kbinnz - Harry's New Home

"Well?" Snape said, trying not to let his concern show. Harry had actually communed with his dead parents? What might James have said to the boy about his disgust with Snape acting in loco parentis? And what if Lily were still angry with Snape over his "mudblood" remark?

Harry did his best to remember all that he could of his conversation with his parents. "Ummmm, they're happy, and they're in a nice place, and they send their love to Padfoot and Moony and DaтАж And they said thank you to Auntie Molly for the jumperтАж" Molly smiled through her tears. "And, erm, they said that they're watchin' over me and тАУ oh!" Harry turned to Snape, "My dad was real cross that I didn't listen to you back in our quarters, and he whacked me for it, really hard, so you don't need to punish me again. Okay, Da?" Harry was reassured by Snape's automatic nod, but in truth, Snape was in such shock at the notion that James Potter had supported him that he would have agreed to nearly anything. "Uh, and Mum says she'll always love you 'cause you were her first and best friend," Harry tried to get the mushy bits out as quickly as he could, "but she wants you to be happy and to find a nice witch and settle down."

Snape was deeply touched by Lily's concern and the last of his worries that she still resented his disastrous insult evaporated. It warmed him to know that she wanted him to be happy and wouldn't feel betrayed if he were to find love elsewhere. But then he caught sight of the assessing look that Molly Weasley was giving him, and his pleasant feelings were abruptly replaced by cold apprehension.

-##-

A huge party at Hogwarts was held the next weekend, and everyone who had participated in the battle тАУ even Lucius тАУ received a medal. Professor McGonagall and Madame Bones were released from St Mungo's into Poppy's care so that they could participate despite their ongoing recuperation.

After the ceremony, Harry stood on the front steps of the castle, watching the spectacular fireworks over the lake with Snape and idly playing with the medal that hung around his neck.

After a few moments, concerned by the boy's silence, Snape looked down at him worriedly. It was hard for anyone to appreciate all the trauma the boy had been through recently тАУ kidnapped, killed, confronted by his dead parents, returned to the living, caught up in a pitched battleтАж "Are you all right? Are you missing your parents?" he asked, forcing his voice to remain steady.

Harry smiled up at him. "I'm okay. They're here with us, y'know. And I'm with you, just like I wanted."

Snape cleared his throat. The cool air must be giving him a cold. "Sentimental Gryffindor," he scolded, putting an arm around his son and holding him close as they watched the sky erupt in a blaze of multi-colored glory.

THE END

(well, except for the Epilogue)

*Chapter 64*: Epilogue

Epilogue:

18 October 2009: less than 24 hours after posting this epilogue, my waters broke. How's that for timing? I'm off to hospital - send good thoughts and prayers that all goes well despite her being early. She is just over 36 weeks so hopefully all will be well, but I could really use some of that fanfic support that's been so great over these past months. Keep us both in your heart please. I will post again as soon as I can...

What actually happens in the "happily ever after"? Well, for Harry, "happily ever after" means he finally gets his wish to be "just Harry". He is no longer a horcrux, no longer able to survive an AK (not that his still-overprotective father would permit anyone to discover that!), and is just a nice, mostly-normal boy with friends in all the Houses and great talent on a broomstick.

Remus did become eventually human again тАУ though it took until after the next full moon. In the meantime, he made friends with several of the dragons at the preserve and now has additional creatures to play with during "his time of the month".

Snape is, with great relief, leaving his teaching post at Hogwarts to focus on his Potion Master work and research. Dobby will go with him as his House Elf (while he awaits Harry's growing up and having a home of his own). Harry has again broached the subject of freeing him, but Dobby is now enjoying being universally acknowledged as Harry Potter's House Elf, and he has thus far refused all offers of clothing and wages, much to Hermione's despair. He is no longer considered odd by his peers and is in fact now a highly respected House Elf Elder, thanks to his actions in the final battle.

Harry was initially a bit sad at Snape's announced departure from Hogwarts, though he recognizes it will be very freeing not to have his da on staff at his school any longer. Harry will now truly be just another studentтАж though of course he will still have his godfather (plus Remus) on staff so he hasn't wholly escaped having a parental figure nearby (though Sirius' disciplinary abilities remain dubious.) Also, Snape has agreed to give special lectures and tutoring for OWLS and NEWTS students, so he will actually be around the castle quite a bit, though he would strongly deny that his tutoring agreement had anything to do with his wanting to keep a close eye on a certain trouble-prone young Gryffindor.

Far from being a lonely orphan, Harry now has more homes than he can possibly hope to visit in a single vacation. In addition to his home with his Da, he also knows he has a place with the Weasleys, Sirius, Remus, and even the Malfoys, now that Voldemort is gone and Draco is his friend. Harry enjoys hanging out (and especially flying) with the younger Malfoy, but Snape insists Draco visits Harry rather than the reverse. Although Lucius learned a salutary lesson in that last battle and has improved тАУ rather than reformed тАУ his ways, Snape still doesn't fully trust him.

To the simultaneous hope and despair of the female Hogwarts population, Sirius continues to be quite the lady's man, though Harry has noticed he is quietly spending more and more time with a very pretty Auror. Her young trainee, a cousin of Sirius', is beginning to tag along too, and Remus has joined them on several double dates, once he was reassured that the trainee was well aware of his "furry secret", having witnessed the aftermath of the Battle. (No one has yet found it necessary to mention that she was actually the one who Stunned the wolf.)

Kreacher has grudgingly admitted that some non-purebloods are actually quite tolerable and is much less bonkers after being able to carry out Reg's last command to him. Grimmauld Place is now a prime bit of real estate in London, and Sirius is making the most of its central location with some eye-popping parties.

Severus remains unattached, despite Molly's best efforts, but he has agreed to Harry's request to spend their next holiday in Aotearoa/New Zealand, ostensibly so Harry can play in an International Youth Quidditch Match, though McGonagall has also nagged him into doing a few guest lectures at the local Potion Masters Guild. What Snape doesn't know (but Harry, Molly, and Minerva do) is that Minerva's cousin emigrated to New Zealand several decades ago, and his granddaughter is now the newest Potion Mistress in the country, almost (but not quite) breaking the record of the youngest British Potion Master, a certain Severus Snape.

Between this young Potion Mistress and Brunhilde, Molly and Minerva are quite hopeful of fulfilling Lily's request.

So all ends happily with Harry free to spend most of his Hogwarts years in a nice, normal, magical castle, with more family and friends than he can count.

THE END

Thank you again to all who have read this far, all who have reviewed, PM'd, or otherwise let me know what you thought of this story. This work began life as a one shot, and if it hadn't been for reader interest and enthusiasm, "Harry's New Home" would never have come into existence, so give yourselves a round of applause!