Snape didn’t want to admit that he wanted to see how Potter lived but his curiosity got the best of him and he paid a visit the following day. Potter would be in the hospital wing until the moon waned and then released out into the public. Another reason that he went was that he didn’t want to be there when the jerk from the Ministry told Potter that he would never be able to hold down a job and that he had limited rights because some idiot (Umbridge) had decided that werewolves didn’t deserve to work or even have a life. No wonder werewolves joined the Dark Lord.

Privet Drive at once disgusted him. Everything looked the same and unless you knew the number you could go right past it. He knew from Potter’s record that he lived at number four and so that’s where he went. Number four looked neat, tidy, and any other word that Snape could think of. He knocked on the door, not caring if anyone stared at his robes.

The door opened and the woman behind it gave a horrible scream and tried to close it but Snape pushed himself in.

“Hello, Tuney,” Snape said, his voice cold, “It’s been a very long time.”

“You, you, horrible boy,” Petunia said. “Get out of here before I call the police.”

“Like they would believe you if you told them a wizard was in your house,” Snape said, “I was raised around muggles so I know.”

“W-What are you h-h-here for?” Petunia stammered.

“Just wanted to see how your nephew lives, that’s all,” Snape said. “I’ve been hearing some rumors that you hate your nephew and I want to see if it’s true.”

“Hate him, I can’t stand him,” Petunia said, “He’s a freak just like my sister and you. He blew up Vernon’s sister.”

“And pray tell what did your sister-in-law say to cause your nephew to blow her up?”

“The truth,” Petunia said, pride in her voice, “I told her long ago that my sister’s husband didn’t work and Vernon said that he was a drunk.”

Snape couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Of all the things that James Potter was guilty of touching liquor wasn’t one of them that he did. Hell, he hadn’t even touched the wine that had been at his wedding.

“James Potter worked at the Ministry of Magic, you nasty horse,” Snape snarled, “And he never touched anything that wasn’t non-alcoholic.”

“That’s what you say, Snape,” Petunia said. “But I do know that you, my sister, her husband, and her freaky little friends shouldn’t be around normal people. That’s why we locked the boy in the cupboard under the stairs, to teach him a real lesson.”

Snape looked like he was about to explode. “YOU LOCKED UP A LITTLE BOY IN A CUPBOARD, YOU FILTHY NASTY HAG.”

He advanced on her and she backed away, “NO WONDER HE FEELS THE NEED TO PROVE HIMSELF. HE CAN’T DO IT HERE.”

“Leave me alone, Snape, leave me alone or I’ll shoot you.”

“Like you have a gun, wench,” Snape said and he raised his wand. “What else did you do to that child and I better have the truth or I’ll turn you into a horse.”

“Vernon would hit him with a b-b-belt when h-h-he did s-s-something freaky,” Petunia said, “Or w-w-when he brought home b-b-better grades then D-D-D-Dudley.”

Snape brought his wand down and with a loud pop Petunia the horse stood there.

“I lied about not turning you into a horse if you told the truth,” Snape told her, “And he’s never returning to this house, I’ll make sure of that.”

And he left Petunia to her own devices.

Harry still felt weak the next day when the man from the Ministry arrived. He looked very important but that didn’t hide the look of distaste that he had on his face when he looked at Harry. Bigot, Harry thought. Thankfully he was with Dumbledore and Harry knew that Dumbledore wouldn’t allow Harry to be bullied.

“Mr. Steward,” Dumbledore said, “I’m sure that this can wait until he’s better.”

“No it can’t, Albus,” Steward said, “My job at the Ministry states that I must register all new werewolves before the next full moon.”

“Fine but I’m not going to let you bully Harry,” Dumbledore told him and Harry could tell that this was a warning.

“Fine,” Mr. Steward said, “Now your full name that we have our record.”

“Harry James Potter,” Harry answered.

“Good now who bit you,” Steward answered.

“We don’t know which werewolf did it or how the said werewolf got in,” Dumbledore at once said. “I’m having the Professors all check it out.”

“Can I see the bite mark,” Steward said.

“I’m sorry, but it’s gone,” Dumbledore said, “Our resident Potions Master, Severus Snape, made sure that the bite fully healed so that it wouldn’t get infected.”

Steward turned on him. “I don’t care about his half-breeds health. Removing that bite removed evidence of which werewolf did it! Who are you trying to protect, Dumbledore?”

“No one, I just wanted to keep it from getting infected and I do believe that I’m the Headmaster at this school.”

“You don’t have to remind me, Albus,” Mr. Steward said. “Fine, I’ll let this go but if another student is bitten I will make sure that I get here before the proof can be hidden from me.”

He turned and faced Harry.

“Now I’ve got some paperwork for you to sign and then you will be given a handbook on what your new place in the Wizarding world is. And I’ll say that it’s much lower now.”

Harry had no choice but to sign all of his rights away.

“Now we’ll be confiscating his money at once,” Steward said, “It will go into a fund for people that have lost family members to these monsters.”

Harry went white, all his money was going away. He would have no way to pay for his supplies next year.

Meanwhile…..

“I’m glad that you did this, Severus,” said Julie Sand, “Mr. Steward was heading to Hogwarts with a paper that would take your son’s money away.”

“Damn Ministry,” Snape hissed, “Always stealing from people.”

“Well now all of Potter’s money has been transferred to your vault and so has guardianship.”

“Good,” Snape said, “I can’t wait to see Stewards face when he doesn’t have money to steal.”

Snape left the Ministry of Magic just a few moments before Umbridge appeared. He saw her and sneered. When he returned to Hogwarts he headed for Professor Lupin’s quarters where he had been held since he had bitten Harry. He unlocked the wards and then opened the door.

Professor Lupin looked ashamed when Snape entered and Snape let him wallow in his shame for a few moments. Naturally Snape couldn’t get mad at him because it hadn’t been his fault that the ingredient had been bad.

“Severus, I’m sorry about what I did,” Lupin said.

“It wasn’t your fault, Lupin, so stop acting like it was,” Snape hissed, his eyes narrowing. Stupid Gryffindors all think everything is their fault. “No, I’m here for a different matter all together.”

“And what is it, Severus?” Lupin asked.

Snape took a very deep breath, “I found out that Harry’s my son.”

Lupin stared at him and then laughed. Snape wondered what in the world was so funny.

“What’s so funny, Lupin?”

“I noticed it when Harry was on the train,” Lupin said, “Little bits of glamour coming off. Lily must have put a spell on Harry, a strong glamour, and now it’s falling apart. Enough of it came off for me to notice that you were Harry’s father.”

Snape was stunned and then he remembered the potion that Harry had made, how perfect it was. What an idiot he had been. Harry hadn’t cheated he had just not asked for help because he didn’t need it.

“Gods, and I was going to have him suspended,” Snape said, “Oh I went to the Dursleys and horse face Petunia was there. She gloated that they abused Harry.”

“Damn muggles,” Lupin growled.

“I tell you she wasn’t as bad as that when we were little, she just got worse over time,” Snape said, “Always spying on me and Lily and trying to get us in trouble. She told on us when Lily made a smoke dragon appear, telling her sister that she would go to Azkaban for being naughty. And don’t even get me started on her wedding to whale boy.”

“I see that Vernon isn’t your version of an idea father,” Lupin said.

“He isn’t my version of an ideal serial killer,” Snape said, “And now to top it all off I’ve got a werewolf for a son who is supposed to kill the most powerful dark wizard that might turn him against Dumbledore because society has decided that he’s not worthy of rights.”

“Which I’m sorry about, Severus,” Lupin said, “I had no intention of turning your son into what I am.”

Snape rolled his eyes.

“You didn’t do anything to Petunia that will land you in Azkaban, did you?”

“Oh no, I just turned her into a horse,” Snape said, allowing a rare grin to appear, “She looked so much like it in the first place.”

Lupin laughed. “Oh James would of gotten a kick of what you did to her.”

“I aim to please,” Snape said, “So what am I going to do?”

“Well you can start by finding a fresh supply of Wolfsbane and not going with the same man again,” Lupin suggested, “And now that Harry is legally yours then you can raise him anywhere that you want.”

“But he hates me,” Snape said.

“Well you can change that by being a father to him,” Lupin said, “He already has shown that one of his talents is appearing, potion brewing. If you just encourage him then everything will be alright. You never know, he might become a Potions Master as well.”

That did sound really nice.

“I’ll give it a try but I can’t promise you that Harry won’t annoy me,” Snape told him.

“I know but always remember where he’s come from and who raised him most of his life.”

Snape didn’t need to be reminded.

Meanwhile back with Harry

“Is this your idea of a joke because if it is I’m not amused,” Steward hissed.

Dumbledore had been busy working with Steward showed up along with Umbridge.

“What are you talking about?” Dumbledore asked.

“The money from the Potter vault has been transferred and I want to know if you did it.”

“I have no access to the Potter’s vault,” Dumbledore said, “Anyway, who did it.”

“The department won’t tell me, against their rules,” Steward said.

“Then I can’t help you,” Dumbledore told him.

“Oh but you will,” Umbridge vowed, “Or Hogwarts will be looking for-.”

“I did it,” said a voice, cutting Umbridge off, and Dumbledore noticed that Snape had come in.

“Severus Snape, nasty little Death Eater,” Steward said, “You defy everyone just by being here.”

“Oh sorry that you don’t have the pleasure of seeing me locked away in Azkaban,” Snape hissed.

“Do you admit that you went against the Ministry and transferred all of the Potter’s money?”

Snape sneered at her, “Oh I’ll admit that I did,” Snape said.

“You can’t do that, you have no authority,” Umbridge ranted, looking like she was about to blow up.

“But I do have that authority, you fat, old, toad,” Snape said.

“And on which authority do you base this on?” Umbridge asked, “Fudge.”

“No, my own,” Snape said, “I have the right to Harry’s money as I’m his father.”

Umbridge fainted and Steward just looked shocked. Dumbledore gave Snape a worried look as well as a desire to give him a good thrashing.