kbinnz - Harry's New Home

Mortified beyond words тАУ that spell was used by mothers on wayward toddlers! тАУ Snape had opened his mouth to tell the Headmaster just what he thought of his behavior, but he'd been shocked into speechlessness by the realization that Albus and the shopwitch were now discussing hair care. Specifically, the care of his hair! All of his protests, shouts, arguments, and fuming were blithely ignored, and he was kept at the counter тАУ under threat of a sticking hex тАУ as his scalp and hair were meticulously examined. To his intense dismay, several of the customers joined in the resultant discussion, offering their own remedies and advice, and it was a good twenty minutes before he was finally allowed to escape, with an even larger bag of supplies than the one intended for Harry.

His afternoon had gone downhill from there. In the clothing store, he had actually threatened to Avada Dumbledore if he didn't stop selecting the most extreme examples of psychedelic clothing. At the bookstore, Albus was only prevented from purchasing Harry a private library equal to Snape's and Dumbedore's combined volumes by urgent reminders that Madame Pince would surely take such an action as a personal insult and retire to the stacks in tears. At the pet store, the headmaster had wanted to purchase Harry a familiar, but Snape managed to persuade him that Hedwig was unlikely to welcome the intrusion of a kneazle or crup.

But it was at the toy store тАУ predictably тАУ that Albus had gone insane, and now Severus was rapidly following. "No. More. Toys. Albus," Snape managed to snarl between clenched teeth. The pile of toys at the counter was already more appropriate for a new satellite shop location than the small bedroom of a single wizarding child.

The Headmaster's face fell. "Oh, but Severus, they have тАУ "

"No. No more." Seeing the older wizard was about to argue, Severus turned crafty. "What will you get him for Christmas if you buy out the store now?" he asked, refusing to imagine what Christmas with the brat would be like. All tinsel and ho-ho-ho'ing and enough holiday cheer to make Snape nauseous for a month.

"Hmmm. You do have a point," Albus finally agreed, and Snape wasted no time in hustling him out of the shop.

"Ooh тАУ wait! Quidditch!" Albus said, pointing, as Snape tried to drag him along to the apparition point.

"While you were busy dithering over the best material for Potter's dress robes, I went to the Quidditch shop," Snape informed him, callously ignoring Dumbledore's disappointed expression.

"Maybe you forgot something?" he suggested hopefully.

"Christmas, Albus. It's only a few months away," Severus retorted, not easing his pull on the older man's arm

Dumbledore sighed, then brightened. "I can't wait to see the look on Harry's face when тАУ"

"No, Albus. You are not going to turn this into an excuse for a surprise party. I will not have my private quarters invaded by half of Gryffindor Tower, to say nothing of assorted moronic faculty members like Trelawny."

"Perhaps just a few of Harry's closest friendsтАж"Albus began.

"Can you imagine the havoc Hagrid would wreak if he stumbled into my potion supplies? No."

The headmaster sighed in defeat. "Very well, my boy. But I may require you to show me Harry's expression via Penseive."

"The brat is still working through his punishment for the flying incident," Snape said coldly. "I have not yet decided when he might be allowed one or two of the smaller items."

Dumbledore sighed again. "You shouldn't be so strict, Severus. Was it not you who emphasized the importance of positive reinforcement?"

Snape glared. "If you do not like the job I am doing you should not have forced it upon me. I would remind you that this was not my idea." It was intensely gratifying to see Albus' meek nod, though the sensation lasted only until Albus' next words.

"Very true, my boy. So it is all the more satisfying to see you embracing it with such dedication. I understand from Molly and Arthur that they were impressed with your handling of Harry over dinner last night. They said you were quite a natural," Albus smirked.

Severus gnashed his teeth. Bloody, overtalkative Gryffindors!

He managed to get some of his own back by refusing to allow Albus help him arrange Harry's new room, though in retrospect he wished it had been the headmaster who had to deal with the house elves. When they learned the new room was intended for Master Harry Potter Sir, the little creatures went mad with excitement and about thirty popped into existence, dashing about the room and readying it for its new occupant. Snape had to intercede in innumerable arguments amongst the high-strung little creatures and it took all his Slytherin cunning to prevent them from carrying out mass self-punishments when they decided a piece of furniture would look better on the other side of the room after all. By the time the room met with their unanimous satisfaction, he was convinced that it would have been easier by far to do it himself the Muggle way.

When he'd roused the boy that morning from where he had slumbered on Snape's couch, Harry had been alternately embarrassed and delighted to find he'd been allowed to stay in the professor's private quarters. "Um, thanks for letting me sleep here," he mumbled, pink. He propped himself up on one elbow and scrubbed at his eyes. Wow тАУ the professor had let him sleep on his good couch and everything!

"Yes, well, it was very late and I had better things to do than walk you all the way back to the Tower," Snape sniffed. He tugged the boy up by his ear, lest the brat think he was getting soft. "Get washed and dressed, or you will miss your breakfast,' he threatened darkly, though he had no intention of releasing the too-skinny brat without a full, nutritious meal in his stomach. "The house elves are waiting to send it up."

"That's okay," Harry assured the professor, even as he obediently headed down the corridor to the bathroom. He didn't want the man to go to any trouble on his behalf. "I c'n just grab a sweet roll and eat it on the way to class тАУ eep!" He broke off as the professor's strong fingers closed again on his ear and dragged him around him to face the man.

He blinked in surprise. The grip on his ear didn't hurt exactly, but Harry knew better than to resist it.

"Potter, if I see you stuffing your face with unhealthy sugary treats, I will order the house elves to spoon feed you your meals for the next month," Snape threatened furiously. "I expect you to eat three balanced meals a day, and to limit your intake of sweets. How do you expect to add muscle and height to your scrawny frame if you don't eat properly? Chocolate frogs and sweet rolls and three helpings of pudding are going to make you as wide as your whale of a cousin. Do you understand?"

Wide eyed, Harry nodded. His relatives barely gave him enough food, let alone cared if it was nutritionally balanced or not.

"We shall discuss this in greater length later," Snape promised sternly. "For now, though, you should get in the habit of following Miss Granger. She appears to eat quite sensibly."

Harry wrinked his nose. "She always takes lots of vegetables and green stuff," he protested. "She eats like a girl."

"And Mr Weasley eats like a bottomless pit, and you, young man, are well on your way to a spotty and unhealthy adolescence. Now do as I say or you will regret it." He sent the boy towards the bathroom with a glare. Really! Such insolence тАУ and so early in the morning too!

Harry hurried to the bathroom and performed his morning ablutions. His heart was singing. Merlin, Professor Snape worried about him! It wasn't enough for him that Harry ate, he insisted that Harry ate the right foods. And he was even going to teach him what they were, just so Harry would grow up to be strong and healthy. Harry grinned at his reflection. He guessed that if the professor had anything to say about it, Harry would be taller than Ron by the end of the school year. It would be a nice change from always being the runt of the class.