Harry smiled back. A little. "Father." He shifted from one foot to the other. "Sorry, Father."
Father's eyes wrinkled at the corners, the way Harry knew his smile deepened. "Don't be. This situation is strange for both of us, I daresay. Neither of us has had anyone else we cared for so dearly before that we would fear missing them so much in just four hours."
"I'm not afraid," Harry burst out, before he could think.
"No?" Father's lips twisted up briefly at the corners. "I am."
"You?"
"Yes, me. I will miss you while I'm at home correcting abominable essays written by cretins or the worst kind, when I'd far rather be with you, reading one of our stories or playing chess or taking a walk in the orchard together. But those essays must be done." Another twist of those thin lips. "And I fear to start them."
To his chagrin, Harry knew he would rather be here than at Hogwarts, if Father was only going to correct essays and not read with him and all that.
"Like homework," Harry said with a grimace.
"Exactly like." Father opened his arms, and Harry stepped into another hug, this one not as frantic as the last. This time, Harry could breathe. "But I will come get you when I finish, and you will have fun here until I do. I believe Mrs. Weasley has lunch ready for you, too."
"Yeah, I guess so."
Father gave a soft chuckle and scolded lightly, "Mind your manners, child. I'll be back before you know it. Come now," he said, standing up and taking Harry's hand. He led Harry back towards the kitchen and big dining table that could seat most of Slytherin House, probably. In the kitchen sink, pots were washing themselves, and with a sudden spray of water, rinsing themselves, too. He wondered if they had House Elves here, but they must be invisible, if so.
Mrs. Weasley approached them with a plate and a bowl. "Harry dear, sit down right there, there's a boy. Here's tomato soup and sandwiches for lunch. She placed the bowl of creamy red soup and a plate with two ham and cheese sandwiches in front of Harry, then waved her wand to make a spoon and a glass of milk appear. Harry gawked at the display, but then tucked into his meal -- everyone else was already doing so; Ron was almost done with his second sandwich, in fact, just cramming it into his mouth.
"He'll be fine, Severus," Mrs. Weasley said. "Don't worry about a thing."
Father gave her one of his hard looks, like the ones he gave Headmaster Dumbledore sometimes, but she just laughed and waved him away before she turned back to the table.
"Good day," Father said. "Remember your manners as a guest, Harry." And then he was gone, and a hole opened up in Harry's chest a mile wide. Father had promised to come back, though, which was the only reason Harry wasn't chasing after him right now and tearing through the Floo to find him and hold onto him and never let go.
He had promised.
TBC . . .
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A/N: The new job started just last week, and unfortunately, they don't allow me any time for writing. sigh Alas, I will therefore be on a somewhat reduced schedule for updating each of my stories. I'll still try to get a chapter out every week or two, or as often as I can. Thank you to all who read and/or review! Little Harry would like to express his fond wishes to you as well and offers you authentic kneazle purrs from Treacle Tart.
*Chapter 16*: Chapter 16
Whelp II -- The Wrath of Snape
By jharad17
Chapter Sixteen
Previously:
"Good day," Father said. "Remember your manners as a guest, Harry." And then he was gone, and a hole opened up in Harry's chest a mile wide. Father had promised to come back, though, which was the only reason Harry wasn't chasing after him right now and tearing through the Floo to find him and hold onto him and never let go.
He had promised
As the time to go collect Harry crept closer, Severus checked the time religiously, not wanting to be late. He had promised his son he would be there on time, and he meant to keep that promise no matter what. Therefore, when it was only a quarter hour till he was due to return to the Weasleys, Severus was vexed to find Dumbledore calling him through his floo.
"What do you want?" he said, his tone more clipped than he would have normally employed with his employer, but he had a timetable to keep. "Sir?"
Dumbledore frowned slightly, but said nothing about Severus' tone. Instead, he said, "Severus, my dear boy, I have a situation I need to discuss with you."
"Can it wait, Headmaster? I have somewhere to be, very soon."
"I'm afraid it cannot. It should not take too long. Would you care to floo through to my office? The current password is Fizzing Whizbees."
Severus suppressed a snarl, barely. "Yes, of course. I'll be there straight away."
"Excellent, Severus. Excellent. I'll expect you shortly."
Pressing his lips together, Severus waited till Albus' face disappeared before he grabbed the box of floo powder on his mantle and threw a handful into his fire as he called for the Burrow. "Molly!" he yelled immediately afterwards. "Molly Weasley!"
Though his face was viewing the Weasleys' sitting room, he heard a scattering of sound from another room, including a cry from Harry, he was sure. After a moment, Molly's face was in front of him.
"Severus!" she said, surprised. "Goodness, you startled me. Well, come on through then. Harry's anxious for you."
Severus swallowed his anger and disappointment. "I have a meeting with Albus, presently. Please let Harry know I'll come for him as soon as I can. Tell him I'm sorry--"
"Father!" Harry called, and Severus saw him running into the room, a mixture of relief and joy suffusing his pale face.
"I'll be back in just a few minutes, all right, Harry?" he said quickly. He knew Albus was waiting, and though he wanted to skewer the man for making him break his promise to his son, he couldn't do anything of the sort and keep his job. But he would make it up to the boy; he had to.
"Father, it's time to go home, right? I can come home now?"
"Soon, Harry. I'll be back soon." He turned to Molly. "Molly, would you please . . ."
"Of course," the woman said, and thankfully rose and went to Harry. "Come on, Harry dearie, let's get that picture finished before your father comes to pick you up, all right?"
"But Daddy's right there!" Harry cried again, and lunged for the fireplace. Severus couldn't take the expression on his face, not on top of the guilt he was already feeling. He pulled back, out of the floo, and heard the end of Harry's call of, "No!! Father, wait!!"
Squeezing his eyes shut tight, Severus counted to ten before he took another handful of powder and snapped, "Fizzing Whizbees," even as he cursed Albus Dumbledore in his mind.
Molly cursed Severus in her mind, even as she cuddled the poor boy, Harry, to her chest in an attempt to calm him. She had never found a boy less fond of cuddling, though, and after he thrashed about for a moment or two, she let him go, with the admonishment to "stay out of the fireplace."
Even as he stumbled away from her, he obeyed, albeit barely, coming to a halt on his knees inches in front of the hearth stones. He looked so broken and lost, she just didn't know what to say to him. It would have been better for Harry, she thought, if Severus had just gone to his meeting and come afterwards, if a little late, than to put the boy through this. On the other hand, Harry had been watching the timer she had set for him in the kitchen like a hawk, ever since Severus had gone at lunchtime, counting down the time till his return. Who knew, but he might have been more upset if Severus had not shown up on time with no warning.
Then she gathered herself and approached the boy. She was a mother to seven children; surely she could pacify one homesick boy.