Severus was eating breakfast on Friday morning when he heard a familiar but unexpected tapping sound. He had already received his copy of the Prophet that morning, and so should not be receiving any other post. The owl herself, once Severus had let her in, turned out to be another familiar but wholly unexpected element. Harry wasn't supposed to be writing him until Sunday, so there was no reason his owl should be delivering anything to Severus on Friday.

Still, he took the envelope and briefly considered sending the snowy owl away before deciding against it. Harry had shown himself to be fairly obedient when Severus took him to Diagon Alley, if one was willing to discount the snake incident, so it was likely this letter was something of an emergency situation in need of some kind of immediate response. Somewhat wary now, Severus unfolded the parchment and began to read.

Dear Professor Snape,

Severus had to suppress an urge to throw the letter away. He had not honestly expected an eleven year old boy to know how to write up an official report, but he had thought he made it clear that Harry was to try to write it as a report, not a letter. Severus was not in the habit of exchanging letters with anyone, and he had no plans to make any exceptions, much less for one of his students. Still, there was the possibility that the Dursley's had responded to Severus's threats not by improving their treatment of Harry, but by lashing out at the boy. If that was the case, and Severus did not respond because he had neglected to read this letter, then things would doubtless get worse. Gritting his teeth a bit, Severus continued.

You must be surprised to see Hedwig, that's what I named my owl, I got it out of my History of Magic book, (which, Severus was gratified to note meant Harry might be actually reading his textbooks, unlike most of the first year dunderheads) so early. Of course, I don't know when you will actually get this, how fast is owl post? Muggle post usually takes a few days at least, but it seems like owls would be faster. Well, either way, it should be three days before you were expecting to see her.

Anyways, the reason I'm writing you on Thursday instead of Sunday, like you asked, is that the Dursley's were acting so completely different than the usually do I thought I should write you right away.

Severus spared a brief moment to hope that whatever Petunia and her lump of a husband had done it wouldn't be too bad. Despite the threats he might have given them, he had a reputation to maintain as a reformed Death Eater, and he doubted the Aurors would believe him when he told them that the Muggles deserved to be cursed.

When I went inside the house after you left I realized I had forgotten to change out of my new robes, and at first I thought Aunt Petunia was going to have kittens. But after I gave her your letter she just looked frightened and told me to go up to my room. I stayed up there for most of the rest of the day but I could hear her and Uncle Vernon rowing for a long time, and then they pulled Dudley away from the TV and said something to him about me (I know, because he pitched a fit and I heard my name in it). Later Aunt Petunia called me down for dinner and there was already a plate set out for me that was piled with food, and she kept insisting that I eat it all. Then Uncle Vernon asked me how my day was, and even though I don't think he sounded really interested, he still asked. Of course, that might have partly been because Dudley was too busy sulking to say how his day was. Then today, Aunt Petunia took Dudley and me out shopping. First we went to the toy store and Dudley got two new computer games, but after that Aunt Petunia took us to buy clothes and she bought a whole bunch of brand new clothes for me! And they all look a lot nicer and fit me much better than Dudley's hand-me-downs, though I still like my new robes better. And then when we got home she took out the box of Legos I saw her buy at the toy store and gave them to me. And I know my relatives only started acting so nice to me after you talked to them. So I don't know what you said, but thank you so much for saying it!

That passage made Severus feel a decidedly odd mixture of emotions. There was rage, of course, and that was easy and familiar. Rage at Muggles who did not know how to properly treat witches and wizards lay down old but well-worn paths in his mind, and it was simple to slip down them again. Severus did not allow himself any illusions, so he knew that the Dursley's behavior now, right after he had threatened them, represented the best treatment he could expect them to give Harry. Over time, as memory and fear of threats faded, they were likely to slip back into old habits. And now, having seen the best those two had to offer, Severus knew that Harry would need to find a different family to take him in next summer, and blood wards be damned. He didn't particularly care for the blood wards anyways, as they reminded him of things better forgotten and lead to train of thoughts that, while no longer as unpleasant as they once were, were still highly uncomfortable. No, the best option was clearly to place Harry with a wizarding family who would know how to care for him. In fact, the Weasley's had so many children Severus could probably stick Harry in there without anyone the wiser. Then again, Molly Weasley might notice if one of her brood had dark hair. So, that plan was out, but there was no way Severus was going to allow Lily's son to go back to a home where he was thanking people for ensuring he got the bare minimum of care.

And therein lay the crux of the strange feeling in Severus's chest. He knew himself to be not a nice person and his sharp tongue gave others little reason to thank him. Having written him off as cruel and nasty, most people found excuses for any of the good he was wont to do, assuming it was something he did only out of duty or on Dumbledore's command, and thus not a reason for any gratitude. Not that he had never been thanked before, the Dark Lord, for one, was occasionally given to praise when his Death Eaters performed a job well. Of course, even when he had been a loyal follower, the Dark Lord's words rang hollow in his ears, clearly something said only to ensure that his tools continued to work for him, and not out of any real feeling. Dumbledore was another exception to that rule, but if there was something that Albus Dumbledore wasn't the exception to, then wizardkind had yet to find it. And now this, being honestly and eagerly thanked by not just a child or student, but this particular child, the Boy-Who-Lived, son of James Potter and Lily Evans, being thanked by Harry, was... confusing to say the least.

Seeing that there was a bit more to the letter, and grateful for any distraction, Severus read on.

There was another thing I was wondering about. When I told Uncle Vernon I was supposed to take a train to Hogwarts, he said something about why we didn't use a more magical way to get there? And why don't we, is it just tradition? Did you and my mum ride the train together? And when I looked at the ticket it said the train was at Platform 9 ¾, but I thought all the platforms were whole numbers. Do you have to use magic to get on it, like at Diagon Alley?

Thanks again, Professor.

Harry

Well, it was blatantly obvious that the last paragraph was merely Harry fishing for stories about his mother. Not that Severus could really blame anyone for wanting to know more about Lily, but that did not mean he was going to start sending reminiscent letters to Harry. Although, he had neglected to tell Harry how to get onto the platform hadn't he? Grumbling a little, he summoned a parchment and a quill, so he could scribble out a quick reply and get back to breakfast.

XXXXX

Yawning a little, Harry marked the next day off of his calendar. He had mentioned to Aunt Petunia that he would like one and she had puckered her lips and had looked, in general, like someone had just made her eat a whole lemon, but she had gotten it for him. Sighing happily to himself, only two weeks left until he left for Hogwarts, he went to go climb into bed.

At least, that's what he had planned to do before he heard the soft rustling of feathers behind him. Suddenly wide awake, he turned around to greet Hedwig and take Snape's latest response from her. Hopefully it would explain what he had meant when he said he was "Head of Slytherin."

Harry

Slytherin is one of the four houses at Hogwarts. Every student is sorted into one of these houses at the beginning of their first year here. Each house has its own set of dormitories, off of a central common room, its own table in the Great Hall, and provides the basis for the class schedules. The four houses are Slytherin, known for cunning and ambition, Ravenclaw, which is associated with wit and intellect, Hufflepuff, hard-work and loyalty, and finally Gryffindor, which is for bravery. That is, at least nominally, how students are sorted. Your mother, because I know you will ask, was sorted into Gryffindor, which was disappointing to me at the time, since I was of course in Slytherin, but in retrospect it's hardly surprising.

Professor S. Snape

Harry smiled and tucked away the two new bits of information he had learned about his mum. Snape didn't go into detail, or tell him a lot of stories about her, but he was always letting little tidbits slide here and there. In addition to knowing she was brave and a Gryffindor, Harry also knew she was kind and polite to almost everyone she met. She had had a quick temper, but was just as quick to forget why she had been angry in the first place. But if you ever made her really mad then she would snap, and it was almost impossible to get her to forgive you after that. Harry privately hoped that, whatever Snape had done to his mum, she had forgiven him for it eventually. It would just be too sad otherwise. He knew she had dark red hair and green eyes, just like his. But most importantly, he knew she had died to protect him, which meant she must have loved him a whole lot.

Excitement wearing off, Harry yawned again, and crawled into bed. He would write Snape in the morning, and ask him what exactly the Great Hall was, and see if he could convince the man to tell him at least one story about how brave his mum was.

XXXXX

The Tuesday before September 1st, Severus was once again eating breakfast when Hedwig flew in with yet another letter from Harry. This time however, as had been the case the last week and a half or so, he was in the Great Hall at Hogwarts, eating at the staff table with some of the other faculty.

Hagrid, who was sitting on Severus left, leaned over the empty chair between them to pet Hedwig and offer her a bit of bacon (Severus had never met an owl who liked bacon so much as this one did). "She's a beautiful owl," Hagrid commented, and Severus could swear that made her look smug.

"She's not mine," he replied, somewhat indignantly. If he ever did buy an owl, and why would he when he had a perfectly nice snake, he certainly wouldn't get a smug one.

"Really?" asked Minerva, who was sitting just to the right of him. "The way she's been in and out of here with letters for you I just assumed she was yours. Whose is she then?" Severus decided not to answer that, it was his private business after all, but, unfortunately for him, someone else jumped in at that point.

"She wouldn't happen to belong to Harry Potter, would she Severus?" Dumbledore inquired from the other side of Minerva, his eyes full of that infernal twinkling. Minerva choked. Severus did not choke, but he did exhibit whatever tell it was that he had, he of course didn't know what it was exactly, or he certainly wouldn't be giving it off anymore. "Well that's wonderful. I'm glad Harry and you have bonded."

Severus was able, through sheer will power, not to sputter at the thought of himself bonding with a student. The pause, though, was enough for Minerva to speak up again. "You've been writing letters to Harry Potter? How in the world did that happen?" She accompanied the question with a look that reminded Severus uncomfortably of her Animagus form.

Hagrid responded to her query with a low chuckle before saying, "I can't say as I'm surprised by it meself." Minerva redirected her cat-glare to Hagrid. "I ran into Severus and Harry at Gringotts when Severus was helping the lad pick up his school supplies. You should have seen Harry, would hardly believe a thing I said without looking at Severus first to see if it was true."

"Is that so?" Minerva said, giving Severus a grin that could almost be termed mischievous. "Well, I was almost certain Harry was going to be a Gryffindor, like his parents, but it looks like I might have some competition after all."

If nothing else, Severus knew when it was best to stay and fight his battles and when to retreat. So slipping the letter into his pocket and gathering what was left of his dignity around him he stood up. "If you'll excuse me, I think I'll finish breakfast in my quarters," he said, before striding quickly off. Bloody Gryffindors.