"Skilled witches and wizards are able to shift into the Animagus form with or without their wands. This is especially vital when fleeing attackers," Professor McGonagall announced, her voice lightly filtering into Harry's ears.

Harry stared at his Head of House for half a moment. She was a cat. Or rather her Animagus form was a cat. He chewed on his bottom lip as he thought on this for a moment.

"Professor?" he asked, catching her surprise instantly. Though, he guessed he could understand that. He had interrupted her lecture.

"Yes, Mister Potter?" she replied, raising a brow at him.

"These forms they take, are they all cats? Or . . ."

She stared back at him.

"I mean, you're a cat. Are there other cats out there like you?" He then glanced towards Hermione's cat. "Could her cat be an Animagus and we don't know it?"

She continued to stare at him, not saying anything.

"Actually, I guess, what I'm asking is, is the form always a small animal? That guy who betrayed my parents was a rat, after all."

"An unregistered one, yes."

"So, is it always small animals or could it be, like, a dog?"

Her arms crossed instantly. "Mister Potter, is this about your dog again?"

He frowned in response. He thought it was a perfectly valid question.

She then shook her head before she turned back to the rest of the class. "As I was saying, to become an Animagi, it takes extremely hard work and discipline in order to learn."

"Professor?" he interrupted again, raising his hand. "You never answered my question." He heard several badly covered snickers and a few groans. What? He was wanting to know.

"Yes, Potter. Some wizards or witches have dog forms when they transform. But there are hundreds of forms a witch or wizard could become. Professor Sinistra, for example, is a jaguar."

Harry's eyes widened. What? "She's an Animagus?"

"She is. I trained her myself." Professor McGonagall smiled proudly before she turned back to the rest of the class. "If you decide to become one, you have to be committed to it."

"What about my dad?" Harry blurted out.

His Head of House sighed before she glanced at him. "What about him, Mister Potter?"

"Is he an Animagus too?"

"Not to my knowledge, but then again I wasn't aware that we had three unregistered Animagi in your father's year either," she replied. "Now, may I continue with my lecture, Mister Potter?"

Harry saw the others glancing at him. A few looked gleeful, while most were looking at him like he had grown a third head.

"So you're saying that my dad could be one, but that he's just unregistered, right?"

He heard her loud groan and frowned. What? It was just a question.

"Yes, Harry. It's entirely possible that your father is an Animagus as well. However, where he would have learned the skill to become one—"

"Books," Draco offered. "Professor Snape does read a lot. He could have read about it."

McGonagall stared at both boys before she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"One cannot become an Animagus solely by reading about it. Otherwise, Merlin help us, the halls would be filled with animals roaming about."

"Well, then how did Peter Pettigrew become one if not through reading?" Ron asked. "Because, I'm sorry, but he didn't seem to be all there, Professor, to think someone taught him it."

"Babbling buffoons, I'm dealing with today," she mumbled, looking up at the ceiling. "I do not know how Pettigrew managed it. Or how the others did as well. I only know what was reported in the Prophet. That it was discovered that he, Black, and James Potter became Animagi in their Hogwarts' years and that was how both Black and Pettigrew managed to escape. Now, the next person to speak out of turn," at this she directed her gaze onto Harry "will lose House points. Is that understood?"

Harry sighed but nodded.

"Thank you." She then shook her head and continued her lecture uninterrupted.

Severus had just finished adding the last bit of chopped parsley to his potion when the door to his lab burst open. He glared at the wall opposite but waited to see who it was bothering him. It wouldn't take long he knew. It never did.

"Do you know what your son did today?"

Ah, Minerva. He should have known. Frowning, Severus thought for a moment on her question. It was Thursday, so Harry had been to classes for the majority of his day. And the boy seemed all right during Potions earlier. He had successfully brewed his Draught of Euphoria at least.

"You're going to have to be more specific, I'm afraid," Severus drawled a moment later.

"Your son Harry," she started.

Unable to resist his urge to annoy her, he replied, "Ah, yes that son. Of course. Thought you were talking about my other son for a minute there. What did young Harry do this time?"

"He interrupted my lecture on Animagi. You know I live and breathe for that subject."

Did she ever? Severus forced a polite smile to his face, though. He didn't feel like being hexed today. "I see. And what was this outburst about?"

"It started to be about if Animagi could only become cats, because he still wants to know what happened to his 'dog." She gave him a pointed look, which caused him to wince.

What did they all expect him to say? 'Sorry, Harry, but your dog is actually Sirius Black, the formerly accused murderer of Pettigrew and twelve Muggles?' And it wasn't like he could say the dog was gone either, because the boy would automatically assume the dog was dead and want to see its body to give it a proper burial and all that. So, honestly, what else was he supposed to say to the boy? He couldn't tell Harry the truth, and he couldn't lie either. So, instead, he brushed off the boy's question whenever it was brought up.

"And then it quickly turned into if you were an Animagus followed by how you learned it."

Severus blinked before he then burst out laughing.

"It's not funny, Severus," she said brusquely, which only caused him to laugh harder. She huffed loudly before she turned on her heel and headed for the door.

He tried to regain his composure at her leaving, knowing full well that she would find a way to pay him back at some point for laughing at her like this.

"Minerva, wait," he choked out, biting back another laugh. "I apologize. You're right. It's no laughing matter." Actually, it was, but he wasn't going to say that to her face. "What did you tell him?"

"That you're not."

Severus nodded.

"However, several of the boys believe that you are, and I just don't know it."

"Oh?"

"Well, now that the Prophet has revealed that there were three unregistered Animagi, everyone believes there may have been more. Mister Malfoy, for example, believes that all you need to do in order to become one is read about it."

Severus wisely remained silent.

"There is quite a bit more to it than that. Yet, all these kids believe that if three students their age could do it, they could as well. I was trying to educate them on the dangers of trying to learn without the proper training, but you know how they are. They don't listen."

"They're adolescents, Minerva. They know better than we do," he drawled with a faint smile. He caught her eye roll before she shook her head.

"I should leave you to your potion," she commented with another sigh.

He inclined his head towards her before he turned back to the bubbling cauldron.

"There is one thing, though, Severus."

There was always 'one' thing with her. It usually meant that she was about to drop some metaphorical thing on him before she left. He glanced back at her and waited.

"I've always wondered why Aurora's Patronus was a panther." Her green eyes narrowed on him. "Considering her form is a jaguar after all, it's a bit strange, hmm?"

He held her gaze and shrugged. "I've never given it much thought actually."

"In fact, I've always found it peculiar that it didn't take a similar form to your Patronus actually, Severus. Her feelings for you have always been so strong. It'd make sense if it had."

He shrugged again. "Perhaps it was because her feelings for me were not as strong as her dislike was for Lily," he offered, forcing himself not to react to her words.

"Or perhaps the panther is in regards to something else entirely," McGonagall replied, crossing her arms and staring him down.

"Yes, like, maybe she just loves panthers." Even he knew how weak of an argument that was.

"Or maybe . . ." Her wand was in her hand before he could even react.

The spell hit him unexpectedly, and he felt his magic respond. He found himself falling to his knees and shrinking as her spell rippled through him. Closing his eyes, he felt his long fingers shrink and curl until they became paws. Damn it! She knew now.

"I cannot believe it! Another one! Right under my nose!" she growled, stomping her foot angrily as she glared at the panther that was where Severus had been. "I should take you the Ministry myself and register you right now, Severus Snape!"

He morphed back into his human self, tugging on his sleeves. "There's no need, Minerva."

"No need? No need!" she shouted back. "Are you forgetting, young man, that all Animagi are to report him- or herself to the Ministry or face serious—"

"There's no need, because Professor Dumbledore has me registered."

That seemed to take the wind right out of her sails. "What? Explain yourself now!"

"When I became a spy for him, he thought that it would be prudent if I learned how to blend in during dangerous situations, so that if something went horribly wrong, I would be able to escape undetected." He could see her anger growing but pressed on. "He taught me, Minerva, just as you taught Aurora how to become one. He registered me with Ministry, but added a Glamor to my name so no one who knew me would be able to recognize my name."

Her jaw suddenly clenched, and her eyes flashed. "Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore!" she snarled before she whirled around and stormed out, slamming her door as she left.

For a moment, Severus considered warning the old man that he had a very irate witch headed his way, but he ultimately decided against it. He added one more ingredient to the cauldron and waved his wand over it to erect a stasis charm over his potion. Once he was satisfied that he wasn't going to blow up Hogwarts, he headed towards the secret entrance to his rooms.

He walked straight through the sitting room, turned right, and continued forward before he finally reached the room at the end of the hallway. At the sight before him, he felt the corners of his lips tug upwards. Aurora looked absolutely beautiful as she slept undisturbed in their bed. It seemed as if she had moved only once since he had left her earlier, and that was just to roll over onto his side of the bed and bury her face into his pillow. He stood there for a moment longer, thankful that he had her in his life and was no longer alone. She had helped him so much over the years; many years, in fact, when he hadn't even noticed her. She had given him back his family, the happy one he had longed to have for himself for so long. And it all started with her wrapping her arms around his son, holding him as if he were her own and offering to exchange her life for Harry's. He could never repay her for that.

Resting a hand against her bare shoulder, he smiled down when she sleepily glanced up at him.

"Severus?" she murmured, stretching with a yawn. "What time is it?"

He snorted before he answered, "A little after three."

"In the afternoon?" she replied with wide eyes. While sleeping in late was the usual norm for her on nights she taught, she hadn't taught in almost a year now. So, he could understand her surprise.

"Indeed." She shook her head in disbelief. "You were clearly more tired than you had believed."

"Yeah, I guess so." She then pushed herself up before another yawn overtook her. "Ugh. Sorry. I don't know why I'm so tired lately."

"If you want, I could ask Madam Pomfrey to—" His words ceased the moment he saw her look.

"No. I'm not that tired, Severus." She then glanced towards the open door before she looked back at him. "Where's Harry?"

"If you believe Minerva and the others, he's out roaming the halls for his dog," Severus drawled.

"You know, you could fix this whole mess and just tell him the truth."

"You're suggesting I break the boy's heart?" He stared at her. "And people call me heartless," he quipped a moment later.

"It's not heartless. We can get him another dog."

"But it's not the same dog, Aurora," Severus replied flatly. "He wanted that one."

"Yes, well, so did I, if you'll recall, until I found out who that dog really was."

Severus suppressed his grin immediately. She didn't want Black. He then paused when he caught what he had just thought. Was he truly that concerned to think she would?

"If you want, I can tell him," she offered kindly.

"No. I'm his father, Aurora." He then watched the pain flicker across her face and winced inwardly. Nothing like pointing out to her that she wasn't Harry's real mum. He could have kicked himself at that. "What I mean to say is—"

"It's fine, Severus. You're right. You're his parent. I'm just your girlfriend."

Just his girlfriend? He stared at her, unable to say anything. Just his girlfriend? A girlfriend was so childish, so frivolous of a word to him. A girlfriend. As if they had only held hands, not snogged or, hell, made love for hours on end as was the case last night. No, no she was much more than that. She was . . . He didn't know how to describe it. Just more than a girlfriend, obviously, and more than a lover. He needed her to know that he considered her to be much more than either of those words. She was his partner, his other half, his . . .

Holding her gaze, the words tumbled out of his mouth before he could even register the thought, "Marry me." He watched her eyes widen and heard her gasp.

"What?" She gave a soft laugh of utter disbelief. "Severus, we don't know each other."

"Your favorite flower is daffodils wrapped with aster," he recited, his voice barely above a whisper. He needed her to understand that he was dead serious, even if he was frankly terrified to death right then. "You're a hopeless romantic, always looking for the good in people. You're fiercely loyal and loving. You'd adopt a Thestral right alongside Harry if given the opportunity. Your father taught you Astronomy. Showed you that there were more to the stars than just little balls of light in the sky. You saw the beauty when others only see the darkness. You never gave up on me. Not once." He licked his lip and swallowed, feeling his insides tremble slightly. "Marry me."

"You're mad," she replied, staring at him in utter shock.

"No, well, maybe. I don't know. Just marry me, witch." She looked torn between laughing and crying, which he didn't know if either was a good thing or not. "Aurora, marry me."

"You're bloody mad," she repeated, opening and shutting her mouth several times.

He frowned, rather confused by her reaction. "Is that a 'Yes' then?"

"No! No it's not a yes!" she huffed, clearly outraged for some reason he didn't know. "Severus, I'm not going to marry you just because I got my feelings hurt." She shook her head. "Honestly. That's a very stupid thing to do. Ask someone to marry you to make them feel better." She then poked him in his chest. "And while we're on that subject, you shouldn't even have to try to make me feel better, because it's true. I'm not Harry's mother. Lily is. I will never be his mother no matter what I do. Even if we did marry, I'd still be just—"

He couldn't take it anymore. He needed to shut her up. So he did it in the way he knew would work the best. He slammed his lips against hers and snogged the hell out of her. When she hit him hard in the shoulder, he pulled back and stared at her. "When we marry, and yes it will be a when, witch," he stated, "I want the whole world to know that you are my wife, that I chose you, witch! That you are the mother to my son, our son, Aurora. Harry doesn't even consider Lily his mother. He considers you. So, let's make it official and you marry me. It's as simple as that."

"It is so not as simple as that. There's loads to be done before one can be properly married. I mean, let's be honest here, Severus. Your mother would have your head if you married me."

"What?" He blinked staring at her.

"She gets you back in her life after decades of not knowing if you were alive or dead, only to lose you again when you marry me."

"I don't follow." Was she asking him to choose between his mother and her? Because while he loved his mother, he could do without Eileen in his life for a bit. He was, after all, doing just fine not having her dropping in all the time asking when her next grandchild was going to arrive or telling embarrassing stories about him to Harry and Aurora.

"You can't marry me, Severus."

"I can, and I will," he stated firmly. Why was she making this so difficult? They both knew she had dreamed of marrying him for years now. So, why wasn't she just agreeing?

"We've had two dates!" she announced with a sigh of disbelief. "That's the textbook example of moving too fast."

"Fine. You want another date?" He shrugged. While he found them to be uncomfortable and nerve-wracking, he'd be willing to submit himself to another. He'll he'd give her a month's worth of dates if it meant she'd say yes. "Tonight. Seven o'clock."

"No, you're missing the point. It's not how many—"

"No, Aurora, you're the one missing the point," he interrupted, grabbing her hand in his. "I love you. I want to marry you and tie our lives together forever. I want to tell people like Lupin or Black or whomever the hell else there is to stay the hell away from my wife. I want you to realize how much you mean to me now. You're not just my girlfriend, Aurora. Good God, woman. You're so much more than that." He sighed, shaking his head. "So, I'll ask you again tonight. Properly. And I'll ask you every single goddamn night after that until you say 'Yes' because I'm not going to take 'No' as an answer, woman. Not when we both know this is right. That I belong with you, and you belong with me." He then kissed her hand gently before he got up off the bed. "Seven o'clock," he stated before he swept out of the room.