted to wake him before touching him because he was so deeply asleep and it took a few moments. I don’t think it is as bad as it looks.” Severus answered Poppy.

“We’ll see.” Poppy looked around the room and saw the other two boys on the floor not far from her feet. “Thank goodness I’m used to stepping out short when flooing into your rooms Severus! I’d have stepped on those boys if I weren’t. Find me someplace we can work on Harry. Now!”

Severus took Harry into his room and sat on the bed, Harry still in his arms; under the guise of keeping pressure on the wound of course. Poppy cast a mild cleansing spell and healed the cut within seconds. Then she insisted Harry be set down on the bed.

“I might as well check up on him. What is he doing here anyway? I thought he was supposed to be at the Weasleys. That was the only reason I agreed to let him go yesterday morning. I was going to sneak a check up on him at the wedding tomorrow, whether Albus or Harry liked it or not. Those demons did a bit of damage and I’m sure Harry doesn’t want it to be permanent.”

Harry’s face was a lovely shade of red as Severus held his hand but turned his body away to give them privacy for the check up.

“They didn’t want me, Madame. And that is part of my problem I think…when Draco and Blaise started, well…you know…I woke up and it made me react and that hurt so badly. So I moved and it was still…you know. So I put up a silencing spell around them, and the reaction went down, but it still hurt, and I think that triggered my nightmare. I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to cause you to come down here.” Harry’s voice broke at the end, and Severus could see the tears on his face out of the corner of his eye.

Poppy watched Severus suck in his bottom lip, trying to keep the sadness out of his eyes, to pull his mask back into place. Her own mask was faltering as well. For a moment she let it, and brushed her hand over Harry’s cheek.

“It’s not a problem little one.” She told Harry, warmly. “It will make me feel much better actually, and that will make you happy won’t it?”

Harry gave her a small smile and nodded

“Now, let’s get you checked. Ready? I’m going to have to touch you ok?” Poppy gently checked Harry over, healed up several bruises on his hips and stomach area, and did a bit more healing on his mishandled genitals. Harry maintained a death grip on Severus’ hand the whole time Poppy was touching him. She explained to Harry that he’d have to let the potions work more before she could do the next round of healing spells, but if they could manage a pattern like they one they’d set by her checking on him, they could reduce the healing time to eight days. Harry just looked at her and shrugged. Poppy got Harry presentable again and Severus turned around.

“Severus? Will we be able to arrange for me to meet with Harry in two days so we can reduce the healing time? It’d make me feel much better about all this. He needs to take his potions two times a day, right before bed and when he wakes up. He can take a mild pain potion when he needs it; just a sip or two should work. If something like tonight happens again…he needs to loose the reaction naturally, best by it just going away. Have him think of things to will it down for at least the next four days. After we can meet then, I’ll clear him for ridding himself of the reaction other ways.”

By the time she was done talking, both Severus and Harry were shades of red. Severus managed to control his blush first, and answered Poppy, who was smirking at them.

“We shall be somewhere safe, but I do plan on taking the brats out often. I will owl you a list of dates and places to meet up at. We will get him to you or you to him for the check up he needs. It will put me at ease as well. The 21st or the 22nd?”

“The 22nd, it is after midnight now and so two days would be the 22nd. Besides Severus dear, you know I practice the old way. The 21st is solstice; I shall be busy with Yule. Are those potions ready yet? If so I could collect them and save you an extra trip.” Poppy turned to leave the room as she finished talking.

“Madame Pomfrey? Can I take anything for a headache? Now? Or shall I have to wait?” Harry asked as he sat up gingerly.

“Harry, have you taken your potions for tonight yet?”

“No, Madame, it is in my trunk and I hadn’t got to it yet.”

“Then have Severus give you a headache draught, and wait a half hour and then take your potions. Don’t forget!” Poppy glared at them both and walked off, waiting for Severus to catch up to her.

“Harry?” Severus asked, noticing his hand still grasped by Harry. “Do you want to stay here? Or come with me? The headache draught I think would be best is in the Lab with Pomfrey’s potions anyway. Could you wait while I removed the wards and then we could go fetch your trunk?”

“Sounds good, sir.” Harry answered.

“Can I have my hand?”

Harry blushed and released Severus’ hand. He stood up and swayed on his feet. Severus put his arm around Harry’s shoulders and led him out of the bedroom into the sitting room. He sat Harry on the chair.

“I think you will be sitting here after all. Poppy, I’ll just bring those potions up in a while. I don’t want to leave Harry alone and he isn’t up to going to the lab with us. I’ll just bring them up when I go to get his trunk.”

“That won’t be needed Severus. A house elf just brought it down here, and cleaned the floor behind the chair. I will see you in a little bit. May I use your floo?”

Severus nodded and Poppy was off. He looked at Harry and noticed the tears flowing over his face again. Severus went to the bathroom and found a headache draught for Harry, not the one he’d originally thought of, but one that would work. He took a dose from his medicine cabinet and helped Harry drink it. He tucked the empty vial into his robes and sat on the arms of the chair. Harry leaned his head against Severus and Severus decided that he’d rather sit in the chair. Scooping up Harry, he settled Harry on his lap again. Rubbing his back and neck, Severus waited for Harry to start speaking.

Harry started talking after just a few moments, very quietly, looking at Draco and Blaise curled together on the floor. “I want that, Professor. I want that. Someone who will touch me, softly and without hurting me. Someone who will call me sweet names and who I can call silly names as well. Someone to say goodnight to, to wake up to. Someone to want to do those things to me, for no other reason than they care. Even after it all…I still want that. I didn’t move away right off. I didn’t let it be known I was awake. But then I had to go, because I wasn’t only in pain where I was hurt. I was in pain here, too.” Harry took Severus’ hand and placed it over his heart.

“You will, Harry. I know you will have someone to caress you and whisper to you, to care for you and protect you and hold you dear to their heart.” Severus whispered to Harry, letting the tears he’d been holding in since seeing Harry’s blood flow down his face.

“I hope so.” Harry whispered back, leaning against Severus chest and starting to doze. Severus spelled a timer, to make sure they got Harry his potion.

Remus came in about 5 minutes later and noticed the tears on Severus’ face. He was beside the chair within seconds. He touched the sore on Harry’s forehead and then ghosted over the scar Harry was so famous for.

“Sev? What happened?”

Severus looked away from the fire, which he’d been staring into. “Remus? Has he ever had anyone who loved him? Held him? Comforted him? Has he ever known he was cared about?”

“When he was a baby, Lily doted on him. James was a proud poppa, too, but nothing like Lily. Sometimes we’d pick James up for work and she’d be tucked on the couch with a book holding Harry, even though he was sound asleep. And when we came home with James later in the day, she’d be in the same spot, with books and dishes stacked around her. James would get irate, because no house work had been done, but Lily would just look at him and say “But James, Harry wanted to be held today.” Other times she snap a bit of a poem at him, something like “I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep!” I’d laugh and Sirius would grumble about how Lily wasn’t taking enough care of James anymore. Does he remember it? I think he must a little, look at him in your lap. I think if he didn’t have some memory of Lily he wouldn’t be able to seek comfort in a lap, in touch, at all. Intellectually though, I don’t think Harry knows how much he was doted on or cared for. No one tells him those kinds of stories.” Remus trailed off and shook his head.

“I think that is why he’s taking all this with Ron’s family so hard. The Dursleys didn’t care, and Harry knew it. I imagine they probably told him it every day of his life while he was there. So while what happened the summer after Sirius hurt Harry, it wasn’t all that unexpected to him, I don’t think. Sirius? He cared but he couldn’t show it, not just because he was on the run, but he didn’t know how to. And he really was all mixed up some of the time. He wanted Harry to be James, expected it, got upset when Harry wasn’t the perfect replica of James and I think Harry felt that from him, that he wasn’t quite perfect to Sirius. His biggest regret at the end of it all, after we got him to stop blaming himself and convinced him it wasn’t his fault, was the lost chance for Sirius to care for him as Harry, not just James’ son. By the middle of Harry’s 3rd year, I cared for Harry, because he was Harry, but I couldn’t show it, either. Dumbledore wouldn’t let me get too close, and then I wasn’t there to even try to show him anymore. Ron and the Weasleys were the ones who acted caring, and Harry needed to be cared for so badly. And so he over looked and excused all the things that weren’t right. Probably Hagrid is the only one who has ever consistently showed him he’s cared for.”

Severus shook his head. “I wish I could have, Remus. I wish I could have been allowed. I wish I’d allowed myself, I lost so many years.” He looked at the spelled timer and woke Harry. Harry sighed and went to his trunk and got out a bottle of amber liquid and a pale blue lotion. He blushed as he looked over to Remus and Severus and headed to the bathroom. Severus stared at the door for a few minutes, before turning to Remus.

“How does Harry Celebrate? Were the Potter’s old creed or new?”

“He told me once, that his first Christmas was here, at Hogwarts. The Dursleys locked him away that day, except for the time it took to make him watch Dudley get everything and to make him clean and cook. I doubt he knows about anything else. The Potters celebrated a mix; Solstice and Christmas but not the full 12 day Yuletide. They might of at home, but James never indicated that they did, and I would have figured he’d have rubbed it in. Lily’s Grandmother celebrated solstice. I was invited one year. It was rather old creed. I always suspected that Lily’s family was really several generation squibs, or something. Her grandmother observed many old creed ways.”

“We’re going to Snape Manor. I think we shall celebrate Solstice in style, a full 12 days with a 12th night party of some sort. Will that be ok with you Lupin? Will you help me? I think we shall keep it a surprise for Harry though. Draco and Blaise can help too, I’ll tell them in the morning.”

“I’d love to Severus. My family’s always been a Solstice celebration family, although they always sent a present for Christmas when I was at school, so I wouldn’t feel left out. Will Draco, Amy or Blaise need any extra gifts? I could help with that if you need. Hey! Want to take a peek and see what Harry has still?” Remus said, stepping towards the open trunk.

“Oh, that is so not Gryffindor of you Remus.” Severus laughed, as he took went to snoop in Harry’s trunk. “They won’t need anything. Amy’s family is a Christmas only family, so we will be celebrating that for her. I’ve been collecting gifts for Draco and Blaise since mid summer. Blaise folks have helped for his, and indirectly Draco’s have as well.” Remus made notes of what Harry needed while Severus explained and took down sizes. As soon as he was done, he left Remus to sit with Harry as he took the potions to Poppy and dismantled the wards on his lab. When he got back, Remus and Harry were asleep on his bed, which had been spelled large enough for him to join then. He found a note from Remus which listed activities and interests that Harry might also enjoy, and items he needed for those. He tucked the note into his traveling robes. Then Severus took out an extra comforter and joined them in sleep.

************************************************************************************

Saturday, Dec 20th

They had left at an insane hour. At least Harry thought so. He hadn’t wanted to get out of bed, and he didn’t want to think to hard on the main reason why. Strong arms around him, tucked against that safe comfortable chest where he’d spent so much of yesterday, the person least likely to take to the task being the only one who seemed to keep the nightmares at bay. It’s probably been the best sleep Harry’s had in years, and they’d made him get up. And it had taken 20 minutes to rub in that silly cream, both coats had to soak in before he could get dressed and the amber stuff tasted nasty. Then he’d looked in his trunk and the lack of good clothing made him blue. He pulled on the pair of jeans and long sleeved t-shirt which were his only set non uniform clothing, and he knew his face had turned a rosy pink color when Snape told them to dress warmly because they’d a bit of a walk to get through the wards to the house. He felt himself turn a full red when Snape pulled a jumper, an extra cloak, scarf and gloves out of his own wardrobe and bundled Harry in then like a toddler. Of course, he probably also looked like a toddler considering the cloak was about three sizes too big. The jumper was as well but Harry rather liked it that way.

They walked to Hogsmeade and flooed from there to a small pub, which the walked to Snape’s home from. Harry had of course fallen out of the floo directly onto the hearth, face first. Amy had giggled, but the rest were kind enough to mark it up to a possible concussion. Considering how bad his head hurt still, he wasn’t too certain they were wrong. The walk to Snape Manor was indeed a bit of a walk, and that set other areas to aching. Harry suspected he’d been entirely too used to hand-me-down underclothing and things were rubbing wrong during the walk. Snape’s place was huge. The children were shown their rooms and left in them to rest until Dinner, and Harry didn’t want to rest. When he rested, he remembered what he’d planned on doing this day, where he was supposed to be. And that led to worries about if Fred and George and Charlie and Bill at least liked him still, and how Ron and Ginny had betrayed him, and then from there to if maybe he was wrong and he really had betrayed the Weasleys by not getting the picture well enough. And his head started hurting in more ways than the pain he’d started with, and his heart started aching and everywhere else as well. He wanted nothing more than to find a rock to crawl under and just disappear, although maybe Severus’ lap would be as warm and safe and secure as it was yesterday still and that might work as well. Harry stomach growled, pulling Harry from his spiraling in despair. He got up and pulled off his jeans and his underwear. He had a rash completely covering where his underwear had been. He could have swore he’d had the things washed when they’d first arrived at Hogwarts, and now they felt as if they’d been starched with fiberglass. At least he had an answer for the greater amount of pain down there. He pulled only his pajama pants on and listened to his stomach growl again. Harry was certain he’d get lost if he tried to find any where on his own, and Lunch was supposed to be a free for all, go ask the house elves nicely, sort of thing. He sighed, pulled on his school robes over his jumper and Pajama bottoms, and headed out of his rooms.

Harry couldn’t find Draco or Blaise. He couldn’t find Remus. He couldn’t even find Amy. He found the rooms he assumed were Draco’s and Blaise’s, right next to his, and a room he thought might be Amy’s. It was open and looked like a girl’s room. None of the other rooms in the hall were opened, so Harry went down the main staircase and into the first room he came across. It had a huge desk, and several book shelves. A fire was burning in the fireplace and the curtains were drawn back from the single huge window, providing light for the room. Professor Snape and another man were at the desk, and three birds graced the owl perch setting b the window.

“Professor? Have you a moment to help me?” Harry asked; bring the attention of the two men towards him.

“Ah, Harry, come in. I think I can take a few moments.” Snape said, looking up from a bunch of parchments sitting on the desk. “What do you need?”

Harry’s stomach growled again, and the man standing next to Snape chuckled. The professor looked up and smiled at Harry’s discomfort. “Harry, meet Maxwell. He is indeed related, His father and mine were cousins. He is employed here as my Steward. His wife and family live in the gate house. Max, this is Harry Potter, yes, that Harry Potter. No autographs will be given and if your children hassle the boy I will not give them their presents, no matter how sweetly they Uncle Sev me.”

Maxwell laughed and reached over to shake Harry’s hand. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Potter and I’m sure I’ll see you tomorrow. I’ll be off now. Sev, would you like me to keep the kids home or shall I just let them be as usual?”

“Let them be, but make sure they know not to harass my guests. Amy might actually enjoy the company, your daughter is much closer in age then these boys all are. Don’t forget to tell Tessa that Remus is here. See you later. Come along, Harry.”

Harry and Severus left from the door Harry had entered by, and Maxwell left through a side door that was tucked between two large bookcases.

“Now Harry, what did you need?” Severus heard Harry’s stomach growl again. “Well, besides food, was there anything else?”

Harry blushed. “Well, Sir, Umm….I was hoping I could trouble your house-elves, all my under things feel like they’ve been dipped in glass shards so I was hoping they could take them and wash everything.”

“Including what you wore earlier?”

“Yes sir.”

“Irritated your skin any?”

Harry blushed, “Yes, Sir. I was also going to ask if you could help me find something to help with that which won’t interact with the meds for the other problem, Sir.”

“Severus. At my home, Harry, please call me Severus.”

Harry beamed at Severus; he’d been hoping to be given permission to call Snape by his first name since the summer after fifth year, when he’d been so instrumental in getting him though it all back then.

Severus smiled back. “Let’s go to your room. I’ll check over your clothing and look at your meds. I’m sure we can get it all worked out. Would you like for me to have lunch brought to us there?”

Harry nodded, and Severus called a house elf. By the time they got back to Harry’s room, a small table with lunch was set beside a set of chairs by the fireplace. For the first time he noticed the bookshelves at either side of the fireplace.

“Fell free to read anything on the shelves. There isn’t anything there that Dumbledore could get too upset about. I actually recommend the history section. I started it after my first class with Binns. You might actually learn something and all the books in these rooms are well written without being too dry. However, do not disturb the crystal pyramids resting around the rooms. They ground a series of extra protective wards and I would prefer my holidays undisturbed by hordes of Order members rushing in on a false call. Draco and Blaise have always known about them, although their sets now alert the order instead of their fathers, and Amy’s room doesn’t need them, as it was one of the nurseries which children could be shut and sealed into in case of some sort of enemy invasion.”

Harry and Severus went to Harry’s trunk and sat on the floor in front of it. Harry started to pull stuff out. The first things out were the clothing he’d worn earlier. Then his school books were pulled out of the trunk. Harry paused as he looked at what was next. The old battered knapsack which dobby had given him and which he’d pack to take to the Weasleys was laying on top the rest of his clothing. His eyes clouded with tears as he pulled the knapsack out. The strap broke and the contents spilled out. Brightly wrapped gifts, dress robes, a chess set and a few books landed on the floor. Severus placed his hand on Harry’s knee as Harry looked at the contents.

“I don’t know what to do with them. I could probably give Ginny’s to someone else. It was only candies, but I don’t know what to do with Ron’s and Hermione’s gifts. I don’t know if the twins and Charlie will still want theirs. I have no idea what to do with the gifts for Bill and his wife. It hurts to see them here. I hate to throw them away, it’d be so wasteful. What should I do Severus?”

“Well. Could you tell me what you got them? Maybe we could take each bit by bit and decide together. Would it be easier?”

Harry looked over at Severus, half expecting to see his “why am I wasting my time” scowl. Instead he saw understanding and something else… something that he couldn’t name. “What about the others?”

“Remus took them out for the afternoon. Amy had not done any shopping, and Draco and Blaise had more shopping to do. It will look like three Slytherin youth shopping together, as Remus is disguised and not “with” them directly. We will take you when we go to meet Poppy.”

“Oh.” Harry said, feeling even more left out and sad.

“Harry, you couldn’t have gone today. You are the new addition to the mix. Odds are, it is you they are all shopping for.”

Harry hadn’t thought about that, and felt considerably better after Severus pointed it out. “Ok, I’d like your help with deciding what to do with this stuff, but can we send my clothing off first.”

Severus nodded and picked up the items that had fallen from the knapsack and set the aside. He then helped Harry gather the rest of the items in his trunk. A tiny pile of parchment, a small pile of clothing and small box which was locked and warded with extremely powerful and high level spells were pulled out and set on the floor.

“Where is your caldron?”

“It wasn’t replaced, neither were my scales or ingredients.”

The glare on Severus’ face bore witness to what he thought of that. “So, let me get this straight. This pile of clothing and those text books sitting right there are the only things replaced. That would hardly last Draco a day.”

Harry shrugged. “All in all though, Sir, it’s better than what I had before. Most of the rest were hand me downs, either from Dudley way back from fifth year or before or from the Weasleys. I’ve never had new clothing besides the Weasley jumpers and my school uniform and robes because, and I quote… “It is simply not safe for Harry Potter to be out shopping” and “It’s not fair to go shopping when those you are with can’t buy things in that store as well.”

Severus laughed. “I recognize the first as McGonagall, but who was that second one from?”

“That second is the voice of Hermione every Hogsmeade weekend for the last several years. The only time we could go to a clothing store was when someone needed dress robes or Ron needed new school robes. I never had enough money to buy clothing anyway, and no one bothered to inform me that there several ways to access money from my vault at Diagon Alley. I haven’t even been to my Vault since third year, someone else has always been the one to retrieve me money and get my supplies. Last year and this year I think someone other than the Weasleys must have done it. I had a much better money situation at the end of last year, and I’m doing pretty well this year. When Mrs. Weasley was in charge of it I was always worse off than Ron by the end of the school year.”

Severus nodded. “Remus and I have the last two years, and I’m thinking that’s been a good thing.” Harry watched as Severus picked the top shirt on his clothing pile. “Holy Merlin!” He pulled out his wand and started casting spells Harry had never heard over his clothing.

“What is it?”

“Those little demons! I’m going to kill them.”

“What is it?” Harry demanded a little more intensely.

“Those rotten children have covered your clothing in glass shards, tiny charmed ones which burrow into whatever they touch. I know where they got this. The twins were working on it for the Order a while back, but it harms to easily those on our own side as well so the project was ditched. Three samples went missing in a raid to the twins’ workshop right after we dropped the idea, as well as several other experiments for the Order that they’d been playing with. We couldn’t figure out who’d done it so we lost those projects as well. I’ll have to firecall Poppy and ask if I can give you the antidote, which will expel them from your body quickly. Hell and damnation, I will kill that Weasley brat if I get a chance, I am so sick of this nonsense.”

Harry watched Severus talk to Poppy through his fire and then run out the room. He sat, letting his dark thoughts of the morning pull at him again. What if it wasn’t a raid on the twins’ shop, what if they were helping Ron torment him? What if he’d lost them as friends as well? Harry felt strong arms slip around him and a strong voice telling him it was going to be all right,

“Harry! I need you to listen to me and pay attention.”

Severus had to repeat himself several times before Harry looked at him with comprehension.

“Sorry.”

“Shhh, it’s ok Harry. Now, I’m going to give you a potion but Poppy says we cannot let it work as it generally does; your system is too strained to handle the normal evacuation process. So, when I give it to you, you are going to need to tell me where the pain is centered and I will cast a spell that will remove the shards. It is very similar to accio, but it’s a medical spell made for removing splinters and the like so it goes over an area. So, you need to undress. Afterwards Poppy recommended some soothing creams that will not interact with your meds. Are you ready?”

Harry nodded and undressed. This was not how he’d wished Snape to see him naked for the first time since the summer after fifth year. He knew that the last time he’d been seen by Snape he hadn’t been even remotely a pretty sight, and he wasn’t this time either. Sighing, he stood before Snape and downed the potion. Harry started screaming in agony almost at once. Severus placed a hand on his face and it brought Harry into focus. As Harry told Severus where the pain was centered, and Severus did the spell, Severus kept his hand on Harry’s face, stroking it lightly. Harry leaned into the touch, letting himself slowly lean totally against the other man. Finally the intense pain was only left in one spot.

“Left shoulder, last spot. I supposed it would have had to be Dean who put the stuff in my trunk; Ron and Ginny had left before I’d been I my trunk last.” Harry muttered as he collapsed. He came back to as Severus scooped him up and held him. He listened as Severus ordered the house-elves to make sure the room was free of any strange substances, and had them take all the clothing away to be washed. Then he tucked Harry into the remade bed and cast his own spell to make sure all the charmed glass shards were gone. Harry watched as Severus quaffed a dose of the potion himself, and set aside another. The Severus came back to the bed with a pot in his hands. For the first few minutes Severus rubbed the cream into his skin Harry paid attention. After all, this was enough to feed his fantasies for the next six months, maybe even a year. Sleep won over though and Harry was soon dozing while Severus finished.

Harry’s stomach woke him. It was highly grumpy now and demanding food in an even louder rumble. Severus helped him sit up and handed Harry a robe.

“Here, put this on. I had the house elves add some soup to our lunch. Roll up the sleeves if they are too long. After we eat we will take care of those gifts.”

Harry smiled. He’d been worried Severus would act funny towards him or go back to being Professor Snape to put more distance between them again. After finishing their lunch, Severus and Harry sat on the bed and put all the gifts between them. Harry moved four gifts off to the side and Severus raised his eyebrow.

“Those are for you, Remus, Draco and Blaise. I shall need to add to everyone’s gifts because we will be together for Christmas. ”

Harry set three more gifts aside into a separate pile. “These are the ones for the twins and Charlie. I don’t want to mess with them until I know they don’t want anything to do with me anymore.”

Severus nodded and Harry continued. He moved two gifts slightly away from the others.

“The one in silver was to be the wedding gift. The one in red and gold was to be Bill and his wife’s Christmas gift. The wedding gift was a set of charmed ice cream dishes, four of them. They will keep the ice cream from melting for over two hours, so you can take your time eating it. I included several jars of toppings, Muggle ones. Dumbledore did the buying of course. I picked out a few for Bill and gave to the Headmaster as his Christmas gift. The Christmas gift was a set of Christmas tree ornaments and some towels. The Christmas ornaments were Egyptian themed. They are also Muggle, but they were just perfect I thought.” Harry touched the top of the red gift as he finished.

“Hmm... I advise putting the wedding gift to use somewhere else. Use it yourself or give it to someone else. We could use the sauces here during the holiday. Wait on the Christmas gift. We know Bill’s wife was in on this all, but we don’t know about Bill. The Christmas gift could be given just to Bill, unless you bought his and her towels.”

“That sounds good; I think I’ll keep the dishes. I bought them because I liked them and thought they’d be just wonderfully useful. I was going to go buy myself a set later. I didn’t even know Wizards had his and her towels. These were just nice and fluffy, charmed to stay warm towels, in blues.” Harry set the red and gold gift by the presents set aside of the other Weasley boys. The other gift was opened and the dishes set off to the side to go back into Harry’s trunk. Four gifts were left sitting in the middle of the bed.

“The one in pink was for Ginny. It’s just an assortment of holiday candies from Honeydukes.
Peppermint canes and chocolate oranges and things like that. There are also a set of 8 sugar quills, in fruit flavors. None of the packages are actually labeled. Mrs. Weasley just sent a list of what colors every ones gifts were to be wrapped in, so it wouldn’t be hard to just allocate that gift to Amy if you think she’d like it.”

Severus laughed and Harry felt his insides go warm. He loved hearing Severus’ laugh and didn’t hear it nearly enough. “Molly is insane; leave it to her to take half the fun out of gift giving. No need to worry if Amy would like it. Amy has the biggest sweet tooth I’ve come across in all my years as Head of House. She’ll love it.”

Harry set the pink gift by the gifts for those here at the manor.

“The purple one is Hermione’s. There are three books and a necklace in it. One book is on learning German, the Muggle way. It has a companion book, learning German the Wizard way. Hermione’s language of the year, starting in January is German. The other book is about household charms and potions. That was her requested book. Can you believe it? She sent a list around of books she wanted and everyone buying her a gift was to sign their name next to the book they were buying her. She had it charmed so those signing up could see who was buying what, but she couldn’t. The necklace is a butterfly charmed to move and protect her from minor hexes.”

“Well, you could donate the Wizard language book to the library at school, and ask Remus if he’d like the Muggle one. He speaks German already, but he likes books like that. I have a language section here for books as well. You might want them yourself someday and could leave them here until then. Do you have that book about household charms and potions? If not, keep it. It is an extremely useful book. Many of the spells can be tweaked for other uses as well. I don’t know what to advise about the necklace, so set it aside for now.”

Harry un-wrapped the purple gift and set the necklace aside. Severus picked up the books and set them on the bedside table.

“The brown and orange colored package is Ron’s. It was supposed to be just orange, but I couldn’t make myself do that. Just plain orange was scary. It contains a book about aurors and gift certificates for Honeydukes, one for each month till the end of the year. I also had a Cannons T-shirt and scarf for him, but I already gave those to him around Halloween. He had wanted something orange to wear on the Hogsmeade trip nearest Halloween.”

“Donate the book to someplace, ask Remus if he knows anyplace that could use it. The gift certificates are returnable, or we could go and ask for them to be switched to someone else. As for the rest, all the more reason for me to skin the boy. You never give him anything…my arse. You would have gone and got him something else to put in those items place if he hadn’t been being such an idiot, wouldn’t have you?”

Harry blushed. “Yeah, I always do. I feel bad if Hermione’s gifts have more parts to them, even if Ron’s actually received those missing parts already. He pouts so much about it and I feel guilty for the rest of the break, so I just avoid that.”

Severus tore the brown and orange package apart and put the book on the bedside table with the others. The gift certificates were placed on the table as well. Then he looked at the large white gift sitting on the bed.

“How did that fit into that knapsack?”

Harry giggled, looking mighty proud of his self. “I shrunk it. I set it so that it would go back to its proper size when removed from the bag. In it is a Muggle jigsaw puzzle, and different types of pasta’s with different types of jarred sauces. There is a Muggle hotplate and Muggle canned soup, as well.”

“That one is easy. We will use it here. Everyone might enjoy the puzzle; we’ll set it out in the library. Is the hot plate charmed to work in a Wizard home?”

“Not yet, Mr. Weasley likes doing that part. Why use the canned soup or pasta sauce here? You have house elves that cook and make much better things.”

“Well, as soon as we charm it, I’ll put it in my lab, with the canned soups. That way I can just heat my own food when I work late instead of waking one of the elves to bring me something. The pasta sauces I suppose could come back to Hogwarts with me. I often like cooking my own meals, especially when I’ve missed dinner due to a potion. Just consider it all a gift to me, but I’m going to make use of the hot plate starting today.”

Harry laughed, feeling much better. “Thanks, Severus.” Harry said, yawning.

“Harry? Where is your photo album and mischief making items?”

“You mean my map and cloak? In that box. Remus gave it to me right at the start of sixth year. It opens right up for me, but it is locked to anyone else. It was about the time they had me seeing that counselor lady. She wanted me to write or draw or do something to express myself on the things that happened over the summer, and I wouldn’t because even then I didn’t trust people to stay out of my stuff. Ron and Hermione were always barrowing my cloak and the map and I knew they’d read a journal or look at a sketchbook. So Remus got me that box, I keep the map and cloak and my photo album and old journals and sketchbooks in there at all times. Unfortunately, I hadn’t put all my art supplies and my new sketchbook and journal away and they were destroyed with the rest of my stuff. I only lost a day of writing in the journal and a few sketches, so it didn’t hurt much.”

Harry yawned again and leaned against the bed.

“Harry, go take your evening dose of Meds, I know it is early but I think your body is going to just shut down for bed here soon. If you don’t mind, in a few hours I’ll put that cream on again, but if it would upset you for me to see you that way with out it being an emergency Poppy said it could wait till morning.”

Harry left and took his meds, putting the cream on and rubbing it in was extremely painful. So when he went back out, he told Severus to put the cream on. Severus made him eat again, just soup and crackers, and the Harry lay down on his bed. Gifts were still resting in piles, and Harry considered moving them. He was sound asleep before he could make up his mind. He thought he might have felt a kiss on his forehead and heard Severus telling him that he would make sure Harry was all right all night long.


TBC