"Really? I can live there?"

Snape nodded. "It is always given to my apprentice... I was not sure if you lived on your own, but when no one came looking for you..."

"Nobody knows I'm your apprentice except the girl who got my apprenticeship... everybody thinks I'm an auror."

"You lied?"

"No, I just didn't go back to Ron's house and I didn't tell them what I was doing. I was going to tell them the day of the accident."

"Hm... do you plan on doing so now?"

The question struck Harry as odd; why did Snape even care? He shrugged figuring it was a good enough answer for him considering that his personal life really was none of Snape's business.

Harry's shrug seemed to tell Snape just that, to butt out, so he left Harry in the storeroom going over the inventory of stocked ingredients.

Now that he had an apartment, Harry knew he'd have to tell Ron where he was staying because he'd have to go back to the Burrow to get his things. He didn't enjoy living in the same two pairs of clothes every day, and wanted his things back, especially since he had just spent a bundle on new clothes a few weeks ago after he'd finished up at Hogwarts.

He still hadn't finished the inventory at five that evening so he marked his place on the eight-foot long scroll of parchment and headed for the door. Snape appeared before he could make his exit out onto the street however and held out a pair of keys.

"The small one is to the shop door, the large one is to the apartment. There is also a door into the apartment from the outside of the building in the alley in the back. I would prefer you use that door when bringing company in so that important potions are not disturbed."

Harry nodded. "Got it. Thanks." He tried to ignore the uncomfortable look Severus gave him as he walked off with the keys. It was a look that told Harry he was worried that he might come home stumbling drunk with a gang of hooligan friends and trash the shop. Harry shrugged it off and apparated to the Burrow when he was sure nobody on the street was looking.

Having been told not to knock, Harry strolled in the back door to the Burrow, and found Ginny and Mrs. Weasley in the kitchen.

"Harry dear! We've been so worried! How has training been for you?"

He scratched the back of his head. "Er, interesting? I'm not in the auror apprenticeship program. They made a mistake and my apprenticeship got given to somebody else."

Ron walked into the kitchen and leaned against the wall to hear Harry's story. "So you're not apprenticed at all? Where've you been then mate?"

His stomach squirmed as he tried to figure out how to say it just the right way. "No, I got apprenticed, but you won't like it when you find out where they put me."

Mrs. Weasley stopped stirring her stew to listen and Ron raised his brows. "Well, go on then, it can't be that bad... did you get put in the department for magical sports or something?"

Harry shook his head. "They apprenticed me to an apothecary."

"What? That's going to be so boring though!"

Harry shrugged, "I haven't really done anything yet except clean and tend shop... and end up in Mungo's."

"Are you alright?" Ginny took half a step towards him. Harry had somehow managed to escape serious injury during the final battle with Voldemort, and now the entire Weasley clan was on edge about him getting any kind of injury at all after surviving what he had.

"Yeah, fine. I just got shorter was all... and a bit younger," he added in at the last second.

"How young?" Ron asked.

"I was eight."

Ron sniggered and Mrs. Weasley looked disapproving. "How on earth did that happen?" she asked.

"I knocked over an anti aging potion and the whole thing dumped on my head."

"Well, maybe being an apothecary isn't so boring," said Ron. "Who's your master?"

"Er... well that's the part you won't like."

Mrs. Weasley stirred the stew again as she thought and said, "Well as far as I know there are only 12 apothecaries in the UK... I haven't been to most of them. There's the one in Diagonalley, and the one in Hogsmead, two in London, one in Blackpool..."

"That one," Harry said, wondering how long they'd let him dance around the subject.

"Well who runs that one? I can't remember now."

"Snape," Harry said, scratching the back of his head again.

"Ha ha Harry, really funny you are... you're starting to sound like Fred and George." Ron looked relieved suddenly thinking Harry was only joking, but when Harry didn't say anything else his eyes widened. "Seriously? They put you with that bat?"

Harry shrugged. "I got a really nice apartment," he said, trying to change the subject.

"That's nice Harry," Mrs. Weasley said, trying to help, "is it in Blackpool as well, or did you find something in London?"

"Blackpool on St. Bedes Ave. It came furnished and everything... it's actually right above the shop and I get it free of rent until I'm done."

Ginny grinned. "Can we see it?"

"Don't be rude Ginny, it's not nice to invite yourself places!" Mrs. Weasley scolded.

"Yeah, sure," Harry said, proud that he had such a nice place to show everybody. "I'd been searching all over for something cheap but everything I found was trashy. I'm glad I have this place."

"When can we see it?" Ginny asked. Ron remained silent against the wall looking appalled that Harry was living above Snape's shop.

"Anytime," Harry said. "We can go now if you want."

"If you stay for dinner then we can all go afterwards," Mrs. Weasley said. "Arthur is away for a few days for the Ministry so it's just the three of us here."

Harry nodded, "Sounds good."

After dinner the four of them apparated to St. Bedes Ave, Mrs. Weasley apparating Ginny since she wasn't old enough to do it herself yet.

It was dark, and Harry had to admit that the alley off of St Bedes... well, even St Bedes looked a little dodgy, especially at night.

"Figures Snape's shop would be here," Ron muttered under his breath, to a disapproving look from his mother.

"The shop is actually pretty nice," Harry said. The entrance to the apartment is down the side alley though and up some stairs. He lead them around to the side and then up the stairs to the second floor to the intricately carved wooden door; the only door on the landing.

Harry fumbled with his keys for a moment in the darkness, and then let them all in and waved up the lights with his wand.

"Blimy Harry, Snape let you have this?"

"Yep," Harry nodded, deciding to exclude the part about Snape only giving it to him because he felt guilty for not feeding him as an eight year old.

"How many rooms Harry?" Ron was now looking up at the high ceiling and admiring it.

"I don't know. I haven't really had a chance to explore it yet. So far he had seen the kitchen, the couch, and the bathroom. There were other doors, but he hadn't been allowed in there as a small child.

Together they opened the various doors, and Harry found a large bedroom with a king sized bed with a black comforter, and a smaller bedroom behind what he had previously assumed was a closet door, this one with a queen sized bed, a desk, and a closet.

"Two bedrooms then," Ron hedged, and Ginny gave her brother a knowing look. Ron did not want to remain living at home, but could not afford rent on his own at this point. Harry knew this, and shrugged, and said. "I just figured you'd move in with me when I got my own place... you know, unless you and Hermione-" He faltered when he saw the sharp look Mrs. Weasley sent him, and then finished with, "you know, unless you and Hermione were wanting to live in the same city."

"Really, you mean I can move in?"

Harry nodded. "I'd have to ask Snape you know, and he may say no. But you know even if you can't move in with me, you'll always have a couch to sleep on."

Ron nodded. "I still need to get a job first so I can pay for food and everything, and I reckon by the time you ask Snape about me moving in I might have one."

Plopping down on the couch next to Ginny as Mrs. Weasley began casting cleaning charms in the kitchen cupboards to get rid of some of the dust, Harry asked, "Have any leads yet?"

"No. I was going to work for Fred and George, but business has been down a little... you know how it is. They say they can't afford to pay for help right now. And I have applications in at the Ministry, but they seem full up too.

"What about becoming an Auror's apprentice?"

"Maybe, but I reckon I've had enough of wizard hunting for a while. I'll do that as a last resort... maybe in a few years when you finish up here and try for Auror again."

Running a hand through his hair, Harry nodded. "Yeah, well that's going to be a long wait." Even a year would be a long wait, but three or four? Snape was definitely being nicer to him now, but Harry just didn't know if he could handle the man for that long.

* * *

The Weasley's came and went over the next few days, helping Harry get moved in and helping him with various magical cleaning and changing spells, helping him change the colors of some of the walls, and other things. Harry found that white and beige walls throughout the entire apartment made the whole place feel just a little too sterile for him. So now the kitchen had some deep yellow beige in it, and his bedroom had an entire red wall behind the head of his bed, which went nicely with the darker shade of beige they had spelled up there.

Mrs. Weasley had been kind enough to add nice brown pillows and a soft red and gold patchwork quilt to the couch, as well as supply Harry with some old dishes and silverware, and numerous other things needed when living on his own.

"I'm just going to miss you so much Harry!" She had cried when it was time to leave Wednesday night. He had told her of course that he would still visit often and that they were all welcome in his home any time.

It was Friday now and Harry was looking forward to the weekend to himself in his new apartment as he tended shop. He had just finished wiping down the counter, and had a grin on his face at the thought of his new home when the bell above the door rang and a woman slightly older than Harry walked in.

He looked up, and couldn't help a grin from spreading over his face. "Jennifer," he said, leaning on the counter as she walked over.

"I was curious to see if you regained your age... I don't know if you remember or not, but I saw you in St. Mungo's when you were... smaller."

"Yeah, I remember. I thought you were a princess."

She raised a brow. "You did?"

Harry nodded. "How's Auror training going?"

"There's a lot of physical exercise every day, and we have a stack of books we have to memorize by October when we take our first year exams."

"Yeah? What all do the exams include? Just things from the books or practical as well?"

"There's a written exam, a physical exam where we have to run an obstacle course while chasing a suspect, and a practical exam, where we're given a mock scenario and are left with the other apprentices to take care of the problem ourselves."

"That sounds great," Harry said, eager to hear more.

"Great? It's a lot of hard work."

"Oh yeah, but it's got to be fun too! I mean, you just can't get a better job than making the world safer... keeping your family and friends safe and knowing you did good at the end of the day."

"I can think of a better one," she sighed, "and you're doing it."

He grinned and felt his cheeks turning a little hot. "Well, it's not really as bad as I thought at first. Fun even if you don't get potion's spilled on your head. But I'd still love to be out doing what you're doing."

"You can borrow some of my books if you like. I'm done with three of them. One is a policy manual for the department, one is an exercise manual, and the third is a defensive tactics manual."

"Really? I'd love to have a look, or if you give me the titles I can go buy them myself."

Suddenly Harry noticed the odd look she was giving him. It wasn't a bad look, just a curious one.

"You would really go to the trouble studying a job that isn't yours to have?"

"It's not my occupation yet, but as soon as I'm done here, it will be. I want to be ready for it. This way I'll have a head start." He paused, and then said, "Maybe I can show you some things too. Master Snape has lent me a few books on potions, and one on business. I've got the business one down, and he told me I won't have a test until December, so I've got a while to read the potion's ones. I'm already halfway through healing potions."

"So... a deal then? I'll study with you, and you'll study with me?"

"If that's what you want. I have an apartment upstairs. My friend wants to move in with me, but it will be a while before he does, if Master Snape permits, so it's nice and quiet up there. And I have most of Saturday and all of Sunday off."

"I have Friday and Sunday off, and I get off every night at five."

"So, a study date then?"

She smiled and he noticed her cheeks tinge red a little as well. "Yes, I suppose it is that. I'll see you Sunday morning and we'll get started."

"Great."

Jennifer left, and Harry couldn't shake the feeling that with her beauty, she really was a princess. He had a good feeling about this, and let his anticipation about Sunday carry him through the rest of his day, and all through the night.