From Chapter 8- And the year ends

They did have a nasty shock when they entered Grimmauld Place.

Chapter 9- Where did the letters go?

“May I be informed why I haven’t heard hide nor hair from you for the past THREE WEEKS!”

“What?” Sirius asked bewildered and Harry looked scared at Severus’ furious face.

“Harry wrote to you many times Severus, you are the one that didn’t write back,” Remus said annoyed.

“Not true. I wrote many letters that weren’t answered,” Severus retorted almost like a pouting child, “And where were you? I’ve been in this God forsaken house for THREE DAYS with that screeching portrait and there wasn’t a clue as to where you were! You could be dead for all I knew!”

“We were at the dragon reserve. I told Albus!” Sirius yelled back. He did not like being scolded.

“Albus is in the yearly meeting of the International Confederation of Wizards. I was at Spinner’s End. I have had no contact with him. Up until last week, I just thought the Dursleys were being difficult, but when days went by from the date Harry should have returned with no answer I came here.”

Remus tried to calm the glaring men, “I am sure this is a misunderstanding,” but his efforts were in vain. Severus was about to open his mouth when Remus lost it.

“Look, Harry wrote to you. He hasn’t receive a single letter from anyone since summer started,” he hissed, “Now stop acting like a two year old, you’re scaring him.”

That brought Severus out of his biting mode. He looked at where Harry was shaking and deflated. He walked to him and kneeling in front of him put a hand on his shoulder. He pretended not to notice Harry’s flinch.

“M’sorry,” Harry mumbled.

“No, I am sorry. I was just so worried and managed to work myself in hysterics these past few days. I overreacted and didn’t mean to scare you.”

Harry nodded and Severus ruffled his hair smiling.

“Now that we are calmer,” Remus said, “What’s this about the letters not arriving. Did you have trouble with any other mail Severus?”

Severus pondered the question, “No. Just Harry’s.”

“You didn’t get any letters from Ron, Ginny, Neville or Hermione?” Sirius asked Harry.

“No. I wrote to everybody except you dad because we had the mirror. But no one answered.”

“I’ll fire call the Weasleys and see if they got them,” Remus said. “Call Hermione Harry.”

“Why? Do you think someone is intercepting my letters? Why would they?”

“I don’t know. Let’s find out,” Sirius said leaving with Remus to the kitchen.

Harry went to the phone Sirius had installed in order to communicate with Petunia and dialed Hermione’s number.

“Hum, hello, may I talk to Hermione please?”

….

“It’s Harry.”

….

“Yes, fine Mrs. Granger. We went to the dragon reserve. It was brilliant, oh yeah sorry. My Uncle is giving me the evil eye. I need to ask Hermione something. Sorry I can’t talk more.”

“Thanks.”

Harry danced a little in the spot while waiting. Severus just stared and rolled his eyes. He didn’t like telephones. He just thought that it made so much more sense to actually see the person you’re talking too.

“Hey Hermione. Did you get my letters?”

….

“No, didn’t get them.”

….

“Hum.”

….

“No.”

….

“Dunno.”

….

“Dunno.”

….

“Dunno.”

Now Severus was really getting impatient.

“Hum.”

AHRG! He had to resist the urge to get the blasted thing and know what the girl was saying.

“OK.”

….

“See ya.”

Harry hanged up and looked up.

“So?”

“She didn’t get them and said she sent me loads of letters. She thought I was ignoring her and apparently she got letters from Neville, Ron and Ginny saying I didn’t answer their letters either. Can I meet them at Diagon Alley on my birthday. They are going to go there to get all their school stuff because it’s Neville’s birthday. Please!”

“That’s not my call. You’ll have to ask the mutt.”

And speaking of said mutt, here he comes back with his faithful sidekick.

“Molly says the kids didn’t get letters from Harry but they got them from Hermione and Neville. She also says they wrote,” Remus said frowning and sitting on the couch. Harry bounded to the couch and sat near his Uncle swinging his feet while Sirius and Severus sat grimly on the armchairs in front of it.

“This isn’t good,” Sirius grimaced, “If someone intercepted those letters they already have information on you Severus.”

Harry’s feet stopped abruptly as the realization of the jeopardy of the situation sunk in.

Severus sat pensively with his arm propped up by his elbow on the chair’s arm and his mouth settled on his fisted hand.

“What I don’t get is why stop them?” Remus said, “I mean, this way we know they were intercepted. Why not just read them and send them along. This doesn’t sound like a mistake one of the Death Eaters that was smart enough to keep out of Azkaban would make.”

“But why?” Harry asked worried, “Why would someone stop my letters? It doesn’t make sense. I am just a kid. They can’t hope to gain any valuable information from my friends’ letters.”

“That depends on what they think is valuable,” Snape said, “You won’t know important things but they could find out who is important to you. To use them.”

“So my friends are in danger because of me?” Harry asked shocked.

Remus held Harry’s forearm and said gently, “Harry, this is not your fault.”

“But they wouldn’t be if not for me. You wouldn’t be..”

“Yes we would,” Sirius said inhaling deeply and leaning forward, “Harry, the three of us were very engaged on the war and therefore we are always targets. The Weasleys are the biggest Blood traitor family there is, the Longbottoms were not quiet either, and Hermione is a Muggleborn. They would always be targets, with or without you. ”

Severus frowned and said, “Remus is right though. This does not look like a Death Eater’s job. Besides the ones who evaded capture won’t be stupid to try anything so big as attempting the life of any of these people. They may become targets because of you but your fame also protects them. An attempt to someone close to The Boy Who Lived would be highly publicized.”

Remus sighed and got up, “Either way we will not find out today. We should unpack and get ready for later. Would you rather spend the night at Severus’s Harry?”

Harry nodded and Severus sneered, “Forgot the Wolfsbane on your little trip?”

Remus smiled pleasantly, “Not at all. I thought you’d appreciate the time with Harry but if it is an inconvenience for you Harry will be perfectly safe in his room while Padfoot and I are in the basement.”

“Harry is not an inconvenience,” Severus pouted.

Remus smirked and winked at Harry. Sirius wasn’t even trying to hold back his laughter.

XXXXXXXX

That night while Padfoot and Moony spent a peaceful night at Grimmauld Place, Harry and Severus spent it at Spinner’s End. Severus inherited the house from his parents and kept it for sentimental values. He loathed the memories he had of his father here, but at the same time he cherished the ones he had of his mother and Lily. Lily had lived a few blocks away and he had watched her for a long time before he decided to approach her to tell her she was a witch. He had observed her and had seen the magical signs. He had planed for long on how he would introduce her to his world. Well, things didn’t go exactly as planed, but he got there in the end and she became his best friend.

He had been poor, even though his mother came from a long line of purebloods and nowadays he was loaded after inheriting the Prince’s fortune since he was the last one. But at the time, his mother had been shunted from the family for marrying a muggle. And when that muggle turned bitter and violent towards his wife and son because of their magic, they had done nothing to help them, condemning them to endure what Tobias Snape dished out.

Eileen had loved Severus deeply though and had protected him the best she could, many times diverting his father’s rage towards herself. That’s why he kept this house. As awful as the memories of his father were there was love too. Love from two women that had seen something worthwhile on him. His father’s hatred drove him to Voldemort but his mother’s and Lily’s love brought him back.  And in this house he could feel their presence.

At the beginning, when he first started teaching, he didn’t take much care of the house and you could feel no one lived there often. But as Harry entered his life he wanted to know where Severus lived and Severus started tidying up. He borrowed two House elves from Dumbledore and the house was back in the pristine state that Eileen kept it. He even had a room just for Harry.

Harry loved to come here and hear the stories about his mother’s childhood. Here they could be free because there wasn’t a witch or wizard for miles. And the muggles couldn’t care less about who they were.

They were having dinner and Harry was telling Severus all about the dragon reserve and Severus was telling Harry about the research he had been doing that only Harry knew about when they heard a crash from Harry’s room. In a flash Severus was on his feet, wand in hand. He hesitated but there was no way he was leaving Harry in the kitchen alone so he whispered:

“Stay behind me at all times.” Harry nodded and followed Severus silently. When they got upstairs Severus gestured for Harry to stay near the wall next to the door. Severus kicked the door and pointed his wand straight at… a house-elf? A very exited house elf that was jumping on Harry’s bed!

“Who are you? Who’s your master?” Severus asked and Harry picked in from the door.

The house-elf stopped jumping and went to the floor. Tugging his years he said.

“Dobby, sir.”

“Who’s your master?” Severus asked again.

“Dobby can’t. Dobby is not supposed to be here sir. But Dobby had to warn Harry Potter sir!” the elf said agitatedly and lunged for a lamp that was on the bedside. Severus was quicker and grabbed the elf by the pillow case he was wearing. He put the elf back on the bed and asked gently.

“What must you warn Harry of?” Hearing his name Harry entered, minding to stay behind Severus.

“Harry Potter must not go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Terrible things will happen there and Harry Potter must stay safe,” Dobby said.

“But I live there!” Harry protested and Severus shushed him with a glare.

“What terrible things Dobby?”

The elf lunged for the lamp again and once again Severus caught him in mid air.

“No punishing yourself Dobby. In this house house-elves do not punish themselves,” Severus said sternly.

“Professor sir is very kind. Master is always saying Professor Snape is a greasy cruel bastard, but he is wrong.”

Harry snickered but quickly tried to cover it up with a cough at his Uncle’s second glare.

“So your master knows me? Who’s your master?”

“Dobby can’t say,” the little elf shook his head desperately, “Dobby is going to have to punish himself for being here. Dobby is not supposed to. But Dobby must protect Harry Potter sir.”

“From what?” Harry asked.

“Dobby can’t say,” the elf squeaked.

“Dobby,” Severus tried again, “As a Hogwarts teacher I must know if something will endanger the students.”

“No. Dobby can’t. Dobby is trying to keep Harry Potter away from Hogwarts but is not being able to. Dobby thought that if he stopped Harry Potter’s letters, Harry Potter wouldn’t go back but Dobby heard Harry Potter sir and Professor sir talking about the new school term.”

“Hey, you’re the one that stopped my letters!” Harry cried, “Give them back!”

Dobby sheepishly produced a stack of envelopes tied together with a rope and started handing them to a glaring Harry.

“If Harry Potter sir promises not to go back to Hogwarts he can have his letters,” the elf said.

“I live there! My dad and Uncle are there! My friends are there! Grandpa is there! Uncl- the other teachers are there!” he growled.

“Dobby, wouldn’t it be better to just tell us what is going to happen so we can stop it?” Severus asked kindly trying to reason with the elf.

The little elf shook his head vigorously and twitching his years with his hands he said, “No Dobby can’t. Dobby is very sorry but Dobby can not let Harry Potter go back,” he dropped the letters, clicked his fingers, and chaos ensued. All the furniture started moving around and Dobby vanished with a crack before the furniture stopped.

Now they were in deep trouble! Severus thought from the spot where he had been sprawled on the floor by a flying quilt.

“Uncle Sev! He did magic!” Harry cried hysterically from his spot in the floor.

“Yes he did,” Severus huffed.

“But Uncle Sev. The Trace! They’ll know I’m with you!”

“Don’t worry. I’ll figure something up,” he grunted getting up and flicking his wand to get everything in place again. No use avoiding magic now. He never used magic in this house when Harry was here because of the Trace the ministry had on underage wizards. They would know if magic was done around Harry. They would know the address and to link that to Severus would take just a second. Now how to explain that he had Harry Potter in his house and not seem like he was doing it by free will? He had to act quickly. He knew that it was a matter of time before Lucius or some other former colleagues found out.

He ushered a very nervous Harry downstairs just in time for an owl to zoom inside. And yes there it was. The official Ministry letter telling Harry off.

An idea came to his mind and he smirked at Harry. This would be good and would let him use magic at least this time.

He straitened up and put his best “Big Bat from the dungeons” face, went to the fire and lit it up. He threw floo powder and yelled “Mafalda Hopkirk, Improper Use of Magic Office, Ministry of Magic”. After a nauseating sensation he was face to face with a little witch with square spectacles and stack of papers and stamps on her desk. She turned to the fireplace and faced the sour looking man.

“May I help you sir.”

“Yes!” he growled, “I am Severus Snape, Hogwarts Potions Master and I just received an Owl saying that improper use of Magic was done in my house! I want to speak to the imbecile that sent it.”

“I know who you are sir. Your house you say. Where is it?” she asked nervously.

“Spinner’s End,” he growled back.

“Oh, my. That’s your house? I sent that to a Harry Potter Black. That is a muggle neighborhood. I was not aware that was your house sir,” she almost pleaded.

“So, Dumbledore sticks me with taking care of the insufferable brat while his father is indisposed and I am attacked by Ministry Owls? I am supposed to stop doing magic just for the little stuck up hero? That’s an outrage! I want to speak with someone responsible. I will take this to my good friend Lucius Malfoy and I am sure he will be more than happy to take this to Minister Fudge himself.”

“No, no please sir. This will not happen in the future. Of course I should have checked that that it was a wizard’s residence. I will rectify the mistake and cancel the notification. Please sir, don’t take this to Fudge,” she begged.

He sneered, “I’ll see what I can do,” and took his head out of the fire cutting the communication. He looked at a worried Harry.

“That should take care of this. By this time tomorrow either the whole ministry will know how Severus Snape was stuck taking care of a child he clearly hates by Dumbledore or she will have made any trace that you were here disappear and never tell anyone.”

“You sure Uncle Sev?” Harry asked worried.

Severus got up, ruffled Harry’s hair and ushering him back to the kitchen said, “Positive. I am not a Slytherin for nothing you know? Now lets continue eating.” As an after thought he added, “Though it’s best to start keeping our public façade here too, you never know who can decide to check for themselves.”  He grimaced. Great the stupid elf took away the one place they hadn’t had to worry about anything. He also had the nagging sensation he had seen that house-elf somewhere but couldn’t place him. It was driving him crazy. He was a spy for God’s sakes! That’s what he does; pays attention to details! Where had he seen that elf? But wasn’t that the mark of a good elf? Not being seen?

XXXXXXXXXX

“So at least we know that the letters weren’t read,” Sirius said escorting Harry outside.

“We assume that, since they didn’t look open,” Remus corrected from behind, “We still don’t know who that house-elf belongs too.”

Sirius gave his friend a look that clearly said, “stop worrying Harry,” and said, “Yes, but they were all still sealed.” They stopped at a darker corner of Grimmauld Place and Sirius look Harry’s hand, “Ready pup?” Harry nodded and was promptly engulfed by a sensation of being squeezed from all sides. When it stopped he found himself in an Alley next to the Leaky Cauldron. They entered the pub, said good morning to Tom and proceeded to go through the passageway to Diagon Alley where they met the Weasleys, Longbottoms and Grangers at Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlor. As soon as they were spotted identical readheads ran to them and cried.

“Professor Moony, Professor Padfoot, such a pleasure to see you. Please teach us your ways.”

Harry heard his Uncle groan and went to meet his friends, “Hey guys. Happy birthday Neville,” he patted the boy’s shoulder.

“You too Harry. What did you get?”

“Oh, we are getting a pet for me. I think an owl. We have a family owl but I’d like to have one that was just mine.”

“That is very nice,” Mrs. Weasley said pleasantly, “OH, will you two stop pestering Sirius and Remus. Honestly!” she huffed.

Sirius waved his hand dismissively and said, “It’s okay Molly. They are good boys.”

Mrs. Weasley gave him a look that clearly said she thought her sons where anything but good boys.

“So where to?” Harry asked.

“Ginny already got her wand,” Ron said. “We still have to get our books and potions supplies and you need to go to the pet store.”

“And the Quidditch store,” Harry said and his friend said.

“Obviously!”

“Excuse me, that is not obvious. What would we want to go there for?” Hermione asked and she got shocked looks from all the Weasley children, Neville, Harry and Sirius.

“What do you mean what would we want to go there for?” Sirius asked faintly.

“Not everyone is a Quidditch nut Sirius,” Remus explained calmly.

“But Moony,” Sirius said desperately, “Quidditch.”

“That’s okay dad,” Harry patted his distraught father. “We can go there first. You’ll feel better.” He said ushering Sirius and Ron who was in a similar state of shock. Hermione was quite huffed and heard her mother tell her father:

“I see Quidditch for them is the same as football for you honey.”

“Completely understandable,” Mr. Granger defended himself.

As Quidditch Quality Supplies came into view the kids were promptly awed by the display.

“Look it’s the new Nimbus Two Thousand and one,” Ginny said as she goggled the broom. Ron started reciting all the brooms quality to the others while Remus followed Sirius in the store directly to the counter.

“Sir can I have one of those?” Sirius said pointing at the broom.

“What are you doing?” Remus asked.

“Getting Harry’s birthday present of course,” Sirius rolled his eyes while the salesman produce the gleaming broomstick.

“I thought we were getting him an owl not another broom,” Remus said sternly.

“But Moony look at this. Harry needs the best. Look it has safety features and all.”

“Harry already has a very good broom that you got to him just last year.”

“I know that Moony, but look, safety!” Sirius tried to reason with his friend.

“Yes sir this has the latest safety features in the market,” the salesman said worried. He looked like he would like nothing better than to kick Remus out the store.

“Harry is very happy with his broom,” Remus said taking the broom from Sirius and putting it on the counter.

“But that’s the same broom the rest of the school has. This one is the best. Harry needs the best to win,” Sirius said taking it back.

“Are you are saying that Harry would only win if the broom was the best? That’s not very flattering to his flying skills.”

“That’s not what I said,” Sirius said offended.

“I actually agree with that,” came a drawl from behind. They both turned and groaned inwardly.

“Lucius,” Sirius said with a grimace.

“Getting Potter all the help he can get?” Lucius Malfoy drawled.

“I am getting my son a present,” Sirius said through greeted teeth.

“It’s completely understandable,” Lucius sneered, “My Draco is in the team this year, seeker, and Potter won’t stand a chance with a matching broom much less an inferior one. I just got Draco and the rest of the team a whole batch of Nimbus Two Thousand and One.”

“At least I didn’t have to buy my son’s way onto the team,” Sirius sneered. Lucius eyes narrowed and he spat,

“I was under the impression you bought them a brooms too.”

“Actually,” Remus cleared his throat, “Sirius bought the whole school new brooms, and I believe the Slytherin team made good use of them. And that was after Harry got in the team.”

Lucius looked at him as if he was a disgusting thing and turned smirking to Sirius. “When your father is Deputy Head of House it’s quite easy to do so.”

Sirius dropped the broom and the salesman rushed to gather it.

“I think Harry will keep his broom and when he beats your precious son and his better broom we’ll see who’s laughing,” he said through greeted teeth and stormed out of the shop with Remus on his tows. Harry looked at his father worried and decided to follow.

Sirius was pacing and glaring at the store and the blond leaving the store.

“Hum, dad, everything okay?” Harry asked worried but Sirius didn’t answer just kept glaring.

“Everything is fine. Your dad just had a slight misunderstanding with his cousin’s husband,” Remus said calmly. Harry nodded in understanding.

“Look where he’s headed. I bet he is up to no good,” Sirius said pointing to Knockturn Alley where Lucius had just entered.

Remus sighed and said, “He’s always up to no good Sirius. Why don’t we go to the pet store? Harry already has his potions ingredients, so I’ll tell the others to meet us at Flourish and Blotts,” Remus said heading to talk to Mr. Weasley. Harry smiled. Severus always gave him his potions ingredients that he got with his own supplies with the best suppliers, not the ones that had everything in bulk for the students.

Remus came back and led them to Eeylops Owl Emporium. Sirius however kept glaring at Knockturn Alley.

“Or you know Uncle Moony, we could always get a cat,” Harry said innocently. Sirius head snapped back at his son.

“Don’t joke like that!”