Molly Weasley, who had accepted the Headmaster's offer of tea, was sipping slowly, and watching him over the rim of his cup. "You look tired," she observed.
Severus managed – just – not to roll his eyes. "Indeed."
"How have you been sleeping?"
"Fine."
She gave a huff of annoyance. "Please, Severus. I'm trying to help. It won't do either of us any good if you aren't candid with me."
"If you already knew the answer, why did you ask?" he snarked.
"You should know the answer to that one," Molly said with a soft laugh. She turned to Dumbledore and lifted her eyebrows as if to ask what she was to do with a recalcitrant child in her care. Severus did not like the implication one bit.
"I have been sleeping as much as possible," he said at last. "Harry is . . . plagued by nightmares, and his sleep is often interrupted."
"And thus yours is as well." She nodded. "I know how that can go. Ronnie still has nightmares about spiders some times, and when he does, we're both shattered the next day. How bad are they?"
"Bad enough." With a pointed look from Albus, he elaborated, "They're horrible. Every night, except once when we – Madam Pomfrey and myself – dosed him with Dreamless Sleep. I admit I'm wary about giving it to him too often, however, due to his age and his size. He frequently screams himself hoarse, though. A few nights ago, he tried to stop his own screaming by biting his hand. Tore through the tendon along his thumb."
Molly gasped. "Oh, my word. Is that why . . ."
"His left hand was wrapped. Yes."
She was quiet for a while this time, and Severus took the opportunity to study her, in turn. He hadn't seen her in six years or more. Not since her youngest was born, since the Potters had died, since the Dark Lord had vanished. She had seven children, it was true. Six of them boys. He'd heard from the other professors that Bill was a bit rebellious, but a good student for all that, and likely to be Head Boy. Charlie, whilst a decent student, was much better at Quidditch. According to Albus, he'd been responsible for Gryffindor winning the Quidditch Cup for several years now and apparently had a yen for dragons. Severus wasn't sure he trusted the youngster with his son, but it was obvious that Molly Weasley cared for her brood, with a fair and affectionate hand.
Would that he could someday say as much about himself.
"I was surprised to hear that you'd taken Harry in," Molly said suddenly.
"I daresay many people are, or will be."
She smiled faintly. "May I ask what prompted such a move?" Her gaze flicked to Dumbledore, who was watching their interaction with thinly veiled amusement, and he understood. The Old Coot had not told her that Harry was actually his son. Well.
Fine.
"Such information isn't necessary," he said coolly, "in order for you to dispense your advice."
"No . . . But it would help me understand his circumstances, and better aid you in preparing for his future behaviors."
Severus frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I can only assume his last placement – with his aunt and uncle, correct? – was less than satisfactory, due to the state I saw him in a few moments ago. He is clearly undernourished and rather small for his age, and he's fearful of being touched. . ."
"Maybe he's fearful of being charged at!"
She ignored him, and talked right over his outburst, "I expect he was abused, quite likely with some frequency. It will take you a good while to win his trust, but you seem to be making headway there. He looks to you for reassurance and for guidance."
Quiet now, Severus considered her words. Everything she said was true.
"Have you tried Legilimency?"
Startled by the question, Severus shot a look at Albus, but the Headmaster merely sucked on a lemon drop and ignored his silent plea. "Pardon?"
"To help with his nightmares. I know you're a Legilimens, Severus. Have you used it on Harry?"
"No, I . . ." He hadn't really considered it, but it might work. And perhaps, if he worked with the child on developing some skill in Occlumency, too, Harry would be more relaxed when he went to sleep. He knew the boy could learn the skill; he was rather more powerful than Severus had first thought, and his "accidental," wandless magic was becoming stronger by the day. And far less accidental, too.
"That's a good idea, Molly," he admitted after a few minutes. "I will try it."
"There. That wasn't so hard." She smiled at him as if he'd finally gotten his homework done after much struggling against it. "Now, tell me about your disciplinary methods . . ."
Severus sighed. This was going to be a long day.
---
Out on the grounds, the boys were playing a loud game of tag, along with Fang, while Hagrid and Nelli the House-elf kept an eye on them. Nelli looked a bit fretful, to tell the truth, but Hagrid kept a discreet distance, for him, just a glance or two every few minutes, and weeded his garden. Fang tired of the game far earlier than his human counterparts, and lay panting in the shade of the cottage. Drool collected in a puddle near his head.
Hagrid laughed at him good naturedly and tossed a half ripe tomato at the beast's huge paws. Fang lapped it up; he enjoyed a good steak as much as the next boarhound, but never let a tomato go by either. Darlin' beast, he was. Gentle as a lamb. "There's a good lad. Eat up!"
From the shrieks of laughter and equally loud, happy calls of "Not it, not it!" it seemed the game was going well. Harry was enjoying himself, Hagrid thought, watching him chase after Ron Weasley, who was skipping and grinning madly, and he was glad to see it. He'd worried for the tyke when he'd first come down to visit, with his injured hand and talk about being a House-elf, and his wary, not-quite-trusting smile. Fang had put the lad more at ease, he thought, as had a spot of tea.
And then he'd returned, with Draco Malfoy, no less! He had no liking at all for Lucius, no, that one was bad to the bone, as it were, but he had nothing against the nipper, 'less he did anything more to get Harry in trouble. Going after the squid, honestly! But Draco seemed to have decent manners, at least, even let Fang drool on 'im. Now, with the other boys, he looked more carefree than his father would ever deign to be, and was running and grinning as much as the others.
Charlie Weasley was a good lad, enjoyed that Care of Magical Creatures class Professor Kettleburn taught, from what he'd heard. And he was a dab hand at Quidditch, too. His little brother, Ron, was cute as a button, if the button was red haired and gap toothed from missing front baby teeth.
After another hour, when Hagrid was down to snapping peas on his front stoop, the boys staggered over to collapse in giggling, tuckered out heaps in the shade nearby. Hagrid listened to them discuss Quidditch – Harry's knowledge being on the low end, no surprise, since he couldn't have heard of the sport before Professor Snape had taken the mite in, but Draco and Charlie both seemed to know quite a lot about current standings and statistics, and a lot of other facts that went clear over Hagrid's head. Ron was somewhere in the middle, very enthusiastic, but not very strong on facts, to hear his brother's objections.
Up close, it was easier to see Harry's face, and though he smiled at his new friends, there was something off in his expression. It took a few minutes of close observation to figure it out, and by then two House-elves appeared with a basket of lunch for the bunch of 'em. Harry invited Hagrid – and the elves! – to join them, but he knew they would not have brought enough food for a half-giant and so declined. The House-elves looked properly aghast at the very idea of sharing trenchers with the people they were serving. Hagrid did take a serving of pumpkin juice, though. He loved the stuff.
All the boys looked hungry, though Hagrid noted that Harry not only waited until the other lads had their sandwiches, crisps and fruit piled high before taking anything for himself, but once he did have a plateful, he laid down on his belly and wrapped one arm around the outside of his plate, clearly protective of his meal. The gazes he aimed at the bigger boys had grown steadily warier, even though the midge tried to hide it.