Slytherins Son

January-Chapter 12

The yule holidays ended and Severus returned to school, while Harry and the Malfoys returned to their own routine, of tutoring and peaceful times.

Most of January passed easily, but eventually the day Severus had been waiting for arrived. and he wasn't sure how to feel about it.

Severus was taking the day off; Jan 30th was Lilly's birthday and he wanted to spend it with Harry. He felt it was good to honour her with Harry, the Dursleys surely hadn't celebrated Lily, and it was important for Harry to understand what a great, brave woman his mother had been.

He had asked Harry what they should do for the day. Harry had cautiously asked to go to his parents grave, Severus had reluctantly agreed. He hadn't been back to the grave since the funeral, he hadn't dared, and had felt like he didn't deserve to visit.

But he was a parent now, and he had to put Harry first. So, they agreed to visit the grave...and Harry's first home, which was now lying in shambles.

Dressed in thick black cloaks, the two apparate into Godric's Hollow, and slowly make their way into the graveyard.

Harry glanced at the graves he passed as Severus looked for the grave. Some of these graves were from ancient wizarding families. He saw one that read Periva-

"Here it is," Severus calls, gesturing to Harry.

Harry slowly made his way to the grave, leaning against Sev.

It was made of a beautiful white marble, the headstone had been engraved with Lily and James' dates of birth and death, and a message.

"The last enemy that will be destroyed is death?" Harry asks. "That...that sounds like a death eater thing, beating death."

"No, no." Severus assures. "It means...living beyond death, like how they live in you."

Harry shivers. "Oh," He mumbles. "I guess...I guess that's better."

Severus pulls out his wand and a bouquet of white and red lilies appears at the base of the grave. "We can skip the house, if you want to rest." Severus says gently.

"Do you think..." Harry hesitates. "Do you think they were scared?"

Severus nods slowly. "I'm sure they were, but they loved each other, and you, so they did what was right."

Harry's hand brushes the grave, as he ponders Severus's words.

"You can't blame yourself Harry." Severus says. "They loved you."

The young boy goes back to staring at the white grave, it looked so clean and beautiful, he hated it. It didn't tell his parents' story. That little dash between their birth year and death year, it was all that said their life, their time at Hogwarts, their time with Harry. It was unfair.

"I want to see the house." Harry says firmly.

Severus remembered seeing the house for the first time, the sky had been dark, and smoke was rising into the air. The roof was still in the process of caving in, and rubble had been falling into the house. Furniture was smoldering, and fallen books and papers were scattered along the hallways that he had walked through so slowly.

Now it was an even worse sight. It was a two story cottage, that had once been pleasant looking, but the dark lord had taken his tole on the house. The years of being unattended, had not helped. The hedge had grown wild in the eight years since Severus had visited the house and seen a limp Lily on the ground, and a crying baby in a crib, that he'd been to grief stricken to notice. Rubble lay scattered amongst the waist-high grass. Most of the cottage was still standing, though entirely covered in the dark ivy and snow, but the right side of the top floor had been blown apart.

There was a new addition to the old Potter household, a memorial sign with a message in golden letters explaining what had happened here. A number of visitors had written on the sign, either signing their names in Everlasting Ink, carving their initials, or leaving messages, including a number addressed directly to Harry Potter expressing their support for him, and his family. R.i.p James and Lily, Watch over Harry for us, Thank you Boy Who Lives

"Woah," Harry says, as he reads all the messages. "All these people."

"They care." Severus comforts.

Harry, a mere eight year old boy, was stunned at all of this. He knew what had happened was a big deal to the wizard community, but he'd gotten so used to being treated normal by his new family and had almost forgotten about this big thing that surrounded him.

Severus gently turns Harry away from the sign, seeing the boys shocked face.  "I don't want this worrying you." he sighs. "I know this seems really big right now-"

Harry nods.

"-but you don't have to let this scare you." Severus continues. "you're a kid, your job isn't to be the boy who lived right now, just be a kid...read all your books again, prank Draco."

Harry gains a hesitant smile, "okay Sev."

The two start to walk away, leaving the home behind. "don't you worry." Severus says softly. "whatever happens, you're not going to deal with it alone."

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Sorry for the short chapter, but I'm really busy right now. not sure when I'll upload next, high school is evil.

edit: oops...did I publish this chapter without finishing it? yes...yes I did. oh well, it's fixed now.