"He's not sore from my punishment, you silly witch!" Snape snarled. "He's sore from Quidditch. Minerva McGonagall saw his flying and promptly claimed him for her House team! She subjected him to a two hour tryout, and that is why he is in pain."
"That is the most ridiculous excuse I have ever heard!" Molly retorted. "Have you forgotten that I have seven тАУ SEVEN! тАУ Quidditch obsessed children? I know perfectly well that first years don't play on House teams. Do you have any idea how many complaints about that rule I have heard over the years? Including this year?"
"Madame, you may think me capable of brutalizing a child, but do you really imagine I would be stupid enough to beat the boy and then bring him here to tell you about it?"
To his mingled gratification and offense, that made her pause. "Well, no. Actually, that doesn't make any sense," Molly admitted. "And your behavior when you arrivedтАж But I am not taking any more chances with that child's well-being. You told me yourself that Dumbledore placed him with abusive Muggles for the last ten years, so why should I believe that he's done better this time?"
Snape was annoyed to realize that he actually had common ground with a Weasley. Worse, she was a formidable opponent and one that could come in very handy in his future battles with Dumbledore (and McGonagall) over the boy's upbringing. His Slytherin instincts kicked in. Obviously he had to co-opt her to his side.
"Answer a question for me," he said abruptly, startling both Weasleys by the change in subject. "If Ronald had disobeyed Madam Hooch and engaged in life-threatening aerobatics, but also displayed remarkable flying ability, what would you have done?"
The Weasleys exchanged a glance. "Scolded him until his ears rang, sent him to bed without supper, confiscated his broom for a week, and then tried to find the money to get him extra flying lessons," Arthur answered for both of them.
"Would you have permitted him to join his House team, assuming an exception was granted by the Headmaster?"
"Yes," Arthur nodded.
"Would you have permitted him to join his House team without punishing him?"
"I should say not!" Molly huffed.
Severus nodded. They would do. "Very well. I believe this co-parenting idea may work."
"I beg your pardon!" Molly interrupted hotly. "I was about to call the Aurors!"
"You are operating under a misapprehension," Severus snapped. Neither he nor Molly noticed Arthur slipping away. "After Potter's stunt, Minerva ignored everything except the boy's flying prowess тАУ oh, she considered a token chastisement but all her attention was on Potter's potential as a Seeker. I made it clear that that was an unacceptable response to his behavior, and I took him in hand myself. I did not, however," he added hastily, "injure the boy. He received a mere two swats to his backside, one for disobedience and one for putting himself in danger, as well as lines and an essay. He then went to the tryout and was pummeled mercilessly. Of course he is sore тАУ they kept him on an unfamiliar broom for two hours forcing him to catch the snitch over and over."
Molly frowned, considering his words. She still had a suspicious look on her face. "You expect me to believe that Minerva McGonagall was willing to overlook deliberate disobedience in one of her lions?"
"Have you seen her expression when she looks at the House Cup?" Snape asked wearily.
"Well, yesтАж" Molly hesitated. "But what about your treatment of the boy, Severus? I'll not have him pay the price for his father's treatment of you!"
Snape flushed. How dare this witch sit in judgment of him? "Oh, and you're not trying to atone for your own disregard of him for the past ten years? I thought you were so close to the Potters, yet you were obviously too busy with your own children to spare a thought to the welfare of their orphan."
Molly gasped. "That's a terrible thing to say!"
Snape smirked. "A little truth hurts?"
"You greasy haired bat тАУ"
"You fertility goddess-wannabe тАУ"
#
Once he had felt reasonably certain that Molly and Severus would not hex each other into oblivion, Arthur let himself out of the kitchen and rejoined Harry at the table.
"Did I do something wrong?" Harry asked worriedly, looking over to the quiet kitchen.
"Only in flying class, from what you tell me," Arthur replied easily, reseating himself and putting a few more vegetables on Harry's plate.
The boy made a face but obediently started eating them.
"Harry, I don't think I quite followed what you were saying before. Why are you sore?"
Harry looked up in surprise, broccoli dangling from his fork. "Didn't I say? I made the Gryffindor Quidditch team!"
Arthur's eyebrows rose in surprise. "As a first year? You're joking!"
"No, honest!"
Arthur looked at him, then asked a shrewd question. "Is Ron chuffed for you, or green with envy?"
Harry had to laugh. "A little of both, I think. I didn't have much time to explain stuff to him, because I had to hurry to come here."
"It's been a very long time since a first year was allowed on a House team, Harry. You must be very good. Had you flown much before coming to Hogwarts?"
Harry proudly shook his head. "Not at all. Oliver Wood, he's our captain, he and Professor McGonagall tested me for like two hours this afternoon. They had me fly and chase stuff over and over and over. But at the end, they said I could be on the team, and Professor Snape had already given his permission. When I finally was able to get off the broom, I felt like I'd gotten walloped with the world's biggest hairbrush. I'd never been on a broom before, see. My relatives тАУ " he looked awkward "- they don't like magic."
"Some Muggles are like that," Arthur said comfortably, and Harry relaxed again. "Well, that explains why you're so sore. I think if I had just spent the afternoon in Quidditch tryouts, I'd be lying on the couch moaning."
Harry laughed. "Professor Snape gave me a potion тАУ it tasted awful, but it made me feel better right away. And he even rubbed my sore muscles until they didn't feel so bad." He looked anxiously at Arthur, all his fears arising anew. "What are you going to tell him?"
"Who? Severus?" Arthur didn't understand. "About what?"
"About how to raise me. He does a lot of stuff he shouldn't," Harry admitted unhappily. "Are you going to tell him to stop?"
Arthur threw a glance at the kitchen door. No sign that they were about to be disturbed. "I could tell him to stop," he agreed carefully, lowering his voice and leaning towards Harry. "What does he do that he shouldn't?"
Harry gulped, feeling tears gather. He knew it wasn't fair of him to take advantage of the professor's ignorance, but he dreaded the thought of losing the gentle touch, the cuddling, and the light swats in favor of more orthodox shouting and whacking and being told to act his age.
"Harry?" Arthur's voice was soft. "What should the professor stop doing?"
"I тАУ I guess you should tell him about real punishments," Harry choked out, wiping away a tear. "He doesn't really get that."
"What do you mean? How did he punish you earlier today?"
Harry looked at Arthur fearfully. The man seemed nice, but would he punish Harry all over again? This time for the disobedience towards Madam Hooch?
"Harry?" Arthur's voice was gentle but insistent.
"He- he just said I had to write some lines and an essay," he admitted, lowering his gaze. "But that's just going to help me practice my handwriting. And I'm supposed to write the essay in his quarters, so I get to spend extra time with him too. He doesn't realize that punishments are supposed to hurt." He sniffled back more tears. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell him. Please don't be too mad. Are тАУ are you going to have him punish me again, but show him how to do it right this time?" He waited bleakly for Mr Weasley's stern agreement.