Snape Cottage

Orrville, Ohio

“Oomph!” Harry said as he landed face-first on the hearth in his father’s house. “I hate these bloody Floos. You would think that with all the great minds in the Wizarding World, they would find a better way to travel than through the bloody fireplace!”

“You never have been graceful with the Floo or portkeys, William. Do you want me to put the Cushioning Charm back on the hearth or will you be alright?” Severus asked.

“No, I’ll be fine. I would like to go unpack my stuff, if I may please be excused, Father?” Harry asked.

“No need to. I came into possession of a house-elf while you were at camp. If you had bothered to write over the summer, I would have informed you of this,” Severus said, giving his son a pointed look. “This is the first time you have ever been away for the whole summer, and you immediately seemed to forget about poor old Dad, all alone at home with no one to talk to and nothing to do but brew potions and listen to the Wizarding Wireless, which seems to have gone on a Celestina Warbeck kick this summer.”

“I’m sorry, Father. We meant to write, really we did. It’s just that there was so much stuff going on that by the end of the day, all that could be done was to collapse into bed,” Harry said.

“We?” Severus asked. “Who’s we?”

“I meant to say me. I did make good friends with the guys in my bunk, though. I am sorry I didn’t write more over the summer,” Harry said as he walked over and sat down in the chair opposite his father. “I have been doing some thinking, though, about the up-and-coming school year, though. I know I am going to be going to Wizarding school, but other than Great Lakes Magical Institute, Salem, and the various day schools, what are my other options?”

“Well, there are a couple of boarding schools in Canada and on the West Coast. There are also the three major European schools: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Durmstrang Institute of Magical Arts, and Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. I would advise that if you get an acceptance letter to Durmstrang, that you decline it, William, because it caters more to the dark families. It would look suspicious if the son of an ex-Death Eater went to a dark school. Beauxbatons is more of a feminine school. I went to Hogwarts, and it was alright. I would prefer if you went to Great Lakes, though, so I could see you more often.”

“I know, I know. I was just wondering. I also wanted to know something else, Father. What was my mother like? How did you two meet, and why did you divorce?”

‘Great. Just great,’ Severus thought. ‘Of all the days for William to ask about his mother is the day of our wedding anniversary. I suppose, though, he does have a right to know.’ “Well, William, I know you know what your mother looks like. You have her green eyes, you know. Lily Evans was my best friend throughout school. She and I went to the same Muggle Primary School and were in the same year at Hogwarts. While I was a Slytherin, she was a Gryffindor. We didn’t let that come between us, though. During our fifth year, we started going out together. We thought it was logical, because while most couples started dating and then got to know each other, we had gotten to know each other before going out. She was always kind-hearted, pretty, smart, and friendly. She would help anyone in need, even if they looked down upon her for being a Muggle-born. After graduation, we decided to get married. A year later, you were born. Soon after you were born, the war was ended. I couldn’t handle being in England any longer, because of all the harsh reminders of my past. I tried to convince your mother to come with me to the States here, but she refused. We never truly divorced, but are legally separated. I moved here to Orrville, and she stayed in our home and teaches Charms at Hogwarts. To this day, I regret the fact that we are not together. Maybe one day, I will be able to go back and face my demons in England. I just cannot right now. I am sorry, son. This is hard for me to talk about,” Severus said as he started to get emotional.

“I am sorry, Father. I didn’t mean to drag up painful memories. I just wanted to know what my mother was like,” Harry said, feeling truly guilty for making his dad so sad the first day he ever got to spend with him. “I am glad that I still get to see you every day. If there is anything I can do to make you feel better, I will do it. I hate to see you so sad, Da- er... Father.”

“It’s alright, William. It is just hard sometimes. Today would have been our eleventh anniversary,” Severus said, finally regaining control of himself. “No harm, no foul. Enough of this depressing talk. I have been doing some research into improving the Wolvesbane Potion, if you would like to help me, though.”

“Sure, Father,” Harry said, getting up. He walked over to where Severus was standing and gave him a hug before following him into the potions lab, where the two of them spent the rest of the evening tinkering away trying to improve the shelf stability of the Wolvesbane.