Hello everyone! Just a pre-authors's note! I just wanted to let you know, thank you for the feedback! I finally got antidepressants, but they'll take a little while to work, so bear with me! I just wanted to say, thank you thank you thank you so much to those who have given me so much feedback! I love you guys! With your comments, they give me inspiration to work on the chapter, so the more feedback and encouragement, the faster the chapters get out! Thank you so much for reading my story - we still have a long ways to go! Join me in the rest of Harry's adventure! Thank you so much!! ❤❤❤❤
(P.S. I'm so sorry for the wait. T.T I've made this chapter extra long as an apology.)
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Harry got up, yawning tiredly.
It had been weeks since his meet with Sirius, and he wanted to see him again. He wanted to know more about him.
Harry stumbled out into the living room, crawling into a chair near the fire that was seemingly always lit.
He wrapped his large fluffy blanket around himself and watched the flames as thoughts raced through his head.
His eyes drooped a little, but snapped right back open as Snape sat beside him, toussling his hair a little.
"Why do you always insist on waking up so early?" He asks quietly with a yawn as Harry looks over to him.
Harry shrugs a little, looking down. "My dreams wake me up.."
Severus watches him with concern, gaining his attention before speaking. "Nightmares?"
"No.. Well, kind of yeah.." Harry mumbles.
"Do you wish to talk about it?" Snape asks and Harry shakes his head a little. "Not really..."
Severus nods in understanding, and everything is quiet for a moment.
"Dad..?"
Snape looks down at Harry. "Yes?"
"Dumbledore and Voldemort were doing some sort of wordless magic... They weren't talking but they were still doing magic.. Do you know how they do that..?"
Severus looks thoughtful. "Hm... Well, I am not entirely positive. You would have to ask Albus yourself. Perhaps he could teach you."
Harry looks surprised, and he stands up on his knees, watching Snape with excitement. "Really? Do you really think he would?"
Severus shrugs a little. "Perhaps. You have potential. It would not surprise me if you were able to do such an advanced thing at your age."
Harry grins and hops off of the couch, grabbing his stuffed wolf-dog thing called Padfoot. "Let's go ask him!"
"Not so early." Severus says. "Perhaps after breakfast."
Harry nods, smiling in understanding. "Okay!"
A little while later, Harry and Snape headed to breakfast, Harry deciding to sit beside Draco and Hermione rather than between Lupin and Severus.
"Where were you during the war, Potter?" Draco heard Ron snap from down the Gryffindor table, and quickly retorted for him, "Where were you Weasley? Hiding like a baby with the first years I suspect!"
Ron flushed red a little. "I-I was not! I was fighting along with everybody else!"
Draco scoffed. "Now that's a shocker."
Ron fumed angrily, and Harry picked at his food silently, not feeling so hungry anymore.
When breakfast was over, Harry said goodbye to Draco and Hermione, heading to Severus.
"Can we ask Dumbledore about it now?" He asks, and Severus nods. "Yes. Let's go to his office."
He head for Dumbledore's office, Harry skipping along the way excitedly.
Severus looked over to him as they walked, chuckling silently to himself.
The child was so silly..
They arrived at the Gargoyle, and Severus murmured the password (Sherbert Lemon), and the Gargoyle sprung aside, admitting them in.
They climbed up the staircase and knocked onto the door of his office, the door opening to show Dumbledore at his desk, looking at the two with a smile.
"Severus. Harry. What a lovely surprise. What can I do for you two?"
Harry and Severus pulled up two chairs, sitting down, and Severus spoke. "Harry wanted to ask you a favour."
Harry flushed at the mention and suddenly became very shy, twiddling his thumbs with embarrassment.
"Harry." Severus sighs. "Come on, it's not that difficult of a request."
Harry shook his head, his face red.
Severus sighs again, sitting up a bit. "Harry caught sight of the Dark Lord and yourself in combat during the recent war at Hogwarts, and noticed that neither of you were saying a word."
"Ah, I see." Dumbledore smiles, his eyes twinkling in fascination. "So, you wish for me to teach you to cast spells without saying them aloud?"
Harry nods shyly.
"Very well." Dumbledore smiles. "You are an extraordinary boy. It would not surprise me if you are able to do so, and then some."
"'And then some?'" Severus and Harry both ask, Harry looking up in surprise as Dumbledore nods pleasantly.
"If you try hard enough, you may even be capable of casting spells without the use of words or a wand."
Harry gasps in awe. "I could do that??" He asks with excitement. "Cool!"
Dumbledore smiles with amusement. "Yes. Very cool. Now, when shall we do our lessons, then?"
"Hm... Perhaps Friday evenings after dinner, every other Saturday, and Wednesday evenings?" Severus suggests.
"Perfect." Dumbledore responds.
Harry smiles. "Thank you Headmaster!" He says happily.
He hurries out the room, and Severus stands up with a sigh.
"My apologies, Headmaster. I will speak with him."
"There's no need, Severus." Dumbledore smiles. "Do not be so uptight. He is just a child, after all."
Severus went to his quarters, finding Harry on the floor in front of the fire, playing with 'Padfoot'.
Severus sat on the couch behind him, making Harry look up.
"Harry, come here." Severus says, patting the couch cushion beside him.
Harry stood up, sitting beside him as instructed.
"I'm going to need you to go back to the Gryffindor dorms." He says, and Harry immediately tears up. "What..?"
"Just for tonight, I promise." Severus says. "I just.. Have an experiment tonight, and it could be dangerous for you to be nearby. Please understand."
"But they hate me!" Harry cries. "Ron especially! I don't want to go!"
"Harry." Severus says strongly, causing Harry to go silent.
"I wouldn't do this if it weren't for your own safety. You know this."
"But-"
Severus put his hand up, and Harry fell silent again.
"I know those boys treat you badly. But you're tough. You have gone against the Dark Lord himself. A couple silly school children shouldn't be a problem for you."
"But they're different!" Harry cries. "They're mean! I'm scared they'll hurt me! Or hex me!"
"I promise you, they will not hex you." Severus sighs.
Harry looks down, tears in his eyes. "I... I'm scared.. I don't want to... Please don't make me dad..."
Severus watched him for a while, feeling guiltier and guiltier by the second.
Finally, he sighs. "Fine.. You may stay, but under one condition. Do not come out of your room once you are in it. I am working with something possibly dangerous in the living area and I do not want you injured should you disobey my orders."
Harry nods, wiping his eyes and sniffling. "O-Okay..."
Severus smiles gently and pats Harry's head as Harry looks up. "Do not worry. If those children harm you, I will make sure that they get expelled, or at least sent home for a week."
"You can do that?" Harry asks, and Severus nods. "To a degree, yes."
Harry smiles a little. "I'll stay in my room."
Severus nods. "Very good. Now go to class. I must get ready for my first class."
"Okay!" Harry hugs him, grabbing his new bag of school supplies and heading to the door. "Bye dad! I'll see you in class!"
"Goodbye Harry. I will see you then."
Harry headed off to his Defense Against the Dark Arts class quickly.
He entered the classroom, seeing most of the class there, yet no teacher.
Harry sat at his usual spot between Hermione and Draco silently as the rest of the students entered as well.
After about 15 minutes, the classroom door opened, and Severus walked in.
Harry nearly gasped in surprise when he saw him.
Dad? What's he doing here?
Severus began talking, Harry reading his lips.
Turn to page 394..
Harry did just that, quickly finding the page before looking back up and raising his hand.
"Yes Mr.Potter?" Snape sighs.
"Where's Professor Lupin?" Harry asks.
"Well if you'd heard me as I walked in-"
"I couldn't hear you, sir." Harry says as Draco suppresses a laugh. "I didn't even know you were in the classroom until you came up to the front of the room."
Severus froze, realizing. "Ah- My apologies.."
He quickly went into explaining their professors whereabouts.
"Professor Lupin has currently found himself violently ill and incapable of teaching." He explains. "He has given me permission to give you any assignment of my choice, and he will continue his lessons in a few days. Meanwhile, other teachers will take his place throughout the day during their free periods. So turn to page 394."
He walked over to the projector in the back, and Harry cast the spell Severus had given him, the quill beginning to write as Severus spoke.
The day went by slowly. Lunch cane around, and Moony wasn't at the staff table. Harry was beginning to get worried.
Draco watched Harry during lunch, smiling gently.
He hoped the war would be over soon...
"Draco!" He heard Hermione's voice say, and he snapped out of his daze.
"H-Huh? What?"
"You're staring off into space." She chuckles, and he looks down at his untouched plate of food. "Sorry."
"Is something wrong?" Harry asks, and Draco looks up at him. "No, I'm okay. Just thinking."
"Alright.." Harry says quietly with uncertainty.
Once lunch was over, Harry, Hermione and Draco had a free period before their last classes started.
Hermione went to the library, of course, but Harry and Draco decided to walk around outside beside the lake.
They took their shoes and socks off, rolling their pants up so they wouldn't get wet.
Draco told Harry about all the spells his father had taught him, while Harry taught Draco how to skip stones on the water.
Draco couldn't seem to get the hang of it, however, and ended up levitating a large rock and throwing it at the water, splashing them both.
"Draco!" Harry laughs, kicking some water at him.
Draco sticks his tongue out at Harry, grinning evilly and kicking water back at him, soaking his clothes.
"Okay that's it." Harry grins.
They spent the next hour splashing each other, laughing happily.
Harry and Draco laid down beside each other on the shore, panting and out of breath from laughing.
Draco looks over to Harry, who was looking up at the sky, looking almost content.
Draco glances down and reaches for Harry's hand, taking it.
Harry immediately blushes and looks to Draco, and Draco smiles a little, his pale cheeks tinted pink.
Taking a deep breath, Harry slowly interlaces their fingers together, his heart pounding.
Draco swallows nervously, looking into Harry's bright green eyes, watching the nervousness in them.
Draco scoots over to Harry so they were shoulder-to-shoulder, still facing him.
"Harry..?" He asks quietly.
"Yes...?" Harry asks, his voice nearly a whisper, the tension building between them.
"Can I... Kiss you...?" He whispers nervously, and Harry blushes more.
"U-Um.."
Draco leans forward a little, his heart pounding so hard he was sure that Harry could hear it.
A book suddenly comes down between them, and they look up in embarrassment and surprise.
"H-Hermione!" Harry blushes heavily with embarrassment.
"If you two are done flirting, it's time to go in." She says, standing up and waving her wand, their clothes magically drying, now clean and warm. "Don't forget we have double potions. You can flirt there where Snape can keep an eye on you two."
Draco sighs, standing up. "Right..." he helps Harry up, and they head towards the castle behind Hermione, their hands interlaced. Little did they know of a shadow, lurking in the distance.
Harry, Draco, and Hermione all sat down in potions class, Severus looking worn out and tired.
Harry paid close attention, working together with Draco and Hermione, eventually making the perfect potion.
Severus walked around, observing each group's potion.
"Mr.Weasley, do you insist on making a worthless mess every time we make a potion?" Severus snaps in annoyance as he passes by Ron's table, making Ron's face grow as red as his hair.
He comes to Draco's, Harry's, and Hermione's table, observing their potion carefully.
"Extraordinary, you three. Brilliant job." He says, earning grins from the trio.
That evening after classes, Harry headed to the Great Hall as usual, Draco looking up when he enters, blushing and looking down quickly.
Harry chuckled and started towards Draco and Hermione, but before he could get there, he found his face well acquainted with the floor.
The Great Hall erupted with laughter, unknown to Harry until he sat up and looked around.
He looked over to the person responsible and faced Ron, his former friend.
How had so much changed? It was like Ron and Draco switched places. Draco was now one of his best friends, while Ron was a bully. But worse.
Ron was worse than Draco ever was.
And it hurt.
Harry felt tears whelm in his eyes, threatening to fall.
"Oh look he's about to cry!" Harry saw one kid say as he felt a hand on his shoulder.
He looked up, seeing Severus staring at the students with a glare that could scare even the fiercest of creatures.
"Mr.Weasley, come with me. Harry, go to our corridors. Mr.Malfoy and Miss Granger may join you if they wish. Straight to your room, if you will. I will be there as soon as I can." Severus says, making sure Harry could read his lips.
Harry nods a little, scrubbing at his face as he feels two pairs of hands pull him up and out the Great Hall towards his and Severus's corridors.
When they enter, Harry notices Lupin laying down on the couch in front of the fire, looking deathly ill.
"I wonder what's wrong with him..." He mumbles quietly as they enter his room.
Harry laid down on his bed, turning away from Hermione and Draco, holding back tears.
Draco walked over to Harry and sat down behind him, watching him with concern.
He reaches out and runs his hand through Harry's hair gently.
Harry immediately turns around and wraps his arms around Draco's waist, burying his face in his lap as he starts crying silently.
Draco looks over to Hermione with worry.
Eventually they had to leave. Harry had fallen asleep by then, so Draco and Hermione left silently, casting one last worried look towards Harry before leaving with Severus.
Severus came back after a bit and tucked Harry into bed before heading off to the living room.
Harry awoke in the middle of the night, seeing no one near.
He sniffled, forgetting his promise to Severus as he stood up and headed to the living room.
The moment he stepped into the room he felt off.
Harry looked around for Severus, coming face to face with glaring, bright yellow eyes.
Harry gasped and stumbled back a bit.
How did he not see that??
What even is that..? A wolf? No... It's different from a wolf..
Wait.. Where was Moony? Did he leave? Did this wolf thing eat him..?
Harry's eyes filled with tears at the thought of Lupin being eaten by such a creature.
The wolf leaned forward and nuzzled against Harry's cheek, and Harry felt better for some reason.
Why wasn't he scared anymore..?
"Harry!" Harry jumped at Severus's voice, turning. "D-Dad!"
"I told you that I would be working with something dangerous! And to stay in your room!" Severus says, pulling Harry away from the large wolf-like creature.
"B-But it wasn't hurting me! It was being nice!"
"Nonetheless." Severus says stiffly.
"What.. What is it..? And.. Where's Moony..? He was on the couch when we walked in.."
"You didn't eat dinner so I am sure you are hungry. I will answer your questions while you eat." Severus responds simply, calling Winny and having her bring Harry soup and sandwiches.
Harry began to eat.
"That is a werewolf. I am trying out a new Wolfsbane potion and I wasn't sure of it would work correctly or not. I wasn't sure if he would grow hostile, so I took precautions and told you to stay in your room in case the potion failed."
"A-A werewolf..?"
Severus nods. "That is Remus."
"M-Moony? He's a.. A werewolf..?"
Severus nods. "He is. Though he prefers to keep it a secret. Therefore, do not tell anybody. Not Miss Granger, not Draco, nobody."
Harry nods a little. "Okay.." He looks up at Lupin, silent in thought.