Harry went up to Gryffindor tower while Severus went down to the dungeons. Both retrieved their belongings, but they also took a moment to sit and think.

Harry thought about his life, how different it would have been if he had been raised by Snape. The man was strict, he knew that wouldn’t change, but it was clear that he had loved his son, and would have done anything for him. Would Snape have still been a spy? Would he still be with whoever his partner was? What would it have been like, going to school like a normal person, not worrying about anything other than his grades and spending time with his friends? What would it have been like, growing up knowing that magic exists, not being punished for his accidental magic? He had no doubt that he would have known how to at least brew the Boil Cure potion by the time he started Hogwarts, but what else would have changed? Would he have grown up in Hogwarts, spending the school year here because his father was teaching and then going home during the summers? He shook his head, picking up Hedwig’s cage and using the Featherlight spell on his trunk so that he could carry it easier. Dwelling on the past wouldn’t help them now, but he couldn’t help feeling cheated. He would have had a completely different, maybe even better, life.

Severus, once he was in his rooms, sat in the armchair by the fire and buried his head in his hands. His son was alive. Harry Potter was the son he’d thought dead almost sixteen years ago. The small plot was in the same cemetery as his mother, the small marker proclaiming Henry Snape dead on the same day that he was born. And he was alive, Severus had been mourning for nearly sixteen years because of Albus Dumbledore and his bloody stupid plans. Well, no more. The Boy Who Lived no longer existed, and Dumbledore could take care of Voldemort himself. Severus would still spy, of course, but he was an adult. Potter was only a teenager, not even of age or finished with his schooling. He was not going to allow Dumbledore to use the boy as a pawn, not anymore. He hadn’t had the right to contradict the man before, Potter wasn’t related to him. Well, now that the old man’s lies had been uncovered, Severus found himself with much more say. He wasn’t going to lose his son a second time, not so Dumbledore could relive the old days where fifteen year olds were heroes. In those days, however, fifteen was a man as they only lived to thirty or forty. The boy had a long life ahead of him, and Severus would ensure that he was able to live it. He shook off the melancholy, picking up his shrunken belongings and putting them in his pocket. He could shrink the boy’s trunk and broom for him, it would make it easier, and it might be best to let the owl fly. She would be able to find her way to wherever Potter was, and most animals disliked apparition.

He made his way up to the entrance hall, unsurprised to see the boy already waiting for him. A wave of his wand was all that was necessary to shrink the trunk and broom, and Potter put the now dice sized trunk in his pocket.

Harry let Hedwig out of her cage when the professor explained that it would be better for her to fly on her own, and she seemed content with that. He let Snape shrink the cage and put it in his pocket with the trunk and broom, before following the man out of Hogwarts.

“Have you ever had someone side-along apparate you?” Severus asked, looking down at Potter. He was going to need to stop calling him that, but it was a very hard habit to break.

Harry shook his head. “Mr. Weasley would have, when I needed to go to the ministry, but since I was there for a case about underage magic, he decided that muggle transport would be best.”

Severus tipped his head in acknowledgement. He could agree with that, the minister would have likely used any excuse in that travesty of a trial. The man was an idiot, and he likely would not be in office for much longer.

Severus let them out of the gates, leading Potter away from the wards. “Take my arm,” he requested once they were outside of the wards.

Harry gripped the man’s forearm tightly, not bothering to ask why. He’d likely have his answer in a minute. That thought was proven correct when he felt a sensation like being squeezed through a tube, the feeling seeming to last far longer than the few seconds it likely took before he landed on his knees on grass, Snape standing beside him.

Severus looked down at Potter…Harry, unsurprised that the boy looked vaguely ill. The first instance was never easy, especially considering that the boy had never really had much explanation about what to expect. “Do you need a stomach soother?”

Harry didn’t bother to get up or look around at first, closing his eyes and focusing on not being sick. He shook his head at Snape’s question, opening his eyes and getting to his feet after a moment. “I’m fine.” And he was curious, looking around and seeing that they were in a park, in a secluded section where it was unlikely that they would be seen. Snape started walking after that, and Harry followed him, looking around curiously.

Severus led Harry down the street, ignoring the few rundown houses. His neighbor took pride in his home, however, so it was in good shape, as was his own home. He led Harry past the garden, flowers in the front, and muggle plants that could be used in potions in the back, and up the few steps to his porch, unlocking the door with his key and allowing Harry to enter.

Harry looked around, surprised by how normal it looked. The front room had a sofa and two comfortable looking leather armchairs beside the fireplace. There were bookshelves along the wall, filled with muggle books as far as Harry could tell, and he could see a staircase, and a bit of the kitchen. “It’s nice,” he said, after a moment.

Severus was carefully altering the wards, allowing Hedwig to come through the wards while keeping all other owls out. When he went home, he was not going to be found by any wizards. It was why the place was warded as tightly as it was. “No one from the wizarding world will be able to find us here. If you write to your friends at any point, do not tell them where we are, and remind them that they need to send the letter with Hedwig rather than their owls.”

Harry nodded, accepting that. He wasn’t surprised that there were wards in place, Snape would have never survived as a spy without them most likely. He was surprised that he would be able to write his friends, but relieved that Snape wasn’t going to do what the Dursleys had done and try to prevent him from having any contact with his friends.

Severus cleared his throat, looking over at Harry. “I am aware that you will have questions, as do I. I will make tea, and then we can have our discussion. I will show you to your room afterwards.” It would most likely be quite late by the time they finished speaking, as they both had questions and he had no doubt that Harry would have questions about who his other parent was.

Harry moved to sit on the sofa when Snape gestured for him to sit, watching the man head to the kitchen to make tea. Now he’d get answers to his questions, as much as Snape knew. He was actually looking forward to it, finding out about everything that had happened before Dumbledore had stepped in.