Halloween, 1981

Godric's Hollow:

"Lily, take Harry and get out!" James yelled. "Run! I'll hold him off!" He raced to the front entrance of the small cottage, knowing he didn't have a hope in hell of defeating the most powerful dark wizard in the world. All he could do was buy some time for Lily to get Harry to safety.

Lily darted upstairs, fear congealing in her insides. She knew she had but moments to escape. One single thought was in her mind. She had to save Harry. Nothing else mattered. Upon reaching the nursery, she grabbed her son, who had woken from all the shouting and the explosion downstairs, and started to bawl.

"Shhh, baby. Mama's here. Don't be afraid." She rocked the fifteen month old back and forth, and cast the strongest protective charm she could about them both. She could smell the scent of ozone in the air and burnt wood and she knew with a dull ache that James was dead. She turned to Apparate, but a sudden wave of dizziness came over her and she staggered, nearly falling to the floor. The charm had taken more out of her than expected and she felt terribly weak.

Before she could muster her fading strength and hide Harry, the door to the nursery was kicked open and a gaunt figure in a black robe entered. He was tall and his face had once been handsome, but was now drawn and lined with the mark of his dark craft. For the dark magic always exacted a price, and though Voldemort often used others to take the price of spells from him, there were some spells that could not be transferred in that manner, and those all took a toll upon the caster. Lank hair hung down past his shoulders and his eyes were stark and cold, like that of the snake which was his familiar.

His aura was smothering, a darkness so vast that it threatened to cut off her air and steal her breath. But she fought against it, cuddling her baby protectively against her shoulder. She pointed her wand at the invader and snarled, "Go back to the hell that spawned you, warlock!"

Voldemort laughed mockingly. "Step aside, woman! I am after one thing only. Give me the brat and I shall spare you."

"Never! Reducto!"

But her curse rebounded off his shields and she fell, landing hard on her backside, Harry tumbling from her grip.

Voldemort giggled insanely. "Foolish Mudblood! Thinking you can stand against me! I am the Destroyer and I have come to claim my dark successor!"

"No!" Lily howled. She did not know how Voldemort had discovered the secret she and James had concealed ever since Harry's birth, but somehow they had been betrayed and now he would kill to get her son. Her very special baby boy, whom she loved like she had never loved anything else in the world. "I'd rather die than see you touch him, you filthy bastard!"

"Then say goodbye, witch!" Voldemort leveled his wand and she saw the green killing energy spark along its length.

"MAMA-A-A!"

The wail was torn from the toddler's throat, a high-pitched screech of fear and anger. Harry didn't like this scary dark man who had come into his home and shouted at his mama, making her scared. He saw the tears on her cheeks and that frightened him even more. He sensed that the dark man was bad . . . very bad . . .He lifted his face up and stared at the scary man, and something ancient and terrible roused within him.

The window pane cracked and shattered as the wind slammed into the side of the house and swirled into the room, gathering about the young wizard and his mother, blowing the long forelock of dark hair off Harry's forehead.

Voldemort grinned upon seeing the mark, the bold lightning bolt that confirmed his suspicions. His spy had been right after all. The Potter boy was the one. But first, he would remove the irritating Mudblood from his path. He started to speak the Killing Curse, the destructive energy coiling and hissing through him.

Harry glared at him, meeting his eyes.

Voldemort faltered. For the boy's eyes were glowing with energy, blazing with white fire.

In the next instant, a gigantic bolt of lightning smote the house. The roof exploded, splinters flying everywhere. Voldemort's spell was unleashed at that precise moment. The two magics collided and the resulting backlash of storm magic and Killing Curse tore Voldemort apart. One moment the dark wizard was standing there, and the next he was gone, burnt to ash which the wind swiftly scoured away.

Rain fell and thunder boomed and Harry began to cry again, his head hurt horribly and his mother lay still on the floor beside him, amid the smoking ruin of the second floor.

An hour later, Hagrid found the fifteen-month-old and took him away on Sirius' motorbike, and soon after several Aurors and medical personnel came and took Lily Potter away as well, to a private room in St. Mungos, where she remained in a coma for ten years, though there was not a mark on her, and her magic replenished itself over time. Her condition baffled the best Healers in Britain and even the specialists called in from the United States to study her. There was no physical or magical trauma that could be detected, yet Lily did not wake, not even when her best friend, Occlumens and Mind Healer Severus Snape, made attempts to contact her using his mind magic and astral projection.

Because Lily was incapacitated, James dead, and Sirius locked away in Azkaban, Harry was sent to live with the Dursleys on Privet Drive, because Dumbledore believed that blood wards would protect him best from the Dark Lord and his followers. And so Harry became the Boy-Who-Lived, and the scar was thought to be the mark of the Killing Curse which he had miraculously survived. Only three people knew the truth about the nascent stormcaller, and two were dead and one lost to the world.

Ten years later

Privet Drive, Surrey:

"This is all your fault, boy!" bellowed Uncle Vernon, his mustache quivering with rage. "You're the reason we're getting attacked by mail every day and those infernal owls are hovering everywhere, making the neighbors call Animal Control and mucking up our walk!" He picked up Harry by the front of his shirt and shook him hard.

"But Uncle Vernon, I don't know why this is happening!" protested the small ten-year-old, who was due to turn eleven in two days. "I didn't do anything, sir!"

"Bollocks! Every time something freaky happens, you've got something to do with it!" Vernon roared, shoving his face into Harry's. "Don't lie to me! You let the snake out of the zoo and now this!"

Harry coughed at the stale scent of cigars on Vernon's breath and wrinkled his nose. "I'm sorry, sir!" he apologized, even though he knew he hadn't done anything to cause this latest catastrophe, unlike the time he had electrocuted Dudley when he was six, causing his cousin's hair to stick up like a porcupine's and turn almost white for a month. Dudley had pushed him and stolen his toy dragon and he had gotten mad and pushed the other back, only somehow he had accidentally caused an electric shock to happen and though Dudley wasn't permanently injured, his uncle had given him the worst smacking of his life and locked him in the cupboard for nearly a week. Harry didn't want to risk that again, he was still sore from the zoo incident, and so he apologized.

"I'm sorry," he repeated, frightened now at the way Vernon's eyes were narrowed, like a mad boar's about to trample an enemy.

"Oh, now you're sorry," Vernon mocked, shaking his nephew slightly. "But if you didn't do anything, boy, why are you apologizing? Guilty conscience?"

Harry gulped. "No, sir. I don't know why the letters keep coming. I don't know anything about who's sending them." He started to panic. Vernon had to believe him. He wasn't lying. Please, not the cupboard. Not the cupboard again. The dank dark smelly cupboard, where he could barely turn about was the worst punishment. Harry hated being locked up, hated being trapped, hated not being able to see the sky or feel the breeze on his face.

He darted a glance at his aunt, thin horse-faced Petunia, whose pinched face radiated disapproval as she gathered up all the mysterious letters and burnt them in the fireplace. The letters had been arriving for weeks and nothing the Dursleys had done so far—boarding up the mail slot, the windows, cancelling the post delivery—worked to stop the letters from arriving. They arrived round the clock, flying in through whatever space was available and several kinds of owls perched all about the house and the yard, displaying distinctly odd and unusual behavior for nocturnal birds of prey.

Petunia knew what the letters were, of course, but she wanted nothing to do with wizards ever again and had vowed that her life would never be disrupted by freaks in long robes. She had taken in Lily's child on sufferance and couldn't wait till the day she could ship him off to St. Brutus', where they could beat the freakiness out of him for good and all. She prayed nightly for her sister to wake so she could take the green-eyed boy off her hands, but years had passed and Lily remained asleep. Just like Sleeping Beauty, Petunia thought sourly, with nary a thought to her brat and how much trouble it was to raise him. She received monthly updates in the regular post from Lily's doctor at that magical hospital, St. Murdo's or whatever it was called, but they were always the same, and she had long ago stopped reading them. She didn't know why the stupid wizards kept sending them to her if there was no change. Then again, Lily's chief doctor was that grimy Snape boy who used to live down the street from her as a boy, and he had always had a thing for Lily.

An owl tapped at the front window, making Petunia scream and Dudley fall off the couch where he had been watching the telly. It had a letter addressed to Harry Potter in its beak.

"That does it!" bellowed Vernon, his nerves shot. "Into the cupboard with you!"

"No!" Harry yelled, struggling in the big man's grip. "I just got out! It's not fair! Lemme go!"

"Quit your whinging!" Vernon growled, giving the boy a smart smack on the ear. "That's where freaks like you belong!"

Harry blinked back tears. His head hurt from his uncle's beefy hand, but that wasn't what was causing his stomach to cramp and his throat to tighten in rebellion. He couldn't stomach another minute in that hole. Not when he had already spent weeks in there. "I didn't do it!" he yelled, fighting like a wild thing. "It's not my fault! You're not locking me up again!"

Clouds began to gather out of a clear blue sky, dark and menacing.

But none of the Dursleys noticed because they weren't looking outside.

"Get in there, boy, and none of your lip!" Vernon threw Harry inside and slammed the door.

Harry landed hard on his knees and hands, bruising them. He spun and pounded the door frantically, fear surging up from his belly and making his mouth taste sour. "Let me out!"

A sudden anger boiled within him at the unfairness of it all, even though his life had never been fair. And with the anger came something raw and heavy, a burning sensation that made his eyes itch and tingle. He felt the hair on his head stand up and crackle with ambient energy and then there came a loud crack of thunder, followed by the howling screech of a seventy-mile-an-hour wind. Harry felt a throbbing behind his eyes and he reached with the power . . .summoning hot and cold fronts to him, calling upon the forces of nature to free him from his prison.

In the space of five minutes, a hurricane was born on Privet Drive.

It smashed into the house with titanic force, ripping, tearing, and destroying everything in its path. Timbers groaned and snapped, aluminum siding tore like toilet paper, roof shingles flew through the air like paper clips. The owls had long since flown away, sensing the impending disaster, and only the Dursleys caught the full impact of the killer gale. Within ten minutes, number four was reduced to bits of rubble, the roof collapsed in on itself, killing all inside.

All save one dark-haired boy, who had somehow been saved because he'd been inside a closet, and the freak storm, or so the neighbors later reported, had only wrecked the Dursley residence. No one else's house was touched.

Police and emergency rescue teams found the boy lying unconscious amid the wreckage and took him to the local trauma unit. He seemed to be all right save for bruises and a bump on the head and was declared a lucky survivor. But then he began running a fever, and the doctors could not seem to get it to go down, despite all the state of the art drugs they pumped into him. The pediatric Head feared for the boy's life . . . or sanity.

Until something odd happened.

The boy, who was as yet unidentified, disappeared from his hospital bed the next night, and was never seen again. The whole incident made the papers for months, but the mystery of the vanishing boy who had survived a house falling on top of him was never solved.

The next day

St. Mungos, London:

"Has his fever gone down at all since we've administered the stronger dosage?" inquired Healer Nicholson of his assistant.

"Yes, a bit."

"Good. I want to keep him sedated until we figure out what to do with him."

"What to do with him? I don't understand." his intern said, biting her lip. "He's a little boy who did some accidental magic, that's all."

The Healer snorted. "Oh no, Miss Nightengale, he's far more than that. Do you not recognize the scar? This is the Boy-Who-Lived, Harry Potter. We must take the best care of him, and right now he needs his rest, his magical core is very low."

"Oh! Is that why the Minister and Professor Dumbledore have been to visit?" she gasped.

"Yes." He cast a single glance at the boy asleep in the bed and then beckoned his intern out of the room.

In another room down the hall, three men were having a very heated discussion.

"But he's the Boy-Who-Lived! The scar is a result of deflecting the Killing Curse. His mother's sacrifice created a shield and it rebounded upon Voldemort," argued Dumbledore.

"No, Headmaster. I think you're mistaken," said a soft silky voice, it came from a tall man sitting to the right of the purple-garbed Headmaster. "That scar was not caused by magical means."

"Surely you're not referring to . . ." the stout Minister, Cornelius Fudge, trailed off in shock. "That's impossible! The last known record of one of them was over three centuries ago! You are grasping at straws, Snape."

"Am I?" asked Snape cooly, meeting the other's eyes with his obsidian ones. "Consider the circumstances. Ten years ago, when You-Know-Who came calling at Godric's Hollow, a massive storm was born that same night he and Potter perished. The only survivors were Lily and Harry. Now, the same thing has occurred. You know well that a stormcaller is immune to the effects of his own summoning."

"But then what of Lily? Why was she not killed too?" objected Dumbledore.

"Perhaps her magic protected her. Or he did, instinctively." Snape replied. "You cannot dismiss this because you don't wish to deal with the truth, ugly though it is, reality must be faced."

"But Severus, the gift is extremely rare, only one in a million even show a hint of it, much less the full blown ability," stuttered Fudge, his eyes wide with fear.

"The mark does not lie," Severus said implacably. "Every stormcaller since the dawn of man has borne the lightning bolt upon his person."

Fudge shuddered. "And every stormcaller born has gone mad and destroyed himself and those around him eventually. The last one caused the Great Fire of London! It took over thirty wizards and witches linked in a circle to stop him and even then the death toll was unbelievable. What do we do? Is there a way to make his powers dormant, Healer?"

Severus shook his head. "No. It's been tried before. Tampering with his mind and trying to repress the gift could result in making him insane and that would be disastrous for everyone."

"Is it safe for him to attend school?" Dumbledore mused.

"No!" Fudge cried. "He's a danger to everyone around him. If he should lose control again . . .Hogwarts could be destroyed. He must not attend, Headmaster!"

"But Cornelius, I have had his name down since before he was born," protested Albus.

"I forbid it! He's a menace! May Merlin forgive me, but perhaps we ought to . . . think about neutralizing him."

"Murder, Cornelius?" sneered Snape. "That's low even for you."

"I don't want to do it, but . . . you know what danger a true stormcaller can unleash, Severus."

"Yes," Snape said darkly. "But that doesn't give us the right to play God with a child's life. He needs to be trained. Taught to harness his power so he isn't such a danger to others."

"That won't do any good," snorted the Minister. "They all go mad and die eventually. The oldest one didn't even make it to seventeen. It would be far kinder to just . . ." he waved a hand.

Severus' gaze hardened. "I refuse to be a party to murder, no matter how prettily you phrase it, Minister. I am under oath as a Mind Healer. I save lives, not take them."

"Severus is right. We cannot judge Harry on what he might do," agreed Dumbledore. "We must allow him to prove himself."

"And who shall we find who is willing to mentor a stormcaller? There is no one alive now with the gift. Why risk it?"

"Because we are human beings, Minister, not soulless Death Eaters or Dementors," Snape cut in sternly. "The key to controlling any magical talent or spell is discipline. That can be taught."

"By whom? You're the strongest wizard we have, Albus, and even you couldn't do what he did!"

"True. But it's not power alone that determines a powerful wizard, Cornelius. Severus is right. Discipline and control are essential to controlling one's magic. And in that department I am bested only by one man." He inclined his head respectfully towards Severus. "Perhaps together we may be able to teach Harry."

Severus arched an eyebrow. "That's a big perhaps, Albus. But for the sake of his mother, I shall do so. Once he is awake, I shall speak with him. He's bound to be confused and afraid."

"Grieving too. His whole family was lost in that storm," Dumbledore reminded.

"Not all. His mother is not dead." Severus snapped.

"Humph! Might as well be for all the good she'll do us," muttered Fudge beneath his breath.

Snape's hands clenched and he struggled to keep from hexing the Minister. How such a fool had ever been voted into office was beyond him. He contented himself with mentally torching Fudge with his glare. "If you have no objections, I think it best if I take him to my home for the first stage of his training. It has strong wards and is out in the middle of nowhere. If a storm is summoned there, it can spend itself out on the moor without worry. I shall take a leave of absence for a few months."

"It's your hide, Snape," said the Minister. "I wash my hands of it. But if he starts displaying signs of instability . . .I will send in a Hit Squad. I will not have devastation like the Great Fire in my term of office."

Severus' eyes flashed and he stood up, ready to tear the Minister into shreds, but Dumbledore laid a hand on his arm, and Snape controlled himself. But it was a near thing. "Duly noted . . .sir," he gritted out. "When shall I draw up the papers for legal apprenticeship?"

Cornelius shrugged. "Whenever you wish. See my secretary, she'll take care of it."

"And now, if you'll excuse me, I have rounds." Gripping his wand in one white knuckled fist, he departed the room.

He visited two of his patients and released them, then his footsteps turned unerringly to the room at the far end of the Spell Damage Ward. Not a day went by when he didn't detour to this room, and spend a few moments just gazing down at the sleeping figure in the bed. Time had not touched Lily Potter much, she was still as beautiful as when Snape had fantasized about her in school. But he had never dared to ask her to marry him, always worshipping her in secret, for he was ashamed of his upbringing, and Lily had always been his friend. He did not want to lose that, and so he had held his tongue, to his own detriment.

Only now did he dare to admit that his feelings for Lily were and always had been a deep and abiding love. Now, when it was too late.

He approached her bed on cat's feet, his green robes rustling softly about his ankles. "Lily," he whispered. He always spoke to her when he visited, just in case she was listening. "Harry's come here too, though not to stay, I think. He'll recover from his bout of accidental magic soon and be good as new. Your sister and her family are dead . . .I'm afraid Harry unleashed his magic on them without knowing what he was doing. He's a stormcaller, Lil, the first one born in centuries, did you know that?"

He never expected an answer, he talked mostly because he couldn't stand treating her like a block of wood or a cadaver when she was still alive. Somewhere, her mind wandered, and someday it would return to him. It was that fragile hope that kept him returning and talking to her. He had to believe that, else Lily was truly lost, and he would have nothing left to cling to.

He reached out a hand to take her slender one in his own and it was then that a soft voice spoke, rusty with disuse. "I know, Sev."

Severus jerked up and gasped, looking down at Lily.

For the first time in ten years, her eyes were open and she was aware.

"Lily," he whispered her name like a benediction.  "You're awake.  You've come back to me."

Lily moved her head slightly, lifting her opposite hand and feeling her forehead.  "Sev? How . . . how long have I been . . . sleeping? A long time?"

Something about his manner told her she had been asleep for quite some time, for she had never seen him cry, even if he was only shedding a few tears. 

Severus nodded, then took a seat on the bed next to her, still clasping her hand.  "A very long time, Lil. Ten years. You've been in a coma ever since V-Voldemort came to Godric's Hollow and killed James and tried to steal away Harry."

Lily gasped, feeling her heart stutter.  "Ten . . . years . . .! I've been asleep for . . . a decade?"

Severus squeezed her hand gently.  "I'm afraid so.  I know it's a shock.  I think it was because you used a great deal of your magic trying to protect Harry and then his magic reacted to the Killing Curse and when it backlashed . . . you were flung into a coma." He kept his voice low and even, though he wanted to shout aloud that Lily was awake at last.  At last!

"For ten years,"  Lily murmured, unsure whether to be grateful or to rage at the years that had been stolen from her.  "Where's Harry? Is he all right? Who's been looking after him while I've been asleep?"

"Easy, Lil," Severus soothed, reaching out a hand to stroke the hair away from her eyes.  "Harry is here in St. Mungos too.  He's currently sleeping off one hell of a magical drain.  After you were brought here, Albus Dumbledore and the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, decided that Harry was to be raised by his next of kin, which was your sister Petunia, and her husband.  So that's where he was living, with the Dursleys. Until now."

Lily tried to sit up, but found that she was horrendously weak and Severus assisted her, slipping an arm about her shoulders and gently easing her up, propping her with several pillows.  "Thanks, Sev," she said when he was done.  "I suppose I should have expected that, but . . . what about Sirius? He was named Harry's godfather by James."

Severus grimaced.  "He's been in Azkaban these past ten years, Lily. For betraying you as your Secret Keeper."

"Oh, dear sweet Merlin! I can't believe it!"

"He killed poor Pettigrew and thirteen innocent bystanders when Pettigrew confronted him.  There were over a dozen witnesses."

"But . . . why? He was James' best friend . . . the best man at our wedding," Lily cried, feeling a desolate rage sweep through her.  "How could he just betray us like that?"

"Voldemort made him an offer he couldn't refuse," Severus sighed.

Lily frowned.  "What offer?"

"The bastard told Black that he could cure his brother Regulus of the werewolf curse."

"And Sirius . . . believed him?"

Severus nodded.  "Apparently the clever trickster showed him some sort of proof and well . . . the rest is history, as they say."

Lily shook her head sadly.  "Ah, God . . . what a bloody mess.  So my sister and Vernon have been raising Harry all this time?"

"Yes.  But that all changed a few days ago. You see, Harry's latent abilities as a stormcaller awakened and we believe that he summoned a hurricane, which destroyed your sister's house and killed them. Harry was the only survivor.  Muggle police found him buried in the rubble, he survived because of his magic and the fact that he took shelter in a closet before the storm hit . . ." Severus related what little he knew of what had occurred.

"Oh, God! My poor baby! Sev, can I see him?" Lily asked, suddenly terrified and needing to see her son.  Her son, who must be around eleven by now, and still a harbinger of disaster, just as James and she had feared might be the case all those years ago.  She couldn't believe her sister and her family were gone either. She and Petunia had never been close since she went off to Hogwarts, but still, this had been her sister and now she was gone, and Lily was unable to try and mend fences with her ever again. 

"Lily, calm down," Severus said, keeping his voice soothing and silky.  "Harry's asleep right now, I don't think you ought to wake him yet.  I'm sorry about your sister . . . sorry that I couldn't wake you sooner.  I tried everything I could think of, but your mind was locked up tighter than the Crown Jewels and I didn't dare force an entry. . ." He was looking at her with a curious mixture of sadness and shame and longing.

"Don't blame yourself, Sev .  I know you did what could be done for me. Like always." She smiled sweetly at him.  She wasn't surprised at all that she opened her eyes and saw him first thing.  Severus had always been there for her, through good and bad times, and she cherished him.  Somehow waking up and seeing his face made her feel very happy and very safe as well.  She knew she was in good hands, for Severus was an accredited Mind Healer,  and had been lauded for his dedication and his power before they even left school.

He shook his head. He had always been his own worst critic, harder on himself than any teacher.  "It almost wasn't enough.  All of my colleagues said that you would never wake up, even though your body wasn't injured and your magical core was stable. They insisted that you'd lost your mind, and would never open your eyes again."

"But you didn't believe that, now did you?"

"Not for a minute. They didn't know you like I did. I knew that so long as there was life, there was hope.  That even though you were lost, you would never stop trying to come back . . . for Harry, if not for me."

She rubbed her eyes, feeling at once terribly confused and at the same time profoundly grateful for Severus' unshakable faith in her.  "You were right. But then . . . you always did know me better than I did myself."

He smiled at her, an unfeigned smile of pure joy, which was something he rarely did.  "I came to visit you nearly every day, when my schedule permitted."

"I wish I'd been awake to talk to you," she said simply.  "But I'm glad you were here, Sev, when I finally opened my eyes," she admitted. 

"So am I."

She smiled back, though she felt unaccountably guilty, even though she was a widow of ten years, at thinking that Severus could take her fallen husband's place.  She had loved James even when he made her want to strangle him.  But now he was gone . . . ten years gone.  And Severus Snape was still here, greeting her with his gorgeous smile and it was so very strange that she should notice him now.    When they were at school, he had been a shy and awkward beanpole, rarely saying two words to any girl and burying his nose in books and cauldrons.  His friends teasingly called him "the professor", because he seemed to know more about potions than Slughorn did, his enemies called him "Snivellus", and soon learned that he had a razor sharp tongue and a way of finding out your secrets that was scary.  But he also had Lily as his defender, and she pulled no punches when it came to anyone bullying her friend, not even the Marauders were safe from her retaliatory hexes. 

She gazed up at him now, this last link to both past and present, and thought how the gangly boy who had once been her shadow had grown up into a very good-looking man.  How had she never noticed this before? Maybe it was because all you noticed once you left school was James, a small voice whispered. Had she really been so self-absorbed as that? Reluctantly, she admitted that she had.  James had courted and married her within the space of a month and from then on it had been a whirlwind of war and fear and a few moments of love snatched inbetween departures and arrivals.  Then she had gotten pregnant, had lost her parents to an auto accident, and her whole world had shifted and changed.  Harry's birth and the knowledge that he was a stormcaller had necessitated their going into hiding, and all she had cared about then was protecting her baby.  Sudden tears slid down her cheeks.  But she had failed at that too.  She and James had both failed miserably, putting all their trust in one man, who had proved able to be bought. 

"I was such a fool!" she spat suddenly, her emerald eyes bright with tears. "Every man has his price, I know that, and yet I allowed myself to think we were safe, that the Fidelius Charm was all we would need.  I should have had a backup plan in place, like we used to say back in school.  But I was arrogant and my baby paid for it. All those years without me . . . How did my sister treat him, Sev? Do you know? Because she refused to see him after he was born, said what was the use, he was just another freaky anomaly?" Fresh tears coursed down her cheeks.

"Shhh. Petunia always was a jealous bitch. Pay her no mind, Lily." Severus said, and then he wrapped his arms about her and hugged her.  He never could stand to see her cry, and he could feel and see that she was all broken and hurting inside, her psyche torn apart by the revelations and fear for her child.  Normally, he would never touch a patient unless asked, but this was different. This was Lily and he had never needed to ask her for a hug.

Lily curled up in his arms, her body wracked with sobs.  She couldn't even tell why she was crying, for it was all a jumble in her head.  She cried for James, cut down in the flower of his youth, she cried for herself, who had lost all those years with her son, she cried for Harry, growing up without mother, father, or anyone who cared, she even cried for her sister and nephew and brother-in-law, because she felt so damn guilty that she couldn't feel real sorrow at their passing, since they had been such unlikable people.  She huddled in Severus' arms, he who was her rock, who had always been there for her growing up, whom she had pushed aside and forgotten after school, and that too she regretted.  You forgot him, but he never forgot you, her conscience accused.  I will always be your friend, she recalled with a fresh wave of tears.  Loyal, bright, sarcastic Snape, her shelter from the storm.  Then, now, and always.

Severus simply held her, allowing her to cry herself out.  She needed that as much as he needed to hold her in his arms and comfort her.  It was too little too late-ten years too late, he thought wryly.  But then that was the story of his life.  By the time he realized he truly loved her as more than a friend, she was infatuated with Potter and rather than try and compete for her affections, sure he would never win against handsome popular Quidditch captain Potter, he had slunk off into the shadows, surrendering her without even a token protest.  He had been a fool too.  One hand came up to caress her thick fiery hair.  So beautiful.  His Lily flower.  And so broken.  But he would fix her, help her, and then . . .maybe the dream he had given up long ago might yet come true.  One thing he did know was that this was his second chance, and he was not about to waste it.

At last the storm of tears subsided, and Lily lay still against his shoulder, her breath coming in faint hitching gasps.  He rubbed her back, slowly, until she was relaxed and calm, then he murmured, "Feel better now?"

She nodded, not trusting her voice.  Finally she spoke. "Thanks, Sev."

He shrugged. "What are friends for?"

She looked up at him then.  "I don't deserve you, Sev."

"What kind of talk is that?" he scolded gently.

"The truth. I brushed you off after we left school . . ."

"Well, we grew up and grew apart. It happens.  You got married and I went to study at the Institute."

That was true, but she knew that no matter how absorbed he'd been in his studies, he had never ever forgotten her.  "I should have kept in touch.  I'm sorry."

"What's done is done, Lily.  Just let it be.  What matters is now. Getting you well and making sure Harry stays out of the clutches of the Ministry."

She shifted and sat up, gently disengaging herself from his embrace.  "What do you mean? They know what he is, what he can do?"

Severus nodded. "Yes. And worse, they fear what he might become."

"He's a little kid, Sev.  Not a tyrant bent on destroying the world."

"You and I know that, but Fudge and those like him only see another Conn Devlin reborn," Severus said, referring to the last stormcaller born, over a century ago, who had gone mad and used his gift to summon up deadly hurricanes and tornados that had nearly wiped out several cities in Europe before finally being hunted down and killed.  Thousands of people had died while Devlin raged, captive to a power no wizard had ever mastered.

"I won't let him become that," Lily hissed, her resolve firming.  "There has to be a way to teach him how to control it.  Just because all the others went mad doesn't mean Harry will.  Right?"

"I believe that there's a slim chance that we can help him learn to control the level of power he wields," replied Severus.  "You know why all the others went mad, don't you? Because the power of the storms they called was too great for any one human to process.  They tried to channel too much energy and it overloaded their magical core and fried their brains.  Stormcallers are conduits, only the human body was never meant to process such great energy, the primal force of nature itself.  Small wonder they tore themselves apart eventually."

"But that won't happen with Harry. I won't let it. And neither will you."

"All we can do is try, Lil," Severus said.  "I have a few theories I can test.  I'll help as much as I can, you know that.  Because the alternative is not something I wish to contemplate."

She stiffened.  "They want to kill him, don't they? To . . . to put him down like a sick animal."

"I'm afraid so.  Fudge is terrified of what could happen, he's irrational.  But I told him we couldn't execute a child over what could be.  I managed to convince him to let me take Harry as my ward, and that I would try and train him.  I live in a remote part of Yorkshire, out on the moors.  Storms come and go there and he can't harm anyone because no one lives nearby."

"It sounds like an ideal place to teach him," Lily conceded.

"I hope so. You are, of course welcome to stay also.  Godric's Hollow is not livable any longer."

She snorted.  "I wouldn't stay there anyway.  Too many memories.  Too many people who knew me before.  I need to start over, Sev.  Will you help me?"

His hand closed over hers, warm and reassuring.  "Of course. Now then, let me give you a quick diagnostic and then I'll tell my staff to bring you something to eat and drink.  I need to go and check on Harry."

"All right. Thanks, Sev.  For everything."

He chuckled.  "Don't thank me yet. Thank me when it's all over. Then I'll have earned it."

After casting a standard diagnostic, which told him that Lily was physically fine, he called down to the medi-witch desk and informed them that Lily Evans Potter was awake and needed breakfast.  He would fill out the paperwork later.  "I'll be back soon," he promised, giving her hand another gentle squeeze before rising and going to check on Harry. 

You see, Sev? Miracles happen. Once in awhile, his conscience reminded him, and he smiled quietly to himself, all the way to Harry's room.    

Lily lay quietly in her bed, waiting for Severus to return with news of her little boy, who wasn't that little any longer. She felt her heart contract with bitter remorse that Voldemort had robbed her of the chance to see her only son grow up. Harry had been walking and talking when she had been struck down, he had just started to put words into sentences and to comprehend different colors and shapes. He had been bright and inquisitive and so very curious. She had adored him, and he had quickly become her whole world. It was agony to know that she had missed all the milestones other parents took for granted with their children. She had missed his first day of school, the first time he had written his name, or learned the alphabet, or how to add. She hadn't been there to explain to him about his special gift, the gift he needed to learn how to control so he wouldn't be a danger to himself and anyone else.

Instead Petunia had gotten to see her son grow and Lily couldn't help but feel resentful and angry, for she knew that her sister would never have appreciated Harry the way she would have. Petunia hadn't even been able to stand the thought of another wizard in the family, she had refused to acknowledge her nephew at all, which had hurt and angered Lily deeply. She had sent Petunia a gift for Dudley and a card when he was born, despite the fact that Petunia and she had been on the outs for years and she despised Vernon Dursley, who had once made a pass at her when she was eighteen and he had been newly engaged to her sister. She had told Petunia, trying to warn her sister about the kind of man he was, but Petunia had blown up at her, accused her of being a tease, of using magic to ensnare Vernon out of jealousy, and said she never wanted to see her again. Lily had been all too happy to oblige. Let her sister marry the groping cheating fat bastard, she would discover soon enough that he wasn't Mr. Wonderful and that not all the money in the world could buy class and happiness.

Sighing, she gazed down at her feet and legs, which felt strange and unwieldy to her after so long of being asleep. She wondered if she could walk, if she would need therapy, her limbs seemed to belong to someone else and she felt awkward even lifting her hand and brushing her hair back from her forehead. My hair must look a sight! Poor Sev, having to see me looking like something the cat dragged in day after day. She made a vain attempt to fix it, then gave up and prayed that if Harry saw her, he wasn't scared to death of the hag lying on the bed calling herself his mother. Then she wondered how much Harry remembered of her? Would he even recall what she looked like? Or had the years stolen away the memories of her and James as well? He had been so young when they were taken from him. She silently cursed Voldemort and Sirius Black in her head for causing this terrible tragedy. She even blamed James a little, for his stubborn refusal to listen to her and send them, or at least Harry, out of the country when Voldemort began terrorizing everyone and searching for extraordinarily gifted children to use as his pawns in his quest for power. True, it would have broken her heart to do it, but she would have sent Harry to stay with some of her Evans'cousins in Northern France rather than risk his life. But James wouldn't hear of it. He had insisted they should not be separated and that he could protect them just fine. They had quarreled repeatedly over that, and Harry's talent, almost right up till the night Voldemort came to the cottage.

Lily shook her head. She had known when Voldemort came up the stairs to the nursery that James was dead, for otherwise the dread sorcerer would have never been able to enter her home and threaten them. She had known that James would have gone down fighting, like the heroes he had worshipped. So Severus' declaration that he was dead was not the shock it could have been. She had been prepared to die herself to save her son, and it was a greater shock to have woken up ten years later, still very much in the world she thought she had left forever. Yet she recalled conversations that Severus had had with her sleeping self, recalled him telling her that James was dead, and about a memorial they had erected in Godric's Hollow to honor him. A part of her had grieved her husband's death and then moved on, a fact she only now realized. She had long ago laid James to rest, along with her parents and the others who had died in the war. She had Severus to thank for that, for keeping her abreast of things, even while she had floated somewhere in a place beyond time and space. Good old faithful Sev! Anyone else would have left her to rot and treated her like a piece of meat on a slab. He was a true friend. He had never mentioned Harry, though, and now she knew why. Because he hadn't known what had become of her son, living as he did with her sister in the Muggle world. She didn't want to remember anything else right then. What mattered was now, and that Harry was alive and she could at last be reunited with the son she had lost.

Meanwhile, down the hall, a confused green-eyed boy was just waking up, blinking owlishly at the eggshell and silver painted walls and the strange room he found himself in. He groped for his glasses and put them on and the room came into focus better, as did a tall man wearing what looked like a light green bathrobe with an odd crossed bone and stick insignia on it. Harry wondered if he was still dreaming, if he was it was the weirdest most vivid dream he could ever recall.

The man had just entered the room, Harry noted that he had black hair pulled back at his nape, and dark penetrating eyes. His face was all angles and his nose slightly prominent, he might have been forbidding if he had been scowling, but right then Severus was wearing a concerned expression, and so Harry was not afraid of this strange man.

"Hello, Harry. How are you feeling?"

Harry paused to consider. "Okay, I guess. I mean I feel a little sore and my head aches a little. How do you know my name?"

"I know who you are because I know who lived at Privet Drive, and you match the description of Harry Potter, which everyone in my world knows." Severus began.

"What do you mean, everyone knows me?" Harry asked, puzzled.

Severus came and sat down in the chair near Harry's bed. "You're famous. Because you survived a curse that no one else ever did and in so doing you defeated the worst dark wizard in the world. Did your aunt ever tell you anything about magic? Or wizards?"

Harry shook his head, even more confused. "No. She always said magic wasn't real and that I needed to stop doing freaky things."

Severus' eyebrow rose. "Freaky things? Explain, please."

"Umm . . .sometimes weird things happened around me." Harry bit his lip. "Like . . .Aunt Petunia cut my hair almost to nothing and the next morning it was all grown back longer. And once I turned Dudley's hair blue and once when I was watering the garden the hose broke and I needed to water the new plants and I . . . I made it rain, just on the garden. And sometimes I could make things fly through the air, but Uncle Vernon said if I ever did that again he'd skin me alive. So I tried real hard not to. I . . . I don't want to be a freak."

Severus' eyes flashed. "Harry, listen to me. You are not a freak. What you did is called accidental magic and it means you are a wizard. You have inherited a very special gift, one that few other children have, and you are no more a freak than I am. You see, Harry, I too am a wizard. My name is Severus Snape, and I am a Mind Healer. You are in St. Mungos Hospital for Magical Maladies."

"I am? But why?"

"Do you remember anything before waking up here?" asked the Healer, concerned Harry had amnesia.

Harry's brow furrowed. "Umm . . .yeah. I was in my cupboard and . . .I heard a big noise. I didn't know what it was, I couldn't see, and the door was locked. Then . . .I guess I passed out."

"Why were you in a cupboard?" Severus asked, frowning. "Did you go there because of the storm?"

"Storm? No, I . . ." here Harry hesitated, because he was never to talk about the cupboard to strangers.

"What is it? You can tell me," Severus said, making his voice very soft and encouraging , the way he did on some of his patients who were very frightened of revealing something traumatic in their past.

Harry shook his head. "I'm sorry. I can't."

"Why not? Did your aunt or uncle tell you not to? Did they threaten to punish you?"

Harry swallowed hard. He wanted to trust this man, something within him was urging him to, but he had been conditioned to never speak of what the Dursleys did to him. So all he did was nod.

Severus' jaw went rigid. From just the little Harry had spoken, he could tell that things had not been right in the Dursley household. Harry was displaying all the reticence and nervousness of an abused child, and that made Severus furious. He's going to need therapy sessions. I'll have to speak to Lily about them. But first things first. "Harry, I want you to know that you're safe here. No one will hurt you. I know you must be confused and nervous and maybe a little afraid."

"Yessir." He admitted, but then he lifted his small pointed chin and said somewhat defiantly, "But only a little."

"That's all right then." Severus paused, wondering the best way to break the news to the boy of both the deaths of his relatives and his mother's awakening. Finally, he decided to just tell the simple truth. "Harry—"

"Sir, can I ask you something?"

"Yes, you may."

"If . . . if magic is real and you're a wizard, and you're not just putting me on, what can you do with it?"

"Many things, Harry. We have a school for wizards and witches where you go to learn how to control your powers. It's called Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You would have gotten your Hogwarts letter soon, since you're almost eleven."

"Really?" Harry looked astonished. "They would have wanted me to come there?"

"Yes, indeed."

"Oh. How do they send the letters, sir?"

"They are sent by owl post."

"Oh. Well, I did get a letter. A lot of them, actually. But Uncle Vernon wouldn't let me open them. He said it was my fault we were being invaded by crazy wildlife and he burnt them all and boarded up the mail slot and then he . . ." Here Harry stopped. Severus waited patiently for him to speak again. But when he resumed the thread of conversation, he said only, "So they were from a magical school."

"Yes. The same school that your mother, father, and I went to."

"But my aunt and uncle would have never let me go. They would have said it was too expensive."

"Your tuition to the school would have been paid in full before you got your letter. Your father was a wealthy man, and had set aside a trust fund for you." Severus said.

"He was? But . . . Aunt Petunia always said he was a drunken bum and that's why he died in the car crash."

"Car crash?" repeated the Healer, incensed at the web of lies the boy had been told about his past.

"Yeah, the car crashed 'cause he was driving drunk and that's why I got this scar here," he indicated his scar on his forehead. "And my mum . . . that's why she's a . . .vegetable." He looked down at his feet as he said it, ashamed to have to use that term to refer to his mother.

"A vegetable?"

"She's been in a coma for years, see, and Aunt Petunia told me she was never gonna come out of it, and somebody should just pull the plug, because she was a waste of breath, just lying there taking up space." Harry said matter-of-factly. "I used to ask to see her sometimes when I was small, but Aunt Petunia said it was a waste of time and she wasn't going to let me laze around looking at a brain-dead woman."

"Oh, she did, did she?" Now Severus wished Petunia were alive so he could rip out her lying wicked tongue. That she could speak so to the boy about his mother was simply atrocious. And unforgivable. "Harry, I'm going to tell you two things, one might upset you, and for that I'm sorry, but the other will make you so happy you'll forget about being sad."

"What is it?"

"The first is this. There was a massive hurricane on the night you were locked in the cupboard, and it crushed your house and killed all of your relatives. You were the only survivor, because you were inside that cupboard. Some rescue workers and their dogs found you, and took you to a local hospital, but they couldn't have given you the care you needed, so you were removed by some wizards and brought to St. Mungos. I'd offer my condolences on your loss but from what you've told me, I'd do better to wish your aunt and uncle straight down to hell. Nearly everything they've told you about your past, Harry, is a lie. Your parents never were in a car crash, and your father was not a drunk. He was a wealthy aristocratic pureblood and he died fighting a dark wizard who had come to steal you away. Your mother was injured as well trying to protect you, but she is most certainly not a vegetable. She has been under my care for these ten years and her brain functions are quite normal."

"Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon and Dudley are dead?"

"Yes. I'm afraid so."

"But then . . .where will I go?"

"Have no fear, Harry. You aren't an orphan and here is the next part of what I wanted to tell you. Your mother, Lily Evans Potter, is awake and she wants very much to see you."

Harry grinned. "For real? Mum's awake?"

"Yes." Severus smiled tentatively back. "It's like a miracle."

Harry certainly thought so. He had always dreamed of someday going to see his mum and have her wake while he was there. He had kept hoping for that even when Petunia had insisted he was an idiot and Lily might as well be dead. He had dreamed of his mother awakening and then taking him away from Privet Drive to live in London, or York, or Devon, anywhere except Surrey, and she would love him and never call him a freak or tell him he was a worthless pig. He didn't quite know how to feel about learning that the Dursleys were dead. He knew they had despised him and hated him, and he had never really liked them. But he had tried to please them, because they were the only relatives he had and if they kicked him out, he would have nowhere to go. So a part of him felt almost regretful that they were gone and he would never get the chance to show Petunia that she had been mistaken and he really wasn't a freak after all. He didn't really feel sad, not after what they'd done to him, but rather ambivalent. Truth be told, he felt sorrier for Dudley than his aunt and uncle, because now Dudders would never have a chance to grow up. But then he grinned as he realized that not only would he never have to go back to Privet Drive and live in the cupboard, he could go to live with his mother. His mother, a creature of mystery and curiosity and longing. His mother, who was awake at last.

"Mr. Snape? Could I . . . go and see her?"

"Of course, Harry. Come with me."

Severus waited until Harry had stood up and then led him from the room. He could hardly wait to see Lily's expression when she saw her son again.

Lily lifted her eyes as the door opened and Severus entered. For a moment she thought he was alone, and that her son was still asleep. She stifled her disappointment. But then Severus stood aside and in came a boy of medium height and build, dressed in a blue wraparound hospital gown that came down to his knees, a white robe, and white fluffy socks. He glanced up at her shyly, and their eyes met.

For long moments, neither stirred or spoke.

Lily drank in the sight of him, her baby, now grown and ready to attend Hogwarts. She recalled his chubby infant self, just walking and talking, his green eyes bright with endless curiosity and a thirst to learn, his fine dark hair sticking up like thistledown. My baby, my dearest little one. She recalled how she had held him before putting him down for his nap that night, how he had smelled like melon and baby powder, how she had tickled him and he had giggled, how soft his skin was as she kissed him good night.

Now she looked upon him again, noting that he had inherited James' eternal messy hair and also his poor vision, as he was wearing glasses. But such ugly ones! She frowned, wondering why he wasn't wearing ones that fit his face better. James had always worn ones that were almost wireless. She would have to get him a better pair. She almost laughed at her own foolishness. Here she was, seeing her son for the first time in ten years, and all she could think about was getting him a new pair of glasses. Where is my brain? She chided herself. I've been asleep for too long and I'm all muddled. But oh, I cannot believe here he is, grown so big, the little boy I held and rocked to sleep in my arms. Whom I would have died to protect.

Tears filled her eyes, but she did not let them fall.

Harry remained staring at her from across the room. In all of his imaginings, he had never thought that his mother was so beautiful. Her hair haloed her like a fiery nimbus, and her eyes were the same as his own, only larger and somehow more luminous. He had imagined her looking similar to Petunia, except prettier, but Lily looked nothing like her horse-faced sister. She looked delicate, with her pale skin and pointed chin. I have her chin too, he realized with a start. Her chin and her eyes. She too was wearing one of those silly wraparound hospital gowns, only on her it looked classy, as if she were posing for a picture. Model beautiful, he thought in awe. And not a vegetable at all like Petunia had said, for she was sitting up and gazing at him as if he was something wondrous, something precious, the way no one had ever looked at him before.

He took two cautious steps forward, uncertain of what he should do.

"Mum?"

That single word broke the spell of silence that had settled over them.

"Harry," Lily cried. "My little one. Come here, let me see you," she beckoned to him.

He came to stand before her then, all awkward coltish grace.

She reached out and clasped his hands. "Oh, Harry. When I saw you last you were no bigger than this," she held her hand down by her knee. "And now look at you! How you've grown! You look very like your father when he was this age." She murmured, overcome. But she noticed that he did not have James' easy charm, he seemed shy and uncertain, rather reminding her of a young Severus. "I never . . ." she did not finish that sentence, for the words that would have completed it would have spoiled this joyous moment, for she had never expected to look upon him again in this world. That she could do so now was an unlooked for blessing. One that she cherished all the more for being so unexpected. Her eyes overflowed with tears.

Harry blinked, for he found he was perilously close to tears himself. "Mum, don't. It's okay."

"Yes, it is," Lily wept, smiling. "It's going to be okay now that we're together again." Then she reached out and drew her son into her arms, holding him close and rocking him, as she had done on that long ago Halloween, before the monster had come and their world had shattered. "Harry, Harry." She chanted over and over. Her tears fell on his head, and one trickled down over the lightning bolt that marked him. "My sweet little one!" she crooned, her words flowing over him, filling him with warmth and light. "I love you so much! So very much!" All she wanted right then was to hold him forever.

Harry clasped her rather awkwardly, since he was standing and she was sitting, and he had not really ever been hugged this way before. But somehow he managed to half-sit on her lap, not caring that he was too big for such displays and he was making an ass out of himself in front of Healer Snape. He had a mother at last, and she was real and warm and she called him Harry and said she loved him. It was something he had waited all of his life to hear, and had feared he never would. He had feared he would be the outcast unwanted burden forever. But Lily's soft and yet strong arms about him put paid to that fate forever. He laid his head on her shoulder, breathed in the rich scent of her—like rose petals and honey—it was a scent that took him back to a vague recollection of his infancy, and he recalled nestling in her arms while she rocked and sang to him, and his little hand reached out to tug at the strands of her shining hair . . .she had been warmth and comfort and light to him and he remembered feeling utterly content and safe in her embrace . . . just as he did now. Then he heard her singing, very softly, the old lullaby she had sung to him in the cradle, that he recalled only just then. Softly, he began to sing the words back, words that he didn't remember knowing, yet that were somehow engraved upon his heart. Words that had always meant peace and love and mother.

"I love you too," he whispered in her ear, he was so full of joy that he almost forgot how to talk properly. His heart was dancing in his chest and he wanted to shout, Look, here's my mum! See, I have a mother just like everyone else. Finally he had someone who loved him, who would care for him, and he would never be the freaky brat ever again. Tears trickled down his cheeks, but he didn't bother to wipe them away, for he was too happy to care if anyone saw him cry.

Severus stood quietly in a corner of the room, observing the reunion between mother and son. He was wearing a half-smile upon his face. For so long he had felt as if a storm cloud had hovered over him and Lily, a cloud of doom and gloom that threatened to burst if he breathed wrong. But now that cloud had been chased away by the sun, emerging from hiding after so many years to light up the sky with its brilliance. Watching Lily embrace Harry was like witnessing a resurrection, of both body and soul, and he thought of how perfect they were together and how this was how it should have been all those years ago.

Finally, Lily let Harry go, though he didn't go far, he simply sat down on the bed next to her. He smiled at her and said, "Mum, I can't believe you're awake. Aunt Petunia said . . . she said . . ." he trailed off and blushed furiously, not wanting to upset his mother by relating his aunt's unkind sentiments.

But Lily looked at him wryly and said, "I can imagine what she said. That I was going to sleep forever, like a bloody enchanted princess. Or that I was brain dead and would never wake, am I right?"

Harry nodded. "I used to ask to visit sometimes, but she would never bring me here. Told me there was no sense in it and to quit asking before she got mad. But I would have liked to come."

"Oh, Harry. You don't have to feel guilty that my sister refused to bring you here. In a way, she did me a favor, because I wouldn't have wanted you to see me sleeping like a lump on a log. Tuney was never really close with me after I went off to school, I think she resented me for having magic and the fact that my parents didn't disapprove of it, the way she thought they should. She never understood the way the magic worked, nor did she wish to. To her, I was abnormal. She said it often enough when I came home for the summer, and other things as well. After she married, she cut all ties to me and mine, saying she couldn't be associated with my sort, as if magic were a disease that could infect her. I'm sorry you had to live with her and her bigotry. I can only assume that her husband was just as bad? And what about your cousin?"

Harry drew in a deep breath. Should he tell her everything? "It's a long story, Mum."

"I hve nothing but time to listen, Harry. I missed ten years of you growing up. I want you to tell me everything. Don't leave anything out, even if you think it will upset me." She told him firmly, her eyes still wet with tears. She looked at him with her brilliant emerald eyes, earnest and eager to hear about his life, and Harry found he could not deny her. If he could not tell his mother the truth, then who could he tell?

Softly, he began to speak, and his words held Lily spellbound, and Severus as well.

"Ever since I was little, I knew that I was different from Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon and Dudley. Aunt Petunia told me often enough that I was a freaky brat, and I'd come to a bad end like my drunken dad. They told me that he died in car crash while driving drunk and that's how come you were in a coma, Mum, and I had this scar on my forehead." Harry began, flipping up his bangs to show Lily the lightning bolt scar. "I asked her once or twice if I could go and see you and she told me it was a waste of time to watch you sleeping, that you'd probably never wake up and I ought to forget about you.

"But I never did. Uncle Vernon used to call me boy and brat and tell me I had to earn my keep, or else he'd chuck me in a foster home quick as blinking. So I tried to do all the chores he gave me, and not complain, even when Dudley used to make a mess and say I did it, he liked to see me get in trouble. I always knew Dudley came first, he got the best of everything because he was their son, and better than me. He got tons of presents on his birthday and at Christmas and I . . . I never got anything. Aunt Petunia told me once when I asked why that I was lucky they gave me a roof over my head and clothes on my back, that was more than enough of a present for the likes of me.

"I used to think it was my fault, that because sometimes I . . . made things happen . . . that it got them angry and if I could just control myself . . . But it was hard, especially when Dudley and his friends would chase me through the park, or make me eat dirt in the backyard. Sometimes I couldn't help it, I would make it rain . . . and once lightning came down out of nowhere and hit Dudley. It didn't kill him, just made his hair stand up and his eyes turn this weird color, nothing else happened, the doctor in the emergency room said it was one of those freak accidents that occurred every so often and Dudley was extremely lucky to not be dead or brain damaged. Aunt Petunia cried buckets in the office, and when we got home, she put Dudley straight to bed after letting him eat a whole gallon of ice cream and buying him a whole new video game system. Of course, he got sick after, and she blamed me for it. She grabbed me by the arm and shook me, saying that she knew I was the reason that lightning had come out of nowhere, and then she told me if it ever happened again, she would bash my head in with a skillet. Then she threw me inside the cupboard under the stairs, where we kept the mops and buckets and floor cleaner.

"I think I was five then. When Uncle Vernon came home, he took a paddle to my bum, it really hurt, and I had a horrible headache afterwards. I was wishing I could call lightning to strike him down, but nothing happened and that was when he told me that I was going to sleep in the cupboard from now on, since that was where freaks like me belonged." He wrapped his arms about himself and continued, his voice low and rasping, his eyes dark with remembered pain and fear.

"That first time . . . I was scared, it was dark and there were cobwebs, I knew it was unfair since I hadn't meant to hurt Dudley at all, I just wanted him to leave me alone. But I couldn't say anything like that, because Dudley was the little prince and they always took his side over mine, even when he was wrong. I remember how close it was in there, and stuffy, I felt like I couldn't breathe. I closed my eyes and imagined myself walking through a forest, with lots of trees and a cool breeze. And something odd happened again . . . a small breeze came and spun about me for a few minutes, cooling me and making the cupboard less hot. It made me feel better.

"They locked me in the cupboard anytime they were mad at me, or Dudley lied and said I did something, like break his toys or cheat on a test, I never needed to cheat, I always did my homework. Dudley never did, and he was always trying to copy off me. Once a teacher gave him detention for it, told Aunt Petunia he had a problem with copying and needed to do his own work. Of course, I got in trouble for not letting him copy my paper, it wasn't Dudley's fault he was stressed, the teacher just didn't understand. That was their excuse for anything that ever went wrong with him—he was misunderstood, teachers didn't understand how sensitive he was, or how brilliant. Once I got a gold star from my teacher Miss Miller in primary school, and Uncle Vernon took it from me and said she made a mistake, she should have given it to Dudley, since I couldn't be good enough to earn one for anything.

"Pretty soon I learned to never show them anything when a teacher gave me a good mark or praised me. I let them think I was slow, as stupid as Dudley, otherwise it'd be worse for me at home. Sometimes, at night, when I was alone in the cupboard, I used to dream about you, Mum. I'd dream that someday you'd wake up and come for me, and we'd go somewhere far away and I'd have a normal life with someone who . . . loved me. Because I knew they didn't . . . Aunt Petunia used to say she loved Dudley best of all, but never me. I was just in the way, her freaky nephew who ought to have been in an institution."

Suddenly, Lily grabbed him and held him. "Harry, don't ever say that! You deserve to be loved, you're not a freak or unworthy! Do you understand? My sister was a miserable nasty bitch who ought to have been thrown in prison for the way she treated you! She belonged in an institution—for crazy wicked women who abused children! May God forgive me, but I'm glad she's dead. Because if she were alive right now, I think—no, I know—I'd commit murder." She was both horrified and heartbroken to learn of the hell her son had gone through, her poor child subject to Petunia's misplaced jealousy and fear of wizards, to her favoritism and cruelty. She wanted to weep for all the pain and suffering her son had endured, but feared if she started, she would never stop. Her stomach roiled and her eyes stung with unshed tears. She held Harry to her, and whispered, "It's over now, Harry. No one will ever hurt you that way again. You're not a freak, you're a very special wizard with a special gift, and if anyone ever tries to hurt you again, they'll do it over my dead body!"

A choked sob escaped her in spite of herself.

Harry clung to her, awkwardly breathing in her scent, of peppermint and lemon, and a clean spring scent. "It's okay, Mum. Don't cry. I'm okay now."

She felt tears start to fill her eyes, and fought to keep from breaking down. Her son was trying to comfort her, when it should have been the other way around. And that, more than anything else, showed her that Harry had learned to be independent and to rely only on himself. A fresh wave of anger at her sister and her brother-in-law and nephew consumed her, and she trembled with the force of it. They were lucky they had died in that storm, it saved her the trouble of hunting them down and giving them the justice they so richly deserved. She could not fathom how they could treat her son in such a fashion. Their own flesh and blood, and they had treated him no better than an animal—worse even!

"Here. Lily, drink this," Severus said, handing her a Calming Draft.

She took the vial and asked, "What is it? Something to knock me out?"

"No. Something to help you deal with all those runaway emotions. It's a Calming Draft."

She gulped it down, it tasted like fruit juice. The effect was almost immediate. She felt the tightness in her chest and the tension behind her eyes melt away. She was floating in a pool of cool water, calm and unruffled. Somewhere else, a part of her raged and screamed and sobbed, but right then she was relaxed and calm. She would deal with those emotions later.

"Better?" asked the Mind Healer. He knew that it was a temporary solution, that Lily would need to come to grips eventually with her feelings, but for right now she needed to be calm, because getting stressed would hinder her recovery.

"Thank you, Sev."

He nodded, then turned to Harry and said, "Forgive me for listening in on your conversation, but I need to know what went on with your former guardians if I am to help you overcome your past, Harry. I know you have no reason to trust me, but I too will pledge that I shall let no harm come to you. My wizard's and Healer's oath on it."

Harry turned his head and looked at the other man. "Thank you, sir. If my mum trusts you then so do I."

"Good, because your gift will require a great deal of training. You are a stormcaller, Harry, able to summon and use the power of nature itself. It's a very rare gift and not one that should be used lightly. That scar on your forehead is the Mark of a stormcaller, you were born with it, it is not the result of a car accident."

Before Severus could say anything more, one of the mediwitches on duty arrived with a breakfast tray for Lily. Upon seeing Harry there as well, she immediately summoned a second tray and a small rolling table so he could eat with his mother. Then she looked over at Severus. "Healer, would you like something as well?"

"Not to eat, but I would like a cup of Black Bohea, cream and two sugars." Severus requested.

"Coming right up, sir."

She waved her wand and muttered something and tea popped up on the tray, steaming hot and fixed exactly as requested.

Harry's eyes went wide. "Now that is so cool! Could I learn how to do that?"

"You will. It's a simple Summoning Charm." Lily assured him. "I can teach you. Charms are my specialty."

While Severus sipped his tea, the other two tucked in hungrily. The food at the hospital was very good, nutritious, filling, and tasty. There were scrambled eggs with chives, bacon, toast, and white beans cooked with chicken broth. There was milk, orange juice, and tea. Severus observed that Harry ate very slowly, he appeared to enjoy his food, but when he was full, he had eaten barely half the plate. Lily, too, did not finish everything, and when she glanced over at her son, expecting his plate to be empty, but seeing it was still quite full, asked, "Harry? Aren't you hungry? Do you not feel good?"

"No, I'm just full. I've never really had this much to eat at one time before." He explained.

"What do you mean?"

Harry shrugged. "Well, I made all the meals at Privet Drive, but I was never allowed to eat most of it. I could only eat after everyone else was done and by that time . . . there wasn't much left, since Uncle Vernon and Dudley ate enough for three people each."

Lily's mouth tightened. "They starved you too?" She snarled a curse word under her breath.

Severus spoke up before she could go off on another rant. "Lily, I think we should do a full examination on him, and determine whether or not he needs a Nutrient regimen. You too, even though I've been monitoring you closely, your body has been in a stasis for years, and that tends to take some toll on you. I'd suggest you need some physical therapy to get your muscles stronger and working better again. Also a Strengthening potion regimen. I can do some of that here. I would recommend you remain at St. Mungos until the end of the week, three days from now. And then you may reside as a guest at my home, you and Harry both. Would that be acceptable?"

"Yes, Sev. I do feel rather weak and tired." She said. She glanced down at her plate. "I was starving, but after just a few bites of everything, I'm full too."

"That's to be expected. Your stomach needs time to adjust to eating solid food again. I'd recommend small portions for now, or else you could develop indigestion and diarrhea. The same goes for you as well, Mr. Potter." He told them. "Now, I think both of you could use some more rest. Would you like me to prescribe a Sleeping Draft for you?"

"Yes, please, Sev. I'll never rest else," Lily agreed.

"Harry?"

"Do I have to go back to my room?" he asked, reluctant to leave his mother's side. He was half-afraid that this was just an odd dream and he would wake up and discover he was back in the cupboard.

Severus considered, then said, "No. I can have a bed brought in and you can share this room." He would rather have them both together, they could help each other heal, both emotionally and physically. "Now, would you like to try a potion?"

Harry considered. "Will it . . . taste nasty?"

"Not this one," Severus answered. "This one tastes like warm milk with honey."

"That sounds good," Harry remarked.

Severus summoned two vials and waited while his patients took them. When both were sleeping soundly in their beds, he departed to complete his rounds of the Mind Healer ward. He would inform the Minister and Dumbledore of Lily's unexpected awakening, and hopefully that would calm Fudge's paranoia and keep Dumbledore from meddling too much in his affairs. He meant to keep Harry and Lily safe at all costs. He too was appalled at the way Harry had been treated, and felt guilty that he hadn't kept a better eye on the boy, though he could have hardly known of the abuse the boy endured. Even so, he felt as if he should have known something was wrong, but even he would have never expected Petunia to sink to the levels of cruelty that she had. He's going to need some extensive therapy with me or another Healer. And given the way things are right now, I doubt if Lily would trust anyone but me to handle him. I just hope I can help him. Stormcallers were notoriously volatile when aroused, and any strong negative emotion could set them off. Severus knew he would have to proceed very carefully, or else risk yet another natural disaster occurring.

Mind Healer Snape pocketed his wand after the last scan he had run on his patient. Though his specialty was magical and emotional problems related to the mind, as well as a degree in psychology, he had also been trained in general medicine, enough so he could cast medical spells and scans, as well as diagnose and treat diseases and illnesses. "Well, Mr. Potter, based on my scans you are underweight and suffering from malnutrition and a lack of essential amino acids. As a result of this your growth has become stunted, and your stomach shrunken. You need new glasses, the ones you have now are the incorrect prescription for your eyes. You also need a few vaccinations against wizarding illnesses such as dragon pox, wizard flu, and warlock's diphtheria. Most wizard children receive those when they are small children and then a booster before attending Hogwarts. However, Muggleborns and those half-bloods who live Muggle receive them when they attend school in first year."

"What's a Muggle?" Harry asked, swinging his foot against the bed post. He hadn't been too keen on getting examined, he had never liked doctors. But Snape's exam hadn't lasted ten minutes and didn't require him to remove any clothing. However, he didn't care for the fact that he needed shots.

"A Muggle means a non-magic person, it is a wizard term," explained the Healer. "We would call your aunt and uncle Muggles. A Muggleborn is a wizard or witch who is born to non-magic parents, a half-blood is a wizard who has one magical and one Muggle parent, or one magical and one Muggleborn parent. Your mother is a Muggleborn, while you and I are considered half-bloods. A pureblood is a witch or wizard who have two magical parents. Professor Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, is a pureblood. As was your father."

"Is being one or the other mean you have stronger magic?"

"No. Some of the purebloods will say otherwise, but that is false. All purebloods have Muggle ancestry in them, or else they would have died out, because there aren't too many wizards in the world. Magic is a rare talent, and not even two purebloods are guaranteed of having magical offspring. Indeed, purebloods have been intermarrying each other for generations and that has caused . . . ah, shall we say, some genetic problems."

"Like when some purebred dogs have runts and retarded puppies?" Harry asked. He heard Dudley talking to one of his friends about a schoolmate's dog who had had puppies that were born like that.

Severus nodded. "An apt comparison." He thought of the Black family, whose close marrying of cousins resulted in strains of insanity, such as crazy Bellatrix.

"Then isn't it better to be a half-blood? Or a Muggleborn?"

"I would have to agree with you there. A hybrid cross is often hardier and stronger," Severus remarked, thinking about how his magic and Lily's and now Harry's was stronger than the average pureblood's.

"So . . . does that mean I'm going to be a strong wizard?"

"You already are, Harry." Snape told him. "That is why we must train you soon in how to control your gift." He knew that if any other wizard had ever heard him refer to Harry's stormcaller ability as a gift they would be horrified. That ability was one of the most feared and cursed talents in history. But Severus did not wish for Harry to know this. He knew that Harry must have a positive mindset in order to begin to handle his volatile magic, that it was paramount if Harry were to have any chance at surviving.

"When can we start?" asked the boy eagerly.

"Not just yet. First we need to concentrate on getting you well and your mother also." He indicated Lily, who was drowsing in her bed after her morning exercise regimen with his fellow Healer, Geraldine Ambrosius, whose specialty was physical therapy for long term patients injured by spells or potions. Severus waved his wand and a tall vial with a green potion in it popped up on the nightstand. "This a Nutrient Draft, Harry. It's similar to a round of vitamins and minerals and will help with your malnutrition. You are suffering from a dearth of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and iron. I want you to drink this every day for four months."

Harry eyed the potion. "Now, sir?"

"Yes, now. Normally I would give it to you before breakfast, but since you have already eaten . . ." Snape motioned him to drink the potion.

Harry did, finding the taste rather like tomato and green spinach, not too horrible. Harry had eaten a lot of spinach at the Dursleys, since Dudley hated it and he had always been given the leftovers. Dudley had hated most vegetables, and so Harry had grown used to eating them at a young age and discovering he actually enjoyed most of them. He looked up after wiping his lips with a cloth. "It's not too bad. I sort of like it."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Most children find Nutrient Drafts revolting."

"I like vegetables. Except for lima beans. Yuck!"

Severus found the boy's honesty refreshing and allowed his mouth to quirk up in a small smile. Then he said, "However, I fear you will not like this next thing I am about to give you." He Summoned a tray with two gleaming needles full of a potent vaccine.

Harry gulped. "Can't I just skip this part?"

"No. You need these vaccines. Come, they won't hurt half as bad as you think."

"Yeah, that's what they all say," Harry muttered rebelliously, scowling at the tray.

"Harry, quit giving Healer Sev a hard time and just let him give you the shots," Lily ordered suddenly, making the two wizards look at her.

"Mum! Thought you were asleep."

"I was, but I've been awake for the past ten minutes now, listening. Now do as I tell you. Keeping healthy is important."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Uh huh. Bet you wouldn't be saying that if it were you getting these humongous needles."

Lily smirked. "Actually, I have got those humungous needles before, when I went to school, from Madam Pomfrey. They didn't hurt as much as I expected. Trust me on that."

Severus cast a disinfectant charm over his hands and pulled on a set of gloves on the tray, while Lily was speaking with Harry. He wasn't surprised in the least by the boy's reaction. Most children and some adults as well, disliked needles. "Roll up your sleeve, Mr. Potter."

Grimacing, Harry obeyed. Severus cast a disinfectant charm over Harry's arm and picked up the needle.

Harry looked away and gritted his teeth.

He just knew it was going to sting something awful. But he wouldn't yell. He wouldn't . . .

He felt a slight sting.

"There. Finished." Severus vanished the syringe.

Harry blinked. "It's over?"

"That one is. Now for the dragon pox." Severus prepped himself again. "This one is injected in your backside. I'll need you to drop your pants."

Harry went scarlet. "You want me to what? No!"

"I can put up a privacy screen," Severus said calmly, thinking Harry was embarrassed at baring himself in front of his mother. "Though you don't have anything your mother or I haven't seen before."

"Why can't you give me it in my other arm?"

"The potion is thicker, it will hurt less there."

"Harry," Lily reprimanded.

"But Mum . . ." Harry looked at her pleadingly. Lily stared back, not giving an inch. He groaned. "Fine! But you're both mean and nasty." He groused.

"I know, we're terrible people who live to torture kids like you," Lily said.

Severus cast a privacy shield, while Harry removed his pants and leaned over the bed. He wished Snape would hurry up, his bottom was getting cold, and it was embarrassing being in this position, and . . ."Ow!" He felt a sharp sting.

"Done. Was it worth fussing over?" Severus asked, banishing the last syringe.

Harry quickly fixed his clothing before replying. "It hurt, but I'll live," he admitted, feeling foolish now for acting like a baby. The sting was gone almost before he sat back down.

Severus sent the tray back down to the supply room, before saying, "I need to go and do rounds, however, you may come to the reading room and pick out some books and magazines if you wish, Harry. Or I can have a selection brought up for you with an elf."

"I'll go with you," Harry said, he was tired of being in the same room. After putting on slippers, he followed Snape down the corridor to a brightly lit room with lots of bookshelves and magazine racks with all kinds of wizarding magazines. There were large lamps suspended from the ceiling and comfortable chairs to sit in, plus a nice cheery fire crackling on the hearth.

The resident library witch on duty looked up as Harry and Snape entered. "Hello, Healer Snape!"

"Miss Mandy, this is one of my patients, Harry Potter. He wishes to check out some reading material. I'm sure you can assist him. He may stay till lunch time."

The library witch gasped. "The Harry Potter?"

"The same. I shall see you later," Severus said, refraining from rolling his eyes. Then he was gone in a swirl of green robes.

"It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Potter." Mandy said, smiling at him.

Harry wondered why. "Uh . . .what kind of things do you have to read here?"

"Well, what are you interested in reading?"

Harry thought for a moment, He was curious about everything in this new world. "Uh . . . do you have anything on . . . flying? Or that magic school, Hogwarts? Or potions?"

Mandy got him several books on Quidditch and brooms, beginning potions and drafts, and a book called Secrets of the Four Founders of Hogwarts. "Someone borrowed our last copy of Hogwarts: A History and hasn't returned it yet, but this one is very interesting as well and contains material the other doesn't. And perhaps you'd like to see this one as well, Famous Witches and Wizards of the 20th Century? Your parents are in there."

"I'll take the lot. Oh, and do you have any magazines my mum might like? She's stuck in bed for a week."

Mandy picked out several magazines for Lily, including Witch Weekly, Bakery Witch, Potioneer's Journal, and Charmed Secrets.

Harry signed for them all with her quill in her large library log. Mandy explained that the books could be kept until he was discharged from the hospital, then they would magically be recalled.

"We also have board games and chess boards to borrow ," the librarian said.

"Great! When I finish these, I'll come back," Harry promised. She gave him a bag to carry the books in. He hurried back to the room to give Lily the magazines before returning to read in the library until lunchtime.

Afterwards, Severus took him to see the indoor botanical gardens, where all kinds of magical flowers were grown, and some ordinary ones too. The gardens were meant to be visited by patients, offering them some relief from their rooms. Patients were encouraged to sit in the gardens for as long as they liked.

Harry asked Snape a million questions about the flowers, and then he stiffened.

"What's wrong?"

Harry bit his lip. "I . . .I don't feel good."

"Are you feeling nauseous? In pain?"

"No . . . well . . . my head hurts." Harry admitted, rubbing it. Then he looked outside. In the distance he saw black clouds gathering. "It's going to rain. A thunderstorm's coming." He could feel the pressure building in the air. It swirled about, causing his skin to tingle and his head to pound. He reached out . . . and was pulled into the gathering storm. The clouds were heavy with rain and lightning crackled and thunder rumbled.

He felt his blood sizzle and he unconsciously pulled the storm towards him.

Severus frowned as the storm suddenly moved closer. The boy was still, and yet he could feel the ambient energy crackling from him. "Harry! Enough! Let the storm be." He shook the boy's shoulder gently.

Harry spun on him. "Get off! I just want . . ." His eyes had turned an odd silvery green.

"Stop. You don't need to interfere with the weather," Severus ordered, feeling ozone crackle through the air. "Now quit playing with it."

The storm was racing towards the hospital now, driven by Harry's will. Outside, trees began to shake and tremble as the wind picked up.

"Harry! Control yourself!" Snape hissed harshly.

Suddenly, Harry withdrew from the storm system, blinking. His eyes turned back to his normal emerald color. "What . . . happened?"

"You called a storm," Severus said, indicating the large black clouds, which were now raining about ten feet away, thunder rumbled and crashed and lightning crackled. The patients were grumbling about their time being spoiled and leaving the gardens.

Harry hung his head. "Sorry. I didn't mean to. I just felt it . . . the pressure, I mean. In my head."

"Do you still have a headache?"

"Not really."

Snape frowned. "It would seem you sense storms nearby, rather like an animal can sense sudden weather changes. Perhaps that was why you felt unwell. Come, let us go back to your room." He did not wish to invite a lightning strike from Harry inadvertently calling lightning.

"I'm sorry." Harry apologized again. He felt as if he deserved a smack for behaving like a freak, as Vernon would have said.

"It wasn't your fault. That is why you need to learn control." Severus told him. And it was why he needed to bring Harry to his home as quickly as possible.

Outside, the storm broke with a vengeance, and rain beat down upon the building hard.

During their stay at St. Mungos, Harry had immersed himself in books about the wizarding world, and when he wasn't reading he was asking Lily questions about wands and spells and sometimes his father, though he tended to not bring that up too much, as he sensed it was a topic she was reluctant to discuss. He had received new glasses from Wizarding Occulars, ones with cool partial rims that made it look almost as if he had no glasses. He could see things so much more clearly with them, he felt as if he had new eyes. Every morning they saw Healer Snape, and he seemed pleased with how Lily was progressing, but both mother and son felt it was too slow. It was two weeks before Lily could walk on her own with a cane, and had been on a regimen of Strengthening Potions and Muscle Builders, as well as daily exercises with Healer Gerry. Gerry said she should continue the exercises at home and also take potions for another week. "Use the cane for another two weeks, until you feel steady enough to walk alone. I'd like to see you for a follow up visit in four weeks, Lily. Good luck. You've been an amazing patient, and your awakening is nothing short of miraculous. You'll be down in the medical record books for sure, as the patient who spent the longest time in a coma and came back from it."

Lily blushed. Like her son, fame meant little to her. She thanked the Healer and said she hoped she had a good summer.

Though the staff had been unfailingly polite and kind to her, Lily was happy to be leaving the hospital and going to Severus' home on the moors of North Yorkshire. He had explained to her that his home was a large cottage called Heatherton, he had inherited it from his mother, and she from her Aunt Alishia, the only person who did not ostracize her for marrying a Muggle. She had been disinherited when she refused to marry the pureblood wizard her father had picked for her. But Alishia alone did not condemn her for her choice, and when she died, she bequeathed Heatherton to her niece. And now it belonged to Severus, as Eileen had passed away when he was twenty-eight from a heart condition.

It was an ideal place to try and school Harry in his abilities, as Heatherton and its grounds were in the middle of nowhere, set high on the heath, far from the nearest village.

Severus, Lily, and Harry traveled there by Port Key.

Harry and Lily's first glimpse of Heatherton Cottage took them by surprise. It was much bigger than either of them expected. Harry had thought that the cottage would be small, like only two bedrooms, and so had Lily, judging from the gasp she let out upon seeing the house.

Heatherton was what had once been referred to as a "country squire's" home, meaning that the cottage was more like a large house. It was made of a weathered gray stone, and about two stories high, the roof was done in slate tiles and it had two chimneys at either end of the house. The walkway up to the front porch was bordered by a series of hydrangea bushes, colored in purple and white. The lawn was a pristine sweep of green speckled with heather that glided down to a small wrought iron gate, the land was surrounded by a long low lying hedge, and Severus gently pushed open the gate and walked inside. "There are gardens and a greenhouse and sheds out back, gardening is one way I relax here."

"Do you have magical herbs and plants in it?" Harry asked.

"In one garden—there are several—I grow magical herbs and fungi for my potions. In another, I have ordinary herbs and vegetables. The last is a garden with certain types of flowers and fruit trees, and while some may be used in potions, most are not. But I shall show you all of that a little later. First I would like you to meet my housekeeper, who also cooks for me, and her son. They take care of the cottage when I am away, or on call at the hospital for a weekend."

They followed him down the path, Lily limping along gamely with her phoenix handled cane. Severus had offered to assist her, but she had politely refused. She knew she needed the exercise, even if her leg did ache ferociously. She would not be dependent on anyone, even her best friend, to get around. "Oh, Severus! This is a beautiful place! I wasn't expecting . . . this."

"You thought perhaps to see a one room hut with a thatched roof and whitewash?" he smirked. "So sorry to disappoint you."

"Not at all. I'm sorry I assumed that it was going to be anything like the house you grew up in." Lily said, flushing.

"It was an honest assumption. But Spinner's End was long ago, and after my father's death, I sold the place. I had no need of it thanks to my Great-Aunt Alishia's generosity. The Princes were wealthy and their idea of a cottage differs radically from yours or mine."

"You can say that again!" Lily exclaimed.

They had almost reached the porch when the door was flung open and a boy of about Harry's age came out. He had dark brown hair and blue eyes, and was dressed in a simple cream sleeveless tunic and brown trousers with white trainers. One of them clunked loudly on the porch, and it was only then that Harry noticed the boy was wearing a kind of brace upon his left foot. "Sir, you're early!" exclaimed the boy, he looked happy to see Severus. "Mother and I weren't expecting you until noon."

"Have you been sitting in front of the window waiting for me all this time, Theodore?" asked the Healer knowingly.

"Only two hours."

"How have you been keeping up with your lessons? Did you finish those last assignments I gave you?"

"Yes, sir. I have them in my bag."

"I shall look them over later this evening. Right now I would like to introduce some new houseguests. Theodore Nott, this is Lily Evans Potter and her son Harry. They will be staying with us indefinitely, I shall be instructing Harry in magic and helping Lily recover from a coma."

Theo looked over at Harry and Lily and said shyly, "Hello. You can call me Theo, if you like. Pleased to meet you." He shook Harry's hand, then asked, "Is it true you killed You-Know-Who as a baby?"

"That's what they tell me. I don't remember it."

"Theodore! Didn't I tell you not to mention that?" scolded a slender woman with brown hair, wearing a deep red dress with an apron over it. She reminded Harry of a robin, her cheeks were rosy her skin bronzed by the sun like a typical Yorkshire farm wife. She looked almost the same age as Lily.

"Sorry. I forgot."

His mother sighed. "What's done is done." Then she looked at Lily and said, "You probably won't remember me, I was a year behind you at school and a Ravenclaw besides. I'm Lucy Nott, my elder brother Theodore was in your year. He was a Slytherin."

"Hello, pleased to meet you, Lucy." Lily greeted. "I'm sorry, but I'm having some memory problems since the coma. Although I think I recall your brother. Big fellow, broad shoulders? Dark hair? Played a Beater on the Quidditch team for Slytherin?"

"That's right. Big and arrogant too," snorted Lucy. "He could be a bit of an arse sometimes."

Her son looked up at her. "Then why'd you name me after him?"

"I didn't. I named you after my grandfather." Lucy said, ruffling his hair. "Don't worry about your missing memories. They'll come back in their own good time, right, Master Severus?"

Severus nodded, then said, "You don't have to call me Master, Lucy. You're not a house elf."

"But I do work for you, so it's only proper," the other insisted. Clearly they had had this argument before. "I have lunch all set on the sideboard." She stepped back so they could come inside. "Welcome home, sir. Lily and Harry, welcome to Heatherton Cottage."

Lily was first, carefully walking with her cane, while Severus followed, making sure she didn't trip going over the threshold.

Harry brought up the rear, looking curiously at Theo's foot. "You sprain your ankle or break it or something?" he nodded at the steel brace.

The other boy shook his head. "No. I was born with a twisted foot. The Healers said I'd never walk right. I have to wear special shoes and a brace, but it's not so bad."

"Oh." Harry felt awkward now, but then he asked, "Are you going to Hogwarts in the fall?"

To his surprise, Theo shook his head. "No. I can't. I . . . don't have enough magic to cast most spells. I'm a Squib."

Now Harry felt even more awkward. He knew from his reading that Squibs were the almost magicless offspring of wizards, and weren't considered much by the rest of the wizarding world. He didn't know what to say, so he kept quiet.

"How about you?" Theo asked softly. "Did you get your letter yet?"

"Yes, but . . . Mum says I might need to wait to go. Because of my talent. I need a lot of help controlling it, and that's why we're staying here with Healer Snape. You see, I'm a stormcaller."

Theo's mouth dropped open. "Bloody hell! And I thought I had problems."

Harry was puzzled. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You don't know? A stormcaller—"

"Theodore, go and help your mother with the tea tray," Severus said, frowning warningly at the boy.

Theo jumped and walked away. "Right away, sir. Talk to you later, Harry."

"Healer Snape? What did he mean about stormcallers?" Harry asked, sensing they were hiding something from him.

"Harry, I will explain later. For now, please follow me, your room is right next to your mother's, and you really ought to unpack." Severus said, hiding a scowl. He did not want to tell Harry about the fact that he might go mad and self destruct. It was too soon.

He sighed irritably at how young Theo had almost blurted out that fact. Could the boy never learn to keep his tongue behind his teeth? Snape shook his head. Then he relented a bit, recalling the eager look upon the boy's face. He knew it was rare for Theo to meet a boy his own age, he had grown up alone out here on the moor, with only infrequent trips into the village of Edgescoomb. And those had not ended well, as the boy was sometimes jeered and mocked by other children for his disability. Severus recalled one such time, when Theo was six, some older boys had teased him and called him cripple, and pushed him in a mud puddle. He had ended up crying into Severus' shirt once they were home, begging him to chop off his bad foot and magically make him a new one so then he could be "almost normal". He had had to explain to the poor boy that even magic couldn't regrow a limb and he had to try and straighten the foot out gradually. He had also wanted to find the cruel boys who could do something like that to a handicapped child and thrash them. Through special exercises and corrective orthodics and a brace, Theodore's foot was much better than it had been at birth, though it probably would never be a straight as another child's. But it was a vast improvement and Lucy thought it was incredible Severus had managed to do that much.

Severus led Harry to a room which overlooked the gardens, with a large window seat. There were only a few rooms on the ground floor, and Severus had chosen this one for Harry because it was the bedroom with the largest window. He knew that stormcallers hated being cooped up and needed to see the sun and sky. "Here you go, Harry."

Harry stopped dead in the middle of the room. "This is . . . it's bigger than the room Dudley used to have!"

He turned about, taking in the large four poster bed done in different shades of blue, blue was his preferred color. The walls were a light cream, and decorated with fantastic beasts and dragons. It contained two large armoires, plus a closet. There was a nightstand, a bookshelf, and a desk in the corner. There was even a small sofa with a low table in front of it, upon which was a chess board. Harry was overwhelmed, having lived in a broom cupboard for six years. "This is . . . all mine, sir? I don't have to share it with Theo?"

"No. Theo has his own room in his own house upon the grounds. He and his mother live in what used to be known as the huntmaster's cottage, they could have easily stayed here, but Lucy insisted upon a home of their own." The Healer explained. "I hope you find the room satisfactory. If there is something you don't like, please tell me and we shall change it."

"Everything's fine. Thank you." Just having room to turn around and move in was wonderful, Harry thought, gently moving about the room and examining the furniture.

Severus set his duffle bag upon the sofa. "When you are finished unpacking you may come into the dining room. Lucy has prepared lunch. The bathroom is just down the hall on the right. I will send Theodore back here to show you to the dining room. This house is not too large, but you may still get lost in the beginning."

Then Severus turned and walked out, leaving Harry alone. Harry didn' t have much to unpack, just two changes of clothes, underwear, pajamas, slippers, and a few magazines Severus had purchased for him at the hospital gift shop. Lily had said she would take him shopping in the village once they were settled in, he needed a whole new wardrobe, as did she. Harry placed his two outfits and undergarments and pajamas neatly in the armoire and left his slippers beside the bed. He placed the magazines beside the chess board.

When he straightened up, he heard the soft thump of Theo coming down the hall. Soon the other child appeared in the doorway. "You all set then? Mother hates it when the tea gets cold."

Harry nodded. "Can we go outside after lunch?"

"Aye, that we can. I'll show you about after." Theo said, grinning. "Come on now, if we stand here jabbering much more, there'll be nowt but crusts to eat."

Alarmed with the prospect of the food being gone, Harry quickly followed Theo. He couldn't wait to explore the grounds. I think I'm going to like it here. I have my own room and maybe even a friend too.

Once tea was over, it was delicious, Theo asked if he might show Harry about the grounds. Since Severus was busy with attending to some paperwork he had brought home right then, he agreed. The two boys raced outside while their mothers went into the kitchen and talked while Lucy washed up the tea things and started to prepare a few things for supper. Lily offered to help and Lucy handed her a carving board and a sharp knife and asked Lily to chop up some onions and cucumbers for a salad.

While the two women got to know each other, their sons were hurrying pell mell across the backyard, Harry following Theo, who despite his infirmity could move at a good pace. "Over here's the gardens." Theo said, pointing to two large tracts of tilled earth, one was surrounded by a low white picket fence, and the other was bordered by a stone wall with hanging baskets. The garden with the picket fence held many kinds of different magical herbs and fungi, and also a small greenhouse. It had a gate with a charmed latch. "I can't open it, only Severus can. The only time I'm allowed in here is if I'm helping him make a potion, then he unlocks the gate so I can fetch ingredients for him."

"He teaches you how to brew potions? But I thought you couldn't do magic?"

"I can't use a wand or ride a broom, but I can learn about magical herbs and fungi and brew potions." Theo explained. "Only I can't do the real complicated potions, but that's all right. Most Squibs can't even do that much. What can you do with your magic, Harry? Besides call storms, I mean?"

Harry shrugged. "Not much yet. I wasn't ever taught about magic. I grew up with my Muggle aunt and uncle 'cause my mum was in a coma and they wanted to pretend magic never existed." Then he switched the subject because he didn't feel like talking about the Dursleys, he wanted to forget they had ever existed. "Is it hard to brew a potion?"

"Eh, it depends. Some are easy, and some are well nigh impossible. But Severus is brilliant with them, he can brew anything!" Theo stated, his eyes shining with hero-worship.

"Have you always lived here?"

"Yes. I grew up in this house. Mum brought me here when I was still learning to walk and I've never known anywhere else. She always says I'm lucky to be able to live in a nice house like this, and that Severus is a first rate tutor. Mum taught me how to read and write with a quill, but Severus taught me advanced mathematics and Latin and they both taught me history, both magical and Muggle. I love math, it's my best subject."

"I like to read." Harry offered shyly. Then he asked quietly, "Uh, Theo, where's your dad?"

"He died before I was born. I never knew him. He was a Muggleborn, and Mum's parents disowned her for marrying him in secret. He was mugged and killed in Diagon Alley while shopping one day. Mum was pregnant with me, and the shock of finding out my dad was dead made her trip and fall down the stairs of her flat and go into labor early. That's where she met Severus, he was at St. Mungos when she was brought in."

"Was that when you came to live with him?"

"No, that was later. First Mum went back to live with her parents, but . . .once my grandparents found out that I was a Squib and had a lame foot, they told her to leave. Actually, they wanted her to give me up for adoption and marry a pureblood, but Mum refused. She said either they loved her and me for what we were or else we'd leave. So we did, and Mum was running an ad in the Prophet, and Severus hired her and that's how we came to Heatherton."

"You seem to like Severus."

"He's capital, Harry! He's like what I think my dad would have been if he'd lived. Severus doesn't care that I limp and can't do hardly any magic. He's always been there for me and Mum. I kind of think of him like my dad." Theo admitted with a shy smile. "Come, take a look at all the flowers and the orchard in here."

He led Harry into the walled garden. There were all sorts of flowers there, arranged in geometric concentric circles. There were roses, and hyacinths, lilies and petunias, carnations and tulips. Marigolds grew in the baskets hanging over the wall. There were also several wild strawberry bushes. The fruit trees were heavy with fruit. There were apple trees, peach trees, two kinds of pear trees, plum trees, cherry trees, and a fig tree.

"Mum makes the best pies from the fruit," Theo said, licking his lips. "You'll see."

The last garden was bordered by a thick hedge and contained several kinds of herbs and vegetables, such as potatoes, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, onions, and peas and squash. Theo walked inside and picked a pea pod and crunched it. "Mmm. These are almost ready to be picked. Try one?"

Harry took one and ate it, savoring the fresh taste. He hardly ever got to eat fresh vegetables, Petunia had rarely made salads because Vernon and Dudley had hated them. "These are really good."

"Uh huh. Most things Severus plants are good. I really like sugar snap peas." Theo crunched another one.

Theo showed him a large shed which contained various gardening implements and fertilizer plus a wheelbarrow. Beyond that was a large freshwater pond, which had a huge tree overhanging it. Tied to the tree was a long rope swing, with a big tire on the end of it. "This is where I go swimming when it's really muggy. Mum doesn't really like it, she's always been afraid of water, but Severus taught me to swim and said I can come here whenever I want. Jumping off the swing is the best. Wanna try it sometime?"

Harry slowly nodded. He didn't want to tell Theo that he could barely tread water, Petunia had never let him take swimming lessons like Dudley, so he'd learned a bit by watching the instructor teach his cousin. "Maybe after I get some trunks."

"All right. Do you like to go exploring? We can take some lunch out on the moor one day, long as we tell Severus where we're going. I'm not allowed to go more'n six miles away."

"Why? Is it dangerous out there? Are there wild animals around or something?"

"Sometimes there are packs of wild dogs," Theo's voice dropped to a whisper. "Mean nasty brutes that could take your arm off in one bite. And some say . . . some say that the Grim still roams these hills. Know what the Grim is?" Harry shook his head. Theo continued. "The Grim is a massive black dog, but not an ordinary mutt. They say he's the devil's mascot, and was spat up from hell to haunt the moors. If you see the Grim, it means your death, one way or another. He has burning red eyes and a bloody tongue and he loves to hunt the innocent . . . especially children who have wandered too far from home."

Harry felt a shiver go down his backbone. "You're just making that up. There's no such thing as a Grim. It's a ghost story, right?"

"You don't believe me? You think ghosts don't exist and you're a wizard?"

"What does being a wizard have to do with ghosts? Ghosts are just made up to scare little kids."

"Nuh-uh. Ghosts are real, Potter. Very real." Theo said. "Just ask any of the villagers. They've all seen Poor Maggie, she's a ghost that haunts the outskirts of the village, a'wailin' and a'weepin' for her poor dead love, and riding her horse back and forth, tryin' t'find his body. Y'see, he were murdered and the ones who done it dumped his body in a sinkhole and Maggie waited and waited for him outside her house, but he never showed. She died of grief and now she haunts the moor, searchin' for her love's body, which was buried where no man shall ever find it. Not till the end of all things!"

"Oh, come on, Theo! You're putting me on!"

"I'm not, and if you don't believe me, just ask Severus." Theo insisted. "He went to Hogwarts, and the castle has four ghosts and a poltergeist living in it. Your mum and mine know it too."

"They do?"

"Aye, just ask them. They'll tell you I'm not lying."

"All right, maybe I will. Have you ever seen a ghost?"

"No. And I hope I never do." Theo shuddered. "Mum says there are good and bad ones, but the ones around here are all bad, or at least not very nice. Severus says that ghosts are spirits who died with unfinished business on their souls and that's why they're still here. 'Cause they can't rest 'till they finish their task."

Harry still looked doubtful.

Theo sighed. "Would you believe me if I told you that there's a golden goose hereabouts that lays golden eggs? People have been hunting for it for years. But only I've ever seen it. It landed near the pond a few months ago, when I happened to be out watering the garden, and I saw it. But before I could do anything, it flew off. I've been hoping to see it again ever since. That's why I have the big net over there." He indicated a large net sitting beside the big tree with the swing. "But maybe now you're here, we could try and catch her ourselves. Then we'd be rich and famous. And nobody would ever call me a poor cripple again. Or a pathetic Squib."

"All right. That sounds like fun," Harry agreed, thinking that Theo was as much an outcast in the wizarding world as he had been in the Muggle one. "Do you have to do chores around here?"

"Some. Severus says a little work never hurt anybody. But it never takes too long. I usually have to pick up my room, weed the flower garden, and water the magical herbs. Sometimes I help Mum in the kitchen or set the table."

"Oh. What happens if you don't do them?"

"Y'mean, like I forgot? Then Severus and Mum scold me and if I'm a real lackwit, Severus will give me extra chores on the weekend or have me write lines."

"That's all? He doesn't . . .lock you up?"

"Lock me up? Like in my room?" Theo was puzzled. "No. The worst he's ever done to me is to give me a smack on the bum for answering back my mum and being a brat. And once he made me write a three foot essay on proper manners and behavior to my elders."

"Oh." That didn't sound bad at all. Not compared to what Vernon had done to him. "How about lessons? Are they hard?"

"Depends. Some are and some aren't. But Severus will always explain things again if I need him to, and so will Mum. He's not really as stern as he seems. If you make a mistake, you can always do it over."

Harry hoped so. Though he wondered how you could uncall a storm?

While the boys were outside getting acquainted, Lily and Lucy had managed to chop everything Lucy needed for supper. There was a fresh salad of cucumbers and onions with olive oil and vinegar dressing, plus a large chicken pot pie, and buttered mashed turnips.

While she was mashing the turnips, Lily asked Lucy how she had come to work at Heatherton Cottage.

"Eh, now that's a long tale, but we have naught but time till supper, so . . ." Lucy began, shifting into a broad Yorkshire dialect. She had picked up the Yorkshire from being among the village women, shopping and exchanging various recipes and so forth, and found that adopting it made her seem less of an outsider and more like one who belonged on the moor. Plus, she knew her proper pureblood parents would have been mortified to hear their daughter speak like a low class servant. And it was a sort of personal rebellion to do the opposite of what Doreen and Edgar Nott had insisted she do growing up.

"Tha should know that I was the youngest in my family, the only girl, an' I was expected to marry well. I had a cradle betrothal to young Even Rosier, an' t'was expected we'd be married as soon as I finished school. But I'd never liked Rosier, he was creepy and wicked and I'd made up my mind I'd rather die than marry him by the time school was over. So I decided to find someone else, a man of my choosing. Tha must understand, such was not done in my family. We were purebloods and supposed to marry our own kind. Doin' anything else was nigh unthinkable." A smile quirked up Lucy's mouth. "But I was a Ravenclaw, and what could be thought of could be done, aye? So I began volunteering at my local library an' it was there I met my Finn. Finn O'Mara, as bonny a lad as ever tha saw, and Muggleborn besides. Forbidden fruit indeed! But I cared naught. He was clever and well read and treated me gently, never pawed nor groped me like that dolt Rosier. In six months I was in love with him, an' my folks were about ready to tie me up an' march me t'the altar to marry Rosier. I couldna refuse them much longer, so I made as if I were sick, then eloped to Gretna Green with Finn."

Lucy told about how her parents had cut her off without a penny, but she and Finn had managed to rent a flat near Diagon Alley and they were happy for a short time together. Until tragedy struck in the form of some robbers, who mugged and beat Fin to death while he was shopping. "To this day I suspect my brother had a hand in it," she said darkly. "For Finn had nothing on him that would have made robbers come for him, tha see? I was so horror struck that I went into labor before my time. Poor Theo was born early as well as with a twisted foot. But I loved him, he was the spit of Finn, and I vowed to give him a good home. But I was without a Knut to my name after a month and I had to return to my parents' house, else Theo would have starved. I never wished to, but I had no choice."

She grimaced as she told of how her father and mother had sneered at their grandchild, first for being a half-blood and then for being a cripple. "See what happens when you marry for love, girl? You throw defective offspring," her father had told her.

"An' once they found out he was a Squib . . . they wanted me to get rid of him rather than have him stay and taint our House."

"That's awful! What did you do?"

"Told 'em t'stick it where the sun don't shine and left. I said either they loved me an' my son for who we were or not. I put an ad in The Prophet for work, I was advertizing for a companion or a tutor to a young girl. I ended up getting owled by Severus, who needed someone reliable to keep house for him here. He said he didn't want to bind any house elf and he paid a fair wage. I asked if I could take Theo and he agreed and before you can say Jack Sprat we were here and here we've stayed. Severus has been more than kind t'us. Treats me like an equal and my son like his own nevvie or son, and not like a freak or Squib. Tha'll never catch me saying nobbut bad about Master Severus an' anyone else who does will answer to me!"

Lily blinked at the fierce protective light in Lucy's eyes. "You really mean that."

"As much as I ever have anything in my life." Lucy replied. Then she added, "And before tha jumps to the wrong conclusion, I'm employee only not lover. Finn was my only and now he's gone, I'll never love another."

Lily felt herself blush, had she been that transparent?

"That's none of my business," she asserted, still coloring.

Lucy shrugged. "Eh, just thought I'd set the record straight. 'Tisn't like people haven't wondered about us afore. All of us are here because Severus allows us to be, and it's good he's a gentleman about it, otherwise the gossip would be much worse n' it is. The villagers know it too. Now tha has heard my tale. Turnabout's fair play, Lily."

Lily set the turnips aside, as she was finished with them and said quietly, "First, I need to know what's been said about me and James and Harry since that night. Severus told me that Harry is thought of as The-Boy-Who-Lived and famous for his survival of the Killing Curse. Several witches and wizards at the hospital considered me famous as well, and James too, for trying to defend his family against V-Voldemort." She made herself say the name.

"That's right. They do. Do you not agree with them?"

"No. Not really. We, James and I, did no more and no less than any other wizarding parent did when they tried to protect their family from him and his followers. The one difference is that Harry and I lived while the others perished. I've read what they wrote about us in the papers, and it's all sensationalism. I didn't 'duel' Voldemort and neither did my husband. There wasn't time for that, and neither of us was strong enough to stand and match spells with him. Voldemort wasn't the kind to salute you and then attack at ten paces, all right and proper. He was a stone cold killer. He cast first and asked questions afterwards to your corpse. James never stood a chance. Voldemort was like Death, you saw him and you died. It took him a few minutes to kill my husband, even though he was good at Defense. It took him barely that to try and kill me. I believe, and so does Severus, that the only reason I survived as well as Harry was because Harry's stormcaller talent acted to protect me, and siphoned off some of the Killing Curse's power. That's why I lived, because of my son, and because Voldemort was unprepared to face a talent of that magnitude in a child barely past his first birthday. He thought Harry's talent was dormant and he could steal away my son and make him into his puppet. He was arrogant and overconfident. He paid for it though. Those who live by the wand die by the wand."

"That he did."

"And that is why I will never consider Harry's talent a curse. Because when it mattered, it saved his life. It may even have done so twice. But it could also destroy him," Lily admitted softly. "It's a double-edged sword, Lucy. I've always known that. From the moment I saw the mark on him, I knew. I also knew that I would do whatever it took to keep him safe. Most people, my husband included, regard that talent as a death sentence. We had many arguments over it." She sighed. "But James and I never saw eye to eye on a lot of things. We were very different people."

Lucy began chopping up celery, eyeing the other woman closely. "Something tells me it was not all roses and song, thy marriage. Not the way the papers said it was, a love match made in heaven."

Lily snorted. "There is no such thing, Lucy. No marriage is perfect. Oh, when you're young you dream about it, you fantasize about love and how it makes everything wonderful, but the reality is not like that. When James and I married, it was barely after six months of an engagement. But we were young and assumed passion would last forever and overcome all odds. There was a war and James was anxious to put a ring on my finger just in case he fell in the line of duty. I thought I knew him, and he understood me. But we didn't know anything. As I said, we were very different people. I was always a bookworm, I preferred books to going out with friends, preferred my charms research to going to parties and I detested Quidditch and staying out all night with Sirius and Peter or whoever James had over. I liked to take long walks and contemplate nature, grub about in my garden, brew potions. But I wasn't a socialite."

"And he was the opposite?"

"Yes. He loved being in crowds, the more the merrier. He loved publicity and I hated it. He lived for Quidditch, it was his passion, and I wished to pretend it never existed. He thought I was a bit dull for preferring more intelellectual pursuits and walking about Covent Gardens or attending lectures on Herbology was the height of boring. 'A plant's a plant, Lily,' he used to say to me. He was never the scholar I was, he preferred sports. Try and get him to read a book about anything else, like potions, and his eyes glazed over. He loved spending time with his friends, most of which I didn't care for, and didn't like having in my home. But I put up with it, because I didn't want him to be unhappy. I went to the matches and after parties with him, tried to pretend I loved it, but I was miserable.

"Three months into the marriage I discovered we had as much in common as a cat and a dog. We couldn't even agree on the sex of a baby. He wanted an heir, a boy to raise to be the next Quidditch Potter. I wanted a girl, so I'd have company and could teach her all the things my mum taught me. I was a Muggleborn witch trying to fit into an old stagnant pureblood society. I felt trapped, and even though I had every comfort money could buy, I wanted one thing. The freedom to do and be myself. Being James' wife carried responsibilities I was unaware of. Social obligations I was unprepared to meet. You know what I'm talking about, don't you?"

Lucy nodded. "Oh, I do. I know all about it. It's why I ran away from it."

"I pretended well, but as the months went by and the war heated up, James was often away. I was pregnant then and glad that he wasn't home for all the fuss of pregnancy. I worried for him, but at the same time was content by myself. I didn't really need him, you see. I had thought I loved him, but what I loved wasn't him, but his charm and good looks, his smile and his teasing. That's not enough to make a relationship last. We started growing apart, but I told myself that when Harry was born things would be different. James would be home more and I could rediscover my love for him. Until we discovered Harry was a stormcaller."

She went on to explain how James was petrified that Harry was going to die, that he was convinced his son wouldn't grow up to see adulthood. That he thought himself cursed. Lily had refused to accept that. She had insisted that just because all the others had gone mad and died didn't mean Harry would. James was skeptical. He wanted to believe Lily was right, but at the same time thought she was deluding herself based on the past records of stormcallers. While they were wrestling with that dilemma, Voldemort discovered Harry's talent, and decided to try and snatch the boy away and forge him into a weapon of mass destruction.

"I was all for running away, getting us out of the country, beyond the reach of that evil despot. Dignity and Gryffindor courage be damned, I just wanted my baby to be safe. I wanted to go to America, to Australia, anywhere far away. We could assume new identities, start a new life. James wouldn't hear of it. He refused to leave his ancestral home, refused to let Voldemort "chase him away like whipped dog". He wasn't afraid of Voldemort, he used to tell me. He was an Auror, and it was his job to fight dark wizards, not run from them. He was angry that I would even suggest such a thing, and told me I had no faith in him. We fought, bitterly. As a matter of fact, we had just quarreled when Voldemort came knocking at our door. Ironically, it was over the Secret Keeper. I said Sirius could break under torture. That it wasn't safe relying on a single charm, no matter how strong, to protect us all. I argued that we should have a safe spot to Apparate to, just in case. He lost his temper and shouted at me that I didn't trust his judgment, that he knew what was best for his family, that Sirius was like his brother and would never betray us. Gryffindors don't run and hide, we stand and fight. What kind of Gryffindor are you, Lily, that you've forgotten that? We're not Slytherins, to scurry off into the shadows like cowards. Like your best friend, Snivellus! I shouted back that it wasn't cowardice to live to fight another day, it was survival and that was my priority, making sure that Harry survived. He told me that my only chance at survival was to do what he said, and trust the Fidelius Charm."

"Then old Moldy Shorts shot his theory all to hell."

"Yes. You know the rest of the story." Lily said. "When I woke up, I was an emotional wreck. I still am, somewhat. But I trust Severus to help me and my son. He was always my friend. It's funny, but a part of me is . . . attracted to him. I guess I see something there now that I didn't when I was younger. I feel guilty, though. My husband died and here I am looking at another man. And yet . . . a part of me says, why not? James is dead, ten years gone, why should I mourn someone forever? I loved the man, but I wasn't in love with him there at the end. And I'm not now. Maybe I never was."

" "Tis rare to find a love that lasts for years." Lucy said sagely. "Tha married young, before that knew what tha was getting into. Tha didn't know tha true heart then. But perhaps now tha has time to learn."

"I hope so. I really want to make a fresh start, Lucy. I want to get to know my son, I missed all those early years, and I can't ever get them back. It's my greatest regret. But at least now I have time. Time to figure out myself, time to help Harry control his powers, and to become the mother I always wished to be. Maybe even time to get to know Severus again." She gazed earnestly at the other witch. "You know, you're the first real witch I've talked to from school since I woke that I haven't felt awkward around. A few days ago Mundira Patil came to visit me, and I was glad to see her, but she seemed so . . . in awe of me . . . as if I were some kind of celebrity, or a living miracle. I'm not used to that sort of thing. That's why I'm very glad to be here at Heatherton Cottage, where I can just be Lily."

"I'm happy tha came, Lily. Now I finally have another witch to talk to who doesn't look down their nose at me or my son and call me a scarlet woman with a wee bastard." Lucy declared. She lifted her chin defiantly. "I made my decision long ago and I'll stick by it. And to the crows with what anyone else thinks! Who are they to sit in judgment anyhow?" She held out a floury hand. "Friends?"

"Friends." Lily said, and clasped Lucy's hand in her own. Then she asked softly, "I love your Yorkshire accent, but I never noticed you had one at school."

Lucy smirked slyly. "That's because I didn't. I picked it up after a year or so living here and going into the village and mingling with some of the women there. Most of them don't take too kindly to strangers and so I learned to speak as they did. I also, I admit, wished to thumb my nose at my parents, who would collapse if they heard me speaking like a lower class servant girl. I'm still Lucy Nott, but not the girl I used to be. My Yorkshire is my way of showing it."

"Good for you!" Then Lily began to season the turnips with butter and salt and pepper and a dash of cinnamon and sugar.

Page Break ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Page Break

Once they had all eaten the delicious dinner of mashed turnips, chicken pot pie , fresh bread and salad, Severus took Harry for a walk out on the moor. "I need to know a few things about your stormcaller abilities before I can begin to instruct you," he began. "One of them is the range of your ability to sense a storm. Please try and concentrate on feeling for a storm in the vicinity."

Harry shut his eyes and probed with his other senses. He sort of stretched his mind out, like a pair of hands trying to feel their way in the dark, and glided above the clouds, soaring upon the air currents. All was calm and still in the upper air. He 'flew' further and further, until he finally caught a warm draft of air rising and meeting with a cold front, causing clouds heavy with precipitation to gather and wind to swirl about, the precursor to a small thunderstorm. He felt again the inexorable call to tug at the storm and bring it to him, but this time he resisted the urge. Severus had told him to just feel where the storm was, not summon it. He was unsure how far away it was, until some sixth sense told him it was over fifteen kilometers distant. He could also sense it would be a mild thunder storm, with only a few forks of lightning and thunder, this was not a high intensity system. He could make into one, he knew that instinctively. But again he locked down the impulse.

Slowly, he withdrew. Opening his eyes, he said, "I found a small storm gathering about fifteen kilometers away."

"Good. Were you tempted to call or tamper with it?"

"I was . . . but only a little. It wasn't like the last time."

"That system might have been stronger, and harder for you to resist." Severus mused. "You seem to have a fairly large range. What sort of storm was this?"

"Just a thunder storm."

"How did finding the storm make you feel? Were you excited? Alarmed?"

"Uh . . ." Harry paused for several minutes. It was a hard question to answer, since he had never really stopped to think about it. "I . . . guess it makes me feel . . .excited. When I touch the storm I feel all the energy it's generating, it flows through me. Makes me all tingly. I want to use it . . . to draw it to me."

"Does it feel uncomfortable, this drawing of power? Are you in pain when you pull it towards you?"

"Not really. It doesn't hurt when I tap into the storm, I only get a headache when I feel the storm and don't try and reach out. I get a pain behind my eyes."

Severus tapped his chin. "I see. From my reading, I have noticed that other stormcallers have complained of that symptom. I believe the headache is a result of struggling to control your urge to call a storm. Your power naturally seeks out all kinds of storms, and it does not take well to being controlled. Nevertheless, control over your power is paramount. Your talent is very dangerous, and could harm even yourself if you are not careful. I am going to teach you how to make a shield within your mind, a shield to contain your ability, so that you aren't constantly probing subconsciously for a storm to summon or manipulate. I am also going to teach you guided meditation to help you control your emotions better. From what I understand, most stormcallers have notoriously short tempers. Not a good combination."

Harry heaved a long sigh. "I do have a bit of a temper. Aunt Petunia used to say I got that from my mum and she wasn't putting up with it."

"That is something we shall work on. But that's a lesson for tomorrow night. For tonight, I wish you to practice writing with a quill and ink upon parchment."

"How come all you wizards still write with those?"

"Partly because we can enchant quills to do many things, easier than a pen. Also because a quill is an elegant instrument and encourages determination and discipline. If you have will enough to master a quill, then you have will enough to master your magic. We can obtain quills easily from our owls and other birds, but pens are a Muggle invention and not so easy to come by."

"Oh. I get it now. Thanks for telling me. How many pages should I write?"

"I have a primer in my study, you may do two exercises in it." Severus said. "Come, it's growing dark."

Harry followed Severus back to the house. Upon entering the cottage, they were met by Lucy, whose normally placid features were drawn with worry. "Master Severus, thank goodness! I was hoping thee wouldn't linger. Theo's foot has been paining him something terrible. He won't let me see it, says it's nothing, but I know better. I think he overstrained it."

"I will see him in a moment." Severus promised, then he Summoned the primer from his library and gave it to Harry. "Here. Go and start on your assignment while I see what Theodore has done to his foot."

Harry took the book, but then followed Severus to the large den, where Theo was lying on the couch, his foot propped up by several pillows, white-faced with pain and biting his lip. There was a sheen of sweat on his brow.

"Theodore, what have I told you about overstressing your foot?" Severus sighed, moving over beside the boy. "Be still and let me see what you've done to yourself."

Theo grimaced. "I'm all right, sir. It's just a cramp."

Severus harrumphed and gently took Theo's foot on his lap, removing the brace as he did so.

Harry remained standing just inside the door, observing Severus treating Theo. He was worried about the other boy, fearing it was somehow his fault that the other had become hurt, since they had done a lot of walking and running that afternoon. He was also curious about the other's foot and Snape's method of treatment. As well as a bit envious of Theo, who had a decent male role model to look up to. Lucy and Lily were watching from across the room, in the kitchen entrance.

Severus gently removed both the brace and the shoe over Theo's foot. He then slipped off the sock covering it as well. The boy whimpered a little as Severus began pressing firmly on his swollen instep and ankle. "Hmmm . . . seems as though you've pulled a few tendons along here and here . . . that's why there's heat and swelling . . ." He gently manipulated the foot, which was crooked, with the toes pointing to the left, and had a sort of square shape to it, and very little arch.

Theo hissed. "Ow, Severus!"

"My apologies, child. But I need to see how badly this muscle is strained." The Mind Healer murmured. "I can do it best by feeling it, a spell would only tell me that it was stressed, not specifics." He waved his wand and a vial of a clear liquid floated into his hand. "Here, Theodore. Take this Pain Reliever."

Theo made a face. "Blech! Do I have to?"

"Do you like being in pain?" the other retorted.

"No . . . but it tastes gross!"

"Theodore, take thy medicine like Healer Severus tells thee, lad." Lucy spoke up then.

"Yes, Ma." Theo uncorked the vial and swallowed, making a terrible face after.

Lucy brought him a glass of pumpkin juice and he drank it down gratefully. She remained next to him, gently stroking his hair. "Does tha feel sommat better, son?"

"A little bit," her son answered, laying his head back against the arm of the sofa.

"Lucy, I'm going to need to soak this foot in a bucket of ice water to bring down the swelling, then place some Anti-Inflammatory crystals in a warm water bath to relax those muscles. After that I shall massage the muscles to loosen them further. A foot wrap should take care of the rest, easing the pressure when he walks about. Although, I will prescribe a day of rest and elevation tomorrow."

"Aww . . . Severus! I'm fine, I don't need to stay in bed!" Theo cried, for he hated being stuck in bed, especially now that he'd found a friend to play with.

Lucy tapped her recalcitrant son on the head. "Quit thy grousing now, my boy. What the Healer says goes, eh?"

Then she hurried away into the kitchen to bring what Severus had requested. Lily followed, trying to assist her.

Harry started to turn away, reassured that his friend would be all right.

Severus caught the movement out of the corner of his eye. "Harry, why are you lurking in the doorway? Come over here if you wish to speak to Theodore. He could use a distraction, since some of what I must do will be uncomfortable."

"What about my writing exercises, sir?"

"You may do them later. Or perhaps tomorrow, as young master Nott will be laid up with his injury." Severus said, beckoning Harry over.

Harry obeyed, coming to sit beside his friend on the chaise next to Theo's head. "Hey, Theo. I'm sorry I made you overstress your foot."

Theo turned slightly, so he was looking at Harry. "Nae, Harry, 'tis not your fault," he said, his accent becoming more Yorkshire, as it did when he was stressed. "This dumb foot of mine . . . it's allus going out on me." He gave an exasperated sigh. Then he glared at the offending appendage.

Harry glanced at it curiously, but then looked away, not wanting to embarrass his new friend by staring at it. "I hope you'll feel better by tomorrow."

Theo nodded. "Me too. I hate being stuck inside doing nothing but resting."

Lucy returned with the bucket of icy water and Severus urged Theo to put his foot in it.

The boy obeyed, grimacing at the coldness, but it quickly dulled the throbbing pain.

Harry looked over at Severus, who was resting a hand lightly on Theo's shoulder, and asked, "How come you don't just use magic to heal him?"

Severus coughed slightly before answering. "Because not every injury responds well to magic, and Theodore's condition is something he was born with. I used much magic on his foot initially, as a baby, when his bones and cartilage was more malleable, but eventually there comes a point when magic cannot help, and Theo has almost reached that threshold. I wish to limit the magic use as much as possible, so I use other methods to relax the muscles, which work just as well as a spell."

"Oh. Then magic can't heal everything?" was Harry's next question.

"No. Generally, magic can heal what has been injured by a spell—whether it be an accident or a curse, and what magic has done, it can also undo, by finding the right countercharm or potion to reverse it. It can heal injuries created by fire or sharp objects, general trauma, like bruises, scrapes, lacerations, even mend failing organs and broken bones. But it cannot regenerate limbs or re-grow eyes. Many diseases can be prevented or cured with potions and certain combinations of spells, but not all. A wizard's immune system is hardier than a Muggle's, we get fewer colds and flus, though there are some viruses that attack our magic and immune systems alone, like dragon pox and so forth. Since we age slower, we are less susceptible to diseases like cancer and Alzheimers, though there have been cases of both in families from time to time. But that is rare. But like anyone else, we can be born with genetic defects and physical defects, and those are much harder to treat."

"Is that why you can't just heal Theo's foot?"

"Yes. Like anything else, healing magic has limits. In order for me to attempt to straighten Theodore's foot, I would have to go and rearrange his cell structure and DNA at the molecular level, break it down and re-code it. Then I would have to restructure his entire foot, muscles, tendons, bones. It would take a tremendous amount of power and utter concentration and one molecule made wrong would kill him. It's almost impossible and I would never attempt it. Sometimes you simply have to accept what life throws at you and work with it. Adversity makes you stronger, and teaches you how to overcome disabilities you never thought you could. Millions of people live with disabilities like Theo every day, and they don't let it stop them from living life to the fullest. Right, Mr. Nott?"

Theo nodded, heaving a sigh and wriggling his foot about slightly in the icy water. "My foot is loads better now than it was a year or two ago. Ma can tell you that. Mayhap someday it'll be almost like normal. But if not, well, nobody ever died of a crooked foot and it won't bother me much as a newspaper reporter."

"You want to be a reporter?" Harry raised his eyebrows.

Theo grinned. "I like writing stories and finding out things."

"Especially things he shouldn't." Severus waved a chiding finger at the boy. "He's a born snoop. Always trying to ferret information from me."

"Hey! I canna help it if you have interesting patients and are so mysterious about what goes on when you're away in London, Severus. Nothing interesting ever happens here."

"You should be glad of that," Severus said. "All right. Now it's time to soak in the warm water. Did you add the crystals, Lucy?"

"Yes, Master Severus," she said respectfully, and removed the bucket of freezing water and exchanged it for a bucket of semi-hot water with Anti-Inflammatory crystals in it.

Theo placed his foot in it, wincing at the sudden heat. "Ow! Severus, it's too hot."

Severus tested the water with a finger. "No, it's the right temperature. It'll feel uncomfortable at first until you adjust. Keep it in there." He gave the child a comforting pat on the shoulder. "Relax and take deep breaths. You ought to feel better soon. Why don't you tell Harry about Quidditch?"

Theo eagerly began to tell Harry about the most popular sport in the wizarding world. It would keep his mind off how much his foot felt like a boiled lobster.

"Can you play it?" asked Harry.

Theo shook his head. "No. I don't have enough magic to fly a broom, remember? But I'd bet you could."

"Oh. That's too bad. But I don't know how to fly a broom."

"Severus can teach you." Theo said. "Or your mum, they learned how to fly at Hogwarts. Mine too," he added. He looked wistful. "I've only been up on a broom when I was smaller, Severus flew one with me."

Catching the longing in the boy's tone, Severus asked, "Would you like to do that again, Theodore?"

"I . . .I really don't want to be a bother."

"It would not be. I shall be off again in a few days, perhaps then I shall show Harry how to fly my old Comet 360 and you may fly with us."

"Really? That would be wicked, Severus!" Theo's eyes shone with eagerness and gratitude.

By then twenty minutes had gone by, and Severus was ready to begin the last stage of his treatment. He directed Theo to remove his foot from the water and lay it across his lap.

Harry glanced over at Lily and asked, "Would that be all right, Mum?"

"Of course, Harry. Your father was fly-crazy at your age and I see no reason why you can't learn also." Lily smiled at him.

"How about you, Mum? You can fly too."

Lily chuckled. "It's been many years since I flew, Harry. But I think I can still remember how. I can join you if you'd like."

"Sure, Mum!"

Just then Theo whimpered sharply. "Severus . . . not so hard! Oww!"

The tall wizard looked up from his massage. "Your muscles are still kinked and twisted, it will take a few minutes for me to work on them. Like those exercises I used to do on your foot when you were small, this will hurt at first. Try and focus on something else. I apologize, but this has to be done." He continued rotating and kneading the boy's foot, his fingers flexing and rubbing in a firm circular motion.

Theo gritted his teeth and fought to keep from trying to pull away. He had endured such pain before, when he was younger and Severus made him do strengthening exercises every day to keep his foot from stiffening. Back then he used to cry when Severus did the exercises, but he was older now and better able to endure the sharp crackling pain.

Harry noticed and continued to ask Theo questions about Quidditch, trying to keep the other's mind off the pain, but also because he found the sport rather fascinating. He hoped that someday he could see a real match. He then asked Theo about making potions—if it were hard and how you had to harvest certain ingredients. "Do you actually use stuff like eyes of newt and legs of toads?"

Theo grimaced, breathing sharply, before he said, "I've never heard of a potion using those. We sometimes use newt skin and there are some drafts that call for a toad's liver, but not a leg. What sort of potion was that?"

"Uh . . .I don't know. It's a standard thing if you read Muggle fairytales. Usually an evil witch is brewing it."

"Oh. No wonder it doesn't make sense. I . . . can show you some standard drafts in my . . .ow . . .potions book tomorrow . . ."

Severus massaged firmly until there came an odd crackling noise, then Theo gasped in relief. "There! I finally managed to knead that knot out," declared the wizard in satisfaction. "How does that feel now, Theo?"

"Better, sir!"

"Good. Now relax. Another five minutes and I will wrap it."

Once the foot was wrapped, Severus used his magic to create a kind of soft cast to cushion the foot so Theo could walk on it. They then had some hot cocoa and sugar biscuits before the boys were sent to bed.

Harry lay awake for a bit before he finally drifted off to sleep, Lily slipped in a moment afterwards and gently tucked the covers about him and kissed him on the scar. "Good night, Harry. Sweet dreams, my son."

Then she withdrew, almost running into Severus down the hall. "Oh! Sev! I was just . . .saying good night to Harry." She quickly swiped at her eyes.

He pretended not to notice. "Is he still awake?"

"No, but I just . . .I missed doing that to him growing up, so I wanted—"

"I understand, Lily. Good night."

"Night, Sev. Pleasant dreams."

"To you also." Then he turned and glided down the hall, silent as a shadow from the grave.

Lily yawned and sought her own bed, limping slightly on her leg. It was a bit stiff and sore and watching the way Severus had competently massaged Theo's foot made her wish she had thought to ask him to massage her leg. Then she flushed slightly. He was tired, it had been a long day, and she wasn't sure if she was ready to allow him such intimacy just yet. Not that he would ever take advantage of her, if anything she supposed he would be coolly professional, but still . . . the mere thought of his hands running up and down her leg conjured an odd heat deep within her. No, she wouldn't go there. She had to think about her son. Harry needed clothes and other things, they would need to go shopping in the village soon.

She wondered what had happened to her wand, and made a mental note to ask Severus tomorrow about it. She crawled into bed and snuggled into the covers. She fell asleep thinking about getting Harry some new trainers, but in her dreams she was being held by a tall dark-haired wizard whose fingers ignited a fire in her flesh that no amount of cold showers could put out.

Page~*~*~*~*~*Break

Two days later Theo's foot was healed enough so he could accompany Lily, Harry, and Severus into Edgescoomb. Lucy declined to accompany them, saying she still had work to do, baking for lunch, and then she would rest for an hour or so. She gave Theo some money to buy a snack or a novel and sent him off with a warning not to get into trouble.

Severus had given Lily back her wand this morning, he had taken it for safekeeping when she had been admitted to the long term ward. She had to admit that it felt good to have it back in her hand, even if she was still feeling tired and stressed. Severus had assured her that her magical core was stable and she could cast spells without fear of magical drain. She had tucked the willow wand in the wand holster strapped to her thigh, there was a charm over it so no Muggle would see it, though it was covered by her flowing crinkle skirt of turquoise and green stripes. It was paired with a tunic-like top of light cotton with flowing three-quarter length sleeves in the same colors. She was also wearing white sandals and her fiery hair was pulled back in a tail with a silver doe clasp. She reluctantly carried her cane, at Severus' urging, but had it folded in her purse. The clothes were a gift from Lucy, who said she had never worn them, and now was a bit too big about the middle for them to fit properly, and the color was perfect for her. The barrette was from Severus, who told her it was supposed to be a Christmas gift for her ten years prior, along with the matching white leather purse with the silver doe outline etched on it.

The boys were dressed casually in jeans and T-shirts, Harry had on a gold one with a tiger roaring, and Theo had a blue one with a cobra ready to strike and the caption Wanna See My Fangs? beneath it. Both had on sneakers, though Harry's were nearly worn through at the soles.

Severus was also wearing Muggle attire, dark denims and a black shirt with a smoking green cauldron on it with the words Something Wicked This Way Comes above it. He also had on black boots, his wand was in a holster on his bicep, it had quick-release sheath. He eyed Lily up and down and said softly, "Lily, you look gorgeous."

"Oh, sure I do, Sev. For a woman who spent the past ten years vegetating in a bed," she snorted.

"I meant what I said," he asserted firmly.

She flushed, his sincerity made her feel as giddy as a schoolgirl again. "Thank you. And you look quite . . ." the first word that leapt into her mind upon seeing him was sexy, but she hastily stuffed that reply back into the recesses of her mind and said, " . . . wicked in that outfit, Sev." She smiled gently at him. "Where did you find that shirt?"

"One of the shops in London. There's a thriving occult movement among the younger Muggles nowadays, which is something we should encourage, for it makes us easier to hide in plain sight."

"How are we going to get to the village?" Harry wondered aloud. "Are we going to rent a car or something?"

"No. We're going to Apparate there," Severus answered. "Lily, you can Sidelong Apparate, right?"

Lily nodded. "Yes. I did that quite frequently after I had Harry, before we were forced to lock ourselves up in Godric's Hollow."

"Good. You take Harry and I'll take Theo," Severus said. He began describing the place they would be Apparating into, a small stretch of grass and trees at the very edge of the moor. It was important to always visualize the destination before trying to Apparate there. Otherwise you could end up splinched or lost in limbo.

Harry took hold of Lily's arm and then suddenly they were whisked away. There was a pulling and pushing sensation somewhere around his navel, and Harry felt as if he were on one of those spinning wheels at a carnival. He clutched Lily for dear life until they came out at the Apparition point.

"Ugh! I feel sick," he groaned.

"Like you're going to throw up?" Lily asked, concerned.

Harry nodded, looking rather green.

"Sev, do you have a Stomach Soother?" she whispered to the Mind Healer.

Severus reached into a pocket and handed Lily a small vial of a light blue substance.

"Drink this, son. It'll calm your stomach. The first time's always the hardest." She handed the potion to Harry.

Harry obeyed, and soon his stomach quit doing backflips and settled. He felt like a wimp until Theo told him that Sidelong Apparition always made him feel like he was going to puke too.

Edgescoomb was the only hint of civilization for miles around, right smack on the edge of the moor, surrounded by heather and scrubby trees. It was a quaint little village housing maybe 500 souls, and the town square boasted the same weathered brick and stone finishes as it had a century ago. There was a grocery shop, which sold fresh produce, dairy, and dry goods. There was a butcher next to it, advertising fresh lamb chops for sale. On the other side of the grocery was a sweet shop with homemade confections. A barber was across the street, hard by The Black Crow pub. Further down were a few clothing and shoe stores, a combination book and stationary store, a petrol station, and a small toy shop. A few cars were parked along the street.

In the middle of the village was a rather large area called the green, it was traditionally where the farmers brought their stock to sell. Now it boasted park benches and trimmed hedges of roses and a small pond. Past the center of the village was the residential district and the graveyard, with a large statue of a young woman weeping, dressed in clothing from the 1800's, mounted upon a horse. The inscription read: In Memory of poor Maggie Williams, who lost her lover, and died heartbroken. 1845-1865.

Theo pointed out the statue as they walked by and whispered, "See, there's the statue, an' at midnight Poor Maggie comes out of it an' rides about, wailing for her dead Tom."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Sure, Theo. Whatever."

Severus glanced behind him and noticed the two loitering beside the gates of the cemetery. "Come along, you two. There will be plenty of time to gawk later." The boys hurried to catch up. "Now, over here, is McCoombes, they should have clothing for Harry," he indicated the store on their right, advertising current men's and boys' fashions.

They spent an hour in there, while Lily and Harry picked out several outfits, underclothes and socks, swimming trunks, plus a lightweight spring jacket. Then they moved to the shoe store, and Lily bought her son new trainers, dress shoes, and a pair of sturdy boots for walking about on the moor. She also purchased a sturdy messenger bag to put his summer assignments in, it was sky blue with a leaping wildcat on it.

By then Harry had his fill of shopping and begged to be allowed to go in the sweet shop and the bookstore. "Very well," she handed Harry a ten pound note. "Don't spend it all on sweets. I'm going to go into Esmerelda's over here and see if I can't get some things for me. Severus, would you mind coming with me, I'll need another opinion?"

Severus bit back a sigh, but went with her, and Theo led Harry into Toothsome Delights, which also had a fizzy drink machine, where you could get frozen fountain drinks. Harry got a frozen Coke and then some treacle fudge with nuts and a few bars of Cadbury chocolate. Theo bought taffy and sugared fruits and a small tin of chocolate truffles. "Those are for my mum," he explained. "She loves truffles." After they had paid for their purchases, Theo led Harry over to the bookshop, which sold both new and secondhand books and comics.

He bought two Batman comics and a book called The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper. Harry bought a book called Ghosts on the Moors and The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle.

Exiting the bookshop, Theo stumbled over the threshold, causing some older kids who were hanging about to snicker and sneer at him. "Oi, Gimpy, watch where you put your feet!"

"Maybe tha needs a wheelchair, eh?"

Theo flushed, but ignored the taunts and hurried outside.

Harry bristled, but followed his friend's lead. "Dumbarses!" he muttered.

They found Severus waiting outside Esmerelda's, with multiple bags surrounding him like a porter. He looked bored as hell.

Harry's eyebrows climbed into his hair. "What'd she do, buy the whole store?"

"Don't ask," Severus said, scowling. Then he leaned down and whispered, "Keep an eye out, I'm going to shrink some of this so I'm not playing pack mule."

The boys obligingly stood in front of him, discussing their new books while Severus whipped out his wand and shrunk the lot of bags in front of him. Then he knelt and stuffed them all into one lone shopping bag. Lily came out a few moments later, smiling. "Now I feel more like myself," she said. "Who's hungry?"

"I am!" the two boys chorused.

"We can have lunch over in the restaurant next to the pub," suggested Severus. The Black Crow's owner actually owned both buildings, and the restaurant was attached to the pub by a door on the inside.

Harry was starving, and wolfed down his beer battered fish and chips until Lily scolded him for his table manners. Then he made himself eat slower. Theo had shepherd's pie, as did Severus. Lily had Guinness stew, a house specialty and fresh buttered bread. The boys drank ice cold lemonade and Lily had a small glass of pale ale. Severus, who detested beer, had a glass of merlot.

"That was delicious!" Lily sighed as she pushed back her bowl of stew, it was almost all gone. "One of the best meals I've ever had." She reached for her purse.

Severus held up a hand. "Put it away, Lily. My treat."

"But Sev—"

He locked eyes with her. "No. Think of it as . . . a late birthday present."

"Like the barrette was a late Christmas present?"

"Exactly." He pulled out his wallet and motioned for the check to their waitress.

"Boys, what do you say?" she prompted the two.

"Thank you, Severus." Theo and Harry said almost simultaneously.

"You are very welcome."

Once everything was settled with the bill, they wandered about outside. Lily inhaled the heather-scented air and suggested they take a walk on the green and feed the ducks. There was an old lady selling bags of crumbled bread for sixpence, and Lily bought three bags and handed one to Severus and one to Theo and Harry.

Severus generously shared his bag with Lily, and they spent a quiet ten minutes feeding the ducks, who were almost tame, and came right next to the shore and caught bread in their mouths. Lily laughed at their antics, and Severus gazed longingly at her out of the corner of his eye. He loved to hear her laugh, it was the sweetest music, and a sound he had thought he would never hear again, after ten years imprisoned in her own mind, silence her only companion. His fingers brushed against hers as he reached in the bag for more bread crumbs, and he felt a tingle shoot through him.

Lily felt a similar jolt, and before she could stop and think, she had clasped Severus' hand in her own. Then she looked up at him through her lashes, wondering if she had overstepped.

His obsidian eyes met hers and he gave her a gentle smile. "Are you having a good time, Lily?"

"Yes. It's wonderful, being out in the open air, with you . . ." She trailed off, looking out towards the ducks.

"Mum, Theo and I want to go see the graveyard." Harry interrupted. "Can we go?"

Lily turned to her son. "All right. But be back by . . ." she checked her watch. "Three o'clock."

"All right." Harry looked at his own watch. It was two o'clock. "C'mon, Theo."

The two boys hurried back down the street, leaving the witch and wizard alone, to reminisce about what had been and speak of what might be.

They reached the iron gates of the cemetery in about five minutes, and Harry began to study the statue of Poor Maggie intently. "Theo, those people who said they've seen her . . . was it at night?"

"Mostly. But there was a fellow who claimed he saw her during the day, only she wasn't riding, but walking through the street, weeping into a handkerchief. He claimed it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and he felt like crying."

"So she doesn't really hurt anyone?"

"No. Not that I know of. Another legend says that if someone were to find the place where Tom was murdered and lay him to rest, then Maggie would move on, but so far nobody has ever found the spot. 'Twas somewhere out on the moor . . . by a bog or sommat . . . A few years back, some folk from down near Lancashire way came here with picks and shovels and some machines, determined to excavate the bogs round here, looking for Tom's remains, but they found nowt but mud and rocks fer their trouble."

"Do you think they're out there? Or is just a legend?"

"Oh no, they're there, but the moor don't give up its secrets to just anyone. Lots of bogs out there, an' them that did the deed didn't mark the spot, eh?"

Harry nodded. "Too bad we couldn't hunt for his bones."

Theo laughed. "Harry, you noddlehead! Severus would have our hides for a rug did we try and go bog hunting. Too many people die trying that every year."

"Still . . . it would be cool if we could find Tom's bones and lay them to rest after all those years. They could finally know peace," Harry mused, his adventurous spirit fired up at the thought of a secret quest.

Theo shook his head. "'Twould never work. We have no notion where to start looking, an' there's no bog closer than ten miles from home. Let the moor keep her dead."

Theo led Harry further into the cemetery, showing him several graves that dated back to the early 1800's. "Lot o' these folk died in the great flu epidemic, it hit the North hard."

He showed Harry a large tomb with an angel holding a flaming sword. "This is where Henry Fleming, the village sheriff and his family are buried. 'Tis said that he hung over fifty criminals on the gallows, including the highwayman called the Black Scourge. He caught the Scourge in his own wife's bed, see, and knocked 'im over the head with a candlestick. When he hung the thief, the Scourge vowed revenge, and said the one he trusted most would betray him. An' it happened too. For the sheriff's wife poisoned her husband for killing her lover, then shot herself after."

Harry felt a shiver crawl deliciously down his backbone. "Are they ghosts too?"

"Well . . .some say they've seen the sheriff on occasion, wandering about with a flask in his hand, and others claim they've seen the wife too, with a bloody hole in her heart, begging for her husband to forgive her."

"Wicked! I wish I could see them."

"You could if we spent the night in the graveyard at midnight," Theo said. "'Course afterwards we'd be ghosts ourselves because our mums and Severus would kill us."

"Aww, poor Gimpy, afraid of getting in trouble with his mummy or her quack shrink lover!" came a mocking voice from behind them.

Theo turned to see the same three boys who had teased him earlier standing behind him, leaning insouciantly upon a headstone with a Celtic cross upon it.

"Ooo!" called a tall brown-haired one, with a gap between his teeth. "Look, Gimpy's found a friend! It's the Four-Eyed Freak!"

"Must be Take Your Lame Friend For a Walk Day!" snickered the third boy, a scruffy blond with a pierced eyebrow.

"Bugger off, Tyree!" Theo spat angrily.

"Naughty, naughty!" Tyree shook a finger at Theo reprovingly, he was the blond with the piercing. "What would Mummy say, hearing her crippled baby use such language?"

Theo glared at his tormentor. "She'd tell you where to get off, you emo git!"

"Hey Four Eyes, how much did Gimpy pay you to be his pal for today?" sneered the one who had made the comment about Snape being Lucy's lover.

Harry scowled, his green eyes glittering angrily. These three reminded him of Dudley and his gang. "Get bent, arsehole!" He could feel the magic stirring in his blood, and instinctively he reached out with his storm sense.

There was a system coming in from the west, heavy with rain and thunderclouds.

It tugged and whispered at him, it would be upon them within the hour.

Theo clenched a fist as Gap-tooth brayed with laughter. "'Tis a shame, Gimp, that thy ma has to pay a kid t'play with tha. But then, that's how it goes when tha lad's a cripple whose only future is begging on th' corner, aye?"

The others roared with laughter at that comment.

Theo saw red. "I'll show tha who's a beggar!" He swung a fist at Gap-tooth, connecting neatly with the other's mouth.

Blood flowed from a split lip, and the other boy howled. "Bastard! Tha's broke my tooth!"

"Looks like Gimpy needs a lesson on how t' play nice with others," Tyree growled, stepping forward and kicking Theo's club foot. Then he shoved Lucy's son hard.

Theo yelped, for Tyree's foot had landed upon his still sore ankle, though the rest of his foot was protected by the brace as well as his shoe. He staggered backwards, landing on the ground.

Immediately, the three bullies closed on him, faces eager to take revenge out of Theo's hide.

"Get off him!" Harry shouted, and tried to drag one of them away, but the other boy was too strong and elbowed him in the ribs, knocking him away.

Gasping, Harry felt his temper slip his leash, and he did the only thing he could think of to help Theo.

He latched onto the oncoming thunderstorm and summoned it.

Immediately, black clouds raced overhead, gathering with tremendous speed. The wind began to gust and the trees were bent almost double. Thunder boomed and lightning crackled as the nascent stormcaller unleashed his tempest upon the three bullies. The sky opened up and rain poured down, hard and heavy.

The boys yelped as the raindrops struck their unprotected skin, they were so dense it felt like hail. One of them looked up and screamed as he caught sight of Harry's eyes, which were glowing an eerie silver. "Gawd Almighty! Look at him! He's got lightning comin' outta his eyes!"

Just then a sizzling bolt of purple lightning smashed down very close to where they were standing. The stench of ozone filled the air.

"Get away from my friend!" Harry shouted, and took a step forward.

The three bullies screamed in terror as a clap of thunder burst overhead, and the wind slammed them against the headstones. They turned and bolted as fast as they could from the graveyard, bellowing about a demonic boy with silver glowing eyes, and the wind shoved and pushed them unmercifully, knocking them to their knees.

The ground was fast becoming a mire, and Theo struggled to push himself to his feet, seizing a headstone and hauling himself upright. He dashed rain from his eyes, clinging to the stone and shouting, "Harry! You can stop now! I'm all right!"

The wind suddenly shifted, chasing the three boys down the street, shrieking with thwarted vengeance.

Theo staggered over to his friend, reaching out a hand to shake him. "Harry! Stop it!"

But Harry was too far into a stormcaller's trance to hear Theo. All he could feel was the wild surging of power.

More lightning forked and struck, purple edging the white bolts, sizzling and crackling with deadly energy.

Theo froze, terrified that if he moved, the lightning might hit him. Besides, the ground was slippery with mud and he knew if he tried to walk, he would probably end up falling. He was soaked through and shivering, though whether from the storm or terror he was uncertain. He wished he had just ignored Tyree. He wished even more for Severus to come and find them.

Page~*~*~*~*~*Break

"It's so peaceful here," Lily was saying as she threw more bread to the ducks.

"Yes. Perhaps I should come here more often," Severus mused, his hand still clasping Lily's right one. "Usually I tend to stay close to home when I have a day off, to tutor Theo and experiment with new drafts in my lab."

Just then a rumble of thunder was heard and the ducks, who up until then had been swimming lazily, suddenly took flight.

"Blast! A summer squall's blown up," Lily sighed as the ducks fled. She knew that such storms were not uncommon out here.

Rain began to pelt down. "We'd better go and find the boys and get on home before—Great Merlin, Sev!" She pointed to a huge spear of purple lightning that struck the ground down the street . . .in the cemetery.

Trees began to bend and sway as the wind suddenly gusted to near hurricane force, branches snapped and leaves shredded. "Severus! We have to find Harry and Theo!" Her hair whipped across her face, smacking her cheek hard. She clung to Severus.

"Lily, stay here!" shouted Snape over the squall of the wind. "I'll find them, don't worry. I have a feeling that this storm isn't natural."

Lily's eyes widened. "You think Harry called it?"

"It would seem so, considering lightning isn't normally purple," Snape half-yelled in her ear. He helped her to a bench and had her sit down. "Wait here."

Lily gripped the bench. "Hurry!"

Severus turned and raced off into the rain, his shirt clung to him like a second skin, within minutes he was soaked and freezing, his hair plastered to the back of his neck, tangled and soggy.

As he fought the wind and made his way down the pavement, he was almost knocked down by three petrified thirteen-year-old boys.

"Ahhh! Help! There's a demon kid in the cemetery!" one bawled hysterically.

Severus caught the boy by his collar. "What do you mean?"

"He's . . . possessed . . ."

"His eyes . . . they was all glowing and silvery . . ."

"Lightning flashed from 'em . . .like Storm from the X-Men!" sobbed another.

Severus' mouth tightened. From the description, Harry had summoned another storm. Worse, he had been seen doing so. Damn and double damn! Severus drew his wand and pressed it to the first boy's temple. "You never saw any boy with silver eyes. All you saw was a very bad thunderstorm. Obliviate!"

The boy's mouth went slack, then he blinked. "Oi, man, didja see that lightning?"

"Go home, boy!" ordered Snape.

He performed the same charm upon the other two, then sent them on their way.

Rain was coming down in sheets now, and people who had been on the pavement were seeking shelter in the nearest store or car.

Finally Snape reached the cemetery, noting that the storm was worse here, as if Harry was pulling all the energy to him. Bright flashes of lightning lit up the sky and he could make out Theo crouched over a headstone and Harry . . . Harry was standing upright, wind swirling about him, making his hair stand up, and his eyes were glowing silver. But other than that he seemed unaffected by the raging storm.

Severus battled the rising wind and grasped Theo by the shoulder. "Theo! Are you hurt?"

"Severus!" The boy suddenly transferred his grip from the headstone to Severus' waist.

"Hold on to me," the wizard ordered, putting an arm about the boy to steady him. "How did this happen?"

Theo gulped. "It . . . was . . . err . . . we got into a fight with some kids . . ."

Severus frowned. He had suspected as much. He would question the boys further once he was at home. He pressed Theo to his side, then reached out a hand and shook Harry firmly. "Harry! Let it go!"

The boy's skin was hot to the touch, signifying the massive amount of energy he was channeling. He appeared not to hear Severus, though Snape was practically shouting in his ear.

"Harry James Potter! Release the storm!" Severus tried again, shaking Harry until his head wobbled.

On some dim level of awareness, Harry heard a voice telling him to release the storm. Some part of his mind warned that he should listen to the voice, but the thrilling power of the storm was hard to shake. He could feel it coursing through him, making his blood sizzle and burn with power. It was hard . . . so hard . . . to let go . . .

"Dammit, boy!" Severus snarled. Desperate, he drew back his hand and gave the child a hard smack on the backside, hoping to jolt him back to reality.

The sudden impact of Severus' hand striking his bottom caused Harry to jump. "Oww!" he yelped. "What?" Blinking, he disengaged from the storm matrix and turned to see what had hit him, his bottom was stinging mightily.

His eyes met those of a very disapproving Severus Snape.

Harry gave a weak smile. "Umm . . . hi, sir. Nice weather we're having."

Severus gave him a wordless glower, then grasped his upper arm.

With Harry's attention diverted, the storm quickly lost much of its strength, and became a mere heavy rain with accompanying bouts of thunder.

Severus began to walk out of the graveyard, then suddenly changed his mind and held both Theo and Harry close. A moment later they found themselves standing next to a bench where Lily was sitting.

She jumped up, slipped on a patch of wet grass, and would have fallen, but Harry caught her. She managed to keep her feet, but it was a struggle and she wrenched her knee doing so. "Harry, are you all right?"

"Yes, Mum. I'm not hurt." He told her, then thought Except for my bum where Severus smacked me. He almost reached back to rub it, but then thought better of it.

"Let's go home." She said, then wrapped her arm about her son.

An instant later they were gone.

Page~*~*~*~*~*Break

Half-an-hour later, after taking hot showers and changing into warm flannel pajamas, and drinking some hot tea, Theo and Harry were sitting on the couch being thoroughly scolded by Lily, Severus, and Lucy.

"Theodore, I canna believe tha would start a fight with those stupid boys!" Lucy scowled at her offspring.

"But Mum, they said—"

"I don't want to hear it. Defending thyself is one thing, but tha threw the first punch, aye?"

Theo lowered his head, ashamed. "Yes, Ma. I lost my head."

Lucy shook her head. "Theodore, how many times must I have this discussion wi' tha? Last time tha got into a scrap wi' those brats, tha promised to ignore them and walk away if possible next time."

"I know, Ma. I'm sorry I broke my promise."

"But . . .Miss Lucy, those other kids were looking for trouble," Harry protested. "They started it by calling Theo "Gimpy"."

"They usually are, Harry." Severus interjected. "However, Theo knows better than to allow his temper to rule him."

"But that kid deserved a good punch in the mouth, sir!" objected Harry, ignoring Theo's swift head shake.

"I have no doubt, but that still doesn't excuse Theodore starting a brawl. Nor you summoning a storm and unleashing it upon Edgescoomb." Severus said severely. "Had you simply ignored them, as you did previously in the bookstore, and walked away, none of this would have happened."

"But sir . . . I had to do something!" Harry protested. "They were going to pound him into next week!"

"Harry, there were other alternatives besides calling up a storm of that magnitude." Lily interjected. "You could have severely injured and maybe even killed someone with those lightning strikes, or even that gale-force wind." She absently massaged her leg, it was throbbing. "You can't just summon a storm every time you're angry or upset."

"I couldn't help it, Mum! Should I have let them just beat up Theo?"

"No, but you shouldn't use your magic when you're angry, because it's too easy to lose control the way you did." Lily told him. "How would you have felt if you had electrocuted someone walking down the street? Or even one of those boys?"

"So you'd rather have me slug them one instead?"

"Better that than accidentally killing one of them, Harry. You can mend a punch in the jaw or a bloody nose. You can't mend a person whose heart has been stopped by a thousand volts running through him. Your power is dangerous, son. Too dangerous for you to draw upon it to discourage a pack of bullies."

"I hit Dudley with a bolt of lightning once and he didn't die."

"You were lucky," Lily snapped. "That's not something you should be proud of, Harry James Potter. You need to start thinking about the consequences of using your power, young man. You need to start controlling yourself, before your magic controls you. Do you understand?"

Harry nodded, now feeling ashamed. "Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry, Mum. Am I in trouble?"

"Since this is a first offense, I'm going to let you off with this lecture and see that you practice meditation with me and Severus every other evening. But repeat it and you'll be scrubbing every pot and pan in this house without magic for a week."

"What's meditation?"

"It's a mental discipline designed to bring balance and control over your emotions and your magic. Hopefully it will help you get a handle on your temper and your magic."

"It would also be beneficial to you as well, Theodore, since you also have trouble controlling yourself," Severus interjected.

"Yes, sir." Theo said meekly, but he glanced at his mother and knew he wasn't off the hook yet.

"Did tha know, Theodore Nott, that because of thy hasty decision, Healer Sev had to use Memory Charms upon those three boys to make them forget they saw Harry summon that storm? And tha knows how he feels about using such mind-altering charms upon children."

"I'm sorry, Severus."

"Sorry is all well and good, but it does not excuse your behavior. What have I told you before to do when some brainless idiot insults you?"

"To pretend I never heard it and keep walking."

"Why?"

"Because those idiots are looking to see how far they can go and the best response is to pretend they're nonexistent."

"Right. And if that doesn't work?"

"I should try and find an adult if possible. I should never start a fight, but I can finish one." Theo recited.

"You should also remember that Tyree and his friends will use any excuse to hurt you. Hitting Tyree gave them all the excuse they needed. Now, normally I would be able to go to their parents, as I did last time, and tell them off. But because you hit him first, my hands are tied." He shook his head, frowning. "Because this happened while you were with me, and I was responsible for you, your mother has given me permission to punish you. Part of your consequences shall be to attend meditation classes, along with Harry, to teach you control over your emotions. You shall also be scrubbing six cauldrons for me, to remind you that discipline often means doing disagreeable yet necessary things. For breaking your word twice to your mother, you're to receive three swats, two for the offense, one for remembrance."

Theo sniffled. "I'm sorry I caused so much trouble, sir."

"Next time think before you act." Severus said gruffly. "Come with me."

He led the boy into the kitchen.

Harry winced at hearing the loud smacking sounds then Severus' voice saying, "All's forgiven, now don't make me do this again," and Theo crying quietly.

"Harry, go on up to your room," Lily ordered, sounding very stressed and weary. "We'll call you down for supper."

Harry went, not bothering to tell his mother he wasn't hungry, for he now had a headache. He felt bad for disappointing Lily and sorry for Theo, though he had to admit that Severus' punishment was fairer than anything he'd ever received from the Dursleys. He went into his room and lay on his bed, rubbing his temples.

Soon he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. From the distinctive thunk-drag he knew it was Theo. Harry waited until his friend had gone into his room before sneaking down the hall and slipping into Theo's room.

"All right, Theo?" he whispered.

Theo started, almost tripping over his foot. "Merlin, Harry!"

"I just wanted to . . .say I'm sorry for getting you in trouble."

Theo turned and faced him. His eyes were a bit red. "You didn't. I got myself in trouble." He reached back to rub his stinging behind.

"Ouch!" Harry grimaced in sympathy. "Severus' hand is really hard."

"Tell me something I don't know, genius," Theo coughed. Then he added, "But I deserved it. And he hugs you afterward, so it's not so bad."

He didn't hug me, thought Harry, somewhat resentfully. Then again, there hadn't really been time for Severus to do that with the storm raging. Or perhaps Severus felt he didn't need to since that smack had been more to get Harry's attention than a punishment. "Is it hard, scrubbing cauldrons?"

"No. Just . . .boring and dirty." Theo yawned.

"How's your foot? I saw that scum kick you in the ankle."

Theo shrugged. "Yeah, but Severus healed it after my shower, so it doesn't hurt all that much now. You'd better get back to your room. They'll be up to check on you, and if they find you missing . . .your arse will be sorry."

"All right. See you at supper." He turned to go, then added over his shoulder, "Think they'll let us eat the sweet?"

"Uh-huh. If they were going to take that away, Severus would have said."

Harry slipped out as silently as he'd come in. He went to the bathroom and wet a washcloth, which he placed over his eyes once he had laid down. It made his head feel a little better. He drowsed a little, but couldn't fall asleep because his head was still throbbing.

He heard the door creak, then felt a hand upon his shoulder. "Harry, if you had a headache, you should have told me or your mother."

Harry squinted as the cloth was removed. "It started right after I came up here. I . . . didn't know if I was allowed to tell you."

"What do you mean?" Severus asked, puzzled. "You can always tell me if you feel sick."

"But I was in trouble and Aunt Petunia always said if I was sick it was my own fault for being a cheeky little brat."

"That is ridiculous!" Severus snorted. "Stupid woman!" Severus Summoned a Headache Remedy from the bathroom cabinet. "Here. Sit up and drink this."

He helped Harry sit up and waited until he had drunk the whole potion before giving him water to wash away the gross taste. "You should start feeling better momentarily." Severus said, fluffing up the pillows behind Harry's head. He had a feeling the headaches were a side effect of Harry using his talent, and wondered if they would get worse the more Harry used his stormcalling abilities. "Sleep, child."

Harry yawned. "Sev'rus, m'sorry for what happened." He mumbled.

"I forgive you, now hush and sleep." Long fingers gently massaged his forehead and Harry drifted into slumber, only waking up when Theo shook his shoulder and told him to wake up, supper was on the table.

Several days later:

"I want you to lie back and get comfortable, Harry. You should feel relaxed when you meditate. The first step to meditation is breathing. I want you to focus on inhaling and exhaling. Inhale through your nose with your mouth closed, then exhale through your mouth slowly. Good. Don't do anything but breathe for a few minutes." Lily instructed.

They were in her room in Heatherton Cottage, and she was trying to teach her son some basic meditation, since the discipline necessary to control your emotions would help, or so she hoped, him control his wild magic.

That was harder than it sounded, just breathing, even though he did it involuntarily every day. He tried to do as his mother suggested, focusing on drawing air into his lungs and then releasing it. After about a dozen breaths, Harry felt relaxed enough to almost fall asleep. He turned to look at his mother, who wore a peaceful expression on her face, and said, "Now what?"

"Now I want you to close your eyes and imagine yourself in a safe place. It can be anywhere of anything, a room, a house, a bed. When you've found your safe place I want you to put yourself there and allow it to surround you . . .like a warm soft blanket. All right, try and do what I said." Lily encouraged, giving him a smile.

Harry closed his eyes. A safe place? What could that be? I haven't known too many of those, Mum. Not really. Certainly nowhere on Privet Drive could be called safe, except maybe the cupboard on occasion, and that was not something he wished to remember. He bit his lip, then decided that here at Heatherton Cottage, with Severus, Theo, Lucy, and his mother, was about the best place he'd ever been. Here was the one place he wasn't shouted at or insulted, or treated like a freak. Nobody beat him up or wished he was dead and gone.

He imagined his room here, his very own room, with the large window so he could see the sun and sky as often as he wished. His cozy four poster, where he could snuggle up with a good book. The walls were painted a soothing deep blue, like the sky after a storm or the ocean upon a clear day. He loved the feel of the thick plush carpet under his toes, his feet were never cold when he got out of bed in the morning. There was even a lock on the door, if he wished, he could lock everyone out. He never had, but just knowing he could was a wonderful thing. A safe place, where no one comes unless I invite them, he thought, fixing the image firmly in his mind.

"Harry?" Lily's voice was low and hypnotic, it curled about him like a warm fuzzy blanket. "Do you have a safe place to go to in your mind yet?"

"Yes, Mum." Harry said, and smiled.

"Good. Focus on it, so you know every nuance and detail. Then allow it to surround you. Let the peace you feel there fill you. Can you feel it?"

Harry was silent for a moment. Then he murmured, "Yes."

"Good. I want you to stay there for about seven minutes and then walk away and come back here."

"All right, Mum." Harry allowed the peace that infused his room to fill him as he curled up on his bed. He imagined Lily there beside him, hugging him the way she had when she had first awoken in the hospital. He was surrounded by warmth and love and he allowed it to flow through him, healing wounds in his soul and spirit he didn't even know were there.

"Harry, time to come back."

Harry sighed, then reluctantly stepped free of Lily's arms and released the image in his mind.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself staring at the wall, blinking sleepily, yet he felt utterly awake and calm. He gazed at his mother curiously.

"How do you feel now, Harry?"

"Great. I feel relaxed and . . .and calm. And a bit tired, but not really. Does that make sense?"

"Yes. What you just did is called finding your center. It's the first step in meditation, son. Now, whenever we start meditation sessions, I'm going to tell you to find your center and then breathe. You should come out of the sessions relaxed and calm. Meditation is a good way to relieve stress and anxiety or negative emotions, if done properly. You can also block pain with it, if you know how, though that's a more advanced technique which you won't learn until later on." Lily said, smiling slightly. "I think we should have sessions every night or every other night. Does that sound acceptable to you?"

"Yes. I think this will really help me control my magic and my temper better."

"It will, believe me. That is why I practice it."

Harry gave her a surprised look. "You have a temper? I've never noticed."

Lily chuckled. "That's because you haven't been around me long enough. Everyone makes jokes about redheads and their tempers, but with me it's no laughing matter. When I was little, I used to make things happen accidentally with my magic when I got angry. Once I turned your Aunt Petunia's nose green because she ripped apart my favorite paper doll. Green, Harry, like a wicked witch!"

Harry sniggered. "Sounds like she deserved it."

"She might have, but then I couldn't turn it back. It had to wear off on its own and that took two days. Another time I was mad at my mum for making me do my homework after dinner when I wanted to watch a TV show and I made the cherry pie she was baking explode. And I blew off the oven door too!"

Harry started to laugh. "Mum, that's . . .crazy! Did you get in trouble?"

Lily nodded. "I did. Mum made me clean the entire kitchen, it was a mess, and grounded me for the weekend. Luckily, Dad could fix the door or we might have had to get a new oven and back then it was expensive to replace an entire appliance. My magic was very . . .volatile, and I had trouble controlling it until I learned how to meditate. Much of our magic responds, you see, to your emotions, and strong emotions especially. That's why Severus and I stress meditation as a way to get your abilities under control. A disciplined mind makes for disciplined emotions which in turn means that you control your magic rather than it controlling you."

Harry sighed. "Mum, do you think I'll ever get control over my stormcaller power?"

Lily reached out and stroked the hair back from his forehead, revealing the jagged lightning bolt scar. "I do, Harry. If you try your hardest and keep learning how to be calm and relaxed when you summon your power, you should be able to learn to harness it. I know it's hard, son. Your power is like trying to contain a massive gale, but it can be done. You have a strong will, Harry, otherwise you would have never lasted so long with your aunt and uncle. Believe in yourself, child, and you can do anything."

She made her voice utterly convincing. Harry had to believe he could succeed, if there was any doubt, his power would slip away from him and cause havoc. Both she and Severus had decided that one of the major stumbling blocks with other stormcallers had been the fact that they had been told their power was uncontrollable and that they would eventually go mad. It was why neither of them had told Harry about the fate of the other stormcallers, for fear that he would stop trying to harness his gift and simply let it consume him in despair. Perhaps with the power of his conviction, Harry could do what no other stormcaller ever had—learn to bend his awesome power to his will.

It was a slim hope, fragile as a new leaf in a spring rainstorm, but it was all Lily had to cling to.

She reached out and hugged her son, who resembled his father so much physically and yet was more reserved than she could ever remember James being. Once again she felt pangs of regret stab her, that she had missed all those early years, and that Petunia had squandered them instead of cherishing them. Oh, how she wished she could go back in time and take Harry away from those petty fearful fools and raise him herself! Still, she had to count her blessings. Harry was with her now, and she still had a chance to raise him and love him, a chance to undo the harm her sibling had done. She placed a gentle kiss upon his scar and murmured, "I love you."

"I love you too," he whispered back, his heart thrilling to hear those words from someone who actually meant them. He remained within his mother's arms for a few moments, she smelled like lavender and honey, peaceful healing scents that made him feel warm and loved. This, he thought, was how it should be. He felt himself drift and doze a little.

Lily was content to simply hold him, her bright beautiful boy, and hope that they would have a future that was not defined by sorrow and destruction, as so many other stormcallers had before them. Somehow, some way, they would make it so. She refused to weep over any more graves, or to lose yet another member of her family. Two days before, she had taken Harry to visit his father's and grandparents' graves, one in Godric's Hollow, the others in St. Peter's cemetery. They had placed flowers and candles upon them, and that simple act had given Lily some much needed closure. Lily had wept and Harry had held her, and somehow she found a measure of peace. As of yet, she could not bring herself to visit the Dursleys' plot, for she had not yet managed to forgive Petunia her horrid treatment of Harry.

Harry shifted and yawned. "M' falling asleep," he muttered. "Sorry, Mum."

"That's all right, Harry. Meditation takes a lot out of you the first time. Go to sleep, sweetheart." She released him, Transfiguring his clothes into his favorite pajamas.

Harry gave her a kiss good night, then left to seek his own bed, falling fast asleep even though it was only nine o'clock.

Page~*~*~*~*~*Break

The next day Severus was off from work at St. Mungos, and he had been pestered since breakfast by both Theo and Harry to take them flying. Lily tried to persuade them to wait another day, figuring Severus was tired and needed to rest, but the Mind Healer told her he had promised and a short flight or two wouldn't kill him. He went and removed his child-sized Comet 360 from the broom closet and also his professional Blackbolt 2000, a speedy model made from black ebony with thick golden twigs. It was not a first-class racing broom, like the Nimbus, but it was very close.

"What an awesome broom!" Harry said when he saw the black one. "Could I . . . try it out sometime?"

Severus smirked indulgently. "Not right away, Mr. Potter. First you need to learn to fly before you can handle a broom of this caliber. Later, after you've been flying for a few months, then we'll see. Come." He led the way from the house and into the backyard.

He then proceeded to explain to both boys about the Statute of Secrecy and stressed that Harry must never fly without telling one of the adults he was doing so. "You'll need Notice Me Not charms placed upon your broom and yourself, because even though we're rather isolated out here, there is still a chance some Muggle airplane pilot might spot you. So, the first rule of flying—always make sure you're concealed and an adult knows what you're doing."

"I'll remember." Harry promised.

Severus cast the charms over both brooms and themselves. The first thing he taught Harry was how to mount a broom and then hover and glide back down. "What's the most important skill you need to learn on a broom?" he asked the boy.

"Uh . . . how to stay in the air?"

"Wrong. Theo, do you know?"

The other nodded. "How to land."

"Right. Master landing first, that way you'll always be able to get back down." Severus nodded approvingly. "So, that's what we shall practice for ten minutes. Theodore, stay here. I'll take you up in a bit." Severus mounted his broom and rose several feet in the air.

Harry copied him and they spent ten minutes making certain Harry knew how to land safely. Once Severus was sure he had mastered it, and the boy seemed to be a quick study, he allowed Harry to start flying circles above the tree tops.

Severus watched him closely, noting that the boy seemed to be a natural flyer, unafraid of heights or the shifting air currents. He guided the broom with slight hand movements, relaxed and yet grinning with the joy of flight. Severus could recall his own first flight, and how much he had enjoyed the sheer rush of energy and the feeling of freedom it gave him.

"Good. Continue, Harry. I'm going to pick up Theodore."

Harry called out an affirmative while Severus glided down and Theo mounted before him. "Theo, would you like me to Stick you to the broom?"

Theo hesitated. "Not really. I'm not a baby, Severus."

"All right. This once, I'll humor you, since I won't be doing any aerials."

"But can we race?" asked the other boy eagerly.

"We'll see." Severus replied, sending the broom into the air again.

Soon they were soaring high above the house, doing circles and spirals.

Harry couldn't get enough of flying. He loved the feel of the wind in his hair and the sheer adrenaline rush when he dived and swooped. When he was little, he used to imagine he was a bird, especially when he was stuck in the cupboard. He had always longed to fly, and now, here he was, actually doing it.

At first he followed Severus and Theo, waving to his friend as he paced them. "Hi, Theo!"

"Hello, Harry!" Theo yelled, waving back. "Isn't this the best thing?"

"It's incredible!" his friend laughed, spinning the broom in a tight circle then snapping out of it to send the broom streaking across the sky.

Tendrils of wind and cloud seemed to drift about Harry, tugging gently upon his hair and his body. Harry instinctively reached out with his storm sense, gently probing the wind and clouds. There was nothing that would turn into a storm front, the weather was mild and Harry found himself idly toying with the wind currents, making the breeze stronger and then letting it fade.

"Severus, can we go faster?" he called to his instructor.

"Yes," the other agreed, and shot past him.

"Catch us if you can, Harry!" sang Theo in a singsong voice.

Harry leaned forward, gripping the broom tightly, and urged his Comet faster. He found he could use the wind current to achieve greater speed, and tapped into the jetstream, feeling the cold tingle of the wind surge through him.

But the broom was old, and didn't have the same kind of magical propulsion the Blackbolt did, so even though Harry caught up with Theo, Severus outflew him in the end.

Theo pumped his fist into the air and cheered. "That was so cool, Severus!"

"Let's do it again," Harry urged. "A real race this time." His eyes were shining.

Severus hesitated. "Harry, your broom isn't designed for high speed races the way the Blackbolt is."

"I don't care," Harry said recklessly. "I want to race."

"Very well. But don't blame me if you lose." He indicated a scrubby yew tree about twenty yards away on the moor. "There and back, twice."

"You're on!" Harry cried.

"Ready . . . set . . .GO!" yelled Theo, as they took off.

Severus didn't fly quite as fast as he could have, but even so he caught Harry on the second pass and dusted him. He thought about letting the boy win, but then decided it was better for him to learn that he had limits and couldn't expect to win all the time.

Harry bit his lip and began plotting how he might beat his friend. He wanted to win against the faster broom, just once. Even with the small wind he'd summoned, the Comet's top speed wasn't enough to beat the Blackbolt. But what if he could somehow make the wind slow down the other broom, or stop it entirely? He flew in a circle lazily, concentrating on the feel of the wind as it surrounded him.

He could feel the light breeze increase as he manipulated it. He thought about making the air heavy, slow, solid. Without conscious thought, he rearranged the wind molecules and suddenly he had a piece of solid air, like a bubble, surround him. He reached out to touch it, and found it bent, but was still pretty firm.

Then he heard Theo calling from below, "Hey, Harry! Dinna be a spoilsport! Come down and try again."

Harry scowled, his pride pricked. He had a fierce competitive streak, which he'd never realized until now. It irritated him that Theo had won twice, even if he was flying with the more experienced Severus. He really wanted to show up Theo, prove that he was the better flyer.

"All right, I'm coming, and this time I'm going to dust you!"

"Oh, sure tha are!" his friend snickered. "Let's see it!"

"Theodore!" Severus reproved. "You shouldn't mock your friend that way."

"Aww, Severus! It's all in fun!" the boy grinned. "Harry knows I'm only foolin'."

Harry glided down, doing his best to hide his irritation. He called the jetstream again and faced forward.

Severus eyed the youngster, wondering if he'd seen a silver flash in the green eyes, or was it just a trick of the light? Was Harry losing control over his stormcaller abilities again? He almost called off the race, but then saw how eager and happy Theo was, usually the boy could never participate in any sporting events, so this was a rare treat for him. He glanced over at Harry again, but the boy's eyes looked normal now.

"Hold tight, Theo," he admonished the boy, before the Blackbolt surged forward.

Again, he did not kick the broom up to its fastest, but one of the advantages a Blackbolt had was its lightning quick start. It shot a good four feet further than the Comet 360 at the start.

A frustrated Harry shoved the Comet hard with the jetstream, bringing it within a few feet of the skyrocketing Blackbolt, but even then he saw it wouldn't be enough. Eyes narrowed, he began to make the air in front of the black broom thick and heavy, slowing it down.

But even then Severus' flying skills outclassed him, as the Mind Healer took the broom up a notch, above the heavy air.

No! I won't let them win, Harry thought stubbornly, and he quickly used the wind like a rope, wrapping it about the broom's tail and yanking back hard.

The Blackbolt came to an abrupt halt and Harry shot past them, whooping with glee.

Only to hear a woman's voice scream, "Severus!"

Harry slingshot around the house, and glanced back expecting to see Severus and Theo stopped dead in midair.

He did not expect to see his friend almost tumble off the broom, saved in the nick of time by Severus' quick reflexes, who grabbed Theo hard by the shoulders and pulled him up to safety.

Harry froze. Had he caused that to happen? Had he nearly caused Theo to fall to his death? Over a stupid race? Guilt and remorse slammed into him like an avalanche.

He saw Severus hug Theo hard, his face pale, and then circle down for a landing, where Lily stood in the yard, staring up at them, her face white as a ghost's.

Severus landed, helped a shivering Theo off his broom, and then dismounted himself. He was still trying to figure out what had caused the Blackbolt to just stop like that when Lily rushed up and hugged him and Theo.

"Sev, oh my God! I was watching . . . and I saw . . . you almost fell . . . Sweet Merlin! Theo, are you all right? Are you hurt?"

Theo shook his head. "I'm not . . . Severus saved me . . .I'm all right . . ." He was still shivering.

Severus shook his head. "I can't fathom why . . . all of a sudden the broom just stopped dead . . . that's why we almost fell off . . .I don't understand what happened . . ."

"It was me," came a very soft guilty voice from behind them. "I . . . I did it."

Lily disengaged herself from Severus and Theo and stared at Harry, who had just gotten off his broom and was standing there, his head hanging, the very image of a guilty little boy caught misbehaving.

"Harry? What do you mean, it was you?" she asked, her voice hard. "What did you do?"

"I . . . I was playing with the . . . air currents. I . . .wanted to win the race . . . so I . . . made the wind . . . make me faster and . . . and I made it pull them back so . . .I could get ahead of them . . ." Harry stuttered, tears slowly welling in his eyes. "I . . . didn't mean for them to fall, Mum!"

Severus scowled sternly. "You mean to tell me that you used your powers to cheat so you could win a race, young man? Putting not only me, but Theo at risk?"

"I . . . I'm sorry, s-sir!" Harry sniveled. "I didn't know you'd fall . . . I just . . ."

"You just wanted to win at all costs," Severus snapped. "Just like your father when he played Quidditch!"

Theo just stared at him, and said, "Harry, it was just for fun. Did you really care that much if you won?"

"Didn't you?" Harry asked, guilt and shame curdling in his stomach like a bad apple.

"Only a little. Not enough to . . . to . . ." Theo turned away suddenly.

"I didn't mean it!"

"Nevertheless, you did something you knew was wrong," Lily cut in, disapproval sharp in her tone. "I cannot tell you how ashamed I am of you right now, Harry James Potter. Come with me. We need to have a long talk about your behavior, young man." She reached out and took Harry firmly by the arm. "Severus, Theo, I'm so very sorry for this. It never should have happened. Thank goodness you are all going to be all right."

Then she marched into the house, half-dragging a repentant Harry after her.

Theo looked after them, his expression a mixture of worry and sorrow. "Severus . . . I know he did something wrong, but . . . he wasn't trying to hurt us. What's she going to do to him?"

"I would imagine she'll punish him much the same as I or your mother would you if you had done something like that," answered the Mind Healer. "Either way, that is her prerogative as his mother. How are you feeling now? Do you need a Calming Draught?"

Theo shook his head. "No, I'm fine. But I'm sort of . . . hungry."

"Why don't we see what your mother has for a snack?" suggested Severus, putting an arm about his ward. He knew they had been extremely lucky, and hoped that Lily would impress upon her son the value of thinking before he acted and good sportsmanship. Even though he was angry at Harry, a part of him was impressed with how the boy had manipulated the wind for his own ends, and he wondered what else the child was capable of. Such power, so young. He would have to be ready for anything with this one.

Page~*~*~*~*~*Break

Harry could not bear to look his mother in the eye. He stood in front of her with his head down, gazing at his sneakers. He knew she was furious with him and he deserved whatever punishment she was going to give him.

For several moments, Lily said nothing, struggling to get control over her fiery temper. Finally she drew in a deep breath and said, "Why did you feel the need to use magic to cheat and win a friendly competition, Harry?"

"I dunno," he mumbled.

"Look at me when you're speaking, I can't hear what you said."

Slowly he lifted his gaze upward. His eyes were rimmed with red. "I don't know. I just . . . got mad that Theo and Severus kept winning . . .so I . . . wanted to win . . . I figured out how to make the wind solid for a bit . . .so I did . . ."

"What did you think would happen when you just caused their broom to stop?"

Harry shrugged. "That they'd stop . . .Mum, I didn't know Theo was going to fall!"

"Harry, for every action there is a reaction, that holds true for magic as well as science. An object set in motion tends to stay in motion. Haven't you ever been in a car when it suddenly stops short?"

"Yes."

"What happens to you?"

"You . . . uh . . . get thrown forward a little. Unless you're wearing a seatbelt."

"Exactly. That's what happened to Theo. If Severus hadn't been fast enough . . . there would have been a tragedy today, son."

"I know. I'm really sorry!"

"I'm glad you are, but that's not enough. You need to start thinking about how your power could hurt others. It's not something to be played with. You could kill someone by accident, son. When I came outside and saw you flying . . . I thought, well you've inherited your dad's skill on a broom, but better . . . and I was so proud . . .and then I saw Severus and Theo nearly fall . . .I nearly died, Harry! I almost lost my best friend today . . . along with my friend's son. And to have my own son responsible for it . . . Harry, you and your father have the same competitive streak and it frightens me."

"Then what . . .Healer Sev said was true?"

"About your father needing to win? Yes, it was. When he played Quidditch he was obsessed. He played Chaser on the school team and he was determined to score as much as possible, especially when we played Slytherin. He never did anything truly . . . illegal, but he played rough, and knocked more than a few Slytherin Chasers off their brooms . . .I hated going to watch those games, because your dad became someone I didn't really like. He always said that there was no sense in playing Quidditch unless you played to win. Harry, I don't want you to have that attitude. Win or lose, it's how you play the game that matters. You should race to have fun, not to just win."

"But Mum, it's more fun if you win."

"Harry, sometimes you can't win and you need to accept that. You knew Severus had a better broom, right?"

He nodded. "But I thought I could have done it."

"Yes. But when you realized you couldn't, what should you have done?"

"Just flown as hard as I could."

"Right. Only you didn't. You let your competitiveness and jealousy get the better of you and did something very wrong."

"Are you gonna punish me?"

"Do you deserve to be punished?"

"Yes . . . but . . ." he trailed off, looking pitiful.

"Quit looking at me like that," she ordered. "It won't work. Using your powers in such a fashion was both reckless and dangerous. That's something I won't condone. So . . . I'm going to spank you and after you can go and apologize to Severus and Theo. I sincerely hope we never have to have a conversation like this again."

Harry gulped and sniffled. But he didn't protest when Lily drew him over her lap. He had almost killed Theo and Severus.

Lily gave him ten sharp smacks, he was crying by the time it was over, mostly from guilt. When it was over, she hugged him and murmured, "Harry James, do yourself a favor and remember this."

"I will, Mum!" He took the handkerchief she handed him and wiped his eyes, rubbing his bottom and wincing. "Oww!"

Lily looked at him. "I didn't like that anymore than you, but better a sore behind than a dead friend, eh?"

Harry nodded. "Yes, ma'am. I'll never do something so stupid again."

"Good. I'm glad to hear it. Now, you owe Severus and Theo an apology. Stay here and I'll go find them for you." She rose and left her bedroom, shaking out her hand as she did so.

Harry remained where he was, he still felt awful, and he hoped that Theo and Severus would forgive him.

Three minutes later, the door opened and Theo entered. His friend took one look at him and said, "Merlin, but she turned you over her knee, eh?"

Harry raised his head and forced himself to meet his friend's gaze. "How did you know?"

Theo snorted. "Been there an' done that, that's how. You aren't sitting down either, genius."

"Theo . . . I really am sorry for what happened. I was stupid. I never wanted to . . . hurt you." He blinked hard. "I'm . . . an awful friend."

"Aye, you're terrible," the other agreed. He reached out and cuffed Harry on the back of the head. "But I forgive you, noddlehead."

"You do?"

"Mum allus says, a real friend lets you make mistakes, tells you how stupid you are, and forgives you, because next time it'll be you that's being an arse." Theo said. "So . . . there you have it. But if you ever do something like that again, Potter . . . I'll kick your arse all the way back to Surrey."

"Okay. Theo . . . is Severus really mad at me? I'll bet he wants to kick my arse." Harry winced and rubbed his backside. "Do you think he'll . . . kick me out for almost getting you killed?"

Theo gaped at him. "Tha art really an idiot, Potter, if tha thinks he'd put thee out for a mistake! What does tha take him for? He might be strict an' all, but he bain't cruel!"

"I . . . well . . . I figured he might 'cause I haven't done anything but screw up with my magic . . ." Harry admitted softly.

"That'd never happen. Ever. Ask him if tha don't believe me." His friend told him. "Thou art a student, 'tis expected for thee to muck up, eh? Otherwise, what would the teacher be there for?"

Harry was startled to hear Theo say such a thing, especially after what he had almost done. But then he thought about it, and realized that the other boy was right. "You know, Theo, you're pretty wise for a kid."

"Ha! You can be wise too, Harry. Just learn how t'listen, eh?"

"I listen! Well . . . sometimes . . ."

Theo rolled his eyes. "Sure you do." He clapped Harry on the shoulder. "We had fun though, up till you pulled that stupid trick, aye?"

Harry nodded. "We did. Do you think we could do it again sometime?"

"I do . . . long as you promise not to do anything like what you did."

"I won't. Not ever."

"Good. See you later then." Theo gave him a quiet smile as he went out the door.

No sooner had Theo departed, there came a knock on the door.

"Come in," Harry called, knowing who it had to be.

Severus opened the door and came in. Traces of anger still rode his features and Harry felt himself cringe. He had always feared his uncle's temper more than his aunt's, and the fact that he deserved Severus' anger didn't help matters any. He quickly dropped his gaze to the floor.

Severus quietly shut the door and stood peering down at the youngster, his arms crossed. "You have something to say to me?"

"Yes, sir," responded the young wizard, still not looking up.

"Look at me, Harry."

Harry dragged his gaze up from the floor. "I'm really sorry, Healer Snape." His lower lip trembled. "I was stupid . . . and immature . . . please don't throw us out, sir!" He hadn't meant to blurt that out, but his anxiety and remorse took control of his tongue. He dropped his eyes again, trying to hide the sudden tears in them. He didn't want to cry like this—not in front of Snape—but he couldn't seem to help himself.

"Harry," a long-finger hand cupped his chin, forcing his head up. Green eyes met black, and Harry saw something unexpected in them . . .forgiveness and understanding. "Where ever did you get the idea that I would tell you and your mother to leave?"

"I . . . I thought you might be . . . sick of me by now . . .'cause I just keep doing stupid things with my . . . magic . . . and I almost killed Theo . . .so . . . you want to get rid of me. Uncle Vernon would've . . ." Harry swiped at his eyes uselessly.

Severus knelt and placed his other hand upon the distraught child's shoulder. "Listen to me carefully, Harry James Potter. I am not your uncle. I will never treat a child, no matter what he has done, the way Vernon treated you. I knew when I offered my home to you and your mother that it would not be easy having a neophyte stormcaller here. Your magic is wild, unfocused, and not easily controlled. I expected it to be difficult. You desperately need instruction, and I am the only one willing, besides Lily, to help you. That being so, I would never throw you out because of a stupid mistake. I am not a fool, do not make me into one. Understand?"

"Y-yes. I won't ever do it again."

"I figured as much." He gave Harry's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Your mother was right when she told me you only looked like your father." Severus grimaced. "He would have tried his damndest to knock me off my broom had I been racing against him, just as he did to any Slytherin." He handed Harry another handkerchief. "Blow your nose."

Harry obeyed, then asked tentatively, "Did you know my dad well then? Mum said he was too competitive."

"Humph! That was just one of his problems," Snape grumbled. "Your father and I attended school together and we did not get along at all. We were in rival Houses and he enjoyed pranks and broke just about every rule in the school."

"He was a troublemaker then?"

"That's putting it mildly. He was my nemesis, and took any opportunity to make me look like a fool. He was a bully and I was his favorite target."

"Why?"

"Because I was a Slytherin, and a bookworm, a half-blood raised Muggle, I had no money and no social status. In short, I was everything he wasn't, and I refused to worship his pureblooded self and I also dared to be friends with a Gryffindor girl—your mother. I didn't find him amusing and wasn't intimidated by him either. He ran with three other boys, also purebloods, who called themselves Marauders, and they were the bane of my existence back then. We fought off and on for years, until I finished school and left them behind to study medicine."

Harry scowled. "He sounds like an arse. Like my cousin Dudley."

"Back then, he was. Your mother claims that he grew up finally after leaving school and became more responsible after going through the Auror Academy and learning some much-needed discipline. He was also quite brave—reckless at times, but a brave man. I never liked him, but even I cannot deny that. He was also loyal to his friends and he loved you and your mother."

"But he was nasty to you. I . . . wouldn't ever be like that to someone, sir. Like Theo, I mean. 'Cause I know how it feels to have somebody pound on you just 'cause he can."

"That's good to know, Harry. Because if there's one thing I cannot stand, it's a bully. You should always try and learn from your mistakes and others' as well. I trust you have learned from this one today?"

"Yessir! Do you . . . forgive me?"

Severus opened his mouth to speak, then abruptly decided that actions would speak louder than words and drew the boy into a hug. Harry clung to him, much like Theo had on several occasions. Severus patted Harry's back, feeling a sudden flare of compassion for the lonely boy. Lily had been right, but then she usually was. Harry was a good boy, he just needed to learn self-control. That was one lesson Severus knew he could teach, and would see that Harry learned thoroughly.

After a moment, Severus released him, mindful of Harry's dignity, and told him to go and wash his face. "Then you can sit down and have lunch with us. Lucy's made her famous chicken pot pie, and it's fit for a king's table."

"Sounds delicious," Harry stepped back, relieved that Severus had accepted his apology. He would never admit it, but Snape's hug had made him feel ten times better. Was this what it was like to have a dad? He headed into the bathroom to scrub his face, his bottom tingling, and added ruefully, "But I'd rather stand up and eat this time, Healer Sev."

"Ah. I see." Severus said, then turned away to hide his smirk.

Page~*~*~*~*~*Break

A few days later, Severus took the two boys flying again, and this time Harry didn't try any kind of manipulation with the wind, he simply enjoyed flying with Theo and Severus. Severus praised him for his natural aptitude on a broom, and said his stormcaller ability might have something to do with his fearless form in the air. He taught Harry a few of the more daring Quidditch moves, saying he had learned them from one of his best friends at school, Regulus Black. Regulus sadly had been blinded during the war, he had been dueling some Death Eaters who wished to get their hands on a cursed object he had stolen from them. Regulus had destroyed the cursed necklace, but had ended up blind as a result, though those he faced had died. He lived with his girlfriend Aleta in Grimmauld Place, having inherited it upon the death of his parents.

Lily came out to watch her son flying and after a few minutes, Severus and Theo landed and offered Lily the Blackbolt. She accepted and surprised her son by flying beside him.

"Mum? Where's Severus and Theo?"

"Down below. I felt it was time to show you that your old mum can fly just as good as any wizard." Lily said, grinning. Then she performed a complex spiral spin that left Harry gaping.

"Mum, where'd you learn to fly like that?" he gasped.

"From my old flying coach, Madam Hooch. She taught me everything she knew, once she realized I was a natural in a broom. Old Hawkeye, we called her, and she could outfly any of us, including your father."

"What do you call that move?"

"Lily's Spiral."

"Can you teach me?"

"Of course. Watch me closely."

Lily showed him the move again, and Harry did his best to copy her. The Comet was not quite as maneuverable as the Blackbolt, but it did manage a credible spiral once Harry figured out how to get the momentum going.

Lily and Harry played a kind of tag around the trees until they grew tired and then they landed, laughing at the astonished faces of Theo and Severus.

That afternoon it grew fairly hot, enough so Theo said to Harry that it was a good afternoon to go swimming. He hurried to get changed and Harry reluctantly put on his trunks as well. He still didn't know how to swim, but was afraid to admit it to his friend.

Theo was jabbering away happily about how much fun it was to use the tire swing and then he called over to Severus, who was reading over some very boring reports. "We're going swimming, Severus! Want to come?"

Severus considered. "All right. I'll be down in a minute." He went to get changed.

Theo was wearing pale blue trunks with sharks printed on them, and Harry had on a pair with deep blue waves. His friend led the way down to the pond, which looked cool and inviting, especially in the muggy afternoon heat.

Theo sat down on the grass and removed his shoes and brace, he wouldn't need the support in the water. He promptly stuck his misshapen foot into the water. "Ahh . . . that feels so good! My foot gets awful hot wrapped in that brace."

Harry bit his lip, wondering if he ought to confess about his inability to swim. "Theo, does your foot . . . uh . . . bother you when you swim?"

"Nah. 'Tis only walking that's hard. In the water, I can swim like a fish."

"Who taught you?"

"Severus did, when I was a wee thing, maybe three. Mum wasn't too keen on it, but Severus said everyone should learn to swim, 'specially when there was a large body of water nearby." Theo dunked his other foot and splashed happily. "How old were you?"

"Err . . . umm . . . I don't really know how." Harry admitted, flushing.

"Don't really know how to do what?" asked Severus, appearing suddenly beside them. He was lean and well-muscled, like a rangy panther. His dark suit with green piping only lent more mystique to him. His hair was tied and clubbed in the back.

"Swim," mumbled Harry.

"You canna swim?" Theo repeated, astonished.

Severus frowned at his ward. "Not everyone can, Theodore."

"Aunt Petunia got Dudley swimming lessons, but said she wasn't paying for a freak like me to learn. So I just watched." Harry said miserably.

"Bloody hag!" Severus muttered angrily under his breath. "Harry, I can teach you, if you wish."

"Will it take long?"

"Not at all, perhaps a few hours and then all you need to do is practice." Severus said. "Come, let's get into the water. The lake isn't that deep, except in the middle, where it's about nine feet deep. But for now we'll stick closer to the shore." He waded calmly into the lake until he reached a point where it was about six feet deep.

Theo climbed onto the swing and dived off with a whoop, vanishing beneath the surface with a tremendous splash.

Harry, who was wading cautiously out towards Severus, gasped. "Oh no! Bugger, I forgot to take off my glasses!"

"Mind your mouth, boy," warned Severus, swimming over and tapping them with a hand. "There! I've waterproofed them so you can see." He Summoned a black leather strip and tied them to Harry's head. "Now you have prescription goggles."

Theo popped up next to Harry, grinning like a selkie. "Didja see me dive, Harry?"

"Yeah! You're insane, Theo! Weren't you afraid you might hit a rock or something?"

"No. There are no big rocks at the bottom of this lake. It's all mud and water plants." Theo laughed. He swam rapidly across the lake, moving through the water like a seal.

Severus gently took Harry by the wrist. "Now, the first thing I'm going to teach you is how to float. Walk over here, where the bottom falls away. Don't panic," he said as Harry started splashing his arms trying to stay afloat. "Relax, you won't drown. My arm is holding you up."

Harry quit splashing as soon as he felt Snape's arm about him.

"All right. Now, lean back until your head touches the water. Don't worry, my hands are right beneath you, you won't go under," instructed the other man, supporting the boy with both arms. "Very good! Put your feet up and relax . . .pretend you're sleeping in your bed."

"My bed's not wet," Harry muttered. But then he started to allow himself to relax, and the water felt deliciously cool on his skin. He floated leisurely, watching Severus, who swam alongside. "I'm doing it!"

"Floating's easy!" Theo exclaimed, popping up next to his head. "Putting your face in the water . . . that's hard."

Then , as if to prove his words false, Theo ducked beneath the surface again.

"Show off," Severus muttered. "Are you ready for the next step?"

"Yes. I . . . think so." Harry said, figuring if Theo could do it, so could he.

"All right. I'm going to turn you over, keep your head up. I'll have one arm under your chest and my other one on your bottom. I'm going to push down slightly on your bottom to keep you balanced, otherwise you'll flip over. Once you're over, I want you to try kicking hard with your feet."

"Won't I kick you, though?"

"No, because I'll be on the side of you. On three. One . . . two . . . three!"

Harry suddenly found himself facing the water, and he quickly jerked up his head, but not before he swallowed some water and began coughing.

"Harry, for Merlin's sake!" Severus chuckled. He swatted the youngster on the back, waiting until he stopped coughing before continuing.

"Sorry." Harry said.

"Now then, kick!"

Harry began, tentatively at first.

Until he heard Theo yell, "Shark!" behind him.

Then he started kicking like mad, without even realizing it.

"Theodore Nott!" Severus yelled. "Harry, relax. There are no sharks in here, it's freshwater. Theo was playing a little joke."

Harry abruptly stopped trying to get away. He shot a dirty look at his friend, who was giggling. "You prat!"

"Got ya, Harry!" Theo smirked, then yelped as Severus reached out an arm and pushed him under the water.

"That'll teach him, the little wiseass!" Severus growled. "Good job, Harry. Now let's try moving your arms as well as your legs. Cup your hands and pull your arms back, right and then left . . ."

At first Harry felt totally awkward and was glad that Severus' hands were supporting him. But then he began to develop a feel for the water and a rhythm and soon he was swimming without Severus' assistance. Though the Mind Healer stayed right beside him, and when Harry started to grow tired, guided him to a shallow place where he could stand.

"Did I do all right?" Harry asked, tossing his hair from his eyes.

"You did very well for your first time. If you keep practicing, you'll be swimming like a selkie in no time, just like Mr. Nott over there."

"Cannonball!" screamed Theo, as he launched himself off the tire swing and cannoned into the lake with a tremendous splash.

"Wow! That looks fun," Harry said.

"That is not a real dive." Severus shook his head. "Let me show you how it's done."

He swam quickly over to the side where the swing was anchored and pulled himself up out of the water.

Harry watched as Snape calmly stepped on top of the tire and began to swing back and forth, faster and faster, causing the swing to go high in the air. Then, when the swing had reached its highest point, Severus dove off, entering the water cleanly, without so much as a ripple.

He surfaced a few feet away from Harry. "That, Mr. Potter, is a dive."

"That, sir, was amazing!"

They spent the rest of the afternoon in the water, and at the end of the time, Severus said Harry was going to be a decent swimmer. Harry even grew to like being in the water.

The next day they went back to the pond and Harry grew more confident, swimming further away from Severus. By the third afternoon, Harry felt comfortable enough to pass Severus' swimming test—and swam across the lake and back himself.

Theo applauded, then offered to show Harry how to jump off the swing.

At first Harry was a bit nervous, but once he had jumped off and landed in the middle of the lake, he found it was great fun.

The boys took turns, diving and flipping over, creating waves in the placid lake. They challenged Severus to impromptu races and they even tried to dunk him by grabbing his legs underwater. They pulled him under, but weren't fast enough to avoid his retaliatory dunk in return, and ended up sputtering water.

"That'll teach you brats!" he mock-growled.

Then Theo, impudent as a river sprite, started a splash war, with the boys versus Severus. It ended up being a draw.

They were having such a marvelous time that none of them noticed the witches had joined them until Harry saw Lily and Lucy jump into the lake as he swung from the tire.

"Hey, Mum! Watch what I can do!" he yelled, and dove backwards off the swing, landing in the water with a splash.

"That's very clever, Harry," Lily applauded, standing up suddenly. "Ugh! Severus . . . is this mud down here?" She cried, not expecting the bottom to feel so . . . squishy.

"T'won't hurt you, Lil!" Lucy called, grinning. "Keep swimming to the center."

Severus turned, startled.

His jaw dropped as he beheld Lily, standing with water cascading off her pale skin like a siren of the deep, her fiery hair twining about her shoulders, wearing a beautiful turquoise and emerald green swimsuit with swirling patterns that revealed all of her curves. He felt his mouth go dry and another part of him stir with desire as he admired her lovely figure.

"Lily, dear God!" he whispered, and thanked heaven he was submerged in the lake, otherwise he would have died of embarrassment. But he could hardly blame himself, he had been dreaming of her nightly, and now it was almost as if his dreams had come to life. She was all he'd ever wanted . . . like a moth to a flame he was drawn irresistibly towards her, and he found himself unable to look away.

Lily frowned down at her toes, not liking the muddy bottom. Abruptly, she dove across the shallow water and into the middle of the lake, surfacing a scant two feet from where Severus was treading water and trying not to blush like a lovesick schoolboy.

"Hey, Sev!" Suddenly she surged up, her glorious hair swirling about her in the water like a mermaid's magical tresses in a fairy tale. "This feels wonderful! I should have done this days ago."

He gulped hard, suddenly robbed of speech. She was so close, all he had to do was reach out and touch her . . . but he knew if he did he would end up kissing her breathless and he was unsure if she wanted him that way . . . and then too there were children present, not to mention his housekeeper . . . he quickly ducked under the water and swam quickly about the pond until he could control himself.

Lucy was floating on the left side of the lake, until her imp of a son grabbed her foot and tickled her, making her scream and flip over. "Theo, tha little wretch . . .!" she cried, swimming hard after him.

Severus smirked, until Harry jumped on his back and tried to drown him.

But Lily came to his rescue, grabbing her son and tossing him into the shallows, he landed right in the sticky mud and came up sputtering. "No fair, Mum!"

Lily smirked, then tickled Severus under the arms. "Come and get me, Sev! Or have you forgotten how to swim?"

Severus gasped, doubled over with laughter. "Lily, you minx!" The touch of her was like sweet fire. Gritting his teeth, he chased her around the pond, swimming hard.

Lily was fast, but Severus was sneaky. She glanced back over her shoulder and didn't see the tall wizard behind her and thought she had lost him. She turned back . . . and found herself caught in a pair of strong arms.

"Ahh! Sev, don't you dare! Let me go!" she pretended to struggle, but she was laughing so hard she couldn't put up much of a fight. "No, don't!" she shrieked as he carried her out to the swing, set her in it, and pushed it.

"Severus, what are you doing?" she sputtered as she swayed back and forth.

"Teaching you a lesson," he told her, and there was a gleam of mischief in his dark eyes. A moment later he joined her on the swing, lifted her in his arms . . .and jumped off into the water, headfirst.

She screamed the whole way down until the water closed over their heads.

An instant later they bobbed to the surface, and Severus was wearing a very smug grin.

Lily scowled at him. "Severus Snape . . . you . . . you . . .that was dreadful!" She shook her finger at him.

"Served you right," he said, unrepentant. Then he tickled her foot until she splashed him and swam away.

They spent the rest of the afternoon frolicking in the water, and Lily snuck surreptitious glances at Severus when his back was turned, admiring his broad shoulders and firm backside, never realizing that she was being admired in turn by a pair of obsidian eyes as well.

A few days after the swimming frolic, Severus and Lily discussed bringing Harry to Diagon Alley to acquire a wand. Even though Harry would not be attending Hogwarts due to his uncontrollable stormcaller ability, Lily thought it a good idea to get him a wand, just like every other student at Hogwarts. Harry's stormcaller ability was special, but he still had his share of ordinary magic and needed to learn how to control it. Having a wand was a must.

"I agree, Lily," Severus said, they were out on the front porch, enjoying the cool morning breeze. Lily was sitting on the stairs and Severus leaning against the porch railing. "He'll also need some standard texts and his own cauldron and potion making kit as well, if we're going to tutor him at home. I can manage the potions, Herbology, and Astronomy classes. Will you be able to tutor him in the rest?"

"Definitely in Charms and Defense, those were my areas of expertise at school. I can probably manage Transfiguration as well. But I was absolute pants at History of Magic, seeing as I could never keep my eyes open," she admitted with a rueful smile.

"Hmm. I say we do a combination of History of Magic and History of Hogwarts, and I'm sure together we can teach Harry and Theo without making them comatose," Severus chuckled. "One of Binns' major problems was he rattled off lists and lists of dry facts and information and never bothered to connect them to any actual historical events and people. So it bored us all to tears. What we need to do is take those facts and make them interesting, so this way it's easy to remember and relate to."

"Great idea, Sev!" Lily beamed at him. "Together we make a good team. I just hope that we can get Harry's stormcaller abilities under wraps. I worry all the time . . . what if he totally loses it . . . I couldn't bear to have to . . . hurt my son if he starts . . ." she trailed off, her eyes dark with trepidation.

"I know." Severus said very softly. "But we will do our best to make sure that doesn't happen. If we can teach him mental and emotional discipline, and to think before he acts . . . we'll have a chance at helping him control this talent. I don't think any of the others ever were given a chance to do that. They were just feared and hated and that kind of alienation is enough to drive a sane wizard mad, let alone a stormcaller. And they also believed that as a stormcaller, they were doomed to go mad. So it was almost a self-fulfilling prophecy."

"You're right. At least we've spared him that much. It's something."

"A very important something." Severus stressed. "Confidence is half the battle."

"Ah, Sev. Thank Merlin you're here for me." Lily said quietly.

"Where else would I be?"

"The question is . . . where would I be, where would Harry be, without you?" she queried. "Even though as James' widow, I have access to his vault, both Potter Manor and the cottage at Godric's Hollow are gone. The manor was sold to help the war effort and Godric's Hollow destroyed. We'd be living out of suitcases in the Leaky Cauldron if not for you."

"Not if I had anything to say about it." He reminded her.

She gazed up at him, her eyes moist. "See, that's what I mean. Even after all I've done, all this time, you're still willing to help me out."

"Always, Lily. I thought you knew that," He gently reached down to wipe away the tears with his fingertip.

"I do now. Sev, I really don't deserve you. Not after I hurt you by refusing to accept your apology. Not after I pushed you away . . ."

Suddenly he was by her side, one finger covering her lips. "Hush. What's done is done, now let it go, Lily. That was the past, long ago and far away. A lifetime away. Here and now is what matters. All that matters."

She blinked back more tears. "You forgive me then? Just like that?"

He smiled at her. "We all make mistakes, Lily. Some big, some small. I'm the last person to ever judge you. Today is a new day, with no mistakes in it. Make the most of it." He gently removed his finger and skimmed her cheek, tracing the curve of her face.

"I intend to," she murmured, then she tilted her head up and kissed him. It was not a long kiss, but nevertheless it sent a jolt through them like chained lightning. She pulled back with a gasp. "Oh, Merlin! Severus, I . . . I'm sorry . . ."

"For what? I've been waiting ten years for that," he whispered.

"You . . . have?" her mouth was an "O" of surprise. She longed to kiss him again, a true kiss this time.

Before he could respond to her unspoken desire, Harry stuck his head out the door and called, "Mum, Severus, are you ready to go to Diagon Alley now?"

His obvious impatience drew chuckles from both of them, and Severus stood up, holding his hand out to Lily.

Lily allowed him to help her up, though her legs were growing stronger every day, sometimes they still felt weak and wobbly, but she refused to use a cane. "In a bit, Harry." Her head was spinning. She had actually kissed Severus. They had kissed before, decades ago, when they were both young and innocent. But this . . . this was no innocent peck on the lips, but a real kiss, one that ignited a fire in her she had thought forever lost. She couldn't ever remember feeling like this before, not even on her wedding night. James had been the more experienced partner, she had always let him lead. But with Severus she felt bold, daring, and totally and completely filled with a yearning for him. If Harry had not come out then, who knows what might have happened?

She hid a slightly wicked grin, then prayed she hadn't been too forward. She recalled what he had said about waiting ten years to kiss her and felt a surge of heat suffuse her. Could it be he had waited and saved himself for her? She felt both humbled and awed by his devotion. No other man would have had the discipline and will to do that save Severus.

Just then Theo came out on the porch, putting an end to her musing. "Severus, can I come too?"

Severus hesitated. Theo almost never came with him on his trips into the wizarding world, he didn't like being stared and and pitied, or worse, sneered at for being a crippled Squib. "Theo, we're only going to get Harry some books, robes, and a wand for school. Are you certain you wish to come?"

Theo nodded. "I'd rather come with you than stay home."

"All right. But you stay close when we're there, no dragging Harry off to Quality Quidditch Supplies or the sweet shop, agreed?"

"Yes, sir." Theo agreed, knowing full well that once they were done purchasing necessary things, Severus would let them browse both shops.

They used the Floo to get to Diagon Alley. It was Harry's first time using one, and he wasn't at all sure if he liked it. Soot went up his nose and made him cough and got all over his glasses. He tripped coming out of the fireplace in The Leaky Cauldron too and barked his shins on the hearth also. Severus helped him up.

"Harry, you all right?" Theo asked.

Lily cast a quick Neaten Up Charm over them and Harry's clothes and glasses were free of soot. "Harry, are you hurt?"

"No, not really. I just scraped my knee."

She touched his knee with her wand and the scrape was healed.

Harry smiled. "Cool! I want to learn how to do that, Mum."

"You will." Lily assured him.

Hardly anyone was in the pub at this hour of the morning, so Severus, Lily, and the children were able to avoid any attempt by fame-seeking patrons searching for an autograph. They bid goodbye to Tom the barkeep and hurried outside. It was a lovely morning, fair and cloudless, with a soft westerly wind.

Harry looked about curiously, noting all the various shops and men, women, and children in all sorts of robes, with trousers or denims beneath them and shirts of all kinds as well. Some looked like they had stepped out of the pages of King Arthur and the Knights of the Roundtable, others as if they had come out of Harrod's.

"Where shall we go first? Ollivander's? Or would you rather stop at Flourish and Blotts first?" asked Severus.

"Ollivander's!" the boys shouted.

"Now, Sev, what did you think they would say?" Lily teased.

He rolled his eyes and forbore to comment. Then he led the way down the street.

Harry couldn't help rubbernecking a little, there were so many quaint looking shops with the strangest signs and displays in the windows. He passed a shop that sold cauldrons, and had a cauldron stirring itself in the front window. He saw a large ice cream parlor with a brightly colored awning of yellow, green, pink, and purple, and in the window was a giant ice cream cone that changed flavors every minute. He licked his lips and hoped his mum and Healer Snape could be persuaded to stop back there after they'd gotten everything. He was partial to chocolate and peanut butter swirled ice cream.

"Fortescue's makes the best ice cream," Theo said, looking at the shop wistfully.

"What's your favorite flavor?"

"Umm . . . well, I like two. One is strawberry peanut butter and the other is apple treacle pudding." Theo replied. "How about you?"

Harry told him. "But that last one sounds delicious. I never knew about that kind."

"It's one they only make here and only around autumn." Theo replied. He caught up to Severus and tapped him on the arm. "Severus, can we stop at Fortescue's after Ollivander's?"

Severus peered down at his ward. "How about after Flourish and Blotts?"

"All right. Thanks!" Theo dropped back to tell Harry.

Lily smiled at his enthusiasm. "Remember those days, Sev?"

"Yes. Do you still enjoy strawberry shortcake ice cream?"

"Yes, I think so. And you . . . do you still prefer caramel walnut?"

He nodded. "I cannot believe you remembered that."

"Why? You remembered mine. Besides, we used to eat ice cream all the time over the summer at McQuade's." She said, naming an old Muggle ice cream shoppe in their town.

Severus smiled slightly, recalling those days, before the Marauders had come into their lives, when it had been just Lily and him, and prissy critical Petunia had been the bane of their existence.

They reached the wand shop, with the sign that read Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC. The shop didn't look like much, Harry was disappointed to see only a single wand on display, resting upon a purple cushion. But inside the shop were hundreds of boxes, from floor to ceiling, and a tall white-haired man behind the counter.

"Ah. Lily Potter. I sold you a willow wand, 10 and ¼ inches, swishy." Ollivander said.

"That's right," she said, only recalling then that Ollivander knew the owner of every wand he had ever made.

The wandmaker turned his eyes on Severus. "Severus Snape. Ebony, 13 inches, serpent scale core, good for healing and protection."

"Correct. We're here for a wand for—"

"Young Harry," Ollivander finished. He peered at the young stormcaller through his spectacles. "Let's try this one. Hazelwood, 10 inches, dragon heartstring core." He pulled a box from behind him and handed Harry the wand. "Give it a wave now."

Harry took the wand into his hand and swished it. Nothing happened.

"No. How about this one? Oak, unicorn hair core, 10 inches."

Again the wand did not respond.

After about thirty wands, Harry started to get nervous. He looked up at Lily. "Mum, what if no wand chooses me?"

She rubbed his shoulders soothingly. "Harry, don't worry. There is a wand here for you. We simply have to find it. Right, Mr. Ollivander?"

"Indeed. Remember, the wand chooses the wizard, my boy." He Summoned another box, this one all the way on top of a stack in the back of the shop. "Try this one. Ebony and rowan, with a thunderbird feather core, 11 inches. Very rare. With it you shall have great protection against evil and also control over storm winds and lightning."

Harry picked it up and felt a tingle shoot up his arm. He waved it and sparks of all colors exploded from it. "This one!"

"Excellent!" Ollivander looked pleased. "A very good match!"

The wand was carved mostly of rowan wood, with a sleek ebony handle upon which had been etched a stylized thunderbird. Theo looked at the wand longingly. "That's an awesome wand, Harry." He felt a sudden stab of jealousy, and wished he could get a wand too.

"Thanks, Theo." Harry caressed his new wand lovingly.

"Shall we choose a wand holster, Harry?" asked Severus, indicating the row of leather holders along the far wall.

While Lily paid for the wand, Severus helped Harry pick out a holder, showing him the difference between an arm sheath, thigh sheath and a simple hip holster. There were holsters in all kinds of leather, in all colors, some with designs, others plain.

Severus showed Harry his arm sheath, of black leather with his initials stamped on it. Harry found an arm sheath of black leather with a buttery-soft cream leather trim. "I like this one. Can I have my initials on it?"

"A good choice," Severus praised. "Let us bring this to Ollivander." He told the proprietor what Harry wanted and the wandmaker used a spell to etch the initials on the holster. When Lily would have paid for it, Severus held up a hand. "No, this one's on me. Consider it a belated birthday present." He pulled out a leather pouch.

"Thank you, Healer Snape," Harry said after Lily gave him a reminder nudge.

Ollivander handed him the wand holster and then looked over at Theo. "And what about this young man?"

Theo shook his head, flushing. "I . . . I can't have a wand."

"Ah. Too young yet, are you? Maybe next year," Ollivander said kindly.

Theo quickly exited the shop, pangs of envy and longing pickling him. He walked over to Flourish and Blotts, hoping to pick out a new history book or even an herbal, since those were books he could use.

"Theo, wait up!" Harry called, running after him.

Theo seemed not to hear him, slipping inside the bookstore.

Harry entered and stopped dead in awe at the tables and shelves full of books of all kinds.

Lily laid a hand upon his shoulder as she came in. "It's wonderful, isn't it? This as always my favorite place to shop in Diagon Alley. Well, this and the apothecary."

"Really? How about my dad?"

"James liked Quality Quidditch Supplies best and also Gambol and Japes, the joke shop."

"Figures," snorted Severus.

Harry looked over at him. "What are your favorite shops, Healer Sev?"

"I mostly frequent Slug and Jiggers, as you might have guessed. But I also spend a good deal of time in Scribbulus Everchanging Inks and Obscurus Books, a smaller bookshop that caters to rare book collectors. And on occasion I go to Fortescue's as well."

"Where's Theo?" Harry wondered.

"He's probably browsing the potion manuals or the Herbology texts," Severus said, indicating that section of the bookstore. "Lily, can you recall the standard texts for first year?"

"Of course. And even if I couldn't, there's a list posted on the wall there." Lily answered. "Come on, let's get started."

Harry soon had an entire curriculum of school books, though Lily allowed him to get a book for fun also, called Quidditch Through the Ages. Harry found Theo perusing the illustrated herbals and asked if there was anything wrong. "You kind of disappeared on us."

Theo shrugged. "I just wanted to be alone for a bit." He picked up the herbal. "I really want to buy this, but I don't have enough money. I wonder if Severus would loan me some?"

"How much do you need?" asked the Mind Healer from behind them.

"Uh . . . two Galleons."

"Here." Severus handed him the money.

"Thanks!" Theo said, a smile on his face. He ran up to the registers to pay.

Severus turned to Harry. "We'll need to head over to the apothecary next to get you a potion kit and some cauldrons. Then we can also get you a set of robes at Madam Malkin's."

"Severus, is this how it would be if I were going off to school?"

"Yes. Your mother and I thought it best if we treated you like any new Hogwarts student, even though you'll be tutored by us." Severus told him, patting his shoulder.

Harry smiled at him. He was actually glad he didn't have to go away to school, he liked being at Heatherton Cottage and being tutored by Severus and his mum. He also liked being with Theo, although he noticed his friend was rather short with him today and wondered what was bothering the other boy.

Once the books were paid for, they headed over to the apothecary. The proprietor, Amos Jigger, knew Severus very well, and generously discounted Harry's kit and ingredients when Severus told him Harry was his personal apprentice. Severus helped Harry choose the freshest and well preserved ingredients and a cauldron that was lined with copper and not just the standard pewter one. He also suggested Harry have two sizes, a large one and a medium sized one.

Theo loitered in the back of the shop, watching. Severus usually shopped with him for potion ingredients and seeing the two of them together made him uneasy. He felt oddly resentful, even though he knew he shouldn't. But there was a little voice in the back of his head that kept whispering—now he has a real apprentice, instead of a pathetic Squib. Someone he can teach all kinds of magic to . . . a normal wizard boy. What if he likes Harry better? He's barely said two words to you this trip, what if he's getting sick and tired of you? His stomach began to ache at the thought.

After the apothecary, they decided to break for lunch, having sandwiches and burgers at a small café, and then headed to Fortescue's for ice cream. Their last stop before going back home was Madam Malkin's. As Severus and Harry entered the robe shop, Lily whispered something in Severus' ear. He nodded. Then Lily beckoned to Theo and whispered a question in his ear. The boy looked startled, then followed the witch out of the shop and across the street to Quality Quidditch Supplies.

The shop was very crowded, and Harry and Severus had to wait on a long line before Harry was measured and fitted for his new black robes with green lining inside. Harry carried the robes over his arm and turned to Severus, asking where his mother and Theo had gotten to.

"Your mother went to look in a store across the way, and Theodore went to the lavatory. They will meet us back here," Severus said. "Stay here. I am going to have a look at those robes over there," he pointed to a display of long black robes. "They are made with new fabric designed for potioneers and I happen to have been waiting for something like that for a long time."

"All right, sir." Harry watched as the tall Healer made his way through the throng and over to the robes on the display dummy.

Harry waited on line, shifting impatiently from foot to foot. There was a blond haired boy in front of him who sighed loudly and turned to look at Harry.

"I hate waiting on line, don't you?" He had blue-gray eyes and was one of those children mothers declared would grow into a handsome man.

"Yes. It's very boring," Harry agreed.

"You'd think that with school coming up, Madam Malkin would hire some extra help, but she's such a skinflint." The blond boy whispered. "It's like this every year, my father told me."

Finally they were next, and the blond boy hopped upon the circular platform, where a harried witch in blue and white robes bent to measure and pin up the boy's black robe's hem and sleeves.

No sooner had she done that, then she moved back to another child on the opposite side.

The blond boy rolled his eyes. "I wish she'd hurry up, I hate standing here with all these pins, they pinch."

"I thought they used magic to make the robes fit," Harry began, confused.

"They do, but they need the pins to give them an idea of where to start," said the other boy. "Haven't you ever gotten fitted for robes before?"

"No. This is my first time."

"Oh. You're a Muggleborn, then?"

"No. I'm a half-blood. Who are you?"

"Draco Malfoy." He held out his hand.

Harry took it. "Harry Potter."

Draco's eyebrows rose. "You're famous, you know."

"Yeah," Harry sighed.

"Uh . . . is it true what they say? That you almost died when a house fell on top of you? That it was knocked down by a hurricane?"

"Yes. A hurricane came and my aunt and uncle's house collapsed. I only survived because I was inside a closet when it happened."

"That was smart of you." Draco said approvingly. "Are you really a . . . stormcaller?" He leaned over and whispered that last word into Harry's ear.

"Yes." Harry replied, flipping up his hair so Draco could see the scar.

The other's eyes widened. "What can you do with it? Have you ever summoned a storm?"

"Twice. But I . . . had a hard time controlling it." Harry said softly. "It almost . . . got away from me."

"It must be hard, trying to do that. But . . . what does it feel like? Does it make you feel strong and powerful?"

"Sometimes. But it can also be kind of scary. It's like trying to hold onto a tiger by the tail. It could turn on me in a minute." Harry explained.

The seamstress came back and finished with the girl on the platform to the left of Draco. Then she gestured for Harry to step up there. He did so, and she helped him on with his robes and began to pin them up.

Once she had done that, she returned to Draco and began to hem his robes with a spell, her wand moving forward and back.

Draco kept on talking to Harry. "So . . . what House do you want to be in at school? I'm going to be in Slytherin, it's where all the Malfoys and Blacks have been for centuries."

"Uh . . . I'm not—"

"Not sure? Well, both your parents were in Gryffindor, so the Hat could put you there." Draco mused. "I heard that your mum was in a coma for ten years. Is she all right now?"

"She's fine. I'm not going to school, Draco."

The blond looked shocked. "How come? Didn't you get a letter?"

"Yes, but because of my power, my mum and Severus don't think it's such a good idea right now. I don't want to blow up the school by accident or something."

"Oh. Could you really do that? I mean, I've heard stories about stormcallers but . . ."

"I don't know, but I really don't want to find out." Harry said, twitching because a pin was poking his leg.

"You mentioned a man named Severus. Would you be talking about Severus Snape?" Draco asked.

"Yes. He's a Mind Healer at St. Mungos and my mum's best friend. Why? Do you know him?"

Draco laughed. "I've known him my whole life. He's my father's friend and my baby sister's godfather."

The seamstress finished with Draco and he got down off the platform and waited until she had finished with Harry. Harry jumped off and they started to make their way through the crowd, just as Severus was coming back along with a tall man with long blond hair, he was dressed in a smart business suit and carried a silver serpent topped cane.

"That's my father, Lucius Malfoy," Draco said. "He got injured in the last war when You-Know-Who's Death Eaters tortured him because he refused to pledge me to the Dark One's service. His leg's never been the same." The boy said gravely.

Harry winced. "That's terrible. I'm sorry to hear it. My friend Theo has a bum leg too."

Draco shrugged. "Father knew the risks when he agreed to be a spy for the Order of the Phoenix. He was the only one who could infiltrate the Dark Lord's inner circle without him becoming suspicious. But he refused to compromise his family at the end." He waved at the two men.

The two boys met the older wizards in the middle of the shop. Harry saw that Severus was carrying a wrapped package under his arm, probably a set of new robes.

"Hello, Father," Draco greeted the elder Malfoy. "Hello, Healer Severus."

"You've grown some since last year, Draco," Severus said, giving the boy a brief hug. "Are you all set for school?"

"Yes, the robes were the last thing."

"Draco, introduce me to your friend," Lucius said, leaning upon his cane slightly.

"Father, this is Harry Potter."

Lucius gave Harry a quiet smile. "Mr. Potter, well met. You wouldn't remember it, but I have seen you before, at your baptism. I am Lucius Malfoy." He held out a hand for Harry to shake.

"Pleased to meet you, sir." Harry said politely. The resemblance between Draco and his father was quite pronounced.

Lucius nodded and said, "So you and Draco shall be yearmates at Hogwarts. Are you looking forward to school?"

"I'm not going to Hogwarts," Harry began.

Lucius raised an eyebrow. "Indeed? Why not, may I ask?"

"His mother and I feel it best to wait, Lucius," Severus interjected. "So we shall be tutoring Harry privately, the way it used to be done before the Founding."

"The old master and apprenticeship, Sev?" Lucius queried.

"Just so, Luc. For the time being." Severus said. "How is Narcissa? And my little goddaughter?"

"Cissy is doing well. Aradia keeps her on her toes, the little minx." Lucius chuckled, his eyes gleaming with pride. "They are shopping elsewhere, but should be back shortly and then you can see how much Aradia has changed since you last saw her a year ago."

"When last I saw her, she was just beginning to walk and speak."

"Ah. Now she runs and speaks in full sentences."

"And follows me everywhere and doesn't shut up," Draco groaned. "She's a little brat."

"Draco!" Lucius reproved.

Draco flushed. "Well, she is. Sometimes."

"She's only two, and she adores her big brother," Lucius said proudly. "It's only natural that she imitates you."

Draco rolled his eyes. "I wish she would find somebody else to imitate."

Just then a shrill little voice shouted, "'Raco, where are you? 'Raco!"

Harry smothered a laugh as an adorable little girl came racing across the floor. She was wearing a frilly little pink and lavender dress with small sparkly white shoes, her hair was a pale silvery blond, in ringlets that flowed down her back. She had huge cornflower blue eyes and a gap-toothed smile.

She ran pell mell across the room, yelling, "'Raco, here I am!" She threw herself at her brother, grabbing Draco about the knees and hugging tight. "I found you!"

"You sure did," her brother said, with a long-suffering sigh. He knelt down and picked up his sister.

"I missed you!" she said, and threw her arms about him and kissed his cheek.

"Aww, Aradia!" he groaned.

The adults chuckled at his discomfort.

Draco coughed, then said, "Aradia, look who's here. It's Uncle Sev. Remember?" He pried the child's arms from his neck and turned her about to face Severus and his father, now joined by Narcissa, who was smiling at them.

The little girl frowned. All of a sudden, Aradia's eyes lit up as she recalled her godfather. "Unca Sevvie!" she trilled. "Down, 'Raco! I say hi to Unca Sevvie!" She squirmed until he set her down.

She toddled over to the Mind Healer, her arms held out.

Severus caught her and hugged her, lifting her into his arms. "Hello, Aradia, you little pixie." He tweaked her nose. "You've gotten so big I hardly recognize you."

"I is a big girl now, Unca Sevvie." Aradia told him solemnly. She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I missed you."

Severus flushed. "I missed you too, little one."

"Did you brung me a pwesent?" she inquired artlessly.

"Aradia!" Narcissa gasped. "You don't ask people for presents."

"Why, Mama?"

"Because it's not polite," Narcissa said.

She snuggled up to Severus. "Did you?"

He chuckled indulgently. "Maybe. If you're good."

"I am! I am!" she bounced up and down. "Right, Papa?" She flashed Lucius a heartwarming smile.

"Yes, Aradia, you've behaved very well today," her father answered, unable to resist his baby girl's smile.

Aradia looked around and spotted Harry. "Who you?"

"Aradia, this is my friend Harry," Draco said. "Can you say Harry?"

Aradia screwed up her face, thinking hard. Finally she said, "Hi . . . Harry!"

"Hi, Aradia," Harry said, grinning back.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

Meanwhile, Lily and Theo were inside the Quidditch store, where Theo helped Lily pick out a jersey for Harry. "He'll like the Wimbourne Wasps. That's the second best team in the league, Lily." He pointed to a yellow and black jersey with a large wasp and Snitch on the front.

"And what team do you like, Theo?" Lily asked.

"I like the Montrose Magpies," he said, pointing to a jersey with black and white stripes and a large magpie on the front. "They're the best team in the league."

"I see. I'm afraid I'm not up on Quidditch teams any longer," Lily chuckled. "That's why I needed you to help me, Theo."

"Aw, shoot, it's nothin', Lily," Theo said, looking at the ground.

She patted his cheek and smiled. "You're sweet, Theo. You make me smile. Well, we'll just pay for these and be on our way back. I'm sure Harry is done with his fitting by now."

Lily quickly picked up a jersey for Harry and another for Theo, they would make fine Christmas gifts. She had just finished paying for her purchases and had begun to walk outside, Theo at her elbow, when she was accosted by a reporter from The Daily Prophet.

"Lily Potter! Half a moment!" the reporter panted. "Would you mind answering a few questions? How do you feel now that you're awake again? How did you manage to survive the attack from You-Know-Who? How are you managing now that you're together with your son Harry?"

Lily was overwhelmed with a deluge of the press, all sticking quills in her face and wanting an exclusive of her about her miraculous recovery. She did her best to answer a few questions, while attempting to push past the knot of reporters. Theo clung to her elbow, dragged along in her wake.

They would have followed her into Madam Malkin's had not Severus came out and given them a glare worthy of a Dementor, causing them to back off and allowing Lily to reach the sanctuary of the robe shop. "Sev, thank goodness! Those vultures all wanted to pick my brain," she said.

"They can go hang themselves," he growled. Then he drew Lily and Theo inside. "Lily, I want you to meet an old friend of mine, Lucius Malfoy and his family."

Lily stiffened. "Lucius Malfoy!" she exclaimed. "Severus, how can you be friends with that . . . that Death Eater!" she hissed, her eyes flashing.

"Lucius was never a Death Eater, Lily. He was spy for the Order of the Phoenix. He revealed his true loyalties after the war. He was always one of us. I'm godfather to his youngest, a charming little girl named Aradia Melina Malfoy."

"Well, I never thought . . .Merlin, Severus! I feel as if a lifetime has passed me by while I was sleeping." Lily said feelingly. "James always insisted Lucius was as bad as they came."

"Your husband was always quick to condemn Slytherins," Severus said shortly. "Come, let's go greet Luc, Narcissa, Draco, and Aradia."

He led them over to where they Malfoys waited with Harry, who was now holding an adorable little girl. The child turned and grinned, waving at Severus. "Hey, Unca Sevvie!"

"Uncle Sevvie?" Theo started snickering.

"Hush, you!" Severus ordered, giving the boy a light swat.

"Oh, Sev, she's darling!" Lily said, unable to keep herself from smiling. She had always wanted a little girl. She walked over, her hand held out to Narcissa. "Lady Malfoy, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Narcissa took her hand and smiled. "The pleasure is mine, and please, call me Narcissa."

"And you must call me Lily."

"Lily, meet my husband, Lucius, and my children, Draco and Aradia," Narcissa said graciously, gesturing to her family.

Lily said hello to the Malfoys, and then Severus introduced Theo to them as well.

Together they went outside, and Lucius invited them to Malfoy Manor for dinner on Saturday. Lily was hesitant at first, but then accepted, seeing how Harry and Draco seemed to be getting along, and Theo as well. It was odd, but ten years ago, she never would have imagined rubbing shoulders with the high and mighty Malfoys, advisors to the Minister and supposed supporters of You-Know-Who. How the times were changing, she mused. For better or for worse.

Malfoy Manor

Wiltshire

That same afternoon:

Draco spent an hour or so rearranging his new school things in his trunk. He was a rather particular child who liked everything just so, as the Malfoy house elves knew well. He used to give Dobby fits as a young child, rearranging his toys differently everyday and then expecting the elf to remember the order. If poor Dobby forgot, Draco used to scream and throw himself on the floor in a tantrum. That had been when he was around Aradia's age, and he had since been taught better by his parents, who would remove all the toys from his room for a day and totally ignore him until he quit behaving like a spoiled brat. They would also tell Dobby to ignore him, because as Lucius had said many times, "Having servants and expensive toys is a privilege, not a luxury, and if you cannot appreciate and respect them, you shall not have them at all."

Dobby popped up just as Draco was trying to fold a school sweater, minus the crest and stripe, and put it in the trunk. "Would Master Draco like Dobby to help?"

"Actually, I would. Here. I don't know why I can't make the sleeves lie flat." He handed the offending garment to the elf.

Dobby folded it in a twinkling and placed it in the trunk. "Does Master Draco need anything else?"

"No, I've packed everything. Go and do whatever you want. I'm going to take a nap." Draco waved the elf away, yawning.

"Very good, sir. Mistress Narcissa has also put little Missy Aradia down for a nap. Dobby will be going now!" Dobby disappeared with a pop.

Only to reappear a moment later. "Master Draco, Dobby regrets to inform you that your nap must wait. Master Lord Lucius requests your presence in his study." The elf bowed apologetically as Draco groaned.

But Draco knew better than to ignore a summons from his father. He slid off his bed and wondered what Lucius wanted.

Lucius' study was a floor down, on the ground floor. Draco was no stranger to this room, though as a little boy he had been forbidden to enter it without Lucius being present. The study was done in rich emerald and black, with ebony wood paneling, heavy velvet drapes the color of spring leaves, there were several shelves lined with books behind the massive black oak desk, and a locked potions cabinet as well. Several awards and plaques of distinction were hung on the wall, things which Lucius had won as a student and been awarded for his work in the Ministry.

Draco entered and made his way to the upholstered chair in front of the desk. "You wanted to see me, Father?"

Lucius looked up from some papers he had been perusing. "Ah, yes, I did. Draco, when you were talking with Harry in Madam Malkin's, did you happen to mention anything about his being a stormcaller?"

"Yes, I did ask if he was one. He said he was and then I asked him what it was like, being able to call storms, and he said it was both exciting and dangerous. Why?"

"Was that all you discussed? You didn't mention anything else about stormcallers going mad or dying suddenly?"

"No, Father. I figured he already knew about that."

"Good. Actually, son, Harry knows nothing about the madness his talent brings. And Severus and Lily wish it to stay that way for the time being. So they have asked me to ask you not to bring up the subject. They believe that Harry can be taught to control his power and escape the madness that other stormcallers have been heir to, but only if he's kept ignorant of his fate. Besides which, it's old-fashioned good manners not to discuss someone's disability. Understand?"

"Yes, Father. It's true then? All the others have gone mad?"

Lucius nodded heavily. "As far as we know, any stormcaller that's been documented has eventually self-destructed, overcome by a power too great for a mortal body and mind to handle."

Draco paled. "That's terrible! There's nothing that can be done?"

"Severus and Lily are doing the best they can, but it remains to be seen if they can succeed. If rumors are true, Harry displayed the talent as a baby and he is now eleven. Already he has lasted longer than most of the others. We must pray that it continues."

"But it's safe for us to be friends, right?"

"Yes. Harry is like any wizard, unless a storm appears over the horizon. Then you'd best take cover," said his father gravely.

"I will. And to think, I sort of . . . envied him having a power like that. But now I feel kind of sorry for him."

"Yes. With great power comes a great price. Never forget that, Draco." Lucius said solemnly. He tapped his leg meaningfully. Then he changed the subject. "Have you finished putting away all of your new school supplies and your wand?"

"Yes. I was going to take a nap," his son replied, a longing note creeping into his voice.

Lucius chuckled. "Wore you out, eh? Go, have a lie down. Dobby will wake you when it's time for supper."

Draco smiled and headed for the door.

"Oh, one more thing," Lucius called.

His son halted.

"I don't think you need reminding, however I am going to tell you anyway to be on your best behavior when our guests arrive."

"Yes, sir," was all Draco replied, knowing full well the importance his father placed upon well-behaved offspring and not disgracing the family. Then he added flippantly. "I hope you told Aradia."

"She is small enough to be excused any lapse of control. Go on with you, Master Quick Tongue, and mind what I said."

Draco left, smirking. Lucius might allow him to get away with the occasional insolent remark, but he knew better than to push the aristocratic wizard's tolerance when it came to proper behavior in front of a guest. Guests were sacrosanct in the Malfoy home, meaning they were accorded all respect and hospitality, and it was the task of the host to see to the guest's comfort.

It was a lesson Draco had learned long ago, when he was six and had broken that unwritten law by throwing chess pieces at Gregory Goyle, the son of one of Lucius' business associates, in a temper because the other boy had beaten him. One of the pieces had hit Greg in the head, leaving a bruise. Draco had been made to apologize and nothing more was said of the matter until Goyle and his son had departed. Afterwards, Lucius had given his son both a stern lecture on proper behavior towards a guest and a sound spanking. Draco had never forgotten it.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

Heatherton Cottage

Same day:

While Lily was grateful to be invited to dine with the Malfoys on Saturday, it left her with a dilemma. What to wear? She didn't want to appear too fancy or too casual, and as soon as they arrived home, she went to her room to ransack her closet. Harry went to hang up his robes and read some of his new book The Standard book of Spells: Level One. Severus went to put away his potions ingredients and answer some mail from former patients. And Theo went to tell Lucy about the Malfoys' invitation.

He found his mother deftly chopping carrots and leeks for a savory pork ragout, and leaned on the end of the counter while she diced and tossed the vegetables into the stew pot. "Want me to chop up some things?" he offered, he had been helping Lucy cook since he was able to handle a knife without cutting himself at age six.

"No, dearie. I'm almost finished here. But thanks for offering. Got the bread cooling over on the rack." She waved a hand towards the loaf of freshly baked multi-grain bread sitting upon the wire rack at the opposite end of the counter.

"Smells great, Ma," Theo sniffed appreciatively.

"So what did tha' do today in Diagon Alley?" Lucy asked, sensing her son was bursting with news.

Theo quickly regaled her with tales of the shops they had visited and how they had eaten at Fortescue's and he helped Lily pick out a Quidditch jersey for Harry. Then he told her about the meeting with the Malfoys in Madam Malkin's. "Mum, they invited us to their house on Saturday—Severus, Lily, Harry, and me. For dinner."

Lucy's brows went up. "Well, fancy that! I never would have thought Lucius Malfoy to lower himself to keep company with half-bloods and Muggleborns. He's a far cry from his dad, Abraxus. That one wouldn't ha' given a half-blood water if they were dying o' thirst and he'd ha' stepped o'er a Muggleborn bleeding in the road without a moment's notice, he was that cold-hearted and full o'hisself! Seems like Lucius has better manners than his old man, aye?"

Theo nodded. "He's got a son my age, Draco, and a little daughter, Aradia, who's Severus' godchild. She about two or thereabouts. His wife seems nice also, not one with her nose in the air."

"She'd be Narcissa Black, or was before she married Lucius. Another family who has ancient blood and even more ancient pretensions, my boy. I knew her sisters, Andromeda and Bellatrix." Lucy snorted. "They was allus puttin' on airs, like they were royalty. Humph! 'Tis good to see that Cissy wised up. Like I always say, the higher thee climbs, the further tha falls if tha don't watch thy step, eh?"

Theo shook his head in agreement. "But Mum, what about you? What'll you do with us gone for dinner?"

Lucy laughed. "Why, I'll have myself a regular holiday, Theodore Nott! Put my feet up by the fire an' laze about readin' a good book, so I will."

But Theo frowned, his lower lip jutting out stubbornly. "It ain't right, Ma. You bein' here all alone while we go dine with rich folk. Why don't you come with us? You're as good as any of them."

Lucy's eyebrows shot up. "I couldna' do that, Theo. I wasna' invited."

Her son's frown turned stormy. "I don't see why not. Why shouldn't you come? You never go anywhere, you stay behind all the time. Just because you're Severus' housekeeper now doesn't mean you have to be chained to the cottage like a slave!"

Lucy stared at him, astonished. "Theodore Nott, bite thy tongue, lad! I've never in my life been a slave to anyone, much less Healer Snape. Why, he treats us like his own kin. And shame to thee for suggesting otherwise," she waggled a reproving finger at him.

Theo hung his head. "Aye, I know. I didn't mean Healer Snape, Ma, but sometimes it seems like you stay here 'cause you're ashamed or something 'cause your people threw you out an' me along with you . . ."

"Lad, I've never been ashamed of the choices I made," Lucy said, reaching out to ruffle her son's hair. "Or of thee . . . until now, that is. Thou art my son, an' as good as any pureblood wi' a load of Galleons ever born. Tha ought to understand, Theo, that if I stay here at Heatherton, it's naught to do with shame or guilt, it's 'cause I wish to. Thee forgets, lad, once I belonged to that life—the life of privilege an' servants, of wealth and power. An' I had my fill and then some of it. 'Twas not for me, and it's why I ran off with thy dad. I've never regretted it. Nary once. I've no wish to go and hobnob with the rich and famous, my lad. Those days are done an' I'd not be reminded of them. I'm content to be ordinary Lucy Nott, housekeeper, rather than Lady Lucinda, do tha see?"

"Then . . . you don't mind?"

"Not a bit, Theo. I've been to hundreds of fancy dinner parties, an' they're all alike after awhile. Fancy dishes, fancy sauces, an' polite conversation over nothing. No, lad, go on wi' thee. Enjoy thyself an' don't worry thy head over me. I'll be happy with a good broth of neeps and taties an' some fresh bread an' a glass of ale. Or shepherd's pie. No need for me t'struggle wi' some fancy outfit neither. I can be comfortable in my old skirt and robe." She smiled at her son. "I don't miss it, Theo. Fancy trimmings and clothes don't make a decent witch or wizard. It's what's here that counts." She thumped a hand over her heart. "Mind thee remembers that."

"I will, Mum." Then he stood and limped around the trestle to hug her.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

Meanwhile, Lily was pulling out all of her skirts, blouses, and robes and examining them critically. She began to mix and match styles and colors, rejecting over half of them. Finally she had four combinations left to choose from and couldn't make up her mind. She put on a pretty tunic length shirt in a royal blue color with a mandarin collar and silver buttons shaped like lilies. The sleeves belled at the wrists and she had a long black skirt made of crinkly cotton with silver Celtic knot work about the hem. Small black suede half-boots completed the look. Lily wound a silver silk scarf about her head to keep her wild locks tamed.

She stepped out of her room to ask Lucy's opinion of the outfit, and met Severus on his way to his room. "Sev, what do you think?" she asked, turning about so her skirt flared.

Severus put his chin in his hand and considered . . . for about thirty seconds, before replying, "You look magnificent, Lily."

She gazed at him doubtfully. "Are you sure you're not just saying that, Severus? You said the same thing when I was wearing ordinary jeans and a T-shirt yesterday."

His eyes roamed up and down her lithe frame leisurely. "Can I help it if you look good in everything?"

She snorted. "You're not helping, Sev! I need an honest opinion here."

"I am being honest."

"No, you're being tactful. You'd probably say I looked magnificent in sackcloth and ashes."

"Or nothing at all," he murmured under his breath.

"What did you say?" she gasped, blushing.

He blushed too, but then rallied with, "Nothing but the truth. Lily, you're an attractive woman, I have always thought so. What you wear only accents your natural beauty. However, if you'd like a woman's opinion, by all means ask Lucy. She used to be up on all the latest fashions." He spread his hands. "I can't tell you about current fashions, all I can tell you is what I think about your choice of outfit. Which suits you brilliantly. It's sophisticated, simple, and elegant. You'll put Narcissa Malfoy in the shade, if that's what you're worried about."

"Severus!" she smacked him lightly on the arm. "Narcissa is the epitome of the elegant court lady while I'm just . . . an ordinary girl from Manchester."

"Lily, one thing you're not is ordinary. Not to me." He said huskily. He longed to take her in his arms and kiss her breathless. But he held onto his control by the slimmest of margins. It was too soon. But everything in him cried out to hold her, caress her, to ignite within her the same fire that licked through him every time he allowed himself to look at her as more than his best friend.

She stepped close to him. "You flatter me, Severus Snape." Her breath misted over him.

He shuddered inwardly. "No. I speak the truth, Lily. Always."

She lifted her head and looked him right in the eyes. He stared right back, loving the way her expressive emerald eyes had a slight tilt to them, making her look like a curious cat. An undercurrent of heat flashed through him as their gazes met.

"You truly mean that," she whispered, feeling all at once the same fiery desire. She wanted to put her arms about him, to pull his mouth down on hers and kiss him the way she had never kissed any man in her life. But she hesitated. Did he feel the same about her? Or did he still regard her as a friend?

He saw the uncertainty in her eyes and nearly stepped back. Perhaps this wasn't the right time. Then all at once he took her in his arms, tentatively at first. When she moved into his embrace, wrapping her arms about his neck, he lowered his head and kissed her.

Lily gasped, for the kiss electrified her, it was sweet and fiery, gentle and demanding by turns and she never wanted it to end. It silenced all the doubts she had had and she ceased to wonder if Severus thought of her as just a friend. No man kissed a woman this way unless he truly desired her. Fire ignited deep within her and licked its way up her spine.

Then Severus recalled where he was, in the middle of the hallway, where either of the boys could walk by and see him in a passionate embrace with his houseguest. He reluctantly drew away, ending the brief interlude. "Forgive me. I . . . got carried away."

"There's nothing to forgive, Sev. We're both adults and . . . I'd love for you to carry me away again. When we have some privacy, that is." She cast him a look that left him no doubt that she desired him. Then she smiled and spun on her heel, returning to her room.

He watched her go, then called, "Aren't you going to ask Lucy her opinion?"

"I don't need to. If this outfit drew that reaction out of you, Severus, it's obviously the right one. Thank you," she chuckled, then quietly closed the door.

She twirled about in front of her mirrored vanity, feeling as giddy as a sixteen-year-old receiving her first real kiss. Come to think about it, Severus had given her that first kiss. But Merlin, he had learned a few things since then, she thought, lightly touching her lips and giggling.

Then she carefully removed her blouse, skirt, and boots, dressing again in her casual clothing. She now couldn't wait for Saturday night.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

Twinkling fairy lights illuminated the walkway to the front entrance of Malfoy Manor, glittering and spinning among the topiary hedges and rosebushes lining the path to either side. The manor was a large stone affair, having been built sometime during the reign of Henry II and redesigned and added onto during the Elizabethan and Georgian eras. It was both imposing and tasteful, with its wrap around balconies, turrets, and the large open air portico with the small peaked roof over the double doors, reminiscent of the Greco-Roman style of architecture made popular in the 1700's.

Severus walked quickly up the stairs to the double doors, painted Slytherin green, and knocked firmly upon the door with the beast-shaped knocker.

Harry gasped upon seeing the oddly shaped knocker. "Look, Theo! It's the Questing Beast!"

"Like in the tales of King Arthur!" Theo murmured. "Wicked!"

"It has the head and neck of a serpent, the body of a leopard, the haunches of a lion and the feet of a doe. Its name comes from the great noise it emits from its belly, a barking like thirty couple hounds questing," Harry quoted along with Theo. Both boys had read the Arthurian legends so often they could practically recite them word for word.

The doors swung open and a small elf dressed in a tea towel bowed low to them. "My name is Dobby and Master Lucius and Mistress Narcissa bid you welcome to Malfoy Manor. It is an honor to serve! Please follow Dobby to the drawing room where—"

Dobby's carefully rehearsed speech was interrupted by a loud squeal. "Unca Sevvie's here, 'Raco!"

The sharp tripping tapping of tiny heels was heard as Aradia raced towards the entrance, her curls flying and eyes shining. "Unca Sevvie!"

She threw herself headlong at her godfather, who quickly knelt to catch her in his arms. He was immediately smothered in kisses by the little girl. "I missed you!" she declared.

Harry, Theo, and Draco smothered giggles behind their hands, and Lily looked over at Narcissa and Lucius and muttered, "He does have a way with the ladies, doesn't he?"

"Indeed," was all Lucius said, straightfaced.

"Mama, Papa, Unca Sevvie's here!" Aradia announced, grinning from ear to ear.

"Yes, I can see that, darling," Narcissa smiled. "Now why don't you let Uncle Sevvie breathe and come help me pick some flowers for the table? We need to make the table look pretty for dinner."

Aradia considered. She adored her godfather, but also enjoyed helping Mama like a big girl.

"Aradia, if you go with your mother and help like a good girl, I'll have a surprise for you after dinner," Severus persuaded. He had purchased a small stuffed dog for her at Diagon Alley, one that was charmed to behave like a real dog, for the girl loved dogs, but was allergic to their fur and so couldn't have one of her own. Her parents kept hoping she might grow out of it, and Severus was working on making a potion to help her control her allergy, but hadn't perfected it for a child's system yet.

"You will? Pwomise?" she shot her godfather a look that could have melted stone.

"Yes." He handed her to Narcissa.

Lucius politely greeted the rest of his guests, then turned to Draco and suggested he show Harry and Theo about the backyard while he served cocktails to Lily and Severus in the drawing room.

After obtaining cold butterbeers from Dobby, along with some small cakes, ham and cheese toast points, and mini sausage rolls, Draco led the way out into the yard. The grounds at the manor were extensive, and contained a deer park and a small forest where you could fish or explore the woods. Many times, Draco had followed Severus on his potion ingredient expeditions, and so was a budding botanist and junior potion maker.

"Over here's the pool," Draco indicated a fenced in area with an in-ground pool that looked like a natural pond with steps carved into rock. Next to that was a small kiddie play park, it had swings, a slide, a set of monkey bars and a small children's play castle. "That used to be mine, but now Aradia plays with it." There was a walkway surrounded by hedges, Draco took them down a few feet and showed them a gazebo and tennis courts.

Theo's eyes almost fell out of his head when he saw the child-sized Quidditch pitch and broom shed. "Holy Merlin! You've got your own pitch!"

"Father thought it was a good idea when I started getting into Quidditch to have my own private training area." Draco explained, looking slightly embarrassed. "I'd have rather gone to the local Junior Quidditch League, but Father said it's better to have my own coach so . . ."

"Could we . . . play a game or two?" Harry asked.

"Sure! But we might not have time to finish before supper," Draco said, looking pleased.

Harry had the feeling that the Malfoy's heir was lonely, it was obvious that Lucius and Narcissa preferred to keep their son close at hand. Harry could relate to that, since he'd never had any friends either until meeting Theo at Heatherton Cottage.

Abruptly, Harry recalled that Theo couldn't play with them, and asked apologetically, "Uh, would you mind, Theo? I forgot that you can't fly."

"No, that's all right, Harry. You two play, I'll keep score."

"Why won't you play?" Draco asked. "Are you afraid of heights or get sick flying?"

"No, it's because . . . I'm a Squib."

"Oh." Draco looked uncomfortable. "Then you'll be score keeper. That's an important job too." He went to get the brooms and balls from the shed.

Harry felt like an insensitive idiot for not remembering Theo couldn't play Quidditch without another wizard, like Severus or Lily, to fly with him. "Sorry, Theo. I can't believe I forgot that you can't fly a broom. I'm such an idiot!"

"It's all right, Harry. I almost forgot myself after seeing this," Theo said easily. "Don't worry, I'm not mad. Like Draco said, I can keep score and make sure neither of you cheats."

"I don't cheat!" Harry objected.

"You did when Severus and I raced you that time."

"I wasn't really cheating, just . . . trying to even the odds." Harry squirmed in embarrassment as he recalled that fateful day, when he had almost killed Theo by mistake.

"Which is cheating."

Harry scowled. "Fine, but I won't do that again. Not one-on-one Quidditch."

Draco returned with the brooms and he and Harry played an abbreviated version of Quidditch with the Quaffle and Snitch, but no Bludgers, since they had no Beater.

Theo carefully kept score and by the time Dobby came and told them to come in for dinner, the score was tied—12-12.

"Dobby, put the balls and brooms in the shed, please," Draco said and the elf obeyed.

Then the three boys headed back to the manor.

Lily told the boys to wash up before coming to sit at the table, they obeyed hurriedly, for despite their snacks earlier, they had worked up an appetite.

The family and their guests ate in the formal dining room, which reminded Harry of being in a castle, because there were banners with the Malfoy crest on them hanging on the wall amid many portraits of Malfoy ancestors. There was a very long table of polished mahogany with clawed feet that looked to have dated back to medieval times, it had been polished to a soft gloss and had a fine linen table cloth at one end.

Lucius sat at the head, with Lily on his right and Aradia on his left, who had insisted upon sitting next to Uncle Sevvie and Papa. Narcissa was next to Lily and Draco beside her, with Theo and Harry opposite.

Severus and Lucius were wearing tailored dress robes, Lucius had on silvery ones which shimmered like snakeskin and complimented his fair hair. Severus' were black with green trim, and bore a snake curled about a shining globe. His hair was pulled back neatly with a silver clasp and Lily thought she had never seen another man, not even James, as handsome as the Mind Healer.

Lily had on the blue blouse and black skirt ensemble, to her shock Narcissa actually complimented her on her good taste. The lady of the manor was wearing a sparkling gown of icy blue with long pointed sleeves, it was obviously custom made and flattered Narcissa's tall figure. Narcissa had put her hair up, save for a few artful tendrils about her neck, and her honey-gold hair gleamed in the candle light.

Lily preferred to wear her hair down, and it flowed about her shoulders in a red-gold cape, like a fiery corona.

Harry and Theo were wearing their best trousers and dress shirts and shoes. They even had ties, borrowed from Severus. Harry's was blue and Theo's green. Draco had on dress clothes as well, including dress robes.

The first course was served, a delicate offering of deviled eggs, caviar on toast, and chilled shrimp cocktail. That was accompanied by pumpkin juice for the children and white wine for the adults. Next came a mushroom consume, then a main course of roasted pheasant stuffed with chestnuts, grapes and seasoned bread crumbs, or salmon broiled in dill butter, or a chop basted with garlic and new potatoes. There was spinach with garlic and almonds, or a crisp green salad. The salmon was accompanied with whipped turnips seasoned with pepper and butter.

Everything was delicious, and even Theo had to admit, if only to himself, that the house elves were good cooks, almost as good as his mother.

For dessert there was ice cream sundaes or pumpkin crème brulee.

"More tea, Lily?" Narcissa asked, beckoning her personal elf, Sava.

"No thank you, Narcissa. If I eat any more I just might pop." Lily said appreciatively. "Everything was wonderful."

Narcissa smiled. "My house elves are good cooks. Which is just as well, since if Luc and the children were to rely on me to cook, we'd all starve. I can barely put together a sandwich, much less a meal. Cooking wasn't something my mother thought a well-bred girl ought to know."

"That's funny, and just the opposite of what my mother taught me," Lily said. "Where I grew up, cooking was just as important as learning how to sew a hem or clean house. A good wife was expected to know how to feed her husband and keep the house and children in order while he worked. Of course, that was back in my mother's day. Now, both husbands and wives work, but it's still expected that a girl should know how to cook basic meals."

"My mother would have had apoplexy hearing that," Narcissa laughed. "Cooking, according to Mother, was why you had house elves. A woman had an obligation to entertain her guests and promote her husband and his business. I know how to compliment a man in four languages, but I'm beginning to wish I knew how to season a roast or make soup instead."

Across from them, the boys were discussing Quidditch teams and players, while Lucius and Severus discussed the changes Fudge had implemented in the Ministry. Aradia yawned and nearly fell asleep over her sundae, rescued at the last minute by her father, who quickly picked her up and put her in his lap.

The blond imp snuggled against him, sucking her thumb and getting sticky handprints all over the back of his robes.

"Mother, we're all finished. May we be excused?" Draco asked Narcissa. "I want to show Harry and Theo my room."

"Very well."

The house elves vanished their plates and Draco took Harry and Theo to the second floor, where he showed them his room and the game room next to it. They played Wizard Chess, with Theo and Harry on one team against Draco. Harry was glad, since he was terrible at chess of any kind, but Theo proved to be a clever player, checkmating Draco in twenty moves.

Then they played table badminton, at which Draco was a master, and soundly thrashed both Theo and Harry.

Harry asked Draco if he was excited to go to Hogwarts, and the blond answered, "Yes, but it's too bad you won't be there too. If you were, what House would you think you'd be in?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. Gryffindor, maybe. Or Slytherin."

"How about you, Nott?"

Theo considered. "Uh . . . probably Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. I'm not very brave or very cunning."

Below, Lucius had just finished telling Severus and Lily about the new law Fudge and his cabinet were trying to pass that would force all werewolves and any person bearing a "dangerous" talent to register with the Ministry, so the Ministry could make certain that no harm was being done by such individuals.

"What do you mean by "dangerous talents"?" demanded Severus. "Why single out people with unusual gifts as well as werewolves?"

"I think Fudge is afraid. He believes that if he locks up any individual that might be a threat, he'll be safe. What he fails to realize is that his position is never safe and restricting people that way is bound to cause trouble."

"You mean people like Harry, don't you?" queried Severus.

"Yes. Stormcallers are at the top of that list."

"Well, no petty bureaucrat is going to make me register Harry," Lily put in firmly, her eyes flashing her outrage. "My son is not an animal or a-a curiosity to be put on a list and labeled a menace!"

"I quite agree, Lily," Lucius said. "Would that Fudge was so reasonable. But he refuses to listen to me or the other who preach moderation. Instead he allows fear and his UnderSecretary, a vile bitch named Umbridge, to rule him." He looked disgusted.

"Do you think there's a chance the bill might pass?" asked Severus, concerned.

"There's always a chance. We just have to hope it doesn't. I'll keep you informed. In the meantime, I'd suggest you and your apprentice keep a low profile. For Fudge, sometimes out of sight is out of mind."

"We will do so. Thanks for the warning, old friend."

After warming cups of hot cocoa, Severus, Lily, and the boys took their leave. Aradia made a fuss, having woken just as Severus was leaving. But she quieted after Severus gave her the stuffed dog. He gave Draco an ostrich quill and ink set to use at school. Lily was quiet as they walked down the drive to the Apparition point, her mind dwelling on the bill that might yet pass and how it could affect Harry. Severus too was worried, but all Theo and Harry were thinking of was bed, for they were tired and stuffed from dinner and the extra custard tarts they had persuaded Dobby to get them from the kitchen while playing badminton.

11

September Showers

September first came, and Draco boarded the Hogwarts Express, Narcissa, Lucius, and Aradia were there to see him off. Aradia clung to him and cried, until Draco told her she had to be a big girl and help Mama and Papa.

"I can do it, 'Raco!" the little imp said enthusiastically. She gave him a gap-toothed smile, having lost her first front tooth a few days ago. Then she gave him a pitiful frown. "But I'll miss you."

Draco sighed. His baby sister was such a drama queen. "Look, I'll be home for Christmas, Aradia. If you're good while I'm gone, I'll bring you a surprise."

Aradia brightened. "A s'prise? For me?"

"Yes. But only if you're good." He warned.

"I'll be good! I will! I will!"

"Now go to Papa, all right? The train's going to be leaving soon." Draco told her, handing her to Lucius. "I'll see you all for the holidays." He sprang onto the train, turned and waved goodbye to his family, then disappeared inside.

The Malfoys waited until the train left the station before Apparating back home, and Aradia wasn't the only one with tears in her eyes, though Lucius swore it was cinders from the blasted train.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

September was a busy month for all concerned at Heatherton Cottage. Severus had new influx of patients, requiring him to work later hours at the hospital. Lucy and Lily were left to tutor their sons in different courses. They had set up a course of study that was similar to yet different from that at Hogwarts. In the mornings was History and Etiquette Class, where Theo and Harry learned about the history of both wizarding and Muggle Britain, as well as proper etiquette among wizarding families. Lucy taught this class, saying that it was always necessary to learn the forms and good manners, even if you weren't born to a pureblood family, plus it helped the boys understand why and how certain customs came about. Then came Charms, they both taught this one. Lily taught basic charms to Harry and Lucy taught small household and cooking charms to him. While Harry learned those, Theo had advanced maths, which he claimed was as much fun as Charms, because he was very good at geometry and algebra. After lunch, Lily gave them both a potions lesson. Sometimes, if Severus came home early, he would assist her or give an additional lesson. Then Harry would have Transfiguration and Theo would study about magical creatures. They both had Herbology, since even a Squib could participate in that class. For recess, Harry, Lily, and Theo would fly for an hour.

They had Astronomy every other evening, and Theo could participate in all but the spellcasting portion of that class. Severus taught them some basic Healing spells and also English Literature. On Tuesdays and Thursdays they studied Art with Lucy and even visited some museums and art galleries in York and Manchester. Lucy explained that she had to study Etiquette, Magical History, Art, and Music as part of her early education, and also Penmanship. The Penmanship lessons were given by all three adults, and there was a formal lesson for half-an-hour every night before doing homework, but after supper. Lucy said she would make time for Music after the holidays.

Every other evening, Harry would have meditation classes with Severus, and take walks with him out on the moor to fine tune his control over sensing a storm and then walking away from it. This September was a stormy one, and Harry found it difficult to control his power, as his instinct was to first summon a storm and then let it rage, fueled by his power.

Theo and he were out in the herb garden one afternoon, gathering some parsley and thyme for Lucy for tonight's roasted herbed chicken dinner when Harry felt his head start to throb and his eyes burn. He could sense the coming cloudburst on the horizon, and feel the rain storm forming. It made his skin tingle irritatingly.

"Harry? Something wrong?" asked Theo, noticing Harry was just staring off into space, the parsley forgotten limply in his hand.

"A storm's coming," Harry replied in a soft tone.

"Where?" Theo looked around and couldn't spot anything.

"That way. From the west." Harry pointed unerringly towards the setting sun.

"But I don't see any clouds. And there's no wind. Are you sure?"

"Yes. I can feel it." He felt a sudden urge to join with the storm, and his eyes began to glow silver as he started to reach out.

"Harry, stop!" cried his friend in alarm. "Severus said you weren't supposed to call storms unless he was with you."

Harry swung about, his eyes shimmering silver in his face. "I . . . can't help myself, Theo! Get inside! Quickly!"

Theo shivered, for Harry looked utterly unworldly with those silver glowing orbs, and he was frightened of the change in his friend. He turned and bolted for the house, yelling for Lily.

Lily appeared on the back porch. "Theo? What's the matter?"

"It's Harry!" Theo slid to a stop, panting. His crooked foot throbbed. "He said there's a storm coming and he's . . . he's calling it."

"Blessed Merlin! Get in the house, Theo," Lily ordered. Drawing her wand, she approached her son, who was standing still in the middle of the garden, his face lifted towards the sun. "Harry! Look at me!"

But Harry was far away, his mind entwined with the coming storm. He barely heard Lily, his whole focus was upon the clouds, wind, and rain sweeping down towards him.

"Harry!" Lily reached out and shook his shoulder hard. "Let go of the storm and look at me." She pulled his head about until his silver gaze was looking at her face.

He blinked. "Mum? The storm . . . it's calling to me," he cried. "Can't you feel it?" On the horizon, thunderheads appeared, and the air was suddenly laced with the ozone scent of lightning.

"Harry, listen to me. I want you to try and ignore the storm as best you can. Close your eyes and keep your mind here with me. Don't focus on the storm, don't reach out to it. Leave it be." Lily said, trying to keep her voice even and calm.

"But I have to, Mum!"

"No, you don't, Harry. Break off the contact." Lily urged, wishing she knew Mind Magics like Severus did.

Harry's face twisted as he tried to do as his mother said. It was hard, letting go. But he finally disengaged from the storm front and shook his head. "I . . . I don't feel that good." He groaned.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Lily asked tenderly, reaching a hand up to feel his forehead. "Great Merlin! You're on fire!" she gasped.

"I feel all cold and shivery," her son groaned. "My head hurts and I feel dizzy."

Lily put an arm about him. "Let's get you in the house, Harry. You might have a kind of spell drain. You certainly have a fever."

Lily managed to get Harry to his room, and helped him undress and get into pajamas. She then called Theo and asked him to tell Lucy that she needed a Fever Reducer, a Pain Reliever, and a glass of ice water.

"Is Harry going to be all right, Lily? He looks horrible." Theo said. Harry looked gray and his eyes, though no longer silver, looked glassy.

"Yes. He just needs some potions and some rest." Lily said. She went into the bathroom cabinet and fetched a Dreamless Sleep vial.

Harry swallowed all his potions with a grimace, washing them down with the ice water. Lily sat beside him, gently stroking his hair until he fell asleep. He slept peacefully until the storm arrived, then he stirred restlessly in his sleep, moaning.

Lily listened to the sound of rain on the roof, normally a sound that soothed her, but not today. Today she wished the rain would go away, for she wanted her son to be able to sleep peacefully and not cause the storm to get worse. Right now it was a hard rain and windy, but without thunder or lightning.

Beneath a light sheet, Harry tossed and turned. Lily stroked his hair and whispered, "Sleep, my Harry. Just sleep." Then she looked out the window and hissed at the storm. "Go away, damn you! Just go away!"

The rain pattered down, and soaked the ground. Lily grew more agitated, as Harry groaned and thrashed about. But finally he settled, as the storm drifted off.

"How is he?" asked Lucy, standing in the doorway.

Lily looked up at her. "He's sleeping a bit easier now that the rain has stopped. I think he would have tried to become one with the rain again, if not for the Dreamless Sleep. Oh, Lucy! I don't want him taking that potion too much, it can be horribly addictive, but what could I do?"

"You did what tha had to, Lily," Lucy reassured her. "If Severus were here, he would have probably done the same."

"Sev wouldn't need to. He could just trance him," sighed Lily.

"True. But he wasna here, and thee handled it just fine."

"If you say so." Lily peered again at Harry, smoothing his hair from his brow. She bent and kissed her son on his scar. "I think I need a bit of a lie down, Lucy. Just until Sev comes home."

Lucy smiled. "Tha go and get some rest. Before you become all peaky, eh?"

"Right." Lily chuckled weakly, then went to her room. She fell asleep almost instantly, only waking when she heard Severus' voice in the hallway, speaking with Theo.

"He started to call another storm, Severus, but then Lily managed to get him to stop and put him to sleep. But it was kind of scary, especially when his eyes did that weird glowing thing." Theo was saying.

"Where are Lily and Harry now?"

"They're asleep." Theo replied.

She heard Severus' soft footstep outside her door and sat up, brushing her hair back from her face and murmuring, "Sev? Is that you?"

The door opened and Severus stood in the doorway, an expression of concern upon his face. "Lily? How are you feeling?"

"Tired. But much better now than before. Severus, we almost had another incident today when that storm blew in . . ." she quickly related the events of the afternoon to him.

He came and laid a hand upon her shoulder. "Lily, you did all right. You kept him stabilized and managed to keep him from summoning an even larger front."

"You would have done better," she disagreed.

"Perhaps. Or perhaps not. It would all depend upon how well he listened to me," Severus said quietly. "You place a great deal of confidence in me, Lily. I am not so certain I deserve it. There is much that I do not know about the nature of a stormcaller, and some of my methods are untried and could fail. All I can do is try my best. Just as you do."

"But Sev, what if my best isn't good enough? What if we . . . lose him?" Lily asked, her lower lip trembling.

"Lily, you have to think positively. So far he has managed to not lose control utterly of himself. That is a good sign. We have to hope that as we teach him, he shall endeavor to gain control over his power, enough so he can resist the madness. That is all we can do, and it is more than anyone else has yet managed."

"You're right. It's just that . . . sometimes I get so scared." Lily whispered, turning her head away to dab at her eyes with the corner of the sheet.

Severus slipped an arm about her, and murmured, "Me too, Lily. But we can't let fear rule us. Then we shall be useless to help Harry."

"I know." She abruptly turned back and hugged the Mind Healer. "Thank you, Sev. For always being there when I need you."

He hugged her back and didn't say anything. Her heartfelt regard was all he needed. And he prayed that he could keep her son from the path of self-destruction that always seemed to follow in a stormcaller's wake.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

Another storm lashed the moor and the surrounding area near Heatherton Cottage two days later. This time Severus was at home, it being his day off. Harry was inside, writing an extra essay for Lily for "forgetting" to do his homework in Astronomy and going exploring in the small wood just outside the cottage with Theo the previous evening. Lily had been quite put out with her son's casual attitude towards homework and had read him the riot act about academics being extremely important, even if he wasn't attending a wizarding academy like Hogwarts, that didn't mean he could choose what assignments to do and ignore those he didn't like.

Harry was feeling irritable, since the approaching storm was beginning to make him get another headache, and he answered his mother back angrily, "All right, Mum! Don't have a hippogriff, it's not like I skipped class, you know."

"Don't you give me any cheek, young man!" Lily scowled, her green eyes snapping. "You know very well you were wrong in not doing homework before going exploring, now mind that mouth before it gets you in worse trouble."

"Like what?" he grumbled. "You are so overreacting. Merlin's pointed hat!"

"Harry! You sass me once more and you'll be over my knee and writing that extra essay with a sore bottom. This is your final warning."

"Yes, ma'am," he muttered, lowering his eyes, but inside he was still seething. Who cared about some stupid old Astronomy assignment anyhow? He turned and headed to his room, muttering about how unfair his mother was and how he wished he had gone to Hogwarts with Draco.

Lily stiffened, having caught some of what her son had muttered, and she longed to give him a firm smack. She didn't know what had gotten into him that day, but she wasn't going to put up with it. She was hurt and angry that Harry didn't think she was a good enough teacher, as if the professors at Hogwarts were any better!

Theo caught her expression and said softly, "Lily, he didn't really mean it. He doesn't know how good he's got it, learning at home instead of with strangers, or stupid kids who make fun of you. I think you're a great teacher. Much better than the ones I had when I went to wizarding primary school." Lucy had tried sending him to one of the private wizarding schools when he was a toddler, but it proved to be an utter disaster, and after Theo had been mocked and bullied for a month, pulled him out and taught him at home.

"Thank you, Theo." Lily gave him a slight smile. "Have you finished reading chapter three yet?"

"No, ma'am. But I'm almost done."

"Good. You may study until supper."

Severus had returned from Diagon Alley at that precise moment, placed his purchases from the apothecary in his private lab, and went into his room, which had an attached bath, to shower. While he was in the middle of shampooing his hair, there came an almighty crash of thunder. He nearly jumped out of his skin.

The loud noise was followed by a sharp crack of lightning, and Severus quickly rinsed off and shut off the water, not wanting to risk getting electrocuted. He was drying his hair and had just pulled on some trousers and a soft buttondown gray shirt when he heard the sound of glass shattering across the hall.

He tossed the towel on the floor and raced out of the bathroom. Harry's room was across from his and Severus feared the worst as he threw open the door.

The window in front of Harry's desk was a spiderweb of shattered glass and wind and rain was blowing in, scattering Harry's unfinished essay across the floor, along with his quill and ink stand. Harry was standing transfixed in front of the window, his hair plastered to his head from the rain, unmindful of the wet and freezing wind, his eyes fixed upon the huge branch of lightning just outside.

"Harry!" Severus yelled, struggling to be heard over the howl of the wind. Staggering, the Mind Healer managed to make his way into the room, getting splattered with raindrops and his wet hair blown all over by the fierce wind. "Harry, release the storm!"

He grabbed the boy's shoulder, spinning him about.

Once again, Harry's eyes glowed an eerie silver, like liquid mercury. His skin felt hot to the touch, as if he had absorbed the lightning's fire.

"Harry! Pull back!" Severus ordered, trying to bring the boy back to himself. He shook the slender boy slightly.

More thunder crashed and lightning sizzled through the air.

Harry could feel his control splintering as the desire to be one with the storm overwhelmed him. He threw back his head and screamed, feeling the power of the storm reverberate through him, making him burn with the need to strike something. Lightning smashed into the ground a few feet away from the house, drawn by Harry's anger.

"Stop it, Harry!" Severus ordered sternly. He touched the boy on the forehead with his wand. Then he slipped inside the boy's mind, trying to create a mindshield that would cut Harry off from the storm's power, enabling him to quit feeding off it, and becoming lost within the maelstrom of wind, rain, and lightning.

Harry fought him at first, but he was no match for a disciplined Mind Healer, and though he had a strong will, it was not strong enough to pit himself against Severus. Abruptly he felt his connection to the storm begin to dim. He could still feel its might, but not with the urgency he had previously.

"Breathe, Harry. And focus. That's it, look at me and remember who you are." Severus encouraged.

Harry took several deep breaths, feeling his chest tighten. He wanted so badly to shove Severus away and jump out the window, becoming one with the savage little squall. But Severus' mind clamped down even harder on the shields, forcing Harry to ignore the siren song of the sudden storm.

Harry shuddered all at once, and exhaled sharply. All of the tension went out of him and he crumpled to the floor, exhaustion sweeping through him. As well as guilt and shame. "I'm sorry, Severus. I . . . I broke the window. I didn't mean to, but when the thunder boomed, I drew the lightning to me, and the window just . . . broke."

Severus helped him to his feet. He mended the window with a brief flick of his wand, then mopped up the mess on the floor with another spell. Harry was wobbly, so Severus steadied him. "You're soaked, boy. Better change before you catch your death of a cold."

Harry's teeth chattered, but he managed to get undressed without further ado and put on some new clothes. He rubbed the side of his head, groaning.

Severus picked him up and carried him to bed. "Stay put, Harry. I need to get some potions from my medicine chest." The Healer departed, leaving Harry with a bad headache, and a churning stomach.

Harry tried to ignore the sick feeling, but it grew worse. He clamped a hand over his mouth, his eyes widening. He wasn't going to be sick, not in his room, he wasn't going to be sick.

Severus returned with the potions but before he could coax Harry to take one, the boy vomited . . . all over Severus' trousers.

Grimacing, the Healer took a step back, gripping his wand. "Child, why didn't you tell me you were nauseous?"

"I didn't mean to, sir!" Harry cried. "It just happened. I'm sorry."

Severus sighed and banished the mess. "It wouldn't be the first time that's happened to me. Do you still feel sick? Would you take a Stomach Soother?"

"My head hurts," whimpered the boy.

Severus nodded, clearly the headaches were a byproduct of the boy's power. He handed Harry a Headache Remedy, which Harry gratefully took. Then he gave him the Stomach Soother. Once Harry's stomach had settled, Severus sat him up on the bed.

But before he could speak further, Lily burst into the room, followed by Theo and Lucy. "Harry, are you all right? I heard . . . at least I thought I heard . . . something crash."

"That would be the window," Severus told her. "But I mended it."

"I'm fine, Mum. Just a little sick."

"Sick?" she glanced questioningly at Severus.

"He vomited all over me. I believe it was caused by his headache, which seems to appear whenever there's a storm in the vicinity or when Harry uses his power." Severus said matter-of-factly.

Lily moved and put a hand on her son's forehead. "Sev, he's burning up!"

Severus immediately cast a diagnostic. He frowned. "He needs a Fever Reducer. And lots of liquids. He seems to have caught a virus on top of his headache."

This time Lily summoned the potion and gave it to him, Harry made a face, but didn't argue. He drank thirstily from the glass of ice water Theo brought in, then lay back against the pillows, feeling gross. His eyes closed slowly and then he slept.

"Poor baby!" Lily whispered, stroking his hair. "How on earth did he contract a virus?"

"Lily, he's not immune to disease. He could have caught it from me, I'm surrounded by people at the hospital, and some of them sneeze or cough right on me. Don't fret, he should be fine in a day or two."

Severus was correct in his assessment. Harry recovered in a day, only to have Lily and Theo come down with the same virus two days later.

Severus was kept busy nursing the two of them over the weekend. Lily improved after a day or two, but Theo oddly enough did not. The young Squib remained in the grip of a high fever, thrashing and groaning as terrible muscle spasms wracked his small frame. Severus struggled to keep liquids down him, and Lucy hovered at his bedside, praying he wouldn't die, for he was slowly dehydrating and his fever was dangerously high.

"Lily, I need more ice!" Severus ordered tersely.

Lily pointed her wand and conjured more ice cubes into the large galvanized steel tub with the cold water.

Severus lifted the nearly comatose Theo and slipped him into the freezing tub. Despite all the Fever Reducers and water he and Lucy had administered, the boy's fever refused to break. It had climbed dangerously high and the only solution Severus could come up with was the ice water bath. He could not figure out why a mild virus had caused such a terrible reaction in the boy, especially since Harry had also had it and recovered. Lily's reaction had been a bit more severe, but then sometimes that occurred when an adult contracted a children's illness. Theo should have been able to throw off the symptoms, he was hardly ever sick and had the constitution of a hippogriff.

Instead he was wracked by odd muscle spasms and a fever that soared into the realm of life threatening within forty-eight hours. The Mind Healer was baffled by the swift progression of the disease, and said quietly to Lucy, "If this fails, we'll need to bring him to St. Mungos for treatment. They can put him in stasis until they figure out what's causing these extreme symptoms." He had cast a Floating Charm over the boy's head, so Theo's head would be kept above the water while submerged in the icy water.

"What if they can't figure it out, Severus? What then?" Lucy asked, her voice sharp with fear.

"You mustn't think like that," Severus said, his tone reassuring. But inside he was praying as hard as his housekeeper to save the life of the child who had become like a son to him. "As long as there is breath in his body, there is hope." He re-cast the diagnostic again. "Still high, but he's starting to respond."

Lucy, looking pale and drawn, sat down beside the tub.

Lily gave her a look of sympathy and understanding, for she knew exactly how the other witch felt. It was what she would have felt if that had been Harry lying in that water, burning from the inside out with a strange fever. She continued to conjure ice cubes without being told.

Harry lingered outside the door, watching the adults try and save his friend. He felt useless, and wished for once that he had the power to heal instead of summon storms. He approached the knot of adults hesitantly, his footsteps faltering as he neared the tub.

"Mum? Is . . . is Theo going to be all right?"

Lily looked up, her wand continuing to shoot out ice cubes. "I hope so, Harry. We're doing as much as we can to bring down his fever."

Harry looked down at his friend, whose face was deathly pale save for two spots of color high in his cheekbones. To his eyes, Theo looked more like a corpse ready for burial than the friend who had played with him and studied with him a few days ago. The words Is he going to die? hovered unspoken upon his lips. Instead he asked, "Why is he so sick?"

"I don't know," replied Lily.

Harry bit his lip. "It's my fault, isn't it? I gave it to him."

Severus shook his head. "It's no one's fault. You can't blame yourself for a virus, Harry. There was no way for you to know such a thing would make Theo as ill as he is."

"But . . ."

"No, Harry. What's happened to Theo is not your fault at all. People catch diseases all the time, blaming yourself for it is senseless and serves no purpose except to make you miserable."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

Severus considered. Finally he replied, "Yes. Go out to the herb garden and gather some feverfew and grind it up for me. I'll need it when I brew more Fever Reducer." Giving Harry something to do would keep his mind off of how critically ill Theo was.

"I'll be back as soon as I can!" Harry said, then turned and ran from the room.

"That was kind of you, Sev, giving him something to do," Lily remarked.

Severus nodded wearily. "It's better than having him hovering and worrying, perhaps summoning another storm over this." He cast the temperature diagnostic over again.

"How is it?" asked Lucy.

"Still not within normal fever range, but it did go down a degree or so. The ice water is having and effect, though not as quickly as I would like." He checked his watch. "Another ten minutes and we'll have to remove him from the water for ten minutes, then resubmerge him."

After waiting the requisite ten minutes, Severus levitated the boy out of the tub and Lucy dried him, wrapped him in a thick terrycloth robe heated with a Warming Charm and put him back in bed. Even though he had a raging fever, Theo could still become chilled, hence the warmed robe.

Harry returned from grinding and gathering the feverfew. "I'm finished, Severus. How's Theo doing?"

"He is slightly better than before," Severus said, then made another intuitive decision. "Lucy, send your Patronus to me if I don't return after ten minutes. I shall be in my lab brewing more Fever Reducer. Harry, come with me. You can assist me."

Harry eagerly followed the Healer, anxious to be doing something useful, as he felt guilty that Theo was sick, leaving the two witches to hover over Theo.

Once he had a cauldron bubbling with the Fever Reducer, a simple enough potion to prepare, Severus turned to Harry and beckoned him out of the lab. But instead of returning to Theo's bedside at the retainer's cottage, Severus led Harry into the den of Heatherton Cottage and sat down. "We have a few more minutes before I'll need to return and see how Theodore is progressing. Is there anything you wish to discuss with me, Harry?"

Harry bit his lip. He felt compelled to apologize for getting Theo sick, despite Snape's earlier statement. "Severus, I know you said it wasn't my fault, but . . . I can't help thinking if it weren't for me coming down with this stupid virus, Theo would be fine."

Severus gave the boy a penetrating stare, then shook his head. "Harry, as I told you before, there's no point in blaming yourself for Theo becoming ill. I could have brought the virus home to all of you by coming into contact with someone at the hospital."

"Then why didn't you get sick?"

"Do you know what a carrier is?"

"A carrier?" Harry looked perplexed. "Not really."

"A carrier is a person or animal who is immune or resistant to disease, allowing them to "carry" the germs within their body and not become ill. If that is what happened, and we don't know for certain it is, then I am as guilty as you claim yourself to be for making Theodore sick." Severus explained. He tentatively put an arm about the miserable boy's shoulders. "However, we don't know if that's the case, and even so there's no sense in pointing fingers. The important thing is that he recover from this, not blaming whoever happened to bring the sickness home."

"But . . . he could die . . . couldn't he?" Harry made himself ask the question that had haunted him.

"It is possible," agreed the Healer, knowing better than to deny it, much as he would have liked to. "But I will do everything in my power to prevent it."

Harry hung his head. "I wish . . . I had the power to cure him, instead my stormcaller gift. If I could heal . . . it'd be so much more useful than summoning stupid thunderstorms. I'm scared, Severus. I don't want to lose the first friend I ever had." To his acute distress and shame, Harry found his eyes smarting with tears. They welled up and dribbled down his face despite his attempt to wipe them away with his sleeve. He couldn't seem to get control over himself, despite the many 'lessons' he'd had growing up about boys keeping a stiff upper lip and not crying like a little baby. He sniffled hard, but the traitorous tears continued to fall.

To his shock, Severus didn't sneer at him, but instead pulled him into his side. "There now, Harry. It's all right to cry."

Severus' words, spoken in a tone of quiet understanding and sympathy, were just what Harry needed to allow himself to release the stranglehold upon his emotions. All at once, the boy turned, gripping the Healer's robes hard in his fists, and shoved his face against the other's shoulder. Huddled against the Healer, he began to cry softly. A part of him still fought against the tears, but they came inexorably, soaking the Mind Healer's robes.

"Good. That's it, child. There's no shame in tears." Severus murmured, gently rubbing the boy's back and shoulders.

Harry would have smiled if he hadn't been sobbing quietly, for this was the first time anyone had ever praised him for bawling like a baby. He didn't understand why it made Severus happy to see him weeping, but right then he was too upset to dwell much on the odd reaction.

The Mind Healer said nothing further, just held the boy. Harry was wound tighter than a clock spring, and had badly needed such a release, Severus didn't need to be a Mind Healer to know that. Tension had been pouring off the boy in waves ever since Theo had become progressively worse, and no one knew better how guilt trapped one in a vicious cycle of regret and remorse than Severus Snape, who had blamed himself for years for not being able to awaken Lily from her coma. That failure had been among the worst he had ever had to deal with, and it had made him question his ability to heal, and even his purpose in becoming a Mind Healer. Eventually he had come to realize what he had told Harry—that sometimes things happen beyond your control and you simply had to pick up the pieces and go on, because blaming yourself was an exercise in futility. Oddly enough, it was Lucy who had helped him the most during that dark time. The young witch had understood intimately what it was like to be censored for past choices and have to pick up the pieces of your life and go on, mourn the past though you might.

Harry would have lingered longer in Snape's arms, as it was unheard of for him to receive comfort from any adult authority figure in his life, except his mother, but just then a swirling icy white majestic bear appeared in front of Severus.

The bear seemed almost translucent, and then it spoke in Lucy's voice. "Severus, come up here! I think . . . I think he's having a seizure or something! Help me!"

Severus was on his feet instantly, setting Harry on the ground. Without another word, he vanished, Apparating away to Theo's room in the flicker of an instant.

Harry swallowed hard, debating if he should follow, then squared his shoulders and decided he couldn't stand being alone here, waiting for something to happen, or to be told Theo had passed away. He bolted for the back door of the main house, and raced across the yard at a dead sprint.

When he arrived at the cottage, panting and disheveled some five minutes later, he charged through the house to Theo's room like an express train gone insane. Upon reaching his friend's room he paused on the threshold to catch his breath. Severus was there, pinning a wildly thrashing Theo to the bed by brute force.

Harry's eyes widened in horror as strange animal-like noises came from Theo's mouth, his head was jerking up and down violently, as if directed by a savage puppeteer. Theo's eyes were opened and rolled back in his head so that only the whites showed.

"Lily, call St. Mungos!" Severus growled, scarlet with the effort of holding the child down. Theo had seemed to gain the strength of giants and writhed and thrashed like one possessed.

Lily whirled and ran for the fireplace in the main room, shoving Harry aside as she did so, not even registering that he was there.

Harry remained frozen, certain Theo was going to expire any minute.

Suddenly Theo went still, flopping down like a discarded doll.

Lucy started to sob. "No! Oh no, please!" She ran to grasp her son's hand.

Then she halted as Theo's body suddenly arched upward and was surrounded by a strident blue and icy purple light. There came several loud and sharp crackling sounds and a moan that scaled upwards into a kind of shrieking roar.

"Merlin have mercy!" Lucy screamed. "Severus, what's happening to him?"

Severus had been forced to release his hold, as the boy's sudden spasm had thrown him off quite harshly. He landed on his backside on the floor and had just sprang back to his feet when the purple and blue haze surrounded Theo. Shielding his eyes from the blinding corona of magical energy, he replied, "Lucy, I believe he's going through some sort of magical transformation."

"Transformation?" cried the terrified mother. "But he's a Squib! Are you sure he's not dying?"

As they watched, the light grew brighter until it obscured Theo's form from view.

They were forced to turn their heads away.

The brilliant corona was gone as swiftly as it had come.

When they looked back there was a six-and-a-half foot cold drake sprawled upon the bed where Theo had been.

The near cousin to a dragon, the cold drake was smaller and more serpentine than its dragon cousin, with a long whippy tail and frills upon either side of his head. He had four legs, the hind ones were stronger than the forefeet, with powerful dagger-sharp claws. The forefeet bent at the elbow and had small prehensile toes with retractable nails. Slender wings grew out from the shoulders, and as the cold drake righted itself, began to flap like sails in the wind. The drake was colored a magnificent pearlescent white and frost blue, with deeper purple tints on the toes, tail tip, nose, and frills. He had huge luminous violet eyes, and the off hind foot was slightly crooked, but hardly noticeable.

He gazed about the room and gave a startled half-roar, examining his new form in amazement.

"Theo? Oh, Magnificent Merlin!" gasped Lucy, tears streaming down her face. "I should have known. But it's been so long since anyone has inherited the ability . . . not since my grandfather . . . I'd forgotten the stories of the shifting sickness the first time the transformation occurred . . . and thee a Squib besides! Who would have thought?"

"Theo? Bloody hell, you're a dragon!" cried Harry.

"Not a dragon, a cold drake," Lucy corrected. "A drake is a smaller cousin to a dragon, bred to survive the extreme cold of the far north, and it breathes icy gusts instead of fire, cold enough to freeze you solid."

Harry whistled and just stared at his friend, who was wriggling his frills and contorting his head to examine his wings and tail.

"You're familiar with this transformation, Lucy?" Severus sputtered.

"Yes, it's a trait that's been in my family for generations, given centuries ago when one of my ancestors on my father's side saved the life of a nest of cold drake hatchlings. He hid them from poachers and kept them warm with his own body heat. When the mother returned after trying to lead the poachers away, she found Marcus Nott near frozen to death. She warmed him with a spell and thanked him, and shared her blood in a magical ritual, giving him the ability to assume a cold drake's shape for a night and a day every three days. The gift was passed down through his heirs, but sometimes it skipped generations, as it did with my grandfather, who was the last to inherit it. He always thought my brother would inherit the gift, but he never did. Oh, he would be green with jealousy if he were to learn his Squib grandson received it instead!"

Harry approached his transformed friend. "Hey, Theo. Can you understand me?"

The cold drake bobbed his head.

"Can you talk?"

The drake shook his head, then suddenly nodded. Narrowing his violet eyes, he concentrated hard.

*Harry, it's me, Theo.* A strange silvery voice spoke inside Harry's head. *Not sure if I'm doing this right, but . . .can you hear me?*

"Sure I can, though it's weird hearing you inside my head."

"You can hear him in your mind?" asked Severus.

"Yeah, but he says it's hard for him to project stuff, he needs to concentrate." Harry said.

"Do you remember who you are? Who we are? Where you are?" Severus fired off questions, testing the boy's memory.

*Of course, Severus! I'm Theodore Nott, you're Severus Snape, that's my mum, and that's Harry, my best friend. And I think I'm in my bed, but everything looks kind of strange in this shape. My eyes feel all funny.*

"Cold drakes see differently than humans do," Severus told him. "Your vision is more sideways than forward."

"Theo, you're magnificent!" Lucy said, then she walked over and hugged the frost-colored drake, weeping.

Lily returned and said, "I contacted St. Mungos, they said to Floo him over immediately . . . ." Her jaw hung open as she caught sight of the cold drake. "Flaming bloody hell! Where is Theo?"

"He's right here, Mum. He's become a cold drake!" Harry announced, overjoyed that his friend had a special magical talent after all. "Now you can fly, Theo."

Theo bobbed his head, his violet orbs shimmering with delight. * I know. I can't wait.*

While Lucy explained the nature of her son's transformation to an astonished Lily, and Harry and Theo talked about how great it was going to be to go flying together, Severus Floo-called St. Mungos to tell the emergency staff not to expect Theo in their ward, since the crisis had resolved itself and Theo was out of danger. That way they wouldn't waste precious time wondering where their new patient was and could move on to others who needed them. He then headed back into the bedroom, wanting to question and observe Theo himself, as this was the first time he had ever encountered an inherited shifter ability which was not the result of a curse.

As he entered, he heard Harry ask, "Uh, Theo? When you . . . transformed, did it . . . hurt you?"

*Well . . . at first it hurt like blazes but then . . . it sort of didn't . . .it's hard to explain, Harry. First I was scared out of my wits, I thought for sure I was dying and it felt like my whole body was tearing itself apart and then . . . I was floating and swirling and . . .nothing hurt and suddenly I was back . . . as a cold drake . . . Am I making any sense?*

Harry thought for a moment, then slowly nodded. "Yeah. It's kind of like when I call a storm. Before I call it sometimes my head and neck hurt so bad I want to rip them off and then once I tap into the storm, there's no more pain, just . . .the feel of the storm itself and the power flowing through me. It's sort of scary and yet not really."

Lily was gazing at Theo and frowning. "Theo, can you transform back yourself, or does the transformation have to wear off itself, after a night and a day?"

The cold drake shrugged. *I don't know. Mum, do you?*

Lucy looked at her son with pride. "I'm not entirely certain. The ones who inherited the shifter gift in my family . . . they never really discussed how they shifted or went into detail. They just . . . shifted." She bit her lip, trying to remember. "Although, I do remember my grandfather sayin' once that if he had to, he could will himself to shift back. Only I don't know how he did it. It wasna the sort of thing he discussed with just anybody."

"Would there perhaps be a record somewhere in your family library?" suggested Severus. "A small handbook, perhaps, or even a journal?"

"I doubt it. The Notts never were ones ta keep good records, and usually the elder shifter taught the younger in the family, so there was no need t'write down anything."

"Pity. It would help tutor Theodore ifwe knew exactly how this magic was performed." Severus sighed. "I suppose we shall have to learn by trial and error then. Although perhaps there may be some texts in St. Mungos that might explain a bit more, since there are so many Transfiguration accidents among children and adults." He yawned suddenly, as exhaustion swept through him. He had not realized just how tired he was until now, he had been up battling Theo's strange malady for almost forty-eight hours.

Lily noticed the sudden fatigue that came over the Mind Healer's face and said softly, "Sev, you look about done in. Why don't you go and have a lie down?"

Severus suddenly turned rather mulish, he hated admitting to any sort of weakness. "I'm fine, Lily."

Lucy snorted. "Aye, now tell me another one. Tha art out on thy feet, no two ways about it. Thee can barely keep thy eyes open, Healer Sev. Best tha listen to Lily and forget thy pride, eh? Pride willna keep thee from falling on thy face when thou art too tired to see straight."

"Humph!" replied Severus, scowling. "I'm not the only one out on her feet, Lucinda Nott. Perhaps you ought to take your own advice, hmm?"

"Aye, perhaps I should," conceded the housekeeper.

"I think we all should," Lily said pointedly. "Including you two boys."

"But Mum, I'm not the least tired," Harry objected, though the truth of the matter was he did feel sleepy after his outburst of emotions and the excitement of discovering Theo had a magical ability. He widened his eyes behind his glasses to make himself seem more awake. "See?"

*Me neither,* added Theo. He thwapped his tail pointedly, almost putting a hole in the wall.

"Theodore! Watch what thy's doing!" scolded his mother.

The young drake lowered his violet eyes, looking ashamed, or as ashamed as a scaly winged kin to dragons could look. *Oops! Sorry, Ma.*

"I don't need a nap, Mum!" continued Harry, sounding rather whiny and indignant at the same time. "I'm eleven, not five."

Lily's eyes narrowed. "This has been a trying few days for everyone, Harry James Potter, now don't argue with me, young man. You may not think you're tired, but I'm sure if you lie down on your bed, you'll find yourself asleep in no time."

"I want to stay here and talk to Theo," stated Harry stubbornly.

Severus pointed his wand and Transfigured a chair into another bed. "There! You can have a conversation with Theodore while you're lying in bed. Now do as your mother says and no more backtalk," he ordered sternly, having no patience for the boy's whiny attitude.

"Okay!" muttered Harry rebelliously, wondering where Snape got off ordering him about that way, like Severus was Harry's father or something.

"Harry, mind your tone," Lily put in, also growing exasperated with her son. "Severus is your elder, now behave and go to sleep. It's for your own good."

Outflanked by the two adults, Harry huffed and obeyed, flinging himself upon the bed. He stared at the ceiling and rolled his eyes.

"Thou ought to get some rest too, Theo," said Lucy, gently caressing the drake's scales. "I'm sure all that shifting tired tha out."

*Only a little bit,* admitted the drake, curling into a ball so as not to damage anything else with his tail.

Severus turned and Apparated back to his room in the main house, and after one last stern look at Harry, Lily followed, Apparating into her bedroom. Lucy had only to go down the hall to her room. Soon the adult witches and wizard were all asleep.

Harry felt himself start to drift off, and tried to fight it, but his eyes shut in spite of himself. His last thought before falling asleep was how unfair it was for his mother to be right. Why did she have to be right all the time?

Theo cocked his head when he heard snores coming from the other side of the room. *Ah, Harry! So much for not being tired!" The cold drake heaved a sigh and folded his wings carefully. Then he rested his snout on his forefeet and slept as well.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

An hour later, Harry woke up and looked around. All was quiet. He peered at Theo, who was snoring slightly, then slipped from the bed and padded silently down the hall, where he heard Lucy breathing heavily. He cracked open her door and saw her curled up in a big feather tester, sleeping soundly. He assumed that if Lucy was still napping, then so were Severus and Lily. Reluctantly, he admitted to himself that he did feel better for taking a nap. He swiftly returned to Theo's room and found the drake sitting up.

*Guess you were more tired than you thought, huh?* the drake sent, his mouth curving up in a sly grin.

"Shut it, Theo!" Harry scowled. "You should have woken me up."

*What for? Your mum was right, you did need sleep and so did I.*

"Mama's boy," Harry taunted, irritated.

*I learned a long time ago not to argue with my mum over some things,* Theo smirked. *Like sleep. It never gets you anything except in trouble.*

"Whatever, oh wise one."

*Watch it, Harry. I can pin your arse to the floor in this form.* threatened the cold drake lightly. He flexed his front claws pointedly.

"But I'll bet you can't outfly me," Harry challenged.

*I was born with wings, Potter! Of course I can outfly you.* Theo chuckled, making a sound like a bubbling growl.

"Why don't we go and find out?" Harry suggested slyly.

Theo looked a bit worried. He wasn't entirely comfortable in his new form, and wasn't sure if he could fly well yet. He wished he'd kept his mouth shut and not boasted of his superior flying ability. *All right, Mr. Smartypants. What's the worst that could happen?*

"Uh . . . you could crash and break your wings? Or your neck?" Harry said, now looking a bit worried himself. Until then, he'd never considered that Theo could get hurt.

"Now you sound like my ma."

"I do not! If she were here, she'd probably chain you to the wall."

"Yours would probably Stick you to the bed," Theo smirked. Then he hopped off the bed and landed lightly on the floor.

He found that his drake form was a bit awkward walking, he tended to waddle more than walk, and his back claws scraped along the floor. Merlin, I hope Mum doesn't notice! She'll make me rub out the scratches by hand.

"Theo, you waddle like a duck," Harry giggled.

Theo bared his teeth and shot a tiny jet of frost at his friend's bottom, making Harry yelp and clap a hand over his backside.

"Ow! Theo!"

*What?*

"My bum's frozen."

The drake snickered. "Serves you right, comparing me to a duck. I eat ducks!"

Harry glared at him. "You're evil!" he rubbed his bottom, trying to coax feeling back into it.

*Now you won't feel it if you fall off your broom trying to catch me.* The drake's eyes twinkled mischievously.

"Ha! You wish." He followed Theo out of the caretaker's cottage and across the lawn. "Wait here while I get my broom."

Once inside Heatherton Cottage, Harry checked to make sure Lily and Severus were sleeping. Then he grabbed his broom from the closet and headed back outside.

He found Theo flapping his wings and he quickly threw a leg over his broom and kicked off. As he rose into the air, he saw a white and blue blur shoot past him and heard Theo's mind voice laughing.

*Come on, Numb Bum, catch me if you can!*

Theo's long sail-like wings caught the air currents effortlessly, and his light frame was perfectly suited for flying. He had discovered all he needed to do to get airborn was to use his strong hind legs to thrust himself into the air and then cup the wind in his wings. In moments he was soaring high, faster than he ever had gone before, straight past Harry into the blue vault of the sky.

Theo gave out a small roar, not the full fledged scream of an adult drake, but a delighted cry that he was now on equal footing with his friend, now he could fly just as fast, if not faster, than a wizard on a broomstick.

*Waa-hoo! I am Tempest the Magnificent, the fastest cold drake in the North!*

The drake suddenly whipped about, discovering that his tail acted like a rudder, enabling him to change direction and spin about in mid-air, as well as keeping him steady when the wind picked up. He swooped and dove across the sky, his keen eyesight allowing him to see everything upon the ground as if he were right next to it. He craned his head around and spotted Harry coming after him, looking both shocked and a little jealous. *Move it, slowpoke! I can see the whole world from up here, Chilly Boy!*

Harry urged his broom to a greater speed, he was quite surprised that Theo had been able to just take off like that. He had expected the drake to be slow getting into the air, but boy had he been mistaken! He soon discovered that Theo was far more maneuverable in the air than his broom, and even with Harry manipulating the wind to give him greater speed, the drake could twist and turn like forked lightning. It made him a little jealous, as his competitive streak surfaced. He had always felt sorry for Theo because he was a squib and needed to be accompanied on a broom, but now Theo was proving that he could fly with the best of them and Harry wasn't at all sure that he liked being shown up.

Drake and wizard played tag all across the moor, challenging each other to duck, weave, corkscrew, and dive. They flew spirals and Harry flew upside down for about two minutes, until he grew dizzy and had to stop. That was one thing Theo couldn't do, he simply wasn't built for it. But he could turn on a Galleon, and had fun blowing icy jets of frost and turning the tips of Harry's ears blue and making icicles form in his messy hair.

"Knock it off, Theo!" Harry snapped, trying to brush the icicles from his hair.

*Don't be such a baby, Harry! I'm just having a bit of fun.* Theo teased, flipping his tail insolently at his friend. *And you can call me Tempest in this form.*

"I'll call you a pain-in-the-ass is what I'll do," Harry mock-growled as icy trickles of water slid down his back. Then he concentrated, and tweaked the wind, making warm air come up from the south and blow upon the sniggering cold drake.

Theo growled, not liking the change in temperature. *Hey! You're making me sick, Potter! I HATE warm air!* He climbed higher in the sky, flying above the clouds and then blew a large cone of frost in front of himself and flew into it. Much better!

"Theo? Where'd you go?" Harry called. "What's the matter? Can't you take a little warm front? Theo!"

Tempest remained silent, hovering in place. He could see through the cloud bank easily with his magical eyes, and soon spotted Harry circling and calling. He waited until Harry was looking off into the horizon before letting out a roar and diving down towards the young stormcaller.

RRAWRR!

"Ahhh!" Harry screeched, nearly falling off his broom. "Tempest, you prat! I almost died!"

Tempest pulled up, grinning a roguish draconic grin. *Gotcha, Harry!* The drake started chuckling hard, nearly rolling over in the air. *You shoulda seen your face . . .!*

Harry at first was inclined to be embarrassed, but Tempest's mirth was infectious, and he too started laughing. "You're something else, Nott!"

*Got that right, Potter! Race you back to the crooked willow near the cottage. Last one there has to weed the whole garden!*

"Get ready to eat my dust, Theo!" Harry yelled, then he vamped up his broom to the fastest speed it could handle.

There was a woosh of displaced air as Harry surged across the sky, his hair blown back by the force of the wind. He clung to his broom, grinning like a Cheshire cat and whooping. He glanced behind him and saw Tempest pumping his wings like mad trying to catch up.

He coaxed a lazy spiral of wind down and twirled it idly on the tip of his finger as he flew. He was having such a good time that he almost didn't see the black garbed figure on the black broomstick hovering in front of the cottage as he shot down towards the willow.

Severus Snape had an expression like a thundercloud upon his lean features and Harry gulped hard and attempted to brake suddenly to avoid hitting the angry Healer. "Hi, Healer Sev!" he squeaked lamely. Uh oh. I think we're in big trouble.

"Harry James Potter! You get your little arse down here right this instant!" he heard his mother shout. "This instant, do you hear me?"

Harry winced. Yeah, Mum, the whole moor can hear you, he thought but wisely did not say aloud. He circled around the willow, cringing at the furious look on Severus' face, and as he did so, the tiny spinning wind gust suddenly enlarged and became a small twister, sending him crashing into Severus and suddenly the two were spiraling out of control towards the ground.

Damn! Now I'm in REAL trouble! Harry thought frantically as he attempted to right himself, but his broom was not responding and he was falling . . .he could hear Severus chanting, Lily screaming, and then something snatched him off his broom and the back of his head collided with something hard and he blacked out.

Lily Potter watched in horror as suddenly a twister was born and then Severus and Harry collided in mid-air. She saw Harry's broom spiral out of control and screamed as he started to go over backwards. But then a large six-foot cold drake came and snatched him up in his claws before he could fall to his death. She then turned to watch Severus, who had been knocked backwards by the small twister, slamming his head and neck into the willow tree. He seemed to right himself, then slumped over his broom.

"Sev!" she yelled, petrified he too was crashing. And Theo couldn't carry both of them. Desperate, she pulled her wand and cast two charms very swiftly, one after the other. The first was a Featherweight charm. The second was a charm designed to catch and hold objects in midair. "Arresto Momento!"

The spell caught Severus and slowed his descent so that it appeared he was floating in midair.

Lily darted a glance at the young drake, who was spiraling lazily down to the earth, Harry dangling from his claws like a piece of meat. "Theo! Is Harry all right?"

*I don't know. He's not answering me. I think . . . he might be knocked out.* replied Tempest. He wondered how that sudden twister had appeared, then scolded himself for not remembering Harry's stormcaller ability. Apparently, Harry could not only call storms already in existence, but create them as well. Theo would have been amazed if he wasn't so worried about his friend and Healer Severus, who appeared to be badly injured.

He landed on the ground gently, cradling Harry in his forefeet. He sniffed at the boy, his nose telling him Harry was alive, but injured. Theo recalled grabbing Harry and the boy banging into his chest. *Lily, Harry's hurt, he banged his head into my chest.*

Lily didn't know who to worry about more, Harry or Severus. She wished Lucy were there, but Lucy was still asleep. Lily had woken first and gone to check on the boys, upon finding them missing, she had woken Severus to ask where they might be, and he had come out to help her search.

Lily waited until Severus and his broom had floated to the ground before she rushed over and felt for a pulse. She breathed a sigh of relief when she felt the lifebeat in his neck, but he was dreadfully pale and there was a large bump on the back of his head. "Oh, Sev! Thank God you're alive! You and Harry both." She felt dreadfully guilty, because she was certain the accident had been caused by her son's talent, for a twister like that didn't just come out of nowhere.

She cast a charm to conjure up a pair of stretchers and carefully levitated them on one each. Then she spoke the charm to make the stretchers and their comatose patients follow her. "Mobili Corpus!"

Theo followed, trying to keep his tail from dragging on the ground. He didn't even want to know what his mother was going to say about this, and he felt terribly guilty that Harry and Healer Snape had gotten hurt, he thought he should have been able to save both of them.

Lily took her two patients to cottage and placed both of them in Severus' master bedroom. She didn't want them separated, making her have to go back and forth between them, and Severus' bed was big enough for three people. She debated on whether to call a Healer from St. Mungos or Poppy Pomfrey, since Lily only knew basic medical charms.

She decided on calling Pomfrey, for she wasn't sure if Severus wanted any of his colleagues to know he'd fallen off a broom, he might be embarrassed. And then there was Harry, and she didn't want any more gossip attached to her son. She conjured her silver doe Patronus and sent it off towards Hogwarts. A Patronus moved at the speed of lightning, and Lily knew it would arrive, deliver her message, and the return almost before she could miss it.

"Theo, can you fetch your mother for me? I'm going to need another pair of hands and a wand over here, because I need to monitor both of them carefully, head wounds are very tricky." Lily asked, not really thinking about how awkward it would be for Theo to tell his own mother about his misbehavior. The instant the thought crossed her mind she started to call Theo back, but the drake was already flying over the caretaker cottage.

Theo arrived and landed gently on the porch, and carefully pushed open the door with his foot, it was never locked during the day. He padded through the house until he reached Lucy's room, then he shoved open the door and sent *Ma, wake up! Lily needs your help! Healer and Sev and Harry are hurt bad, they crashed into each other flying and it's really my fault because I wanted to race Harry . . .*

Lucy woke up as soon as she heard her son's voice in her mind. "Theo? What is tha talking about? Thou art thinking too fast, lad, tell me again." She requested, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

Theo repeated his message, hanging his head in shame. It had all started out so innocently, he couldn't believe this had happened.

Lucy was out of bed in a flash, sticking her feet into her slippers and grabbing her wand from the nightstand. "We'll discuss thy behavior later, lad, there's no time for it now. Come on, mayhap tha can help monitor their thoughts, make sure there's no brain damage."

*Brain damage!* Theo wailed silently. Great Merlin, he prayed neither of them had been injured so badly.

Meanwhile, Lily had put medical monitoring spells over both wizards, they would monitor blood pressure, heartbeat, pulse, and temperature. It was all she could think of to do. She was terribly worried that both her son and her best friend could possibly die or be brain damaged. So far the mentoring spells revealed normal results, but they couldn't tell Lily what was going on in their brains.

Just then Harry groaned and twitched in his sleep. Lily hurried over to him and stroked his hair, murmuring, "Shh, baby. I'm here, Harry. You're going to be all right," she choked on a sob. Just moments before, he had been flying without permission on his broom and she had wanted to spank the living daylights out of him, but now she would give anything to see him flying again, instead of lying so still moaning with pain in Snape's bed. She stroked the messy hair back from Harry's forehead and kissed his brow. Tears filled her eyes and she wiped them away. She had to be strong, her little boy needed her.

Then her gaze went to Severus, whom she feared was even more seriously injured than Harry. She stared at his pale face, with the slightly crooked nose, that she regarded as so oddly handsome. Severus wasn't like James, with his movie star good looks, but he had a magnetism and appeal that made women drool over him—of all ages. Lily couldn't explain it, but Severus Snape drew women to him like nectar drew bees. It wasn't that he was devastatingly handsome, but rather that he was sexy . . . in some undefinable way that was uniquely Severus Snape.

She approached, her hand reaching out to brush the silky black hair off of his cheek, and as she did so, she allowed herself to feel something she had denied since coming to Heatherton Cottage—the truth. That she was not only attracted to the man she still considered her best friend, but she loved him. Loved him with everything in her. "Sev, please wake up," she pleaded. "I need you so very much. And . . . I love you, Severus." She bent and kissed him on the lips, a gentle kiss. He remained unresponsive, and Lily gave a self-deprecating chuckle. Really, what had she expected to happen? That he would open his eyes and be healed, like some prince in a fairy tale? Not even in the wizarding world was such magic possible.

She straightened, checking the monitor charm over Severus. His vitals were a bit elevated and she wished Pomfrey would hurry. She was a novice when it came to head wounds, though she knew that both wizards probably had concussions. She turned at the sound of a footstep and saw Lucy.

"Lily, what's happened? Theo told me that Harry and Severus were badly hurt?" asked the pureblood witch.

"Oh, Lucy! Thank Merlin you're here. I need you to monitor Severus while I watch over Harry. I've called Madam Pomfrey to examine them. Hopefully, she can treat them, or else I'll have to call on a Healer from St. Mungos."

Lucy moved over to where Severus lay. "I'd say he has a pretty bad knock on the noggin, aye? She gently peeled up an eyelid and shook her head. "Ah, dilated pupils, not a good sign."

Lily stared. "Where did you learn about head injuries?"

Lucy chuckled. "You forget, my brother was a Quidditch player at school. He was allus getting knocked in the head, if not by a Bludger than a Beater's bat or from falling off his broom. He was in and out of the Hospital Wing with concussions so many times I was sure he was going to end up brainless. Poppy practically kept a bed open for him after each game. She's a good 'un at treating head injuries—Teddy gave her lots of practice."

Lily was relieved to hear that, she had feared she had made a mistake, upon second thought, but now she remembered Poppy's designation of mediwitch did not mean she was a lesser grade of Healer, it was merely what one called a Healer who worked at Hogwarts, it was a rather old term, back when it was not usual to have a female Healer. And with the way kids tended to get injured at Hogwarts, Poppy was as qualified as any Healer working in the emergency ward at the hospital.

Poppy arrived in a small flicker of blue light, she had Apparated directly from outside the gates of Hogwarts. "Lily, dear, I came as quickly as I could," she said, giving a reassuring smile to the distraught witch. "Now then," she said rolling up her sleeves, "Let's see what happened to our poor boys here. You say there was a collision in midair?"

"Yes. Severus and Harry crashed into each other, but I managed to . . . arrest their fall," Lily said, not wanting to mention Theo, for she had a feeling the shifter gift was a closely guarded Nott family secret. "I think they both have concussions."

"Who wouldn't after such an accident?" Poppy said, drawing her wand. "It reminds me of several rowdy Quidditch matches." She pointed her wand at Harry and muttered a complex sounding spell in Latin. "Ah . . . as I thought. Harry has a stage two concussion. That's one that has very little swelling on the brain. When he wakes, I shall test his memory, reflexes, and coordination. He should recover in time, lots of rest, and making sure he doesn't fly a broom or engage in any roughhousing for two weeks. Since he's young he should recover quickly, boys his age bounce back from these things like you wouldn't believe."

Lily couldn't help a sigh of relief. Harry would recover. She wondered though how this accident would affect his stormcaller gift.

"Now, let's see about Severus." Poppy repeated the spell she had cast upon Harry.

But unlike the previous result, Poppy looked very grave. She said nothing for a few minutes, chanting other diagnostic spells.

"Poppy? What's wrong?" Lily asked, fearing the worst. There was an icy cold spot in the pit of her stomach.

"I'm afraid Severus has a more severe concussion than Harry. His is a stage four, there's a lot of swelling and bruising on his brain as well as some bleeding. I'll need to Floo St. Mungos for some potions and then perform some surgery to mend the bleed and bring down some of the swelling."

"No! Will he . . . recover?"

"It's hard to tell at this stage. His vitals are good, but whether or not there is some brain damage remains to be seen. Because of his age, his recovery time will be slower than Harry's, and as his concussion is more severe, he may have more complications than Harry. I won't know until I operate and even then some symptoms could show up later." Poppy said sadly. "I sincerely hope he can recover, Lily. It would be a waste of a brilliant mind as well as fine Mind Healer." Poppy turned away to Floo St. Mungos.

"If anyone can recover from this, Healer Sev can," Lucy said reassuringly, squeezing Lily's hand. "He's a fighter, Lily, and he never gives up."

Lily nodded, a lump in her throat as big as a boulder. She knew Lucy was being optimistic, and prayed that Severus recovered without any significant loss of memory or motor coordination. Because what a terrible tragedy it would be for Severus to wake and not remember who he was or even what he was. A Severus Snape without his brilliant mind and snarky wit was just a shell of the original.

She went over and gently stroked Severus' head. "I love you, Sev. Now please get well. Don't give up, you hear me? Don't leave me alone." Two tears splattered on his upturned face. It would seem the time to pray for a miracle. Lily could not bear to lose him, not now, but how many miracles were given in one person's lifetime?

The surgery took two hours to perform, Poppy had another Healer assisting, just in case.  But the surgery went well, the spells managed to halt the bleeding and mend some of the damage, though most of it would have to resolve itself through Severus’ natural healing processes.  The brain was a very delicate organ, and sometimes the best healing was not magical in nature.  Once they had made sure the swelling was down to safe levels again, the two Healers closed the incision they had made and healed the area.  There wouldn’t even be a scar to indicate where the incision had been and Poppy had even set a spell to make Severus’ hair grow back quickly. 

“Well, that’s all we can do for him now.” Poppy said briskly.  “The rest is up to him.  I’ve heard he has a phenomenal immune system though, so that will help tremendously with recovery,” she told Lily and Lucy.  “Now let me check on Harry and then I’m going to take a long nap.  Doing brain surgery really wears me out.”

Finding that Harry was healing normally and should be waking up in a few hours, Poppy went and lay down in the guest room of the cottage.  She was soon fast asleep.

Lucy went to go and speak with Theo, he felt terribly guilty that both Harry and Severus had been hurt and was just miserable, curled up in a corner of the kitchen, his dragon form shedding frosty tears that left the floor in front of him coated with ice.

“Theo, please stop thy crying, tha art making the floor into an ice rink.  Do tha want me to trip and fall on my bum?” she began, slightly teasing.

The cold drake looked up at her, an amazingly human expression on his scaly face. *Mum, I’m really sorry that Healer Sev and Harry were hurt and I just . . . I don’t want them to die . . . or be retarded or something.  It was partly my fault they got hurt . . . I wanted to fly so bad and . . .*  More frozen tears clinked onto the floor.

“Theo, tha mustn’t blame thyself.  Yes, tha should have waited, but tha aren’t responsible for the risks Harry takes, understand? He made a choice too, a poor one, aye, but he made it himself, nonetheless. And now he pays the price for it.  As for Healer Sev, that was an accident, pure and simple, and naught to be blaming thyself for.” She spread a towel on the floor and then knelt and drew the cold drake’s head to her breast, stroking the scales even though their coldness made her shiver. 

*Then, tha aren’t going to punish me?*

“Theo, I think tha’s been punished enough.  But if tha insists . . . tha can help me scrub dishes and clean the kitchen for a week.” Lucy said, which really wasn’t much of a punishment, since her son helped her anyway with chores.

*Sounds fair.*

Lucy nodded and gave him a pat on his scaly hide.  He would change back in about a day or so and then she could give him a proper hug.  Now she was going to make some lunch, maybe bake a batch of blueberry scones or a cake. Baking always relaxed her, and there was nothing worse than waiting at times like these.

Lily sat in a chair inbetween the two beds, because she wanted to be close to both of her boys.  She wondered if Severus would be offended by her thinking of him that way.  Then again, she wouldn’t care one bit if he was, so long as he survived this ordeal.  She gazed at him from eyes swimming with tears . . . tears that she refused to shed because she knew if she did she’d never stop crying.  And they needed her to be strong, to be there for them, but she was so afraid! Afraid that she would lose Severus, or worse, that he would be so damaged he could never be what he was.  She was also afraid that Harry would have some memory loss and what if he forgot how to control his powers? Granted, he didn’t have as much control as she would have liked, but it was better than nothing.  She was sure that a memory deficient stormcaller was a danger to almost everyone.

Then she did something she couldn’t recall doing in years.  She prayed, silently and fervently, for Severus and Harry to get well. 

She reached out and grasped Harry’s hand and then Severus’ hand.  “Please . . .get well.  I love you both so much.”

She sat there for what seemed like hours, watching every breath they took.  She felt like she was suspended in limbo, in a place neither here nor there, surrounded by a gray fog with small bits of light.  When she looked at her watch, she saw that only twenty-five minutes had gone by.

She looked again at her sleeping men and felt her heart tighten, squeezing her chest.  She felt so helpless.  She wanted so bad to do something, something besides sit here and watch them breathe.  But there was nothing she could do, except wait.

Oh, Sev! Is this how you felt too, when you sat by my bed all those years? I feel like my heart is breaking, because you’re lost in your own world, asleep, while I’m here, hoping for the best, yet fearing the worst.  How did you ever stand it? You are far far braver than I am.

Despite her resolve, tears pooled in her eyes and trailed down her face.

She heard Lucy calling her for lunch and thought about remaining up here.  She didn’t really want to leave them alone.  But then she supposed it would be all right for twenty minutes. Poppy had said they would sleep for several hours, or at least Harry would.  Severus would probably sleep the whole day.

So she rose and went down to eat with Lucy . . . and Theo who was still in cold drake form. 

Around about four o’clock in the afternoon, Harry began to stir.  By then Poppy was up and checking her patients’ vital signs.  Harry opened his eyes and groaned.

“Ooh! My head hurts!” he reached up to touch his head but Poppy grabbed his hand.

“No, Harry. You mustn’t touch your head, you have a lump there.  My name is Poppy Pomfrey, I’m a Healer.  You’ve got a concussion, that’s why you have a bad headache.  I’m told you fell off your broom.”

“Yeah.  I remember,” Harry winced as his head throbbed.  “Am I gonna need potions?”

“Yes, I’m afraid so. But before I give you a pain reliever, I need to ask you a few questions.”

“Okay.”

“What’s your full name?”

“Uh . . . Harry. Harry James Potter.”

“Good.  Where do you live?”

“Heatherton Cottage.”

“Good. How old are you?”

“Eleven.”

“Do you know what year it is?”

“1991.”

“Very good. How about today’s date?”

Harry answered all of the standard memory test questions correctly. Poppy was very pleased. Then she gave him a pain reliever and called Lily, who had gone to answer nature’s call and get a drink of water.

Lily Apparated straight into the room where the two patients were convalescing.  She was very near tears, and very relieved that her son was awake and talking and having sustained no memory loss.  She rushed over to Harry and put her arms about him, hugging him gently.  “Oh, Harry, you scared me to death! What is it with you and broom accidents?  How do you feel?”

“My head still hurts.” He admitted.  “I didn’t mean to scare you, Mum.  All of a sudden I just . . . lost control and I crashed into Healer Sev and then Theo grabbed me . . . I think.”

“Yes, he did,” Lily agreed, thankful that Harry was not saying that Theo was a cold drake.  That was something she thought Lucy would want kept private, and while Poppy was discreet, it still wasn’t something to be casually discussed around strangers.  “You were very lucky, Harry. You could have died or . . . or permanently injured yourself if you had hit the ground.” She stroked his hair and kissed his forehead.  “Thank Merlin you’re going to be all right with a few days in bed.”

“A few days!” Harry exclaimed.  “But Mum . . .!”

“Never you mind, Harry James.  You have a concussion and in order for you to heal properly, you must rest and take potions for your head,” Lily said sternly.  “The last thing I need is for you to end up like Severus.”

“What’s happened to Healer Sev?” Harry asked in alarm.

“When you two crashed . . . his head hit a tree and he . . . he developed a worse concussion than you.  He’s there . . . asleep.” Lily said, her voice quivering.  She pointed to the bed next to Harry.  “He had to have surgery on his brain because it was bleeding . . . and we don’t know if there was any permanent damage.  He hasn’t woken up yet.”

Harry turned to see a very pale Severus lying in bed.  The Healer looked awful. He had dark bruises under his eyes, and they looked ten times worse because of his parchment pale skin.  His chest rose and fell, but even so, Harry felt like he was looking at a corpse.  Guilt slammed into him with the force of a runaway train.  He had caused this.  It was because of him that Severus was lying there, maybe brain damaged, or in a coma.  Because he couldn’t wait to go flying with Theo. 

He felt sick to his stomach.  He turned his face into the pillow and began to cry softly.

“Harry? What’s wrong, sweetheart?” asked Lily anxiously.  Her son rarely cried, and she assumed he was in pain.  “Is it your head?”

Harry shook his head slightly.  “No.” He answered, his voice muffled by the pillow.  “It’s my fault!”

“Your fault? What are you talking about?”

“My fault Healer Sev got hurt so bad,” he cried.  “I shouldn’t have been flying alone with Theo. And I . . . I was playing around with . . . the wind again . . . and that’s why we crashed, Mum.  I didn’t mean to hurt him!  I wish he was awake so I could tell him so.  I’m really sorry!” he began to cry harder. If Severus was brain damaged, Harry would never forgive himself.

“Harry,” Lily put her arms about her child and began to rub his back.  “Harry, listen to me.  You were wrong to go flying without supervision, you know how we feel about that.  But what happened to Severus was an accident.  Yes, you shouldn’t have been fooling around with the wind, it was very irresponsible, but Severus’ injury was an accident.  He would not blame you for it.  Now please stop crying, you’ll make your head hurt worse.”

Harry managed to shut down the flow of tears.  Then he turned around and looked at his mother.  “I’m in trouble, right?”

“Harry, I am very upset with you for doing what you did, but you having a concussion is punishment enough for behaving so stupidly.  I think you’ve learned your lesson about flying alone, haven’t you?”

Harry nodded.  “But what about hurting Severus? And playing with my . . . abilities without waiting? That was wrong too.  You’re not going to spank me for that?”

Lily sighed.  Harry was right.  Not about hurting Severus, she could never punish him for that.  But deliberately playing with his stormcaller abilities was something he had promised to never do and he had broken his word.  But she was too tired and anxious to spank him and he was injured besides.  “Why don’t we leave the punishment for you using your abilities on hold until Sev wakes up.  Since it was him you injured with your recklessness he should have a say in how you’re punished for it.”

Harry nodded glumly.  “Will he wake up, Mum?”

“I hope so, Harry. I really truly do.” Lily said sincerely.

“Me too.”

Lucy brought up some broth and crackers for Harry to eat, as well as pumpkin milkshake.  “Tha just do as the Healer orders, Harry, and tha will be back on thy feet in no time!” she said, smiling. “Tha gave us quite a scare tha did!”

Harry apologized again, then he let Lily help him eat the broth and crackers.  Poppy came and re-examined him, gave him a Stomach Soother, and left several more Pain Relievers for her to give Harry.  “I need to Floo back to St. Mungos and do rounds.  But I’ll be back to check on Severus tomorrow morning.  Call me if something changes.” The witch told Lily.  “Also, make sure Harry doesn’t take the pain reliever on an empty stomach, it can give him a stomachache and constipate him.  Give him lots of liquids and fruit while he’s on it, if that doesn’t work, I’ll leave a laxative potion for you.  It’s gentle and should regulate him if he needs it.”

Harry went beet red and wanted to fall into a hole just listening to that conversation! He prayed he never needed that potion.  He continued eating the broth.

“I will, Poppy. Thank you for everything,” Lily said.

“Nonsense, Lily! I would have always come and helped you.  Severus is my good friend and so are you. Now, I have to run. If there’s any change with Severus, Floo me immediately.”  Poppy hugged Lily and Harry and then she Flooed back to the hospital.

Harry turned and looked up at Lily.  “Mum, I do not need that potion.”

“Not now, Harry. But Poppy was just making me aware of the side effects of it. And you as well.  So if you’re having trouble moving your bowels . . . tell me and you can take a potion for it. And there’s no need to be embarrassed, I dealt with that when you were a baby, you had a very fussy stomach and your dad was fond of giving you corn, which almost always backed you up and then I needed to give you---”

Harry placed his hands over his ears and cried, “Mum, please! I don’t want to know, and can we please stop talking about it? I’m fine!”  Mothers! He could swear they lived to embarrass their children!

Lily chuckled.  “All right.  Why don’t you finish this broth and then if you’re sleepy, take a nap.  How’s your vision?”

“Okay.” It was a little blurry, but Harry figured it would go away.  He began eating his broth again, managing to finish the cup.  Oddly enough, after having eaten, he was sleepy again.  He felt his eyes start to close and then he was asleep.

Lily gently covered him up with blanket and kissed him on the forehead.  “I love you, baby.” She knew Harry would have died if he’d heard her refer to him that way, but the fact was he would always be her little boy, even when he grew taller than her. 

Then she went to sit beside Severus and hold his hand.  “If you can hear me, Sev, and I get the feeling you may, please come back to me.  I don’t even want to imagine living my life without you.  Even if you don’t love me back, or we never marry, I just want you here with me.  Right here.”

She pressed his hand to her lips and cried, silent tears of misery.

But the Mind Healer did not wake, lying still in the bed, lost to the world and those who loved him. 

Three days later:

Severus still slept, though his brain was healing and his vital signs were normal.  Poppy was slightly concerned about this, though when she consulted a colleague who specialized in head trauma, he assured her that it was normal.  The body needed to rest in order to heal.  She spelled several potions into him, like ones that reduced swelling and hydrated and gave him certain nutrients.  She told Lily they were similar to ones she had been given when she was in St. Mungos.  Poppy used charms to relieve the sleeping Healer of bodily wastes and to bathe him.  She taught them to Lily, at Lily’s insistence. 

“If he remains asleep for longer than a week, there’s a chance he might not come out of it, right? And he did this for me, I can do it for him.”

Poppy found Lily an apt pupil and said so.  “You could go to medical school and become a Healer if you wanted to.”

“Not right now. I have Harry to look after. Maybe once Sev is well . . .”

“You need to decide what’s best for you, Lily.  It was just a suggestion.” Poppy said.  After checking Severus’ vital signs again, she left.

Lily rarely left the bedroom.  She took all her meals with Harry and sometimes Theo and Lucy did too.  She was the first thing Harry saw in the morning, sitting beside his bed.  Sometimes he wasn’t sure if she even slept.

She took his temperature magically and asked him how he was feeling.  He was improving and the confinement was difficult on him.  He played cards with Theo, read, and studied his schoolbooks.  Harry could walk short distances, like back and forth to the bathroom, but Lily refused to let him overexert himself.  He was still slightly dizzy and had headaches, but he made sure he drank enough water and ate plenty of fruit and whole grain bread, because he didn’t ever want to take that laxative potion.

Every morning he would look at Severus and feel despair that the wizard was not awake.  It made him feel so guilty he wanted to cry, but he didn’t.  One morning he woke and saw Lily weeping over Severus’ form and then he watched as she cast a few charms and bent and kissed the sleeping Healer on the lips.  His eyes widened.

“A kiss from your one true love,” Lily said softly, half to herself.  “Too bad none of those fairytales are true.”

At first, Harry wasn’t sure what to think about Lily kissing Severus.  Or the fact that she had called herself his true love.  But the more he thought about it that day, the more it made a certain kind of sense.  He had seen the way they acted around each other, they were comfortable together, like old friends, but more.  He recalled a few instances when they had held hands, or exchanged glances, and now he understood what those little details had meant.  Lily and Severus were falling in love.  Now that he realized that little fact, he could see how much his mother loved Severus.  She was beside him almost every hour of every day, watching over him and caring for him.  The only other person she was as devoted to was her son. 

Harry supposed he might have been a bit jealous, if things had been different. But he wasn’t.  Severus was injured because of his foolishness and it was only right that Lily care for him.  That was what you did when you loved someone.  And Harry knew that Severus cared for Lily, he had seen the way the other wizard sometimes looked at Lily when he thought she wasn’t looking.  It was kind of odd thinking about Lily being in love.  Though Harry knew she must have loved James Potter.  So maybe it wasn’t so strange that Lily loved Severus. 

The next time Lily went to check on Severus, Harry waited until she was finished before saying, “You love him, don’t you, Mum?”

Lily jerked up, startled.  “Harry, I . . . didn’t know you were awake.  Did you need something?”

He nodded. “Just an answer to my question.  You do, don’t you?”

“Yes.  Does that bother you, Harry? That I love Severus?” Lily asked, coming to sit on the bed next to him.

“No.  Does he love you?”

“I . . . I don’t know.  I think he might, but he’s never said.”

“I think he does.  I’ve seen the way he looks at you sometimes.”

“How does he look at me?”

“Like . . . you’re the best looking lady since chocolate ice cream,” Harry said honestly.  “And why wouldn’t he love you, Mum?  You’re smart, you’re beautiful, and you’re strong in magic.  And you love him back.”

Lily smiled.  “Harry, when did you get to be so smart?” She tousled his hair.

“After I almost bashed my brains out,” he answered, laughing.  “Are you going to start dating?”

“Maybe. If Severus wants.”

“Oh, he wants to. Trust me.”

Lily chuckled.  “Since when are you an expert, Mr. Potter?”

“I’m not. I just know Severus.” Harry smirked.

“Severus makes me very happy, Harry.”

“That’s good, Mum. You deserve to be happy.”

“And how do you feel about Severus and me?”

“Well . . .” Harry thought about it.  He found he didn’t mind his mum dating Severus at all.  He had never had a father figure, not one he could depend on, or go to when he needed advice.  After living with Severus for a few months and learning from the man, Harry found that he trusted the Healer.  “I think it’s good for you, Mum.  I like Severus.  He’s taught me a lot.  He’s a pretty cool wizard.  And I think he likes me.”

“Harry, Severus loves you.  He might not feel comfortable saying it, but I’d bet my wand he feels it.”

“How can you tell?”

“It’s just . . . the way he treats you.  The way he takes time with you.  He worries over you and gets scared when you do something foolish.  That’s how a father behaves.  Maybe when he wakes up, you can ask him.”

“Mum! I couldn’t! Guys don’t . . . don’t ask each other stuff like that. We’re not like girls.” Harry told her.

“I see.” Lily struggled not to laugh.  She decided that she would tell Severus about Harry and see what he did about reassuring the boy that he was loved.  Men! Three little words and it seemed that every man she’d ever known had trouble speaking them.  It boggled her mind why.  She hugged her son.  He drove her insane sometimes, but he could be so intuitive and sweet other times.  He was truly a remarkable boy.  “Would you like some ice cream?”

“You bet!  Can I have a sundae?”

“What kind?”

“Umm . . . a banana split with vanilla, chocolate, and butter pecan. With hot fudge and caramel sauce and whipped cream.  Only no cherries.”

“How about walnuts?”

“Yeah, those are good.”

“Sounds delicious.  Will you share it with me?”

“Always, Mum.”

“Be right back.” Lily said, and then she Apparated away to the kitchen.

Harry lay back on his bed, eagerly licking his lips, anticipating the sundae.  He loved eating ice cream, it was one of his favorite dessert foods.  He glanced over at Severus.

To his shock, he saw that the Mind Healer’s eyes were open.  Severus was awake!  Harry just stared at him for a few moments.  Then he slowly slid down from his bed and crossed the short distance to stare at the Healer.  

Severus’ eyes tracked on him.  

Harry’s throat went dry.  “Healer Sev? You’re awake!”

The Healer looked at him, his black eyes shining.  

“It’s me, Harry. Do you remember me?”

Very slowly, Severus’ eyes blinked.  Then he nodded.

Harry was overwhelmed with joy and guilt.  So much so that he could only express it in one way.

He burst into tears.  

“I’m sorry!” he sobbed, not even knowing if Severus could understand him.  Was the Healer suffering from brain damage? He still hadn’t spoken to Harry.  The boy was so upset that he knelt beside the bed and buried his face in the mattress. What if Severus could never speak again? He’d heard sometimes that happened with head injuries.  There had been a rugby player Vernon used to watch that had gotten kicked in the head during a game and he never played again because he had the mental level of a child.  If Severus never spoke again, how could he tell Lily he loved her? Or Harry? Though Harry doubted Severus would love him once he remembered who was responsible for his injury.  He cried harder.

All at once he felt a touch on his head.  A hand patting his head.  

“Don’t . . .” he heard a voice whisper.  “ . . . don’t . . . cry . . . Harry.”      

Harry could barely hear Severus, but he did feel the hand patting him. He felt a curious mixture of joy and sorrow. Joy because Severus was awake and trying to communicate and sorrow because of the guilt he felt for causing the accident which had injured the Mind Healer. Tears ran down his face and onto the sheet. He tried to speak, but all he could manage was, "Sorry . . .I'm sorry . . ."

Severus managed to turn his head slightly, so he could see Harry, who still would not look at him, but continued sobbing into the mattress. For some reason, the boy was upset and it bothered Severus, so he just continued patting his head and stroking his hair. He couldn't figure out why Harry was saying sorry over and over, Severus could remember nothing of the previous day, it was all a blur. That being so, he just whispered, "Shh . . . shhh . . .don't cry . . ." in a hoarse voice, hoping to calm the child down. Whatever Harry had done, Severus knew it wasn't something that warranted this hysterical reaction.

Just then the door opened and a graceful woman with beautiful emerald eyes and a fall of fiery auburn hair entered carrying a large banana split with two spoons in it. "Harry, here's your ice cream," she announced cheerily. Then she saw that Harry was not in his bed and turned to look over at Severus and saw what had transpired.

Lily nearly dropped the entire dish of ice cream, saving it at the last second with a levitation charm. "Oh, sweet Merlin singing!" she gasped, a huge smile lighting up her face. "Sev, you're awake! Do you remember who I am?"

She sent the ice cream floating over to Harry's nightstand and approached her beloved. His eyes stared right at her and she saw him blink and then come back from that place where he had been wandering. "Sev," she whispered, caressing his face. There were tears in her eyes.

He opened his mouth to speak her name. But it wouldn't come out. "I . . . I . . .k-know . . . you . . ." He struggled to talk, his tongue felt thick and heavy, it was not responding the way it ought to.

Lily waited patiently, moving over to pat Harry on the back. "It's okay, Harry. He's going to be okay soon. It's okay," she crooned.

"No it's not!" Harry whimpered. "He can't talk right."

"Honey, he's just woken up. And with head injuries, sometimes speech is affected." Lily explained. "At least he remembers you, right?"

Harry nodded, lifting his head up from the mattress to stare with teary eyes at the Mind Healer. "But will he be able to talk like he did before?"

"In time, Harry." Lily soothed.

Severus reached out a hand and brushed the tears from Harry's cheek. "I . . . w-will . . .no . . .crying . . ." he managed to say, though words didn't sound right in his ears. He looked up at Lily. "I . . . know you." He tried to put his tongue between his teeth. "Llll . . . .L-ll-i-ll-ly." He managed to say.

"Lily! You said my name!" Lily was smiling at him.

He smiled back as much as he could. There was something wrong with the right side of his face, he could tell. He touched his face then said, "My . . .face . . .not . . . right . . ."

"You're right," Lily said. "Your mouth . . . it's a little bit . . .droopy."

The corner of Severus' expressive mouth drooped down like a clown frowning. Then he said, "What . . . happened?"

"You had an accident, Sev. You hit your head while you were flying and got a bad concussion and your brain had a bleed on it. Poppy Pomfrey had to operate on you and you've been asleep for four days or thereabouts," Lily told him. "We . . . weren't sure when you'd wake up . . . or if you'd remember . . . anything." She sniffed sharply.

Harry, on the other side of the bed, cringed. He didn't understand why his mum was not telling Severus the entire truth, that he had been the cause of Severus' falling, because he was playing about with a mini tornado he'd conjured for fun. It wasn't that Harry wanted to tell about it, but that Severus deserved to know what had really happened.

Severus' brow crinkled. "I . . . don't . . .remember . . . falling . . ." All he could recall was a sharp crackling sound and then . . . nothing until opening his eyes this morning. "What . . . day?"

"It's October, Sev. October 16th," Lily said. She couldn't stop smiling at him, she was so very relieved that he had come awake and seemed to remember her and Harry. And that he could speak, even if his speech was slurred and hard to understand, he could talk.

Harry, however, saw it differently. He thought Severus wasn't going to recover and would always talk that way, and he wanted to scream. Snape's cultured velvet-soft voice was now a harsh croak, and the words once spoken so precisely were slurred as if he were drunk. Harry wanted to beat himself senseless, though on second thought, he'd already done that. Feeling very low, he went and sat on his bed and looked at the tall wizard and his mother.

He saw again that connection between them, Lily seemed to know what Severus wished before he could vocalize it, and brought him a cup of water. After a few sips, Severus lowered the glass and said, "Call . . . Poppy . . ."

"Of course, Sev." Lily said. She turned to Harry. "Harry, go on and eat your ice cream before it melts." She went to inform Poppy that her patient was awake.

"Okay, Mum," Harry said, though he was no longer hungry for ice cream. He began to eat quietly, though the sweet didn't taste quite as good as usual, because he was so upset. Once he had eaten half the ice cream, he pushed the dish away. He thought about telling Theo and Lucy, but couldn't seem to muster up the enthusiasm to do so. Instead he flopped on his bed, and tried to sleep, for he felt rather drained.

Lily returned with Lucy and Theo, who greeted Severus happily.

Severus had to think a bit, but then he recalled his housekeeper and young ward, and hugged them.

Theo was so happy he cried as well, but not for long, because he saw that it made Severus uncomfortable. Lucy almost burst into tears as well, but managed to restrain herself. "Thank God and Merlin!" she kept saying. "'Tis a miracle!"

When Poppy arrived, she ran a number of diagnostics on him, and found that while his speech was impaired and some of his memory, much of his brain was undamaged. "You were extremely lucky, Severus. Now, I'm going to ask you some questions, please answer as best you can."

She asked him the standard ones. He knew his name, what he was, and where he was. He knew the people around him. He did not know what had happened to him before the accident, he had no memory of the flight at all. The last thing he remembered was falling asleep in his bed after taking care of Theo, who had been sick.

Theo's eyes went wide. Severus didn't remember his transformation! He didn't remember Theo could become a cold drake! He looked over at Harry to see how he was taking it, and found Harry with his eyes squinched shut, looking like he was in pain.

"Hey, you all right?" he asked his friend.

Harry groaned realistically.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you, but . . . I thought maybe you'd like to know that Severus' awake."

Harry yawned. "I know. I woke up and he was looking at me," Harry said. "Does he . . . remember you?"

Theo nodded. "I'm so glad. He could have died."

"I know. But now he can't talk and how can he work like that, when we can hardly understand him?" Harry asked softly.

Theo looked pensive. "I dunno, Harry. Maybe he'll get better."

"He has to get better, Theo. He has to." Harry said desperately.

"He will. He's strong." Theo said confidently.

Harry wished he could believe that the way Theo did.

Meanwhile, Poppy was telling Severus she wanted him to start on a speech regimen and maybe a little later, in about a month, he could try some memory retraining, since memory took longer to recover and needed time and patience. "You, of all people, know that, Severus."

Severus nodded. It was very frustrating to try and speak when his words came out garbled and unclear. He knew his colleague was right, but it didn't alleviate the frustration. "I . . . need . . a . . . qwu . . . qeh . . ." he stumbled over the word quill and grew aggravated and pointed at a quill lying on a table.

"Severus, do you want to turn on the light?" Poppy guessed.

"No!" Severus growled, but his voice came out like a squeak instead of a roar.

"Pick up a cup?" There was a cup lying on the table.

Severus shook his head. "No! Qwuaah . . ." He motioned again to the quill.

Lily and Poppy looked mystified.

Severus gestured angrily and again tried to speak, but the more angry he was, the more the words came out wrong. Finally, he mimed writing, hoping the pantomime would jog their memories. He was beginning to feel as if he were in a foreign country with idiots.

Suddenly, Harry said, "Mum! He's writing! He wants something to write with."

"Like a quill!" Theo cried.

"Verrah good!" Severus nodded and clapped awkwardly at the two boys. His motor skills were still functioning, as was his sarcastic wit.

"Oh! Sev, I'm so sorry!" Lily apologized. Now she felt like a dunce. How had she missed that? She brought him a parchment notebook and a quill filled with ink.

Severus grasped the quill in one hand and began to write. His writing was choppy, but not too bad, and he wrote, How long before speech returns, Poppy? Approximate. Then he handed the paper to her.

Poppy read it and replied, "It's hard to say, Severus. Not everyone recovers at the same rate. It could be several weeks or months, it all depends. But you know that a speech therapy regimen is a must, as well as some physical therapy as well. Can you move your legs for me?"

She had him lift each leg off the bed and flex his foot and toes. He had full range of motion in both legs, feet, and his hands, though his left hand was slightly weaker than his right. He then wrote, Exercise for left hand and arm.

Poppy raised an eyebrow. "Are you telling me how to do my job now, Severus Snape?"

His eyes glinted and he nodded sharply. He pointed a finger at himself and said, "Mmind Healah too!"

Lily rolled her eyes. "I've heard Healers make the worst patients."

Poppy snorted. "We do. Because we think we know what's best for us. As you can see."

Severus wrote, But I'm right and you know it!

The Healer sighed. "Unfortunately, you are, you bloody stubborn perfectionist." Then she smiled. "Though I supposed you've earned it. I'll come back and write up a regimen for you, and Lily can help you with it."

Severus sighed, he so hated waiting to get well again.

"Are you hungry, Sev?" asked Lily.

Severus considered. "Yes." That came out pretty good.

"Lily, we can start him on a diet of liquids then move up to solid food," Poppy said. "We don't want to overload his poor stomach. So how about infused chicken broth, some juice, and maybe a peanut butter vanilla smoothie for dessert?"

"That sounds lovely, Poppy," Lily agreed. "Don't you think so, Sev?"

Severus made a face. Then he wrote, I feel like I'm an infant. But go ahead. You know best, Poppy.

Even without being spoken, the sarcasm in that last was plain.

"Glad you admit it, Snape. Now take it slow and don't be a grouch. Lily is trying her best to help you and so am I."

Severus scowled and scribbled, I know that, woman! But you have no idea how frustrated I am. I hate being stuck in bed like this!

Poppy frowned. "Well, until your brain mends, you'd better get used to being in bed a great deal of the time. You can get up and walk to the loo, but no more than that until you have the exercises down."

Severus rolled his eyes. I'm not overstressing myself walking down the hall or into the kitchen.

"You don't know that yet, Severus." said Poppy sternly. "I'm just being cautious. You ought to be grateful I'm not making you use a bedpan."

Severus' eyes flashed and he shook his head violently. "I'mm . . .able to w-walk . . . my . . .self!" When his words started tripping, he stopped talking. He would rather have silence than to have to talk to everyone in creation with his damaged mouth. Then he wrote, I assure you, I have no need to use one, so get the idea out of your head.

Poppy smirked, thinking she now had something to blackmail him with if he became too ornery.

Severus ignored the smirk and added, Tell St. Mungos and make sure my patients are covered, please.

"That's already done, Sev," Poppy told him, more gently. "Healer Amiline is covering your cases. And all of the Mind Healer staff and the Accidental Damage staff has been praying for your recovery. So you see, Mr. Stoic Snape, we care for you very much."

"Humph!" was all Severus said, though he did swipe at a particle of dust in his eye.

Poppy shared a smile with Lily and Lucy. All three women knew that inside his tough exterior was a soft-hearted wizard, else he'd never have lasted in his field so long, nor gotten such great results with patients.

"You know, Severus, you need to set a good example for Harry over there," she indicated the eleven-year-old, who was resting on his bed. "He got a concussion too from falling off his broom."

Severus' eyes widened. "Harry . . . all righ . . .?" he drawled.

"He will be, if he rests and takes his potions," Poppy said, rather severly. "Would you like a pain potion? I have a potion you need to take that will reduce a bit of the swelling in your cranium."

Severus nodded, for his head and neck did ache considerably.

Poppy gave him a pain reliever and also the potion to reduce the swelling on his brain. Other than that, there was very little he could take to help his recovery, mostly it would take time.

Severus swallowed them without protest, grimacing afterwards.

"There! Now you rest too, and I'll see you in the afternoon." Poppy said. She looked at Lucy and Lily. "Best of luck, girls!"

Lucy went downstairs to make the broth and called Theo to help her, leaving Lily with Severus and Harry. She sensed that the redhead wanted some time alone with the newly awakened Severus.

Harry pretended to sleep when he saw Lily reach out and draw Severus to her, cradling his head to her bosom, and then kissing him slowly on the lips. No, he did not need to see that!

Lily's moss green eyes were shimmering with unshed tears as she kissed her beloved with all the tenderness and passion she possessed. "Sev! Sev, I almost lost you! Damn you, don't ever scare me like that again!" she scolded, but her words were feeble reprimands because she was crying and laughing at the same time. In the next instant she was kissing him again.

He had never felt so cherished as when Lily held him. Her kiss was all sweetness and fiery desire and had he been well, he would have matched her measure for measure. She made his blood heat and he longed to make love to her. But he knew he was weak as a kitten from the ordeal he couldn't remember, and he couldn't even speak words of love properly.

Lily kissed his whole face, butterfly kisses light as thistledown and more potent than firewhiskey. "I love you, Severus Snape!" she murmured. "I never realized it before, but now I do. I love you!"

All at once she buried her face in the hollow of his neck and shoulder and began crying.

Severus wrapped his arms around her and whispered. "Sshh . . .sshh . . . my love . . . my Ll-ill-ly." Oh, how he struggled to speak her name! For some reason his tongue refused to pronounce her name correctly and it gave him fits. He patted her head and just let her cry. She needed it and needed him, and he was very grateful she was not weeping over a corpse. And his heart sang at the fact that she loved him at last.

Page~*~*~*~Break

Three days later:

Lily had finally allowed Harry to get out of bed and walk further than the bathroom. He was now allowed to walk into the den and sit there with Theo, doing quiet things. Sometimes his head ached when he read a book for more than twenty minutes, or concentrated hard on something, like a game of chess.

Sometimes he felt a powerful urge to run through the cottage yelling like a maniac, but he controlled himself. He knew his mother was only trying to help him, the way she was Severus. And Severus was much worse off than he was.

Severus was confined to bed except to use the bathroom, and was having therapy three times a week from Poppy and four days a week with Lily. Poppy worked with him doing exercises on his left arm and hand as well as a general range of motion so he didn't stiffen. She also did several speech exercises with him to try and get his speech back to normal.

Some of them seemed rather ridiculous.

"Now, Severus, let me see you smile," Poppy said, coaxing him. "Come on, you stubborn ass, it's only me! Smile! I'll bet if Lily asked you, you'd do it."

"Thas diff . . . diff . . .rent . . ." he scowled.

Poppy laughed. "Not so much. Come on, smile for me."

Severus forced his mouth into a smile, though it felt fake and unnatural.

"Good! Now pucker up, Snape!"

Severus gave her a glare. Was this some sort of joke?

"Severus, if I were Lily, you'd be in heaven. Now blow me a kiss, you handsome devil!"

Severus blushed and did as he was told, for Poppy was right, much as he hated to admit it. He wouldn't have minded doing either of those things with Lily.

Poppy had him move his tongue about in a circle in his mouth, touching the upper, lower, and corners of his teeth. They did this two or three times and then moved on to sticking his tongue out to touch the tip of his nose, and opening and closing his mouth rapidly.

"My, you're lucky you have such a long nose, Severus!" teased Poppy.

Severus rolled his eyes. He had already heard all the jokes about his nose as a child.

Next came repeating several sounds, such as ma-ma-ma and la-la-la. Or ka-ka-ka. Sometimes Severus felt like he was a raven or a parrot, repeating those syllables. He thanked God no one else was observing his lessons except Lily. The boys were usually shooed away from the room before his speech lessons began.

Finally there was pushing at a spoon with his tongue and pretending to lick a popsicle.

They were simple exercises, yet he felt worn out when the sessions were over.

One week later:

Severus made slow progress with his therapy. Lily always encouraged him to talk rather than write, and with her he didn't mind quite so much sounding like an idiot. When she asked him to stick out his tongue, she playfully touched it with her own.

They kissed when they were doing the circle tongue exercises, and when she had Severus repeat the lalala sound, she sang along, laughing. "We sound like a pair of demented sparrows, Sev! My singing's nothing to write home about. You . . . on the other hand . . .have the voice of an angel."

Severus shook his head. He doubted that. He knew his voice at the moment sounded like a rusty nail being scraped down a blackboard. But he worked hard on the L sound, trying to make his tongue remember how to form the sound from endless repetitions. It was a long slow process and sometimes he grew frustrated and wanted to bang his fist through the wall. He wasn't used to failing to master what he'd set out to, and his miniscule (at least to his mind) progress was aggravating.

His memory was still patchy, and he still could not recall what had happened that day at all. Even when Theo told him about his transformation and offered to show him, it still did not spark a glimmer of recognition. He was very proud of the boy, however, and said so as best he could. But an instant later the child sobered and told him that he had gone flying in his drake form without permission, which was how this whole mess started.

"Harry and I, we just wanted to have a bit of fun. We . . . we didn't mean for you to crash into the tree and get hurt, honest!"

Severus blinked. "You . . .w-were flying . . . too?"

Theo nodded. "Yeah. Me in my cold drake form for the first time and Harry on his broom. You found out and came up and were waiting for us . . . you were really ticked off. Harry and I were racing and it was Harry who crashed into you. Then you hit the tree and fell and Harry fell and I grabbed Harry since I was closest to him and Lily caught you with a charm."

"I . . . see . . ." Now even though he couldn't recall the memory, Severus could understand Harry's covert glances at him and sad guilty looks. The child clearly blamed himself for what had happened. As did Theo. Severus closed his hand on Theo's and said, as clearly as he could. "Don't blame . . . yourself, Theo. Not your fault." He stared earnestly into the boy's eyes.

"But . . .we broke the rules. We should have waited."

"Yes . . . but . . .not . . .intending to . . ."

"I'm still sorry for what happened," Theo murmured. "Look at you now, Sev."

Severus' eyes flashed. "Be . . . fine! Don't . . . pity me, boy!"

His sharp tone caused the child to start crying. Sighing, the Healer sat up and pulled the boy to sit down on the bed next to him, so he could hold the child. "Theo . . ." he began, but knew he couldn't say all he wanted to without becoming frustrated. So he just held his ward and hummed softly. Though his speech was impaired, he could still hum, ironically.

While Theo leaned on him, he wrote with his other hand upon the hovering parchment notebook.

Sorry I snapped at you, but you know I can't stand pity. Like you, I prefer to work through my disability and what occurred was an accident and not something you should feel guilty over forever. What you did was wrong, but not unforgiveable. This problem I have is not your fault, Theodore. It could be much worse. And I WILL get better. It's just taking more time than I thought it would.

He handed the paper to Theo to read.

Wiping his eyes on his sleeve, Theo took the outstretched notebook and read. He gave his foster father a tentative smile. "Aye, I do know. Feeling sorry for tha self gets thee nowhere." He paused, still leaning against the Mind Healer. "Mayhap tha ought to tell Harry this also?" He waved the notebook around.

Severus nodded. "If . . . I can . . . find . . . him."

"I know where he is. He's brooding down by the pond. Or by the table rock on the moor. Shall I fetch him, Sev?"

Severus considered. He wanted to alleviate Harry's guilt, but at the same time he knew forcing a confrontation was not good either. Harry had been avoiding him these past few days. "No. He . . . must . . come . . . on his own."

But Harry didn't. Not until another week had gone by. Poppy pronounced the eleven-year-old fully recovered and said Severus was doing well also. Lucy made a special dinner to celebrate, but Harry could barely choke it down. He quickly excused himself to his room, his gut was churning, and lay down on his bed.

Severus was sleeping and did not hear him come in.

Harry knew he should have been ecstatic that he was well again, but somehow his triumph seemed hollow when Severus was still mending. He shut his eyes and tried to sleep, but he kept reliving the accident. Suddenly his stomach rebelled and he tried to dash for the toilet, but tripped on his discarded trainer and fell on the floor inbetween the two beds. That proved too much for his stomach and he puked all over.

Severus woke and saw what was going on. He eased himself out of bed, and came to help the poor boy, who was crying and vomiting. He placed cool hands on either side of Harry's head and murmured, "Sshh, child . . . sshh . . .okay . . . you're sick . . ." He debated on whether he should call Lily, but then decided not to. It wasn't as if he hadn't dealt with this sort of thing before.

He helped Harry stand and guided him into the bathroom. He rubbed Harry's back and held his head over the toilet. Harry threw up again and groaned. Severus croaked softly, "Okay . . . re . . .llax . . ." Severus suspected the boy wasn't sick from a virus as much as sick from guilt.

Leaving the boy for the moment, he went over to the cabinet where he kept his healing potions and pulled out a Stomach Soother. He shook it to mix the contents and then walked back and touched Harry on the shoulder.

When Harry looked at him, he handed the child the vial and said, "Drink this."

Harry obeyed. His stomach calmed then and he rinsed his mouth and followed Severus back to the room. When he saw the mess on the floor, he flushed. "I'll get Mum to clean up." He knew Severus didn't use his wand yet because he couldn't speak well enough to cast spells. And Harry didn't know the Cleaning Charm yet.

But when he would have left to find Lily, Severus stopped him. "Not yet. Talk first."

"But . . ."

"Sit, Harry." Severus ordered, pointing to the side of the bed.

Harry sat, looking at the ground.

Severus sat next to him. "Llook at me."

Harry reluctantly did so. "Sorry I sicked up all over."

Severus shook his head. "It . . . doesn't matter. You're not sick here." He pointed to Harry's stomach. "But here." He laid a hand on the boy's chest.

He picked up his quill and began to write. Like Theo, you feel guilty over the accident. You shouldn't. Accidents happen.

"You don't understand," Harry said.

No? Tell me then.

Harry did, then asked, "Don't you remember anything about it?"

"No." Severus said.

"How come you're not mad? You were before. You looked like you wanted to spank the daylights out of me."

"That's diff-rent." Severus said. He began to write rapidly.

Harry, I can't be angry without remembering what went on. You telling me isn't the same thing as me remembering it. I have nothing to connect me to the story emotionally. It's all a blur. Understand?

"I . . . guess so." He wasn't exactly sure what the Mind Healer meant. "So . . . if you do remember . . will you be mad then?"

"Maybe." Severus said.

"Will you punish me then?"

"Maybe." Personally, Severus felt Harry was punishing himself more effectively than he could. He patted the boy on the shoulder before flipping back a page and showing Harry what he had written to Theo. "It goes . . . for you . . . too."

Harry read what was written. He couldn't believe that Severus would forgive him for what he did. He didn't feel like he deserved it.

Severus could tell just by looking at Harry that the boy didn't understand. He began to write again. You need to learn how to control your magic, Harry. Otherwise accidents like this will keep happening. What did your mother say about punishing you?

"Uh . . . she said that you could punish me, seeing as you were the one most affected by my mistake."

Severus nearly groaned aloud. Wonderful, Lily! Make me the bad guy. "Ah." He wrote more. Fine. However, as I said before, I cannot punish you over something I can't remember.

"But I remember."

Yes, but there's a certain mindset I need to be in before I spank you or revoke privileges and it's just not here. I need to feel justified in doling out punishments, otherwise it feels wrong. If I remember what happened . . . it'll be different. Then I can punish you with a clear conscience. Do you understand?

Harry nodded slowly.

Now, might I suggest you go and lie down? Beating yourself up over what has happened serves only to make you sick, so stop it.

He waited until Harry had gone back to lie down in his bed before ringing the small bell Lily had provided.

Lily came immediately. "Sev, what do you need?"

"Not me. Harry."

Lily went to see her son and noticed the mess on the floor. "Oh! You poor thing!" she quickly cleaned up the mess with a charm then moved to feel Harry's forehead. "You feel a little warm. Does your stomach still hurt?"

"No. Severus gave me a potion for it, Mum."

She took his temperature with a spell. "Hmm . . . no fever. Maybe you just overdid it today. Take a nap, love. I'll bring you some ginger ale to sip." Severus always kept some on hand, as he enjoyed drinking it.

"Mum . . . I'm fine!" Harry complained, he hated being fussed over. He shot a glare at Severus, who was smirking.

"Fine doesn't leave vomit all over the carpet, Harry James," Lily said crisply. She fussed some more, casting a Cooling Charm over the sheets and tucking him in. Then she Summoned a glass with a straw and ice and a can of ginger ale. After pouring it in the glass, she insisted on helping him sit up and drink some.

"Mum, I feel better. I don't need to stay in bed," he protested. Having the talk with Severus made him feel somewhat better. Not all the guilt was gone, but he knew it would linger until Severus rememberedand gave him a proper punishment.

"Never mind you feel fine, Harry James," Lily scolded. "You are staying in bed and resting. You may not be entirely recovered from the accident and this is your body's way of telling you that. No arguments, young man."

"How can I have an argument when you won't let me talk?" Harry grumbled.

"And none of your cheek either." Lily ordered. She turned from her son and asked Severus, "How are you feeling, Sev? Would you like some dessert?"

"What kind?"

"It's vanilla and chocolate ice cream with whipped cream."

"Yes. Thank you."

"I'll be right back." Lily gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and hurried away.

Harry turned around and glared daggers at Severus. "Real nice! You know I'm not really sick."

Severus smirked, the right side of his mouth was now working, and gaining back some muscles. Then he wrote, Consider it part of your punishment if you'd like.

Harry rolled his eyes. "You're terrible! Unleashing my mum on me like that."

Severus held up the notebook again. Grin and bear it, Potter.

But when Lily returned with the ice cream, which Severus insisted on eating without help or supervision, he shared part of it with Harry, as a peace offering.

17

Memories

Two weeks later:

Severus' speech kept on improving, he spent an hour to two hours a day working on regaining his precise speech patterns, until he no longer needed the notebook to communicate. He still had a little problem with slurring words, especially when he was tired, but for the most part he was now enunciating clearly. Lily and Lucy decided to celebrate that milestone by cooking a fine meal of chicken marsala, mashed potatoes, green beans, and olive oil with Italian spices bread dipping sauce with freshly made Italian bread. They had sorbet for dessert and fresh fruit. It was the first dinner they had as a family since the accident, and both patients were recovering nicely.

Harry was now doing some memory exercises and short assignments given to him by Lily. He was spending more and more time out of bed and walking about the cottage grounds in the fresh air. But he didn't go flying. That was still forbidden, but even if it hadn't been, Harry wasn't sure he wanted to fly. His confidence had been badly shaken by the accident and now he felt uneasy. Part of it was guilt that he had been reckless and hurt Severus, not to mention himself. Guilt made him doubt his flying skills.

He also hadn't attempted any magic since then, not even the simple charms like Lumos and Accio. He also had not tried to use his stormcaller power. Instead he practiced the meditation Lily had taught him, hoping that it would help him harness his wild talent.

Theo had regained his human form after a day or two, and he spent most of his time trying to research his shifting talent. Harry knew the young Squib was delighted that he had inherited the family talent, that it made him feel more like a wizard, more a part of wizarding society.

Harry was happy that his friend had a unique talent, that he could fly without needing someone to be with him on a broom. He thought Theo's talent was awesome, and in fact secretly envied Theo for his talent that was not a constant burden and a danger to those around him. And he hated himself for feeling that way. What kind of selfish git envied his best friend the best thing that had ever happened to him? The same kind of git who nearly killed the man who was both mentor and father figure.

As a result of his self-loathing and guilty conscience, Harry became moody and snappish. He began spending more time alone, trying to come to grips with himself, but failing miserably. Even at this dinner, he was quiet, only speaking when spoken to.

Severus eyed the dark-haired boy in concern. He could tell that all was not right with Harry. He could see that Lily was concerned over her son, but unable to reach him. He suspected a lot of Harry's attitude had to do with the accident and the fact that the boy refused to forgive himself for it. Severus longed to help Harry resolve this dilemma, but knew that unless he regained his memories of that day, he was useless. Poppy had told him that he might never regain them, that they might be lost beyond recall.

But Severus refused to accept that. He had dealt with amnesia patients before, and knew that while the mind might block out memories for a time, years even, they still remained within the brain. All he needed to do was gain access to them. Severus was an accredited Mind Healer, he knew how to unlock repressed memories. He decided that night to try some of the techniques he used on patients on himself.

"Harry, would you like more chicken?" asked Lily. "You only ate a piece. Do you not like it?"

"It was great, Mum. But I'm not very hungry tonight," Harry replied, keeping his eyes down and focused on his plate.

"Not even for dessert?"

"Maybe a little bit," he conceded. He always had room for dessert, but lately even that wasn't the thrill it used to be.

He slowly ate his fruit and sorbet, while listening to Theo chatter about his latest flight in his cold drake form. He knew his mother was worried about him, but he couldn't talk to her about what was bothering him, because there was nothing she could do to help. Only one person could help him, and Severus was lost within his own mind.

Lily felt frustration well up within her. She could see plainly that Harry was troubled over something, but didn't seem to want to share what it was with her. She felt like she was failing him as a mother, because he wouldn't come to her. She had asked him repeatedly if there was something wrong and he always shrugged her off or ignored her. It made her long to shake him until he talked or hug him and never let go. She looked at Severus, who sat across from her. Perhaps he could break through the wall Harry had erected.

Harry finished his dessert, then asked to be excused.

"But Harry, we were going to play cards," Lily said. "Don't you want to—?"

"No, thanks. I've got some studying I need to do," Harry said swiftly. He knew he was upsetting his mother by shutting himself away, but he couldn't help himself. He just didn't want to do anything with anyone. He got up and went down the hall to his room before anyone else could try and persuade him to stay.

Lily glanced after him, a frown on her brow. "I don't know what to do with that kid sometimes. He seems determined to wallow in his own misery."

Severus nodded in understanding. "He is. He blames himself for what happened. And until he lets go of his guilt and accepts the fact that it was an accident, he'll keep on being miserable."

"So what can we do about it, Sev? I've tried talking with him, but he won't speak of it. Not to me, or Lucy, not even Theo."

"Which leaves me. We spoke of it briefly, and I thought he might accept my forgiveness when he couldn't forgive himself, but now I see that's not the case. I'll have to think on it, Lily. Maybe set up a few sessions between him and me."

"Would you please, Sev? Maybe he'll talk to you where he won't to me." Lily shot him a grateful look.

"All I can do is try," Severus said.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

That night, Severus put himself in a self-induced hypnotic trance. He knew that sometimes hypnotism worked and other times it didn't, depending on the patient's mind. Because he was a natural Occlumens, Severus could not rely on another Healer to try and trance him, they would never get through his shields. But trancing himself was a different story. Now that he was recovered mostly from his concussion, he could try and heal himself slowly. The first step was to regain the memory he had lost.

So he used his meditation techniques and slipped into a fourth level trance. He had directed his mind to remain there no more than eight hours, and to wake afterwards, whether or not the memory had resurfaced.

His breathing slowed and he fell through the mists of his mind, searching . . .

Memories flickered through his head, some of Lily, some of Theo, and lastly of Harry, the boy he had come to see as a surrogate son. He focused on the memories of Harry. They were many and varied, but none of them were what he sought. He searched deeper. Where was the memory of that day?

He did not know how long he was under the trance but suddenly he found what he had been searching for, buried beneath a slick black wall of pain. He slipped past the wall and found what he sought. The memory surfaced, sharp and cold.

He had woken up and known instinctively that it was too quiet in the cottage. Where were the boys? He rose and searched the house, finding them no longer in it. Concerned, he went and looked about outside.

It was then he saw them, Harry on his broom chasing the newly changed cold drake about the sky. His lips tightened and his eyes flashed with anger. What in Merlin's name were they doing? How could they be so foolish, to fly in plain sight and without permission? The reckless young idiots!

Well, he was going to put a stop to it right now. He Summoned the Blackbolt and in seconds was airborne. He flew up towards the willow tree and glared furiously at the two mischievous rascals.

Just then Lily emerged from the cottage and shouted, "Harry James Potter! You get your little arse down here right this instant! This instant, do you hear me?"

Severus flinched a little at the tone in Lily's voice. Still, he could not blame her for being angry. Someone was going to be very unhappy tonight, he thought.

Then he saw the mini twister in Harry's palm, and the sight made him grow cold. Then he was angry all over again, because he had told Harry a hundred times not to play around with his powers unless an adult was with him. He opened his mouth to give the boy a piece of his mind, when Harry's broom spiraled out of control. Severus tried to move away, but couldn't pull free in time.

Harry hit him like a ton of bricks and the last thing he recalled was the back of his head striking the tree with a dull thud, then blackness . . .

Severus came out of the trance with a gasp. His forehead was beaded with sweat. But he had succeeded. He remembered what had happened that day. The memory was so fresh in his mind that he still felt some of the residual feelings from it. Anger, irritation, fear, and pain. He had to keep reminding himself that he was fine now, that he was recovering. But at least he understood why Harry was so upset . . . and why he deserved some kind of punishment.

Severus looked over at the other bed, which Harry was sleeping in. When he had come up, he had found Harry asleep, and so had no opportunity to talk to him. But now, with the memory intact, he could finally talk with Harry from a position of knowledge and authority. Tomorrow. Right now he was so tired he was lucky he could remember his own name.

He closed his eyes and slept deeply.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

Harry woke up rather early the next morning. Normally he would have hurried to get dressed and eat before going flying, but now . . .now it just gave him more time to brood. He left the room and went to the loo. In his depressed state, he just felt like going back to sleep, because what was the point of getting up?

But when he walked back into the room, he saw something that made him suddenly wide awake.

Severus was sitting up in bed and looking more . . . alert than Harry had seen him since before the accident.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" Harry mumbled, trying unsuccessfully to rub the sleep from his eyes.

Severus shook his head. "No. Close the door, please. We need to talk."

Harry obeyed, wondering what on earth his mentor would want to talk about at six thirty in the morning. He started to make his way over to his bed.

"Come and sit here," the Mind Healer said, and while it was spoken quietly, there was no mistaking the tone of command in his voice.

Harry blinked, then walked over and sat down beside the older wizard. "What did you want to see me about?"

Severus looked at him oddly, with a combination of sadness and anger. Then he said, with a touch of sternness, "You've been wallowing in guilt and blame for too long, Harry. It has to stop."

Harry looked away. "I can't help it," he mumbled.

Severus pulled his chin about so the boy was looking at him. "The reason why you're so miserable, Harry, is because you can't forgive yourself. But perhaps now you can."

"I . . . don't understand."

"I remember that day now, Harry. I dreamed of it last night, and the memory remains." Severus stated evenly.

Harry felt his heart do an odd sort of leap. Severus remembered! "You do?"

"Yes. I remember exactly what happened. You and Theo behaved very recklessly and foolishly. You not only put yourselves at risk, but our world by flying without Notice Me Not charms. What if you'd been seen by a Muggle?" Severus rebuked.

Harry flinched. "We . . . never thought about that."

"No, because you were only concerned about what you wanted. It was that kind of self-absorbed behavior that led to the accident."

"I didn't mean to hurt you," Harry said, lowering his head.

Severus tipped his chin up. "No, but that is what happened. Both of us were hurt by your poor decision."

Tears welled in the green eyes. "I'm sorry. I won't ever be stupid like that again."

"I sincerely hope not. This was a hard lesson for you to learn, but then those are the ones that usually stick with us."

"Yes, sir," Harry sniffled. He swallowed hard. "Are you . . . going to punish me?"

Severus drew in a breath. "I would say you have already punished yourself more than anything I could do. Your mother tells me you no longer fly your broom or use your magic and you isolate yourself from everyone. Why?"

"Because . . . I just don't feel right flying my broom right now. I almost killed you. My magic is dangerous and I . . . just don't feel like being around anyone."

"I see. Do you feel like you aren't worthy of being with your family? That you don't deserve them, perhaps?"

"I don't. All I do is hurt people with my stupid talent."

Severus sighed. "Harry, do you think you are the only one who has ever lost control of his magic? It's called accidental magic for a reason, and it's why we have schools. Everyone in this house, myself included, has lost control at one time or another. It's a normal process of growing up. You are no different."

"I am so. Who else do you know that can summon killer storms, huh? That people think is dangerous?" Harry flared.

"Do you think you're dangerous?"

"Yes!"

"Good. Because we are all dangerous. Magic is a powerful force, and can be used for good or misused for evil. But do you know how to stop being dangerous?" Harry shook his head. "You learn how to master the magic. To control it. That's why you're here with me. But you cannot learn control unless you practice."

Harry bit his lip. "I'm afraid."

"You should be. A little fear is healthy. But don't let it consume you. Now, I have already told you that I forgive you for what happened."

"I know. But it's not enough."

"Why?"

"Because . . ."

"Would it be because you're expecting a more formal punishment for your behavior?" Severus probed.

Harry nodded. "Last time I fooled around with my power on my broom, Mum spanked me."

"And you feel that you deserve the same now?"

"Yes. I mean, I nearly killed you! And myself. Don't you agree? Aren't you even a little bit angry at me being so stupid? After you told me a dozen times not to fly without permission? I would have thought you'd be glad to . . .wallop my ass."

Severus frowned. "Harry, I am never glad about carrying out punishments. I dislike causing you or Theo pain, emotionally or physically. But sometimes punishments are necessary to recall to you the gravity of your behavior and to remind you never to act that way again." He cleared his throat and reached for the glass of water on his nightstand. After he had drank some, he continued, "To answer your previous question, yes, I am angry at you for behaving as you did, but what's done is done. I feel that since you already understand what you did was wrong, and have suffered for your folly as I have, there is no need for me to add any additional punishments. However, I can see you don't agree with that, do you?"

Harry slowly shook his head. "It's not that I really want a spanking, 'cause I'd rather not get one, but I . . . just feel so guilty and I can't stop feeling that way . . ."

"And you think a spanking will satisfy your guilty conscience and allow you to forgive yourself?"

Harry nodded again. He knew he must be going crazy, to ask for such a thing, but it was how he felt.

Severus ground his back teeth together. He didn't like being pushed into a corner, and forced to give a punishment he felt was unnecessary. However, his Healer instincts were telling him that in order for Harry to forgive himself, he was going to have to do what the boy wanted. Even if he disagreed with it. He drew in a deep breath and let it out. Finally, he said, "Very well. If you are certain . . . let us get this over with. Lie over my lap."

Harry obeyed without hesitating. He too just wanted to get it over with. He gripped the bedcovers tightly and waited.

Severus hesitated before doling out the first smack. He knew he couldn't get away with token swats, he had to do this for real, or else Harry would still feel guilty. At the same time he didn't want to hurt the boy any more than necessary. He raised his hand.

Harry wondered what was taking so long. He hoped Severus wasn't going to tell him he changed his mind. Then he felt a sharp whack, and he yelped. The smack was much harder than the one he remembered getting from Lily. He sucked in a breath.

Five more followed, and each one stung more than the last, making him squirm and cry, despite his resolve not to. Tears flowed freely down his cheeks. He wanted to tell Severus to stop, but he bit his lip. He deserved this, he reminded himself.

Severus steeled himself and administered one last hard swat, making the boy over his lap start sobbing. "It's over, son," he said.

Harry just lay there, crying heartbrokenly.

Severus knew Harry's tears were cathartic, and so didn't tell him to stop crying. He rubbed the boy's back, over and over. "I forgive you, Harry. Do you forgive yourself?"

"Y-yes," Harry sniffled, lifting his head from the blanket he'd buried it in. He couldn't believe how much his bum hurt. Severus had a very hard hand. Then again, he'd asked for it, so he couldn't complain.

"Here, sit up," Severus said, his tone gentle. He lifted the boy and turned him so he was leaning on Severus's shoulder. "There. Now have a good cry, because you need that most of all. Get all that negative emotion out of your system."

Harry didn't understand quite what Severus meant by that, but he couldn't seem to control himself, and he cried until he was spent, and the knot in his stomach had loosened and the awful guilt that had smothered him was gone. Afterwards he just lay against the Healer, listening to Severus' heart beating, and trying not to wince over his sore bum. Finally, he could lay the specter of guilt to rest.

Severus just remained quiet and held him, sensing that was what the child needed.

Finally, Harry felt himself start to drift off to sleep, and he forced himself to stand up. He yawned, one hand going to his bottom to rub the sting away.

Severus couldn't help chuckling, for Harry looked just like a little kid after a deserved smacking, pouting and cute. "Go back to bed, Harry. You need to sleep after that."

Harry didn't bother to argue, he felt exhausted, and so he crawled back into his own bed, lying on his stomach. Within moments he was snoring.

Severus sighed and rubbed his hand on his blanket. It stung and he swore. From now on he was going to dictate when and how a child under his care was disciplined. No more of this choosing your own punishment. But one good thing had happened. Harry was finally able to let go of his guilt and shame. Now that issue was resolved, Severus could start encouraging Harry to use his power while under his guidance, and show the boy that control over his mercurial gift was not impossible. It would just take a lot of time and effort.

Severus yawned and turned over, his own eyes shutting. It had been a rough morning, but perhaps the afternoon would be better.

When Harry woke up again, it was past noon. He raised his head and saw that Severus' bed was empty. He gingerly turned over and sat up, relieved to find his bum no longer hurt. The guilty feeling in his stomach was gone as well, he could now move past the accident and try and work on his control over his stormcalling talent. He hated knowing he was so dangerous and he never wanted to hurt any of his family or friends again.

He stood and walked over to his armoire, opening it and picking out some jeans, boxers, and a long sleeved shirt with dragons on it. He pulled off his pajamas and put on the shirt and was just about to put on his boxers and jeans when the door to the room opened.

Harry yelped and tried to cover himself. "Ahh! Get out!"

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Harry, relax. No need to be embarrassed. We all have the same equipment down there."

But Harry was in a bit of a panic and tried to back away into a corner. He tripped over his pajamas and fell backwards, landing on his bottom with a rather loud thump. "Ouch!"

Severus couldn't help it. He chuckled in amusement, though not cruelty.

Harry turned seven shades of red and cried, "It's not funny! I thought you were my mum!"

"Child, she's seen you in the altogether too, she gave birth to you and took care of you when you were an infant." His black eyes were gleaming.

"So? I don't want her to see me like this now," Harry groused. "You could have knocked."

"I apologize," Severus came over and offered Harry a hand up.

Harry took the Healer's hand and climbed to his feet. He put a hand to his backside. "Ow! Ow! Ow!" he whimpered. Just when he'd been feeling better too.

"Did you hurt yourself?" Severus asked, concerned. "Let me see." Before Harry could protest, Severus deftly spun him about so he could examine Harry's behind. "Hmm . . . you're a little bruised on your coccyx."

"I'm a little bruised where?"

"Your tailbone," Severus corrected. He Summoned some salve then said, "Hold still while I put this salve on. It'll numb the area so you can sit down."

Harry sucked in a breath as Severus gently rubbed in the salve, but soon he felt a tingling warmth and then the pain was gone.

"Feel better? I'll apply it again before bedtime." Severus capped the jar. "Come on, get dressed. Lunch will be on the table soon."

Harry quickly finished dressing, and sat on his bed to tie his trainers. "Will you teach me how to meditate?"

"Yes, but only if you come eat lunch. You've done enough brooding."

"All right,sir."

Just before Severus left, Harry said, "Severus? Can I talk to you after lunch?"

"Certainly."

The two headed into the kitchen, where Lucy and Lily were sitting down at the table. Theo was also in his customary chair beside his mother and Severus.

"Welcome back, Sleeping Beauty," Theo grinned at Harry.

Harry stuck his tongue out at him. Then he sat down next to Lily.

On each plate was a steaming sliced steak sandwich with melted cheese, fried onions, and ketchup, plus crispy chips with vinegar and salt. Harry was practically drooling over the smell alone. "Mmm! That smells so good!" He turned and hugged his mother. "Hi, Mum."

"Do you feel better, sweetie?" Lily asked, hugging him back. "Sev said you still felt a bit under the weather so we let you sleep."

"Mum, I'm always under the weather, I'm a stormcaller," Harry smirked at her expression.

Lily chuckled. "Of course you are. Start eating before it gets cold."

Harry didn't need to be told twice. He bit into his sandwich. It was delicious and he had to force himself not to gobble it all down at once. The steak was tender, juicy, and seasoned with Lucy's special blend of herbs and spices. The cheese and onions were perfect compliments and the roll was crunchy and hot.

Theo looked up at his mother and said, "Tha's outdone thyself this time, Ma. This the best sandwich I ever ate. I bet the queen herself doesna eat half as good."

Lucy colored a becoming rose. "Why thank you, Theo. Lily helped too."

"All I did was rub the herbs on and fry the onions. You did the real work, Lucy."

"Theo's right. This is outstanding," Severus said, using part of his roll to mop up the juice from the steak on his plate.

Harry finished his chips and looked wistfully at his empty plate. "Umm . . . is there anymore?"

"Anymore what, dear?" asked Lucy.

"Steak."

"Would you like another sandwich?"

"Yes, please."

Lucy started to rise, but Lily stopped her. "I'll get it, Lucy. You eat. I'm so stuffed I can't eat another bite."

She went over to the counter and made another sandwich, heating up the steak, cheese, and onions with a charm and adding ketchup. "Blast, I forgot to toast the roll! Harry, do you mind?"

"No, Mum." Harry called. He could have eaten it without the roll, it was that good.

Lily floated the sandwich over to him and sat back down. She was pleased her son's appetite was increasing, the fresh Yorkshire air was good for him. Severus had told her about the talk he'd had with Harry, and the spanking, explaining he would not have done so if Harry had not insisted. Lily understood, and said, "Sev, I trust you with Harry's life. I know you'd never deliberately hurt him, and he's not going to die if you spank him. So don't feel guilty. If he needs to be disciplined, do it. You have my permission. After all, if we marry, you'll be his stepdad."

She smiled fondly at her son and her best friend, who was becoming something more than that every day. She enjoyed sitting down like this, as a family. She considered Lucy a sister and Theo like a nephew.

Harry finished his second sandwich and burped loudly.

Theo giggled. "Good one, Harry!"

"Harry, for Merlin's sake! Where are your manners?" Lily scolded.

"Excuse me. It's the onions," Harry said, trying to look contrite, but failing miserably.

Lily began to clear the table.

A bowl of grapes, apples, and bananas appeared on the table, and a plate of pound cake with powdered sugar sprinkled on it. A pot of tea, sugar, and milk floated onto the table next, along with cups, plates, and spoons.

Theo took a handful of grapes, popped some in his mouth, then hissed, "Harry, catch!"

He threw a grape at Harry.

Harry caught it in his mouth, then he took some grapes and tossed one back at Theo.

But it missed and hit him in the chest. He threw another at Harry and hit him in the forehead right on his scar. "Ten points!"

Harry's next grape hit Theo in the nose.

"Boys, enough!" Lucy ordered. "Grapes are for eating, not playing! Act thy age!"

"We are, Lucy," Harry sniggered.

"Harry James, you quit being cheeky, or else you can spend ten minutes with your nose to a wall," Lily snapped.

"But Mum, Theo started it!"

"And I'm finishing it," Lily returned. "Now behave!"

"Yes'm," Harry sighed. Mothers! But when he looked up at Severus, he saw the Healer frowning as well. And fathers too!

Once the sweet had been eaten, Severus excused himself and beckoned Harry to come with him to his study. Harry immediately followed.

Theo looked alarmed. "Is he in trouble?" he asked Lily.

"No, Theo. Sev just wants to have a little talk with him about his abilities." Lily reassured him. "Would you like to play cards while you're waiting for them to finish?"

"Muggle or magical? I know both ways."

"Let's play rummy." Lily suggested, and pulled a Muggle deck out of her sleeve.

"Cool! How'd you do that?" asked Theo.

"Magic," Lily chuckled, and shuffled the deck. "Muggle magic, that is, called sleight of hand."

Meanwhile, in the office, Harry was asking Severus about Mind Healing. "How did you know you wanted to be a Mind Healer, Severus? Was someone in your family one?"

"No. My mother was a Potions Mistress and for awhile I thought I would follow in her footsteps, but I decided I was better suited to being a Mind Healer."

"What about your dad?"

Severus grimaced. "My father was a Muggle and a worthless drunken sot, the less said about him the better. You know I am an Occlumens, right? I am also a Legilimens as well, meaning that I can scan a person's surface thoughts and memories."

"Is that like reading someone's mind?"

"No. The mind is not a book, to be opened and flipped through like a storybook. The mind is a multi-layered thing, very complex. What I do is not really reading so much as scanning memories. And I only do so with permission of the patient. It is forbidden to deliberately scan another's memories without obtaining permission. That's a breach of privacy."

"When would you do it then?"

"I would only use Legilimency if my patient could not bear to recall the memory or buried it within them and hiding it was hurting them. Fears must be faced, as harsh as that sounds, and usually it is instinct for the mind to try and hide from or forget what has hurt them. My task is to make my patient work through what is frightening them and learn to deal with it. Because that is the only way to heal."

"But don't they get mad at you, for making them remember?"

"Yes, sometimes. But eventually they realize it's for their own good. Sometimes healing hurts. Especially when my patient has suppressed their emotions. Then my task is coax them back into feeling again, and many of them hate me for causing them such pain. Dealing with injured and abused children and teenagers is never easy."

"Then why bother? If they don't appreciate you, I mean?"

"Because they need help, and I am the one best able to handle it. Because once I was one of them."

"You?"

Severus smiled ruefully. "Me. First my father, and later a group of bullies at school known as the Marauders. I know what it's like to have no one to defend you, to be alone, and helpless and frightened. To not know what to do, or who to go to for help, because you're afraid to trust anyone."

"I know what that's like too."

"I know you do. And that's why I chose to be what I am. So those abused and bullied children don't have to suffer in silence or turn to the path of darkness out of desperation. They can come to me and talk, or yell and scream, or cry and work through all of the hurt they've been through. And I will listen and do my best to help."

"Are all your patients kids?"

"The majority, yes. Though I have treated young adults also."

"What . . . what do you do when you find a kid who's been . . . abused by their parents or something?"

"First I contact Wizarding Child Services, and have them know that the child shows signs of abuse. I then have them talk to my patient, then we take child away from the parents or whoever is being abusive and place them with an appropriate relative or a loving foster family if the child has no relatives or none willing to raise them. In most cases, the abuser is arrested and we charge them on behalf of the child and bring them to trial. We do our best to make sure the victim is safe from his or her tormentor. Usually, the child continues sessions with me until I say they are well enough to stop."

"How long does that take?"

"It depends on the person. Some take months, some years. It varies."

"Oh. Umm . . . Severus? Could you . . . maybe let me tell you a few things sometime?"

"Certainly. When would you like an appointment?"

"Not . . . just yet."

"Very well. When you're ready then, Harry." Severus said, pleased that the boy was finally opening up to him. "For now, I want us to concentrate on meditation. Now I know that Lily showed you basic meditation and you've practiced it, but I think we need to start over from the beginning. All right?"

Harry nodded. "Yes, sir."

Severus cleared his throat. "Ready, Harry? Let us do counted breathing exercises. Breathe in, and hold for a count of five, then breathe out. One . . . two . . .three . . . four . . . five. Exhale."

Harry obeyed. He had learned this exercise before and it was easy. He repeated the exercise ten times, then Severus told him to close his eyes and find his center. He also went one step further and asked Harry to describe his safe place, which was his room at Heatherton Cottage.

"Good. Now I want you to do something a little harder. I want you to call up a bit of your power and hold it with you inside your center. Don't do anything with it, just hold it to you. Concentrate!"

Harry tried, but he was scared of summoning his stormcaller power again and so he failed to draw it forth. He began to breathe hard, getting frustrated and his face scrunched and red with effort.

"Stop. You're too tense, trying too hard. Relax."

Harry let out his breath. "Okay. I'll try again."

But despite his attempts to remain calm, Harry tensed up and each time his power slipped from his grasp like water through a sieve. "I can't do this!" he cried, angry.

"Yes, you can. You summon your power without half trying. What makes this time different, Harry? What are you feeling?"

"I . . . I'm scared," he mumbled.

"Excuse me?"

"I said . . . I'm scared," Harry repeated, ashamed. "I don't want to hurt you again."

"I see. What do you think will happen if you call that small bit of power to you?"

"I might . . . call a storm or something and then I'd wreck your office, maybe even kill you."

"Do you really not trust yourself to control such a small amount of power?"

"I don't know."

"Shall we find out? Harry, I chose this time because I knew the chance of a storm blowing in here was almost nothing. Don't be afraid, Harry. Just pull a small amount to you and cup it in your hand. That's right."

Severus could feel Harry doing what he'd asked, and he slipped into a third level trance, monitoring his patient. He let Harry hold the energy inside him for five minutes then told him to release it. "Nice and easy. Very good! Open your eyes now."

Harry did, a quiet smile spreading across his face. "I did it!"

"Yes, and look, my office is still here and so am I," Severus chuckled. "We'll keep doing this until you can draw a substantial amount of power and not fear it. We'll practice every night, five times a week."

Harry nodded. "Umm . . . Severus, can I ask you something else?"

"You may, Harry."

"Are you going to marry my mum?"

"I would like to, Harry. I love her very much. What do you think of that?"

"I know she loves you, I heard her say it lots of times when you were sleeping," Harry admitted. "And I guess . . . I don't really mind. I never had a real father before and I always wanted one. And if Mum loves you, I guess you'd make a good one. You love Theo and he's not your real son, so . . . maybe you can love me too?"

"That's not a maybe, son, it's a yes. I love you, Harry, as if you'd been born to me," Severus murmured. Then he held out his arms and Harry ran into them, hugging his new father hard.

Neither of them heard the door open a crack and Theo listening at the keyhole. The young shifter had come by to see if Harry were done with his session yet, so they could go explore the grounds or fly. He only caught the tail end of the conversation, where Severus said he loved Harry like a son. Now Theo was aware that Harry was developing a closer relationship with Severus, but hearing the man who had raised him and was like a father to him call another son was a shock and worse, made him dreadfully afraid he was being replaced by Harry. Theo had always been insecure, first because of his crippled foot and then because he was a Squib. Finding out that he was a shifter was the best thing that had ever happened to him, but even that was all ruined now.

Of course Severus would love Harry more . . . Harry was the better magic user—stronger and with a unique talent, a better flyer, and he was famous for defeating the most evil wizard of all time. Theo, on the other hand . . . was still a burden, he would never measure up to Harry. In his hurt, anger, and jealousy, he forgot Severus telling him that he loved both of them, forgot that he would have been thrilled yesterday to have his friend for a brother.

Choking back sobs of betrayal, Theo bolted down the hall and out the door, running across the lawn to the small cottage where Lucy and he lived as fast as he could with his bum foot. He dashed into his room, slammed the door and locked it. Then he threw himself across his bed and sobbed heartbrokenly into his pillow. What about me? Don't you love me anymore, Severus? I was your son first, wasn't I?

He had almost cried himself to sleep when he heard a knock at his door.

"Hey, Theo! Don't you want to go exploring?" Harry called.

"No! I don't feel good, now go away!"

"Oh, but . . . do you need your mum? Or Severus?"

"No! Now leave me alone!"

Figuring maybe Theo was embarrassed at being sick, maybe he'd puked all over, Harry knew what that was like, he decided to tell an adult.

The next thing Theo heard was a sharp knock on the door and Severus' voice. "Theo, are you sick? Please unlock the door and let me in. If you had an accident, I won't be angry. Just open the door."

"No!" Theo yelled, his throat clogged with tears. "I . . . I'm fine! Just go away!"

But Severus knew perfectly well he wasn't fine, and he unlocked the door with a charm and entered the room. "Theo, what's wrong?"

Theo kept his face hidden in the pillow, the last person he wished to see was Severus. "Just get out!"

"I can't until you tell me what's wrong." He walked over to the bed and gently laid a hand on Theo's shoulder.

A part of Theo thrilled to that familiar gesture, the concern in Severus voice. But that part was eclipsed by jealousy, and so he shouted, "Go away, I don't need you here. Go be with Harry, you like him best anyway."

Suddenly, Severus understood. "Theodore, sit up and look at me. We need to have a talk."

Theo stubbornly refused to turn around, sulkily keeping his head buried in his pillow. Normally he didn't behave so childishly, but right then he was quite upset and scared to death that Severus no longer loved him.

Severus could tell Theo was upset, but that didn't mean he would let the boy get away with that kind of thing. If he was going to have a conversation with his young ward, he wasn't going to do so to the back of his head. "Theodore, look at me," he ordered with a hint of sharpness. "You're being disrespectful. You know better."

For an instant, Theo considered ignoring the command. But then he thought better of it. If he behaved like a brat, Severus surely would think Harry was the better kid, more than he already did. So he turned over and sat up, taking the handkerchief Severus offered him. He blew his nose and wiped his eyes then looked at the man he thought of as a father ever since he was four years old and realized he didn't have a father like other kids and wanted one.

Once Theo was sitting up, Severus took a seat on the bed next to him. He had a good idea what was bothering the youngster and couldn't exactly say he was surprised about it. It was common in children Theo's age and younger to be insecure and jealous when family dynamics changed. Severus cleared his throat then said quietly, "Would you like to explain what you meant when you said that I like Harry better than you? Why would you think that?"

"B-because it's true!" Theo stuttered a little.

"Have I ever said that?"

"You . . . you said you loved Harry like a son. I heard you when I was coming to ask if you were done talking yet in your study."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "I see. You know, Theodore, eavesdroppers almost never hear entire conversations, only bits and pieces and almost always draw wrong conclusions from them."

"What?"

"You only heard part of my conversation with Harry, where I reassured him that he was as much my son as you are. Even though neither of you are my blood relative, I still love you both as if you were my children. I play no favorites, Theo, you should know that by now. Do you remember when you were six, and that horrid Tyree pushed you in a mud puddle and told you that you were a worthless child because of your foot?"

Theo nodded. "Yeah, I remember. You stuck up for me though. You went and talked to his ma and told her she ought to teach her son respect and manners and to not be a bully who picks on . . umm . . . disabled children."

"That's right. I was angry enough to take that brat and wallop him into next week for tormenting you. I also told you that it didn't matter to me if you had a crooked foot or not, that you were just as good—if not better—than a child who had two good feet. That what mattered wasn't what you looked like on the outside, but here on the inside." He placed a hand upon Theo's chest. "That still holds true, child, and it will always. And the same goes for your magic."

"But . . . Harry's got more magic than I do. So you can do more things with him and . . . and he's a better son for you . . . I can't even use a wand . . ." Theo trailed off, sniffling again. He looked away from his guardian.

Severus gently pulled Theo's head around, so the boy was looking at him. "Theodore Nott, I'm surprised at you. Since when have I ever told you that having magic means you are more worthy of my love? Have I suddenly become your grandfather, willing to toss my only grandson out on his ear because he's a Squib? Do you truly believe I would be so coldhearted?"

Theo dropped his eyes, ashamed. He hadn't meant to make Severus feel bad, but he had been so certain . . ."No. I just . . . I mean . . . I feel like such a failure . . ."

"You aren't, and you should never feel inferior because you don't have as much magic as the rest of us. You have inherited a powerful shapeshifting gift, one that no wizard alive has, that should make you more than proud. Magic is a talent, like flying, or baking, or writing stories, but not having it doesn't mean that I will look down on you, or love you less for it. You are special just as you are, Theo, and I love you for being you. You shouldn't resent Harry for his magic, you've seen for yourself how much trouble it's brought him. Do you know that a few days ago he told me he wishes he had a shifter talent like you, because his stormcaller ability made him dangerous and he hated it?"

"He did?" Theo squeaked, his eyes wide. "He doesn't like being so powerful?"

"No, because his kind of power is a burden and a great responsibility. Yours is also, but at least you can have fun with it, he said. You see, Theo, there are two sides to everything, and having magic isn't always wonderful. I would venture to guess that if you asked Harry if he would rather be a stormcaller with enormous power or be a Squib, he would rather lose his power than have to worry about killing someone."

"Oh. I . . . I never thought about it like that before."

"No, because you only saw the fact that he had something you didn't. Sometimes it's easy to be jealous, until you take the time to walk in another's footsteps and see things from their perspective. When I offered Harry and Lily my home, I did so because they needed help and it was the right thing to do. I was also hoping that you and Harry could be friends, maybe even more than that, because you needed another boy your age to have fun with. I never brought Harry here to replace you in any way, because that's impossible. Nothing ever can. A man can have two sons, Theo, as different as day and night, and love them both equally, because a father's heart has room in it for more than one or two people."

Hearing that heartfelt declaration from the other man made Theo fling his arms around Severus neck and hug him tight. Tears started leaking from his eyes again and he cried, "I . . . I was so stupid . . . I forgot what tha said . . . I'm sorry!"

Severus' arms came about him and held him. "You have nothing to apologize for, son. Having Harry and Lily here is a big adjustment and I'm sorry if I haven't been spending as much time with you lately as I would like to."

Theo shook his head. "Not tha fault . . . thee got knocked into a coma . . ."

"True . . .how about if we play a game of chess now and later you can show me how well you fly in your dragon form?" Severus suggested.

Theo pulled away and smiled at Severus. "That'd be grand, Severus! And mayhap Harry could fly with me . . . if he wants. He stopped flying since your accident, you know."

"Yes, because he blamed himself. But hopefully he's gotten over it now. Are you sure you wish Harry to fly with you this time? I was under the impression that you wanted to spend some time with me alone."

"Well, I am doing that right now," Theo said. "And I . . . I like having Harry fly with me. I can share, Severus, I'm not a little baby."

The Mind Healer ruffled his hair playfully. "Good. Now, how about that chess game?"

"Let me get the board," Theo said, running to the closet and rummaging inside for the chess set.

Page~*~*~*~Break

When Lucy didn't see Severus come back into the kitchen after Harry had told her Theo seemed to be sick, she grew concerned and came and knocked on the bedroom door. "Theo? Severus? Is everything all right in there?"

"Fine, Ma. We're playing chess," Theo called.

"Chess? Then tha isn't sick?"

"No. I feel fine."

"Oh. But Harry thought . . ."

"He was mistaken, Lucy," Severus answered. "Theo just needed to be alone for awhile."

"Oh. All right, I was just wondering." Shrugging, she went back to the kitchen to continue to baste the Cornish hens and make the gravy for supper.

Meanwhile, Harry was helping Lily pick some vegetables in the garden for a salad and a side dish. Lily noticed that Harry seemed much more relaxed and content now that he had discussed things with Severus and had a lesson in meditation. Mother and son picked lettuce, onions, tomatoes, and cucumbers companionably until Lily said, "That should be enough for now, Harry. It's good to see you outside enjoying the fresh air again instead of moping around the house."

Harry nodded. "I feel a lot better now that Severus told me he forgave me for knocking him off his broom." He placed one last cucumber in his gathering basket, then dusted his hands off on his jeans.

"And that you've forgiven yourself," Lily said wisely.

"Yeah. Mum, do you think you might . . err . . . marry Severus one day?"

Lily smiled. "Yes, someday we might. I love Severus very much. He makes me very happy and I would enjoy spending the rest of my life with him. He would also make you a very good dad. Would you like him to be your dad, Harry?"

"Yes. He said . . . he said he thinks of me like a son, same as Theo."

"I know. Well, since we're all in agreement . . . the only thing remaining is to set a date."

"How about a December wedding, Mum? Then we could be a whole family for Christmas," Harry suggested.

"Harry, that's a brilliant idea! Lucy and Narcissa can be my matrons of honor, and Lucius can be Sev's best man and you, Draco, and Theo can be ushers and Aradia can be the flower girl. And I can pick out velvet gowns with fur trim for the girls, green I think would go well, and the men can wear black tuxs and green cummerbunds and I think I shall have an ivory gown, since this is my second marriage . . ." Lily stated, her eyes sparkling like a child's with excitement.

She suddenly set down her basket and grabbed Harry's hands. "Dance with me, Harry! I'll teach you how to waltz, you'll need to know how for the wedding!"

Harry was startled. "Uh, Mum . . . I feel kind of dorky . . ."

"Oh, Harry! There's no one to see but us," she giggled, showing him where to put his hands.

Then she whirled him away down the rows of vegetables, laughing.

Though he felt like he had two left feet, Lily's happiness was infectious, and Harry found himself smiling and laughing too as he tried to keep up with his mother. He knew he must look ridiculous, but found he didn't care. It almost reminded him of a fairy tale, where the dashing prince sees the beautiful maid dancing in a patch of rutabagas, falls madly in love, and marries her that same day.

"You're doing wonderful, Harry!" Lily exclaimed as they danced up the row of carrots.

"At least I haven't stepped on your feet," her son snickered as he let Lily whirl him around.

"Or trampled the onions," Lily grinned.

"Lucy'd kill us!" Harry smirked.

They came to a halt near the garden gate, panting and grinning like fools.

"That was fun!" Lily panted.

"Yeah," Harry agreed, but he was glad no one else had seen them.

Until he looked up and saw Lucy, Theo, and Severus standing on the back porch, clapping.

"Aw, Merlin!" he groaned, blushing. He still had hold of Lily's hand. He held out her arm to Severus and said, "Your turn."

Severus smirked and came down to take Lily's hand, his eyes twinkling merrily. "May I have this dance, my lady?"

"Anytime, Sev." Lily replied, then she kissed him gently.

"Okay, when's the wedding?" Theo hooted.

"December," Harry answered.

"About time!" Lucy said, beaming.

Lily blushed. "Sev, will you marry me?"

"Of course. But I thought I was supposed to do the asking."

"Does it matter?"

"Not at all. I love you, Lily."

"And I love you, Sev. Always."

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

After supper, the boys and Severus left the women discussing wedding arrangements while they went out in the yard to fly. Theo transformed into Tempest and launched himself skyward while Harry got on his broom and after a few moments followed him up.

Severus allowed the two boys to chase each other across the sky and burn off some steam before joining them on his Blackbolt. Some people might have thought it remarkable that Snape could get back on his broom after suffering such a terrible accident, but Severus didn't remember falling off his broom, and so was not traumatized by flying on it.

He raced Tempest to a small tree across the moor and back to the house, challenging the cold drake with his racing broom. He was amazed at how aerodynamic the small drake was, able to spin and loop so gracefully in midair. But the Blackbolt could attain speeds that a living creature couldn't, so Severus won. Even so, he told Theo, "Well done! You fly excellently for only a novice shapeshifter. Now why don't you and Harry have a turn?"

Okay, Severus, Tempest sent, baring his teeth in a dragonish grin. Let's go, Harry!

Harry brought his broom to hover next to the cold drake and said, "You're gonna be eating my dust, Tempest!"

Ha! Keep dreaming, Potter!

At Severus' "Ready, set, go!" the two blasted across the sky, whooping and roaring.

They went back and forth four times before the race ended and Tempest managed to get his snout in front of Harry's broom.

Harry took his defeat gracefully, saying Tempest had flown well. "But next time, I'm going to trounce you."

Tempest snorted in laughter. Promises, promises. He did a belly roll and flipped right side up, his eye level with Harry's head. Hey, Harry. When your mum and Sev tie the knot, will you start calling Severus "dad"?

"I hadn't thought about it, but yeah, I guess so. How come you never called Severus that?"

Umm . . . I dunno. I guess 'cause Ma always called him Severus an' that's what I grew up hearing. When I started to talk, I called him Sev, and well . . .I still do. But I think of him like he was my dad, since I can't remember my own.

"Me too," Harry admitted. "I guess that makes us . . . brothers."

Tempest smirked. Then tha has the weirdest brother ever.

"You mean the coolest brother ever," Harry corrected. "Who wouldn't want a cold drake for a brother?"

Do tha really mean that, Harry? I'm not a cold drake all the time.

"What's that matter?" Harry asked softly. "You got the better end of the bargain, you know."

Tempest shook his head. No, Harry. We're both even, because I like having a brother with powerful magic.

"But my magic can kill."

Only if you lose control. These can kill too and so can my breath, Tempest pointed out, wriggling his claws for emphasis. But only if I want 'em to.

Harry looked astonished. Then, slowly, he nodded. "You know what, Theo, you're right. We're both dangerous . . . if we want to be."

Aye. We're so dangerous we scare ourselves, the cold drake made a sound like boiling oatmeal, which was his version of a laugh. Then Tempest swung his tail and tapped Harry playfully on the back. Come on, slowpoke, see if tha can beat me to the tree!

With that, Tempest took off, leaving Harry to chase him down.

Severus watched them from ten feet away, a half-smile on his face. He was glad he had settled matters with Theo, because he wanted both his sons to get along and to love each other like brothers. Now it looked like he would get his wish.

He could not wait until December, when Lily would become his wife. But in addition to the wedding plans, he would also have to go shopping for gifts, both for the holidays and the wedding. He figured he would enlist Lucius and Narcissa's help for the wedding gift, they would know what was proper. Christmas presents he could manage. He felt his heart quicken as he realized that at last he would have what he always wanted and he didn't quite know what to make of it. It almost seemed like a dream, an impossible dream, but sometimes, once in a very great while, dreams came true.

November sped by, as Lily went dress shopping with Lucy, Narcissa, and Aradia. Of course Aradia was too young to help much as far as fashion went—she liked anything pink and ruffly, but she kept the three witches in stitches with her bold observations. She pointed to a rather pale yellow dress decorated with rather garish sunflowers and yellow roses. Wrinkling her tiny nose, she stated, "Mama, lookit that ugly dress! It looks like Captain peed on it."

"Gracious, Aradia! Where do you come up with these things?" Narcissa cried, embarrassed.

" 'Raco said when Captain was a puppy, he peed on everything. Like Papa's good boots," the intrepid toddler said.

"Well, yes, but that was a long time ago, you were a baby and can't even remember it," her mother told her.

"Can so! 'Raco tol' me!"

Narcissa shook her head. "Aradia, Draco telling you isn't the same as remembering."

Aradia nodded her head stubbornly, her blond curls bouncing.

"This one is just like her father," Cissy said exasperately. "She's always right, even when she's wrong."

"Sounds like my late husband," Lily said, laughing. "Only on him it was annoying instead of adorable after awhile."

"Tell me about it," Narcissa chuckled. "Once Luc's made up his mind, it's like it was chiseled in stone."

"How about Draco?"

"Draco is more like me, he's more malleable. But he adores his daddy, like any little boy." Narcissa smiled.

"I luv Papa!" Aradia squealed. Then she hugged and kissed Narcissa and said, "An' I luv Mama!"

"I love you too, baby," Narcissa murmured, kissing her back. "She's her father's daughter all right. Stubborn one minute and charming as sugar the next."

Lily looked at mother and daughter wistfully. She had missed all Harry's early years since fifteen months and hoped that if she had a baby with Severus, she could experience all she had lost while sleeping. Then she turned back to the array of dresses. Time enough to think about babies after her vows were spoken.

Finally, Lily chose a very elegant ivory colored dress with a modest train and veil of Italian lace. Matching satin pumps with tiny crystals all over them twinkled when she walked about.

Aradia clapped her hands. "Ooo! Pretty, Mama! Pretty!"

"I know, sweetie. Aunt Lily has pretty shoes for her wedding to Uncle Sev."

"What's a weddin', Mama?"

"A wedding is when you get married to the man you love. Like I married Papa."

Aradia grinned. "Do ya love Unca Sevvie, Aunt Lily?"

"I do, little imp. Very much," Lily said, chuckling.

Aradia put her thumb in her mouth, thinking hard. Then she said, "Will Unca Sevvie n' you have a baby?"

"Aradia! What a question!" groaned her mother.

But Lily was not offended. "That was bound to come up sooner or later, Cissy. It's a natural progression. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage." She looked over at Aradia. "Someday, yes, a baby might come along."

Aradia giggled and wriggled free of her mother to dance about and sing, "A baby! A baby!"

Lily's gown was made of silk with an underskirt of delicate lace and another skirt of chiffon beneath that. It had a pattern of lilies and rosebuds on it just a bit darker than the gown itself. The color brought out the spectacular color of her hair and her glowing emerald eyes.

"Oh, Lily! Tha looks like a fairy princess from the old country!" Lucy exclaimed. "Healer Sev is going to topple over when he sees thee, or my name isn't Lucinda Nott."

Lily just shook her head. "Sev's seen me before. I'm no different now than I was then."

But her friends just smirked. "Oh no, tha isn't!" Lucy disagreed.

"Lucy's right, Lily. A witch on her wedding day is worlds apart from a witch everyday." Narcissa insisted.

"And a witch on her wedding night is irresistible!" Lucy said with a naughty wink.

"Lucy!"

"What? 'Tis true! And I ought to know, considering I'm an old widow. But I still remember my wedding night! Eh, Cissy?"

Narcissa snickered. "Let's hope your wedding night is as unforgettable as mine, Lily!"

"You know, I have been married before."

"Ah, but you seem to have forgotten the most important part," Lucy cackled.

"Well . . . I was very young . . ."

"But I'm doubting you'll ever forget this one," Lucy giggled. She tugged on Lily's arm, taking her over to the jewelry case.

Lily doubted it either. James had been a good lover, unless he was too wrapped up in his own needs. But she sensed Severus would be more than good, simply because he would give her pleasure first before taking his own. Dear sweet Severus! Always waiting in the wings for her to notice him. Well, no longer. Now, at long last, he would take center stage, and there he would stay beside her . . . always.

Page~*~*~*~Break

Meanwhile, Severus, Lucius, Harry, and Theo went shopping at Twilfit and Tattings for wedding apparel. It was a good thing Severus remarked later on, that Lucius had been there to help, for Severus' knowledge of formal wear extended to a few shirts and slacks he wore to the office. He had no idea about weddings. Lucius, however, raised as the heir to a great family and taught since he could walk about fashion statements, knew all about cut and fabric and style. He quick took charge and soon Severus and the boys sported elegant pearl gray tuxedos and matching robes trimmed in emerald. He also persuaded them to go to a barber and get their hair trimmed.

Afterwards, they went to a classy restaurant called Ristorio's, which had superb food and generous portions. As they ate, Lucius teased the groom. "So, Severus, are you ready to give up the single life at last?"

"I was ready years ago, Luc. But she was sleeping," answered Severus.

"Mr. Malfoy," Harry looked at the refined wizard curiously. "Will Draco be home in time for the wedding?" The wedding was set for the 15th.

"He will, I have told the Headmaster and he agreed to allow Draco to leave early."

"How generous of him," Severus said with a slight sneer.

"Good," Harry said. He had been hoping Draco would be at the wedding. The wedding party would consist of Lucius as best man, partnered by Lucy as matron of honor, then Narcissa as bridesmaid and Theo as a groomsman. Harry was going to give the bride away. Aradia was the flowergirl. The wedding would be a small intimate affair, with a few of Severus' friends from St. Mungos and some teachers from Hogwarts.

Lucy had insisted on cooking the food, even though the couple had protested.

"'Tis my wedding present to thee. Besides, tha doesn't want thy guests going hungry, do tha now?"

Seeing that her mind was made up, they gave in. Lucy had already made several special dishes, kept fresh with Preserving charms, which held the item in a kind of stasis until ready to use. Theo and Harry had helped her make wedding soup, wedding cookies, and special wedding dumplings for an appetizer. The main course, a tender braised beef with red wine mushroom gravy, new potatoes and vegetables, Lucy would be making later on in the week. There were a few other desserts and appetizers but the feast was almost done.

Now all that remained was sending out invitations.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

That night, Severus and Lily began looking over the guest list. Severus checked off each name as he wrote an invitation. Until he came to an unexpected entry.

"Remus Lupin?" he froze with the quill poised in midair. "Why is he on here?"

"Because I figured it might be time to bury the hatchet," Lily said evenly. "Remus was never out to get you the way James and Sirius were, Sev."

"No, but he almost bit me. And he watched while his friends tormented me," Severus declared sharply.

"I know. But when I was married to James, Remus helped me a great deal. I just think . . . it would be a nice gesture. But if you're really uncomfortable, Sev . . ."

He met her compassionate evergreen eyes and sighed. "Very well. This is your wedding too and you have the right to invite whoever you want to it."

"Sev, if you really don't want me to . . ."

"No. It's fine." Severus said. "Just don't expect me to do more than say hello and goodbye."

"I understand. I'll seat him with the staff from Hogwarts." Lily decided. Then she leaned over and kissed Severus. "Thank you."

"Anything for you, Lily," he whispered, kissing her back.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

December 15, 1991:

The day of the wedding dawned crisp and cool, with a dusting of frost in the air. They used a portkey to get to the Union of Perpetual Peace, a church dedicated to Merlin, and the bridal party lined up before the huge doors. Severus went first, of course, before Lily arrived with Harry escorting her. Lucy and Narcissa looked radiant in their gorgeous green velvet dresses trimmed with golden fox fur and sparkling crystals. The full skirts were slashed to reveal gold and silver brocade and even boots were dyed and trimmed to match.

"Wow, Mum! You look like a princess!" Theo exclaimed when he saw Lucy walking towards him.

"Thanks, Theo. That's sweet of thee to say so," Lucy laughed. "But I haven't worn a dress this fine since my own wedding day."

Theo cocked his head. "Do tha miss it?"

Lucy shook her head. "No, lad. The dress is beautiful, but I have something even more so . . . you." She pinched his cheek and he squirmed. "A fine bonny son."

Theo blushed. "Ma, please! Don't say that!"

"An whyever not?"

"'Cause I'm not."

"To me thou art."

Theo turned the color of a beet. Mothers!

Behind him, beside Lily, Aradia twirled and giggled, holding her little basket of flowers. She was wearing a different gown than the witches, hers was velvet too, but striped pink and white like a candy cane and her shoes were soft kidskin with tiny heels and pink bows.

"See my new shoes, Harry," she tugged his sleeve. "They're very shiny! Like Mama's." She stuck out a foot for him to admire them.

Harry grinned down at her. "They're very pretty shoes. Wait till Draco sees!"

Aradia looked about. "Is 'Raco here?"

"Uh . . .I think so. You can look for him in church. Wave to him as you go down the aisle." He bent down and whispered in her ear, "And don't forget to throw flowers all over him."

"I won't!"

"Harry, what are you telling her?" asked Lily suspiciously. "I hope you're not encouraging her to mischief."

"No, Mum." Harry said, straightfaced. "I reminded her to wave to Draco."

Then the wedding march struck up and they processed into the church.

Harry guided Lily down the aisle. They let Aradia go before them.

The littlest Malfoy happily threw rose petals all over, smiling. Everyone oohed and awed at the sight of her.

Until Aradia saw her brother on the end of the aisle and turned and called, "'Raco! Catch!"

She grabbed up half the flower petals remaining in her basket and threw them right at her brother.

Colored rose petals flew all over the startled boy, coating him. They were even in his hair.

Aradia giggled hysterically. "'Raco's a flower!" Then she skipped down the aisle.

Draco groaned.

Harry was smirking uncontrollably.

"Harry! Did you tell her to do that?" Lily scolded in an undertone.

Harry looked away from her instead of answering.

"Boys!" she muttered. "That's just like what your father would have done."

Severus watched as Lily came towards him, a vision in ivory silk and lace, crowned by a nimbus of fire. He felt his heart quicken as she drew near and he felt almost as if this were a dream. For so long he had dreamed of this moment, never expecting it to come true. But today it had. He waited somewhat impatiently for Harry to escort her up the aisle, his heart bursting with love. At last . . . at last you come home to me, beloved, his heart whispered. After all this time . . .

He extended his hand and Harry placed Lily's hand into his, bowing. "Into your keeping I give my mother," he said, speaking the age old words. Then he stepped back and to the side. "Congratulations!" he whispered and winked. That was not in the script, but Harry felt it should have been.

Lily looked up at Severus, her face radiant with love.

"Into my heart I receive her," Severus responded, then he helped her up the stairs and turned her to face the simple altar where Horace Slughorn stood in his best robes, as the presiding bonder of the ceremony.

Horace cleared his throat. "Dearly beloved brothers and sisters in Merlin, we are gathered here together to celebrate the joining of Severus Tobias Snape and Lily Evans Potter. If there be any reason why these two should not be joined in sacred matrimony, let him speak now or forever hold his peace . . ."

There was a moment of silence then Horace went on. "Do you, Lily, take Severus to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, forsaking all others, in sickness and in health, good times and bad, to love and cherish, till the end of all things?"

"I do," Lily said clearly, her eyes glowing as she looked up at Severus.

"Place your hand upon the goblet."

She did so, placing her hand upon the silvery goblet.

"Now drink to Severus' health."

She did so, feeling the rich plum wine flow down her throat.

Next he held a tray with some pieces of fruit bread, and Lily ate one, for prosperity.

Then Horace repeated the ceremony for Severus.

"Now that you have shared bread and wine, you are bound by the laws of hospitality. "Place your hands upon the ashwood wand." He held out a three foot wand of white ash tied with ribbons.

Both of them placed a hand upon it.

"By the power of wine, bread, and wand, I declare you bound, each to the other, in a sacred trust of hearts and bodies. Bless this couple, Merlin, and make them ever happy and beloved, for all the days of their life."

As he spoke, the wand glowed a soft amber and the ribbons stirred and wrapped about the two's wrists, binding them to each other and the wand.

Horace gave three sharp tugs on the wand. When the ribbons held, he said, "The binding is true! What Merlin has brought together, let none tear asunder!"

People began to clap and cheer.

"You may kiss the bride, Severus," Horace grinned.

Severus nodded, then he took his bride in his arms and kissed her passionately.

Everyone clapped and smiled. Lucy and Narcissa were crying. Lucius was smiling proudly. Harry and Theo blushed and looked away.

Aradia giggled, then said, her little voice soaring like a nightingale's above the throng, "He kissed her! He kissed her! Yay, Unca Sevvie!"

Several guests started laughing at the precocious minx, but Severus and Lily were oblivious to all save each other.

When Lily parted from Severus, she felt slightly dizzy and warm all the way down to her toes despite the chilly weather. "I love you, Severus. Now and forever," she whispered to him, her face flushed.

Never had she looked so beautiful to him. He cupped her face in his hands and stole another kiss. "As I love you, Lily. Always."

Their mouths met again, as he swept her away on a tide of sweet passion. At long last he had what he had always desired, all those years ago. He felt his heart sing with joy as he turned about, his bride on his arm, and began to walk back down the aisle, his dark eyes alight with pure unadulterated joy.

My Lily. Now, forever, always.

Remus Lupin sat quietly at his table, drinking a glass of Merlot wine and watching the guests as they danced and talked with one another. He also watched the happy couple and their friends as they cavorted across the floor with some amusement. He knew how to dance, but was never asked, since he was a werewolf and nobody danced with slavering beasts, or ones who became so under the full moon.

Harry led Lily out on the floor, hiding a blush as he said, "All right, Mum, this is it. One dance, like I promised." He began to twirl Lily to the song of Christmas Shoes. He said, "Mum, why this song? It's so sad."

"Yes, it's sad," she agreed, turning with him. "But it's also filled with hope. The hope of love and sacrifice and renewal. Listen to it carefully, Harry, and you'll see what I mean. This marriage is an ending for me of my old life and the beginning of something brand new."

Harry smirked. "Yeah, your love for Severus! I'll bet you can't wait to get him alone and tear his clothes off!"

Lily gasped, pretending to be angry. "Harry James Potter, if it wasn't my wedding day and I wasn't too busy, I'd spank you for that comment!"

"For what comment, Lily? I missed it." Suddenly Severus was there, looking criminally handsome in his wedding attire, one eyebrow raised.

Harry pretended to hide behind him. "Help! She's gone nuts! She threatened to spank me over a little joke?"

"What did you do?" Severus demanded, pretending to be a stern father.

"Nothing!" Harry protested.

"Since when does your mother spank you for nothing?" Severus queried using his "Mind Healer" face.

"Never! Well . . . ummm . . .I said . . . I said she'd like to get you alone and rip your clothes off . . . but I meant it like a joke . . . sort of . . . and if she did . . . uh . . " Poor Harry was squirming and very redfaced.

Severus laughed then and said, "That is a typical response from an eleven year old, so I can overlook it. This time. Next time . . . you may well have a sore behind. Now, why don't you find Draco and Theo and eat some appetizers, I'm sure you're starving, and leave your mother and I in peace?"

"I will, Sev. Umm . . . d'you mind if I call you that still? Or should I call you Dad?"

Severus looked at Harry keenly. "You may call me whatever makes you comfortable, Harry. If you feel more at ease calling me by my name, do so. If you feel I deserve a title now that I'm your stepfather, call me dad. It's up to you."

"Oh. I . . . I'll think about it, okay?" Harry said. Right now he wasn't up to such weighty issues. He just wanted to enjoy himself.

"Yes. Now get, scamp! You're making a nuisance of yourself!" Severus ordered, giving the smirking boy a light swat on the behind.

Harry jumped, though it barely stung, and he stuck out his tongue at his stepfather before making a beeline for the refreshment table, hoping his friends would be there.

He looked back and saw Lily and Severus in a close embrace, dancing gently to the music, they were playing Please Come Home For Christmas, or so he thought it was called.

Remus watched from his seat, but decided to talk to Harry later, after dinner, when Severus was seeing to his guests along with Lily. He bore the Healer no real animosity;somewhere around fifth year he had actually grown to admire the other boy, who despite persecution, still maintained his grades and his curiosity abd love of magic. He just hoped that his presence wouldn't aggravate the Healer, who had no real reason to like him considering he hadn't made an attempt (and he should have) to stop his former friends from bullying Severus. Well, he reflected, poor James was dead, Sirius in Azkaban, and Peter was also dead, having tried to stop Sirius from betraying the Potters to save Regulus. And Lily and Severus were alive and married. In a way, it almost seemed . . . fitting. The hardworking Mind Healer gets the girl at last. Remus was happy for the couple. But he did want to speak with Harry, there were a number of things he wished to say to the boy, and he hoped he could do so tonight.

As Remus silently watched, Harry found Theo and Draco at the appetizer station, scarfing down the food. Theo had filled his plate with shrimp cocktail, mini eggrolls, and potstickers Lucy had made. Draco had fried calamari, eggrolls, and cocktail sausages wrapped in pastry, and potato skins. Harry helped himself to a little of everything, ordered a ginger ale from the bar, and then sat with his friends.

"So, how's Hogwarts, Draco?" asked Harry. Even though he didn't attend the school, he was still curious about it, as was Theo.

Draco sighed. "It's . . . all right, I guess. It took me some getting used to when I was away from home. I'm in Slytherin, the House of the Serpents, like most of my family. Our colors are green and silver with a serpent rampant. It's a pretty cool House, we're known for cunning and ambition, though some of the other houses, like Gryffindor, think we're evil because the Dark One was one of us. But that's a load of dung! I know better. Father said to me that just because one of us was dark and had idiots that followed him didn't mean everyone was."

Theo nodded. "That's what my mum says."

"Mine too," added Harry.

"Anyway, the Houses are supposed to be equal, earning points for doing well in class and helping a house mate and that sort of thing. We lose points for not knowing stuff and being nasty to people and breaking the rules. I guess it's an okay system, but what really gets me is that the Headmaster favors his own," Draco's voice dropped to a whisper so the others had to strain to hear him. "I know he's not supposed to and he'll deny it sure as the day is long, but whenever a Gryffindor gets in trouble he'll look the other way. Here's an example: Hagrid caught a first year Gryffindor named Seamus Finnegan in the Forbidden Forest, he said he was looking for leprechauns, when any dolt knows leprechauns are found in bright sunny meadows. Pure stupidity! And he deserved to be punished. Hagrid was taking him to McGonagall, the Head of Gryffindor, who doesn't fool around, and he ran into Dumbledore on the way. Next thing you know, Finnegan's patted on the head, told to watch where he's going next time and that's that. What a crock!" Draco said angrily. "A few weeks later, a Slytherin second year was caught out of bed by the old man, the kid was late getting back to the dorm because he'd been practicing some Quidditch moves, he was a Chaser. Yeah, that was wrong and stupid, but Dumbledore could have let him off. But no, instead he tells the kid he's lost 20 points and is benched for the next game! 20 points! Merlin's toe!"

"That isn't right," Harry said sympathetically.

"Tell me about it! But if I try and accuse the old man, I'll look like a fool. Nobody believes us kids because we're Slytherins and kids, so I can't even tell anyone. It makes my blood boil. But what can I do?" Draco sighed. "Sometimes I wish I was homeschooled like you and Theo, Harry. You have it so much better than me because Healer Sev and your mum teach you."

Theo almost choked. "We do?" he gasped. "Draco, if we do something wrong, it's like the wrath of God fell on us."

"Or the wrath of Severus Snape and Lily Snape," Harry said. "If I forget my homework, my mum's on my ass like a shot, asking why, how, and what did I think I was doing."

"So's Sev," Theo groaned. "They want you to be a perfect student and if you aren't, they'll know the reason why. They don't care how many times they need to repeat a lesson, they'll do it until you can do it in your sleep. They're good teachers but Merlin, are they strict! Once I had a "tone" in my voice, and Severus made me scrub the room—and my mum agreed with him!"

"Yeah, if you think taking points is bad, try getting grounded and made to stay in your room all day," Harry made a face.

"They can even spank you." Theo said.

"Not over school, Theo," Harry reminded. "Sev said so."

"Not marks, but attitude," Theo corrected.

"Oh, right."

Draco sat staring at them. "I'd still rather my dad taught me, or even Healer Sev, no matter what. At least I wouldn't have to endure that twinkle-eyed, smiling faced, wretched old liar! I swear, sometimes I want to hurl. The other professors are all right, but potions is hard and I can't understand Professor Hidelberg sometimes, his accent's so thick. I still think you've got it better. Sure, they can punish you and all, but at least they have your best interests at heart. Dumbledore doesn't."

Harry and Theo were silent for a long time, considering Draco's words.

Theo said, after a time, "You're right, Draco. Even when I get mad at my ma or Sev or Lily, at least I know they love me and want me to succeed, crippled foot and no magic or not. Dumbledore never would have allowed me to go to Hogwarts even if I did have magic, on account of my foot."

"Right, Theo. I have magic, lots of it, but Dumbledore won't let me in his school because of what I am and what I might do," Harry said. "I heard my mum and Sev talking late one night and I know that's why I don't go to Hogwarts like Draco. But I'm glad. I'd never want to go to a school where people hate me or are scared of me because I can call storms. I like it much better at Heatherton."

"I'm not scared of you, Potter," declared Draco a bit saucily. "You might be able to call storms, but I can call my father."

The three started snickering, and Theo followed that up with calling Severus and for a few moments there was a lively discussion of who was more fearsome—Severus or Lucius. They continued talking, now about Quidditch and other spells Draco had learnt at Hogwarts, other times about the ghosts on the moor—which all three boys vowed one day to find. All too soon it was dinner time, and Dtaco had to go back and sit with his family while Theo and Harry made their way to the high table, where the bridal party was sitting.

Harry thought the dinner was excellent, but he wasn't too fond of the dancing which followed. He did his best to avoid the dance floor, but Aradia sought him out after she had danced with nearly everyone, including Severus, Lucius, Draco, Theo, and a man he didn't know with sandy hair and deep brown eyes. She dragged him onto the floor despite his protests—he was tired, sick, and forgot how to dance. "Then I teaches you, Hawwy!" she said determinedly.

Harry gave up. Aradia was like a cyclone, you got the hell out of her way when you saw her coming or took the consequences.

He reluctantly danced with her to a song or two, the little imp was actually a good dancer and she calmly told Harry when he missed a step during the Macarena. He blushed and thought, I can't believe I'm being lectured by a two-year-old about dancing! Merlin help me! He could understand completely why Draco told him to pray his mum and Severus didn't have a girl. They were nothing but know-it-all troublemakers!

Finally her attention was caught by the dessert cart, and she deserted Harry without a backwards glance. Harry thanked God for chocolate cake and éclairs and prepared to hide for the rest of the evening when a soft voice called, "Psst, Harry! Over here. The table next to the wall."

Harry looked around and saw a medium-sized man in a rented suit beckoning him. He recognized the man as the other person whom Aradia had dragooned into dancing with her. He figured that even if he didn't know the strange wizard, he was safe if Aradia had chosen him as a dance partner. The little witch had an uncanny knack for picking people who were tolerant of small girls and of no danger to her. He came over and sat down at the man's table, which was now empty of any occupants save the stranger.

"Hello. I'm Harry Potter, Lily's son." Harry introduced himself. "But I guess you already know that. And you are?"

"My name is Remus Lupin. I'm an old friend of your father's. Your mother's too, when all's said and done," said Remus, shaking Harry's hand and smiling. He was unsure whether to tell the boy he was a werewolf just yet. He opted to wait, instead telling Harry how he was schoolmates with his parents.

Harry cocked his head, never having met anyone who knew his mother or father back when. "You knew my mum in school? Was she a good student or did she talk back to the teachers and get detention?"

Remus laughed. "Lily talk back to a teacher? Not on your life! That was more your dad's line. He was always in trouble with one professor or another for not handing in his homework or being a smartmouth. Your mum, she was always yelling at him for it, but your dad thought it was all a big joke, until the day she beat some sense into him with her own two hands."

Harry's eyes sparkled. "My mum . . . beat up my dad?" he laughed. "Are you kidding?"

"No, I swear on my honor," Remus said, raising his right hand. "It was . . . oh, Merlin you never saw anything so hilarious in your life! There was James—Quidditch star, big and handsome as all get out, and he was cowering on the floor as a witch half his size and weight pummeled him. Lily was so mad she was spitting and all I could do was laugh. James, see, he thought no girl would ever take him to task on account he was so gorgeous, and he could charm his way out of anything. But not from your mum!" Remus began to laugh too. "Oh, Harry! If only you could have seen it."

"Did my mum and dad quarrel often?"

"They did, at first. Especially over Severus," Remus said, explaining how James had been, at times, a spoiled bully, and had tormented Severus. But not when Lily was around. "She kept him on the straight and narrow. Better than I could, or Sirius, who tended to follow James like a god. It was the same with Peter." Remus told Harry about the Marauders.

Harry frowned. "I don't mind pranks, but Remus, some of those things hurt people."

"Yes, I know." The werewolf said quickly. "Back then we were immature idiots and didn't care if we hurt someone with our little jokes. But now I know better. Lily tried her best to make us stop, but sometimes even she wasn't enough."

Remus thought with regret of the way he had almost killed Severus that night. But he didn't tell that tale to Harry. That was for Severus to do, if he chose.

He told Harry more stories of James and Sirius, showing the boy that his father did eventually develop something of a conscience, aided by the redhaired witch who would eventually become his wife. "James wasn't a terrible guy, he was just spoiled and arrogant. Guess that's bred in those purebloods," Remus said, thinking of the many times James had slighted and made remarks about Remus' blood status and his intelligence. Sirius had also done so, and Remus felt that they didn't even realize at times what they did, it came naturally to them to show disdain for half-bloods and such.

Harry shook his head. "Lucy's not like that. Draco either."

"Lucinda Nott, are you talking about?"

"Yes, sir. She's Sev's housekeeper now and she cooks awesome and she fell in love with a Muggleborn and married him. Her son Theo's my best friend, and he's a Squib." Harry said, somewhat defiantly.

Remus whistled. "Hells bells, that must have caused some trouble with her family. The Notts weren't ones to marry down at all, if you get what I mean. I remember her from school—quiet and shy, not like her oaf of a brother. It must have taken some courage for her to go against her family like that. As for the Malfoys, all of us were shocked when we found out Lucius was a spy. I guess he raised his son better than his father raised him. Old Abraxus was a stickler for the old ways. You're a lot like Lily, Harry. But then you would be, raised by Muggles."

"No," Harry shook his head. "My Muggle aunt and uncle were just as prejudiced and snobby as any pureblood. They looked down on people who made less money then they did and they looked down on me because I had magic. My aunt even called my mum a vegetable sometimes, said she'd never come out of her coma. But she was wrong, like those purebloods were wrong. Good people can be poor or not and it doesn't matter what you are, but what you do with yourself. It matters more what you do and not what you were born as. My mum taught me that, and so did Severus. He loved my mum even while she was asleep and he knew someday she'd come back to him and she did."

"It seems you admire your stepfather a lot," Remus said.

"I do. He's helped me control my magic," Harry said carefully, not wanting Remus to know he was a stormcaller. That was for friends and family. "He's been my Healer and my teacher since my mum and I came to Heatherton cottage. He's not the boy you used to mock and play pranks on anymore."

Remus winced at Harry's condemning gaze. "I know that, Harry. I came here to celebrate your mum's marriage and to apologize for my past mistakes with him, not to quarrel. I've heard all about his reputation as a Mind Healer for adolescents and how well respected he is. You've no need to defend him to me, wolfling."

Harry looked at the other, trying to determine if he really meant it. There was nothing sly or tricky about the other wizard, and Harry could tell he meant what he said. "Wolfling?"

"A pet name I used to call you when you were a baby." Remus explained.

"He's not a baby any longer," came a familiar voice.

Remus turned. "I know that, Severus. Congratulations."

Severus was stiff and looking at Remus like he was dangerous. Harry didn't understand and backed away a little. "Thanks." His tone was flat, though he did offer Remus his hand.

Remus took it quickly. "I'd never hurt Harry, Severus."

Severus snorted. "God, Lupin! If you were a danger to anyone, but especially my stepson, I'd rearrange you. You're here because Lily wished it. You look different without your so-called "friends"."

Remus nodded. "I know. I'm not the same man I was, Severus. I've changed." He went on to explain, and apologize to the other man.

Harry listened in shock as Lupin revealed what he was and what he had done to a young Severus.

Severus made an impatient gesture. "That's water under the bridge now, Lupin. My concern here is Harry. I know you'd never hurt him physically, but if you try and make him into his father, you and I will have words and more than that. He's not your best mate, he's his own person and I won't have him turned into some arrogant little sod, am I understood?"

"Yes, Severus. Like I said, I'd never hurt him, and I know he's not James. Don't confuse me with Sirius. I only want to get to know my friend's son. And for him to know me."

Severus relaxed a fraction, and said, "All right. But as I said, you do anything to him and you'll deal with me."

Harry coughed. Then he said, taking a breath, "Dad, relax. I'm fine, don't go postal, okay?"

Severus looked over at Harry, sitting there calmly, his hair mussed a little, and smiled ruefully. "You're not an adult yet, therefore I can worry over you, child." He ruffled Harry's hair, smirking as the boy ducked in protest. "It's my job to worry about you and who you're with. Just use your head."

"I am," Harry reassured him. "Now why don't you go and kiss my mum? I think she's looking for you."

Severus and even Remus looked astonished at Harry's cheek.

"Brat!" Severus mock-growled. He playfully cuffed the boy about the head. "If I were another man, I'd make you sorry for that."

"But you're not. And you know I'm teasing," Harry said impudently. He knew just how far he could push Severus.

"Merlin help you, boy!" Severus snorted, then he said, "If you'll excuse me, Lupin . . ."

"Go on, Severus. It's your wedding day after all." yourself

"Behave yourself, Harry. If you can," was Severus' parting shot before he turned and left to find Lily.

Remus turned to Harry. "Maybe you're more like your father than I thought. That took brass, talking to Snape like that."

Harry shrugged. "He'll only take so much from me. And I know when to stop, or else."

"Is he cruel with you then? Does he beat you? Use magic on you?" Remus questioned swiftly in alarm.

Harry glared at him, affronted. "Beat me? Severus? Never! He's only spanked me once and then I almost had to beg him. He'd never abuse a child. Not with magic or without it. He's a good man and I'm lucky he likes me. Why would you think that?"

"I . . . I'm sorry. It's just that . . ." Remus trailed off.

"He's Slytherin and all Slytherins are evil?" Harry snapped. "Yeah, I know about that. Draco told me."

Remus blushed. "It's hard, letting go of all the prejudice you knew when you were young. But yes, I did think that, for a moment, and the fact that he's always been serious and kind of strict."

"He can be, but he can also be gentle and kind," Harry said. "He understands me, Remus. He doesn't fear me. And when I'm with him, I'm not afraid either."

"What do you mean?"

"Afraid I'll lose control," Harry emphasized. "Him and my mum, they're the only ones."

"I see." Remus seemed slightly ashamed. Then he said, "Tell me about your friends Theo and Draco, Harry. They seem rather opposite each other."

"Oh, they are. . ." Harry said, and they talked the rest of the night.

The wedding lasted long into the wee hours of the morning, and soon , way before midnight, but after dessert, Harry curled up on a chair near Remus at the table and slept. Remus put his coat over him and told a house elf to watch the boy, then he spoke briefly to Lily about the sleeping child before taking himself off to the dessert buffet. It was there he met Lucinda Nott, whom he'd had a nodding acquaintance with in school. She was scooping up a piece of cake and a strawberry tart while he was getting some rich chocolate rice pudding and a slice of cake as well. He bumped elbows with her and said, "So sorry, I almost made you spill that."

"Oh, no harm done," she laughed softly, her eyes sparkling above her pretty emerald dress. "I'm used to getting shoved by impatient teenagers on their way out the kitchen so you're nothing compared to them." She cocked her head. "You seem familiar? Have we met before?"

"I used to go to school with you. I'm Remus Lupin."

"Oh! I remember you! I'm Lucy—Lucinda Nott."

"Nice to meet you." Remus offered her a friendly smile. "Why don't we, uh, sit down and eat together. We could, uh, reminisce about our crazy schooldays, though I'll bet mine were nuttier than yours."

Lucy chuckled. "You'd win, since you hung out with the Marauders, as Lily terms them." She carried her dessert over to Remus' table. "My brother was the crazy one in my family. He was a Quidditch player and obsessed—with the game and with winning. He drove me crazy."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Sometimes that makes me glad I was an only child," Remus said.

Lucy noticed Harry. "Aww, poor luv! He's fallen asleep. Lily or Sev ought to tuck him in bed."

"I told Lily he was here and she said she'd see to it, but right now they were talking to their guests. He seems fine where he is," Remus said. "He's a good kid, I enjoyed talking to him tonight. He reminds of Lily sometimes and then he also reminds me of James, especially when he has guts enough to give Snape cheek," he explained about the comment Harry made and it made Lucy giggle.

"That boy! Him and my Theo—sassy and cheeky as the day is long! He's lucky Sev was in a good mood and not of a mind to make him scrub cauldrons or beakers."

"Is that what he does when they misbehave? Makes them clean stuff?"

"Oh, sometimes. But first he lectures them, makes them know they've been out of line. Sometimes he had them write lines, or weed the garden, clean up after dinner. But usually he leaves the punishments to me if my boy misbehaves, which isn't often. Same with Lily. Though now he's married to her, he'll probably take a more active role in disciplining Harry."

"Harry said he spanked him once."

"Aye, and it was Harry's idea, not Severus'. The boy felt guilty about crashing his broom into Severus and causing them to fall and nearly die. If it weren't for Lily catching Sev . . . well . . .Severus was in a coma and needed surgery . . ." Lucy explained about the injury and Harry's and his subsequent guilt, though she left out Theo's being able to transform into a cold drake. That was a closely guarded Nott family secret.

Remus listened, astonished, about Severus gradual recovery. "He's lucky he's alive, much less functioning the way he is."

"Aye, and he knows it. Harry does too, which was why he felt so guilty."

"I still can't believe he asked Severus to spank him. Most boys go out of their way to avoid punishment."

"'Tis true. He couldn't seem to stop feeling guilty, even when Severus forgave him. Harry's an unusual boy, Remus. He . . . feels things deeper than most and he was raised by these awful Muggles who taught him than anything that went wrong was his fault. So when Sev's accident happened, he naturally blamed himself and nothing me, Theo, or even his mum could say would change his mind. Severus felt Harry punished himself enough, but the boy didn't feel the same way. So he did what Harry wanted, and it was the only time he did." Lucy cleared her throat. "Understand, Lupin, Severus isn't a violent or cruel man like you believe most Slytherins to be. He's a Healer, one who works with pediatrics, and most of his patients adore him. He hates seeing children in pain and does his best to end it. He's been like a father to my Theo since I came here, and he treats me with the love and respect not even my own family gave me. So don't be getting on your high horse and trying to preach Slytherin intolerance to me, mister! Because I'm a former Slytherin too, don't you know?"

Remus sat with his mouth agape for two seconds before he said quietly, "Forgive me, Lucy. Sometimes I have a big mouth and I used to hang out with people who swore Slytherins were devils incarnate. I know that's not so, but old habits die hard and I . . . I just was worried about Harry, based on what he went through with his relatives."

"Humph! I hope you mean those pretty words, mister. Severus Snape's the archangel Gabriel compared to those Dursleys! More abusive nasty people I've never seen and that's saying a thing or two!"

Remus held up his hands. "I'm sorry if I've offended you, Miss Nott. It wasn't my intention. I don't mean to badmouth Severus or Lily, in fact I'm here to bury the hatchet." He sighed ruefully. "Looks like I keep putting my foot in my mouth. That's why I tend to stay away from people, I always seem to say the wrong thing. I was just concerned for Harry. I had assumed that he was being taken care of properly by the Dursleys, I trusted Dumbledore too much. I was wrong. I'm glad Lily is awake and able to raise Harry and she's found happiness with Severus. All I wanted was to put the past behind me and to see how Harry was doing."

Lucy blushed faintly. "'Tis much my fault as yours, Remus. I've always had a bit of a temper and been defensive where Severus' been concerned. It's a way of making sure no nasty rumors got started between me and him when I first came to work for him as his housekeeper. Once I was from a fine family, as I'm sure you know, till I defied my father and married my husband Finn, a Muggleborn without a pedigree and bore a Squib child by him. I was at the end of my wits before Severus took us in, and he's always treated us decent, never made comments about me or Theo, just accepted us for what we were. I was used to being an outcast, but Severus made me feel like I was somebody—and he did it without offering me marriage to make me "respectable". And yes, there's allus been rumors here and there about the good doctor and the widowed housekeeper in the village, but they're all rubbish. Severus and I are like brother and sister, even if Theo considers him a father figure."

"He's always loved Lily. Since school, I've known that."

"And you never told anyone?"

Remus shrugged. "It wasn't my place. But I'm glad they've found each other now. They deserve each other. And so does Harry. What about you, Miss Nott? Would you ever consider another man?"

"That depends, Mr. Lupin, on the man. For one he'd have to accept my Theo—no magic and a crippled foot as well. He can walk, but he limps. For the other, he'd have to accept a former fine lady turned Yorkshire housewife. Not many would."

Remus' eyes twinkled. "What would you say, Lucy, if I told you I have a secret as well to share? One that's caused me no end of trouble."

"I'd say best ye mind who ye share it with."

"Can I trust you?"

"I can keep mum wi' the best of 'em, mannie," she said, reverting to her full Yorkshire.

Remus looked at her steadily. "This something that's never been well known, but if I'm to have any kind of relationship at all—even as a friend—I feel you need to know." He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "I'm a werewolf."

"So," was all she said for a long moment. There was no revulsion or horror in her eyes.

Remus watched her carefully, expecting her to bolt from the table, as was the usual reaction when a woman learned of his furry problem.

Then she laid a hand on his arm. "Was it something you sought, or was it an attack?"

"I never sought it!" he growled vehemently. "I was a child when I was bitten. I was around five. My parents and I were on a camping trip when Fenrir Greyback found us. Do you know of him? He deliberately seeks out children to bite, trying to make for himself a new race of weres. I was bitten and contracted lycanthropy. And for years I suffered the curse. I was lucky Dumbledore allowed me to attend Hogwarts. That was where I met James, Sirius, and Peter. They didn't know what I was, until one night they followed me . . ."

He told about the Marauders becoming Animagi to try and help him, he even explained about the awful night they had lured Severus to the Shrieking Shack. He told about his shame and anger. Then he told her about the Wolfsbane. "It makes me safe . . . makes me less dangerous. It's a Godsend. I don't have to suffer the rage, the horrible hatred, the madness anymore. It's expensive, the potions maker I go to charges me an arm and a leg, but it's worth it. With it, I'm finally normal. In a way."

"Have you ever considered asking someone else to brew the Wolfsbane?"

"Like whom?"

"Severus can. Or Lily too. Both are expert potioneers."

A light came into the werewolf's eyes. "I . . . never thought about asking them."

"Well. Now you can. I'm sure they'd be more reasonable." Lucy said.

"Then you're not . . . disgusted by me?"

"If I was, would I still be here? Lycanthropy's a terrible disease, not something to be disgusted over. Like my Theo, you have a handicap. What matters is how you deal with it, not what it is." She squeezed his hand. "Would you care to dance, Remus? I've been longing to twirl my skirts all evening."

"Why haven't you?"

"I hadn't found the right gentleman to partner me," she answered impishly.

"And now?" he asked, greatly daring.

"Now I have," she said simply, and pulled him up and together they went onto the dance floor, where they danced till the dawn came over the horizon.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

Malfoy Manor

A few days before Christmas:

"Can you believe there's only two days till Christmas?" exclaimed Draco. He was sprawled carelessly on his huge four poster bed in his room, his head on his hands as he lay on his stomach, messing up the expensive green and gold duvet. After the wedding he'd gone back to school long enough for midterm exams and then come home again for the holidays. He would be home through New Year's.

"Three," Theo corrected, sitting on a comfy chair to the side of the bed, resting his bad foot on a padded stool.

"I'm not counting today, since it's already here," Draco said, waving a hand in dismissal. "I just can't wait for Christmas. Father promised me one of the new brooms—the Nimbus 2001—if I behaved at school. I did, and I got good marks in spite of my stupid teachers in Defense and History of Magic. Now I just have to wait and see. I hate waiting!" He looked at Theo and Harry. "How about you two? Anything new since I've been gone? My mother mentioned that your mum's been seeing someone she used to go to school with named Remus Lupin, Theo. How's that one working out?"

Theo chuckled. "Not bad, if I say so myself. Remus is all right, he really likes my mum, takes her out to eat, nothing fancy, but nice, know what I mean? He's got a job as a groundskeeper on some fancy estate, I forgot what, but he makes enough money to take Harry and me to Quidditch games."

"He took us to one last week," Harry said. "It was the Wasps vs. the Cannons. It was wicked, especially the fight during the second half."

"I'd have liked to see that, instead of Binn's boring old backside," Draco groused. "Maybe Father can get us into a game sometime this holiday. He usually knows people in Magical Sports and Games who owe him favors."

"That'd be good," Harry said. "It's been the usual around Heatherting, except for my mum and dad making out in the corridor when they think we can't see them." He rolled his eyes. "You'd think they were teenagers or something! Or that we were six, right Theo?"

"Yeah, it's pretty funny, how they act. I keep expecting them to announce Lily's expecting any day now."

Draco whistled. "A baby? How would that go over with you two?"

Theo shrugged. "It's bound to happen someday, so I don't really mind. I like little kids."

"As long as it's a boy. I could teach a little brother some things, like how to fly and stuff. I don't know how I'd be with a girl, like you, Draco," Harry admitted.

"Sometimes Aradia's a little pain. Makes me pick her up, tell her stupid fairy stories, and comb her hair. Once she even made me play house," the scion of Malfoy Manor's face went red. "Don't ever tell anybody that, or I'll kill you. She can also have tantrums when I won't do what she wants. But other times she's sweet and likes to hug me or says I'm the best brother in the world. It all depends. And someday I'll teach her how to cast spells and ride a broom. Having a little brother or sister is sort of like having a puppy—some days you want to hug them and pet them and other days you want to kick them out of the house. So be prepared, Harry."

Harry winced. "Maybe I'm not ready for this. I'll keep praying for them not to have a baby yet."

Draco nodded. "What do you want for Christmas?"

"I want the same thing as you—a new broom. I only have my dad's old one now. But maybe I'll get a new one for Christmas. Maybe not a Nimbus, that costs a lot, but something better than my old one." Harry said wistfully. He would have liked a Nimbus 2000 but knew better than to expect one. Severus and Lily weren't rich as Creosus like the Malfoys.

"And I want the new Encyclopedia of Drafts, Solutions, and Potions," Theo announced. "Plus a new cauldron and stirrers. I'll probably never get the first one, I know what it costs, seen it in Slug and Jiggers last month, it's almost as much as a good racing broom. But I can hope."

"Hmm. Maybe your mum can get you one at a time?" Draco said. Sometimes he felt awkward, knowing he could afford things his friends couldn't. Maybe he could ask Lucius to lend him money to get Theo some of the set as a present. And he could get Harry tickets to a Quidditch game with front box seats.

"Maybe." Theo shifted slightly in his seat, moving his foot to keep it from growing stiff.

Draco yawned. "Merlin, I'm bored! We ought to do something."

"We could play Quidditch," Theo suggested.

"Before we do that, would you mind if I looked in your library?" asked Harry. "Lucius told me about a book about wizarding criminals that I'd like to read. It contains information about Sirius Black, who betrayed my parents."

"Remus told me that Black was forced into it, because his brother Regulus was a werewolf," Theo interjected. "He said Voldemort told him either he told where you were or his brother would die a horrible death."

"Well, whatever happened, I want to read about it," Harry said. "Would you mind waiting, Draco?"

"No. I've got nothing better to do. Go ahead."

Harry slipped out of the room and down the hall to the library. It was very large, with shelves and shelves of books. He looked at them in dismay, before a house lf asked if he could help. Harry told the elf the book he was looking for and the elf brought it to him.

There was a picture of a man's face on the cover, dressed in prison garb with a sign with numbers on it. It looked like a wanted poster. Harry tucked the book under his arm and went back to find Theo and Draco.

The boys went out back and played one on one Quidditch for awhile, with Theo keeping score. Theo wished suddenly he could show Draco his cold drake form and become Tempest, but he knew it wasn't allowed. The shapeshifting talent the Nott family possessed had always been kept secret, except to those who were related to them, by blood or marriage. Since Draco wasn't, Theo couldn't show him, though he really wished he could. Draco's eyes would pop out for sure.

Finally, Harry and Draco tired and they went in for lunch, provided by the Malfoy house elves. Lucius was in his study, speaking to some important officials at the Ministry and Narcissa was shopping with Aradia for Christmas outfits, along with Lily.

Once lunch was finished, the boys were at loose ends. Harry thought about reading his book, but decided to wait till he got home, after dinner. He was pondering what to do next when he recalled the tunnels beneath the manor. "Hey, Draco. Aren't their tunnels beneath here where smugglers used to bring stuff? I heard your dad tell Severus that once." He blushed at his slip, he sometimes forgot to refer to Severus as "Dad" now.

Draco frowned. "Yes, there are, but we're not supposed to go into them. Father says they're dangerous, they could collapse or have spells on them to make us detour away from the house and wander around lost forever. Some of my family used to smuggle illegal magic items back and forth for gold, or even people who wanted to get out of the country. It was a big business back then, but the risks paid off, since we're rich now."

"Do you know where they are?" Theo whispered. "Could we take a quick look at them?"

Draco hesitated. He knew he'd be breaking one of the number one rules if he took his friends down there, to the cellars. But they wouldn't be going in the tunnels, he reasoned, just seeing them. There was no harm in that. It wasn't like they were going to explore them.

"All right. But just a quick look, no going down one." He looked around before trying the cellar door off the main foyer. "Come on, quick, before someone sees."

"Like who? A house elf?" asked Harry, following. "Would they tell on you?"

"I thought the elves had to do whatever you said," Theo recalled, puzzled.

"Mine does, and I could command him not to tell anything," Draco sighed, as they went down the stairs, lit by a single mageglobe. "But the rest of the elves serve the manor, which means my father, and they do what he tells them. When I was small, he told almost all of them to keep an eye on me, like he does Aradia now, and that means if I go somewhere I shouldn't, they'll either tell me not to and if I don't listen, they'll go and get him. So that's why I want to hurry."

The stairs were long and the smell from the cellar was dank, of old mold and stake air and Harry thought he smelled wine too. "Is there . . . wine down here, Draco?"

"Yes, there's some. Part of this is a wine cellar," answered the blond boy.

"Is it true that there's torture chambers down here too?" asked Theo. "My mum said a lot of the old pureblood houses were once castles with stuff like that. The Nott manor had one . . . I think."

Draco snickered. "If I told you yes, would you run back upstairs?"

Theo glared at him. "I'm just asking."

"No. There were some unused rooms here for holding smuggled goods, but not a torture chamber. This manor was built on the ruins of the original way back in the 1700's there was a fire that destroyed the upper floors and all, I forgot how it started, but the upstairs is all new, less than three hundred years old. Come on. The tunnels are this way."

He led them across the floor and past several racks of casks of wine. The cellar was dimly lit by small mageglobes attached to the wall.

"Where do they lead?" asked Harry.

"Outside to some kind of hidden place," Draco said shortly. "I really don't know, Potter, 'cause I never went down to the end of them."

Harry glanced around at the old flagstones on the floor, covered with moss in some spots and saw various doors leading off to other rooms. He was beginning to get an eerie feeling being down here and just wanted to take a look at the tunnels and leave.

Finally, Draco stopped in front of a barred wooden door and laid his hand on the old iron latch. It glowed for a moment and there was a loud click. Then it swung open.

Draco stepped back. "That'll only open for a Malfoy. It's spelled to do so for blood only."

He put a foot across the threshold and a flickering yellow light went on. "Take a look." He beckoned his friends forward.

Harry and Theo crowded into the entrance.

They saw a long tunnel dug out of solid rock, the rock was gray with yellow streaks and the floor was earthen. There was a smell of damp earth and stone coming from it and Harry wrinkled his nose. The tunnel went down on a slant and the only thing visible was the way down. A long way down he could see a gaping hole, like a passage.

"Wow! It looks like it heads to the center of the earth."

"It looks kind of dank and wet," Theo said. "I wonder if it leads to the sea somehow?"

"No. We're miles from the ocean," Draco disagreed. "This is Wiltshire."

Harry's eyes lit. "Imagine we were some old Malfoy ancestors, trading in forbidden magic items—like cloaks and daggers and stuff!"

"Or chests of gold and jewels," Theo said.

"And the Aurors or whoever were chasing us," Draco added.

The boys started to make up more of a tale, and Harry and Theo started to walk across the threshold, caught up in their mythical playacting.

Draco saw, but before he could say anything, he heard a sharp cold voice exclaim, "Well. Well. Mr. Potter and Mr. Nott, what on earth are you doing?"

Everyone froze.

It was Lucius, lighting up the tip of his dragon cane. He did not look happy.

Draco gulped. "Uh, hello, Father. I can explain . . ."

"Good. I would hope you have a very good explanation for bringing your two friends down here where you know it's expressly forbidden for you to go, Draco."

"We're sorry, sir," began Theo, jumping back to the safe ground."

"We asked Draco to show us, don't be mad at him," Harry said loyally.

"Mr. Potter," Lucius said, his voice colder than ice, "My son knows the rules of this house and knows why they are here. He also knows better than to be swayed by the opinion of his friends."

"I'm sorry, Father," Draco began.

"There are dangerous things in these tunnels, old magic and unsound construction," Lucius began. "They're not for children to be playing about in."

"We weren't playing, sir," Harry protested. "Not exactly."

Lucius snorted. "That's a typical excuse if I've ever heard one. Come with me, boys. We're going upstairs where I can keep an eye on you until Cissy and Lily come home. That way you won't be tempted into more mischief." He frowned at all of them, but especially Draco, who hung his head. "Draco, I am disappointed in you. I thought you had better sense . . ."

He lectured them all the way to his study, where he had them all sit in uncomfortable hard backed chairs in front of his desk while he wrote correspondences until Narcissa, Aradia, and Lily came back.

Aradia provided a distraction for a few moments, laughing and hugging all the boys, but then Lily asked why Luc was frowning, and once she found out what had almost happened, was embarrassed and apologetic. "I'm so sorry, Luc. I'll speak to Harry and Theo at home, as will Lucy and Severus. Thank goodness you caught them in time."

"Nothing happened, Mum!" Harry cried.

"You be quiet, young man," she ordered. "Nothing happened, but not because you were obeying the rules. Now come along, we're going to have a long talk when we get home about listening to people when you're over their houses."

Harry just remembered to grab the book before Lily towed him, Theo, and her packages back to their cottage.

Both boys endured similar lectures from Lucy and Severus about disobeying rules and discussions about what could have happened even though Harry and Theo had barely gone a few feet down the tunnel. All of the parents decided that the boys were to have no dessert tonight as a reminder to not encourage a friend to disobey rules again, and Lucy was going out with Remus tonight, so Lily and Severus ordered some food from the village and picked it up to eat.

Once dinner was over and the dishes done, Harry was banished to his room, as was Theo, though he was allowed to stay over at the main cottage because Lucy was gone and Severus didn't want him staying at the gardener's house alone. Theo was put in a spare room a few doors down from Harry.

Harry began to read the book he'd borrowed from the Malfoy library, concentrating first on Sirius Black. The chapter concerning him was quite long and by the time Harry finished it, he was growing a little sleepy. He was thirsty and wanted a glass of milk, but didn't know if he was allowed to have it. He knocked on the door of Severus' bedroom, which Lily now shared. "Mum? Can I talk to you?"

"What is it, Harry?" came Lily's voice. "I'm getting into pajamas."

"I'm thirsty. Can I get a glass of milk?"

"Yes. Just mind you drink it in your room. You can bring the empty glass back in the morning."

Harry quickly went into the kitchen and got the milk. He supposed the punishment for their forbidden excursion wasn't too bad. They could have been grounded for the break. Or gotten a present taken away. He hurried back into the room and got into pajamas too.

Harry hoped Draco hadn't gotten in too much trouble. Then again, he sighed, there was nothing he could do about it. He settled down with the book again. Besides Sirius Black, there were a variety of other criminals who were written about, some had done murder and other things in the eighteen hundreds. There was one that caught his eye—it was of a man named Joyce Carew.

He was standing on a street and throwing his head back. There was an odd look on his face, almost like ecstasy. He was lifting his arms up and there was rain coming down. Rain and lightning bolts striking the ground beside him. No, as Harry studied the picture, he saw that the lightning wasn't hitting the ground, but hitting Carew. And Carew's eyes—they were glowing.

Harry knew the picture felt familiar. Then it hit him. Carew's eyes were glowing like his did when he felt or called a storm. Carew wasn't getting hit by lightning, he was absorbing it. Carew was a stormcaller.

Like me.

Harry turned the page, and sure enough, there it was—Joyce Carew, stormcaller.

He wondered what his crime was. He began to read.

As he read, his eyes grew bigger and bigger. Not only had Carew delighted in using his powers to control storms, he'd deliberately hurt people with them, blowing up houses and building and killing people, even children. Harry would have dismissed it as the actions of a horrible person, but then he read a paragraph that chilled him to his soul.

It was written by a young witch who was studying the case as a Mind Healer dissertation. She wrote that Carew can hardly be totally blameless for his crimes, heinous as they are, because it is a proven fact that all those born with the lightning mark of the stormcaller are bound to go mad eventually. Carew is a criminal of the first order, a sociopath without remorse or conscience, but can we truly blame him for his spree of killing? Is this not a result of his growing storm powers, and the fact that he is going mad from using them? I believe a case can be made . . .

He read the paragraph over and over, shaking his head in denial. Surely what was written here was wrong. Carew was a killer, he chose to hurt people with his power. The young witch was wrong, stormcallers did not all go mad.

He continued reading, noting how the witch cited different sources for her case, documenting more studies about stormcallers . . .all of whom were mad before their seventeenth birthday. Or dead.

Harry thought about how many times Severus had stressed control during their lessons. It was the number one thing he taught. He recalled the grave look on the man's face when he spoke with Lily once, Harry had overheard a partial conversation before leaving the house to gather herbs from the garden. " . . . learning as best he can. There is no danger . . . yes, I'm aware of it . . . but with time and patience . . . it may not occur . . . trust me . . ."

Harry had ignored that whispered speech then, but now it came back to him. They had known. Known about a stormcaller's abilities. Known that the fate of those who called storms was to die a mad thing . . . . crazed and vicious, like a rabid animal. None had ever survived to adulthood.

He flipped through the rest of the book, finding several references to other books about stormcallers in the bibliography.

Heedless of breaking his punishment, the horror and betrayal mounting, he ran from his room and into the library where Severus kept all of his books. He looked for the titles of several, most were case studies, Severus was a Mind Healer, he was bound to have some.

But he could find none of them. They were gone. Or missing.

Harry's heart pounded. It seemed impossible they could have hid something this big, this life altering, this terrible from him. But they had.

Stormcallers were destined to go mad.

And Severus and Lily and maybe even Lucy had known it.

And they had hid the truth from him.

Angry and scared and sickened all at the same time, Harry stood in the middle of the library, the borrowed book clutched in his hand. He wished he had never learned the truth. At the same time he was glad he finally knew. He felt sick to his stomach, like he was going to vomit from the lies he'd been told.

He groaned as he wrapped his arms about his middle. He needed to talk to his mother, to confront her. Her and Severus, they were in this together. But at the same time he didn't want to. He wanted to crawl under his bed and hide from the awful truth.

He was going to go crazy. And no one could stop it.

No! NO! I'll . . . I'll run away first!

He turned and bolted out the door.

Running right into Severus, who was coming down the hall towards his room to relax with Lily.

Harry gasped he fell backwards.

Severus grabbed him, holding him upright. "Harry, what are you doing? You're supposed to be in your room, what are you doing here? You look pale, are you sick?"

The slightly stern yet concerned tone made Harry furious. "Yes, I'm sick! Sick of you and Mum bloody lying to me the whole time!"

Severus frowned. "I don't know what you're talking about. Now stop shouting and talk to me, young man, like a normal human being."

"But I'm not normal, am I, Severus?" Harry hissed. "I'm a stormcaller. And stormcallers always go mad, don't they? Don't they?" he screamed.

Power surged up within him and he wrenched away from the other man, lifting his hands. He could feel the power roiling within him, begging to be released. He lfited his hands and blue lightning shot from them.

Severus had a mere second to form a spell. Then the blue lightning slammed into him.

Severus had only a second or so to react to the blue lightning coming at him before it hit. Acting both on instinct and his training as a Mind Healer, who on occasion had to dodge a patient's raw magical attacks, with or without a wand, he formed a quick Repelling Shield charm. Normally, that would have been enough to deflect the magic away from him, but Harry was furious and that fury lent power to his magic, as well as the fact that the bolt was practically at point blank range, and his stormcaller power lent him strength beyond that of an ordinary young magic user.

The lightning was no true bolt, but magical, even so it struck the shield with devastating force. The shield buckled under the sheer power and some of the force leaked through, enough to knock Severus down and hurt him. He cried out in shock, for the lightning caused pain similar to a Cruciatus curse for a moment or so, dancing all over him with an eerie blue glow.

Harry drew back, a part of him was horrified at what he had done, though yet another part was still raging about the betrayal and not very sorry at all. He could not seem to draw the blue lightning back, it was like wildfire, unstoppable.

And it was all directed against Severus.

Lily, hearing the commotion, came out in the hallway. To her horror, she saw Harry attacking her beloved husband, his eyes glowing with hatred. Or what she assumed was hatred. "Harry! Leave him alone!" she screamed, but her son did not hear her.

Desperate, knowing she must do something before it was too late, she cast her strongest Stunning spell at Harry. "Stupefy Maxima!"

Her magic slammed into Harry with the force of a lorry colliding with a brick wall. It knocked the young stormcaller off his feet and he fell on the floor, the blue lightning dying as he went unconscious.

Lily ran over to Severus, who was groaning, but was somewhat conscious. "Sev? It's Lily, can you hear me?" Her hand found the pulse in his neck, it beat strongly. She breathed a sigh of relief, lightning strikes often caused cardiac arrest. "Sev?"

His hand grasped hers as his eyes looked at her. "Lily . . . couldn't stop him in time . . . don't know why . . . he attacked me . . ."

"Shh. We can talk about that later. Are you in pain? Should I call St. Mungos? Do you have shortness of breath? Chest pain?"

"No, I don't need a hospital. My shield . . . absorbed most of it . . . otherwise . . . I'd be dead . . ." he said hoarsely. "Call Poppy." He tried to sit up, managing only with his wife's help. "Help me to bed, Lily."

She cast a floating body spell upon him, unable to lift him herself. Biting her lip, she transported him to their bedroom. She was terrified, horrified, angry, and confused, but she managed to hold herself together until she called Poppy to come see to Severus. After she had sent out her Patronus, she sat down next to Severus, and began to cry quietly. "Severus, what happened? I . . . I had to Stun my own son! He . . . he . . . was killing you! He wouldn't . . .stop!"

Severus grabbed her arm and drew her down to lie beside him. He was very weak and hurting, but he knew Lily needed to pull herself together. "Shhh! Lily . . . Lily, my love, listen to me. We have to hide this. No one can know . . . about Harry. I need . . . to make this look like a potions accident . . . the burns . . . where's Harry now?"

"In . . . in the hall still." Lily sniffled, knowing Severus was correct. If anyone, even Poppy, found out Harry was a stormcaller and had used his powers to harm . . . he would be killed by the Ministry . . .

"Get him and put him in his room."

"What if he wakes?" Lily asked, shivering slightly. She almost felt afraid of Harry. Of her own son!

"There are Manacles of Suppression in the desk in my office. The lower right drawer. Password's asphodelium aeterna." Severus coughed slightly. "Get them and put them on him. Sometimes . . . sometimes I have to use them on patients."

Lily rose just as Poppy Flooed over. The Healer looked at her and said compassionately, "What happened now, Lily?"

"A-A potions accident, Poppy. It exploded . . . I . . . need to go and check on Harry and Theo. I'll be back soon." She quickly hurried from the room, and behind her she heard Poppy asking Severus what he had done to himself.

She found Harry where she had left him and bent to lift him up. She grunted, he was heavier than she thought, but still light enough to carry. He didn't stir and she brought him into his room. As she laid him on the bed, she thought angrily, how could you do this, Harry? I thought you were learning to control your power and now this! Why, damn you? Why?

She quickly went and retrieved the Manacles of Suppression, which prevented a wizard from using magic, from Severus' office and put them around Harry's wrists. Once in place, they glowed a soft yellow, and she shivered upon seeing them on her son. But she had no choice. If Harry woke still in a rage . . . and tried to hurt her . . . or Theo . . . they were the only means of protection she had. She prayed the Stunning charm lasted a long time, long enough for Poppy to treat Severus.

She went then to check on Theo, whom she found sleeping soundly, blessedly unaware of the night's events. What would they tell him, she wondered sadly? She supposed she would leave that up to Lucy. She glanced at her watch. It was barely nine o'clock at night. She had thought it much later.

She gently closed Theo's door, her heart heavy within her. She could not understand what had driven Harry to attack Severus. There had to be a reason. She backtracked to where she had found them—in front of the library. She pushed open the door and the lights came on automatically.

She saw a book on the floor, dropped with its pages opened. She knelt and picked it up, noting that it was a case study on criminals. Sirius Black. He was Harry's godfather. Did he have some sort of argument with Sev over him? No, why would he? Harry had never known the man. She paged a but further and then she saw Carew.

Her hand went to her mouth. No. By all the angels in heaven, no! But then she read the paragraph that stated Carew killed because of his ability, because he went mad . . . like all stormcallers. She read what some idiot witch assumed was fact, read all the references, and cursed worse than a sailor. Damn ignorant fools like this! And damn her son too for believing what he read in a book over asking his parents! She longed to burn the bloody book, but instead carried it with her back to Severus' room, where Poppy was finishing wrapping his arm and torso in some bandages.

"How is he, Poppy?" she asked as she entered.

Poppy turned to her, the Healer's face was slightly grave. "He was very lucky, Lily. He has some minor burns on his torso and arms, but his magical core is close to being drained, I've given him some Magic Replenisher and in spite of his shield being up there was some damage to the nerves in his left hand, they may take a week or two to mend and he may suffer some loss of feeling in that hand, like numbness or tingling. Right now I've put salve on his burns, and given him a Nerve Replenisher, but as I said, it's serious damage, it could cause tremors in that hand and arm for a time and the numbness could be temporary or not."

"But he will recover?" Lily demanded.

"Yes, as much as possible. This new trauma, coming on top of the old one, Lily, is pushing his body to the max. Lily, he's very strong, but even he can only take so much. He needs rest and relaxation. I've recommended he meditate each day and of course returning to work is out of the question. I shall send my evaluation to St. Mungos, he needs to rest for a month at least. He can regain use of his hand, though it may always trouble him, I'm afraid. I'm sorry I can't do more, but I'm only a witch, not God."

"I know, Poppy. You've been wonderful," Lily hugged her. Thank Merlin she didn't know the truth of what had caused Severus' injuries.

Poppy Flooed away, and Lily came to sit beside her husband. "How are you feeling, Sev?"

He shrugged. "Better. We need to get to the bottom of this, Lily." He began. He told Lily of how Harry had crashed into him, and only then had confronted him. "I think he knows about the stormcaller madness, Lily. I don't know how, but he does."

"I do. He read this. Where he got it, I don't know, but it's enough to make him believe he has no choice but to go mad." Lily shoved the book at him, opening it to the chapter on stormcaller Joyce Carew.

Severus gave a bitter laugh. "What irony! One of the few Mind Healer case studies on a stormcaller criminal and he finds it. After reading this, anyone would assume they would go mad. It makes possibilities into absolutes."

"But Severus—he attacked you!" Lily cried, sniffling. "It was like he meant to kill you!"

"No. He was angry, but not killing angry," Severus shook his head. "I know what that looks like. Harry's no killer. His power slipped its leash. And I was the logical target, considering I had "betrayed" him by not telling him the truth. And so were you."

Lily gaped. "He would have attacked me too?"

"Possibly. He was very upset and angry, it's hard to predict what someone will do in those circumstances, especially a child with such a power. You know magic responds to strong emotion in children, especially his kind."

"I know, but . . . my God, Sev! He nearly finished you! How can we trust that won't happen again?"

Severus sighed. "Only by teaching him absolute control. I was making progress with him on that. And now it's mostly shot to hell. My magic will take four days to rebuild itself and . . ."

"What?" she asked, sensing he was reluctant to speak.

"And I don't trust him alone with me. I need a mediator. Someone who can monitor the sessions so that something like this won't happen again."

She could see it pained him to make that admission, that he wasn't sure he could handle the boy, but she understood it. "I can do it. It's natural for you to feel nervous after being hurt two times." He scowled at her but said nothing. "Sev, you don't think he's . . . going to go mad, do you?"

"Absolutely not! He's no more mad than you or I, Lily. We need to explain things to him and deal with that guilt complex he's surely going to have. We need to watch him closely and keep him focused on his lessons."

"I'm going to give him the spanking of his life," Lily growled.

"I don't think that's going to help much," Severus said.

"You did it last time," she pointed out.

"Under duress!" he shot back. "I hated it and did it only to alleviate guilt, not to punish or revenge myself."

"Sev, he deserves to be punished. You almost died . . . again!"

"Lily, there are better ways. Don't do something you'll regret later."

"I spanked him before and you never said a word."

"Because that was a normal punishment. The way you're acting now, you might overdo it and beat the living daylights out of him. Please, Lily. Shout at him, ground him, take away his broom, but don't hit him in anger. You'll take it too far. Believe me, I know." He stared into her eyes, willing her to remember his father and his insane rages, beating Severus with a belt, a stick, whatever was handy. Over twenty years had passed, and still Severus remembered, bearing scars inside and out from his father's brutality.

Lily met the eyes of the man she loved so much she would lay her life down for him, and a part of her cringed as she recalled why Severus was so against corporal punishment. "Oh, Sev. I'm just so . . . so angry with him right now. You being hurt again . . . and this time he tried to hurt you . . . it frightens me and I'm angry about that too, that I'm scared of my own son! I don't want anything to happen to you . . . or Harry. Maybe James was right." She buried her face in her hands.

"Don't, Lily," Severus whispered, cursing his weakness. He wanted to take her in his arms, but his injuries prevented it. "Don't cry. We'll get through this. Together. You, me, and Harry. Potter wasn't right. He was wrong. I'd bet my Mastery on that."

Lily lifted her head from her hands. "Even after what he did?"

"Yes. I know children, Lily. When he faced me he was angry and hurt, which activated his magic. Just like a baby having a tantrum. Not a killer. His emotions ran away with him. Reminds me of myself, a long time ago. But he's scarier than I was. I blew a roof off a house. He almost killed me. It's a big difference in one way, and not in another. He can be taught to control it, Lily. It just takes time and patience."

"I won't have him hurting you!"

"Neither will I."

"What about the Manacles of Suppression?"

"Keep them on for now, until he wakes up," Severus said. "I use them as a last resort. We'll talk and then I'll remove them for now. But I'll have them close during our training sessions, just in case. I should have thought about them before, but I got overconfident. I trusted I could judge his moody quickly enough to calm him down."

"You couldn't know he' d find out the truth so soon."

"No, but I should have been prepared. And that's not the truth, Lily. A dog has teeth and can bite your hand off, does that mean all dogs are dangerous and should be destroyed? No. Properly trained, a dog will bite only to defend himself. It's the same with stormcallers," Severus argued.

"Aren't you scared, after what he did?" asked Lily softly.

"Yes, a little. But I can't let the fear rule me, Lily. I let it remind me to be on my guard now, and to never forget that I'm dealing with a kid who could blow me away," Severus answered.

Lily supposed he was right. She too should practice that. After all, she was his mother, she shouldn't fear her son. Only his power.

"Should we tell Lucy? Or Theo?"

"Lucy needs to know. That fake story won't fool her. It's up to her if she wishes Theo to know the truth."

"Yes. When do you want to talk with Harry? After my spell wears off?"

"No. Why wait? Revive him and we can discuss it now. It's best to get everything out in the open."

Lily looked a bit hesitant. "Isn't it better to let him wake up on his own?"

Severus shook his head. "Not unless you want him to have a splitting headache. Canceling the spell is best, trust me."

Lily nodded. As she turned to leave, Severus called after her, "Control yourself, dear."

Lily vowed to do so, for she did not want to make things worse.

Soon she returned escorting Harry, who looked a bit woozy and out of it, until he came face to face with Severus.

Then it all came back to him. The book, what he had read, and how he had run into Severus. The rage that had possessed him and how he had lashed out at the man who had done his best to help him, his stepfather. He loved and respected Severus Snape as he did no other man. But when he had summoned his magic, he had felt betrayed and angry. As he did now.

He stared at the tall man in the bed, guilt and horror stirring in him, making his stomach churn. But the anger and betrayal were in the forefront, and before the guilt could make him tear himself apart, he cried, "You knew, you and Mum, all along! And you didn't tell me. You . . . you lied to me! You told me I could control my powers. And it's not true."

"You're wrong, Harry. It is true." Severus began.

"Bullshit! You're bloody lying!" Harry shouted, not even realizing what he'd said. He knew he was going mad. The book said so.

Lily suddenly spun him around to face her, her green eyes blazing. "Watch your mouth, young man! You show respect to your stepfather. How dare you speak to him that way?"

"Just shut up, you bloody damn bitch!"

Lily slapped him across the face.

Harry froze, the stinging pain bringing him back to himself.

"Lily!" Severus called. "Enough!"

Harry put a hand to his cheek and hung his head. The rage was leaving him now, and all he felt was confused and hurt. How could they have kept this secret from him? Why? And worst of all, how could he have hurt Severus again? Or spoken like that to him and his mother? Was this what it was like to go mad? Doing things you normally never would do?

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it," he murmured, feeling tears stinging his eyes. "Any of it. I swear."

"Don't ever say or do it again, understand?" Lily said, her tone still sharp.

"Yes, ma'am," he replied, and it was then he noticed the odd silvery metal bands about his wrists. "What are these?" He touched one, it felt cold and there was an odd tingling sensation.

"Manacles of Suppression," Severus replied. "They prevent you from accessing or using your magic. After what happened, we thought it best you wear them until we were sure you—"

"—weren't going to go mad?" Harry interjected, bringing his eyes up to meet Severus' dark ones. They were filled with fear, regret, and sorrow. "Isn't that what you believe? Why didn't you put these on me in the beginning?"

"Come here, son," the Mind Healer called, patting the bed beside him. "Lily, you too, I can't hold a conversation across the room."

When they both had come over and seated themselves one on each side of him, Severus continued what he had been saying. "Harry, listen to me. I didn't put the manacles on you in the beginning because I didn't believe you were destined to go mad. I still don't. The reason you're wearing them at all now is because I needed to be sure you weren't going to wake from the stunning spell like a raging dragon, flinging lightning bolts about at everyone, especially your mother."

"But I didn't mean it . . . not really," Harry protested, the guilt hardening into a knot in his stomach. "I was angry and I just . . . let it get away from me. I didn't want to hurt you!"

"Yes, I know. But that's exactly why I have these manacles. As insurance, if you will."

"Harry, you nearly killed Severus," Lily interjected. "Meaning to or not, your powers are out of control when you're angry."

"I know. Maybe that's why stormcallers go mad, because they can't control their temper," Harry said despondently.

"No! Harry, stormcallers do not go mad because they lose their temper," Severus interjected. He reached over with his right hand and made Harry look at him. "If that were true, all of us would go mad. Harry, listen to me. Yes, you lost control of your magic. Yes, that's dangerous. However, that can happen to any wizard. You just happen to be stronger than average, which means you do more damage when you lose it. It does not mean you're destined to go insane."

"But, sir, I read about it. They say that every stormcaller has gone mad . . ."

"Yes, and some people think all wizards are evil!" Severus snapped. "Does that make it so? All of those case studies were done after the fact, meaning no one attempted to do anything with the stormcallers before they went mad. They were reviled and feared from the start and not one of them was given any schooling. They were made outcasts from society and had no family to love or draw support from. I believe that any power you possess can be controlled. Any power. Your mind is stronger than the magic, boy."

"But they really did go mad," Harry said.

"Yes, because trying to harness such power alone, without help, is impossible. You need a support network of family and friends, and the right attitude and teaching. I think they went mad because they didn't know how to let it go. They were a channel for immense power and they overflowed. That is why they went mad. Not because they were destined to."

"Is that what you think too, Mum?"

Lily nodded. "Yes. And I'm sorry we didn't tell you sooner, but we were afraid, Harry, that it would discourage you from trying to do anything with your power at all. If you thought the training was useless, then you would fail, and then it would be terribly hard for you to control the power. We wanted to give you hope, that's why we didn't tell you."

"Is that why all the books were gone from the library?"

"Yes. I removed them until I felt I could tell you what I believed. Which would have been soon, considering your progress so far," Severus replied.

"Looks like I ruined everything," Harry said glumly. "Are you hurt bad, Dad?"

"I'll mend," Severus replied. He did not wish to discuss his possible disability with Harry now, it would only make the boy guiltier and perhaps push him over the edge. "You simply fell prey to popular opinion, like most people."

"Does everyone know about stormcallers going mad?"

"Yes. It's common knowledge. I told Lucy, Theo, and the Malfoys not to mention it to you." Severus admitted.

"Oh. Is that why I don't go to Hogwarts either?" Harry guessed knowingly. He knew it was true, from overhearing a conversation, but he wanted it confirmed. "Because Dumbledore doesn't want me to go mad and wreck everything?"

"Yes. Because Dumbledore fears what you could do," Lily said. "But it's also because we don't trust him to look after you as he should. When Sev and I were in school, he let Sev be bullied shamefully by your father and his friends and we didn't want that to happen to you. So we decided to homeschool you. Would you rather have gone to Hogwarts?"

"No. Not after what Draco told me. But why do you believe differently?"

"Because I've studied the case histories too," Severus answered. "And I believe that a man makes his own fate. Believe in yourself and learn to control yourself and you can do anything, Harry. Even control storms. But if you believe you are fated to go mad, kill, and die . . . then chances are you will, because the mind is that strong."

"I understand."

"And who do you believe? Me or those idiots who wrote that book?"

"You."

"Good." Severus spoke a word and removed the manacles. He hoped that by doing so now he would show the boy that he trusted Harry to keep his temper.

"You—you took them off!"

"I did. Because I trust you to try and control yourself, Harry."

"I will. I'm so sorry you were hurt." Suddenly he hugged Severus, crying softly.

Severus held him and told him that they would have lessons more now, along with Lily, and someday his temper wouldn't rule him.

Harry really wished to believe that, but wasn't sure he did. He sat up and said, "What are you going to do to me for this? Will you spank me and take away my Christmas presents?"

"Is that what you would do?" Severus asked.

"Umm . . . no, but . . ."

"I think you need to meditate with me everyday," Severus began.

"And help take care of his wounds," interjected Lily. "That way you can see exactly what harm you caused and maybe helping to heal it will drive home the fact that you must never do such a thing again."

"Lily, I don't—" began Severus, for he didn't want Harry to know how badly he was injured.

"No, Severus. He needs to see. Only then will he realize. Maybe I seem harsh, but it's how I feel."

Severus sighed. "Very well."

"What will I have to do?" asked Harry.

"I'll tell you tomorrow. For now, you ought to get some sleep." Lily said. She came and hugged him. "Do you need a Sleeping Draught?"

Harry considered. "All right." Without it, he knew he would never get to sleep.

Lily gave him the potion to take, and he apologized again before taking it. He fell asleep some ten minutes later, still feeling like it wasn't enough to just say he was sorry.

Lucy arrived home, happy from her date with Remus. Lily told her what had occurred and she hugged both of them and a sleeping Harry. "What a terrible thing to have happen! But we'll get through it, thee'll see. Tha won't lose thy son, Lily."

"Oh, Lucy! I pray everyday for him, and for us all," Lily said. "Will you tell Theo?"

"No. I don't want him on the outs with Harry. 'Tis the last thing the lad needs."

Lily nodded. She hoped she was doing the right thing. Harry had to learn control, or else they could all die.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

Christmas came and went, and the Snapes, Notts, and Malfoys celebrated happily. Harry got a new broom, a Silver Star 2000, and Theo half a set of his beloved potions books. Remus took both boys to see a Quidditch game, and Lucius did the same, only with better seats and better teams. Draco had gotten the Nimbus 2000, though Lucius had grounded him and made him mulch the garden with dragon dung for the tunnel incident. Narcissa and Lucius were going on a cruise to the Bahamas in February. Aradia got a life sized doll-house and a life-sized talking doll friend to play in it. Lily got a beautiful emerald and gold locket from Severus, and Harry got her matching earrings. In return, she got him a crystal cauldron stirrer and Harry some special herbs from the apothecary. Lucy got all of them journals to write in, and Theo some certificates to the bookstore. Remus got Lucy flowers and a pretty shawl. Theo got Lucy a new cookbook.

Despite all the merriment, Harry felt a little depressed. He loved his new broom, but felt that he didn't really deserve it. Helping Lily with Severus eased his conscience a little, but also drove home the fact that he was dangerous, and sometimes Severus had trouble with his left hand, it got numb and he couldn't hold things long. His burns, though not life threatening, were red and angry and hurt as well. See what you've done? an accusing voice in the back of Harry's mind hissed. He knew he was responsible for the damage in Severus' hand, though no one said so. They didn't need to. It made him feel guiltier than ever. And more determined to control his beastly magic. He concentrated hard at every lesson the Mind Healer set him, the calming exercises, the ones where he had Lily play devil's advocate, or a victim of a dark wizard, to make Harry angry and see how far he could go without unleashing a rain of destruction upon his enemy.

"You don't always have to obliterate someone to win a conflict," was one of Severus' maxims. "And sometimes knowing you were right, even if the other person won't admit it, is as great a victory as rubbing it in front of his face."

Harry was determined to either master his rogue gift or to leave if he thought the control beyond him. Despite his parents unshakable belief that he would not go mad and become destruction incarnate, he still, deep down, feared it might happen. And if it did, he could kill all that he loved in an instant. He resolved to never let that become reality. At the first sign of madness, he would leave. Better he go insane alone on the moor than hurt his friend and family. He was not Carew. He would not take the lives of innocents. He'd take his own first.

He recalled the morning after his attack on Severus and his mother calling him over to explain how to apply salve and change bandages on the burns inflicted. She had taken his face in her hands and said, softly, her voice a shattered whisper, "Please, Harry, listen to what we tell you and try to get these powers under control. It's not a game. Please! I love you both so much. It would kill me if I lost one of you to this. Do what none of those others could. Succeed."

He had promised he would.

But even so, he found nightmares returning in the darkest hours of the night. Ones ialwhere he watched as powerful storms—hurricanes, blizzards, thunderstorms—ravaged the moor and trapped his family inside the cottage . . . and then the cottage collapsed, or caught fire, or any number of other disasters and they died. Or worse, he went crazy and killed them all, with lightning, hail, wind, and sheer power that was his birthright.

Those were the worst ones—the ones that scared him to pieces and forced him to bury his had in the pillow to muffles his screams. He woke covered in sweat, and always made sure to change his pajamas before going back to sleep. In order to keep Lucy or Lily from seeing his sudden use of pajamas, he did his own laundry before they awoke and hid it from them.

On occasion, he snuck a vial of Dreamless Sleep from the cabinet in Lily's bathroom, just enough to get him through two or three nights without the nightmares, enough so he didn't appear sleep deprived and have Severus question him. He knew he should tell the Mind Healer what was happening, that Severus was trained in that sort of thing and could help. But he didn't want anyone to know he was afraid of the madness, that he had lost his courage, and partially believed lies and was swayed by the majority. He wanted to believe Severus, he needed to believe Severus, and a part of him did believe Severus. But a part of him doubted, and the doubt was like a thorn in his side, pricking him sharply.

He hid it well, though, doing his chores without complaining, having his daily lessons in meditation and control, and then playing outside with Theo and Draco till dusk. Harry and Theo decided to swear Draco to secrecy about being a cold drake, and made Draco promise on his wand (when he got one) and his Name that he would never tell about the shapeshifting.

They had loads of fun flying over the moor on their new brooms with Tempest, who managed at last to shift his shape back instead of being stuck in it for three days. That had been an act of sheer desperation, for the first time they'd gone flying together, they'd neglected to tell Lily or Lucy how long they'd be gone. Lucy grew concerned and Lily came to look for them. In order to avoid the scolding and punishment that would surely follow, Tempest managed to hide his bulk behind a rock and transform. Once he remembered how, Theo could transform back and forth as he wished, coming into his own as a shifter. Draco thought it was wicked as hell, and wished he could do it.

Severus, intuitive as he was, did not notice Harry's distress because the boy was careful to hide it, and Severus was not one to pry into another's head, even if he suspected the person was depressed and need help. That was part of the Mind Healer codes, and Severus followed them religiously. He was also recovering from the magical attack upon him, and so spent a week in bed, and then insisted on being able to move from bedroom to study to den and rest for part of the day. He always had sessions with Harry in the study, and always with Lily present, and the Manacles in a drawer where he could reach them if necessary. Lily, though she hated it, was also always ready with a Stun spell if needed. Harry knew none of these precautions and seemed to be doing well.

Severus practiced diligently the exercises Poppy suggested he do to strengthen his left arm and hand, though they were still weaker than the right and this frustrated the Healer because he wasn't used to being hurt and relying on others for anything. Sometimes the numbness and tremors in his left hand made buttoning a shirt or holding a pen very difficult, or stirring a cauldron. Even some spellcasting was difficult, and together with Lily they came up with spells to assist him in dressing, writing, and so forth, making his handicap a mite easier. But as yet he could not practice his true craft, for his magical core was not fully recovered. He chafed under the restrictions, but perhaps the enforced stay at home was a blessing in disguise, for now he could spend time with his family, especially Harry.

Little did he know that the potential for destruction loomed on the horizon, in the form of a swift-moving winter blizzard with gale force winds, hail, and killing frost called Boreas. It had begun in the Hebrides, the islands off the coast of Scotland, in the chill North Atlantic that had spawned so many shipborn disasters, like the HMS Titanic, to name one, and now it roared its way down from the Highlands towards the border between the lowlands and Yorkshire. The British weather advisory was tracking it with satellites and radar and warning citizens to prepare for the worst. But at Heatherton Cottage, the little family of wizards was unaware of nature's deadliest weapon, and they were right in the path of it.

The storm gathered power, sucking energy from the frothing ocean below, and drawing it up into its matrix of wind, cloud, and electrical power. It had started as a small icy thunderstorm over the Hebrides, but as it had moved south, it had gathered strength. The collision of low air pressure slightly above freezing met the warmer air rising off the ocean and caused it to become a raging wind and ice storm, with gale force winds, snow, sleet, and hail. It was a rare system, one that seemed to gather strength rather than lose it as it approached the British Isles. Most storms born in the ocean started to die as they made landfall, but this one was the exception.

It was a monster storm, a once in a lifetime thing, and it was hungry.

It swept through the Highlands, leaving feet of snow, destroyed power lines, downed trees, and destruction in its wake. The freezing rain coated the snow drifts, making them slippery and deadly dangerous to walk on to try and shovel a path anywhere. Lorrys, cars, and snowplows crashed into twisted metal piles on the side of the road as the wind picked them up and sent them careening into each other. There were massive power outages and homes without light or heat.

Even Hogwarts was not spared, and snow fell upon the grounds of the venerable castle and buried it up to the middle of the Astronomy Tower. Hagrid's hut was snowed in up to the roof and so was Professor Sprout's greenhouse. And then, having left its calling card, the storm moved on, racing down towards Yorkshire.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

Harry had a low-grade throbbing headache in the back of his head for three days now. He had told his mother and Lily had given him a potion for it, but it had come back. He was more than a little irritable because of it, and growled at everyone, even cheerful Lucy at breakfast one morning.

That day, Lucy had made oat porridge with cream, nuts, and either blueberries and honey or small chocolate chips. Usually Harry loved whatever the witch made, but today the sight of the porridge made him feel slightly sick and that in turn made him angry. He was hungry, and yet what he had to eat wasn't appetizing all of a sudden.

He shoved his bowl away and said, in a whiny aggravating tone, "Is this all we have to eat? I want something else!"

Lily raised an eyebrow, not caring for Harry's tone. "Harry, you like porridge. Especially Lucy's. You always eat it."

Harry glared at her. Didn't she understand anything? He glanced around and saw Theo eating eagerly, shoveling in spoonful after spoonful. That sight just made him more irritated. "I don't want any!" he half-shouted, sounding very much like Dudley, had he known. His head throbbed and he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Well then, what do you want?" asked Lucy, somewhat shocked, but willing to cook Harry something else if he insisted.

Harry opened his mouth to reply, but Severus' voice cut in. "Nothing, unless he watches his mouth and speaks to you politely, and not like some spoiled brat." He had just come in from the hall and felt irritated himself with his left hand, which somewhat numb and giving him trouble this morning, and the last thing he wanted was to hear a child whining like a snotnosed brat. He glared at Harry. "Well? I'm waiting."

Harry glared right back at him. "All I want is some bacon and eggs, not this . . . junk!" he gestured at the porridge, which was slowly growing cold in the bowl.

"Hey! My mum doesn't make junk!" Theo protested, wincing as he caught sight of Severus' face. Just by that, he knew Harry was in for it. What was the matter with him?

"Harry! You know better than to insult Lucy like that!" Lily cried angrily.

"Apologize, young man! Now!" ordered Severus in a voice that could have cut stone to shreds.

Normally, Harry would have obeyed. But for some reason his trouble radar was absent that morning and instead he snapped back, "Quit yelling at me, won't you? Is it a crime because I want something else for breakfast?"

Severus' eyes narrowed and he came around the table to stand directly in front of the boy. "No, but it's shameful how you address Lucy, who is your elder and has done nothing to deserve your cheek. Show her some respect and apologize and ask for something nicely, or else you can skip breakfast and goto your room for the morning."

Harry rolled his eyes, muttering, "Merlin, lighten up, Dad! You'd think I insulted the Minister of Magic!"

"Excuse me?" Severus said, not quite believing the boy's attitude. "Would you care to repeat that?"

"Why? Didn't you hear me the first time?"

Everyone gasped at the sheer defiance, except Severus. He reached out and grabbed Harry's left ear expertly, holding it in a firm grip. "To your room, boy!"

"Oww!" Harry yelped, trying to free himself. "Dad, let go!"

"March!" Severus growled, incensed. "Or else I'll throw you over my shoulder and carry you there, I swear it!" He started to walk out of the kitchen, dragging Harry.

"Ow! Ow!" Harry cried, hurrying to keep up with the taller man. "I'm going, you can let go now."

"Don't dictate to me, Mr. Potter. Not after how you've behaved this morning. Disgraceful!" Severus scolded as he hauled the rebellious youngster down the hall. "I'm tempted to turn you over my knee, so don't push me!"

With that threat, a rarity from the normally composed Mind Healer, Harry's sense of self-preservation reared its head and he murmured, "All right, m'sorry!"

"You should be apologizing to Lucy more than me," Severus grunted, releasing Harry's ear as they reached the boy's room. "Get in there and think about your behavior for an hour. When I come back here in an hour, you'd better have an apology on your lips for Lucy, or else your broom is mine for the afternoon." He gave Harry a single smack on the behind to get him moving.

"Hey, that hurt!" Harry said, and scurried into the room, one hand on his backside.

"So did how you acted this morning to Lucy," Severus pointed out sharply. "I don't know what's gotten into you this morning, Harry, but you'd better get over it, because I'm in no mood to deal with spoiled brats today. Clear?"

"Yes, sir," Harry said quickly, going to sit on his bed. His stomach rumbled a little, but he knew better than to ask for something to eat now. Severus would probably give him cold porridge if he did.

Severus left the room, and Harry opened the bottom drawer of his nightstand and grabbed a Honeydukes crispy chocolate bar and ate it. At least he wasn't hungry anymore, though his head did hurt somewhat and he wondered where he'd dared to backtalk his stepfather that way? Was he crazed? He shook his head and lay down, hoping the headache would go away.

He fell asleep for fifty minutes, waking only when his mother came by, knocking on the door and calling, "Harry, if you're done being impossible, you can come out now."

He got up, rubbing his head. The headache was still there, but fainter now, and he felt a quick sting of shame for his previous behavior. He went and apologized to Lucy, who had actually made him a plate of eggs and bacon and kept it warm with a spell.

"I don't deserve this," he said as he ate it.

"No, tha doesn't. But everyone has an off day, Harry, and no boy will go hungry while I'm around—cheeky or not!" She flicked him with a dish towel as she watched him eat.

That made him feel even more guilty, so he said he was sorry again and then rinsed off the plate and fork in the sink before going to look for Theo.

Theo wasn't quite as annoyed at his friend as he could have been. "You were like . . . begging for Sev to wallop you, y'know," he remarked in a slightly shocked tone.

"Yeah, but I . . . couldn't seem to help it," Harry said. "I had this pain in my head and it made me mad and well . . ." He shrugged.

"But it's over and done with now, aye?" Theo said. "Want to call Draco and go flying?"

"Sure!"

The two boys ran inside to the fireplace to Floo their friend.

When they got no response from calling out to him, the two quickly Flooed into the manor, having a standing invitation to visit anytime.

As they stood on the white carpet of the living room, trying to get rid of the soot without getting it on the spotless carpet, Aradia came in. She was wearing a cute purple woolen jumper and jeans with little leather boots with fur about them.

"Hiya, boys! Are you lookin' for 'Raco?" Her hair was drifting over her shoulders like spun silk and her blue eyes glowed eagerly.

"Hi, Aradia! Where's your brother?" asked Harry.

The little tot grinned, showing a missing front tooth. "He's helpin' Daddy get the garden inside the cellar 'fore the storm hits."

"Storm? What storm?" asked Theo.

"The one that's comin'," Aradia answered. "You know!"

"Actually, we don't," Harry said, alarmed. "Tell us."

"Well," said the little girl, delighted to have an audience, "Mummy heard on the radio that it was a big one. A big snowstorm! With lots n' lots of snow, ice, and wind. It's 'posed to come soon, that's why Daddy's with Dobby n' Raco getting the garden inside."

"You mean—the herb garden?" Theo clarified. "With the magic plants?"

"Uh huh," Aradia nodded rapidly. "He says he ain't losin' any magic plants to no storm."

"I don't blame him. Where's your mum?" Harry wanted to know.

"She's fixin' the windows so's they don't break from the wind."

"Oh. Then I guess Draco can't come flying with us," Harry said regretfully. His stomach was churning in terror. Was that why he'd had headaches? And been so irritable? Was he sensing the coming storm?

"But I can play with you, Hawwy!" Aradia said happily. "We can play with my doll house an' you can be the dad an' I'll be the mum . . ."

"Sorry, Aradia, we can't play with you either," Theo interrupted, much to Harry's relief. "We have to go home and tell our own parents about the storm and get in our own garden. Severus will go postal if he loses his herbs."

"Oh." Aradia's face fell. "Tell Unca Sevvie I luv him an' just lissen to the radio!"

"We will, imp!" Harry said, kneeling down and hugging her. He prayed they would all survive the storm. "Take care and tell Draco we said hi."

Then they Flood back home to tell Lily, Severus, and Lucy about the coming storm.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

Once the boys had told Lily and Severus about the coming storm, they too began to prepare for it. Severus cursed himself for not having the Wizarding Wireless on in the morning as usual, but then again, he'd had to deal with Harry, so it was understandable that he forgot to tune in. He turned on the radio as he and Lily cast spells to reinforce the windows and doors upstairs, while Lucy did the downstairs. They also did Lucy's small cottage, though Severus suggested strongly that Lucy and Theo stay in the main house with the rest of them.

Lily took Severus' Blackstreak and flew up on the roof, so she could cast spells of strengthening and waterproofing on the tiles. Lucy gathered blankets and wood and lanterns with oil—even though they were magic folk, spells didn't last forever, and casting drained one, even the strongest sorcerer. But she did make sure the fire in the kitchen stove was charmed to last a week, they might need it. She put wood in the fireplace and then checked the shelves for non-perishable items, like canned goods. Actually, they could freeze things if needed in the snow.

Meanwhile, the boys helped Severus gather all his magical herbs and the small plantings that were just started, potting them and bringing them downstairs to his lab. It took the better part of two and a half hours to do the magical garden and then Severus cast a few more spells over the other gardens to shield them from the storm. That done, he told the boys to come inside.

"There's not much more we can do here," he said calmly. "Now all we can do is wait. Harry, are you feeling the storm yet? Can you sense where it is?"

Harry concentrated, sending his consciousness out as Severus had taught him. He felt the pressure build within him and then he felt the storm, a malignant presence rushing toward them with fierce intent. "It's coming—it'll be here within three hours or so. At least the bulk of it will. The outer bands of it—the ones with hail and ice, those will be here sooner. Like in an hour."

The boy shivered and Severus put an arm about him. "It'll be all right, Harry. We've weather storms like this before."

But Harry shook his head. "Not like this, Dad. It's going to be bad."

"Bad as in intensity or duration?"

"Both." Harry looked nervous. "Dad, what if I can't . . . what if it calls to me and I . . . can't help but answer?"

"You remember how to put up mind blocks, right? Similar to my Occlumency?" Severus queried as he went inside with them.

"Yes, but . . . I'm afraid they won't be strong enough."

"Don't think that way. What have I said about negative thinking?"

"That if you believe a bad thing will happen, or you won't be able to do something, you'll make it happen. You need to believe in yourself," Harry recited.

"Good. Your mother and I will help you construct your shields. Come into the office."

"Can I see?" asked Theo.

"There's not much to see, Theodore. Best you go see if your mother needs help." Severus said. "Oh, and ask Lucy if she's spoken to Lupin. See if he's prepared to wait out the storm."

"All right, Sev!" Theo went off to find Lucy.

Lily soon joined them in the office and together they helped Harry make a multilayered shield that blanketed his mind from the storm's siren call.

"Can you hear it still?" Lily asked.

"No. It's pretty faint now."

"Good. Why don't you go lie down, honey? You probably won't get much sleep once it comes," Lily suggested, stroking the hair off his brow. She didn't say so, but she was scared something might go wrong, despite all their precautions. This was a huge storm, not the thunderstorms Harry had dealt with previously. What if it was too strong? What if, God help them, Harry was overwhelmed by it and lost himself to the power?

"All right, Mum," Harry agreed, though he felt so frightened he doubted he'd sleep, or if he did, he'd have nightmares. He hid his fear, even though he longed to curl up in Lily's arms, or even Severus', like a little baby. But that wouldn't help. He couldn't hide from this, he knew that instinctively. As a stormcaller he would be drawn to the storm like a moth to a flame. He would have to face the storm head on. He silently shut the door to the study and pretended to go to his room.

Then he put his ear to the door and listened. He knew his parents must be worried too, but they would never say so in front of him.

"Sev, I'm so frightened for him. What if he loses control?"

"We have to pray that doesn't happen."

"But what if it does? I don't want to . . . hurt my own son."

"I know, Lily. I'll put the manacles on him if it comes to it. Or Stun him myself. I won't let it take him. Even if it costs me my life."

"No! Don't say that! We need you, Sev! I need you, here with me. And so does . . . the baby." Lily sobbed.

"What baby? Lily, are you saying—"

"Yes. I'm pregnant, Sev. With your baby. Who doesn't need to grow up without a father. Promise me you'll stay alive! You and Harry both!"

"Lily, dear God, how can I promise that? There are no guarantees in this world. But I'll try. For you. For us all."

Harry was stunned. His mother was pregnant. He would be a big brother. It was something he'd never considered before. He crept away down the hall to his room. He gently shut and locked the door. When he'd first come here, he'd thought this room the best one in the world. It was large, with a fine view, comfortable furniture, and his to be alone in. In all the months he'd been here, no one had ever entered without knocking, or asking permission. He looked around the room. He would miss it.

But he had no choice. Hearing Severus say he would give up his life for Harry—for a child not even of his blood—made a lump come up in his throat. He didn't deserve that. He was a burden, a cheeky brat who sassed the Healer beyond tolerance and hurt him in ways no one ever had. Severus should want him to leave, to follow the storm and go mad. Instead he wanted Harry to stay.

But if he stayed, he'd put everyone at risk. Severus, Theo, Lucy, Lily, and now the new baby too. He was dangerous, no one knew that better than he did. He was a stormcaller and a killer blizzard was on the horizon. There were no guarantees, Severus was correct. They couldn't know if Harry's shields would hold, or if would be able to resist the storm's siren call.

He might give in and then they would all be snuffed out like a candle flame.

Believe in yourself.

Severus' words echoed in his head. He wanted to, oh how he did! But there was always the part that doubted, that whispered his talent brought madness in his wake. What if it were true?

I'm sorry, Mum and Dad. I'm sorry Theo, Draco, Lucy, and Remus. And you too, Aunt Cissy, Uncle Luc, and Aradia. I can't stay here and risk becoming a monster. I need to leave . . . before it's too late.

Harry knew the moor would be safe. The storm would blast it in all its fury, but maybe he could find a cave to hole up in. And if the worst happened . . . no one would be hurt. Except himself. As it should be.

He pulled on his green jumper over his shirt and some thick snow trousers over his jeans, his sheepskin lined boots and his thick brown parka that he kept in his room. He added a Slytherin scarf Draco had given him and some mittens Lucy had sewn. There! He wouldn't freeze while he searched for a place to stay, he mused.

Because even a stormcaller was not immune to the effects of a non-summoned storm. Oh, he could feel it tug on him, even through the shields. He knew it wanted him to call it, to feel the rush of icy air and the power of the freezing wind. But he wouldn't. He would let the storm come to him. He would not succumb to temptation. He would not be a selfish brat, and risk everyone's lives. He had killed a powerful evil sorcerer when he was but a baby. He had also accidentally killed his aunt, uncle, and cousins. No one needed to tell him that, he just knew it. He had summoned the hurricane in response to being locked in the cupboard. And they had paid the price.

This time only he would do so.

He carefully unlatched the window, took his broom, and flew out of it. Then he shut it. Hopefully they would all think he was sleeping and not check on him till a few hours had passed. By then it would be too late and the blizzard would be upon them. Yes, it would be dangerous. But not the same as having a neophyte stormcaller trapped in the house with them. It would only be snow, wind, and ice.

He thrust off into the air, circled the house once, and whispered, "I love you. Be safe."

Then he flew like a bat out of hell towards the moor where the long dead boyfriend of Maggie was buried. Out on the moor, where only the ghosts walked and his madness would hurt no one.

Harry flew right into the teeth of the coming storm, west and north, to the lonely moor where the bogs were that sucked you down and almost no trees and only a few rock outcroppings to break the wind. Luckily, no one lived here except the dead, and Harry was not afraid of them. All the animals—even the birds—had gone away, taking shelter wherever they could find it. Harry, flying alone in the upper reaches of the sir, felt as if he were the only creature left alive in the world.

He could feel the wind pick up, tugging on his parka, freezing his cheeks with its icy touch. He could feel the pressure in the air growing and his head throbbed in time to it. The storm was coming, he could feel it, it sent prickles down his spine and he could taste the deadly frost on his tongue. He could feel how widespread the system was, meters and meters, all across Scotland and now Yorkshire too. This was one that would go on record . . . provided most people survived it. The dealy cold and snow was only one danger. There was also the danger of downed trees and power lines, and icy roads. He knew that some people had probably already experienced the brunt of the storm and prayed they were safe and warm.

As the wind picked up, it spun his broom a little. Harry quickly made a shield with his power to keep the wind off, and began looking for a likely place to land. He finally found one near one of the sucking bogs, or at least he thought it was one. It was a long outcropping of rock, with a single tree, all crooked and hunched over, next to it.

Harry landed his broom carefully in the lee of the stone. There was a hollowed out area on the side, enough for him to get out of the wind and he leaned the broom there and crouched down. "I'll bet you've stood through tons of storms," he said to the tree, needing to talk to something. "Hope you get through this too. And my family. I hope they don't go crazy looking for me, they probably will, damn it all! But maybe the storm itself will keep them inside."

A part of him snorted at that reasoning. As if anything would keep Lily from trying to find her son. Well, maybe Severus could, he reasoned. And the only thing keeping Severus from searching would be the power of the storm itself and the fact that the Healer was still recovering from the blue bolt. Having a low magical core would keep the tall man inside, and safe.

Harry breathed in and out. He extended his senses outward, and immediately met with the first bands of the storm, the wind and ice and hail. They nearly sucked him into their depths, but he resisted. He couldn't afford to get trapped in this. He pulled away, and hid behind his shields.

He estimated he had about twenty minutes before the first wave hit, and he was some six or seven miles from home. He should have gone farther, but this was the best shelter he could see on the moor. He prayed that Lily and Severus would stay inside and not think to check on him until the snow came, with the terrible force he could feel from it, he knew the snow would be falling like crazy before they even noticed it, and it and the wind ramping up to over seventy-five miles an hour should keep them indoors.

The storm front pushed on his shields hard. He grunted and send out a tendril of power, pushing it slightly away from him.

All of a sudden the sun disappeared and the sky went a leaden dark gray. Clouds drifted near and then it began to rain. At first the rain was normal—almost, the drops hitting the ground hard. Then it became stronger, faster, and the wind grew chill and keened with the frozen howl of the north.

Now the rain was hard, icy pellets that struck the ground with sharp pinging sounds and slowly coated the moor with ice. Harry shivered inside his shelter, listening to the howl of the wind and the icy rain. It called to him, begging him to come to it, but he bit his lip and ignored it. No. Not now. Not today. Leave. Go there.

He shoved at it cautiously, then with more force, showing it a slightly different track, and it began to move, going more south east, and off of the land towards the ocean.

It wasn't much, but it might save the small village some repairs from ice damage and keep their power on a few more hours, as well as reducing some of the ice at Heatherton. Harry knew that the cottage must be feeling the effects of this first sally now.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

The first pattering of hail hit the roof of Heatherton Cottage as Lucy brought tea to Severus and Lily, who were curled together under a shaggy blanket on the couch in front of the fire. Lily was reading a magical periodical aloud to Severus. Theo had been reading a book on the recliner, but the heat made him drowsy so he fell asleep. Lucy tucked a blanket about him, before dropping off the tea tray and pausing.

"I think I hear something," she said, cocking her head.

Severus raised his. "Yes, it sounds like hail."

Lily paused in her reading. "I can hear it too. I hope Harry's asleep. Maybe we should make sure?"

"He said he was going to lie down," Severus yawned, he was very comfortable lying on the couch and didn't want to move, especially with Lily lying on top of him. He was warm and cozy and he just felt like lying there and sleeping.

"Mmm, you're right. If he were having trouble, he'd come to us," Lily murmured. She sipped her tea, it made her whole body feel warm and cozy and she listened to the sharp patter of hail on the roof and felt her whole body go limp. She was safe, the spells were holding, and she was tired, so very tired . . . she drifted off to sleep mid-word.

Lucy decided to rest her feet a little before going to put on some soup for lunch. As she curled up on the smaller couch across from the recliner, she thought that at least they were all safe and sound here in Heatherton, and the scream of the wind did not frighten her the way it might have. She closed her eyes briefly and was asleep as well.

Page~*~*~*~*~*~Break

Lily woke up some three hours later and felt an urgent need to use the bathroom. Gently removing Severus' arm from her, she managed to slip off of him without waking him. Then she rushed to the bathroom. Thanks goodness it was not as bad as it had been when she was in the advanced stages of pregnancy. That would come later, right now she was approximately two and a half months a long and not even showing. She wondered if Poppy could be her medical consult with the baby so she wouldn't have to look for another Healer. She gently rubbed her tummy as she fixed her clothes and went into the kitchen to fix herself something to eat.

She found soup simmering on the stove and blessed Lucy for her foresight. As she ate some, she stared out at the window, which glistened with ice and showed snow starting to pile up in heaps along the side of the house. She got up and peered out, the snow was so thick she could barely see the shapes of the trees and the wind blew them until they bent level with the ground.

The house still had electric and heat, but Lily thought it might not last long with the way the storm was going, and so she prepared to light some mage globes and use some Warmth Charms. She wondered if it was the right time to tell Harry, Lucy, and Theo about the new life she carried. Normally she preferred to wait until she was at least three months along, because miscarriages often occurred during the first two months. But maybe it would be a good thing and take their minds off this horrible storm.

Fearing Harry might be having trouble with his control, she went into Sev's study and picked up the Manacles of Suppression. Severus had told her that the Manacles should suppress Harry's stormcaller power, but they had never been designed for such a thing—only to suppress a wizard's ordinary magic. Harry's power was far from ordinary and it might be possible for it to break past the manacles control. Still, they were all they had.

Lily headed for Harry's bedroom and knocked on the door. Getting no response, she called softly, "Harry, honey? Are you awake? It's Mum."

Still getting no response, she cautiously opened the door, expecting to find her son sleeping with his messy hair sticking up all over his pillow. Instead she found an empty room and a bed that looked as if it hadn't been slept in since this morning.

Terror gripped her. Was it possible Harry had gone out in this storm? To do what? Try and control it? Hide from it? She ran and looked in the closet, finding his winter wear gone, which confirmed her worst nightmare. She looked out the window upon a world covered in white as the snow fell, silent and deadly.

Her heart pounding, she went to wake up the rest of the family.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

Upon discovering Harry was missing, Severus' first instinct was to track him with a Locator Charm and Apparate to where he was. But there were two problems with that—the weather and the fact that he couldn't Apparate to a place he'd never been. Doing so might result in killing himself if he Apparated into a tree or a rock. It was why it was always stressed that visualization was the key to Apparition. Plus his magical core was still at half-strength, and that would not enable him to get very far on his own in this deadly storm.

"Damn you, Harry!" he swore as he paced up and down the foyer, listening to the wind screaming. "Why didn't you trust me?"

But he knew it was unfair to blame all of this on the boy. Harry had a guilt complex the size of Europe and was probably battling that along with his insecurities over controlling his power. And perhaps a part of him still believed that claptrap about going mad too. Whatever had prompted the boy to take off, Severus was sure it had more to do with protecting his family than anything else. And Severus knew all too well what it was like to be overprotective. The boy was more like him than he knew.

Lucy put an arm about him and whispered, "Master Sev, Harry will be all right."

"So I hope," he said, somewhat bitterly. "How do you know?"

"Because God doesn't give us anything we can't handle, or so I believe. And Harry's power is a gift, not a curse, I don't care what those fools say. And he will use it to save us all."

Severus sighed. "I want to believe that, Lucy. I truly do. But I'm scared out of my head about what he could be facing out there alone."

She squeezed his shoulder. "I know. I'd be the same if it were my Theo."

Actually, Theo and Lily were outside now, over both Severus and Lucy's vigorous protests. Theo was in cold drake form, as Tempest he was mostly immune to the wind and freezing temperatures, and Lily was riding him, trying to locate Harry. She had promised Severus to remain outside for fifteen minutes, no longer, for that would be all the cold and wind she could endure, even wearing winter clothing and using Warmth charms.

Severus tried to keep his temper in check, getting angry at the absent Harry would help nothing, and he needed to be calm for Lily, a frantic pregnant woman was not a good thing. He watched the snow falling and wished he could do more to find the youngster. But there was nothing he could do except hope that Harry would come home intact. Severus' hands knotted into fists and he forced himself to relax. Harry would come home. He had to believe that, else he was lost.

Lily and Tempest flew about the outskirts of the cottage in ever widening circles, keeping a sharp eye out for any figure walking or riding a broom. But all they saw was white flakes of snow and the wind threatened to rip Lily from Tempest's back.

The wind was so strong that Tempest had difficulty flying in it. Lily, I'm sorry, the young drake sent. But I can't fly like this much longer. The wind . . . it's so strong it's pulling me all over. I can barely keep flying steadily. Soon it'll tear holes in my wings.

"Just a bit further, Tempest," Lily urged, reluctant to give up, even though she knew she was rapidly reaching the end of her strength. They had flown about ten minutes away from the house, three miles out on the moor. Lily felt like an icicle despite her clothes and spells. Her fingers were stiff and cramped against the leather straps put over Tempest's chest and neck that she clung to. The "saddle" was a makeshift piece of leather stuffed with griffin feathers and sewn with triple strength thread and bound around him with a huge wide stretchable leather strap, one that they'd bought at Diagon Alley at a store that stocked dragon items.

Tempest flew gamely into the storm again, but after a few moments, sent, We have to turn back, Lily. I can't see a thing with this snow, and I'm exhausted and so are you. Sorry, I'll try again later. Maybe he's holed up somewhere like any clever kid would be.

Tempest didn't dare mention the madness, but it was on his mind. Regretfully, they turned back towards home. When they reached the cottage, Severus and Lucy were waiting with hot mugs of tea and hot baths ready.

Severus could read the disappointment and fear on his wife's face. "Come on, let's get you warmed up. Then you need to sleep." He picked up Lily and took her into their private bath and let her climb into the warm water.

"Ahh! This feels so good!" she cried. "But what about Harry? He's still out there, Sev! We couldn't find him."

Severus stroked her hair as she washed herself. "There's nothing for it but to wait, love. If he doesn't come home soon, maybe we can call Wizarding Search and Rescue."

"No! How do we tell them he's lost alone in this storm? I'll go out again later, when the snow has stopped coming down so heavily." Lily resolved. "I will not lose my son, do you hear me, Severus?"

"Yes. But first you need to sleep." Severus urged. He did not think the storm would abate in a few hours, they were supposed to get snow and wind all day and night, and that would keep his intrepid wife stranded inside the house. He was surprised the power had not gone out yet.

He held out a towel for Lily when she was through, and his mind raced frantically. Harry, where are you?

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

Harry was still huddled in his stone shelter, but he had to push the snow away from it with his broom. It was awfully cold and Harry wished he had taken his chances with staying in the cottage. Almost. The storm was a constant presence in his head now, and he could feel it urging him to bond with it, to become the sound and the fury. He resisted now by the skin of his teeth, his shields nearly in tatters.

He took a few moments to steady himself, to build the shields back up again before he did something he had only tried once before. He slipped his consciousness outward and "rode" the back of the storm, using the system as a kind of transportation, his "eyes" in a world covered in endless winter.

He 'saw' how the snow fell with silent symmetry across the landscape, turning the bleak moor into a white wilderness of preternatural beauty, causing drifts to mound up and making crystalline patterns upon the few trees still standing upright.

He rode the wind into the small village and saw the houses buried in snow up to the doors and in some cases roofs as well. People were trying to shovel paths from their doors to the street and throwing blue melting crystals on the sidewalks and porches to melt the ice. But their efforts seemed laughable as the snow fell inexorably and covered everything they'd done in moments. He saw several houses, mainly ones at the end of the street near the graveyard, without power as trees had fallen on the power lines, and so had meters of snow.

All around he saw people locked in a cold, frozen, white hell. He wished he could help them.

Then he got an idea. A crazy, insane idea, but better than just sitting there waiting for the storm to turn him into a raging lunatic. Maybe he could help people. By turning the course of the storm.

But first, he would take a peek at Heatherton Cottage and make sure all was well there.

The wind blustered and Harry rode it north of the village, and home.

He saw to his dismay that the cottage and the grounds had been swamped in snow, drifts were almost up to the roof gables and there was a small pathway shoveled for a few feet beyond the door. There were lights still burning in the house, and several spruce and fir trees were bent almost double to the ground by their burden of snow.

There were several branches broken from the trees that had snapped in the sudden wind, and from the frost. The gardens were buried in snow and the gates showed their tops just above the drifts. Poor Dad! He'll have a time digging that out, even with magic.

Then, as the wind swirled and screeched about the cottage, Harry heard a sound, a door opening.

He saw a figure step out onto the porch, head bent against the wind. At first he thought it was Lily, but then he saw the glimpse of long dark hair being whipped about and knew it was Severus.

The man walked to the edge of the porch, unmindful of the wind, and called, "Harry! Harry!"

He stood there, calling for his missing son as the wind swept away his words and snow blanketed the world as far as he could see.

Harry winced. He wished Severus would go back inside. This weather was horrible and Severus was still not entirely well. Just go back inside and forget about me, he urged. I'm not worth it, Dad.

Suddenly, Harry heard a faint crackling sound. He thought it came from the roof, which was covered with snow. Or maybe it was the big tree in the yard, whose branches were laden down with ice and snow. Either way, Harry knew the sound was not good—it preceded something about to break. Severus did not seem to notice it, he probably could not hear it above the sound of the wind.

Before he could home in on what it was, he felt his consciousness drawn back to his body. He tried to fight it, but his body was freezing. Harry realized that if he meant to do anything about the storm, or to help Severus, he had to keep moving. To keep still was to die.

Shaking, he cast a last Warming charm to get the blood flowing, and hopped on his broom.

This time he allowed the winds to grab his broom, and flew with unheard of speed back to Heatherton Cottage. He would make sure Severus was all right and then he'd try to divert the storm.

Soon he was five feet away from the cottage, where Severus stood, half-blinded, peering out into the night.

There came a loud crack! and a branch snapped in two from the big tree off to the side. The wind snatched it and carried it at vicious speed towards the wizard, who could not hear it over the screeching of the wind and was looking off towards the moor.

It would have slammed into him with brutalizing force, but Harry manipulated the wind and made the branch veer off, coming to rest in the snow drift off to the right. Breathing a sigh of relief, Harry began to try and coax the clouds and the wind off into a different direction, out to sea and away from land.

At first the storm refused to obey him.

It fought him like a wild thing, sending tendrils into his thoughts, urging him to join with it, to become destruction like he'd never known. The wind, unstoppable with its vicious strength, the freezing snow, the terrible power of nature unleashed. It whispered, cajoled, and finally commanded him to become one with it.

Harry felt his control splinter. His shields fell and he was surrounded by the storm, feeling it pluck his consciousness up and suddenly he was drowning in sensation. He couldn't think, only feel. He felt the storm's malignancy, its longing to feed its hunger, to suck the warmth out of everything living.

Harry knew he was inches from losing himself. The storm was a power unlike any other, and he was a conduit for it. A conduit for a power so vast even an ocean could not contain it.

For a moment Harry fought to maintain his sense of self.

Then he realized something. Something Severus had said. Sometimes in order to control something, you had to go along with it a ways. Sometimes control wasn't a battle of wills, but of being. Just being.

Then something clicked within him. He knew how to divert the storm, to stop it from killing. He took a deep breath, feeling the power surge about him. It crested and he rode the crest to the top. Then he anchored himself into the earth, his magic reaching down to fasten itself to the ground. Otherwise he would fly away with the wind and snow.

Then he did something no other stormcaller had done ever. Instead of fighting the storm and trying to control the sheer power of the blizzard, he surrendered to it, opening himself up and allowing the power to flow through him.

By doing so, he drew the tremendous power into the earth, where it was absorbed and drawn away. He glowed with the sheer force of channeling the power, his hair standing up on end as if he were being electrocuted, his eyes burning with sheer white light.

Severus looked up and saw his son, seemingly on fire, and he cried out in horror, certain Harry was being consumed by the eldritch light. He wanted to run over to him, but his feet were rooted to the ground as he watched the blazing figure.

Harry could feel most of the storm's power leeching away into the earth. But there was still enough of it around to cause problems. He pointed a hand and directed the storm's path from within the swirling white expanse of cloud and wind. He had the storm move, gliding away from Yorkshire and past the land, out once more into the ocean, where it faded as the cold and warm fronts were disconnected by Harry's will. If asked to explain how he did such a complex thing, he could not have said, as he was going by instinct. But it worked.

He gently disconnected himself from the matrix and back into his own body.

He felt suddenly weak and flew down to the ground, marveling that his broom was not smoking from the amount of energy he'd channeled while on it. He felt exhaustion sweep through him and his legs would not hold him. He crumbled to the snow.

Severus waited for about two seconds before he plunged through the drifts towards Harry, who lay motionless on the snow, like a broken wooden doll. He fell on his knees beside the boy and picked him up in his arms. "Harry? Harry, it's Dad, are you all right? Merlin's hat, but you were glowing! What were you doing?"

"Channeling the storm . . ." the boy replied in a sleepy tone. "Only way . . . to stop it . . . you were right . . . I didn't go mad . . ."

"Of course I was right!" Severus cried, his voice hoarse with emotion. He hugged Harry hard. "You crazy, stubborn, foolish little idiot! How dare you run away like that? Do you know how crazy you drove your mother? Not to mention me and Lucy and Theo! We were frantic!"

"I was scared . . . I would hurt you . . ."

"Hurt us? Dearest God in heaven, you scared me out of ten years of my life, Harry James! I ought to wallop the living daylights out of you!" He clung to the boy even harder, sudden tears welling in his eyes to fall unheeded down his face.

"Go ahead then," Harry mumbled. "I deserve it for frightening you."

"Yes you do," he asserted, standing up with the armful of boy. "I'll punish you properly as soon as you're well. Merlin, but you feel like you're burning up and freezing at the same time. We need to get you inside, into warm clothes and a tub. Wait till your mother sees you, she's been a wreck . . ."

"I'm sorry . . ."

Severus started to walk towards the house, holding Harry tightly.

Harry just lay there in Severus' arms, exhausted and feeling terribly drained, but triumphant. He was a stormcaller who had learned not to fear his gift, and more, how to use it to save lives, not destroy them. He had figured out the key to managing the greatest power known to man. Not to command it, or to control it, but to surrender to it and become one with it. He smiled despite the trouble he knew he was in.

He could tell by Severus' tone that the man forgave him already and he knew his mother would as well. He knew he was very lucky and he was grateful that he had saved Severus from the branch, as well as the many others who would have been impacted by the blizzard. But right now he was cold and tired and all he wanted to do was eat something Lucy had cooked, take a hot bath, and be tucked into a warm bed by Severus and Lily.

This time, he knew, he would sleep without nightmares. Because he was going home, where he was loved and wanted, despite his power, a stormcaller who had learned to harness his birthright at last.

When Severus returned with Harry in his arms, Lily was prepared with warmed blankets and clothes. Harry was barely conscious, and Lily and Severus stripped and dried him and bundled him up without him stirring. Lily was extremely grateful Severus had found her missing son. When Severus explained that Harry had found him rather than the other way around, Lily put her arms about him and cried. "I was so scared!" she sobbed. "I thought he was lost to me, not just from the cold, but to madness and now he's home and undamaged except for a mildy drained magical core and slight hypothermia. It's like a miracle, and I stopped believing in those long ago."

"I didn't. The first miracle I ever saw was you awakening from a ten year coma." Severus said softly, gently wiping her tears with his hand. "The second was you loving me."

"Why, Sev?" she asked huskily. "You were easy to love, easier than James because all you expected from me was to be myself. He always wanted me to be someone I couldn't—the perfect pureblood wife."

Harry, who was half-awake and dozing, opened his eyes. "Mum, how come Dad didn't like you the way you were? Was it because he had some dumb prejudice against Muggleborns?"

Severus had always loathed James for his attitude towards women, namely that they were nervous delicate creatures needing a man to lean on and make decisions for them, but he did not say so. It was Lily's place to explain about her late husband to her son, anything he said would look like petty jealousy.

Lily cleared her throat, it was an uncomfortable subject for her, but Harry deserved to know the truth of what had happened between her and James, not a fairytale version. "Well, Harry, it's difficult to explain. Your father was the sort of person who could charm birds out of trees. He was popular, handsome, rich, and many girls in our year in every House fell in love with his devil-may-care image. I was one who didn't automatically fawn at his feet. At first I ignored him, I thought him an arrogant toerag and a spoiled little boy. I guess that sort of attitude, instead discouraging him, made him want me even more.

"I was everything those other little lapdog girls weren't—I was smart, not obsessed with him, and I had loads more magic and a better personality. And I was of his House—a Gryffindor. All of that made perfect in his eyes and he trailed after me for two or three years like an infatuated puppy, trying to impress me so I'd go out with him. The one thing he never liked about me was my friendship with Severus. He hated Sev—thought he was a no-account, greasy, dark Slytherin and unfit to be with the likes of me."

Harry made a strangled noise of disagreement. "He sounds like a royal ass, Mum."

"He was, dear. He tried to run Sev off several times with his little band of friends, all Gryffindor pureblood sycophants, called the Marauders. They claimed they just "liked to play pranks on people" but their targets were often Slytherins or others who were . . . misfits . . . and most of them weren't funny at all, but humiliating. I grew disgusted and I gave him an ultimatium—stop harassing people or I'd walk away and never consider his suit. I never thought he'd do it, but he did. He even left Sev alone, for the most part. I was relieved and thought maybe he could change. It was then that he started courting me in earnest."

"And you believed him?" Harry asked, somewhat incredulously. "How about Severus?"

"Back then we were just friends, Harry," Severus cut in. "I was too busy with my studies and trying to get into a good Mind Healer school to have much time for socializing, and I thought Lily never liked me that way. So I kept my mouth shut and let Potter court her—which was a big mistake, but I didn't know that then."

"Well, your father courted me, and it seemed as if he was trying to change, so I allowed it. It wasn't until I married him that I realized it was all an act. James was very charming when he wanted to be, and I foolish girl that I was, still believed in happily ever after. But he was also a product of his upbringing, and men of his station had been taught their wives were delicate creatures, meant to be protected and smothered in lace and fancy gowns and be ornaments on a man's arm at a dinner party."

"But that's not like you at all, Mum," Harry stared at her.

"I know. But his parents were old-fashioned too, and they believed he'd married beneath them because I wasn't a pureblood from an old family, just a jumped up Muggleborn with pretensions, was how your grandmother put it. They were all scandalized when we married. I thought it meant James really loved me, to defy his family like that. What I didn't realize was that it was simply him getting his way, no matter what. And after a few months, the bloom wore off the rose, as they say, and suddenly being Mrs. Potter, society belle, wasn't something I was suited to. I dressed wrong, and I had the wrong attitude—towards witches, house elves, and Slytherins. I hate all the traditional robes with flounces a witch was expected to wear, and all the proper things a witch was supposed to do and say—like not speak to your house elf like a person, and think all Slytherins were rabid followers of You-Know-Who." She snorted. "I knew better, I'd come from a family without servants and my best friend was a Slytherin boy."

"And they didn't like you 'cause of that?" Harry scowled. "That's just plain stupid!"

"That's prejudice for you, and your father, sad to say, went right along with it. I was always the wrong one."

"But that's not fair!" Harry objected. "Isn't that kind of like Dumbledore not letting me go to Hogwarts because I'm a stormcaller?"

"Yes, and that's why we didn't encourage you to go there," Severus put in. "Despite being the best wizarding school in Britain—"

"You mean the only wizarding school," Lily corrected.

"That's why we kept you away."

"They would have hated me there. And I would have hated them, even if Draco was there with me," Harry said decisively. "They think all stormcallers will go mad and destroy everything. But they're wrong. Out there, facing that blizzard, I learned something about my power and the power of the storm. I learned the key to control was to fight, but to surrender, to become one with nature, and gain control that way. You can't force something as raw and powerful as a storm, Mum, we're not gods, we're conduits for terrible power, and sometimes the best way to control something that powerful is to just become one with it. Those other stormcallers, they never figured it out, probably because they believed they'd go mad no matter what, and they lost themselves inside the matrix. But I won't, not ever again, so I'm not a danger to people anymore."

Lily hugged him, smiling. "I'm so proud of you, son! You succeed where everyone else had failed, and not just because of sheer power or some half-baked prophecy, but because you were smart enough to figure it out. I told your father many times after you were born that everyone was wrong, that having such a power was a gift, a gift needing to be used properly, but he chose to believe what everyone did—that all stormcallers were doomed. That was one of the things we disagreed on—violently. The only one who ever thought I was right was Severus."

Harry looked up at his stepfather. "You were right all along, Dad. I'm sorry I was such a little bugger to you before about it. I shouldn't ever have run away and made you worry."

Severus nodded. "The way you went about it was wrong, but I think you had to get away in order to find out exactly how to control the storm and yourself. Not that I'm advocating running away, mind."

Harry nodded. "Am I in trouble now? Are you going to spank me?"

Lily and Severus exchanged glances. Finally Severus said, "If it were a different reason—like being plain bratty or defiant, then yes, your mother and I would consider it. But because I know the real reason you left—to save your family—I will consider an alternative."

"Like what?"

"Like a week without flying and helping me dig out the garden," Severus answered promptly. "Or helping your mum and Lucy around the house."

Harry groaned. "Merlin, but that sucks!"

Severus smirked wryly. "Punishments often do."

"Yes, sir," was all his wayward stormcaller answered.

"Cheer up, Harry," Theo said, entering the room, having heard the last few words between them. "You'll be with me, which wouldn't be the case if you went to Hogwarts with Draco."

"You don't want to go there now, do you?" asked Lily. "Now that you've mastered your power, you could go. If you wanted."

Harry shook his head. "I don't. Not if it's run by a prejudiced old coot like Draco says. If I end up in Slytherin, he'll think I'm dark or something, never mind what I control. And any school that doesn't accept Theo isn't one I want to attend. Are most purebloods all stupid about prejudice?"

"No. Narcissa and Lucius aren't. But a lot of them are. They don't know any better."

"Like my father?"

"He should have, considering who he was married to," Severus cut in.

"But 'tis easy, lad, to hate someone for being different than it is to see the differences as good," Lucy put in, carrying mugs of hot tea for all. "My family was the same when I married Finn and had Theo."

Theo nodded. "Lots of pureblood families would look at me as a disgrace—a Squib with a crooked foot, deformed inside and out, and stupid to boot. Anywhere except here."

"But Theo, you're one of the smartest kids I know—smarter than me sometimes."

"All the time," Theo shot back, grinning. "I have the sense not to run out in the middle of a blizzard!"

"Oh, shut up!" Harry ordered, somewhat embarrassed. "You should be allowed to go to Hogwarts too. After all, they let Remus Lupin go, and he's a werewolf."

Theo snorted. "Uh huh, and I'm just a Squib, who's good enough to scrub toilets, according to them. Least that's what they done to Mr. Filch."

"Dumbledore's an idjit," Lucy cried. "If anyone suggested my Theo be a servant, I'd beat them with a broom."

They all laughed at that.

"We're all of us here misfits of one kind and another," Severus said. "We understand that's it's not how you're born, or what you're born with, that matters, but what you do with what you have. Both of you have learned that lesson very well, and I am proud to call you both my students . . . and my sons."

Both boys beamed, for they knew that Severus Snape never gave idle compliments, you had to earn them.

"What are you a misfit for, Dad?" asked Harry curiously.

"I'm a Slytherin who's not a backstabber or evil. I have ambition but enough to be the best, not to use against others for power. And I love a Muggleborn woman to distraction." Severus replied. "And I have a full-fledged stormcaller as a son and I'm not terrified you'll kill us all in our beds."

"Lucky you," Theo said.

"Very lucky." Severus agreed.

"And you help people, Dad," Harry pointed out. "You don't ignore kids in trouble, you heal them. Even if they think they don't deserve it."

"He does. And that's one reason why I love him." Lily put it. Severus blushed.

Severus shrugged. "That's my calling. I might have ended up doing something quite different—if I'd allowed myself to believe Dumbledore's vision."

Lily put her arm about him. "True, but you didn't. You clung to your principles and your belief in miracles, Severus. And that made all the difference. To both of us."

"And us too," Lucy added.

"I'm not perfect," Severus protested.

"But we love you anyhow," Theo smirked.

Lily grinned. "Speaking of unexpected surprises—Sev and I have one we'd like to share with you. I'm going to have a baby."

"You are?" Theo gaped. "When?"

"In about six and a half months, near as I can figure," Lily answered, beaming.

Harry, who'd already learned about the baby before the killer storm, couldn't resist saying, "Merlin's pants, Mum, but aren't you kind of . . .old for that?"

Lily's eyes narrowed. "Old! Old am I? As compared to what? I'm only twenty-nine, young man, and still young enough to give you what-for because of your cheek, Harry James!" She cuffed him playfully about the head.

He held up his hands, giggling a little. "All right, all right! Don't get your pants in a twist, Mum! I was kidding!"

"Be careful, Harry. That remark was out of line," warned Severus.

"Oops. Sorry. But I really was kidding," Harry said. His green eyes twinkled. "I hope the new baby's a boy."

"Why?" Lily asked. "You don't have anything against girls, do you?"

"No, but I can teach a little brother more things," Harry said. "I'm not like my father."

Was that ever true, Severus thought. Harry was very much his mother's son, in spirit if not in looks. "You can teach a sister the same things."

"Is that what you want, Sev? A little girl?" asked Theo.

"Whatever God sees fit to send us, I'll take," Severus replied. "I'll love her or him either way. As long as my wife is well after the delivery, that's good enough for me."

"What are you going to call the baby, Mum?" asked Harry.

Lily pondered. "Well, I don't know . . . how about Iris, or Irene, for a girl? Or Miranda? Those were your grandmother and great-aunt's names. Or Nicholas, Eric, or Valerius for a boy?"

"After my Prince and Snape relatives?" Severus said, startled. "We barely knew them, Lil. Half of them were dead before we were born."

"That's no reason not to honor them," Lily argued. "But that's a decision to make another day. For now, why don't we drink some tea and play some card games. It's still freezing and flurrying out, so we might as well do something fun."

They all agreed and Severus went to get a deck of cards while Lucy grabbed some snacks from the pantry. Then they all spent the afternoon trying to one up the other in several card games and Harry muched some sweet frosted angel food cake tarts and thought about how neat it would be to be a big brother. He wondered if the baby would have some magical talent, and if so, he would be sure to teach him or her how to use it. He was proud, at last, of his mercurial power, and of being a stormcaller who could use it for good, and for being Lily's son and Severus' as well. There simply was no better family to be a part of, at least according to him. Because it didn't matter about gold, or prestige, what mattered was love, and acceptance, two things which no stormcaller had ever had, and what had made all the difference in his life.

He picked up a card and put it into the discard pile. "I call your bluff," he said to Severus, who winked before turning over his hand.

As the months went on, Lily grew bigger, rounder, and more impatient. In contrast, Lucy grew more serene, eager, and happy as Remus Lupin made himself a presence in her life. Remus came to call upon her each week, always making time for her to go to dinner, or a dance, even a movie, once she introduced him to the phenomenon. He also made certain to include Theo in some activities as well. He took both boys to Quidditch matches and also went flying with them. He took over some of Lily's Transfiguration lessons as well, because as a shapeshifter, he knew what it was like to transform better than anyone.

Harry and Theo liked him because he was mild-mannered and patient with their questions and mistakes. Eventually, Theo asked permission from Lucy to tell Remus about his shapeshifting ability. Lucy agreed and Remus learned of Theo becoming Tempest. He was quite amazed at the Squib's ability, and said it proved his theory that no one (even Muggles) were without some form of magic, even if the ability was latent.

Lucy soon found herself losing her heart to the werewolf, because, like Finn long ago, Remus loved Lucy for being herself—not for being a pureblood witch. He didn't look down on her for loving her deceased husband or her son or for being a glorified housekeeper at Heatherton Cottage. "People do what suits them best, and they love whom they love without reservation. At least the best kind of people do," he told her once. "Like Lily and Severus. Now, I'm not saying I'm perfect, because Merlin knows I've made plenty of mistakes, but unlike my former friends, the Marauders, I can learn from them. I know what it is to be ostracized because of being a werewolf, so I can sympathize with Theo for his foot and his magic, and Harry because he's a stormcaller. But I also admire their strength. They've learned not to let their disabilities rule them. That's something I've had to work very hard on, because it's all too easy to say I give up and surrender to the way others feel about you. And I've had to learn not to. But I have, especially now, when I have a decent witch and a child worth fighting for."

Severus was surprised at Lupin's new resolve and happy for Lucy, whom he regarded like a sister. Eventually he healed and returned to practicing Mind Healing, and all of the staff at St. Mungos and his patients were grateful to have him back again.

Lily became more and more housebound as her pregnancy progressed, though compared to how she had been when she had Harry, staying at Heatherton with her son, Theo, Lucy, and Severus to keep her company was not a trial. Not always. Of course, she had good and bad days, and the boys learned to tell which was which and try and sympathize or stay out of her way on the bad ones. But for the most part, her pregnancy was normal and she enjoyed feeling the new life within her move.

Harry was praying harder than ever for a brother when Remus asked for Lucy's hand in marriage some three months later. Harry was a witness, and Lily and Severus the best man and matron of honor. Both were shocked a little that they had been chosen, especially Severus, who had started out not being friends with Lupin. "It's one of the reasons why I chose you," Remus said afterwards. "Because you tell it like it is. If I'm being a jackass, you'll let me know."

"Always," laughed the Mind Healer. "If you'll do the same for me?"

"Of course. What are friends for?"

Around two months later, Lucy was pregnant as well, and both the couple and Theo were overjoyed about the new addition. They moved into Lucy's little cottage full time and began decorating a nursery.

Lily was almost due and together the two witches discussed the symptoms of their pregnancies and if they were uncomfortable and also what names they were going to consider with their child. She had decorated her nursery with mint green stripes and lambs, moons, and stars. She told Lucy that she couldn't wait for the baby to get born.

Finally, on November 28th, Lily felt the first labor pains. She waited awhile to tell Severus, because she wasn't sure if they were real or not. But when her water broke, she knew the baby was coming, and they quickly Flooed to St. Mungos. Unlike her first time, this time went quicker. And there was a surprise.

Instead of a single daughter, there were twins—a boy and a girl. Valerius Septimus was born first and ten minutes after that came his fraternal twin, Iris Marian. The twins looked nothing alike, with Val having his father's dark hair and green eyes, and Iris having her mum's red hair and dark brown eyes.

Severus about nearly burst with pride when he saw his newborn babies. He had never expected twins, much less one of each! Harry was delighted too, he was a big brother to both a boy and a girl. It was a very happy Snape family that took the babies home from the hospital the next day.

Lucy and Remus stood as godparents to both babies, and in turn, Severus and Lily were godparents to their son, Johnnie—John Richard Lupin—when he was born. Unlike Theo, Johnnie was born perfectly formed in body and in magic. He was welcomed into the family with joy and love, and would grow up beside the Snape twins, best friends from the time they could walk and string two sentences together.

And Harry became famous as the world's first known stormcaller to avoid madness and discover how to use his once-vilified talent to save lives all over Britain. Severus and Lily kept the reporters off his back once they learned of what he had done, though one effect of the storm had good consequences.

The winds had churned up the mud of a bog on the moor—and with it Poor Maggie's murdered love. Once the body was found and properly laid to rest, the ghost quit her haunting and moved on to heaven, reunited with her lost love at last. And the legend of Poor Maggie was allowed to die and a new one came to take its place—that of the stormcaller Harry Potter.