Aspen in the Sunlight - A Year Like None Other

If Severus couldn't quite forgive Hostilian, or himself, now he could at least look forward instead of back.

Harry was smiling as he waved a final goodbye to his friends. A brave smile, Severus thought it, for when the boy watched them climb aboard, he began to look a bit troubled. I need my friends, Severus remembered him saying, months ago. Severus hadn't believed it then, not fully. He hadn't wanted to. Fresh from the trauma of Samhain, exhausted from brewing 'round the clock, and ill-at-ease that he'd begun to care about the boy instead of just the war . . . Severus hadn't wanted Harry to need anyone but him.

But now, he understood more about his son's incredible capacity to love. And with that, he'd begun to understand more about himself.

Some of Albus' lectures must have taken root, after all, Severus thought. Spending time with Harry will be good for you, the headmaster had said as far back as October. And when Severus had scoffed, Albus had placidly continued, I know that your Occlumency lessons didn't go well last year, to say the least, but perhaps that's just the point. We all need second chances, Severus . . .

A second chance . . . yes, Harry had been that and more. No doubt Albus hadn't meant things to go quite the way they had. He hadn't intended for Severus to take Harry for his son, or for Harry to place his highest loyalty in his new family instead of in the headmaster himself.

And he certainly hadn't expected Severus to adopt not one but two boys, much less bond Harry Potter in brotherhood with Draco Malfoy, now Snape. But for all that Harry finally had a friend his own age with whom to spend the summer, he looked strangely bereft as the train's door slammed shut and he walked back to join his father on the platform.

"This won't be like your other holidays," said Severus. He wanted to lay a hand on Harry's shoulder, but out in public like this, it seemed best to remain reserved.

"I know." Harry sighed. "Just think, for once I actually want to see Dudley. It's a pretty strange feeling. I need to get my hands on another phone so I can ring him. Tell him we're in Surrey every Wednesday . . . uh, do you think the number'll be the same one as before?"

Severus raised an eyebrow, amused.

"Oh. I guess you're not exactly the right bloke to ask."

"I wasn't thinking of your cousin, in any case," said Severus. "I meant your friends. I know how important they are to you. You'll be able to owl them as much as you please, though as before, our post will go through Hogwarts rather than directly to or from the cottage. And you know already that your friends are quite welcome to come visit."

Harry glanced up, his mood changing like quicksilver, his eyes sparkling in a way that Severus recognised. Harry was about to throw out an idea he thought was brilliant. One Severus wouldn't much appreciate.

"Even Neville?"

Severus blinked. He'd braced himself, but Harry had still managed to startle him. "Neville. Longbottom."

Harry lowered his voice. "Yeah. Listen, with Fidelius and all, I know he can't come out to . . . uh, your place, but I thought--"

"Our place."

"Right. Our place," said Harry, grinning from ear to ear. "I like that."

So simple, Severus thought, to give Harry Potter what he needed. A real place to call home. A real family.

"Are you mental?" asked Draco as he strolled up. "Longbottom's not coming out to our place."

"Well, of course not. I just said he can't. But maybe we . . . er, I mean I, can go and visit him at his grandmother's, something like that."

"As if Severus and I would let you traipse off on your own. Honestly, Potter, haven't you learned anything this year?"

"Ehem," said Severus. "I do believe that Mr Longbottom has plans of his own for the summer. An extended trip abroad, in fact."

Harry looked suspicious. "Funny, he didn't mention any trip."

Severus could well imagine why. "He has, I understand, been rather supportive of your new family ties. Perhaps he was merely being diplomatic."

"Huh?"

Severus kept his voice casual. Smooth. "Well, Mr Longbottom certainly had complaints enough for my ears earlier this week. I've arranged for him to receive Potions tutelage from someone whose teaching style may be . . . more what he needs. In Austria, in fact. When I lent him several weighty texts to complement the instruction, he claimed I was trying to ruin his summer." Severus lifted his shoulders. "As if I would do any such thing."

Harry's jaw dropped. "You . . . helped . . . Neville?"

It wasn't wicked to enjoy that dumbfounded expression, was it? Severus almost smiled, but managed to hold the impulse in check. "Well. Perhaps there's a trifle more to education than learn by experience, after all. You should have heard the good doctor on the subject."

"Yeah, but . . . Neville? "

Severus did smile, then. Briefly. He felt, perhaps, the way Harry did when hearing he'd done well. "All his melted cauldrons aside, he was a great help to you last year. In the thick of battle, no less. I helped him in the hope that he might prove of use to you, again."

"To us," said Harry.

"Ah. Yes, to us."

Draco had been staring at the train as it pulled away. Now, he turned back to face his family. "Greg's going to join us, too," he said in a low, fierce voice. "He has to. I'm not going to let the Death Eaters have him."

"Draco has a saving-people thing," said Harry in a stage whisper, nodding sagely.

"Shut up. I do not."

"Do so--"

"For your information, I'm going to spend the summer lazing about and owl-ordering whatever my heart desires--"

"Are you?" asked Severus sharply, amused when Draco coloured slightly.

"Well, some," the boy backtracked. "But I'm also going to teach Harry to Apparate. No brother of mine is going to fail his license test. And we'll work on his spell lexicon. There's still a lot he needs to know."

" He's standing right here," said Harry dryly.

"Because you can't Apparate!" said Draco, flashing out of existence and appearing on Harry's other side.

It was good to see Draco laughing, Severus thought, and even better to see Harry join in.

"So, lunch?" asked Harry. "I know. Let's ask for some Cornish cream teas--"

"Speaking of tea, I do believe I'm late for mine with Albus."

"Good!" said Draco promptly. "Harry and I will be glad of a chance to wander the village a bit, eh?"

"You'll walk back to the gates with me and stay on the grounds. Hogsmeade can wait until we can all go together."

Severus turned his back, only to hear Harry sniggering. Quite likely, Draco had stuck out his tongue. Idiot child.

"Let's go explore the castle while Dad and the headmaster gossip about us over tea," said Harry.

"We do not gossip. We discuss," called Severus.

"Maybe it's Marsha he wants to discuss," called Draco in a sing-song voice.

Severus had heard enough of that sort of nonsense. He stopped walking until his sons caught up. "Would you rather explore the castle, or write the essay I'm tempted to set you?"

"Hey, I didn't say anything!"

"I knew having a teacher for a father was going to be an awful trial," said Draco, sighing theatrically. He actually crossed his hands over his heart. "But I'll bravely struggle on despite the blatant unfairness of--"

"Draco!"

"Explore the castle, of course."

Severus nodded. "Harry, as long as you stay with your brother, I would think there's no reason for you not to use that map."

Draco's eyes started gleaming. "Sounds good to me. Harry?"

Harry appeared to think it over for a moment before nodding. "Yeah. Thanks, Dad."

They'd reached the grounds of Hogwarts by then. "You'll find it on the mantle. Now, if you'll excuse me--"