Whelp

The hand abruptly left his shoulder, and he fell backwards, against the wall of the short hallway. He gasped again as the ache in his head pounded harder.

'What?!' Father asked. 'Harry, what are you talking about?'

'The man – he – he said – Headmaster would – would put – put me in chains, sir,' Harry told him, between gasps. But he wouldn't cry, he wouldn't! 'Please, don't, sir. I'll be good, I promise!'

'Oh, child.' His father crouched in front of him, where he was half curled up on the floor. When he tried to put a hand on Harry's head, though, Harry jerked sideways, away from him. Father withdrew his hand. 'There will be no collar, never again. Mister Filch is . . .' Father gritted his teeth; Harry could hear them grind against one another. 'He is not a nice man. He will never do any such thing to you. And neither would the Headmaster.'

'No, sir,' Harry said, because he was supposed to, but he couldn't help making it sound like a question.

'That's right. I would never allow it.' Father sat back on his heels and held out his hand. 'Please get up, Harry. I am not angry with you.'

Harry bit his lip and looked into his father's dark eyes again but didn't take the hand, not yet. 'I didn't know I couldn't look at the sky, sir. Is it a new rule?'

'No. It's not a rule at all. Mister Filch acted inappropriately.' He threw a look over his shoulder. 'The Headmaster will punish him for laying hands on you when he should not have. Or else I'll do it myself.'

'Really, sir?'

'Really,' Father said. 'And what are you supposed to call me?'

'Father,' Harry whispered.

'That's right. Now, would you like some water or something to eat?'

'Yes, sir, but . . . Father, aren't you mad at me?'

Father dropped his gaze to his hands and shook his head. 'I was worried about you. When I saw . . . I am very angry with Mister Filch. But not you, Harry, you did nothing wrong.'

'But I listened. At the door. It's like spying and only sneaky little bastards do that.'

Father paled and jerked back. 'Where did you . . . who said such a thing to you?'

'Aunt Petunia. In my cupboard, I listened to them when they yelled, 'cause sometimes it was about me, and I . . . I had to know.' He didn't want to say why, that if he didn't know what they were yelling about, or what they were planning to do to him, then he couldn't be prepared. Whatever happened, it was always easier to deal with if he was prepared. 'But she caught me at it, and told me I was spying on them. Said it's only for sneaky little bastards like me.'

Father was quiet for a long moment, and didn't meet Harry's eyes. Then, finally, he looked up. 'This is a difficult one, Harry,' he said. 'First of all, you are not a 'sneaky little bastard.' That's another one of her lies. But . . . it's true that it's rude to listen in on conversations that you aren't involved in. It's just not your business. But sometimes . . . sometimes, it can be very important to do so. Remember how we were discussing how you have to be very careful around some people?'

Harry nodded. 'Like the Malfoys.'

'Yes. And, sometimes, listening to things you aren't meant to hear can save your life. If those people mean you harm. Do you understand?'

'I think so, si – um, Father. But if it's not to keep me safe, I shouldn't eavesdrop, 'cause it's rude?'

'Yes, exactly.'

'Okay. I won't do it again. I'm sorry.'

Father put out his hand again. 'Will you come with me now, Harry? I'm sorry for frightening you.'

Surprised to hear an apology directed at him, Harry took his hand and, though he still trembled a little, went with his father to meet with the headmaster without balking again.

---

'Harry, dear boy. I hear you had a bit of an adventure today.'

Severus nearly snorted at the Headmaster's audacity, but managed to keep it inside, not least because he was still furious with him. Why Albus thought he would reverse the hex he'd placed on Filch, he had no idea. The odious man would be unable to put hands on anyone, literally, for a month. He only wished he would be let to have another go, so he could remove the man's legs, too.

Harry looked up at him now, still fearful, and needing reassurance, and Severus swore his retribution was not yet complete. 'It's all right,' he told the boy, however. 'The Headmaster is a bit barmy.'

Half of the boy's mouth quirked up, and Severus' gaze softened, even as Albus chortled at the dig.

'Yes, sir,' Harry said to Albus, and Severus squeezed his hand.

'I dare say you shouldn't have to go through that again. Let's make sure of it, shall we?'

'Sir?'

'We'll have you at dinner tonight, and you can meet the rest of the staff.'

'No. Absolutely not,' Severus told him. 'I won't have you showing him off like some prized poodle. He'll eat here with me until I determine he's ready for such company.'

Albus held his gaze for a long moment, and Severus didn't waver in the slightest. Two can play at