Harry chewed his bottom lip nervously as he read the question on Severus's History of Magic Exam over. What importance did the Troll King play in the cessation of the Goblin Wars? List three examples and explain them.
Uh, the Troll King . . .the Troll King . . .that was, uh, Grimfang the Terrible, I think. And . . .he wanted to take over the Coldfast Mountains where the goblins lived . . .Harry thought frantically. He hated these types of questions, and those were the kind that his father, the sneaky professor, enjoyed giving him. How come Severus always wanted multiple answers to a question? He wondered irritably. Wasn't one answer good enough?
He heaved a sigh and began to write in the space provided what he thought were three examples for how the Troll King brought about an end to the Goblin Wars. He knew that this test was very like the last one he had taken in Binns' class, except for a few questions tossed in here and there by his father. But those were the tough ones! Only I could get stuck having to re-do an exam over the summer. Thanks ever so much, Dad!
Still, in all fairness, he knew that Severus had been right to make him re-learn the material, even though he hated it. Because now Harry remembered everything about his History of Magic topics, and it wasn't just a jumble of facts and names and dates.
He moved onto the next question, there were twenty of them, plus an essay topic at the end, and he had two and a half hours to finish the exam. So far an hour had gone by, and he was only halfway done. One thing he was sure of, he was never ever going to get a D in any subject again, if this was what happened to him because of it. He would have far rather been scolded into the next century, or grounded for a month, or spanked with a spoon. Even with Severus's notes, reading through the History of Magic text had been dreadfully boring, though at least the notes in the margin made it interesting and clarified certain things, otherwise Harry wouldn't have understood half of what he had read, the language was so archaic.
It was worse than reading Sev Half-Blood's journal, though at least that was cool. Now why couldn't Dad give me a test on those? He had read all five volumes of his ancestor's memoirs, all of them jam packed with adventure, new sights, travel tips, spells, romance and evil villains. It was like reading the best sort of novel, only it was true. By the time he had finished the last volume, he felt as if he had known Severus Prince.
He glanced at his watch, and saw to his horror that twenty minutes had gone by. Merlin! Better quit daydreaming and get cracking on your exam, Harry, because if you turn in an incomplete, not even Sev Prince's ghost will be able to save your arse from the wrath of Severus Snape.
He bent over the exam paper again, scribbling frantically.
* * * * * *
It was with a profound sigh of relief that Harry finished writing the last word on his essay and straightened up from his desk. His back felt like one huge throbbing ache and his fingers were stained with ink, but at last he was done and could turn the exam into his father, who was probably in the kitchen, having one last cup of tea and some scones with Draco.
Leaving the paper on his desk, Harry went to wash up, using a special solution Severus had made to get the ink stains off his hands. He had also told Harry that the same solution was mixed in with the soap in the dispensers at Hogwarts, so the ink stains came off easily and students didn't have to bother asking him for the Ink Gone Solution.
Hands now clean, he fetched the exam paper with a hastily murmured Accio, and made his way down the hall to the kitchen, where he witnessed Severus giving Draco a sound trouncing in a game of wizard chess.
"Merlin, Dad! You ought to play professionally, like in a tournament," groaned Draco.
"I haven't the time," smirked Severus. "But maybe someday, when I'm not teaching hormonal teenagers and bringing up a couple of hellions, I might consider it."
Harry edged into the kitchen. "Dad? I'm finished."
Severus held out his hand for the exam. "Right on time too." He glanced at the exam. "I'll have this back to you some time tomorrow." He eyed his son sternly. "And you had better hope you earned a higher mark on this than your previous one, Mr. Snape. Otherwise your broom is mine again."
Harry blanched. "No! Please! I'm sure I did better, I didn't fall asleep and I actually read the material this time, Dad. Uh, what's an acceptable grade?"
"An E or above."
"What? What's wrong with an A? That's Acceptable!"
"Not for this. This is remedial work and you had my notes to help you," his father said implacably. "So, Mr. Snape, I'll repeat, you had better have earned a decent mark on this exam."
Harry began to pray fervently, muttering, "Greasy perfectionist git!" under his breath at the same time.
Severus darted a piercing glance at him. "Excuse me? What was that?"
"Nothing, sir," Harry said hastily, flushing.
"That's what I thought." He vanished the exam to his desk in his study, he would peruse it later that evening, when the boys were asleep.
Harry went to fetch himself some tea and a scone, they were chocolate chip ones tonight, and settled down at the table next to Draco to eat. "Play you in a game of chess?" offered Harry.
"You're on. You, I know I can beat."
"Right. I've learned a few things since the last time we played."
"Oh? Like how to lose in three moves or less?"
"Ha! Very funny. No, I learned a move that'll knock you flat, Malfoy."
"Can't wait to see that." Draco grinned, then went to set up the board again.
* * * * * *
Later on, while Severus sat in his study and graded Harry's History of Magic exam, and the two teenagers slept, Smidgen alighted on Draco's desk and entered a light trance so she could keep watch over the boys' dreams, as Severus had asked her to. It was then that she noticed the misty figure approaching Harry's bed, floating a good three feet above the floor.
The shimmerling's violet eyes narrowed as she read the specter's aura, and discovered it was a normal blue-green, colors denoting peacefulness, goodwill, and friendship. The misty figure, who was dressed in a style of High Court finery that had gone out of fashion some centuries ago, turned to her and bowed.
"Well met, little messenger and dreamweaver. Do you guard these young ones' dreams?":I do. And who might you be, my lord?:
"No lord at all, merely an itinerant wandering mage," the specter chuckled. "I have no name save the one I gave to myself.":Then you are Severus Half-Blood, who gave yourself the name Prince.: Smidgen guessed correctly.
"Correct, lady catkin. I am Severus-Prince-That-Was, son of Gwydion and Alshiara, grandson of Merlin Ambrosius. And incidentally, a Guardian of this manor."
Smidgen's whiskers twitched and she gave the ghost a graceful bow. :I am honored by your presence, Guardian Severus. Have you come to see the new candidates for the heir apparent?:"I have. Now, if you'll excuse me." The ghost bowed to her, then with a flick of his long midnight hair, he leaned over the sleeping Harry and placed a hand upon his forehead, and an instant later he had vanished, slipping into the other's dreams.
* * * * * * *
Harry dreamed he was standing in front of Prince Manor, waiting for something or someone. He didn't know why he felt slightly nervous, or why the sky outside the manor looked rather threatening, as if it were going to rain. He shifted slightly from foot to foot, he'd never done well with waiting, and for some reason the grass was soaked with dew and his trainers were becoming damp.Yet he stayed where he was. Something important was going to happen, he could feel it in his bones.
"Hello. Might I beg a cup of water from you? I've been traveling a very long way and am rather thirsty."
Harry spun around to discover where the voice came from.
Standing behind him was a tall man with midnight hair that fell beyond his shoulders. Slightly pointed ears stuck up from beneath his hair, one of them bearing a crystal blue stud in it. The man was extremely handsome, and he bore the large slanted eyes and the slender facial features of the High Court fae, though he was more muscular than the fae Harry had met on the hunt in the Deepwood. His eyes were emerald, the brilliant shade of a pure cut gem, and they looked at Harry and seemed to weigh and measure him in an instant.
He was dressed like someone from the era of knights and ladies fair, with a long tunic of midnight black with the Prince crest upon it and a shirt that was emerald green. His breeches were black as well and laced up the sides and his boots were sleek ebony leather. The man wore a belt with a small dagger and a slender long sword in it, and something about his stance told Harry that he could use both weapons with ease.
"Oh! Hello! Who are you?"
"I cannot tell you that right now. But I am extremely thirsty, I have traveled a long road, and would appreciate something to drink."
"Oh. Sure. Er . . .welcome to my home, sir. This way."
Harry turned to lead the way into the manor, when the scene suddenly shifted and they were standing in the kitchen, and Harry reached into the icebox and pulled out a container of merlinna juice.
"Uh, hope you like merlinna juice, it's my favorite." Harry told the stranger, and poured him a tall glass of it.
"Merlinna juice is nectar of the gods." The stranger said and smiled. "I thank you for your hospitality, Harry Snape." Then he downed the entire glass of juice in three swallows. "Ah! Refreshing!"
Harry just nodded. "Uh, how do you know my name, sir?"
"I know many things, child. All shall be revealed in due course." The stranger said mysteriously. "Would you care to take me upon a tour of your manor. I've heard it is a most pleasant place to live."
"Yeah, it is," Harry said, wondering just who the hell he was, for he seemed to know an awful lot about Harry and Prince Manor. "Sir? Are you one of the fae lords?"
The man shook his head. "No, though my mother was a fae princess. I am no lord, Harry, merely a wandering wizard who enjoys meeting new people and seeing new places. The wanderlust is strong in me, I'm lucky I can live long enough to indulge in it."
"Have you been to a great many places then? I've only been here and Surrey, London, and Hogwarts."
"Yes, but I have time to travel, while you don't, at least not yet. Come, Harry. Show me the heart of the manor."
Harry was puzzled. The heart of the manor? He had never heard of any room in the manor called that. Or been anywhere that Severus had ever referred to as the heart of the manor.
"I . . .I don't know what you mean, sir."
"Don't you?" Emerald eyes peered sharply at him. "What makes a house a home?"
Harry thought a bit. No one had ever asked him that question before. What made a house a home? He thought and thought, and at last came up with only one thing. "Uh . . .people do. Because without a family in it, a house is just bricks and mortar, right?"
The stranger nodded, seeming pleased with Harry's answer. "Very astute. A family makes a house a home. How do you like your new family, Harry? Your brother and your father live with you, yes?"
"Yeah. But how . . ." he trailed off as the stranger held up a hand. "Sorry."
"No need to apologize. A curious child is a smart child. But I promise all your questions will be answered anon. Now . . .what makes people a family?"
"Uh . . ." This too was an odd question. Why was the man so interested in his family? "Blood, I guess." Then he shook his head, for Draco was related distantly by blood, but that was not what made him Harry's brother. "But it's more than that. You can have a brother who's not blood and he's still your brother."
"Why is that?"
"Because . . .you love him," Harry answered, realizing for the first time that it was true. He loved Draco like a brother, as much as if the other boy had been born a Snape like him. "Blood and love make people a family."
Again the stranger nodded, and this time Harry could swear he saw a pleased gleam in the emerald eyes.
"Very good! Blood and love are the ties that bind." The stranger glanced about the kitchen. "This manor is very old, is it not?"
"Yeah. It's several centuries old, at least. It was founded back during the time of Merlin, I think."
"And does your family have a motto they ascribe to?"
"Yes. It's Knowledge and Magic Forever. We're wizards too."
"A worthy sentiment to live up to. Do you think you live up to it?"
"I try to, sir. I mean, I don't know a lot yet, but I'm learning. My dad's a teacher, he's always showing me different things, magical and non-magical. He says no knowledge is ever wasted."
"He is right. Do you agree with him?"
"Yeah, though sometimes I wonder what the use is of remembering how many wars the goblins had with each other before they decided to cooperate and agreed to become our bankers."
"Perhaps it is not important how many wars the goblins had, but what the outcome was and what happened when they started to cooperate." said the stranger. "I have heard this manor was built to bring two very separate people together, is that not so?"
"Yes, sir. It was built because a human wizard named Gwydion, who was a bastard son of Merlin, fell in love with a fae lord's daughter, Alshiara and in order to prove his love for her to her father, Gwydion made a house that dwelled in two worlds, because so would she once she married him."
"So this manor is a representation of two worlds and two cultures. Do you feel uncomfortable that this is so?"
"No. I like it, actually. I like learning about my fae ancestors, they lived such interesting lives, and I'm glad I share their blood. It'll really help me when . . .there's something I have to do . . .actually that I should do . . .and being part fae can help me."
"So it will, young Snape. So it will. If you had a choice and could live anywhere you wish, where would you choose?"
"Huh? What difference does that make?"
"A great deal. Answer my question, please."
"Here. It's the first real home I've ever had. Before I lived with my aunt and uncle, but that wasn't a real home. Just the place I lived during the summer. Once I thought Hogwarts was like a home, but it kind of isn't any more, since certain people at it betrayed me and I don't feel safe there any more."
He said this last with a certain sadness in his voice, for once he had considered the school his only home, but since Dumbledore's betrayal and the dementors' attack, he could no longer consider the school his true home. No, that was reserved for this one-story brick and stone manor, where he had his own room, and plenty to eat, and never need fear evil or unscrupulous people finding him. And of course his family was here, the people who loved and cared for him best of all.
"That's too bad, for a home should be, above all, a safe haven."
"That's the way it is for me here." Harry declared softly.
"You consider Prince Manor your true home?" asked the other sharply.
"Yes. I do." Harry replied, meeting the other's gaze steadily.
"And what would you do to protect this home? Would you defend it with your life? Or with your magic?"
Harry thought a moment more before he said, "I would. You see, it's not just my home, it's my dad and brother's too. But the manor protects itself, pretty much."
"Yes, but only so long as there is an heir. If there is none, the protections will fall. There must always be an heir to Prince Manor. One who is bound to the manor by blood and love and magic and knowledge. One who considers the manor his true home. Do you know me now, Harry?"
Harry blinked, then all at once he knew who the stranger was. "You're Severus Half-Blood! I mean, Prince! I've been reading about you in your journals." He stared in disbelief at his ancestor.
Sev Prince threw back his head and laughed. "You've been reading my travelogues? Sun, Moon, and Stars! I hope they're not too dull and boring."
"Boring? No way! You've been everywhere and done everything, sir!"
"Not quite, Harry. Not quite. It is true that I love to wander, but when my itch to travel is stilled, I always know that I can go home again. Here, in this place, where my parents met and fell in love and I was conceived. You know that pond out beyond the garden? That was the pond my father first saw my mother at, one summer's dawn, combing out her hair and singing a sweet tune. It was her voice that drew him at first, but once their eyes met-it was love at first sight, or so I was told." Sev Half-Blood's eyes twinkled. "That's part of the reason Father chose to build the manor here. Because love is a powerful protection."
Harry nodded, recalling Lily's spell that had protected him from death. "I know that, sir. My mum . . .she died protecting me. She cast a spell . . .it saved my life."
"Yes. The Mother's Guardianship spell is very powerful. It is an old fae magic, and one that can only be cast by a mother who is willing to offer up her life for her child's. You have been marked by that spell, Harry."
"I have?"
"Yes. Anyone who knows how to see protections and auras can see the aura upon you. You are surrounded by love, child."
Harry felt a warm glow go through him at the first Prince's words. Even though she was no longer with him, Lily's love still protected him.
"Now, Harry, can you answer my previous question? Where is the heart of Prince Manor?"
This time Harry did not hesitate. "The heart of Prince Manor is here, inside of me." He tapped his chest.
"So it is, Harry Albus Snape. And home is where the heart is." Then Sev Half-Blood withdrew a medallion from beneath his tunic and held it out to Harry. "I have waited long and long to find a suitable heir apparent, who will take up my mantle and Guardianship. Like your father before you, you are my choice to inherit the manor. Take up the Medallion of Inheritance, Harry Albus Snape, for the manor and its Guardian has deemed you most worthy."
Harry's hands closed over the medallion and discovered it was heavier than it had appeared. He stared down at it, it was in every way a duplicate of the one Severus wore about his neck, down to the inscription and the crest. He slid the chain over his head and the medallion rested comfortably on his chest. A feeling of utter peace descended upon him and he couldn't help smiling.
"How do you feel, Harry?"
"I . . .feel like I've come home."
"Good. The manor's secrets will someday be yours to command, Heir Apparent, though for now you must still seek your father's permission to come and go from here, and he must teach you how to part the Evermist and use the timeclock. But all of that will come in time. For now, may I offer you my warmest congratulations?"
Then Severus Prince caught Harry up in a hug that almost squeezed the breath from his body and kissed him lightly on the forehead.
When he at last set the boy on his feet, he was grinning from ear to ear. "My choice was not an easy one, but in the end your heart proved true and unwavering. And so the Medallion is yours, along with all the responsibility that goes with it. May you walk in the Light always and know that however far you may go, you can always go home again. The manor will be waiting."
Harry clasped the medallion in his hands and felt a soothing warmth travel through his body, restoring, renewing, and healing his wounded spirit. He stared up at Severus Prince and said, in a voice that trembled with awe and wonder, "Thank you, sir."
"No, Harry, it is I who should thank you. And please, call me Sev, since we are, after all, family."
"Okay, Sev." Harry gave him a brilliant smile.
"I must be going now, I'm afraid. But we shall see each other again one day, as I am one of those who protects the manor and grounds from those of evil influences." Severus Prince laid a hand on Harry's shoulder and said softly, "Remember this, Harry, and when you awake, you shall have proof that this was not just a dream, young wizard. Fare thee well, Heir Apparent."
Then Severus Prince vanished and Harry found himself sliding down a soft gray tunnel into the realm of dreamless sleep, the medallion clutched in his fist.
* * * * * *
He opened his eyes to a new day, the sun was streaming in golden motes across the carpet and dancing up the side of his comforter. He yawned and sat up, recalling immediately the very odd dream he had last night. Until he felt something odd and heavy on his chest and glanced down to see the medallion in his dream about his neck.
Huh? What's this? He rubbed his eyes, sure he was seeing things. Then he snatched his glasses off the nightstand and stuck them on. The vision remained the same. The Medallion of Inheritance was still about his neck. Dazed, he cupped the medallion in his hand, lifting it off his chest and peering at it sharply.
It was large, at least two inches in diameter, made of heavy silver with gold about the rim. It bore the crest of a winged serpent hovering above a golden chalice, with the motto Knowledge and Magic Forever etched about the design in Latin.
It felt warm to the touch, and was the exact duplicate of the one Severus wore about his neck.
Harry traced the design of the winged serpent and chalice with his thumb, it was raised slightly from the center of the silver disk, recalling with crystal clarity the dream he had, and the conversation that had passed between him and his ancestor, Severus Prince.
"Remember this, Harry, and when you awake, you shall have proof that this was not just a dream, young wizard. Fare thee well, Heir Apparent."
His ancestor's parting words echoed in his head, and he thought with a kind of shocked wonder, It really happened, it wasn't just some crazy dream. Here's the proof, in my hand and around my neck, just as he said. I'm the new heir to Prince Manor.
He let the medallion drop then, it landed against his chest with a soft thump. Atop Draco's desk, Smidgen stretched and woke, her nose twitching at the faint residue of magic in the air. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the medallion about Harry's neck, one could hardly miss it, it looked so odd against his rumpled T-shirt.
She took wing from the desk and came over to Harry, her violet eyes alight with curiosity and satisfaction. :Ah. So the estate has chosen the new heir at last. I had wondered what was taking it so long. Your ancestor visited you last night in a dream, yes?:
"Yeah, he did. How'd you know, Smidgen?"
:He and I exchanged a few words before he entered your dreams,: replied the shimmerling, sniffing the medallion. :I had a feeling in my bones that his appearance might herald the choosing of the new heir. And the medallion is proof positive of it. Congratulations, Harry. The manor does not place its trust lightly.:
"I know." Harry whispered, twisting about to glance across the room at Draco, who was snuggled under the covers.
:He sleeps still,: Smidgen mewed softly.
"Good. Because I want to tell my father first about this." He tapped the medallion with a finger.
:That is well, young Snape. Your father has much to teach you about the running of this manor. Many secrets reside here, and you shall need time to learn all of them and the responsibility that goes along with them.:"More lessons?" Harry sighed.
:Indeed, apprentice. Nothing comes without a cost, and with great power comes great responsibility. But the manor would not have chosen you if you were not able to handle it.: Smidgen said serenely.
"Right," Harry said, and felt a small ember of pride begin to burn deep within him. He would do his utmost to prove that the manor had chosen right in making him the heir apparent. "But when am I going to learn all the stuff I need to know about the manor, Smidgen? I go back to school in three days."
:That is something you're going to have to ask your father, for I don't know the answer to that question.:
"Yeah. But what about you, Smidgen? When we leave to go to Hogwarts, where will you be? Will you return to the Queen's court like Sarai?"
:I cannot, Harry. I am bound to you until I repay my debt. So where you go, so too shall I.:
"You're coming to Hogwarts with me?"
:If that is your destination, then yes. Fear not, I can mask myself sufficiently so that none save your father, brother, and you know I am there. None may see me unless I wish it, that is part of a shimmerling's magic. And this way I can keep an eye on you and see if an opportunity arises to repay my debt to you.:
"Can I tell my friends about you?"
:Harry, it is best if you do not, at least not until I have seen for myself what kind of people they are. Mortals have not been kind to the fae over the centuries and we do not trust them as we used to. The fewer who know about me, the better.:
"Okay. I'll be quiet, but Ron and Hermione would never harm you." Harry told her, and hoped that once she got to know them, she would trust them the way he did. "Speaking of Ron, I have to deliver his birthday present still." He whistled Zephyr over, and the pretty gray and white owl settled on the comforter before him. "Hey, Zephyr. Want to go to your new home, with a very cool wizard who will love a beautiful owl like you?"
Zephyr hooted softly, and rubbed his head alongside Harry's wrist.
"Okay. Here's your first official assignment. Deliver this letter and yourself to Ron Weasley, at the Burrow." Harry ordered, hastily scribbling a note and placing it in an envelope and sealing it. He addressed it and then gave it to the owl, who took it gently in his beak.
"Zephyr, you do know where to go, don't you?"
The owl blinked his bright amber eyes and bobbed his head in answer.
"All right, then. Go deliver the mail. And behave for Ron, y'hear? I'll miss you, but you're going to a great home and a better master." He stroked the owl for a long moment, he had grown fond of the bird over the summer, but he knew it was time to let him go.
Hedwig and Stormy woke and came to nuzzle their fledgling farewell, cooing softly to him, before stepping away.
Then Zephyr took wing and the last glimpse Harry had of him was the flick of his tail as he glided above the treetops, then he vanished into the Evermist.
The boy waved once to the departed owl before turning away from the window and heading out of his room to find his father.
* * * * * *
He found Severus industriously watering the vegetable garden, as was his wont in the early hours of the morning, when all was calm and cool. Harry approached him silently, but the elder wizard always seemed to know he was about, and turned to face him.
"Morning, Harry. If you want your grade for your exam, I've posted it on the board next to your chore list. What are you doing awake at this hour of the morning? Were you that anxious over your History of Magic exam?"
"Uh . . .sort of. I had a strange dream last night, Dad." Harry began.
"Oh? What about?"
"I dreamed that our ancestor, Severus Prince, came to me and he gave me the Medallion of Inheritance. Only when I woke up this morning, I found it wasn't just a dream, because this was around my neck." Harry held up the medallion.
Severus came forward to examine the medallion, even though he knew already what it looked like. "So. The manor has chosen another heir apparent. I had wondered when it was going to do so." He smiled at his son. "I had suspected it might pick you, Harry, but once Draco came here to live as well, I was no longer certain of anything. Until now. Congratulations, Harry. We ought to have a special dinner to celebrate." He drew his son into a hug, clapping him warmly on the back.
"All right. I just hope Draco is okay with it," Harry said, feeling a sliver of uneasiness creep through the joy that had surrounded him. "I think he was sort of hoping the manor might pick him."
"That doesn't matter now. The manor has chosen and its choice is irrevocable. Besides, Draco has his own inheritance as the heir of Malfoy Manor. So don't you dare feel guilty over being chosen the heir to Prince Manor, Harry Albus Snape!" Severus told him firmly.
"I don't. Not really," said Harry, then added at his father's knowing look, "Okay, maybe I do, a little, considering what happened to him with his mother and all."
"I told you before, Harry, not to feel sorry for me," Draco said softly from behind them. He, like Harry, was still wearing his pajamas.
Harry spun about so fast he nearly toppled over. Only Severus's outstretched hand kept him upright. "Draco! You're awake? Holy Merlin, it's a miracle!"
"Yeah, whatever, Snape. I couldn't sleep after the weird dream I had last night."
"You too?" Harry exclaimed.
"Yeah. My half-fae ancestor Sev Half Blood came to me in a dream and asked me all sorts of crazy questions, like where the heart of the manor was and what makes a home and whether I considered the manor my true home. Why?"
"Because I had the same dream, Draco. And when I woke up . . .I had this around my neck." Harry held up the Medallion of Inheritance.
"But that's the Medallion of Inheritance," Draco murmured. "Then that means you're the heir to Prince Manor."
"Yeah." Harry gazed at his brother uneasily, hoping the manor's choice would not cause a rift between them, not when their relationship had finally become something meaningful.
Draco looked at his brother and the medallion for a full minute before saying, "Good. I'm glad the manor chose you, Harry. Because I still consider Malfoy Manor my true inheritance. When I come of age, I'm going to go back there and clean the place up, cleanse it of the dark aura my father cast about it, so I can live in it again."
"Oh. Then you really don't mind?"
Draco scowled. "Something wrong with your hearing, little brother? Pay attention, won't you?" He playfully boxed Harry's ears. "No, I don't mind at all. The manor chooses its own."
"Ow! Quit it, Draco!" Harry rubbed his ear.
"Don't be such a baby. That didn't hurt." Draco smirked. "C'mon, Heir Apparent. Let's go get breakfast. I'm starving, all of a sudden." He headed back inside the manor.
Harry remained a moment longer, turning to Severus and saying, "Dad, Smidgen and Sev Prince mentioned that I'm going to have to learn all the manor's secrets and powers now."
"That's correct. As heir apparent, you will need instruction in certain things," Severus agreed. "However, said instruction must wait until next summer, by then you'll be more experienced with certain types of magic and have greater control over your power. We can take the entire summer if necessary and explore this manor from top to bottom and I will reveal you to all the secrets it holds. Will that suit you?"
"Yes, sir!" Harry said in relief, for he had feared his father was going to insist he learn everything in three days. "Next summer is fine."
"Good. Now go and see your exam grade, son, before you give yourself an ulcer fretting over it."
Harry chuckled softly, then hurried inside to see what he had gotten on his new History of Magic exam.
When he entered the kitchen, he found Draco making scrambled eggs, ham, and fried potatoes. Before he could comment on that unbelievable sight, he turned to look at the wall where Snape had posted their daily chore schedule. Next to the parchment with his name was his History of Magic exam.
Swallowing sharply, he reached out and pulled it off the wall. He flipped rapidly through the pages until the final one, which was where Severus always left his comments and grades. He looked at the final page, which bore the following inscription: This time you studied instead of slept and it paid off. Well done, Harry. This is what you would have earned had you put your mind to it.Prof. S. Snape
And below that was a large O written in red ink.
Harry felt a huge smile explode onto his face. He had actually done it. He had earned himself an O from his perfectionist Potions Master. Granted, it wasn't in potions, but Harry knew Severus had graded his history exam with the same exacting standards he did his potions tests. "Hey, Draco. Take a look at this."
He showed his brother the exam paper.
Draco's mouth fell open. "Bloody damn hell, Harry! You got an O in History of Magic. That's unheard of."
"Only ‘cause Dad was the one grading it. Too bad it won't count." Harry sighed wistfully.
"Maybe it will, if you show it to Dumbledore at the beginning of next term," Draco suggested. "Maybe he might let you combine the scores and get an Acceptable or better."
"I never thought of that. That's real smart, Draco."
"Course it is. Severus Snape never raised any dumb sons," Draco smirked, then turned back to cooking breakfast.
Harry re-stuck the History of Magic exam back up on the wall and whistled happily as he set the table and got out the syrup and butter. "Hey, Draco. I sent Ron Zephyr this morning as a birthday gift. Maybe you might want to do the same with Athena and Hermione."
"Right. I'll send Athena off right after breakfast. But I want your word you won't tell Hermione anything, or else your arse is going to be kicked from here to the Deepwood, little brother. Got me?"
"I hear you, loverboy," teased Harry. "Make sure you sign the note, XOXO A Secret Admirer."
"Get bent, Harry," growled Draco, flushing. Then he turned back to scrambling his eggs with a vengeance, ignoring his brother snickering in the background.
When Severus came in the kitchen about ten minutes later, he found breakfast on the table and his two sons and Smidgen sitting at the table waiting for him. Severus slid into his chair at the head of the table, noting with pride the way Harry's medallion caught the dawn's light and glistened, just the way his own did.