Chapter Three

            Severus was frozen…he didn’t know what to say. He refused to deny his name, and he didn’t expect Harry to as well. However, there was no lying at this point, Olivander was determined that he knew the little boy in front of him was Severus.

“It is you!” he roared. “YOU…I asked YOU to help me!”

            Severus felt his chin quiver and he looked down at his feet. He had never felt so disgraced with himself before. He just wanted to melt into the floor…and the tears that were filling his eyes were genuine for both states of his mind. He had hurt people as a Death Eater, he knew that much, but he never thought he would live to have someone confront him on it. And he had hoped that his work for Albus would do a bit to help him accept it. It was clear that he was dead wrong.

“I…I’m so sorry…” he whispered, his voice choking with tears. “I wanted to-

“No, Severus,” Harry hushed. “You do not need to justify your actions to anyone…clearly this is Severus’s wand…I will pay for it and we will leave…thank you, Mr. Olivander.”

            Harry placed the eight galleons he owed for the wand onto the counter and took Severus’s hand. He refused to let Severus deal with people like that, and yes, it may have seemed like a futile effort but he would work as hard as he could to protect Severus for as long as he could. He watched to see that Serenity was following after them, her eyes still trained on the store owner.

“I don’t want you to think about what he said, Severus,” Harry said sternly. “It was not your fault... he doesn’t know what you went through…none of them do.”

            Severus stopped walking and felt his chin and hands begin to quiver. He could not bear to hear Harry talk to him that way. Like he actually believed that he wasn’t at fault here, in truth it was entirely his fault. From the beginning, all of his decisions had led to the current destruction of people and their lives. From the moment he had given the prophecy to Voldemort, it had all been his fault.

“It is though…” he whispered, tears sliding down his pale cheeks. “Everything…I was such a coward…I let that…that man…hurt all of you. I let him do things that I knew were wrong, that I knew were bad. I let him do those things to people because I was too much of a coward to step up.”

            Harry knelt down in front of Severus and gently lifted his chin so that he was forced to look at him. However, just as always the little boy turned his head in pain and tried to avoid his gaze. Harry knew why…the green reminded him of the one person in his life he had fought hardest for… Lily Potter.

“You are no coward Severus Tobias Snape,” Harry said firmly. “I never want to hear you call yourself that name again or I will, personally, wash your mouth out with soap.”

            Severus sniffled, but nodded in compliance.

“You were the bravest man I ever knew, Severus, and you still are that man,” his hands gently squeezed the boys shoulder’s as he spoke. “You were willing to die for love…what kind of coward does that? What kind of coward is willing to give up everything for the memory of the woman he loved? I’ll tell you what kind…a great man…a great, great, man…and because you were such a great man we wanted to give you a second chance, so that you could be happy…so that you could finally have a life you deserve.”

            Severus’s body was quaking with sobs and wrapping his arms around Harry, he buried his face into his shoulder. It hurt to hear those words, because he wanted to believe them so desperately. He wanted to believe what Harry said about him was true, and he wished the boy wouldn’t believe it. He didn’t want Harry to think all those good things about him, he would much rather be abused…Severus felt that was far more fitting than his current blessing. Being loved by Harry, Serenity, and Dumbledore…it was so undeserved.

            Harry held Severus while he cried, his hand gently smoothing his hair down. He wanted to throttle Olivander for doing this to his son, but he knew that he couldn’t. The man had a right to be angry about the war, everyone did, but he could not believe that they would not have moved on in the eleven years that had been spent rebuilding lives. He picked Severus up and held him, eleven or not, Severus was still a thin thing. Harry could relate, he had been real small at that age as well. He had tried his best fattening him up, but Severus still remained thin, no matter what he consumed.

“Come now,” he said gently. “We still need to get your robes…and didn’t you want to get your school books? I’ll even let you get three books that are off the list.”

            Serenity watched the entire exchange between Harry and Severus and could not suppress the tears in her eyes. She wanted to go back and lay into that old man…but she wouldn’t out of respect for her boyfriend and the little boy he was carrying. Going over to them she wrapped her arms around them both and kissed Severus’s cheek gently. She didn’t know what to say, she really didn’t, but she decided that an embrace was the next best thing. From her experience with Severus, it was clear he had not received many hugs in his past life.

“Alright,” Harry teased. “Enough of this Hallmark moment, Severus needs robes and books…and I am very close to starving to death.”

“You are always starving to death.” Serenity chuckled.

“Sue me,” he grinned. “I’m a guy.”

            Serenity rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at Harry before taking his hand wand walking with him to Madam Malkin’s Robe Shop. Severus rested his head on Harry’s shoulder, uncaring at how un-forty he was acting. He felt so low that the world looked as though it was millions of miles away. He knew that Harry told him not to let it get to him, but Harry had not been there when he had to torture Olivander…he did not have to listen to the begging…the horrible begging.

            Harry set Severus down so that he could go and discuss his fitting with the owner of the shop. Madam Malkin had passed, so now the store belonged to her daughter. Harry had only met her once or twice, but he found her to be very nice and knew that there was no way she would recognize Severus…that was one of the greatest comforts.

            Severus sniffled and wiped the last of the tears from his face. He felt so embarrassed… crying like a child and all over Harry Potter for Merlin’s sake. How could he lose control so fast? Where was his original, emotionless, will? Going back over to Serenity he took a seat next to her and rested her head on his shoulder. She smelled really nice…like lavender and some other plant. It could be mint…but Severus wasn’t so sure, his nose was stuffy from crying after all.

“Feeling better, Sev?” Serenity asked gently, her arm wrapping around him. “I’m sorry you have to feel sad…but there is always a brighter side right? Let’s see…you get to have three books instead of two, you were reunited with something that is clearly dear to you…what else, love?”

            Severus shrugged into her. He didn’t want to really think on the bright side of what had happened. He more or less wanted to forget about it entirely, but he could see that she was trying and he didn’t want to hurt her feelings by ignoring her.

“I guess…hearing Harry say he doesn’t blame me…that was nice…”

            Serenity nodded and gently took her hands through his hair. Severus leaned into her touch and closed his eyes against her arm. He was content with just staying with Serenity for the rest of the day. She didn’t really know much about his past, so all she could say of him was that he was a sad little boy. And he was sure that when Harry told her about his life, he chose to paint him in a much brighter light. He kept telling himself that he had to correct his guardian, and that Serenity deserved to know what kind of man he truly was.

“Severus,” Harry called, gaining his attention. “Come here so we can get your measurements and such.”

            At this Severus groaned, he hated being measured and prodded. He wasn’t the type of person that liked having someone’s hands all over him, not unless he was the person to initiate the contact. He got hugs from Harry on occasion, and it took quite some time to get used to that, but now it was more or less only when Severus sought them out. Getting a gentle shove from Serenity he stood and went to the mirrors. He refused to try anything on, so this new Malkin better be as competent as the elder one, otherwise he would just have to settle with shrinking his old robes down to size.

            The magical tape measurer weaved around him, and the young woman began taking down the measurements on a piece of parchment. He just wanted to get this over with so he could go back home and read in his room. He wasn’t even eager to practice with his wand, he really just wanted the day to end and move on.

“Okay…” the girl grinned. “I have something he can try on-

-I…do I have to try them on? Can’t you just use my measurements and get them that way?”

            Severus looked pleadingly at Harry, who in turn veered his gaze to the Miss Malkin. He smiled warmly at her, and Severus knew that he was going to try and charm his way into getting what he wanted…it was almost very Slytherin of him. Though…flirting with a pretty store clerk was NOT the smartest thing to do when one’s girlfriend was not that far away…so that reverted it back to Gryffindor foolishness.

“Would that be okay Jenna?” he smiled. “I would really appreciate it and my son’s had a really tiring day.”

            Maybe it was the green eyes; maybe that’s what got the younger women. They got trapped in Potter’s eyes the same way he had gotten lost in Lily’s when he had been a boy. And from how “Jenna” stared up into them, Severus was pretty sure he was as right as he ever was.

“Oh…umm…yes, Mr. Potter…I…I suppose I could…” she stuttered. “I will just…mail them to your address when they are…ready.”

            Harry smiled and winked at Severus before turning back to Jenna. He was always good with talking to girls, now that he was older anyway. When he had been a teenager this was something he thought matched Ancient Runes. He never thought he would be able to flirt, let alone catch someone as perfect as Serenity.

“You are brilliant Jenna…thank you.”

            Severus turned when he heard the bell to the shop ring and the door slammed shut. Yeah, he had a feeling Serenity would not be happy about Harry’s tactics when it came to working with Jenna Malkin. Severus didn’t see why Serenity would be jealous, the girl wasn’t extremely pretty. And it was obvious that Harry had eyes for Serenity and Serenity only. However, Severus had come to learn that girls were extremly complex. He could not account for all the times he had a young, Slytherin, girl crying on his shoulder when he had been head of Slytherin house. And to this day, he still could not figure out WHY they had been sobbing in the first place.

“You are in trouble,” he sneered as Miss Malkin disappeared into the back. “I bet if she was living with us you would be out on the couch for the night.”

            Harry didn’t like the sound of being in trouble with his girlfriend. Serenity and him didn’t fight often, but when they did it was like a giant bomb went off. Serenity had one helluva temper on her, as did Harry, so when they fought they clashed hard. They tried to keep their fighting from Severus though, if it ever did occur. Harry didn’t like the idea of submerging Severus in that, especially when he had been around it so much during his past youth.

“What do you think…chocolates or jewelry?” Harry asked on his way out of the shop.

            His eyes searched for Serenity until he found her sitting by herself on a bench, glaring forward intently.

“I think you would need to buy her an entire jewelry store to take the ice out of that stare,” Severus smirked. “You could always propose…that might help calm the waters.”

            Harry rolled his eyes and sat down with Serenity on the bench. Gently he moved his hand over to caress hers, but he felt a frown form on his face as Serenity pulled her hand away. With a small pout he tried touching her knee, but then she would move that as well.

“Rennie-

-Humph…” she grumbled.

“Please don’t be like that…” Harry whispered. “You know that I love you-

-No, quite frankly I don’t Harry James Potter,” Serenity hissed. “How am I supposed to know that when you go to a little, tart, and flirt with her RIGHT in front of me?”

            Harry glared…well that was uncalled for. He had just been flirting harmlessly, it didn’t mean anything. And in all reality it had been for Severus!

“I do not want to discuss this right now, not with Severus here.”

“Yeah, of course,” Serenity said with a roll of her eyes. “Your typical answer for any time we get into a tiff.”

“What is that supposed to mean?!” Harry snapped.

“It means that whenever you know you are in the wrong you want to put it off so you can think of SOME way to back up your own argument! You know that it was wrong to flirt with that girl, and you know that you are a sodding git for doing it in front of me!”

            Severus watched the two adults go back and forth and sat down on a park bench as they did so. He hoped that Serenity wouldn’t leave; Severus hated the idea of them never making up. It almost reminded him of his own parents, the only difference being that Tobias would have smacked his mother for speaking to him in such a manner.

After a couple minutes of constant yelling and arguing, and Serenity dissolving into tears, she stormed off towards the leaky cauldron…no doubt prepared to leave them both to find their own way home.

“Bloody women!” Harry huffed collapsing onto the bench next to him. “She is so bloody frustrating and stubborn!”

“You like her…” Severus smirked. “You like her because she is stubborn and frustrating…otherwise it isn’t worth it to you.”

“Shut up, Severus.” Harry groaned, taking his hands down his face.

“Hey…no need to snap,” he hissed. “I’m just pointing out the obvious.”

            Harry sighed and nodded. That was why he loved Serenity. She challenged him and didn’t treat him like some he was some, two-bit, celebrity. She was real around him, and that was what he clung to. Harry adored her willingness to share her opinion with him, and her inner fire to beat him with it if he wasn’t willing to listen.

“What do I do, Severus?” he sighed. “How do I win her back?”

            Severus looked around…he was sure they could come up with something. Smirking he turned back to Harry and pulled him to stand.

“I have an idea.”