Severus Snape billowed into the staff room, sneer firmly in place, for the last of the staff meetings before the children arrived that evening. The castle was polished top to bottom, his base potions were all prepared for his classes, Poppy was stocked for the fall term, and he had his curriculum all prepared.

The boys had survived their nearly two weeks together without too many disagreements, although he was still finding feathers in odd places… How one had managed to float all the way into his bathroom still boggled his mind.

He shook his head to himself as he went to the sideboard to prepare a cup of strong black coffee. He’d already had two cups at breakfast this morning, but it had the feeling of a possible five-cup day.

He was the first to arrive, but Minerva and Filius soon joined him, with the rest trailing in after them. Sybil sort of wafted in on her own paisley cloud, humming gently to herself and fingering a well-worn deck of Tarot cards. Dumbledore finally arrived, sitting at the head of the table and calling the meeting to order.

“I believe everyone is here; for the teachers who weren’t at the last meeting earlier this week, I’ll introduce our new Defence teacher, Professor Lockhart.” The man, in a set of frilly, green, silk robes, stood up and bowed to the room at large, his teeth shining in all their glory. Snape just rolled his eyes at Minerva who sat across from him. She pursed her lips, but didn’t say anything.

“Yes, welcome professor. Now onto the various department reports…” Severus attempted to stay awake as the department heads gave their ‘everything is ready for the students’ speeches, including his own.

“Now for those of you returning late, we have a change in the student body. Severus would you explain?”

Snape snorted to himself as he straightened in his leather-padded chair. “At the end of July it was necessary to remove Mr Potter from his relatives house for his own safety. As I’m sure you have all read in the paper, the house was burnt to the ground by Death Eaters after the Dursleys were taken into custody.” Murmurs and nodding heads met his explanation.

He continued on, “Mr Potter has been staying with me for the month, and during that time it was discovered that he was my biological son.” He twisted his upper lip, and raised his eyebrows as the protests started. He let it go on for a few moments before talking over them all. “Lily was my wife before she married Potter – which was done primarily for safety reasons. Harry was conceived prior to their wedding – a good two months prior, if you must be so nosy. He is my son! All I ask is that you respect his wishes and refer to him as Potter-Snape.”

“Thank you, my boy. We will all respect your, and Harry’s, wishes in this matter. I must also point out, to those of you who have Mr Potter-Snape in their classes, that while the majority of the student body won’t really care who his father is, the genetic changes will be obvious to everyone and there will be some who will attempt to cause trouble for the boy. Please be alert. Now that’s taken care, let’s move on to the next agenda item: Mr Filch’s list of banned products…”

Severus leaned back in his chair with a mental groan, prepared for the meeting to last until lunchtime.

***

“Sir? You’re certain?” Harry asked that afternoon as he viewed the potions receipt in front of him.

“Yes, Harry, you are ready for this. We weren’t able to get to this potion last term so it is the perfect test of your abilities after your tutelage this month. I will be in my office; you have two hours to brew, starting… now.” He watched as his son carefully read the instructions and set out the implements he would need, pouring the purified water into the pewter cauldron and setting it to simmer as he walked over to the student stores to get out the few ingredients that were not in his own kit. Draco looked up from his bench where he was working on a potions project of his own, but soon his head was back down, concentrating.

Severus nodded to himself in satisfaction and, with one last look at his sons, swirled away to his office, leaving the door cracked open. What Harry didn’t know was that Severus had given him a fourth-year potion, just to see if his son’s abilities had blossomed as much as he thought they had.

Harry brought back his ingredients to his bench and laid them out in order, starting in on the milkweed pods. He pulled out five of the delicate, lacy seeds, being careful not to breathe on them, and placed them one by one, in a star pattern, into the gently boiling water of his cauldron. He set the pod aside and took a look at the next instruction.

Two hours later, Severus came out of his office and advanced on his son, raising an eyebrow in satisfaction as he noticed the clean desk and the cauldron now sitting on the surface, cooling. He took his own glass rod out of his sleeve and peered into the cauldron.

Harry had stepped back from the desk with a satisfied look on his face; as far as he could tell, the potion was absolutely correct. Draco came and stood beside him, his own project finished a while ago, lending him moral support. The boys watched as the professor stirred the contents and eyed the potion dripping off the end of the rod.

“Well?” Harry ventured to ask.

“Hmm….” Severus looked a bit startled. “I’m sorry, son. It’s well made, Harry; one too many dingle claws – which is why the colour is a shade dark – but overall, well done. Now, how could you correct for your mistake, if you needed to?”

Harry racked his brain for a few moments as he thought about all the properties of the potion ingredients. “Another milkweed seed?” he posited. “I thought maybe the ones I pulled were a bit small…” He stopped as he noticed his father’s grin – or what passed as such for Severus, and Draco clapped him on the back, a little too forcefully, as the smaller boy lurched forward. But Harry recovered quickly and gave the other boy a grin.

“Very good, that is the solution exactly. Now, what do you think this potion does?” Harry had been annoyed a bit at that lapse on the parchment: no name and no description of properties. Now he knew this was part of the test and went over what he knew about the various ingredients and how they reacted with each other. His eyes grew bright as he grinned up at his teacher; sure that he had the answer.

“Dreamless Sleep?”

“Correct. Now take it over to the sideboard and bottle it up, then clean out your cauldrons and you two shall join me in our quarters for a hearty tea as we all missed lunch. By the way, just so you know, that was a fourth-year potion.” Severus patted Harry on the shoulders once, sniggering at the expression on his son’s face, and went back into his office, very satisfied with his son’s performance.

Harry heard the door to the secret corridor close and sighed with relief. He had passed. He had redone every single potion from first year to his father’s satisfaction - granted some of them had taken a few tries - and then he had done one more and had figured out what it was and how to correct it! And it had been a fourth-year potion! He had to admit he was starting to like the subject, but he wondered how it would be when it wasn’t just the three of them, and he had to share his dad with the rest of the class, and the Slytherin’s. He thought about this as he bottled his potion and cleaned out the cauldron, setting it upside down on the drain board to dry next to Draco’s.

“We’re all done, Severus,” he called out as the two entered their quarters. He was startled when he saw Mr Lupin standing in the sitting room talking with his father.

“Hullo, Harry. I see the changes are complete. Mr Malfoy,” Lupin acknowledged Draco’s presence as the Slytherin moved in front of Harry, but to one side – placing himself between Harry and Lupin; effectively guarding him and warily watching the other man.

“Hullo, Mr Lupin,” Harry said politely, but not venturing any closer. He tugged at his hair self-consciously, pushing it behind his ears – it had gotten quite long as it had flattened out over the last month. “Yeah, I look more like my father, now, I like it.”

Remus gave the boy a sad smile as he noticed his temerity, but turned back to Severus. “Thank you for your help, Severus, I’ll see you next month,” he said as he placed a large bottle in his jacket pocket.

“Just make sure you take all of it tonight. We don’t want any accidents.”

“Of course, Severus. I’ll just see myself out then. Good afternoon, Harry, Draco – I hope next term is a good one,” he said in a low, polite voice.

“Sir.” Harry replied, still staying on his side of the room, but managing to be polite. Draco stayed silent, arms crossed as he watched the older man leave the room.

Remus left quickly through the massive oak door and Harry heaved a sigh of relief. Severus noted this as the boys joined him at the table for tea, setting their potions kits on the floor next to their chairs.

“Has Lupin ever bothered you, Harry?” He would kill the wolf if he ever came near one of the boys inappropriately.

Harry reached for one of the small sandwiches on the plate in the centre of the table. “What? No, he just scares me a bit – I don’t know why. It’s not as if he reminds me of Uncle.” Harry cut his sandwich diagonally and began eating.

“Hmmpf,” Severus snorted. “A little healthy dose of wariness never hurt anyone. Listen to your gut – it can keep you out of trouble,” he advised both boys.

“Well, I don’t like him, he gives me the creeps,” announced Draco as he placed some crisps on his plate, and removed the crusts from his sandwich before picking up a tiny triangular section and started eating.

Harry nodded, agreeing with his friend and his father, his mouth full of cream cheese, cucumber and bread. He swallowed as he remembered a question he wanted to ask. “Is it okay for me to meet my friends at the station?”

He looked crestfallen when Severus shook his head. “Not this time, son. You’ll see them soon enough at feast. Have you warned them you’ll look different?”

Harry nodded his head. “I did, but I didn’t tell them why – although I bet Hermione’s already figured part of it out,” he said, proud of his friend’s intellect.

“I’m sure she has.” Snape replied dryly. He glanced at Harry’s empty plate and his eyes softened to a pleased look. “Well, done, Harry – you’ve finished an entire portion! How do you feel?”

“Good. Not over stuffed at all.”

“Madam Pomfrey will be pleased. You are still taking your potion? Good.” He tapped the table twice and the plates disappeared. “Time to go pack your trunks for tonight.” He halted when he noticed the look on Harry’s face. “What is it, son?”

“Are we going to go back to the way it was last year?” This was his biggest worry. He’d had such a wonderful month with his father, and then gaining Draco as a friend and pseudo-brother. Would they now have to forsake him for appearances sake?

Severus looked startled. “What? No, Harry we won’t. Come here, boys.” He led them over to the seating area near the floo and sat his son down on the divan, taking his favourite wingback and angling it closer to Harry’s so he could look eye to eye. Draco sat on the divan near Harry looking concerned as well. “What is troubling you?” Severus asked.

“Well, what is it going to be like now with everyone back? Is class going to be the same, you ridiculing my house and favouring the Slytherins? Is Draco going to go back to being my rival? Are people going to hate me now that I look like you?” And he really did now; Lupin’s predictions had come true. Harry had Snape’s hair, fingers and facial shape and he had his mother’s nose, and eyes. “And… and will I be allowed to come down here and see you? Will my room still be here…”

Snape placed a steadying hand on his son’s knee. “Slow down! No, I will not be treating the students the same as I did in the past – but I also can’t show you favouritism, you know that. However, I think you’ll find some changes you will like in my classroom.” Harry smiled shyly at that. He wondered if his friend, Neville, would improve if the pressure was relieved a bit.

“As for what people will say? Well, we’ll weather that together, all right? Yes, there are people who are not going to like the fact that we are related and that, in fact, I am your father, and it will be hard. I’m not going to pretend that it won’t be, it will be hard for both of us. I have many former associates whose children are in the school and will report back to their parents tonight that you look like me now.” He paused, gathering his thoughts and courage – Harry would have to face this as well. “And there will be people who will see you and suspect, and make innuendos, that your mother cheated on Potter with me. You will have to ignore them, Harry. After tonight, everyone will see the proof and we will have to tell the truth – but there will be many who won’t believe or won’t want to believe, and you can’t hex them on a whim! I’ll set you the most disgusting detentions if I find out you have! If someone vexes you about this, just come to me and we will talk it out, all right?”

“Yes, sir,” Harry nodded, with a slight grin on his face.

“Draco?” Severus turned towards his godson.

“You know, Harry, you can be a right prat at times. I could care less what my father wants me to do, or how he wants me to behave; I’m your friend, Potter-Snape, and I dare anyone to challenge me on that!” He mock-punched Harry in the arm, and Harry gave him a sheepish grin.

“Thanks, Draco. Are you going to be in danger from the Death Eaters?” Harry asked his father seriously.

“Probably – but that is for me to worry about, not you. Now, what good is a home when you can’t call it a home ten months out of a year? This is your home now, Harry. Your permanent room is here. You can leave anything you want here for safekeeping and no one will bother it. Were there things you wanted to leave here?”

Harry brightened up at this news and turned his happy face toward his father. “I… I wanted to store my first-year texts here, and Hagrid’s whistle and some other things…”

“Of course you can; that is your room, son, it will always be there for you – as will I. You can come down to visit me whenever you need to, that goes for you as well, Draco. I’ll keep the room in its current configuration for the two of you.”

“Thank you, Uncle Sev.”

Harry launched himself at his father, throwing his arms around the man who was startled beyond words. “I’m so glad I found out that you’re my dad!” he whispered into Severus’ ear causing the Potions master to tear up suddenly. He squeezed his son a little tighter then released him, giving him a small swat on his bottom to hurry him from the room. “I’m glad too, now go pack your trunk, brat – and don’t forget to take a shower and change into your school clothes and robes,” he said a bit more loudly as Harry rushed down the corridor, Draco hurrying after, calling dibs on the shower.

A faint “Only if you can beat me!” was heard drifting back to him from the long hallway. He grinned in spite of himself as he sat back in his chair and pulled a potions journal from the top of the stack onto his lap to read.

***

Harry stood in the Entry Hall waiting for the first carriages to make their way to the school. His trunk and broom had already been sent to his dorm in Gryffindor tower and he had changed into his school robes to greet his friends, back from the summer holidays. Draco was already in the Great Hall sitting at the Slytherin table. They both figured it wouldn’t be good to advertise their new friendship just yet. He stood off to the side of the large open doors, nervously tucking his long hair behind his ears, and pushing his glasses back upon his nose.

What would Ron and Hermione say when they saw him. What about Neville and the other boys in his dorm? He dreaded their remarks when they saw the changes that had come over him. He took a huge breath as the first carriages disgorged their passengers and the students began filing noisily into the castle and heading to the Great Hall to take their seats for the feast. Several people waved good-naturedly at him as they hurried past, and he gave them nods or small, one worded welcomes as they passed. But he was waiting for a certain group to appear. Eventually, he began to see heads of red hair making their way up the stairs and steeled himself.

“Hey, guys!” he said softly as the group approached him.

“Hey, Harry!” the twins said before they halted right in front of him, jaws dropping in astonishment, causing Ron to run into them from behind.

“You gits,” Ron started, but then his eyes got round as he saw the reason. “Harry, is that you?”

“Yeah, Ron, it’s me. Erm, you might want to move out of the way, mates, you’re blocking the entrance.” He led the group over to the side of the hall where they could get a better look. Neville and Hermione followed.

“Harry, what happened?” Neville squeaked.

“I found some things out this summer.”

“Like what?” George asked.

“Like the fact that Professor Snape is his real father, I suspect,” Hermione pointed out shrewdly. “Right, Harry?”

Harry blushed, but looked at her thankfully for pointing out the obvious. “You’re right, Hermione,” he said quietly.

Ron exploded, Neville paled, and Hermione punched Ron in the arm to shut him up, as the twins began plotting how to best use this new information to their advantage for playing pranks on the Slytherin’s. Percy hurried over to the group and shooed them into the hall – barely noticing the centre of their speculation.

“Hurry up, you lot, Sorting will be starting soon, we don’t want to miss Ginny!”

The group made their way into the hall and found seats at their table with Ron still muttering under his breath about how Harry had betrayed them by turning out to be Snape’s son, and throwing dark glances in Harry’s direction. Hermione sat between the boys and whispered to Harry not to worry while shooting glares in Ron’s direction.

But Harry couldn’t help but worry, the mutters had started as soon as he had entered the Hall and people could clearly see his face. His seat faced the Slytherin table and he could see Draco giving him a sympathetic look before looking at his head of house for a moment then began whispering to his tablemates. Soon, Harry could feel the eyes of the entire school staring at him and he buried his head in his arms to escape the scrutiny.

He could hear Ron muttering something about how Harry was obviously sitting at the wrong table and was terrified to hear Seamus and Dean agreeing with him. His heart fell to his feet at that point and he felt dizzy with worry. It hurt so much to have Ron feel this way about him, even after he had warned him about the changes. Was the boy truly his friend? Had he ever been? He knew the hat had wanted him in Slytherin from the first place, and now he knew why. Could Ron be right? He felt tears prickling his eyes and felt he had to leave before he broke down in the hall. He apologized gruffly to Hermione and with a quick glance at the Head Table, ran from the hall just as the first-years filed in after McGonagall.

Harry heard a rebuking “Mr Potter-Snape!” come from his head’s mouth, and the buzz in the room rose to a feverish pitch as her statement all but verified the speculation, but he ignored it. He just had to get away from all the accusatory stares. He didn’t want to go to the tower, and he didn’t want to run whinging to his father, so he ran up the steps to the Owlery instead, seeking solace from his one true companion. Hedwig didn’t care who he resembled, or did not resemble; she loved him for himself.

***

Severus watched from the teacher’s table as the students began filing into the hall, keeping an eye out for his son. He finally spotted the boy among the sea of redheads – although the youngest Weasley appeared to be shunning Harry, and had the look of curdled milk on his face. As Harry was revealed to the rest of the hall, Severus could see the whispers begin and spread, like a wave, around the room. All heads turned, at one point or another, look first at Harry and then at him. He made sure all emotion was erased from his features as he glared at the brats.

At one point Harry buried his head in his arms and Severus could see him stiffen, probably at some remark made over his head. Finally, the boy had enough and Harry bolted from the table, nearly running Minerva down in his haste to get out of the Hall. This just fuelled the whispers further, when McGonagall rebuked him, until Minerva used a silencing spell on the entire hall. She lifted the spell when she was satisfied she had everyone’s attention and got the sorting underway. No one saw Draco slip away from the Slytherin table and through a side door, except Severus.

Severus stayed where he was – Harry needed some time alone to settle down, and hopefully his godson would be able to help his son, but as soon as the sorting was over, he stalked over to the Gryffindor table.

“Weasleys – not you Miss Weasley, just your brothers - Thomas, Finnegan, Granger and Longbottom – follow me,” he said in a voice that brooked no nonsense.

“But, sir,” the know-it-all started. “The feast…” Her eyes indicated the mountains of food that had just appeared along the long house tables.

“Now, Miss Granger – or do you want to be the cause of Gryffindor starting the year off in negative points?” He smirked in satisfaction as the girl wisely shut up and followed the redheads and the boys from Harry’s dorm.

***

Draco slipped away from the table while the confusion caused by Harry’s abrupt departure swept through the school. He made his way silently to a door, hidden in one of the wood panels of the wall, and quickly took the hallway beyond to the main hallway. Now where would Harry go? He quickly dismissed the dungeons and the Gryffindor hallways and settled on the Owlery as his first place to try. If his friend wasn’t there, he’d be at the pitch – and he’d be able to see that fact from the tall tower. He turned to take the appropriate staircase and raced his way up the levels until he reached the tower that held the post owls. He slowed his pace as he ascended the narrow stone treads and held his breath as he approached the doorway. A stray step on a fumet, which crunched beneath his shoe, alerted the other boy to his presence.

Harry quickly dashed the tears from his face and turned around to see a blurry Draco. He put his glasses back on and looked at his friend. “Hey,” he quietly said.

“Hey. Gryffindors being prats?”

“For the most part – Ron especially. The twins think it’s a lark, and Hermione’s all right with it. But Ron…” he shook his head; just thinking about Ron’s reaction caused a huge lump to form in his throat, and the tears threatened to fall again.

Draco bit his tongue to keep from letting a snide comment out. He knew Harry considered Ron his closest mate, and had been worried about his reaction to the news.

“Look, Snape, if he can’t see past your father, then he’s not worth having as a friend. You’ve managed to look past my chequered past – if you can, he can. It may just take him awhile to come ‘round.”

“Yeah, probably not in this lifetime,” sneered the Gryffindor, looking very much like his father.

“Well, if he doesn’t, you’ve got me!” Draco puffed out his chest in mock stuffiness. Harry gave him a watery half-smile, but turned to look back out over the darkening countryside.

Draco walked over and slung an arm around the other boy in companionship and stood next to him, lending silent support. Harry leaned his head on the other boys shoulder and sighed. Draco looked down, surprised at the good feeling he got with Harry under his arm like this, wondering what it meant, but decided to just enjoy giving his friend support.