Severus knew that there was something wrong as soon as Harry walked in the room, the boy looked like he had won the lottery and lost the ticket and from the way he was looking at Severus he knew that it had something to do with him.

"Are you ready to go Harry" he asked softly not wanting to startle the young man before him.

"Yes sir" that answers shocked Severus whom Harry had not called Sir since after the second task. Harry when upstairs to to retrieve his trunk and whispered something to his aunt before he left, Severus thought he heard the words 'Have more faith in him' whispered back but he could not be sure.

Severus took Harry by the arm before activating a port key that would take him through his wards and to his home. When they landed in the living room he turned his eyes to Harry questioningly, the young man did not say anything he simply handed the man the letter and the journal before sitting down on the sofa and hugging his knees to his chest. While Severus read the letter and the diary which Harry thought would lead to the man wanting nothing more to do with him, he thought back to how their friendship had started.

*Flash Back*

Harry had been awake for over forty eight hours due to the hassle he was receiving from his dorm mates, whenever he tried to sleep someone would create a loud bang or send a stinging hex at him this meant that he was getting very little sleep, but for the past two nights, they had been getting everyone in the common room to make life hell for him, something about him becoming the next Dark lord –he had a feeling that Ron was the one behind that rumour- this plus the nightmares that he kept having meant that he had gotten no sleep at all. This was why he was wandering the halls of Hogwarts trying to find some peace. He had gotten as far as a portrait or a none descript man brewing a potion when he slid down the wall know that his legs would carry him no further. It felt like hours but was in fact only minutes later that the portrait swung open and out came none other than his most hated teacher Professor Severus Snape. He expected to be flayed alive because he was out after hours and he was in the dungeon. What he had not expected was to be picked up and carried into the man's quarters; he was laid down on the sofa and had a blanket put around him before turning out the lights and walking out of the room.

Harry was shaken awake at half past seven, by Snape who said nothing except that Harry was to come back at eight that night for detention. When Harry went back that night he explained about the way Ron and the others had treated him, they had spent the night talking about everything and nothing and realised that they had more in common. Soon Severus became someone he could talk to about anything and filled the space of mentor that Sirius was unable to.

*End of flashback*

Harry smiled as he remembered Ron's face when he had not been the one who Harry had to pull out of the lake. Albus thought that it was Brilliant that the one person who meant the most to Harry was Severus. Harry chuckled quietly when he remembered what Severus said to him when he brought him and Fleur's little sister. 'You stupid heroic brat, did you really think that the headmaster would let anyone drowned.' He then proceeded to hug the boy and tell him if he ever did anything like that again he would chop him up and use him in a potion.

Unfortunately no one saw the rat that had been next to the lake leave and even if they had the only thing they would have found strange about it was that it was missing a toe. Harry thanked his lucky stars that they had believed the Malfoy's because Lucius told Severus that if he went back then he would be killed because Peter had seen him with Harry by the lake. Severus did not go back however he was tortured through the mark which Albus and Severus were still trying to get around.

Harry looked up when he heard the rustle of clothes next to him, kneeling down before him was Severus who although he looked upset Harry could tell that the upset and anger was not directed towards him.

"Harry is this letter the reason why you look like your world has ended" Severus asked.

"Yes sir" Harry answered trying not to squirm not knowing how Severus was going to treat him, he just hoped that he would not go from being the son of James Potter to the son of Lily Potter which would no doubt be ten times worse.

"Harry are you worried that I blame you for what Lily did?" Severus queried

"Yes sir, are you going to treat me as Lily Potter's son?" Harry questioned quietly.

"No Harry I cannot blame you for her actions, just as I should never have blamed you for your father's actions. The offer I made at the end of last year stands so I hope you had time to decide." Severus said hoping to convey his sincerity.

"What about the boy my half-brother?"

"If you want to find your Brother than I will help you if not then I will leave it until you feel you are ready to meet him because even though he is my son by blood you are my son by choice" Severus told the fretting boy before him.

"I do want to become your son but I really want to find my brother even if he does not want anything to do with me at all." Severus was saddened at the thought that Harry's brother may not want anything to with him but he was overjoyed that the child wish to be adopted by him.

"We will do the adoption tomorrow but for today you should relax, Draco is here with Lucius and he has been dying to challenge you to a race. I will call Remus to witness the adoption along with Lucius and the Twins" Severus said and smiled lightly when Harry grabbed his broom and dashed out of the door to find the person who had become one of his friends through letter's over the summer.

Severus sat down and penned a note to Remus hoping that Black would not see it because they had kept the idea of the adoption a secret from him, Merlin only knows what would happen if he found out. The only thing he could be sure of was that he would try and muck things up by more than likely giving Harry an ultimatum. After he had sent the letter to Remus he picked up the journal once again, he was storming not only that Lily had lied to him but the fact that she dared to think that he would have forced her into marriage. If she had told him then he would have had the baby adopted by his uncle Carter and his wife Elizabeth who had been unable to have children, that way he would have been able to see his son but he would not have had the responsibility of raising a child when he was sixteen. He could not decide which hurt worse the fact that she had gotten rid of his son or the fact that she had never truly loved him and the only reason she went out with him was because Potter still had a big head, he hated playing second fiddle.

Over all though the thing he hated most was the fact that Harry would undoubtedly get his hopes up, he would hope that his brother would want something to do with him despite what he had said and the problem was that the boy –young man- may not want anything to do with either of them.

Severus and Harry stood side by side in the Headmasters office, Lucius and Draco stood to his side while Remus, Fred and George stood by Harry's side. Albus stood before them with a beaming smile on his face, he was silently thanking Merlin that his boys had found the family they both desired so much. Albus had just started the words to the adoption right when the Floo flared and out stepped Sirius Black everyone in the room froze knowing that this would not end well. Sirius immediately looked between Severus and Harry before starting forward towards the two, before he could draw his wand on Severus however Harry stepped in front of the man blocking Sirius's way.

"Sirius what are you doing here" Harry asked trying to sound nonchalant.

"I found a letter from this twat addressed to Remus, imagine my surprise when I find out it was to a secret ceremony involving Snivellus and my God-Son. Harry how could you marry such a…" before he could finish the sentence he was cut off by the Twins and Remus who were doubled over laughing while Harry and Severus looked alarmed and mildly disturbed.

"Merlin Sirius I may be gay but I would not marry Severus ever, it would be like marrying my father! The ceremony mentioned in the letter is an adoption ceremony." Harry told him still trying to shake the disgust he felt at the thought of marrying Severus.

"What!" Sirius screeched "Why would you want to be adopted by by him. It is bad enough that you have betrayed the wizarding world by being Gay but you also have to betray your parents by allowing a death eater to adopt you! How will you betray the world next maybe declaring your undying love for Voldemort?!" Sirius yelled grabbing a hold of Harry's shirt and shaking him a little. Everyone stared at Sirius unable to believe what the man had just said however before anyone could say anything back Harry's magic lashed out and sent the man flying to the other side of the room.

"HOW DARE YOU SAY SUCH A THING? IS IT NOT BAD ENOUGH THAT THE WIZARDING EXPECTS ME TO BE THE PERFECT LITTLE HERO WHO MARRIES A PRETTY WITCH AND HAD THREE KIDS BEFORE BECOMING AN AUROR? LET ME TELL YOU I WANT A FAMILY, A FATHER WHO LOVES ME AND I WANT TO MARRY SOMEONE WHO LOVES ME FOR ME NOT FOR THE BOY WHO LIVED. AS FOR MY PARENTS AT THIS MINUET IN TIME I HOPE THAT THEY ARE TURNING IN THEIR GRAVES!" Harry yelled by the end tears were rolling down his face, he felt completely betrayed by one of the people he thought he could trust.

Severus crossed the room and pulled the young man into his arms making soothing noises trying to get the young man to calm down.

"How can you say such a thing about James and Lily, James was the kindest bloke who ever lived and Lily was the most honourable woman who I ever met, it is unfortunate that you did not inherit any of their best qualities" Sirius sneered at the boy before him.

"If James was kind then he would not have bullied Severus along with anyone else he took a dislike to and if Lily was so honourable then she would not have left a baby in an orphanage at two days old without even telling the father that the child existed." Harry said in a cold tone that made everyone in the room flinch and Severus realise how deeply his parents betrayal had cut Harry.

"How do you know about James pranking Severus?" Sirius asked.

"Severus showed me the memories of some of the incidents last year when I asked why he hated my father so much" Harry answered in a monotone voice, before Sirius could say anything else Dumbledore, Remus and Lucius managed to get him out of the door. Once he was out of the door Harry collapsed onto a chair and Draco and the twins tried to
cheer him up.

The four men came back fifteen minutes later before anyone could say anything the twins and Draco were motioned to leave the room, the men baring Severus followed after the teens. Severus crouched down so he was on the same level as Harry who was still sitting.

"Are you sure that they you want me to adopt you because that is the kind of reaction you are going to be faced with for the rest of the world who would rather you be put to death than be adopted by a death eater. I need you to be sure" Severus said looking at the figure before him.

"I'm sure, the only reason I reacted the way that I did was because he is my god-father and I hoped that he would like to see me happy. Also how many times do I need to say you are an ex-death eater?" Harry said the last part in a very stern voice causing the man before him to laugh.

After a moment more of talking Severus walked to the door and motioned the others back into the room. Albus stood before the men and smiled before he started the ritual. Severus began the vows he had to speak and Harry had to except.

"With my body I swear to protect you
With my mind I swear to teach you
With my strength I swear to heal you
With my soul I swear to guide you
With my heart I swear to love you" Severus said meaning every word that he spoke, Harry had become as important to him as his own son would be and he hoped secretly that his birth son would one day become just as important.

Harry smiled at him before saying his part
"I swear to take the protection you will give.
I swear to listen to the lessons that you teach
I swear to go you when I need help to heal.
I swear to follow the guidance that you give
I swear that the love you give will always be returned"

Harry finished and Albus put the contract down before Severus and Harry. Severus signed his name before handing the paper to Harry who signed his new name. Harry James Severus Potter Snape, but he would be referred to as Harry Snape.

The scroll rolled up and disappeared into the ministry archives, Severus hugged the boy next to him as everyone in the room burst into applause. Once the ceremony was finished they went down into the great hall to eat the feast the elves had laid out at the head table.

~~~HMB~~~

The next day Severus and Harry went about how to find his brother, the first thing that they would do was go to St. Gabriel's orphanage to see if they could find anything out about the boy and if he was adopted and if then by who. If the information was private then a little magic goes a long way. With that in mind the men packed up and headed for their destination.

When they arrived outside the orphanage they found a modern building that had obviously been refurbished recently, inside the picket fence there were children of all ages playing happily. Harry and Severus walked up the path and went inside towards the office. Inside was a woman who looked to be about sixty, she reminded Harry of Minerva a women who would mother you but have a no nonsense attitude.

"May I help you gentlemen" She asked.

"Well ma'am I hope that you may be able to help me" Severus said before telling her about Lily, the pregnancy and how he and Harry were desperate to find the boy.

"You are lucky I am a sucker for a sob story and that the boy you are looking for said that if the man from the picture that was tucked into his baby blanket ever showed up I could give him the information. The child came in with a woman claiming to be in maternal aunt, he had no name except the surname of Evans. We named him Alexander, it became apparent that he was intelligent, incredibly so by the age of two he could read and by the age of four he could build god knows what. When he was six a man going by the name Bill Tanner came to the office saying he had heard about Alexander and wished to adopt him. We went through the proper channels and Alexander was adopted on the 15th of August 19 1991 his seventh birthday. The child comes back here every now and then, he should be coming for a visit within the next few days actually, if you leave an address I will let him know you visited." The woman told them. Before Severus could do so however a rucks outside drew their attention, the children were shouting and squealing in an excited manor. A deep laugh drifted into the office as someone walked up to the door, without a knock the door was opened and someone entered.

The person who came in was a young man, between eighteen and twenty one by Severus's estimation. A pale complexion, with high cheek bones, jet black hair that looked like it would lay straight if it ever saw a comb, about six feet tall yet very slender as if he needed a good few meals. Then only thing about his appearance that could be considered off putting were the black sparkling eyes.

"You always did know when you were needed Alexander." The woman behind them said causing Severus and Harry to gasp.