The Headmaster

Chapter 22 The Headmaster

The next few days were hectic with both Albus and Severus recovery taking most everyone’s free time up. It was Luna’s idea, since everyone was there most days, that they should all move into the Malfoy Mansion or at the very least have a room they could stay in if they wished to. Remus, Hermione and Minerva took Luna’s offer to permanently stay there during the two wizards’ recovery. Even though Minerva thought it was a marvelous idea, the fact that Alvin would be living there was the icing on the cake. She manipulated Luna into giving her the room next door to the Healer, just incase he might need her assistance in the middle of the night. She smiled slyly to herself thinking of what ‘assistance’ he might need.

Since the Quidditch season was over early in the season for Ron, losing soundly to the Hungarian team, he decided to move in with the lot of them. Being a renowned Quidditch player had its moments but he missed his friends and wanted to spend his free time with them. He planned, as soon as he was settled in, to call Harry and ask him out to go pub hopping.

Neville had a room near the conservatory where he could grow some of his more exotic species of plants while assisting both his ex-Headmaster and ex-professor but his business in the south of France kept him busy, so he could only help a couple days a week.

Luna insisted that Draco and she should take the maid’s quarters on the bottom floor, near the kitchen. Her only alteration to her room was to extend the small nook into a nursery for their daughter. She was quiet the fireball, up at dawn, fixing breakfast for an army, including special meals for both of the patients, before taking off for work at the Prophet. Alvin eyed her cautiously when dark circles started to form around her eyes. He decided to have a talk with Draco about his wife slowing down, at least during her pregnancy. She was taking too much responsibility on her narrow shoulders.

Harry hadn’t been back to see Snape for a few days. He spent two days at St. Mungos to remove a couple of very nasty hexes. One hex was devious in it simplicity: Harry continually had a gnawing ach in his body, never in the same place. One day it could be his forearm the next his lower back. Harry had figured it was from all the hexes he endured during the last battle but had always thought it was something he would have to live with. The second curse that was removed was dealt with his ego. His self-worth was blown out of proportion, thinking that his needs were the only ones that had to be satisfied. Devious hexes, no visual damage to the body but subtle changes to his id. The third day, as he left the hospital, he felt his soul lighter than it had been for years. He also realized the needed to apologize to his friends. He had acted like a tyrant and needed to reconcile with his friends. To his chagrin he recognized the fact that he would have to apologize to Snape as well. Even knowing that Snape was a loyal member of the Order, Harry treated his ex-professor like the enemy and made his life as miserable as possible.

Harry sent formal invitations to his former friends to meet with him for lunch, at one of the most exclusive restaurants in London that following weekend. To his immense surprise everyone graciously accepted the invitation.

That Saturday Harry got to the restaurant early to be sure everything was ready. This time there wouldn’t be any arguments. He could now rejoice in his friends’ accomplishments, without being bitter that his plans for them were disregarded.

Everyone showed up in their finest robes. Harry escorted his friends to the private dining room that he had rented for the day. Efficiently, he placed a silencing charm around the table so that no one could overhear their private conversation.

Harry nervously smoothed his robes as he stood in front of the small gathering. He slowly looked about the room, making sure he made eye contact with each and every one of them before he spoke.

“My friends, I hope that I can still call all of you that, for you truly are my friends. I brought you all here today because I owe every one here a heartfelt apology. I am sorry. I am sorry that for the last few months, if not years, I have not been myself. A few days ago I had a few curses lifted while at St. Mungos, which has changed me, I hope, to who I truly am. I was a selfish little prick who demanded that I get my way, even at the expense of others. Totally self-consumed, I wouldn’t listen to words of friendship that were spoken. You all were against me… I thought. What is the expression? ‘Those who are not for me are against me’. I can see now that is not necessarily true. All of you have been my friends and I hope that from this moment on we can, once again, become friends.” Harry lifted a glass of wine into the air and toasted, “To friendship.” Harry sipped the wine from his glass.

“To friendship,” was repeated throughout the room as everyone joined in the toast.

Everyone looked towards Remus, silently urging the werewolf to speak. Rising from his chair Remus turned to Harry and spoke. “I believe I can speak for everyone here that we forgive you. That’s what friends do. We all love you Harry and were only concerned about your well-being. From this moment on the past is just that, in the past and we will only speak of the future.” Remus lifted his glass. “To Harry Potter, our dear, dear, friend.” Remus finished his glass of wine.

“To Harry Potter,” the crowd echoed.

Harry wiped the tears that had gathered in his eyes away. It was good to have his friends back.

Lunch turned out to be a seven course banquet. After hours of eating, drinking, and Harry reacquainting himself with his friends the afternoon lunch had turned into an early evening affair. Everyone slowly departed until only Ron and Harry were left.

Their robes were hanging loose and the belts of their trousers were unbuckled, giving their full stomachs room to stretch. Neither one of the young wizards were feeling worse for the wear.

“What’s your plan for the evening mate?” Ron asked as his hand moved over his belly.

“Guess I should go and apologize to Snape. Not looking forward to it.” He still didn’t care for Snape but he understood that he caused the man a great deal of pain that he had to ask forgiveness for.

“Can you do that tomorrow?” questioned Ron.

“I guess. You have something planned for this evening?” Harry gave his friend a mischievous, crooked smile.

“Yeah, I do.” Ron leaned over the table and spoke. “Look mate, we, as young adult males, have never gone out and been rowdy and I think it’s about time to kick up our heals and have at it.”

“Party hardy?” Harry asked.

“Got it in one. What do you think?” Ron beamed.

“I think we’re wasting time sitting here,” Harry said as he started to buckle his belt.

The two young wizards were rowdy that night, enjoying the freedom that neither one had the opportunity to do when younger. They drank and bickered with one another, laughed and cried about their time at Hogwarts, flirted and danced with men and women they didn’t know. By the time the pubs were closing the two were inebriated. They were lucky that neither one of them splinched themselves apparating home.

As Harry helped Ron walk the steps to Malfoy Mansion, he noticed numerous shooting stars in the sky. He always had a fondness for them. He remembered that as a child they gave him a feel of wonderment and a strange feeling of hope. That hadn’t changed over the years. He wanted to ask Ron if he wanted to watch the night sky with him but Ron lay heavy on his arm, nearly falling asleep.

After dropping off Ron at his bedroom, Harry went about finding someone to watch the stars with. His choices narrowed quickly until only Snape remained on his short list. Biting on his lower lip, Harry wondered if he was that desperate to have someone to be with. In his drunken state he decided he was. He made a few preparations before waking his ex-professor.

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Snape was woken from a sound sleep when someone started to shake his arm.

“Come on Snape wake up,” Potter insisted.

“What the hell?” Snape muttered before his eyes focused on Harry. “Potter, what are you doing here in the middle of the night?” Snape could hear the grandfather’s clock ring three.

“Shhh. Want to show you something,” Potter said as he threw the sheets off of Severus. He slipped his arms under the prone man and lifted him into his arms.

“Put me down this instant Potter. I do not plan on going with you anywhere,” he grumped.

“Ohh, don’t be such a prick all of the time,” he slurred. Harry felt a difference in Snape’s legs. “You got bones!?” Harry was startled.

“Yes, they started to form in my legs yesterday morning, as you would have known if you showed up last evening as you were supposed to,” Snape scolded.

“Sorry… busy,” Harry explained.

Severus struggled vainly in Harry’s arms. A silencing charm was put on him when he started to yell for help. Finally there was little left for the ex-Death Eater to do but to cross his arms across his chest and pout.

By the time Harry got to their location Snape’s arm had crept around his former student’s neck and his head was lying on Harry’s shoulder. Snape sighed at the feeling of being in Potter’s arms. It had been a long time that he had been held like this and it felt… wonderful.

Snape, so caught up in his own thoughts, hadn’t seen the double wide chaise lounge that was facing the southern sky. Gently Harry laid Snape down and covered him with a down blanket. Closing in on winter, the night air had a freezing chill to it so Harry quickly climbed next to Snape and put a warming spell around the both of them.

Harry was laying a good foot away from Snape his hands folded behind his head staring at the sky.

“Now that you got me here, would you kindly explain to me what we’re doing?” Severus snarled.

“I wanted to have someone to watch that with.” Harry tilted his head forward just as a dozen shooting stars flashed across the sky.

“Beautiful,” Snape said in wonderment.

“Yes, indeed,” Harry agreed.

The two sat in comfortable silence as they looked to the heavens. Every once in a while, one would point to the heavens at a falling star that the other one might have missed.

As the night started to fade to daylight the two had drifted to sleep. They were found in the morning by Minerva. At first, frantic at not finding Severus, her heart soared when she came upon the two sleeping wizards. Harry was rolled onto his side, snuggling closely to Severus. Harry’s head lay on Snape’s chest while his hand was possessively lying across his ex-professor’s stomach. Minerva smiled through tears, as she saw Snape’s arm wrapped around the younger wizard’s shoulder. For the first time since Harry returned, Minerva felt that everything between her two boys would be alright.

A/N I would like to let you know it will be a few weeks before I will post again. Work sucks. Second,please help me break 100 reviews...they bring joy to my dismal life...;)