Eleven-year-old Harry was bored. He had explored every inch of Hogwarts castle, sat in on every lesson, became family with every teacher except for Trelwany, who he had only seen twice, and even been grounded several times for being found by Hagrid wandering the Forbidden Forest.
Of course, he knew a simple explanation as to why he couldn't find anything to do.
There was nothing left in the castle to do. And that was a problem, because he was supposed to be getting his letter at dinner that night from Grandpa D, which meant he would spend the next seven years of his life, at least in this castle.
Unless Harry could convince Severus to show him his home from when he was a child, in Spinners End...
"Dad!" Harry shouted.
"Yes, Harry?" Severus asked, looking up from his newspaper in the kitchen, one room over from the living room.
"Can we go to Spinner's End?" Harry asked.
"Why would you want to go there?" Severus asked, his eyes narrowing.
"Because there is absolutely nothing left to do here, and I want to see where you and my mum grew up." Harry explained, as if it were obvious.
"Harry," Severus began.
"Dad, please?" Harry cut him off. Severus stilled looked like he would say no. "Come on. Why won't you show me where you grew up?"
Severus sighed. "Fine. But," he quickly added, for Harry looked like he was about to dash away. "Not until tomorrow. It's too close to dinner now. Tomorrow we can have the entire day."
"Yay!" Harry shouted. "Thanks, Dad!" he gave Severus a quick hug, then dashed off to find Hagrid.
Five minutes later, Harry was banging on the door of Hagrid's Hut.
"Harry, wha' are yeh bangin' on my door like the castle's on fire for?" Hagrid asked.
"Guess what guess what guess what?" Harry asked, bouncing up and down.
"Wha'? Hagrid asked, amused.
"Dad said he'd take me to see his childhood home in Spinner's End! Wanna come?" Harry invited.
"Well, sure I'll come!" Hagrid said, beaming. "I'd like to see where the great Severus Snape grew up."
"Ok!" Harry exclaimed, bouncing up and down again. "I'll see who else wants to come at dinner. Which, now that I think about it, is starting in five minutes. We should go."
The pair walked up to the castle together, arriving in the Great Hall just as dinner was starting.
"Harry!" Severus said. "Where were you?"
"I was down talking with Hagrid." Harry said.
"Well, tell me where you're going before you wander off!" Severus admonished. Minerva and Dumbledore were both chuckling lightly.
"Well, I have a question for all of you." Harry said, indicating the entire staff.
"Well, do tell." Aurora invited.
"Dad says he's taking me to see his home in Spinner's End tomorrow." Harry began. "Does anybody want to come? Hagrid's already agreed."
"Harry!" Severus exclaimed, appalled.
The staff was all talking to Dumbledore, who then stood up.
"We would all be delighted to come." he said.
"Great, Grandpa D!" Harry said, finally sitting down in his seat.
"Also, here is your Hogwarts letter." Dumbledore added, handing Harry a letter on thick parchment.
"Once school starts, do I have to sit down with the students?" Harry asked, frowning.
"Yes." Minerva and Severus said together. Harry scowled at them.
"Why? All the older students already know me." he whined.
"Harry." Severus said sternly. "No whining."
"You have to sit with the students because you will be a student." Minerva explained. "You can't sit with the staff because you aren't a member of the staff."
"I wasn't a member of the staff last year." Harry grumbled.
"You were an honorary staff member." Aurora said. "And, you weren't a student."
"Fine, fine, I get it." Harry sighed. Looking down the staff table, he realized someone had returned.
"Uncle Q! You're back from your trip!" Harry exclaimed. "Why are you wearing a weird cloth on your head?"
"I-it was a g-gift for r-rescuing a v-village." Quirrell stuttered. Harry frowned.
"Why is he talking like that?" he whispered to Severus.
"He had some bad run-ins while exploring, and hasn't been the same first." Severus whispered back. "Now he has the Defense Against the Dark Arts post, and he's afraid of it."
"Grandpa D," Harry began turning to Dumbledore. "Why didn't you give Dad the Defense post?"
Dumbledore looked at Severus.
"Albus," Severus warned.
"Well, I don't know. Quirinus came back and asked if he could have the job, I said yes before Severus had asked." Dumbledore explained. Which was not true.
"Oh, ok." Harry said, content with that explanation. He missed the look that passed between Severus and Albus.
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