Resonance, Harry Potter Fan Fiction

Resonance (part 4/8) Harry Potter Fan Fiction by Greengecko

Title: Resonance (Part 4 of 8) (part 1 is wattcode:152897)

Author: Salamander/GreenGecko (AKA Marie Williams)

Website: darkirony.com

Rating: PG-13 for occasional violence and very roundabout romantic references.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, this universe, or anything beyond the veil. JK Rowling, some publishers, and some film companies own it. I'm not making anything from this except a hobby.

Author's Notes:

When I came across the quote below in JKR's Book 4 about the low likelihood of Snape adopting Harry, I first considered addressing this topic comically, but that seemed too easy, and short, frankly. This is a serious attempt at making this realistic. Even though it is serious, it is supposed to be fun. Hopefully, even if the plot seems impossible, you'll find the resulting situations entertaining enough to make up for it. It has been way too fun to write.

No challenges being answered here except the unintended one from the mistress herself.

This story does not take Book 6: The Half-Blood Prince into account since it was written post-Book 5.

Two sequels have been written: Revolution and Resolution.

Chapter 31 -- Fur and Snow

That evening, Harry gained admittance to the headmistress' office. His bookbag was slung weightily over his shoulder, full of his assigned and self-purchased alternative texts. It made a loud thud when he set it on the floor beside the visitor's chair. As he sat down, McGonagall waved the straight-backed old thing into an overstuffed armchair. He settled in comfortably and sighed. "Are you sure you have time for this, Professor?" Harry asked in concern.

"Tea?" she asked, rather than reply. At his nod, she tapped the teapot and it poured out two cups. As she handed one over, she said, "One of your most endearing qualities, Harry, is that you have never asked for, nor expected, anything in return for eliminating Voldemort." She smiled affectionately at him. "I will never forget the day after, when you insisted that you couldn't read your post because you had assignments to finish."

Harry sipped his tea and wondered what she had expected. His furrowed brow must have given him away.

"As opposed," she explained, even more amused, "to insisting on, say, a week off from your studies. Or even a year, frankly."

It was true; he hadn't thought of that. Too late to ask for a by on his N.E.W.T.s probably too, he thought darkly. He shrugged instead of responding.

She took her chair and with bright eyes shook her head lightly. "You saved so many students' lives, Harry. And many of ours, as well. Most of us would have traded anything for that, and yet you asked for nothing." She put her teacup down and refilled it. "I am glad Albus insisted on giving you something anyway, although how he ever managed to arrange it is beyond me."

Harry sort of considered that to be between him and Snape, so he didn't comment.

She sipped her fresh cup with pleasure. "I promised you that I would see you through your N.E.W.T.s so that you could gain admittance to the Auror's program, and I intend to follow through with that. Now, where shall we begin? What was the last assignment you had difficulty with?"

"Protasmic Elastic Transformations," Harry stated slowly, as though the words themselves were hazardous.

"It was just a special form of Elastic, which we covered in fifth year," she offered in a helpful tone. His face must have given him away, because her tone dropped as she said, "You didn't understand it then, either."