"Father!" if Harry could, he would jump to the sky and even more higher. "Father! The Magical Sport University of Winchester... They accepted me in!" Harry's eyes were light from excitement.

Severus raised himself from the armchair and approached his son with a smile.
"Well done, son," he hugged him.

"I will be a student!" Harry cried from joy. "Well, I will try to be a good one," he smiled at Severus, when he gave him a look of doubt.

"You better try," he mumbled, though without a sneer in his voice. "Well, I guess it's the time you get used to live without me," older man said thoughtfully.

"I am still visiting you at Christmas," young boy replied, seeing that his father was not taking this situation easy, "No need to worry about me, they have pretty lot of protections," he tried to smile, though it was hard to, when he reminded himself that Severus no longer would be availaible for him all the day and night.

Older man noticed the change in his son's attitude and cursed himself in his mind for showing his sadness. "I shouldn't be sad at all, he was accepted to the best sport school in England and I am not helping him!"

"Of course," he smiled in reply, "Have they already sent you a list of books?" Severus inquired.

"Yes, but... you know... I can remain in the city," Harry eyed his father doubtfully.

"No, absolutely not," he stated in reply and sat at the sofa, next to Harry, "Look, I am a bit sad that you will be leaving me after two years of living together, but it's a natural reaction. You are probably a bit sad about this as well," he looked at his son, who was nodding in reply, "However, we both don't need to worry, " he stated firmly, having the desire of himself believe in this, "We still will be seeing each other. No need to worry, you need to get a proper education and get a hold of living by yourself, " he added thoughtfully, "I won't live forever," he added in his mind but didn't want to tell it aloud, as Harry could be scared by this perspective. He didn't want him to realize it now, not yet. He wanted him to have full live with adventures and all the stuff. Well, he should have this life before but everything was set in such a way that only after ending school Harry could have a hold of good life - as it should have been before.

"Ron's letters probably arrived as well," young Potter realized, "May I visit him?", he looked at Snape.

"Yes, but return before the dark," an answer came.

"Alright," Harry answered and came out of the living room to change his clothes. Severus lost himself in thoughts and memories.

"Potter, are you really that hopeless?" he shouted at him, "You don't even care about those lessons!"

"But...," Harry tried to get himself up from the floor after an Occlumency attack performed by his teacher.

"No buts! You just waste my precious time!" Snape said angrily, lowering his wand. After a while he quickly shouted once again "Legillimens!"

Memories of Potter started invading his mind. Diggory's death, Dursley "playing" with Potter, Dursley Senior hitting Potter... Wait, hitting?

Snape pulled himself out of Harry's mind and looked at his student, lying on the floor and apparently refusing to get up.

"Potter...," he started, not really knowing what to say. After all it was Potter, whom he bullied for five years of his life.

"Stop it," Gryffindor replied him, "You don't even care," he accused, trying to get up. When he finally was up, he had to rest himself against a wall. After a while of standing in this strange position, he felt a hand at his shoulder.

"Maybe I do care, Mr. Potter."

"Yes, that was a fine beginning of our relationship," Severus sighed, as he reminded himself this evening, when after many lessons of Occlumency he didn't see the facade of Potter Senior in his child, but he saw the truth.

"I'm going to be back around evening," Harry announced and used Fioo network. When his son was already off the house, Severus sighed once again. He really got used to Potter's presence in his house or quarters at Hogwarts during the school year. And now his son was growing up, becoming a student.

Snape didn't have a lot of memories of his studies. He was mainly studying while everyone around seemed to be keen on partying. In the end he was the best student and everyone was using his notes to learn. "If only I went to the same university, where was Lily...," he sighed once again. Maybe things would be different. But it was not the time to think what would it be, if everything was set in a different way.

"I am thinking too much," Snape said aloud to himself. He raised himself from the sofa and went to the kitchen to make something to drink. After making himself coffee, he took the cup and sat in the armchair, returning back to thinking.

"So, you think that you are cleverer than me, Harry?" Voldemort sneered, looking at Gryffindor, who barely kept himself on his legs.

"Yes," he answered firmly, knowing that it was the only chance to do something. He ignored blood dripping on the ground from his body and focused on Voldemort. He shouted in his mind, "Avada Kedavra!", and then he just didn't care. He heard noise, shouts and other things, who just merged in one for his ears and he finally lost the balance. However, strong arms saved him from hitting the ground just in last minute. Harry felt being raised and pressed to Severus's chest.

"Everything will be alright," he heard it clearly despite noise at the battlefield.

Severus intended to carry child to hospital's wing, but after while he decided that it must be full of injured people and approached his private quarters. After he put Harry at his bed, he started healing him. It wasn't that easy, because during battle he got quite bad injuries, and well, Severus himself wasn't fully healthy, to be honest.

After both of them were healed and Harry was peacefully unconscious, Snape reached for a glass of the wine and sat in the armchair, watching his son. He had somehow got a feeling that they were going to have a wonderful future, future without Voldemort.

"I am back, father!" he heard a voice from fireplace.

"How are you?" asked Severus, raising himself from the armchair.

"Fine, Ron was accepted to The University of London at the Potions," Harry replied, throwing himself at sofa.

"I never believed that he would make it," Snape admitted, "It's nice to hear that one of Weasleys actually learned something at my lesson," he sneered.

Harry just smiled in answer.

"Tomorrow will be just fine to go to Diagon Alley and buy your supplies," older man said thoughtfully.

"I can use money from my vault...,"

"I believe that we already discussed that I am going to pay for everything since I am your legal guardian," Severus looked sharply at boy, "And if you will need something at the university, and I am sure you will need, you may go to nearest bank and take money from my vault," he eyed him, "Treat it like pocket money. Just be careful with them."

"Okay," Harry said, "It sounds alright."

"I am not happy with you!" Vernon shouted at him. His red face was going extremely near him with his belt, which he had in his hand.

"NOOOOO!" Harry cried, trying to run.

"Harry, wake up!" he heard.

The next thing he remembered was that he somehow found himself in the arms of Severus Snape, surrounded by the smell of warmth and love. A helpful hand patted his back.

"Bad dream?" older man asked.

"Yes," Harry mumbled in his robe.

"You are safe here," he stated firmly.

"I know," he replied.

"The train to Winchester is arriving at Platform Number 11. Please be careful," a nice voice of speaker at the railway station announced.

"It's the time," Harry whispered to Snape. Severus smiled.

"Have fun there, son," he greeted him.

"You too," he replied, while getting his luggage. Finally, the train arrived. "Bye," said Harry.

"Bye," Severus whispered.