Two months had passed by for Harry Potter and his new father, Severus Snape. The holiday season was just around the corner and the weather outside had turned cold once again. For the first time in his life, winter had come with the promise of a new beginning. His life in the dungeons had become routine and familiar. He loved it - so different from his life with the Dursley’s where every moment had been unpredictable.

"Harry, I am going to Hogsmead later today for some shopping, would you like to accompany me?" Snape called from the other room.

Harry smiled happily. He had been trying to find a way to get out of the castle so that he could find the perfect Christmas present for his adopted father, this would be the perfect chance for him to do some scouting at the stores. He jumped off of his bed and ran out into the living room area.

"That would be great!" He replied excitedly.

Severus appeared out of his own room, he wore black slacks and a black turtleneck, his robe slung over one arm. "Come along then."

"Will we be taking the floo or apparating?" Harry asked. He did not like the idea of either.

Severus seemed to sense his mood and said with a small smile. "We will walk, I think."

Harry thought about the long walk and his grin widened. He would have all that time with his father. Excited, he ran back into his room to grab a coat so that they could set off.

"Thank you." He thought to say before they headed out.

Severus smiled over at him. "It is my pleasure, son."

****

"...Then after the Quaffle slipped out of his hands he said that it was just a matter of time before the Snitch would hit the board..." Harry chattered on contentedly.

The boy had been talking about a Quidditch dream of his for the past ten minutes and Snape was trying desperately not to laugh. His son seemed to think that it was a serious dream. The Potions Master took a deep breath of the fresh, forest air and let himself get lost in Harry's descriptions. He felt a warm glow fill him at the knowledge that his son trusted him enough to talk about something as personal as a dream.

"Then Neville looked over at me and repeated the Prophecy in that strange voice that Trewlany used when she -."

Snape's smile melted off his face. "You have heard her prophesy?" He asked, disturbed by this revelation.

The boy shrugged. "Yeah, third year. She told me that ... well, she knew that Pettigrew would be there...it's his fault that Sirius died."

The Potions Master shook his head. "Black did not die third year." He pointed out.

Harry cleared his throat and glanced over at his father for a short moment before focusing on the path before him. "Actually..." The boy hesitated. He knew his father would not like what he was going to say, but he really did not want to keep any secrets from Severus if he could help it. "Sirius did die. You got your wish, the Dementor’s kissed him."

He gulped back a wave of nausea brought on by the memories of how close he had come to being kissed himself on more than one occasion. Harry felt his father's hand come to rest on his shoulder. It helped him to focus, not allowing the memories consume him, and he was able to keep going on.

"Dumbledore sent Hermione and I back in time with the time-turner that McGonagall had given Hermione for classes and we were able to free Buckbeak - he died too the first time around - and get Sirius free from the dark tower. I also, uh, saved myself from the Dementor’s down by the lake. It was my Patronus that got rid of them that time. At first, I thought that it was my father's - James." He took a deep breath at the end of all of that and shrugged. "Anway, when I heard Trewlany I assumed she was talking about my godfather...I thought he was going to try and kill me. It wasn't until later that I realized the truth and that it was really Peter Pettigrew." He spit out the name. "That she was talking about."

"You are an enigma." Snape said finally. Marveling at the variety of situations Harry seemed to get himself into - and out of.

Harry snorted. "Seven years on and you're finally getting that?" He teased.

It felt good to be getting all of this out. He had never talking to anyone - not even Hermione - about the alternate time line. A few months before he would have been in hysterics at the mere mention of a time-turner, but Severus had helped him to stabilize his feelings. It had taken a long time, and he still had problems sometimes with particularly bad memories, but his last panic attack had been over a month before. Harry smiled happily and looked up at the clear sky. He could see owls swooping over the trees on their way to and from the school.

He wondered if Hedwig was out there somewhere getting her exercise. The snow owl he had gotten as a birthday gift from Hagrid had been living at the Weasley's for most of the year, but Severus had brought her to the castle a few weeks before. To Harry's surprise and joy she had still recognized him.

They walked together in companionable silence the rest of the way to Hogsmead. Harry felt happier than he had ever felt before. A pure, deep

******

Severus Snape looked at the choices before him uncertainly. He felt out of his depth and wished for some kind of guidance, but knew that ultimately the choice would be up to him.

The broom he wanted to get for Harry as a Christmas gift came in three different speeds. He knew that the boy was a natural Seeker so the fastest broom seemed the obvious choice, but the man had to think of his son's future. A slightly slower, but more practical device would be useful to Harry long after he left the last year on his school Quidditch team behind.

Harry had made mention several times that he was considering a Muggle education as well as a magical one - a decision that Snape left entirely up to him. If, indeed, the boy did choose to attend a Muggle school then the broom would need to be very practical indeed.

The Potions Master stared at the brooms intently, as if hoping that one of them would speak and give him an answer. If he did not buy the faster broom there was no guarantee that Harry would understand his viewpoint. The boy might be disappointed and that was the last thing he wanted for the boy to feel on Christmas.

****

A few aisles away Harry faced a similar dilemma. The boy knew that his father wanted a new cloak - Dumbledore had given him the heads up a few weeks before and ever since then the boy had been trying to ferret out information in casual conversations. It would not take a couple of genii to figure out that black would be an appropriate color. Harry wished he could go for something a little less dark, maybe a deep purple or green, but he knew that Snape would rather stay with his standard black. After all, the man had first years to terrify. Harry smirked at the thought of his dad ever being scary.

There were three black cloaks that he had finally settled on. For a brief moment, he considered buying all three, thus solving his problem, but he wanted to put thought into the perfect gift - not take the easy way out.

He decided on one that he thought fit his adopted father the best. Harry went to make arrangements with the storeowner and saw that his father had moved over to the potions section of the store and was examining several cauldrons with a critical frown. Harry smiled at the severe aura his father gave off, because he knew that inside Snape was a loving, caring person. They boy felt a warm glow fill him and he hugged his purchases to himself as he approached the counter.

"How may I help you, young man?" The store clerk asked with a friendly smile.

Harry glanced over at his father to make sure the man was not watching him. Satisfied, he handed the man the cloak he wanted.

"I would like to buy this, but would it be possible for it to be held until near Christmas and then sent to me? It's for my father." He added the last with a proud smile. It felt so right to say it to a stranger out loud for the first time.

The clerk smiled back and glanced over at Snape. "That'll be him then?"

Harry nodded. "Yes, sir. He is the best Dad that I could ever ask for."

"He is a good man, I'll give you that." The man behind the counter said. "He's come to my store for the past twenty years. Never had a more grateful customer, that one."

They chatted for a few minutes longer, the subject turning to brooms and Harry's thoughts on the latest Quidditch Cup news.

****

Snape frowned down at a couple of brass cauldrons. He needed to buy one, but they were not the cause of his concern. He had not been able to choose a broom for Harry. Indecision had finally driven him away from them and now his son was obviously finished with what he needed and so there would be no second chances. The man growled and grabbed one of the small cauldrons impatiently, stomping up to the counter.

He nodded curtly to the clerk and glanced over at Harry. He had seen the boy talking to Sanders Havyn, the clerk and owner of the store, and their conversation seemed to have been good for the boy. On his way out the door Snape threw the man a grateful glance over Harry's head. Sanders nodded in acknowledgement.

Next, Harry expressed an interest in going to see about getting Hedwig some treats. He felt bad for having abandoned her for so long during the year. She had been nothing but faithful and kind to him, as far as animals went she was the best that he had ever owned. The snowy owl was more like a friend than a pet. It did not take him long to find and purchase what he needed. Then they returned to the castle.

*****

Two mornings later Harry found himself pacing slowly across the Gryffindor common room. He had no classes that morning due to a slight cold that he had woken up with the morning before. After a thorough check up from both his father and Madam Pomfrey, Harry had been forced to remain in the tower - with a strict instruction not to overexert himself.

It had come as a surprise to Harry that while the Medi-Witch could re-grow bones, heal severed limbs and fight magical infections; she had no magical cure for the common cold. It annoyed the boy to no end that he was stuck up there with no one to talk to...and worst of all, nothing fun to keep him occupied. He really did not feel that sick. A stuffy nose, headache and the occasional sneeze, but his father had quarantined him to the tower for forty-eight hours. He could not wait until the next day when he could resume classes. It had not taken Harry long to finished what homework his teachers chose to send up with Hermione.

Harry looked over at the door when he heard the muffled sound of the Portrait Lady talking to someone. The door swung open and Severus walked inside. He had a disapproving frown on his face and a brown bag in his arms and was muttering about ego-centric paintings under his breath. The teacher embraced his son briefly and then went to sit down on the common room's crimson colored couch. The man looked exhausted.

"Hello, Dad. I didn't expect to see you before dinner." Harry said by way of hello.

His Dad snorted. "You thought I would leave you up here alone all day? What kind of father would that make me?" He shook his head. "Besides you look like you could use some distraction."

Harry shrugged. "I guess so."

Severus opened the bag and pulled out some chocolate chip cookies, several magically chilled drinks and a chessboard.

Harry sniffled and took a seat cross-legged on the red carpet next to the table. He felt a little too warm due to the fever and removed his school cloak - laying it beside him.

"Take it easy on me. I am sick, you know." He coughed pathetically for good measure.

"Yes, Harry, I was made aware of the fact." His Father commented dryly.

With Harry playing white and Snape the black pieces, they began the game. Halfway through the game Harry felt his first real bout of nausea coming on. He swallowed desperately several times to try and quall the sickness. His Father noticed his discomfort and leaned forward, studying him with a worried frown.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Harry managed to whisper just in time for Severus to conjure a bucket. The boy groaned miserably before sicking up. "That's - just - disgusting." He panted as soon as he was finished.

Severus handed him a wet rag, seemingly out of nowhere, and he wiped his face.

"Are you feeling any better?" Snape asked.

He nodded, but the motion made him sick up again. The young wizard held the bucket to his chest and tried to fight back another wave of nausea. He looked over at his Father.

"Potion?" He asked hopefully.

His father sighed and shook his head. "I am sorry, son. Magic only inhibits the body's ability to fight back a cold, because unlike most sicknesses it is untreatable by magic. You learned that from Madam Pomfrey, but what she did not tell you was that every potion has a little magic in it. So, they would be no good...there is even the possibility that they would react negatively with your bodies immune system and make your situation worse."

Harry pushed the bucket away and breathed deeply a few times. He felt momentarily good enough to mutter a quick.

"Well, that's just stupid."

Before he dove headfirst back towards the bucket. After being sick twice more, he felt his stomach finally calm down. Just as abruptly, he felt much better.

"I'm okay." He said, wiping his mouth with the wet rag.

Severus handed him a glass of water and the boy swished a mouthful around in his mouth before spitting it out in the bucket.

"That was gross." He muttered in disgust.

His father grunted in agreement and made sure Harry truly was feeling better before banishing the bucket altogether with an jerk of his wand.

"Perhaps it would be prudent to move you up to your bed. We can finish this." He waved an arm at the chessboard. "Just as easily up there and you will be able to relax."

Harry nodded. Bed was sounding really good, actually. His father set some kind of levitating spell on the game and followed his son up the stairway to the boy's dorm room. Severus let his son get himself into bed and then leaned over and tucked the warm blankets in around Harry.

The boy smiled up at him. "Thanks, Dad." He said simply.

It felt so good to be taken care of. Even if he was really too old for being tucked in. His father seemed just as eager to show affection, as Harry was to receive it, though neither would admit as much even to each other. His father leaned over and brushed dark bangs out of Harry's face, giving the boy a peck on the forehead.

"Now, whose turn was it?" Severus asked, motioning towards the chessboard that now hovered stationary a few inches above Harry's knees.

"Um, mine, I think."

They finished the rest of the game and then Severus spelled it back into it's case - which was still down in the common room. Harry leaned back against the pillow on his bed and closed his eyes. He felt completely drained from just that little exertion. He laughed at the irony. His father raised an eyebrow.

"Is something funny?" The man asked.

Harry laughed again. "It's just that I wanted to go out...I thought that I wasn't really sick and now I can barely sit up."

"Ah. I see. You made the decision." Snape said in a knowing tone.

"I am getting better." Harry said, opening one eye a slit so that he could glare at his adopted father. He had caught the double meaning in Severus's words.

"You have let yourself rely on me, that is true, but you still expect too much from yourself. Your Uncle and Aunt demanded you to developed independence before you were ready for it...and now." Severus sighed heavily. "You do not know any other way to take care of yourself."

"But I AM getting better." Harry restated firmly. "At relying people."

Severus chuckled. "Yes, you are, son." He reached forward and smoothed the dark bangs away from the boy's face. "But perhaps you should give your body a reasonable amount of time to heal before adventuring out into the castle."

"I wouldn't have been adventuring!" Harry protested. "I just wanted out of this tower...it was so boring."

Snape smiled. "I guess it is fortunate then that I chose to come up and visit."

Harry recognized the attempt at humor and smiled back. "Yeah, I guess so."

******

Later that evening when Hermione and Ron had returned from their last class, Harry felt rested enough to join them in studying. They were all down in the common room, their books propped up on tables and chairs around them.

"What did I miss today?" Harry asked curiously. It was starting to bother him that he missed so much of the everyday. It felt like he had lost so much of his own life in the past few year, he felt that if somehow he could at least keep up on the school's news then maybe things would not be so bad.

"Not much." Hermione announced with a huff. "You would think after the year we've had - I'm sorry, I mean that you've had." She gave him an apologetic glance. "Well, not much has gone on. Besides the normal that is. . .I think that everyone is waiting for your next move, Harry."

The Boy-Who-Lived frowned. "Me? What do I have to do with it anymore?" He asked, genuinely unsure of what she was talking about.

"Everything!" She replied in an exasperated tone. "You are probably the only person who doesn't realize your importance."

"If that's true then why haven't the rest of Gryffindor been falling over themselves to help me? You two are the only one's who have offered to tutor me through the classes I have missed...to catch me up. Why not the others?"

Ron pulled a half-eaten bag of crackers from a pocket and began to munch on the treats. "They're Gryffindors, mate. Their watching your back is all." He said through a full mouth. "If you asked them, any one would jump at the chance to help you. Your father had a talk with all of the towers before you moved back. He, uh, well, he got pretty protective when it came to you. Made a few threats ..."

Harry's eyes widened in distress. "Threats? To you? That's awful."

Hermione shook her head. "It really wasn't. We could all tell he was just concerned for you, that's all. Kinda strange seeing Snape the protector - it was good of him though."

"See, I told you that he cared for me!" Harry said.

Hermione flicked her thick hair over one shoulder and pulled the book she was studying up to her chest. Looking over it to him, she answered. "I still think it would not be such a bad idea for you two to get counseling. Or something." She ducked her head behind the book before adding quietly. "I cannot trust him after so many years of hearing your own doubts. I trust you, Harry. For over four years your instincts have warned us against getting too close to Snape. That's all."

Ron nodded. "Yeah. 'Sides, the man is a bit creepy...and oily...and a bit obsessed with the color black, don't you think? I mean, he's weird."

Harry felt an angry blush travel up his neck and burn his cheeks. "You don't know what you're talking about, Ron." He ground out. "Besides, there are a ton of wizards who like the color black and who are...less than perfect. They are not all Death Eaters. He wasn't even a true Death Eater. He was spying for the Order, as you both know full well."

Hermione made a strangled sound of disbelief, but refused to look up from her book.

The redhead boy shrugged. "I'm not the only one who sees him that way. To be honest, I think that he's made you forget how many horrible things he's done."

"In the past." Harry said forcefully.

Hermione sighed and closed her book with a thud. "The past plays a part in the future, Harry. Snape will never lose the part of himself that did those horrible things. Those actions will be in his past no matter what and I think you have to ask yourself what is motivating him at this point. We all saw how concerned he was for you - I'm not disputing that...anymore. What I don't understand is why he is so concerned."

"Because he loves me!" Harry said angrily. "You - neither of you two - have the right to judge him over something that he was forced to do while in the service of Voldemort." The boy snorted. "You don't even know what it was he did do and you are making arguments against him. I thought you were suppose to be smart, Hermione. Come on!"

The witch glared. "I know more than you think about his past. I did not just assume these things, Harry. I actually did the research and found the facts to back up my suspicions." With that the girl took up her books and stomped up to the girl's section of the dorm.

Harry watched her go, his anger slowly melting away. What could she have learned about Severus? He knew that it must be something pretty damning to get such a strong reaction from his friend.

"I don't know about research." Ron spoke up. "But I do know that your 'father' gives me the creeps. We just want you to keep safe and be careful around him."

Harry sighed heavily and leaned back into the chair. His back was beginning to ache and a strong headache was coming on. He closed his eyes and tried to block out all of his problems. He had never had a reason to doubt his friends before, but he could not believe that their fears were founded. He could not believe that the father that he had come to love would ever hurt him in any way. He trusted Snape as much as his friends trusted him. He only hoped that it would be enough.

******

Snape laughed.

It was not an uncommon occurrence while he and Harry were in their private rooms. The next morning Harry would be starting classes again. His sickness had taken a few days to heal, but both his father and Madam Pomfrey had finally given him a clean bill of health. He was spending the dinner meal with his father down in their dungeon home. He wanted to spend as much time with him as possible while he could. Harry knew that Snape would never neglect him, but he also knew that once he started classes again time would fly by.

"Is that really all?" Severus asked, highly amused by the story Harry had been telling him.

The boy's grin lit up the room as he watched his father. It made the boy very happy to see his father able to relax and enjoy life once again...for a while, Harry knew that Snape had it harder than any other.

At this thought Harry remembered what Ron and Hermione had told him about the Gryffindor house and the magical world in general. They were still looking to him for guidance. The boy's smile turned slowly into a frown as he tried not to remember all of the pressures he had felt during his years as the mascot for the light side.

"Harry? What's wrong?"

Harry looked over at his father and tried to smile cheerfully, but his good mood was ruined. He decided that maybe his father could help him with the pressures this time around. He shifted slightly so that he was facing his father.

"Hermione and Ron told me something that...well, it's been bothering me all day to be honest." He paused, collecting his thoughts. "They said that everyone is still looking to me for some kind of guidance. I thought no one cared about me anymore - except you and my friends, of course. I mean, even Dumbledore has stopped visiting me. . .I guess that I just figured."

"That your duty was finished and now all of your painful past could be put behind and forgotten. That others around you would want you to move on?" Severus asked knowingly.

"Yes."

"The witches, wizards and squibs left behind after the demise of Voldemort were without a reliable leader. Dumbledore stepped in as quickly as he could, that is true, but it still took time for his leadership to be completely accepted.

You on the other hand, there were never any doubts that you were on the side of good. They look to you, because you have been in the public light practically since birth. You are the one that they see in the papers each week, yours was the name on every tongue when the Death Eaters were running rampant. They look to you still for guidance, because you are all that they have known."

Harry shook his head. "That is not true." He asserted. "There were loads of times when they didn't trust me. Remember second year when everyone found out I was a Parslemouth? They weren't too supportive then now were they?"

Snape studied him. "You don't actually believe that did you?" He asked. "No matter what the papers said, the people - for the most part - were behind you. They didn't really think you were evil."

"Well, everyone was saying it!" Harry defended. "And then there was sixth year! Just last year everyone was calling me INSANE!" His breathing quickened and for the first time in weeks Harry felt himself truly losing control again. "You don't know what it was like! To have everyone whisper behind your back! To wonder if you truly were going mad! If you were going dark!

I DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN! I AM NOT THEIR BLOODY MASCOT!"

Severus moved closer to his son and set a hand on his shoulder. "But you see, The-Boy-Who lived is their mascot, Harry." He replied softly.

All of the anger seemed to drain out of Harry and the boy slumped, leaning forward into his father's embrace. "I didn't ask to be." His voice was so quiet, it seemed to be swallowed up by the black robe his face was pressed into, but Snape heard him.

"I know, son. I know."

He rubbed circles across the boy's back and said soothingly. "You won't go through this alone, Harry. You don't have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders this time."

Harry clung to his father for dear life. "Don't leave me, Dad."

For his entire life people had looked up to him, expected things of him, but since Voldemort's defeat Snape had been there for him to help him. Harry knew that for a while he had even been able to forget others and live for himself, that had been the doing of his father. Severus Snape had made it possible.

Snape said nothing, but hugged his son back.

******

"Harry Potter, I cannot believe my good fortune! My sister has told me all about you." A smiling blond woman in a cloak and multi-colored robe gushed.

She reached out and took Harry's hand, pumping it up and down enthusiastically. She reminded him strongly of Mrs. Weasley, there was a mother-ish look about her and she could not seem to stop bustling around him, checking his collar and straightening his robes. An ever-present grin stretched across her face.

"Sandra is my sister, as you probably know." The woman explained. "She invited me here to meet the great Harry Potter. She's told me all about you." She leaned in close and lowered her voice. "I know that you two are rather close." She winked.

Harry jerked away the hand she was still shaking and took a step backwards. He felt shocked by this unexpected development. "Excuse me, but I don't know what you mean." He said as politely as possible.

Her smiled widened at his discomfort. "You don't need to be shy! I know all about the extra class time you requested." She said with a suggestive tone.

Harry choked on his response and stuttered. "I-I-I-I...what?"

"Oh! There's nothing to be embarrassed about. I'm sure that you are not the first young man to be attracted to his teacher." She said dismissively waving her hand.

He opened and closed his mouth a few times completely blown away by the direction this conversation had taken in the past few moments.

"Excuse me, I have...uh...a meeting with my father." He invented, needing to get out of the room as soon as possible.

She smiled. "That is just wonderful. Sandra told me that you got adopted. I am so happy for you. How is it all working out?"

Harry made a non-committal sound deep in his throat and hurried out of the room. His face was blushing a bright red. He heard her calling after him, but he did not slow his escape.

******

"And then she said..."

"Harry?" Severus Snape interrupted, holding up his hand for silence. "I am sure that there must be some mistake here...or miscommunication. When I spoke with Ms. Higgnite she did not seem the kind of woman to spread such lies."

Harry growled. "I don't trust her."

Severus sighed. "I would rather not argue the point." The man added. "Would you like me to go talk to her again? I will for you."

Harry shook his head. "No, I think that I'll do it. It's about time that I did SOMETHING for myself."

"As you wish. Just know that I am here if you need me."

Harry smiled up at his father. "I know."

******

Harry approached the potions classroom, his pace slowing with each step. Maybe this had not been such a good idea. His father was so much better with these kinds of situations. The boy groaned.

But it had been his decision, so he kept going. It would be nice to do something for himself. His Father should not have to deal with everything that came Harry's way. If he had learned anything in the past, long months it was that not every problem could be solved. Still he had to try and find out why his teacher had been spreading such damaging rumors.

The door was slightly ajar so he did not bother to knock. Professor Higgnite was hard at work over a bubbling cauldron. Her hair hung in a frazzled mess from a hastily applied rainbow scrunchy. She muttered to herself. Harry felt even more unsure when he saw how busy she obviously was - a potion interrupted could ruin whatever she was attempting to make. After a brief hesitation Harry cleared his throat to let her know she was not alone.

"Professor Higgnite?"

"Not now, Mister Potter, I have an elixir in the making - go away!" She did not even look up.

Harry glanced over his shoulder to the door, it was tempting, but with a heavy sigh he faced her again. He would not back down; it was his turn to fix a mistake. He needed to take back control of his life. Voldemort, Uncle Vernon, Lucius and well meaning House Elves held no claim on him now. He faced her squarely, even though she was steadfastly ignoring his presence.

"I am sorry, Professor, but I need to talk to you concerning your sister." He said firmly.

Sandra added a handful of something small and greenish-yellow into the cauldron. A resulting cloud of pink smoke hid her face for a moment from Harry's view.

"What has she done now? Always getting into trouble, that one." She said.

Harry scratched his head. He had been expecting more initial resistance to his presence and now that it came down to it, he was not sure how to explain the problem with Professor Higgnite's sister.

"She, uh, she said that you and I...I mean, that we were...She implied that I had a crush on you and something was going on between us...after class."

By the end Harry's face was burning with a bright blush. It could not have come out worse if he had tried, he thought. Professor Higgnite laughed shortly, waving a dismissing hand.

"That's utterly ridiculous."

Harry frowned. "You didn't know?"

She looked over at him finally. It was difficult for the Professor to dredge up enough goodwill to treat Harry Potter politely, but she smiled grimly and did her best.

"She is always making things up. Matchmaking and the such. Has done since we were young girls. I guess she just thinks that it would be nice to have the 'famous' Harry Potter even remotely connected with her family."

A doubtful eyebrow raise from Harry was his only response. She shrugged.

"I didn't make any of that stuff up, if that's what you're implying. I hadn't even spoken to Adrilliana in months before she showed up yesterday morning. I thought she was on vacation in Romania - she always did love dragons."

"Then...what do we do?" Harry asked, at a loss.

She stirred the elixir slowly three times and then added the last ingredient. Extinguishing the fire underneath, the Professor answered.

"Tell her to sod off, I suppose."

Harry was stunned by this reply. "Really?"

"Yep. It's always worked before." Higgnite said with a small, but genuine smile.

******

Harry slumped down on his bed and let himself fall backwards onto the soft mattress. His back and knees had been completely healed with the help of Madame Pomfrey's daily potion instructions.

He had been relieved to find that dissuading Sandra Higgnite's sister had been so simple. It could have been much harder. Harry found himself looking back on the situation with a smile. No panic attack, no fears.

He smiled in satisfaction. It had been a good day. A lot of that he had to thank Sandra for, she had proposed the solution. She could have ignored him or treated him with the same negative bias she had shown in the first days of class. Instead, she had been kind and courteous through the entire affair. Even offering to accompany him when he confronted Adrilliana.

Maybe she was not such a bad woman after all, Harry mused.

His stomach rumbled and Harry got up to go search for some food. His father usually kept some emergency cookies stashed about the living room area of their quarters. Because Harry's sickness was over and they would be leaving for the holidays, Severus had decided it would be easier to just move him back to his room in the dungeons. Harry doubted if he really had ever wanted to return to the Tower where he had spent so many years being tormented by Voldemort's thoughts.

The dungeons were a safe place, a secure place for him to spend with his Father. The dark rooms and torch light seemed like home to him. Harry could not imagine a place more welcoming than the quarters he shared with Severus.

******

"We will be going to my home for the holidays." Severus announced that night as they ate a private dinner. Neither had felt like joining those in the Great Hall. "You will want to pack for the cold." He added.

Harry grinned. "Great! I can't wait to see Honey again...and see the library and sleep on MY bed!"

Severus chuckled.

"Although..." Harry's smile faltered.

"Will it be too hard for you?" His Father inquired softly. "Lucius is gone where he can't hurt you anymore. No one is going to touch you." Severus promised.

The boy wizard felt himself falling back into the bitter cycle of remembrance. He closed his eyes tight and tried not to see Lucius in his mind's eye. His father put a comforting hand on his shoulder, physical contact always seemed to help. In a moment the uncomfortable memory had passed, leaving Harry's thoughts clear.

"I'll be fine. It's just...There are a lot of emotions tied to that town." Harry said, opening his green eyes.

His father nodded in understanding. "Honey can move our things over and we will take the floo. The train will simply heighten your anxiety over our arrival. I believe it would be best to face your fears straight away and not delay any longer than necessary. You will find that this time my home WILL be a safe place."

Harry grinned. "Yeah, unless Adrilliana Higgnite drops in for a visit." He joked.

Severus chuckled. "I think we can avoid that."

Harry hugged his Dad impulsively. All of his earlier doubts were gone. He knew now that he could trust his Father to help him through, he had known that for a while now. A smile lit his face and he gave a contented sigh. Things would be different from now on, but Harry knew that he would adapt. He did not have to doubt himself any longer.

There would be hardships, this he knew for sure, but maybe good things would come along too. Snape had changed his life for the better in so many ways and now Harry wanted to give back just as much love and support. Together they could face the magical world, and the changes that had taken place in it. Together they would make be a family.

Harry's smile widened. He could not wait for the holidays.

"I love you, Dad."

Severus smiled down at his son - HIS SON.

"I love you too, Harry."