Chapter 17 - The Burrow

The first thing Severus realized when they emerged from the fireplace was that the Burrow was totally different than Hogwarts and his old home. They were standing in what seemed to be the living room. It smelled a little bit like dust and there were lots of furniture and sideboards around the house. So many places to hide, Severus thought.

Severus was still looking curiously around when the door opened and a young man, who looked very much like Charlie, came into the room. Shortly after him followed a young blond woman with two children one holding on to each hand.

"Ah. Look, Severus, that's my brother Bill." He went, still with Severus in his arms, over to the little family.

Severus was torn between looking curiously at the new people and hiding in the crook of Charlie's neck. Bill had scars on his face as if an animal had drawn his claws over it. The scars weren't fresh, and Severus knew that they weren't hurting Bill any more, but he still felt sympathy for the pain it must have caused.

Bill was smiling at Severus and said, "It's good that you decided to join us, Severus. We were all very eager to meet you. This is my wife Fleur,"-- he gestured in the direction of the young woman--"and these are my four-year old twins Bryanna and Kenneth." He had taken Kenneth from his mother and maneuvered him in front of his legs. "They are very excited to meet you."

The children were looking curiously and a little frightened up at Severus in Charlie's arms. They were used to meeting new people, but they had heard that Severus was a little anxious to meet them and they didn't know what to do. They really wanted to play with him and didn't want to frighten him, in case he decided to leave before they had the opportunity to play. Kenneth didn't like the silence that had fallen on the room, and so addressed Severus, "I'm Kenneth. Grandma has made Ambrosia and vanilla sauce for dessert. Do you like that?"

Severus nodded shyly. Kenneth looked as if you could have a lot of fun with him. The urge to let Charlie place him down and so he could play with Kenneth was getting stronger. Only the thought that there were still more people he didn't know in this house made him stay in Charlie's arms.

Bryanna came over to Kenneth to have a better look at Severus. She had red, long hair which was neatly bound with a pink tie. She had a lot of freckles like Kenneth and a snub nose. She fumbled nervously with her pink dress. "I'm Bryanna."

Kenneth thought he had to explain more and said, "She is my sister, but I'm half an hour older." His blue eyes were sparkling with pride as he said it. His red hair was standing up in all directions as if he hadn't combed it. When Bill stroked Kenneth's hair it always jumped back into the crazy angles it was sticking out at before.

"I'm four," Severus said.

"We, too. When is your birthday? Ours is the fifteenth of March."

"I don't know." Now it was time to hide in the crook of Charlie's neck. They will think I'm stupid now. Father said I wasn't worth celebrating birthdays. 'Why should we celebrate the day you were born?' Father had said. He could remember that his mom had come once to his bed in the morning and said that it was his birthday today and sang something to him, but he couldn't remember when this was. Now the twins will think I'm a freak for not knowing. They also speak much better than me and maybe they will laugh because I can't speak that good.

The twins were confused that Severus didn't know when his birthday was, and the adults exchanged knowing glances. Albus said, "Severus' birthday is on the ninth of January, Kenneth. Severus is a little nervous to be here, and I think we all are hungry. You will have a lot of time to talk and play later, but now I think we should go eat."

"Yeah, Severus, meat balls and spaghetti! Come on," Kenneth shouted happily.

Kenneth's still friendly and excited voice made him look at him again. He still wants to play with me. That made Severus relax. "Yeah."

Kenneth and Bryanna were running to the kitchen and were the first to enter. When Charlie and Severus came into the kitchen all eyes were on them.

"Hello Severus, I'm Molly." A very kind chubby lady in a pinafore came over to greet Severus first. "I hope you are very hungry because I have cooked a lot." She gestured to the table full of food. "But first Charlie should introduce you to the rest of the family, and I will get the drinks."

"Yes, mom," Charlie said and turned to Arthur, who stood next to Molly.

"You already know my mother now and this here is my father, Severus. Uncle Arthur." Charlie explained while Severus looked curiously at the man in front of him. Arthur also had red hair like Molly, and almost everyone in this room, but his hair was thinning out on the top. He hadn't got as many freckles like his children and grandchildren.

"Nice to meet you young man. I hope you like it at the Burrow," Arthur said in a friendly tone and when he saw Severus nod, he smiled an indulgent smile.

Charlie moved over to the table. "This is Percy, he works at the Ministry like Dad."

Percy just nodded in Severus' direction.

He reacted strangely, Severus thought, but it wasn't very worrying so far.

"And we are Fred," one of the twins said while pointing at the other.

"...and George," The other twin said while patting his counterpart on the head. "We have a joke shop, Severus and you will love our products," they said cheerfully.

"Don't you dare give him any of your inventions, Fred and George. I swear you will regret it if you do," Molly shouted in rage.

Severus jumped in surprise. That the nice lady could shout like this was very frightening, and he hugged Charlie's neck very forcefully.

Charlie had to chuckle when he saw the shocked expression of his mother. She knew about Severus' past childhood and wanted to restrain herself from shouting, but her famous Weasley temper had won over. Now she was regretting it. "Severus, you don't have to be scared. My mother is just worried that the twins will play a prank on you. They are famous for doing things like this, and she just wanted to make sure that they behave."

Severus cautiously came out of his hiding place in Charlie's neck. When his eyes fell on Molly, she said, "I'm sorry for shouting Severus, but it wasn't meant to scare you. I'm just worried. Please, never eat anything these twins give you before one of us adults have checked it."

"We are adults as well, mom," both twins said in unison.

"You don't behave like adults," Molly said while shaking her head. "Trying to convince him to try your jokes and even daring to do it in front of us."

"Merlin, mom, we were just..." Fred began.

"...referring to our fireworks and not our joke articles. We would never..." George went on.

"...give him something to eat, not even the harmless ones." Fred ended.

"What you two call harmless could still be dangerous for Severus." Charlie scolded the twins and then looked at Severus. "They are really fun to play with, but mom is right, never eat anything they give you. Okay, Severus?"

Severus nodded and then looked confusedly at the twins.

"We will have fun, when they all stop fussing about you like they are right now," Fred said to Severus, but when he heard his mother already taking in a deep breath for another scolding, he added quickly, "With fireworks, not eating any joke lollies."

Molly let out the breath she was holding and then addressed Hermione, "Hermione, dear, would you please fetch Ron and Harry. They are still upstairs."

"Of course, Molly," Hermione said and hurried out of the kitchen.

Charlie pointed at the red haired girl next to Molly. "This is my little sister Ginny. You will see her at Hogwarts as well when the new school year starts. She is in her seventh year."

Ginny was looking curiously at Severus, but also a little nervously. More nervous than Percy and in her case Severus started to get worried. Why is she looking so odd? Maybe she is one of the kids Peeves told me about. "Do you want to kick me?"

Immediately the room was silent. Charlie was glad that his mother already had placed the big pot on the table because he was sure that she would have let it fall in this moment. Ginny was the one most shocked. She couldn't understand why he thought this. She felt awkward because she knew that this child was her former potions master. She wasn't involved much in the battle and the adults' celebrations after it, and so she wasn't at ease with the Professor like Hermione, Ron and even Harry had been in the end. She was confused how to react around him, but she never thought about hurting him.

"Severus, what did I tell you?" Charlie asked. "My family will not hurt you. Ginny is a little unsure about how to speak to you. Albus and Minerva have told you that in the last school year you were the Potions master of Hogwarts, and so you were Ginny's teacher. She has to know you better before she can act normally around you, but she doesn't want to hurt you."

Again they tell me I was an adult. I don't understand this. Severus groaned in frustration and hid in Charlie's neck again.

"He is four year old; how the hell could he understand this, Charlie?" Molly said while coming over to them.

In the meantime Hermione had come back with Ron. "What's the matter? Someone die?" Ron asked when he felt the tension in the room.

"As sensitive as always, Ron." Hermione boxed him on the shoulder.

Molly had reached Severus now. "Look, there is my last son, Severus. It's Ronald." She stroked Severus' hair and was glad when he reacted to it by looking at her and not jerking away. "Ron is attending Auror training and will become an Auror like your Uncle Alastor was one."

That made Severus look at Ron. He wants to be like Uncle Al.

"Yes, and I hope I will be as good as he was," Ron said grinning while sitting down at his seat at the table.

"So where do you want to sit, Severus?" Molly asked.

"With Herm...Hermi... Hermione." Severus smiled proudly when he managed to speak her name correctly.

Hermione grinned. "That was very good, Severus. My name is really difficult to speak. Why don't we sit there, so Albus and Minerva can sit on your other site, okay?"

Severus nodded and soon was placed on a stool with a similar cushion like he had at Hogwarts to reach his plate.

"Will Harry come?" Molly asked in a low voice while she leaned over to the already sitting Hermione.

Hermione sighed. "Yes, but he wanted us to go first, so that he could make himself ready alone."

Molly squeezed Hermione's shoulder sympathetically while she headed for her own seat. She knew how hard it was for her that Harry often sent her away and won't let her help him.

They were already all sitting when the kitchen door opened and a dark haired young man limped into the room. "Sorry, for being late."

Severus knew that the man must be in pain. He had seen enough people hurt and in pain to see that Harry wasn't feeling well.

Harry's head hung down as if he didn't want to look at the others, but when he looked up to see Severus his eyes were shining with curiosity. His face was scared. Not as bad as Bills but still scared, and he looked gaunt and broken.

Severus was surprised. All the people he'd met so far in his new life were happy even when they were scarred, but this one was obviously not happy. He reminded him a lot of his mom. She also looked so sad.

"I hope I didn't stop you from starting to eat, Severus. You must be hungry. Molly is an excellent cook." Harry tried to be cheerful. His weak attempt of a smile wasn't reaching his eyes, but Severus could fell that he meant to show him that he was okay with the situation.

"NO, we were just sitting down. You are Harry, right?" Severus asked, unsure what he could do to help Harry feel better.

"Yes, I am. Famous Harry Potter," he said bitterly.

"Harry, please," Hermione pleaded.

"Yes, yes, I'm sorry. Let's start eating," Harry said because he already regretted what he said.

"Good idea. So who wants spaghetti?" Molly said and filled the plates.