A New Story

Chapter 8

'Indeed, Mister Potter.'

'You know, since you're my guardian, can you call me Harry here?'

'Of course, and if you'd like to refer to me as something other than Professor, please tell me.' Severus said, trying his best to be caring.

'Umm, I was think if... Nothing. You would think I'm like a baby if I told you.'

'No, Harry, I would not think that. Now, tell me, what is on your mind?'

'I was wondering if I could call you Dad.' he said softly.

Severus was taken aback by his response but kept his composure and said,

'You can, but preferably only during times when you are alone with me or with your close friends because I am sure that if word gets out, people would think that I drugged you and would be coming for my head.'

Harry chuckled,

'Okay Dad I promise.'

Severus felt unfamiliar flutter in his chest when he said that.

'Now, come on, let us get settled in. Pick a room for yourself, Harry.'

After going through each and every room in the house. Harry picked a spacious room and put all his stuff there. When Severus went in, he asked if Harry wanted any decorations of any changes and Harry said no, but Severus thought the room must have been a bit too bland for the boy's taste so he changed it to a beautifully decorated and furnished room while Harry was out exploring the rest of the house. 

'Hey, Dad. You won't believe...  Godric Gryffindor, this is amazing!' Harry exclaimed. 'Thank you.'

'No need to thank me, Harry. What were you saying I won't believe?'

'Oh yeah.' Harry snapped out of his shock and happiness and said, 'There's a gigantic library here and there are so many books.'

'Sounds nice, you might be able to do some reading this summer and maybe read ahead to prepare for the new school year.'

'You're starting to sound like Hermione, Dad.'

'Miss Granger was always too smart for her own good.'

'True, Ron did bully her a bit for being a know-it-all.'

'Yes, in Mister Weasley's clueless mind, she definitely seemed to know it all. Now, let us set some ground rules.'

'Okay. What kind.' 

At that moment, Severus summoned a piece of parchment and wrote come rules in them.

'These.' and showed it to Harry.

'What if I break on of them? Will I get hit?' Harry read through all of the rules.

'Harry,' Severus said as he put a hand on Harry's shoulder, 'Please know that I will never abuse you like your relatives, if you do something stupid that would cause someone or yourself to get hurt, I might spank you, is that acceptable?'

Harry thought that that was very merciful compared with the Dursley's. 'Yes, that's totally acceptable.'

'Good.'

After a few hours, when Harry and Severus were reading in front of the fireplace, Dumbledore popped in from it, 'Good evening, Harry, Severus.'

'Albus, to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?'

'Just wanted to inform you that I have just put up a spell around the property that will repel any intruder away and cause them some harm, and I need to collect both of your magical signatures so that the house will not hurt you. Do you have anyone that you would like to include in this?'

'Harry, do you have any friends that you would like come over?'

'Mhm, Ron and Hermione, I think that they would like to come.'

'Okay, Mister Potter, I will go to Mister Weasley's and Miss Granger's homes to get theirs too.' Dumbledore said.

They both signed the document and Dumbledore left.

'That reminds me, can I go and write letters to Ron and Hermione to invite them here please?'

'Yes, you may, but before you send it, let me cast a charm over it first so that even if it got into the wrong hands, it will not reveal any information.'

'Okay.' and Harry ran off to his room, excited to be able to have his friends over his new home.

Harry wrote the letters, gave it to Severus for him to do his thing and sent them via Hedwig.

At the Burrow

'Oh look it's Hedwig! Must be Harry's letter.' Ron exclaimed.

'That is your friend right? The boy who lived?' asked Molly.

'Yeah, he's been living with Professor Snape since yesterday.' 

'Why is that?'

'Harry told me that his relatives aren't nice to him. Anyways, I'm going to see what he wrote me.'

'Severus has always needed someone with him, it would be good for them both.'  she thought.

'Mom, Harry invited me to go to his home tomorrow. Can I go? Please, please, please.'

'Of course. I will make some dark chocolate bars, Severus loves those, you can bring some to them.'

'Kay, thanks, Mom.'

Then, he wrote a letter back to Harry and agreed and used his old family owl to send it back to him.

At Hermione's home

'Ahh!' shouted Mrs. Granger in alarm.

'What happened?' Hermione rushed to her backyard, hearing her mother's cries of distress.

'Oh sorry dear, just got scared when this little fellow swooped in while I was doing some laundry.' she answered pointing to Hedwig perched on one of the drying racks. 'It's taking a while for me to get used to the owl post thing. It seems there's a letter for you.'

'I know, I still haven't really.' She saw Hedwig,' Looks like Harry kept his promise.'

Hermione went over to her and got hold of the letter in her beak. 

'Mum, can I go over to Harry's tomorrow?' after she finished.

'I think you've got a piano lesson tomorrow but I can reschedule it for you. I'm so glad that you have got some friends in your new school.'