Harry soon found out that life in the Snape house was far more laid-back than he had thought. That isn't to say he had no chores or responsibilities, but compared to the Dursleys—he really needed to stop comparing things to the Dursleys. Anyway, one reason Lily said she was really glad he was there was that chores would be farther spread, meaning neither her nor her father had to do as much as they had before. He was glad as well, because he didn't have to do nearly as much as he had at the Dursleys—again with that comparison—and at the end of it all, he actually had some time to read all the books he'd gotten from school and Hermione over the years. He was glad. He actually enjoyed reading when he could do it, but he was never allowed magic-related books at the Dursleys' and between having a Dark Lord after his arse and finals every year, he never really had time to read beyond what he had to read for school. So when he was playing one-on-one Quidditch with Lily, he was reading, and when they got their Hogwarts letters and got their school supplies, he read his school books.
Life was good for Harry Potter for the first time in 14 years.
Severus had even offered to give him potions lessons like he gave his daughter. He brought it up the day they came home from getting their school supplies and he found Harry in the common room reading their new potions textbook. "How would you like it if I gave you lessons in potions? Your mother was brilliant in potions and if your father hadn't been so much of a class clown, I'm sure he would have been very good as well. I suspect that you have not truly been performing to your full potential because of your situation. Is that correct?" Harry flushed a little, shamed for reasons he did not know, and nodded cautiously, as if afraid it was a joke or something that would be taken away in the blink of an eye.
Now, Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings were spent in Severus' potions lab with Lily and the Potion Master. He learned how to perfectly brew a Confusing Concoction, a potion he'd had trouble with in his Third Year, on the first try. He helped them get ahead on potions brewing for the coming year. He let them try it on their own first, then gave the two pointers and constructive criticism to help them learn what they did wrong and how to fix it. With the more touchy potions, he demonstrated the brewing process before allowing them to try it and kept a close eye on them.
On Harry's birthday, He had Hermione, Ron, the Twins, Luna, Ginny, Cedric, and a handful of the more familiar Slytherins and Gryffindors over for his first real birthday party—shame it was when he was turning 15. He got more presents than he ever dreamed of getting on a birthday. His friends had more options on presents now that they weren't limited to what an owl could carry.
He wasn't surprised that Hermione's gift was enough books to fill two shelves on his bookshelf. But they were on all types of topics that she knew would interest Harry: Animagi, Potions, Arithmancy, Quidditch, DADA and more. Of course Ron rolled his eyes when Harry opened the large box and began pulling out book after book, but Harry genuinely thanked Hermione for them, now he had more to read in his free time. Ron gave him a box of chocolate frogs and several boxes of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans and some of Mrs. Weasley's homemade fudge—it was a present on behalf of most if not all of the Weasleys. Fred and George gave him several finished products for their new business, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Draco and the other Slytherins gave him books on the History of Slytherins and on famous Witches and Wizard that were in Slytherin and lots of Slytherin mementos to keep in his new room. Cedric gave him a brand new Broom Care Kit. Luna gave him a homemade... something. He still wasn't sure what it was, but it was a sculpture of some sort. Nevertheless, he kept it on top of his bookshelf where he could see it every day. Ginny's present was included with the other Weasleys' and she had helped her mother make the fudge.
Harry could easily say that it was the best birthday he'd ever had, even if Sirius hadn't been allowed to come and Remus was with him to keep him company, but he sent his present—a book on patronuses and a book on werewolves—ahead of time. He'd wasted the evening away reading some of the multitudes of books he'd gotten—apparently people didn't really know what to get him—until it was time for Severus' special potions lesson.
As he did for his daughter, on Harry's birthday, he set up a special potions lesson where they would learn to brew something that wasn't in the curriculum—not even up to Seventh Year. He them potions only a Potions Master could learn and he taught them to do them well. Not to mention it was a perfect opportunity for Harry to test out the new potions kit Severus had gotten him. He'd seen the deplorable state of his current one during the past school year and was determined he would not use such a disgraceful set again. So Harry now had new knives, stirring rods, flasks, spoons, and a beautiful new cauldron. He'd thanked his professor—now guardian—profusely once he opened the gift. He'd set it aside gently, careful not to mess it up before he got the chance to use it.
Today, they were brewing the very same Fire Protection Potion Harry and Hermione drank in their First Year to get through the Potions Master's puzzle. Harry was always glad to learn new things and he was so much happier to do this than what he normally did on his birthday. In fact, anyone with a birthday was completely exempt from chores for that day. Harry hardly knew what to do with himself.
But Fifth Year was coming, and fast. Two weeks before school started, Severus had to come into work to prepare for the coming students and lessons. Lily and Harry were allowed to stay home while he was away. He would floo there and floo home each morning and evening. He'd asked them if they would like to continue riding the train or if they wanted to floo to the school with him when he left. They both wanted to be with their friends.
During the summer, Harry spent a week at the Burrow. The week after Harry's birthday, in fact. Mrs. Weasley insisted on baking him a cake and cooking his birthday dinner. He got to spend time with some of his favorite people and give Fred and George some advice on the products they'd given him for his birthday. Lily was, of course, invited, but she opted to spend some quality time with her father. They hadn't had much time for just the two of them since Harry had come into their lives, and it was good for them to have some father-daughter-bonding time.
This all to say, Harry Potter's life had improved dramatically. He couldn't believe that after the life he had been forced to live the majority of his life, he could possibly have the happiness he was experiencing now. He only hoped it would last.
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