Chapter 9
‘Are you okay love?’
‘I’m fine Sev, it’s just good to feel you beside me.’
‘Then if you can help me back to the house, we can have some lunch then I wish to speak with you about an idea I had.’
Harry smiled, he knew it was hard for Severus to ask for help, maybe it was his time in Azkaban or maybe it was that Severus finally trusted him, whatever it was Harry knew Severus had changed, just like he had changed.
He stood and held out his arm, Severus pulled himself up with the help of Harry and his conjured walking stick, then the two men had their arms around each other and walked slowly back to the house. Harry prepared lunch then sat again outside in the sun with Severus.
‘So what’s this idea?’
‘You know I hate asking for anything even help, but since I was released even if it’s only been just over a day I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. No, I do not want to go back to teaching, I was never suited for that job. It served its purpose at the time, I could play my part for Voldemort and watch you as well.’
‘It was a good idea of Dumbledore’s, but you’re right, and I’m sorry Sev, but the kids hated you, well, not the Slytherin’s.’
‘Yes, I know that’s why I found it hard to believe you had other feelings for me apart from loathing. That surprised me more than finding myself falling in love with you.’
Harry’s face split into a huge grin, ‘I might not get that out of you very often, but I love to hear it.’
‘Alright, you don’t need to act like a lovesick teenager. Now my idea, potions is something I do love and I happen to be very good at them.’
‘You’re brilliant, since I’ve been studying up on them I realise how good you were, there’s some I would never attempt to make, they need someone like you to be able to make them. But I found making potions comforting, it made me feel closer to you. With every slice of an ingredient, I would picture you standing there. So you want to do something with potions?’
‘Yes, as you know from my old book, I made changes which in turned made the potions better. Even though what I would like to do will mean using your money, or your father’s money which I am not happy about, I realised that we are partners in every way. If I had anything then I would share it with you just as we share our life.’
Harry realised that hearing what Severus had just said, Severus has changed a bit, he was not quite so hard as he used to be.
‘Yeah, we do share our life, so whatever we have is ours. But you’re right about your changes, not just when I used your book in sixth year, here, your other books have changes, that’s how I was able to make all your potions and the healing ointment. Those scars you have are fading faster than normal.’
‘It takes great skill to change an established potion and to make it better than it was. Some of the great old potion masters invented some of the best potions that are still being used today. So my idea is a shop, a shop where anyone can purchase any potion, there will be no need to make their own, which most can’t. Right now if a potion is needed and someone not skilled in potions and they need something like a dreamless sleeping draught they would need to go to St Mungo’s, be examined by a healer than pay for the potion, we would just be cutting out the middle man so to speak.’
‘Do you believe the ministry would approve this Sev, they turned their back on you? It’s a great idea but after what they did I doubt they would let you.’
‘No, they would not let Severus Snape, but there is two idea’s that might work. Either you get approval for a shop or I can use a different name and change my appearance. The department of magical businesses is not a high security level, I would not need to go through all the security checks which would show who I really am. I am still registered as a potions master so I am legally allowed to make the potions even if I can’t have the shop in my name.’
‘Well, I suppose either idea would work, but I don’t want to ask them for anything that’s why I learned how to do enchantments myself and normally it has to be done by the ministry, I was lucky that it worked without them realising. So if you’re okay with changing your appearance I would rather you do that than for me to ask them for a business license.’
‘Very well, I can do that, when I’m well that is. So is this something you would help with?’
‘Yeah, if that’s what you want to do Sev. You are good at potions, your changes work better and you do enjoy brewing up all that stuff. I could help, if you wanted me to that is.’
‘I do, this could be a good life we could share. But there is something else I wish to discuss in regards to this. Now first, I do not want to stay disguised at all times, occasionally I could, but not always. So it would mean you could serve customers when I’m working on a delicate potion, but this is where I hope you will agree.’
‘It sounds good so far Sev, so just tell me.’
‘Alright, it would mean going away sometimes, to buy ingredients you cannot get in this country, some are hard to find whether you find them yourself or find the right person to buy them from. So I would like to ask if you would allow Draco to be part of this. He is very good at potions, he knows what he’s doing and he cannot get work. You two would not have to spend a lot of time together, but it would mean spending some time together.’
Harry stared at Severus for a minute, ‘Would you allow me to help you with the potions?’
‘After drinking the ones you made for me, yes, you have proven that you get the concept of brewing a potion correctly. You have talent in potion brewing Harry, that ointment you made is not the easiest to make, yours is perfect.’
‘Thank you, I might not get a compliment from you very often, but it’s nice to hear, especially about potions. Alright, I’ll agree to that with one condition when it comes to Malfoy.’
‘That he stops acting like he used to, stops with his snide comments or name calling?’
‘Yes, exactly, one smart arse remarked aimed at me and I’ll kick his butt out of the shop.’
Severus gave a reluctant grin, ‘He would end up with a bruised arse. Thank you my love, but he will be fine, I can give you that promise. I spoke with him, not about all of it, just that I had an idea that I would love to do that he might be involved in if you agreed. He was sceptical you would allow him to be part of anything. Did you take a lot of notice of him when you picked him up?’
‘Not a lot but I did notice how he looked, drawn, dark circles under his eyes and he’d lost weight. Alright, we can work on the details, which means bringing Draco here again. But nothing is being done until you are well, you agree to that or the deals off.’
Severus could see the hardness that surrounded Harry, a hardness that was never there before he was sent away. Since he had been released, he saw a lot of changes in his young lover, but Harry’s love never changed. That had been one of Severus’ biggest concerns over the last five years, that Harry’s love for him would die, it hasn’t, it has grown stronger just as Severus’ love for Harry has grown stronger.