'Good day,' Father said. 'Remember your manners as a guest, Harry.' And then he was gone, and a hole opened up in Harry's chest a mile wide. Father had promised to come back, though, which was the only reason Harry wasn't chasing after him right now and tearing through the Floo to find him and hold onto him and never let go.
He had
TBC . . .
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A/N: The new job started just last week, and unfortunately, they don't allow me any time for writing. sigh Alas, I will therefore be on a somewhat reduced schedule for updating each of my stories. I'll still try to get a chapter out every week or two, or as often as I can. Thank you to all who read and/or review! Little Harry would like to express his fond wishes to you as well and offers you authentic kneazle purrs from Treacle Tart.
*Chapter 16*: Chapter 16
Whelp II -- The Wrath of Snape
By jharad17
Chapter Sixteen
Previously:
As the time to go collect Harry crept closer, Severus checked the time religiously, not wanting to be late. He had promised his son he would be there on time, and he meant to keep that promise no matter what. Therefore, when it was only a quarter hour till he was due to return to the Weasleys, Severus was vexed to find Dumbledore calling him through his floo.
'What do you want?' he said, his tone more clipped than he would have normally employed with his employer, but he had a timetable to keep. 'Sir?'
Dumbledore frowned slightly, but said nothing about Severus' tone. Instead, he said, 'Severus, my dear boy, I have a situation I need to discuss with you.'
'Can it wait, Headmaster? I have somewhere to be, very soon.'
'I'm afraid it cannot. It should not take too long. Would you care to floo through to my office? The current password is Fizzing Whizbees.'
Severus suppressed a snarl, barely. 'Yes, of course. I'll be there straight away.'
'Excellent, Severus. Excellent. I'll expect you shortly.'
Pressing his lips together, Severus waited till Albus' face disappeared before he grabbed the box of floo powder on his mantle and threw a handful into his fire as he called for the Burrow. 'Molly!' he yelled immediately afterwards. 'Molly Weasley!'
Though his face was viewing the Weasleys' sitting room, he heard a scattering of sound from another room, including a cry from Harry, he was sure. After a moment, Molly's face was in front of him.
'Severus!' she said, surprised. 'Goodness, you startled me. Well, come on through then. Harry's anxious for you.'
Severus swallowed his anger and disappointment. 'I have a meeting with Albus, presently. Please let Harry know I'll come for him as soon as I can. Tell him I'm sorry--'
'Father!' Harry called, and Severus saw him running into the room, a mixture of relief and joy suffusing his pale face.
'I'll be back in just a few minutes, all right, Harry?' he said quickly. He knew Albus was waiting, and though he wanted to skewer the man for making him break his promise to his son, he couldn't do anything of the sort and keep his job. But he would make it up to the boy; he had to.
'Father, it's time to go home, right? I can come home now?'
'Soon, Harry. I'll be back soon.' He turned to Molly. 'Molly, would you please . . .'
'Of course,' the woman said, and thankfully rose and went to Harry. 'Come on, Harry dearie, let's get that picture finished before your father comes to pick you up, all right?'
'But Daddy's right there!' Harry cried again, and lunged for the fireplace. Severus couldn't take the expression on his face, not on top of the guilt he was already feeling. He pulled back, out of the floo, and heard the end of Harry's call of, 'No!! Father, wait!!'
Squeezing his eyes shut tight, Severus counted to ten before he took another handful of powder and snapped, 'Fizzing Whizbees,' even as he cursed Albus Dumbledore in his mind.
Molly cursed Severus in her mind, even as she cuddled the poor boy, Harry, to her chest in an attempt to calm him. She had never found a boy less fond of cuddling, though, and after he thrashed about for a moment or two, she let him go, with the admonishment to 'stay out of the fireplace.'
