Chapter 6

The one time Severus allowed, even encouraged, Harry to become three sheets to the wind, was on a day Albus would choose to show up unannounced.

Harry had returned his feet to their position against Severus's leg. He was humming happily, his head leaned back, eyes closed. His t-shirt had wadded itself up around Harry's ribs, exposing the younger man's midriff. Albus stepped quietly through the floo as Severus turned the page of the book currently in his lap.

Severus saw the old man's eyes flick from Harry, to Severus, to Harry's feet bouncing against his leg. Albus looked at Severus questioningly.

"He was bored," Severus explained nonchalantly.

"Ah. Yes, well, I've come to collect you both."

Harry snored. Severus rolled his eyes. It was barely past lunch time. Harry's goal to become drunk before dinner had been achieved.

"Back to Hogwarts? Surely not."

"No, no. But, tell me, has your mark been burning?"

"Naturally." It had scarcely stopped in the past few months.

"What I thought. Has Harry had any pain in his scar?"

"Not that I am aware of."

"Good, good. I need you to go the next time Tom Riddle beckons you, but I'm unsure of leaving Harry unattended. I'll be taking him to Sirius and Remus."

Oddly enough, a few weeks ago this would have been welcomed. Now, Severus nearly felt as though Harry was being taken away from him. It felt like a punishment.

"You don't trust me to protect him?"

"Of course I do, my boy. Of course I do. I just need other things from you now."

"Yes. You always do."

Albus leaned over Harry and woke him gently.

Harry blinked his eyes open and giggled. "I want a beard like yours one day." Harry ran his fingers through the Headmaster's long white beard.

Severus snorted, which turned into a cough. Perhaps this wasn't Severus's best day as a guardian, he thought, amused.

Albus chuckled kindly. "Gather your things, Harry."

"What? No! Why?" Harry frowned. "I like it here with Severus."

"Professor Snape," Albus corrected.

Severus smiled. Harry wanted to stay with him. Severus felt immense pride at that.

"I'm taking you to 12 Grimmauld."

"Is he coming with us?" Harry questioned, indicating Severus.

"Perhaps later. Come on. Up you get."

Severus escorted Harry up the stairs to gather their things. With a flick of his wand, Severus's things were packed, shrunken, and placed in his robes. He then walked into Harry's room to shrink his trunk for him. He found Harry laying in his bed, staring at the ceiling. His things were not packed, so Severus did it for him with a silent spell.

Severus sat next to Harry, as he had so many times over the past several weeks. The old bed frame groaned as Severus situated himself by the younger man's hip.

Harry drew lazy circles with his fingers over his own chest, apparently lost in thought.

"I'm going to miss this place," Harry said, sounding more sober. He turned his eyes to Severus's.

"I thought you were 'bored' here."

"What I meant to say was: I am going to miss you."

"I'm in the Order, Harry. I'll be there occasionally. Besides, I'd like to see you drunk again. It's rather amusing."

He smiled. "You called me Harry."

"I did. You said we are friends. Friends use one another's given names." Severus's heart felt heavy; His head felt conflicted. "And you called me Severus downstairs."

Harry laughed. "Yes, and I was corrected for it."

"What the headmaster doesn't know won't hurt him. You have to go, Harry. I'm sure I'll be seeing you soon."

"Not yet." Harry moved his head from the pillow and into Severus's lap. Severus fought the urge to push the young man off of him. He also fought the urge to run his fingers through Harry's hair, which had grown all too long. He settled on just letting Harry be, for the moment.

It had begun to occur to Severus that he'd been lonely for years. His life was certainly a solitary one, but he had never begrudged this until now- with the weight of Harry's upper body laid across his lap, having to say goodbye to him.

Severus couldn't be sure when exactly he'd decided he didn't want to be lonely anymore.

"Harry," Albus said from the doorway. Severus looked at the man, who narrowed his eyes at Severus in admonishment. "It's time to go," Albus added, not looking away from Severus.

The image before the old man was certainly not an appropriate one, Severus thought, but it was not quite wrong either- was it?

It was nice to be back with Sirius and Remus; but Harry felt oddly alone being away from Severus.

"Did Snivellus behave?" Sirius asked accusingly, pointing a fork full of beef at Harry.

"Yes, he behaved." Harry looked up from the dinner in front of him. "And don't call him that."

"Harry's right," Remus chimed in. "We're all on the same side here."

"I still don't like him," Sirius muttered.

"We know," Remus and Harry said in unison.

"What did you even do for weeks on end in the middle of nowhere with Snape?"

"Read. Talk. Eat. Drink."

"Drink?" Remus asked, amused.

"Oh yes, I was drunk out of my head when Dumbledore showed up."

"How nice of Snape to let you drink. I'd have to be drunk to be around him that long, too." Sirius stabbed his fork a bit too forcefully into a chunk of potato.

"Sirius. Stop. He's not as bad as you think he is."

Sirius grumbled and continued eating. Remus smiled at Harry approvingly. Harry loved his godfather dearly, but Sirius's maturity had been seriously stunted- perhaps his years in Azkaban had something to do with it. As much as Harry loved Sirius, he cared about the professor too, and he wouldn't have anyone speaking ill of him, including his own godfather.

"Your room is all ready for you, Harry. Sirius and I are incredibly pleased to have you here. I'm sorry it's under such circumstances."

"My entire life has existed 'in these circumstances.' It almost makes it hurt a bit less that I'm going to die."

The forks of the other two men both clattered against the porcelain plates they ate from.

Shit. Harry hadn't meant to say that aloud.

"I'm- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that. I know it's hard for you, too."

"Who did you hear that from?!" Sirius demanded.

Harry grimaced but decided to be honest. "I heard you two talking this past summer. About the prophecy. I knew the prophecy said something about us not being able to exist in the same time, I just never knew it meant I was the one destined to die."

Remus rubbed Harry's shoulder. "Harry, I'm sorry. You should have never heard that."

"No, actually, I should have heard it a long time ago is the problem. I'm glad I know. It's okay. I've come to terms with it. I'm just ready to kill the bastard."

Sirius and Remus looked at one another sadly. Harry hated those looks. He didn't want the pity.

Before thinking, Harry told them, "Severus seems to think he can find a way around it."

"He does?" Remus asked, surprised and hopeful.

"And since when have you called him Severus?" Sirius added.

"Professor Snape, I meant. And yes," Harry said, turning to Remus. "He's been doing all types of research. He's convinced. However," Harry added firmly. "I do not have my hopes up and neither should you two. Just, please, don't mourn me before I'm even gone. I'm here now, right?"

"Right you are. We will make the most of it." Sirius smiled at him but Harry could see the effort it was taking for the man to put on a brave face.

And "make the most of it" they did. Well, as much as they could within the house. The three men decorated for Christmas, albeit just a little bit early, as it was a couple of days before December. Harry had never decorated for a holiday before and loved every moment of it. Knowing Harry was now experienced with drink, they'd pass spirits around between them and have hearty conversations sat before the fireplace. They laughed a lot; They cried a little.

Sirius's head lolled to the side and he began to snore. His arms were crossed over his chest with his fingertips tucked under his arms. The side of the sofa caught the man's gruff head.

Remus smiled at Harry apologetically on behalf of Sirius. The fire popped and crackled. Harry leaned back into his chair and admired the fairy lights around the perimeter of the dark room.

Harry allowed himself a moment to be bitter, to be angry.

It was so unfair, he thought, that he'd be taken away from this life, right as he finally had a family here with Remus and Sirius. Right when he'd begun to understand his place in the world. And right when he'd discovered a new, fulfilling relationship with Severus. At least he couldn't miss Severus if he was dead. It was the fifth day since he'd last seen him. Harry wondered if he was safe. And as ridiculously sentimental as it was, Harry wondered if Severus missed him, too.

"You're missing him." Remus said suddenly, his voice was low. "It's odd how it happens, isn't it? How quickly someone can become implanted in your life to the point where you don't know who you are anymore without them."

"That's how I feel about you and Sirius." Harry smiled at Remus before raising the glass to his lips and taking a sip of what was mostly melted ice at this point. "And Hermione and Ron," Harry added.

"It's how we feel about you, too." Remus eyed the drink in his hand thoughtfully. "Be candid with me, Harry. What's happened between you and Professor Snape?"

"Nothing," Harry said a little too quickly.

Remus looked at him as if he knew a secret.

Harry sighed and shook his head.

"I don't know." Harry finally admitted. "The headmaster made him keep an eye on me a few months ago at school. We started taking walks together. We didn't really talk or anything. I guess I just became comfortable around him. Then we were stuck in that house for a while and we're friends, or something, now."

"Or something?" Remus repeated. "What kind of something?"

"Severus says he doesn't have friends, so yeah, 'something.'"

"And he allows you to call him Severus."

"That's a new development." Harry chuckled.

"Do you love him, Harry?"

"What?" Harry blinked at Remus quickly, his mouth agape. He regained his composure and continued. "I care about him, I suppose. He's actually a great friend once you get to know him. I wish Sirius would give him a chance."

"I don't think Sirius has the capability of seeing the good in people the way you do." Remus sipped his drink. "He wasn't inappropriate with you, though, was he? You're still underage."

"Well, he let me drink."

"That's not what I meant, Harry. I'm asking if he touched you in any way."

"What? Remus! No!"

Remus shifted in his chair, looking distinctly uncomfortable. "Did you want him to?"

"No… no. He's a bloke."

Remus nodded his head towards Sirius.

"I know, I know. But I'm not gay."

"Well then, I've received absolutely no answer as to why you're sitting there looking so lovesick over Severus Snape."

"Hardly lovesick. And how'd you even know I was thinking about him, anyway?"

"Lucky guess."

Harry looked at Remus doubtfully.

"Fine. I smelled him on you when you first got here."

"It was nothing inappropriate," Harry reiterated firmly.

Harry clutched at his scar. It was burning again.

"Harry! Are you alright?" Remus was on his feet quickly.

Harry nodded. "He must be angry," Harry hissed through gritted teeth.

Remus helped Harry to bed. The pain passed within moments, but it had been bad enough to take a toll on him. Thankfully it hadn't caused him to fall unconscious again.

Remus tucked Harry into bed, after forcing him to eat a square of chocolate.

"Thank you for being my family," Harry told the man through a yawn.

"I thank you as well, Harry. I was alone in this world for years before you came along... and brought Sirius with you." Remus chuckled. "Good night, Harry."

In his dreams, Harry saw Severus. He usually did, these days.