“Draco? May I come in?” Severus asked as he knocked on his son’s bedroom door. “Yes”  Draco replied from where he was lying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. Joining him on the bed Sev looked at his son. “I like Harry. He’s nice. Draco said and looked back at his father. “Yeah? Do you think it would be alright if he stayed here for a while?” Draco nodded. “Why though? Doesn’t he have a dad to take care of him?” Severus sighed and shook his head. “His mum and dad died around the same time you’re mother and father died. He’s been staying with his aunt and uncle but they haven’t been very nice to him so he can’t stay there anymore” 

Draco looked deep in thought before a huge bright smile broke out on his face. “Good thing you found him then daddy. I’ve always wanted a little brother!” He enthused making Severus smile. “It’s not that simple but if Harry likes it here with us and we all get along, the ministry might let Harry stay” Draco sat up and looked around his room. “He can share a room with me, he can have his bed by the window” 

Downstairs Harry started to awaken from his nap on the sofa, and rubbed his eyes sleepily as he sat up. Looking around him he bit down on the hem of his shirt as he didn’t see anyone around. Sliding off the sofa he started walking towards the sound of laughter that was coming from upstairs. 

Peeking in from behind the open door, Harry saw that Severus was tickling Draco who was squirming to get away. “Ahh! Harry! You’re awake, come on in” Severus said and stopped tickling Draco and chuckled as he tried to catch his breath. Timidly walking he let Severus pick him up and place him on his lap. “Did you have a good nap?” Severus asked and gently pulled Harry’s arm away from his mouth as he nodded. 

“Well, how about we have dinner outside on the patio today since it’s such good weather?” Severus asked, making Draco shout in delight. “Go wash up then Draco and we’ll meet you downstairs” Draco raced off while Harry looked at Severus curious. “We need to find you some lighter clothes, it’s a bit warm with all these on I think” Leaving the boy on the bed, Sev found some of Draco’s clothes that was starting to get too small and shrinked them to fit Harry. 

Taking Harry’s hand he guided him to the guest bathroom. “Do you want me to help you get changed or can you manage on your own?” Severus asked as he put the clothes on the counter. Harry looked uncertain at him before looking down. “You can tell me if you want me to stay Harry, it’s no problem” Sev reassured him with a smile. “I want you to stay Sevus” Harry whispered with a tiny nod at the end.
 
“Alright then” Getting rid of the way too large shirt Harry was wearing, Severus grasped the hems of the t-shirt and gestured for Harry to raise his hands in the air. Sev couldn’t help but gently tickly Harry’s sides as his arms remained in the air after the t-shirt. Giggling quietly, Harry shied away from the tickling hands. “No tickles!” He protested while giggling. “Not even a teeny tiny tickle?” Severus teased and tried to tickle Harry some more. Shaking his head from side to side quickly Harry continued giggling, Severus was happy to see he’d manage to bring a smile on the boy’s face and that it remained as they quickly got Harry changed into his new clothes with any trouble. 

After dinner the two boys and Severus was stuffed. Draco had run off to play but Harry hadn’t wanted to join him. “Sevus?” Harry asked quietly from his chair. “Yes Harry?” Harry fidgeted in his chair and bit his lip as he looked at Severus. “You explain now?” He asked and blinked rapidly as the dishes from their meal vanished into thin air. “Ahh. Come here then and I’ll tell you all you need to know” Scampering over, Harry crawled up on Severus’s lap with a little help and he looked expectantly up at him. 

“Many years ago when I went to school at Hogwarts, there was a boy and a girl names James Potter and Lily Evans. They were good friends of mine. But there was this bad man who didn’t like James, your father, and Lily, your mother, very much because they didn’t want to do bad things to other people. When you were a little baby, about a year old the bad man came to your house and your mother, father and the bad man didn’t make it so your aunt and uncle was to take care of you. But they haven’t been doing that very well have they?” Severus explained and asked. Harry shook his head sadly. 

“Can you remember ever having strange and funny things happen to you? Like toys floating in the air? Changing someone’s hair maybe?” Sev asked. “I didn’t mean to” Harry murmured quietly and sniffled. “What happened?” Severus hugged the boy close and stroked his back as Harry cried a little. “Aunt Petunia’s pearl necklace broke and the pearls started go around and round in circles really really fast and she got really mad. I didn’t know what was happening and was scared” “Shhh, it’s okay Harry. It’s called accidental magic and it happens to everyone who’s a wizard” Harry grabbed onto Severus’s t-shirt and pressed his face into the mans shoulder.

After crying for a few minutes and enjoying being hugged for the first time in his life, Harry calmed down. “Magic isn’t real. Right Sevus?” He asked confused.  “It is real Harry. You are a wizard Harry. Just like your father James was, and your mother a witch. I’m a wizard too you know, as is Draco” Severus continued rubbing Harry’s back as he spoke. 

“See here” He spoke and picked up his wand from the table. Muttering a spell Severus turned one of the glasses that remained on the table into a little toy car. Gasping, Harry looked between Sev and the car with wide eyes. “Here you go” Sev said and handed the car to Harry. Clutching the car tightly in his hand, Harry laid down against Severus chest and hoped ‘Sevus’ and Draco would never grow tired off him and send him back to the Dursley‘s. 

Later that evening, not too long before bedtime Severus had helped the boys build a castle in their room. As a special treat he’d spelled some light orbs to float above their heads to give them lights. They didn’t need to know that the lights also kept track of their safety. Draco had dragged almost all his toys into the castle and had managed to get Harry to enter, with a few encouraging words from Severus before he had gone downstairs.

“Do you like daddy Harry?” Draco asked as he finished building a Lego house. “Yeah” Harry replied while nodding. “Good! Daddy and I like you too. I’m your big brother now” Draco said with pride in his voice. “Really?” Harry asked still a bit uncertain. “Mhmm, daddy will tell you so. Just wait and see. I’m sure you can call him daddy too if you’d like” Biting his lip Harry hoped it was true. “Is magic really real Dr - Dra - Dra..” Stumbling over Draco’s name, Draco decided to help him out. “It’s okay, you can call me Dray, and magic is really cool! I can’t wait to go to Hogwarts and learn everything about it!” Smiling, Harry decided it did seem pretty cool and glanced up at the floating light orbs.  

Downstairs Severus had taken out some old albums from his days in school and the years following. Not a lot of people knew of the relationship between him and James, and it had taken them five years into school before they had even became friends after all that fighting. Lily had played a huge part, being friends with both Severus and James since she was a little girl. 

Sighing, he took out a photo which all three of them were in and gently stroked his thumb over the edge of the photo. “I’m sorry I didn’t find him sooner” He whispered and looked as James dumped a bunch of leaves over their heads.  Even though he hadn’t spent much time with Harry or knew him well at all, he knew that if the ministry decided Harry couldn’t stay, both he and Draco would miss him dearly. 

Taking note of the time he decided it was time to get the boys into bed as tomorrow would most likely be a long tiring day for all of them. Putting the album away, Severus went upstairs and found the boys playing together as they acted as they’d known each other for years. Smiling he entered the bedroom, wishing nothing would have to change.