Whelp

He grinned.

The Headmaster looked over his spectacles at Father and his smile deepened. 'You have a very fine young man there.'

'Of course,' Father said, and his hand patted Harry's shoulder. 'He's my son.'

Harry felt his chest glow with happiness and sucked merrily on his candy while the two men talked.

'Let me have one of the house elves show you to your quarters. We've had to expand them, somewhat, to accommodate your changed circumstances. I've taken the liberty of assigning an elf to assist you with child care, during class times, if you are amenable.'

Harry perked up, knowing what 'amenable' meant, but he stayed quiet, like he was supposed to. Father looked over at him. 'That seems wise,' he said. 'Thank you.'

'Think nothing of it, Severus. We've had parent teachers here before and I daresay we will again.' He looked at Harry again, and Harry couldn't help but squirm under his penetrating gaze. 'He looks a great deal like his father, doesn't he?'

Now Father was staring, and Harry tried hard to keep his head up, but it was very difficult, when he wanted to be small and invisible. 'He does,' Father murmured. 'And so soon.'

The Headmaster chuckled, and Father's head snapped toward him. He looked angry, and Harry ducked his head quick. But Father didn't say anything mean, and didn't hit or throw anything, but his grip on Harry's shoulder tightened, just a bit. 'It's all right, Harry,' he said softly. 'I'm not angry.'

Harry gave him a quick glance, not really believing him, and Father amended, 'I'm not angry with you.'

Only then could Harry relax.

A few minutes later, they were riding stairs that moved! Down to a long, corridor with a high ceiling and shiny wooden floors that Harry thought he might like to try flying his broom around in. Two ugly statues were at the bottom of the stairs, and someone who looked like Dappin, only shorter and with yellowish eyes instead of green.

'I is Nelli, sirs,' the house elf said. 'And I is showing youse to your chambers, Master Snape, Master Harry.'

'Thank you, Nelli,' Father said, and Harry echoed him.

The house elf bowed, smiling happily, and led them down the corridor to a wide set of stone stairs with banisters that would be just brilliant for sliding down. Above their heads, more stairs jutted from walls and even as Harry watched, several of them moved, swinging away from one connection and creating a new one.

'Father, did you see?' Harry asked, pointing.

'Yes, Harry. I told you about the stairs.'

It was true, he had, but Harry hadn't been sure what he meant. Stairs just didn't move. 'Yes, sir, but did you see it?!'

Father's lips twitched in his half-way smile and he nodded, taking hold of Harry's hand and following the house elf around the back of the grand staircase to a narrower corridor that slanted downwards. They followed the long hallway down to another set of stairs, and past many doors until they came to a blank wall.

Nelli stopped and pointed. 'Here is being youse rooms, Master Snape and Master Harry. Master Dumbledore is saying the password is for your changing to whatevers you want. Now the passwords is Chocolate Frog.'

At her words, the wall moved, like the stairs, swinging inward. A secret door! Harry clapped his hands together. 'Father, did you--'

'I see it, Harry,' Father said, but he sounded happy, not irritated, and led the way into their new home.

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TBC . . .

A/N: Next chappie will have more Hogwarts, some visitors, and some Harry magic. Thanks for all my reviewers. Over 400! How's that for awesome? I should have a new chapter out on Monday or Tuesday, at the latest.

*Chapter 15*: Chapter 15

Whelp -- Chapter 15

By jharad17

Disclaimer: I'm not blond, nor rich. 'Nuff said.

A/N at end.

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Severus watched Harry explore his new room. Albus had done well by the boy; the room was of a decent size, and airy, with a magical window in one wall that showed the Hogwarts grounds. Harry stared at it for long moments before turning round.

'Father, is that . . . ? I thought we went down a long way.'

'Yes, we're underground here. It's a magical window. That's the Quidditch pitch you can see there.'

'They play Quidditch here? On real brooms, sir?' They had – much to Severus' dismay – read a book about Quidditch (a gift from Albus, the Old Meddler) together one evening, and the boy had thought of almost nothing else, as far as he could tell, since learning it was played on brooms. Harry seemed to have a fascination with flying that went beyond anything Severus had ever heard of, and he despaired of keeping the boy's feet on the