InsaneJournal

Despite knowing Kingsley Shacklebolt quite well, Harry Potter had rarely been to the Minister of Magic’s office. Since the Battle of Hogwarts he’d been in Kingsley’s office several times, mostly in the month after the death of Voldemort.

That had been two years ago. And Kingsley had worked hard to keep their interactions in the Ministry as professional as he could. Harry had been very grateful for that. Even after two years, there were people who thought he was trading on his fame.

Now he approached the surprisingly small office with Draco Malfoy at his side. Kingsley Shacklebolt was a much more prosaic Minister than his predecessors and that had translated into a man who forwent many of the outward trappings of his position. There was a large office but it was only for public show. The real work occurred in the small office Harry and Draco entered at the Minister’s command.

There were several people in the room who turned to watch the young men approach the desk. The Minister was sitting at his desk while an Unspeakable stood beside it. The head of the DMLE, Amelia Bones, was standing in front of the desk.

Harry liked Madam Bones. She had barely survived an assassination attempt and had been presumed dead while she slowly recovered. She too, had kept it strictly professional between them when he had entered the Auror program along with several of his schoolmates.

She gave the young men an acknowledging nod. They had just started their second year in the Auror program and were doing very well in the Auror program. She noted their almost hidden curiosity at being summoned and was pleased that neither young man demanded to know why they were there. She moved slightly and Harry and Draco had trouble keeping their faces blank.

A small pot was on the desk with an equally small plant in it. The plant looked remarkably dragon-shaped, its small leaves overlapping like tiny scales. Bigger leaves spread out occasionally like shifting wings and a leaf covered stem pushed upwards, moving a thin neck supporting a leafy head. Incredibly tiny flowers gave it the illusion of eyes. But it was the plant hissing at them that had Harry and Draco staring with mouths agape.

"Wow," Harry breathed in startled wonder. The little plant shifted with a shimmer of glossy leafy green and hissed louder, the little head swaying eagerly. "I've never seen anything like this before," Harry breathed as he watched with fascination.

"Is it saying anything?" Amelia Bones asked abruptly, and Harry looked at her startled.

“You’re the only known parseltongue speaker alive, Mr Potter,” Amelia Banks told him and Harry had to take a deep breath before answering. He was so used to people forgetting that he could understand snakes, that he often forgot it himself. He gave himself a mental shake and listened to the little plant.

"No, Ma'am," he said. He couldn’t understand the intermittent hisses at all.

"Are you sure, Harry?" Kingsley asked for confirmation. "It’s not parseltongue?"

Harry listened again to the plant and the hissing still made no sense. He shook his head. "No Sir, it’s not parseltongue. It's just hissing." he frowned. "How is it hissing?"

"Several charms interwoven very neatly by a spell master," the Unspeakable said confidently.

"It’s harmless, then?" Kingsley queried.

"It certainly appears so," the Unspeakable replied. "With Mr Potter's confirming that it is not parseltongue, and after all the tests that we have carried out, there is no ill intent or insidious purpose behind this plant.”

“So it’s a plant that someone has shaped to be like a dragon?” Madam Bones stated, seeking confirmation.

“Yes. It’s been shaped much like topiary, but it has limiting spells laid on it to keep it at this size and negating the need for further trimming. It has also been charmed to move only near magical people. When near Muggles it won’t move at all.”

The dragon-plant suddenly belched a cloud of wispy steam before curling up in the pot and appearing to fall asleep. The leaves shifted and slowed in a near perfect imitation of sleepy noises.

Harry’s fingers itched to touch but he managed to resist the urge and stayed still beside Draco. He looked sideways at his silent companion and was surprised to see a small smile disappearing from the blond’s usually stoic face.

“Thank you Harry,” Kingsley said, with a pleasant but definite dismissive nod to the two young men. Harry and Draco smiled slightly, bowing their heads briefly before leaving the office.

In silence they walked through the Ministry until they reached their desks in a corner of the Auror Department. Harry watched as Draco settled into his chair. They’d been paired up after the Auror orientation period and had surprised everyone but themselves by working very well together.

“You know what that dragon-plant is,” he said quietly. Draco paused before looking at Harry, a single eyebrow raised.

“What makes you think that?” Draco asked as he sat back in his chair, looking as casually relaxed as he could. But Harry had been his partner for over a year and he saw the tension carefully hidden in his friend.

“You smiled at it,” Harry replied. “You smiled at it because you recognised it.”

“It was cute. I could have been smiling at its cuteness,” Draco responded. “Like you did,” he added with a smirk.

“Any time we see anything cute, you set fire to it,” Harry pointed out. “Try again,” he grinned.

Draco rolled his eyes and stared thoughtfully at Harry for a long moment before having a quick look around them. He shifted his wand in a small circle and a muffling charm fell into place around them. “My Godfather used to create something very similar.”

Harry’s eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth to say something but he stopped and took a deep breath. He cast another muffling charm. “Rumour at school had it that your Head of House was your Godfather,” he said very carefully.

“Indeed,” Draco replied with a smirk. He was well aware of how Harry felt about Severus Snape.

---

The little cottage at the end of the lane was a chocolate box lid made real and Harry and Draco rolled their eyes at it. The thatched roof looked newly done and whitewashed walls peeked through the climbing roses. Flowers filled the small front garden and a stone path led to a dark front door.

“You’d think he would’ve gotten tired of living clichés’” Harry muttered and Draco laughed.

“You know how much he enjoys messing with everyone’s heads,” Draco replied.

“Indeed, Mr Malfoy,” a smooth voice drawled from behind them. “As I have few luxuries in my life I must take my fun where I can.”

Harry and Draco, with wands out, spun quickly to face the tall man who had managed to appear silently behind them.

Severus Snape stood calmly with the slightest smirk curling his lips. The Potions master was completely at ease as he watched them. He looked remarkably well. His dark hair had grown longer and was pulled back in a small tail. His face was lightly tanned and less lined. His hands were empty but both Harry and Draco were well aware of how proficient Severus Snape was at wandless magic.

“Severus!” Harry scolded while keeping a tight lid on his hidden eagerness. As if he hadn’t seen the man a fortnight ago.

“Your situational awareness is severely lacking,” Severus said sternly. “You should have known I was here the moment you entered the laneway. But at least your reactions were quick and your wands ready, so I suppose you aren’t complete idiots.” He frowned at them but they knew him well enough to recognise the almost teasing glint in his eyes.

“Auror training is different to how you taught us, Uncle Severus,” Draco told him.

“Yeah,” Harry agreed. “Peace time versus wartime,” he added and the other two nodded in agreement.

To help Draco avoid taking the Dark Mark, Severus had managed to persuade the Dark Lord – and Dumbledore – to let him give Draco extra training. He hadn’t told the Dark Lord – nor Dumbledore for several months - that Harry Potter was training alongside Draco. For nearly two years he had taught them. He had not been gentle with them and it had taken them a while to put away their House rivalries, but when they had, they found themselves duelling each other until they collapsed. Severus had drilled survival into them.

Draco snorted softly. “Which is why we got picked for the demonstrations for the first years.”

“We terrified them,” Harry smirked.

Severus Snape grinned briefly as he walked past them, heading into the cottage, confident they would follow. He knew well that his students’ prowess would frighten the lesser trained wizards - first year Aurors and veterans alike.

The inside of the cottage was larger than the outside. Wizard space had turned the front rooms into one large room. Potions and ingredients covered three walls of the room. Bookcases were on the fourth wall bracketing a doorway that led deeper into the cottage. A tall counter with a set of scales and several boxes blocked access to the books.

Severus walked straight through the end of the counter as Harry and Draco entered the shop. Harry still grinned as he and Draco followed. It looked exactly like a counter flap but was completely illusory. Severus claimed he’d done it to stop Harry from forgetting to close it, but Harry knew it was just easier for Severus to move through his shop with his arms full without having to stop.

The back room was mainly a kitchen with a small comfortable seating nook in one corner. Severus went straight to the kettle and began to make tea.

Harry and Draco moved to the kitchen table and stood looking at six dragon shaped plants in pots in the middle of it. Each was a different plant as far as Harry could tell, but they were all dragon shaped.

“What’s with the dragons, Uncle Sev?” Draco asked as he poked one with his wand. It came to life with a hiss and spurt of steam. “The Ministry has one, by the way.”

Severus rolled his eyes. “I didn’t think it would interest them.”

Harry sat down at the table. He reached out and pulled one of the pots close. He poked and prodded it making it shiver and hiss at him. “They called me in thinking it was parseltongue.”

Severus raised an eyebrow and looked at the young men. Both of them were almost completely enthralled by the little plants. “I’m sure you were able to tell them otherwise.”

“Yep,” Harry replied as he stroked glossy leaves. “It’s just hissing.”

“And did you tell them of my earlier plants?” Severus asked as he brought the tea tray to the table.

“No.” Draco shook his head, pouring a cup of tea and picking up a biscuit. “It was always something you did just for me,” he said with a near pout. “I was a bit shocked to see it. It’s been a long time since the last one.”

Severus sat at the table and looked pensively at his tea for a moment. “I did one for the Welsh Dragon Reserve. One of the trainers wanted something for his son and was complaining that he couldn’t find anything to do with dragons that hadn’t already been done. So I charmed the plant and he was very satisfied. The next thing I know I have an order from the Reserve for a dozen of them. Paid in advance,” he said.

“You did twelve of them?” Draco asked with wide eyes.

“Yes,” Severus said heavily. “And the next order was for two dozen.” He sipped his tea. “At that point I approached the Director and we came to an agreement.”

“You think they sent one to the Ministry?” Harry asked curiously as he helped himself to the biscuits on the tray.

“They might have but I doubt it,” Severus replied calmly. “The Reserves are a law unto themselves most times. It was more likely a tourist who bought one and someone from the Ministry saw it, and decided to get it checked out.”

“Everyone’s going to want one,” Harry said with a small giggle as the leafy dragon tickled his fingers.

“Did you just giggle?” Draco asked, grinning with startled shock at his friend.

“No,” Harry protested weakly. He grimaced back at Draco. “But you have to admit, they are unbelievably cute. And if the Ministry finds no fault with them, they’ll be everywhere. George would have them in Wheezes before you could turn around.”

“They’ll only be available from the Reserve,” Severus said.

“There was an Unspeakable there. He said the plant was limited in size and wouldn’t move near Muggles,” Harry reported. “What if someone tries to change that?”

“My agreement with the Reserve ensures that only I will produce them as only I know the charms and spells, and I don’t intend to share them,” Severus stated firmly.

“You can make other shapes though,” Draco said softly. “I remember the peacock you did when I was seven.”

“At seven your idea of fun was to chase the peacocks because you wanted their feathers,” Severus pointed out and Draco blushed as Harry laughed. “Lucius begged me to make the peacock hoping to keep you from traumatising his prized peacocks, and from their attacking you in retaliation.”

“Did it work?” Harry asked as he chuckled.

“It did,” Draco admitted. “The peacocks at the Manor are white, and the plant was green with blue flowers in its tail. I’d never seen a peacock in any other colour but white. It flowered every week for a year, and it had the loudest cry. Father hated that noise.”

Severus smirked. “I made it loud on purpose. Lucius pestered me for a month to get me to make it, and then the charm on the flowers took me a week to create. So I gave it a loud squawk just to annoy him. I knew he wouldn’t refuse it because it was for you.”

Draco laughed. “Mum always said that it was a Godfather’s duty to provide noisy toys and that he had no right to complain if Severus was fulfilling all his traditional duties.”

Harry grinned. Narcissa Malfoy was one of his favourite people. When he had been paired with Draco in their first Auror year, Narcissa had taken him - and Draco – in hand and taught them everything she could on wizarding custom and etiquette. It had been an intense six months but now Harry was able to meet and greet people of all societal ranks or circumstances with confidence. He wished he’d been taught this when he’d first entered the wizarding world. (He had instead made a casual comment in the middle of Diagon Alley near several reporters and within a month it had been announced that Hogwarts would introduce Wizard Studies to its curriculum.)

“I think you should get one for your mum, Draco,” Harry said. “And get Severus to make it loud,” Harry half-asked with a sidelong smirk at the dark haired man.

“You do that, and I’ll give one to Neville and tell him you’re condoning cruelty to plants,” Draco retorted.

Harry grinned. “Oh that’s just cruel.” He laughed. “But Neville would love one. I think we need to get him one anyway.”

“And how is Mr Longbottom doing in his Auror training?” Severus asked idly. Severus, and just about everyone else, had expected Neville to work on a master of Herbology, but he had shocked everyone by applying for the Aurors after repeating his seventh year at Hogwarts.

Draco shrugged. “He’s doing really well.”

“He’s doing better than Ron,” Harry said with a small frown.

“Harry,” Draco said warningly. “You know how Ron is…”

“Yes, I know, but he is my friend,” Harry replied impatiently. Harry leant back in his chair but kept his fingers curled into the potted plant. “Ron is jealous that you and I are paired together. He’s upset that he hasn’t been fast-tracked into the second year Auror program with us, but is having to start from scratch. He’s particularly unhappy that I haven’t become his brother-in-law.” Harry sighed. “And he blames me for Hermione leaving him.”

“You had nothing to do with that,” Draco told him. “It was her decision to go to France to study; he just wasn’t prepared to do the long distance thing. He’s always disliked our friendship. And you and Ginny were an item for what – all of a week in Fifth year.”

“And the liking wizards more than witches didn’t help,” Severus pointed out drily. He almost smiled as Harry pouted at him. Almost dating Ginny and mooning over Cho Chang had quickly failed to hold his interest once he’d started training with Draco. Severus could almost pinpoint the moment Harry had realised that boys were just as attractive as girls. “If Ron is wise he will soon realise that he must make his own way now, he can no longer follow you.”

“As he did at school,” Harry sighed again. “He was my first friend.”

“And he still is. He’s just not your best friend anymore,” Draco pointed out.

“Ron Weasley has not grown up yet,” Severus said slowly. “What you both went through the last two years of school made you mature beyond your age. Ron did not face the trials you two did. He didn’t have to make the choices you did. And while I do not want to malign Molly Weasley, she kept him as close to her apron strings as she could during the war. He is in many ways, mentally younger than you are.”

“In other words, he’s being childish and it’s not my fault,” Harry summed up.

“Exactly,” Severus said as Draco nodded.

Harry looked down at the dragon sleeping in the small pot, its leaves twined around his fingers. “I have to get one of these,” he said. “It’s rather soothing.”

“We can detour past the Reserve,” Draco said, following Harry’s attempt to change the conversation.

“You can have that one,” Severus remarked, pouring another cup of tea. “I was going to get rid of it.”

Harry studied the pot. “What’s wrong with it?”

“The charms didn’t set properly.” Severus studied the sleeping plant. “It won’t grow bigger, but it tends to soak up more magical energy than it should. It will be more active which affects the controls to keep it from moving near Muggles.”

“The Unspeakable mentioned something like that,” Draco mused. “I don’t remember mine being overly active but it was never completely still, either.”

“I made it so that they survive off the ambient magic from magical households. Like wards, they are self-powering once they’re set. Which is why they stop moving in the Muggle world; there’s no magic for them to use. My spellwork limits both the plant’s size and the power it can draw as well the source of that magic. I didn’t want it using magic from wizards and witches,” Severus explained.

“And these pots here?” Draco pointed at the ones on the table.

“They all have a fault of some kind,” Severus replied. “Different plants require slight adjustments to the spells and charms. I will rework them if I can, or start again if I can’t.”

By the time Severus had finished another cup of tea, Draco had claimed one of the pots as well and was cuddling it in his arms as he stood up to leave.

“Astoria will love it,” he said as he stroked over the plant’s misshapen leaves. It was the only flaw and one Draco felt gave it character. “You do recall agreeing to dinner tonight,” he added to Harry. Astoria Greengrass was Draco’s fiancée and Harry quite liked her. She had Draco wrapped around her little finger, and Harry had a lot of fun teasing Draco about it.

“I do,” Harry nodded. “We should go. Astoria can be quite inventive in punishing late-comers. I don’t want Brussels sprouts again.”

“Then you must go.” Severus smirked as he watched Harry gather his pot as well. Severus stood and followed them out the back door into the magnificent garden he cultivated for his potions. Green eyes met his for a long moment and then looked away as they said their goodbyes.

~he still wants you~

Harry heard the whispered hiss as he followed Draco through the garden to the apparition point. As he spun to apparate he heard an answering hiss.

~there is still time for him to change his mind~

---

Harry slouched in his chair and stared at his leafy dragon. It was very active at the moment. Leaves had spread out from its sides and it was flapping them as if it was flying. It usually made Harry smile but this time he was distracted by thoughts of a dark-haired Potions master.

He’d had a crush on Severus since sixth year, and after Voldemort’s death Harry had spent many days at Severus’s bedside as he had recovered from Nagini’s bite. Once Severus had been declared as definitely going to survive, Harry had lost control and professed his feelings to the barely conscious man. Severus had been weak and not really cognisant enough to censor his response, and had let slip his reciprocating feelings.

However by the time Severus could stay awake longer than ten minutes and remembered and understood what they’d said, he’d had second thoughts. Harry was still young, heir to the Black legacy and an acclaimed hero. Severus was twenty years older, Dumbledore’s murderer and an ex-death eater spy. So he had told Harry that it was just not possible and it would be detrimental to the boy’s reputation. Harry had turned stubborn and, after a shouting match that had lasted over an hour, Harry had agreed to waiting until he turned twenty before actively pursuing the Potions master if he still felt the same way.

Severus had obviously been thinking that Harry would find someone else before then, but Harry hadn’t. He hadn’t even looked. He wanted Severus, and he knew that Severus wanted him. Severus’ delirious ramblings had been very informative, and Harry knew after seeing the Potions master’s memories how self-sacrificing the man could be. So he had agreed to wait and instead started a passive pursuit of the man. He visited regularly; he brought him books and, when Draco became his Auror partner, dragged him along as well. Harry knew Severus wouldn’t refuse to see his Godson.

But now he had a new puzzle. He had heard parseltongue as he was leaving Severus’ cottage two days ago. He had heard a reply in the same language but in Severus’ smooth tones. He shivered. Severus Snape had always had a voice of pure magic and after Nagini’s attack his voice had dropped a tone and was now pure sin.

Harry rarely thought about his ability to speak parseltongue; he’d half convinced himself that it would disappear after Voldemort was finally dead. But it hadn’t, and he’d basically forgotten about it. Only a few people knew he could still understand and speak the snake language. But he’d never known Severus to speak or understand it. It was curious, and it was Severus, so Harry figured he had a vested interest in finding out the truth.

The little dragon plant hissed and steam plumed from its leafy snout. Harry narrowed his eyes and poked the plant to make it hiss again. Severus had given him the plant without any protest, only excuses. Harry hadn’t had to even ask for one. And there was barely six months left before the two years was up and he could actively court Severus. Slowly Harry smiled. He hoped he wasn’t reading too much into a single act, but Severus had never been one for grand gestures.

And no, as he recalled the words he heard, he wasn’t going to change his mind.

Suddenly there was a loud pounding at his door. Panting and almost bouncing, Neville Longbottom burst through the door.

“Harry! Harry! Is it true? There’s a talking plant!?”

---

Severus liked his mostly solitary life. His cottage was isolated with the nearest village close to ten miles away. His wards were strong and multi-layered—keeping muggles and most magic folk from knowing exactly where his cottage was. He knew when anyone came within a mile of his home.

He cultivated a comprehensive garden for his potions ingredients and had two house-elves to keep it well-tended and to help with harvesting. He brewed and created potions to his heart’s content. He supplied specialised potions to St Mungo’s, Hogwarts and the Dragon Reserve and accepted the occasional owl order.

The potted dragon plants had been an accident. When one of the Dragon Reserve’s trainers had called in to collect an order, he’d moaned about finding anything original relating to dragons for his child’s birthday and it had taken Severus less than ten minutes to charm one of the potted plants near the cottage front door into the representation of a dragon. He’d put it on the counter and cast the spells he’d created over a decade ago to make it move and hiss. The trainer had said he’d take it and given Severus twenty galleons for it.

Severus had been completely taken aback. After the trainer had gone he’d stared at the coins in shock. Together the pot and the plant had cost him just under a galleon, and here was twenty times its value.

When the Reserve approached him to create more, they’d paid twenty galleons a pot again and he’d been too bemused to negotiate a more reasonable price. With their next order and the realisation that this was shaping up to be a solid going concern, he’d gone to the Reserve to get an agreement in place. Now he had a profitable sideline to his potions to keep him occupied.

He hadn’t expected Ministry interest but he wasn’t worried about it. His agreement with the Reserve protected him quite nicely, and he did have a well-hidden mastery in Spellcraft should they try to question him on the charms and spells he had used.

Severus stretched his way downstairs to grab a coffee from the kitchen and then wandered into his garden. It was early and plants still glistened with dew. Flowers were beginning to lift up to the morning sun and a few early bees could be heard. In the middle of the lovage patch was a small pile of flat rocks. A black snake was curled on the highest rock to catch the morning sun.

~coffee today?~

Severus raised his eyebrow and shot a look at the snake. ~not for you~

~selfish wizard~ the snake hissed.

~you didn’t like it anyway~ Severus retorted and the snake sniffed loudly.

Severus liked a coffee to start his day. He sipped at his coffee and surveyed his garden. He didn’t put the cup down. He’d done that once and the blasted snake had tipped the cup over and drunk half the bitter brew before being quite spectacularly sick. Severus hadn’t known snakes could get that sick and he had spent an unpleasant couple of hours with the violently ill reptile.

He’d met the snake soon after he’d moved into the cottage. He’d been completely astounded to realise he could understand the reptile as it protested Severus’s plans for the garden. Once Severus had gotten over his shock, he and the snake had talked and now there were several rock piles scattered about the garden for the snake to sun on. There was also a small nest for the snake to winter in, although the snake had preferred to move into the cottage last winter. Severus had sighed and shrugged, called it a dunderhead and made sure it had enough to eat.

~the mice are nesting in the poppies~ the snake hissed lazily.

~breakfast?~ Severus queried lightly. ~you do realise that I am not going to catch them for you~

~I would share~

~I know but I am well stocked with mice parts, although frogs would be appreciated should you find any~ Severus smiled. The snake was rather adept at finding the small insects and animals that he occasionally required for his potions.

The wards shivered and Severus frowned. Harry and Draco had only been here a few days ago, it was too soon for either to return. He concentrated on the magical signatures as he walked back into the cottage and through to the front.

“Good morning Minister Shacklebolt, Madam Bones,” he greeted his visitors with a small bow of his head.

“Severus, you’re looking well,” Kingsley Shacklebolt nodded at him. “Sorry for the early morning call but we felt it’d be wise to warn you.”

Severus raised his eyebrow. “Warn me about what?”

“Your dragon plants,” Amelia Bones stated in a foreboding tone. Severus kept his face expressionless.

“My agreement with the Reserve guarantees my involvement is kept confidential except under certain conditions,” Severus remarked coolly. “The Ministry needs to have an extremely good reason for the Director to break the confidentiality clause.”

“The Daily Prophet ran a front page story claiming that these plants are a new magical sentient creature.” Amelia held the paper up and Severus could not miss the large headline.

!Triffids! Our Newest Magical Friends!
Plants That Can Talk To Us!

Severus blinked.

---

Harry Potter watched Severus pace. Back and forth, his robe swirling with each measured step, Severus Snape was a coiled snake waiting to strike, and everyone could see it.

He stood with Draco and Neville beside him in the small paved area of Severus’ garden. Kingsley was with Amelia Bones at his side, two Unspeakables and a representative from the Dragon Reserve near a rustic table upon which several of the dragon plants sat.

They were all waiting for the Daily Prophet’s reporter to appear.

“How did the Daily Prophet learn about the plants?” Harry asked Draco as he watched Severus.

“Apparently Susan Bones overheard her aunt talking about it. She then told Hannah Abbot about it in the middle of Diagon Alley,” Draco told him.

“Hannah told Luna who told me,” Neville added softly. He still felt a bit guilty for the way he’d barged into Harry’s flat, but he’d been too excited to think straight. A talking plant was something he’d have faced You-Know-Who’s snake all over again to see.

“Hannah is the biggest gossip I know,” Draco muttered, “She’s worse than Pansy.”

“That explains why Severus has been glaring at Madam Bones,” Harry remarked.

“She’s been glaring back just as hard,” Draco noted. “They blame each other. Severus blames her for Susan telling Hannah, and Bones blames him for creating the plant in the first place.”

“I think they’re brilliant,” Neville whispered in an attempt to keep his enthusiasm under control. “I don’t care that they aren’t really talking.”

Harry grinned. Neville had ended up staying the night in Harry’s flat. He’d been so enthralled with the little plant that Harry hadn’t had the heart to kick him out. “You know they are just common plants?” Harry smirked at his friend.

“I know,” Neville replied. “But it’s how life-like Professor Snape has made them. The plant’s not even hurt in the process! You know Professor Sprout never let us use much magic in Herbology because of the damage it could cause.”

“I remember all those little tools and how dirty we were after those classes,” Draco muttered.

“Too much digging in the dirt for your Pureblood sensitivities,” Harry teased and Draco pulled a face at his friend.

“But of course it was,” Draco replied. “Merlin, I hated getting dirty at that age. Uncle Severus used to say I’d never be a Potions master because I refused to gather my own ingredients.”

“You should have partnered with Neville,” Harry said, looking at them both. “He was the genius with plants and you were better than the rest of us at potions.”

Draco and Neville exchanged glances before they choked on their laughter.

“Uncle Severus would have had a heart attack if we’d shared a bench,” Draco managed to say.

“Professor Snape would still have us in detention,” Neville added as he got his breath back.

“My name is not to be mentioned,” Snape’s strong voice broke into their conversation and the youngest members of the gathering turned to see what was happening.

Severus was standing with his arms crossed over his chest glaring at a strange man in a long striped robe with a bulky camera hanging around his neck. A quill and paper hovered beside him. Obviously the reporter had arrived and Severus was quite prepared to make his discontent known.

“Our readers need to know everything that…” the man began.

“Your readers need to know you are a complete dunderhead,” Severus interrupted in a silky voice. “How you could believe that a charmed geranium was a magical creature absolutely astounds me.”

“We were not aware…” the man began again.

“Of course you weren’t, because you’d rather save yourself the effort of actual work and research, and print baseless gossip overheard in the middle of the street!” Severus narrowed his eyes. “The fact that one of the gossiping girls was the niece of a ministry official was all the research you did. No checking, not even a casual query to the DMLE or any Ministry department. Did you even exert yourself to ask a certified herbologist or any other plant specialist?”

“Deadlines are…” the reporter tried to say.

“…not the end of the world, or even your career unfortunately,” Severus almost purred as he stalked closer. “There is always tomorrow’s paper, or even the day after. When rather than having a few scurrilous paragraphs under a lurid headline, you could have had a full page spread - even perhaps, with pictures.”

Severus stopped less than six inches from the cowed reporter and leant closer. “To counter the hysterical response your irresponsible and short-sighted report has generated you are going to write a sincere retraction and apology. You are going to be extremely sincere and extremely apologetic for misleading the public. You are going to tell them that although remarkably life-like, the dragon plants are neither dragons nor sentient plants. They are merely small gifts that one can buy from the Dragon Reserve as part of their fundraising efforts. They are not available anywhere else, and if they aren’t watered and fertilised regularly, will die as do all plants.”

“But the charms…”

“The charms will remain as long as the plant is kept in a magical home. Once deprived of a magical ambience for more than a day, it will revert to being nothing more than a dragon-shaped plant.” Severus straightened up. “I trust that answers your most pressing questions,” he said as he stared implacably at the sweating man.

“I do hope Master Snape has made himself clear enough for you. Should he be unhappy with your response or his name appear in any way related to these plants, we will take action against you and the Daily Prophet for everything our solicitors can find,” the representative from the reserve added.

“The Ministry agrees with the Reserve and Master Snape in this matter,” Kingsley said. “All the tests that have been carried out by the Ministry and the Department of Mysteries have determined that it is simply a charmed plant. The charms used are actually safer than the ones used to charm toys.”

The reporter was allowed to take several photos of the dragon plants. They hissed and wriggled harmlessly and looked unbearably cute. Severus allowed the reporter to take a picture of the garden bed where several small plants grew that would be transplanted into pots and charmed into dragons at a future date.

“By the way, my department would advise against calling them triffids,” the Unspeakable spoke up as the reporter was about to leave.

“Indeed. Triffids are a fictional man-eating plant of Muggle origin,” Severus agreed. “And the whole point of this is to avoid inciting further mindless hysteria in your readership,” he added with his trademark sarcasm. Harry and his friends grinned at each other. It was always enjoyable when the Professor’s sarcasm was not pointed at you.

The reporter flinched but was game enough to ask, “What are they then? Dragon plants?”

“Dragon plants would not be botanically correct as I use various plants,” Severus said catching a glimpse of his erstwhile students smirking at the hapless reporter. “Potted Dragons will do.”

“We will label them as such,” the Reserve representative said. “I will escort you to the Reserve so that you may see the ones there.”

Moments later he and the reporter were gone and Severus relaxed slightly.

“What about other forms, Master Snape?” the Unspeakable queried after a long moment of silence. “Your charms are flexible enough to allow for variations.”

“While I have an agreement with the Reserve, dragons are the only shape I will work with,” Severus replied blandly.

“And after that agreement ends?” Amelia asked with a frown.

“Do you really think it will end?” Severus raised his eyebrow with a slightly amused look.

“The Reserve will want to keep the monopoly on these Potted Dragons,” the Unspeakable declared, and Severus nodded.

“Perhaps when the agreement is renewed there can be discussion on other shapes but for now, only dragons will I create.”

~I would like a plant like me~

Harry heard the hissing and turned quickly. A black snake curling up on a pile of stones was watching them, tongue flickering.

~I’d like a plant like you too~ Harry hissed back.

~you’re both as bad as each other~ Severus remarked unthinkingly, before he realised that everyone was now staring at him wide-eyed.

“You’re a parselmouth!?” Amelia exclaimed in shock.

“Since when could you speak to snakes?” Kingsley almost shouted.

Draco and Neville looked completely stunned, while Harry grinned widely.

“Yes! I knew it!” he said, his eyes glowing green with excitement. “It was you!”

“Harry?” Draco queried.

“Just as we were leaving the other day, I heard hissing and I knew it was parseltongue, and then there was a reply and it was just like Severus’ voice. I wasn’t sure but the more I thought about it, I knew it was him,” Harry told him. He turned and grinned madly at Severus. “That is so brilliant!”

Severus found it hard to look away from those very bright eyes but he forced himself to meet Kingsley’s gaze.

“I can only surmise that it was Nagini’s attack that gave me the ability. While it is not common practise now for animals to bite or scratch humans to gift them with their speech, it is believed that many centuries ago that is how some families gained the ability and then passed it down through the generations.”

“Voldemort claimed he spoke parseltongue because he was descended from Salazar Slytherin,” Kingsley mused. “Where did Slytherin get the ability?”

“Who knows?” Severus shrugged. “He might have inherited it from one of his ancestors, or he was the first of his line. All I know is that before Nagini’s attack I could not speak to snakes, and afterwards I could.”

“Arthur Weasley is the only other person I know that was bitten by Nagini and survived,” Amelia said thoughtfully. “Can he talk to snakes?”

“No,” Harry and Neville answered together, shaking their heads.

“Arthur didn’t have as much venom in his system as I did,” Severus added. “Nagini bit him several times, individual strikes of small bites, whereas she latched onto my neck and literally pumped her venom into me.”

“You shouldn’t have survived,” The Unspeakable announced.

“If I had not dosed myself for several weeks beforehand with anti-venom, I certainly would not have,” Severus said calmly. “It is possible that the combination of the magic in the anti-venom potion and the venom itself combined in some way to assist in gaining this ability.”

“It would be impossible to recreate the conditions to prove or disprove this,” the Unspeakable stated.

“Indeed,” Snape agreed.

“Perhaps the gift will manifest in any offspring you have. We will await that development before further investigating,” the Unspeakable pronounced before apparating unceremoniously away.

“That sounded almost like a threat,” Harry frowned.

“It is just their way,” Kingsley told him.

“But I will still expect them to demand my blood and occasionally wave snakes in front of me, for the rest of my life,” Severus groused.

~I will bite them~

Harry snickered at the hissed comment.

~I don’t think they’d taste nice~ he replied to the snake.

~I will bite them to find out~

“Stop encouraging him, Harry,” Severus ordered. ~there is to be no biting~ he added in strong hisses.

“That’s kind of scary,” Neville muttered to Draco.

“Yes,” Draco nodded.

“Can I ask that my ability be kept secret?” Severus addressed Kingsley and Amelia. “I’d really prefer this not get out.” He had had more than his share of fame and notoriety after the war and he’d finally managed to sink into relative obscurity. While he still caused a stir when he appeared in public, it wasn’t as bad as Harry and the others had to face; and his Professor Snape persona kept the more fervent fans at bay.

“If you agree to consult on occasion,” Amelia replied. “It would be handy having a second parselmouth to call on if we need one. Although sometimes it might be a potions problem we will ask you to help with.”

“Perhaps we should draw up an agreement,” Severus said smoothly. Kingsley grinned and clapped Severus on his shoulder.

“Done!” White teeth gleamed as he smiled at the Potions master. “Come to my office in a week to sign it.”

“And here I thought you had one drawn up already,” Severus commented and then smirked at their guilty expressions. “As I thought. I’ll be there in a week to preserve the image that you didn’t have one already written.”

“I’ll owl it to you, Severus, so you can at least see what we want. We’ll work from that,” Kingsley said as he nodded his farewells.

Severus sat down on the nearest garden bench as soon as they had left and looked at the last three remaining guests. He studied them for a long moment.

“Draco, get the potted dragon on the kitchen table and give it to Mr Longbottom. I can see he will combust unless he gets one,” Severus ordered.

“Oh no, Professor!” Neville protested. “I didn’t think… I was going to the Reserve… I can get…”

“He spent all night at mine, playing with the one you gave me,” Harry interjected with a smile.

Severus rolled his eyes. “Mr Longbottom, Neville,” he spoke firmly. “This plant will not be perfect. It is destined for the compost at best, or the bonfire at worst. You are saving it from destruction. While the imperfection will not worry you, it is unsuitable for sale.”

Draco appeared with a small pot. The dragon-shaped plant was quite calm, its leaves furry and soft. It had steam almost constantly rising from its snout and a single bloom at the tip of its slowly waving tail.

“It looks perfect,” Neville said, confused, as he accepted the pot with a massive smile.

“You must water it constantly,” Severus told him. “The steam is evaporating water. If you do not give it enough water it will die as the charms are pushing too much of the plant’s water into the steam. But the plant will not tolerate being in standing water.”

Neville ran his fingers under the leaves and felt the rich wet soil. “If I keep the soil this wet, it will survive?” he asked.

“Yes, no wetter and not much drier,” Severus confirmed. “It probably won’t produce more than a single flower at a time, and it won’t be any more active than what it is now.”

“I love this, it’s absolutely perfect,” Neville stated confidently. “Thank you so much, Professor. I’ll look after it, I promise.”

Severus smiled slightly. “I know you will, Neville.” He watched Neville completely fawn over the little plant and saw Harry and Draco grinning at their engrossed friend.

“Come on, Neville, let’s get you home. I need some of that tea Luna serves before I go and blackmail my parents,” Draco announced cheerfully.

“Blackmail your parents?” Severus queried with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes, well, the Prophet will run the story tomorrow and you know Father. He won’t hesitate to drop hints about knowing who could create something like that.”

“Your dad does the most unsubtle oneupmanship for a Slytherin that I’ve ever seen,” Harry noted.

“Indeed,” Severus remarked. “Perhaps you should approach your mother first and get her to apply the pressure on your behalf. She is more than capable of keeping Lucius tamed.”

“And she enjoys it,” Draco shuddered.

Severus laughed softly. “Your mother is one of the best Slytherin House has ever produced.”

---

Harry waited until Neville and Draco had left before moving to sit beside Severus. Severus said nothing as Harry inched closer and leant against him. For a moment he considered pushing the young man away, but he remained still.

They sat in silence. The sun was warm, the air heavy with the scents of the potions garden. Harry could hear birds not too far away, and the soft hissing from the potted dragons on the table. It was incredibly calm and peaceful, and he wished he could stay here. He closed his eyes relaxing further into the solid warmth beside him.

~you should keep him this time~

Harry’s body shook slightly as Severus snorted and shifted on the bench. He kept his eyes closed but his lips curled as Severus replied.

~you should mind your own business~ Severus hissed quietly.

~you are too stubborn~

~and you are annoying~ Severus retorted without heat.

~I like him~ Harry murmured drowsily.

~you would~ Severus replied.

~I am very likeable~ the snake sounded rather smug and Harry smiled.

“I don’t want to wait another six months,” he spoke before he knew he was going to speak.

Severus went completely still for a long heart-stopping moment, before Harry felt him sigh and sink back into the chair. “Why?”

“Because I am going to feel exactly the same in six months and it seems pointless to wait, when we both know it’s what we want,” Harry said.

“Are you certain of that?” Severus asked without inflection.

“Yes,” Harry replied with confidence. “You gave me a potted dragon.”

“You believe that I care for you based on a potted plant?”

“Yep,” Harry replied with a smile. “I didn’t ask for one, and yet you gave me one.” Harry rested his head at Severus’ shoulder.

“It was flawed,” Severus reminded him.

“It was perfect,” Harry disagreed. “It was better for being imperfect. Just like me and you.”

Severus froze again. “You are being rather forward today.”

“Because we never talk about this. You said two years and I agreed to that, but that doesn’t mean we don’t get to discuss it at all. I want to spend more time with you, now; not feeling like I have to wait another six months before I can even visit more than fortnightly.” Harry sighed and slipped down to lay his head in Severus’s lap. He looked up at the older man, green eyes unusually serious.

“Harry…”

“If you start up with that ‘it’s for your own good’ shit, I’m going to be very disappointed in you,” Harry interrupted, frowning. “Yes, I am younger than you; yes, I am always going to be younger than you. Do I feel like I’m that much younger than you? No. Do I have the life experience that you think I should? No, but what I have lived through so far has been harder than most peoples. I’m never going to be as young my age.” Harry loosely gripped the dark robe. “And you know it. I think you’re frightened, and so am I. But I’m not going to let that stop me now. Not after all I’ve been through.”

“You are such a Gryffindor,” Severus sighed, looking down at the earnest young man. His long fingers wove carefully into the unruly mop of hair in his lap.

“It’s got me this far,” Harry murmured as he revelled in Severus’ fingers in his hair. The Potions master rarely touched him but when he did it was always with such care. “And I wouldn’t try to out-Slytherin you,” he added just before he tightened his hold on Severus’ robe and pulled. Severus could have easily resisted. He didn’t.

Severus bent and Harry kissed him.

It was tentative and slightly off-target. Severus’ lips were dry but Harry’s were soft and their breath mingled as their eyes met. For a long moment they held there, Harry fully aware that Severus could still draw back and wishing with everything he had that he wouldn’t.

The depth of feeling Severus could clearly see humbled him. Any internal doubts and misgivings he had failed to make much impact, and he fully realised that Harry did honestly and truly want him.

Severus tightened his fingers in Harry’s hair, shifted his mouth a hair’s width and kissed Harry properly. Harry reached upward to hold onto Severus, hands tangling in Severus’ robes. He was wrapped in the potion-scented heat of the man as black hair brushed his face. He freed one hand to slide it through Severus’ hair.

Harry lost himself in kissing Severus. Lips slid eagerly against lips, small kisses interspersed with longer, firmer kisses, warm breath tingling on his skin, deeper teases as lips parted and closed. Magic rose between them in a golden haze that shimmered in the afternoon sun.

The little black snake roused from its light dozing. He could taste their magic with each flickering of his tongue. He considered the humans. It looked as though they were going to be there awhile. And while his rocks were warm, it was getting late, and they looked much warmer to his sight.

He slid off his rocks and slithered over the paving stones towards the bench. His speakers could share.