Harry made two more attempts before he successfully transformed fully.

“That was so cool!” Harry exclaimed after he had changed back. The tiger saw everything so differently than he did. It wasn’t afraid of anything, although it had been wary of Severus. He had been able to smell Severus, a mixture of human and animal and something that just screamed power.

“Yes, the first transformation is always rather enlightening,” Severus said, smirking. He was pleased that Harry had been able to master the transformation so quickly, and that his form was so similar to Severus’s own. It made instructing him much simpler than it would have been if Harry was a prey animal.

“It’s so odd,” Harry marveled, looking at his hands. They had been paws only a few minutes ago. “I love magic.”

“Doesn’t everyone?” Severus drawled as he headed for the kitchen.

After lunch Harry was set to visit Teddy.

“You could come, you know,” Harry said, striving for a casual tone as he finished his grilled cheese.

Severus simply raised an eyebrow as he took a sip of his water. His Why? came through loud and clear.

“I just meant, you could come, if you wanted,” Harry muttered, still not looking at Severus.

“Is there a particular reason that I should go?” Severus asked. He had an idea where this was going, but he wasn’t sure.

“No reason,” Harry said, looking out the window as he finished his sandwich. “I just thought, if you had nothing else to do…”

“I was planning on working on my resume,” Severus said carefully. Seeing Harry’s crestfallen look, he added, “Though I more than likely can finish that later.”

Harry smiled, looking up at Severus with bright eyes. “Yeah?”

“Yes,” Severus replied, taking his dishes to the sink. “Although I would like to know why it is imperative that I do go. You are a horrible liar Harry.” He expected the boy to refute that, but all Harry did was grin sheepishly.

“Yeah, I’ve been told that before,” Harry said, then sighed. “Teddy…I’ve never seen him in person before. Remus showed me a picture, before the battle, but…I always thought…”

“That when you were eventually able to meet your godson, his parents would be there,” Severus finished.

Harry nodded. “Yeah. I knew there was a war on, but I never thought, even with everything else that happened I never thought…”

Severus moved back to the table, clasping Harry’s shoulder briefly. “I understand Harry.”

Green eyes met black briefly. “Thanks,” Harry said quietly, looking down.

Severus nodded before turning and leaving the kitchen.

The visit went better than expected. Andromedea welcomed them warmly, and Teddy continued to change his hair and eye color between those of the two visitors throughout their stay. His favorite combination appeared to be Severus’s long black hair and Harry’s brilliantly green eyes.

Harry, for his part, loved visiting his godson. He was also grateful that Andromedea was caring for him. Teddy was adorable, but Harry didn’t think he’d be up to caring for him full time. Not this soon, especially not while he was going to college in the fall. Even with Severus’s help, Harry worried that he wouldn’t have been able to handle it. Still, he was glad that Andromedea didn’t buy into the whole ‘future Dark Lord and his devoted servant’ rubbish, which meant Harry could come visit again. Maybe he’d even be able to drag Severus along again.

Severus found Andromedea agreeable to talk to. She was intelligent, and had some talent in potions, ensuring that there was plenty for her to discuss with the former potions master. He also respected her for not turning on Harry like the rest of the sheep had.

“It’s ridiculous,” she exclaimed as they watched Harry playing with Teddy. “They groom the poor boy to be the Savior of the bloody Wizarding World, and then they turn on him when he actually manages it.”

“No one believed he would survive the battle,” Severus said bitterly. “They all believed that he would kill the Dark Lord and take himself out in the bargain. Even Dumbledore was unable to defeat the Dark Lord, so when a seventeen year old manages, everyone panics.”

“It’s still ridiculous.”

“It is, which is why I have no intention to venture into the Wizarding World much in the coming years.”

Andromedea nods, seeing the sense in that. After all, it’s not only Harry they’re targeting.

And that’s rubbish as well, she thought. That man risked his life spying on You-Know-Who, and everyone thinks that he will help train his successor? He’d rather kill himself, or I’ve misjudged Severus Snape.

All too soon, at least it seemed that way to Teddy, Harry and Severus were Apparating back to Spinner’s End. 

Severus started a fire in the fireplace while Harry made tea, and then they simply sat and enjoyed the quiet for a few minutes. Harry began to feel the effect of all the magic he had used that day creeping up on him. After his fifth yawn in as many minutes, Severus took the teacup from him and pointed toward the stairs.

“It’s late and you have to finish filling out your applications tomorrow,” Severus reminded the teenager.

Harry groaned at the thought of doing even more paperwork (honestly, making up his transcripts was hard enough), but obediently shuffled to bed. He looked back when he got to the top of the stairs, smiling as he saw Severus working on his resume as he finished his tea. The man expected a lot from Harry, but he held himself to the same standard. All in all, Harry could have picked a worse companion to run away from home with. But then again, Harry mused as he snuggled into his blankets, I didn’t really run away from home. I just adjusted my definition of what home is.

Right now, home was a house filled with books everywhere, a potions lab in the basement and a garden in the backyard, and with a snarky potions master who actually seemed to care about him. Life sure as hell can surprise you.