Without Dumbledore to help at the school anymore it was up to him, McGonagall and the other teachers to protect the students from the monster. Dumbledore, of course, had been working on finding a solution to rid the school of the monster, but this had to be long term and not simply seal it back into the chambers to be released by another student and cause mass panic again in the future. He looked into the hospital wing to see how the students were going under the watchful and protective Madam Pomfrey who was determined that between herself and Professor Sprout the students would make a complete recovery. Each student was confined safely to a bed and little had changed that he was unaware of so he soon left thinking maybe he would take a walk in the grounds to clear his head a little, Fang would enjoy a walk. It had after all been a difficult day of school.

“Well, come on!” Harry said.

“What?” Ron asked.

The boys had been found in the corridor by McGonagall who wasn’t listening to their ramble and threatened them that she personally would ensure all the teachers knew that Harry and Ron were thinking of wagging school. They did not in fact get away until after dinner when it was starting to get a little dark.

“Hagrid said, follow the spiders!” Harry said and headed outside to see where the spiders were going. There was a solid line of them heading into....the dark forest.

“Bloody spiders,” Ron whimpered as he followed his friend, “why couldn’t it have been follow the butterflies?”

Harry and Ron walked deep into the dark forest with Ron breathing heavily all the way.

“Harry, I don’t like this!” Ron said, “Harry I don’t like this at all!”

“Shhhh!” Harry commanded.

“Can we go back now?” Ron whimpered but Harry just kept walking with Ron following him.

“Come on! We owe this to Hagrid and Dumbledore!”

“Hagrid, is that you?” came a voice from the darkness.

“No, we are friends of Hagrids!” Harry stated watching a giant spider climb out from a hole.

“It’s you, you’re Arragog aren’t you?” Harry asked.

“Yes!” the spider stated, “Hagrid has never sent men into our hollow before!”

“He’s in trouble,” Harry said, “up at the school there have been attacks, they think he has opened the chamber of secrets, like before!”

“That’s a lie!” Arragog said, “Hagrid never opened the chamber of secrets!”

“Then you are not the monster?” Harry asked.

 “No, the monster was born in the chamber. I came from a distant land, in the pocket of a traveller!”

Ron started poking Harry, trying to get his attention but Harry merely put his arm around him and held him close. “Shh.”

“So then if you’re not the monster, what is it?”

“We do not speak of it!” Arragog stated, “it is an ancient creature that we spiders fear above all others!”

“Have you seen it?” Harry asked.

“I never saw any part of the castle, but the box in which Hagrid kept me! The girl was discovered in a bathroom. When I was accused Hagrid brought me here!”

“Harry!” Ron muttered.

“WHAT?” Harry shouted.

Ron whimpered and pointed at all of the spiders that were slowly creeping in on them.

“Well...um...thank you...um...we’ll just go then,” Harry said taking a step back.

“Go? I think not!” Arragog stated, “my sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid on my command, but I cannot deny them fresh meat when it wanders so willingly into our midst. Goodbye friend of Hagrid!”

“Can we panic now?” Ron whimpered.

The spiders attacked and Harry and Ron stepped back to back to try to help each other.

“Know any spells?” Ron asked.

“One, but it isn’t strong enough for all of them,”

At that moment the car arrived in the middle of the spiders den and opened its doors as if inviting them in. They got in the door and some how escaped from the spiders. Watching them running after them Ron quickly put the car into gear and pushed down on the accelerator, hard. The spiders chased and it seemed like they would catch up with them until the car got into the air and flew out of the great forest.

“Follow the spiders, follow the spiders...if Hagrid ever gets out of Azkaban I’ll kill him!” Ron exclaimed. The car merely spat them out and went back into the dark forest.

“I mean what’s the point of sending us in there? What did we find out?” Ron asked.

“We know one thing,” Harry said, “Hagrid didn’t open the chamber of secrets. He was innocent”

Meanwhile Severus had found the dog basket was empty. He looked around the room wondering where and how the giant dog had managed to get out. Then he saw his answer, sitting on the back of a nearby chair, Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak. His heart started to beat just a little bit faster and his first instinct was to start yelling out for Harry, maybe he would hear him and come back from..wherever he was. Severus dreaded the thought that perhaps he could be in the dark forest. As only Hagrid and himself knew their way about the forest this was a reason to panic, knowing just what creatures hid amongst the trees could sometimes be worse than having no idea.

He opened the door looking around outside there was no sign of them, the moon was particularly full that night and lit up the Hogwarts grounds almost perfectly. Snape sat himself down on the steps outside the hut to wait. There was no reason why he should go rushing into the forest not even knowing which direction to run in and hopefully soon there would be some sign of the boys. He sat worrying like any loving parent would. Amazed that his instinct to look after Harry could be so strong, he was ready to face any monster that would consider trying to take his son away from him. He wasn’t going to lose his family again.

It seemed like forever but eventually there was a rustle in the trees and Fang emerged with his tail between his legs not paying much attention to Severus on the steps merely climbing over him and curling up in his basket trembling. Severus knew that was not a good sign and his parental instincts got the better of him as he stood to run into the forest. He heard the sound of an engine and a car came from the dark forest and spat the boys out onto the lawn. Ron immediately threw up and Harry looked around hoping to sneak off back to the hut and back to the castle before anybody noticed him. Harry crept slowly keeping to the shadows until the final race to get to the door of the hut. Harry found himself standing in front of the hut, catching his breath, when he heard a voice from the shadows.

“Harry, what do you think you are doing?” the moon came out from behind a cloud to reveal a very angry Snape.

'Hagrid...follow the spiders...huge...Aragog...eat us...car...escape...Fang was frightened...'

Random words and phrases seemed to burble from Harry's mouth. Snape's eyes narrowed and he stood. Harry stumbled back a pace. Snape looked as menacing as Aragog, standing on the step, towering over Harry. And in his hand was Harry's invisibility cloak. They were screwed.

Ron staggered around the corner of the hut, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.

'Follow the spiders..right! Friends, my arse! We're lucky to be alive!' he croaked. He looked over at Harry and followed Harry's gaze to their professor.

'Oh.' Ron's face paled even further, if possible.

“Oh indeed,” Snape stated as he walked towards the boys with Harry’s invisibility cloak clasped in his hand, “office, NOW!”

The boys walked towards Snape’s office like it was their final walk, their heads hung low. Ron simply couldn’t get the image of that many spiders out of his head, and they were so big! He would be having nightmares for weeks, maybe even months before that settled down. Snape knew this, realising how reluctant Ron was to work with spiders during potions class. Often Hermione would help him and Snape would turn a blind eye.

Chasing after Arragog! It was amazing that the boys had been able to escape! Of course Snape knew about them, along with a lot of other creatures that could easily devour two young teenaged boys in that forest, he had learned of them through his friendship with Hagrid which had come as both men liked to frequent the dark forest and often went together (although Snape always left when Hagrid’s interest turned to wanting to bring another dangerous creature into his hut) he worried about Harry’s friendship with the giant man hoping that he had enough sense to leave before Hagrid interested the boy in going into the dark forest with him. In fact, it was Hagrid's misery over the loss of one of his unsavoury "pets" that had led Snape to purchase and deliver a Neopolitan Mastiff puppy to Hagrid's doorstep, anonymously. Hagrid had never said anything, but Snape figured he knew who had left the puppy. Fang had been the sole member of the Severus Snape fan club ever since and Hagrid was completely devoted to the slobbering canine. The only way Harry would ever be going back in there again would be with Snape by his side, a point that he was going to make abundantly clear to his son. Silently, they followed Snape down the stairways into the dungeons, until he reached his office door.

“In.”

Snape walked over to his potions cabinet and handed a phial to Ron. “Here drink this,” he said. Ron downed it without a word clearly indicating just how frightening he found the spiders to be.

“He was terrified of the spiders,” Harry whispered, “He didn't want to come with me, but he did it for-“ Harry broke off before he said Hermione, “-me. S-so I wouldn't go alone.”

As the potion started to take effect Ron showed visible signs of relaxation and began to look groggy.

“That was dreamless sleep,” Snape said, “go directly to bed now,” Ron stood from the chair and walked out with his shoulders slumped as if he was about to walk into a wall.

“Here take my floo,” Snape said handing him some floo powder. Ron threw it into the fire and was gone.

Harry’s relief for his friend was short lived when he saw just how angry his father? His potions teacher whom he wished he had nothing to do with, yeah that’s more like it...but the truth was...that was his father...and he was in DEEP trouble!

“Just tell me why you would do something as dangerous as go into Aragog’s territory? Do you realise how lucky you are to be alive?” Snape spoke deep and sharp to ensure each of his words were heard by his wayward offspring.

Snape's voice rose as he continued,

“Do you realise that nobody would know where you were or what happened to you both? Not to mention the heart ache that poor Molly would go through if she lost one of her children. What about me Harry? Did you give any thoughts to me? I, like you, have only just found out that I have a family and I will be damned if I will allow for your lack of responsibility and thoughtless actions to separate us now! What were you doing out of bed with a monster on the loose at Hogwarts? What were you thinking?”

“Hagrid said to follow the spiders! We didn't know they would want to eat us! And somebody needs to do something about the Chamber of Secrets!” Harry was nearly shouting now, “I didn’t think Hagrid would do anything that would harm me or Ron.”

“Not deliberately son,” Snape stated, the word seemed to have just rolled off his tongue as if from nowhere but it seemed so right to use it under these conditions, “But Hagrid as you know has a fascination for dangerous creatures. He thinks that every creature has a good heart, bless him, but he doesn’t realise that there are some creatures who simply live off instinct and that instinct is not necessarily a nice one. Like you found today. A small spider eats small insects and what do you think you and Ron are to those giant spiders?”

“They called us meat,” Harry trembled at the thought...how stupid could he have been thinking that this action would be ok?

“Harry. Look at me.” Snape's voice was stern and strict. Harry looked up tentatively.

“You must stop taking it upon yourself to solve the problems of the world. There are adults to do that. And, contrary to what you might think in your twelve year old wisdom, things would progress more smoothly for all of us if you would just do what you were told, abide by the rules, and be a good little boy.”

Harry chafed at the patronizing words, but remained silent.

“The adults cannot do their job effectively if they are dealing with your misbehaviour, Potter. You must learn to stay out of what does not directly concern you, unless you are asked to participate. In the current circumstance, your participation is following the rules, and keeping safe. Safe does not mean sneaking around the castle under an invisibility cloak - and no, you are not getting it back until you are mature enough to use it wisely - or venturing into the Forbidden Forest in the dead of night..”

“Now you are my son and I believe that there is only one punishment that is strong enough to imply this lesson upon you.  You are a child and as such I expect you to make mistakes. You may not need this punishment for every little infraction but for the big ones, like lying, cheating and being reckless with your life I shall employ it’s usage. Come to me Harry,” Snape said as he sat on a chair in the middle of the room. Harry simply stared. He had been spanked previously by Mrs Weasley so it was not a new thing to him, but...this was his father...and he seemed...upset.

Harry walked over to Snape and bent over his lap. Due to the nature of the chair he had to put his hands on the ground and be bent over double to keep his balance. Snape placed one hand across him to steady him and used a spell to remove his trousers and underpants as he lifted his hand bringing it down HARD against Harry’s bare bottom.

Harry’s first reaction was to jump up and run away but Snape’s held him steady as the spanks started to rain down on his bare bottom.

“Don’t you ever act that recklessly again!” Snape stated as he continued to wallop Harry’s backside turning it to a mild shade of pink. “If you ever do that again to me I don’t care where we are I shall put you over my knee right there and then and I don’t care who sees me do it!”

Snape spanked similar to Molly Weasley

Spank. Spank. Spank. WHACK. Spank.

Snape continued to warm his son’s buttocks. Lecturing gently with

“I am so disappointed with you Harry.”

Spank. Whack. SPANK. Whack. Spank.

“I can’t believe you would act so carelessly does your life mean so little to you?”

Spank. Whack. Spank. WHACK. SPANK. WHACK. Spank.

“I can tell you that your life means everything to me and I will fight even against you, to protect it”

Spank. Whack. Spank. Spank. SPANK. SPANK. Whack.

“Don’t you ever do such a thing again or we will be back in this position again. Next time I won’t go so easily on you”

This was easy? Harry felt like his poor bottom was on fire!!!

SPANK! WHACK! SPANK!

For fifteen long minutes Harry was held over Snape’s knee until he finally found himself breaking down in tears.             

“I’m so sorry sir,” he said, “I just wasn’t thinking.”

SPANK! SPANK! SPANK! WHACK! WHACK! SPANK! WALLOP! SPANK!

“You’re my son and dammit Harry I love you!!!!” Snape felt tears well up into his eyes but he had to teach his son that he was serious. After all how long had it been that Harry had little to no punishment at all. He couldn’t imagine Petunia paying much attention to him after all she was always so jealous of her sister.

Snape wandlessly conjured a paddle which flew into his hand.

“Now I am going to give you one smack for every year you were born Harry,” Snape said as he rubbed the paddle gently against his bottom, “I want you to count for me.”

SPANK!

“One sir”

SPANK!

“Two sir”

SPANK!

“Three sir”

By the time Harry was reaching for twelve he was really feeling the impact.

SPANK!

“Tweeeeeelve ssssir” Harry cried out.

Snape then put the paddle down and gathered Harry in his arms.

“I am so..so sorry that I haven’t been able to be here for you in the past Harry.” He said hugging his son tightly and starting to cry. “Never do anything to take yourself away from me. I have just found you, how do you think I would feel if I lost you?”

Harry actually sat and thought for a while about this not knowing what to say, “um...well...you were a death eater,” he mumbled gently.

“Harry, no membership to any group, even that one, would make me think that it was ok to put my family second. Nothing is more important to me than my family. Your mother, oh Harry, I loved her with all of my heart, and you my dear boy are the last gift she ever presented me with. I don’t want to lose you. Never do that to me,” Snape stated crying gently, “I don’t want anything to happen to you son, please don’t go back into that forest without me or at least Hagrid there with you. Do you promise?”

Harry was completely shocked by his next movement when he wrapped his arms around his father, who had just finished giving him a spanking that he would not soon be forgetting, putting his head against the man’s chest and simply crying.

“I promise,” he whimpered. Snape simply held him closer and whispered, “Good boy, I love you Harry.”

Snape...Snape loved him? Harry couldn’t possibly have heard that right..it must be some kind of mistake...Snape doesn’t love?!? Least of all him!! But...the words remained stated and Harry knew them to be true as he allowed himself to sink close to the man’s chest. They remained like that for a long time until Harry started to look tired and close his eyes. Snape simply picked him up and placed Harry in his own bed returning to the couch with a blanket and spare pillow for himself. Surely one night on the couch wouldn’t hurt and the boy looked so tired and peaceful. He tucked Harry into bed and watched his son sleep for a few moments.

“Lily, I swear, now that I have him, I will make him into a young man we can both be proud of. I will keep your memory dear to our hearts and I will ensure that he has all of the love and support that he needs. I promise.”

Harry slept soundly with sweet dreams of what it would be like to truely have a family. To never have to return for a summer with the Dursley’s again. But his dream, as often it was, ended with him being locked up in his closet and he sat up sweating. Snape was right there by his side offering him a glass of water and stroking his hair gently. To help him calm down Snape got into the bed with his son and merely put his arms around him allowing the boy to feel the comfort and warmth that now existed in his life and they both slept soundly like that until morning. When Harry finally returned to the dormitory it was to a couple of boys who were a bit worried about him but after he explained where he was....

“Snape’s office...really?” Neville stated.

“Yeah Neville, it’s his Dad..of course after something scary like spiders he would be there!” Ron said.

“Lucky guy, I wish my parents could be here,” Neville stated sadly. Ron put a comforting hand on his shoulder and Harry looked at him jealously. “But Harry, you’ve got to come and see what’s happened!”

Neville fled upstairs followed by Harry and Ron. What he found was the room, clothes and books were thrown everywhere and Harry searched through his things.

“It looks like they could have been hunting for something,” Ron said as he started to dig through Harry’s things too. Trying to help him in any way that he could.

“And they found it,” Harry said straightening up and looking at his friends, “Tom Riddle’s diary is gone!”

After that night Harry and Ron both decided that they would keep to the rules as Snape had previously suggested. Gaining themselves good marks in assignments, visiting Hermione and playing quidditch. Snape still worried about his son up there on the broom sometimes, as any parent worries about their child when they participate in a rough sport. But he was also so proud of him and the fact that he was working so hard to accomplish the right things. But unfortunately this mode of living was about to change.