Emmeline was legitimately terrified when Harry rushed from the house. There was a worrying mix of rage and fear on his face. The kind she’d seen drive certain people, certain potions masters to be specific, to do rather impulsive, and often disastrous acts. But she was loath to leave Severus, looking so lost and pitiful. But the man had insisted. He was at least right that the poor thing was in more danger than he'd ever been. So Emmeline pulled open the door, ready to scour the whole country if she had to. But Harry was there. Standing in the rain he hesitated at the edge of the wards.

“Harry,” Emmeline said quietly. The boy flinched and leaned away from her hand. "Darling… please come back inside."

"No!" Harry cried, whipping around to face with both horror and rage. "How could you say that?! How could you even suggest it!? After what he did!"

"He made a mistake," Emmeline argued. Harry scoffed.

"Pretty big this to call 'a mistake'. I wouldn't exactly call joining a group of bloody terrorist 'a mistake'." Harry argued, turning around and kicking the wall. He hissed and rubbed his foot against his leg in pain. Emmeline sighed and put a hand on his shoulder. He didn't pull away this time. In fact, he looked more lost than he'd done when she'd first stepped out of the house. "How could I trust him again after that…"

"Tell me Harry, has Severus ever done anything to physically hurt you?" Emmeline demanded. Harry opened his mouth to argue that yes! As a matter of fact, he had! But that would have been a lie. As long as Harry had known the man he'd always been on the sidelines, ensuring his safety. Yes, he was abrasive and scolding, yes he seemed to have an almost obsessive compulsion for putting him in detention. But Harry hadn't exactly been innocent in every instant. He could begrudgingly admit that he may have deserved at least some of those punishments. Then he shook himself.

"That's just because Dumbledore is there watching!" Harry insisted angrily. Emmeline rose an eyebrow.

"Huh, yes I suppose you're right," Emmeline offered, making Harry blink at her in confusion. "Isn't odd how Albus continues to trust Severus around children and with your safety?"

"He probably doesn't even know," Harry argued, but even to him that sounded flimsy. Emmeline laughed. 

"You think Severus could keep something like this from Albus?! Harry, I think you give the man far too much credit!" She said with a chuckle. 

"Yeah, well everyone knows Dumbledore is barmy!" Harry argued.

"But when you needed protection, somewhere to lay low, he asked Severus. Isn't that rather telling?" Emmeline argued. Harry didn't have an answer for that one. Emmeline smiled. "Harry… there is more to the story if only you'd let Severus tell it."

"But what if it's all lies?" Harry argued. "What if he's just trying to get my guard down so he can bring me to Voldemort?"

"I'd kill him myself before I'd let anything like that happen," Emmeline said matter-of-factly. Harry blinked. Then a peel of lightning flashes across the sky, followed by a roar of thunder. "Please come inside. It's not safe in this rain." Harry hesitated before he sighed and followed the woman back into the house. He hesitated in the doorway as Snape looked up, slightly shocked.

"That was fast," he remarked.

"I never left the wards," Harry admitted under his breath. Severus rose an eyebrow.

"Very wise." He responded flatly. 

"Harry is ready to hear the rest of the story, Severus," Emmeline informed him as she went to sit on the couch again, this time in between the pair. Harry stiffly followed, eyeing Severus with an air of vague distrust. Severus sighed. 

"After I received the dark mark, the dark lord dropped all pretenses around me. Likely believing that I had always known what his little group was truly about." Severus complained. Harry pulled a face.

"Why do you call him that?" He demanded. Severus scowled down at the mark.

"The mark has a very powerful compulsion charm embedded in it. Marked death eaters are unable to refer to the dark lord as anything besides that, 'his lordship', or My Lord." Severus complained, drawling his lordship out like an insult. His face grew rather melancholy, "that had been my first red flag after receiving the mark. I tried to say 'thank you sir' and it came out as 'thank you, my lord." Severus recalled. Harry shuddered. The more he learned, the more truly evil this man became. 

"So what did you do, after you realized what had happened?" Harry asked nervously.

"I went to the only man, rumours claimed, the dark lord was afraid of."

"Dumbledore," Harry confirmed. Snape nodded.

"I begged him to help me break the bond, to free me from the dark Lord's clutches." Severus said before growing bitter. "but Albus said he knew of no way, short of sending the dark lord to his death."

"So then what?" Harry asked. Severus gave him a firm look.

"I dedicated my life to killing the monster once and for all." Harry blinked.

"So… you were fighting against Voldemort? From the inside?"

"Specifically I became a spy," Snape informed him. "I passed information from the meetings to Albus, who in turn used that information to halt the dark lord's plans." At this Emmeline made an irritated noise. As both boys looked at her, Severus with resignation, Harry with confusion. the woman sighed.

"Sorry Harry, but I always resented Albus for asking Severus to be a spy. I blame him for the way our relationship ended." She gave Severus a hard look. "It was after one of those little 'missions' that Severus decided to break things off."

"Emmeline," Severus said tiredly. The woman just huffed and looked away. Severus gave Harry another heavy look. "Of course, these actions were not entirely invisible. I knew I would be seen with someone the dark lord deemed 'unsavoury' at some point. So Albus and I decided on a cunning plan. I would convince the dark lord that I was capable of infiltrating The Order, the resistance group Albus started in the late 70s, and pass on helpful information to him. The dark lord agreed, so I became a double agent, acting as though I were a spy for the death eaters when really I was a spy for The Order."

"So.. you're a double agent?" Harry asked with a frown. 

"I was," Severus remarked, then he slowly rubbed his mark. "But it's unlikely I will reprise that role." 

"Why?"

"Lucius Malfoy found out that Severus betrayed them," Emmeline informed Harry quietly. Harry blinked and looked over at his professor with slight trepidation.

"But… what happens if Voldemort finds out?" 

"Lucius strongly implied that he already knew," Severus muttered before he finally rolled his sleeve back down. "It is highly likely that I have surpassed you on the dark lord's list of people he would very much like to murder personally," Severus remarked dryly. At Harry's frown, he explained. "The dark lord usually sends a death eater after his less important targets."

"So… your in as much danger as me," Harry muttered with a sigh. Severus nodded.

"Especially considering Black," Emmeline remarked. Harry flinched. He was still wrapping his head around the fact that the man was technically his godfather. That was horrifying. 

"What does Sirius Black have to do with professor Snape?"

"I told you how they had a rivalry, and how black had tried to kill him in their fifth year?" Emmeline began. 

"Sirius Black was also part of The Order." Snape finished for her. "We think now that he was an unmarked spy, passing the death eaters much more sensitive information than I ever did." 

"Like we're my parents were hiding," Harry muttered darkly. Severus nodded gravely. 

"Hang on… unmarked? There are unmarked death eaters?" Harry demanded worriedly. 

"Technically only those who bear the mark are truly death eaters." Severus admitted, "but there are those extremely loyal to the cause who do not possess the mark," Emmeline hummed gravely.

"It's part of what made hunting down all of You-Know-Who's supporters so difficult after his defeat." She recalled with a slight hitch. Harry looked between them worriedly. 

"But if people who don't have a dark mark can be death eaters… then how do I know who to trust?" He asked worriedly. Snape blinked before he straightened up.

"At that point Harry, you must learn to trust your instincts. You've already proven to me that you are reasonably quick to the draw, which is a good skill to have in these times. You are fairly observant, which is highly useful in ascertaining dangers." A scowl bloomed. "All you have to do now is train yourself to run away from them, not toward." He gave the teen a firm glare. "like going into a hidden chamber only you could access with nothing but a dangerous wizard you knew was a fraud and your strategically brilliant but middlingly wand skilled friend, to kill a bloody basilisk !" By the end of the tirade, Harry had shrunk slightly into the couch with a rather sheepish wince. Then he tried to give a weak smile.

"I did save Ginny though." He argued. The potions master huffed, throwing his hand into the air and smacking it back down again.

"This is why I don't spend time with Gryffindors!" He bellowed before marching away toward the kitchen. Emmeline gave Harry an indulgent smile. Then she put a hand on his shoulder. 

"Are you alright?" She asked. Harry looked towards the fire. 

"I mean… it kinda explains a lot. I guess he kinda had to seem like he was a massive jerk while at Hogwarts cause Malfoy was there. He was always going on about 'his father hearing about this'... Kinda a crappy spy now that I think about it. You're basically telling everyone to hide things from you." Harry remarked with a chuckle.

"He is a crippling disappointment," Severus muttered. "A despicable godson." Harry blinked and turned around watching Snape sip his tea casually.

"Malfoy is your godson?!" He demanded in shock. Severus snorted.

"Unfortunately," he muttered, "Lucius practically forced him on me. Mentioned something about paying me back for all the potions I'd made him over the years as if I'd want to mind his spoiled brat of a spawn. Lucius had a habit of dumping him on me when he was younger so he and Narcissa could go on vacations to Venice or Switzerland." He rolled his eyes. "I think Lucius just wanted a free babysitter." He sipped his tea again, this time with a grimace, "at the time my loyalty had been called into question due to a series of botched raids, I was trying to ingratiate myself with as many of higher-ups as I could," Severus grumbled slightly, "and now I'm stuck with the kid until my death, which may be a lot sooner now… perhaps it's not all bad after all." He finished with a sarcastic joke. Emmeline scowled.

"Severus!" She admonished loudly, "don't joke about things like that!" The man gave her a nebulous look, somewhere between a grimace and something else Harry couldn't identify before he went back to sipping his tea. Suddenly Harry let out a very wide yawn. "You should head to bed dear." 

"Alright." Harry agreed.

"Sleep well, Harry," Severus said quietly. Harry paused at the base of the stairs. Then he gave a small smile.

"You as well professor." Then he was gone. Severus let out a long sigh.

"That went about as well as could be expected." He murmured. "At least the boy was smart enough not to actually leave the wards…"

"Oh hush Severus," Emmeline said with a chuckle, "that was more than better than the worst way it could have turned out. Now finish your tea and go to bed."

"Yes, mother," Severus muttered into his tea. Emmeline hit him on the shoulder.

Harry was eating his breakfast casually when a barn owl landed on the table silently. He jumped.

"Eerrr… professor!" He called with slight worry to Severus. The man looked up from his novel on the couch and turned around.

"That's a Hogwarts owl, Harry. See the ring around its leg." He said sardonically. 

"Oh… right," Harry said sheepishly. Emmeline quickly came in through the kitchen with a smile. 

"Your exam scores?" She asked as casually as she could. Harry smiled.

"Actually, Dumbledore cancelled all non-essential exams last year. Which honestly I'm glad for. I didn't exactly have the time to study anything, what with Ginny getting kidnapped and Voldemort trying to kill me. Again." Harry said with a slight huff at the end. Severus stood up with a grumble. 

"It's probably the letter for selecting your electives," Severus muttered. They need it relatively early so they can send your book list."

"I thought you already bought all my books," Harry argued.

"I bought the ones for your core classes, which I already knew as Minerva and I were the ones who built the list. But as I had no idea which electives you wanted, I did not purchase those." Severus said. Harry smiled and ripped open the letter.

"You're right. I have to pick my 2 electives. Is there a list? Ah!"  He scanned it.

Arithmancy

Students will submerge themselves in the study of triangular and circular relations to develop new spells.

 

Care of Magical Creatures

Students will interact with and learn the proper care and protective procedures for the many Magical creatures of the wizarding world.

 

Divinations

Students will learn the fundamentals of all the different techniques used to gaze into the future, from tarot cards to tea leaves and all things in between.

 

Muggle studies

Students will interact with the latest muggle inventions and learn about muggle culture to help make them better citizens of the world.

 

Study of ancient runes

Students will develop a firm understanding of the runic language and its various uses in architecture, ritualism, and wizard craft.

"Arithmancy… is maths?" Harry asked.

"Essentially, you learn the trigonometric patterns necessary to create spells. It's quite a fascinating subject." Severus argued.

"Severus took Arithmancy and Care of Magical Creatures at Hogwarts." Emmeline supplied. "He wanted to learn more about potion creation. Often times you need both, as harvesting ingredients from creatures is essential, and new potions usually need an arithmantic base to keep them stable." The potions master stared at her.

"You remember my lecture from seventh year?" He said in awe. Emmeline gave him a smile.

"Of course I remembered Severus. It was something you found interesting. I wanted to be able to keep a conversation with you after all." Severus stared at Emmeline with slight awe. Harry tried to hide a slowly forming smile. He knew there was still something there! Maybe if he asked the right questions. But not now. 

"I was never good at maths in primary." He admitted. "Best pick something else. Care of Magical Creature sounds like it would be a good idea."

"I'm not sure about that anymore," Severus grumbled. Emmeline scowled.

"Severus! Don't be so coarse!"

"Why? Did something happen?" Harry asked in confusion.

"The old professor decided to retire this year," Severus muttered. "Albus has decided to replace him with Hagrid." Harry started to beam before the full weight of that fell on him and he grimaced.

"I get what you mean," Harry said with a wince. Emmeline stared at him with horror.

"Harry! I thought better of you!"

"Ms. Emmeline… he has a pet Cerberus named Fluffy."

"He does?"

"And a giant pet spider that lives in the forbidden forest," Harry admitted. Severus choked on his coffee.

"I beg your pardon?!" He demanded in shock. Harry ignored that.

"Not to mention, he tried to raise a baby dragon in a wooden house." Harry finished. Emmeline blinked before biting her lip nervously.

"Alright… perhaps you might be right that Hagrid may not be the best choice for this subject." She finally admitted.

"It's fine," Harry said as he put a little check next to the subject anyway. "I'll just wear body armour to the class. That should help right?" 

"That might be smart." Severus agreed. Harry went down the list

"What's Divinations like?"

"Don't take that class." Severus declared point blank. 

"I agree with Severus on this one. Your time would be much better served elsewhere." Emmeline insisted.

"The professor is a drunkard who can barely remain upright, let alone teach." Severus admonished. "Her subject is hardly academic, mostly about guesswork and manipulation. Plus she has the annoyingly macabre tendency of singling one student out in each new class and insisting they will die within the fortnight. It makes the students annoyingly jumpy every year." Severus muttered darkly. Harry winced. Then he chuckled.

"Well, I could always take Muggle Studies!"

"Harry James Potter if you take that class I will be extremely disappointed in you." Emmeline admonished fiercely. Harry flinched. "You are not who that class is meant for."

"Who is it meant for?"

"Purebloods, so that they better understand the muggle world. Mostly to help with more believable integration. Though I must say, I keep trying to remind Charity to include a unit on proper muggle dress. Some wizards are woefully ignorant of that." Severus argued. Harry sighed.

"Fine. I won't take it. But it would be the easiest class ever." 

"Exactly." Severus admonished. "Pick something more academically engaging."

"What's the study of Ancient Runes like?" He asked casually. Emmeline's eye lit up.

"Oh, Ancient Runes are absolutely fascinating! There are so many things runes are capable of. Truly monumental things have been built with runic load stones. Hogwarts has thousands of them embedded in her structure. The building is truly a magical marvel." Emmeline cried. Severus chuckle.

"You'll have to forgive her. She tends to get a bit excited about squiggly lines carved in rocks."

"Oh shush!" Emmeline growled before giving Harry a wide grin. "When I'm not babysitting grumpy old potions masters, I'm a Magical architect."

"You build magic buildings?!" Harry cried in awe. She nodded.

"And ward fences. Like the wall around the cottage. The rune stones at the base of the wall are truly impressive things. I didn't add a few extras for additional protections, but it was otherwise flawless."

"Ancient runes are also used to conduct rituals; like the religious rites I mention last night or those performed at weddings and funerals." Severus continued

"They can also be used to craft magical artifacts like self-weighing scales or Molly's fantastic knitting needles," Emmeline added with a chuckle. Harry looked awestruck.

"Sounds like it's been really useful and bloody interesting too." He said then he nodded and put his second check mark.  Then he stuffed it into a new envelope and passed it to the owl, who dutifully took it and flew away. 

"I can lend you a short compendium of ruins if you like, to help you get started." Emmeline offered happily before she turned to her suitcase. 

"I hope you realize she will be picking your brain for the rest of the summer," Severus muttered. Harry slowly grinned. The more he thought about it, the more that sounded like it wouldn't be so bad.