snape is still at hogwarts because mcgonagall told the school at the start of the feast that he wasn't to blame and they are hiding him from the ministry, lame i know, but i had already written the chapter before i realised he wouldn't be there but i couldn't be arsed to change it.
chapter thirteen
Snivellus and Potter Manor
Over the next week Harry had been dropping from lessons all except one. potions.
"Potter! what is this suposed to be" snape sneered. "we are brewing essence of dreams not essence of mud, another zero for you" he smiled.
"theres nothing wrong with my potion and you know it!" Harry snapped back seething, the class gasped. seamus winked at Harry.
"so much like your father, he also thought himself above the rest" he replied back.
"SHUT UP ABOUT MY FATHER!" he slammed his fist on the table and stood up glaring at him.
"sit down potter, fifty points from gryffindor for shouting at a teacher." he jeered.
"shut up" harry said sitting down.
"what did you say?"
"i said SHUT UP Snivellus!" the class laughed.
"get out Potter!"
"make me!" harry retorted standing up.
"very well" he pulled out his wand but harry was to quick, his hand was already pointing at snape, he rised into the air his wand clattering to the floor, he was strangling.
"Ha-Harry stop" he choked.
Harry moved his hand away and he dropped on to the floor Harry walked over to him and knealt down to him.
"the order may believe you but i don't, one more remark about my father and i will kill you, so lay off me snivellus or else" He said getting up. "i'm leaving...you know, i pity you, it's a shame really" he walked away.
"Harry...i'm sorry...for everything...forgive me" snape said still on the groud his eyes watery.
"we'll see" he walked back over to Ginny and mara.
"Harry you scared me" she said clinging to him.
"i'm sorry mara, lets go to hogsmede i'll buy you somthing, yeh, come on then" he picked his bag up kissed Ginny and left the room. the class staring at the spot he had just been.
*
"i want that teddy!" mara shouted. pointing to the bear on the bottom shelf.
"sure, it's a lion and cute just like you" Harry said kissing her forehead, he took the lion to the counter and they paid for it.
five minutes later they were walking back through the village and up to the school, they had recieved some curious stares from the people under going the repair work of the village but Harry paid it no heed.
"Harry? are you going to marry Ginny? i like her." Mara asked. Harry was amazed at how advanced this three year old was.
"hopefully mara, at the end of the year, why?" Harry asked.
"does that mean your going to be my new mommy and daddy?" she asked. Harry was amazed again.
"do you want us to?" he asked. she nodded her head in his chest falling asleep.
Harry made his way up the path firstly stopping to chat with tonks who thought mara was adorable.
"oh shes so beautiful" tonks said as Harry showed mara to her.
"yeh, and she sure likes to sleep on me, everytime she falls asleep its on me" he said smiling.
"ah thats so cute" tonks said before waving goodbye as Harry made his way to the entrance.
He finally arrived and entered the great hall, he kissed mara on the forehead oblivious to the fact the school was watching him, he received a ton of 'aaahs' from the crowd and the smirks from the boys.
Harry looked up and rolled his eyes, he saw his friends sitting at the tabe he made his way across and joined them.
"you two are becoming close" ron said smiling.
"i know i'm going to adopt her when we finish school" harry said staring at her. "she asked me to really" he continued.
"she asked you too?" hermione said "shes only three"
"i know, shes so advanced, she said are you going to marry ginny, i like her, will you be my new mommy and daddy" harry told them still not looking up. most of the people around them were listening and smiling.
"Harry mate your going soft in your old age" seamus joked.
"Mr Potter!?" somebody said behind him.
"yes professor McGonagall"
"is it true you attacked Professor Snape?" she asked sternly.
"yes, why is that a problem, i can't attack a killer" he said back to her, her features softened.
"i'm afraid harry, you are on the border of expulsion"she began.
"okay" he said standing up. "i'll see you around"
"Mr Potter, its merely a warning!" she said.
"yeh well, i've better things to do" he said standing up carefully so not to wake mara up.
"its only a week til the end of term, go to the burrow, i'll get the Manor sorted, anyway slippy wants to see mara and tonks bound to visit, she can't keep her eyes off me. and i'll get the nursery done up real noce and then the day after you get home i come to stay at the burrow, burt don't tell your mom i'm staying i want to surprise her." he said to ginny.
"okay, be careful and i don't want mara on a broom!" she said sternly.
"why, i'll be careful!" he protested.
"HARRY JAMES POTTER! don't even think about it, if theres a single mark on her head, i'll...i will kill you" she said, there was a ripple of laughter.
"you wouldn't kill me, you love me too much, OUCH!...fine we won't fly" he said. there was more laughter.
He kissed her and placed his mouth above her ear so only she could hear.
"Stay close to ron and Hermione, don't wander on your own, if anyone gives you trouble, let me know okay, i love you" he whispered. he kissed her again and pulled away.
"i will harry but look after yourself." she said.
"Mr Potter! you can't be serious about leaving, the school needs you!" she said blocking his path.
"there will always be a way to contact me. i have only truely left this school when none are loyal to me!" he said smiling.
"how?" she asked.
"FAWKES!" he shouted, the phoenix appeared out of the flames. the hall was amazed, mezmerised by its beauty.
"Fawkes belongs to you potter?" she asked.
"yes, he's beautiful isn't he, call him if theres a problem he will find me." he said, he clicked his fingers and his stuff appeared and maras, he clicked them again and they were gone.
"Ginny remember the necklace it will let you know...Fawkes! to potter manor!" he grabbed fawkes's tail and the three of them vanished in style.
"Can anyone control him" McGonagall asked amazed.
"no, accept...Dumbledore" Hermione said.
"Yes well...Potter is uncontrolable, he is very powerful and he will be the greayesy wizard alive" she said walking away.
"and he's all my mine" ginny said smiling, lavender over heared her and scowled.
"maras going to be spoilt rotten i wouldn't be surprised if she got the master bedroom" hermione said smiling.
"no, Harry won't do that, it's our room, did you look in there?' she asked beaming. she thought it was beautiful.
"yeh i did! and somehow it seems your underwear got there, how did that happy!" ron said suddenly remebering.
"thats none of your buisness, how or why they were there" she said getting up and walking away.
"Hermione you haven't told me that they haven't done it yet" he said hoping that she was about to.
"yes, well...thats because...yes" she said stammering.
"i'll kill him!" he said standing up.
"oh shut up ron, how could you possibly think that they weren't" she said crossly.
"well were not-" he began.
"yeh, thats not my fault though is it." she said getting up and following after ginny leaving a red faced ron and a group of cat calling seveth years.
*
"well mara, heres your new home, what do you think?" he asked mara who had woken up.
"its huge, do i get my own room?" she asked eyeing the house.
"yes of course you do, are you hungry?" he asked.
"yes, wheres the kitchen" she asked.
"theres no need- Slippy!" he shouted.
"yes master!" the elf squeaked who had just appeared.
"ah Slippy, mara is hungry, could you make her something please?" he asked.
"yes master" she said dissapearing.
"Harry took mara upstairs and showed her the room he had made for her, the room was on the same floor as the master bedroom.
"What do you think?" he said.
"i love it, look at all the teddy bears!" she said crying. "thankyou Harry!" she said hugging him.
"thats okay, now how about we go flying?" he said grinning.
"but ginny said no!" she said staring into his eyes.
"what Ginnys doesn't know, wont hurt" he said picking her up.
"no harry thats naughty!"
"okay, okay lets eat" they went to fin slippy and ate there food, then they made there way to the living room where they lay down and mara fell asleep on top of Harry.
*
The next week flew by and Harry and Mara spent all there time getting to know each other, Harry still couldn't get her on a broom but she would go on a horse with him.
Harry had found a white stallion in the stables that went by the name of lightning and they rode him together.
During the week Harry recieved a Howler from Mrs Weasley about dropping out of school but he soon got over it, he spent his free time working on the horcruxes and had thought he had done considerably well when he found Slytherins locket in Regulas blacks room.
He had ordered Kreacher to help him and they eventually recovered it and returned to Potter Manor to relieve slippy of babysitting duties.
Then he made a list of all the possible locations of horcruxes and began to visit them, but he had to stop because he had become exhausted and didn't want to be ill for the holidays at the burrow.
"Ginny dear, what time did you say harry would be here at?" Molly said
"any minute mom, i can't wait to see him!" she said jumping around.
"and my first grandchild" Molly said beaming.
"Hey! is Harry here yet!" Ron shouted down the stairs.
"no-" Crack "YES!" she screamed running out of the house, Molly closely behind but she stopped when she saw them and she beamed when she saw Ginnny hug and kiss harry and then mara, but she stopped picked mara up and slapped Harry across the face, he didn't even flinch just laughed. Ginny stormed off and Molly crossed to Harry and hugged him.
"i've missed you Harry, how have you been?" she asked.
"i'm good and i've been...busy, mara is a handful go and say hello" he said smiling as they entered the house. Molly crossed to MAra and hugged her and told her who she was.
"Harry!" shouted Ron who came into the kitchen and pulled him into a one armed manly hug.
"why did Ginny slap you?" he asked smiling.
"well Ginny said no flying, she didn't say no horse riding and well she fell off and got a bruise.
"you have a horse?" molly asked smiling.
"yes, well its a stallion, beautiful it is" he said.
"is that why your so tired?" Ron asked.
"no...i have been busy...made some discoveries" he said to ron, who nodded his head.
"well then lets see this bruise- is that it! you gave Harry a red face for that, theres nothing there!" Ron said laughing.
"yes well, it looked worse outside" Ginny said guiltily.
"so mara you been horse riding?" ron said crouching down to talk to mara.
"yes, oh lightning is so beautiful, but Daddy says i cant ride him on my own only with him but when i'm older i can have a pony then my own horse when i really big!" she said beaming walking over to harry her arms raised. Harry picked her up.
"Shes calling you daddy already?" Ron said smiling.
"yes- hey you tired" he asked mara who had yawned.
"no" but she yawned again.
"come on bed- where are we sleeping?" he asked.
"my room" ginny said. Molly opened her mouth but ginny glared at her, it promptly shut.
"okay we'll see you tomorrow" he said.
"your going to bed, it's only twenty past tweleve!" ron exclaimed.
"it's been a hard week- see you later" he made his way to Ginnys room, he helped mara change and they both went to sleep fairly quickly.
*
Daddy wake up! Mommy wake daddy up, i want to go on lightning" mara said trying to wake them up.
"Don't woory darling, come to nana, its best to let them sleep" Molly said taking mara out of in between Harry and Ginny.
"But i want to go on daddys horse." she said as Mrs Weasley picked her up.
"you will be able to soon, now do you want some breakfast, then you can tell me when your birthday is" Molly said closing the door as she watched Ginny roll over to lean against Harry who put an arm unknowingly over her...
"Hey Gin, what time is it?" Harry asked groggily.
"About ten in the morning, you've been asleep along time" she said giggling.
"wheres mara?" harry asked realising she wasn't there.
"mom took her about an hour ago i think, lets tell mom your staying." she said sitting up.
"okay, but i'm still knackered" he said getting up.
"have you been looking for horcruxes" she said before pulling a shirt over her head "did you fnd one?"
"yes and yes" he replied smiling.
"thats brilliant have you destroyed it?" she asked.
"no, i don't know ho but i'm working on it, i've also been visiting other locations thats what has drained my energy" he said pulling his trousers up.
"you'll do it Harry, just have patience" she said kissing him. She then led him downstairs to be confronted by Mrs Weasley.
"Harry i'm so proud of you taking her in like this, you've made her so happy, did you know her birthdays next week" she asked him.
"yeh, i think mara might have mentioned it once, or twice, or all week" he said tickling mara.
"so what are you going to get her?" molly asked once ron had took her outside to show her the chickens.
"well i was thinking of a broomstick" he said Ginny glared at him. " or maybe not, but i'll tell you this Gin, if we have a son he'll be on a broom as soon as he hits one and nothing you can say is going to stop it, because i missed out on flying for eleven years and my son is going to be on his from the moment he can stand up" he said cooly.
"fine" ginny replied still glaring at him.
"yes...well get thinking Harry" Molly said before going back into the kitchen.
Chapter 14
Return to Hogwarts
The next week went by extremely quickly they had celebrated Maras birthday and harry had bought her numerous things a few ginny didn't approve of but he wasn't in the dog house for long. Fred and George also marked the day with some fireworks which mara loved.
it was the night before the others would be departing from the burrow to Hogwarts, Harry was outside in the stables for lightning whilst he was there and he was tending to the horse. An owl flew through the barn door and dropped a letter before immediately flying back out. Harry caustiously picked it up and began to read.
Harry,
it is i the HBP, i know you do not seek to talk to me, i can not blame you i have made your life hell for the past seven years all because of the grudge against your father, i can see you are nothing like him. i am truly sorry i only wish that you can forgive me as we must work together in the near future and i wish us to fight together as friends rather than enemies.
I insist that you return to Hogwarts, i understand you no longer require teaching but the DADA teacher has fallen ill and will be replaced by a man who was a great friend of Albus's, Albus were he still alive would be telling you that you were to have private training with this man and several other people including me.
As he is not alive, he forced me to tell you what is necersary. This teacher is a powerful wizard, he will help you control the powers you have come to find. There is more to this man than meets the eye, stay close to him. he is a friend.
my sincere apologies
HBP
"Snape!" Harry thought inside his head, he read it again and then stowed it in his pocket and proceded to the living room of the burrow where all the occupants were sleeping, mara was palying with her vast collection of toys Harry had bought her.
"Daddy, there all sleeping but mommy and nanny are upstairs" she told him.
Harry laid down on the couch and mara climbed onto him and placed her head on his chest, Harry summoned a blanket and levitated it over them, soon they were asleep.
Ginny and Molly came downstairs about half an hour and woke the others up, they all grinned when they saw HArry and Mara sleeping.
"you've got yourself a gooden there Gin" Fred said slapping her on the back.
"Hes a brilliant father" Molly said wiping her eyes.
"He deserves his own family" Ron said "after everything hes been through." they watched as Harry brought his arm up and rested it on her back.
"even in his sleep he protects people" George said laughing.
"Shush!" Hermione said wrapping her arms around Ron smiling at Harry.
"Right then, bed now" Molly said forcing them out of the room.
Before leaving ginny kissed Harry and Mara on the forehead and tucked them in before departing for bead. She was going to miss them, but she knew soon they would be a proper family with there own house and children running around with one last kiss she left and made her way upstairs.
*
The next morning the burrow was the usual Hustle and Bustle, people running around the house half dressed bowls of cereal in there hands, one sock on the other one missing.
"Ron! dont swear infront of Mara!" Harry shouted, ron blushed and Mara giggled, she liked ron he was funny. In her opinion.
After another hour of madness the weasleys and hermione were ready to leave.
"Harry i'll miss you, be careful and no flying i cant stop you horse riding because youve done it to much but if she gets on a horse you'll...never sleep in the same bed as me!" she said sternly.
"God, Mommy sure does like to make things boring" he said to Mara who he was holding. Harrys cheek earnt him a slap around the head.
"i'm sorry, i might see you later, i might be coming back" he whispered into her ear.
"don't mess me around are you coming back or not?" she said pulling her wand out.
"That won't work Gin, i have a permanent shield around me after you attacked me at the wedding, your one dangerous girl, i still don't know where you were hiding that wand, from what i observed and i observed very well it was inpossible to have that wand on any part of your body." he said smiling.
"and if you cheek me again you'll never find out again, now be in the great hall tonight or else" she said kissing them before walking away to the car. The Weasleys departed leaving Harry and Mara alone.
"Now what am i going to do with you" he said smiling at her.
"buy me loads of presents!" she said beaming.
"is that so, well out of ten how good have you been?" he asked.
"TEN! i'm always a good girl" she said beaming.
"I know you are precious, lets see what we can get you" he said swinging her around.
Harry left a note and left with mara to Diagon Alley.
*
"Right lets go and spend some of my money!" he said tickling her.
"Daddy stop it!" she squealed.
The pair were causing quite a scene in Diagon alley and were recieving a lot of attention but they battled through the crowd and finally reached the twins joke show.
the shop was midly busy but nobody paid them any heed so Harry walked up to the counter.
"hey Verity, are fred and george in?" he asked smiling, this resulted in her turning the same colour as her red robes.
"Mr Po-Po-Potter-" she began.
"please, call me harry, so are they here?" he asked again.
"Ha-Harr-Harry, they are" she began.
"Harry old chap how are you doing" fred aske dclasping his hand.
"and hows our favourite niece?" george said to Mara, he turned around and hid her face into Harrys chest.
"arr, shes shy, or your face scared her" fred said.
"that might me true, but do not forget you have the same face as me so your probably scared her as well" George said.
"your right, why didn't i see it before, were twins!" fred retorted.
"so Harry what can we do for you?" they both asked.
"well mara told me i have to buy her loads of presents, and i thought if i cant get anything here then i've got no chance" he said to a pair of beaming twins.
"well then Mr Potter, what can we do for you?" they both asked.
"well..." Harry went on to explain what Mara wanted and within Half an Hour later they were leaving with several items which Mara had chosen her self, they headed back home to the burrow.
Ah Harry, Mara your back, did you have a good time?" Molly asked, hugging them.
"yes, Daddy bougth me loads of presents and were going to- Whats it called Daddy?" she said excitedly.
"Prank Darling"
"yes were going to prank people like uncle fred and george" she said beaming.
"why where are you going?" Molly asked.
"well there is a new DADA teacher and apparently i'm having private lessons with him, so were going back to Hogwarts, so i'm going to see Minerva now about accomodation" he said.
"oh, well be careful and try not to annoy her" she said downcast, she was going to be alone again. Harry realised this.
"Mom, will you leteveryone know that they are invited to Potter Manor for the entire christmas Holidays as guest and, Molly you won't be cooking, you will be in the living putting your feet up whislt my house elves see to your needs, she will be a guest and i will block you out of my kitchen if i have to" he said smiling.
"Oh Harry that would be brilliant" she said beaming. Who would have thought it, the Weasleys spending Christmas Holdiays at Potter Manor, the largest and most decorated Manor ever. Days later she was still smiling.
"Goodbye Molly! fawkes!" the phoenix appeared and they vanished to the great hall.
"Ahh!" McGonagall screamed , which was just audiable over Hagrid fallin out of his chair, it was lunchtime and the teachers were eating.
"Blimey Harry! Dumbledore was always doing that! you scared the hell out of me" He said picking his cahir up after he fell out.
"Ah yes, sorry about that but time is of the essence, Professor McGonagall, your office please, i insist that we talk" Harry said.
"err yes Mr Potter, you know where to go" she was startled by his
forwardness.
They both made there way to her office and the gargoyle moved aside for harry before either had said anything, Harry didn't look worried, he looked like what happened always happened.
"What can i do for you?" she asked curiously as Mara pulled Harrys hair, Harry did that to james when he was younger than Mara was.
"well, i shall be returning to Hogwarts not as a guest as a visitor, for my own personal needs, which do not need to be discussed. if possible i would like to stay in the guest quaters for mine and maras privacy-" he told her.
"yeh, uncle Ron snores and botty burps in his sleep" Mara said crossly gazing at McGonagall. who lips formed a smile even though it looked quite hard work for her.
"you demand quite alot Mr Potter, what makes you believe that i will consent?" she asked.
"well it is your duty as Headmisstriss to allow any heir of the school take refuge if they desire it but i've checked and voldermort cant use it becuase after slytherin abandoned ther school he and his heirs lost that right." Harry said looking into her eyes.
"hmmm, very well Mr Potter, i consent, is there anything else?"she asked.
"yes...are the stables still in use?" he asked.
"no...but they will be, few people know of there location" she told him standing up. As he cue to leave he also sttod up.
"thankyou Professor" he said.
"Minerva Harry, you are a guest, your accomodation is in theeast tower behind the picture of the drunken knights" she told him.
"Thankyou Minerva...i shall see you at the feast" Harry and Mara left and headed to the east tower. On the way he came across snape.
"severus" he said politely.
"Harry how are you both!" he asked enthusiactly.
"were good, yourself" he said making small talk.
"yes, i'm fine...did you get my letter, it was serious" he said smiling.
"yes, inform me when we are to meet...i have lodgings to see to" he said briskily.
"Okay Harry, i will not delay you, goodbye" he said smiling before he left.
They went there own ways and Harry reached the portrait.
"right Mara, what shall the password be?" he asked her.
"Mara!" she exclaimed.
"Brilliant, lets go in" the portrait swung open and they entered.
The first room they entered was the living room which was decorated to nearly the same furnishing as the Gryffindor commom room, the living was nicely warmed thanks to the fireplace that was roaring.
The kitchen was fairly large and the bathroom was the size of a small swimming pool.
They spent the next few hours eating and playing with all of the toys, they also discussed the pranks they were going to play. Finally Harry decided it was time to go down to the great Hall and Harry was instructed to sit at the staff table.
Five minutes later the hall began filling up and Harry looked down to see Ron, Hermione and Ginny waving at him and beaming at him, slowly the chairs filled up and McGonagall stood up.
"Welcome back everybody for the winter term, i hope you all enjoyed the break because its back to hard work, firstly there are some noticesbefore the feast. Number one, Harry Potter has returned to the school as a guest and is to be left alone, i also ask that the Harry Potter Fan Club refrain themselves from following him during lessons" most of the girls in the hall giggled, Ginny scowled at them.
"next Professor Moore the DADA teacher has become in and can not teacher, his replacement will arrive shortly his name is Professor Evans(ha ha couldn't help myself, it had to be done) he also likes his privacy so do not annoy him-" the doors rumbled and swung open to reveal Professor Evans, his eyes that were deep brown showed no emotion, one might say killers eyes, his eyes swept around the room taking in its surroundings finally resting on Harry, he set off towards the table at a quick pace.
The black robes he were wearing hung tightll to him revealing his physical appearance (there we go again, couldn't help myself) the students all cranned there necks to get a better view of this mysterious man who looked as if he had seen and lived everything life could throw at a person. as he ran a hand over his hair to brush down any windswept hair, he shook McGonagalls hand and then proceded around the table to snape who he embraced as a brother. The hall burst into chatter and McGonagall called for silence.
"there are no more announcements may the feast-" she was interupted by a falsh of fire, fawkes had arrived, he was sitting on Harrys shoulder and it appeared to the people in the hall that they were engaged in conversation.
Harry stood up and walked over to McGonagall and whispered in her ear.
"not again! Harry, go the order needs you" she whispered back.
"i know, i need my sword" he told her.
"summon it and go" she said, Harry flicked his wand summoning his sword, then he clicked his fingers changing into his battle robes.
He ran over to Ginny and whispered into her ear and then kissed her just as the sword came rattling towards him, he snatched it out of mid-flight and sheathed it, the hall broke out into rumors.
"Fawkes!" Harry called, the bird flew over to him and they dissapeared. Ginny broke down crying into Hermione who was comforting her, whilst Ron ignored questions looking ver sick.