Chapter Text
Harry Potter, otherwise known as Johnathan Harold Snape, would be eleven years old in one month, two weeks, four days, and six hours. At the moment, he was hurriedly getting things ready to leave Durmstrang in the next few days for the summer. Severus Snape could see him easily from the living room, where he was getting books together. They would be spending the summer at Malfoy Manor, as usual. And after that...
Harry would begin school in September. Severus had already spoken with Karkaroff to do the necessary application process. Not that he was worried. With the dirt he had on Karkaroff, which the headmaster most assuredly did not want public, Harry was assured a place there for better or worse. The boy would be happy, if only so he could be near Cissienia Novak and her infant daughter.
The pregnancy had been very difficult on her because of her age, but Cissienia was too stubborn and willful to abort, even with urging from her husband. He was there the whole time, monitoring her progress and consulting with Severus and Koenig over various potions to keep her strength up that wouldn't interfere with the child. She stayed in Novak's close summer home and visited on Sundays.
When the baby was born, Cissienia survived and the three men gave a collective sigh of relief. Now, only six months later, she was quite convinced that she would return to work that September and resume teaching with little Avina staying with her father or Koenig, who'd been named the child's godfather along with his wife as godmother. Severus applauded the choice and was rather amused when Cissienia told Harry that he'd have to be a good godbrother to the baby, a responsibility the boy took very seriously.
Severus watched as Harry carefully packed up his books and toys. He could be rather meticulous when he wanted, though he generally had a much messier disposition. As long as he cleaned his room on Sundays, Severus didn't tend to mind it. Now, however, he'd asked Harry specifically to pack carefully to save space. The boy was obedient enough to mind at least this much. Generally, Harry wasn't all that rebellious, but he had his moments and Severus had been assured by Koenig that those moments were nothing like what would come later as the boy aged. Severus wasn't too worried.
He wondered what it would be like, with Harry busy getting into the glories of school. Harry was already rather independent and self-relying, so he doubted that would change much. He wondered if Harry would ask for help with his homework or just go to his friends for study groups. He would have friends. Harry was outgoing and personable, so Severus had few doubts of the boy's ability to find company. And with Harry's natural prowess on the gently-used adult broom he'd gotten for Christmas, he was assured at least the athletic natured boys would likely flock to him. Harry spoke of Quidditch often. He had every intention of joining the team when he started school and had notions of breaking the taboo of only picking students second year and older. Stubborn as he was, Severus had little doubt he'd manage.
After watching his son a bit longer, Severus finally looked away and went back to packing. They left Durmstrang two days later and made a short trip to their home on Spinner's End before heading on as customary to Malfoy Manor.
Draco Malfoy, newly eleven only days before, greeted them with his usual cocky smirk. He'd, for some inane reason, decided to emulate his father's foppishly long hair by gelling his own back, making it look slightly longer than it actually was. Severus had never really understood Draco's insistence on being like the man, but he supposed it was much like why Harry still refused to cut his hair. The black locks brushed his shoulders with messy bangs falling so fully into his face that they rarely had to use their concealing method on his scar.
Draco led them to their customary guest rooms, chattering about this and that, but Severus heard little of it. His thoughts went to the scar. He'd still not told Harry where it came from or anything about the business with the Dark Lord, other than what Harry had read in his history book. He had no notion that he was so critically involved, though he did find it a little odd that he shared the birth date and nickname of the boy savior. Severus knew the time was swiftly approaching that he'd have to tell him. He was loathe to do it because telling him that... meant explaining everything.
He was terrified of losing the gentle sound of “Father” from Harry's lips.
Draco and Harry chatted as the latter of the two set his things away. Severus could hear them through the short hall that connected his room to his son's. It was strangely calming. Harry and Draco had cultivated a good friendship between them, though they often bewildered one another. Harry had once asked why Draco had so much against non-magical people and Severus explained as well as he could, but he doubted Harry really understood. Even being raised within Durmstrang, Harry had been tainted by rather little pureblood diatribe, to which Severus was grateful. It likely had to do with the fact that Severus admitted to the boy of being halfblooded himself and that Harry's mother had been muggleborn.
Suddenly, Severus heard the word Hogwarts. He listened more closely without even thinking about it. Draco started going on about the school, dictating that he would, of course, be in Slytherin and Harry would have to come with him-
“But I'm going to Durmstrang,” Harry replied calmly. “With my father.”
“What are you going on about? My father said you'd be going to school with me!”
He almost saw the exasperation Harry must have been showing. “Not everyone does what your father tells them to do, Draco. And I'm not. I'm going to Durmstrang. I want to stay near Father.”
“But he said- Harry, you cannot leave me there alone!”
Severus felt a little sorry for the boy and the obvious anxiety he heard in his voice, but his thoughts shifted. Malfoy had told him that? But he knew Severus intended Harry to attend Durmstrang while he taught there. Severus frowned. Perhaps the older man had simply misspoken, or else Draco may have misunderstood him. Both were used to getting what they wanted and hearing what they wanted came hand in hand.
In the other room, Harry was comforting Draco as best he could, citing out Draco's other friends who would be staying in England for school. It wasn't so much of a big deal, now was it? And he certainly wasn't leaving him alone. Draco still snipped and sniped anyway.
Once Severus had his things settled, a house elf came to fetch him for afternoon tea. The boys went off to amuse themselves elsewhere and Severus drew at his iron will once again as he went to face Malfoy. After years of this arrangement, he was quite used to doing it.
The eldest Malfoy aged well. Severus would have rathered he hadn't. The man was conventionally beautiful and sickeningly Aryan, minus blue eyes anyway. His face was more distinguished and far too much like his father for Severus to be comfortable. The old man had been a terror before he died.
“Ah, Severus. How prompt you are,” Malfoy murmured with an amused smirk. He always looked amused when Severus was involved.
“Malfoy.”
Except for the summer holiday, Malfoy tended to ignore him and Severus liked it that way. He'd have rathered leave the man behind completely, but Malfoy was an insidious bastard. He'd have found a way.
“Honestly, the way you call me. One would think we weren't old friends.”
“We aren't,” Severus said in a blank tone as he stirred honey into his tea.
“You wound me.”
“Lovely.”
Malfoy's lips quirked and Severus hated how even that was done with graceful beauty. He hated Lucius Malfoy.
“Well, since you're absolutely set on lacking in pleasantries, I suppose we shall have to get to business,” he murmured with boredom in his tone. Lucius always sounded either bored and amused. Sometimes both at once. He was talented.
“Please do. I will enjoy getting back to my rooms for a peaceful, solitary afternoon,” Severus countered without a bit of warmth. This used to bother Malfoy. He'd grown used to it in the last years of their dalliance.
Malfoy merely lifted a brow. “I'm sure you would. The matter concerns my son. He shall be starting school this September.”
“Naturally. He's not quite as slow as his father.”
That one stung. Severus felt a mild adulation when Malfoy's eyes narrowed. He'd pay for it later, but he'd stopped caring about that.
“...Quite. As I was saying... With Draco beginning school, I find myself rather worried. He needs watching, that boy. Cultivating.”
Severus lifted his gaze, lips pressing in a white line. Times like these, he wished Malfoy was the kind of man to spit things out already.
“...Yes?” he prompted.
“I would like you to do this cultivation.”
Severus lifted a brow. “The boy will be journeying to Durmstrang, then?”
“Oh, no. Narcissa is completely against sending him so far.” Malfoy smiled at the faint confusion on Severus' face. He rested his head on his folded hands. “I have it on firm authority that Horace Slughorn has been desperately trying to find someone of skill to replace him. You will be that replacement.”
For a moment, Severus was absolutely still. He stayed quiet, eyes boring into Malfoy as he tried to decode this newest order. Perhaps Malfoy had gotten all he wanted from Karkaroff. It was the only thing he could think of that would make him repeal his decision to leave Severus in Germany.
“I shall have to inform Karkaroff of my resignation,” he said slowly.
“Oh, I've already taken care of that,” Malfoy murmured with a short, cold laugh. “Igor seemed rather relieved. Don't tell me you've been tormenting that man all these years.”
“There was little other entertainment.”
“I'm sure.”
As soon as Malfoy had amused himself all he could from their meeting, he dragged Severus off to molest him properly and then finally let the younger man go when he grew tired of Severus' complete unresponsiveness. The whole routine made very little impact anymore.
Severus stepped into the shower as soon as he returned to his room to Malfoy's disgusting touch from his skin and heal his sore body. Then he wrote a letter and settled to wait for Dumbledore's reply.