Harry found his mind constantly drifting to Severus over the course of the next week, while he did his best to keep his down in his various university classes. The final examinations were coming up, and he knew that his standing within the graduating class depended solely upon his final marks. For now, in the lead up to the exams, his various professors used the class time as review periods, with little essays or other assignments in between, to ensure that the students were kept on their toes.

Harry arrived home the Friday after his final class, getting into the flat via Floo and casting a Scourgify upon himself. Looking up, he spotted Hedwig, hooting from her perch on the opposite side of the sitting room, and smelled something delicious coming from the kitchen. Rounding the bend, he saw Ron, looking over The Evening Prophet, and Hermione, puttering about the kitchen and tossing a green salad.

"Evening," Harry said, waving to Ron and crossing over to Hermione, placing his arms around her waist from behind and kissing her cheek. "What's the occasion? Or am I interrupting something?" he asked, knowing that his friends could want to be alone.

"Don't be silly, Harry," Hermione tutted, finishing her tossing and turning around, holding Harry in a proper hug before she pulled back to smile at him. "Of course this dinner is for the three of us. Two more weeks, and then we graduate. It could be one of our last chances to get together, especially because of studying and commencement duties. Not to mention that you'll likely have your hands full with Teddy this week," she said diplomatically, and handed Harry the salad bowl to place on the table.

"She's right, mate," Ron said, looking up from the paper and eyeing the salad with hunger as Hermione bent to inspect a whole chicken from inside the oven, which was surrounded by handfuls of potatoes. "But we are all headed to The Leaky on graduation night, right?" he asked, peering around Harry to get a good look at the chicken.

Hermione nodded, shutting the oven. "Yes," she replied. "Luna's confirmed, obviously, even though she's not due to graduate from another year," she said with a smile.

"Dean's coming, along with Seamus," Ron confirmed, as the three still ran within the same circles at university. "Ginny's still on tour with the Harpies, and doesn't know if she can get a break in time, but we'll see."

"Neville's said he'll be there," Harry told them, slipping into his customary chair at the table. "I took that herbology class at Hermione's recommendation, just for something to do, and Neville helped me with some of the projects throughout term. He's looking forward to finishing up the term, as Sprout's already assigned him to be her apprentice."

"It's so wonderful that Neville has a plan," Hermione commented, leaning up against the counter and observing her boyfriend and best friend.

Harry sighed, leaning against the wooden back of the chair. "I'm sorry that I'm the only one who doesn't have a plan, 'Mione," he said gruffly. "I'm sorry that I'm not going to the Auror Academy with Ron when all of this is over..."

"I just don't want you to be sitting at Grimmauld, or wherever it is you decide to live, once you graduate, doing nothing," she said softly.

Harry rolled his eyes. "I might hang onto the flat a bit longer, I don't know what my plans are," he said quietly. "And besides, I have that meeting with the goblins at Gringotts once I do end up graduating, to let me know about all the fortunes and properties..."

Ron looked up from where he'd been staring at the salad. "Still want us to go with you, mate?" he asked.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, if you wouldn't mind," he replied. "Hermione knows much more about this stuff than I do, anyway, and always manages to charm the goblins..."

Hermione allowed herself to be taken in by Harry's compliment. "Considering I'm getting a degree in Wizarding Law, it makes sense that you would want me there," she said primly. "I am looking forward to seeing what's in your vault, Harry..."

"And, like I told you before, you can borrow or have all the books you want," Harry told her, and caught Ron staring at him with a begging expression. "And yeah, Ron. If there's a weapon that you want, and I have no use for, you may have that as well."

Ron grinned, reaching across the space between them and squeezing Harry's shoulder. "Thanks, mate," he said happily. "And don't you worry about a position. Fred and George say that you can come and help out at the Wheezes anytime you want."

"Pity that they had to wait for your Aunt Muriel to die before they started up the shop," said Hermione, checking on the chicken and potatoes again before summoning the oven mits and taking it out.

Ron smirked, trying not to chuckle. "Nobody liked the old gossip anyway, Hermione. And besides, if her rude comments at the wedding were anything to go by..."

"It was hardly Ginny's fault that Fleur put her in that bridesmaid dress," Hermione said, shaking her head at the memory. "Besides, Ginny looked lovely, Fleur's fashion sense aside, and was of a good age to wear something like that..."

"Even I thought she looked nice, and I'm completely bent," Harry observed, remembering how the dress had hugged Ginny's soft curves in all the right spots. "It was Dean you really had to worry about on that day..."

"Yeah," Ron said, his ears turning red at the memory. "He's a good bloke, but..."

"But what, Ronald?" Hermione asked, fixing him with her brown eyes as she placed the chicken and potatoes onto a platter. "Tell us what you're going to say."

"He was running his hands all over my sister!" Ron cried out, watching avidly as Hermione levitated the platter over to the table. "What was I supposed to think?"

Hermione clicked her tongue, watching as Harry pulled the platter over to him and began to carve the chicken the Muggle way. "They've been a couple for nearly six years," she said in a soft voice, obviously wanting to avoid confrontation.

"What does that mean?" Ron asked.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "It means... It means don't be surprised if Ginny comes home one Christmas with a ring on her finger and a date," she said softly.

Ron turned white this time, barely noticing as Harry began levitating pieces of chicken and potatoes onto their respective plates. "You're not saying...?"

"I'm saying that it's only a possibility, Ronald," Hermione told him impatiently. "After you've been in a relationship for some time, it's only fair to have a discussion about one's future, so as you don't feel as if you're wasting your time."

"Hermione..." Ron said softly, looking uncomfortable, and turned to Harry, obviously begging his best friend for help.

Harry was about to speak when the Floo flared, and he immediately got to his feet, thankful to be saved by whomever was calling. Peering into the flames, he made out Remus's face, and smiled at his godfather. "Hey, Remus," he said.

"Harry," Remus said, looking slightly harried, but nevertheless smiled through the flames. "It's time. Tonks has gone into labor."

Harry nodded, straightening up. "All right," he replied.

"We've contacted St. Mungo's, and we're about to utilize the Portkey," Remus explained. "I wanted to send Teddy through to you directly, if that's all right with you."

"Of course," Harry said with a nod. "Hermione's made dinner—salad, roast chicken, and potatoes. Can Teddy have some?"

"Absolutely," Remus said, appearing to be visibly relieved. Turning, he grabbed at something, and Harry heard a giggle, and then his arms were filled with four-year-old, and Teddy nuzzled into his embrace. "We'll keep you informed, Harry," Remus said quietly, before Teddy's small trunk was handed through, and the connection was severed.

"Well, little man," Harry said, looking down fondly at his godson. "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah, Uncle Harry," Teddy said brightly.

Harry banished Teddy's trunk into his bedroom and kissed the child's forehead, before carrying him into the kitchen. "We've got company," he sang, not wanting Ron or Hermione to say anything inappropriate in front of him.

"Oh, Teddy!" Hermione said, getting to her feet, and smiling indulgently as Teddy held out his pudgy arms towards her, while Ron summoned a plate and layered a good-sized helping for the child.

Harry, pleased that Hermione was temporarily seeing to Teddy, summoned the booster seat from the corner, and placed it onto a spare chair. "Come on, Teddy. Up you get into your throne," he said, and Teddy giggled, dropping himself steadily from Hermione's arms and dashing over, climbing up himself and waiting for Harry to see to the fasteners.

"Are you excited for your sister, Teddy?" Ron asked, pushing the child-friendly plate and utensils over to him, and Teddy lifted the latter.

"Yeah!" Teddy said, practically bouncing up and down with excitement. "Mummy and Daddy say her name is gonna be 'Hope', after Daddy's mummy," he explained.

"Isn't that lovely?" Hermione said, slipping into her chair again, and watched from the corner of her eye as Harry returned to his.

The rest of dinner was a normal affair, with Harry charming the dishes to wash themselves afterwards before whisking Teddy away for his bath. Ron was seeing Hermione back to her flat, and Harry took that to mean that he would be staying there overnight. He entertained his godson by conjuring creatures from the bubble bath, letting Teddy pick and choose what he wanted to see next. Harry then wrapped up Teddy in a fluffy towel and drained the bath before taking him to his bedroom, where the bed that had been shrunken down in his belongings was already ready for him beside Harry's bed. Harry found The Tales of Beedle the Bard within the suitcase, and read Teddy about Babbity Rabbity, the Four Brothers, and was about to read about the Hopping Pot when Teddy's eyes grew heavy and he fell into sleep.

Bending down, Harry pressed a kiss to his forehead and dimmed the light in his bedroom, before putting up a Silencing Charm to make sure that any noise he inadvertently made didn't end up waking the child. Smiling to himself, he walked out of the room and cracked the door before heading down the hallway and into the sitting room. Hedwig flew in from the window, cooing softly to her master, obviously pleased after a nights' hunting. Harry smiled at his familiar as he sat in his favorite easy chair, seeing that Ron had left his messenger bag upon the ground.

Shaking his head and thinking that he was turning more and more into Hermione each day, Harry bent down and proceeded to at least attempt to put it upright. However, Harry quickly noticed how disorganized the bag was and he rolled his eyes, knowing that Ron wouldn't ever make it in the Auror Academy if he messed up the filing system on cases. Resolving to remedy the matter, Harry set to work on organizing the bag, knowing that he would likely pay for it later, when Ron would claim that he couldn't find anything.

As he organized the various parchments for Ron's classes—which mainly were in the combat division of the university, given his career choice—Harry was perplexed when he stumbled upon an orange piece of parchment that didn't look familiar. Picking it up and inspecting it further, he saw that it was a formal announcement for who would be the guest speaker at graduation. Harry felt his mouth drop open in a dramatic fashion then, for the speaker was none other than Master Severus Snape himself. Seeing the photograph, the man appeared to be annoyed at having a wizarding camera in his face, and momentarily sneered into the lens, before returning to whatever potion he had been brewing.

Harry slowly reached out then, tracing the photograph with his finger, and bit down hard on his lower lip as the pair of black eyes peered up at him. It took Harry aback to see how the expression had changed, once the man realized that it was Harry, and not a photographer from The Daily Prophet hungrily snapping photos of him, which would likely have his kids in wizarding textbooks for Hogwarts for years. Slowly lowering the piece of parchment, and determined to forget, another piece of parchment stuck out of him inside Ron's bag, this one an nondescript cream-color, which Harry also lifted, and his Adam's apple quickly bobbed within his throat when he realized that it was a letter.

Mr. Weasley,

Although I am quite a busy man, and I should take offense to you writing me at all when you stood me up for our meeting seven days previous, it allowed me to make the acquaintance of your roommate, Mr. Potter.

Harry felt his cheeks flush at the notion that Master Snape had remembered him.

As such, given the apparent company you keep, I cannot in all good conscience refuse what you have asked of me. You have also posed the question in a polite manner and, although I have never been one for photographs, I understand how important final issues of papers are. Given that its readers in question are still young and predisposed to the notion that the latest technology, whether it be wizarding or Muggle, takes precedence.

I will formally submit to a "photo-op", as you have so colloquially called it. I am free the afternoon of June the twenty-second, between the hours of eleven and three. As you have indicated to me that the term will end precisely at six on the thirty-first, and the final issue of The Fortnightly Firedrake is to be released at midnight on the twenty-seventh, I believe that nearly a week will perfectly fit into your plans.

May I suggest The Potions Guild Trophy Room, off The Atrium, at the Ministry of Magic for this splendid "photo-op"? As a member of the organization myself, and having many friends, acquaintances, and colleagues within the department—many of whom owe me a favor or three—I think that securing said location for the day in question, for the hours I am available to you, will be sufficient. I would be glad to also pose for the trophies I have been awarded for the guild, and would be willing to bring in any trophies, ribbons, or other awards I have gotten in my field as potions master.

Please let me know if the time, location, and everything else is all right with you.

Sincerely,

Severus Snape, Potions Master

Post Script – I would also be amenable to Mr. Potter attending this "photo-op", if he is available, and if he is willing to do so.

Harry lowered the piece of parchment; it had been dated two days after he had met Master Snape, and he was slightly irritated that, not only had Ron not told him about the event in question, but he had not extended the invitation. Shaking his head, he knew he had several options available to him. One, he could write a strongly-worded letter to Ron, which he would have Hedwig send to Hermione's flat, demanding to know why Ron had kept the information from him. Two, he could do nothing. And three, he could write to Master Snape himself, and personally inform him that he would love to attend the photo-op.

Shaking his head, a fourth option came to him: To confront Ron in the morning, and consequently hand over childcare duties of Teddy to him. Smirking, Harry nodded his head, and finished clearing up the mess within Ron's bag, tutting to himself as he did so. Once the mess was tidied up, he summoned his own bag over to him, and proceeded to go over the detailed notes from his own courses, not wanting to fall behind due to final exams.

~*~

After confronting Ron about the letter from Master Snape, and leaving him alone to feed Teddy his lunch for twenty minutes, Ron agreed that he had been a prat about the entire thing. Harry smirked and helped Ron in getting Teddy to eat his fish fingers and mushy peas, and Teddy couldn't have been happier with the food placed in front of him. Harry then took Teddy into the loo to wash up, while the Floo flared and Ron took the call.

"Yes, we're eating enough, Mum," Ron said, his voice filled with irritation as Harry stepped back into the sitting room with a now-spotless Teddy in his arms. "Oh, yeah. Tonks went into labor last night and Teddy's here..."

"Grandma Molly?!" Teddy squealed, hopping down from Harry's arms and dashing towards the Floo, and kneeling beside Ron, who automatically carded his fingers through Teddy's hair in a moment of uncle-like pride.

"Teddy, darling!" Molly cooed through the Floo. "How are you?"

"Fine!" Teddy called back. "But, I miss you..."

"Well, I was just inviting you all to supper tonight at the Burrow," Molly replied, looking as pleased as punch as Harry couched down beside Ron. "Oh, hello, Harry dear."

"Hi, Molly," Harry replied.

"Mum, I already told you, you don't have to—" Ron tried.

"Are you making the strawberry trifle, and the Toad in the Hole?" Teddy asked, practically bouncing on his heels in excitement.

Molly's face broke out in a grin at the childish enthusiasm. "As a matter of fact, I was, Teddy darling. As you well know, it's Victoire's favorite as well."

Teddy flushed slightly then. "Is Victoire coming?" he asked quietly.

"She is, along with Bill, Fleur, and Dominique," Molly replied, not having to mention the Fleur was already pregnant again, with this child being due sometime after Christmas. "Charlie's back from Romania for a few weeks, and Fred and George are bringing Alicia and Angelina. Percy can't come—ministry and all—but Ginny's got a break in her training and will be there at the Burrow this evening with Dean, of course."

"Has he proposed to that girl yet?" Ron asked, and Harry found that he was growing tempted to cover Teddy's ears.

"Ronald Weasley, honestly. That girl, as you call her, has a name. It's Audrey Fernsby, thank you very much," Molly informed her youngest son with a huff.

"Fine, fine. Has Percy proposed to Audrey yet?"

"I don't know, dear," Molly told him.

Ron shrugged. "It's just that, ever since he threw over Penelope Clearwater, I've been wondering if any girl is good enough for him," he said softly.

"So that's where I knew the name from," Harry said quietly, and Ron turned to look over at Harry in confusion. "She's a receptionist at Fiole Bureau," he said quietly.

"Now, boys," Molly said, and all three turned back to look at her, "supper is to be served promptly at six-thirty, but do feel free to come whenever you like."

Harry nodded. "Sounds wonderful, Molly. Ron and I were going to take Teddy into Diagon to meet Hermione this afternoon, but we'll be sure to be there on time."

"Sounds wonderful, Harry dear," Molly said with a quick smile. "All right, then. I'll see you later on this evening," she said, blowing them each a kiss before the Floo smoldered for a moment, and the connection was broken.

Ron proceeded to get Teddy ready for their trip to Diagon, while Harry checked on Hedwig, who seemed about ready to take a mid-afternoon nap. Once Teddy was ready and Harry and Ron had their trainers on, they utilized the Floo to get to The Leaky Cauldron. Greeting Tom once they had stepped through, Harry hitched Teddy up into his arms as they walked out into the alleyway and around the rubbish bins, and Ron used his wand to tap at the bricks in quick succession, the cobblestone road and the hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley appearing before them rather quickly as the bricks regulated themselves to the sides.

Hermione was already browsing inside Flourish and Blotts, and Teddy immediately flew towards her and threw his arms around her legs. Hermione giggled at the child's enthusiasm and wrapped her arms around him automatically. Carding her fingers through his hair, she looked up as Harry and Ron approached, returning Ron's kiss and giving Harry a hug. Ron then took Teddy into the Quidditch section, and Hermione snuggled beneath Harry's arm, which had found itself thrown around her shoulders.

"Has Teddy been behaving himself?" she asked, watching in an indulgent manner as Ron lifted Teddy upwards to see the figurines of famous Quidditch players, plus a Quaffle, Bludger, and a Golden Snitch, as well as a Golden Snidget, and a brief description upon the animal which had previously been used as the Seeker's golden orb. "It must be quite an experience, with him being a big brother and all..."

"He says he's excited about it, and I'm inclined to believe him," Harry told her. "Remus, of course, says at home with him all the time, and newborns do tend to sleep a lot. I'm sure he'll still have plenty of time with him."

"And Tonks? She's taking some time off from the ministry, isn't she?"

"I should think so," Harry said, grinning. "Remus said something about Kingsley and Moody arranging for an excellent maternity package for her."

"We haven't talked much since you had the interview with Master Snape," Hermione said, and pulled Harry across the store into the ancient runes section. "Ron's always been there, and you know how Neville gets when it comes to any discussion about potions."

Harry nodded; he did know, and very well. For all Neville's goodness when it came to herbology, he was pretty helpless at potions, despite the fact that Slughorn seemed so patient with him. As Harry recalled, and he seemed to do so correctly, Neville had frequently been uneasy around Slughorn, and Harry could never put his finger on why his shy friend would be so distant with such an affable man.

"It went really well, inasmuch as an interview where I'd only just got the questions could," Harry told her, and Hermione nodded, temporarily distracted by the tomes in front of her. "I mean, you did look at the questions Ron wanted to ask, right?"

"Of course," Hermione said, peering closer at the shelf, and looked longingly at a tome, which was titled, Manual M39h-z. "It's all about Rune-Sign Language, and it's almost never in print in such an open setting like this," she mused, before she made a grab for it, and tucked it underneath her arm, before she turned and looked at Harry. "Why are you sounding so worried about Ron's questions?"

Harry bit his lip. "Well, one was highly personal..."

"It was an interview for a university paper's publication, Harry," Hermione told him carefully. "I mean, I would think that personal questions were allowed... I think I remember Ron asking what his favorite Quidditch team was. Was it that?"

"No," Harry told her, shaking his head. "Ron asked if the man was gay."

"Ron must've replaced the questions," Hermione said, gritting her teeth. "Cormac's always on him about treading too lightly in his interviews, and Ron likely was tired of..." She shook her head, peering around the shelf to where Ron and Teddy were looking at the fiftieth anniversary edition of Quidditch Through the Ages by Kennilworthy Whisp. "Please tell me that you didn't ask Master Snape if he was..."

"I couldn't help it!" Harry told her, throwing up his hands as he attempted to plead his innocence, his green eyes flashing with momentary irritation. "Ron told me to ask all the questions, no exceptions..."

"Oh, dear," Hermione said, leaning up against the shelf, the ancient runes text still clutched in her arms. "You read it as you asked it, didn't you?"

Harry sighed. "Yes," he admitted.

"But Ron said the interview went well, and that Master Snape answered all the questions that you put forth..." Hermione stared at Harry then, her brown eyes widening. "He told you what his sexual orientation was?"

Harry nodded. "Of course. It was one of the questions."

"Not even Witch Weekly could get that kind of answer out of him, and he's been Most Charming Potioneer since he achieved his mastery and made improvements on the Wolfsbane potion," she mused, nibbling on her lower lip.

Harry scoffed. "You're telling me that he's been pictured beside Lockhart?"

Hermione shrugged. "Well, at least he still knows how to smile," she mused. "That rumor that everyone cooked up second year, about a Chamber of Secrets in the bowels of the school..." She shook her head. "And the fact that he tried to Obliviate you and Ron, because he was convinced you two had found it first..."

"Thank Merlin Ron's wand got ruined in the dueling club," Harry put in. "I'm just glad that Flitwick took over afterwards. He's a champion, after all."

"Naturally, as charms master and Head of Ravenclaw," Hermione told him with a nod. "But in all seriousness, Harry... What did Master Snape tell you?"

Harry flushed, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat. He cast a Silencing Charm around them, so as they were absorbed in a bubble of stillness, and whispered, "He's gay."

Hermione grinned. "Is that so?"

Harry nodded. "Yes."

"So, it seems, my intuition about why he wanted you to be present at the photo-op next week was indeed correct," she said, nodding her head. "Colin owes me ten Galleons."

"What?" Harry demanded. "You mean you knew I was invited?"

"Well, yes, but didn't Ron... Ronald!" Hermione said, throwing her head back in exasperation as she rolled her eyes. "I told him to tell you immediately after he got the letter... Ron then went on about how he was too old for you."

Harry scoffed. "Please. I'd be lucky to have someone of his caliber interested in me."

"Of his caliber?" Hermione asked, a slow smile encroaching upon her lips. "Why, Harry. After all this time, I'm delighted to know that you have a type."

"My type has always been male, Hermione," Harry replied, rolling his eyes.

Hermione giggled. "Yes. Ever since Ron walked in on you after the World Cup, holding a Quidditch Mag, with Krum as the centerfold..."

"It was not a centerfold!" Harry squawked, going red to his ears. "It just so happened to be an attractive photo accompanied by an article..."

"An article, eh?"

"Yes, an article in which Krum mentioned how much he would like to one day settle down with the perfect witch," he said firmly, and Hermione smiled patiently at him. "And don't make it sound like it wasn't, 'Mione. The photograph was very tasteful..."

"We've discussed Master Snape at length in all my potions classes at the academia," Hermione put in, content to change the subject. "He's a bit of a recluse, however, so while our instructor couldn't ever get him to come and lecture, we read his essays and studied his improvements to his potions."

"Did you?"

"Yes, of course. His improvements to Advanced Potion Making have done wonders, but that one note about that spell for enemies..." Visibility, Hermione shuddered. "I can't imagine anyone actually going through with casting that spell. Creating it, I suppose I can; the Wizarding War was a devastating thing, and if someone's coming after someone, a child—your child—well, I can see why such a spell could be utilized."

"Master Severus did mention his penchant for Dark Arts," Harry admitted. "I wouldn't be surprised if he has tomes upon tomes of ancient books, ones that you can no longer get, all in the subject."

"Many masters of one subject will dabble in another, especially if it is relevant to their main one," Hermione told him. "I know he's also very good in the field of herbology."

"He did mention that, yes," Harry told her. "But it seems as if potions and the Dark Arts are his favorite subjects."

Hermione rolled upon the balls of her feet. "I wonder if Headmaster Dumbledore ever offered him a position at Hogwarts..."

"He may have, 'Mione—Slughorn's not getting any younger—but, given that there didn't seem to be anything holding Master Snape back..." Harry spread his hands. "He likely enjoys owning and operating his own potions company."

"Naturally," Hermione replied, "if one likes being in control."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "You think Master Snape likes being in control?"

Hermione dragged the pads of her fingers down her book. "I'd say it's a definite possibility," she replied, shrugging her curved shoulders. "I mean, from what I know, he never lets anyone into his lab, only Slughorn—because he was his mentor, and all. Not to mention the fact that his potions library is said to be legendary, but he has a 'look but don't touch' feel about it."

"How do you know this?"

"Penelope Clearwater," Hermione replied. "Before Percy ended things with her, we would chat a lot about my future plans and her current ones. She loves her position, but was told from the very beginning where her domain was, and where Master Snape's was. She is permitted in the foyer, her desk and its surrounding area, and the staff lounge down the hallway, including all the bathrooms available to staff."

Harry blinked. "Blimey, the man does like to control things..."

"It's not too surprising, given the fact that his father, a Muggle, reportedly attempted to beat the magic out of him, and his mother, for years," she said quietly. "Calmed down considerably when his mother got her inheritance. They even managed to hire someone to put up a Muggle telly in the estate they live in now, in Warwickshire..."

Harry shivered, remembering his days with the Dursleys before he had been able to make his escape and live with the Weasleys. Sighing, he knew that he'd better take Teddy to Sugarplum's Sweets Shop, Diagon's equivalent of Honeydukes. Squeezing Hermione's shoulder, he met her eyes briefly before he crossed the store, seeing that Teddy was clutching ahold of a Golden Snidget plush, and indulgently bought it for him.

Ron was all too pleased to be going to the sweets shop, but Harry also knew that his childlike whimsy would filter into Teddy. Once their shopping was complete, with Teddy boasting some melted chocolate around his lips, Harry Floo'd back with him to the flat, while Ron went to Hermione's, with a promise to see them for supper at the Burrow. Harry was quick to make sure that Teddy's face was washed and he was dressed appropriately, before giving him permission to take his new plushy to the Burrow with them, and they Floo'd over directly.

"Oh, Harry, dear!" Molly said, bustling out of the kitchen and enfolding him in her arms. "And Teddy, love—you're just getting bigger and bigger the more I see you!" she cooed. "Well, Bill and Fleur are outside with Victoire and Dominique, young man, so, if you like, you can go out and play."

"May I, Uncle Harry?" Teddy asked.

Harry smiled at him, and lowered his godson to the ground. "Of course, Teddy. You can show them your new plushy. Do you have a name for it yet?"

"Órla," Teddy told him, before dashing out the kitchen door of the Burrow, and Harry recalled a story from Tonks' father's childhood, of Celtic origin, about a golden princess.

"Come along, Harry dear," Molly said, wrapping her arm around Harry's shoulders and bringing him into the kitchen. "The twins are working late at the shop with Alicia and Angelina, and Charlie is upstairs resting."

"Long trip back?" Harry asked, smiling ruefully as Molly waved him to sit down, and bustled about the kitchen to make him a cup of tea.

"The International Floo Network was backed, likely because of various graduation programs and ceremonies happening around the same time," Molly explained, swishing her wand about to get her kettle to boil. "Charlie had to stand in the Romanian queue for what seemed like hours, the poor dear. I barely had time to feed him a cheese toastie and a cup of tea before he lumbered upstairs into his childhood bedroom to sleep some of it off..."

"And Arthur?"

"He usually works a bit longer on Fridays, just to make sure that the ministry won't contact him at the weekend," Molly said, preparing Harry's cup. "As for Ginny, she's meeting Dean after work and they're heading over to his flat, where he'll change and set things to rights, before they come over here together."

Harry bit the insides of his cheeks at the mention of Ginny's name; as the youngest child and only daughter, she had been quite spoiled growing up and, naturally, she believed that she would one day be with Harry. This was decidedly not the case, given that she was everything Harry did not want in a partner, and she had yet to fully understand that. Harry was grateful for the distraction of Molly's cup of tea, which was placed in front of him, and he methodically blew on its steaming surface, waiting for it to cool down enough for him to drink.

"And how have you been, Harry dear?" Molly asked, continuing to move around in the kitchen, gathering this and that to put the finishing touches on the Toad in the Hole, before she would be placing it into the oven. "Graduation is just around the corner."

Harry nodded, knowing that it was an appropriate discussion topic. "Fine, thank you, Molly," he told her with a smile. "Exams begin on Monday at eight, and Remus assures me that he'll be collecting Teddy beforehand."

"And just know that you can Floo him over if Tonks has any complications," Molly told him, tossing a smile at him from over her shoulder. "You've put in all this work at the academy that it would be a shame for you to lose it all now."

Harry affixed a smile onto his lips and took ahold of his mug of tea, blowing on its surface for a moment before bringing it to his lips. "Thank you, Molly," he said softly.

Ron and Hermione arrived by Floo shortly thereafter, with Ron plunking down beside Harry and helping himself to a cup of tea, while Hermione rolled her eyes and proceeded to help Molly out with supper. Charlie came downstairs around half an hour later, presumably smelling the meal, and Fred, George, Alicia, and Angelina popped into the back garden via Apparition a short time later, with Teddy and Victoire running up to them and clamoring for hugs. It was when Arthur came in via Floo from the ministry that Molly summoned the table linens and things into their proper places at the massive table, and Arthur stepped into the kitchen as everything floated to where it needed to be.

"Hello, love," Arthur said, stepping across the kitchen and kissing Molly on the cheek. He afforded the same greeting to Hermione, and embraced both Harry, Ron, and Charlie before he trekked out to the back garden and greeted everyone else. He visibly brightened as Ginny and Dean arrived via Apparition, and, quite soon, everyone trooped into the kitchen, with Teddy and Victoire moving to a small table on the other side of the room, while the adults claimed the larger table.

"Allô, 'Arry," Fleur said, bending down and kissing him on both cheeks, and Harry smiled in greeting, while Ron looked positively wretched at the exchange, and Hermione kicked him from underneath the table.

Molly then opened the oven with magic as she pulled the pot holders, decorated with golden snitches that danced, that Fred and George had bought her one Christmas, and advanced upon the cooking vessel. Lifting the massive Toad in the Hole from the oven, Arthur led in the applause, with Teddy and Victoire cheering from the other side of the room, as Molly stepped forward and placed the casserole dish in the center of the table. As Arthur began cutting it up and levitating generous portions to everyone at the table, Molly produced a second, smaller casserole from the oven, equipped with Child-Safety Charms, and placed it upon the table that Teddy and Victoire were currently sharing. After slicing it accordingly and placing it onto their plates, she made sure that they both had their fill of pumpkin juice before she made her way over to the table and sat down at its foot.

"How are things at the shop, boys?" Arthur asked, cutting into the Toad in the Hole with the side of his fork and bringing it to his mouth.

"Great, Dad," Fred said. "It certainly helps to have a star Quidditch player on the payroll," he said, looking at Alicia with love.

Alicia rolled her eyes, but nevertheless pressed a kiss to Fred's cheek. "The Montrose Magpies are extremely generous when it comes to our downtime," she explained. "I love being a Chaser, naturally, but I'm quite sure that they'll want me to retire eventually."

"Angelina will fix you up, no problem," George informed her, and Angelina rolled her eyes good-naturedly at her boyfriend.

"This is the first day off I've had from St. Mungo's in over three weeks," Angelina explained, and Harry noticed that her shoulders visibly slackened as she said this. "Spell damage is a fascinating subject, to be sure, but I am quite pleased to have this weekend time for all of you, and George and I are seeing my family for the weekend."

"And Bill, the bank?" Molly asked, after she had finished a bite of her dinner. "Please tell me that the goblins aren't running wild..."

"Certainly not, Mum," Bill said, grimacing slightly at his mother's choice of words. "They are thinking of sending me to Ireland before the year is out..."

"Any particular reason, Bill?" Arthur asked.

"Some additional training," Bill explained. "They're sending me to their affiliates in Cork, and, from there, if all goes well, I'll be made chief of my unit..."

"Oh, Bill!" Molly cried out, dropping her fork and clutching at her mouth. "Oh, darling, that's simply marvelous news!"

"We are very 'appy for zhe development," Fleur said, trailing her long fingers down her husband's arm, while holding Dominique in her free one. "Bill loves 'is work very much, and I would never take zthat away from 'im."

"Tell us about the preserve, Charlie," Ron said quickly, likely growing uncomfortable with the display of his brother's happy marriage in front of him. "Any new hatchlings?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact," Charlie responded with a smile. "We had some Welsh Greens hatch last week," he said. "Three boys and four girls in the clutch, and they've been named Kai, Crisper, Smelter, Iskra, Bedelia, Ember, and Kalinda," he explained.

Molly nodded along to Charlie's exposition, before turning back to Harry, Ron, and Hermione with quick smiles for each. "How many exams are you all taking?" she asked.

Ron straightened up then. "For the Combat Degree, you have to achieve high to full marks in a physical exam, a psychological exam, and then a traditional exam," he explained. "For the physical, they take your height and weight and put you through some trials that are based on real Auror situations. For the psychological, we have to sit down with a mild healer from St. Mungo's, and they determine if you're mentally strong enough to go through with the Auror Academy, as well as future active field duty. And, with the traditional exam, you're tested on how well you know the history of the Ministry of Magic, in particular the Auror Department, how you would approach various cases and such, and then you're given some mock reports to fill out. It's all very serious," he said proudly.

"And you, Hermione dear?" Molly asked.

"I have three exams per day, on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday," she explained brightly. "I have final exams in ancient runes, History of Magic, transfiguration, charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, arithmancy, Muggle studies, alchemy, and ancient studies," she explained. "All of these pertain to getting a Degree in Wizarding Law. If all of this goes well, I've been accepted as Amelia Bones' apprentice, and will act as her assistant for the period of one year, until the Wizengamot decides where to place me."

"How about you, Harry?" Arthur wanted to know, knowing quite well how overbearing his wife had the capability of being, and, if they wanted Harry to tell them anything at all, they would have to be patient.

"It's a hybrid degree program," Harry told them softly. "In which they take elements of both publications of the Wizarding World and the Muggle one, and apply them to the courses that I'm taking. For example, in the wizarding branch, I'm taking charms, potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, History of Magic, Muggle studies, and ancient studies," he said. "And, in the Muggle half, it's Graduate English Studies, a Bachelor's Thesis course, Honors Classics, English Language and Literature, and History and English," Harry told them. "Thankfully, the hybrid program entails accommodations wherein I don't have to go to a Muggle university to take the courses, but they are based on classes one could take at Oxford University, which is reportedly one of the best universities in the Muggle World."

"Quidditch is going quite well for me," Ginny broke in then, likely upset that no one had asked her about her tenure with the Holyhead Harpies since she's arrived. "I know I haven't played as Chaser as long as Alicia has, of course, and that I understandably have a lot to learn, but it's such a great experience," she said persuasively. "As for Dean," she continued, and Dean lowered his eyes and blushed to his ears, "he's received yet another commission from the Wizarding Artists' Guild, which he isn't due to complete until after the Christmas holidays. Of course, he's also due to graduate on the same day Harry, Ron, and Hermione are, in case you'd forgotten," she said, her tone rather heated as she crossed her arms.

"Ginevra, don't be rude," Molly scolded. "Harry hardly ever opens up to begin with, so we should all listen to him when he decides to do so."

"Molly, it's all right..." Harry began.

"No, Harry, it's not all right," Arthur told him, his voice gentle, before he turned back to regard his only daughter. "We've given you a lot over the years, Ginny, but, above all, your mother and I firmly believed in teaching all of you traditional manners. I would hope that we didn't waste our time in preparing you to enter polite society."

Ginny suddenly got to her feet, her dishes clattering around her. "I won't sit here and listen to any of this," she said, her face as red as her hair. "Come along now, Dean. We're leaving," she said, and Dean, knowing full well when he was beaten, promptly got to his feet and followed Ginny out of there.

Harry could vaguely hear Dean attempting to reason with Ginny as they stepped out into the back garden, but Ginny refused to hear any of it. Harry winced then as the pop of Apparition filtered in from the garden and into the kitchen, waves of doubt and guilt ebbing and flowing before they hit Harry at full force. Forcing a smile onto his face, he looked up and around them and said, "Arthur, why don't you tell us how things at the ministry are?"

~*~

Harry was relieved when he Floo'd over to the cottage in Godric's Hollow the following afternoon, following Remus's announcement that he and Tonks had arrived home safely with the new addition. Escorting Teddy, Harry and the eldest child of the Tonks-Lupin family had been formally introduced to Hope Harriet Lupin, and Harry felt himself flushing automatically when he heard her full name. As Tonks fed Baby Hope a bottle, and Teddy leaned over the arm of the easy chair to take in each moment, Harry and Remus drifted into the kitchen to have one of their weekly chats.

"All your studying done for your final examinations this week?" Remus asked, pouring Harry a cup of tea.

Harry nodded. "Yeah. I'll probably look over the respective notes until the last possible moment, just to make sure I've got it all down, but I'm feeling confident."

"Good, good," Remus replied with a nod, handing over the tea. "Any other plans? You still going out to The Leaky to celebrate with everyone?"

Harry bit down hard on his lower lip, rolling onto the balls of his feet as he considered telling Remus something else. "Remember how I told you that Ron had a touch of Wizard's Flu, and I had to fill-in for him for his final interview with The Fortnightly Firedrake?" he asked, dragging his teeth over his lower lip.

Remus nodded. "Of course. He is feeling better, isn't he?"

Harry nodded back. "Oh, yeah. Ron was right as rain in a couple days," he assured him. "It was who I was interviewing that was...something, I suppose..."

"Who was it, then?" Remus asked. "Someone from the academic world, I presume?" he asked, wetting a sponge in the kitchen sink and proceeding to clean the kitchen counters the Muggle way, which oddly filled Harry with a sense of calm.

"You could say that," Harry told him, setting down his mug of tea and leaning upon the kitchen island in contemplation. "He actually went to school with you..."

"Hogwarts?" Remus asked, and smirked at Harry's, Where else could I possibly be talking about? expression. "Well, come to think of it, many people who went through Hogwarts got decent jobs within the Wizarding World... Lucius Malfoy, Amelia Bones..."

"Severus Snape," Harry said softly, deliberately not looking up at Remus.

Remus dropped the kitchen sponge and whirled around, his eyes filled with shock. "What? That was who Ron had you interview?"

Harry nodded, continuing to stare at the marble patter of the island. "Yeah," he said softly, his shoulders immediately hunching inwards.

"Well," Remus said, his tone soft as he likely mentally told himself to calm down, "how is he doing, then? I know about his company..."

"Fiole Bureau," Harry put in.

"Yes, that. He was always reading potions or Dark Arts' texts while we had free time at Hogwarts, and one could even see him having a book on his lap during mealtimes," Remus went on, shaking his head. "Your father and Sirius hated him."

Harry's head snapped upwards then. "He didn't tell me that!"

Remus smiled. "Likely because he wanted to retain the air of professionalism," he told him. "I suppose that he was polite... Please tell me that he was."

"He was," Harry assured him. "Ron did ask a highly personal question, however, and I was about to die when I inadvertently asked it..."

Remus's smile broadened then. "You read the question for the first time while asking Severus, didn't you?" he asked.

Harry scoffed under his breath, dragging his hand through his hair. "Really? Am I that predictable, Remus?" he whined.

Remus chuckled. "Not necessarily 'predictable', Harry," his godfather told him. "It is merely that a select group of people knows you so intimately that we can wager a guess, and likely be correct, as to what you were getting up to, even if we weren't there."

"Hermione assumed the same," Harry muttered.

"Hermione is the brightest witch of her age, as you well know," Remus put in.

Harry sighed. "He wants to see me again."

"Who?"

"Master Snape," Harry replied, biting down on his lower lip again. "Ron asked if he wouldn't mind partaking in a photo-op at the end of the week so that the final article in The Fortnightly Firedrake can really pop."

"And Severus accepted?"

"He did."

"And he truly mentioned wanting to see you again?"

Harry nodded. "Yes. All by owl. He included it in the post script that he wouldn't be adverse to me attending on the day."

"Are you going to go?"

"Well, considering I already tore Ron a new one for not informing me of my invitation beforehand, I would say 'yes'," Harry replied.

Remus swallowed. "Severus may have changed his ways, Harry, but he is truly a Slytherin through and through..."

"You know as well as I do that the hat wanted to place me in Slytherin..."

"Yes, but it didn't," Remus countered. "Anyhow, I won't tell you not to see Severus anymore, because you're twenty-one, and I know full well it won't do any good. However, as your godfather, I will tell you to be careful." He hesitated. "Can you promise me that, Harry? Will you promise to be careful around Severus?"

Harry looked up at his godfather. "Once Severus exhibits behavior in which being careful is warranted, I promise to act accordingly," he replied, and Remus smiled, obviously pleased that his thoughts and feelings were being heeded.

~*~

Harry arrived with Ron in the Potions Guild Trophy Room, off the Atrium at the Ministry of Magic, which Master Snape had secured for The Fortnightly Firedrake for a period of two hours to get some decent snapshots of him. He was relieved to have finished his exams, and anticipated passing them with flying colors. Looking around, Harry noticed that there was a scene of a table with crystal-cut beakers, a pretty good replica of Master's Snape's office at Fiole Bureau, and, finally, one which Master Snape said accurately depicted his private library of potions and Dark Arts texts. Harry, who had been pulled aside by Master Snape before Colin had begun snapping photos with various Wizarding cameras for the paper, had been asked for tea by the man, and had eagerly accepted.

"Come off it, mate."

Harry felt his flush blooming deeper, the main sound in the room coming from the flash of Colin's camera as he worked, and Harry finally permitted himself to tear his eyes away from Master Snape, who cut a stunning figure in formal black robes. "What?"

"You know what," Ron said, mockingly punching his elbow. "Come off it, I say. Master Snape hasn't taken his eyes off you throughout the entire shoot."

Harry found himself absolutely grinning at that fact; now, it was set in stone. "He asked me to have tea with him afterwards..."

"What?" Ron asked, grinning from ear to ear. "You serious? The top potioneer in the country, and likely in Europe itself, wants to go for tea with you?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah..."

"Did you say you'd go?"

Harry lowered his eyes, feeling his cheeks darkening from pink to red. "I said I'd go and have tea with him," he replied, a chuckle escaping from his lips before he could call it back.

"That's awesome, mate!" Ron said, squeezing his arm. "Bloody fantastic!"

Harry felt relief when Colin had finally finished up, and Master Snape stepped into what could only be the storage room off the trophy room, and changed into some everyday robes. Harry watched as he stepped out a moment later, and went towards Penelope, who had attended with him, and politely asked her to return the other robes he'd worn to their proper places. Harry pulled at his jumper, hoping that Master Snape wouldn't mind being seen with him, and felt his flush return as the man stepped towards him.

"Are you ready, Mr. Potter?"

"It's 'Harry', and yes, Master Snape," he replied.

"Very good, Harry," he said, a benevolent smirk appearing upon his lips. "Come along, then. We can Floo to our destination in the Atrium."

Harry gave the man a small smile and nodded, following him out of the room and into the main hub of the Atrium, where Master Snape steered them both over to a fireplace, keeping a firm hand upon the small of Harry's back. Harry looked up at the man, feeling fire burrowing itself inside of his veins at the very man's touch, and wondered how he would possibly be able to do without it, now that he had it.

Master Snape guided them over to a fireplace then, and, retaining his hold upon Harry, whispered, "Engorgio," so as the fireplace could accommodate them both, and the pair of them stepped inside. "Rosa Lee Teabag," he uttered, naming the tea shop in Diagon Alley, and they were both promptly swallowed up by green flames.

Harry and Master Snape were deposited in what appeared to be a cozy Victorian living room, and an employee of the shop promptly bustled forward and gave them a coveted table beside the window. Harry and Master Snape both thanked her, and they promptly stared at their respective menus. Harry listened to the dulcet tones of Master Snape as he ordered a black tea and a shortbread biscuit, and Harry ordered black tea with milk and sugar, plus a chocolate-dipped shortbread biscuit.

"How did you find the photoshoot, Master Snape?" Harry asked.

Master Snape nodded at him; it was a likely discussion topic. "Your friend—Crispin, was it?—was a very capable photographer."

"Colin," Harry told him, grinning back. "Colin Creevey. He was a year behind Ron and me at Hogwarts. He's a Gryffindor, and a Muggleborn, but his younger brother, Dennis, also secured a place at Hogwarts, and in Gryffindor."

"My apologies," Master Snape said with a bow of his head. "It is rare to see photographers with such enthusiasm. It may be a Muggle trait, as I haven't found wizarding photographers to be so, although it may just be because they are photographing me."

Harry tried to stifle his chuckle as the woman who had served them before brought them their tea and biscuits, and they both thanked her again. "You seem to really consider how people think, even if they're not purchasing potions from you, sir," Harry observed, stirring milk and sugar into his tea.

"I informed you upon the occasion of our first meeting, Harry, that I have a knack for knowing just what people think," Master Snape replied, his tone steady. "While I don't particularly enjoy putting words in people's mouths, nor do I attempt to form their opinions for them, I myself do know how to read body language and eyes and, failing that, a simple Legilimens fixes any problems I may have."

Harry felt a smile pulling at his lips then. "It sounds as if you want to know every possibility, every angle, about anyone you may meet."

"That is an accurate assessment, yes," Master Snape conceded, blowing on his tea before lifting it up to his lips.

"So, you're a control freak?" Harry asked.

"I exercise control in all things, Harry," Master Snape informed him.

Harry shook his head, lowering his eyes and inspecting his shortbread biscuit for a moment, before taking the opportunity to bit into it, chew it, and swallow. "That must get very boring," he observed softly.

Master Snape observed Harry for a moment, and quickly deduced that, due to the deliberate lack of eye contact, as well as the apparent bravado, that Harry was masking his true feelings. "You seem nervous," he observed.

Harry slowly raised his eyes towards Master Snape. "I find you intimidating," he admitted, and hoped that Master Snape wouldn't mind his candor.

Master Snape, in return, smirked. "You should." He continued to observe Harry, who had since lowered his shortbread onto its plate. "Eat."

"Not to mention high-handed," Harry said softly, not taking his eyes off Master Snape, nor reaching for the biscuit.

"I'm used to getting my own way," Master Snape replied, his tone honest. He continued staring at Harry for a few moments, before deciding to continue the conversation. "Tell me about your family," he said softly. "You seemed quite close to young Mr. Weasley..."

"Ron's my best mate, practically my brother since we've been in school," Harry told him. "My parents died when I was eighteen-months-old, and I was sent to live with my Muggle relatives until I was fifteen, as my mother's elder sister and her husband were given custody of me. It was during my fifth-year that one of my godfathers was murdered, and Headmaster Dumbledore reevaluate his decision to keep me in the care of my aunt and uncle, due to the fact that they liked to beat and starve me for sport. So, I was sent to live with Ron's family, and became their unofficial eighth child just before my sixteenth birthday." He hesitated for a moment. "My other godfather is married, has two small children, a boy and a girl. I have been named godfather of both of them, and their daughter was partially named for me. I know that they were initially worried about going public, due to his debilitating disease, and their age difference, but they seem really happy, and in love."

"Your parents were murdered when you were a child?"

Harry nodded, lowering his eyes back to his tea. "Yes," he replied. "Their murderer was caught and was given the veil by the Wizengamot before Christmas of that year. The trial was an open and shut case..."

"Potter," Master Snape whispered, his tone slightly stoic, and Harry's eyes promptly snapped to his as he was reminded of his school days. "What's your middle name?" he asked.

Harry blinked, but nevertheless allowed himself to answer. "It's 'James'," he said softly, and found that he was worried about what was to come. "Tell me, did they really replicate your private library well? I hear that you won't let anyone inside of it..."

Master Severus sat there for a moment before shaking his head. "I'm sorry, I cannot..." He began, looking as if he didn't want to hurt Harry.

"What?" Harry asked, confused.

"I'll walk you out," he replied, no emotion in his tone as he got to his feet, momentarily leaving Harry at the table, before he forced his feet to get with the program and move to follow him, feeling utterly confused at the man's outburst.

Harry followed Master Snape onto the main road of Diagon Alley, trying to keep up with his sweeping steps and growing more apprehensive by the minute. "Was it something I said? Is that it?" he asked.

"It was nothing you said, Harry... It was everything you said," Master Snape said, hastily correcting himself, shaking his head.

Harry shook his head, unknowing why Master Snape would completely shut him down, even though he now knew his true identity, without so much as a proper explanation. "What does that even...?" he began.

"Watch out!" Master Snape cried out, and grabbed ahold of Harry, yanking him lengthwise across his body, as Harry looked over the man's shoulder, seeing a young child zooming past upon a training broom, barely looking where he was going. Master Snape shifted then, causing Harry's eyes to lock with his, and Harry's breath subsequently caught in his throat as the potions master took ahold of his face gently with his potion-stained fingers, and Harry automatically leaned into the palm of his hand, heart beating erratically, never taking his eyes off him. "I'm not the man for you," he whispered, and Harry felt his heart lurch unexpectedly then, especially at the finality of the man's tone, and felt as if his eyes were begging him to change his mind. "You should steer clear of me," he went on, and Harry found he was more than desperate to stay wrapped in the man's arms like that. "I have to let you go," he said at last, and that perfect hand dropped from Harry's face.

"Goodbye, Master Snape," Harry managed to get out, hating how his voice was breaking, just as it seemed his heart was, as he turned and headed off towards the Apparition Point.