How Severus Spends His Summer Hols

DISCLAIMER: JKR owns everything that is in reference to the Harry Potter world if it is in one of my works of fiction. If it is not found in one of her creations, then it is mine unless otherwise stated. I am not making any profit from the writing of this story.


As soon as the door swung open to the dim entry way, Severus stepped past his husband and into the empty house. Drawing his wand from his back pocket, he whispered, “Lumos,” and looked around for a switch plate.

“Kat, down at the realtor’s said the electricity was on, let me get the lights Harry so you can see,” he said as he found what he was looking for and the next moment soft light bathed the hallway they stood in and the room beyond.

Harry stepped in at Severus beckons and looked around silently. The walls were of a pale yellow colour that were peeling paint in places near the ceiling, the trim a dark painted wood. A large room opened to his immediate left that seemed to be the front parlour, he could see several sheet shrouded pieces of furniture pushed up against the wall. Those walls weren’t the sickly yellow, but papered in some sort of antique ivy and rose print that had faded badly in the sun.

He looked back to Severus and was surprised to see that the man seemed to be nervous. Apparently he was really worried about what Harry thought about this house. He himself had seemed so excited over it when he’d told him about it. Taking a deep breath, Harry noticed that at least the house didn’t smell of damp or mold, maybe a hint of mice though. It wasn’t anything that couldn’t be changed or aired out shortly. He looked down and saw the floors were hard wood just like at the Wolffe’s, he smiled, that was a feature he liked. He hated to hoover. He held his hand out to Severus and smiled.

“Show me the rest of the house Husband?”

Severus took his hand and drew him close for a kiss before leading him through the front parlour. Motioning to the room he began the tour as he remembered what he could from last year.

“Let me see, the furniture that is in here goes with the house, we can either keep it or not. The room gets a lot of sun in the mornings as the walls show,” he said as he motioned to the faded wallpaper. “The floors are all oak. No carpets are in the house. We can put carpet in if you like, doesn’t matter to me.”

He led Harry over to the huge fireplace on the far wall and stopped before it. The thing seemed to take up half the wall.

“This is the main fireplace that is connected to the Floo system, it is supposed to be large enough to accommodate two to three people at once like for a family. I’ll have it sorted out properly of course before you set feet in it,” he declared and then led Harry onto the next room. There they found the floor to ceiling windows and sliding doors on the opposite wall.

“This was the dining room. From what I have been told it will easily hold a table that sits twelve with no problem, as well as the buffet and other accouterments,” Severus explained as Harry snorted at the idea of the two of them needing anything quite so grand simply to have a bowl of cereal in the mornings. His husband looked down at him and smirked. “Not planning on throwing dinner parties, dear husband of mine?”

Harry just looked at him with his lower jaw hung open. He’d never even considered the possibility. Did Severus expect him to do that? Oh Merlin, he needed a crash course in how to behave in society then. Chewing his lower lip thoughtfully, he followed his husband onto the next room.

“This is the kitchen Harry, you have a pantry off behind that door and a root cellar under here,” Severus said as he crouched down on the floor in the corner of the spacious kitchen by a trapdoor and lifted up an iron ring that had been lying flush with the rest of the floor. The older man didn’t notice as Harry paled under his tan and backed away as the trap door swung up revealing the dark hole under the kitchen floor.

“It’s not very big, but enough to keep potatoes, carrots and a few other root vegetables in. It might be one meter by two, and you’ll need your wand for light,” he said as he dropped the door shut again with a thud and stood back up again. Turning, he found Harry over by the sink looking out the window, an odd expression on his face. Shrugging, he joined his husband and looked out at the view with him. Ah, now he could see what held Harry’s attention; apple trees were out beyond the kitchen garden and they were heavy with fruit at this time of year.

“Think you could learn to make apple pies Harry?” he teased as he wrapped his arms around him from behind and felt the younger man relax into his embrace. Giggling, Harry wiggled around so that he was facing him and tipped his head up so that he could kiss his lips.

“Are you volunteering to be my taste tester, Husband?” he asked as he nestled next to Severus and closed his eyes, he could see himself being happy here with a house full of children and his husband. Severus’ fingers stroked over Harry’s thick braid as he swayed with him in his arms and then pulled him away from the sink to show him the rest of the house.

“There is a bathroom, a library of sorts, and a bedroom down here as well. The floor plan is laid out like a horse shoe, one room simply opens onto another, the bathroom is off of the library,” he explained as he led him through each room. Harry made mental note of changes that would need to be made by way of painting and such before he’d be happy.

The staircase was in the entrance hall, and Severus led the way up the narrow steps to the first landing, where Harry was surprised to find a stained glass window with the late afternoon sunlight filtering through and dappling the honeyed oak floor. Smiling, he turned to his husband, he liked this house, he could raise their babies here.

“There’s stained glass on each landing Harry, I thought that you might like that. There is a local artist here in Echo that can replicate this style. I checked into it last summer, I thought to have some windows done for the front door and maybe the dining room,” he said as he ran loving fingers over the lead stained glass. Harry could see what this house meant to his husband, and he already knew what his answer was going to be.


“I would like that as well Husband,” he said as he pulled the older man to the next set of steps, he wanted to finish looking. He had a list of repairs and remodeling to make. They climbed the steps to the second floor and peeked into each bedroom and the bathroom.

“This will make a good nursery once the baby is older,” Harry said of a sunny room that has eastern exposure and was close to the top of the stairs. Severus nodded in agreement and guided his husband to the next flight of steps.

“There is a small room off the bedroom downstairs that I thought might make a good nursery for when the baby is little, Harry,” he said while they stepped onto the third floor landing. The third floor held the last bedroom, what could be used as children’s play room, and the attic storage area.

“We will have plenty of room here, Husband. Room for lots of children and friends to visit. This is the one you wanted, isn’t it, Severus?” Harry asked softly as they descended the stairs again, Harry stopping to admire the stained glass once more. Severus didn’t say anything for a moment, only smiled at his young husband. He had hoped that Harry might like the house as much as he had, but he had been unwilling to push him into it.

“It is Harry, but we can look at others if you would like to. I would understand,” he replied, he didn’t want him to feel he had to say yes and not be happy here. Harry only stopped once they were at the bottom of the stairs and looked at the space under the stairs. The cupboard under the stairs. He ran his fingers lightly over the lock on the access door, but didn’t say a word. Severus placed his large hand over Harry’s and gave it a squeeze.

“Max and I will tear this cupboard out Harry. We’ll install some lighting, maybe some shelves. Use the space to display the children’s artwork or whatever. No one will ever put you in a place like that again, not while I am alive to do anything about it,” he said gently and pulled his husband to him to hold tight. He knew of Harry’s abusive past with the Dursley’s and he’d be damned if his lover would ever be placed in a place like that again.

“An open area like that would be nice, all lit and airy,” Harry smiled and kissed his husband’s fingertips. The bad memories receded a bit more and his smile grew wider. Severus opened the front door again and led Harry out to the porch.


“We have a stream down that way that runs year around, there is a pond over to the west. It is stocked, or at least that is what I have been told. There are two small barns and a couple of other outbuildings scattered here and there on the property,” Severus said as he turned Harry in the directions he pointed and then looked up at the fading light of day. “There is also a large cellar under the house that I plan to use for brewing, if you would like to see it, I will certainly show it to you.”

“No, there’s no need Husband,” Harry answered quickly. He didn’t want to be underground. Not ever again. He looked at the sky himself and then at the growing shadows. “Husband, it is growing late, shouldn’t we be going back?”

Severus nodded and turned back to shut the lights out and lock the door. Taking Harry’s hand, he walked him to the truck and lifted him in, simply because he enjoyed doing so. Kissing him softly before he buckled his belt, Severus stroked Harry’s face and smiled.

“We will have a beautiful family here Harry, and a beautiful home.”

“Yes Husband, we will.”

As they began the journey back into town and to the Wolffe farm they talked of repairs and remodeling that they would like to see done on the house. Both were pleasantly surprised to find that their ideas were meshing well when it came to the painting and colour schemes. Laughing at the suggestion of pink paint in the bathrooms, they were surprised and happy to find Damon’s Harley parked out in the drive as they pulled in.

However sitting on the front porch in his rocking chair was a grumpy looking Grant Wolffe holding what looked to be a glass light fixture that belonged over the breakfast table.

Severus looked at Harry and Harry looked back and then down at his shoes. Grant looked mad and Harry hated to be around anyone that looked mad.

“Stay in the truck a minute Harry, let me find out what’s going on,” Severus said as he glanced at his husband and gave his hand a squeeze. If anyone was going to get yelled at, it would be him. Harry was innocent. He opened the door and got out.


“Hello Grant, how was the trip back?” he asked as he walked toward the porch. Grant just raised an eyebrow and looked at him. Severus swallowed and waited.

“The trip back was fine Sev. What I’d like to know though, is just exactly how chocolate syrup got on the light above the breakfast table,” Grant said as he held the glass up to show the younger man. Severus opened his mouth to speak and just couldn’t find the words. About that time Damon came out the screen door and swatted Grant on the shoulder.

“Are you done torturing the boy yet?” Damon asked with a laugh and then motioned to Harry to come on out of the truck, that everything was okay, no one was mad at him.

The four went in and discussed the Overlook, the repairs it needed along with the asking price. It was soon apparent to all that the Snapes were planning to buy the house as soon as possible.