The Son Becomes the Father by watercrystals
Summary: Following the death of Sirius, Harry isn't sure what to make of the sudden appearance of a six-year-old boy. The pair form a bond, unaware they're half-brothers, and Harry decides to take the boy to Hogwarts and hide him there. To aide the boy's education, Harry anonymously exchanges letters with Snape.

A story of a how a young boy becomes a father-figure to another while their own father is oblivious of their biological existence. But can sixteen-year-old Harry give what he himself has not gained? Can he go an entire year without being discovered? Just how far will Severus go to find the writer of those letters...Or are some things best left unknown?
Categories: Parental Snape > Biological Father Snape, Teacher Snape > Trusted Mentor Snape Main Characters: .Snape and Harry (required), Draco, Dumbledore, Eileen Prince, Ginny, Hagrid, Hermione, Luna, Narcissa, Neville, Original Character, Other, Pomfrey, Remus, Ron, Tonks, Voldemort
Snape Flavour: Canon Snape
Genres: Angst, Drama, Family, General, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Mystery, Tragedy
Media Type: None
Tags: Alternate Universe, Child fic, Kidnapped, Runaway, Sibling Addition, Snape-meets-Dursleys
Takes Place: 6th summer, 6th Year, 7th summer, 8 - Pre Epilogue (adult Harry)
Warnings: Alcohol Use, Character Death, Neglect, Violence
Challenges: None
Series: None
Chapters: 33 Completed: No Word count: 164477 Read: 236922 Published: 04 Mar 2011 Updated: 06 Oct 2013
The Agreement by watercrystals
Author's Notes:
Thanks to my reviewers for the motivation, it's helping!
With February came apparition lessons as well as a shocking realization for Hermione when the library continued to fail her for the first time in existing memory.

It had been a countless number of weeks and still she was yet to find anything solidifying about the woman known as “Mildred Merrengold”, other than that she’d been a Ravenclaw student at Hogwarts at least twenty years ago and won an award following graduation for a lesser-common variety of an appearance manipulating charm.

That was it.

No family background information, employment history, significant events that made history or was notable in any of the old newspapers, and she’d never been anything besides an “Exceeds Expectations” student whilst at Hogwarts. Mildred Merrengold was very average and unimportant in accordance to Hermione’s research. Yet they knew otherwise because of Toby's profound reaction to that mysterious witch that day in Hogsmeade, in addition to the fact that the Gryffindors were certain she was at the orphanage on the day of the fire.

Although, by mid-February, it hardly mattered what Hermione had or hadn’t found as everyone was busy studying and she rarely saw Harry at all, who had taken upon hanging out with a different set of friends.

Their apparation lessons were progressing steadily just as their lessons were, although it was getting a little repetitive to be constantly reminded that they were in their N.E.W.T year and should treat their study time with as much seriousness and dedication in which was required in order to get the grades they desired.

Ron and Hermione were still not talking and it had reached the point where it really bothered Toby, until Harry distracted him from it by allowing the boy to keep the cat, Felix, who immediately left Hagrid’s hut to take up residence in the Gryffindor tower. Toby also spent less time with Irma apart from an odd afternoon when Harry had a lot of schoolwork to do or a Quidditch practice to attend.

The teenager constantly refused to acknowledge Toby’s insisting that Snape was good and so far that was the only thing the boys constantly disagreed about and argued over. Secretly, Harry wanted to agree with Toby but could not bring himself to announce such a level of trust for the man who had hated him for the past five years, regardless of how things were now.

Following his meeting with Remus, Harry had decided that the man was right and he was indeed just being himself instead of fussing over what may be expected of him or how he was meant to be either like Lily or James. Harry was exactly as he’d told Hagrid all those years ago, before he had even set foot inside Hogwarts; he was just Harry.

His hair remained about his ears and had taken a much darker tone as well as being straighter; this was all a direct result of the frequent brewing Harry enjoyed over the weekends and some afternoons when he had enough free time to do so. The rest of his spare time was spent outside under the oak tree with Neville, Ginny and Luna. Toby often joined them under the invisibility spell and always brought Felix with him, who had already proved to be a very loyal and obedient little bundle of furry energy.

It wasn’t until the last day of February that Harry finally heard from Draco regarding their deal and the concept of using the Unbreakable Vow in which to seal it.

He had just been walking back to the castle with Ginny and Neville when they paused short of the doors at the sight of Draco leaning against a side wall looking thoroughly bored.

‘Destination, Determination, Deliberation…honestly, I can’t get it out of my head!’ Harry was saying when he stopped before the Slytherin.

‘At least I can remember it.’ Neville commented and joined him, gasping a little at their unexpected yet unfriendly company.

‘What do you want, Malfoy?’ Ginny glared at him accordingly.

Harry and Draco stared at each other for a moment and when the Slytherin lowered his gaze and didn’t say a word, although he crossed his arms rather tightly, Harry turned to his two friends and sighed.

‘It’s okay, I’ll meet you inside.’ He said.

The difference between having Ginny and Neville around instead of Ron and Hermione was that they asked less questions because each had thoroughly adapted to the way Harry was now. They understood he did odd things like this sometimes and knew when to trust him to be left alone whenever he requested it.

Ron and Hermione would likely become accustomed to this as well if they’d been able to see Harry for more than forty minutes each day.

‘Alright, but let us know if you need back-up.’ Ginny narrowed her eyes at Draco while she passed.

‘Against Malfoy?’ Harry scoffed. ‘As if,’ He chuckled. Watching his friends leave, he turned to the Slytherin and frowned.

‘Well?’

Draco did not appear to have appreciated the implication that Harry would be able to duel against him with ease, however he tossed the comment aside as he pushed himself off the side of the wall and glared at the Gryffindor.

‘We have an agreement.’ He began tensely. ‘And we’ve put it off long enough.’

Harry fought not to roll his eyes as it was Draco who had been delaying it by not contacting Harry or even telling him anything more for nearly an entire month. Privately, the Gryffindor had hoped that it would no longer apply and that Draco had changed his mind. The idea of taking the binding vow still did not appeal to him even the slightest.

‘Well, why’d you wait this long then?’ Harry asked.

‘Why do you think?’ Draco glowered. ‘I prefer that no one knows about this and it would not impact my reputation in a gratifying manner if I were to be indebted to you, would it?’

‘I suppose not.’ Harry sighed as he thought about it for a moment, having done some discreet research on Unbreakable Vows.

He knew the basics; that it must be worded carefully because any breaking of the vows resulted in death to the one breaking it, also that they would needed a “binder”, someone who could perform the actual spell as well as act as a witness to the proceedings. It reminded Harry a bit of a court order but with worse consequences than a few fines or temporary imprisonment.

‘I know someone who could be the binder.’

‘Sod off, Potter.’ Draco rolled his eyes again. ‘I do not trust any of your annoying Gryffindork friends.’

‘She’s not in Gryffindor.’ Harry glared back. ‘And she’s good at keeping secrets. No one would suspect her.’

‘Who is it then?’ Draco demanded. ‘Well? I don’t have all bloody day!’

‘Luna Lovegood.’ Harry said.

‘Isn’t she that blonde pureblood who lives near the Weasleys?’ Draco mused for a moment and seemed quite skeptical. ‘I heard she’s a bit out of sorts.’

‘And I heard you’re a complete git to all Gryffindors.’ Harry retorted. ‘Or anyone, for that matter. Does that make it true?’

‘Fine,’ Draco growled. ‘Meet me in the Room of Requirement at eight thirty tonight with the Ravenclaw.’ He decided. ‘It’s the room of hidden things.’

‘Eight o’clock.’ Harry negotiated. ‘I have better things to do.’

‘Whatever! Just make sure you show up.’ Draco stalked off towards the grounds in the direction of the Forbidden Forest.

Harry turned and rejoined his friends who had been waiting for him just outside the Great Hall as it was now time for dinner.

Seating beside each Ginny and Neville, Harry looked over at the Ravenclaw table as he searched for Luna since he had to inform her of what was going to happen. He only hoped she wouldn’t be busy because he could honestly not think of any other person in which Draco would approve enough of to use as their binder. The last thing Harry needed was the incident of having to place his trust in another Slytherin.

‘Are you alright, Harry?’ Ginny asked.

Hermione sat across from her and looked hesitantly at Harry as though she no longer knew how to approach him.

‘What did Malfoy want?’ Neville added.

‘Nothing,’ Harry dismissed. ‘It was just the usual stuff.’

He turned and glanced over at the staff table, spotting Irma talking to Flitwick about something while to her right sat an aggravated-looking Snape. Not that it was anything new, but there was a certain edgier expression about his glare that made Harry wonder if the man was picturing the poisoned death of anyone in particular.

‘Excuse me.’ Harry said a few minutes later when he finally spotted Luna.

He moved past a group of sixth year Hufflepuffs who had just entered the hall and dodged the taunts of the Slytherins until he reached the Ravenclaw table.

‘Hello, Harry.’ Luna looked over at him and smiled. ‘Did you want to tell me something? I noticed that you were looking for me from where you sat at Gryffindor table. I’m glad you found me though, is it something important?’

‘Yes.’ Harry nodded. ‘Can I talk to you after dinner? It’s rather urgent.’ He said, aware of those who were trying to eavesdrop.

‘Of course I’ll talk to you, and after pudding.’ Luna nodded. ‘Thank you, Harry Potter.’

‘Er…you’re welcome.’ Harry didn’t have a clue what he was being thanked for as he returned to his friends. He didn’t feel particularly hungry and merely poked his vegetables with his fork.

Sighing, Harry sipped from his goblet instead and thought about what was going to happen later that night. Taking an Unbreakable Vow with Draco Malfoy seemed like an insanely stupid idea, and yet it was far too tempting to learn what the Slytherin might have to tell him that could possibly save his life in the battle against Voldemort. All in exchange for the whereabouts of the Chamber of Secrets, that was really a Slytherin domain so Draco had a little right to it, in a way.


Luna had agreed to meet Harry and Draco in the Room of Requirement at exactly eight o’clock later that night in order to be the binder to their Unbreakable Vow.

Everything was going according to the plan and yet the sickening feeling in the pit of Harry’s stomach only worsened as the minutes ticked by. He was unable to sit around in the common room for long and ventured to the library but Madam Pince wasn’t there so he went back to the dormitory to play with Toby for a while.

By seven thirty he was unable to remain idle and left the Gryffindor tower again to head for the seventh floor. Dodging Filch and a mumbling Trelawney, Harry managed to get into the room Draco had told him to call for and was surprised to see that the blonde was already there.

‘You’re early.’ Harry commented as he saw the Slytherin seated before a fire in a green armchair.

 It was amazing there was room for those two things at all given the high amount of clutter and seemingly junk items that filled every meter of the room. He also wondered what Draco had been doing if he’d been there long because there was no book nor other useful object near enough for him to use to occupy the time with.

‘So are you.’ Draco replied. ‘I thought you had better things to do?’

‘Not until after.’ Harry retorted.

His eyes widened when a scarlet armchair appeared across from Draco just as he was thinking he needed a place to sit. Sighing, Harry pulled a Potions book from his bag that he had borrowed from the library a few days ago. Seating himself in the chair, he proceeded to ignore the other boy as they waited for the Ravenclaw girl.

‘How long have you been here?’ Harry was unable to focus on the material in his book with the Slytherin sitting so nearby, looking utterly bored and yet almost as nervous as Harry felt about what was going to happen.

‘I do not care for small talk, Potter.’ Draco frowned. ‘Can’t you just sit there and shut up while we wait?’

‘Fine!’ Harry growled and muttered under his breath about uncivilized gits and rude snakes as he tried to follow the words on the pages of his book.

‘I stayed in the Great Hall long enough to try that new pudding, okay?’ Draco scowled as though Harry had spent the past ten mute minutes pestering him for an answer.

‘Then I came straight here, satisfied?’

Harry said nothing and continued reading, although a smug smirk formed on his lips that only irritated Draco further, who was still doing nothing other then sitting in the armchair and staring at the low fire.

--

‘Oh, I have the strange feeling that I am late because you’re both already here and yet my watch says it’s exactly eight o’clock. Perhaps you had meant a different eight o’clock?’ Luna said as she walked through the door with her book bag strapped over her shoulder and her wand grasped lightly in her hand.

‘What?’ Draco frowned and glanced at Harry for a translation but all he got was a flippant wave of Harry’s hand instead.

‘You know how to do this, right?’ The blonde gave her a hesitant expression.

‘Of course,’ Luna smiled. ‘Hello Draco Malfoy.’ She added in greeting.

‘We’ll say it ourselves though, if that’s okay?’ Harry added.

While he may trust Luna immeasurably with a number of things and she was his friend, Harry wasn’t going to leave their vow up to her wording; their lives depended on it and one wrong phrase would not end well.

‘That’s quite alright.’ Luna nodded. ‘Are you ready?’

Draco and Harry stood at exactly arms length as they reached out with their right hands and grasped the other’s wrist. Luna stood to Harry’s right and flicked her wand accordingly, watching as the silvery threads wrapped around the boy’s linked wrists. It reminded Harry a bit of memories before they were placed into a pensieve.

Wanting to get it over with, Harry started first.

‘Do you, Draco Malfoy, swear to provide me with information you believe to be accurate and possibly useful in regards to the upcoming war?’

‘I will.’ Draco answered and watched the magical threads wrap tighter around them.

‘And do you, Harry Potter, promise that in exchange for that information, reveal to me the whereabouts of the Chamber of Secrets here at Hogwarts and how to access it, should V-Vol-Voldemort be defeated in the war?’

He stared at their wrists as though fixated on the spell whereas Harry was busy studying the blonde’s face and couldn’t believe Draco was indeed sincere with their arrangement. He also struggled to feel anything but a little respect for the Slytherin saying You-Know-Who’s name.

‘Yes.’ Harry nodded. ‘I will.’

‘Is that everything?’ Luna wondered.

Harry nodded and she lowered her wand, watching with interest as the threads faded and yet left scar-like pale lines on the boy’s hands and wrists.

‘These should fade in a day or two.’ Draco said as he yanked his hand back and examined the thin lines.

‘No one would think much of it unless they’re very familiar with Unbreakable Vows. There’s also no way for them to tell who the vow was made to just by looking at them.’

‘I know, I can read.’ Harry frowned as he had done enough research to know those things.

‘Oh, really?’ Mocked Draco. ‘Here I thought you just liked staring at the pages for no apparent reason.’

‘You’re real funny.’ Harry deadpanned as he rolled his eyes. ‘Thanks, Luna.’ He offered his friend a smile.

‘I don’t mind; it was rather interesting, perhaps even more so than looking through bushes for Reversible Pixies.’

‘That’s rubbish.’ Draco rolled his eyes. ‘They don’t exist.’

‘Of course they do.’ Luna smiled.

‘They do like to be invisible though and I think people don’t like them very much for some reason; it must be because the little hats they wear that remind people of thumbtacks.’ She whispered the last part as though it was a secret.

‘Right,’ Harry nodded as Luna lifted her bag back onto her shoulders from where she had left it on the floor at her feet when she’d entered.

‘Well, thanks again, Luna.’

‘You’re very welcome, Harry Potter.’ She waved airily to them and skipped out of the room.

‘Must all your friends be weird and nutters?’ Draco rolled his eyes in amusement.

‘Anything’s better then them being Death Eaters.’ Harry glared back as he strode past the Slytherin and headed for the door.

He didn’t glance over his shoulder at the other boy so Harry didn’t know how Draco had reacted to his words; all he knew was that the Slytherin hadn’t followed him outside the room and into the seventh-floor corridor.

Harry ventured around a corridor and was busy thinking about the vow that he hadn’t spotted Snape at the end of the hallway, until he was mere feet from the man.

‘Ack!’ Harry couldn’t help reacting rather dramatically when he caught sight of the black-robed professor, so much so that the books he had been carrying in his arms slipped and scattered onto the stone floor at his feet.

Severus had seen the teenager at the opposite end of the corridor and was instantly suspicious, even as he had not expected the expression upon the boy’s face right up until the rather startled reaction.

 Glancing downwards at the books, Severus wasn’t sure what to think of the titles that each pertained to Potions in one way or another; such as listings of ingredients and their uses, ancient draughts that have advanced the capabilities of magical hospitals, rare poisons with antidotes, common mistakes that are made in moderate potions, and of a couple others in which had been hastily gathered by the boy before Severus could properly read them.

‘Sorry, Professor Snape,’ Harry said politely even as he held the other man somewhat responsible for his embarrassing stumble.

‘I didn’t see you there.’

‘Obviously.’ Severus replied although he wondered how the brat hadn’t been able to notice him, if that was even the truth.

Severus almost found amusement in the way Harry quickly checked his watch to make sure he wasn’t past curfew and the teen relaxed when he wasn’t. It was strange, that since the boy had heard about Lily from Severus and then proceeded to give him a birthday gift, that they hadn’t had a lot of contact with the other in the previous two months. Had it really been that long? Sure, there were the usual Defense Against the Dark Arts classes but they mostly avoided each other whenever possible.

The Gryffindor seemed to be thinking the same thing.

‘Um, did…did you like the-oh never mind.’ Harry said hurriedly and moved to walk past Snape but paused when the man held out a hand to stop him. Looking over at his professor, Harry lowered his gaze to the silver cauldron that rested on the man’s other palm.

‘Indeed.’ Severus nodded. 

The smile on the brat’s face was only serving to make him feel very uncomfortable about the boy’s lingering presence.

The Gryffindor said nothing as he gripped his books higher and turned to leave, walking directly under the torchlight as he went. While the boy disappeared around the corner, Severus froze with horror as he had seen the tell-tale markings of an Unbreakable Vow.

Spinning on his heel, Severus increased his pace as he headed in the direction the Gryffindor had come from in hope of gaining clues. Just as he turned a second corner, Severus spotted his godson walking with his hands shoved into the pockets of his Slytherin robes.

The teenager’s reaction to seeing him there was nearly identical to Potter’s.

‘Hey, Uncle Sev,’ Draco tried to seem friendly and casual.

Severus was not fooled and knew that the usage of the boy’s nickname for him was only further evidence of such; Draco hadn’t really called him that since the boy’s fourth year.

‘Greetings, Draco.’ Severus returned smoothly. ‘And what business might you have in the seventh floor corridor at this time of night?’

‘It’s not past curfew.’ Draco frowned. ‘I was just-‘

His excuse was cut off by the exhausted arrival of Filch, who seemed both enraged and excited about something.

‘Professor Snape!’ He gasped as he reached them.

Draco used this time to sneak away from his godfather and returned to the dungeons.

‘I have just caught a bunch of Gryffindors lingering near the library and causing a disruption.’ Filch said.

‘Very well,’ Severus sighed. ‘Ensure that they remain where they are; I shall be along shortly.’ He approved and watched the caretaker scurry off as he remained behind to pinch the bridge of his nose while closing his eyes for a few seconds.

It was quite clear that Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy had likely just made an Unbreakable Vow. Severus was certain that the next few nights would consist of him having nightmares about the possible promises being made between the two supposed enemies.

It was moments like this when he was colossally thankful that he was in no way a parent because the stress of determining and preventing the trouble-making of teenagers was horrendous enough when limited to his usual staff duties. Speaking of which, he had better find out which Gryffindors those troublemakers were and punish them accordingly; yes, that was likely to boost his mood a little.

Yet as it turned out, they were not the ones he had been expecting, given the fact that even Severus had noticed the way Potter had been distancing himself from his usual group of friends. The Gryffindor students Filch had in his office were: Ron Weasley, Lavender Brown, Ginny Weasley and…Hermione Granger?’

‘Well, well, what do we have here?’ Severus smirked at the nervously defiant Gryffindors.

‘As strange as it may be that Potter was lurking the corridor on the seventh floor whilst his friends were causing trouble elsewhere, I must confess myself surprised that Mr Weasley and Miss Brown apparently do know the location of the library, after all. Perhaps you each took a wrong turn?’ He sneered.

‘This is not fair.’ Lavender huffed. ‘We weren’t doing anything wrong, were we Won-Won?’

As Ron flushed bright red, Severus had to struggle against the snort that would otherwise have left him feeling rather undignified.

‘We’re students, Professor Snape.’ Hermione added. ‘We’re permitted to use the library as long as it’s before curfew.’ She insisted.

Severus was starting to wish it was curfew because this was now the third time he had been reminded that it wasn’t as though he was incapable to telling the time. Plus, they’d lose a lot more points if it was. Severus also noticed how Ginny was remaining perfectly silent as though she was a mere observer to the scene.

‘They weren’t in the library, Professor Snape.’ Filch jumped in.

‘I suspected as much.’ Severus nodded as he made a gesture for the Gryffindors to remain put while he entered the library and sought out his mother.

‘Oh, good,’ Irma scowled at Severus as though he was the one who had crossed her bad mood today.

‘I trust you’ll punish that lot for fighting in my library?’ She glared.

‘Were they fighting with wands or fists?’ Severus asked, almost bored by the entire ordeal now as he would much rather panic over the Unbreakable Vow than deal with a mere teenage quarrel.

‘They were about to use wands.’ Irma disapproved. ‘Miss Granger was once again searching for that insufferable witch and brought Miss Weasley with her. Miss Brown started talking to them with Mr Weasley joining in. The next thing I know they’re all shouting and I took great pleasure in booting them from the room.’ She explained.

‘And they just continued it outside! The nerve of teenagers these days! It’s a shame Harry wasn’t with them, he’s such a delightful company now and would surely have instilled some sense into their petty argument.’

‘Spare me the details of Pot-what?’ Severus paused and stared at her.

‘Delightful?’ He snorted. ‘Hardly. And when was it that you began calling the brat by his given name?’ Severus raised his eyebrow at his mother.

‘Since I did more then just glare at him from the distance and actually got to know the boy.’ Irma retorted with a smirk, which he ignored and turned to walk away from her.

Severus handed out the twenty point punishments to both Lavender and Ron while another ten points were taken from each of the other two. He then dismissed everyone but Granger, with the threat of a one-month detention if it happened again.

‘Madam Pince has informed me that you have been loitering in the library lately in search of a particular witch?’ Severus knew better than to dismiss this detail after what had happened the last time this particular girl had been so obsessed with one person for a long period of time.

The headache of “Nicolas Flamel” came to mind.

‘Yes, sir,’ Hermione nodded and saw an opportunity for information. ‘I heard the name and was very curious but can find very little about her, apart from the fact that she went to Hogwarts.’ She said in one breath.

‘Her name is Mildred Merrengold, have you heard of her?’

Severus paused when he heard that name and swallowed as he could not believe he was hearing it again from such a source. Deciding to give his mother a piece of mind and less reason to lock the library doors in the faces of too-frequent and curious students who are there for non-school-related reasons, he answered the girl.

‘Mildred Merrengold is a despicable, vile woman who takes great pleasure in thieving from pureblood lines, tricking them into revealing the locations of their heirlooms in which she can later return to steal.’ Severus explained with a frown.

‘She is older than she appears due to several charms she has revived herself and passed off as updated inventions. Potions included.’

He really did despise that woman.

‘There are few pure families in which she has never been able to acquire a heirloom of any kind from and those remain on high alert of her presence.’ He said.

‘There is nothing neither fascinating nor useful about the knowledge of her existence and therefore you ought to put her from your mind.’

‘Which families?’ Hermione asked eagerly. ‘And is she known to cause fires?’

Now Severus was suspicious.

‘Only in a place in which she has failed to acquire a heirloom; however, there is always too little evidence in which to convict her of the crimes. As for the families...I deem it to be of little importance,, however I am aware of your insatiable thirst for sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong – the main ones you would be more familiar with are: Malfoy, Black, Prince, Lestrange, Pandorus, and…Potter.’ He frowned.

‘Thank you, sir!’

‘Miss Granger.’ Severus halted the girl’s movements with his tone alone.

‘If I should discover that by giving you this knowledge rather than allowing you to constantly irritate those around you in search for it, leads in any way to the breakage of a single rule…rest assure that I will not hesitate to BAN you from the library for at least a full term week.’

Her gasp of complete horror had the desired effect on his mood and Severus was able to return to his quarters without the pressure of a headache.

And there he found that the roll of parchment he shared with S.J.E was attempting to get his attention. Surely enough, there was a fresh phrase written upon the otherwise blank page:

I want to brew the most accurate paternity potion there is, for both myself and my little brother. Or do you know of a spell that would indicate how many living relatives a person has?

I think I might not be an orphan after all and I really want to know the truth.

Please, sir… can you help me?

To be continued...
End Notes:
Less then four months at Hogwarts before 6th year ends! Any ideas where it's going? It's leading up to a big battle, of course...but so much more.
I'd like to know any thoughts/comments/questions/theories you have! Please review!


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