Harry had been walking to the office door, but at that he stilled. "Just how many people are we talking about?"
"Ten or twelve. I don't know, they pretty much fill the hallway."
"You didn't invite them in?" Harry gave Draco a brief glare.
"Considering last time, no," Draco said, his voice about as serious as Harry had ever heard it. He turned his attention to the Potions Master. "I wanted to ask you first, Severus. Their mood seems awfully grim. I'm a bit concerned they're here to kick Harry out of Gryffindor."
Harry set his teeth. "Oh yeah? We'll just see about that!"
"They can't do anything of the sort," Snape assured him.
"They can make him feel unwanted enough that it boils down to the same thing," Draco pointed out.
"Why don't we just go see what they want?" Harry suggested, his stomach in a knot. This was so unfair. He shouldn't have to choose between his newfound father and his House! But he shouldn't have had to choose between Snape and Ron, either.
But he had had to, so he'd done it.
"Well," Harry decided, "putting it off won't make it any easier." He was almost at the open office door when he realized that Snape had gone back to marking essays. "What are you doing? You have to come out there with me. For moral support."
"My presence is bound to exacerbate matters," Snape quietly protested. "And truly, Harry, I have no wish to come between you and your friends, much as I may dislike them."
"And I have no wish to pretend you aren't what you are to me, much as they definitely do dislike you," Harry retorted. "I'm your son no matter what, remember? Well, it's the same on my end. You're my father no matter what, so come on, now."
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Coming Soon in A Year Like None Other:
Chapter Forty-Seven: Robe and Mask
Comments very welcome,
Aspen in the Sunlight
Chapter 47: Robe and Mask
http://archive.skyehawke.com/story.php?no=5036&chapter=47
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A Year Like None Other
by Aspen in the Sunlight
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Chapter Forty-Seven: Robe and Mask
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"Come in," Harry said, opening the door wider, but as Hermione tried to cross the threshold, a wicked green light flashed over her. She yelped and jumped back, shaking her hands as though to rid them of a sharp pain.
"I knew it!" Draco exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger. "They're up to no good, and she's the ringleader!"
"Mr. Malfoy is a bit prone to jump to conclusions," Snape smoothly broke in. "The wards simply aren't responding to Harry's magic at this time. Do come in, now."
After Snape's invitation, the Gryffindors were able to pass through the doorway without incident. Harry scanned the crowd. Hermione, Neville, Dean, Seamus, Ginny, Parvati, Colin, Dennis... along with a few first- and second-years. No Ron. He wasn't sure whether to be upset or relieved at that.
There weren't seats enough for everyone, so they all remained standing. Nobody much seemed inclined to speak, at first; in fact, most of the Gryffindors seemed positively terrified to be within the private quarters of the dreaded Potions Master. Of course, most of them hadn't visited before, so that was easy to understand. Neville, however, looked so nervous that Harry suspected there must have been an accident that very day in class.
Maybe there had been one before the first-year Hufflepuffs had arrived, Harry mused. That would explain why Snape had been so on-edge about Harry's firecall having distracted him during class.
Harry opened his mouth to say a few choice words, something along the lines of I have it on good authority that you can't kick me out of Gryffindor just for getting adopted, if that's what this is all about, but before he could speak, Snape was opening the conversation himself.
"Miss Granger," he began. "I'm rather surprised to see you this evening. I would have expected you to await my reply to your letter."
Recognizing the criticism, Hermione lifted her nose a fraction and airily asked, "Oh, were you planning to reply? Given that I saw you reading my letter at breakfast this morning, and it's now nearly curfew, I'd concluded you'd decided not to bother."
Snape gave her a smile as thin as a razor's edge. "I needed time to consult with my son."
Uh-oh, Harry thought. Talk about throwing down a gauntlet. He felt his whole body tense as he waited to see what the Gryffindors would do with a comment like that.
A ripple of discontent coursed through the visiting group, so palpable that Harry could practically smell it.
Hermione, however, appeared a bit stunned. "You showed Harry my letter?"
"Of course." Snape leveled a glare at her, as if to say, Did you miss the part where I mentioned that he was my son?
Hermione looked away to focus her gaze on Harry. "I didn't mean any offense. I hope you understand, it's just that the whole thing seems... weird."
"It's not weird to me," Harry announced, shoving his hands in his pockets. "And I happen to think that my opinion is the only one that matters. If you have a problem with me being Professor Snape's son, it's your problem, not mine."
Hermione bit her lip, looking as though she most definitely had a problem, but what she said was, "We're not here to argue with you, Harry. We thought you might appreciate a show of support."
"Support," Harry slowly repeated, his eyes bugging out a bit. Everywhere he rested his gaze, reluctant nods greeted him. Well, except for Neville. His nod actually looked a bit more definite than the rest, and he had a slight smile on his face as well. For all that though, he didn't look overjoyed. He was shifting on his feet, a bundle of nerves.
It occurred to Harry that he didn't really know what might have transpired up in Gryffindor Tower, though something evidently had. "Um, I suppose you all know, then?" he asked, rather belatedly. "About Professor Snape adopting me?"
Hermione flushed. "Well, once you'd said you were going to have the headmaster make a general announcement, Ron didn't see any reason not to.... ah, vent his spleen. He was a bit taken aback this morning when no such announcement came, Harry."
"Serves him right," Harry coldly returned. "So what exactly did he vent about, then? Just my adoption?"
Hermione gave a tiny shake of her head, answering an unasked question as well as the obvious one. "He kept... ah, most of his complaints to himself," she said out loud.
Harry had a feeling Hermione had had something to do with that.
"But he told everyone about the adoption and your change of House," she added.
"I'm still a Gryffindor!" Harry thought to stress, glancing all around to make sure everyone understood. "It's just that I'm in Professor Snape's House as well, now. But when my magic comes back I plan to return to the Tower and all that." There was so little reaction to that comment that Harry couldn't help but scathe, "If I'm welcome?"
"Of course you're welcome, Harry," Hermione gasped, clearly taken aback. "What would make you think--"
"How about that whole scene with Ron? How about the fact that the lot of you are standing there all grim like I'm in trouble or something?"