"You're going to teach?" Harry demanded suspiciously, staring at the suitcase Severus was dumping things into as if it was a trick. "You?"

"Why," said Snape irritably. "Is the idea so unimaginable to you?"

"Because you hate children! You used to hate me. I don't think you're the teaching type,"

"I still hate you. And I don't want to teach," said Snape. "I just have to. When The Dark Lord returns one day, as Dumbledore says, I will need a few years of spying information to give him. I already missed several years because of you,"

Snape had refused to teach at Hogwarts when Harry had been young as it would be quite difficult for him. He had told Dumbledore that the boy needed proper upbringing and though he hated him, babysitters would be very damaging to the boy.

"Why do you care, Severus? You said he was going to leave you one day yourself," Dumbledore had said, eyebrows raised.

"Well," said Snape uncomfortably. "Let's just say I think differently now." In other words, Snape viewed Harry a little more like a son after everything. He had taken a leave, therefore, and was coming back to Hogwarts with Harry tomorrow.

"Why are you spying on Professor Dumbledore? He trusts you," Harry looked upset.

"I'm pretending to spy on him you dimwit. Now stop pestering me or you're getting another smacking,"

"But you've already smacked me," Harry looked at him with sad green eyes.

"And why? I hope you haven't forgotten,"

"For running off to the park when you said no." Harry pouted. "Why do you smack me, Dad? Do you hate me?"

"Don't call me that. No, I don't hate you. Well, yes, I do, but I didn't smack you because I hate you. I must have told you a hundred times I only smack you because I care for you,"

Harry blinked back tears. "Really?"

"Yes. Stop crying, I am warning you. Let me work in peace." Severus quickly put in books in the suitcase, looking around for his other things.

Harry sat on the big bed, looking around at the newly painted walls. They had been chipped and a boring white before. Now they were beige and clean. Because Harry had asked Severus to paint them.

When his only friend at school, a bespectacled boy just like him, Tim, had wanted to come over for tea, Severus and him had had a fight.

Harry had been very afraid he was going to get a smack for calling Snape a "Strict, mean, ugly old git" but Dumbledore had explained to Snape that Harry needed to be social or he'd end up inverted and possibly a sociopath.

So Snape had stomped off and let Harry call Tim over and Harry had been sad that Snape was upset and that he didn't like Harry having people over. But a few minutes into the visit, Snape had mysteriously come back, made tea, and locked himself in his room and only come out when Tim had left.

Harry knew his adopted father wasn't the most affectionate man in the world but he was grateful anyhow for the things he did.

"Leave the room!" Snape shouted. "Before I do something I regret,"

"Sorry," Harry muttered, hurrying away.

Snape helped Harry pack that night. Some of his clothes, his belongings, his newly bought school books, his beautiful new wand (11 inches, holly, pheonix feather core) and his Hogwarts robes.

"I'm so excited," Harry remarked as Snape hauled the trunk beside Harry's dresser. "I'm glad you're coming,"

"Go to sleep, it's late, and you will have to awake early the next morning," Snape said, straightening and closing the curtains. "I will be in the kitchen if you need me."

"Okay," Harry got into bed, pulling the covers up to his nose. "Goodnight, Dad,"

Snape stood still and flinched. Then he came nearer and ruffled Harry's hair briefly. "Goodnight. Tomorrow will be quite hectic so I want you to be fully rested." He moved away to the door, about to close it.

"I hope I'm in Slytherin," Harry whispered.

Snape wasn't sure he had heard properly. He merely nodded and closed the door, leaving Harry enveloped in darkness.

XXX

Snape had to rush around a lot the next morning, making breakfast, waking Harry up sternly and making him change, hauling all the suitcases into the kitchen and changing himself.

By the time the eggs were fried and set on the table, Harry had entered the kitchen with untidy hair and an eager face.

He was carrying his luggage and he threw it near his chair as he sat down.

"Behave," Snape rebuked. "And what's wrong with your hair? Didn't you comb it?"

"Yes but-"

Snape's face soured. "I doubt you did. Do you think it's "cool"?"

"What? No,"

"Accio hairbrush," Snape grabbed hold of him and tugged down at his locks.

"Ah! Stop! I promise it doesn't go down!"

After a few moments Severus scowled at Harry. "Well, I tried. Eat your breakfast quickly. We don't have much time,"

Harry gobbled up his food and watched as Snape pulled their suitcases to the front door. Once Harry finished, Snape pulled him towards the door too and said, "We don't really have a mode of transportation except the floo. So we will have to apparate."

"But didn't Dumbledore say I had to be 17-"

"To learn it, yes. But I'm sure you are allowed to side-apparate with me. So listen carefully Potter, I want you to hold on tight to my hand and to your luggage. Is that understood?"

A thrill of fear and eagerness coursed through Harry. "Yes Sir."

Snape took hold of his hand and Harry shut his eyes. Suddenly he felt himself whizzing around and feeling as if he was being forced through a extra-tight tunnel. Harry wanted it to stop and stop now.

Suddenly he felt himself falling to the ground and panting, feeling sick and dizzy.

"Harry?" Snape sounded concerned, kneeling down and helping him up.

"I'm okay, that was just so-intense."

"One gets used to it." Harry doubted he would ever get used to it. "Pull yourself together. We need to walk a bit to reach King's Cross,"

Harry held onto his hand and let Snape lead him to the station.

When they got there, he started to feel extremely excited.

"Three and a quarters, right?" He breathed, looking around at all the Muggles and the puffing stationary trains.

"There is a wall which you must go through to get to that station. We need to be discreet."

"Through a WALL?"

"You'll see. Follow me," Snape walked for a while and finally they reached what he said was the wall.

Harry clutched his suitcase worriedly. "I won't get hurt?"

"No, go through slowly, that helps,"

"Dumbledore said going fast-"

"Trust me, going slow is better." Snape motioned for him to go through the wall.

Harry crept up to the wall slowly and passed his hand through it. It slid through! Now that he had been assured, Harry casually went through the wall and looked behind him.

Snape came too, a moment later, holding his own luggage.

"You've come here before, right? Didn't you use to teach here? You brought me here from the Orphanage?" Harry meant Hogwarts, not the train station. He eyes were glittering as he recounted what Snape and Dumbledore had told him.

Snape didn't answer him. He simply looked around the station, his eyes growing sad.

"Dad?"

That shocked Snape out of his reverie. "Come along," he said sternly, pulling Harry through the crowd of students, parents and pets.

Harry followed obediently. "Dad-"

"Okay, one more thing," Snape pulled Harry to face him, looking suddenly strict. "At school I am to be known as Professor or Sir only. No one can know anything about our relationship. Is that crystal clear to you?"

"And when we're in private? Can I call you Dad then?-"

"No." Snape said forebodingly. "You will never call me that ever because I am not your father. You can call me Sir or-" Snape grimaced. "Or I can allow you to call me by my given name."

Harry looked at him strangely. A frown was beginning to ease into his face. "If you wish," he muttered, looking down at the floor as Snape led him near the scarlet Hogwarts train.

"Have you got everything with you?" Snape asked. "Your wand, your books, your Hogwarts robes?"

"Yes, Sir. Everything. Will I sit with you-"

"No, Harry. You will have to make friends and sit with someone else. I will be sitting in the teacher's compartment."

"Friends? I haven't got friends!"

"Nor does any other new child," Snape pointed out.

"You had my mom,"

Snape glared at him. "The others didn't have any friends. Stop arguing with me Harry, I am in no mood so early in the morning. I'm going inside the train. Find a compartment and sit there."

Harry watched as his adopted father climbed up the train and disappeared from view. He huffed and then, trying to regain his excitement, climbed the train too. He looked around the crowded corridor for a compartment. He wondered who he would sit with. Why would anyone be friends with him?

"Excuse me?" Two tall boys with red hair and freckles and identical brown eyes were staring at him. "What's your name?" There were staring at his forehead.

"Harry," Harry mumbled shyly.

"Harry?" The boys exchanged glances. "Harry Potter, by an chance?"

Harry flushed. Dumbledore and Snape had both told him that this may happen. He was famous.

"Yes, Harry Potter," though Harry would rather be Harry Snape.

"I knew it!" One boy told his twin. "He has the scar! It's like lightning,"

"We're Fred and George," the other boy said, smiling and shaking Harry's hand. "Our small brother Ron is starting this year as well. If you need any help don't hesitate to talk to us,"

"Thank you," Harry said, a small blush on his face.

"We need to go now. See ya, Harry," they smiled at him and waved, before walking off.

Harry was a little flustered. He tried to smooth down his hair so that his scar wouldn't show and walked off to find a compartment quickly.

He entered one hurriedly and saw a girl and a round-faced boy sitting inside.

"Hi," he said in a small voice, sitting down. The round-faced boy smiled at him timidly and the girl, who had bushy brown hair, nodded at him.

"Hello. I'm Hermione Granger, and I'm new this year. Are you too?"

"Yes, I'm new too. Nice to meet you. I'm Harry."

"Harry who?" Hermione asked, looking suspicious.

"Erm. Harry Potter," he hated how her face lit up as she spoke hurriedly.

"Oh I've heard about you!" She said. "You defeated the Dark Lord as a baby, didn't you?"

"Yes, but it wasn't because I was some kind of powerful wizard." Harry began.

"You are in so many books! Ive read all about you of course-in The Dark Arts Through History it was written-"

The compartment door opened and a red-haired boy with freckles entered. Harry thought it was one of those twin boys but when the boy turned around he looked different.

"Can I sit here?" He mumbled.

They nodded at him and he sat, looking a little subdued. He was staring at Harry.

"Sorry," he said. "But my brothers told me that Harry Potter was in this compartment. Are you really-?"

Harry nodded shortly, feeling his face light up again.

"Do you have the scar?" The boy sounded enchanted.

Harry timidly pushed up his fringe. The two boys and Hermione Granger's eyes went round and they gasped.

Harry had new friends already. But he wished he had friends not because of his status but because of his personality. But he wasn't complaining. The boy turned out to be the said "Ron" and the round-faced boy was Neville.

They talked for a while, buying some sweets (Snape had handed him a galleon and a few sickles) and discussing all they would have to do at Hogwarts.

Harry was having so much fun that he didn't notice the compartment door open and someone stand near it, a sneer on his face.

Neville noticed him first. The others followed his gaze and looked at the new-comer. He had platinum blonde hair, cold-looking grey eyes and a pointed face. He seemed rather arrogant but Harry said politely, "Hi, come sit down."

"I'm not here to sit." The boy said in a clear, drawling voice. "I only came here to confirm. There are rumours that Harry Potter is sitting here. Are you really him?"

"Yeah," Harry was starting to get irritated. He didn't like all this attention.

"I'm Draco Malfoy, perhaps you've heard of me," the boy said. He looked around the compartment, looking a little confused. "Why are you sitting here with...them?"

Ron flushed and glared at him and Neville went pink. Hermione looked surprised.

"What do you mean?" Harry felt his temper starting to rise. Spending so much time with Snape had a few drawbacks. "They're my friends."

"Well," Draco Malfoy looked more arrogant than ever. "That's a Weasley,"

"So what if I am?" Ron raised his voice angrily.

Draco opened his mouth but Harry cut through, "Please don't make a fight," his voice was cold.

"What did you say?" Draco narrowed his eyes suddenly.

But by this time, a Prefect who had apparently been on duty, popped her head in.

"Is everything fine here?" She asked, looking suspicious.

Draco flushed and didn't say anything. He shot the four of them an ugly look and walked out.

"How rude!" Hermione huffed.

Neville nodded, looking relieved that Draco had left. Ron was flushing and looking angrily at his shoes.

Harry was a little scared. He had already made an enemy and he had barely been to Hogwarts!

XXX

It was evening before the train finally began to slow down.

"Look, Harry," Hermione pointed out of the window. "I can see Hogwarts!"

Harry looked out of the window and held his breath. The largest and most magnificent castle was coming into view and it looked amazing.

"That's Hogwarts?" He asked Hermione excitedly.

"Yes, I think it is,"

Harry had changed into his Hogwarts robes an hour ago and he and Ron opened the compartment door. They walked out into the corridor where several people had gone out into too, looking out of the windows and chattering excitedly.

In a little while, the train stopped completely and everyone filed out of the train. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville stepped out too. Harry looked around, breathing in.

He was finally here. At Hogwarts. Where he belonged.

"First-years over here!" A tall, gigantic man was calling loudly. "Line up over here!"

"Who is that?" Harry was puzzled. The man was very tall, wide, and had a huge, tangled beard.

"That's Hagrid," Ron said in a low voice. "He's the gamekeeper. Mum told me first-years don't go by carriages, but by boats over the lake."

"Oh," Harry followed all the other first-years and walked up to Hagrid.

Hagrid looked at them all, nodding, but suddenly his beetle-black eyes caught Harry and widened.

"So you're Harry, eh?" He nodded and said with a wide smile. "I had the pleasure to know your parents, boy. Great witch and wizard they were!"

Harry flushed, not knowing what to say.

Hagrid beamed and said, "Well then everyone, climb onto a boat."

Everyone was staring at Harry but they obediently climbed into boats.

"You climb in with me Harry," Hagrid said, winking at Harry.

Harry had no choice but to do so. Ron and Hermione joined him but Neville had already got on another boat with some other children.

"Where's my toad?" He cried in dismay but Hagrid had already started paddling and Harry couldn't do anything but watch as Neville looked around his boat worriedly.

It was a scary ride but Hagrid kept Harry busy with questions and remarks. Harry decided that Hagrid was strange, but that he liked him.

When they finally reached the castle, Harry was sopping wet and cold.

Hagrid led all the trembling first-years up to the castle and Harry followed, squeezing the ends of his robes.

Soon they had reached the top of the castle. The large doors swung open. Harry caught his breath, so excited he could barely breathe.

A tall, thin old woman with black hair tied in a bun stared down at them. She looked very strict.

"Professor McGonagall!" Harry beamed, knowing the woman as she visited him often in the summer.

The woman smiled kindly at him in greeting but resumed her stern face as she looked at Hagrid.

"Here are the first-years, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said.

"Thank you Hagrid. Come inside, all of you," McGonagall lead them inside.

"How do you know her?" Hermione whispered to Harry but before he could answer, McGonagall had already opened her mouth to speak:

"You all will wait here in this room until I call you to be Sorted. There are four houses; Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Hufflepuff. Each of you will be Sorted into one of those."

"Will there be a test?" Hermione asked in a whisper, looking frightened. "I need to revise all I've learnt!"

"No, my dad told me that we sit on a stool and wear a hat and the hat Sorts us," Harry said confidently.

Ron and Hermione stared at him. But then Hermione said, "Dad? I'm sorry, I don't mean to offend, but isn't your father..."

Harry realised his mistake at once. He could have slapped himself.

"Sorry! I mean-uh-my caretaker. He told me."

Hermione looked skeptical but nodded. "Oh, I see."

After a while of waiting, they were finally lead out into the Great Hall. Harry looked around desperately for Snape.

There were four long tables with several plates and goblets and students and there was a table at the front of the hall where all the teachers seemed to be sitting.

Harry caught Dumbledore's eye and smiled. His eye glanced at each seat until he finally found Snape, who was looking at him a little worriedly.

Harry grinned at him but Snape shot him a look.

Harry felt annoyed. If only they didn't have to hide their relationship!

He barely heard McGonagall explain what was going to happen and he barely saw the three-legged stool and the patched, legendary Sorting Hat being taken out.

He was wondering anxiously what house he would be in. Harry knew his parents were both Gryffindors, and everyone expected him to be one too. But he didn't want to! He wanted to be a Slytherin, just like Snape. Harry wanted to be a Slytherin more than anything.

Names started to be called out. Hermione went into Gryffindor (Harry had really been expecting Ravenclaw for her), Neville went in Gryffindor (Harry didn't want to be mean, but that was a little surprising), Draco Malfoy went in Slytherin (Harry at first thought "Aha!" but then remembered that not all Slytherins were bad) and some girl named Hannah Abbott went in Hufflepuff. He waited for his own name to be called out, but when it was, he wished it hadn't been called out at all.

"Potter, Harry!"

The hair on Harry's neck stood up as everyone began to talk excitedly.

"Potter?"

"The Harry Potter?"

"It's really him?"

"Let me see!"

Harry miserably made his way, head ducked, to the stool. He glanced up at Snape and saw that the man was a little pale, probably anticipating what house Harry would be in too.

Harry sat on the stool, trembling. The Hat was dropped onto his head.

'Harry Potter. I've waited a long while to Sort you.' The Hat spoke in his head.

Please, please put me in Slytherin, Harry thought desperately.

'Slytherin? Why would you want to go there? Your parents were Gryffindors, and rightly so!'

No! Not Gryffindor. Please don't put me there. Please put me in Slytherin!

'But you are brave, and noble, and possess all the Gryffindor characteristics. Slytherin is not the right place for you to go.'

But-

"It will have to be...Gryffindor!" The Hat cried.

The Hall erupted in ear-shattering cheers and whoops, and Harry knew that Hermione and Neville and the Weasley twins were probably ecstatic.

But Harry himself was blinking back mortified tears. He felt the Hat lift from his head as he got up. He was trying not to shake. He was absolutely heart-broken.

But what made his heart absolutely incinerate was what he saw when he looked at the teacher's table.

All the teachers were beaming, especially Dumbledore. But Snape wasn't. His adopted father was looking shocked and pale, and worst of all? He looked as if he hated Harry, judging from his hateful glare and tight jaw... He looked as if he didn't want Harry to be associated with him at all.