1976

Severus lay on his back at the top of the Astronomy Tower, his fingers trailing close to Lily’s, but not touching them. Lily turned her head from the stars dotting the dark sky. She smiled when their eyes met.

“Thanks, Sev,” she said softly. “I knew you would understand what I meant.”

Severus nodded as he watched her green irises catch the starlight. He understood perfectly why Lily had told Collins that she wasn’t ready to take their relationship any further than the few snogging sessions they’d shared in the dustiest section of the library. Lily didn’t love the Ravenclaw.

As if anyone could love a Ravenclaw…

“You were right to end the relationship,” he told her and was graced with another smile.

His eyes traced the gentle downward curve of her lip as she turned her head away and spoke, “He was rather sore over it.”

Severus felt a surge of irritation at that. “Sore?”

Lily glanced at him, her lips slowly melting into a smile once more. “He took his necklace back… and he asked Margaret to the Spring Ball.”

Severus’ eyebrows rose sharply, and Lily laughed, the soft tinkling breaking over the otherwise soundless night.

“Don’t worry, she refused.”

Severus nodded.

“Have you changed your mind about attending the Ball?” Lily asked after a moment, and Severus’ heart increased its tempo briefly. But Severus knew that she didn’t mean the words as he wished she would. It was a friendly inquiry, nothing more.

“I have far too much studying to accomplish before the summer,” he answered quietly, his eyes on the stars once more. He could sense Lily’s gaze so he shifted his head toward her.

“So you’ve decided to accept Daniel Virala’s offer of an apprenticeship then?”

“Yes.”

“Your father agreed?” Lily asked softly, her eyes narrowing in concern.

“I convinced him that my talents could be put to good use...”

Lily’s fingers brushed his arm and a slight shiver coursed along Severus’ skin.

“Who will you attend with?” he asked to distract himself. The slow loss of Lily’s fingers made his chest ache briefly, but he focused on her eyes and the feeling abated.

Lily sighed. “It feels spoiled now,” she said with a shrug. “Maybe I’ll just study with you.”

Severus warred briefly with the silent shout of agreement that wanted to shoot past his lips. “I would certainly enjoy your company,” he said, a small smile the only evidence of his very real pleasure at the idea.

Lily smiled. “It’s a date then,” she said. She squeezed Severus’ hand, her eyes holding his. Severus’ heart pounded erratically and then Lily was once more staring up at the sky. Startled to find that Lily had not removed her hand, Severus stayed very still, wanting to keep that small gift for as long as he could.

--

1997

The roar of the Floo woke Harry up from a dream-infested sleep. Most of which had involved Eileen’s face superimposed over Ginny’s. Harry turned his head toward the wall and smashed the pillow over his face as he tried to banish the images from his mind. He didn’t even want to think about the psychological significance of that.

Levi gave an indignant squeak—probably at being dislodged from his place on Harry’s pillow—but Harry just buried his face into the mattress.

“Why is Draco Malfoy’s head floating in the Headmaster’s Floo?”

Harry’s brow furrowed as he dragged his pillow back off his head. Severus, his own hair akimbo as he in stood in his bare feet and dressing gown with a sloppily-tied knot around its waist, gazed down at him with a disgruntled frown.

“Huh?” was all Harry could come up with.

“Draco apparently wishes to speak with you. About Quidditch…?”

It took Harry a moment to remember that he’d agreed to go the Quidditch World Cup with Draco yesterday. “Why didn’t he just use our Floo?” he asked as he sat up. “What time is it?”

“It is not yet eight o’clock… and he has not been granted access,” Severus reminded him impatiently, retying his belt as he spoke.

“Right.” Harry sighed and swung his legs over the edge of the bed.

“Where are you going?”

Harry paused with his foot halfway into his trainer. “Erm… Dumbledore’s office?” He half-smiled as his father frowned. “I’ll take Levi with me, just in case.”

“Albus is there,” Severus pointed out, apparently not in the mood for levity after three hours of sleep. “And exactly what do you have to say to Draco about Quidditch?” he asked with a raised eyebrow as Harry shrugged his arms out of his button-up shirt—he’d fallen asleep with last night’s clothes on.

“I sort of told him I’d go to the World Cup with him…” Harry grimaced as his father’s eyebrows swept up to his fringe. Fumbling for a tee shirt in his bureau, and rejecting the green one Ginny liked so well, Harry tried to explain, “I wasn’t really paying attention when he asked me. I’ll just go tell him I can’t.”

Severus regarded him silently while Harry pulled a blue shirt on. Ginny had never remarked on that particular color bringing out his eyes, at least.

“Do you wish to go?” Severus finally inquired, once Harry had beckoned Levi to him and waited for the kylaria to settle on his shoulder.

“Not with Draco,” Harry said automatically.

Severus pursed his lips; it was perfectly clear what he was thinking. Without Ron and Ginny, who was he going to go with? Hermione certainly didn’t like Quidditch enough…

Harry swallowed, ignoring the burning along the back of his throat. “I’ll be right back,” he murmured.

“I believe Lupin would be interested in an invitation,” his father interrupted his exit. “And I have never attended a World Cup Match.”

Harry bit the inside of his cheek to still the tingling spread in his throat. “You haven’t?”

Severus shook his head. “I realize that it will not be nearly as enjoyable as it would be with your friends…” His fingers lifted slightly in a shrug.

Harry shook his head. It took him an extra few seconds to respond through the catch in his throat. “Sounds brilliant.”

Severus’ eyes smiled. “The Floo is open to the headmaster’s office,” he said, nodding toward the sitting room.

Harry nodded and turned toward the door. “Dad?” he said, pausing and swiveling his head back around. “You’re not really going to go speak to the Weasleys, are you?”

“If you would prefer I do not…”

Harry tried not to let the relief show on his face. “I don’t think it will help anything.” He didn’t add that he didn’t particularly want his dad to fight his battles. Nor did he want Ginny angry with his father, though why that should matter now, he had no idea.

“Very well,” Severus said with a single nod. Harry pressed his lips together as he studied his father’s face.

“Thanks though,” he added softly.

“Go speak with Draco,” Severus said in response, though he did look perfectly at ease.

Harry smiled a little and nodded, and with Levi purring on his shoulder, he went into the sitting room and through the Floo. Dumbledore smiled at him as soon as his feet hit the hearth rug.

“Good morning, Harry. And Levi.”

“Good morning, sir.”

Levi nodded regally.

“If you would step aside, I will retrieve Draco,” Dumbledore said pleasantly as he motioned Harry forward.

“Retrieve him, sir?”

“He is waiting in the network,” Dumbledore explained and with a few swishes of his wand, Draco’s face filled the green flames. “Ah, Draco,” Dumbledore said with another smile, “do step through.”

Draco was peering at Harry with narrowed eyes as soon as he was no longer encased in flames. Looking for bruises, probably…

“I will be just up on the landing above, should you need me,” Dumbledore interrupted the scrutiny. “Help yourselves to breakfast… or a sweet. Oh,” he said, his blue eyes brightening as he slipped a hand into a pocket, “this was delivered to the Great Hall this morning…from Surrey, I believe.”

“Thank you, sir,” Harry murmured as he took the scroll being offered, wishing the note was from Ginny instead. Still smiling, Dumbledore made his way up the small winding staircase to the expansive bookshelves above.

Harry wasn’t the slightest bit interested in breakfast, and since he didn’t particularly want to spend any more time than was necessary with Draco, he stayed near the hearth rug.

“Who do you know in Surrey?”

“My cousin,” Harry answered before he really thought not to. Draco raised his eyebrows at the tidbit, but didn’t comment otherwise.

“What’s that?” Draco asked abruptly, his eyes riveted on Harry’s familiar.

“Levi,” Harry said resignedly, and held out his palm for Levi to occupy. “He’s a kylaria…my familiar.”

“Will he bite?” Draco asked, keeping his nose out of range.

“Only if I tell him to.”

Draco gave him an odd look at that but stretched his fingers toward the kylaria anyway.

“This is Draco,” Harry offered. Levi, it seemed, didn’t know what to make of the blond boy. He didn’t hiss at him, as he had Ron, but neither did he offer his head for a scratch. “He won’t hurt you,” Harry assured his familiar and then hoped he was telling the truth. Levi, ever trusting of his master, stretched his neck forward and allowed a quick pat from Draco. And then he hopped back onto Harry’s shoulder keeping his eyes glued to the young Slytherin. Draco eyed him warily for another moment before returning his attention back to Harry.

“So-” A quick glance for Dumbledore “-how was it?”

Harry stole a glance at the headmaster as well. His nose was buried in a book. “He didn’t do anything,” Harry answered as frankly as he could. Draco’s gaze sharpened. “Lectured me, you know…” Harry tried to sound as casual as he could, even though even that wasn’t the truth. Or at least, his father had never finished his lecture.

Draco stared at him for a long moment before nodding briskly. “I told you, didn’t I?” He nodded again. “My parents,” he began in a slightly haughtier voice, “were very pleased to hear of our plans.”

“Erm,” Harry tried to interrupt, “my father was actually hoping to take me-”

Draco smiled widely. “Perfect. My father would be delighted to host the group, naturally.” He waited expectantly for Harry to thank him.

“Well, I was hoping to bring Remus… Professor Lupin and maybe even Hermione if she wants to come-”

“Professor Lupin would be more than welcome, of course. Any friend of yours, and all that. Even Neville, though I expect he’d rather not.”

“I hadn’t thought of Neville…”

“Well, perhaps Owen then… He was Severus’ favorite before I came along. And he seemed sweet on Hermione, though he’s a bit old for her, isn’t he?” Again, that raised-eyebrow, expectant look that was entirely more disconcerting than it should have been.

“I…” Harry glanced at Dumbledore involuntarily as he tried to figure a way out of this. He caught the headmaster’s eye and immediately wished he hadn’t. Dumbledore’s face practically shone its approval of Draco’s plan.

“I’ll have to make sure it’s all right with my dad,” Harry heard himself saying even before he had torn his eyes away. And as he turned back to meet Draco’s wide smile, he almost took the words back. But what difference did it make if he went along? He was minus his girlfriend and his best mate, not to mention the people he’d considered family for the last six years. Even a day spent with the Malfoys couldn’t be worse than that.

--

Severus was in the shower when he stepped into their rooms ten minutes later, and Harry took the opportunity to burrow back under his covers, with Levi tucked close to his chest. The purring was the only thing keeping him from screaming out every single one of his frustrations.

When he heard the washroom door open and his father’s footsteps treading down the corridor, Harry had a wild hope that his dad would simply continue on to either his own room or straight to his lab. He didn’t of course, and Harry wasn’t particularly surprised when the mattress dipped.

“I take it that your discussion with Draco did not go as planned?”

Harry sighed as he turned from the wall, bringing Levi with him.

“If you do not wish Draco’s company, I will take care of it,” Severus said after Harry told him what had happened, but Harry shook his head. He didn’t wish for Draco’s company, but it wasn’t as if there were any other options at the moment.

“It doesn’t matter,” he said as he stroked Levi’s scaly head. “He’s better than…” He shook his head, not wanting to say ‘nothing’, since he still had his father, and that was certainly enough. “I got another letter from Dudley,” Harry added.

“Did you?” Severus asked, raising an eyebrow. “Was this letter as articulate as his last?”

“Haven’t read it yet,” Harry murmured, unable to find any amusement in the sarcasm.

“I spoke with Mr. August yesterday,” Severus said as he watched Harry’s fingertips pulling against the dragon’s neck as he stroked.

“I saw the two of you talking…”

“I believe it might be best for you to have an activity—or several—to occupy you just now.” The words were accompanied by Severus’ hand on Harry’s brow. “August suggested it to me yesterday… training with the Cannons, now that their season is over for the summer.”

Harry furrowed his brows in confusion, dislodging his father’s hand. “For me, you mean?”

“Yes, he said that the entire team had discussed it. They are apparently very keen on acquiring you as their Seeker.”

Harry went back to absently petting his familiar, whose purring was vibrating through Harry’s skin, buoying him.

“But I haven’t decided yet…”

“No,” Severus agreed. “Choosing to practice with the team will not mean a decision, however, which I made eminently clear to Mr. August.”

Harry only nodded as he puzzled out why he wasn’t giddy at the thought of spending hours playing Quidditch with a professional team. The idea held some appeal, certainly, but nothing even close to what he might have, before last night.

“You need not make an immediate decision,” Severus said as he reached out a long finger to trace the curl of Levi’s tail. He held the golden, triangular tail delicately between thumb and forefinger. “The offer is open indefinitely, Mr. August tells me.”

“Mr. August?” Harry questioned, his tone lightly teasing. “Malfoy said he was your favorite student.”

“Mm,” Severus murmured noncommittally. He released Levi’s tail; it flicked against Harry’s hand. “If you do not wish to the join the practices, there are several other options available.”

“Options?” Harry sat up, only realizing how wary the echo had been when his father smirked.

“An internship at the Ministry if you are so inclined—Albus has vouched for a man named Peter Joseph in the Magical Law Enforcement Office. Or an internship at St. Mungo’s… Healer Blunt offered to arrange it, of course. And Daniel has offered you employment at his shop for the summer...”

“Employment...” Harry had never even considered something like that. Severus shrugged slightly.

“You do not need the money, of course, and I would rather prefer you negotiated an apprenticeship with Daniel if the prospect does interest you.”

Harry felt a little dizzy with all the possibilities, but perhaps it had more to do with the idea that there was only one more year before he would be expected to know what he wanted. Or maybe it was because all he really wanted was to be sitting next to Ginny right now.

Harry let his head fall against the headboard, closing his eyes as he asked, “You can teach me anything about Potions though, can’t you?” Not that Harry had ever considered becoming any sort of Potions master.

“I believe Daniel thought you might be more interested in the business aspect of his work.”

Harry opened his eyes, unable to still his surprise. “I thought he wanted you to become his partner.”

“A father and son going into business together is not unheard of. Though he most likely realizes he will not get his wish, as far as I am concerned.”

Harry gazed at his father thoughtfully. “Why not though? I mean, you don’t really like teaching… do you?” he tacked on, realizing how offensive the comment might be.

“It would not have been my first choice, no.”

“What would have been?”

His father’s black eyes shone with amusement. “A procurer of Potions ingredients.”

Despite himself, that won a smile out of Harry. “Why don’t you agree to partner with Daniel then? Or at least think about it.”

“I have no desire to leave Hogwarts just now.”

“Well… yeah,” Harry said, the reasoning behind that making him feel warm, “but you could think about it for next year.”

“Perhaps.”

They sat comfortably in the ensuing silence, until Harry sighed. “I don’t really want an internship at the Ministry—not right now, or one at St. Mungo’s… not ever, I don’t think.” Harry shrugged as he pictured himself in Daniel’s shop. “And even if I did want to make a go of some sort of shop someday, not there. There aren’t enough windows.”

Far from befuddling his father, Severus nodded and Harry was relieved he didn’t have to explain that that he didn’t want to be trapped in a closed shop in Knockturn Alley all summer.

“Practicing with a professional Quidditch team tempts you though?” Severus asked.

“Sure. It’s the Cannons, and I do miss playing.”

“Then I see no reason why you should not accept the offer.”

Harry nodded slowly. The idea of flying with a team—in practice matches—would be a hell of lot better than chasing after Levi for the rest of the summer. Even if the excitement was dulled by knowledge that he wouldn’t even be able to tell Ron. And Ginny would have been so happy for him…

“Do you think they’ll want me to start today?” Harry asked quickly, not really feeling up to it, but what else was he supposed to do besides sit here and feel sorry for himself?

“Actually, I believe I could use your assistance with the inventory for the remainder of the day,” Severus said.

Confused, Harry’s eyebrows pulled together. His father raised his eyebrow pointedly, his chin angling downward just enough to pin Harry with his gaze. Harry’s gut tingled a little at that, but he nodded quickly.

“Erm… right.”

Severus nodded once before his posture relaxed. “You may, however, send him a letter to tell him you will be at tomorrow’s session.”

“Yeah, all right…” As Harry swung his legs over the edge of the bed, he thought again that he should probably apologize for the way he’d carried on at the Manor. He bit the edge of his lip as he considered it, his eyes on his knees.

A quiet pressure under his chin brought his eyes back up. “Get dressed and then we will have breakfast together.” Harry smiled, the urge to voice his regret draining away. Severus squeezed Harry’s jaw lightly before standing and turning toward the door and leaving him to make his way to the shower.

--

“Done,” Harry announced, setting the last flask of Zzyzzerbeck Oil on the shelf next to its mates. He glanced down at the list of each ingredient he’d ticked off in the last eight hours. “How about your end?”

Severus was counting the vials of Aardvark Toenails. “Fifteen,” he told Harry over his shoulder, and Harry added a fifteen and a tick to the box next to Aardvark Toenails.

“That completes the inventory, then,” Harry said.

“Excellent,” Severus said as he turned. He took the list Harry handed over, his eyes scanning it. “I will need to draft an order for Daniel…”

“I’ll draw it up for you,” Harry offered, holding his hand out for the long scroll. His father, looking pleased, gave it over and followed Harry out the door and back into the classroom. Severus rifled through several other parchments on his desk and handed another sheet to Harry as Harry inked his quill and sat at one of the tables.

“Thanks,” Harry murmured, glancing at the list of additional ingredients. “I’ll have Hedwig take this along with my letter for Dudley after dinner. What time are Remus and Tonks expecting us?”

“At six-thirty,” Severus answered absently, already engrossed in one of his potions manuals. “Add Indian Flower to the list, if you would.”

Harry did, concentrating between the three lists so that he wouldn’t forget anything. “Do we need anything for the Repelling Potion?”

“Asphodel,” his father answered without pausing to think about it.

“Right,” Harry murmured as he jotted that down as well. “I used the last of it when I fouled up the last attempt…”

His father’s lips quirked, but otherwise didn’t comment. Harry continued on with the list, his hand just beginning to cramp up as he scrawled the final two requests.

“Isn’t there a spell I could have used?” he asked as he flexed his fingers.

“There is.” Severus checked over the list before spinning it into a neat roll and securing it with a deep blue ribbon. “It is extremely complex, however.”

Harry nodded as he tucked the scroll in his pocket, next to the one he’d written for Dudley. “Maybe you can show it to me next time.”

“Certainly,” Severus said quickly, and Harry didn’t miss the crinkling satisfaction around his father’s eyes.

They were in Remus’ rooms shortly afterward, and Harry found his own mood lifted by his godson, who spent most of the evening chewing a fist and gazing up a Harry.

“Flying with the Cannons!” Tonks exclaimed once Harry had detailed his plans for her and Remus. “You must be awfully excited.”

Harry wasn’t, not really, but he nodded anyway. He saw Remus exchange glances with his father, but found it difficult to resent. He’d be worried about himself too, if he’d had the energy for it.

“I think they’ll have you signed by summer’s end,” Tonks said with a cheery smile as she set a tea service on the low table in front of the settee.

“They don’t need a new Seeker yet,” Harry told her, smiling a little at Sirius as he gripped Harry’s finger in his little fist. “And I’ve got a whole year before I could accept anyway.” The prospect of that was entirely disheartening now. It would be like fourth year all over again, with Ron ignoring him… except that this time, he’d be missing Ginny as well. Too bad he couldn’t join the team now…

“The practices will be exhilarating enough on their own, I should think,” Remus said, smiling gently at Harry; Harry nodded silently as he concentrated on Sirius’ brown eyes watching him.

“When do you plan to return to work?” Severus asked, turning everyone’s attention to Tonks. Harry relaxed a bit then, and let the conversation float around him. It was easy enough to do, as long as he didn’t really let himself think too much beyond wondering how long it would be until he could elicit a smile from his tiny godson.

--

The next morning, Harry stumbled out of his bedroom, exhausted from a night spent staring at nothing in particular and still half-asleep. His father was scowling over the newspaper.

“What is it?” he asked wearily, dropping onto the empty chair beside his father at the table. And somehow, Harry wasn’t surprised at all by the bold, black headline emblazoned across the front page of the Daily Prophet.

Hero of the Wizarding World Heart-Broken.

At least not until he began to read the article below.

Harry Potter, who goes by Harry Snape in some circles, has been cast aside by his steady girlfriend, the beautiful vixen Ginevra Weasley. Harry is said to be stunned by the news, though there are whispers that Ms. Weasley has entertained numerous young men during the entirety of the year-long romance. Some say, even while he was in the midst of defeating He Who Must Not Be Named, she was in the arms of another-

“Buggering hell…”

Levi squawked as the paper went skidding across the tabletop, its pages scattering in all directions.

“It is not true,” Severus said quietly.

Harry didn’t answer; he knew it wasn’t true. He did. Nothing would convince him that Ginny had ever been unfaithful, but the image of her snogging some other bloke in the common room… or in a dark corridor, mocked him as he stared at the dark wood. Because eventually that’s exactly what would happen, wasn’t it?

While Ginny was waiting to figure out how to keep herself from shagging him, she was bound to meet other guys. And one of them would fancy her, wouldn’t they? And while Harry sat here waiting, she would eventually fancy him right back. The thought made Harry’s face heat with anger.

What the hell had he been thinking? Sitting there and agreeing with Ginny’s ridiculous plan? Because it was absurd. Ginny was going to shag someone eventually, and he’d be damned if it was anyone else.

His face still hot, his fingers tingling, Harry turned to his father. “I need to see Ginny.”