“Yes, of course, Minister,” Harry replied astonished. What could he want now? They walked a few meters around the castle, in the opposite direction from where everyone else was headed.
“Mr. Snape, I just wanted to tell you that the Order of Merlin includes a financial reward, which is worth – in case of the Order of Merlin 1st Class – one million Galleons. Now, I wanted to ask if you had your own account at Gringotts or if we should open one for you.”
Harry stared at the Minister in astonishment. How thoughtful the man was! He hadn’t expected a Minister of Magic to think about people’s needs – and that the Minister even had the thoughtfulness to take him aside and not talk about this in front of everyone. Harry was very impressed. He cleared his throat and answered, “First of all, Minister, thank you very much for not talking about this in front of everyone else. No, I don’t have an account yet, but I’ll ask my father to accompany me to Gringotts and open one on the next opportunity.”
“All right, Mr. Snape, then I shall inform Gringotts accordingly, and as soon as your vault is opened, the money will be yours within an hour. Now let’s go and see if the fireworks are about to start.”
The fireworks were beautiful, and Harry enjoyed himself very much.
-----
In the morning, Harry asked his father to accompany him to Gringotts, and Severus immediately agreed.
“I shall speak to Albus at breakfast. If he agrees, we can make the trip directly after breakfast.”
Dumbledore let them go immediately and even allowed Severus to join his future self and Harry for the trip. Diagon Alley was full of joyful people. Everyone seemed to enjoy the peace and quiet after the threat, which had towered over the wizarding world, was vanquished.
The group of three made their way to Gringotts. After they had the Goblins make a vault for him, Harry asked Severus, “Do you already have your own vault, Severus?” When his friend denied, Harry said, “Severus, as you know, the Ministry has given my one million Galleons. Now, I want you to have at least thirty percent of the money. Please don’t say anything, because I insist. I want you to be financially independent, and you’ll probably need a lot of money when you study for your Potions Mastery, because you’ll have to buy many ingredients and such things. So please, let’s make a vault for you, so that I can tell the Goblins to put thirty percent of my vault in it. Or shall I just leave my key with you, when we return to the future?”
His friend was stunned. Therefore, Harry added, “I don’t want the money anyway. I’ll probably donate a large part of it, provided I find something I want to sponsor. So, please take the money. Maybe you can buy a few children’s books for me as I never had any in my old time line.” He grinned at the younger version of his father, who had yet to reply.
Salazar smirked and told his younger self, “He means it, and I think you can use the money well. I had the advantage of being the Potions Master for the Dark Lord, which gave me access to his huge Potions laboratory, equipped with any ingredient you could imagine. You won’t have this.”
Finally Severus relented. He let out a deep sigh and said, “I really do not want to do this, but if you insist, then I can only say ‘thank you’.”
When they left Gringotts after all, Salazar asked, “Did you have anything else in mind, or did you only want to visit the Bank?”
“Ah, I wouldn’t mind a short trip to the bookstore,” Harry replied immediately, and both versions of his father laughed.
“And to the apothecary, I suppose?” Salazar asked, giving Severus a questioning glance. When his younger self nodded, Salazar stated, “In that case, I suggest going to Florish & Blotts last, otherwise we won’t manage to go anywhere else, knowing how much my son loves books.”
Harry frowned and said pensively, “Maybe I could buy some Christmas presents as it’s only three weeks until Christmas.”
Salazar and Severus agreed immediately as they too wanted to buy Christmas presents. “Harry?” Salazar suddenly turned to his son, who gave him an enquiring glance. “Is there something what you want for Christmas?”
Severus stared at Harry when he saw that his friend nearly jumped in astonishment at the question. Sensing that something was wrong, he sent a confused glance at his older self. Salazar however simply shook his head and told him if Harry wanted him to know he would tell Severus.
Salazar put a firm hand on his shoulder and said, “Don't worry, Harry. Everything is different now. You will not go to the Dursleys, and no one will ever, ever harm you. I promise.”
Harry gave Salazar a grateful nod and finally resumed walking, just as his father suggested, “Shall we go and have something to eat first?”
“That would be great,” Harry replied thankfully. Not that he was very hungry, but he had become very tired and was glad for the break.
Salazar led them out of the Leaky Cauldron into Muggle London, where they entered a sandwich restaurant. After devouring a huge sandwich with Chicken Teriyaki and resting for an hour, they took a relatively short trip to the Apothecary and finally ended up in the bookstore, where Harry bought Christmas presents for all his friends. Salazar and Severus even managed to buy a few books for Harry without him noticing as he was so engrossed in the books he was looking at.
The three enjoyed the rest of the afternoon very much and only returned to Hogwarts two hours before dinner – just in time to brew the Animagus potion before they had to head down to the Great Hall.
-----
In the evening, Severus, Lily, James, Sirius, Remus and Peter joined Harry in his room. Harry had asked his father if they could use his room for their Animagus lessons and he didn’t mind, provided that the students promised to practise only when Harry was with them.
“All right,” Harry said, turning to the five students, who wanted to try the Potion. “Do you all want to do it at the same time, or would you prefer to do it one after another and watch the others?”
“Won’t we able to watch the others if we did it at the same time?” James asked unbelievingly.
Harry shook his head and explained, “No, probably not. Depending on the kind of animal you turn into, the first transformation will hurt more or less, and you’ll be too preoccupied with yourselves to care about the others. I suggest that you do it one after the other, and the person who’s turn it is should drink the Potion and then lie down on my bed.”
Everyone agreed immediately, and James gave Lily an encouraging smile and said, “Ladies first.”
Lily sat down on Harry’s bed and drank the potion her future son handed her. She turned into a beautiful white owl. Harry looked in awe at his mother before he had an idea and transformed into his phoenix form and tried to talk to Lily. #Hi, Mum. Can you understand me?#
#Yes, Harry. I can hear you. What am I? An owl?#
Harry giggled. #Yes, you’re a very beautiful snowy owl – a great Animagus form. Congratulations!#
Lily shohooed and replied, #Thank you, son.#
After a few minutes, Lily returned to her usual self, and Salazar, who had entered the room without anyone noticing him, handed her a Pain Relieving Potion, which she gulped down greedily.
Now, James sat down on Harry’s bed, and knowing what his form was going to become, Salazar ushered the others, who had sat down on the edge of the bed while Lily was in her bird form, to sit down on the chairs Harry had conjured for them before. “You don’t know what his form is going to be; therefore, it’s better to keep some distance, otherwise you might get hurt,” he advised the students.
James transformed into a stag, and everyone watched him in awe. After he had turned back and Sirius and Peter had experienced their dog and rat forms, Severus sat down on the bed and took the Potion, turning into the pretty snake Harry had already seen the few times Salazar had transformed. Ignoring his friends’ gasp, Harry sat down on the edge of his bed and asked, “How are you feeling as a snake, Severus?”
“Thisss iss very sstrange,” Severus replied in Parseltongue.
Harry had to hide a laugh, not wanting to let everyone know that he was able to understand. At least Sirius and Peter didn’t know about it, and he wanted it to remain like this. “I can imagine that it must be a very strange feeling, probably even more than being a bird as you only have one large limb, but you’re really beautiful,” he told the younger version of his father.
“Anyway, I’m glad to be able to talk to you in thisss form,” Severus hissed, and Harry grinned widely.
When Severus had turned back to his usual self, Harry spoke up. “I’m impressed. You all have beautiful Animagus forms! However, you have to practise a lot, and please don’t forget your promise; you’re only to practise here, when we’re all together. Now, I think it’s enough for today. Let’s meet here again tomorrow after dinner and start with your practise.”
During the next two weeks, they practised every evening they didn’t have Quidditch practice, but until the beginning of the winter holidays, none of them had managed to even transform their left hand. “Are you all going home for Christmas, or is anyone staying here?” Harry asked on the last Sunday of the term. They had decided not to practise during the test week, which was the final week before the holidays.
“Maybe, we should ask our parents to let us return to Hogwarts as soon as Christmas is over,” James Potter suggested, and everyone nodded affirmatively. They proceeded to write to their parents immediately, and at the end of the week, Harry knew that all his friends would return for the last week of the holidays.
When they were sitting in the Great Hall for their last dinner before most of the students would head home in the morning, Sirius suddenly said, “You know, I mean, I know that we’re coming back here in order to practise, but as it’s clear that we can’t practise the whole day, we could use a few hours a day to explore the castle. Maybe we can even make a map of Hogwarts that shows every person in the castle? It would be great for playing pranks, if you could see exactly where people were and who was nearby.”
“SIRI!!!” James embraced him. “That’s the best idea you’ve ever had, Cool!”
-----
After dinner, Harry met with Lily and Severus. He had asked his two best friends to join him in their quarters in order to talk to them. First he spoke to Lily and asked, “Will it be possible to send you an owl, Lily? Will your parents let it in?”
Lily sighed and replied, “They don’t like it, but they let me have my post, no problem. The only problem is my sister; she won’t let any owl in.”
Harry groaned. He could imagine that very well. He sighed and said, “Lily, you already know that Voldemort killed you in my old time line and that this was the reason for Dad and me to come to the past, right?” When she nodded and smiled at her son, he continued, “What I haven’t told you is that I grew up with your sister and her husband…”
Ignoring Lily’s loud gasp, Harry continued, “They starved and abused me. I didn’t even get a birthday or Christmas present, and I had to live in the cupboard under the stairs!”
Hearing of the mistreatment by the hands of her sister, Lily’s eyes filled with tears. “Is that why your condition is so poor and why you can hardly be touched without flinching away?” she asked solemnly, giving Harry a piercing look.
Harry only gave her a short nod.
Lily threw a glance at Severus. “As you have already killed Voldemort, maybe this time we will be able to raise you ourselves.”
“I hope so.” Harry breathed wistfully.
“Anyway this time we will take precautions. Who was it that placed you with Petunia?”
“Dumbledore.”
“All right. I will tell everyone – and also write a ‘final wish’ stating – that in case something happens to Severus and me, you are going to be placed with James, Remus, Alice or with your great grandparents. Don’t worry – you will never have to see Petunia again, I promise!”
Severus nodded. “Yes, Harry, that we will do!”
Harry was so happy he was on the verge of tears. “Thank you, Mum and Dad,” he mumbled. Then he remembered something and turned to Severus. “Sev, are you all right going back home? I know for a fact that your father doesn’t treat you much better than my uncle treated me, right?”
Severus sighed and told him, “You know, Harry, I wanted to stay here at Hogwarts, but my parents didn’t allow me to remain here. I have to be grateful that they let me return directly after Christmas. And I’ll be all right. Salazar has given me a box with a lot of Potions phials he knows I’ll need; so I’ll really be fine this time.”
Harry sighed and threw his future father a worried glance. “All right, Severus. Salazar must know. Nevertheless, if you encounter any problems, send me an owl, and I’ll come and get you out of there, or if you need other Potions or anything, we’ll meet somewhere so that I can give it to you.”
“All right, thank you, Harry,” Severus said gratefully.
-----
After breakfast, the carriages with the students left. Only two Slytherins, a first year and a fourth year, remained because their parents were in Azkaban.
Seeing the sad look on Harry’s face when the carriages with his friends left, Salazar suggested, “Shall we go for a walk to Hogsmeade?”
Harry threw his father a grateful glance and replied, “All right, Dad. Thanks.”
Salazar exchanged a few words with his colleagues and agreed with McGonagall, Sprout, Pomfrey, and Flitwick to meet at The Three Broomsticks for lunch. Harry and Salazar met with the other Professors after a three-hour tour through Hogsmeade. They had visited Honeydukes, Zonko’s Jokeshop and – of course – the Apothecary, before they ended up in the bookshop for the rest of the morning. Harry enjoyed their trip very much, and already couldn’t understand why he had been so sad in the morning. His friends would be back in a week, and he had the best father one could imagine. Plus, they were going to spend their first Christmas together as a real family. By the time they had to head to The Three Broomsticks, his mood had lightened remarkably.
When they were having Butterbeer and lunch, Salazar explained to his colleagues what Slughorn had told him at breakfast. “Slughorn told me that he has invited the two remaining Slytherin students to his quarters for Christmas dinner and wanted to know if Harry and I were coming as well. As I am not in the mood to spend Christmas with Slughorn, I refused, saying that Harry wanted to spend Christmas at our quarters. Therefore, I would like to invite everyone else remaining at Hogwarts to have Christmas dinner in our quarters. I have already suggested this to Albus, and he told me he thinks it’s a good idea.”
“Thank you very much, Salazar,” Minerva replied immediately. “I think it is a good idea, too. There is no need to have Christmas dinner in the huge Great Hall with only eight people.”
The others voiced their agreement, and they returned to the castle. On their way back, Salazar talked to Minerva and asked for her help to decorate the Christmas tree. She laughed and promised to join Harry and Salazar in the morning of Christmas Eve. Then Salazar and Harry walked over to Hagrid’s Hut to invite the half-giant for Christmas dinner and to ask about a Christmas tree for their quarters.
“Hello Harry, Salazar,” Hagrid bellowed. “Glad te see’ya. How’re you doin?”
“We came to invite you to Christmas dinner in our quarters, 6:00 p.m. on Christmas day,” Salazar told him.
“And we would like to ask you where we can get a Christmas tree,” Harry added enthusiastically.
“Christmas dinner? Oh, yeah, great. Thank you. I appreciate it very much. And a tree? Now, d’you wan’a come to the forest with me? We can get one for you now.”
Harry threw his father an unsure glance, and when his father said, “If you want to go, we can join Hagrid to get a tree for our quarters.” His eyes started to twinkle madly, and he gave Hagrid a huge smile.
Two hours later, they returned with a tree, which was so huge that Hagrid had to carry it for them. He even was so kind as to put it up in their sitting room. Harry sat down on the sofa and watched the pretty tree in awe. Even without any decoration, the tree was beautiful. The next two days, Harry mostly spent on the sofa, translating one of Slytherin’s books, while his father busied himself in the Potions lab, where he tried a few of the Potion recipes Harry had translated a few weeks ago. After dinner, Minerva, Albus and Poppy joined them for tea and biscuits, and Harry was glad to get to know his great grandparents better. Of course, he had spent a lot of time with them the year before, but to know that they were related to him was a very different feeling.
-----
On Tuesday morning, Harry had just made himself comfortable on the sofa with a parchment, a quill, and his book and started with his translation, when Professor McGonagall entered the room. “Hello, Harry,” she said, frowning at his book. “Now, first of all, you shouldn’t work every day during your holidays. The lesson free time has the purpose to let students take a rest, you know,” she said disapprovingly. “However, today, you are going to have a Transfiguration lesson,” she added.
Harry immediately put his things away and anxiously eyed the teacher. “Sorry, Professor.”
“Harry,” his father threw in calmingly, “your grandmother is only worried about you; she is not angry. You haven’t done anything wrong. Everything is all right.” He sent McGonagall a reproachful glance and continued softly, “How about you make one of your baubles for your grandmother and show her what kind of Transfiguration lesson you need?”
Harry threw him an apprehensive look and – receiving an encouraging nod – he took a tissue and transfigured it into a Christmas ornament. It was white-gold with seven animals playing on it, a stag, a snake, a dog, a rat, a wolf, an owl and a phoenix. Minerva looked at the beautiful bauble in awe and finally said, “All right. You don’t need any Transfiguration lesson, Harry, my apology. This is very advanced Transfiguration. What about Charms?”
Harry looked at her enquiringly, and during the following hour his grandmother showed him several ways to charm the Christmas tree. Finally, Harry tried out his own version. He sent his wish magic into a charm to add several red balls to the tree, seemingly Quaffels and Bludgers, as well as many tiny golden stars, and finally made a Snitch fly through the tree. Together with the dozen golden baubles he had Transfigured in the meantime in order to give them to his friends and the teachers, who would be joining them for Christmas dinner, the tree looked very interesting and very beautiful.
“A Quidditch tree,” Salazar sneered, when he exited his lab to see what Minerva and Harry had done about the tree. Although he would have preferred a different topic for the tree, he was glad that Harry had managed to charm the tree like this and commended his son for his success.
-----
On Christmas morning, Harry was up very early. He immediately went over to the sitting room and stared at the beautiful tree – and suddenly he had an idea. He sat down on his favourite spot on the sofa, just in front of the fireplace and looked intensely at the tree, sending a huge amount of wish magic into the tree. Suddenly, the Quidditch image was gone. Many tiny gold cauldrons were sitting on the branches, and small pieces of harmless ingredients were flying around, diving into the cauldrons and mixing themselves at the right time. From time to time, steam in different colours came out of the cauldrons. Maybe it was more funny than beautiful, but Harry was quite sure that his father would like it. At least the ornaments Harry had made were pretty.
A few minutes later, his father entered the room and looked in awe at the tree, before he went over to Harry, pulling him into a slight hug. “Thank you, son, I appreciate it very much. You did extremely well with this.” He gave Harry the greatest compliment the boy had ever heard coming out of his father’s mouth.
Harry smiled happily and suggested, “Can we open presents now, Dad? Look how many there are!” he exclaimed unbelievingly. Seeing his father smile encouragingly, he proceeded to open his presents. He received many books as all his friends knew how much of a bookworm he was.
From Sirius he got a book called ‘Magical Creatures and How to Cook Them,’ and from Hagrid a book called ‘Understanding Phoenixes’. James gave him another book called ‘1000 Easy Tips for the Magical Prankster,’ and from Minerva he received Phoenix treats and a book named ‘Transfiguration During the Ages.’ In the present from his mother he found a charmed quill that changed the colour of the ink to whatever the owner wished. From Remus he got a different sort of Phoenix cakes and chocolate frogs from Honeydukes.
The package from his grandfather was huge and contained a perch, which Salazar set up in front of the fireplace. “That’s a good idea,” he commented. “You can rest in your phoenix form on there. And now you can even invite Fawkes to come over for a phoenix talk.”
Harry looked from his father to the perch in awe and smiled. ‘I’ll also be able to use it together with my mum, provided that she manages to master becoming an owl,’ he thought happily.
Salazar and Severus gave Harry a pile of Potion books. Each of the recipes in them seemed very interesting but not too complicated. Salazar had also bought his son new every-day robes and warm winter robes for him. From Poppy Harry received a book named ‘Powerful Healing Methods’ along with a note that said she would like to give Harry some Healing lessons if he wanted them.
-----
Salazar and Harry had just returned from a huge breakfast in the Great Hall when suddenly there was a knock at the door. When Salazar went to open it, he saw Lily, but she looked horrible. Her face was pale as a sheet, her cheeks were flushed, and she was shivering and sobbing uncontrollably.