Princeps by Lomonaaeren

Chapter 3

"Happy birthday, Severus."

"How did you know today was my birthday?" Severus accepts the gift from Harry's hands, but also watches him with a healthy dose of suspicion that Harry can't actually blame him for.

Harry shrugs a little and smiles as he nods at the wrapped gift. "I pay attention."

Severus considers him with another side of wonder, but the gift is holding the majority of his attention. He probably also wonders why Harry gave it to him in the Defense practice room after class.

In truth, it's just because Harry thought Severus might like to savor the gift instead of having to think about the politics of opening a present wrapped in neutral white paper in front of the other Slytherins. But it also has the advantage of giving him a front-row seat to seeing Severus's face soften as he twitches the stirring rod out of the depths of the paper.

"Rune-carved glass," Severus breathes. "It's so expensive..."

Harry nods. The runes enhance the effectiveness of any potion stirred with that kind of rod and they're much in demand, but it takes so much skill to carve the runes into the glass without breaking it that they're also damn expensive. However, Harry has more than enough Galleons. Before he came back, he emptied the Potter vault of all the "gifts" that misguided people have made to him down the years. He didn't touch the main Potter money, so it would still be there for any children James and Lily have, but there's no extra anymore, either.

"Professor Salvare, I can't accept this."

Harry did anticipate this, because Severus hates charity, and he folds Severus's fingers gently around the stirring rod when he holds it out again. "I think you'll find you can."

"But it could be seen as a mark of favoritism...you could get in trouble..."

Harry smiles, marveling that Severus has changed so much his first concern is for another person and not himself. "I cleared it with the Headmaster already, Mr. Prince. And I think you'll find that I have other gifts for the students whose birthdays I know. The ones I don't know will just have to tell me, won't they?"

Severus blinks. "You think you'll be here more than one year, sir?"

"I intend to work on the curse and see if I can defeat it." And that's true, Harry thinks. He has studied the previous ten years' worth of professors who were sent away by the curse; that study just occurred before he came back in time, rather than here. "I think it's anchored to a specific place in the castle itself, but a hidden one, or someone would have noticed it before now. So I need to find and destroy it."

"If anyone can do it, it's you, Professor Salvare."

Harry coughs and clears his throat a little at the shining gaze that Severus turns on him. The last thing he wants is for Severus to make a different stupid, life-altering decision because of his admiration of Harry. "Yes. Well. I hope you enjoy your gift, Mr. Prince. And always remember that you're the only one who can really choose what you want to be."

Severus nods, looking unusually thoughtful, and leaves the classroom, cradling the stirring rod in his hand.

*

"Protego!"

Harry smiles in genuine triumph as he watches the Shield Charm spring up around Lily. He is, of course, holding back and not using the full strength that he could bring to bear to crack it, but that she's managed one this strong, a little over halfway through the winter term, is impressive. She couldn't do it at all at the beginning. "Excellent, Miss Evans!"

Harry sees Evan Rosier scowl out of the corner of his eye. He keeps his sigh to himself. Rosier always starts when Harry says Lily's name, probably because of the similarity of her last name and his first, and then acts as though he's entrenching himself even further in Muggleborn and Muggle hatred.