Family Doesn't End With Blood

Chapter 11: First Day

Harry's first day at his new school brought about a rough morning. It all started out with a very grumpy little boy wanting nothing more than to go back to sleep. 

"P'ease Mummy," he pleads, looking at Charity with wide doe eyes. 

"No sweetheart we have to get you ready. Aren't you excited to start Hogwarts?" she tries to make her voice as enthusiastic as she can. Thankfully luck is on her side as Harry shyly nods his head. Let's get you dressed and then get some yummy food into your stomach." Charity dresses him in a nice Paw Patrol shirt and jeans with a sweater thrown over it before heading downstairs with Harry in her arms. As she passes the living room she places her youngest on the couch next to her husband who's flipping through the newspaper. 

"Hello little prince," he greets as he sets aside the paper to give Harry his undivided attention. His brothers should be coming down soon but for now, it's nice to have a little one-on-one time with his youngest. "How is your morning going?" 

" 's fine, Daddy," Severus's heart soars when he hears the title. 

"Are you excited about school?" Just as Charity had, Severus gets a shy nod for an answer before Harry's face quickly morphs into worry. 

"W-will the other k-kids be nice?"

"I'm sure you'll make plenty of friends, but if someone does something you don't like please promise me you'll tell an adult as soon as it happens." 

"Promise," the tiny boy raps his even smaller pinky around his father's.

"Good boy I think I hear your brother's about to come down then we'll have breakfast before I drop all of you off," Right on cue Oliver and Thomas come down the stairs joking and laughing. "No playing on the stairs boys. Please set a good example for your baby brother," Severus lightly chastises. 

"'m not a baby." 

"Sorry, Dad," all the children speak at once. 

"Good morning, Harry ready for breakfast? I haven't eaten since yesterday," Oliver jokes around. Harry cracks a small smile causing the boy to swell with pride. He's so happy that he's able to make his new little brother smile. They've come so far with Harry who used to flinch away from them all. 

"Boys breakfast!" Charity calls causing a two-man stampede into the kitchen. Severus follows at a more sedated pace with Harry back in his arms. He staps the child into his highchair before his wife places two bowls down in front of him. One with eggs and then another filled with cut-up fruit while everyone else is served a full English breakfast that they quickly dig into. Much too soon for Harry's liking everyone is finished eating and the kitchen is quickly straightened before Charity is kissing all her boys'  goodbye. 

She has to start getting ready for her own job as a school nurse at the same school as her children. She loves her work and making children feel better, but the only downside is not seeing Harry off to his first day just as she did with her other kids. She plans to take the next few days off to make sure Harry is completely comfortable in his new surroundings just as Severus did a day after the adoption was finalized.

"Give mummy a big squeeze before you all go. I'll see you in a few hours, alright sweetheart?" Charity gathers all her boys into her arms for a group hug before turning to Severus to give him a kiss goodbye.

"I'll be sure to give Harry his bottle in the car before dropping him off."

"And make sure to burp him once he's done," she reminds him as she herds the family out into the car.

"Alright boys, Thomas and Oliver, you two will be the first to be dropped off since Harry still has a bit of time before he's due at school."

"Alright, dad."
"Okay, dad."
"'es, daddy." The three boys all answer at the same time.

Once in the car and everyone is strapped in, Severus starts their journey to the huge schoolhouse where Thomas is starting year eleven and Oliver year ten. 

"Bye, Ollie. Bye, Dad. Bye, Harry. See you all after school and don't forget that I have football practice today," with that Thomas jumps out of the car and starts running to catch up with his friends before Oliver says his own goodbye and does the same.

"Just you and I now buddy," Severus states as he reaches back to give Harry his bottle before making sure his older children get safely inside the school building.

"Me and dada," he agrees. 

The drive to Hogwarts wasn't long, but by the time the pair had arrived and parked Harry had finished his bottle although continues to suck on the nipple while dozing lightly. A nice bottle always seems to put him into a milk coma.

"No, no, Harry. Spit that out," he coos gently only for Harry to jerk to attention when the object is popped out of his mouth.

"Sorry! 'M sorry! Please don't-"

"No, no, no. I apologize for startling you, little one. I just don't want your tummy hurting from swallowing too much air." After having him sit up a bit, Severus gently but firmly pats the tyke's back until a satisfying burp leaves him. "There now are we all ready for school?"

"G-gonna-um..." Harry looks away as a hint of a blush dusts his cheeks. "A-are th-they..." he trails off again, looking more upset and nervous as he's unable to finish his sentence. Acting on instinct, Severus takes Harry fully out of his car seat and holds him close to his chest, rocking slightly. 

"It's alright baby. Tell Daddy what's the matter," he coos.

"You come b-back, p'ease?" Severus's heart shatters when he hears the tiny words from the even smaller child. That fat whale of a human is lucky he's stuck in jail for the rest of his life or else Severus would be paying a short visit.

"I'll always come back to you. You're my very special little boy and I would never leave you. You belong to mommy and me from now on and we want to keep you safe with us forever. We Snapes are nothing like your previous relatives. We will never treat you as they did. I promise you."