Present
“I wasn’t really sure what Dad had in mind, but I had learned it was better just to do as asked. I wore some of the worst clothes I had in my trunk. I didn’t want to get anything too nice messed up. Magic might be good at getting stains out, but there are things even it can’t get rid of,” Harry explained.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
April 1996
Harry checked his watch, 9:55 a.m. he was five minutes early. It was much better to be early than late with the Potions Master. Harry took a deep breath and knocked on the door. He wasn’t exactly nervous, but he couldn’t say he was truly relaxed either. He would have been a lot happier to know exactly what was going to happened this morning.
“Good morning, Mr. Potter,” Severus greeted coolly.
Harry tried not to let his disappointment at the icy greeting show on his face. He should have known the professor was trying to keep their relationship a secret. If anybody heard him call Harry by his name would spread like wildfire around the school. Harry could only imagine the rumors and theories that would cause.
“Good morning, sir,” Harry said setting his book bag down on the nearest desk.
Severus looked the boy over Harry was dressed in a horrid green t-shirt with a sizable whole on the stomach. There were bleach stains too. What was worse was the shirt was at least 4 sized too big for Harry. The trousers were in a similar state of distress. How they stayed up was beyond Severus. Even with a belt Harry was swimming in them.
“What on Earth are you wearing?” Severus demanded.
Harry looked down, “Clothes.” He said offhandedly.
Severus glared at the teen, “I will have none of your cheek, Mr. Potter. Why have those rags not been tossed into the closest rubbish bin?”
Harry shrugged. “I don’t have that many things to wear. These are good for when I have to do things around the house and stuff. You said to wear something I could get messy in.”
“I did not expect you to wear absolute rags. There are vagrants that are better dressed then you at the moment Harry.” Severus growled.
“Hey,” Harry protested. “It’s not my fault Dudley’s so rough on his clothes. The only thing I did to them was the bleach strains. That was when Aunt Petunia made me scrub all the bathrooms down.”
“These are your cousin’s cast offs?” Severus asked, barely keeping hold of his temper.
Harry nodded.
“Why have you not purchased clothes of your own?” Severus asked sharply.
“I did. I got my uniforms and robes and stuff.” Harry said defensively.
“And Muggle attire?”
Harry shook his head, “I never really get a chance. It’s not like there is a shop on Diagon Ally that sells Muggle clothes. I went looking summer before third year.”
“Even you are not so obtuse to realize the goblins at Gringotts can exchange wizard money for Muggle as easily as they do Muggle to wizard.” Severus asked.
Harry bit his lip, “Well, yeah, but it’s not like the Dursleys are going be willing to take me on a shopping spree. They’d probably want to know where I got the money from too.”
“Very well,” Severus accepted the explanation reluctantly. From what he’d seen of the Muggles in Harry’s memories and his own brief encounter with Petunia and Vernon, he would not have been surprised if they did just that. “Perhaps you could explain why you have not shrunk them at least.”
Harry frowned again. “They’re old, they’ve shrunk as much as they will in the wash.” Harry explained confused.
Severus looked like he was going to hex Harry for his stupidity. “You’re a wizard Potter. Surely even you can manage a simple shrinking charms.”
The light dawned above Harry’s head. “Err… I guess I never thought to.” Harry said a blush crept up the teen’s neck at his obvious embarrassment.
“We will remedy you wardrobe soon. Now, however, we must focus on your potions skills if you want any hope of becoming an Auror.” Severus said.
“Take out one of those ginger roots. I want you to dice them as you would for an aging potion.” Severus requested.
Harry picked up the root as instructed. He cut off a knobby chunk. He proceeded to cut off the rest of the knobs on the root into similarly sized pieces.
Severus watched he boy’s actions critically. “You will remember these roots are required to be peeled before they are placed in the potion.”
“I know,” Harry said knowingly. Harry took his chunks and proceeded to cut the skins off.
“You would do better to peel the roots before chopping it,” Severus suggested. “You are losing too much flesh by cutting the skin off that way. Your potion will inevitably be weaker because of it.”
Harry nodded finishing his task.
“Prepare these dandelion roots for a Shrinking Solution,” Severus told him.
Harry quickly pulled the roots toward them and began chopping.
“You are preparing ingredients for a potion not chopping carrots for a stew, Harry. You need to be more precise with your cuts. The pieces need to be in equal pieces.” Severus told him.
“Yes sir,” Harry grumbled. He said nothing as he continued with his task.
“When you are done with that I want you to dissect these frogs.” Severus said instructed.
Severus kept his tone even as he said, “Yes, Mr. Potter. If your preparation of ingredients for your potions does not improve and you will fail to achieve the ‘O’ necessary for N.E.W.T. level Potions.”
“Fine,” Harry pouted.
“You sound like your mother when you do that,” Severus said. He had found over the weeks the easiest way to pacify the boy’s moods were to talk about Lily. He made sure never to lie about the boy’s mother to Harry. Harry had heard enough of those for a lifetime.
Harry grunted in acknowledgement as he cut open the first frog’s belly. Severus watched the boy’s technique. There didn’t seem to be much room for improvement on this particular ingredient. He still let Harry do two more. Perhaps that would stop the boy from whining.
From there they moved on to dicing, skinning, and juicing of various components. With the little bit of guidance the quality of Harry’s work should probably improve noticeably. It would be something he would watch over the next few weeks. Severus considered giving the teen his notes for upcoming potions to see how that affected his work. The two spent most of the day in silence, but it was never awkward or uncomfortable.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Present
As Harry described the time he and Severus spent together. Severus thought back on the time too. His thoughts drifted to the first time he ever remembered spending with his son. There was no pretext of lessons, or classes, just companionship. It may have started out a bit tense, but Severus liked to think they both gained something that afternoon.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
April 1996
Severus looked up from the essays he was grading. The boy had been quiet for well over an hour. He must be up to something. The boy had voluntarily come down to his quarters to spend the afternoon. It wasn’t a Quidditch or Hogsmeade day so he couldn’t be Harry was trying to avoid left out of those. Besides, the brat had somehow managed to obtain permission to go to the village the previous year. No, it was Easter Break and Harry had come down to Severus’ quarters, for no expressed purpose. He hadn’t mentioned the two dunderheads that normally followed Harry around like lost puppies either.
Severus sighed, perhaps he was being slightly unfair. Granger, despite being an insufferable know it all did seem to at least have an ounce of logic and possibly some common sense. Weasleys on the other hand was all too reminiscent of Black. He had a quick temper, jealous and if not been so picked on might have been a bully.
It was a good thing he’d had all those brother to put him in his place. Either way it seemed Severus would have to learn to deal with the pair with something other than downright hostility. They’d stood with Harry through challenges that many grown wizards could never hope to face. They had stood by Harry’s side through all of it (minus the occasional schoolyard tiff). He and Lily had suffered those from time to time, before it all ended. It was the loss of communication that really did them in. As long as those three continued to talk and move past the silly squabbles when serious matters come to head they’d be fine. No matter how much Severus wished he’d be spared their company. At least his son had good, trustworthy people, he could count on.
Now seriously, what was the boy up to? Harry was spread out on the couch his back resting halfway up the arm, a book propped up on his stomach. He couldn’t be studying. He’d see enough of the brat’s in and outside of class to know he wasn’t one to try and get ahead in class. He could be studying for his O.W.L.s, but he’d heard Harry complaining about making him do nothing but study for his exam over the last few weeks.
Severus watched his son read for a minute. Harry’s book was slightly battered, with a bright orange cover. Setting down the stack of essays Severus broke the silence, “What are you reading Harry?”
Harry jumped slightly. He hadn’t been that interested in what he was reading. He’d read it at least a dozen times before, it’s been so quiet, his mind started to drift.
“What?” Harry blurted out sleepily.
“I was inquiring as to what you were reading,” Severus repeated.
“Oh,” Harry said sitting up slightly. “It’s ‘Flying with The Cannons’. Ron gave it to me a couple of years back. I was taking a break from the Defense books Sirius and Remus got me for Christmas. Don’t get me wrong. They’re interesting and all, but sometime you want a break from hexing and jinxing people.”
“I see. Reading ahead in you course work would be too much to ask.” Severus asked mildly.
Harry shrugged. “I could, I guess, but that’s not really much of a break. I already did all of my homework after that’s due at the end of break. I just wanted some fun for a while.”
Severus frowned slightly. “Was that the only leisure material you possess?”
Harry looked puzzled for a moment, “Oh, you mean like not school book. Well, yeah, I guess. The Dursleys aren’t much for reading. In Dudley’s second bedroom there are some books, but they weren’t that interesting when I tried to read them before I came to Hogwarts.”
“I see. What sort of books do you like?” Severus asked curiously. This wasn’t one of the topics they covered in their conversations over tea after Occlumency lessons. It was showing once more had much the two had to learn about one another.
Harry frowned. “Never really been much of a reader. When I was little it was hard ‘cause I’d get these headaches. That was before I got my glasses. Then I was always busy with chores. If I was locked in my cupboard it was pretty dark, so I couldn’t really read then either. I figure they’d have taken any book they found in there. They liked me miserable.”
Severus’s face darkened. Yet another reason to curse Petunia. “We shall have to remedy that then. You are aware Hogwarts’s library had a reasonably sized collection of novels?”
Harry shrugged.
“They do. However, I too have a small number of works of both wizarding and Muggle fiction. Perhaps you’d care to barrow one for the afternoon.” Severus suggested.
“Sure,” Harry said, giving the elder wizard a weak smile.
“You will find the books you are looking for on the middle three shelves on the case by the dining table.” Severus said point to the appropriate case.
Harry nodded, but didn’t get up. “Sir,” he said after a moment.
“Yes, Harry?” Severus said trying to cover the annoyance in his voice. He shouldn’t let the boy think he was upset at him. For one, Severus knew the annoyance wasn’t directed at him.
“I was just wondering… what sort of stuff you or my mum liked to read.” Harry asked timidly.
Pushing a bit of hair behind his ear Severus nodded. “Lily enjoyed a number of kinds literature. She enjoyed several poets particularly and American called Walt Whitman. He wrote during the time of their Muggle Civil War. She took comfort such beautiful words could come out of such a horrific time. She also enjoyed Shelly and Keats. She couldn’t stand Byron. I never shared Lily’s love of poetry.”
“When were we young, Lily loved adventure stories, but she hated the fact the girl almost always needed to be rescued. As we grew older her tastes changed slightly. She told me once ‘who needs stories about sword fights and faraway places when you go to school in a castle and dragons are real.’ I read whatever Lily passed on to me. I grew up reading wizard fairy tales.”
“When we were at Hogwarts your mother went through a phase of reading Muggle mystery novels. She was in this phase when our friendship… ended. Her favorite author was Agatha Christie. She said Miss. Marple reminded her of Professor McGonagall.” Severus told him.
Harry made a noncommittal noise. He’d at least heard of some of the people his father mentioned. “Did you read this Christie lady too?”
“Yes. I read whatever Lily read. She wanted somebody to talk to about the books. I was always there…. I wanted to make her happy. I never saw her fascination with that particular genre. I was always able to determine the murder no more than halfway through the novel. Most of my reading is non-fiction, often Potions related.” Severus explained.
“That sounds exciting,” Harry grumbled.
Severus ignored the comment, instead he rose and crossed the room to the bookcase he told Harry about. Running a long finger along the titles Severus pulled out a small hard covered book. This too showed a bit of wear. The corners were no longer sharp points, but smashed and rounded. The binding was frayed. Severus crossed back across the room.
“This was one of your mother’s favorites, of all time, if I’m not mistake.” Severus said handing the book to Harry.
“Treasure Island,” Harry read aloud.
“Your mother gave me that for my 12th birthday. She said it would give me escape while I was back with my family over the holidays. I did enjoy it, though I confess I was never quite as fond of it as Lily.” Severus said sitting once more.
“What’s it about?” Harry asked curiously.
Severus explained. “This was still under your mother adventure stories phase. It has pirates, buried treasure. It is considered a classic of Muggle literature.”
Harry looked the book over once more.
“Read it, Harry. If you don’t like it you are not required to finish. Just try it,” Severus urged.
“Fine,” Harry said, opening the front cover.
Severus returned to his desk and his essays. Every once and while he’d look over to see Harry still immersed in the world of Robert Lewis Stevenson. The two of them would never realized just how much this respite would fuel them for the many challenges to come.