The Stubborn Old Headmaster

14

It took several days for Harry to be presented the opportunity to speak to Tom, since he was never really alone for a sufficient length of time. When Harry woke up one morning, he stayed in bed for a moment and decided that now was as good of a time as any to talk to Tom. 'Hi Tom, can you hear me?'

Tom responded immediately. 'Yes of course, Harry, what's wrong that you needed to call me at such an ungodly hour?'

'Oh, I'm sorry, Tom, but it's not easy finding enough time alone to speak with you. I'm hardly ever alone,' Harry thought hesitantly and then told his friend about what he had found out a few days ago and the Founders' Lair. 'Can you come visit Hogwarts one day soon so that we can go to the Founders' Lair together?' Harry then asked pleadingly.

'Of course Harry, when shall I come over then? Maybe we could meet in Severus' quarters? I could use the Floo to get to Severus' quarters, and then your phoenix could take us to the lair; how's that?' Tom suggested.

'That's great, Tom,' Harry replied, contentedly. 'I'll ask Uncle Severus when we can meet in his rooms, and I'll talk to you again later, okay?'

早くチャンスがあると良いなあ

Severus was very surprised to say the least when Harry told him that he needed to meet with Tom in his quarters only to disappear together to an unknown location within Hogwarts. 'Uncle Severus, I'll tell you where we go, I just don't have enough time right now; Aunt Minerva is already up and will come to wake me up any minute,' he thought, giving his thoughts an urgent flair.

'All right, Harry, just tell Aunt Minerva that you want to spend part of the weekend assisting me brewing potions and ask when it would be all right. Then you can tell Tom and me the time and day.'

'Okay, Uncle Sev, thanks a lot,' Harry replied relieved, crawling out of his bed just as Minerva entered his room.

"Good morning, sweetheart, are you up already?" Minerva asked, pulling her son into a slight embrace.

"Good morning, Aunt Minerva," Harry replied while he slightly hugged his adoptive mother back. 'I have to tell her about the Founders' Lair before I tell anyone else,' he thought, suddenly feeling very happy and cared for. "Aunt Minerva, I have to tell you something, but we need a few minutes," he started hesitantly.

Minerva gave him a worried look. "Is something wrong, Harry?"

Harry laughed. "No, Aunt Minerva, everything's all right, it's just a long and interesting story."

"All right, then maybe we should hear it tonight after our conversation with Cecilia and Malcolm?" Minerva suggested, and Harry agreed, relieved that it had been so easy. "Now, Harry, I know your timetable says that you're spending the morning with me in the Transfiguration classroom and the afternoon with Uncle Severus in the Potions classroom, but Aunt Poppy suggested that you can come down to the hospital wing to visit Uncle Sirius, since he's much better today and would certainly like to have you around for a visit. What do you think?"

Harry gave Minerva an anxious glance. "Um… Will Aunt Poppy be with me the whole time?" he asked nervously.

"Of course, sweetheart; she may retreat to her office to give the two of you a bit of space, but she will stay with you if you ask her to. Don't hesitate to mind speak with her if necessary, even if you just feel a bit unsure about something," Minerva reassured the child in a soft voice, before she remembered what she had meant to ask Harry a few days ago. "By the way, Harry, do you have any idea why Mr. Filch has been running around the castle with green hair for the past few days?"