***15 June 1986***

"Daaadyyy…Wake up!" whined little Harry, as he tried to shake his daddy out of his sleep. He was small for his age. Years of neglect at the hands of his Aunt Petunia and her grotesquely obese husband had left the nearly six year old child looking closer to four. It took quite an effort to crawl up on his daddy's huge four poster bed.

Severus reluctantly opened one eye and focused in on the alarm clock. Merlin! It's not even six! he groaned to himself. He turned over to see the normally tiny face of his godson looming large before him. "Harry…go back to bed," said Severus wearily as he buried his face back into his pillow. "We don't need to be up this early."

"But Daddy, I can't wait."

"You are going to have to Harry," Severus said into his pillow. "Your appointment is not until eleven o'clock."

During the past few months, Molly Weasley had been taking care of Harry during the day whilst Severus taught school. She had noticed that Harry's vision was becoming increasingly myopic. A cursed affliction passed down by that cursed James Potter. Severus was taking Harry to be fitted for glasses today. Harry was excited because now he would be able to 'see good', as the child so aptly put it, and be rid of the headaches that had plagued him over the last few months.

Severus turned his head back and opened his eyes to look at Harry. It was obvious that the child was too excited to go back to bed now. Severus had planned to wake Harry around eight o'clock, but by the time he would manage to get the child settled down again, it would be time to wake him right back up. Severus consigned himself to an early start.

"Would you fetch my dressing gown please, Harry," Severus managed to say through his yawn.

"Okay, Daddy," grinned the jubilant nearly six year old as he climbed down from Severus' high bed.

Severus was finally getting used to being called 'Daddy'. Harry had called him by that title ever since the day Severus had swept him away from Lily's horrible Muggle relatives. Severus had tried to explain that he was only Harry's godfather-not his father, but never having a father he could remember, Harry's mind could not discern the difference. So much to Severus' chagrin at the time, he remained 'Daddy.'

Severus swung his legs around the side of bed and stretched out another yawn ran his fingers through his ebony hair. He rubbed his hand across his chin, contemplating the morning growth on his face as Harry's little legs ran to bring his indigo dressing gown.

"Thank you, Harry," said Severus as he slipped on his housecoat. He bent down and picked up his little boy.

"What do you think, Harry," he said as he held Harry in his left arm and rubbed his chin with his right hand. "Should Daddy grow a beard?" He was heading downstairs to the small kitchen to make breakfast.

"Like Uncle Albus?" Harry asked dubiously.

"I should say not," Severus answered scandalised and wishing the Headmaster had not insisted that Harry call him by the fictitious moniker. "I should think markedly shorter and considerably more trim."

Harry tiny hand reached out and rubbed Severus' face up and down against the grain of the hairs, his little face fixed in serious contemplation then pressed his cheek against Severus'. "Nope…too scratchy." Harry proclaimed as he shook his head.

"Really?" So much for that idea. Severus was asking about a beard for its aesthetic merits. Being considerably younger than his colleagues and less than a decade older than some of his students, he thought that a beard might make him appear older and garner a little more respect from his peers. It could be quite irksome working alongside former teachers. Severus was not considering his 'hug-ability'. Apparently, Harry had different priorities.

Severus put Harry down as they approached the kitchen and Harry scrambled into his chair at the table. "We're still going to get ice cream after I get my glasses, aren't we Daddy?" Harry asked eagerly.

"Only if you behave…"Severus said sternly as he began to boil the water for porridge, "Rudely awakening your godfather at 5:45 in the morning does not bode well for your chances."

"I'll be good…I promise," Harry said in all seriousness. Severus knew the child was sincere as he did not wish to risk his chance of receiving a new broom for his birthday. He kept giving Severus 'subtle' hints about how urgently he needed one.

After they had eaten breakfast, Severus helped Harry brush his teeth and dress for the day. He decided that getting an early start would not be so bad after all. Instead of going to Flourish and Blott's and the apothecary place his orders for the new school term after Harry's visit to the optician, they would make those stops early, visit Fortescue's and back home to Spinner's End before two.

Who knows? Perhaps Severus could trick Harry into a nap this afternoon whilst he worked on his latest potion's project.

***14 June 1986***

"Pawpaw…She's positively beautiful."

Aberforth was kneeling down next to a pretty golden haired young woman. Her slightly American Southern accent was not thick, but rather a tad soft and deep. She was sitting crossed legged in the grassy field, unconcerned about ruining her skirt as she smiled widely. She was cradling Aberforth's newest acquisition, a kid born into his herd only the night before.

The young witch was Lucy O'Conner, Aberforth's great granddaughter. She and her mother, Esther, were probably the only two of Aberforth's relations that did not think him completely barmy for his love of goats.

Aberforth was happy to see Lucy, as he always was. She was moving to Britain permanently.

Lucy's father is a Potion's Master at an American wizarding university in Ohio. Despite his blindness, he was one of the world's most respected. Her mother, Aberforth's grandaughter, Esther, was a Medi-witch at the wizard's hospital 'Our Lady of the Seven Seas' in Charleston, South Carolina where the family resides.

It was fortunate that Esther had insisted to her husband, Richard that their five children should get to know their Scottish relatives. So every other summer Esther and her husband would fly their children the Muggle way from the States to Edinburgh to see Aberforth and his wife, Ella. The visits had become even more welcome after Ella died ten years before.

Lucy had just finished her American Doctorate degrees in Magical History and Magical Artefact Recognition and Preservation and had already written three books on the subjects. Lucy was a historian in every sense of the word. She was only twenty-five.

She had just been offered her first tenure at the university where she had been an assistant professor, when her fiancé, Kenneth Musgrave, the British Attaché to the United States for the Department of International Magical Cooperation, had insisted that they set up housekeeping in the Isles.

The wedding was planned for the following summer on the Salisbury Plain. Lucy's great uncle Albus had insisted upon picking up the tab, much to her great-grandfather's irritation.

For the past three months, Lucy had been residing at the lonely house her fiancé had established for them in Sheffield. Missing her constantly travelling betrothed and missing the academic life even more, Lucy had accepted her uncle's offer to teach at Hogwarts' and replace their current, literally dead, History professor.

Aberforth looked at Lucy's turquoise eyes that were so much like his Ellie's. "Aye," said Aberforth."She'll make a fine addition. Sure to have fine kids of her own some day."

Lucy had noticed that the nanny kept eyeing her suspiciously, so she let the baby out of her lap and it trotted off to suckle from its mother. "Here's your young 'un back." She arose and dusted herself off. "No harm done, little mother."

Aberforth and Lucy walked back to the Hog's Head Tavern. "Are you sure you can't stay for supper, child?" Aberforth inquired.

"I'm sorry, Pawpaw, but Kenneth will be home tonight," Lucy said apologetically. "I see so little of him anymore. I simply can't understand why he insisted on living in England. He's in the States far more often than he is here." Aberforth attempted to hide his disappointment, but she took notice nonetheless, stood on her toes and pecked him on the cheek. "I'll be residing in the castle soon. I promise to visit every weekend."

"Don't make promises you don't know you can keep, Little Lucy." Aberforth admonished. "You don't know what kind of a slave driver my brother can be. You may not have the opportunity to visit every weekend."

"Well, Pawpaw, I do promise to try."

"I can accept that. Do you think you can manage to drag your future husband over tomorrow night for supper?"

Stopping outside of the tavern door, Lucy turned and said to her grandfather before Disapparating, "I won't give him a choice. I have to go to Diagon Alley tomorrow to place my orders for texts and pick up my learner materials. How about Kenneth and I show up afterwards for tea?"

"That will do," Aberforth said gruffly. "Until tomorrow afternoon then." He leaned over and embraced his granddaughter.

"See you tomorrow Pawpaw." She stepped back from the embrace and Disapparated back to Sheffield, leaving Aberforth to his goats.

***15 June 1986***

Severus sood at the counter, waiting to pay for for Harry's new glasses. He had made a point to get Harry a rectangular frame rather than those ridiculous circular lenses that made James Potter's face appear rather like a raccoon. As far as Severus was concerned, the less Harry looked like his biological father, the better.

The child was absolutely ecstatic. Severus could tell that the boy was looking at the world clearly for probably the first time in his life.

Eager to look at the clouds, Harry's head tilted skyward as he walked out of the shop without his godfather. He collided into a passing couple and fell smack on his bum.

"Watch where you are going, boy!" A stern silvery blond man with short hair and a moustache barked.

"Kenneth!" Bit back a pretty lady with straw coloured hair to the mean blond man. "Sweetheart, are you alright?" the pretty lady asked Harry with a strange accent.

She knelt down and righted Harry to his feet and dusted him off. "Where's your mama and daddy?" she asked as she looked around.

The tall man was looking at Harry as if he had done something really bad.

But Harry couldn't stop staring at the pretty lady. She had long gold hair and deep blue eyes. They were shaped almost like Uncle Albus' but only greener, which Harry thought was prettier. He wondered if she was angel.

Harry suddenly lost the ability to speak and couldn't answer the lady. He ran back into the shop and grabbed onto his daddy's leg. His daddy patted his head, but never looked down as he continued to speak to the clerk.

The lady saw that Harry had obviously found his father. She turned at her escort and looked like she was upset with him. "Really Kenneth, was there any call speak to him that way? He's a little boy, not a dung beetle."

Harry looked up from where his face was buried in the cloth of Severus' frockcoat. He watched as the pretty lady and the mean man walked into the bookstore.

"Well Harry, are you ready for some ice cream?" His daddy looked down at Harry and asked.

Harry looked to the bookstore. He wanted to see the pretty lady again before she disappeared forever, and that particular desire was overcoming his fear of the mean man and his need for ice cream.

"Can we go back to the bookstore instead, Daddy?"

Severus was perplexed as he stared at his godson. The boy was choosing books over treats? It wasn't as if Severus hadn't already bought Harry several new tomes whilst in the store earlier that morning. But Severus had to admit he would prefer to give another book as a treat for Harry than the sugary ice cream.

Picking Harry up so they would not be separated as they crossed the crowded street, Severus said "Who are you and what have you done with my godson?"

Harry giggled as if Severus really didn't know who he was. "It's me, Daddy… I am Harry," he said insistently.

Severus 'harrumphed' and made way to Flourish and Blott's.

Severus entered the store and held tight to Harry as he navigated his way through the shop. He couldn't understand why the shop was so busy until he realised that it was the first day of book buy-backs for Hogwarts' students. For the life of him, Severus could not understand why anyone would want to sell back their old text books. Why would anyone ever want to rid themselves of knowledge?

He was heading towards the children's section when he heard someone call his name.

"Professor Snape…Professor Snape…this is one of your new colleagues now, darling,"

Severus turned to see the sales wizard addressing a petite, dark blond witch. At least Severus hoped the clerk was addressing the witch. It could turn into an awkward situation if the clerk addressed him as 'darling.'

Standing next to her was a tall roguish looking wizard. He was every bit as blond as a Malfoy, but his jaw was squared rather than angular. He had a moustache, steel blue eyes and his robes where tailored within an inch of their lives which did not really seem to suite him. He looked rather like an Old Mississippi riverboat gambler. The fact that his eyes seemed to look at every man around him with suspicion reinforced the image.

Severus approached the group with Harry still in his arms and noticed that Harry couldn't stop staring at the witch. He would have to talk to Harry later about staring at people, though he could hardly blame the boy. She was rather easy on the eyes. But still, staring was rude and Severus would have to have a word with Harry about politeness.

"Professor Snape…I'd like to introduce Professor O'Conner. She'll be taking the History position at Hogwarts' this fall," the sales wizard told him.

"Professor O'Conner," Severus nodded his head formally. It was about time they replaced Old Binns. One would think the only history that had taken place over the last three hundred years were goblin rebellions.

"Professor Snape... and it's Dr. O'Conner, actually, " she said as she extended her hand to Severus.

Severus gave a customary bow as she said easily, "I look forward to working with you…and please, call me Lucy." She then gestured to her escort who stood at least a foot taller than her. "Professor Snape, this is my fiancé, Kenneth Musgrave."

Severus took note of her obvious regional American accent and was about to introduce Harry and ask where she hailed from when Kenneth shoved his hand towards Severus.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Professor," said Kenneth with a smile that did not match his eyes. Severus shook the offered hand and noticed that this Musgrave fellow's grip was squeezing hard enough as if to try and break Severus' fingers. Severus returned his grip in kind.

"The pleasure is mine," he said to Lucy more than her fiance. Kenneth broke the handshake first. "You may call me Severus…and this…" Severus turned his hip to face Harry forward, "…is Harry."

Lucy's face lit up as her companion looked rather annoyed.

"Harry…" she said as she extended her hand once more, "I'm so happy to finally meet you properly…I'm sure we'll become great friends."

Severus was wondering where Harry had met this new witch, but he was distracted from asking the question because Harry had suddenly become shy and had buried his face in Severus' shoulder.

"Harry… say 'Hello' to Professor O'Conner and Mr. Musgrave," Severus prompted.

Harry turned his head just enough to peak out at the pretty witch. "Hullo," he squeaked out before he hid his face again.

Severus spoke up for him. "I must apologise…the child isn't normally this shy."

"That's quite alright," Lucy assured. "I'm sure he'll be quite the charmer once the cat gives him back his tongue."

Severus looked at his blushing godson in bewilderment. He could feel the grin form across the child's face as it pressed against his shoulder.

What had gotten into the boy?