kbinnz - Harry's New Home

"No chocolate frogs before breakfast," Snape said severely.

Harry pouted for a moment, then brightened. "Okay. I'll ask you again after breakfast."

"Hmmmm." Snape began looking around.

"What is it, Pr'fessor?" Harry asked curiously.

"I am looking for my wand."

"Oh." Harry looked too, wanting to help. "What d'you want it for, Pr'fessor?"

"I believe I need to introduce you to a mouth-soaping spell," Snape replied calmly.

Harry's eyes widened in horror. "What! But why? What'd I say?"

"Do you not recall what you said to the Dark Lord, just before you threw a bedpan at him?"

Harry colored. "Oh." He cast a sidelong glance at his guardian, trying to decide how lenient the man might be. Though the saturnine countenance was not encouraging, he decided to try arguing anyway. "But, Pr'fessor, it was Voldevont! It shouldn't be so bad to swear at Him. It's not like I said it in class or anything," he pleaded.

"If I ever catch you using such language outside the Dark Lord's presence тАУ" Snape began.

"You won't!" Harry promised swiftly.

"Oh, very well," Snape allowed grudgingly. Harry sagged against him in relief. Whew! Lucky for him his guardian was so nice! He snuggled closer and closed his eyes. He felt safe and loved and тАУ for the first time тАУ proud of himself. Leave it to his guardian to reassure him that he wasn't an awful freaky murderer. Harry felt the tension ease out of his muscles and the fatigue creep back in.

Snape regarded the child with alarm. Surely the brat could not be planning to fall asleep on him. He was not a pillow for Potters! "Potter, get up this instant and return to your own bed if you wish to go back to sleep."

"No," Harry mumbled, already half-dozing.

Why, that disobedient little brat! Obviously he needed a reminder of what awaited such intransigent behavior. Snape lifted his hand from where it was resting against the boy's back and smacked him on the bum. "Potter! Go to your own bed!"

Harry just burrowed closer and let out a sigh of contentment. It was so nice of Professor Snape to tease him like that. Of course the gentle pat on the rear made it clear that he was only kidding. Harry tightened his grip around his professor. How could he imagine he was anything like Lord Volauvent? His guardian loved him, and that was proof that Harry wasn't some awful, evil creature.

Harry drifted off to sleep, secure in the certain knowledge that he was a good person who had done a needful, if unpleasant, task. His guardian's approval confirmed it тАУ there was no need for further worry or angst. Professor Snape had said it, and it was so.

Well. This was quite nauseating. Obviously with his hand's range of motion limited by the duvet, his swats made no impression on the brat. He could remove his hand from beneath the covers, but then the intervening blankets would provide padding for the little wretch's backside, and he'd be no further along. He could levitate the boy тАУ But wait. Perhaps he was overlooking something. Why was the child so somnolent? Surely at his age, the brat should be bouncing out of bed and demanding food, not trying to sleep until noon like some lazy teenager.

Snape huffed. He knew it. He'd been right all along. Obviously the boy was more affected by the events of the previous day than that idiot of a Healer had detected. Well, it was obviously a good thing after all that he'd fallen asleep where he had. He would need to monitor Potter's sleep to be certain he didn't develop any complications along the way. He would begin by monitoring the boy's respirations. InтАж and out. InтАж and out. InтАж and out. It certainly seemed very regular. Quite soothing, really. InтАж and out. InтАж and out. Very relaxing, in fact. InтАж and out. InтАж and out. InтАж andтАж

Twenty minutes later, the medi-witch from St Mungo's and the Hogwarts headmaster regarding the sleeping pair with amusement. Harry's head lay against Snape's chest, and the Potion Master's arms encircled the boy protectively. "My wards told me that two of the patients had awakened, Professor, which is why I summoned you, but I see that my call was premature. Perhaps in another hour or so we can awaken all of them, but I'd prefer they get as much sleep as possible."

"Yes, of course," Dumbledore agreed, taking a camera from his voluminous robes. "But let me just take a few snapshots before I go. I'm sure Professor Snape will enjoy seeing them, as will the rest of the staff room."

TBCтАж

*Chapter 31*: Chapter 31

Author's Note: For all of you who requested a copy of the picture Albus took in the last chapter, Mystykyten has been so kind as to oblige! Go to her website (listed on my profile page) for these and other illustrations from an amazing artist!

When Harry next woke, it was to feel the gentle hand of a St Mungo's medi-witch rubbing his back. He blinked and raised his head, realizing that he'd been drooling on his pillow. Except that it wasn't his pillow, it was his professor. "Potter." The man's stern tones made it clear that he had noticed the puddle of drool currently seeping through his pyjama top.

"Good morning, Pr'fessor," Harry said guiltily.

"Come along, boys," the medi-witch said, professionally cheerful. "You're the last ones out of bed this morning. Get washed and dressed тАУ the others will be waiting for you."

Snape gave her his best death glare тАУ "boys" indeed! тАУ but followed Potter to the washrooms at the far end of the wing.

Once their ablutions had been satisfactorily concluded, the medi-witch escorted them to a private meeting room near the Headmaster's office. Entering the room, Snape found quite a crowd assembled around a long conference table.

Fudge was there with Bones, Skeeter, and, predictably, Lucius Malfoy. McGonagall and the Headmaster flanked a still-pale Poppy. A blaze of red caught Snape's eye and he turned to find Arthur and Molly Weasley, the latter holding Ron on her lap. Next to them sat two unfamiliar adults, at whom Ron kept darting nervous glances. From the fact that they were hovering solicitously over Hermione, Snape deduced these were the Doctors Granger.

"Auntie Molly! Uncle Arthur!" Harry chirped happily from his side, then darted away as Arthur opened his arms wide.

Harry was hugged breathless by his honorary uncle, whose embrace effectively ended his worry that the Weasleys would blame him for Ron's injury. "Oh, Harry!" The instant Arthur released him, Molly wrapped him in one arm, keeping Ron enfolded in the other. "Are you all right?"

"Yes'm," Harry answered, once he had managed to get his breath back. Ron grinned at him, a bit shamefaced at being found cuddled on his mum's lap. Harry grinned back, but decided that if Ron hadn't witnessed him lying like a toddler on top of his guardian, he wasn't about to say anything.

"Harry, come meet my parents," Hermione called excitedly. "Mum, Dad, this is my friend Harry and his faтАУ uh тАУ guardian, Professor Snape."

"How do you do?" Snape had to admit the Muggles had excellent manners, and he wondered why the Weasley boy seemed so anxious around them. Ah well, who could understand the minds of children?

"Good morning," Dumbledore twinkled at the final arrivals. "The elves have kindly laid out breakfast at the back wall, if you'd like to help yourselves. Then perhaps we can get started. I'm sure we are all interested in determining exactly what happened here yesterday."

Harry instantly focused on the tables at the back of the room. "Ooooh, pastries!" he squeaked and made a beeline for the sugary treats.

Snape followed in hot pursuit and stopped the little brat before he had helped himself to a plateful of unhealthy items. "What have I told you about your eating habits, Mr Potter?" he asked, his voice dangerously quiet.