Headmistress McGonagall looked at the man across from her, still not getting over just how different he looked. "Just one more thing Harry."
Twenty eight year old Harry Potter stood up. "Yes?"
"Welcome home."
Harry gave a nervous laugh and stroked his beard before running a hand through his hair. "Thank you."
Minerva stood also and walked around the desk and cupped Harry's face. "Covering your face with full blown beard Harry, no glasses, hair a bit longer, managed to tame it a little though.
"Yeah," Harry chuckled. "Um, does he know I am back?"
"No Harry, the last we heard from you is you were enjoying your time abroad and just after that I announced to staff I found a new flying instructor after Madam Hooch retired, he wasn't interested as he didn't think it would be you given we just got your letter."
"But that letter arrived late,"
Minerva smiled. "I know Harry, there are many things Severus regrets in his life, and although he never says it, I know his biggest regret is saying no to you when you asked him out at the end of the war."
"Actually what he said was. 'Go out and live your life Potter, we are now all free to go where we want, so go, explore and grow up. Now free, I want a man, not a boy'."
Minerva sighed. "Yes, I know the words Harry, he told me not long after you left what his words were to you, he said you had spent your life fighting and now you were free you should go out there and explore the world and see just what is out there, not to be staying here and tied to him."
Harry looked saddened. "I had no idea, why say that to make me hate him?"
"It wasn't to make you hate him Harry, it was to upset you enough to actually go. And go you did, you have gone out there, seen the world, grown up a lot and come back looking like a new man, nothing like the boy that sat on that stool all those years ago as I placed the hat on your head. You no longer look like James Harry, you have grown into your own looks, just got Lily's eyes still."
Harry smiled. "Thank you Minerva. I will see you at the welcoming feast."
Two days later Harry walked into the Great hall ready for the welcoming feast and took his seat next to Minerva. "Where is Severus?"
"There was an accident on the train with one of his Slytherins, he has accompanied them to the hospital wing. How are you finding things?"
"Really well, I think I might keep this beard and longer hair, no one is staring, they don't know who I am." he laughed.
"I must admit Harry if I saw you I wouldn't know. You sure have gone to lengths to not be recognised."
Harry laughed. "All I have done is grow a beard, my hair is a bit longer and I found a wizard in the States, he has created a spell and it corrected my vision, well, not right away, I was happy to be his dummy while he experimented with perfecting the spell."
Minerva nodded. "Well they will know it is you as soon as I introduce you and you have to stand up."
"It was nice while it lasted." he said, getting a small smile from Minerva before she welcomed the new set of first years before introducing Harry as the new flying Instructor after Madam Hooch's retirement. Harry stood up and nodded his head and smiled, he noticed the older years knew of him better than the first years. He was just thankful he was teaching them flying and not anything else where they could ask about the war.
When everyone started to eat, the doors opened and Severus walked in with a student who was limping as he made his way to the Slytherin table while Severus made his way to the head table. "Minerva? Severus does know I am back doesn't he?"
"No Harry, every time I mentioned the new flying instructor he cut me off saying he wasn't interested as he doesn't much care for flying." Minerva turned to her right and looked past Professors Flitwick and Malfoy to Severus. "Have you met our new flying instructor Severus? He is settling in nicely. He is looking forward to teaching."
"I give it a week before he is regretting those words." Severus said only glancing at Minerva before seeing Draco next to him. "What are you smirking at Draco?"
"Nothing." Draco said, and seeing Harry stand, Draco stood also. "I think I will retire also, have a talk with the new flying instructor."
Severus watched Draco leave the great hall walking at the side of the newest member of staff. Severus looked closely at the man who shook Draco's hand and laughed, his dark hair, turning a little, he saw the man sported a full beard. His eyes dropped to the mans arse as he left the hall with Draco. The clearing of a throat had him turning to see Minerva looking at him. "What?"
"Are you not going to introduce yourself to him? He will be seeing over the matches, I am surprised you haven't seeked him out already, telling him to be fair to your Slytherins."
"I will watch my Slytherins play and if this new member of staff does not referee the match fairly I will be having words."
Once all the prefects had left with the first years and the other years started to make their way to their dorms, Flitwick stood up. "Have you heard from Harry Potter Minerva?"
Minerva noticed Severus pausing a little. "Yes, he seems happy to be back in London, he said in his letter as much as he has enjoyed seeing the world he has missed home."
"Potter is back home?" Severus asked.
"Yes. "Minerva answered, "last week he came back home. I must say he has grown into a fine young man."
"You have seen him?" Severus inquired.
"I have, he invited his old head of house out for a drink. I didn't recognise him at all."
"Oh please Minerva, anyone can spot Harry Potter off a mile away." Severus said and with a swirl of robes, he left the great hall.
Flitwick looked at Minerva. "Spot him a mile off but didn't know he was four seats down from him." he said, making the Headmistress chuckle.
Harry stepped outside with his broom and sighed, it had been a few years since he rode his broom. He had twenty minutes until his first class arrived, mounting his broom, Harry took to the skies.
The wind making his messy hair look even more wild. As he did twists and turns and a few stunts to get used to flying again he looked down and saw students looking up at him. Flying back down to the ground and jumping off his broom as it was still flying and landing on his feet, broom bow in hand he saw the students looking on in awe. "Morning class."
"That was awesome sir! You didn't stop your broom and climb off you jumped off it! Can you reach us that?" A first year asked.
Harry chuckled. "What's your name?"
"Albert Stevens."
"Well Mr Stevens I am afraid not. I can teach you basics for first year. How to hold a broom, mount it, dismount and such."
A girl put her hand up. "Emily Johnson sir. Didn't you do more than that in your first year?"
"That I did Miss Johnson but only because I disobeyed a Professor when she took my classmate to hospital wing and got caught by another. Lucky for me it was my head of house who saw me and strings were pulled to get me on the Quidditch team." Harry ran his hand through his hair. "Now then! Can't learn to fly if you haven't got a broom. All of you get one from that door over there."
Half way through the lesson Harry stopped when he saw Draco approach him. "Professor Malfoy?"
"I have a free period." He grinned as he took a remembrall out of his pocket. "Remember this?" He asked as he took a broom off a first year. "Let me take you back seventeen years." he laughed as he flew in the air.
Harry sighed and looked at his class. "No mounting brooms, you are all to keep your feet firmly on the ground. You listening?"
When the class nodded, Harry mounted his broom and flew up beside Draco. "What are you doing?"
"This worked with me. You aren't just teaching flying you are coach to all four Quidditch teams. First years are excitable, they will spread word of this fast you need the teams and students you teach to see just how good you are. Trust me this worked for me I have had no problems since. Ready?"
"Yes."
Draco threw the remembrall as hard as he could and shook a little when Harry sped off after it. He flew back to the ground and stood with the students.
"What did you throw for Mr Potter to catch sir?"
"I threw a remembrall Mr Grey."
"But they are made of glass! He won't see that!"
Harry landed in front of Draco and chucked the remembrall back at him. "You lose something?" Harry smiled.
Draco laughed and held the remembrall up for the class to see. "Not now." He said as he chucked it up and caught it. "Enjoy the rest of your class kids." As Draco walked away he looked back at Harry when he heard the excited voices of the kids and saw the huddling around Harry asking questions.
Severus slammed the door to his Professors lounge and made Minerva who was sat drinking tea jump.
"Good morning Severus?"
"If I have to take away just one more flying magazine and hear one more word about 'the best flying instructor Hogwarts has ever had' again I will personally go and hex the new instructor myself!"
Minerva chuckled. "Now that I would love to see. I tell you what Severus, why don't you go and visit him, give him a peace of your mind, let him know where you both stand."
"I know where I stand, feet firmly on the ground, not head in the clouds."
"Flying, his head is in the clouds."
"Not funny Minerva." Severus snapped and left the room when he saw her smirking into her cup of tea.
It was the following week when Severus was teaching and a student walked in late. "You turn up late again Mr Brown I will make sure you don't have to worry about being late for this class again as I will drop you from it."
"Sorry sir, I had to escort Lewis to the hospital wing."
"Get your book out and get your station set up, instructions are on the board." Severus snapped.
"Mr Brown, stay behind." Severus said at the end of the lesson.
The student sighed and nodded to his friends who left him alone with the potions master. "Sir?" he asked, once alone.
"What is wrong with Lewis?"
"He landed on his arm sir and broke his arm."
"How did he land on his arm?"
"We saw a certain flying move and Lewis tried it and fell and landed on his arm so I helped him to the hospital wing."
Severus nodded. "Thank you Mr Brown that will be all."
Harry had just sat down in his quarters when a banging sounded on his door. Sighing, he stood up and opened it, he only got the door opened so far before it was pushed the rest of the way and someone stormed straight past him.
"How dare you put the students at risk with your idiotic stunt!" Severus snapped as he pushed his way in as soon as the door started to open. "If you want to fly around and be reckless then get on with it but how dare you teach them to students! Them looking on at you as though you are the best thing that happened to Hogwarts has clearly gone to your head and has made you think that you can get away with anything! Well not on my watch and not with my house you don't!"
Harry who closed the door, stood there with his arms folded, watching Severus, and let the man get out what he needed to, hopefully he will be lost for words when he sees just who he is shouting at.
When Severus got no answer he turned and froze when he saw who was standing there. "Harry?"
"Finished Severus?"
"Of course, doing stunts, having students excited to be flying, being labelled as best thing that happened to Hogwarts, it could be none other than you Harry."
Harry smiled. "Hello Severus. It is good to see you."
Severus walked over to Harry and lifted his hand to run his fingers through the messy hair. "Longer." he murmured, letting his fingers run over the beard. "Don't like this at all."
"No? I thought it made me look more grown up."
"Hides your face Harry."
"How did you know it was me as soon as you saw me? Minerva had trouble."
"Hair may be longer and hair might cover your face and glasses may no longer be needed but those green orbs... you are the only person I have seen with such green eyes. Why no need for glasses anymore?"
"Found a spell creator abroad, I let him experiment on me until he got the spell right."
"Why did you stay away so long?"
"Because your words hurt Severus. I thought you hated me. I poured my heart out to you to have it rejected."
"Forgive me Harry. That was not my intention, I didn't want to hurt you, only to have you see the world now free to do so and not tie yourself to someone like me."
Harry moved closer. "But it was you I wanted Severus."
"And now?"
"You still are. I went out there, I saw all the world I wanted to see, I grew up, I learned a lot more and when I got that letter from Minerva asking if I will come and teach I jumped at the chance. I wanted to reveal myself to you straight away but when Minerva saw me and had to do a double take I thought I would leave it and see how long it would take you to work out it was me. Turns out its as soon as you see me."
"I didn't know it was you from afar, longer hair and beard and laughing and joking with Draco did throw me off." Severus sighed. "If you still want me Harry, you can't have me I'm afraid."
Harry looked crestfallen. "Why? I know you like men and I know you are not with anyone."
"Both are correct."
"Then why?"
"I don't do beards."
Harry took his wand out and waving it, his beard went, leaving his face bare and clean shaven. "Gone!"
"I can't believe you just did that, that took some growing."
"It did, but giving the choice of growing a beard or growing old with you. I choose you."
"Growing old with me? I already am."
"Forty eight isn't old Severus." Harry whispered before placing a small kiss on the older mans lips. "And I didn't teach the students any stunts, when I go flying in my spare time I can't help if they sneak to the pitch and watch and decide to try for themselves."
"Now I know you are the flying instructor Harry I know you wouldn't teach them that, although I am disappointed, I had a good argument all ready."
Harry chuckled. "Sorry for spoiling your fun Severus."
"Never mind." Severus said as he wrapped his arms around the younger man and pulled him closer. "You can make it up to me." he answered, getting a smile in return before he closed the gap between them.
The end.