Always - Chapter 8 - The Shattered House

-8-

The Shattered House

“Good morning, Miss Granger, Mister Weasley, Potter.”

“Thank you for allowing us to come with, professor,” said Hermione cordially.

“Thank you for accepting.” Snape welcomed them into the apartment to a table waiting with eggs, waffles, pancakes, satsumas, sausages, bacon and pumpkin juice. “Help yourselves.”

The four of them sat and proceeded to eat their breakfast, chatting amongst themselves. Snape finally felt a part of something grand and he listened raptly to each conversation, adding his own thoughts and views here and there. It had never occurred to Ron and Hermione that Snape was a man who wasn’t much different than anyone else, with a sense of humor and opinions.

“So, I hear Ginny will most likely be on the Gryffindor Quiddich team next year. Will you be playing as well, Harry?”

“Um ... I hadn’t really thought of it. I mean, I’m finishing my education here, even though it’s more for completion than anything. I guess I will still be team captain. Ron, you’ll try out again, right? You’re a fantastic keeper when you set your mind to it.”

“Well, I dunno,” Ron said, scratching his head.

“I think you should, Ron. We’re going to be here next year, so why shouldn’t you play? You enjoy it, even if I don’t completely understand it.”

“I think you should as well, Weasley. Dedicate your last season to Fred and George. They were both excellent beaters.”

Ron was surprised to hear such praise coming from Snape. “Didn’t think you really paid much attention to Quiddich, Professor Snape.”

“While not as interested in it in my youth, I did learn to better appreciate it as Slytherin house head. Slytherin was a prime team, but Gryffindor built a very good team. Harry’s a top notch seeker.”

Hermione thought back to when she had set fire to Snape’s robes during Harry’s first Quiddich match. “I’m so sorry for setting your robes on fire, Professor Snape!”

“Oh, that was you, was it?” he drawled. “Think on it no more. Quirrell was stopped no matter how it happened.”

She sighed softly, then smiled at Snape, who returned it.

Snape finished his breakfast and watched the others, noticing that they’d finished as well. “All right. Weasley, Potter, you’ll need your brooms. Miss Granger, I know you’re not particularly fond of brooms, so I thought I might take you.”

“Harry told me about your broomless flight. I’m willing to give it a go until we can apparate.”

“I don’t think you’ll find it too disconcerting, but if you find yourself afraid, let me know and I’ll make other arrangements.” He used his wand to vanish the remnants of the breakfast and summoned his cape from its hook. “All right. Let’s go.”

Snape held open the door and let the three students file out, then closed the door behind them. Ginny waved to them as they departed and Snape led them to the main courtyard, then a bit beyond. “I want to go a bit beyond the grounds here so as not to alarm anyone when I take flight. Miss Granger, when we get there, you’ll need to wrap your arms around my neck. You’ll feel my form change, but rest assured, I’ll be as solid as I am now.”

They went past the bridge and Snape motioned for Harry and Ron to mount their brooms. He moved closer to Hermione and indicated she should put her arms around his neck. He carefully clutched her to his chest, then lifted from the ground like a plume of smoke. Hermione shrieked a little when her feet left the ground, but Snape’s solid form around her calmed her fears. Together, they flew to Hogsmeade and touched down near the Shrieking Shack. “I trust I didn’t frighten you too terribly, Hermione.”

Hermione looked up at him, smiling softly. “It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. Having your arms around me made me feel more secure.”

“All right. Let’s apparate to my house and then we’ll get started.”

The three youths put their hands on Snape and they felt themselves being pulled backwards through space by their navels. They arrived in a darkened alley beside the house in Spinner’s End. “Something is off,” Snape said suddenly. “Let me enter first.”

Snape went to the doorway and unlocked the door, shielding himself as he stepped in. He used a detection spell to see if there were any curses or hexes anywhere, and, finding none, he motioned for the three youths to come in.

“Oh no,” Hermione breathed as she saw the devastation wrought within. Snape’s floor to ceiling library of books had been decimated, their contents shredded and in some cases, burned. Furniture lay shattered and broken around the house.

“It appears news of my being alive has met with some disapproval. This event lends credence to a missive I received a few days ago from a man unknown to me, but apparently, he’d been swayed by Lupin’s words when he went to try and convince them to stand with the Order. Apparently, the remains of the Dark Lord’s army is being assembled and they wish to make an example of me.”

“Over my dead body!” exclaimed Harry.

“We are safe at Hogwarts and I will set about making defence spells here so we shouldn’t return to another mess such as this. I’ll ward the building so that anyone besides us who comes here will find it to be a burnt out husk. This end of town is so derelict that it shouldn’t matter. I’ll send a missive to the man who wrote me when we return. You’ll be happy to know, Hermione, that his house elf was well dressed, spoke lovingly of her master and was quite well fed. Now, let me see about those wards.”

Snape began to cast spells that had been similar to the ones placed on 12 Grimmauld Place. Harry withdrew his wand, then made the gesture he’d seen Dumbledore do when repairing the damage made at the muggle home Slughorn had been occupying the first time Harry had met him. Books repaired themselves and flew back up on their shelves, while burned books turned from ash, to paper, to bindings. Hermione and Ron began to do likewise, and after the better part of an hour, the damage the intruder had made was repaired. The house, however, was still shabby and decrepit-looking. Snape finished his warding and rejoined them.

“You lived here, Professor Snape?” asked Hermione.

“You may call me Severus when we’re away from school, Hermione. You were one of the three who witnessed my ‘death.’ But yes, this was where my parents lived and in which I spent as little time as possible. Harry’s mother was my only friend. She looked past my shabby, unkempt exterior to the person I was inside, much the way Harry looked past your own impoverishment, Ron.”

Ron looked at the house in disbelief. “The burrow wasn’t much, but it was home. This place wasn’t ever your home, was it?”

“No. Hogwarts was the closest to a home I had. Same as Harry. Same as the Dark Lord. The difference between Harry and myself, and Voldemort is that Harry was loved by James and Lily. I was loved, at one time, by Lily, and Voldemort didn’t have any idea what love was, or what it could make people do for that love. He underestimated us all.”

“How sad.”

Snape made a sound that sounded strangely like a laugh. “That’s why love potions are the most dangerous potions known to wizards. Tom Riddle Jr. was conceived under the effects of a love potion, which is why he knew nothing of love. Had his mother shown more concern of him than the loss of her own unrequited love, there’s a chance he could have grown into a true man, but I wouldn’t have wagered on it.”

“That’s even more sad,” Hermione uttered softly.

“Yes, it is. Now, Harry ... what colours should we use in here?”

“Got to clean it up before we change colours,” Ron stated matter-of-factly. He pointed his wand at one grimy wall and uttered, “Scourgify.”

Bubbles appeared on the wall, scrubbing away decades of dirt, dust and grime. Harry remembered his father using that spell on Snape, filling his mouth with bubbles, gagging and choking him. His fists clenched instinctively, then he felt a large hand on his shoulder. “Harry ... it’s all right. Let it go. He’s more than made up for his youthful folly by bringing you into my life. I’ve forgiven him. You need to do the same.”

“It’s hard, Severus. I thought you were bad for so long and I thought he was perfect and –”

“Harry, there’s black and white, good and bad in all of us. I was bitter, cold and took pleasure in antagonizing you. But you taught me how to throw off that old Severus with your kindness, just as your mother taught me that I was not just a poor boy from Cokeworth, but that I was worthy of being a friend to.”

“What colours do you like, Severus?” asked Harry.

“I like green,” he said without hesitation. “Green, grey ... and not because they’re the Slytherin colours. Your mother’s eyes, and your eyes are green.”

Hermione stepped closer to Harry and Snape. “I have an idea, if you’d let me try it out, Prof-Severus. We can change it if you don’t like it.”

“It can’t be any worse than it is right now, and knowing your skill in everything you do, please, proceed, Hermione.”

Hermione began pointing her wand at various things, saying spells the likes of which Harry had no ideas. Peeling plaster repaired itself, cracks and holes were mended, chipped woodwork was fixed and before long, the house looked much less shabby. She further transfigured the fixtures and furnishings, bringing them to a much more comfortable state. Another spell turned the walls to a soft green, and the bricks on the fireplace changed to a silvery grey. Rugs were replaced and woods lightened until the house, while similar, had a light and warm feeling to it rather than the dinginess Harry had first witnessed.

“Is this more pleasing, sir?”

Snape looked over the changes, his dark eyes darting over every change. “Hermione, you should consider a position at Hogwarts as a transfiguration professor when Minerva retires. You are an uncommonly talented witch.”

Hermione blushed under such praise, especially from Snape. “Thank you, Severus. That means so much coming from you.”

They proceeded from room to room, repairing, updating and turning the dismal old house into a place that Harry and Snape could call a home. When the last bit of the first level had been cleaned and freshened, they started up the stairs to Snape’s old bedroom. Snape didn’t tell Ron and Hermione not to reveal what they were about to see; he knew they would keep it between the them. When he opened the door, he could see that the intruder had wreaked as much devastation here as in the downstairs areas.

“Who would do such a vile thing?” Hermione wondered with disgust in her voice.

“Someone who is angry that I betrayed the Dark Lord, and probably some fool who thought the Dark Lord would honour them for ‘services rendered.’ You know full well that he regarded me as his top advisor and I was brutally attacked because he thought the elder wand served me.” Snape’s hand went to his neck again. “If not for you and Neville, I’d be dead and buried.”

Snape gestured with his wand and the room repaired itself. The other bedrooms seemed to be similarly destroyed, so each of them took a room and restored it.

“Harry,” said Snape softly. “Would you like this room,” he asked, pointing to his former dwelling, “or would you like a different room?”

“You’d give me your room?”

“Only if you’d want it, Harry. I won’t ask you to do anything uncomfortable.”

Harry put his hand on Snape’s shoulder. “It’s an honor, Severus. I’m lucky to have your friendship.”

Snape smiled at Harry. “Go on and decorate it however you wish.”

“All right. Maybe you and Hermione can work on the master bedroom then.”

“Up to the task, Miss Granger?”

“Absolutely,” Hermione said firmly.

“I’ll take this room here then,” Ron stated and ducked inside.

Harry cleaned the walls, peeled back the shoddy carpeting and polished the wooden floors beneath, using the spell he’d heard Hermione use. He repaired the peeling paint, cracks in the plaster and made it look nearly as good as Hermione had, then made the walls a rich, pale green. The faded pennants were brought back to their original glory and when Harry was done with the finishing touches, he went to check on Ron.

“Nice work, mate,” he said as Ron was finishing up, the room done in the colors of the Chudley Cannons. “How’d I know you’d pick the Cannons?”

Ron just gave him one of his grins and then followed Harry out into the last bedroom. While much brighter and pleasant, the room had a definite feel of Severus Snape. “I’d never given any thought of sprucing up the house ... I guess because I never had plans to stay here for any length of time. I had no reason to want to. I only kept the place because over the holidays, I needed a place to go. I never spent much time fraternizing with the rest of the staff. I regret that now. Perhaps I could entertain some guests now.”

“Harry’s birthday is coming up, but Mum and Dad will expect him to have it at the Burrow, but I think having it here would be a great thing.”

Snape’s face went a little whiter. “I don’t wish to embarrass Harry by having a party here in this, as Bellatrix so delightfully worded it, ‘muggle dung-heap.’ You can, of course, have it at the Burrow.”

Harry gazed up into Snape’s face. “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be having a birthday. Of course I’d have it here, if you’d want the exposure.”

“I don’t have to be alone now. I can rejoin the world. Of course we can have it here, Harry ... if that’s what you really want.”

“I do.”

“Then Ron, please be so kind as to invite your family and let your mother know we’ll be having Harry’s party here.”

“Mum’s gonna love that!”

“Severus ... want to see what I’ve done with your old room?” Harry asked suddenly.

“Yes, I would.”

Harry led them to the small room and as they stepped inside, Snape’s expression grew puzzled. “Harry ... you can decorate the room the way you wish, I told you that, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, you did. And this is how I want it. Cleaned and freshened up, but there’s pictures of two people who gave so much of themselves for me and I didn’t want to change a thing. The hat almost sorted me into Slytherin, you know.”

Snape’s mouth dropped open for a moment. “I ... I had no idea.”

Harry looked down at his shoes for a moment. “I didn’t want to go there. I didn’t like Draco or Crabbe and Goyle. I thought they were rude to Ron and I didn’t want to be in their house. But I learned that a person’s actions are more important than anything else. You taught me that.” Harry turned to Hermione. “I know you don’t like keeping house elves, but they’re really happy when they work for people who are kind to them, right? Like Kreacher, once I gave him that fake locket that Regulus had, remember?”

“Of course. I went a little crazy with S.P.E.W. and tried so hard to do what I thought was right without really thinking of how the house elves would cope with it. Why?”

“I was wondering if you knew how to get a house elf.”

“I think you just ... I don’t know, honestly. Oh! Wait! I remember seeing a house-elf placement agency in Diagon Alley!”

“One can also call out for a house-elf who needs a master,” said Snape softly. “I never saw the need for a house-elf, being that I was only here for very rare occasions. However, it might be prudent to try and find a house-elf in need.” Snape cleared his throat, then spoke very distinctly. “I am in need of a house elf. I will promise to be a good master and will provide a safe home for my elf.”

A pop could be heard, and a squeaky voice addressed them. “Is you needing a house-elf, sir? Just come of age Wixy has and Wixy is needing a good master to serves.”

Snape gazed down at the young house-elf, causing its posture to become subservient. “Wixy? Do I frighten you?”

“You looks like a stern master, good for a young elf like Wixy.”

Snape bent to one knee, so he wouldn’t tower over the two-foot tall house elf. “My name is Severus Snape. This is my –” He stopped. He didn’t know how to explain Harry to the house elf.

“Son. I’m his son, Harry.”

Wixy looked confused. “But how can Harry Potter be Severus Snape’s son?”

“He’s my guardian. He’s been my guardian since my birth parents died. He’s kind of like a father to me. Is that okay, Wixy?”

“Is correct, Severus Snape? You is Harry Potter’s guardian?”

“Yes.”

“Cousin Dobby has said great things of Harry Potter, and if Severus Snape is Harry Potter’s guardian, then Wixy would consider it a great honor to serve Master Snape.”

“Dobby was your cousin, Wixy?”

“Dobby is Wixy’s cousin, Master Harry!”

Harry frowned. News of Dobby’s death must not have reached his family yet.

“Very good, Wixy. You may find a pillowcase or tea towel of your choosing to wear. I’m not giving it to you, mind, but you may borrow it.”

Wixy gave a cheer in his squeaky voice and vanished, returning wearing a sparkling clean pillowcase. “Master, Wixy is ready to serve.”

“Wixy, someone has broken into this house and damaged it. We’ve fixed the damage, but I fear the house might be broken into again. Would you protect the house from all intruders except myself, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and Ginny Weasley?”

“It is my honour to serve good Master Snape and Master Harry Potter.”

Snape smiled and gave Wixy a pat on his shiny bald head. “Thank you, Wixy.”

“Professor? Is there a greengrocer nearby? I could go and fetch some food for a luncheon.”

“There’s a small shop down the road about a quarter of a mile, then two streets over to the right.”

“I’ll go with you,” Ron said, following behind her. “We’ll be careful.”

“I trust Hermione to keep you out of trouble, Ron,” Harry said with a laugh.

As Ron and Hermione headed out the door, Snape motioned for Harry to come sit with him. “Harry, we must be vigilant. I didn’t believe anyone save Narcissa Malfoy and Bellatrix LeStrange, and of course Wormtail knew where I lived. It can’t be mere coincidence that this place was attacked. Someone is clearly enraged that I am alive and that I was a double agent against the Dark Lord. I am not concerned for myself. I have lived a long time amongst snakes and vipers, and have learned a good lesson at the Dark Lord’s hand. I fear for those who are becoming close to me. You, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville ... I fear for your safety, all of you.”

Harry gazed unwaveringly into Snape’s black eyes. “I don’t. I’ve spent the last years of my life worrying about Voldemort killing me and watching those who protected me die. I’m not worried about what’s left of his army. We stood defiant against him at the last, and we won ... thanks to your subterfuge and courage.” Harry’s eyes widened. “Now I understand why you were so livid when I called you a coward ... you had just saved Draco from committing murder and you had been forced to kill Dumbledore who, despite all he had asked of you, had been your friend. Oh god, Severus ... I’m so sorry.”

“I still saw you as James’ son then and I hated my role. I hated being around the Dark Lord. I hated having to kill Dumbledore. I hated being what I was, and I hated knowing what was bound to come next.”

“Why didn’t you turn me in for using your potions book? You knew I had it. You knew I lied to you. Why didn’t you?”

Snape looked down at his hands. “You used the sectumsempra curse and when you saw what it did to Draco, you were horrified. You didn’t know what to do. I felt your grief at what you’d done and I came running. I knew then that if you had been like James, you’d have tried to talk your way out of it, protesting that Draco had started it – which he did, of course – instead of feeling sick about harming him. Had you known the counter curse, I know you would have used it. That made me realize you were Lily’s son too, and you had, perhaps more of her in you than James.

“I want you to know I don’t hate your father, Harry. I should have let go of the bitterness. I should have grown up, but I felt so lost and alone. I had nobody in my life after graduation from Hogwarts. My parents were gone. I never knew any other family. Lily had married James. I felt bereft and empty. I was insecure, isolated and felt like I was worthless. Voldemort made me feel important and needed, but I realized too late that he didn’t need or want people, he just wanted to use people to help him achieve what he wanted – absolute control of everything he saw, immortality and the subjugation of muggles and muggle born alike. He wanted to stamp out any part of his muggle father and I felt the same back then. My father hated that my mother was a witch and they fought constantly while a scrawny, pale black-haired boy cowered and cried, and was often the object of his rage.

“But your forgiveness, and those at Hogwarts, has eased the pain of those old memories. Had I but known how your blood relatives had treated you ....”

“It wouldn’t have mattered, Severus. I had to stay there. It was part of Dumbledore’s protection on me. Dumbledore had it worked out to the finest, minute detail. The only thing he didn’t anticipate was Tom turning on you.”

“Tom?”

“Voldemort. I don’t care what he called himself, in the end, he was just Tom Riddle Jr. lying there dead. It proves he was mortal.”

“What did they do with his body?”

“Burned it. Burned it in the hottest Fiendfyre they could muster. They wanted to destroy the books on horcruxes, but I said they should just move them to the headmaster’s office and keep them there under enchantments. I think I’m going to talk to Hermione about writing a book on how to destroy them, so if anyone decides they want to be like him in the future, people won’t have to struggle like we did trying to destroy them. I’d just make one for Hogwarts.”

“I wish I could have helped you more, Harry. You were out there, all alone, without much to go on and I was, at least, safe within the castle.”

“You had to be there, Severus. I shudder to think what would have happened if those ghastly Carrows would have been left to their own devices. I saw Neville ... I know how he’d been battered, and I know how you took care of Ginny by sending her to Hagrid.”

Snape stared out the kitchen window from the sitting room. “I know how it feels to love deeply, to worry about them and how it feels to lose them. I couldn’t save Charity Burbage. God knows I wanted to, and how it sickened me that I had to sit there and watch her die, but Ginny and the other students I could protect. They didn’t like it, hated me for it, but there was nothing more I could do. You had to have time to find the horcruxes.”

Harry remained silent, but put his hand over Snape’s when Harry had noticed it was curled into a ball, the knuckles white as bleached bone. Snape’s eyes tracked to Harry’s hand, seeing the white scars spelling out “I mustn’t tell lies” and he unclenched his fists. “At the time, I couldn’t have cared less had the Dark Lord killed you and your father. Dumbledore told me I disgusted him. He was right to say I disgusted him. All I cared about was Lily’s life ... that if she lived, I might have a second chance. But I told him to hide you all, and promised him anything in return, I truly believed you’d all be safe. Then Wormtail ... cowardly rat he truly was ... betrayed them for want of greatness, and when the curse rebounded, he hid ... murdering innocents just to save his miserable hide, sending Black to prison for his own deeds. When I saw you in your crib, eyes curious and oblivious to what had just happened, after I cradled Lily in my arms and wept for her, I grabbed you without hesitation and spirited you to Dumbledore. We altered Hagrid’s memory so he believes it was he who transported you to Hogwarts. Once you were safely away, I wallowed in my grief, at my anger, at the hatred of life that was so unfair.”

“I know you told Dumbledore that you wished you were dead. I agreed with him. What would be the point in that? You told me once that life wasn’t fair. You’re right. It’s not. But sometimes, life gives us a chance, a way to make things a little better. I’m here because I want to be here, not out of merely gratitude or respect or because I owe you a life-debt. I’m here because of who you really are. You’re flawed, as we all are, but even through all the bitterness, you showed love for my mother and eventually, you came to care for me as well.”

Snape’s eyes were more alight with reflections than usual and Harry knew he was trying to keep his emotions reined in. Harry embraced him as readily as he would have Ron, Dumbledore, Neville or Sirius. Snape wept softly, the tears welling in his eyes, but refusing to fall. “I hope you don’t have an inclination to vomit,” Harry uttered softly.

That struck Snape as comical and he laughed and cried at the same time. “Bless you, Harry. You are far too good to me.”

“I think my mum would have wanted me to be good to you, especially after all we’ve been through. If it weren’t for your contact with Tom and your extensive knowledge of the dark arts, we may well have been lost.”

“I’m just happy you care for me, Harry. It’s far more than I deserve. You really are Lily’s boy, but that’s not why I care about you Harry. I’ve been protecting you for so long, and you’re a remarkable young man.”

Just then, Ron and Hermione reappeared with arms filled with groceries. “It’s not the fanciest market, but there’s enough there for simple fare. I got some ingredients for a stew. Sound good to everyone?”

“Sounds great,” said Harry from the sitting room.

“Professor Snape? Do you know if there are any cook pots in the kitchen?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know, Hermione. If not, I can conjure a cauldron.”

“I’ll check.”

Hermione went in and started rummaging through the kitchen and was met by Wixy. “Wixy will makes the stew if Mistress Hermione will allows Wixy to do so. It would be an honor to helps Mister Harry Potter and his friends.”

Hermione didn’t get much of a chance as the house elf took the parcels from them and began to magically prepare food. Hermione had been misguided in her attempts to free the house elves. Dobby had been a very rare example of a free-thinking house elf, and the Malfoys had treated him abominably.

“Well, Wixy has that under control. So, Harry, I think we should start planning your birthday party. You don’t turn eighteen every year.”

Harry laughed. “You don’t turn any age but once a year!”

She laughed with him and smacked him on the arm. “You know what I mean! Who do you want to invite?”

“Well, all the Weasleys of course, and Fleur, Hagrid, Neville, Luna ... well, that’s it. Can’t invite anyone else ... they’re gone.”

“Let’s see, Mum, Dad, Ginny, Bill and Fleur, Percy, George, me, Ginny, Hermione, Hagrid, Neville and Luna ... that’s lucky thirteen.”

“And of course, me, Severus and possibly Miss Evans.”

Snape blushed softly as Hermione smiled knowingly. “I do hope so! She’s very nice. I met her in the hallway. So that’s sixteen. I wonder if the other professors might want to come.”

“I will ask Minerva, Filius, Horace and Pomona. They might enjoy a festivity after the past year’s events. So that will be an additional four so twenty total. Are you sure you want to have it here, Harry?”

“Absolutely. We should invite Neville’s gram too. She was a supporter and his birthday’s just a few days before mine.”

“So, preparations for twenty one,” Hermione said. “I’m looking forward to this. We haven’t had much chance or reason to celebrate lately and this is what Sirius, Lupin and the others would want.”

“Master, friends, lunch is ready,” said Wixy from the kitchen.

Snape rose from the sofa and made his way to the kitchen, catching the scent of the stew, his mouth watering. “Wixy, that smells delicious.”

“Mistress Hermione picks good things for Wixy to use in cookings. Wixy hopes you enjoy!”

Snape walked in and pulled out Hermione’s chair, then pushed it in when she sat. “A sure way to impress a lady is to do just that,” she said. “Make note.”

Once everyone else had been seated, Snape himself sat. Wixy popped around the table, heaping stew in bowls he’d miraculously found. They ate and chatted amongst themselves, Snape asking questions about what Harry might like for his birthday meal and what he might like as a gift.

“I’d like to get to Ollivander’s. I need a new wand. This one’s okay, but it’s not really mine. Truthfully, I don’t even know whose wand it is.”

“Ollivander’s is back in business,” Snape offered. “The place looks good as new. We-you could go in and get a new wand. It won’t be phoenix feather, I’m afraid.”

“I’m sure whatever wand chooses me will be good. But I would like it if you’d come along when I do.”

“Of course,” Snape said, sounding pleased.

Once lunch was done and the dishes cleared, they walked through the house once more to make sure everything was intact, and bidding Wixy farewell, they disapparated, appearing once more on the outskirts of Hogsmeade.

“Are you able to withstand my carrying you again, Hermione?”

“Of course, Severus. It was actually quite pleasant. I’m ready whenever you are.”

Harry and Ron mounted their brooms, and Hermione slid her arms around Snape’s neck. “Here we go.”

Snape’s form shifted to the smoke-like shape and he lifted into the air, soaring and drifting over the treetops, flanked on either side by Harry and Ron. Once within school grounds, they landed and headed back towards the castle.

Hermione and Ron waved as they headed off to enjoy time alone while Harry walked with Snape up to the Gryffindor common room and then to Snape’s apartment.

“I’m going to like living in your house, Professor Snape,” Harry said. “It’s way better than the Dursley’s place.”

“You’ll have to remember that I’ve been alone for most of my life, Potter, and being such, I might forget myself and behave as I had in prior years. I can’t always promise to be pleasant, but if I’m not, just remind me to be the man Lily would have wanted me to be.”

“I will, sir. I’ll head out so you can get ready for your date.”

“Thank you, Harry.”