Snape and Harry were invited to Dumbledore's house for a little party. Snape didn't really want to go but he had to. So he dressed up and dressed Harry up too. At six o'clock, they went to Dumbledore's house and knocked at the door.

"Ooo!" Harry giggled, bouncing in Snape's arms. He loved when they had a 'walk'.

Snape held him, waiting patiently.

After a moment, Dumbledore swung open the door and said, "Ah! I'm so glad that you could come. And how are you Harry?"

Harry giggled.

"Yes, come inside." Dumbledore beamed, moving aside so Snape had room to pass.

Snape scanned the guests; there was Professor McGonagall, some female teacher he did not recognise, Hagrid, Professor Quirrel and Professor Charity, whom he did not know very well.

He sat down, holding Harry. Quirrel immediately began talking to him and while they talked, the female teacher looked at Harry.

Harry's hair was messy, his clothes ruffled and un-ironed. The boy looked rather scruffy and kept clinging to Snape, who paid no attention to him.

She frowned and turned to Dumbledore. "Poor boy, doesn't really look in good shape, does he?"

"Well, it's hardly Severus's fault. He has enough troubles on his mind." Dumbledore said, reasonably.

The get-together was actually mildly fun. They talked and laughed and discussed and ate and drank. Snape drank especially deeply. Then Dumbledore began to talk about Christmas which was only a few days away.

Snape got up after a while, saying that he was going to the kitchen to get Harry some water.

He walked to Dumbledore's shiny kitchen and accio-ed a glass. He filled it with water and brought the glass to Harry's swollen lips. Harry drank greedily, his tiny fingers clawing at the sides of the vessel. When the baby seemed thoroughly quenched, Snape pulled the glass away. Harry looked up at him gratefully and snuggled closer than ever. It had been ten minutes or so and Snape was just about to return to the living room when he heard the female Professor saying something to Dumbledore, as they passed by the kitchen, on their way to the dining room:

"...I don't think Severus is coping very well. Harry needs a mother,"

Rage consumed Snape. He placed Harry on the slab and whipped out his wand.

Before the woman could see what was happening, a hex was aimed right at her.

Dumbledore blocked it just in time and looked at Snape in astonishment.

"I'm coping just fine, thank you!" Snape snapped. "I don't need you to talk behind my back,"

"Severus!" Dumbledore said. "What is the meaning of this?"

"And there you are agreeing with her! You can take him back then, if you both think that I'm not coping!" Snape said.

The woman looked horrified. "The man is deranged,"

Snape advanced upon her. Harry squealed frightenedly from his place on the slab as his guardian raised his wand threateningly. But Dumbledore stopped him mid-way, a firm expression on his face.

"Don't be so foolish," he said. "Calm down, both of you. I don't want any fights. Severus, please take Harry. He is crying,"

Snape shot Dumbledore and the woman the dirtiest look he could muster and went to pick Harry up, who sniffled into his hair. They felt soft and silky and slightly oily to him.

Dumbledore hustled the lady away as Snape fumed in the kitchen, just standing in one place and holding harry, furious.

Dumbledore soon returned and the old man looked at Severus disapprovingly.

"I am quite shocked at your behavior, Severus!" Dumbledore said, sternly. "How can you hex a guest like that?"

"She-"

"Yes, I know what she said, but that is still not a proper reason for you to act in such a way. You need to calm down, Severus."

Snape blinked and suddenly he seemed to loose all of his remaining strength. He visibly gave up and drooped, shoulders hunching slightly. He sighed, "I apologise, Dumbledore. I don't know what's wrong with me nowadays. I feel so angry all the time."

"It'll pass," Dumbledore promised. "You need to control yourself. These days will pass,"

Snape's voice was cracked as he replied: "I can't stop thinking about her. Maybe the woman was right. Maybe I am not coping," He made a move to hand Harry to Dumbledore, but Harry squealed and clung to him, burying his little head into his shoulder. "No Evrus!" He said, warningly.

Dumbledore's lips twitched. "Harry needs you," he explained, softly. "He loves you Severus, and you just need to grow to care for him, too. Doing things for Lily and in her honour is all very fine and noble-but if you do something for Harry himself...that will be a noble thing. It shows your strength and how hard you worked to overcome the grudge, the hurdle of the past."

Snape sighed. "The boy hates me just as much as I hate him,"

"No, he doesn't. Trust me."

Snape looked at Harry who was leaning on his shoulder, the folds of his robes clutched tightly in his chubby fingers. The baby was rubbing his cheek against them, crying and startled.

Snape sighed again. Heavily. "I should be going now," he said.

"I understand. I hope you have a-er-good time." Dumbledore showed him to the door. Before waving him off, the old man said one last thing: "Remember, you need to care for Harry and be strong for him. Don't wallow in the past, stick to the present. Lily Potter has gone, but Harry is still here and he needs you."

On the walk home, Snape thought about these words and his head cleared a little.

Harry looked up at him while they walked. "Everus pway?" He whispered.

Snape stared at him, thoughtfully. The green eyes grew big and pleading. "Yes," Snape said, softly.

It was a start. It was realization.

XXX

That night Snape tucked Harry in bed, his mind pre-occupied. He didn't want to be a monster and that was just what he was becoming. He glanced at the window, his reflection showing. His dark hair, his wide eyes.

"Potter I..." he whispered as he looked back, down at the boy.

And believe it or not, Harry said 'Evrus' back, reaching out a chubby hand to grasp the long, black strand of hair hovering just above him.