What if

Settling in

"And which House is the coolest? Which House were you in? Which House is Kat in?" Harry smothered Snape with questions, almost jumping on his seat with excitement.

Snape felt so guilty after the corner time fiasco, he wanted to make up for it somehow. He couldn't exactly apologize because that would be counterproductive, so he decided to satisfy Harry's curiosity and tell him about the wizarding world, magic, Voldemort, and Hogwarts. Therefore, for the past hour, the child pretty much tortured him with the neverending stream of questions, which made Severus question the rationale for this self-inflicted punishment.

"All Houses are equal and have their own ups and downs. I was in Slytherin. You can guess Kathryn's House on your own by the color of her robes," Severus replied, willing himself to remain patient with the ranting child. Harry didn't seem all that disturbed by the fact, that he was targeted by the most powerful wizard of the modern age. He actually found it "cool". He was also very happy, that his parents weren't drunks that died in a car crash, but "warriors" that died protecting him from You-Know-Who.

"Gryffindor?"

"Correct."

"It's the one with the lion?"

"Yes."

"Cool! I wanna be Gryffindor too!" Harry exclaimed happily.

Snape rolled his eyes. "Shocking," he commented dryly, checking the time. The dinner was about to start in the Great Hall, though it was probably better to have the meal here and let the child get accustomed to the idea of being the Boy Who Lived. No reason to shock him with the overwhelming attention he was bound to get the moment he set foot in the Great Hall.

"Time for dinner. Are you hungry?" it was a rhetorical question, but Harry started fidgeting.

"Well, maybe a bit, but only if there is anything, that is..." he blabbered, glancing at Snape warily.

"Potter, stop that. Stop guessing what I want to hear," Severus snapped with irritation, "There is only one correct answer to this question. Do you know which one?"

Harry shook his head.

"The truth," Snape said sternly, "As a matter of fact, it is a correct answer to anything I ask you. I expect you to be always truthful with me. Also, there will be no stealing food here. Am I understood?"

"Yes, Sir."

Despite the boy's frantic nodding, Severus saw the alarm and uneasiness behind the boy's brave facade.

"You will have no need to steal anything. You will be provided with adequate meals and I expect you to tell me whenever you are hungry."

They sat at the table and Harry's eyes widened when the food appeared in front of them. There was chicken with mashed potatoes and greens on the side, vegetable salad, and pudding. Harry immediately grabbed the pudding as if it was going to be snatched away otherwise.

"Nuh-uh!" Snape slapped his hand lightly, "Eat the proper food first and then you can have the pudding." He suppressed a chuckle when the child pouted.

Severus watched how Harry munched on the chicken with gusto, while completely ignoring the salad and the greens. "Eat the greens as well, they are good for you," Severus prompted him. Harry eyed the vegetables reluctantly but obeyed without argument.

"You can have the pudding now." He couldn't help his lips twitching in a smile when Harry started devouring the desert as if he never had one before. Severus considered offering him his own pudding, but it was probably not wise to over-sugar the boy in the evening. Then again, the child probably had so little sweets in his life... Which reminded Severus of the supplement potions Harry should be taking. He should have a couple of those in his storage somewhere. Snape excused himself from the table and went to the lab to find them.