Lily's Charm

NotEvenHere

Story Summary:
In a story that spans two decades, Lily and Severus attempt to dispel the power of the Dark Mark after her life is threatened by Eileen Prince. Seventeen years later, Harry uncovers a long-buried truth which changes the course of his life. AU. Complete.

Chapter 26 - Recovery

Posted:
07/22/2008
Hits:
1,406


1979

Lily knelt in front of her husband, waiting for him to let her know he was ready to begin. Her stomach was twisted painfully and she felt vaguely ill, although she knew she couldn't contribute that solely to what they were about to do. No, morning sickness was most likely to blame.

As she watched Severus occluding his mind and grounding himself, she felt the familiar twinge of uneasiness that she had not yet told him about the baby. But Lily knew if she had, they wouldn't have ever reached this point. Severus would never have agreed to try to the Charm. She would tell him, as soon as he'd taken the Mark. He would be angry certainly, but it was nothing compared to Severus deciding her life was in too much danger if she stayed with him. And it didn't matter anyway, Lily told herself firmly. The Charm would work and there would be no more need for all this secrecy.

"I am ready," Severus finally said, his voice rough. Lily looked up at Albus, who smiled and nodded encouragingly. She turned back to her husband; he was watching her carefully. Before he could ask her again if she was sure she wanted to do this, Lily wrapped her small fingers around his wrist and pulled his left arm toward her.

She brought her wand up and pressed its tip gently into her husband's flesh as she whispered, "Impentribiilus Morsmordre." Severus joined in, his voice soft and seductive as their voices blended together, their eyes locked. "...Anima Evictum Morsmordre, Tom Marvolo Riddle...Anima Expulsum..."

Over and over they chanted the words, while Lily traced her wand over the entire surface of Severus' arm from wrist to elbow.

"...Anima Evictum Morsmordre, Tom Marvolo Riddle...Anima Expulsum..." A blue mist encompassed Severus' arm, glowing and pulsing gently.

"Anima Expulsum," they breathed together as the mist melted slowly into Severus' flesh.

Lily's eyes had not left her husband's. His black eyes were haunted, dark with shadows. Lily, paying no mind to Albus, standing just behind Severus, dropped Severus' wrist and wrapped her arms around her husband's neck; she leaned into his chest and Severus pulled her close. It was done. Even though Severus had no idea...their child would be safe.

--

1996

A hulking man kicked his father, right in the face. Severus' skull cracked eerily against the ground and without pausing, the big man's booted heel connected again with Severus' face. Bright red blood splattered the dusty black boots. The man's twin joined in, as he always did, bringing an almost identical boot toward Severus'. More blood broke free. And there was nothing Harry could do; he watched in horror as the masks assaulted his father.

Harry!

Long silver hair filled Harry's vision, whipping gently in the light breeze. There was another sharp crack and Harry's stomach turned over. The man with the silver mane knelt down, drawing his wand up the smooth black fabric, resting the wood against the crimson throat, beginning the deadly chant...

Hear your father's screams, Harry.

"No! Dad!" Harry screamed, jerking himself awake. He began flailing wildly, trying desperately to get out of the bed to get to his father, before he realized he was still on the sofa and Severus' face was hovering in front of his own, his black eyes stormy with undisguised concern.

"Harry, it's all right," his father was saying and it sounded like he had been repeating it as some sort of refrain. Harry pulled in a shaky breath and struggled to sit up. Severus helped him, guiding him carefully until he was balanced again. Severus was kneeling on the floor in front of the sofa. Harry took his glasses off with one hand and ran his other hand over his face, which was beaded with perspiration.

Severus handed him a soft, damp cloth and Harry didn't even bother to wonder where he'd gotten it from. He allowed Severus to take his glasses and then Harry leaned his face against the cool material, squeezing his eyes tightly shut. Harry felt his father's steady hand on the back of his head and he shuddered.

"Nightmare?" his father asked quietly. Harry nodded against the soothing cloth. The hand applied a quiet pressure. "Have you had them often in the past week?" Harry shrugged.

"Some," he muttered. He hadn't really slept enough to have nightmares...

"Was it about my time with Voldemort on Halloween?"

Harry brought his eyes away from the cloth, widened by now with surprise. "How did you know?" he croaked, his voice still scratchy from sleep. Severus brought his hand to Harry's shoulder and squeezed.

"Lupin told me that you saw what happened," he answered in a calm voice.

"Oh." He should have known Remus would tell his father that. He sighed. "I really should apologize to Remus for that..." he mused. Severus raised his eyebrows. Harry frowned in thought. "I sorta remember shoving him or something when he tried to tell me you were alive." His father smiled that half-smile of his.

"Lupin is likely not expecting an apology," he pointed out as he handed Harry his glasses back.

"Yeah...but really, I've been pretty unbearable...actually I shouted at him a fair bit," he said with chagrin as he adjusted his glasses. His father scowled.

"What did Lupin do to you that caused you to shout at him?" he asked darkly. Harry almost laughed.

"Oh you know...ordered me to start eating, tried to force me to sleep, get dressed and the like," he said airily. "You really should be nicer to him, you know," Harry said thoughtfully. Severus blinked. Harry nodded sagely.

"I admit I didn't really listen all that well, but I'm pretty certain, judging from what I feel like now, I must have been a quite a head case." Severus frowned.

"You were not a head case," he corrected stiffly. "You were grieving...it is not the same thing," he said firmly. Harry shrugged. He looked away from his father's intense gaze.

"I was pretty convinced you'd want to stay with mum," he said quietly, his voice hoarse again. Severus gripped his knee. Harry swallowed before continuing, "Remus even yelled at Dumbledore. Dumbledore was ready to just give up on you...and Remus told him you wouldn't just leave me...and he said it again to me as well when I wasn't certain what to do."

Severus' hand tightened against Harry's knee. "What do you mean 'when you weren't certain'?" he demanded softly, his voice strained. Harry slid his eyes back to his father's taut face.

"I didn't know if you'd want to come back...I didn't know if I shouldn't just let you go," he said honestly and Harry thought his father looked rather ill. He rushed on to reassure him. "I know now there was no decision, just as you said, but I didn't know it then," he explained. Severus nodded, still looking waxen. Then he got up slowly, his joints creaking; he sat next to Harry.

He took the cloth from Harry's hand and dampened it again with a bit of water from his wand before handing it back and then asked, "Did you tell Lupin or Poppy about your nightmares?" Harry shook his head.

"I didn't really sleep enough for them to last very long," he admitted, and he felt a bit better with the honest answer.

"How much did you see?" Severus asked, his voice very gentle. Harry twisted his fingers in the wet cloth.

"All of it," he whispered. He felt his father stiffen beside him; the cushion jerked with the movement. "He took your wand and then they started kicking you-" He gasped once before adding, "I heard him in my head...I heard both of you-" He shook convulsively, cutting off the rest of what he meant to say. Hear your father's screams, Harry...

Severus put a hand over Harry's, who by now had twisted the cloth into nothing resembling its original shape. They sat there together for many quiet minutes.

"I did not realize at the time that we had any sort of connection," Severus finally murmured quietly.

Harry glanced at him swiftly before asking tentatively, "Could I hear you...because of what Dumbledore said about mum's Charm connecting us?" Severus gazed at him; Harry flushed. "I guess I heard a bit more than I said..." Severus squeezed his hand lightly before pulling away, bringing the mangled cloth with him.

He tapped his black-clad knee with his forefinger a few times in thought, before answering slowly, "I cannot be certain, but I do not think I was consciously calling for you." He paused before adding, "I was thinking about you however." For some reason, that made Harry tense. "Voldemort began systematically breaking through my mental defenses as soon as I was weak enough physically," Severus continued. Harry flinched. Severus stopped speaking, watching Harry's reactions carefully.

"I'm all right," Harry forced himself to say, although his father didn't seem inclined to believe him.

He continued very carefully, "I did not realize it before, but it is possible that Voldemort used whatever mental connection we might have, as a conduit of sorts to reach you." Severus grimaced. "I should have avoided thinking about you. I am sorry, Harry," he offered. Harry reached his hand out, taking his turn to comfort his father, giving his arm a quiet squeeze.

Severus' lip lifted in a sort of sad smile before he spoke again. "The connection may have little to do with the Charm, however. Your mother and I shared a similar mental connection...it happens on occasion when two people bond, especially those skilled in the mental arts." Harry smiled at his father's ability to speak without any self-importance.

"So, it's more to do with having been in each other's minds then?" he clarified. Severus frowned.

"It is most likely a combination of the two, I should think."

Harry nodded, leaning forward to ask, "But how did we even get some sort of soul connection anyway; and what did Dumbledore mean 'all the pieces of Voldemort's soul'?" Harry knew he was incriminating himself further, but his father seemed little concerned.

Severus did look uncomfortable however, before he said quickly, "Before we continue this conversation, I need you to understand that it is extremely dangerous for anyone to have this knowledge. Albus only told your mother, and I when your mother started working on the Impentribiilus Charm. Later, James was included. And now, with the exception of Lupin, not one of the Order members knows about this." His father was speaking much faster than usual, his hands held very stiffly in his lap.

Harry understood immediately what his father was trying so hard not to ask. And though, he would have fought this particular issue until he came up victor only weeks ago...now...well somehow, it didn't seem nearly as important that his friends know everything. So Harry nodded. "I'll keep it between us," he promised. Severus, looking vastly relieved, inclined his head before plunging right in with the explanation and Harry was warmed by the thought that his father obviously trusted him.

"You understand the basics of the Impentribiilus Charm, from Ms. Granger's research, correct?"

Harry nodded. "Mum cast it on your arm, right? So that the Dark Mark couldn't bind itself to you, like it does with Voldemort's Death Eaters."

"I can hear Voldemort's call, but the Mark doesn't burn the way it is supposed to," his father clarified.

"Hermione read about it in a book Flitwick loaned her," Harry told him. Severus got an odd look at his face. "What?" Harry wanted to know. Severus shook his head.

"Your mother found the original Charm in a book Filius gave her," he said quietly.

"Do you still have it?" Harry asked eagerly, though there was really no reason for him to want to see it; Hermione still had her copy.

"It is with some of your mother's things, in the safe house Albus created for us. There are a few things that belonged to James there as well," Severus told him. Harry grinned, unexpectedly delighted.

"Can we go there sometime?" he asked. His father looked surprised, as though the thought had never occurred to him but after a moment, he nodded.

Harry smiled again, before continuing with his questions. "There was a paragraph that described a way to use the Charm so that it would actually have some power over the person it was cast on...Voldemort, in this case, after he cast the Mark...that you could do something that would make him helpless, but you said you didn't because mum had to activate that part, yeah?" he asked, realizing the question was muddled, but Severus nodded anyway.

"The book, as you know, gave no specifics but your mother devised an extension to the original on her own." Severus' eyes had taken on a faraway look as he continued in a distant voice, "After your mother cast Impentribiilus, we engaged in a sort of ritual chant. Once Voldemort cast the Dark Mark, we hoped the Mark would form a connection between Voldemort and myself. Once your mother and I gave the command, your mother's Charm would have been activated." His father paused to look Harry straight in the eye. "It was not meant to render him helpless, however. We designed it so that Voldemort would have been completely destroyed." Harry felt his spirits sink; he had hoped there would still be a way...

"Would have been?" he repeated, sounding much more anxious than he'd meant to. "What were you and Dumbledore so excited about then?" he wanted to know. Severus raised a brow.

"Excited," he echoed, as though he'd swallowed a particularly foul potion. Harry smirked while he waited for an answer.

"Since your mother and I would have needed to activate the Charm together, there would have to have been a momentary connection between us...Albus believes, based on the fact that I was unable to leave this world completely, that you and I forged a connection with one another...one that was greater than intended, thereby bypassing your mother completely. It is only an inference, but it is possible that instead of binding the Charm to your mother, the role of caster was passed along to you...she was expecting you at the time," he emphasized and Harry's pulse quickened.

"So that means that I might be able to activate the Charm?" he asked eagerly, barely able to restrain his emotions. When his father nodded, he demanded, "What are we waiting for then?"

"Harry," his father scolded lightly, with some exasperation, though he looked mildly amused, "it would be extremely foolish to simply make an attempt without any further research." Harry sagged. But of course it made sense.

"Yeah," he nodded, disappointed, "but we'll never be certain it will work, will we?" he pressed. His father frowned.

"Albus is working on it," he assured Harry. "Though in your current state, any attempt would most certainly fail. Therefore, it would be wise to simply focus your energies on recovery...a recovery which will include eating more than four spoonfuls of porridge," he said with a mild glare. Harry groaned, slumping back against the cushions. The thought of food was more nauseating than even he had thought possible.

"I'm still full from breakfast," he attempted to plea, and then he laughed with surprise as his father snorted in response.

"Naturally," Severus returned with tempered sarcasm, "as the porridge was refit with magical expansion properties."

"Maybe you really should put some in and that way I won't have to eat as much," Harry challenged around his chuckle. His father shook his head, his eyes glinting with humor.

"In the time it would take to invent such a ridiculous formulation, you would likely be back to eating triple portions in the Great Hall and it would therefore, be quite useless." Harry rolled his eyes.

"I think you're thinking of Ron; I don't eat that much," he denied. Severus raised an eyebrow in challenge. "All right, so maybe I do," Harry conceded with a smirk.

"Excellent," his father approved with a somewhat grand nod, "then I'll expect as much at lunch." Harry made a face. Not bloody likely, he thought. But he didn't say anything, not with his father gazing at him expectantly. "You should get cleaned up before we eat...have a shower perhaps," he suggested and at Harry's sheepish look, Severus added mildly, "I am not quite as unobservant as you might like to believe."

Harry had no trouble believing that.

--

"Good Afternoon, Severus," Lupin greeted from the darkened corridor.

"Lupin," Severus greeted, as he inclined his head. He gestured for Lupin to enter. He held out his hand for Lupin's robes and hung them neatly on the set of hooks next to the wooden door.

"Is Harry asleep?" Lupin inquired, looking around the room, as though he expected Harry to have found a place to hide.

"He is in the shower," Severus informed him mildly. Lupin let out a small chuckle, causing Severus to eye him speculatively.

"Well, you did at least manage to get him to wash up, I guess," Lupin said with amusement. "Have you had the same success with feeding him?" he asked, still smiling.

"We have reached an understanding," Severus informed the werewolf with perhaps a bit more haughtiness than was necessary. Lupin raised his eyebrows.

"Really? So he ate breakfast then?" he pressed. Severus turned away in annoyance. "You could always call in Ginny," Lupin suggested when Severus didn't answer. "She was wonderful with him in the Infirmary."

Severus bristled.

"I do not need Ms. Weasley's help to get my son to eat," he said coldly. Lupin chuckled again, though he didn't comment further. Severus busied himself for a moment tying the rolls of parchment that he'd used to request Harry's assignment. Once finished, he turned slowly and handed one to Lupin, though he knew the gesture was redundant.

"Harry will remain here while he recovers; I would appreciate a list of assignments he has missed, as well as the ones for the upcoming week," he explained. Lupin smiled ruefully while he took the roll.

"Minerva and Filius taught my classes for me while I were here with Harry, so I'm afraid there were many more essays than I usually give myself," he said with a small shake of his head. Severus nodded curtly while he attempted to find the words he felt compelled to say.

Firmly shielding his mind, he said stiffly, "Harry informed me that you were instrumental in helping him decide to attempt to reach me." Lupin's face immediately registered surprise but he quickly covered it, shaking his head slightly.

"I just supported his decision, Severus. He wanted to bring you home." Severus recognized that the werewolf was making an attempt to spare his feelings and the realization made him tense. Ignoring both Lupin's pathetic ploy and his own discomfort, Severus altered the course of the conversation slightly, "He was also concerned about apologizing to you for his outburst when you insisted I was alive." Again, Lupin tried and failed to cover his surprise.

"There is no need for an apology, Severus," Lupin put in quickly. "He was distraught." Severus nodded, his entire body wracked with disquiet.

"I told him as much," he acknowledged. For some reason, the werewolf smiled.

--

Once he'd taken a shower that would have won a Muggle speed record, Harry just as quickly toweled his hair off and threw the damp towel in a basket, where it disappeared immediately to be whisked off to the house-elf assigned to these quarters. Harry smiled, as he always did, at the enchantment of magic; he didn't think he'd ever get used to it.

As soon as he opened the washroom door, he grinned; he could hear Remus talking in low tones to Severus.

"Albus seems to think it highly unlikely." Remus was saying, his tone much firmer than normal.

"Albus will do whatever it might take to make Voldemort's defeat a reality," Severus returned, his tone mocking and cold through, though clearly Remus was not the target this time.

"Of course, Severus. He's infuriately consistent-" Remus stopped talking abruptly as Harry walked in. "Harry!" he greeted warmly. "How are you?" he asked, moving toward Harry quickly.

"Hey, Remus!" Harry returned, with a huge grin on his face. It was good to see Remus again without the heavy weight of trepidation in his chest. "Are you staying for lunch?" he asked, and though he really did enjoy Remus' company, it didn't escape his thoughts that perhaps with Remus around, his father wouldn't pressure him as much about eating. The overriding nausea had not lifted.

Harry glanced over Remus' shoulder at his father, who surprisingly needed no prodding. "You may stay if you wish, Lupin," he acquiesced. Harry turned back to Remus expectantly. His friend smiled and nodded, patting Harry affectionately on the shoulder. Harry grinned.

Harry and Remus sat next to each other at the table while Severus called the kitchens. A platter of food popped into existence. Severus sat across from Harry.

"Ginny asked after you this morning," Remus told Harry as he began eating his soup; Harry's heart skittered. He hadn't spared a thought for his friends in days, but hearing Ginny's name made him realize how much he missed his fiery girlfriend. Hmm...Ron and Hermione as well for that matter.

"How is she?" Harry asked, ignoring the scrambled egg and pumpkin juice his father set in front of him. The smell alone...

"She, as well as her brother and Hermione, have all been having quite a time, trying their best not to hex most of the student body."

Harry scowled. "That bad?"

Remus nodded. "Ginny is rather displeased with Rita Skeeter at the moment."

"Yeah, I'm not so contented with her myself," Harry muttered, running his finger absently along the rim of his glass. He brightened as he remembered the reporter's antics during the Tri-Wizard Tournament. "She's an unregistered Animagus, you know," he informed his father and Remus casually. The two men looked startled, and then Severus' dark eyes immediately grew calculating.

"Hermione found out in fourth year," Harry told them with a smile, leaving out any details of blackmail...after all, Harry was certain his father could come up with that idea on his own.

Severus, after a few moments spent in contemplation, seemed to forget all about the Daily Prophet's star reporter. He was eyeing Harry's plate; Harry sighed.

He attempted a bite of egg, but could only get it halfway to his lips, before the nausea was too much. He shook his head as he delicately returned his fork to his plate, pushing the entire thing away without thinking about it. His father set his fork down and Harry tensed.

"Harry, you need to eat...even if only a few bites," Severus told him calmly. Harry pursed his lips and shot a nervous glance at Remus, but thankfully Remus wasn't paying any attention to them.

"I can't," Harry said, turning his eyes from his father's penetrating gaze. Severus was quiet for too long and Harry finally looked up. Severus seemed to be deciding the best course of action and Harry desperately hoped that whatever conclusion he was coming to, wouldn't involve any sort of lecture, especially not with Remus sitting right next to him.

"Try a few sips of pumpkin juice at least," Severus finally said. Harry let out a soft sigh of relief and sipped at his juice tentatively. He nursed the glass as he watched his father and Remus polishing off their meals. As soon as they'd finished, Severus excused himself to his lab, saying he needed to pen one more note, while Remus smirked into his teacup.

--

"Didn't Madame Pomfrey say you were supposed to take it easy?" Harry asked his father critically as he watched him pouring Siphon Berry Juice into a cauldron. Severus didn't even look up; the Juice continued its smooth sweep into the boiling liquid.

"Poppy is aware of my relaxation methods."

Harry frowned. "Well, how about sitting down, at least?" he pressed. Severus finished emptying his little vial before looking up, his eyes glinting in amusement.

"Excellent idea, Harry," he approved. He flicked his wand. Harry watched as a stool scooted swiftly toward them. He gasped as it knocked into the back of his knees, forcing him to sit heavily on it.

"Hey!" he objected, but his father had turned back to his cauldron, seeming not to have noticed that the stool had gone astray. Harry thought about getting up, but decided he was too tired and the stool was surprisingly comfortable.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked after watching his father stir the Potion for awhile. Severus pointed to a long white root. "What is it?" Harry wondered.

"Gopherseed Root. Slice it lengthwise, and then into half-inch sections," Severus directed.

Harry began slicing, carefully holding the knife the way his father had shown him when they'd made the Memory Enhancing Potion together. "So, am I getting credit for this?"

Severus gave him a quick look before he turned back to his stirring. "This sudden interest in your Potions grade is most disconcerting," he commented. Harry shrugged.

"Well, my Professor is quite strict, you know."

"I have heard as much," Severus said dryly. Harry finished chopping and then leaned forward on his forearms a bit to watch his father's meticulous stirring.

"Do I still have to work with Malfoy?" he asked abruptly. Severus looked up, though his rhythm was not interrupted.

"Yes."

Harry sighed.

"We won't be able to get any work done, you know. He'll be a huge prat about this."

His father smirked a bit. "Not while I am in the room, he will not."

Harry raised a skeptical brow, in an unconscious imitation of his father. "I can't really see any of the Slytherins cowering around you," he informed his father as he tried to picture Malfoy quaking as Severus lectured him. He shook his head in wry amusement. Malfoy really didn't seem the type to quake.

His father stopped stirring and gestured for the roots; Harry handed them over. "Slytherin House, in general, has always had a less than stellar reputation." He didn't even pause as he dropped the slices in, one by one. "And for the most part, it has not been earned."

"So to make up for it, you let them get away with murder?" Harry asked, trying his best to act as though he understood. His father gave him a look.

"The students in my house would no doubt disagree with your assessment," he said firmly. His eyes glinted as he added, "There are a few who have had more detentions than even you."

"Very funny," Harry retorted, making a face at his father's jest. Severus considered him for a moment.

"It will however be most gratifying not to have to issue you anymore false detentions," he mused as he placed the last section of root into the cauldron. Harry smiled.

"You'd probably better not give me any real detentions either, though," he said with smirk, disinclined to be serious at the moment. "Bad press, you know," he explained, with an airy wave of his hand.

"I will keep that in mind," Severus agreed, his lips not quite reaching a smile. He gave his stirring rod one final turn before deciding, "Two more hours should be adequate."

"How do you know how much longer it needs?" Harry asked curiously. Severus gestured for him to move closer to the cauldron; Harry complied.

"A Nutritive Potion needs to be maroon in hue."

"It's sort of a dark pink now," Harry said as he leaned in toward the hissing cauldron, studying the eddies.

"It typically takes approximately two hours for the Siphon Berry Juice to bring the color to a more uniform maroon. The heat releases the toxins in the berries, darkening the juice as it does."

Harry nodded into the cauldron. "So, once it's maroon, the right amount of toxin has been released," he concluded.

"Well deduced," Severus approved and Harry looked up. His father's face was relaxed into that same expression he'd worn when he'd told Harry he was proud of his Occlumency abilities; Harry grinned.

"Thanks," Harry said happily, pulling back from the cauldron. The process of brewing was really quite interesting, he decided as they cleaned up together. The Floo flared from the living room just as Harry was replacing the flask of Siphon Berry Juice into his father's cupboard. He looked toward the sitting room in surprise.

"Who's that?" he asked. His father didn't answer and Harry decided the man had a bit of a shifty look about him. Thinking he was imagining it and that their visitor was most likely Dumbledore, Harry followed his father into the sitting room. His mouth fell open in delight as he took in Ginny's face floating in the Floo.

"If you would step through, Ms. Weasley," Severus invited, his voice very reserved. Ginny's head nodded and then she was stepping out onto the rug. Harry covered the distance between them in seconds and engulfed Ginny in a hug; his emotions now firmly held at giddy.

"Harry," Ginny breathed into his shirt, clearly having lost her breath with Harry's crushing embrace. He quickly stepped back; she was grinning up at him.

"What are you doing here, Gin?" he demanded excitedly. Ginny glanced behind him; Harry turned. His father was watching them, his eyes more shadowed than they'd been in a long time.

"Your father invited me to dinner," Ginny explained. Harry's face lit up. He grinned back at his father.

"Thanks."

Severus nodded before he went to the Floo to order their meals.

Harry, as delighted as he was that Ginny had come to visit, felt a flutter of nervousness at the thought that Ginny would see his inability to eat like a normal person. He was pretty sure his father expected him to be a nutter, but Ginny...

Once their food arrived, Ginny and Severus both began eating, while Harry stared into his bowl of porridge. Come on, Harry scolded himself, just get on with it. He was a Gryffindor for Merlin's sake, not a bloody Hufflepuff. What was a spot of nausea to a Gryffindor?

Gritting his teeth, Harry spooned up a marginal bit of porridge and forced it down his throat. It was just as disgusting as it had been earlier. Both his father and Ginny were watching him. Ginny nodded encouragingly, so he took another bite. He had to put his spoon down after the fifth bite, as the queasiness was beginning to overtake him again.

"Are you still feeling nauseous?" Severus asked. Harry nodded, wishing he didn't have to be so weak in front of Ginny. "Accio Stomach Calming Draught," Severus called abruptly. A vial of full of a green ligquid flew from the lab to the table. Severus caught it deftly and handed it to Harry. "Drink," he commanded and Harry did, not daring to look at Ginny.

The vial vanished as soon as he'd finished with it and he glanced over at Ginny when he felt her hand on his arm. She smiled at him, not a trace of pity or disgust in her face. Harry relaxed. "Better?" she asked, her brown eyes warmed with concern, and for the first time Harry wondered if perhaps that warmth in Ginny's eye could mean something more. He smiled at her.

"A bit," he admitted. She patted his arm and took a few bites of her own meal. "Thanks," Harry said to his father for the third time in barely ten minutes. Severus nodded and looked pointedly at Harry's unfinished porridge. Shaking his head in disgruntled amusement, Harry ate slowly, taking his time. Somehow, even though he took much longer than either his father or Ginny, he finished almost the entire bowl.

Severus, looking satisfied, waved his wand once over the table and the meal was replaced with a tea service and a plate of biscuits.

"Would you care for tea, Ms. Weasley?" Severus inquired, holding out a cup and saucer for her. She nodded politely and accepted the offering. "Harry?" his father queried but Harry hastily shook his head. Though he didn't feel nauseous anymore, the porridge was sitting like a rock in his stomach. Severus nodded his understanding and helped himself to tea. Ginny nibbled on a biscuit, while Harry started quizzing her on everything that had been happening at Hogwarts.

"It was quite an effort to get anyone to believe that Professor Snape hadn't died," she explained as she shook her head in amazement as she answered Harry's final question. "How anyone can be so thick as to believe anything Rita Skeeter writes...the woman's a menace," she declared, her voice filled with animosity. Harry smiled as her lip curled up into a fair imitation of his father's famous sneer.

"What finally convinced them?" Harry wondered. Ginny laughed.

"Professor McGonagall had quite a fit this morning at breakfast. She was practically shouting from the Head Table that you were fine...both of you. She said that she has never seen either one of you so happy, and then she threatened to take fifty points if anyone so much as mentioned Rita Skeeter or her slanderous article again."

Harry and Severus stared at her. Harry was the first to find his voice. "McGonagall?" he parroted. "She was defending us?" he asked in shock. Ginny nodded fervently.

"Harry, she was practically spitting, she was so angry. It's a good thing too. Half the Slytherins and Gryffindors were threatening duels in the corridors." She shook her head. "Colin Creevey hexed a Slytherin in Hagrid's class," she told them. "The Slytherin, Septimus something or other, announced that Professor Snape should have just killed you himself and been done with it." Severus made a low snarling sound, his hands fisted on the table, and Harry did not fancy being this Septimus bloke.

Wanting to distract his father, Harry pushed up from the table. "We're brewing a Nutritive Potion," he told Ginny, beckoning her to accompany him. "The Siphon Berries are really interesting." Ginny stood and as if the motion had been ingrained in him, Severus stood as well; the tea and biscuits vanished from the table.

"I doubt Ms. Weasley is interested in the properties of Siphon Berries, Harry," Severus said, his voice full of amusement. Harry smiled, knowing his father understood that he had wanted to move away from the topic of schoolyard hexings.

"Yeah, probably not," he admitted. He turned to Ginny. "Do you want to see my mum's photo album?" he asked, excited about the prospect of sharing a bit of his parents with Ginny. She grinned.

"I'd love to," she told him seriously. Harry glanced at his father.

"Do you want to come?" he asked, not sure exactly how he wanted him to answer. Severus studied him for a moment, before shaking his head.

"I should tend to your Nutritive Potion," he said. Harry nodded uncertainly. His father gave him a small smile and Harry returned it. He took Ginny's hand and turned slowly toward his room.

"Harry." His father's voice stopped him. Harry turned around again, his heart tripping against his ribs more than it should have been. Severus narrowed his eyes a bit, startling Harry for a moment. "Leave the door open," he advised.

Harry bit his lip to keep from laughing at the quiet order. He nodded though, knowing his father was entirely serious. "Yeah, all right," he said quickly, not missing Ginny's smirk. Severus inclined his head and spun around, his usually smooth twirl, stunted a bit. Harry and Ginny made it to Harry's room before they both burst out laughing.

"He sounds just like my mum!" Ginny giggled. Harry raised his eyebrow.

"And just how many boys have you had in your room?" he asked, trying not to smile. Ginny stuck her tongue out at him.

"Funny, Harry. I do have six older brothers you know, none of them exactly proper little gentlemen." When Harry opened his mouth, Ginny shook her head, her eyes twinkling as she denied, "Nope, not even Percy."

Harry smiled down at Ginny and then without another word, he gathered her up in his arms again. He kissed her this time, enjoying the feeling of her so close.

"Thanks, Ginny," he said softly when she finally pulled away. She looked up at him quizzically. "For coming. I think it meant a lot to my dad." Ginny grinned.

"He was quite insistent in his note. I was afraid he'd give me detention if I refused," she teased. Harry shook his head. His father was much too sneaky for his own good.

"I think he was hoping I'd eat if you were here," he tried to explain. Ginny nodded.

"Remus told me you weren't doing very well." Her eyes crinkled again in concern. "You're doing better now though, right?" she asked anxiously. Harry nodded.

"Yeah..." He shook his head in amazement. "He was with my mum," he told her quietly. "But, he wanted to come home...to be here with me." The idea was completely overwhelming. Ginny squeezed his hand tightly.

"Of course he did, Harry. He loves you...it's obvious he does." Harry swallowed.

"I know," he nodded. "He doesn't even mind that I'm a mess now," he confided, only half-joking. Ginny hugged him again.

"You're supposed to be a mess, Harry. You lost your dad, got him back, lost him again...you brought him back from the dead, Harry!" she said, her words filled with awe. "Of course, you're a mess. And how could he mind after what you did for him?" Harry shook his head, tears forming slowly in his eyes.

"I don't know how to explain it, but I think I actually did do something for him. He came back so I wouldn't be alone anymore. Because I needed him. I don't think he's felt needed for anything since my mum died," he told her thickly. She nodded, and Harry knew that somehow she did understand. Because, in reality, his father wasn't all that hard to understand.

--

Severus relaxed as he approached his son's room. The sounds of laughter floating from within soothed his frayed nerves. He hadn't realized just how much he appreciated having Harry within his sight. He'd spent too many nights over the past months worrying about him. Severus felt a pang of grief as he thought of his son going back to the tower. Harry would be able to leave soon, and Severus hadn't realized he would miss him so much.

Smoothing his features into a calm façade, he knocked lightly on the edge of the doorway.

"Come in," Harry said, his invitation shaking with laughter. Severus stepped in. Harry and Ms. Weasley were sitting on Harry's bed, their backs against the stone wall, their legs entwined together so that it was hard to tell who belonged to what. With a rush of fear, Severus realized he would need to have a talk with Harry about Ms. Weasley. He covered the shudder that threatened to explode as Harry smiled up at him. "Ginny's enjoying my bath pictures immensely," he said, his grin spreading.

"You were adorable, Harry." the girl laughed, pointing to a picture of Harry splashing gleefully in a tub full of sudsy bubbles. Severus' black sleeves were rolled up as he leaned over; his arms were dangling into the water.

Severus watched the pair while they laughed through two more pictures before saying quietly, "It is almost curfew, Ms. Weasley." She and Harry exchanged a look before Ms. Weasley turned back to Severus.

"You can call me Ginny if you'd like, sir," she said very seriously as her lips twitched with mirth. Severus stared at her, having not one idea how to respond to such an offer.