Disclaimer: Everything you recognize from Harry Potter is property of J.K. Rowling. The characters Professor Enyami, Professor June, Professor Joa, Raven, Lex, and any other characters you don't recognize are mine.
Chapter 22 - End of the Year
Harry and Severus woke the next morning to Dumbledore chuckling softly. Harry ended up on the floor from being startled by Severus waking up to quickly. The entire situation made Dumbledore laugh harder.
"Ow!" Harry said when realized what happened. "Hey!"
"Harry, I do believe your friends are looking for you. You might want to go reassure them that you are safe," Dumbledore said. Harry just got up and walked into the bathroom. Dumbledore turned to a scowling Severus. "I assume you have read yesterday's Prophet?"
"Unfortunately, yes. With Malfoy it is only to be expected," he grumbled. "He needs to be in some position of power. To get that position, he is willing to make himself look weak." Dumbledore nodded.
"Harry! Where have you been!" Hermione asked.
"I fell asleep in Severus' rooms. Sorry, guys," he told Hermione, Ron and Ginny as he sat down and piled food on his plate.
"Really! We thought that Snape changed his mind and decided to use you for some potion or something!" Ron exclaimed, which got glares from Hermione and Ginny. "Okay," Ron relented. "I thought he did. He just took you and then never came back! What do you expect me to think?"
"We just had some things to talk about," Harry said. "Hermione, I'm sorry for ignoring you. I guess I felt you and Severus were ignoring me. . ."
"Harry, we were doing the research for you!"
"I know. It's just . . . I don't know how to explain it."
"That's okay, Harry. I understand. I wasn't ignoring you on purpose. It's just . . . research, you know," Hermione said quietly."
"I know, Hermione."
"Well, now that we are all happy with each other again, let's go do something. Anyone up for a game of quidditch? I checked, and no one is using the field right now."
"I don't know . . ." Hermione said.
"Oh, come on 'Mione! Flying isn't that bad!"
"Yeah, I know," she said slowly. She was starting to get use to be pulled into quidditch games. She was getting better, but she preferred reading to the games. "You guys can. I think I'm going to work on my potions project. I'm almost done, and I want to turn it in early."
"Hermione! It's Saturday! Do it tomorrow!"
"Well, I'm going to go put on clean clothes. I'll meet you guys in the quidditch pitch?"
"Yeah. Drag along anyone you find. We only have . . ." Ron counted, "three of us who are willing to play. We need at least one more person!"
"Having trouble counting today, Ron?" Harry teased before he got up and left, leaving a blushing Ron and a laughing Hermione and Ginny behind. When Harry arrived on the pitch, he was surprised to see thirteen people instead of the two he expected.
"Okay, Harry, you're finally here! You're seeker on my team," Ron said as soon as he spotted Harry. The game went on for quite awhile – past lunch – and attracted almost half the students and teachers for a least part of the time. By the time that Harry caught the snitch (which Harry believed didn't stay in the pitch), it was well past two in the afternoon. Surprisingly, McGonagall allowed the fourteen players to eat late in the Great Hall.
Easter break came up fast. The wizarding world outside of Hogwarts was hectic. Voldemort was up to something, that was for sure. There weren't a lot Death Eater attacks, but when there were, it was for a good reason. Azkaban had been raided again, so there were very few Death Eaters left there. Because of the danger, a curfew was in place for Diagon Alley, Hogsmede, and all mostly-wizarding communities.
The elections were happening in a month, and the entire wizarding world was split almost perfectly between the three candidates. The ones that wanted Fudge in office mostly wanted it because they felt a change in leadership shouldn't happen in the middle of a war. Most of these were the ones that wanted Harry Potter under the custody of Fudge instead of his father.
The wizards and witches who supported Shacklebolt wanted him in office because of his auror history. There argument was that they needed someone who knew how to handle you-know-who, and who better than an auror?
Then there was those who support Drima. Most of them didn't know why, really. He did seem like the best candidate for 'normal' times, meaning, when not in a war. Of course, no one could figure out who he supported in the war. He was constantly talking about protecting people from Voldemort – he even says his name! – but nothing about how to defeat him. No one knew his views on muggles, and wizards, muggleborns and purebloods. But one third of the people supported him.
Inside Hogwarts, it was pretty calm, not including the fifth and seventh years who had O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s to worry about. Hogsmede weekends were canceled for everyone but those who were already seventeen, which caused an uproar with the younger students.
The D.A. actually grew as the danger of Voldemort grew. Before Christmas holiday, there were about 100 in the defense club . . . and about 300 before Easter holiday. They had to split it up over three days a week instead of one.
Everyone had to admit that with Professor Snape being the Defense teacher they learned much more. He was a strict as he was in potions, and for the most part, the students still hated him, but they were learning something. Of course, there was more homework in the class than there ever was before.
Most of the time, Harry wasn't required to go to DADA class because of all the extra time he put into the DA and him extra lessons. He only went to the classes in which they were working on dueling. A lot of the students who weren't in the DA just assumed it was because he was the Harry Potter, not realizing he knew everything that Severus was teaching in the class anyway. Others were just mad at this. They believed he was getting special treatment for being Professor Snape's son. No one said anything about that, though. Everyone was still afraid of Snape.
"Mr. and Miss Drima, I am disappointed in both of you," Severus said, turning to face the siblings. "I expect better of my students. Especially you two. I am afraid I have to take points off. Ten points each, and a detention with Filch. Now would you care to explain?"
Raven and Lex were silent for awhile, and Professor Snape glared at him. Finally, Raven spoke up.
"My father wanted me to, Professor. I needed to get the letter to him!"
"And what was so urgent that couldn't wait until the next morning?"
"Professor," Lex interrupted. "Our father requires her to write to him every three days. You see, last year at our other school . . . well, you see . . ." Lex trailed off.
"Yes?" he asked, turning his gaze to the fifth year girl.
"I had a . . . problem with a teacher. I really don't want to talk about it, sir," Raven said. Severus nodded, a lot of rather unpleasant scenarios running through him head.
"Next time, come to me and I will escort you to the owlry. Get back to your dormitories."
Harry stopped in front of the mirror. He hadn't looked at himself for the past month. It was rather disconcerting to see something about your body change slightly. Right now, he didn't really recognize himself. He brushed his bangs aside, checking for the scar. It was still there, proving it really was him in the mirror.
"Something wrong, Harry?" Severus asked, walking up behind him, grabbing a comb.
"I look so different," Harry answered.
"You look no different than yesterday," stated his father.
"Yeah, but I look a lot different from last time I looked in the mirror. I look almost exactly like you," he answered, which earn an odd look from the older wizard.
"You look a lot like me and your mother. And when was that?"
"I don't know. A long time ago."
"Harry . . ." Severus sighed.
"I'm just saying . . . it's weird. I mean, I looked like one person my whole life, up until recently. I don't even recognize myself anymore. When I passed the mirror today, I almost pulled out my wand on myself! It's as if who I am keeps changing. First, I was just a freak, someone who had no one to care. I went from that to the boy-who-lived, the famous Harry Potter. Now . . . now, I just don't know anymore."
Severus didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say. Finally, he said all he could.
"I understand, Harry," he said, combing his son's now straight hair off to the side.
"Hey!"
"Your hair kept getting in your eyes. It might not bother you, but I find it especially annoying."
"Then don't look!" Harry said, recovering his forehead. "I don't like my scar showing."
"Then you are getting a hair cut after this stupid ceremony is done."
"Fine," Harry relented, knowing he needed one. "So, who did you vote for?"
"Who do you think?"
"Shacklebolt?"
"Of course. He's in the Order."
"I figured so. Who do you think won? And why don't they just announce it when they know? Why wait a month?" Harry asked, and Severus sighed.
"What is with all your questions today, Harry? They don't want anyone to know before the new minister is in office. Probably for the Minister's safety. As for who won, I have to idea."
"Oh. I hope it's Shacklebolt."
"Are you ready?"
"I guess. Why do we have to go?"
"Because. Anyway, it's your first time in public being the famous Harry Potter-Snape."
"Some answer," Harry grumbled. "And please, don't use the word famous."
"We'll be flooing to Hogwarts, then walking to Hogsmede. It's too light out to be seen walking out of headquarters," Severus said, ignoring Harry.
"Okay," Harry answered. "Do you have a house?"
"What?"
"Do you have a house? I mean, you couldn't have lived at Hogwarts and here your whole life."
"Yes, I do. Two, actually. One of them, I lived in the entire time I was a Death Eater, or a spy. The second one, I inherited from my mother when she died. I haven't been there in a very long time."
"Oh. So no one knows about it?"
"Not many."
"So, then, wouldn't we be safe there?"
"Why?"
"I don't know. I don't really like it here. I know Sirius left it to me, but it's so . . . dark. And too many memories."
"I suppose it would be safe there, if wards were put up. Come on, let's go. I don't like being late."
"Welcome, wizards and witches! We will like to introduce you to your new Minister of Magic, Minister Dan Drima!" Applause. After the ceremony, Severus and Harry went to find a place to get Harry's hair cut.
"So, is there a reason you haven't been to your other home?" Harry asked as they walked.
"I haven't needed to."
"Do you want to?"
"I would like to see how it is faring," agreed Severus.
"So, can we go?"
"Sometime," answered Severus. "Come on, we can't stay in Hogsmede for too long."
Okay, this Severitus part is finished. The overall story continues in It's Mutual 2.
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