Severus sat at his place at the Head Table, listening to Minerva as she chatted amicably in his ear.
"And of course I told them no, they absolutely could not sign up for- Severus! Are you even listening?" She demanded sharply.
He took a hasty sip of his wine and raised his brows at her.
"Of course I am," he lied.
Minerva scoffed and glanced over at his table, where his own eyes were continuously roaming to.
"I see my Lion, Miss Bones, and Miss Granger with your snakes Severus, but where is Mister Potter? Surely Poppy is allowing him to return for the feast?"
Severus hummed, attempting to sound nonchalant. "I was informed he would be released in time for the feast, he should be along shortly."
Albus, seated on the other side of Minerva, leaned towards him. "I told Poppy to make sure that Harry is present," he winked. "He did a very courageous thing and I plan to make an announcement."
Severus scowled at him. "I hope you are not planning on rewarding the brat for risking his fool neck."
That's just the type of thing Albus would do to his prophesied Golden Boy.
"Severus, surely you would agree that Harry deserves recognition for his deeds? He risked his life to prevent the rising of Voldemort. I'm quite proud of him, as I am sure you are as well?"
Potter risked his life for vengeance... Severus thought to himself, knowing better than to share the important distinction with Albus.
"I would be more proud if Potter had informed a teacher rather than taking matters in to his own hands," Severus responded coldly.
Albus had the audacity to just laugh away his concerns.
"Aah," he said, looking towards the entrance. "Here comes our boy."
Severus followed his gaze and saw Potter stepping slowly in to the Great Hall, a nervous expression on his face.
Severus wanted to smash his head off the stone walls when, after a brief hush, nearly all of Slytherin table stood and turned towards Potter and began applauding.
"Looks like James, doesn't he?" Minerva murmured.
Severus couldn't even deny the resemblance as Potter stood there, proud as could be, basking in the applause of his housemates and friends. The brat had his chest puffed out and a tiny smirk playing in the corner of his mouth.
"I'm either going to quit or retire," Severus muttered back, exasperated.
As soon as Potter was seated Albus stood and spread his arms happily. "Another year gone! And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were... you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts...
"Now, as I understand it, the House Cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two."
Severus eyed his table proudly as they all cheered wildly. His snakes had worked hard in their classes and, aside from a very select few, they had all achieved high marks along with the Quidditch Cup and House Cup.
It was a good day to be the Head of Slytherin.
"Now- taking in to account recent events-" Severus saw Potter's friends nudge him and sit up straighter. "- I have a last minute award to give," Dumbledore said, smiling benignly towards Potter.
"To Mister Harry Potter, for outstanding nerve and for bravery in the face of dark magic, I award Slytherin House fifty points."
Severus spotted the tiniest scowl on Potter's face before he cleared it and adopted a shy grin for his cheering housemates.
I would bet my last galleon the child is displeased to be publicly named as adverse to dark magic...
"And that means, with an outstanding total of five hundred and twenty-two points," Dumbledore paused and dramatically waved his wand allowing green and silver Slytherin banners to decorate the hall, "that Slytherin has won the House Cup. Congratulations!"
Severus was furious for Potter to be rewarded for his act, he hoped the cunning child could see through Albus' blatant manipulations. But he could not deny that he was pleased to see Potter give a childlike cheer with his friends. Nor was he unhappy to see Minerva looking as if she had sucked on a sour lemon when she congratulated him.
He was rather confused during dessert when he saw Hermione Granger hand a slug to Susan Bones who then licked it. The rest of the children seated in Potter's area all howled with laughter at the act.
What in the fuck.
***
"Professor Snape!"
Severus was overseeing the students loading on to the Hogwarts Express when Potter came sprinting up to him.
"Potter," he said cordially. "Are you prepared for your summer?"
"Yep. Gonna be brill."
Severus hated the child's cockney accent and hoped that a summer with the likes of the Zabini Countess and Malfoy's would help to fix it.
"Well then you should get on the train, should you not?"
Potter nodded and gave him a shy smile beneath his messy fringe.
"Yes sir, just... I just wanted to g-give you this and ask if m-maybe ya would write to me or somethin' this summer?" Potter asked softly, offering him a folded parchment.
Before Severus could answer the child's question about writing to him, the boy had run off.
Perhaps he knew Severus would be hard pressed to simply ignore the child all summer if he thought Potter would be expecting a letter.
"Bye sir!" Potter called, leaning out the window of his carriage as the train began to move, waving madly.
Severus lifted a hand in return, though he refrained from shouting after the boy. He glanced down at the folded parchment, curious what Potter gave him.
Perhaps his address? Maybe he did not understand how owl post worked?
Severus' breath caught as he looked at what was not a parchment, but a photograph.
Lily. On what appeared to be her wedding day. Her hair was done up in intricate braids and flowers, her white dress accented her petite frame perfectly. And as the photo looped through the movements she blew a kiss and winked.
Severus stared at the photo until it became blurry from what he refused to acknowledge were unshed tears.
He cleared his mind, pocketed the photo, and thought about Potter as he walked slowly back to the castle.
The child was an absolute tornado of chaos, trauma, and idiocy.
... but somehow Severus found himself looking forward to the upcoming school year.
End of Year One.