Hello Harry!

How are you? How has your summer been? Sorry I haven’t written sooner – Hermione said we should give you time to “adjust to your new situation”. Personally I think she’s gone round the bend a bit – I mean, you have been with Snape since before Christmas! But she threatened to tell Mum that I wouldn’t give you “some space to breathe”, so I waited. Every man for himself, right mate? Anyway, hope things are cool where you are. What’s it like, anyway? Does Snape live in a cave? I guess it can’t be too bad though, his rooms at Hogwarts sounded decent enough.

So when are you able to come for a visit? A sleepover would be wicked!

Let me know,

Ron

Harry grinned down at the parchment. His first letter from his friends! He was wondering when they would write; it was impossible to guess how long mail by owl actually took, now that he thought about it.

As excited as he was to receive the letter, he had to admit that he was quietly grateful to Hermione. While what Ron said was true, he had been staying at Snape’s since before Christmas, it still wasn’t the same. That had been part time, like visiting. He wondered if that’s what the kids back in Primary with divorced parents felt like.

Taking the letter from his friend, Harry put on his slippers and robe and ran into the kitchen where he knew Snape would be having his morning tea.

"Sir! Sir! I got a letter from Ron!"

"How very thrilling Mr. Potter."

"It really is!" he agreed, too excited to sense the sarcasm in the older man's voice. More quietly he added, "I've never had a letter like this before."

That seemed to surprise his guardian, who glanced up at Harry with raised eyebrows. "Surely you must have received letters at Hogwarts during the past year. The wizarding public is known for its tendencies towards fawning worship after all."

"Oh. Well yeah, but it's not the same. None of those letters were from friends."

"I suppose that would be true, as all of your friends were at school with you. However, surely Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger had indicated that they would write to you when the year ended."

"Oh. Well sure. I just didn't know if they really would."

"Well, it would seem that they were as honest and loyal as a pair of Hufflepuffs, no surprise there. The polite thing to do Harry, is to send a letter back to your friend with minimal delay. Does he have an owl waiting in your room?"

"No, Hedwig brought it. I was wondering where she'd gotten to. How did she know to go to the Burrow to collect a letter in the first place?"

"You must be the lucky companion of one of the smarter owls about. The truth is, she wouldn't have known, per se, rather she was just being diligent, checking on your friends to see if they had anything for you. Have you ever lent her to Mr. Weasley or Miss Granger to use to write to their parents?"

"Yeah. I mean, neither of them have owls, right?"

Gryffindor logic at its best, to be sure.

“Well, there you have your explanation. I suggest you may want to send a letter back today.”

“I will, but I have to ask you a question first before I can. Ron wants to know if I’ll come for a visit. He suggested a sleepover! Can I?”

For a brief moment Severus couldn’t help but feel a stab of irrational jealousy towards the boy. Even if his only childhood friend hadn’t been a girl, sleepovers would never have been in the cards. His parents would never have allowed him to sleep away from home (“It’s undignified. You’ll stay here where you belong.” Hogwart’s of course, being the exception), and he certainly would never have invited anyone into his own house, given the state of his family. Even now he shuddered at the very idea.

“I must speak with Molly Weasley before I decide.”

“But Ron said she said it was okay!” Harry knew he was whinging, but he couldn’t keep it out of his voice.

“I‘m sure he did, and I’m sure she did. I would still prefer to discuss the particulars with her in person rather than via owls and children.”

“But I really want to go! I’ve never slept at a friend’s house before.” He decided to ignore the slightly annoying pitch of his own voice. Instead he added for good measure, “I’ve never had a friend before…”

His guardian just frowned at him thoughtfully, before saying “That’s enough Harry. I have not said no, I simply stated that I needed to discuss the idea with Mr. Weasley’s parents.”

“But I don’t understand.” Harry said, without even a hint of a whine this time. “What’s to discuss? You say ‘yes’, I go, I sleep, I come home. The end.”

“I assure you that it’s significantly more involved than that. I must know drop off and pick up times, ensure that an adult will be present at all times, inquire whether there is anything you are to bring, and so on…”

“Oh. I didn’t realize everyone did all that for a sleep over.”

“Not everyone does.” But I do was left unsaid, but Harry understood. This was the man’s way of looking out for him.

“Thanks.”

“Do not thank me yet, I haven’t said ‘yes’ either.” And with that final word, Severus tried desperately to ignore the cheeky grin that Harry shot him from across the table.

He waited several hours before floo-calling the Burrow, snatching an opportune moment as the boy was napping in his room. “Weasley Residence!”

It took several moments before his call was noticed amidst the hubbub of the Burrow, but once it was, Molly Weasley’s surprised response came through loud and clear.

“Professor Snape! How surprising to hear from you. I trust your holidays are going well?”

“They are satisfactory, thank you for asking. I am calling to follow up on a letter your youngest son has recently written to Mr. Potter.”

“Oh dear, I do hope our Ron hasn’t written anything to offend you or Harry?”

“No, nothing of that nature. He did, however, extend an invitation to Mr. Potter to spend the night at your home. You were aware of the invitation I hope?”

“Of course! We’d be delighted to have Harry come stay for a night or two.”

“I’d like to discuss it with you. Would you mind stepping through?”

“Certainly, just give me a moment to finish up a few things and I’ll be right there.”

Good as her word, Mrs. Weasley stepped out of the fire place less than five minutes later, without a speck of dirt on her. Severus was impressed. He did not show it.

“Thank you for coming on such short notice. I wanted to speak to you about your invitation to Harry.”

“I did get that much, yes.” Snape appreciated the sarcasm, if not the warm smile that accompanied the words.

“Harry would like to accept your invitation, but before we do, I have some concerns.”

“Of course. I will address them all if I can.”

“First, I assume that you or Arthur will be present the entire time?”

“Yes, we will.”

“Shall I drop him off early, or do you prefer after dinner?”

“Early is fine, it’ll give the boys more time together.”

“Does he need to bring anything? A sleeping bag perhaps?”

“Not at all, I’ll just add a cot to Ronald’s room.”

“If you agree, I shall drop him off in two days time, after breakfast.”

“That sounds perfectly fine. If that’s all...?”

“It is not, I’m afraid. More important than all that, there are things you need to know. I realize perhaps you believe me to be overreacting to a simple visit between the boys, however Harry is...fragile.”

Molly’s face took on a deeper look of concern. “How *is* Harry, Severus? Ron has told us about the attack by those other boys, and that he had come to stay with you, but we know little else.”

“As it should be, if I may say so. Everyone in the wizarding world has their eye on the Boy Who Lived, and his privacy must be guarded. What you have heard regarding the attack is true. About Potter’s living conditions, I will say only this. He had to be removed from the care of his relatives for his own well-being. I’m sure you can extrapolate from there.”

Severus allowed a moment for his words to sink in. He knew they had when Molly’s only reply was a very grim sounding “I see.”

“He would not be pleased that you know, nor that I referred to him in such a way, but there are realities here that may in fact come into play if he spends the night. He has nightmares. Brutal ones. I have made some progress with him in this regard, and he’s become used to talking to me about them after he wakes. However when we first – grew in acquaintance – he would be very agitated and fearful after a bad dream. Anxious enough to apologize for fear of a reprimand for waking me. He has had night time accidents on occasion as a result of his fears. This is very rare, and has not happened in several months, but I can not account for how he will be at the Burrow.

This is his first real time away from his new circumstances, and as he is prone to reminding me, his first sleepover. Suffice it to say that you should be prepared for anything. He may revel in being away from the Greasy Git of the Dungeons -- ”

“Now, Severus, I hardly think that he -- ”

“OR, he may become wildly anxious at separation and descend into a fearful, dissociative state. At which point I expect you to call me.”

“Well of course!”

“I trust that I have made the situation clear to you?”

“You were never one for mincing words, and that has not changed.”

“I would understand if you would like to rescind your invitation.”

“I would never. Harry needs all the support he can get, and frankly the sooner he has an opportunity to experience something normal and average for a child his age, the sooner he’ll adjust. It’s best not to throw him in over his head, though. We should leave it to just one night for the moment I’d say.”

“Agreed. In two days time then, if you are amenable.”

“In two days then. We look forward to it. And you have nothing to worry about Professor, I have seven children after all. Harry will be in good hands.”

Severus felt himself stiffen automatically at the charge. “I am not worried, I am merely being thorough.”

“Oh please, who do you think you’re fooling?”

And with a laugh, Molly Weasley went back through the floo, leaving Snape to grimace at her back through the flames.