[1/16/11]
sSsSs
A Train and A Hat
sSsSs

 

The prefect's carriage was host to a first-year, for the third time in the history of the Hogwarts' Express. Harry Potter would not be riding with the rest of the school. There was too much risk of a student trying to force his hood off or something similar. As such, the prefects had been briefed about his 'xeroderma pigmentosum', and instructed to keep an eye on him.

 

Severus dropped Harry off at ten-thirty that morning, and left specific instructions with the already present Head Boy. Then he disappeared with a twirl and a crack, and the Head Boy, Anders, settled Harry at the front of the carriage with his books and carefully packed lunch.

 

"Hey Anders."

 

"Willson."

 

Conversation started up as the prefects trickled in.

 

"Anders, Willson, 'sup?"

 

"Terenson."

 

"Hey Ter."

 

"Anders, Ter, Willson, how was break?"

 

"Busy. Renny c'mere a minute." Anders walked over to Harry, a seventh-year girl next to him.

 

"Renny, this is Harry Potter, the kid Professor Snape was talking about. Potter, this is Rene Ivenson. She's Head Girl this year." Anders said, his eyes gleaming in a not-nice-but-not-malicious way. Harry found out why a second later.

 

"Oh he's so cute!" Ivenson cooed, scooping Harry into a cuddle-hug. "Oh, I hope you're in Hufflepuff. Then I can cuddle you every day!" She sat herself down in Harry's seat, pulling him securely onto her lap and holding him there.

 

"If anyone needs me I'll be over here." She sent Anders off with a wave of her hand.

 

"Um…Miss Ivenson?" Harry mumbled.

 

"Call me Renny, cutie." Rene said, looking at his book over his shoulder.

 

"Renny?" Harry tried again.

 

"Yeah hun?" Rene pulled her own book, a muggle mystery novel, out of her pocket.

 

"Um…nevermind." With all the big words in his head, Harry couldn't decide how to ask why the girl seemed to like him, or if she even did. He was too afraid. Instead he wriggled into a more comfortable position, and found where he'd left off reading.

 

Harry didn't know how much time had passed, only that the train had started moving, when Rene was called to join the main conversation…so, of course, she picked him up, carried him over to where the others were sitting, and sat down, never once letting Harry go.

 

"Rene…" Anders grumbled, his voice holding both amusement and warning.

 

"What? It's not like he weighs anything." She countered.

 

"That's completely beside the point." Anders said, but dropped it.

 

Discussion of patrol schedules, partners, meetings, appropriate use of the points system, and many other things floated over Harry's head as he dug further and further into the autobiography of Vlad Tepes, also known as Dracula. Mr. d'Eath had given it to him as a birthday present, and Harry was grateful. It was nice to know the truth about a man so feared by human society, a man who happened to be a pseudo-grand-sire of sorts.

 

An hour later Harry ate his lunch.

 

A nap, and a book-and-a-half later Harry stepped off the train, hand firmly held in Rene's.

 

"Firs' years! Over 'ere!" A very, very large man held a lantern, and called to the newest students. "Firs' years! Hey Renny. Bit old to be a firs' year, arencha?" The man grinned.

 

"Of course not, Hagrid, can't you tell?" Rene shot back, crouching down so that she was shorter than Harry.

 

"Ridin' with us tonigh?" Hagrid asked.

 

"Yeah, Professor Snape's orders." She pulled Harry into her arms again. He'd long ago given up resisting his dad, and now he got to add Rene to the ‘resistance is futile’ list. The strange thing was that he really didn't mind. It was nice really, being cared for… being held.

 

"Arright then. Firs' years! You all 'ere? Les' go then!"

 

Rene let Harry walk, but she held his hand the whole way. When Hogwarts came into view she smiled, gasping a bit along with the younger years. After all, it had been seven years since she'd seen the castle from that angle, and it really was grand.

 

"No more'n four to a boat!" They climbed in, Rene and Harry being joined by a pointy-nosed boy and a red-haired boy. Harry would learn later how glad he was that Rene's presence kept them quietly confused.

 

After their boat ride Hagrid led them up innumerable steps, and left them with Professor McGonagall, who lectured them about the houses before leaving them to be scared by ghosts. Rene stayed with Harry until the first-years were led into the Great Hall, then slipped away to seat herself at one of the house tables, Harry didn't quite catch which, though he remembered that she was in Hufflepuff, so he assumed she would be at the table below the yellow and black banners.

 

Professor McGonagall placed an old hat on a stool in front of the first-years, and Harry watched it carefully. He tried not to roll his eyes when it started singing, but he did sigh with the others when he realized all he'd have to do was try it on.

 

Harry clapped politely when Hannah Abbott was sorted into Hufflepuff, and for each Sorting after that until…

 

"Potter, Harry."

 

The whispers started, and everyone tried to get a look at him. When Harry was next to the stool Professor McGonagall put a restraining hand on his shoulder.

 

"Mister Potter has a medical condition called xeroderma pigmentosum. This means his body cannot recover from damage caused by the sun or bright lights. Therefore, anyone who attempts to force or coerce Mister Potter into removing his protective garments will be treated as though they have attacked another student with the intent to kill them. You have been warned." The hand was removed, and Harry sat down. The hat was placed over his hood.

 

Well, well, this is interesting. The hat grumbled a bit. And not at all amusing. You do realize that I can't sort you based on where you should be, and have to sort you based on where you won't die?

 

Care to explain? Harry thought-asked, wondering what was going on.

 

Gryffindor and Ravenclaw are both in towers, and if the Slytherins found out what you really are they'd kill you. Hufflepuffs, on the other hand, won't care. Granted, you’re a hard worker, no doubt about that, but you’re much more suited to Ravenclaw. Still, nothing to be done about it: I won’t be the cause of another student’s death. Once is enough. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to sort you before you give me a bigger headache.

 

"HUFFLEPUFF!" Harry hopped off the chair, and walked over to the other first-year Hufflepuffs, sitting down between MacMillan and Bones. He wasn't sure how a hat could have a headache. He'd have to look into it… eventually.

 

"Cutiepies!" Rene managed to sneak up on the first-years as the feast started, and she plopped down on the far side of MacMillan. "Lessee. Abbott, Bones, Flinch-Fletchley, Hopkins, Jones, Macmillan, Potter, Peerson, Smith." She pointed each out as she said their name. "Also known as Hannah, Susan, Justin, Wayne, Megan, Ernie, Harry, Annabelle, and Zacharias. Did I get it? Hmm?"

 

A pink-haired girl a few seats away snickered. "Renny, no need to confound the firsties!"

 

"Aw, lay off Tonks." Rene's words were harsh, but her tone was jocular. "Lemme have my fun."

 

"Alright, but I'm not cleaning up after you." Tonks retorted, turning back to her plate.

 

The meal continued, followed by dessert. Finally the tables were cleared; announcements made, and first-years told to follow their prefects.

 

"Oh, Potter." Rene reached around MacMillan to tap Harry's shoulder. "Your dad says he's proud of you, and he'll see you tomorrow in class."

 

"Really now, Miss Ivenson, do you always have to steal my thunder?" Severus said from directly behind Harry.

 

"Dad!" Harry yelped, whirling around. He was a little worried, actually, about not being in Severus' house.

 

Severus picked him up, and pulled him into a hug. "I am proud of you. I know you'll do well in Hufflepuff."

 

"Thanks dad." Harry wrapped his arms around Severus' neck. "Now, um, can you put me down before they faint?"

 

Harry got to watch Severus look at the masses of staring students, a number of whom looked like they might actually pass out.

 

"What?" Severus grumbled.

 

"Um…you're the evil bat of the dungeons who has no heart and eats students for dessert during detention?" Rene said, trying not to laugh. "You're not supposed to have a son, much less hug him in public. The fact that he's the boy-who-lived just makes it worse." During her speech Harry managed to slide to the ground, and he immediately grabbed her hand, tugging her towards the doors.

 

"Right. Go. I'll see you tomorrow at breakfast." Severus said absently…to the entirety of Hufflepuff House. Already the gears in his head were spinning, trying to figure out how he could use this to scare even more students, though, truth be told, Harry would probably come up with better ways than he ever could…without realizing it.

 

~~From the diary of Severus Snape~~

 

While my son – you know, it’s strange. I still haven’t gotten used to calling him that, yet I find myself doing so with no hesitation. Anyways, while my son seemed not to care about how the other students might react to his need for physical contact, and it is his need, I worry about him. I noticed a few days after I signed the papers that he took every opportunity to touch me. Little things: Holding my hand, sitting next to me on the couch: Things you’d expect a much smaller child to do. Mr. d’Eath explained some of it to me: He’s marking his territory.

 

The thing is, he was very shy about it. He seemed to expect that I would rebuff him at every turn. I was warned by the stuttering mess he turned into over the door to his room, which I really should have thought of, but that’s a different matter. As it was, I knew he needed physical reassurance, and I felt strangely okay with that. I say strangely because I am not a man who appreciates physical contact, and yet I found myself just as anxious to reassure myself that he was okay at every opportunity.

 

I started small: Pats on the head, ruffling his hair, that kind of thing. I was always careful about how I approached him, and soon he stopped that instinctive flinch that was like a punch in the gut to me. Within a week I started hugging him on a regular basis, and he quickly grew comfortable laying against me for hours as I went through various potions books with him, explaining everything the authors get horribly wrong.

 

The point is, I didn’t hesitate to hug him tonight, in full view of most of the students at Hogwarts, and now I am very worried. I know how children react, especially at this age. I should not have done that, and he should not have accepted it, and yet it has happened, and I must deal with the consequences. Perhaps I will speak with Miss Ivenson soon about getting all of Hufflepuff involved in his protection. I know they have some way of protecting their members that the other houses don’t and aren’t aware of. I will have to look into it. For now, however, I must go greet my Snakes and send them off to bed.

 

 

[1/17/11]
sSsSs
Hufflepuff
sSsSs

 

Harry spent the short walk to the Hufflepuff dorms chatting with his fellow first-years. When they stopped he looked around, and saw, of all things, a Buddha statue. Or, he thought it was a Buddha. There was something not quite right about it though so maybe it was just a random fat man.

 

"Oy, firsties!" Rene called to them. "Watch, yeah?" She reached down and tickled the statue's right big toe.

 

"Heh, hey, stop that." The statue grumbled, sliding out of the way. Behind it was a short, round tunnel that let into a cheerily lit room with yellow and black décor.

 

"So, boys go through that tube on your right, girls on the left. Go all the way to the end, and the last door is yours." Rene grinned. "Lads, see the three gents over there?" She pointed at three boys standing by the hall they'd been told to take. "They're your prefects. Go introduce yourselves, ja?" With that she took the girls to meet the fifth and sixth year female prefects.

 

Harry, shrugging, walked over with the other boys.

 

"Heya lads. I'm the seventh-year Hufflepuff prefect for the boys, Ian Levington." The oldest boy said.

 

"Sixth year, Anton Avers."

 

"Fifth year, Will Avers, and yes, we're brothers."

 

“Now, none of us have Renny’s insane memory, so if you could all please introduce yourselves?” Ian asked. His eyes flickered to Harry, who was at the edge of the semi-circle they’d formed.

 

"Harry Potter."

 

"Justin Flinch-Fletchley."

 

"Ernie MacMillan."

 

"Wayne Hopkins."

 

"Zacharias Smith."

 

"Right." Will stepped forwards. "If you have any problems come to one of us or one of the girls. If you need help we'll set you up with a tutor. Other announcements can wait until tomorrow. Follow me." He turned and walked into the tunnel.

 

The doors all had amusing labels. 'Kings of the sett', 'plus one', 'the hand', 'less a thumb', 'three legs', 'terrible twos', and finally 'firsties'. Harry, after a moment of contemplation, realized that they were actually descriptive titles for the year contained within. Of the first four years, only the firsties were given a break on mildly offensive names. He hypothesized that it was because students came from so many different backgrounds that it was easy to offend someone.

 

Inside the 'firsties' door was an elliptical room with a curtain creating a flat far wall. Four four-post beds were set in a box pattern, feet pointing towards the center of the room. Each had a desk on the inside near the foot and a wardrobe on the outside near the head. Shoe-racks sat at the foot, pointed to the center of the room, and a bookshelf made a box with the desk and the bed. Where the fifth bed should have been was the curtain-wall, the fabric heavy and thick enough that Harry knew it would block all light.

 

"Harry's bed is curtained off because of his condition." Will said to all of them. "Now, I need to warn you, only Harry, Hufflepuff prefects, and professors can open those curtains. We don't have any direct windows, but there's enough light to do damage, and we don't want anyone to catch Harry changing and accidentally hurt him."

 

Harry blushed even as he sidled to the curtains. He slid through them, pausing to let his eyes adjust to the much lower light level. A wave and a thought lit the moon-globe on his desk, and he walked to his trunk in two quick strides. Two minutes had his bookshelf organized, another three to put away his writing supplies and potions kit. Ten had his clothes tucked into the wardrobe and his shoes stowed on the rack. Finally he was done, and he stripped off his day clothes, set his alarm, a present from Professor McGonagall, to go off at seven, and curled up under his covers to sleep.

 

oOoOo

 

True to his word, Severus entered the Great Hall at the start of breakfast, and sat down at the Head table to enjoy a slow cup of coffee and a bowl of yogurt with raisins, granola, and maple syrup. He'd noticed Harry sitting in a mostly hidden alcove, reading a book, as he entered the hall, and wondered what his son was up to.

 

He found out rather quickly, and thanked whatever power watched over his son that the Great Hall was mostly empty. Harry had decided to creep up to the Head table, and wriggle into Severus' lap, ostentatiously taking a bite of his yogurt.

 

"You, child, have a death-wish." Severus grumbled affectionately, taking the spoon back from his son and eating around his head. Harry just leaned back and grinned, taking in the amusing faces most of the present students were making.

 

"Hmm. Da? Keep an eye on those twins over there. They look like they're planning something." Harry pointed out the Weasley twins, who almost always got to breakfast early.

 

"They're always planning something," Severus grumbled. "Oh, before I forget, would you swing by my quarters after classes? There's someone I want you to meet."

 

"Okay." Harry, who had just seen the rest of the Hufflepuff first-years walk into the great hall with Rene, slid off Severus' lap and rolled under the table to avoid having to go all the way around. Severus sighed, watching as his son skipped (skipped!) off to join his housemates.

 

"Severus, you do realize that if he keeps this up your reputation will be ruined, right?" Minerva asked conversationally as she passed him the coffee pot.

 

"Of course, Minerva." Severus replied, just as blandly, "but I don't think I need to worry about my reputation anymore. After all, even if He does come back Harry ruined my spy persona. Now I truly can devote my time to potions. Lupin's coming up for a while, and I fully intend to experiment with the wolfsbane while he's here." He sighed. “Mostly I’m hoping my reputation will last long enough to protect him from being ostracized.” He gave her a significant look.

 

"Indeed.” Minerva, too, glanced around, noticing some of the first years already shooting Harry strange looks. “But the part about Remus is wonderful. Have you decided to forgive him for Sirius' idiocy?" Minerva looked a tad stunned.

 

"Of course not. I fully intend to yell at him until his ears bleed, but I need him to convince said mutt that I am not teh eebil death munchies, otherwise there may be a few problems with Harry's guardianship." Severus intentionally used bad grammar and enunciated poorly when mentioning his former status.

 

"So you intend to yell at him?" Minerva could see a number of large gaps in Severus' logic.

 

"Yes, Minerva." Severus sighed and turned to her. "If Black tries to get custody he may end up irreversibly damaging his relationship with Harry. He's not parent material, particularly not after Azkaban. I need Lupin to handle Black, but first I need to vent seven years of frustration, angst, and anger on the wolf. He knows I'm going to, and I know he's going to vent the Potters' deaths on me." He shrugged and turned back to his food.

 

"You're insane." Minerva said after a minute. "Completely, totally insane."

 

oOoOo

 

Harry's first class was potions with the Ravanclaws. Will led the firsties to the dungeons ten minutes early, and left them to sprint to his own class, which was only allowable (normally the prefects waited until just before the bell) because it was divination. Harry, entirely too awake for his own good, left his bag with Wayne and climbed the doorframe of their classroom. Of course, the room itself was locked, but that wasn't going to stop Harry from…

 

"Well what have we here? Ickle puffers all early for class?" A burley, ugly Slytherin stood with four other, slightly less ugly, Slytherins, arms crossed, glaring menacingly at the row of rather scared first-years.

 

"What should we do?" One of the others asked, his voice malicious.

 

"Good question." The first advanced until he could reach out and touch Hannah, and then he did, running a finger down her cheek. "This one's pretty."

 

Harry knew that scent, and it made him sick…sick, and angry. His brain started to haze even as his mind reached for that strange feeling of 'dad' that was always hovering in the background. In his mind he screamed, wordless fear and anger, while his body focused on the lead snake. Before he was truly aware of what he was doing he'd pushed off from the lintel with a single powerful kick, and launched himself at the boy's head.

 

Not expecting an attack from above, the snake went down, hard. So hard that he cracked his head on the unforgiving stone of the floor with enough force to break the skin.

 

As the coppery scent of blood filled the air Severus swept around the corner…eight minutes early. Severus was never early…at least, not where the students could see him.

 

"What is going on here?" He asked, staring straight at his son. The child was falling quickly to blood-hunger, but the bond they shared paired with legillimency let Severus watch the exchange from Harry's eyes. In an instant he knew what had happened.

 

"We don't know sir. The kid attacked out of nowhere!" One of the Slytherins said immediately. "Just flew at Marcus…"

 

"Silence." Severus strode forwards, and physically pulled Harry off of the prone Slytherin even as he waved his wand at the door to unlock it. "Potter, go wait in my office." He hated it, but he had to use a firm voice, as nothing else would get through, not with that much blood on the ground. "All of you, take Flint to the Hospital Wing, and stay there." He paid them only enough attention to make sure they obeyed.

 

"s-Sir?" One of the Hufflepuffs whispered once the Slytherins were gone.

 

"Yes, Miss Bones?" Severus cleaned up the blood with a wave of his wand, and took care of the scent with another.

 

"The s-Slytherin was t-touc-ching h-Han-nah." She was shaking with the after effects of adrenaline, somewhere between fear, anger, and tears.

 

"I know." Severus said. "I will deal with him later. In the meantime go find seats and wait for me to return." He motioned them into the classroom, then swept past and into his office, eyes instantly coming to rest on Harry.

 

The child was a complete mess, shaking, pupils dilated. He'd already removed his hood, as there was no need in the windowless dungeon room, and his baby-fangs were glaringly obvious.

 

"I'm s-sor-ry f-fath-ther." He said, and Severus swept forwards to gather him in a hug. Harry was shaking violently, and Severus realized he wouldn't be able to function until he'd controlled the hunger.

 

Sighing internally, Severus cut his wrist and brought it to Harry's mouth, mentally calculating how long it would take before he could slip off to Hogsmeade and pick up some blood pops.

 

"Professor Snape?" The door to the classroom opened, and Rene poked her head in. She took in the tableau of now-angry Professor and completely oblivious child with blood on his lips, happily sucking away at said Professor's wrist, and snorted. "Right." She stepped into the room completely, closing the door behind her. "I'll handle Vampy here, you go teach your class."

 

"Miss Ivenson, I would appreciate it if you would refrain from use that nickname for my son." Severus said, still not moving. Rene pulled out her own penknife, slashed her wrist open with a practiced ease that disturbed Severus even as he noted that she placed the cut farther up on her arm and parallel instead of perpendicular. Though he knew he'd have to deal with the entire situation later he allowed her to pull Harry away from him and into her arms.

 

"Professor, if the House accepts his nickname they'll have fewer problems when they find out the truth. Trust me on this, okay?" She kicked him off the couch, and settled herself down in a pose so similar to what his own had been that Severus almost snorted…almost.

 

Deciding that he could do nothing but trust her, he healed his wrist and swept out of the room, though he kept part of his mind focused on Harry's mental state.

 

Rene settled onto the couch and waited for Harry's hunger to slack. Being just after breakfast, it didn't take long, and when she felt the flow of blood slowing she gently removed her wrist from his grip just long enough to close the wound, then let him lick it clean.

 

"Feeling better?" She asked, relaxing her arms as he reared back to stare at her. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not going to tell your secret." She left her arms open.

 

"Why?" He asked, fear heavy in his voice.

 

"Because I don't care what you are. I care who you are." She felt the familiar pressure of a vampire mind-touch, and let him graze over her emotions. "Also, my boyfriend's part vampire, though only a quarter, but he has the thirst so it amounts to the same thing." He relaxed back into her arms, knowing she spoke the truth from the emotions he read.

 

"Speaking of which, remind me to owl him tonight so he doesn't freak out. He'll have sensed that, even as far away as he is." She kept her tone light, and let her emotions tell him she wasn't worried at all.

 

"The Hat was right." Harry murmured.

 

"What's that hun?" Rene had a feeling she knew, but her curiosity ached for confirmation.

 

"The Hat said the only place I'd be accepted was Hufflepuff, the only place I'd survive." Harry tilted his head to look up at her.

 

"Well, I don't know about that, but you're definitely welcome." She kissed his hair, and cut off the twitch of sadness she felt when he didn't cringe away. Eleven-year-old boys shouldn't accept kisses, but here was another who did.

 

"Wait." Harry suddenly sat up. "What about potions?"

 

"Relax, I don't think Severus expects you to go. Besides, it hasn't started yet." Rene watched as Harry shot off the couch and sprinted to the door just as class started. She got up at a more leisurely pace and followed.

 

"Miss Ivenson, aren't you late for class?" Professor Snape asked as she passed him. Harry was sitting next to Hannah, who looked like she'd been crying.

 

"No. I've got a free period." Rene replied, stopping by the girl and pulling her into a quick hug. "I'll be waiting to walk you all to your next class." She whispered, and felt the child relax. Oh, when she got her hands on Flint…

 

"Well I do have a class. Ten points from Hufflepuff for disrupting it." Professor Snape's voice was irritated, but continued in a whisper, one carried by magic that only she could hear, as she scampered to the door. "And twenty points to Hufflepuff for going out of your way to help your housemates." She smirked as the door closed.

 

~~From the private correspondences of Rene Ivenson~~

 

Love,

He is half, he is a first year, and I've no doubt he would be delighted to meet you. He is also an eleven-year-old who accepts hugs and kisses as though they are new and wonderful things. More than any other I think of him as my child, especially now. You know what I mean.

Please, do not deny me this unless you have a very, very good reason to.

-RI

 

~~From the pages of You Wound Me Now Die~~

 

Thrall (cont.)

 

…

 

Of course, humans don’t know any of this unless they dance in Vampiric circles, which is how my dad ended up accidentally initiating such a bond, not that I’m complaining. Still, it had a few other side effects that weren’t as useful.

 

Throughout my time with Severus and especially for the first year I had an insistent need to touch him, to claim him as mine. Under normal circumstances this instinct was a protective measure that kept other vampires away from Thralls by marking them with scent and magic. Unfortunately, in my case the instinct backfired, resulting in behaviors that would have left me ostracized had it not been for the combined efforts of Hufflepuff House. All I knew was that everyone needed to know that Severus was MINE, but what I didn’t know, having grown up with as little physical contact as possible, is that eleven-year-olds don’t sit on their father’s lap in public… ever.

 

Suffice to say, looking back on my first years I’m quite surprised that so few students reacted negatively to me.

 

 

[1/17/11]
sSsSs
Remus Lupin
sSsSs

 

Harry was already in a bad mood when he made his way to the dungeons per his father’s instructions. He’d been grouchy since Defense Against the Dark Arts, where an overwhelming stench had set off his stomach. He was still ten feet from the door to his father's quarters when he heard the raised voices.

 

"He set me up to meet a full-grown, fully transformed werewolf!"

 

"So you betrayed the woman you loved and got her killed my a maniac?"

 

“I didn’t know it referred to her!”

 

“You served the Dark Lord!”

 

"I was an angsty, angry teenager who made a ridiculously bad decision!"

 

"So was he!"

 

"He bullied me from day one!"

 

"I'm not defending that, but try to see it from his point of view!"

 

"What, that all Slytherins are inherently evil?"

 

"No, that his family is traditionally Dark, his family wanted him in Slytherin, you were in Slytherin, and you were friends with the girl he had a crush on!"

 

"…"

 

"Severus?" The voice was softer, but Harry was closer, and could still hear it.

 

"He liked her too?"

 

"Yeah. Why do you think he went after Pettegrew instead of taking care of Harry? We all had crushes on her actually, but I knew she was for you. Werewolf nose."

 

"She…what? But, Potter."

 

"She never loved him, just tolerated him. She was hurt Severus."

 

“Wait, what do you mean about Black?”

 

“He loved the kid, but he couldn’t stand that Harry was James’ son. I think he’s only gotten over it by seeing James in Harry now. I’ve talked to him, and sometimes he slips, you know.” The other man sounded less angry and more sad.

 

Suddenly Harry realized that he was eavesdropping. Feeling a bit ashamed, though the overriding sensation in his gut was an overwhelming protectiveness, he reached up and knocked on the door.

 

"Come." He stepped in, closing the door behind him, and walked over to his father, wrapping his arms around the man's legs.

 

"If you hurt my father I will kill you." He said, turning to the werewolf, though he didn't let go of the legs he held. After meeting Mr. Kain there was no way he'd mistake that scent for anything else.

 

"I have no intention of hurting your father." The werewolf sank to his knees, tilting his head to the side, as Harry watched through slited eyes. He recognized the gesture of peace and submission for what it was because of Vlad's book. Wizards tended to think themselves above such things, but members of the marginalized societies kept to the old ways when it came to courtesies. It just made life easier, particularly when different species were involved, to use universal body language for important things such as 'I'm not a threat so don't attack me please'. If a wizard was too proud to kneel when he was obviously outmatched, well, he could just die.

 

Granted, the werewolf wasn't obviously outmatched at the moment, but kneeling had other uses, such as 'we got off on the wrong foot and I don't want to be in your little black book of death-when-possible'.

 

"Good." Harry grumbled, then relaxed. He was a quick study, and knew the proper response for 'non-violence pledge accepted'. Five steps took him into the man's range. A sixth and he had well violated the man's personal bubble. Harry reached with his right hand, and rested his fingers on the man's left pulse-point. Obligation completed he humphed back to his father and silently demanded he be picked up.

 

"Lupin, would you care to explain what that was?" Severus asked as he picked Harry up and settled into his favorite chair. Harry turned his head, and watched the werewolf seat himself on the couch.

 

"Nonhuman courtesies." Lupin said absently. "You probably know a few of them. Wizards call them the Old Courtesies, but have gotten too proud to follow them."

 

"I see." Severus turned to his son. "Harry, were on earth did you learn that?"

 

"The book Mister d'Eath gave me." Harry said, playing with his dad's buttons.

 

"Of course." He shook his head, and caught his son's hands. "Harry, I would like you to meet Remus Lupin. Lupin, this is Harry Potter. Harry, Lupin will be helping Black, who is your godfather, get over our school rivalry, which is what we were yelling about when you got here. I don't want you worrying about it, okay?"

 

"Mrr." Harry grumbled, burying his head in his father's robes.

 

"Harry! There you are! Hi, Professor." Rene chose that moment to poke her head in. "Grumpy, is he?"

 

"Do you know something I don't, Miss Ivenson?" Severus asked, slightly concerned at the abnormal behavior Harry was exhibiting.

 

"Yeah. Professor Quirrel keeps garlic in his turban. He is, apparently, afraid of a vampire he met… somewhere." Rene walked into the room and over to where Severus was sitting. "I've already spoken to the Headmaster with the help of Professors Sprout and McGonagall, and I'll be tutoring Harry and a Ravenclaw second-year who's also allergic." She leaned against the arm of the chair and started rubbing Harry's back.

 

"Harry's allergic to garlic?" Lupin asked from the couch.

 

"He doesn't know?" Rene asked Severus.

 

"No." Severus said calmly.

 

"I thought he was going to be watching Harry sometimes over the summer, that's why he was coming today, to see if they clicked." She continued calmly.

 

"That was the general idea." Severus wondered what she was doing.

 

"Well shouldn't you tell the babysitter about the baby's allergies and medical conditions?" She leaned in and grabbed Harry, who immediately started protesting. "Nope, sorry grumpy, but you're coming with me. Your dad has an adult to yell at, and you have homework." Just like that she carried him out.

 

"I want dad." Harry grumped quietly.

 

"I know you do love, but he has stuff to do, and so do you." Rene didn't let him down as she paced purposefully through the school.

 

"Grrr." Harry replied, and refused to acknowledge her after that.

 

Rene pushed open a pair of double-doors with her foot and hip, and carried Harry into the Hospital Wing, and through to Madame Pomfrey's office.

 

"Here he is." She said as she set herself in a chair.

 

"Hmm. Grumpy?" Madame Pomfrey smiled indulgently, something she'd never do if Harry were looking.

 

"Very." Rene rolled her eyes.

 

"Well." Madame Pomfrey tapped Harry on the head, and handed him a vial when he looked up. "Drink that, young man, or I will be displeased." She smirked as Harry slid the vial past his veil and downed it.

 

A few seconds later Harry perked up, then hunched over, wrapping his arms around his torso in a nervous gesture.

 

"I'm sorry Renny." He said, voice wavering.

 

"Hey, Vampy, look at me." Rene tilted his chin until she could see his eyes through the veil. "No harm done. You were being poisoned. That's bound to make anyone grumpy." She pulled him close, and smiled when his arms wrapped around his neck.

 

"All better now?" Madame Pomfrey asked.

 

"Yes Madame Pomfrey." Harry said. "Thank you."

 

"Any time child." She hustled the two out.

 

"Wanna walk, or should I carry you some more?" Rene asked teasingly. She was surprised and saddened when Harry immediately lifted his arms to be picked up.

 

~~From the private correspondences of Rene Ivenson~~

 

Heart-mine,

I freely admit to having been worried, but your letter assuaged my fears. I support you in this, and will visit as soon as I can take the time.

I do know what you mean, and my heart weeps. What is in my power to fix will be.

Keep me appraised.

-PR

 

 

[1/18/11]
sSsSs
Study Group
sSsSs

 

"Found him." Rene flopped down on the transfigured couch in the abandoned classroom and smiled at the small Ravenclaw waiting with her Defense book open on her lap. The girl looked up and smiled shyly.

 

"Hi." She whispered.

 

"Brittany, Harry. Harry, Brittany. Play nice." Rene grinned and tapped the book in Brittany's hand. "Brit, run me through what you know."

 

The next hour was a concentrated Defense lesson. Harry found himself entranced by what Rene was teaching Brittany, or Bit, as that's what 'Renny' called her, and had no problem following along. Therefore, the three decided that they would cover second-year material during their assigned study time, and Harry would work with Rene after curfew on first-year material if and when he needed help.

 

So it was that an hour passed, and it was time for dinner. The trio walked to the Great Hall together, and both Harry and Rene immediately scanned the Head table. Severus wasn't there, nor was Lupin. The other Hufflepuff firsties, on the other hand, were there, gathered at the far end of the table.

 

Hannah was the first to see Harry and Rene enter the Great Hall, and she waved them both over, grinning happily.

 

"Hey Hanners, how ya doin?" Rene asked, flopping into an open seat.

 

"Much better." Hannah said, turning back to her food. "Where were you, Harry?"

 

"Renny's tutoring me in Defense along with a Ravenclaw second-year 'cause we're both allergic to garlic." Harry shrugged as food appeared on his plate.

 

"Which would be why you get food sent up special, right?" Justin asked, scooping out seconds of the mashed potatoes.

 

"Precisely." Rene grinned, loading her own plate with lots of salad and a little meat. "Now, ladies and gents, Hufflepuff tends to have a problem with bullies, and as you've learned already there are a few unsavory types in the school. Therefore, the entire house has physical training on weekends, and there are physical defense classes for all the girls and any boys who want to join two or three nights a week depending on the upper years' schedules. Vampy, I'd suggest you join. Flint's gonna be out for your blood after this morning."

 

Harry shrugged. He was used to people wanting to hurt him, though Flint was a lot more dangerous than Dudley had been.

 

"Heh. Vampy." Hannah grinned. "That's so cute!" She glomped Harry, and he let her.

 

"You really are going to stick me with that nickname, aren't you." It wasn't a question, and Harry didn't even pretend it was.

 

"Yup!" Rene grinned and set to eating with relish.

 

oOoOo

 

Harry groaned as he fell into bed. Self-defense class was a good idea…in theory. In practice, well… it wasn't that Harry was out of shape or anything, but the standard test of fitness was a run from the potions classroom to the top of the astronomy tower. Apparently the best defense was being able to run so he'd spent an hour running. Then the next best defense was quickly incapacitating your attacker… and then running so he'd spent another half-hour learning how to trample insteps, kick groins, bruise solar-plexi, and break noses...in the company of every Hufflepuff female, and four other guys. The best part was that he'd get to do it again in two days, only longer, as that would be a weekend session.

 

On the other hand, Harry was quite thoroughly convinced that Hufflepuffs looked out for each other, and he'd gone, in the course of a little over a month, from having no friends and an abusive family to having a really cool father, a crazy, disturbing godfather, and more recently an entire House of friends. On the whole he was rather happy with how things had turned out.

 

"Hey Harry! You going to sleep already?" Justin called through the curtains, disturbing Harry’s half-asleep musings.

 

"Unggggg!" Harry replied.

 

"We were gonna meet up with the girls in the common room and work on the essay for Professor Snape." Justin reminded him. With a groan Harry rolled off the bed, grabbed a clean pair of pants, shirt, gloves, slipper-boots, and hooded-jacket. He pulled everything on, wincing as his abused muscles complained, and grabbed his school bag. A quick check told him everything was covered, not that he was worried as it was well after sunset, but he had to play a part, and he slipped out of his 'room', and joined the other boys on their way to the common room.

 

"Hey lads. Glad you could join us!" Susan hollered, waving wildly, and showing almost no signs of having just been through what Harry had. Of course, the girls hadn't been run quite as hard, as they didn't have a pack of Slytherins out for their guts. (Ian managed to overhear a conversation that made Hufflepuff house unhappy.)

 

"Yeah, well, Vampy was all sore and tired from whatever it was you ladies did to him." Ernie said. Harry absently noticed a few of the older students giving each other looks, and shook his head. Trust Ernie, the pureblood heir to the MacMillan clan, to shout innuendoes across the common room.

 

"You had to stick the poor boy with 'Vampy'?" Harry swung his head to the left, and saw Tonks standing over Rene, hands on her hips, a scowl on her face.

 

"It's better than any number I've heard, and most definitely superior to 'The-Boy-Who-Lived'." Rene said calmly. "Now leave me alone before I change your nick to 'Tripper' again."

 

"I much prefer 'Pinky'." Tonks put in a parting shot as she tripped to the other side of the common room.

 

Harry couldn't help it, he laughed, even as he flopped onto the floor in front of the fire with the other firsties and pulled out his potions book.

 

"Essay's on the boil-cure we cooked up today, right?" Harry muttered, opening his book to the appropriate page.

 

"Yeah." Zacharias spoke up, his own book already open.

 

"And why exactly are we doing this now?" Harry grumbled, absently flicking the soft end of his quill against the join of hood and veil. "Now, when I could be sleeping?"

 

"Because bedtime for firsties isn't for another half-hour?" Tonks called over to them. Harry turned to glare at her, but cracked up instead. She'd managed to morph her ears into monstrosities of elephantine proportion that, apparently, picked up everything in the common room.

 

"Quiet you." Harry groused, turning back to his book.

 

Ten minutes later he gave up with a snort of disgust, and packed his bag. He couldn’t focus very well, and his eyes kept closing of their own accord. The girls, contrary to their outward appearance, weren’t doing much better, but when Harry asked if they were going to pack up all four of them shook their heads. They were, apparently, going to stick it out until the upper years made them go to bed.

 

With a shrug, Harry took his stuff upstairs and got ready for bed. Because of his 'condition' Harry had a personal shower/toilet/sink room-type-thing attached to his…cubicle. He availed himself of every piece of equipment in it and collapsed into his warm, comfortable, soft, delightful bed. As he fell asleep he realized that, despite not getting much work done, being rousted from bed had reminded him how disgusting he felt, so at least one good thing came of it.

 

oOoOo

 

"You're Harry Potter! You're famous." Harry looked at the bushy-haired Gryffindor who'd popped up in front of him without a by your leave. "I've read all about you, of course." He finished pulling out his transfigurations textbook and centered it on his desk before responding.

 

"Your delightfully overbearing personality leaves much to be desired, and your effluvium of declarations is entirely too banal for my tastes." Harry cut her off, intentionally picking a number of words he doubted even she knew - unless she'd read a dictionary too, of course.

 

The girl stared. "Did you just insult me?"

 

"That is a distinct possibility." Harry shrugged, "of course, if I did it was only in response to your insult to me."

 

"Insult?" She looked entirely too confused, and Harry sighed internally.

 

"We were never properly introduced, and you insisted on starting this plebian little interview without observing the appropriate formalities." Harry grinned at her as though the words that had spilled from his mouth were typical for an eleven-year-old.

 

"Huh?" She looked at him, and he guessed that she was unfamiliar with the word plebian. "Oh. I'm Hermione Granger." She shoved her hand in his face.

 

"You are also…" Harry paused, wondering why he was so angry with her. Forcing his irritation down he took the hand, rising as he did so. "Nevermind. I am Harry Potter." He bowed over her hand slightly, neither groveling nor slighting, then looked into her eyes, making sure she saw his through the veil before continuing. "And if you ever tell me who or what I am again I will insult you creatively enough that you'll have to spend a month researching in the library before you even begin to understand what I've said."

 

Miss Granger managed a credible imitation of a fish as Harry sat back down.

 

"You have a mind like a trap, Miss Granger," Harry added, his mind connecting a few facts as satisfaction overrode the lingering traces of anger. He’d heard a number of rumors about her, most of them couched in unflattering terms. "With a slight attitude adjustment you would make a good diplomat. I recommend you read Customs and Courtesies of the Old Blood by Lestat Düräns." He paused, adding, "The Vladimir translation," as an afterthought.

 

"Uh. Oh. Okay." She stumbled away as Professor McGonagall entered, effectively ending all conversation.

 

Ernie shoved a note under his nose less than a minute later.

 

Did you just send her to read a Vampire's translation of a Were-elf's book on the Old Courtesies?

 

Of course. Harry scribbled before shoving the note back at his friend.