Harry was reading a book on Merlin while Severus looked around the trunk in awe, if the Potters had this why did they need to hide at Godric's Hallow? He found Lily's touch throughout the house in the colors and how the house part of the trunk was laid out. The windows showed the moors outside the little town they had grown up in and he smiled as he looked on them. It was hard to believe he was in a trunk! He turned to where Lily was watching him while James was in another picture no doubt teaching Harry how to prank.
"He would not dare," Lily growled, "Lily infused us with the magic, it was Harry to wake us, we hired the best painter money could buy but I, Lily infused the magic."
"Ah, so all of Lily's memories and James are there then?" Severus said, "would the real Lily forgive me though?"
"Oh she did, when you came back, never doubt she loved you and James respected you for being so brave to come back after all." Lily said.
"I thought it a lark, what were prophecies but fraud? The dark lord did not think so and for him to wish to harm a babe!" Severus said. "The best thing is I was able to take the oath I made to that monster and find away to not betray it."
"So Slytherin of you." Lily said. "No wonder you are head of Slytherin and potions master, I bet you enjoy torturing the innocent firsties."
"Indeed, I have good self control now, your magical chalk has come in handy, throw it at the board and all the steps to make a perfect potion appear."
"Let me guess the students still use the book?"
"If that, the accidents are horrendous, I have to use great restraint not to take points from my house let me tell you."
"Sev you don't, oh yes you do, you are horrible!" Lily said laughing.
Severus would have continued on but Hedwig came into the room and landed on the stand by the fire and stuck out her leg. Severus took the letter and opened it stroking the soft owl as he did so. This was a side of him his students did not see, nor did most of the staff or anyone in fact. Lily brought out the good in her "brother" for that is the relationship between Severus and Lily, never lovers no but family and now , though this Lily was a painting it was enough to help Severus start to heal. Severus scowled and looked at the letter again and scowled again.
"What is it Sev?" Lily said.
"Madam Pomfrey had a talk with Minerva, McGonagall, seems a muggleborn who has parents as dentists is starting Hogwarts." Severus said.
"Oh well that is good, Harry might have cavities, I don't want any teeth vanished when a dentist can take care of that problem. One thing pureblood children never have to worry about, one potion once all their adult teeth come in and good teeth for the next twenty years or so."
"Yes but after, a bad tooth, vanish it," Severus shuttered, "seems Harry has an appointment with a Dr. Granger."
"Good, so glad they thought of that."
"So do I Lily." Severus said and as she laughed, "Lils it's not funny!"
Yet not even an hour later he was walking with Harry up the steps of a very nice and large dentistry. Harry looked very respectable now, he was clad in new jeans, a pair of green trainers, a green button up shirt and black vest. Severus had changed his attire to black trousers, gray button up shirt, black vest and he had tied back his long black hair. They entered the practice, signed in and in due time were taken back. Harry ended up with a kindly looking woman with her dark brown hair tied back from her face clad in blue surgical scrubs and white coat. Her name was Diana Granger and she was very nice to Harry and made the exam fun for him.
Severus ended up with Greg Granger, a tall man with brown hair that was graying at the temples, merry brown eyes and a slight overbite and he was clad in blue surgical scrubs and a white coat like his wife. He had his assistant take x-rays of Severus's teeth and he took a look at them and frowned. Severus found himself for an unpleasant but not horrible time as the teeth that had ached had their cavities filled and the tooth that really hurt was given a root canal. He was surprised that the pain was all but gone when the root canal was done and he realized this was not as bad as he feared. He left the room to find his young charge faced with a young girl with very bushy brown hair and eyes talking a mile a minute at Harry. Harry saw him and took the chance to introduce him to the girl.
"Hermione I would like you to meet Severus Snape, he is my magical guardian." Harry said, "Severus Snape sir this is Hermione Granger."
"Ah miss Granger, good to meet you." Severus said, "I expect great things of you."
"You are the Severus Snape?" Hermione said, "youngest potions master in three centuries? I pleasure to meet you sir!"
"The pleasure is all mine." Severus replied.
"Harry would you like to write, I mean we will see each other at school and all but I was wondering if you would like to write me?" Hermione asked.
Severus was not sure what got him to go back to Greg and ask to speak to him. Maybe it was the fact he had seen abuse in his youth of other children in the small mill town he lived in. His father was a hard man but not cruel, Severus had been loved by both his parents even if his father was not too fond of magic. Harry on the other hand, well he showed signs of abuse, as part of his "rehabilitation" Severus had taken it on himself to help any student in Hogwarts that was abused regardless of house. They knew he would never tell a soul and his secret was safe with them and he knew Harry had been abused. He also could since good kind people in the Grangers, in fact they reminded him so much of Lily and her parents he wondered if they were cut from the same cloth.
"Dr. Granger I was wondering if you could help me with something." Severus said, "it's about Harry."
"Oh what is it then?" Greg asked.
"Well, he lives with his aunt and uncle, or he did until just recently. Things were so bad there he is using a trunk his parents had made but were never able to use themselves to live in." Severus said, "it has very nice four bedroom house but well I am just his magical guardian at the moment."
"Tell me where Harry lives, I have some people that can help take care of this problem." Greg said his eyes going dark with anger, "you have my word on it."
"What is going on?" Diana asked walking up and her face darkened as she heard what was done to Harry, "he will not stay there, he can stay with us!"
"There are things, magical things he will have to have with him." Severus said, "his parents made a painting that well it can talk…"
"Like an Avatar or Hologram?" Diana asked.
"Yes, just like that."
"Well we need to learn about this world, Diana love go tell Harry the good news." Greg said.
Harry was having a grand time with his first ever friend. Hermione did like to talk a lot and was a bit bossy but nothing like Dudley and she was so nice too. She liked chemistry and geography like he did and she was magical too and would be going to Hogwarts too. He looked up as Diana came up and smiled down at him and took a good look at him. He liked her, she seemed so very nice and when she smiled it made him feel so very good. There was a bit of sadness in her eyes as she looked him over but then he was so thin and small though he was gaining weight now he was eating right.
"Harry Severus here has told me you do not have a good life with your relations is that true?"
"Yes ma'am, they don't want me at all." Harry said and he was surprised when she got down on his level and gave him a hug, "they say I am a burden and, and a freak."
"Well they are quite thick aren't they? I see a wonderful caring young man who is not a burden and not a freak." Diana said, "in fact you made my little girl happy. I heard where you are staying, I know your parents made that as something to fall back on but don't you think they would want you to stay with a family that wanted you if you could?"
"Yes ma'am, but who would take me in?"
"We would." Greg said, "if you want to."
"Yes sir!" Harry said grinning, "but won't I get in the way?"
"No, you will not, we have plenty of room, if Hermione agrees."
"Yes! Do say you will stay please Harry? You are my first friend!" Hermione said, "please?"
"Alright then." Harry said.
A squeal of joy and a fierce hug told him he had done the right thing and Severus smiled at the light in Harry's eyes. They shone just like his mothers and he vowed to do all he could to keep that light there no matter what.