Before Harry knew it Christmas break was over and the other students returned. The rest of the break had been enjoyable. Harry had spent some time with Daphne and Tracey who had warmed up to him after their shared Christmas.

He had also continued going to Snape's office. Snape had completed all of the potions needed for the hospital wing so Harry usually just sat there and did homework. Neither of them said anything but the silence was comfortable.

"Let me see what you have written, Potter," Snape said as Harry completed his transfiguration homework.

Harry handed him the roll of parchment.

Snape looked over his work silently. "Add more on the application of switching spells," he said finally.

It was almost parental, Harry reflected as he walked from the dungeons back to the Gryffindor Tower where he hoped Ron and Hermione had arrived. He remembered Aunt Petunia going over Dudley's homework with him (of course, in Dudley's case, she had done the homework for him).

"Harry!" Ron cried as he caught sight of his best friend. He and Hermione had been standing outside the Gryffindor common room. "Where have you been, mate? We've been looking all over."

"I was staying in the Slytherin dorm over the break," Harry said.

"Why were you there, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Tell us on the way to dinner," Ron said.

As they walked to dinner, Harry gave them a brief overview of his time with in the dungeons.

"Thanks for the sweets, Hermione. And it was really nice of your mum to send me that jumper Ron," Harry said.

"It was no problem, Harry," Hermione said smiling while Ron turned red and muttered something about knowing Harry wasn't expecting anything.

That reminded Harry of the photograph. He had kept it in his pocket on the way back to the Gryffindor common room to make sure it didn't get lost when his trunk was moved. "Look what I got," he said, pulling out the photograph and handing it to Hermione. "It's a picture of my mum."

Ron looked at it next to Hermione. "She was really pretty, Harry," Hermione said earnestly.

"Yeah, she was," Harry agreed.

"What have you got there, Granger?" Before Hermione knew it, Draco Malfoy had snatched the photograph out of her hand. "Who's this, Granger?"

"It's my mum, Malfoy, give it back!" Harry yelled.

Malfoy just smirked. "Look at this Crabbe, it's a picture of Potter's dead mother," Malfoy said, handing the photograph to Crabbe.

"Give it back!" Harry yelled, furiously drawing his wand. Crabbe's hands were so big, they were probably ruining the picture. By now a crowd was beginning to form.

"Or what, Potter? Crabbe, give it to me." Crabbe handed him the photo. Malfoy held the top of the photo in both hands. "Are you going to go crying to your Mudblood mother?"

There were gasps from the crowd. Harry gripped his wand tightly while Ron snarled beside him and took his own wand out.

Malfoy smiled nastily at Harry's reaction and moved his fingers in opposite direction so that the photo tore a bit from the top. "Oops," he said.

Harry was shaking. He could barely see clearly.

With one final flourish, Malfoy ripped the photo in two. Harry saw red. Dropping his wand he tackled Malfoy to the ground. He ignored Crabbe and Goyle's attempts to try to move him. All he wanted was to hit Malfoy over and over, which was difficult when Crabbe and Goyle were holding his arms. Malfoy was trying to shield his face.

Harry was so focused on freeing his arms and causing Malfoy as much pain as possible that he did not notice the sudden hushed silence.

"Release him. Now," came a command. Harry felt himself being lifted off Malfoy and tried to struggle but the arms around him held firm. Harry turned to try to free himself from the grasp but stopped as he smelt a familiar smell. A smell he remembered from once before, when he had buried his face in black robes.

"Would you care to explain what is going on here, Mr. Malfoy?" Snape asked evenly.

"Potter attacked me, sir! He's mental!" Malfoy said.

"He tore it!" Harry yelled, "He tore the picture of my mum!" He pointed to the pieces of the photo on the floor. Snape glanced at it.

"Malfoy," he said, "wait for me in the common room. You are not to leave until I fetch you. Potter, come with me." Without a backward glance at anyone, Harry followed Snape to his office.

"Sit," Snape commanded once they had reached his office. Harry slumped down looking down at his hands while Snape left the room for a moment. When he came back, he sat at his desk across from Harry.

"Now, Potter, what happened over there with Mr. Malfoy?" he said.

"My name's Harry," Harry muttered resentfully.

"What?"

"I said, my name's Harry. Call me Harry."

Snape rolled his eyes. "Very well, Harry, what happened with Malfoy?"

"What does it matter? I started the fight. Can you please just take points or give me detention?"

"No, I cannot. Nor will I."

Harry finally looked up. Suddenly, a tray popped onto Snape's desk with two mugs of a steaming brown liquid and some biscuits.

"Drink it. It will help," Snape said, gesturing to the hot chocolate as he picked up his own mug.

Harry took a sip from the mug and felt his whole body warming up. Once he gotten through half of his mug, Snape once again looked at him questioningly.

"I was showing Ron and Hermione the picture," Harry said dully, "And Malfoy came and snatched it out of Hermione's hands. He started taunting me and saying it was a picture of my dead mother and he called her – something bad, I think."

"What?" Snape asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"A, a Mudblood."

Snape's grip on the handle of his mug increased. "I see."

"What does it mean?"

"It is a despicable word used for those of Muggle parentage. It signifies that they have dirty blood, which is what Purebloods like the Malfoys despise."

Harry nodded. "He tore it then. It was the only picture of her I've ever seen and he tore it."

Snape silently reached into his robes and pulled out a photograph which he handed to Harry. It was the same photograph that had been torn, but not the same one. Harry's photo had finger and thumbprints on it from the number of times he had handled it. This one looked new. Harry looked at Snape, trying to convey his feelings without words. Snape looked impassively back.

"Malfoy's actions will be dealt with appropriately. Do not worry about that."

"You actually believe me?" Harry said, hardly daring to hope. The Dursleys had never believed him even when it was obvious he was telling the truth. For Snape to be taking his word over Malfoy's was a big thing.

"Yes," Snape said simply.

"I, thank you, sir." Harry felt a lump in his throat that did not allow him to say anything more.

"Go on back to your common room. Your dinner will be arranged there."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."

He stood up and walked to the door. "Goodnight, Professor."

"Goodnight, Harry," came the wry reply.

Now he had to deal with Malfoy. The boy was an entitled brat but Severus knew to tread carefully around him, and around Lucius Malfoy. If Draco Malfoy had done what he had to anyone else, Severus might not take the measures he was going to, but the pain in those green eyes snatched all rational thought from his head.

It had been the same with Lily. When she was there, Severus knew he would walk through fire for her. He remembered back to a day, shortly before they had taken their O. when he had in fact, thought with the less sensible part of his brain.

1976

"Why do you talk to her anyway, Snape? She's just a Mudblood." Mulciber smirked while his friends tittered.

"Don't call her that!" Severus said sharply.

"Or what, Snape? I know you're a half-blood but you can do better than the likes of a filthy little Mudblood like her."

Snape lost it right there. In an instant, his wand was drawn and he was aiming hex after nasty hex at the five boys. It was no wonder an hour later he woke up in the hospital wing. He groaned. What a fool he was. What sane person would try to take on five boys, especially ones who could make his life hell?

"Severus!" Lily cried as she rushed into the hospital wing. "I heard what happened. What were you thinking, picking a fight with Mulciber and the rest? Honestly, Severus." She moved to gently push his hair away from his eyes.

Severus let out a weak grin. It had been worth it.

A week later, he was hanging upside down while Potter showed off in front of Lily.

"Leave him alone!" Lily said, her wand out.

"Fine," Potter said, releasing Severus, "You were lucky Evans was here, Snivellus."

"I don't need help from her," Severus said, glaring angrily at Potter.

Lily blinked. "Fine, then I won't bother helping in the future."

Severus swore as she left while Potter looked on victoriously.

He had always been a fool when it came to her, and apparently he would be a fool when it came to her son.

He walked to the Slytherin common room where most of the house had gathered to see what would happen. Draco Malfoy was sitting on an armchair, looking smugly superior.

"Malfoy, you will accompany me to my office," he said. The noise in the common room dropped. They could hear something in his tone that Malfoy did not.

"Why?" Malfoy said, "Can't you just say you rebuked me and we can be done with it."

Though Severus admitted he was usually lax in his punishments to the Slytherins, this was going too far. Most of the Slytherins understood his limits and adhered to them. "Let's see," he said silkily, "that will be fifty points from Slytherin for your abominable behavior and another fifty for your insolence."

There was a collective deep intake of breath from the members of the house and glares were directed at Malfoy. Malfoy's smirk slid of his face but the foolish boy still didn't know when to shut his mouth.

"You can't do that! You never take points from Slytherin."

"I just did, Malfoy. Now I suggest you follow me before I decide to take fifty more."

Sulkily, Malfoy followed him to his office. The moment they reached, Malfoy started. "It wasn't me! Potter hit me first."

"I know."

Malfoy looked surprised, but glared at him.

"For your actions, you will receive a month of weekly detention with Filch."

"A month! What did Potter get?"

"That is not your concern but the concern of his Head of House."

"But you'll make sure he gets more than me, won't you? Daily detention for a month?"

"I will do no such thing, Malfoy."

"That's not fair. Potter was being a baby about it anyway."

"I believe it is very fair."

"Wait until I write to my father about this. He won't allow this to happen." Malfoy looked at him defiantly.

Severus's eyes gleamed. "And what do you think your father will say when I write to him to tell him about your actions? What will he say when I tell him that you destroyed the only picture an orphan boy has of his mother, especially when that orphan is the Boy-Who-Lived?"

Malfoy's face paled. It was time he learned that his actions had repercussions.

"Furthermore," Severus continued, "you will make a public apology to Mr. Potter tomorrow in the Great Hall."

"I will not!"

"Then I will have no choice but to write to your father."

Malfoy was glaring at him even harder now. Severus ignored him and sat at his desk to work on a quiz for the third years.

"Why do you care so much about Potter anyway?"

"I will send you a note about your first detention on Saturday."

Malfoy pushed his chair back hard and left the room, leaving Severus to ponder the question he had posed.

"You seem to have dealt with the situation very well, Severus," Dumbledore praised later that evening. The two of them were sitting with McGonagall in Dumbledore's office and Severus had just finished telling them about the punishment he had given Malfoy.

"I have not yet had a chance to talk to Mr. Potter," McGonagall said, "how do you think I should handle that situation, Severus?"

"I would not presume to tell you how to deal with your students, Minerva." Unbeknownst to him, Dumbledore and McGonagall shared a look.

"Because he was so severely provoked and no one was hurt, how about twenty points from Gryffindor?"

"That seems reasonable," Severus said. For a man who had just taken one hundred points from his own house, he seemed remarkably calm.

"Out of curiosity, Severus, how did you manage to calm young Harry? He seemed in quite a state," Dumbledore said.

"The usual way," Severus said with an ironic curve of his mouth. Patience and chocolate, he thought, but he would never tell Albus or Minerva that.

"It is too bad that picture of his mother is destroyed," Dumbledore said sadly, "I believe it was the only one he had."

Severus didn't mention that he had given a copy of the photo to Harry.

"It would be nice if he had had more than one," Dumbledore continued, regarding Severus over his half-moon spectacles.

Severus rolled his eyes. "I believe I will call it a night," he told them.

He walked back to his quarters and automatically reached for the box from which he had removed the copy of the photograph. He held it tightly. It contained all the photographs he had of Lily: from when they were children, to summer holidays during Hogwarts, to their wedding day. He opened the box and took out a photo of Lily in her wedding dress. She looked so beautiful and so happy. He sighed and began sorting through the pictures.

"Harry, did you hear what happened with Draco last night?" Daphne asked as she and Tracey rushed up to him on his way to breakfast the next morning.

Harry shook his head.

"Snape got really angry," she said, "He took a hundred points from Slytherin and gave Draco detention with Filch for a month!"

"What?" Harry said blankly, unable to believe it.

"Snape took points from Slytherin?" Ron asked, just as shocked.

"The whole house is furious at Draco," Tracey said.

Harry turned to his friends, looking between Ron's flabbergasted face and Hermione's knowing smile.

"We'll see you later, Harry," Tracey said waving as they walked to the Slytherin table.

"I can't believe it," Harry said numbly as they sat down.

"Oh, Harry, I'm so happy for you," Hermione said. Before she could say anymore, a hush began to fall over the Great Hall. They turned around to see Snape walking towards the Slytherin table where Draco Malfoy was sitting.

"I believe you have something to do this morning, Mr. Malfoy," Snape said.

Malfoy looked at him with loathing and stood up. Snape folded his arms and watched as he walked to the Gryffindor table where Harry sat.

"Sorry, Potter," Malfoy spat before turning around and walking back to his table.

The noise in the hall returned to slightly greater than normal levels.

"Is this some crazy dream?" Ron said, looking dazed.

Malfoy's experiences didn't seem to have humbled him. He sat behind Harry in Potions and kept muttering in his ear.

"You think you're so great, Potter, now that you've become Snape's favorite. You don't know anything about him."

"Shut up, Malfoy," Ron muttered back. Harry tried to ignore him. He needed to concentrate on his potion.

"He is a Death Eater, you know. He works for the man who killed your Mummy. Father says he's just being nice to you to gain your trust." He stopped talking as Snape approached to make his rounds.

As Snape passed by, Harry studied him carefully. He knew that Snape had worked for Voldemort and he had thought about it before but somehow it had been pushed to the back of his mind. Voldemort himself seemed like a distant nightmare. Was what Malfoy was saying true? Was Snape really still working for Voldemort?

"Ask Professor Dumbledore," Hermione immediately suggested when he voiced his concerns. "He hired Snape so he would know if Snape was a Death Eater."

"I can't just go up to Dumbledore and say, 'by the way, Professor, is Snape by any chance still working for Voldemort?'" Harry said sarcastically.

Ron flinched at the name.

"Yes you can, Harry. Or better yet, ask Snape."

Harry and Ron stared at her.

Hermione looked exasperated. "I mean it Harry. In fact, I think you should show him the letter too."

Harry shook his head. "I can't show him the letter, Hermione. Not yet."

Hermione looked at him sympathetically. "Well you should talk to either Dumbledore or Snape about Snape being a Death Eater."

"I agree with Hermione," Ron announced. Harry and Hermione looked at him in shock. "If you want him as a dad, you should probably find out if he's trying to do you in," Ron said shrugging.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

Harry sighed. "I'll talk to Dumbledore," he promised.

Before they could say any more, Neville Longbottom hopped into the common room, his legs bound together in a Leg-Locker curse.

Hermione sprang up and did the counter curse. "What happened?" she asked.

"Malfoy," Neville said shakily, "he said he was looking for someone to practice on."

"He probably took out his anger on Neville," Ron muttered to Harry.

Harry took out his last chocolate frog from his pocket. "You're worth twelve of Malfoy, Neville," Harry said earnestly.

Neville gave a small smile as he took the chocolate. "Thanks, Harry." He removed the card. "Here, you can have the card. You collect them, don't you?"

The card was of Dumbledore, the first one Harry had ever gotten. Harry flipped it over and gasped. "I've found him," he exclaimed, "I've found Nicholas Flamel!"