Aunt Mini

Harry saw aunt Mini working on the walls of the kitchens, ‘Hi.’

‘Harry, did you have a nice visit?’

‘Yeah, I did, they took our news well. Fred and George were wondering how I would want to go on holiday with you,’ Harry chuckled making Minerva laugh.

‘I’m sure everyone had something to say. Now I did want to tell you that I spoke with Horace, he’s willing to take you on for the next three years. After my talk with the minister and the governors, Severus has been made headmaster, so you will need to get approval from the headmaster because it would mean being here every day or living here for three years after you finished your seventh year.’

Harry grimaced, ‘So I have to ask Snape, he’ll say no, so why bother.’

‘He might not, explain it to him, tell him this is what you want, show him how passionate you are about potions.’

‘Is he in his office?’

‘Yes, so now is as good a time as any.’

‘Okay, I’ll let you know how I go. Oh does he know about us?’

‘Yes, I explained when I asked if you could remain here in another room until the school reopens, then you’ll join your school friends. I had all your belongings moved to your new room which is right beside mine.’

Harry grinned, ‘At least he’s letting me stay, thanks,’ Harry kissed Minerva on the cheek then hurried up to the headmasters office. He took a couple of deep breaths, then knocked.

‘Come,’ Severus called then looked up as the door opened, ‘Potter, is there something I can do for you?’

‘Yes professor, have you got a couple of minutes to spare?’

‘Yes, so close the door.’

Harry shut the heavy door then stood in front of the desk, ‘First, I want to thank you, for giving me your memories which gave me that information, but also for what you’ve been doing for years, helping.’

‘You’re welcome, is there something else?’

‘Yeah, I wanted to apologise for calling you a coward, you’re anything but, you’re braver than most people realise. What it took to fool him for all those years, I don’t know how you did it, so I’m sorry professor.’

‘Apology accepted.’

‘Now this and it might shock you. When I was here last, as a student I mean, when I used your book in potions, I found that I actually enjoyed potions. So I’ve been thinking a lot about that and what I’m going to do.’

‘I thought you were going to be an auror.’

‘No, I don’t want a life of fighting. I think why I said I did was because of what was going on at the time. I always figured that Voldemort would still be here so becoming an auror would have helped with him.’

‘Go on.’

‘I would like to study potions and become a master. Professor Slughorn has offered to take me through the first three years after I get my N.E.W.T.s, but I would need your permission to either live here after I’ve left as a student or be allowed to come into the school every day. I know that he’s a teacher so it might take longer than three years. But I can still study and practice potions while he’s teaching.’

‘It was your draught of living death Horace showed me?’

‘Yes, it was, but I used the instructions from your book, that’s how I ended up doing it better than Malfoy and Hermione. I’m not saying this in the hope you’ll say yes, but your changes should be in the potion books students are meant to use, they work better.’

‘Thank you and yes, I know they do. I will tell you this, I did approach Albus about my changes, he believed the international confederations of wizards would not approve a book that was written by a former death eater, I agree, they wouldn’t.’

‘I get that but you haven’t been a death eater for seventeen years, you were just acting as one so you could spy for Dumbledore. Maybe now they know the truth they might consider it.’

‘I appreciate your words Potter. If Albus was still alive they might listen to him as he was the only person to know the truth about my role over the last few years.’

‘So they would listen to him because he was known as the greatest wizard in modern history or because of his involvement in stopping Voldemort?’

‘Both I believe.’

‘I know you always said I liked attention, I didn’t, but I’m willing to say how good your instructions are if you think it might help. It’s not really about me Harry Potter the saviour as everyone keeps calling me. I released a statement about how you and the others all helped, some of you did more than I did and for a lot longer. But it seems that everyone keeps going on about me, so if it helps then I’m willing. That is why I want to be a potions master, I want to help come up with potions that might cure illnesses that are incurable right now.’

‘Considering you know it was I that went to the dark lord then told him the prophecy or part of the prophecy, I’m surprised you would show support for me.’

‘If I was younger I wouldn’t have, I probably would have tried to kill you, wouldn’t have had much luck with that though. But I understand the roles we all had to play and what we all had to do, sometimes sacrifice our lives because of what he was like, the way he could charm anyone to believe what he did. But as I said before, what you did all these years proved how brave you are. To me you are one of the most courageous men I’ve ever met. I hate the attention and I won’t use the fame everyone has given me for anything, I want to work and prove I can do something, but I would use my name for good, to help and your changes should be used. Hermione hated the fact that my potions were better than hers, but she did admit your changes were better, she just like rules and the book we were assigned was the one we were supposed to use.’

‘I will think over your offer, but you have my permission to live here and learn under Horace. Now I might not have seen any talent towards potions from you before, but you seemed to have some, that is from your mother. I believe apart from the way I had to treat you which made it hard to concentrate on your lessons, the dark lord would have been in your thoughts quite often which again would have made it difficult to concentrate.’

‘He was in my mind all the time. But thank you professor and whatever rules there are even though I won’t be a normal student, I will follow.’

‘You will have more leeway than a student, I can enchant your personal fireplace so you can come and go, but it will be restricted to your magical signature only. Naturally that won’t be until after you finish your last year.’

‘Thank you professor, I’ll leave you to your work, I’m sure you’re busy,’ Harry gave Snape a smile and received a look from the man that was nothing like the way Snape looked at him for seven years, it wasn’t a smile, but it wasn’t a sneer either, it was nice, that’s how Harry felt about the look, it was nice.