Chapter 15
Before daybreak the following morning Harry and Severus went to the shop, but Harry left immediately. He never said where he was going and Severus never asked, though he had his suspicions. Severus just hoped that when Harry was done he would finally be that caring and loving young man he fell in love with.
Harry and Severus were sitting in the back of the shop having their morning break while Draco took care of the customers. He was leaving the following day to go buy dragon’s blood and to try and get hold of some other hard to get ingredients.
‘Um, Harry, there’s a couple of aurors asking to speak with you,’ Draco said.
Severus and Harry looked at each other before they both stepped into the shop, ‘What?’ Harry glared.
‘We need to ask you some questions in regards to the torture and death of two Azkaban guards, and some death eaters that were killed.’
‘And what if I don’t want to answer your questions?’
‘Then we will have to arrest you.’
Harry turned to Severus, ‘Their pissed that I told the people they didn’t capture the death eaters, that they tried to take credit for something they didn’t do.’
‘Harry,’ Severus said but his tone was clearly a warning.
Harry turned back to the aurors, ‘Fine, arrest me.’
The two aurors glanced at each other as Harry moved around the counter to stand in front of the aurors.
‘You can’t be seriously considering arresting Harry Potter,’ a woman said.
‘It’s fine Mrs. Parson’s, they won’t be able to hold me long,’ Harry smiled at the woman then turned to Severus, ‘I should be a couple of hours.’
Severus kissed Harry then watched as the two aurors took Harry’s arms and led him outside.
‘He will be fine, he has nothing to worry about or hide,’ Severus reassured his worried customers.
‘I’ll watch the shop Severus, you finish your potions.’
‘Thank you Draco, but you don’t have to look worried, Harry will be fine.’
Everyone inside the atrium at the ministry of magic stopped what they were doing and it also went silent as they watched two aurors escorting Harry Potter towards the lift. Some people yelled out asking what Harry Potter was being arrested for, the aurors never answered, but Harry did.
‘I have no idea, but it seems when they can’t get credit for something they decide to blame people,’ Harry smirked at the aurors who were glaring at him all that did was make Harry chuckle. But he stepped into the lift then let the aurors escort him to an interrogation room. Harry sat back in the chair and placed his feet on the table, crossing his ankles, ‘So get on with it, I’m busy.’
Two men stepped into the room to join the aurors, ‘Harry.’
‘Ah the minister himself, what a surprise. Going to watch these so called aurors lie or try to get me to lie?’
‘We just want the truth about what happened at Hogwarts that day.’
‘The truth according to you. But I have nothing to worry about so let’s get on with this.’
One of the aurors held up a vial, ‘This veritaserum, are you going to fight me?’
‘No, why should I,’ Harry tilted his head back and allowed three drops of the potion to be poured into his mouth, ‘You could at least get it to taste nice, the one Severus makes tastes like strawberry’s.’
‘What is your name?’ the older man asked.
‘Harry James Potter, soon to be Harry James Snape Potter.’
‘Were you at Hogwarts on the twenty third of May of this year?’
‘Yes,’ Harry knew they expected to tell the truth, so he was going to act like the potion was working the way it should.
‘Were you outside the castle when the death eaters attacked the gates?’
‘No.’
‘Where we’re you?’
‘Inside the castle keeping watch.’
‘Did you ask Minerva McGonagall to lie for you?’
‘No, she wouldn’t anyway.’
‘Right as the death eaters sent spells at the gates where you up in the trees outside Hogwarts?’
‘No, I just said I was in the castle, blimey you blokes are deaf, stupid and deaf.’
‘You should not be able to speak unless answering a question.’ Kingsley said.
‘Maybe I’m smarter than you, which come to think of it, I am, so is everyone else. Now, can I go or do you want to ask anymore pointless questions?’
‘Did you kill the death eaters who attacked Hogwarts?’
‘No, while staring out the windows on the fourth floor of the castle I saw green fire kill them. I saw the aurors, they saw fire kill them as well. Then lied and told the public they captured them.’
‘So you didn’t use your dragon animagi to burn the death eaters?’
‘No, I haven’t turned into my dragon since that day in Diagon Alley. I did register it you know, I am legal, but again, stupid, dragons have red fire, not green.’
‘Yes, we know,’ Gawain scowled, ‘Did you tell the two guards that escorted Mr. Snape from the boat that you would be paying them a visit?’
‘No, I told them to let Severus go.’
‘Did you visit those guards?’
‘No, I haven’t seen them since that day on the docks,’ Harry yawned, ‘How much longer?’ Harry watched with amusement as the three aurors and Kingsley moved to the corner to talk quietly.
‘You can go Harry.’
Harry swung his legs off the table, ‘I hope you don’t lie again, I don’t like people that lie, especially about me or Severus.’
‘Is that a threat Mr. Potter?’ Gawain asked.
‘No, a statement, but a truthful one,’ Harry opened the door and strolled out. As he got to the atrium there were hundreds of people standing near the lifts.
‘What did they want?’ a man yelled out.
‘To ask if I killed those death eaters and a couple of guards from Azkaban. They even used a truth potion, once they got the truth they had to let me go.’
‘So they can’t arrest you again Mr. Potter?’ a woman asked.
‘Nope because I haven’t done anything wrong.’
‘You never did, they did, all of them. How is Mr. Snape doing?’
‘He’s good, he’s breaks have healed and I’ve been able to reduce his scars.’
‘Was he hurt in Azkaban?’ a man yelled.
‘Yes, beaten by the guards and other prisoners.’
‘If he was supposedly so good and honest why did he trick everyone about the shop?’
Harry turned to glare at Bill Weasley, ‘He didn’t, Parnel is part of his name and he put the shop in his great uncles name because it was his uncle that got him into potions. It was his way of showing his appreciating to his uncle.’
‘We all thought his name was Severus Tobias Snape,’ a man asked.
‘Severus, Tobias, Parnel Snape. That name is only known on his birth records which is in the muggle world. But I would like to say that soon Severus will be known as Severus, Tobias, Parnel Potter Snape, I will be Harry, James Snape Potter.’
‘You’re getting married?’ a woman smiled.
‘Yes, we are. I should get back to the shop. Remember, if you need any potions or ointments, you can’t get better than Parnel’s Perfect Potions,’ Harry smiled at the crowd, glared at Bill and the aurors who had come down before Harry left the ministry, ‘Told you I wouldn’t be long.’
Severus shook his head in amusement, ‘Yes you did,’ he took Harry’s hand and led him into the back of the shop, ‘It’s all over now, right?’
Harry smiled, ‘It is Sev, I feel it, deep inside,’ Harry wrapped his arms around Severus, ‘We’re going to be okay.’
‘We are, but does that mean I get to see that innocent brat that drooled over me?’
Harry slowly looked up into Severus’ eyes, ‘Drooled, panted and if you want, you can’t take charge of my punishment…professor.’
Harry and Severus heard a gagging, they turned to see the back of Draco’s head disappear through the curtain. Harry and Severus looked back at each other then burst into loud laughter. They didn’t care that Draco heard what they might be doing because all they did care about was they finally had each other and nothing will ever come between them again. Severus also knew that Harry needed to put his past to rest and he could only do that once the people that hurt Severus had been punished. Severus could see Harry’s heart finally healing which told him that yes, Harry had finally let everything go and they can finally begin their life together.
The end: