Learning to Live again.

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by J.K Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Warner Bros, Bloomsbury. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Thank you once again to Periculum…I’m really really not sure what I would do without you!

Chapter Seven

Harry sighed softly after leaving breakfast behind and headed toward his rooms to at least make a start on his homework. He knew that he still had over a month to get it done, but wanted to at least say to Hermione that he had started it, though he knew that she was well aware of the difficulties related to getting it done with the Dursleys around. The only drawback he could see at the moment was the bright sunshine coming through the windows in the entrance hall, taunting him to come out and play.

Standing in a patch of sun, trying to make a decision, he finally remembered that Dobby had said he would be willing to help him with anything he needed, and nearly laughed. “Dobby?” He called softly, hoping the elf would hear him. His answer came a few short seconds later.

“Harry Potter has called his Dobby?” A soft voice questioned from behind Harry.

Turning with a big smile on his face, Harry nodded his head. “Thank you for coming, Dobby.”

Dobby nearly launched himself at the teen in happiness, reminding himself at the last second that his Harry Potter was injured and would be hurt more if he followed through on his instincts. “What can Dobby be doing for Harry Potter Sir?” He asked instead, bouncing on his toes, with tears of happiness collecting in his eyes.

Harry turned his face back to the main doors and closed his eyes in appreciation of the sunlight. Opening them, he once more faced Dobby. “I wanted to work on my schoolwork outside by the lake. Did you think it would be possible for you to bring me my things, and perhaps something to write on as well?” He asked.

“Dobby would be honored to help Harry Potter Sir. I’s will bring you your books and things to help. Did you want them by your tree?” The excitable house elf asked, trembling with eagerness.

“That would be perfect, Dobby!”

“I’s will have it waiting for you when you get there, Harry Potter Sir.”

“Brilliant.” Pausing for a moment before dismissing the elf, Harry thought of one more thing. “Dobby, can you please also tell Professor Snape where I am, no need to have that man angry at me for not being where he expects me to be.”

“Yes Sir, right away,” Dobby said, a big grin spreading across his face. Not only could he help Harry Potter Sir, but he was being trusted to give a verbal message. Being careful, Dobby wrapped his arms around his Harry Potter’s legs and gave a slight hug before popping away.

Harry, for his part, just shook his head at the little elf, well used to his antics by now, though he was very glad that Dobby had calmed down slightly. Thinking about it, he realized it was more the fact that his legs wouldn’t be able to handle Dobby’s usual ways more than anything else. Either way, as Harry made his way out of the castle, he was grateful, and knew that he would need to get the elf something special for all his help.

Reaching ‘his’ tree, Harry had to laugh at the way Dobby had interpreted his request. Where Harry was only hoping for a board or something to balance his work on, Dobby had gone ahead and set up a mini-study. A large comfortable chair, sat under the tree, along with a stool to keep his legs up. Hovering beside the chair was what Harry assumed wizards had in place of a lap table. A large desk-like piece complete with ink well, quills, and parchment, intricately carved with a myriad of different magical animals, and polished enough to be used for a mirror. On the other side of the chair, Dobby had set up a small bookcase with his school books and in front of that was an end table complete with tea and biscuits.

Settling down with a sigh of relief, Harry poured himself a cup of tea and started on the first of his assignments: shielding charms and the basis they created for the use of basic wards, something they would be working on in the coming year.

He didn’t pay attention to the time as he concentrated on his work, barely aware when the teapot was refreshed and biscuits turned into a morning snack of fruit. He did note that he would definitely need to find some way to thank Dobby when he realized that not only were his course books available to him, but any other research material needed as well.

It wasn’t until he heard a throat clear that he realized another chair had been added beside his own, as well as one across from him and that he could smell the soup and fresh bread that had been delivered for lunch. Lifting his head, Harry had to blink his eyes rapidly to bring everything around him back into focus. When his eye had finally cleared, he found Snape sitting next to him, dark eyes glittering in amusement, and Remus settling into the other chair, a large grin on his face. “Um, hi?”

Severus laughed softly, echoed slightly louder by Remus, and returned the greeting. “Quite the set-up you have here, Harry,” he commented.

“I blame Dobby. I asked him to bring my books, and something to write on, and by the time I got here, he had this set up,” Harry explained sheepishly.

Remus threw back his head and laughed loudly. “Are you sure he isn’t bound to you?” he finally asked.

“Not unless it’s possible for a house elf to bind themselves to someone without that person’s knowledge,” Harry replied.

“Not usually, but there has been a few rare cases where it’s happened,” Severus snorted.

Groaning in dismay, Harry pushed the desktop away and dropped his head into his hands. “Then that’s probably exactly what happened.” Looking up he gave the two men a pitiful look. “Please remind me to ask Dobby about it later.” Laughing softly he added, “Hermione is going to kill me!”

Dipping his head slightly in agreement, Severus smirked. “You could just not tell her,” he said, knowing full well what Hermione Granger on a rant sounded like.

“Yeah, like that will work.” Looking between the two men, Harry asked, “What are the two of you doing out here?”

“Well,” Remus started, “when you didn’t show up for lunch, we figured from the message Dobby delivered earlier that you were still out here, so we decided to bring lunch to you.”

“That and to let you know that Miss. Granger and Mr. Weasley will be here in about an hour,” Severus added.

“Excellent!” Standing carefully, Harry twisted around to relax his back muscles, before sitting once again and pulling one of the trays of food closer to him, and with a quick glance at Snape for permission, started in on his lunch.

When the first of the hunger pains silenced, Severus nodded at the desk top. “How are your assignments coming?”

Pausing long enough to swallow the mouthful of bread, Harry looked over at the mass of books and scrolls. “I’ve finished my charms essay, and I’m now working on transfiguration.”

“Did you need help with anything?”

“Not at the moment, Sir…Um, I mean Severus. Maybe later, after I’ve looked them over and done a final copy, you would be willing to look them over,” Harry replied, keeping his eyes down, so that neither man could see the hopeful look in his eyes.

Severus ignored the knowing look Remus sent his way, knowing perfectly well that Harry was giving him the opening needed to prove that Severus did want to be a father to the boy.

“I would be delighted to look over any of your work, once you are ready for me to see it, Harry.”

~~OoO~~

Harry sat silently after Severus and Remus left, letting his mind go blank as he waited for Hermione and Ron to arrive. Giving into an urge he had really not had for the past few years, Harry grabbed a scrap piece of parchment, conjured himself a Muggle pencil, and set about drawing the lake, complete with the one tentacle of the Giant Squid floating lazily across it.

A faint noise from behind him had Harry looking around the side of his chair, at the sight of his two best friends making their way towards him. He could see Ginny and the twins hesitate over whether to follow Ron and Hermione or just go ahead into the castle. Much to his relief he saw them follow their parents, instead of coming out towards him. Picking up his crutches from where he had laid them next to the chair, he took a few tentative steps towards his friends, only to stop in fear when he saw the shock and rage cross both faces.

The look on his face most have been enough to bring the other two back to themselves, because seconds later he found Hermione wrapped around him, and let the crutches fall to the ground in order to wrap his own arms around her. Another set of arms wrapped around the two of them, and Harry found himself crying out all of his anger, hurt and confusion, as he was slowly lowered to the ground.

He wasn’t sure how long the three of them stayed the way, a huddled ball on the banks of the lake.

Frankly, he really didn’t care either.