The number seven was said to be very magical and a bringer of good luck to witches and wizards around the world. To Severus Snape, however, it was the amount of years which had passed since he'd held Lily's cold body in his arms and wept for her loss of life. She had been, and remained to be, the only one he'd ever truly loved.

Since that fateful, heart-slashing night, Severus had accepted a teaching position at Hogwarts under the encouragement of Headmaster Dumbledore. Naturally, he taught Potions, and over time developed a way to cope with each passing day since Lily's death at Godric's Hollow. Not once had his mind drifted to the little boy she had left behind, not even when he'd sworn to Dumbledore he would help protect the surviving child. Severus didn't feel guilty about not caring for the brat, not really, since the loss of Lily had hit him so hard his habits deluded people into thinking there were things that still mattered to him. Severus cared for nothing. His potions lost their appeal, his belongings were mere materialistic items, his routines only actions of a being going through the motions of a living person, and most profoundly of all...Severus held neither concern nor interest towards his own life, his own continued living in an existence without Lily. In his heart, he was already half-deceased because he didn't feel alive, yet not entirely dead either.

Had others known this, perhaps they'd have wondered how nothing appeared to have changed since the night Harry Potter became famous while Lord Voldemort disappeared. Severus Snape was the head of Slytherin house and taught Potions with his usual talent and interest. He was strict, often unfair, always scowling, and seemed to be exactly as he always was since the years after he'd left school. His masks and routine habits fooled them each day without anyone even noticing.

Seven years had passed. Severus walked the corridors of the school, allowing the golden light of the setting sun to blink across his face as he ventured towards the dungeons. Descending the stairs was like sinking into another world, as the fading natural light of the outdoors was replaced with flaming torches and darkened stone walls. Reaching the door to his quarters, Severus paused and turned the knob, which was charmed to only allow his entrance. Any other visitor would need to be invited inside by himself or acquire the password, both which was a very rare occurrence.

Sighing, Severus gave the dungeon corridor one last glance with his customary frown before he shut his door and turned. He swallowed and leaned his back against the wooden door, his gaze trailing aimlessly around the room. Those who hardly knew him would imagine Snape's private quarters to reflect darkness, sinister intentions, and confidence of superiority. Those who did know Severus may picture different motives for such assumptions of his room's appearance, thinking he would use the darkness more as a representation of himself, or his desire to remain concealed by the shadows as a safe haven, perhaps. Only Lily would have guessed otherwise and rolled her eyes at such ridiculous notions , which singularly applied to his semi-public office near the Potions classroom.

If the room belonged to any other professor, one may be daring enough to call it “handsome”, though it was also very dignified. The walls were stone, like the rest of the castle, and lit by the fireplace and numerous candles. The couch was a warm blue with red cushions, accompanied by a mahogany coffee table across from it where a pile of selective books rested. There were bookshelves and small mounds of categorised books all around the decently spacious room. The location had several doors, a table with two comfortable silver chairs near the lightly-toned kitchen, and a grouping of vials and magazines on the mantle of the large fireplace. There was a big maroon rug feet from the doorway, with the couch to the left and kitchen to the right. The rest of the floor was polished wood, though his bedroom had cream carpet that always felt soft beneath his toes.

Severus looked towards the main feature of his private room that would likely surprise the presumptuous people. Three doors were near the right end of the room, at the far back away from the kitchen entranceway, and another stood close by the fireplace on the left, but essentially there were two very large windows with silk green curtains spread open around them. They flawlessly reflected the appearance outside as though he resided in the highest tower, not the dungeons far below. These windows shone a golden afternoon glow into his quarters, lighting the space with gentle calmness.

Glaring at the peaceful intrusion upon his miserable mood, Severus waved his wand and the curtains (which were at least twice his height), swept closed. The conjured afternoon tones were concealed, plunging the room into candle-lit semi-darkness, which befitted his mood. Severus remained still, standing with his back pressed to the wooden door he had entered through only minutes prior.

His masks, careful habits, and conditioned existence faded away. His face crumbled from his usual frown to one of turmoil and raw emotional vulnerability. No one would ever know how often this happened. Only those who bore witness to the moment when he had cried, as he cradled Lily's body to his chest where his broken heart was caged, would even understand how much hurt he carried - how much pain he felt every day, which was only rivalled by his guilt. No one had seen him that night, other than later on when he had spoken to Dumbledore and cried in a manner one might confuse with a wounded animal. The only witness had been Lily's son - the Potter brat who had survived when she had not, yet Severus never recalled such a fact. The child had been a baby at the time and probably didn't even remember or was able to comprehend the event.

His eyes closed, Severus lowered his head and ignored the strands of black hair, which would have otherwise mostly obscured his vision like a poorly-applied blindfold. Tears appeared underneath his closed eyelids and soon drew lines of misery down his cheeks. His shoulders shook, but he didn't make a sound. Severus wasn't wearing his usual robes, as he had removed them earlier to do some brewing, so he had no hindrance in his action as he slid down the smooth surface of the door.

Sitting hunched on his polished floor like an injured creature, Severus sat there awkwardly while his pain resurfaced as a whole. Normally this only happened when he had prime reminders of Lily, or on important dates such as Halloween, her birthday, and so on. This time there seemed to be no reasoning, only agony and grief. Each occurrence was becoming more frequent and further difficult to manage, as though he had taped a wound closed and over time the tape began to wear away, but never truly fell apart.

As the afternoon sun sank from view near the mountains, the professors and additional staff of Hogwarts were preparing to head to the Great Hall for dinner. It had been only a few days since the end of term, and to those who remained for the summer...nothing was amiss. Down in the dungeons so rarely ventured during this time of year, Severus Snape cried in silent suffering. Seven years and nothing meant anything to him anymore. Only his pain, his grief, his guilt, and his undeniable loneliness. He had no one left to love, and he had no duty to fulfill until the Potter brat came to Hogwarts in a few more years. Severus did not think he could hang on long enough to see such a day. He was never a man to give up, but he had lost all will and effort to continue. He had been told so many things by Dumbledore. Things the Headmaster likely thought would help or even get through to him. Sayings like: “With time it will hurt a little less and you'll remember the good times a little more” and “no man is truly alone, but only when he believes so can he be so”. Severus rolled his eyes at each one. They were utter rubbish and were proven wrong every passing day. The pain did not lessen. It grew and filled inside him the longer he continued without her. One might think that getting through seven years was impressive and Severus had likely learned to manage it. The truth was...he had been fooling himself as well.

'Lily,' Severus finally spoke, though his words were marred by his partially contained sobs. In a reaction akin to being shocked by electricity, Severus jerked his head upright and tried not to move afterwards. His eyes were wide and the tears had been halted in their tracks. There was a sound in the dungeon corridor outside his room. Pausing, Severus listened harder and staggered to his feet. Brushing tears away with his sleeve, something he had done so many times as a child that he often forgot to develop an alternative habit for his adulthood, Severus realised what he'd overheard.

Footsteps belonging not to a professor or house elf, but likely a child in a playful mood. It was an absurd thought, Severus knew, because the school term had ended and none of the staff had any children younger than eleven, to his knowledge.

Opening his main door a few inches, Severus glanced cautiously into the corridor with his wand gripped in his hand, as it usually was during such situations. Seeing nothing, he stepped outside the safety of his quarters and looked around. The darkened space where he stood in the middle of the corridor was empty of life apart from his own. Had Severus imagined it?

'Oh. Hello,' Said the gentle voice of a small boy. 'You startled me, sir.'

Severus turned sharply to look down at the child who previously stood behind him. Frowning at the fact he had failed to notice the boy, Severus could not form a reply right away. He had no idea who this person was, yet could not immediately pull his gaze from the boy's eyes. They were exactly like Lily's, not just in their emerald colour, but the almond shape as well and the curiosity-ridden emotions expressed within. The boy had very dark reddish hair, was slightly skinnier - yet almost average build for a small child, and dressed in a faded grey shirt and slightly torn dark pants. He wore the biggest and brightest smile any child had ever aimed at Severus, which the man considered to be quite alarming.

'Who are you?' Severus demanded to know, as his usual conditioned mannerisms and behaviours returned to accompany his scowl.

'I'm Harry, sir.' The child answered calmly. 'I don't know how I got here. Something happened and here I am. This place is really dark, isn't it?' The boy looked around and his smile faded as he wondered what hid in the shadows. Severus could easily guess what the child was thinking because of how transparent his young expression was.

'Explain.' Severus crossed his arms over his chest. He was still holding his wand as he fixed the boy with a stern glare, one which lacked its usual impact when it was entirely ignored by the youngster.

'How I got here?' Harry guessed as he looked back at the man. Lowering his gaze, the eight-year-old tried to work out a truthful answer to give. 'Well, I was somewhere else and there was a bright light. My tummy felt weird and then I was here. It looked scary at first, but now it's not so bad. It's like my cupboard, only it's much nicer here.'

Severus tried to make sense of what the boy was saying. Upon consideration, he assumed the child had likely used accidental magic, though he wasn't aware that such magical transportation could happen within a place like Hogwarts. Disgruntled about his temporarily gained duty to deliver the child to someone who could appropriately handle the situation, such as Dumbledore, Severus dropped his arms to his side and felt unreasonably tired.

'What's your name?' Harry asked as he looked up at Severus, standing much too close for the man's comfort.

'Severus Snape.' He replied while thinking about the easiest way to drop the boy off with Dumbledore without being dragged into any task of assistance, since he was now aware of exactly who he was talking to. 'I am a professor here at this school and therefore you are to address me as “professor” or “sir”. Is that understood?' He narrowed his eyes at the boy.

'Yes, sir.' Harry nodded dutifully and smiled again. 'You must be really smart to become a professor. I don't think I could ever be that smart.' He looked away, saddened by his own lack of higher education.

Before Severus had the chance to march off and demand someone get rid of the brat, a house elf with rosy cheeks and bright blue eyes appeared in front of them. Harry blinked at the creature he was seeing for the first time. The boy backed away until he had reached just out of the professor's sight, as the elf spoke in a confidently squeaky voice.

'I see you is meeting Harry, Professor Snape.' The elf smiled. 'I is Tini. Headmaster Dumbledore is telling Tini to deliver this boy to you.' She said. 'Young Harry is to stay with you for a little while, sir. It is very important. Headmaster Dumbledore does not wish for you to speak of it. This is very secret. Young Harry may be in great danger and Headmaster Dumbledore is trusting you to do your duty, sir.'

'This is absurd.' Severus growled. 'Absolutely not!'

'Headmaster Dumbledore thought you might say that, sir.' Tini sighed. 'Headmaster Dumbledore wants you to remember your promise, sir. He is her son, Professor Snape. You is to look after the boy for a little while until Headmaster Dumbledore comes to get him. Harry is perfectly safe at Hogwarts, but only if you watch over him.'

Grinding his teeth together with fury towards the meddlesome fool he considered Dumbledore to be, Severus regained composure as he did not want to face anyone in his current emotional state. Anger he could deal with and use, yet the raw sadness he'd felt only moments earlier was still evident and Severus was too dignified to object to Dumbledore's irrational request while being plagued with such misery.

'Very well.' Severus exhaled with dread.

As a delighted Tini disappeared, Severus turned around to look at the child. Harry was nowhere to be seen. Though, he noticed his main door to be ajar, even as Severus was certain he had shut it behind himself when he'd investigated the sound. He regretted it now, even as he knew he did have a duty to protect Lily's son. Regardless, Severus stepped into the room and walked to his blue couch. Sitting, he exhaled slowly and wished the brat could have at least shown up at a more convenient time.

'You look sad.'

Severus tensed and quickly raised his gaze to the child standing right in front of him. In his hunched position on the seat, Severus realised he and Harry were almost eye-level. Her eyes bore into his own through her son's curious gaze. His heart constricting, Severus forced his gaze away to focus on the wooden floor instead.

'You don't want to talk about it.' Harry continued. 'That's okay. I feel sad all the time and I can't talk about it either.' He crouched in front of Severus and placed a small hand on the man's knee. Startled and considering the most dignified way to recoil, Severus watched the child with cautious interest. Harry remained quiet as he stared back at Severus, fixating his gaze on the man's face with a smile on his lips. Neither could pull away for several minutes, until Severus stood abruptly and waved his wand to slam his main door shut. At least the boy was limited to disturbing his private quarters as opposed to the entire castle.

'If you will be residing with me for a very short period of time, there are rules-' Severus turned to speak to the boy, but Harry had once against vanished from where he'd last seen him. Too tired and emotionally strained to care for lecturing or hunting down the energetic brat, Severus stood in the center of the room as he watched Tini levitate dinner for himself and Harry, to the table with the twin silver chairs.

'Sit.' Severus pointed to the chair across from the plate he assumed to be for the boy, given the smaller quantities of food upon the plate and goblet of what appeared to be juice. Harry walked to the chair and sat down, looking hungrily at his food with shocking gratitude.

'Thank you, sir.' Harry beamed at him. 'You're really nice. And thank you for letting me stay here.'

'Eat.' Severus commanded as he awkwardly sat across from the child. He always struggled to share meals with others, though he'd had no choice during his school days as he sat at the Slytherin table, or as a staff member in the Great Hall present days. He only discovered now that in at least six years of friendship with Lily, they had never sat down to share a meal together. And there he was, seated across from her son as they prepared to eat their dinner. Insanity knew no bounds.

--

Foolishly, likely due to his entire schedule and emotional scale being upturned by the arrival of the brat, Severus did not realise until the meal was concluded that Harry would need a place to sleep. In honesty, the man didn't even care, yet knew he had to assign a space to the boy or else endure his quarters being tainted.

Of course, that was a very big issue at the moment. Severus had no reason to believe he would ever need a second room in his quarters, therefore he had none. He did have his bedroom, personal Potions lab, and his bathroom. There was no spare room or any other room for the boy to sleep in, nor did he have the energy to bother with making one. He wasn't particularly skilled with such formation magic, anyway. He knew enough, but an entire bedroom required research and practice. Neither which he had time for. But then, where was the child going to sleep?

Severus looked over at Harry and saw the boy looked dangerously close to sliding off his chair in sleepiness. Narrowing his eyes at the couch, Severus understood he had little choice in the matter - there was no way the brat was sharing his own bed. Lifting his wand, Severus cast a few charms on his couch and made sure (despite his desire to sleep undisturbed) he would be alerted if the child awoke. Turning to the boy, Severus walked over and reached out to grasp the back of the boy's shirt as a way to stop Harry from falling face-first towards the wooden floor.

'Nuisance.' Severus frowned at the mostly-asleep brat. He released his grip on the child's clothes and easily caught him, lifting the boy up to carry him to the couch. He placed Harry there and went to retrieve some spare sheets and a pillow from his bathroom cupboard. Unlike most witches and wizards who prided themselves in being magical, Severus did not like to simply conjure and cast for everything he needed. He detested laziness, even in himself, therefore he easily collected a pillow, some sheets, and an extra blanket to make the boy comfortable.

Severus gave the child no further thought. He showered and climbed into his own bed, tiredness washing over him as he wondered why today had to be the day he fell apart. Why did the brat have to be burdened upon him? Why could Severus not march to Dumbledore's office right now and say “no”? Hating having so many questions and no answers he wanted to explore, Severus rolled onto his side and stared into the darkness of his bedroom. In the other side of his closed door was a small boy with Lily's eyes. In his distraught state and annoyance, Severus hadn't quite grasped the fact as strongly as  he did now. It bothered him and the timing was something he felt suspicious of, yet his mental and physical exhaustion won over and he was soon asleep. He wouldn't feel it until morning, but Severus was eternally grateful the boy never once woke from his sleep until the sun had risen properly in the sky.

--

The line between dream and nightmare had become so blurred to Severus that he rarely felt well-rested or to have endured a dreadful slumber. Any moment he had the chance to rest was one he was thankful for. During the rise of the Dark Lord, he seldom got any sleep at all and the times he did...Severus wished he hadn't. Such a time was over for now, though he was neither so optimistic nor foolish to think it was over forever. The boy in the other room and his mother were the reasons Severus could now relatively sleep.

After a brief moment of grogginess subsided, Severus realised his line of thinking was most incorrect. The boy was not in the other room. Frowning, as the child had likely sleep-walked and therefore not woken, he inched away on his bed at the sight of the boy curled up beside him. It was such an abnormal sight and shock that Severus didn't know how to react. He felt the urge to shove the boy away or shout for him to get off...he did neither. It was strange, how Severus never tried to change what people thought of him, yet it ringed true that so many thought him to be unkind and easy to anger. He wasn't. In fact, he was quite the opposite. But Severus didn't like to be unfamiliar or uncomfortable; he struggled to think of the appropriate response in a social situation requiring small talk, or a moment in which he is confronted with an upset child. Being Head of Slytherin for five years had taught Severus very little. He cringed at the idea of comforting homesick first years and directing teenagers to personal educational sections of the library.

And so, here he was, confronted with the eight-year-old son of Lily, who was happily curled up beside him with his head on his pillow and light sheets covering his young form. The child looked too innocent and calm. Severus was torn between the dread of disturbing Harry and feeling envious of the boy's content slumber. He would have to readjust the spell to include sleepwalking, because Severus did not like the first sight of the day to be a brat hogging the space of his bed. It was most awkward and intrusive, Severus believed.

Carefully rising from his bed, Severus left the boy where he was and snatched some clothes from his wardrobe. Heading to the bathroom for privacy, Severus glanced at his mirror and glared. His hair may be infamous for being greasy amongst the students and staff, but only because Severus allowed it to be seen in such a way. Its true form was far less dignifying, as it stuck out in odd directions or dared to be wavy. Casting a grooming charm, he yawned and proceeded about his morning ritual.

By the time he entered the kitchen to make some boiled eggs, rather than summon a house-elf or venture to the Great Hall, Severus glanced warily towards his partially ajar bedroom door. Maybe he would get the courage to be his expected self and whine himself hoarse to Dumbledore in effort to sent the brat somewhere else? Severus wanted to, and his mind already formed half of his opening argument, though he never would. It wasn't because of his promise or current vulnerability...it was his loneliness. He'd never have picked that boy if he'd been given the choice of company, but Severus didn't mind either. In the sense it gave him something to focus on. A child needed food, supervision, interaction, and recreation. Severus relaxed his shoulders and exhaled, not in relief but content realisation that he had ample amount of distraction and a goal to achieve. It wasn't a curse to have the boy in his care, in fact it could almost disguise itself as a blessing. It was purely selfish on Severus' behalf. Even so, he would do his best for the child to feel a little less guilty about using the brat's presence as a mere distraction from the reality of his inner pain and disregard for future concerns. And that meant he had to wake Harry.

Crossing the room at a deliberately slow pace, Severus waved his wand to open the curtains and allow the conjured morning sunlight to stream into his quarters. Reaching the doorway of his bedroom, Severus hoped to always remember the peaceful and quiet nature of the boy at this moment. It likely wouldn't last once the brat was awake and running about. After a moment of trying to figure out how one went about waking a child, Severus walked to the bed and gave Harry's shoulder a light nudge. As he debated what to say, Severus watched the boy roll over and looked up at him with his wide emerald eyes. Yawning, Harry easily sat up and slid off the bed without needing further urging. Seeing the child standing there, looking disorient and sleepy, Severus realised Harry had no other clothes with him other than what he was wearing. The boy hadn't brought anything else with him, either...it was up to Severus to come up with a solution.

Just because he preferred not to surround himself with idiots did not mean Severus was anti-social. In a situation in which he needed something, but did not want to venture to crowded places to get it, he would call upon perhaps the only house-elf in the whole of Hogwarts he actually didn't mind being served by. The rest were too eager and much less effective in his requests.

'Billus!' Severus called the elf, who appeared instantly and startled Harry from his drowsy state.

'Yes, Professor Snape?' Billus bowed his head. He had long ears, bright eyes, and was slightly more tanned than most elves tended to be. He was neither old nor young, and he had known Severus since the Slytherin had first snuck into the kitchens for an afternoon snack during his second year.

'Severus.' The man corrected by timeless habit. 'I require the completion of an errand; however, I am unable to leave the castle at the present time. Could I trouble you with a simplistic task?'

'Anything you wish, Professor Snape.' Billus bowed again. 'Is it ingredients you is needing, sir?'

'No.' Severus glanced at Harry, who was staring at the house-elf just as he had eyed Tini the previous day. The effect of an elf appearing and vanishing had not lost its shock value or novelty, it would seem. The usually naturally observant and obvious-stating elf did not give the boy any attention as he looked solely at Severus and awaited his instruction.

'I require you to visit my home in Spinner's End and retrieve the...' Severus glanced Harry over as though making an assessment. 'The third box of my retained clothing ought to suffice.' He said.

'Very well, Professor Snape.' Billus bowed again just before he disappeared in a blink. He was only gone for half a minute, by which Severus had begun nudging Harry out of the bedroom and into the main room.

'Thank you, Billus.' Severus acknowledged as he bent down to flip open the lid of the cardboard box. He had kept the clothes for an unknown reason and now he was grateful. As the house-elf had bowed a fourth time and returned to his duties, Severus lifted a long-sleeved black shirt and a blue pair of pants from the box. He handed them to Harry and pointed to the bathroom. The boy yawned into the back of his hand as he clutched the clothes and headed to the directed room. As the door shut, Severus returned to the box to locate a pair of shoes and socks.

When Harry emerged from the bathroom, the boy looked to be more awake and joyous about his borrowed clothes, which looked really good on him though they were a little big. Severus fixed the size issue with a basic shrinking charm that was hardly necessary, yet the crinkled appearance and too-long sleeves had irritated the organised man. Doing poorly in a simple task like clothing a child was not something Severus would tolerate.

'Thank you very much for letting me wear these clothes, sir.' Harry beamed at him as he walked to the chair Severus was pointing at, where a plate of buttered toast and a boiled egg waited for him on a plate accompanied by a goblet of juice. 'You really didn't have to.' The boy continued. 'They're very comfortable and much nicer than my other clothes. And thank you for breakfast too. It looks yummy!' He aimed his fork at the egg and swung his feet lightly, as his toes couldn't reach the floor.

Severus said nothing as he was at loss of what to say. The clothes he had lent were average at best, and only in such good condition because Severus had a growth spurt around that age so they hadn't been worn for very long. His father had been most furious, though it was hardly a state of emotion Severus and his mother weren't used to from the man. If Tobias had ever smiled at the idea of having to pay for new clothes, then eyebrows would have been raised in stunned disbelief.

--

After breakfast, Severus watched Harry pull on the almost-white socks and slightly worn shoes, which fitted flawlessly on the boy's feet, and wondered how they were going to spend the day. The main necessities of clothes and food had been taken care of; therefore, Severus had to come up with other activities to occupy the child's time. Being limited to not leaving Hogwarts, and without much experience with young children, Severus decided to keep things simple as he had been so far.

Five minutes later, the pair left the dungeons and made their way to the library. Harry's energetic and happy nature vanished in an instant, turning him into a shy and cautious boy by the time they arrived outside the library doors. Severus found this to be most amusing since most children were the exact opposite with him. Stepping inside the room, he directed Harry to a section of fictional stories and child interests. Harry was very enthusiastic in selecting several books to borrow while he was at Hogwarts, neglecting to tell Severus he couldn't read very well until after they had returned to the dungeons.

'My aunt and uncle don't like it when I'm smarter than my cousin, even if he doesn't care about school and never tries.' Harry explained with slouched shoulders and a sniffling nose. 'I'm sorry, sir. Could I just look at the pictures, then?'

'You certainly may not.' Severus stated. 'I shall aide your reading abilities whilst you are here. I may even read a chapter to you, which is an earned privilege only granted if you behave yourself whilst you are here.'

He never had a problem with smart children before, since being a professor meant he longed for more intelligent children rather than dunderheads. Severus never realised those who boasted their brilliance and made a show of it might discourage others, or give themselves an elevated sense of importance. What if Harry was sitting in a classroom and one of his classmates made him think he wasn't good enough because they were better? It wasn't the same as Harry was saying with his cousin, but it gave Severus something to think about in his own classroom of students. He vowed to discourage know-it-alls from now onwards, to give the others equal chance and inspiration, while making sure that just because someone was an excellent student did not mean they had the right to hog the spotlight of being so. Severus supposed it would be more satisfying to have a room of “exceeds expectations”, than a single “outstanding” pupil.

Focusing on Harry again, Severus watched as the boy ventured to the couch and sat down with a book, flipping through the pages and smiling at the pictures. He realised the child was making up his own story to fit the images, rather than trying to read the words above his reading level. Though their reading skills were higher at the time, Severus remembered how he and Lily used to do the same thing on boring afternoons in the shade of the large tree in the park where they'd first met. The hours they'd spent under that tree seemed endless, and would always be a source of fond, though aching, memories for Severus.

Unable to brew or do anything he usually did, with Harry around, Severus moved to sit beside the boy and encouraged the child to speak his made-up stories aloud. They rarely compared to the actual written words, though Severus found the child's version more imaginative and Harry matched the pictures very well.

The pair stayed there until lunch, which consisted of sandwiches brought to them by Tini. Afterwards, Severus instructed Harry to leave his pile of borrowed books on the coffee table and led the boy back into the dungeon corridor outside the room. Stemming from the lack of option in his own childhood, Severus didn't want to keep Harry indoors when it was a nice day outside. And as he stood in the courtyard and glanced upwards at the blue sky with white clouds and a shining sun, he knew it was the right decision because Harry followed his gaze with a grin on his young face.

'It's a really nice day today.' Harry commented while he skipped along behind Severus as they cross the grounds and headed for an expansive area not far from the lake. 'I used to wish for a sunny day every day, but then I found out the trees and grass need water to grow. If it doesn't rain, then they won't be so green, will they?'

'Unless maintained by humans, no.' Severus replied. 'The rain serves a purpose.' He used to think everything had some sort of purpose, but since Lily's death, Severs wasn't so sure.

'I like it when it rains.' Harry continued. 'It makes me smile more when it's a nice day like this. If it was nice all the time, I think I'd get sick of it.' He shrugged. 'And then I'd always wish it would rain.'

'Indeed.' Severus sighed and sat on the grass. He had brought the boy outdoors to enjoy the fresh air, even when he had no idea what they were supposed to do once they got there. As long as McGonagall or another staff member didn't venture their way, Severus supposed he could endure the boy's endless chatting for a while.

As it turned out, Harry was perfectly content to just run around on the grass and ask Severus random questions about nature and sharing his opinions or theories about the only somewhat varied topic. Before long, three hours had passed and Harry was just as cheerful and free as he had been when they'd headed outside. Severus was glad the sun wasn't too warm as it was turning out to be a cloudy day, otherwise he would have taken cover a while ago and Harry wouldn't get as much time to run around. Seeing the boy racing around and jumping over small boulders was oddly calming and very distracting, as Severus had to make sure the child didn't injure himself or stray too far from his sight. At least Harry was putting those clothes to good use, Severus mused, as he never had the chance to do so whilst he'd owned them. He might even consider giving them to Harry.

'What's that?' Harry brought Severus from his thoughts as he walked towards where the man was sitting. The child pointed over to the Quidditch pitch, which they had a decent view of from their angle. 'Where is this place, anyway. I mean...it's a castle!' He gasped with delight.

'Hogwarts is a school for witches and wizards.' Severus told him. 'There is a magical sport played on broomsticks, called Quidditch. That there is the Quidditch pitch where students compete against other houses during the school term.'

'Wow.' Harry stared at the pitch with renewed wonder. 'I'd love to be able to do magic. And fly a broomstick. And attend a castle school. I wish I could stay here forever.' He daydreamed with a wistful smile.

'I believe you shall, one day.' Severus said as he stood. 'When you turn eleven-years-old. Your parents were both a witch and wizard, therefore I don't doubt you'll be accepted here at Hogwarts also.'

'And you'll be my professor for real, right?' Harry grinned up at him. 'You'll teach me lots of stuff, even if I'm not real good at it?'

'If you do not succeed than I am hardly teaching you very well, am I?' Severus rolled his eyes. 'Come. It is time to go inside.'

'Okay.' Harry nodded with disappointment. 'You must be really happy, living in a castle and using magic all the time.' He mused. As they walked through an empty corridor together, Harry frowned and shook his head in disagreement to his previous words.

'You're not happy, are you?' Harry looked up at Severus, who avoided his gaze and only focused on where they were going. 'If you were happy, you wouldn't look so sad all the time. You're so nice to let me stay with you, but there's no one else there and only one room. Where is your family, sir?'

'That is not a discussion we shall speak of.' Severus growled. 'Cease your prying.'

'I understand.' Harry sighed and stared at the borrowed shoes on his feet as he walked. 'I don't have a family left either. My aunt and uncle aren't really family. They don't love me, I don't think.'

Severus didn't comment. He doubted Petunia cared deeply for her nephew, though he doubted she didn't love him in some way. He didn't know of the boy's situation, so he remained quiet and let the subject fade. Childhood and family was not something Severus wanted to so much of think about.

And as much as he tried not to, over the next few days, the topic kept appearing in his mind as he read Harry a chapter from one of the library books when the boy was unable to sleep. He had conceded to allowing the brat to share his bed, only because no sticking charm would keep the child from ending up there anyway. Accidental magic was not impressing Severus one little bit as it constantly undid his carefully charmed spells. Within days since Harry had come to stay with him, Severus saw more sunlight than he did in months and was lacking productivity in everything else. He found, after a few days, he didn't mind so much. Harry was always smiling and coming up with imaginative questions or tales that he was an effective distraction and almost delightful company. Severus even caught himself laughing one night after hearing Harry make up yet another story from a book the child couldn't quite read.

In a week, Severus already wanted Harry to stay. He didn't feel bad about the longing, because he didn't care what others thought of him. Harry wasn't a brat at all, and if he squinted just enough he could almost pretend this was his son, the boy of himself and Lily. It was an easy trap to fall into, thinking of Harry like that, yet Severus allowed himself a moment to pretend.

The only real problem came on the eighth day. Harry had woken Severus in the middle of the night with nightmares. He'd dreamt a monster had attacked him and it had been too dark to find somewhere to run. Severus insisted the boy was safe and even lit candles around the room to aide the reassurance. Harry was soon asleep again, but the next night the nightmares returned. Before long, Harry was terrified of the dark and began to fuss when it came time for bed.

Severus, while re-evaluating how peaceful he'd thought the energetic boy's presence to be, found an unexpected solution as he lost track of time during the afternoon of the tenth day. He and Harry were down by the lake near sunset. The boy was being heavily supervised from the moment Severus had asked Harry if he knew how to swim, and the boy's reply had been “a little bit.”

They were by the lake at this time for an important reason. In all of Severus' childhood his father had been a mean drunk, however there was a single moment he hadn't been. Severus had been close to the age Harry was now, though perhaps a bit younger...

--

'Son?' Tobias walked through the door two hours earlier than he usually came home from work at the mill. Severus looked up quickly from his book in alarm, knowing his mother was upstairs folding clothes. He was startled because his father looked almost calm and didn't instantly go to the fridge for a beer.

'Yes, dad?' Severus asked cautiously, already on edge and anxious. His father had just stepped inside the house, so surely he couldn't find something to yell about already?

'Get a jar.' Tobias said and pointed to the kitchen. 'Come on, there's something you should see, son. I won't have you miss a chance like this.'

Severus nodded and went to the kitchen. He tipped out some bolts from a jar and wiped it quickly before returning to his father, still wary yet curious. He held it out, except his wrist was grasped instead. For a moment he thought it had been a trap, but his father called out to his mother that he was taking Severus to the river. His mother sounded panicked as she hurried down the stairs, but she was too late and the door was shut. Severus stressed the entire walk to the nearby river, where the sunset coloured the surface of the rarely clear water.

'Alright.' Tobias nodded as he released Severus. 'Son, have you ever held a jar of fireflies before?'

'No, dad.' Severus shook his head, biting his tongue to prevent adding another comment to his words.

'My father taught me how to so it's time you learned as well.' Tobias frowned. 'Pay attention because we may not get this chance again.'

-- 

And they didn't. Severus and Tobias never had a moment like that again. It hadn't ended badly, though Severus did not prove to be the best fly-catcher, the pair were civil and almost a real father and son. In that single half an hour, Severus spent time with his father as he tried to lure fireflies into a jar. Tobias was patient and instructive, to the point in which he even congratulated his son on his captures.

Severus would never know what brought about that moment, but he would always treasure it, even if the memories that followed involving Tobias were hurtful. At least he could say, that for one afternoon...Severus had a real father.

'This particular species of firefly are magical.' Severus said to Harry, who held an empty jar in his hands. 'They can survive for years inside a jar, so you needn't worry about harming them.' He knew Harry was very sensitive to matters involving mistreatment or unfairness, which was something Severus could relate to.

'They're so pretty.' Harry looked around at the glowing bugs with wonder-filled eyes, as he often did when he was presented with something new or magical. 'But they're really fast. How do I catch them?' He frowned.

'Use the jar and its lid.' Severus lifted the object from Harry's hands and demonstrated how to catch a firefly. He brought the jar slowly around the bug until it was inside and then capped it.

'How did you do that?' Harry gasped.

'Patience and practice.' Severus replied. 'Now you try, Harry.' He returned the jar to the boy.

'Okay.' Harry nodded. 'Patience.' He repeated firmly and raised the jar towards another group of fireflies. To his dismay, not only was he unable to capture a single one, Harry also accidentally released the one Severus had already caught. Wincing, he looked towards Severus and apologised.

'Keep trying.' Severus encouraged. 'It's hard for everyone at first. If you believe in yourself and exert patience, you will succeed.'

Harry nodded and turned back to the fireflies. He was able to see them more clearly, though he didn't realise it was because of the darkening sky and grounds, as he raised the jar again and carefully tried to capture some of the glowing bugs. Six more attempts failed and the boy was getting frustrated. He froze when Severus' hands touched his own, because Harry had forgotten the man was there in his determination to fill his jar.

'Slow and deliberate.' Severus coached as he aided the boy's aim and made sure he wasn't acting too quickly. 'Let them come to you.'

Harry watched with delight as a firefly flew into his jar. He capped it and moved to look at Severus, who had stepped back again. Seeing a nod of praise, Harry focused on the bugs again and carefully tried to catch more. After twenty minutes, he had a jar full of illuminated, moving bugs. He was so fixated on his success and the glowing sight of his jar that Harry didn't notice how dark it had become around them as Severus led the child back to the castle. The boy insisted on keeping the jar with him, which proved to be something of a miracle when  Harry placed it on the bedside table and climbed into bed. With his living night-light, the boy slept peacefully through the entire night. And the night after that he woke from a bad dream without properly waking Severus, because the boy had become soothed by the bugs and easily fallen back to sleep.

As time passed, Harry overcame his nightmares and the fear of anything dark ebbed away. His jar remained in the bedroom for another week, until it moved to reside on the mantle of the fireplace in the main room. In seemingly no time at all, it had been a month since Harry had prematurely arrived at Hogwarts. And as Severus faced July 31st, he allowed himself to indulge in a little baking. Even if it was for Harry's ordinary birthday cake, the boy ended up doing most of the work in his excitement to cook something. Severus became the supervisor and educator as Harry diligently measured each ingredient, stirred the chocolate mixture in the bowl, greased the tray, and poured the batter into the tray before he watched Severus  carry it to the oven. Harry's favourite part was licking the spoon and bowl, which Severus pretended not to notice as he preferred to simply wash the items and put them away.

The pair worked on Harry's reading while they waited. As Harry struggled with “presumptuous”, the timer dinged and the boy moved faster than Severus could catch him. It dawned on Severus later that night, as Harry blew out the nine green candles on the chocolate cake he'd iced himself, how so much could change in such a short time. In one day Severus had gained a friend at the age of nine. In one moment he had the son of that girl placed into his care. And in one month, the boy was like a son to him. Severus accepted it was temporary and had prepared for the boy's departure, but it wasn't all that had been altered. He regained a sense of life. Living without Lily wasn't how he thought he could live; however, Severus constantly neglected to remember she wasn't all gone. Her son lived and through Harry she could never die.

--

On the 3rd day of August, Severus was reminded that he and Harry did not have the castle to themselves. They had been lucky each time they went outside on any day it was calm and sunny, that no one had come across them or commented on his absence from the Great Hall during all meals that took place there. However, on the morning when Severus had been trying to teach Harry to play chess with increasing lack of accomplishment, there was a knock at his door. It foreshadowed a shattering of his peaceful assumptions. Rising, Severus heard Dumbledore's voice from the other wise and reluctantly allowed the man to enter.

'Ah, there you are.' Dumbledore smiled at Severus in a way that made the man wonder of his intentions. 'I was beginning to wonder if you had returned to Spinner's End after all, Severus. Hagrid said he's seen you by the lake from time to time, so I was quite curious and thought I'd stop by. I do hope it's not at an inconvenient time.'

'It is hardly any of your concern.' Severus said dryly.

'On the contrary, it caused me great concern.' Dumbledore said too merrily for Severus to brother reacting. 'You remained at Hogwarts for this summer yet everyone scarcely sees you.'

'Enough dawdling, old man.' Severus scowled. 'If you have come to check up on the situation than kindly do so without the excessive use of unnecessary babble.'

'Are you playing chess with someone?' Dumbledore noticed the chess board on the floor nearby. 'I thought you'd given up the hobby, as you so forcefully stated so last year?'

'Headmaster.' Severus sighed. 'My patience is thin today. Could we discuss this another time? Unless you are here to take him?'

'Take who?' Dumbledore looked confused. 'There is no one here.' He glanced around the room, from what he could see at his position in the doorway.

Severus turned and realised Harry had run away again, likely from shyness. The boy never remained still unless he was sleeping, it seemed. He wasn't in the mood to deal with Dumbledore so Severus offered an excuse to politely slam the door in the man's face before he looked around for Harry.

'Who was that?' The boy asked, causing Severus to become startled as the child was once again standing behind him without warning.

'The headmaster of this school.' Severus answered. 'He assigned you to reside with me for the moment. Why did you not show yourself?'

'I was scared.' Harry looked away with embarrassment. 'I don't like strangers.'

'Shall we finish our game?' Severus asked, unsure of what to say as he really wasn't in the mood for much today and dearly missed the chance to brew potions.

'I don't want to play anymore.' Harry said. 'I have to go soon, don't I?' He glanced at Severus sadly. 'I don't want to leave you!' He lunged at the man and hugged him around the middle. Severus, though surprised by the warm action, placed a hand on the boy's back to  return the gesture.

'It did not appear to be the headmaster's intention to return you to your relatives, Harry.' Severus said in a tone he hoped was comforting but probably sounded bored instead.

'No.' Harry stepped back and smiled at Severus with tears in his emerald eyes. 'I do have to go soon.' He sighed. 'But not today. I won't go today, I promise. Will you read me another story?'

Severus didn't know what the boy was talking about or why Dumbledore had acted so strangely, but in his state of mind he'd rather be sleeping or brewing than dealing with any additional stresses. Nodding to Harry, he led the boy over to the couch and began to read the last chapter of one of the books the boy had picked out to borrow. When Harry fell asleep against the red cushion between them, Severus looked at the jar of fireflies and smiled. The item was such a frequent sight for the pair, as it was often handled and conceded almost every day. The jar was much like his heart had felt before Lily and then before Harry: empty and unused, forgotten yet never gone. Now it was aglow and actively acknowledged, being an acquiesce reminder that Harry had captured Severus' heart just as he had captured the fireflies.

--

Mid-way through August, the moment both Harry and Severus dreaded, had arrived. It wasn't at all how Severus expected it to occur. He'd given Harry breakfast and allowed the boy to pull him to the couch. Harry sat down and crossed his legs as he usually did, something Lily had done many times, as he waited for Severus to join him.

'I have another story.' Harry smiled. 'I don't need a book for this one. Once upon a time there was a lonely boy who lived in a cupboard. He was very sad and had to work all the time so he never had time to play. One day he wished and wished and he was somewhere else. A huge castle with lots of magic and a really nice professor let him stay with him for a while.' Harry said as Severus remained quiet. He thought the tale was rather silly and predictable, though he listened anyway.

'The boy thought he could be happy forever with the professor, but he couldn't.' Harry sighed and looked downwards. 'The boy never wanted to leave the professor. He wanted to stay and make cakes, watch fireflies at night, hear stories, and make sure the professor was never lonely again, just as the boy once was.' His eyes began to fill with tears as he hugged Severus tightly.

'I don't wanna go! I don't ever want to leave!' Harry wailed. 'But I have to go now, sir.'

'The headmaster-' Severus went to say how Dumbledore never said the boy had to go yet, nor did he receive any notification of the event happening so suddenly.

'He can't see me.' Harry leaned back and sniffled. 'No one can see me but you, sir. Tini is magic, so she can, but she has to go too.'

Severus wanted to say this claim was absurd, however it brought certain observations and confusions to the front of his mind. He had noticed how Hagrid had seen him but not Harry, how Billus hadn't acknowledged Harry even the slightest, how Dumbledore was so confused whenever Severus asked about the situation or taking the boy away, and of course there was the way the child was able to seemingly vanish and reappear without making a sound. One minute he was there and then he was behind Severus; it was a big clue, yet the man had ignored it. Still, it didn't make sense. Was the boy invisible to others because his accidental magic was still at work, or was it something else?

'Goodbye, Severus Snape.' Harry smiled as he stood by the door and Severus rose from the couch to join him. 'I might forget what happened and how kind you were, but I'll never forget how loved you made me feel when you let me borrow your clothes, cooked me the cake and my food, let my play outside and....' His emerald eyes trailed to the jar of fireflies. 'At least I can say, for a little while...I had a real dad.' Harry smiled and pulled open the door.

'Harry, wait!' Severus lost himself to the moment as he hurried forward and caught the closing door. He stepped into the corridor and looked around, but Harry was gone. The child with her eyes and smile had left as abruptly as he had appeared. All that remained was the gentle sound of footsteps in the distance.

Returning to his quarters after searching the dungeons for an hour, Severus wondered if he had been tricked. Had the child been real at all? He looked around, but there were no signs of Harry having been there. The floor was bare and upon inspection, the books from the library were gone, and the box of clothes from his own childhood rested inside, neatly folded and all accounted for...just as he had left them. The bed had no crease in the center on the right side, the shiny red toothbrush was gone from the bathroom cabinet, and every item was in its rightful place.

To be sure, and in a desperate search for proof he wasn't losing his mind, Severus yanked back the covers of the bed with a forceful motion. There, where Harry so often curled in his sleep, was an open book. It looked to have come from the library yet was entirely unfamiliar to Severus, therefore it wasn't one of the many hundreds of books he owned. He sank slowly against the edge of the bed and looked down at the page, his eyes wide with grief and panic. The title “Prematuratis Envisionate” was written at the top of a single paragraph, which detailed what he had feared.

A man whose heart is sick with loneliness, in his most miserable moment in which would stem to his defeat, will be granted a single miracle. Before him shall appear a child brought forth from reality and visioning, to remind the lonely soul of the need for a purpose, as without it no man can truly live. This child, appearing for only a moment in time, will never be discovered by another.

 

It is the most important lesson of all, to realise that just because she didn't love him as he wanted, doesn't mean he's not loved at all.

Severus let himself fall backwards against the mattress as he absorbed this information and painful realisation. He lay there, thinking of all the possibilities, and did not realise yet how the boy he'd been caring for was not exactly the same Harry Potter. The boy who would be coming to Hogwarts in two years would have darker hair, glasses like James Potter, a scar on his forehead, and would be adorned in gold and red after his sorting.

That child would not eat meals cooked by Severus, he would not tell stories from a book he would have learned to read by then, he would not run around outside musing about how the rain was good because it made sunshine more appreciated, and he would not ever catch fireflies in a jar with a man who considered him an almost-son. Maybe, if Severus looked hard enough, he would see a smile once graced towards him by the boy, or a hint of curiosity to read beyond his age because of his thirst for knowledge. And maybe, if he listened carefully enough, he would overhear the boy's tiring attempts to pronounce “presumptuous”.

Severus didn't move. He knew now, how it was going to be and what was going to happen. The boy he'd known for a moment in time was not the real Harry Potter, he was part reality combined with his vision of a child of his own and Lily's. In two years Severus would be confronted with the truth. He would be faced not with his son, but with Potter's. Severus vowed not to forget the Harry he had met, because he'd learned and gained so much from the boy in such a short period of time.

Now he knew how to comfort students and realised he didn't want another child to suffer as he had or as Harry had hinted at. He would entwine a firmer grip on Slytherin, because it would take more courage for a child to tell him of their troubles than it would for him to fix and face them. The house needed a leader, someone to turn to and protect them from those who looked down on them or the cracked within. Severus knew he could do it, if he had the right motivation. There was Harry Potter, and then there was his Harry. And in his mind, his Harry was a Slytherin, therefore Severus would be helping his Harry by helping the Slytherins. It was a place start.

He had to motivate his Slytherins to do better, to stand strong together not apart, and to always try their best because success is there for those who believe in it. No task is unachievable by someone even if others turn against them, because every goal can be achieved with just the right determination, guidance, and patience. Like catching fireflies.

--

When the new term begins, Severus Snape will be revived in himself; he will be strong and rise above what had happened, because now he has regained a duty, a purpose...a reason to live and continue existence not for the sake of it, but because he's not finished yet. As long as any son of Lily's needed him, Severus had a duty to fulfill.

But that was in the coming weeks, after he mourned the loss of his Harry and coldly adapted to his returned loneliness. The first night without Harry nearly kicking him in the shins during the late hours was difficult. Severus woke the next morning and opened his obsidian eyes, looking over at the empty space beside him. The next day was much the same. And soon, after a week, Severus was doing okay. He adapted, like a rabbit being transfigured into a cat. Severus would survive.

And two days before the 1st of September that year, with still two more to go until Harry Potter would be amongst the new first years, Severus sat in his main room feeling emotionally exhausted. He sat there, as the sun sank below the mountains, and put aside his memories of his Harry to focus on understanding Harry Potter to be a different person he met briefly as a baby and that is all. As the room darkened and the candles lit themselves, another light touched his face and caused Severus to look at the fireplace in alarm.

His Harry had not existed, not really. The boy had been conjured of magic, created from envision and reality, yet never really there...he was never seen by others and anything he'd touched was as undisturbed as he was unreal. And yet, there sat the jar of symbolic and literal importance. The jar of fireflies not once touched by anyone other than Harry. The bugs flew around inside the transparent container and glowed as brightly as they had when the small boy captured them.

Severus stared at the jar for a long time, once again conflicted, as it was impossible by the standards of the Prematuratis Envisionate for that jar to remain there, glowing warmly with magical bugs...if his Harry had never existed.

Having a purpose in life was quite a presumptuous thing, really. Years passed by, with raining days and sunny ones. The door to Severus Snape's quarters which had been charmed to allow only his entrance unless one was invited or obtained a password, was reduced to splintered wood. The spells of protection had failed, as their castor breathed his last breath while struggling to stare into Lily's eyes once more. Severus told Harry he had his mother's eyes, but when he asked the boy to look at him...all he saw was his Harry, reclaimed at last.

The sad child had grown to a determined teenager, to a solider of war, and then finally emerged as a confident and strong adult. Harry assisted with the clean up after the war and as he ventured through the dungeons, he spared a sad glance at the door that once hid Snape's quarters from the world. Unable to suppress his curiosity, Harry peered inside and finally entered within, only briefly surprised by the appearance of the room. His face grave and footsteps silent, the man felt uncomfortable as though he was intruding upon a very private place. And it was. Everything about Snape had been concealed and out of reach, for a love of a woman with emerald eyes and a duty he had sworn to for her son.

Pausing, Harry looked towards the fireplace and wondered why a lone jar sat atop it, covered in layers of dust. Reaching slowly and carefully towards the item as though it would fly away from him if he rushed his actions, Harry lifted the object from where it sat and wiped a section clear with the mildly torn sleeve of his chestnut robes. Inside was empty, though the lid remained firmly in place. He wondered what it had once contained, if Snape had kept it for so long, untouched yet always there. For a reason unknown to Harry, he imagined the jar aglow with magical bugs fluttering within, though it was certainly an absurd thought. A man like Severus Snape would never keep such a silly thing.

As Harry fled the room he felt wasn't in his right to intrude upon, he noticed it was midday and experienced the urge for chocolate cake. He passed by a house-elf who he had seen around the dungeons from time to time. The elf was neither young nor old and was more tanned than the rest of the elves, which had to be why Harry even noticed him amongst the hundreds of others in the kitchens or around the castle assisting with the clean up following the end of the war.

Halting on the first step that would take him upwards out of the dungeons, Harry hesitated and looked around the corridors with renewed sadness. It had once been such a cold and dreadful place for him, and in some ways it had been rather scary as well. And now he thought it wasn't so bad, not really. Severus Snape hadn't been so bad either. The man who had once been such an uncaring, unfair git wasn't really so. Harry wished he'd known from the beginning. He wished he could face the man now and say how grateful he was for everything, even if he was unable to complete the list of things to be thankful for...almost as though he was missing something, but was unable to recall it. 

The things once said and believed about the hero and brave man Severus truly had been, were so presumptuous it made Harry regretful to think he hadn't been able to see through the masks and habits of the man. Even so, as Harry turned and climbed the stairs ascending away from the dungeons, a smile graced his worn and aged face. Because Harry would never forget Snape or everything the man had done for him and for others. Just because his mother hadn't loved the man the way Harry guessed he'd wanted...well, that didn't mean Severus Snape wasn't loved at all. And to prove it, no matter what anyone thought...Harry would ensure that a boy with her eyes would be born with his name.

As long as that happened, Harry could take comfort in knowing Severus Snape wasn't gone...he was simply at peace.