Chapter 23

"Potter...."

"Uh..."

"Potter..."

"Five more minutes," Harry sleepily grumbled.

"Harry! Unhand me now or so help me I will throw you off this bed!" Snape warned which caused Harry's eyes to snap open.

"Huh?"

"How very eloquent," Severus muttered while he tried to extricate himself from the jumbled mess of blankets and Harry clinging to him like a koala to a tree branch. "Potter I need to use the loo so kindly extricate yourself off my person,"

"What happened to calling me Harry?" The other responded groggily though they did let go of Snape. Harry rolled over a bit, still flopped down on the Queen-sized bed they had to share last night while Severus stood up and briskly walked towards the washroom.

"What happened to not hogging all the blankets," Snape shot back from behind the closed door. Harry meanwhile, just shrugged. At least Snape hadn't discouraged the cuddling. Harry liked that. He liked to feel the warmth of another. He accepted that he was very likely severely touch starved from being imprisoned for three decades in a cold and lonely cell. Snape probably knew that too and that was why he allowed it. Harry's mind was awakening though his thoughts were anything but positive. 'Severus put up with his cuddling, even in the cave, but did that mean the man actually liked it? Or was he just accommodating Harry? Severus kissed him first, and boy was that a kiss.' Harry's toes still curled while remembering that. 'He'd expressed he wanted to have a relationship with Snape and Severus went along with it but now Harry was second-guessing himself now. In this reality, he'd seen that Snape could take Dumbledore down if he wanted given his recent conversation with Skeeter. The man was now a Lord, he had an estate, was now Head of the family businesses, had several vaults under his name, and possibly wielded the strongest wand after the Elder wand. Harry didn't know the extent of the political power the Prince family had but he knew it would be substantial as an Ancient and Noble house. Possibly as great as the Peverel and Potter lineages, maybe even greater since the family hadn't died out like the Peverels.

And then there was Harry. Displaced by time due to his own cowardness and folly. Immortal, penniless, and apparently very gullible given how Dumbledore tricked him. He was an octogenarian in the body of a twenty-year-old. Harry had painted a pretty picture for Snape when the man asked about his reality. In truth, his grandchildren had found his immortality creepy. He was still included in the family functions when his kids were alive but the moment the last one passed his grandchildren and great-grandchildren had started distancing themselves from him. He learned of celebrations after the fact or from secondhand news.

"H-...."

"Huh?" Harry snapped out of his thoughts at hearing his name called.

"I've been calling for a while now." Snape said once he finally had Harry's attention. "Do you need to use the loo?"

"Oh, I was just... yeah sure..." Harry mumbled as he scooted off the bed. Before Snape could say anything Harry asked "Severus what are we?" afterwards he made a beeline for the washroom leaving Snape staring at a closed door.

To say that breakfast was an awkward affair was an understatement. After Harry's question, neither man spoke to the other. Tibsby had made both of them a proper English breakfast as Snape had given her the supplies they had purchased as well as written permission to take money from the main vault for their upkeep. Something the elf had been barred from by the extended family that had initially taken possession of the vault keys.

"Lord Prince and Lord Prince's partner. You have mail," Tibsby announced before magicking open one of the windows to let three owls enter the dining room.

"Hedwig," Harry gasped as he immediately recognized the snowy owl. Said owl however seemed rather put out and landed atop his head and began pecking him. "Ow! Ow! Hey! OW!"

The second owl, an elegant Screech owl, landed gracefully in front of Snape and extended its leg to show it had a newspaper tied to it. When the Potion Master raised a brow the elf answered. "Tibsby took the initiative to request a Prophet subscription. All the latest news in there Lord Prince,"

"And a whole lot of gossip," Snape mumbled though he did take the paper and awarded the owl with a piece of his bacon. "Now who are you?" Snape questioned, ignoring the pun he'd accidentally made as he looked at the Great horned owl that had been waiting patiently. The owl simply held out its leg, which carried a single wax-sealed envelope. Snape immediately recognized the crest on the wax and took it.

Meanwhile, Harry had calmed down the snowy owl to take the stack of letters it was carrying. The owl, probably out of spite, helped itself to Harry's breakfast while shoving one of his talons into the beans.

"Oh come on!" Harry exclaimed.

Snape just shook his head and then glanced back at the mysterious owl. The creature hadn't flown away yet so it must have been expecting a reply. Snape looked from the letter to the bird with a frown and said "It might take me a bit to form a reply. Will you wait?"

"The owl merely hooted before hopping towards the snowy owl that had no compunction about decimating Harry's breakfast.

Snape excused himself to the parlor and opened the message.

Dear Uncle Severus,

I hope my message finds you well. While I was initially shocked when your allegiance came to light in fourth year, I realized later on that it hardly mattered and that I still loved you. You were there for me when my parents weren't. You took care of me when they went on vacations during the summer and I had to stay home with the elves.

My parents are hardly role models for expressing their feelings though they have hinted that due to recent developments that I try to contact you. For reasons unexplained the Dark Lord has demanded that all families that have sworn allegiance to him present their offspring for marking before the end of this summer, which as you know this is a year well before we were expected to take the mark.

I have... reservations about this as it is not just those who are coming of age but ALL offspring. Several families have children not even of Hogwarts age and they are expected to appear as well for marking. Mother is secretly still your supporter though she is beside herself from the announcement. Father, has been on the fence. It seemed something has happened to the Dark Lord recently that has caused this change of plans. I came back from France to find father bedridden with nerve damage due to extensive Crucios. The Dark Lord has effectively taken over Malfoy Manor and I fear leaving my rooms.

I have however been in contact with my classmates and they too have expressed that they do not wish their younger siblings to undergo the marking. They are willing to abscond with their younger siblings if a safe haven is provided yet they do not trust the Headmaster.

I may be seen as a fool for writing to you uncle but we Slytherins need your help. You have always been there for us even if the other teachers were biased. If there is any way you can help us please send a reply via Hermes. He's an owl I purchased myself and not part of the Malfoy owls, which are being monitored as well."

Yours truly and hopeful,

-Draco

When Snape came back to the dining room, reply in hand, he saw Harry staring dejectedly at what was once his breakfast. Next to it sat a very pleased-looking snowy owl, at least Severus assumed it was pleased with itself as its feathers were fluffed up. Hermes, Draco's owl was trying to puff its chest out. Snape handed the hastily scribbled letter to Hermes, squashing any attempts at wooing the owl might have had at the moment.

"Potter there are several things we need to speak abou-why are you looking so conflicted?" Snape stopped mid-sentence when he noticed Harry staring at his opened stack of letters.

"They want to meet," Harry sounded unsure but elaborated further. "I got letters from the Twins, Ginny, Hermoine, and Ron. It just feels a bit surreal to see them again. My meeting with Ginny was awkward enough. I went to their funerals, I mourned them. We've been through so many good and bad times, yet it has not happened to their versions in this timeline."

"You fear that the only reason they are contacting you is to see how you compare to their Harry," Snape surmised.

"It could also be a ploy of the Headmaster. Who knows what he's been up to lately. It's been too quiet."

"You need not worry about Albus. It seems he will have his hands full for the moment." Snape walked over to where the Prophet lay. "I merely skimmed the headline but it seemed Ms. Skeeter's poisoned pen struck again."

Harry unfurled the rest of the paper and nearly choked on air as he read the title 'CORRUPTION, EMBEZZLEMENT OR A SORDID LOVE TRIANGLE: HAS DUMBLEDORE EYES FOR FUDGE'S UNDERSECRETARY?'