𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕶𝖎𝖘𝖘 𝕺𝖋 𝕯𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖍 [√]

One

Harry walked down the hall of Hogwarts by himself. Hermione had roped Ron into studying for a test in their Herbology class, and Harry had snuck out before she could even turn to him and try to get him to study.

It was the last week of the sixth year and that was supposed to be their last test. He had been forced to study all year and he needed a break.

Sometimes he wondered if Hermione was aware that there were more important things than studying all day to be the best.

He made his way to the castle's entrance and outside. He then made his way to Black Lake and sat down under a big tree there, looking out over the water.

He sat there for a while before he heard someone coming down and stood. Not wanting to deal with people, he climbed the tree. When he got to the branch just above the ground, he looked towards the school and saw Snape a few feet away.

He watched as the dark man sat in the same spot he had just vacated and pulled something gold and shiny out of his robes. Looking closer, he saw that it was a locket.

"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you," Snape whispered, and Harry frowned; Snape wished he could protect someone.

"I love you, my son. I miss you," he said, clenching his fist around the locket. Harry gasped. Snape had a son.

The professor heard the gasp and looked up at him. "Potter! What are you doing in a bloody tree?" He snapped, startling Harry who fell out of the tree and hit his head on the ground.

Snape stared wide-eyed at the passed-out boy on the ground in front of him. Sighing, Snape knelt before him and rolled him over to see he was bleeding from a cut on his forehead. Frowning, Snape gently picked up Harry and brought him to the castle and down to his quarters.

He didn't want to take him to Pomfrey, not because she wasn't a good medi-witch. But because he didn't trust her, she was part of the light and the order of the Phoenix. He didn't trust anyone on the light side.

Entering his quarters, he placed Harry on the couch before pulling out his wand and healing the cut on Harry's forehead just as he started to wake up. "W-what happened?" Harry questioned as he blinked awake.

"You knocked yourself out, quite stupidly if I might add," Severus said, handing Harry a potion. "It's a pain potion," He said as Harry looked at it skeptically. Harry took the potion and downed it.

"Thank you, professor," He said as he stood from the couch.

Just then, the door burst open, and Draco stepped in. "Uncle....." he started before he saw Harry and paused. He and Draco had started an odd sort of friendship at the beginning of the year. They had both grown tired of the fighting and called a truce, not that their friends knew.

Draco was the reason he was passing his classes, he helped him study late at night when the library was empty. Hermione was an ok study partner, but her ways of studying were only going to benefit her.

"Draco," Harry said awkwardly, eyeing Snape.

"Calm down, Potter, I know of your truce," Snape said, and Harry breathed a sigh of relief.

"I need you to take me to Diagonal Alley," Draco exclaimed, and Severus raised a brow before casting a tempus.

"Fine. We have four hours before lunch, so make it quick," he said, standing and turning to Harry. You can show yourself to the door," he said.

"Wait, Harry. You can come too, I need multiple opinions." He said and both males frowned.

"What? why?" He asked and Draco blushed.

"It's my mate's birthday on Monday, and seeing as today is Saturday if I send it tonight, it should get there by midnight Sunday," Draco said, scratching the back of his neck, "I have been so busy with studying, I forgot," He said.

"Ok, I'll come," Harry agreed, it would be his last time to go out and have some fun before he went back to the Dursleys.

They stepped into the floo and Severus grabbed the powder. "Leaky Cauldron," he said and they disappeared into a cloud of green smoke. They appeared in the floo of the Leaky Cauldron and Harry fell out face first but was caught before he could hit the floor.

"I just fixed your face less than an hour ago," Severus said as he righted Harry.

"Let's go," Draco said, pulling them both out of the bar and onto the streets.

They shopped around for almost an hour before they came to the quidditch store and Draco sighed. "Does your mate not like quidditch?" Harry asked and Draco frowned.

"He's a star in quidditch," Draco said, "He probably has everything a quidditch player already needs," Draco sighed.

"Maybe ask Snape when he gets back?" he suggested, and Draco nodded. The man had left them to go to the potion shop as soon as they got there. "Do you want to get anything before then?" he asked Harry, who frowned.

"Yeah, but I have to go to Gringotts first," Harry said and they headed towards the bank.

They entered the bank and made their way to the front desk. "What can I help you with today?" the goblin sitting there asked.

"I'm Harry Potter, and I would like to withdraw some money," Harry said and the goblin nodded.

"You are also set for an appointment with Griphook," the goblin said, calling over another. "Fang will lead you to his office," it said, before turning back to its paperwork. 

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Word count: 925

Re-published: May 2, 2024, 6:30 am

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