A whisper touched against his forehead; Father's thin lips. 'Love you, too, Daddy,' Harry murmured, but he wasn't sure his words traveled any further than his own mouth.
When the red-eyed demon invaded his dreams this time, he pushed him – and the green light – up into the sky and covered them with clouds the shape of ducks and apples and dogs like Fang. It was hard, and it hurt his head, but when he woke, he was trembling and in a cold sweat, but not screaming.
He was so surprised he forgot to send the white message. But Father came anyway, and held him close until he could do the breathing again.
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A/N: Thank you to everyone who's read and reviewed! Mocha lattes for everyone! Next chapter should be out by the weekend.
*Chapter 27*: Chapter 27
Whelp -- Chapter 27
By jharad17
Disclaimer: None of this is mine. Honest. She's rich, blond and British. I'm not.
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The next few days passed without anything tragic or horrible happening to Harry or Draco, to the great surprise and relief of Severus, as well as Poppy, Albus and even, if she had been asked, Nelli.
By the end of the week, they had fallen into a routine of sorts, with the boys up soon after the crack of dawn, dressed and breakfasted while Severus hovered over his first cup of coffee, and then herded outside by Nelli and her assistants, for running around and loud play. Meanwhile, Severus worked on lesson plans for the upcoming year, and set up his classroom and store rooms. During lunch, the boys would describe to him in minute detail all the games they had played and the winner of each, as well as the conversations they'd had with various of the castle's denizens, including Sir Nicholas, the Bloody Baron, Peeves, and several of the more loquacious portraits. And afterwards, they were encouraged to engage in more quiet play, in Harry's room or the sitting room if necessary, while Severus attended staff meetings or prepared potions for the infirmary.
Dinner consisted of more tales of the antics of two seven-year-olds, and after that, there was time for reading and writing practice (for Harry) or a game of chess, and then showers, teeth brushing, story time, and bed. Though Severus was not the one chasing after them all day, he was still exhausted by evening's end, and marveled at the energy of House-elves. For one thing, he was unused to having so much . . . company and conversation, and the lack of solitude was sometimes rather distressing. One part of him hoped Molly Weasley was right when she said he would get used to it, and another part was almost dreading the idea that he, Severus Snape, would becomes accustomed to the inane chatter of young children.
By the weekend, Albus was no longer interested in accepting 'no' for an answer when he asked for Harry and Draco to meet the rest of the staff, and so Severus relented, promising they would be present for Saturday lunch. He did, however, insist that they not be flung into the presence of all the staff at once. Small groups would be best. No more than two or three new faces. Gratified that Dumbledore acquiesced to this demand, he did not think to specify which staff he thought would be easiest for the boy to meet first. Thus Saturday at lunch found Professors McGonagall, Flitwick and Sprout seated at the table, along with Albus and Hagrid.
Harry, dressed in neat, green robes, stuttered to a halt just inside the doors to the Great Hall and stared. Draco, naturally more self assured, and doubtless used to dinner parties in which he had been introduced to numerous new adults, gave him a curious look before leading Harry by the hand to the table. Severus followed behind them and ushered them into seats at one end of the long table, as opposed to putting them in the middle of the group.
'Don't be scared, Harry,' Draco whispered. 'They're just teachers.'
'Not scared,' Harry protested, but the pallor of his skin and the wideness of his eyes suggested otherwise.
Draco shrugged and looked at Severus, who shook his head slightly. 'Harry, Draco, this is Professor Flitwick, who teaches Charms.' He gestured to the very short man directly to his left, who was sitting on a large cushion on a chair magically raised into the air, just
