*SLAM*

Harry was startled out of his concentration. His father had given him permission to practice brewing potions for the upcoming term—one of the many perks of having a parent on Hogwarts' staff. He was on the final stage for brewing a nearly perfect Euphoria Elixir when someone slammed the door to his father's private chambers so violently, the stone walls literally shook.

"HARRY!"

Damn!

This couldn't be good. Harry knew that angry voice anywhere, and frankly, he had never heard Severus Snape so angry. In Harry's experience—that was saying something.

Harry went into the kitchen. He still had a phial of shrivelfigs in his hand when he guardedly peeked around the wall and into the sitting room.

"Dad?" he said nervously—unwilling to leave the protection that the stone wall provided in case he had to dodge a random flying object. For the life of him, Harry couldn't think of anything he had done wrong. He hadn't blown up the quarters yet.

There was no sign of his father in the sitting room, but the dead couldn't help but hear the slamming of drawers and rustling of parchment coming from Severus' private study.

Still not knowing what had set his father into such a state, Harry kept up his state of vigilance as he slowly pushed the already partially open door. It seemed as though his father had finally found what he was looking for and was scrawling violently on a piece of parchment.

From his place by the door, Harry could hear his father mumble to himself, "Where is that blasted boy?"

"Uh…Dad?" Harry asked nervously as he opened the study door farther. "Is there something wrong?"

Well that's a stupid question, Harry cringed inwardly.

His father never looked up from his frantic writing as he said tersely, "Pack your things. We're leaving tonight."

"Leaving?" Harry asked, not bothering to hide his confusion. "What happened? Were you sacked?"

"No, I wasn't sacked," his father answered through gritted teeth—still writing as though his life depended on it. "What possible reason would the Headmaster have to sack me right now? Don't ask silly questions."

Harry couldn't think of any offence Severus could have done in an empty castle that would warrant his dismissal. But why the sudden hurry to leave? Unless…

"We've been found out, haven't we? Harry asked, pushing back his rising panic as best he could. "He's sending someone to kill you."

"Not today, and not any other day, if I have something to say about it," Severus replied cryptically as he deftly rolled up the parchment. Did Voldemort not find out about them yet? Or did he find out and was biding his time to kill Severus?

Harry's father looked up at him with eyes as stony as onyx and said sternly, "Didn't I tell you to pack." It came across more as an order than a question.

Before Harry could ask another question his father called out, "Dobby!"

Harry jumped at the sudden crack of displaced air. He wondered if he ever would get used to the sound, as his skin crawled. Sometimes it invoked images of Death Eaters Apparating to a dark, long forgotten cemetery. But Harry's apprehension turned to delight when he looked over and realised exactly which house-elf his father had summoned.

"Oh, Harry Potter's Father, sir," the happy elf squeaked as he jumped from one foot to another. "Dobby was honoured when Headmaster Dumbledore asked him to serve you here at Hogwarts. What is it Dobby can do for you?"

"I do not care how many house elves it takes—I want these chambers packed by tonight!"

"Yes Sir, Harry Potter's Father, sir. Dobby will see to it." Harry would had been amused by the choice of title the little elf had chosen for the grim Potions Master, if it wasn't for the slight look of trepidation in the elf's eyes before he popped way.

"Harry, don't just stand there. Do as you're told. I have to deliver this to the Headmaster. I shouldn't be more than a half-hour." Harry was quite literally taken aback when his father shouldered past him as he left his study.

Harry blinked and gathered his senses. "I don't understand. What's going on? What is that you're delivering to the Headmaster?" Harry asked almost accusingly.

"Don't ask questions and just do as you are told," Severus snapped as he determinedly marched towards the door.

His father turned around. The scowl on his face and flash in his eyes was something Harry hadn't seen since the days of the old Snape. "Are you deaf or are we going to have a serious talk about your insolence? Pack, Harry or I'll have the house-elves do it for you!" he snapped.

Harry had had enough. For once in his life, he was going to get some straight answers. He would deal with his father's anger later. He drew out his wand and called out, "Accio Dad's parchment!"

Harry would have thought that the startled look on his father's face was humorous when his magic forcibly yanked the parchment from Severus' hands, but he didn't have time to think about any grim consequences of his 'insolence'. With the reflexes of a Seeker, Harry snatched the parchment as it flew towards him.

"Harry! What the hell do you think you are doing?"

"Getting some damned answers, that's what," Harry snapped back, as he resolutely unrolled the parchment and deciphered his father's scrawl. A lump gathered in his throat and he was afraid he was about to choke on his own rising anger.

"Resigning?" Harry waved the parchment accusingly. "When were you going to let me in on this?"

"What is in that parchment is none of your concern! Now hand it over and go pack!" Severus ordered.

"NO!" Harry bellowed defiantly. "I will not just obediently upheave my entire life until you tell me what the bloody hell is going on here!"

Harry's rage ebbed as his father visibly deflated. "Harry, sit…please," his dad said in resignation as he gestured to the couch. "I suppose you are right. If I'm going to whisk you away from everyone and everything you ever cared for, I at least owe you an explanation as to why."

Harry mulled on what his father had just said and was slightly taken aback that he hadn't been hexed for his Accio stunt. But he obliged his father and slowly took a seat on the sofa. More of his anger began ebb away now that he knew he was going to get some real answers.

Severus sank down into his squishy chair and let out a long, drawn-out sigh. The softness of the cushions did not seem to have any effect on his father's tense posture as he seemed to ponder upon how to open up a particularly sticky topic. "Harry…The Headmaster has asked me to publicly reveal that I have been released from the Dark Mark."

Harry blinked again as he was once again caught off guard by his father. The statement was blunt and directly to the point. But Harry didn't let himself dwell on Severus' abrupt turn on the conversation, but instead, thought about his father's statement.

"What's so bad about that?" Harry couldn't see the problem. If Voldemort didn't already know, he would certainly know soon enough. "Let the world see that the 'Dark Lord' is fallible after all," he said.

His dad shook his head as it hung down so he couldn't look Harry in the eyes. "That isn't the problem. It is the intention of the Headmaster to draw out disenchanted Death Eaters with the promise of you removing their Marks."

Harry's eyes narrowed. Something didn't add up. "I have a feeling there is more to this than you're letting on. The Death Eaters seemed like a pretty enthusiastic lot that night in the graveyard," Harry said bitterly. "Why would they suddenly be 'disenchanted'?"

How on earth Severus had ever considered Harry dim-witted in the past was beyond him. The boy missed nothing. Severus saw no way around it—he was going to have to tell Harry everything. And when it came down to brass tacks, Harry had the right to know.

Severus was exhausted. He was coming down from the adrenaline rush induced by his anger and he felt as though he had been trampled by a hippogriff. He admitted wearily, "Harry…I don't know where to begin."

"Well…I always found the beginning a good place to start," his son said sagely.

Severus tried to suppress the wry smile that threaded his lips at his son's cheek. "When did you become so wise?" he said under his breath. There was really no way to sugar-coat the tale, so once again Severus thought it best to simply tell the straight truth, as ugly as it was. "It began with the Dark Lo…," Severus hesitated realising that his old fears were now unfounded. "I mean, Voldemort's …humiliation over your escape this past spring…," he haltingly began.

It took over an hour for Severus to tell Harry everything—the potion, Voldemort's insane quest for omnipotence, the intended child sacrifices, the circumstances behind the death of Vincent Crabbe, the Dark Mark, Dumbledore's scheme for a Death Eater revolt…everything.

It was an effort, even harder than Severus imagined it would be. He felt as if he were whittling away at the little childhood innocence that Harry had left. It wasn't fair to his son. Severus knew that life wasn't fair in general, but didn't his son deserve to at least have some part of his childhood left intact?

Severus' nerves were raw. Harry hadn't said a word. Not one question as Severus spoke of Voldemort's plans and Dumbledore's intentions. Harry sat on the couch the entire time and listened intently. Now he sat in pensive silence, leaning forward, grasping his hands and resting his elbows on his kness Severus nearly jumped out of his skin when Harry suddenly broke the silence.

"I think we should do this."

Severus' eyes shot up and he looked at his son in stunned disbelief. That was not the reaction he expected from Harry. "What? Harry…NO!"

No!

This wasn't going to happen. The Headmaster might encourage such folly and delusions of divine grandeur in one of his precious Gryffindors but Severus wasn't about to offer his son up as a sacrificial lamb!

Severus stood up, intending on taking advantage of his height to intimidate the boy into listening to reason, but Harry abruptly stood up too, turning his face up to Severus and meeting his hard gaze.

"No! I've sat and listened to you for the past hour without saying a word. Now it's time for you to listen to me!" his boy interjected before Severus could begin a new tirade.

"Harry, I have no intention of letting you go off half-cocked on some damn-fool Gryffin…"

"Dad, please!"

That was all it took. One plea from Harry and a look of desperation from behind those damn emerald eyes, and suddenly the fight had left Severus' body. Severus knew he wouldn't agree to whatever madness the boy was about to suggest, but his son did deserve to be heard. Severus wondered if he was getting soft.

Severus hitched his trousers as he gradually lowered himself back into his favourite chair. "Alright," he said conceding the floor to his son. "I'll listen. Just don't expect me to agree to anything."

"That's all I ask," Harry agreed as he slowly sat back down on the sofa just by Severus' elbow. "You know, people may not realize this…hell, you probably don't either, but I've been fighting for my life almost every day since I started Hogwarts," the boy said gravely.

"I'm actually well aware of that fact, Harry," Severus said. "I've been trying to keep you from breaking your scrawny neck since you stepped through the castle doors. But I don't see what this has to d…"

"I'm not thick. I know that Voldemort's return is going to bring on a full-on war. It's just a matter of when. You and I know that like it or not, I'm going to be involved and I have a sneaking suspicion that he's not going to wait until I'm of age to make it a fair fight."

Severus had to agree with his son's assessment of that point. But he could not conscionably sit idly by whilst his underage son put himself at risk. "Harry, we can still leave," Severus argued— rather pathetically, if he were to be honest with himself.

"Boy, becoming a parent must put people under some kind of spell," Harry half scoffed. "The old Professor Snape would agree with me."

Severus half smiled. Harry was right—parenthood did induce its own sort of magic. Albus had alluded to as much. "Actually, I agree with you wholeheartedly. It is the very reason I think we should leave."

Harry shook his head. "It won't matter if we go into hiding. The war will eventually catch up to us. If we run from this, that only means more people are going to die. We're talking about kids, Dad," he added almost pleadingly.

"And I don't want you to be one of them!" Severus said heatedly.

"I don't want to be one of them either," Harry shot back. "But I don't think I can live with myself knowing that I could have done something to save others."

Gryffindors, Severus bemoaned silently as he began rub his temples in a vain attempt to nurse the headache that refused to go away.

"Harry, it doesn't matter how hard you try; you're going to set yourself up for heartbreak if you think you can save the world. Contrary to what Gryffindors might tell you during orientation, you can't save everyone."

Harry shook his head as if trying to rid his brain of Severus' argument. Severus noted that Harry didn't flinch on his jab about Gryffindors. "But we won't save any if we just run away and do nothing."

"And if we leave now we can buy time. I can train you until you are ready."

Harry scoffed, "Let's face it, Dad. It won't matter how old or how well trained I am, you'll never think I'm ready. And I'm not talking about fighting, anyway. All you'll have to do is protect me long enough to do what has to be done."

Crossing his arms and legs, Severus turned slightly away from Harry. If truth be told, he found the idea of running away every bit as distasteful as Harry did. But what could he do? He had just found his son. He was blind to everything else, only that he had to keep his son safe at all costs. He didn't want to listen to what Harry had to say anymore because he was finding his son's words to be true. As much as Severus wanted to shut this conversation out, without realising he articulated the thought, he heard himself softly say, "And what do you propose we do?"

To Severus' misery, Harry took advantage of the unintended opening. Harry leaned in closer and said, "The way I see it, if I remove these Dark Marks, we will accomplish two goals. Not only will we be taking away from Voldemort's numbers, we will simultaneously be saving dozens of children."

"Harry, I cannot agree to this," Severus said vehemently. "Do you realise what will happen once word gets out? If you do this, the Dark Lord will be set on capturing you. He will become obsessed with it and he will stop at nothing until he finds you. And he will not let you die easily. Oh, no! He won't be satisfied until he drinks in the last ounce of your pain... until he has you begging for death."

Images of the tortures Severus had witnessed in the past flashed through his brain. Faces—some known to him, some nameless—morphed into Harry's.

Severus jumped up so violently from his chair he almost knocked it on end. "No," Severus said again defiantly. "It is too dangerous. Even with the entire Order at our disposal, I cannot guarantee your safety."

Severus stood with his back to his son. He wanted nothing more in all the world than for this conversation to be over and to be gone with his son. All he wanted to do was to give his son a semblance of a normal life—something the boy had been sorely denied and the lack of which had been gnawing guiltily upon Severus' conscience. Now it seemed that Severus would be powerless to give his own son this one simple gift. He felt helpless. It was an emotion he hadn't felt for many years and he wasn't handling it well.

"Dad, you know better than I do that life doesn't come with a guarantee."

Severus turned to find Harry standing directly behind him. The soft look in Harry's deep green eyes had undone his anger. No…he wasn't angry. He was afraid—afraid of losing his reason for caring—the only thing Severus gave a damn about, his son.

But there was no fear in Harry's eyes, only determination to do the right thing as he saw it.

"You know, you haven't even heard my idea, so how do you know if it's a good one or not?"

Severus resigned himself to the fact that Harry deserved to have his say. As much as he hated to admit it, the boy should have a say in his own destiny.

Severus gave a short nod. He sat at the corner of the sofa and patted the cushion next to him, inviting Harry to join him. "Here's your chance. What is this grand scheme you have in mind?"

Harry sat next to Severus. The boy was as serious as Severus could ever remember him. "Well," Harry said. "I think Professor Dumbledore is right. You should let everybody know about your Dark Mark vanishing. But I also think we need to take it a couple of steps farther."

Severus' eyes narrowed. "A couple of steps further," he parroted suspiciously.

"Yeah, a couple of steps further," Harry repeated. "I also think that we should announce our relationship, and I think we should let the other Death Eater's children know what's going on."

"What? Harry, you're barking!"

Harry stifled a snort. "I haven't spent that much time with Sirius."

Severus had to sit back and calm himself. If he wasn't careful his impatience would manifest itself in anger again. "I fail to see the humour in the situation Harry," he said stiffly. "If you have a point to make, I suggest you make it quickly or you might as well go pack."

"I'm being dead serious, Dad." Harry said, shaking his head once again. "If you think about it, it makes perfect sense. We will never have a better opportunity than to strike at Voldemort right now. He has only just returned and rather than try to solidify his base and gain allies, you tell me he's spent all summer looking for this potion. If we don't do something now, he'll never be weaker than he is today. He'll only get stronger."

Severus raised an eyebrow—impressed at his son's reasoning thus far. "Where did you learn such sound strategic logic?" he queried.

"You should try playing Wizard's Chess against Ron sometime," Harry said, grinning. "Coming up with a sound strategy sort of rubs off on you."

Severus scoffed inwardly. He doubted Ronald Weasley could strategize his way around a Gnome hole, much less a chessboard. But loathe though he was to admit it, Harry had captured Severus' interest. Honestly, it was a point Severus should have thought of himself, but his need to insure his son's safety had blinded him to some obvious facts.

But he did have to ask, "How does announcing our relationship and worrying the other children fit into your plan?"

"Well," Harry said, taking in a deep breath. "Not that I have any great sympathy for Death Eaters, but there have got to be a few that aren't exactly thrilled to see Voldemort's return." Harry's statement was closer to a question and Severus gave a simple conciliatory nod, confirming his son's assumptions.

Severus thought that if truth be told, most of the current Death Eater contingent was less than thrilled to see the return of their former master. Many had started their families and had settled into normal lives once the world had begun to settle down after the last war. Many of those were actually ashamed of their part in the first war. Some had probably not even told their wives or husbands of their past. More than one family was going to have their loyalties put to the test. The question was whether Death Eaters were loyal to their families or to the Dark Lord. Some no doubt believed that the only way to protect their families was to cast their lot with the newly reborn Dark Lord out of fear of retaliation. Severus could see where Harry's thought process was taking him.

"So you think that by letting people know about my Dark Mark and about…us," Severus managed after nearly swallowing the word, "that we can make them think twice about the validity of the Dark Lord's claim of power."

"Well, I suppose that's one way of saying it," Harry said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Think about it. If you knew that some kid reversed one of your master's most powerful spells, wouldn't you think twice about which side you were on?"

Severus only nodded in agreement. The boy did have a point.

"And what of those who don't want to go back," Harry continued. "Dad, I feel I can really do something worthwhile. I can offer them a real way out. Even if they don't join our side, we will at least be putting a dent in Voldemort's numbers."

Severus felt as if he was being pulled in two different directions and he was being torn apart. Thus far, Harry's argument was perfectly valid. If this proposal involved anyone but his son, Severus would have enthusiastically been the first to endorse it. But this was about Harry—his son—and Severus wasn't about to let him expose himself to Death Eaters.

"Harry," Severus said with a sigh, "I understand your frustration and your willingness to help. But this is just too dangerous. Perhaps if we…"

"No, Dad," Harry said defiantly. "If you don't help me with this, I'll find a way to do it myself. I've been sneaking past teachers and facing danger for longer than I care to admit. I'll do this either with or without you. Personally, I think I stand a much better chance with you."

Severus struggled to keep his temper in check. There was no point in arguing. It wouldn't matter if Severus kept the boy a virtual prisoner in their home, Harry would find a way out and run headfirst into danger on his own. Well…most likely with the Weasley boy and Ms Granger in tow instead of an adult and qualified wizard, and then how would he explain things to Molly and Arthur or the doctors Granger if something should happen to their children. Against every rational bone in his body, Severus found himself conceding.

"If…and I mean if I agree to allow you to do this," Severus said, pointing his finger at his son for emphasis, "we will do this according to my rules. Under no circumstances are you to meet with any Death Eater without my express say-so and presence," he said pointedly. "I mean this, Harry. There will be no more compromises and your little friends will not be tagging along."

Harry nodded. "Fair enough. I'll probably tell them, but I don't want Ron and Hermione coming with us. They'll stay if I tell them you're with me. There's nothing they can do and they'd be a distraction, anyway. But I still say we should let the Death Eaters' children know what's going on."

"Why?" Severus asked. "The fewer people who know about this the better."

"An hour ago I would have agreed with you. But I don't think that's the case anymore," Harry said seriously.

"How is causing a panic amongst children going to help our situation, Harry?" Severus reasonably inquired.

"Because those 'panicked children' are going to write home and ask their parents some very awkward questions."

Severus could feel his own eyes widen as he realised what the boy was saying, and Harry was right.

Harry must have sensed the shift in Severus' attitude because he said even more confidently, "From what you said to me, the Death Eaters know that Vincent's dad killed him, but they don't know why. If the Death Eaters knew what Voldemort was really up to, don't you think that at least the ones with children would do everything in their power to stop it? They'd be pounding down the doors of Grimmauld Place asking for our help. And you, Dad—they think of you as one of them. If they know that you are a father and that you managed to be rid of your Mark, the parents will have someone to rally around. You can be their beacon of hope."

Beacon of hope, Severus inwardly scoffed. How very Slytherin of Harry to attempt to play upon Severus' vanity by turning him into a hero. But Harry was right again to surmise that those who wanted to leave the Dark Lord's fold would need to know that not only could they find safe harbour, but sympathy. Not all who joined the Dark Lord's ranks did so because they were intent on evil. Many had joined because of a misguided youth or pressure from their families, or they simply had no place to turn and the Dark Lord had lured them in with the promise of a better life and a place to belong. Only after it was too late and there was no way out did they realise and come to regret the dark consequences of their youthful folly.

"Dad, we have to let the children know the danger they are in," Harry said soberly. "If I don't do this…what is to stop Voldemort from forcing these people to walk straight into Hogwarts and kidnap their own kids? It's only a matter of time before he finds another Potions Master and then the killing will really begin." Harry exhaled an exhaustive sigh.

"Dad…I don't want to run away. Like my father…I am no coward."

Severus tentatively reached out and carded his fingers through his dark hair. Harry closed his eyes and smiled a sad smile, but he seemed to enjoy the sensation all the same. Severus' thumb inadvertently touched the boy's scar. Harry's breath hitched at the unexpected contact, but he did not draw away.

Without knowing why he felt the need to do so—only that he felt the need—Severus pulled Harry into his chest and embraced him.

"I love you, Dad."

For a moment, everything seemed to stop and Severus wondered if the world had come to an end. He almost wished it were true because he could have died a happy man right at that moment.

Severus pulled away and looked into Harry's almond shaped eyes and found no deceit in them. It had been a decade and a half, but Severus recognised the look in his son's eyes. Love—love and trust. He had not seen it since before Lily had….

Severus pulled his son back to him. Harry retuned the embrace as Severus kissed the top of his head and buried his cheek into the boy's hair. The spicy-sweet mixture of potions ingredients clung to the boy and Severus' heart clinched with pride. This brave, brave boy was his son.

It must have come as instinct or some uncontrollable reaction, because before Severus knew what he was saying, he too admitted, "I love you too, son."

Severus smiled contently when he felt Harry's smile form on his shoulder. "But you are still grounded," he added cheekily.

Harry pulled out of the embrace and looked up at him aghast. "Grounded! Whatever for?"

"For blackmailing your father," Severus said, unaffected as he smoothed out his son's dishevelled hair and the boy looked up at him, nonplussed. "You don't think I'd forgotten that remark about you threatening to go out on these missions without me, do you?"

Harry still hadn't recovered from his surprise when he began to stutter for words, "But…but…"

"No 'buts', Harry," Severus said without sympathy. "Consider yourself lucky that you are only grounded until the beginning of term. That means no flying and no visiting with your friends."

Harry seemed to consider his punishment. "Well, I suppose I can live with that. Term begins in less than a week." Harry turned to go back to his lab and finish his studying when he suddenly turned back towards Severus. "You know, I think fatherhood is turning you soft."

Severus' eyes narrowed but he inwardly scoffed as he held back his amusement, "Would you care to add on another week for insulting me?"

Harry held up his hands. He was still holding onto the potion phial. "No, no, that's alright," he said nervously as he backed away and looked over his shoulder. Harry jerked his thumb in the direction of the lab. "I think I'll uh…I'll just go finish up my potion."

Severus sobered as he watched his son scamper back to his private lab. How much longer would Harry remain this certain and optimistic? How much longer until the brutal realities of war took away what little childhood innocence he had left?

Severus would have to think long and hard on ways to keep his son safe while he set out on the task of removing Dark Marks. Severus hated to admit that the idea was sound, because it could not work without Harry. But it was true that the Dark Lord was as weak as he would ever be and if they did not take advantage of his weakness now, the opportunity might never present itself again—especially if he managed to get that cursed potion brewed. Yes…now was the time to strike. But damn it, why in the name of Mercy did Harry have to be their sword?