"Lily! Lily!" Severus screamed, pushing through the fir trees toward the sound of her voice.

"I'm here, Sev! Oh, Sevy, please hurry!"

"I'm coming, Lily! I'm coming!" he yelled back, and all at once he burst through the trees into a clearing. The sky was dark overhead, and the acidic stench of blood and dark magic made it hard to breathe.

For a moment, Severus could see nothing but dark, unidentifiable shapes in the clearing. But as the air and his vision cleared, he saw her, laying in the clearing, the train of her lacey, white wedding gown floating in a pool of blood.

"Lily!" Severus shouted, and ran to her side, falling on his knees and checking her heartbeat. He pressed his hand against the alabaster skin and hissed, drawing it back again. She was burning up!

She moaned, an anguished sound that made Sev hurt inside.

If he didn't do something soon...he didn't let himself think of that, and pushing the thoughts behind his occlumency sheilds, he began to work on Lily.

"Easy, Lils. I've got to bring your fever down." He pulled a potion from his jacket, and pressed it to her lips. She turned her head away.

"Lily, please! You've gotta drink it! If you don't you'll-"

"I'll die, Sev," she said, her voice clear and strong though her eyes were nearly overflowing with tears. "It's too late, darling. Lucius, he-he got me with a curse. A new one; not sure what-" she was suddenly overcome with a fit of coughing. Sevrus slipped a hand underneath her, pushing her up so she was sitting. He manuevered himself around behind her, so she was laying against his chest. He didn't notice, nor did he care, that his trousers and coat were getting soaked in blood.

He grasped her soft, slender hand in his and held on tight, laying his cheek against her fiery curls and whispering gentle words of comfort.

As soon as she regained her breath, she whispered:

"Sev. I love you. D-don't let me die in vain, darling. T-take care of my baby. Our baby, Sev."

"What?"

"T-take care of Harry, Severus. He's not James' baby. I never loved James. Only you," she whispered, her voice nearly gone.

"P-promise me, Sev. Promise me you'll take care of our baby."

The anguish in her voice was too much for Sev, and he began to cry. "Yes, Lily. Yes, I'll take care of him. I promise." he said, clutching her hand as tightly as he could without fear of breaking her.

She smiled at him. "Thank you, Sev. I can go now." And with that, she breathed one long sigh, and Lily Evans was...dead.

"No, Lily!" Severus screamed, the words ripping from his mouth and slicing the thick air like a sword.

"No. No!" he said, laying the body of his love on the grass and frantically checking her pulse. There was none.

"Lily, please," he said, slipping his hands under the body and lifting it. But he found he couldn't. Suddenly, he was no longer Severus Snape, the thirty-five-year-old potions master, but he was Sev, the scrawny twelve-year-old boy. He struggled and tried, his sobs turning to anguished screams as desperation set in. But he could not lift her.

And then, she began to bleed. She bled from her mouth and from her wrists, blood running in rivulets down her face and hands and then her legs, pooling on the ground.

There was chest wound. Not a cut, but a bullet hole, right where her heart was. The blood soaked through her dress, turning the whole thing crimson. And then it began to soak through to Severus' arms. And soon his arms were dripping blood, and all he could see was red, red and blood, and he screamed-

Severus Snape woke with a start, his face wet with tears and his shirt sweaty.

Tonight was the Sorting. It would be Harry's third year at Hogwarts.

Sometime during the summer, he had ceased to think of Harry as Potter. How could he think of the boy as the son of his enemy, when every night he heard, over and over that the child was not, in fact, James' son, but his own.

He sat up, swinging his legs around so he was sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I cannot go on like this," he whispered, tiredly. "But what can I do?"

Somewhere from the back of his mind, he heard a soft, girlish voice whisper, "Take care of our baby, Sev."

"I can't!" he yelled, punching the bed in frustration. "He thinks I hate him! Merlin, Lily, why now?!" he said, his voice breaking near the end of the sentence.

He sighed and put his face in his hands.

"Alright. Alright, Lily! If I do, will you stop haunting me?"

A little giggle could be heard, and, in spite of himself, Severus smiled. But soon that smiled faded as the giggle went silent.

"Never mind, I didn't mean that! Haunt me Lily, as long as you like. Atleast I'm near to you." he cried into the dark room, his voice filled with longing.

For a moment, he thought he felt a soft hand brush his cheek, and he could have sworn he heard the rusle of wings.

Harry woke suddenly, his head banging hard on the train compartment's window. He sat up, looking around blearily at the other occupants of the crowded compartment.

Ron was munching on a chocolate frog and petting Scabbers, who had fallen asleep on his lap. Hermione had her nose stuck in a book, as usual, and was also clutching a pet.

"Introducing Crookshanks, The Amazing Obese Feline!" Harry muttered under his breath, grinning to himself.

"What was that, Harry?" Hermione said, dragging her face from between the pages of Hogwarts: A History, which she was rereading for the fifth time.

"Nothing, Hermione. I was just thinking out loud, I 'spose."

"Oh," she murmured, clearly not paying attention to her friend in favor of her book.

Harry smiled and shook his head.

With nothing else to do, he turned to look at the final occupant of the compartment. Remus J. Lupin, the trunk above his head read. The new DADA professor, Hermione had told him.

"Poor Snape. Lost out on the position again." Harry thought, not really caring for the greasy git at all.

The ride went on in silence for a while longer. Then, suddenly, the train stopped. Hard.

Harry drew in a sharp breath as the train rocked into a stop, his back making harsh contact with the stone-like bench behind him.

"What's wrong? Why're we stopping?" Ron said, his eyes darting to look out the window, and then to Harry and Hermione, and back to the window again.

"I don't know. We can't possibly be there already!" Hermione said.

All of a sudden, Harry began to feel very cold. And it wasn't normal cold. It was as though his bones and blood and heart were freezing.

"Harry?" Hermione said, her voice coming in a choked whisper. "What's going on?"

"I don't know Hermione. I-" He went silent as a dark shape glided in front of the compartment door.

"What's that?" Ron whispered, obviously terrified if the earthquake tremors in his voice were any indication.

Neither of the teenagers had a chance to answer, because just as the last syllable came from Ron's mouth, the door slid open, and the most terrifying thing they had ever seen floated into the compartment.

Harry shrunk back, almost against Mr. Remus J. Lupin, trying his hardest to get away from the thing. Harry's hands trembled as he watched it, slowly turning it's head to look the cabin up and down.

He pressed against the still sleeping for of their soon-to-be-professor, and even in his fear he was apologizing silently for mussing the man's cloak.

But all his attempts to hide were not enough, and the thing turned to him. Harry found himself staring into a bleak, black dark nothingness, unable to look away. The desperation of it made Harry want to cry.

He felt as though something were pulling at him, like a vacuum or a whirlpool, and he could do nothing to stop it and all of a sudden he was falling into darkness...

"Harry. Harry. HARRY!"

Harry jumped at the yell in his ear and sat up, looking around blindly. Gentle hands placed his glasses on his face, and he whispered a thank you. Hermione nodded softly, looking concerned.

A chocolate frog was pressed into his hand by someone, and Harry looked to see who.

He came face to face with two people. On the left was a man he'd never seen before. Scruffy and kind-looking, he was the one pressing the candy into his hand. Harry guessed it was Professor Lupin.

"Eat it. It helps, really it does." The man said, eyes twinkling.

Harry smiled softly and unwrapped the chocolate, biting off a tiny peice. Professor Lupin smiled.

Harry then turned his attention to the man on the right.

It was none other than his dreaded potions master, Looking at him with something akin to...concern? No, that couldn't be right. Right?

Harry turned back to Professor Lupin as the man turned to said potions master. "Do you have any calming draught, Sev? I think this little one needs it."

Something clicked in Harry's mind when Professor Lupin said 'Sev'.

At the same time, he realized his heart was beating ten times as fast as normal, he was trembling like a newborn kitten, and his breath was coming in gasps. He did need that calming draught.

Snape nodded, and reached into his cloak, producing a vial of liquid, colored a gentle blue.

He got up from the floor where he had been kneeling to look at Harry, and sat on the bench beside him, close enough that Harry's shoulder was pressing lightly against his chest. He pulled the cork out of the vial and held it to Harry's lips, placing a cool hand on the back of his neck to steady him.

Harry started to pull away, but thought better of it, and drank the liquid in one smooth gulp. Suddenly feeling very drowsy, he wavered for a moment, swaying gently, and then, unable to help himself, slumped against his potion's master.

"It's not supposed to make him react like that, Remus." He heard Snape say, as if through a fog.

"He's just had a run-in with a dementor. He's exhausted. Let him sleep, Sev."

"There's something I'm supposed to know about that name," Harry thought as he drifted off to sleep.

The last thing he thought about was how good it felt to have strong arms wrap around you and hold you tight...

The Hogwarts Express pulled to a stop, rousing Harry from his slumber. He realized the strong arms were no longer encircling him, and he suddenly felt very cold and alone.

"Harry, mate! You're awake!" Ron said. It was only then that Harry realised he had been laying propped up against Ron's shoulder, and that Professor Lupin and Snape were gone.

"Oh, Merlin!" The reality of what had happened hit him like a sledgehammer. He had been sleeping on Snape.

He sat in a paralyzed stupor for a few moments, wondering how in the world he would ever live that down, and worrying about all the torture he would go through in Potion's Class for it, until Hermione waved a hand in front of his face.

"Harry. Harry? We've got to go. You had better change into your robes. You're still in your muggle clothes."

Harry didn't miss the way she wrinkled her nose just slightly as she looked at his ripped jeans and oversized t-shirt.

He nodded, grabbing his robes from the over head compartment where Hermione had hung all three sets. He shooed her out of the compartment and changed quickly, then followed her and Ron, who had escaped the compartment after Harry woke, and had been chatting with Seamus a little farther down the train.

"Hey, mate," he said as Harry came up beside him.

"Hey."

They didn't say anything more until they reached the carriages. Ron, Hermione, Harry, Seamus, and Dean all piled into one, Hermione ending up nearly sitting on Harry's lap.

Seamus, and Dean quickly huddled into a corner of the carriage, obviously looking at something. A copy of Playwitch, knowing them.

This left Harry, Ron and Hermione staring at each other uncomfortably.

"So..." Ron said, looking nervous.

"Oh, just spit it out, Ron. What happened?" Harry said, slighlty annoyed and very worried. Not to mention mortified.

Ron looked at Hermione quickly, and then, leaning closer to Harry he said,

"He held you the entire time, mate. Till about ten minutes before we stopped. Him and Professor what's his face talked a lot, and he just let you sleep on him, and he had his arms around you the whole time. And he didn't even look that mad about it!"

Ron stopped, and looking around a bit to make sure the others weren't listening, he leaned even closer to Harry and Hermione.

"You don't think he's, you know, a ped-"

"Ronald Weasley!!" Hermione screeched, halfway covering her ears. "Get your filthy mind out of the gutter and be quiet! That's the most atrocious thing you've ever said!"

"But Hermione, you didn't even let me say it!"

"Well, it's the most atrocious thing you ever almost said. Professor Snape is your teacher, and Harry's your best friend! How could you even think something so, so...horrible?!" she said, fixing him with a disgusted glare that would have made Snape proud.

"I was just saying-"

"No, I don't even want to know, Ronald Billius. Just...just hush."

She took a deep breath and turned to Harry.

"Don't worry, Harry. The way he was holding you was more...parental than anything."

"Parental?" Harry asked, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

"Yes, Harry. I hate to say it, but Snape, kind of...well, he..." she trailed off.

"Come on Hermione! What is it?!"

She took another deep breath. "He, he kinda looked like...a father holding his son, Harry."

She took one look at the shocked expression on his face and said hurriedly:

"I'm sorry! Did I gross you out too much?" then she glared at Ron. "Not that I could do any worse that Ronald here."

"For goodness sakes Hermione! I was just-"

"Guys, will you stop it? You sound like an old married couple when you bicker like that, and it's kinda freaking me out." Harry said, grinning softly.

Hermione slapped him on the arm playfully.

"Ow!" he yelled in mock anger, and the subject of Snape was forgotten Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger. But even as he laughed and joked with his friends, Harry's mind was reeling.

'Parental'? Why in the world would Snape look parental? And towards Harry of all people?

***

Harry, Hermione, and Ron all sat at the Gryffindor table, staring at the first years, willing them to hurry up and get sorted.

They did move quicker than normal, and after Gryffindor had cheered loud enough to break the windows, because they got five more first years than Slytherin (Percy was cheering loudest), the Headmaster stood.

Harry didn't have to look at Ron to know that he was deep in prayer, staring at the ceiling, fervently trying to persuade whatever deity that was residing there to please make Dumbledore's speech short.

"Hello, students," the old man said, smiling. "Now, most of you know, that after the unfortunate loss of professor Lockhart last year," all the boys gaped in horror at him (losing Lockhart unfortunate?) "We would have been short a Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. Luckily, I had the extreme pleasure of meeting an old student of mine by chance one day in Hogsmeade."

"Mr. Remus J. Lupin," everyone clapped as the Headmaster motioned toward the man sitting next to him. Professor Lupin waved slightly, smiling. "Has graciously agreed to teach you all for the term. And possibly next term as well, if you all behave."

He fixed the students with a mock glare, making them laugh just a little bit.

"I'm sure you'll all be on you best behavior, as always."

His eyes twinkled merrily, and all the teachers (save Snape, who was rolling his eyes heavenward) grinned.

"Now, I know you're all ready to eat," A few students yelled yes and the rest nodded emphatically. "But there's one last thing that must be done before you can all tuck in."

A collective groan could be heard across the great hall.

"Now, now. As most of you know, it is a very rare occurence that we accept a wizard to Hogwart's that is over the age of eleven. But this year, we are doing just that. We have two new exchange students this year, and I hope youll all make them feel welcome. Girls, you can come out now," he called.

A door at the left side of the hall, near the table that the Headmaster was currently standing behind, slowly swung open. Two girls stepped out, clutching hands and looking slightly nervous.

They were obviously twins, that much was for certain. They had identical dirty blonde hair that reached to their thighs.

The one on the left wore hers straight, letting it cascade down her back in a way that made it glitter when the light hit it just so.

The one on the right wore hers in a long braid down her back. And that was the only difference between the two. They both wore identical jeans and black t-shirts, so it would have been impossible to tell them apart had their hair not been different.

"This," Dumbledore said, motioning to the girl on the left, "Is Elisabeth. And this," He motioned toward the girl on the right, "Is Arynn."

Arynn was obviously the more daring of the two, because when Dumbledore said her name, she flashed him a peace sign and a grin, making the whole hall laugh. Even Snape smirked.

"Well, now that we've met them, it's time for them to be sorted. Elisabeth, if you will?" he led the girl over to the sorting hat, and gently placed it on her head.

It took a while, but the hat finally declared: "Slytherin!" in a loud voice. The Gryffindors groaned and the Slytherins cheered. But not for long.

After Elisabeth had been seated at the Slytherin table, Dumbledore led Arynn to the hat, and it was only on her head for two seconds before it screamed "Gryffindor!" The Gryffindor table cheered loudly. Arynn bounced over to the Gryffindor table, taking a seat next to Harry. She smiled at himand he gave her a lopsided grin back.

For just a moment, Harry thought he saw her mouth a few words to him, but the next instant, their plates filled with food, and she turned to talk to Fred and George, who were congratulating her on the peace sign.

Harry turned and locked eyes with Hermione. He knew what she was thinking. It wasn't every day that siblings were sorted into rival houses. And with twins it was even more rare.

The two smiled a bit at each other, "This should be fun," written all over their faces, and then started eating.

And for just the smallest moment, Harry thought he heard little giggle, like a fairy voice on the wind.

Harry sank down into a couch in the common room, exhaling happily. He smiled as Hermione sat next to him, and Ron moved to sit in the chair to the left of them.

The trio had run all the way up the stairs, ignoring the prefect's yells for them to stop, so that they'd be able to claim a place in the common room before the rest of the Gryffindors got there.

Soon, George jumped through the portrait hole, whooping and hollering, followed quickly by Fred, who was singing a terribly off-key rendition of 'Sweet Caroline' to George, who was slapping his shoulder in mock-anger. Obviously, George was dating a girl named Caroline.

The twins ran over to the trio, George grabbing Harry in a headlock and giving him a noogie, making the thirteen-year-old yelp and squirm, trying to get away.

"Aw, come on George! Be nice to ickle Harrykins!" Fred yelled, as he gave Ron the same treatment.

When the twins released their captives (by the insistance of Hermione, who said that the boys were losing thousands of brain-cells by the minute) they plopped down on the floor, staring intently at the portait hole.

"One...two...three!" they counted together, and on 'three', a first year popped his head through the hole. He was followed by a stampede of raging lions, all trying their hardest and noblest to get to their dorms without being mortally wounded.

The flood ended in a few minutes, leaving behind only a few stragglers. One was George's Caroline, whom he immediately grabbed and started snogging, ("Don't tell mum, Ron, or I'll pour itching powder down your shorts!") going into a corner for privacy.

Seamus and Dean took another corner. Obviously, they hadn't finished that copy of Playwitch.

The last person left was the new girl, Arynn, who was standing against the wall, chewing the nail of her index finger and looking at the ground. Fred looked at Harry, and Harry looked at Hermione, Hermione looked at Ron, who looked to Fred. They all nodded in silent agreement.

"Hey!" Fred called to the girl. She looked up, "Yeah, you, sweet thang." he said, pulling an atrocious Southern American accent.

The girl laughed.

"Why don't you just come on over here a sit for a spell, ya hear?" the girl nearly doubled in laughter at this, and once she could breathe again, she came over and sat next to Fred on the floor.

"Guys," Fred said, grinning. "This is Ms. Arynn Thompson. She comes from the great US of A. She is the one who brought us: The Peace Sign." And Fred flashed the sign at Harry, who did it back, making everyone laugh.

"Arynn, this is Hermione," Fred motioned toward the frizzy-haired girl who smiled and offered Arynn her hand. She took it, grinning.

"She's our Resident Genius." Fred said, making Hermione blush. "Actually, I think she must have an identical twin too, because there's no way any girl can be that smart, and still be able to fit all that brain in one head."

Hermione shook her head at his strange Fred-logic, and pulled out Hogwarts: A History, and began to read.

"If you don't mind, Arynn?" she said, motioning toward the book.

"Of course not!" Arynn said. "Actually, I've always wanted to read that. Would you mind if I borrowed it, after you're done?" she said, making Fred and Ron groan, and Harry grin. Hermione nodded emphatically, and would have continued to talk about the book had Fred not intervened.

"And this," He said, taking the girl by the shoulders and turning her so she was facing Ron and not Hermione. "Is my baby brother, ickle wittle Ronnie-poo."

Ron slapped his brother on the head.

"Shut up, stupid."

Fred laughed. "And this, is my other baby brother, Harry." This was said with a slight touch of pride, and much truer affection than when he said the same about Ron.

Ron knew he was Fred's little brother, and had known for a long time. But Harry had only just found it out two nights ago...

Harry was brought back to the present by a hand waving in front of his face.

"Hello? Harry? You kinda spaced out there, bro," Fred said, smiling.

"Like I was saying, Arynn, this is my slightly slow brother Harry." Harry punched the older boy playfully on the arm, feigning anger.

"Are you two really brothers?" Arynn asked.

Fred smiled at Harry. "As close as you can get," he said, his smile widening as Harry grinned.

"Well, I'd better go make sure my brother doesn't do anything he'll regret in the morning. Have fun, kiddos, and don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Fred said, standing up and making his way toward George and Caroline, leaving Harry in an awkward silence, staring at Arynn.

After a few moments, Arynn started to stand up. "I think I'm going to turn in," she said.

"Oh, sorry!" she cried, as she tripped and nearly fell on top of Harry. She started to push away, but then leaned in close to him.

"I know who you are, Mr. Snape," she whispered in his ear. "Meet me in the astronomy tower Friday night, 12:00 sharp."

And with that, she got up, and practically sprinted up the stairs to the girls dormitory, leaving Harry alone, his mind reeling.

Severus silently counted off the names of his new first years as he walked beside them down the corridor.

"Mr. McConnell! I would suggest you remove your hand from Ms. Daniels' skirt if you want to live to see tomorrow!" he called down the corridor, startling the boy and making his face go red. Severus sighed. He would have to give that one a talking-to soon.

Destiny Marie Daniels was a second year, who had grown considerably over the summer. She now had long, dark lashes framing beautiful coal-black eyes, with pouty lips and a figure much too mature to be twelve.

Severus grimaced, knowing that the akward, timid little girl would soon be a target for not only little Kyle McConnell, but for some of the older, more...rambunctious boys in her House as well. He would have to head that off soon, before anything came of it.

Pulling his mind away from the speech he was going to have to give his fifth sixth and seventh year boys soon, he focused on the most unusual addition to his house.

Elisabeth Hayley Thompson hung near the back of the line, closer to him than most new students dared to get. She was quiet and shy, Severus could see, but she also had a indifferent mask about her that reminded Severus of Draco. Or himself.

He smiled softly at the girl when she looked over at him, making her stop and stare, then trip over the heel of a student in front of her. Clumsy too, then.

"Sorry!" she whispered softly to the fourth year she had tripped over. He shrugged off the apology and turned back to his friends. Severus came up beside the girl, hoping to make her more at ease, and quietly asked her if she was alright, because she looked a little sick.

She looked at him and nodded. "Yes, sir." she answered. At his doubtful, slightly stern look she sighed, looking down at her hands.

"I-I miss my sister, sir. We're never away from each other, and, well..." she trailed off, looking miserable. Severus stopped and leaned down so he was eye to eye with her.

"I understand, Ms. Thompson. And I know it's frightening, being in a new place, with new people, and without someone you know to help you. But if you'll let us, we-your Housemates and I-we can be your family." he whispered, not wanting to embaress the girl by having anyone find out she was afraid.

She looked at him closely for a moment, as if sizing him up. Severus was careful to keep his face neutral. Finally, she nodded, smiling a bit.

"Okay. Th-that sounds nice." she said, a bit self-concious. Severus smiled at her, and told her to go join her Housemates, and try to make friends. She did, and tentatively struck up a conversation with Ms. Daniels. After a moment, she turned around and gave Severus a thumbs up, making him smile and nod encouragingly.

Now, with the other Houses, especially the Gryffindor's, Severus rarely smiled, if ever. But with his own House, his snakes, he felt safe in letting his gaurd down. The public usually misunderstood his House, thinking them cold, indifferent snobs. But really, these were some of the most amazing children he had ever known.

Many, regardless of Blood-Status, came from abusive or neglectful homes, which was what gave them either a drive to succeed or an extreme cunningness. That was usually the reason they were placed in Slytherin. Most of his snakes were quite brave and smart, and would have fit well in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw.

But Severus had made the Sorting-Hat promise him something when he first became Head of Slytherin.

"You send the hurting ones to me," he had told it. "I'll see that they get help."

The hat had agreed, and unbeknownst to anyone, even the headmaster, this had been the arrangement ever since.

That was how Draco Malfoy had ended up in his house. The boy had the brains for Ravenclaw, and (underneath the mask), the nobility and sense of justice of a Gryffindor. Severus had realized that last year, when he had caught him comforting a homesick first-year who was being bullied by a a few of the fourth year boys. The boy had even used his pure-blood connections to make the bullies quit taunting the child.

The act had earned him respect in the eyes of both his peers and Severus, along with the adoration and devotion of all the first-years, who were now second-years, and still worshipped the blonde-boy.

Syre, the boy had a drive to succeed, a pure-blood obnoxiousness, and an intolerable penchant for lying that had gotten him in trouble with Severus more than once. (Contrary to popular belief, Severus did not encourage lying among his house.) But there was so much more to the boy than the image of the perfect Slytherin that his father had forced him into.

Lucius was a ruthless man, and Severus longed to see him thrown into Azkaban for the way he treated his son. Severus would have pressed charges in the boy's first year, but Draco had begged him, for the sake of his home and mother, to not tell anyone.

Still, Severus made it a habit to let the boy spend as much time at his house in the summer as was possible without getting Lucius suspicious.

Severus smiled as Draco turned around to wave at him, the boy flashing a cocky grin and sticking out his tongue at his head of house.

The students stopped walking, and Severus went to the front of the line to open the door. Severus never disclosed his passwords to his students until they were safely inside the Snake's Lair, just as an extra precaution against intruders from other houses.

The Slytherins were the most secretive and close-knit house, which was why the public often considered them snobs.

Severus whispered the password to the snake-portrait and the door swung open and stayed like that, allowing all the students to go through. Severus stepped inside after his snakes, whispering an extra locking charm on the door like he always did.

The prefects had guided everyone to the middle of the common-room, and were helping them all find a place to sit, as they had been instructed by Severus before starting the trek to the dungeons.

Severus made it a point, every year, to sit down and have a talk with his Slytherins, to introduce the first-years and put their minds at ease, and to welcome back the returning students.

Soon, everyone was seated, the sixth and seventh years taking their places on the chairs and couches, the fourth, third and second years huddling together on the ground, and the little first-years scattered about, some on the fringes of the crowd, some snuggled close to brothers or sisters in higher years.

Severus smiled at a seventh year, Arieda Blake, who had a second year girl pressed against her side, and two first year girls sitting on her lap.

The Blakes were a poor family, with four other children besides these, all too young to come to school, and all girls. Arieda's father worked nearly all the time, and Arieda had become a second mother to her sisters, after her mother took ill and died during Arieda's third year.

The girl often spoke of her younger sisters, 6-year-old quadruplets who stayed in wizarding day-care while Arieda was at school, because their father couldn't work and take care of the children at the same time.

The first-years were Alayna and Allison, twins with 'the sweetest smiles you'll ever see' Arieda would say, the Liverpool in her accent prominent.

Severus waited until everyone was settled, then walked to the group and sat down in the armchair that the prefects kept unnoccupied for him. Over the years, it had come to be known as 'Snape's Chair', because that was where you would always find Severus when he visited his snakes in their common room, which was about once every month.

He waited patiently for his students to go silent, only speaking once he had their complete attention.

"As most of you have figured out by now, I am your head of house. Atleast, I would hope you know that, otherwise we might be having some rather unpleasant discussions this year." he said, sending a pointed look toward some of the more rebellious sixth year boys. They had the grace to blush, making the rest of the crowd laugh. Severus motioned for them to hush.

"I sincerely hope I won't have to have any unpleasant discussions with any of you this year." he said, looking stern. The first years shook their heads, eyes wide, as if the notion of getting in trouble terrified them. Severus smiled softly.

"I'm very glad to see all of you back this year," he said. "And I hope you'll be as well-behaved this year as you were the last. Now, that does not mean you are not allowed to hex the Gryffindors. Just wait till a little later in the year, alright? So as to let them work their way up atleast a third of your caliber, alright?"

The Slytherins laughed at this.

"And try to do it where no one can see, alright?"

Severus couldn't resist the light jab at their 'rival' house, knowing that the older students would explain later to the first-years that he didn't mean a word of it.

"Now, that I've welcomed you back, it's time for us to welcome our new little snakes. How about all the first years take turns standing up and saying their name and something about themselves. How about...what you had for breakfast this morning?"

The first-years giggled at this. Severus smiled. He had two reasons for asking them such an odd question. One, to break the ice, and two, to gauge which ones were from neglectful or abusive homes. Often eating habits were one of the biggest indicators of abuse. Sometimes, Severus would even get a child with the beginnings of anorexia or bulimia, and he tried to head that off as soon as possible.

"Hmm, who shall go first? What about you, little one?" he said, pointing to a very small little girl with huge silvery eyes.

"I-I'm Gabriele, and...I had a donut for breakfast!" she said, ending her sentence with a grin and a giggle.

Severus smiled warmly at the little thing, who was delighted when she saw she had made her house-mates laugh.

After that, all the little ones were raising hands eagerly to be picked to announce their name and breakfast.

Severus soon made it clear that he was picking only the ones who sat quietly and waited, and the students soon settled down.

After everyone had had a chance to introduce themselves, Severus started into the heart of what he wanted to talk about.

"How many of you are pure-blood?" he asked, and almost all of the first-years raised their hands.

"Now, how many of you know what that means?" he said with a slight smirk. Nearly half of the first-years lowered their hands.

"Alright. Here's what it means: absolutely nothing." most of the children who still had their hands in the air stared at him in horror.

"It's true. Despite what you have heard, your blood means nothing. Hogwarts does not care about your blood, I do not care about your blood, and none of your Housemates should care about your blood," he said, looking at the older children sternly. They nodded quickly, trying to assure him that they were not prejudice. He softened his features and gave them a slight nod back, to let them know that he knew.

"For as long as you are here, in Hogwarts, your Housemates will be your family. For some of you, they will be your only family."

A few students looked away slightly, confirming some of the suspicions Severus had about their home lives.

"No matter where you come from, or who your parents are, no matter what color your skin is, or what you might have done, Slytherins stick by each other until the end. We are a strong house, and we are a unified house. Now, don't you think it would be different if we treated you badly because you were a so-called 'half-blood', or muggle-born? We would constantly be at each others throats, belittling and bullying each other. We would not be a family, we would be a pit of vipers. Do you understand?" Some of the first-years nodded, others still looked unsure.

Severus sighed. He hated when it came to this. "But, if that story can get throught to Draco, it can get through to anyone." Severus thought. Taking a deep breath, he began to tell his snakes the story of his fifth year.

"Let me see if I can try to make you understand a little better. When I was a student at Hogwarts, I had a very dear friend, who I had known since I was a child. When we came to Hogwarts, she was sorted into Gryffindor, and I into Slytherin.

Now, blood-status was very important to us then, and Lily, my friend, was a muggle-born. I was a half-blood, but I didn't want anyone to know it.

Now, Lily had a boy after her, one of her Gryffindor house-mates. James Potter was a bully, and he had a group of followers that revelled in tormenting me. Now, I'm not saying this to turn you against Gryffindors. They'll do a good job of that by themselves," he said, smiling as the little ones giggled.

"But I'm saying it to make you see that things might not always be easy, and other people may not be as accepting of you as we are. But anyway, one day James and his group were having fun at bullying me, and Lily tried to make them stop. Well, I was angry and a teenager, and stupid, and when James asked me if he should let me go because Lily said so, I yelled that I didn't need the help of a filthy mudblood.

Now, I never want to hear that word come out of any of your mouths, do you understand? It's something you should never say, because it's very hurtful to someone, especially when they have low self-esteem like Lily did. Things were never the same between us after I called her that. I nearly lost someone very dear to me that day, and I don't want you to make the same mistake, do you understand?" he said.

All the first years nodded emphatically.

He smiled at them.

"Good. So, what does blood mean?" he asked.

"Nothing!" they chorused.

"And what do Slytherins do?" he said.

"Stick together!" they screamed.

The second-years covered their ears and the rest of the kids winced.

"Alright then. Now, everyone, off to bed. The girls dormitories are on the left, the boy's on the right. Now, go!" he said, shooing them off.

They all got up and started to run up the stairs, until Severus called, "No running!" and they slowed to a brisk walk. Severus shook his head ruefully, smiling. Then he noticed a student that had stayed behind.

"Ms. Thompson? Are you alright?" he said, going over to the girl who was standing at the stairs to the girls dormitory.

"Y-yeah. I, I just-" she flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck, tears streaming down her cheeks.

He tightened his arms around her, expecting her to start sobbing about her sister. What she did surprised him.

"I know about your son, Mr. Snape. Meet me in the astronomy tower Friday, 12:00 sharp." she whispered in his ear, then pushed away from him, turning and running up the stairs to her dorm, not a trace of tears on her cheeks.

Severus Snape sat down hard in his armchair, his mind racing.

"How are the first year boys, Dima?" Severus asked the prefect, a sixth year who had moved to England from the Ukraine when he was eight.

"They're fine, Professor Snape," the boy said, a slight accent coating the words.

"They're getting dressed, telling jokes and plotting the ways to annoy Gryffindors." Dima said with a grin.

"You did tell them-"

"Yes, Professor. I just said that to annoy you." he said, grinning and ducking a swipe at his head.

"Cheeky brat." Severus muttered.

"And how are the girls doing, Areida?" Severus asked the girl standing in front of his desk, making love-eyes at Dima. The two had begun dating last year, and obviously they were still going strong.

"The same as the boys, except they're plotting the ways they can make Harry Potter their boyfriend by the end of term." she said, turning to him, smiling and grimacing at the same time.

Severus winced at the name. If there was one thing he did not need to hear about at this early hour, it was Harry.

"Well, tell them not to come at him all at once. He has enough trouble in potions already." he said, smirking.

Areida giggled and Dima barked out a laugh. It didn't escape Severus' notice that the boy grabbed Areida's hand and held it tightly.

"Alright, you love-birds, leave!" he said, shooing them out of the room. They ran out, laughing softly.

Severus shook his head and chuckled. How he could be a father-figure to all these brats at one time and not go insane, he'd never know.

"I just don't know, Lils. I-I'm afraid." he murmured.

"Lils, you know I'm not good with children, I-"

"You've been Head of Slytherin for ten years, Severus. None of your students have ever gone to the darkness, and they all love and respect you. And they still trust you enough to be able to come to you with their problems."

It was true. Many of the students Severus had taught still owled him letters now and then, asking his advice on things. Often times, from the boys it was advice on love, which never ceased to amaze Severus. Who would ever think that someone was asking Severus Snape's opinion on matters of the heart?

"What if you turn out like your father, Sev? Wasn't that going to be your next question?"

"Yes," Severus whispered.

"Yes what, Sev?"

Severus jumped up from his desk, whirling around to face the intruder, wand at the ready. Remus Lupin held his hands up in surrender.

"Easy, Sev. I just wanted to stop by and see how you were doing before I went to breakfast. Are you alright?" the werewolf said, smiling at his friend.

Severus sat down hard in his chair, running a hand through his hair tiredly.

"I'm fine, Remus. I jus-"

Severus was interrupted by a head poking through his door. Anton, Dima's twelve-year-old brother, opened his mouth to say something, then stopped, eyes going wide.

"I'm sorry sir! I didn't know you were in a meeting!" the boy said, starting to close the door.

"I'm not, Anton. What do you need?"

"Well, I was wondering sir, uh, that is..." the boy trailed off, shooting a slightly embarassed glance at Remus.

"Well, what is it?" Severus said.

"Umm, well...how do you french-kiss?" the boy said, throwing caution to the wind.

"Out!" Severus bellowed, glaring at the boy.

"But, Professor, it's Keona Porter, I've gotta know, plea-"

"Out, Anton! And if I catch you and Ms. Porter involved in any displays of affection, public or otherwise, before your fifth year, you will be in serious hot-water, do you understand, young man?" Severus said, his tone dark and his glare darker.

Anton nodded quickly, and then left, a bit of healthy fear in his eyes.

Behind him, Severus heard Remus chuckle.

"Are they all like that?" he said, grinning.

"No, just the boys." Severus said, smiling too. "And I think I've got another womanizer this year. Mr. Kyle McConnell?" Severus said, and Remus nodded.

"I know their family. All muggles. If he's a womanizer, blame it on his father and five older brothers. Their mother died in childbirth with Kyle."

"How do you know them, Remus?"

"I watched the children the summer when I was sixteen, for a summer job. They lived in the village near our land. They couldn't pay me much, but I did it anyway, because I was bored. They were just babies, one was four years old, one was two, and one was three months. They're, oh, I don't know, maybe twenty, seventeen and fifteen now, and there's three more added to the hoard: Kyle, and a set of twins. Makes a person feel very old." Remus said, chuckling ruefully.

"Maybe he'd like to see you?"

Remus shook his head. "I doubt it. Their family isn't very partial toward me. My father had a falling out with Mr. McConnell the summer before I left home, and I think it's turned into a bit of a feud." He sighed softly.

Severus grimaced as he sat down at his desk. He picked up a peice of parchment and began writing lesson plans on it, glancing up slightly when Remus walked around the desk to sit in the chair before it.

"So..." Remus said after a few moments of awkward silence. "Have you seen Harry?" he said.

Severus groaned. "No, and I do not nead to hear about the boy this early, Remus!"

"Severus, if you just got to know him-"

"Believe me, Remus, I know him much better than you think."

Remus jumped up from his chair, more than slightly annoyed at Severus.

"No, Sev, you think you know him, because you knew his father! As you saw on the train, Harry's most defenitly not his father."

"Oh, yes he is, Remus." Severus said, his face in his hands.

"Harry's not Ja-"

"Not James, I know. I didn't mean he was James. I said he was his father."

"Sev-"

"I said he was his father because I'm his father, Lupin! And he acts exactly like me." Severus said, miserably.

Remus sat down hard.

"What?" the man choaked out after two minutes of tortorous silence. "How do you know?"

"Lily's been coming to me in dreams," Severus whispered tiredly. "She keeps begging me to take care of her son. O-our son."

"It could be just a dream, Sev." Remus said sadly, standing up and putting a hand on his friend's shoulder reassuringly.

"It's not, Remus."

"How do you know?"

"B-because...she's there when I wake up." Severus said, his voice soft.

Remus said nothing, only swallowed hard.

"I mean, she's not there, physically, but I can feel her. And she talks to me." Severus took one look at Remus' face and stood up, snarling.

"I'm not making this up, Remus!" he nearly shouted.

"I never said you were, Sev." Remus said calmly. "It just seems so...far-fetched. I mean, it's just...I don't know." Remus sighed.

"Look, Sev, why don't you do a paternity test. There's a potion for that, right?"

Severus nodded. "But I need something of the boy's. A hair would work, but blood is preferable, it's easier and faster." Severus murmured, partly to himself. He seemed to be in a daze. Remus guessed he hadn't been sleeping very well.

"There's no way you'll get blood without letting Harry know. Getting a hair should be relatively easy." Remus said.

Severus nodded.

"When will you see Harry? Remus asked.

"His first class is Potions." Severus said, the dazed look leaving his eyes, and the sharp, intense gaze of a Potion's Master coming back to him.

"Perfect." Remus said, smiling.

“Harry. Harry, come on. Get up, mate!” Ron said, shaking Harry hard.

“Alright, alright!” Harry said, slapping Ron’s hand away. “I’m up, I’m up!”

Ron grinned at Harry as he got up, grabbing a his clothes and pulling them on quickly. Harry tended to sleep in just his shorts lately, because the fabric of his pajamas aggravated his back and the becks of his legs. He had meant to get new ones in Diagon Alley, but hadn’t gotten the chance.

He threw his school robes over his uniform and slipped on his shoes. He tried in vain to smooth his wild hair, growling and glaring at Ron when he laughed.

He was letting it grow out in the hopes it might tame itself, but so far that had only served to get it in his eyes more. Though, somehow, it seemed to be getting silkier…

“Are you coming, Harry, or are you just gonna stand with your hands on your head all day?” Ron said, grabbing his friend’s arm. Harry through him a mock glare, but followed the red-head down to the common room, where Hermione was already waiting.

Someone else was there too.

When Harry saw Arynn, the events of the night before came rushing back, and he groaned softly.

“Hello, boys,” Hermione said, smiling at them. Ron smiled back and Harry managed a half-grin.

“Hi, Harry. Hi, Ron,” Arynn said, grinning at the pair. Ron nodded, looking slightly uncomfortable with the girl. Harry didn’t do anything, until Hermione elbowed him in the stomach.

“Uh, hi,” he said, staring blankly at the girl’s long hair, or her shoes, or anywhere other than her face. He knew he’d never be able to keep his mouth shut about last night if he looked at her face.

Hermione sighed, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like, “Idiotic boys!” under her breath.

“Well, come on then. We’ve got to go eat. Goodness knows we’ll need a good breakfast. We’ve got Potions, first class.”

Ron groaned. “We’d be better off without breakfast, Hermione. I’ll probably end up sicking up everything in my stomach if I look at Snape!” he said, whining slightly.

“Is he really that bad?” Arynn said. “I mean, I’ve heard he’s not the nicest person in the world, but surely he can’t be that awful!”

Ron looked at her in horror. “He is that bad. And worse.” He said passionately. “He’s the snarkiest, evilest git in the world!” he cried.

“’Evilest’ isn’t a word, Ronald!” Hermione muttered. The red-head glared at her.

“Guys?” Harry said, trying to break up the fight before it started. “I think we need to go?” he said, taking Ron’s arm and pulling him. After a moment, the girls followed.

Harry sighed softly as he reached the door of the Potion’s classroom, a sickening feeling of fear and dread settling in his gut.

Hermione came up behind him, giving him a sad smile, and pushed him slightly to get him moving. He gave her a grateful smile as he walked into the classroom.

As he made his way to a desk, he couldn’t help feeling that there was some truth in Ron’s statement about breakfast. As he looked at Snape, who was sitting behind his desk flipping through a text, he did feel as though he were about to sick up. Though, it wasn’t from disgust. It was from fear, and nervousness, and…embaressment.

He was frightened of his Potions Master.

He had realized this at the beginning of last year. His hands had shaken so much during his first Potions Class that he had botched up his and Ron’s potion, causing the cauldron to bubble over and Snape to yell at them for almost five minutes straight. He had sank lower and lower in his chair as the man yelled, wishing for all the world he was invisible, and praying his potions master wouldn’t see that he was afraid, because he didn’t even know why he was afraid in the first place. And he was even more frightened now, because of what had happened on the train. What would Snape do? Would he be even worse than he usually was? How could someone so awful have felt so…safe?

“Harry!”

He was shaken out of his worries when he heard someone hiss his name. He turned to Hermione.

“You’re paired with Arynn!” she whispered, pointing to the girl who was waiting expectantly at the desk behind him. He hurried to join her, and immediately began chopping the root that was lying on the table. He didn’t look at the girl, and they worked easily (and in silence) for about 20 minutes. Soon, their potion was almost done, and the only ingredient left was some sort of root, which Harry immediately began to chop. He chopped hurriedly, hoping he would get through the class without anymore cryptic messages from the girl beside him. But never mind what he wanted. Harry silently cursed the fates when he heard a barely audible whisper in his ear.

“I know what’s going on,” the girl said, leaning closer to him. “I know all about you, Mr. Snape. I know how frightened you are. I know-“ she stopped as Harry let out a strangled cry.

He had been concentrating on her words and hadn’t been paying attention to what- or where- he was cutting. A deep red line ran across the inside of his thumb. Harry put it to his mouth and sucked on it to try and stop the bleeding.

“Stop that!” he heard, and he flinched as his thumb was pulled from his mouth. He looked up to see Snape standing over him. He hadn’t even heard the man come close.

“Class dismissed.” The silky voice commanded, and the students beat a hasty retreat, leaving their nearly finished potions still simmering in their cauldrons. Snape drew his wand and Harry flinched again, but the man merely muttered a vanishing spell and returned the wand to the folds of his robes.

“Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley, and Ms. Thompson. Leave.” He said, not even glancing over his shoulder at the three. They all gave Harry sympathetic looks, but left. Harry didn’t blame them.

“Sit.” Snape said, pushing the boy into a chair. Harry watched him warily as he walked to his desk and opened a drawer. Harry let out a soft sigh of relief when all he took out was a white cloth and two potions vials. One was a filled with a creamy paste-like substance that reminded Harry a bit of Aunt Petunia’s nail polish; and the other held a clear, thin liquid that Harry thought could have been rubbing alchohol.

The man came back to Harry and sitting the vials on the desk, pressed the cloth against his still-bleeding thumb. When he pulled it away, it was soaked with blood.

“Honestly, Potter.” The man muttered. “How you can injure yourself on your first day back is beyond me.” He said, though there was no malice in his voice. Harry found this odd, and he wanted to look at the man’s face to see if his eyes betrayed any thoughts, but he didn’t dare. Instead, he focused on the man’s hands, which were currently reaching for the vial of clear liquid.

Harry tensed as he pulled the stopper out of the vial, waiting for the pain that was sure to come if that liquid was what he thought it was. Snape must have seen him tense up, because he said:

“Yes, this looks like rubbing alchohol, but it isn’t. It’s similar to it, in the way that it rids the wound of toxins and germs, but it doesn’t sting. It simply gives you a tingling sensation.”

And it did indeed, because Harry barely felt anything when the liquid was poured over his thumb. But that might have been because he was in shock at hearing Snape talk about rubbing alchohol. He didn’t think the man knew anything about muggle methods.

“He’s a Potions Master. Of course he’d know about muggle medicine, stupid!” he thought to himself as he watched the slender hands pick up the other vial.

“This helps mend the skin, Potter.” He said as he pulled the stopper out of the vial and dipped his long fingers in the sticky substance. Then he gently rubbed the stuff across Harry’s cut. Harry watched in amazement as the skin slowly began to pull itself together.

After a few moments, Snape removed his fingers, and Harry gaped. The cut was gone, with no evidence of it ever being there in the first place.

He stopped staring at the space where the cut should have been only when he heard Snape say:

“Get going. You’ll be late.”

Harry did as he was told, jumping from his stool and grabbing his bag, pausing to give the man a soft ‘thank-you’ before he raced out the door.

If he had chanced a look at his Potions Master, he would have seen the look of disbelief on the man’s face as he took an empty vial from his robes and placed the bloody cloth inside it.

"Alright, come out Remus. I know you've been watching." Severus said to the shadows of his potions classroom as soon as the boy had left.

He heard a quiet chuckle as the form of his friend stepped from beside a cabinet, an invisibitly spell having just been canceled, obviously.

"Now, Severus, can you really blame me for wanting to watch my godson at school?" he said, his eyes teasing. Then his face fell. "I haven't seen him in such a long time, you know..." he trailed off as severus came to stand beside him.

"I know Remy. But it's over now. He's here, and there's nothing stopping you now."

Remus nodded softly, then smiled. "You're already very good at the over-protective daddy bit, Sev."

Severus sputtered as Remus quickly moved away, laughing.

"I am not!" Sev hissed. Remus laughed.

"Oh yes you are! I saw that look on your face when he yelled. You turned around so fast I thought you would have whiplash!" Remus said, chuckling.

Severus shook his head, giving Remus a mock-glare.

Finally, the man sobered up. "Did you get enough blood?" he asked, coming to stand beside Severus.

Severus nodded. "I brewed the potion last night. Now all I have to do is add the blood." he said, as he opened the door to his private potions lab. Remus followed him over to a strang object that Severus quietly identified as a strainer, though it surely didn't look like the normal kitchen strainers Remus was used to.

It was a thin brass rod on a platform, with another, shorter rod attached to it horizontally. And connected to that by another rod were two bowls. The first was a small brass bowl which slid up and down the pole. The second was a brass bowl as well, but this one was filled with tiny holes, and did not move. It was in this bowl that Severus placed the bloody cloth.

He then murmured a Latin phrase under his breath, and the solid bowl began to move down the rod and into the other bowl, slowly squeazing the blood out of the cloth and into a measuring cup below.

Both men grimaced at the blood that was trickling down into the cup, thinking about how deep the cut must been to produce that much blood, and how much it must have hurt.

Soon, the solid bowl retracted, pulling itself up and away from the other bowl. Severus reached in and pulled out the cloth. Remus saw that the cloth had only a faint rust color to it. The machine was very efficient.

Severus pulled the measuring cup out from under the device, and set it on his worktable. Then he walked over to a cabinet and pulled out a cauldron of swirling white liquid.

He placed it on the table, and then opened a drawer. He pulled out a long silver knife, and quickly made a slit in his palm before Remus could stop him.

"Severus!" Remus cried out as Severus winced, and tried to take his hand, but Severus waved him away.

Severus moved his hand over the cauldron, and the blood trickled in, swirling with the whiteness, reminding Remus of a peppermint candy.

Severus then reaced with his other hand and took the cup of Harry's blood, and poured it in as well.

He then stepped back, slumping forlornly against the wall as Remus came to him and began to fuss over his hand.

"Now we wait. Five minutes. If it turns black, there is no relationship. If it's gold, I'm his father."

Severus wasn't sure which he wished to happen.

* * * *

Meanwhile, Harry had made it about halfway down the corridor towards Charms before he was accosted by Ron, Hermione and Arynn.

"Harry, are you alright?" Hermione said, grabbing Harry's hand. She seemed suprised to see the bandage there and not an even bigger wound.

"Yeah, Hermione, I'm fine. Snape helped me. He bandaged my cut and everything!" Harry said, smiling, and not knowing why in the world he was so happy about it.

Hermione smiled a bit of a confused smile back at him. "That's great, Harry..." she trailed off.

"Hey, how'd you cut yourself in the first place, mate?" Ron said, breaking the akward silence that had descended.

"Erm..." Harry looked over at Arynn, who looked away. "I just got distracted, that's all." he said.

Hermione and Ron looked suspiscious, but they didn't say anything about it.

"Well, let's go then. We'll be late for charms if we don't hurry, everyone." Hermione said, grabbing Arynn and dragging her down the corridor along with Harry.

* * * *

Severus stared down at the potion, his breathing becoming increasingly rapid.

"Severus? Breathe, Sev." Lupin said, as he too stared at the glittering gold liquid in the cauldron.

"What are you going to do, Sev?" he whispered.

Severus simply shook his head.

"I don't know."

* * * *

The rest of the day passed uneventfully for Harry. Once he retired to the tower, however, things became increasingly eventfull.

The event in questioin came in the form of a letter left on his bed. Harry saw it as soon as he came into his dorm room. He walked over and picked it up warily, sitting down on the bed.

It was simply addressed to 'Harry', written in marvelous penmanship with thick black ink.

He turned the letter over to look at the seal. Black wax with a snake circling round a double 's' insignia. Intruiged, Harry slipped a finger under the seal and broke it.

The contents were as such:

Harry dropped the letter, his mind reeling. Professor Snape? Professor Snape wanted to meet him? Why?

Harry sighed, trying to calm the butterflies in his stomach. Really, he didn't know why the idea frightened him so much. It was only a teacher, for goodness sakes!

A teacher who scares me near to death because he reminds me of Uncle Vernon. Harry thought. Really, it was silly to compare Snape to his whale of an uncle. But in many ways they were very similar.

Like Uncle Vernon, nothing was ever good enough for Snape. Harry could remember countless times during his first year when he had worked so hard for potions class, only to have his work written off by Snape as 'abysmal'.

Deep down, Harry had always wanted Snape's approval, he had realized that pver the summer. Potions had been the class that Harry had been looking forward to the most, coming to Hogwarts. He had always wanted to learn muggle chemistry, and he figured that Potions would be as good, or better. He had come into the class resolved to do as well as he could, and to work as hard as possible. He had come into class hoping to impress the tall, foreboding man whom he had seemed drawn to at the feast, only to have his hopes dashed within five minutes of beginning the class.

Since then, it had been an uphill battle to please Snape, just like it was an uphill battle to please Uncle Vernon.

At Privet Drive, everything he did was wrong. No questions. Most of the time, Uncle Vernon didn't even look at what he had did, be it schoolwork, house cleaning, or some task Petunia had dreamed up, before assuming it was bad and punishing Harry.

Harry winced, remembering his most recent punishment. He had blown up his aunt in a fit of rage, and hadn't had time to run before Uncle Vernon had grabbed him.

Harry shuddered, shaking his head as if to shake the memory out.

He sighed again. No time to dwell in the past.

He looked at the clock over the door. 9:45. He might as well get started toward the dungeons, then.

* * *

It had taken a lot of courage for Severus to write that letter, and a lot of cheerleading from Remus. Severus had used countless excuses, but after he had used them all, he had no choice.

After he sent the letter, he began to panic.

He paced around his office for two hours until Remus finally made him sit down.

"Now, Sev, it's almost 10:00. Harry'll be here soon. Are you ready?" Sev nodded, though everything inside him screamed no.

Severus had spent the better part of those two hours thinking about what to say, and he still didn't have a clue.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be, Remus." he had asked Remus there for support, as he was sure both he and Harry would need it.

"Good. Because Harry's just outside the door," Remus said, pointing to the color and name over the doorway, announcing who was about to knock. Black letters spelling out 'Harry Potter/Snape' surrounded by an aura of both burgundy and dark green.

Severus stared. "It's official now, isn't it?" he asked Remus.

"It would seem so, Sev."

* * * *

Harry stood outside the door, hesitant to go in, afraid of what might happen if he crossed the threshold. He had spent the time walking down to the dungeons working himself into a frenzy, thinking about what might happen.

"Well, it's now or never..." he whispered to himself, raising his hand to knock.

He didn't even get that far before the door was pulled open.

"Come in, Mr. Potter."

* * * *

When Severus opened the door, the sight of those emerald green eyes staring up at him almost made him lose his nerve, and slam it closed again.

Instead, he heard himself tell the boy to come in, though he could have sworn he was too frightened to speak.

The child hurried into the room, and Severus noticed as he closed the door, that the boy's hair was lying flatter than usual. Funny, the things you notice when you're terrified.

Once inside the room, the child turned back to him, and Severus felt as though those eyes peirced his very soul.

"Er...Mr. Potter, you remember Professor Lupin." Severus said; anything to stop the boy from staring at him so.

Harry turned to Remus, who smiled warmly at him.

"Hello, Harry. I do believe we've met before."

Harry nodded, smiling a bit. "Yessir. Um, thanks for the chocolate, you know, on the train," Harry said nervously. "It really helped."

Remus smiled even more. "You're welcome, Harry, though you needn't thank me."

The three lapsed into silence after that, until Harry took the initiative.

"Um...you wanted me for something, Professor Snape?" he said tentatively, turning to Severus.

"Yes, I...I have something to tell you, Harry."

The boy's eyes widened at hearing Severus use his name.

"It's...how much do you know about your parents?" he asked.

Harry thought for a moment. "Not much. Just that my dad played quidditch, and was very good at Defense, and that my mum was very beautiful, and very brave." he said softly.

"Well, you are right in the latter part, Harry. Your mum was very beautiful, and very, very brave."

Harry beamed, making Severus want to smile as well. But soon Harry's smile faded.

"Is that what you called me here for, sir? To tell me about my mum?" Harry said.

Severus shook his head. "No, Harry, I called you here to tell you about your father."

Severus took a deep breath, and Harry looked at him eagerly, ready to hear anything that might let him know a bit more about his parents, who were as much a mystery to him as Arithmancy or Runes.

Severus almost lost his nerve right then and there, and would have if Remus had not been urging him on from his position behind Harry.

"Harry, your father was not, in fact, James Potter," Harry's brow furrowed in confusion. "Your father, is, in fact...me."

Harry's looked back and forth between Remus and Severus for an instant before bolting.

"Harry, wait!" Severus called after the boy as he ran from the classroom. He put his head in his hands, groaning.

"Remus, what have I done?" he said.

"Figure that out later, Sev. Right now, you need to go after Harry. Take this." Remus shoved a peice of parchment into his hand.

"What is it?"

"It's called the Marauder's Map. It belong to us back in the day. James helped me make it. It's a map of Hogwarts, except it shows people too. Just tap it with your wand and say: 'I solemnly swear I am up to no good.' Got it?"

Severus nodded.

"Good. Now go!" Remus said.

Already drawing his wand, Severus took off into the castle to find his son.

Harry ran as fast as he through the corridors. This was not happening. It wasn't right. He couldn't be Snape's son! Right?

Harry's feet pounded on the stone floors, making his shoulders hurt as he ran. He tried to quiet his running, praying that he wouldn't wake anyone.

He didn't want them to see him cry.

Finally, Harry stopped running, and with a choked, dry sob, sunk down against the cold stone wall. He began to shiver as he thought of all the things that were desperately wrong with this situation.

For years, Harry had dreamed of having parents. Of having a father, especially. He had wanted a father for as long as he could remember.

Someone strong, who could protect him from dementors and Uncle Vernon. Someone that wouldn't get angry at him.

Harry was afraid of thunderstorms; he wanted someone who wouldn't mind if Harry came to him in the middle of the night because he was frightened.

Uncle Vernon had minded. Harry had been five years old.

Harry buried his face deeper in his hands, trying to erase that memory. Of all the horrible memories he had of the Dursleys, that was the worst. Worse than all the slaps and kicks and punches. Worse than all the yelling and belittling.

It had been the first time he realized that they really didn't care.

Harry began to sob; deep, anguished sobs that wracked his frame and made him hurt.

He felt so alone.

* * * *

Severus raced down the corridor, watching the map as closely as possible. He was getting close to Harry, he knew it.

As he was running, Severus mentally beat himself up. How could he have been so selfish? To spring the news on Harry like that? He had just wanted to get it over with, to have it done as quickly as possible.

The poor thing had looked so shocked...and betrayed. Severus cursed.

Turning one last corner, he finally found Harry. The child was curled up against the wall, his face pressed into his knees and his shoulders shaking like he was...crying.

Severus felt more guilt in that moment than he had in his whole life, even more than he had felt after Lily died.

He had made his son cry. The last thing he had wanted to do.

Slowly, hesitantly, he went to his son. For a little while, he stood in front of the boy, unsure of what to do. But finally he simply sat down beside him on the ground.

If anyone had been awake to see this, they would never have believed that Severus Snape was sitting on the floor, reaching over to touch Harry Potter's shoulder, trying to calm his crying.

But that was exactly what Severus did.

"Harry?" he murmured softly. The boy looked up, startled. Apparently he hadn't heard Severus at first.

Harry dashed his hand at his face angrily to wipe away the tears.

"Harry, I...I regret that I didn't...thoroughly prepare you for what I was going to say. I did not mean to....startle you. I'm sorry."

His apologies only served to make the situation worse, because Harry turned away from him, putting his head back down on his knees, still sobbing.

"I...I know that...you probably feel as though you do not need a father, after all these years...I'm sure that your uncle was a perfect surrogate," at this Harry lifted his head, turning to look at the professor with wide eyes that screamed no.

Severus continued, although that look confused him.

"And...I'm sure that even if you did want a father, I'd be the last person in the world that you'd want...but..."

Harry shook his head emphatically. "No, sir! Uncle Vernon wasn't a father...he was...but sir, no! Of course I want a father, just..."

"Just not me, right?" Severus said, preparing himself.

"N-no, sir," Harry said, his voice shaking a bit. "Y-you were nice to me, you know, on the train...but I just...I don't know!" Harry said, biting his lip.

"It's hard to think...after all these years...I've wanted a dad for forever, and then when I get one, it's one that hates me!" Harry said, to upset to think about what he was saying.

Severus flinched like he'd been slapped.

"Harry...I don't hate you. No matter what you might have seen me do, I cannot hate you. That stopped at the beginning of the summer, when Lily..." Severus trailed off, looking at Harry's confused expression.

"Harry, I can't explain it now. Just know, that I do not hate you."

"You don't?" Harry asked, his eyes suddenly taking on a look of hope.

"No. I don't. And if you would try along with me, I...I'd like to make this work." Severus said, putting all his hopes on the line.

Harry thought for a moment. "Okay." he whispered.

Severus looked at him, shocked, but managed to keep enough composure to whisper:

"Alright, then."

For a long time, they just sat in silence. Finally, Harry whispered:

"Sir? Would...would you tell me about my mum?"

Severus smiled, shocking Harry he was sure.

"Of course, Harry. I'd love too."

For atleast a half hour, Severus entertained Harry with stories about his mother, making the boy laugh at Lily's temper and stare off longingly when Severus described her laughter, and how much she had loved Harry.

"She really loved me, then?" he said.

"Yes, Harry," Severus nodded. "She loved you so much."

Harry smiled. "Tha's good then," he murmured, his words growing slurred with sleepiness. Severus looked over at how the boy's eyelids were drooping. He knew it would only be a few moments until he fell asleep.

"Sir?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"Did you love my mum?" he said as he leaned agaist Severus' shoulder. Sev was sure the boy had no idea what he was doing, but Severus wasn't about to point it out to him.

"Yes, Harry. I loved your mother very much." Severus whispered, but Harry was already asleep.

* * * *

When Severus came back to his rooms carrying Harry in his arms, Remus was shocked to say the least.

"Sev?" he said, standing up from the chair he had been resting in.

"Sshhh!" Severus said as he walked through the sitting room into his guest room. The guest room had been something he had protested about when Dumbledore had built his rooms, saying he would never have guests. Dumbledore had insisted, that since all the other staff had a guest room, so would Severus.

He was glad, now, that Dumbledore had insisted.

He gently layed his sleeping son on the bed. Remus came behind him to stand in the doorway. The werewolf didn't have the heart to tell Sev that he was treating the thirteen-year-old like a three-year-old.

He watched, grinning as Severus transfigured the boy's jeans and t-shirt into a pair of warm pajamas and tucked the covers up around the boy. With a final satisfied look, Severus brushed a bit of the boy's messy hair out of his eyes and pulled off his glasses, laying them by the bedside.

"Sweet dreams, Harry," he whispered.

Turning around, Severus blushed when he saw Remus standing in the door and grinning.

"I told you you were good at the daddy thing," Remus whispered.

"Oh, shut up, werewolf."

Remus followed Severus into the sitting room, pulling the door to the room closed behind him as Harry snuggled deeper into the pillows.