Chapter 28 - The End

The next day at breakfast Severus was pestering Albus and Minerva to visit Harry.

"He hasn't even moved in yet, Severus. He will move in before lunch, and Aunt Poppy will make some check-ups then. So you can't see him today."

Severus pushed his bottom lip out and sulked. "But I want to play with Harry."

"Aunt Molly would be glad if you visited The Burrow again. Bryanna and Kenneth would be happy if you come and play with them, too. Do you want me to ask them if you can come by after your midday nap?" Minerva asked.

"Yeah," Severus said excitedly. He really was looking forward to seeing Ken and Bree again. Last time it was great fun to play with them.

Minerva went over to the fireplace and spoke with Molly. She was happy to have a little distraction; especially since Harry was leaving. Hermione could also need a little distraction.

"They are looking forward to your visit. Charlie will fetch you at two in the afternoon after your nap," Minerva explained while sitting down again. "Now finish your milk, Sev." She stroked affectionately over his black hair.

"Do you have to do papers again?" Severus asked sadly after he had finished his breakfast. He feared it would be a boring day again and that he have to play alone.

"No, this time we thought we would spend the morning together. The paperwork has to wait. We could go and eat an ice-cream in Hogsmeade. We can walk there, and maybe we will see some animals on our way through the forest. I'm sure Pookah will love a little walk as well. What do you think?" Albus asked.

"Yeah! Pookah, did you hear?" Severus asked excited.

Pookah looked tiredly up from his place on the rim of the fireplace. When he realized that only his name was called and nothing else, he closed his eyes again.

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Severus was jumping on one leg in front of Albus and Minerva, who strolled peacefully. Pookah was running from one side to the other of the little path through the forest. From time to time he caught a bug and crunched it with pleasure in his muzzle. Suddenly Pookah stopped and perked up his ears.

"What is it, Pookah?" Severus asked confused.

Albus was at his side in a second and laid his hand protectively on Severus' shoulder.

Pookah came over to Severus and curled himself around his neck.

The bushes on the left side of the path rustled and a big white Centaur entered the path. "Headmaster, Professor McGonagall," the Centaur greeted politely. "And that must be the little Mr. Snape." His piercing blue eyes measured the boy from head to toe. "The stars tell great things about you."

Severus cradled closer to Albus' legs and tried to hide in his robes.

"That's Firenze, Severus. You don't have to be afraid," Albus explained. "He is a friendly Centaur."

"Centaur?" Severus asked and peeked out of Albus' robes.

"Yes, I'm a Centaur. And who is this little fellow there?" Firenze pointed at Pookah.

"It's Pookah. He is my friend. Harry has given him to me," Severus said but never came out of his hiding place between Albus robes.

"Do you know that he is a very rare animal?" Firenze asked

"He is a weasel," Severus said.

"He isn't just a weasel. It is a Kentermoor-weasel. They are very special and rare. They can sense the feelings and moods of people around them, and they have a gift to calm people or make them more confident. They are friendlier than the normal weasels. Haven't you noticed it already?"

"Yes, he is nice to Hermione and Harry and Arlie and..." Severus stopped when Firenze made a step in his direction.

"You don't have to be afraid of me, little one. Your weasel would snarl at me if I had bad intentions." He leaned closer to the animal, and Pookah sniffed the air. "He is still very young and already bound tightly to you, young man. It's a lifelong bond, and you can be very glad." Firenze looked up at Albus. "Just like you and Fawkes."

"How old will Pookah get?" Albus asked.

"It's a magical creature not an animal. It's a breed between a weasel and a magically altered cat-weasel. There was an old wizard in Kentermoor who bred those cat-weasels. He managed to change them by magic to bound themselves to a wizard without any control over it. They hunted for the wizard and brought him their prey even when they were starving. They guarded their wizard even if he was very bad to them. When he ordered them to kill they did it. They had no will of their own, and I would say not even their own soul. Not all these he tried to change really became these soulless creatures. He killed them the moment he realized that they were useless to him. But one, and only one, escaped and lived as a free animal in the Kentermoor forest. This single cat-weasel found a normal weasel and bred with it. And these kind little fellows are the result of it. The cat weasel died because he couldn't survive the first winter. And so there were only 4 offspring. Of those four only three survived and could breed after five years of growing up. Therefore they are very rare. Maybe only around ten of them are still living. They seek the company of wizards because they can only be happy when they bind themselves to a wizard or a witch. Otherwise they get depressed and often give up life. I have never heard of one around here. So you should be happy to have one. They can get very old, but most die when their wizard dies. They mourn and don't eat then and often starve to death. Only when they bind themselves to another wizard they survive, but they often don't do it. They want to follow their owner into death."

"Pookah not die, Daddy," Severus said scared and held up his hands to be taken in Albus' arms.

Albus leaned down and picked Severus up. "He won't die now. He is a little kid like you, Sev."

"I see I scare you, little one. We will speak when you are older." With that Firenze vanished into the woods.

Albus eyed Pookah while Severus was in his arms. The animal took this as an invitation to climb down Albus' beard to the ground again. With happy little jumps he headed further down the path.

Severus giggled and struggled so that Albus put him down. Happily Severus imitated Pookah's bouncing.

In Hogsmeade they bought a vanilla ice-cream for Severus and bought some sweets he could share with Bryanna and Kenneth later.

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Molly cuddled Severus when he came out of the fireplace with Charlie. "Oh, it's so good to see you again."

When Molly released him, he ran over to Hermione to hug her. "'Mione."

"Hey, Sev. The twins are already waiting for you in their room. Come on, let's go." She offered Severus her hand, and he took it. He would never understand why the adults always wanted to take his hand or cuddle him. He could go alone to the twins' room and didn't need Hermione's hand for it. But he liked that they always wanted to be near him and touch him, and so he didn't complain.

The twins were very happy to see Sev, and they immediately started to play together. They built a big tower with blocks. Charlie joined them, and he and Hermione made the tower change its colour and little dragons fly around it. Pookah tried to catch them and almost race round the tower several times. Only a quick Steadying Charm from Hermione prevented him breaking it down.

When Molly peeked in the room, Hermione was leaning into Charlie's chest while she was sitting in front of him. She smiled at the two and the smile became a laugh when Hermione blushed. "It's about time you two stop the secrets. And now you all can come down for coffee and cake."

When Minerva and Albus came to fetch Severus, he was happy but very tired. "We will see you soon, right, Sev?" Bryanna asked.

"Yes, school starts in a week, and then you will see Severus every morning during the week," Albus said and lifted the tired Severus in his arms.

"And Pookah will come, too?" Kenneth asked.

"I think Pookah will never leave Severus' side from now on, Kenneth," Minerva said, smiling at the red-haired boy.

"Bye, Sev." The twins waved at Severus until he and his new parents vanished into the fireplace.

This had been one of the best days, other than flying with Charlie. Albus and Minerva had spent the whole morning with him and didn't talking about their boring, adult stuff. And the afternoon he had played with the twins. He really liked them and didn't mind to staying at the Burrow while Albus and Minerva were working. They would have a great time. He had big friends like Charlie, Harry and Ro, and he had lovely Aunts and Uncles and most importantly two new parents who really loved him. His old childhood was almost forgotten and in a few years the memories of his horrible childhood before he came to Hogwarts would fade even more.

The END

of part one of the "A better childhood" series