"Harry, time to wake up."
"Go away," Harry muttered in to his pillow.
"Come now darling, surely you must be sick of this room."
Harry suddenly realized that it wasn't Snape in his room bothering him. Snape would never call him 'darling'.
He picked his head up and saw that Draco's Mum was standing at the foot of his bed.
"Oh, Mrs Malfoy."
"Cissa, darling. We are family, wouldn't you say?"
"Sure," Harry agreed dully, dropping his head back to his pillow. "Where's Snape?"
"He's out, and you need to shower darling, you stink."
Harry's face burned at the insult.
"Nobody's making you be here," he muttered sullenly. "Feel free to go."
"Tut, tut," said 'Cissa'. "Is that any way to talk to your family?"
"I don't have a family," Harry sighed, annoyed at everyone's insistence at pretending to be his family. What good was a pretend family that liked you when you really only had a real family who hates you? If people pretended to be your family they could be pretending to like you as well.
They probably are.
It just isn't smart to trust anyone like that.
"Of course you do," Cissa said, sitting gently (even though Harry definitely hadn't invited her) on the side of his bed. "I'm not masquerading as your family, we truly are biologically related."
Harry sat up and looked at her more carefully, his interest caught by her statement.
"Yeah?" he said cautiously, pulling his knees to his chest.
"Has Draco not told you?" she asked with a small frown.
Harry vaguely remembered an off handed comment by Draco in their first year that they were related but he'd been too focused on Dumbledore deciding his whole life to have properly listened.
"Might have," Harry allowed. He looked at her blonde hair, grey eyes, sharp cheekbones, and long slender limbs. "We don't look much alike."
Cissa laughed, and Harry liked her laugh. It was warm and musical, just the kind of laugh he imagined his own mother might have had.
Stupid to think that really.
Stupid to waste time thinking about things you could never have or hear.
"Let me think... You, my darling, are my second-cousin through James. His mother, your paternal grandmother, was my mother's aunt."
"So we're- we're actually related?" Harry asked quietly.
Cissa smiled and slowly reached over to put her hand on his quilt covered knee.
"We are. You are my favorite cousin."
Harry laughed a little at that as he shifted away from her hand.
"D'you have many other cousins to choose from?"
"Come downstairs and have tea with me and I'll go over our entire shared family history with you," she said. When Harry hesitated she casually added on, "You do have an interesting cousin who is a metamorphmagus."
Harry considered her offer. He really was tired, he didn't want to get out of bed, but...
But he didn't have a family, did he? And Draco's Mum was just offering to tell him about one she shared with him. And metamorphmagi were really rare.
"What'd'ya want from me?" Harry asked.
Nobody did anything for free.
"I'd like you to shower," she said, holding her nose dramatically. "Teenage boys require daily bathes."
"God, get out," Harry groaned, his face aflame with shame. "I'm going. Fuck."
Cissa laughed merrily again.
"Fifteen minutes darling," she called, closing the door behind her.
Harry wondered if Draco would be mad if he cursed his mom.
He probably would.
Some people were weird about stuff like that.
Harry wasn't going to admit it, but he did feel a bit better after his shower. Cissa's knowing look when he came in the kitchen just made him scowl at her though.
"You spend too much time around Severus," she laughed. "You're beginning to pick up on each other's mannerisms."
Harry scowled harder at that.
"Do not," he muttered, slumping down in to a kitchen chair.
"Severus told Lucius a couple of weeks ago that his research was 'going brill'," she said. "I don't believe that is a Severus-ism."
Harry felt himself grin just a bit at that.
"A 'Severus-ism'?" he said.
"Oh yes, surely you've noticed that Severus has many phrases he prefers to constantly use," Cissa said, taking Snape's usual seat across from Harry.
"Mostly just brat, I suppose," Harry shrugged.
"I believe that is meant to be a term of endearment, which is much more polite than his usual 'son of a bitch'" she winked. "Now- remind me what your charming house-elf's name is. Severus refers to him as 'that irksome elf' but I'm quite sure that isn't what you call him."
"Mavis," Harry yelled.
Crack!
"Master Potter is getting out of bed! Mavis was worrying Master was never-"
"Shut up," Harry hissed to Mavis, his face heating up again. Draco's Mum did not need to know all about Harry being...
Weak, his mind whispered helpfully.
Mavis looked between Harry and Cissa, wringing his hands.
"Mavis is sorry. Mavis is keeping Masters business to himself. Mavis was only being worried about Master Potter."
"It's fine," Harry sighed, exhausted again already. "Cissa wants you."
"Mavis would you be a dear and fetch a tea tray for Master Potter?" Cissa smiled charmingly at Mavis. "Perhaps some finger sandwiches and biscuits too, if you have them."
"Of course Mavis is having them!" Mavis perked up and jumped towards the fridge. "Mavis will be having tea and snacks prepared for Master and his friend right away!"
"Thank you," Cissa smiled again at Mavis.
"I'm not hungry," Harry said, rolling his eyes again. Snape had been bugging him constantly to eat too and he didn't get it. Harry wasn't being ungrateful, he was just exhausted and miserable- and worthless -and didn't feel hungry.
"Perhaps I am," Cissa said, studying her perfect nails serenely. "You will need to learn how to be a proper host as the future Lord Potter-Black."
"Sorry," Harry mumbled, feeling chastised despite Cissa's casual tone.
"No worries darling, I will teach you these things. What else is family for?" she smiled.
"Speaking of family...?" Harry prodded, wanting her to tell him about the rest of their shared relatives.
"Hmm, where to begin..." Cissa tapped one nail against her chin thoughtfully. "I'll begin with our living relatives first. There's me, Draco, and Lucius, your cousins of course. And Sirius, though I fear he isn't long for this world, provoking Severus like he has. My sister Andromeda, her husband Ted Tonks, and their daughter Nymphadora, the Auror-in-Training who is a metamorphmagus."
Of course someone as interesting as a metamorphmagus would choose something as stupid as being a cop for a career, Harry scoffed.
"And of course my other sister, the ever so charming Bellatrix and her husband Rodolphus Lestrange. Oh, thank you Mavis," Cissa said as Mavis quietly placed a tea service and various plates of snacks on the table.
"So- so I have," Harry counted quickly, "nine relatives that are still alive? Seven adults?"
Seven choices that would have been better than Surrey.
"You have eight relatives that we share, not counting myself," Cissa corrected him gently. "Your father was a pureblood and most of the old families are related one way or another."
Harry snorted, grabbing a 'miniature treacle tart' (as Mavis named his odd but tasty creation) off the plate closest to him.
"So if I have all these relatives why did nobody tell me before now?"
"Oh being related to the Blacks is considered quite the disgrace," Cissa said airily, pouring them each a cup of tea. "I suppose nobody wanted to disappoint you with the knowledge."
"Why's it a disgrace?" Harry asked, accepting the tea and adding sugar to it. "Besides Sirius, of course."
"Sirius, Bella, and her husband are all imprisoned. Sirius was marked as a traitor to the Light, as you are aware, and Bella and Rodolphus are quite a matched set in their madness. They tortured your friend Neville's parents until they became little more than empty shells- surviving but never living."
Harry shifted uncomfortably at that. Snape thought he was mad, didn't he? And he'd tortured people before too. Perhaps not that badly, but Bellatrix's actual nephew wore scars from Harry's own two hands.
"Andy ran off and married a Muggle, which was quite the disgrace in our family," Cissa continued. "And while I believe myself to be an absolute delight of a relative, many consider the House of Malfoy to be the lap dogs to the Dark Lord," she said cheerfully.
Harry snorted at her tone.
"Not anymore though, eh?" he said with a small grin.
"Never again darling, cheers to that." Cissa raised her mug to him with another wink.
Harry hadn't meant to, but he let out a small huff of a laugh. Cissa was ridiculous.
"Can I ask you a question?" Harry said carefully.
"You just did," she said, smiling softly. "Though I'll allow one more if I may ask you one in return."
Harry wondered if all Slytherin's were big fans of trades.
They probably were.
"Alright, but I'm not going to answer if I don't want to," Harry said, thinking it wouldn't be fair not to warn her beforehand.
"And neither shall I," Cissa said. "Go ahead darling."
"Bellatrix is your sister, yeah? And everyone says she's completely mad. That she did all that horrible stuff. So- so was she always mad?"
Harry wasn't mad. He was sure of that.
It was just... he felt really crummy lately. And Snape called him mad, said he was insane, and said he was depressed.
And Snape didn't lie to him.
Cissa sat her teacup down and seemed to become thoughtful at his question.
"She was not," she finally said. "She used to be a perfectly lovely bullying older sister."
"So what happened?" Harry asked.
"Tut, tut," Cissa said, smiling once again. "I believe it is now my turn. If you'd like, I'll graciously allow you a second question if I may have the same courtesy."
"We'll see," Harry muttered, slumping in his seat in preparation for whatever question she was about to ask. "Go ahead."
"Posture darling," she hummed, causing Harry to sit up straighter with another small huff. "Why do you enjoy living with Severus?"
Harry thought through the wording of her question carefully.
"'Why?' Not 'do I?'" he said. "Who says I enjoy living with Snape?"
Cissa laughed and wagged a finger at him, "That's a question."
"Fine." Harry thought about the reasons 'why' he liked living here. "Well it's a nice house, ya know? Plus it's mine. Snape says it can't ever be taken from me. It'll always be mine. I have a bedroom. Mavis has his own space he likes in the attic. And Sevvie gets to fly in the yard."
"You misunderstand me darling," Cissa said with a warm smile. "Not why do you enjoy your charming home, but why do you enjoy living with Severus? You chose him, there must be something you like about the eccentric man."
Harry scowled at that. Mione called Luna 'eccentric' and he knew it really meant 'weird'.
"Snape is not weird," he said hotly. "He can be a bit of a git sometimes, but he's an alright bloke, isn't he? He's not a liar, and he knows more about me than anyone and he likes me anyway, doesn't he? So don't call him 'weird'," he spat.
Cissa wasn't cowed in the slightest by his irritation. She smiled even more after he'd quit talking and started picking apart a sandwich.
"Plenty of people like you," she said, grabbing a handful of grapes. "Severus was perhaps the first though."
"Exactly," Harry agreed. "He was the first person that liked me for no reason. And even though there's things about me Snape doesn't like anymore, it doesn't mean he's not still my friend."
"I can't imagine there's anything Severus doesn't like about you," Cissa said with a small chuckle.
'Harry- you sound mad.' 'You sound insane.'
"He thinks I'm crazy," Harry said flatly. "Called me insane, didn't he? Thinks I'm like your sister."
"Did he?" Cissa hummed. "And you're quite sure he meant it? That he purposefully insulted the child who changed his long-established patronus?"
"He said it, didn't he? Told you, Snape's not a liar. If he said I'm insane, then he thinks it."
"Were you behaving madly?" Cissa asked. Harry would have been annoyed at the question, but she didn't look like she was taking the mickey out of him.
"Dunno," he admitted cautiously. "I don't think so though."
Cissa looked thoughtful as she pursed her lips and leveled her grey eyes with Harry's green.
"I don't think you're like Bella at all. You do remind me quite a bit of Sirius when he was young though," she said softly. "Which is not meant to be an insult, despite what your reddening face tells me you consider it."
Harry pushed his chair back angrily and was getting ready to go right back to his room when-
"People thought he was mad too," she said. "He'd get these grand ideas for pranks and plans for the future and he'd be bouncing around the castle, terrorizing people with just his energy. Nobody seemed to understand that these weren't just crazy ideas, they were plans and they were amazing and Sirius was a genius for coming up with them."
"Yeah?" Harry breathed, getting drawn in despite himself.
He didn't want to have anything in common with a scumbag like Sirius Black, but Harry knew how that felt. Snape certainly hadn't understood his plans for catching Black, didn't even care to listen to them properly.
Accused him of being on drugs just because Harry finally felt completely alive.
"Oh yes, Sirius would just be so alive, sometimes" she said with a fond smile, almost as if she'd plucked the exact phrase out of Harry's head.
Harry checked his barriers and was relieved to know that it was impossible.
"And then he'd be exhausted," Cissa continued. "Positively drained of all his energy. A mutual friend of ours told me that he once was so tired and disenchanted with life that he had attempted to hang himself in his dorm room."
Harry blanched and subtly tucked his hands under his knees.
He'd done that before. Maybe not specifically what Black did, but he cut his wrists wide open, hadn't he? Then magic healed him up, even though he didn't tell it to, and Snape found him two weeks later.
He still had the scars though.
And... and he hadn't done it again, but he'd thought about it a lot lately. He laid in his bed and wondered how it would have felt if he hadn't accidentally healed himself.
You'd be so free.
"Then of course your father saved his life and Sirius moved in with him and your grandparents that next summer."
"What?" Harry looked up at Narcissa sharply, pulled from his own swirling thoughts by that new bit of information. "My Dad saved his life?"
"He did," she said pleasantly.
"Why'd he move in with him?"
Cissa frowned at his question, her eyes looking sad and angry.
"My Aunt Walburga, Sirius and his brother Regulus' mother, was an unpleasant sort of woman. I'm sure you know the type. Unfit to be a mother," she sniffed. "I believe James thought that saving Sirius from his mother would save him from himself."
Harry ignored her insinuation.
"Did it?" he asked. "Was Sirius fixed once he was somewhere nobody was hurting him?"
"There was nothing wrong with Sirius to fix," Cissa said softly. "He was just another brilliant star that burned too brightly in our sky."
Harry rolled his eyes at Cissa's sympathetic tone. If Sirius was a star that burnt brightly- then he tried his best to make sure Harry's star never got to shine at all.
"So my Dad did all that stuff to help him and then Black turned around and told Voldemort where to find them, didn't he?" Harry asked, making sure he knew exactly what all he owed Black for. "After my dad let him move in and he owed him a life debt, he had him killed?"
"That is what they say," Cissa agreed.
"Fuckin' bastard," Harry snarled. "I'm gonna kill him."
"Will you?" Cissa hummed. "So you believe that Sirius led the Dark Lord to Godric's Hollow and stood by while he killed his best friend? The man who saved his life, took him in to his family home, and named him godfather to his Heir?"
"Do you not?" Harry asked. "What- because he's your cousin?"
Cissa smiled and slid the bowl of grapes towards Harry, who popped a few in his mouth.
"Would you stand by and allow someone to kill Severus?"
"Probably not," Harry said. "But Sirius was mad wasn't he? He clearly didn't care that my Dad saved his life or let him move in with him."
"You know darling, I hear a lot of people say that Sirius was mad. Yet, when I think of him as he was when he was a teenager, back when we attended school together, I don't remember him being mad. I remember him being terribly haunted, a horrible bully, and one of the most tragically misunderstood people I had ever met at that point in my life."
"Snape says I'm misunderstood," Harry said softly, rolling the tension out of his shoulders. "Says people are scared of what they don't understand, didn't he?"
"Severus is an exceedingly bright man," Cissa said, smiling once again.
"Yeah," Harry agreed. "So if he thinks Sirius is mad, and I'm mad, then he's probably right, isn't he?"
"Oh Severus isn't infallible," Cissa laughed. "He told me many times he would never have a child, yet here you sit."
Harry was exhausted.
'Depressed,' a voice that sounded like Snape whispered.
"I'm tired," he hedged. "I might just go upstairs and lay down for a bit..."
"You would leave me to entertain myself until Severus arrives home?" Cissa pouted, looking a lot like Draco. "Be a gentleman Harry. Tell me about this party you're planning for Mister Longbottom that has caused my son to be so terribly envious."
Harry reluctantly laughed at that. Draco was such a jealous prat.
"Well it's for Neville's birthday, sort of. I wanted it to be just a party for Neville but Susan threw a fit, didn't she? Said either it had to be for both of us or she'd plan her own party," he said fondly. "So it's a joint birthday party. Just for our gang, even though Draco tried to invite the whole bloody castle."
"Draco is a social butterfly," Cissa smiled. "He's been pouting quite spectacularly that you haven't been by to fly with him yet this summer."
Harry fidgeted uncomfortably.
"I was really busy... and then I've been sick..." he offered as a weak excuse.
You're a terrible friend.
Well, a terrible cousin, apparently.
"He'll be delighted to hear you feel better, I'm sure he'll have an entire days worth of activities planned for you soon."
Harry was saved trying to find an excuse to get out of what sounded like an exhausting day by Snape's arrival home.
"Severus," Cissa cried happily as Snape stepped slowly in to the kitchen, giving Harry an inscrutable look. "How did your appointment go?"
"It went as well as expected," Snape said, opting to lean against the kitchen counter. "How has your afternoon been?"
"Wonderful," Cissa said cheerfully. "Harry and I have been talking about our family."
"Have you?" Snape asked evenly.
"We have," she said. "And now I must get going, who knows what mischief Draco has gotten in to in my absence? He'll be pleased when I inform him of his cousins impending visit," she said with a wink towards Harry, showing herself to the floo before Harry could tell her not to tell Draco that.
Damn it.
Now he either had to go see Draco or listen to him whinge the whole train ride back to Hogwarts.
Snape snorted and moved to his now empty seat.
"Narcissa is a force of nature," Snape muttered, snagging a biscuit off one of the trays.
Harry scooted his chair back, planning on quietly heading back to his room (bed) now that Cissa wasn't here to trick him in to staying.
"How was your afternoon?" Snape asked.
Ugh.
"Fine," Harry said.
"Was Narcissa a pleasant guest?"
"Suppose so," Harry said.
"Harry, I owe you an apology," Snape said abruptly, catching Harry's attention.
"For what?" he asked.
Snape looked right in Harry's eyes, he looked upset about something. Harry would swear there were new lines around Snape's eyes that hadn't been there before.
"When you informed me that you were looking for Black, I was incredibly concerned. I am still worried that you will be hurt if you confront him. But it is a poor excuse for what I said to you, and for that I am sorry."
"Did you mean it though?" Harry asked.
Apologies are just words. They don't mean anything, not really.
"I did not mean it," Snape said. "I do not believe you are mad, or insane."
Harry sagged a little in his chair and gave Snape as much of a smile as he felt like he could give.
God he was exhausted.
"Cissa said you aren't infallible," he said.
"Narcissa was quite right," Snape agreed. "As you of all people are aware, I have made many mistakes in my life and I will continue to make many more."
Harry stood up and stretched, he hadn't realized how long he'd been sitting there with Cissa.
"It's fine," he said. "Just don't do it again, yeah?" He glanced towards the doorway and edged towards it, "I'm just gonna go work on homework for a bit..."
"I was hoping we could talk if you had time," Snape said, standing up now too. "We could move to the sitting room, you did spend quite a bit of money to make it comfortable."
Harry sighed. It was beginning to seem like he was never going to get back upstairs at this rate.
"'Kay," he agreed.
Harry followed behind Snape to the sitting room where he immediately curled up in his favorite chair.
"What're we talking about?" he asked blankly.
"I had an interesting appointment today," Snape said, apropos of nothing.
"Brill," Harry said, when Snape didn't explain further.
"I went to see a Muggle that I see on occasion," Snape said. "He's considered to be an expert in his field."
"For cancer?" Harry asked. Snape had told him about using the basilisk venom to create a cure for the Muggle disease. Harry personally thought the venom should be made in to a weapon but it was Snape's call.
"Psychology, actually," Snape said.
"Is that some other Muggle disease?"
"Of a sort," Snape said slowly. "It is an illness of the mind. The man is a Mind Healer."
"Oh, okay." Harry glanced longingly towards the stairs. "Is that all...?"
"I thought you would like to meet him," Snape said.
An illness of the mind... a Mind Healer...
'You sound insane.'
"No," Harry said flatly. "I'm not crazy."
"I know that," Snape said quietly, watching Harry closely. "Mind Healers are not solely for crazy people. They can assist you in sorting your thoughts and processing events in your life. I believe the Wixen world is ignorant for not utilizing their services more."
"Brill, then you go see him," Harry said. "I won't."
"Would you be willing to see him at least once for a trade?" Snape said shrewdly.
What is with everyone and their trades today? Harry shook his head.
"Doubt it," he said, getting to his feet.
"There's a new broom that recently was released to the market, a Firebolt," Snape said. "I would purchase it for you if you would go to one appointment."
For a split second Harry considered it. Draco had written him weeks ago about the new broom. And Ron described all of its features in one of the letters he sent before he had left for Egypt.
Harry saw it when he went to Diagon Alley with Susan the beginning of the summer, before Sirius Black escaped, and it looked amazing.
But... but he wasn't fucking crazy.
And he wouldn't say that he was just for a new broom. He'd just buy it himself.
"No. I'm not crazy Snape."
"I know that," Snape said softly.
Too softly. Like he's talking to a crazy person.
He didn't mean that apology. It was just words.
'Harry- you sound insane.'
"Then why are you doing this?" he asked quietly.
Snape sighed and cradled his head in his hands for a moment.
"Harry you are not crazy, you are sick. It's called," Harry watched as Snape swallowed thickly before continuing, "it's called Manic-Depressive Illness and you need help."
"What's that?" Harry asked, reluctantly sinking back down in to his chair and scowling at Snape's comment.
He does not need help.
He doesn't need anything.
He's fine.
He's just fucking so tired and nobody will leave him alone.
"It's why you were feeling so energetic and behaving so erratically, and why you are currently so tired and despondent," Snape said. "It's a legitimate disease Harry, and talking to the Mind Healer will help to treat it."
"I don't need to go talk to some healer, I'm fine," Harry said. "I don't have that disease, I swear. I'm just-" Harry faltered, trying to find an excuse Snape would accept that wasn't some mad disease- "I'm bored. And I'm tired."
"Depressed," Snape murmured. "You are depressed. And at some point you will be manic again, then depressed again, and it will continue to cycle Harry. This is not a weakness."
"I know it's not, because I don't have it," Harry insisted, getting to his feet again. "I'm going to my room," he said shortly.
Snape sighed and rubbed his eyes.
"Go," he said. "But please don't lay in bed the rest of the day Harry. It isn't healthy."
"'Kay," Harry said, heading quickly for the stairs. He threw his door open and immediately flopped down on his bed.
Snape thought he had some mad illness anyway- what did it matter?
Harry got up the next morning and actually felt a little calmer and more clear headed than he had the last week.
He knew he didn't have maniac depression, or whatever Snape called it, he had just been sick. Probably a cold or something.
He went downstairs and smirked at Snape's surprise at seeing him at breakfast.
"Morning," Harry said.
"Good morning," Snape said. "Would you like a cappuccino?"
"Sure," Harry shrugged.
"Any plans for the day?" Snape asked, handing Harry a mug.
"I'm gonna go see Draco, maybe grab Luna and go shopping, if that's not too crazy," he scoffed.
"It sounds reasonable to me," Snape said calmly, ignoring Harry's jibe. "Will you be purchasing your textbooks?"
"Clothes and a gift for Neville," Harry said. "Don't know what books I'll need yet, do I?"
Snape gave him an odd look.
"Your list came last week," he said slowly.
"Did it?" Harry was surprised. "Sevvie didn't bring it to me."
"He did," Snape disagreed. "You have a stack of mail in your room."
"Oh," Harry figured it probably came while he was asleep or something. "Well, bring me my Hogwarts letter," he commanded his magic.
"Accio would have worked just as well," Snape said with a light snort.
"More work," Harry murmured, reading over his list. "Just need a few books... and, oh."
Fuck.
He had a permission slip to visit Hogsmeade with the other third years and it had to be signed by a guardian. And Harry just came downstairs and started being a prat to his guardian, didn't he?
"Oh?" Snape said. "Is there something else?"
Harry glanced at him and bit his lip nervously.
"No sir," he mumbled.
"So there is not a permission slip in your envelope that I need to sign?" Snape said drily.
Harry shrugged, feeling hot around the collar.
"I don't need it signed, it's fine."
"Do you want it signed?"
Harry shrugged again, unwilling to admit that he did. If he said he wanted it and Snape said no then it'd be a lot worse than if Harry didn't say he wanted it.
"Give it here brat," Snape said.
Harry glanced up at him. Snape didn't look mad, he looked amused.
"What do you want?" he asked warily. He wouldn't trade Hogsmeade for that Mind Healer.
"I would like us to put the past few weeks behind us and not fight between now and when I leave for Hogwarts. Acceptable?"
Harry thought it over. He really didn't want to fight with Snape the rest of the summer. Even if Snape had been a bastard and called him insane; he'd apologized (kind of) and maybe he believed Harry had some weird mind sickness.
He was wrong. But he can't help it if that's what he thinks.
"No more talking about Mind Healers?" Harry asked.
"I will refrain from attempting to convince you of the immense benefits of seeking professional mental health support this summer in exchange for you not actively looking for Sirius Black," Snape said.
"Deal," Harry said, sliding his permission slip across the table to him. Black would find him anyway, people who wanted to hurt him seemed to have a sense for where he is. "Cheers."
"Cheers," Snape drawled, returning the sheet with a small smirk.
***
"Mavis you have to put the appetizer forks with the appetizers," Draco snapped at Mavis on the day of Neville's party. "It doesn't make any sense for them to be by the cups."
"Master's blonde friend is bossy," Mavis muttered, drawing a laugh out from Harry.
"Draco leave Mavis alone," he said with a grin. "You already know it looks great."
During their shopping trip a couple of weeks ago Draco had insisted on coming over early to help Harry set up for the party.
'I'm a Malfoy, I've been watching my mother plan parties since I could walk,' he'd insisted.
Harry had never thrown a party before so he figured Draco would know more than he would. And he had to admit, even if Draco was bossy, the yard looked brilliant.
They'd decorated everything gold and silver ('red and green will clash') and Draco had different tables set up with all sorts of food and drinks and the cakes.
Harry personally thought that Neville would have liked a cake made by him but he'd never figured the recipe out right. Mavis was a much better baker. There was a big red cake with a silver lion on it for Neville and a green one with a golden snitch on it for Harry.
"Harry can I put these flowers here?" Luna asked, having also came early to help decorate.
"You can put flowers wherever you want Lue," he assured her. "Neville loves flowers, doesn't he?"
"He does," she hummed happily.
Harry was going to go help her find more flowers when Blaise and his mother apparated directly in to the yard. Snape had temporarily keyed the invited guests in to their wards.
'Black could take polyjuice and imitate any one of the guests to floo in,' he'd said.
Harry privately thought that his birthday would be brilliant if Black did show up.
Neville might not be happy though.
"Happy Birthday my Meraviglia!"
Harry smiled at the Contessa and bowed his head just the tiniest amount towards her. He respected her, and Snape said bowing your head shows respect, but Harry would never really bow to anyone.
"Thank you," he told her politely. "Snape and the Malfoy's are inside."
"Ah, but I came to see you dearest," she said, her golden eyes twinkling like crazy. "Walk with me amore."
The Contessa offered Harry her arm, the same way he saw Cissa do to Dracos Dad sometimes, so he linked his arm with hers with only a small hesitation. He'd spent a lot of time with her last winter when he'd been expelled from Hogwarts and stayed at Snape's, but it still felt weird to walk like this.
Maybe not bad weird, but definitely some kind of weird.
"I have missed you dearest," the Contessa said after they'd gotten away from everyone else.
"Wait." Harry leaned towards her and breathed directly in her ear, "At least one Auror somewhere in the yard."
The Contessa laughed loudly as if Harry had said something funny.
"Of course dearest, allow me."
She flicked her wand and Harry could feel her powerful magic surround them.
"Now, why have I not seen you before now?" she asked, shaking her head slightly at him. "We are allies, familiare, my dearest. Alliances mean more to those of us who truly understand them. I would have thought you would seek refuge from Sirius Black with me this summer."
"I didn't want to hide," Harry admitted. "I want to find him. It's his fault my parents were killed, wasn't it? I'm going to kill him."
If there was anyone Harry could admit his plans to, it was the Contessa. She didn't try and protect him like Snape did. She just listened to him and shared her advice; which was usually things like 'this spell is untraceable' or 'this curse will collapse a lung in less than a second'. She's a genius.
He figured she had plenty of practice with her last seven husbands to get it right.
"I believe you dearest, but you must lure him to you, otherwise he has the advantage, no?"
"How do I lure him to me?"
The Contessa patted his hand, "You stick to your routine. You go to places he will expect you and then you watch and you wait. And then you strike."
Harry nodded very seriously before he gave her a small grin, "I thought you wanted me to come to Italy? That wouldn't be my routine."
"Then we should make it your routine," the Contessa laughed. "Every summer, yes?"
"Maybe," Harry said evasively. "It wasn't so bad here with Snape."
The Contessa pulled him to a stop beside the broom shed and studied him carefully, her chin tilted thoughtfully.
"'Was not so bad' or 'was good'?" she said. "If Severus Snape has hurt my Meraviglia, I will kill him," she said lightly.
That was another thing Harry liked about her, she was always ready to go to war for him.
Even if sometimes she missed the mark.
"Snape didn't hurt me," Harry assured her quickly. "He just... I dunno, he just thinks I'm mad, doesn't he?"
"Elocution my dearest," The Contessa hummed. "Severus believes you are mad because the world has never had one such as you before, have they? You are my Meraviglia, you are uníco, one of a kind, yes? It is better to be considered mad than to be one of the many, my dearest."
Harry hadn't really thought of it like that. He knew when he was 6 that it was better to be special than to be a part of his 'family'. He knew when he was 11 that it was better to be feared than to be seen as weak. It made sense that it was better to be considered mad than to be like everyone else.
"Thank you," he said softly. "You're right."
The Contessa laughed again and steered him back towards the party, where Harry could see that the rest of the gang had shown up.
"Now my amori, what must I do to convince you to give up on Black's death for a year and come see the world with me?"
Harry laughed as he offers got more and more outrageous until they got back to the yard and she went inside with a last soft smile towards him.
The Contessa really was amazing. Harry was glad he'd put Blaise in his gang back in first year.
Harry greeted all his friends who came. He laughed when him and Neville told each other happy birthday at the same time.
"Gran wanted to come, but she's sick," Neville explained. "Susan's Aunt offered to stay with her so she wasn't all alone."
"That's okay," Harry said hastily. "Maybe we'll meet some other time."
He'd heard quite a bit about Neville's stern grandmother who never thought Neville was a good enough grandson. He didn't think he'd like her much.
All of Harry's friends, including Hermione and Theo who floo'd in together, holding hands, came except for Ron, who was still in Egypt.
"Weasley's going to be so jealous he missed this," Draco boasted.
"I doubt that, he said that Egypt is amazing and he's having the time of his life," Blaise said.
"Egypt has so much magic in the tombs!" Hermione said excitedly. "I bet he's learning loads!"
"I bet he's learning nothing at all," Susan giggled quietly to Neville.
Harry agreed with Susan. Ron was probably just having fun being on what he said is his first real vacation. Harry definitely hadn't learned anything at all last summer on his first vacation.
"Thank you, this is awesome Harry," Neville said for about the fiftieth time that day, this time holding up the collection of antique Muggle gardening books Harry found in Diagon Alley with Luna last week.
"Cheers Nev," Harry grinned holding up a custom Slytherin Quidditch Jersey that Neville had gotten him. He looked around at everyone who came and made sure to thank each of them for their gifts. He had gotten more clothes, books, and photos than he'd ever owned before in his life.
It was brilliant, but mad.
"You still have mine brat," Snape said.
Snape had been pretty quiet most of the party. He talked to Draco's mum a lot and kept a close eye on Harry, but Harry thought it was probably because all of the students put Snape on edge.
For a teacher he didn't really like kids much.
"Oh, sorry," Harry muttered, reaching for the plainly wrapped package. "Probably not an owl then?" he laughed.
"I will never again give you a gift that requires a name," Snape said drily.
"I think Sevvie is a great name," Susan laughed. "It's very distinguished."
"Remind me to dock ten points from Hufflepuff when we get back to Hogwarts Draco," Snape said.
"You can't dock points during summer holidays," Hermione murmured. "Rule 109 subsection C."
Harry snorted as he opened Snape's present.
"Woah," Susan sighed. "It's beautiful!"
"Er-" Harry glanced around helplessly. "What is it?"
It looked like a giant stone bowl with some sort of stationary liquid in it, though it was decorated with green jewels which did make it look pretty posh.
"It's a pensieve," Snape explained. "I thought perhaps you'd like one for yourself."
Harry looked up at Snape and positively beamed.
"Thank you!" he said earnestly. "Hold on-"
Bring me the prophecy. Get the prophecy out of my trunk and bring it to me.
Snape inhaled sharply as the orb came soaring out Harry's open window, startling Sevvie who hooted loudly at him.
"Harry, wait-" Snape said.
Harry ignored him in his renewed excitement to hear the prophecy that sent Voldemort after him.
He glanced around the yard quickly (Snape, Cissa, Malfoy, the Contessa, Susan, Nev, Luna, Mione, Draco, Theo, and Blaise) and shrugged.
He trusted everyone here.
And the ones he maybe didn't fully trust, not like how he trusted Snape and Susan, he could easily beat in a fight.
He winked at Susan and dropped the orb in the bowl before Snape could stop him.
The yard went quiet as a ghostly figured rose from the bowl, it spoke in a dreamlike hoarse whisper;
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."
Everyone was deathly silent as the voice faded.
"He told me he had no equal," Harry snorted. "What a prat."
"Merlin," he heard Mister Malfoy breath.
"Good thing you picked the winning side early, eh?" he grinned towards him. "Doesn't say the Dark Lord has the power to vanquish me, now does it?"
"H-Harry that... that means you're going to have to kill V-V-Voldemort," Neville stammered.
Harry shrugged, "I was always going to anyway, wasn't I?" He looked around and saw that everyone looked rather pale, except for Blaise's mum who was beaming at him, but they were all staring at him. "What?"
Snape snapped out of it the quickest. He shook his head and gave Harry an irritated look.
"You chaotic little demon, this cannot get out," he hissed. "People do not need to know you are some sort of prophesied vanquisher of the Dark Lord."
"'Kay," Harry shrugged. "Unbreakable Vows not to tell anyone else about it now or I'll have Snape obliviate you," he called to everyone standing around.
"Harry I will not obliviate a group of children," Snape sighed before glancing towards the Malfoy's and the Contessa. "Nor will I attempt to obliviate your... family."
"Alright, I'll do it, but fair warning; I dunno how. So fingers crossed I don't wipe your whole mind, yeah?" Harry grinned at everyone.
Everyone pretty quickly agreed after that.
"Brill! Who wants cake?"
The rest of the party went brilliantly, which Harry assured Draco of multiple times. They'd had cake, talked and gossiped, and Cissa talked about some stories she knew about Neville's Mum, Alice.
Harry thought it was a mad thing to bring up on Neville's birthday but Neville looked happy about it so Harry didn't protest.
After cake the kids broke off to hang out in Harry's room while the adults 'had tea'.
"They're likely gossiping about the prophecy," Blaise drawled as he laid back on Harry's bed.
"Well it is very serious," Hermione said, sitting next to Theo on the floor. Harry saw they were still holding hands and figured Susan must be right when she told him that they were 'together' now.
"But it doesn't really change anything, does it?" Draco said. "Harry's powerful and he's going to kill the Dark Lord," he yawned dramatically, "it's old news."
"I suppose that's true," Hermione said slowly, glancing at Theo who just shrugged.
"We all knew Harry was mad, this just confirmed it," he smirked at Harry.
"Harry's not mad, he's a genius," Luna said softly.
Harry, who had been scowling fiercely at Theo now blushed hotly at Luna's praise.
"Thanks Lue," he said, sitting cross-legged on the floor beside her. "Theo's just jealous he doesn't have a prophecy, ain't he?"
"Probably," she smiled.
"'Either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives'", Susan quoted. "Makes it sound like you can only die if the Dark Lord himself does it."
"Don't encourage him," Draco groaned. "Do we really need another Harry vs a basilisk situation on our hands this year?"
"Instead we'll have Harry vs his godfather," Theo laughed.
"Don't say that either," Neville scolded him. "Black is dangerous. I hope they catch him soon."
"I hope they don't," Harry whispered to Susan, who laughed quietly.
"The nargles don't see Sirius Black imprisoned again," Luna whispered to him.
"Brill," Harry winked at her. "Thanks Lue."
"So Sirius Black, then the Dark Lord?" Susan asked cheerfully. "Anyone else we should add to the list of 'To Be Vanquished'?"
"Dumbledore," Harry said. "But other than that let's just leave our options open, yeah?"
Hermione, Theo, and Neville all laughed at that. Harry figured Blaise, Draco, Susan, and Luna must have realized he wasn't joking.
The others would realize it eventually.
"Are we plotting murder or having a party?" Draco cried. "Scoot back, I brought cards!"
Harry himself laughed at that. Draco had spent quite a bit of time planning out 'entertainment', it would be rude to ignore it all just to plot and scheme.
Even if that's an ideal type of birthday in Harry's opinion.
That night, after his friends had left and Harry laid down in bed, he thought about the day he got to have with them all.
He decided he should just forgive Snape for thinking he was insane earlier in the summer. He hadn't brought it up again, but he hadn't forgiven him yet either.
But Harry had been thinking that being dead would be better than his life, and compared to how brilliant today had been? It had been a rather crazy thing to think.
He thought of what the Contessa had said too and smiled to himself as he drifted off.
It was worth being considered crazy if it meant that he was different, stronger, than anyone else.
***
"Harry I need to talk to you."
Harry edged backwards slightly in his chair. The last time Snape said that he wanted Harry to see a 'mind healer' and the time before that he tried kicking Harry out.
Well, tried sending him to Italy. Which was the same thing really.
"Okay," Harry said, checking to see if the back door was still locked (it is) and trying to quietly unlock it in case he needed to get out quickly.
"I would appreciate it if you did not unlock the door, as there is an escaped inmate after you," Snape said drily without even looking behind him to the door.
"Sorry," Harry said quietly, looking down at the table to hide his blush at having been caught.
"You can go stand by the kitchen doorway if you'd like. Though I promise you that this conversation should go mildly better than our last few ones have."
Harry grit his teeth and lifted his head to meet Snape's calm gaze.
"I don't need to go stand by the doorway, sir. What do you want to talk about?"
He knew he sounded rude, ungrateful, but he wasn't going to look even more crazy than Snape already thought he was by standing in a doorway just for a conversation.
Things had been good between them since they made their deal. Harry hadn't felt sick at all since the day Cissa came in the middle of July and now there was only a week left until school started.
Maybe since summers almost over Snape's going to start up again... he thought.
It doesn't matter what he says. If he tries to make you leave, just say no. If he says you have to see a Mind Healer, just say no, Harry reminded himself. He can't make you. And if he tries, then you leave.
"I need to inform you of the new Professor that Dumbledore found fit to teach defense this year."
"Oh," Harry wasn't expecting that to be the topic.
He studied Snape carefully and saw that he looked irritated, clearly whoever Dumbledore hired was someone Snape didn't like.
"Who is it?" Harry asked, curious what Professor would make Snape so angry.
"Remus Lupin."
Harry blinked up at Snape, stunned.
"Dumbledore hired an actual werewolf to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts?"
Snape looked even more sour than he previously had.
"Yes."
"That's... that's brill!" said Harry. "Wow, I didn't think Dumbledore would ever hire anyone interesting."
Snape sighed, an all too common noise in Harry's opinion.
"A werewolf is more 'interesting' than the previous two Professors who both made attempts on your life?"
As soon as he said that Harry remembered why Snape would be looking so angry about the new Professor.
"Wait, Dumbledore hired the guy who treated you like dirt and tried to kill you? Why would he do that?"
Snape rolled his shoulders and grimaced.
"Dumbledore believes that he is the most qualified candidate. And," Snape faltered for barely half a second before continuing, "and I believe it has something to do with Black's escape."
"Dumbledore thought it was a good idea to hire Black's best friend while he's on the run? Is he an idiot?"
"I see that we are of the same mind," Snape said with an approving look. "Dumbledore believes Lupin will assist in stopping Black should he be so foolish to try and break in to Hogwarts. But Lupin was quite enamored with Black during their later school years, I doubt that he will actively impede any plans of Black's to evade capture."
"Enamored?" Harry asked. "I-I don't know what that means," he admitted quietly.
Stupid.
"If I said that Theodore is enamored with Miss Granger, could you guess the definition by the context clues?"
"Susan says Theo's in love with Mione. Oh," he sighed, getting it now. "Lupin was in love with Black?" Harry shuddered. "That's disgusting."
Snape gave him an inscrutable look.
"Because they are both men?"
"What? No, why would I care about that? Wixen care about the weirdest things, don't they? Blokes sleep with blokes all the time. I meant because Black's a scumbag. Embarrassing to be in love with him now, innit?"
Snape huffed out a laugh and leaned back in his chair.
"It would have been embarrassing to be in love with him back then as well," he agreed. "Though I am curious what you know of 'blokes sleeping with blokes all the time'. Have I been inadequate in preventing my Snakes from participating in sexual activities in the dorms?"
Harry shrugged, "I'm no snitch."
"You are likely not a quaffle either," Snape said slowly, giving Harry an incredulous look.
Harry laughed as he realized that Snape had no idea what he meant. It was nice knowing something someone else didn't for once.
"No," he said grinning now as Snape still looked confused. "A snitch is like a tattletale, yeah? Someone who turns people in to the cops when they've done something wrong."
"Aah," Snape said. "I believe your mother once called me that actually. I had forgotten."
"Suuure you forgot," Harry drawled. "Why'd she call you a snitch? What'd you do?"
"Tell me if my students are participating in sexual liaisons and I will tell you."
Damn.
Harry really wanted to know why his Mum had called Snape a snitch but he didn't want to get anyone in trouble either.
"If I tell you if there are any Slytherin's sleeping together you swear you'll tell me what happened to make my Mum call you a snitch?" Harry checked.
"I swear," Snape said solemnly with a small smile.
"Okay. Yes there are Slytherin's sleeping together. Your turn."
Snape blinked slowly at Harry, who was beginning to worry that he was going to be mad once he realized he'd tricked him, but then Snape started laughing.
Like, really laughing.
"You are a cunning brat," Snape wheezed, clutching the table.
Harry smirked at him. Snape didn't have room to talk, he was just as careful with his wording sometimes too.
"Your Mother once stole your grandmothers car for a joyride around the neighborhood, despite only being fourteen and thus having no license. When your grandmother asked me about it I couldn't lie to her. Your mother was grounded for weeks."
"You wouldn't lie to cover for your best friend?" Harry asked incredulously. Snape had lied for him loads of times.
"Harry you have to understand- your grandmother was the sweetest woman I have ever met. And she was positively terrifying," Snape shuddered theatrically. "I could never have looked her in the face and lied to her."
"Snitch," Harry said with a grin.
"Quaffle," Snape said back solemnly.
"Is that all you wanted to talk about? That there's gonna be a werewolf teaching- oh fuck," Harry gaped at Snape. "It's brill that Lupin got a job and all, but did it have to be in a school with my friends? What's he going to do during the full moon?"
Snape grimaced.
"I see we are once again of a similar mind," he said with a nod. "I will be brewing the Wolfsbane Potion every month for Lupin."
"You'd do that for him?" Harry asked curiously. "Even though he was such an arse to you? And he almost killed you?
"If Dumbledore insists on hiring a literal monster to teach within the castle then I will do what I can to prevent Lupin from infecting or killing any students," Snape said.
Harry looked at Snape and felt his respect for him grow even more. Lupin was part of a gang that made Snape miserable for seven years. Embarrassed him, played pranks on him, hurt him, and even tried to kill him once. But Snape would ignore all that to make sure Lupin couldn't hurt anyone while he was at Hogwarts.
"You're a good person," Harry said seriously. "I wouldn't do it if I were in your position. I'd just kill him. Still will if you want me to."
Snape looked incredibly amused at that.
"Ironically, Lupin will be quite pleased to meet you."
Harry scrunched his nose up with distaste.
"Why? Because he was mates with my Dad?"
"Lupin only had three friends when he was a student; your father, Black, and Pettigrew. Two of his friends are dead now, both through the actions of the third. Lupin will undoubtedly see you as an opportunity to reconnect with some small part of James Potter. He was always a sentimental fool," Snape rolled his eyes at that. "I would appreciate you being slightly more cautious than you naturally are if you find yourself alone with him. I do not trust him. Though you should of course build your own conclusions."
"Okay," Harry agreed easily. If Snape didn't trust him then Harry wouldn't either. Snape had good instincts and all Lupin had was stories about someone dead who Harry could never meet for himself. It wasn't a hard choice. "Except I do kind of want to talk to him about werewolves," he said hesitantly. "Might not get another chance to talk to an actual werewolf about their rights, will I? But I'll tell my friends to stay away from him."
"No," Snape said quickly. "Harry you can talk with Lupin about wolves as much as you want, but you cannot tell your friends about Lupin's disease. Swear to me you won't. Dumbledore will be furious if he discovered that half the third years know about it. He has always held a soft spot for Remus."
"I'm not swearing that," Harry said flatly. "You just said you don't trust him. What if he forgets to take his potion and Ron knocks on his office door the wrong time of the month, huh? Or if he is mates with Black and brings him in the castle? They should know not to take any chances around him."
Snape closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead for a long moment before he looked back at Harry.
"If your friends tell anyone else then it could be the end of Lupin's career and possibly mine if Dumbledore discovers I am the source of the leak."
"They won't tell anyone," Harry said confidently. "I'll make them swear not to. But I am telling them."
Snape groaned.
"Lupin will be furious to discover I've told you what he considers to be a shameful secret."
"More reason for me to know then, yeah?" Harry grinned.
Snape made a show of protesting, but Harry thought he looked like he probably didn't really care all that much.
***
"Mavis you cannot ride the train with me," Harry rolled his eyes.
Mavis was standing in the kitchen doorway blinking at Harry with his big yellow eyes trying to pathetically convince Harry to let him ride the train with him back to Hogwarts this morning.
"Mavis will be bringing Master Potter treats if he is letting Mavis come," Mavis whined. "Mavis will be quiet and Master will not even know he is there."
"Mavis leave him alone, Harry is not riding the train," Snape said, joining them in the kitchen.
"Yes I am," Harry said shortly.
"Harry, I feel like I should once again remind you; there is a convicted murderer looking for you. He will kill you if he finds you. You would be safer simply flooing along side me to Hogwarts this evening."
"No thanks," Harry said. "Told my friends I'd meet them on the train, didn't I? I doubt Sirius Black is going to be on the train, will he?"
"Lupin will be riding the train," Snape scowled. "So I would not put it past them."
Harry shrugged. "More reason to ride, I need to protect my friends, don't I?"
"No," Snape said shortly. "It is not your job to protect anyone aside from yourself."
"You're wrong," Harry snorted. "They're mine, sir. And I won't just leave them alone."
"Not even for the opportunity to have uninhibited access to Hogwarts while the students are on the train?" Snape offered hopefully.
Harry shook his head and glanced at the time.
"Nope, and I gotta go if we wanna find a compartment."
He gave Snape one last cheek grin before he stepped in the floo for Platform 9 3/4.
"See you at Hogwarts!" he called.