A new home

Chapter 23

Weekends came quickly. Nothing much happened on Friday. Severus had started trying to create a potion to help strengthen Harry's bladder. And Harry spent his day reading, drawing, and following Severus around like a lost puppy because it made him feel safe, except when the man came into his lab. Severus had allowed Draco to come in during his visit, but he had never allowed Harry in. While Severus was busy in the lab, Harry played all kinds of games with Toppy. The house elf absolutely adored Harry.

On Saturday morning, Harry was playing with blocks with Toppy on the floor when the floo flared and an old man with a long white beard stepped out.

"Professor Dumbledore!?" - Harry exclaimed, beaming as he stood up and walked to the man to greet him. Toppy bowed so low that his nose was inches from the floor.

The old man smiled softly at him.

"Harry. Toppy. Where is Severus?"

"He's in his lab, sir." - Harry answered as he looked at the older wizard curiously, trying to figure out why his headmaster was there.

Albus was about to go find Severus when the said man walked into the sitting room

"Albus"

"Severus. I was about to come to find you"

"No need. My wards alerted me. So, you have done all your work?"

"Yes, I am now free to come to visit my son and his s..."

"Ahem" - Severus cleared his throat.

"...our student" - Albus corrected himself.

Harry looked up at the men, puzzled and not quite noticing Dumbledore's slip. Then, he casually sat down on the floor and continue playing.

"Harry, Professor Dumbledore is going to stay here with us for... however long it is, ok?" - Severus said as he sat down on the couch.

"'kay, sirs" - the boy said as he continue building something.

"I'll go and put away my things" - Albus said and went upstairs to do just that.

Meanwhile, Severus walked into his lab and finished the potion he had been working on before Albus came.

5 minutes later, Albus came down and sat on the floor near Harry, who was still playing, building something with his blocks.

"How have you been Harry?"

"I'm great, professor. How about you?" - the boy looked up briefly to ask before turning his attention to his blocks again.

"I'm good, too. How have things been with Severus?"

"Oh, good I guess" - then he looked up and beamed - "He took me to a park the other day. And he said he was friends with my mom. Did you know that?" - the boy chirped happily.

"Oh, he did, didn't he? I do know. After all, they had been close friends and I adopted Severus when he was just a couple of years older than you" - Albus said, smiling softly, but inwardly, he was displaying a wide grin.

"Enough chitchatting, both of you" - a voice sounded from the doorway.

Severus was bringing a vial of potion back to Harry when he heard them talking about him, about that particularly sentimental conversation between Harry and himself. He should have known Harry didn't get any hint whatsoever that Severus would like to keep that moment between them.

"Oh, but it's nice to know you have been spending some time together" - there in the old man's eyes were bright twinkle, so bright that Severus wanted to throw a bucket of cold water at him