Lily stood with her hands on her hips and glared at James. "Potter, you always were an arse. My family told me what a loser you were, but I wouldn't listen. Harry is not a clone of you, thank Merlin so just leave him alone and don't come near him again!" Lily warned and left.
Harry was waiting for her inside her quarters. "Mum, why did you ever marry him? He's a complete git!"
"I've asked myself that same question over a dozen times since I've come back and I still can't come up with a satisfactory answer. Maybe I was Imperioused or given a love potion if I thought he could brew one successfully," Lily said with a shake of her head. "But on the other hand, if I hadn't married him I wouldn't have you now," she said giving him a hug.
Saturday morning arrived. Severus and Lily took Harry to St. Mungo's. They waited outside the door and Lily paced up and down worriedly. "What if something goes wrong, Sev? What if Harry doesn't come out the same son I sent in there?"
"It will be okay, Lily," Severus assured her. "Healer Dordt is the best in his field for this. I would not entrust Harry to somebody I did not think was the best."
Lily plopped down in a chair beside Severus and squeezed his hand. "I know, Sev, but I'm his mother and I worry."
Severus smiled and tried to go back to reading the potion book he'd brought along with him. He put it down again. "I heard from Harry that his meeting with James did not go too well."
"He was an arrogant, bragging idiot! Dumbledore must have told Potter how much Harry resembled him so he was expecting a miniature clone of himself, I think. He made it obvious to Harry that his preference for reading and studying instead of flying, Quidditch and pranking was a disappointment. He criticized all Harry's friends and made a lot of noise about having him resorted."
Well, he's in for another disappointment. The Sorting Hat has never resorted anybody in the school's entire history and yes, I did eventually read Hogwarts: A History."
Lily smiled. She had been constantly after Severus to read it during their school days.
The door opened and Healer Dordt came out. "The procedure was successful and your son is no longer a horcrux. Harry's sleeping right now and when he wakes up I will decide then whether he should stay here for tonight or you may take him home."
"Thank you, Healer Dordt for all you've done for Harry," Lily said.
"What will you do with that piece of You-Know-Who's soul?" Severus asked curiously.
"I'm going to send it to my mentor in Africa. He's dealt with a lot of horcrux and he'll know what to do."
"Why don't we have lunch?" Lily suggested. "Harry will probably be awake by the time we get back."
"Good idea. We can floo to the Leaky Cauldron."
They stepped out of the fireplace at the Leaky; Tom waved and came over. "Table for two, Professor?"
"Yes, thank you, Tom."
Tom seated them at a small table in the back and provided them with menus. After they ordered, Severus cast his Muffliato charm. "Can you imagine what Dumbledore reaction would have been if he's found out Harry was a horcrux? The old barnacle would have thought he died and gone to heaven."
Lily wrinkled her nose. "A doorway into You-Know-Who's mind. Never mind what it might cost Harry! And Potter and Black would have been right there cheering him on too. Dunderheads!"
"It up to the Aurors now. Scrimgeour has Kingsley Shacklebolt and Ned Crockford researching everything they can find on You-Know-Who while he, Orion Black, and Mad-Eye are checking possible hiding places. Scrimgeour told me they think the horcrux number could be as high as seven since from their research, You-Know-Who thought it was the perfect magical number."
Lily gasped, "Merlin's blood!"
"I think he was planning to make his last one after murdering you and Potter, and Harry, but you side-tracked his plans."They finished eating and flooed back to St. Mungo's. Harry was awake and after giving him a brief examination, Healer Dordt decided he could go back to Hogwarts with his parents.
"Could we stop in Diagon Alley? I need to get some more treat for Hedwig and I promised Hermione I get treats for her cat, Crookshanks," Harry pleaded.
"We can stop, but there will be no gallivanting," Severus replied sternly.
"Thanks, Dad," Harry said beaming.
They flooed to the Leaky Cauldron and from there went to Eeylops Owl Emporium where Harry bought treats for Hedwig and then they went to Magical Menagerie so Harry could buy treats for Hermione's cat. As soon as he walked through the door, he could hear the snakes talking to one another.
"I wouldn't want that one over there to buy me. He's looks like a grouch," the first snake said.
"Or that fat kid over by the mice. He'd probably eat me as well as his own food," the second snake said. "In fact, Lisssie better watch out he doesn't ssstart eating the mice!"
Harry giggled at what the snakes were saying. Severus and Lily looked down at him questioningly.
"Do you know the snakes talk about the people in the store?"
"You can still understand them even though the horcrux is gone?" Severus asked.
Harry nodded. "I can understand what they're saying, but I don't know if I can still talk to them."
"You should go over and introduce yourself and ask their names," Severus suggested.
"Okay." Harry walked over to their terrarium. The sign on it said they were Egg Eating Snakes from Egypt. They were very slender reptile, under a meter long and colored gray with black diamonds.
"Hello, I'm Harry. What's your names?"The two snakes looked up at him, their eyes widening and their tongues flickering faster. "A ssspeaker! We've heard of them, but never met one. I am Keb and my sister is Isis. We are pleased to meet you, Ssspeaker Harry."