At breakfast following the fateful Christmas day, on which Severus and Harry found out they were father and son, Severus had announced to his colleagues that he had decided not to give Harry the Aging Potion anymore but to let him grow up at Hogwarts as his son.

Out of the corner of his eyes, Severus noticed that Dumbledore was obviously fuming although he was trying hard to hide his feelings. Severus finished his breakfast early, intending to leave the Great Hall as soon as Harry was finished too. However, the instant Harry pushed his plate away, Dumbledore raised his voice. “Poppy, could you please take Harry for an hour; I need to discuss something with the adults here.”

“Of course, Albus,” Poppy replied and crouched behind the child turning his chair over so that Harry could see her. “Harry, do you feel up to going out to build a snowman?”

The small boy’s eyes began to twinkle happily. “Yes, Aunt Poppy, I’d love to build a snowman.”

The two quickly left the Hall. Poppy took Harry with her into her office and transfigured a tissue into a warm snowsuit for the child. It was green, exactly matching his green eyes, all over covered with white, red, blue, and yellow dragons. Afterwards, she transfigured more tissues into a red scarf, a yellow hat, and blue gloves. She helped Harry put his new clothes on and led him out onto the grounds.

Harry was very excited. Never before had he been allowed to play in the snow. During the next hour, Poppy and Harry were busy building a huge snowman. Finally, Harry stood there tiredly, looking up to the top of the three large snow balls. “Finished?” he half asked, half stated.

“No, Harry, that’s not finished yet. Don’t you think he needs eyes, ears, a nose, and a mouth, Harry?”

“Oh, yes,” the child replied, eagerly jumping up and down. “But how…?”

The question was struck in his throat when he saw that Poppy had already started to transfigure snow into a carrot. “Here, Harry. This is his nose.” She picked Harry up and held him high enough so that he could place the nose into the snowman’s face. Then they gave the snowman eyes, a mouth, and a hat. Finally, Poppy conjured a small toy broom and gave it to the snowman.

-----

While Harry and Poppy were building the snowman, the teachers remained in the Great Hall. Dumbledore was the first to speak.

“Severus,” he addressed the man to whom he had always tried to give the appearance of being a caring father figure. “What do you think you’re doing? Harry is already sixteen years old. He has many friends like Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, who are exactly the same age. Moreover, Voldemort returned eighteen months ago and is threatening to throw the wizarding world into a second war. We need a grown-up Harry in order to fight the evil. You all know about the prophecy, don’t you? Harry has to finish Voldemort; nobody else is able to do so. However, a four-year-old Harry cannot do anything to help the wizarding world.”

Severus sneered. “I know about the prophecy, but I don’t believe it at all. Maybe the wizarding world should try to do something by themselves and not just hope that my son will do everything for them. I will not allow anyone to take advantage of my son. He has had a very bad childhood. At the Dursleys, he was neglected and abused. Therefore, I have decided to give my son a second chance for a better childhood and nobody will be able to talk me out of this.”

Minerva frowned. She had always been very fond of Harry and had loved him as if he was her grandchild. Even with Lily she had always had a very close relationship. Moreover, Minerva had an exact knowledge of what was happening in the wizarding world. However, so far, she had hidden her knowledge from everyone for Albus’ sake. Severus and Poppy were the only ones, who knew what she really thought about the whole war, but it seemed that the time had come to blow her cover. Minerva sighed before she spoke up. “I am sorry, Albus, but I fully agree with Severus. Harry has had a very bad childhood. I still cannot understand why you let him grow up with the Dursleys, but anyway, he deserves what Severus is offering to him – a second chance for a better childhood.”

Dumbledore became angrier and angrier. “And how do you suggest he fight Voldemort?” he barked at his Deputy Headmistress. “What kind of magic can he do as a four-year-old?”

“Who says that he has to fight Voldemort?” Pomona Sprout asked, getting very upset with the Headmaster, too. “I would love to help little Harry growing up here in the castle, just like Minerva and Poppy would probably want to help.”

The Headmaster sighed. “How do you think you’ll be able to keep such a little child safe from Voldemort?”

“As long as he remains here at the castle, he should be safe enough,” Filius Flitwick replied. “Maybe we should use the rest of the holidays and renew the wards and strengthen them,” he suggested.

“A very good idea, Flitwick,” Severus agreed immediately.

“All right, then let me ask something else,” the Headmaster spoke again. “Apart from the fact that the Death Eater children will tell their parents on the first day of school in January and then Voldemort will know immediately what has happened, what do you think Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger are going to do, if you take their best friend from them without an understandable reason?”

“First of all, I could charm Slytherin House, so that the children won’t be able to speak about Harry. You know well that this won’t be a problem at all. Now, concerning Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger’s reaction, I am sure that Mr. Weasley won’t care at all, while Ms. Granger will fawn about the little tyke and will offer me her baby-sitting service on the second day of term at the latest.”

“What lets you believe that Mr. Weasley won’t care at all, Severus? He is Harry’s best friend,” Minerva asked, her lips very thin.

“When Harry was de-aged to a baby, Mr. Weasley didn’t seem concerned. He didn’t even look at the child or try to help when Harry was crying in Ms. Granger’s arms. Moreover, he hasn’t even sent anything for the boy for Christmas. Ms. Granger on the other hand, sent a Christmas card and a book for Harry,” Severus replied. He couldn’t place it but there was something about the Weasley boy he just didn’t like.

“Anyway, if that’s all, I will go to look for my son,” Severus said and receiving an angry nod from the Headmaster, he got up and left the Hall. He went straight out onto the grounds, shaking his head about Dumbledore’s stupidity. However, he couldn’t see Poppy and his son out on the grounds, so he re-entered the castle after throwing a look at the snowman, which gave him the impression to be the artistic work of his son and Poppy. Finally, he found the two sitting in Poppy’s office drinking hot cocoa, while Harry was busily cuddling a stuffed dragon.

-----

Seeing his Daddy entering the room, Harry smiled happily. Harry immediately held the dragon out for his father to see. “Look, Daddy, what Aunt Poppy gived me, a dwagon!”

“Yes, son. It is beautiful. Maybe you could think of an adequate name,” Severus suggested. Exchanging a glance with Poppy, Severus received confirmation that everything had been alright and that his son had had a lot of fun during the last hour.

Finally, Poppy spoke up. “Will you tell me?”

Severus groaned. “Come to my quarters in the evening. Then I’ll tell you what the stupid….” Just in time, he remembered his son was in the room, looking in awe at his father.

“I will do so, Severus. Thank you. By the way, you should take your son down to your quarters for a most needed nap. He hasn’t yet gotten over the aftermath of the recent potion, and he has tired himself out building a snowman.”

“So I will do, Poppy. I saw your snowman, Harry. It’s beautiful!”

Harry threw him an enthusiastic smile, his eyes twinkling happily.

“All right, Harry, let’s go down to our quarters,” Severus said firmly, taking his son by the hand, who was holding his dragon firmly in his other hand. The two Snapes spent the remainder of the day in their quarters, resting and bonding. Severus didn’t even think about attending any other meal in the Great Hall that day.

-----

Knowing how close Harry had been to Dobby while he was big, Severus called Dobby and told him about Harry being de-aged before he asked him if he could help take care of Harry.

“Of course, Professor Snape, sir. Dobby is Harry Potter’s, oh, no, Harry Snape’s House elf. Dobby is being paid by Harry, and Harry is Dobby’s real Master.”

“Oh, I thought it was Professor Dumbledore,” Severus said, astonished.

“At first it was, but since last year, Dobby is Harry’s elf. Dobby is very happy, sir. Dobby knows that Harry cannot pay Dobby now, because Harry is a child, but Dobby wants to remain Harry’s elf, sir, please,” the elf begged Severus and bowed deeply.

“Didn’t Harry tell you not to bow?” Severus asked amused. He had once observed Harry’s interaction with the small elf and was quite sure about the matter.

“Oh, yes, Professor Snape, Dobby is sorry, Professor Snape, sir,” Dobby stuttered.

“All right, Dobby. Now tell me how much Harry used to pay to you every month and I will see to it. It is not your fault that Harry is a child now. But he will need you to keep him safe here in the castle.”

Severus explained several matters to the elf before he asked him to bring lunch for Harry and himself and went into Harry’s room. According to his arrangement with Dobby, Severus placed a charm on Harry. This charm would alert the House elves at Hogwarts which were not bound to Dumbledore, in case Harry was in danger or somewhere alone with Dumbledore. As much as he regretted it, Severus couldn’t trust the Headmaster to have the best intentions concerning his son. When he was sure he had all the charms safely in place, he woke Harry up.

-----

At breakfast the next morning, Severus noticed that Albus was still very angry even if he didn’t say anything. The younger man quickly finished his breakfast and as soon as Harry had eaten up too, they left the Great Hall. Although Severus knew that Poppy was still in the Great Hall, he headed for the Hospital wing, motioning Harry to take a seat in the Healer’s office before he sat down, too.

When Poppy finally arrived, throwing them an astonished glance, Severus asked her a favour. “Poppy, I need a certificate about Harry’s real age, as of today as I intend to take Harry to the Ministry in order to claim him as my own son and have the guardianship over him transferred to me. Moreover, I want to have him registered with his real age.”

Poppy threw the man, whom she had known well since he was eleven, a proud glance. “Severus,” she said, smiling. “I believe that this is the right decision. And don’t forget that I’ll always be on yours and Harry’s side.” She waved her wand over Harry, who was already so used to her check-ups that he remained in his seat waiting patiently, busily cuddling his dragon. Finally, Poppy announced, “Harry is exactly four years and two days old, which means that you,” she thought for a moment, “should claim his birthday to be December 24, 1992, right?”

Severus gave her an acknowledging nod. “Yes, Poppy. I believe that will do. Thank you.” Then he turned to Harry. “Now, Harry, shall we go to the Ministry of Magic and let you get registered as my son?”

Harry gave him an enthusiastic smile before he asked in a small voice, “But what wif Aunt Tunia and Uncle Banon? Hawwy is not ‘loud to tell…”

“Harry, please forget about your relatives. They were not nice to you, were they? They behaved very badly although you’re such a good boy. Now, you’re going to live with me because I’m your Daddy; I just didn’t know that before. Would you like that?”

“Yes, Daddy, I’d like dat vewy much,” Harry replied eagerly.

“All right, my son. In this case, you’ll never have to return to your aunt’s and uncle’s house. Do you understand that?”

Harry nodded happily.

Before they left through the fireplace, Severus turned to Poppy once more. “Poppy, I’m going to list Tom as his godfather. I spoke with him yesterday evening. Would you be willing to be Harry’s godmother?”

Poppy threw an astonished look at the man in front of her, her face turning into a happy smile. “Oh, yes, Severus, thank you. I’d like to become Harry’s godmother very much.”

Finally, Severus and Harry left for the Ministry in order to get Harry registered properly.

Severus had brought all necessary documents like the certificate from Poppy as well as one phial of an unused Paternity potion in order to prove that the child was his son with a few drops of blood from each of them. Therefore, everything went smoothly, and an hour later, Severus had gained the permanent guardianship over his son and held his son’s birth confirmation card in his hands. As Harry still couldn’t read, Severus read the card out to his son.

Name: Harry Alexander Snape

Father: Severus Salazar Snape

Mother: Lily Evans-Potter

Date of Birth: December 24, 1992

Godparents: Poppy Pomfrey and Tom Riddle