Severus slowly sipped his beer, letting the burn fizz down his throat. He closed his eyes, leaning back in his armchair. The room was dark, the only light coming from the fireplace, which gave him another warmth, and he could stay in that chair all night. And that was his plan. The buzz he felt was starting to fade into a numbness. He should probably slow down how quickly he was drinking to get back to that buzz once more. He lowered his third bottle of beer, swirling the small amount that remained.

               The grandfather clock chimed, shaking the entire floor. Severus closed his eyes, the noise vibrating in his skull. It had been almost an hour and a half since he left the headmaster’s office, and he wasn’t quite satisfied yet. Harry was still on his mind. At this point, he should have forgotten about the boy. He should be numb to everything. The pain of losing the child he put so much effort into protecting, blood adopting even, was not gone. The fact that he had allowed himself to grow close to someone else had not left his mind. It should have by now. He should feel complete again. He should feel fixed again. 

               He didn’t.

               Severus finished the last swallow of his beer before sitting back in his chair. He opened his eyes and stared in the flames, but the flickering of the fire was too much for his eyes to focus on. Instead, he reached down and picked up an unopened bottle of beer resting at his feet. And so he began his fourth.

               At that moment, the door to his quarters opened.

               No one should have been able to open that door. The only one t was spelled to open for was himself.

               And recently . . . Harry.

               Harry slowly shut the door behind him, being careful to remain quiet. Severus narrowed his eyes as he watched the boy inch closer and closer, the room around Harry’s figure tilting slightly like a seesaw. Harry paused a couple feet in front of Severus.

               “Professor?” Harry’s voice echoed in his ear.

               “What are you doing here?”

               “Professor Dumbledore asked me to come see you. Said you needed me. I didn’t . . . err, I thought that you had told him . . . umm—What are you doing?”

               “You should leave,” Severus said, motioning to the door with the beer in his hand.

               “Oh,” Harry looked back at the door, then at Severus. “Are you sure? Is something wrong? You don’t look . . . happy.”

               “I never look happy.”

               “That’s not true,” Harry mumbled, looking down at his feet.

               The room would not stop seesawing now that Severus was trying to focus on the child in front of him. Severus took a small swallow of his beer. Then, he closed his eyes and shook his head. When he opened them, the room was still for a brief second, and he could actually see the confused look on Harry’s face. Then, the seesawing picked up again.

“You’re making me dizzy.” Severus shook his head as he set his bottle down at his feet. He crooked a finger at Harry. “Come here.”

Harry hesitated. He glanced back at the door, then took a single step forward. He paused again, but he was close enough for Severus to grab his wrist and pull him the rest of the way to him. The man didn’t even register the slight resistance he felt as he pulled the child into his lap, wrapping an arm securely around Harry’s waist. The boy pulled his head away, his nose scrunching. With a gentle hold on the boy’s chin, Severus turned the child’s face enough to kiss Harry’s cheek before resting his head against Harry’s.

“You have no idea what’s happened today,” Severus said softly.

“You can tell me,” Harry said as he allowed himself to relax some. “What happened?”

Severus brushed Harry’s hair back. Something inside himself told him he should kick the boy out of his quarters while he was heavily under the influence, but he didn’t want to let Harry go now that he had him. He didn’t want to send him away. He didn’t want to lose him. The boy was all he had now.

“Dad?” Harry asked, frowning. “Are you okay?”

For a moment, Severus forgot how to form words and he stared at Harry blankly before he closed his eyes and shook his head. “I’m fine.” Severus opened his eyes, looking down as his vision slowly focused. He noted an angry welt on Harry’s hand and frowned, reaching for the injured hand.

“What is this?” Severus asked.

Harry yanked his hand away and said, “Nothing.”
Severus felt anger boil in the pit of his stomach. “Do not lie to me, show me your hand.”

“It’s fine, really, it’ll go away.” Harry tried to push off Severus’s lap, but Severus tightened his hold around Harry’s waist. Harry gulped audibly. “Let me up, please.”

Severus grabbed Harry’s chin firmly, angling the boy’s head so they were eye to eye. “Was it Umbridge? Tell me the truth.”

Harry’s green eyes were glassy now, but he nodded. “I ran into her in the hall today and she went on about switching custody to the Ministry and I got mad and said some things. It was just a ruler—she said for disrespecting elders or something like that. I deserved it.” Harry squirmed in Severus’s slowly tightening hold around him. “Please let go of me.”

“You deserved it?” Severus’s grip on Harry’s chin tightened, “Absolutely not! That bitch is done with us—I’ll see to it! She broke our contract with the Minister, and she will pay for that.”

“Dad, you’re hurting me,” Harry said, gently grabbing at Severus’s wrist.

Severus blinked for a few seconds, taking in Harry’s wide eyes before releasing Harry’s chin and loosening his arm around the child’s waist. Harry jumped to his feet, rubbing at his chin and waist. Severus pushed to his own feet, wobbling slightly. He rested a hand on the arm of his chair until he found some balance, then turned sharply and made his way to the floo, nearly tripping over the coffee table. Harry frowned at him.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“I’m going to have several words with Fudge,” Severus answered, scanning the fireplace for his floo powder. He couldn’t remember where he kept his container. Surely it was here somewhere.

“Now?”

“Yes, now.”

“No!” Harry cried, latching on to Severus’s arm and pulling the man away from the fireplace, nearly bringing Severus down.

Severus stumbled, catching himself before he fell over. He glared down at his son. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“You’re not leaving—not like this—you can’t.”

“Do not tell me what I can and cannot do. Last I checked, I am the adult here, not you.”

“You’re not acting like one,” Harry said with a glare back at his father. “You can’t leave.”

“I’m floo-calling, not actually going over there, stupid boy.”

“Don’t call me that. I’m not letting you go.”

“Stop this,” Severus growled, trying to pry the boy’s hands off his arm. Harry tightened his hold. “Enough. Let go.”

“You stop. I won’t let you ruin everything.”

“I said let go!” Severus slapped Harry and watched dumbfounded as Harry stumbled, a hand flying up to cover a reddening cheek. A single tear trailed down Harry’s cheek as he stared wounded at Severus, his jaw dropped. Harry closed his eyes, trying to fight back more tears.

Severus took a step back and wobbled on his feet as he tried to make sense of what he just did. Harry was holding his cheek and trying not to cry. His glasses had fallen off. He had actually done it. He had struck Harry. For a brief moment, everything was clear. He was in the wrong, every bit of what he was doing. He no longer felt any buzz from the alcohol. There was no warmth, just a coldness that engulfed his heart. And worse, he was not numb to anything, especially to the shock and pain of what he had just done to Harry.

Severus tried to kneel in front of Harry to inspect the damage, but as he lowered himself, he dropped harshly to his knees. The room swirled before he could see Harry also sitting on his knees in front of him.

“Are you okay?” Harry asked.

“I should be asking you that,” Severus said, his hands finding Harry’s glasses and picking them up. He tried to inspect hem for damage, but his hands trembled, so he handed them to Harry, who set them back on his face. There was silence for a moment before Harry spoke.

“Please don’t talk to Fudge.”

“No,” Severus assured him with a shake of his head. He reached out a hand toward Harry. “I’m not doing anything. Let me see . . .”

Harry pulled his head away as Severus reached for his face, giving the man a suspicious look that hurt Severus, crippled him to his core. Severus’s jerked his hand back and hesitated.

“I—I’m sorry,” he said, before reaching for Harry again, much slower. “Let—let me look at it. I won’t hurt you.”

Harry still gave Severus a look, but this time, he did not move away as Severus gently stroked a thumb over the red cheek, feeling the swelling underneath. Harry winced at the slight pressure Severus applied and the man pulled back.

“Merlin, I’ve become my father,” he muttered. He sighed and closed his eyes. “I have . . . something that I can put on it. It’s err, it’s called uh . . .” He was drawing a blank on the name of a potion. He raised his hand to summon the picture of the item in his mind, but he wasn’t exactly sure if he was even using his magic or not. Here he was unable to help his child. Although, if not for him, there wouldn’t be a need for his help.

“I know what you’re trying to say,” Harry said, jumping up to his feet and running to Severus’s small potion’s lab. Severus covered his face with a hand as Harry ran to his potions’ lab. His head was swirling, and he couldn’t get a straight thought out.

“This?” Harry returned with a basic healing salve, dropping to his knees in front of Severus.

“No, but it’ll do.” Severus watched as Harry held the container out to him. He blinked. “You want me to apply it?” At Harry’s nod, Severus accepted the container and scooped out a generous amount of the salve. He carefully and slowly applied the potion to Harry’s cheek, but the harder he tried to focus on one spot, the more lightheaded he became. He shook his head and handed the container back to Harry. “Apply more of you need to, I can’t . . .”

That admission of defeat was hard. Harry set the container down, but he did rub in the excess. Severus reached out and found the arm of the couch. He pulled himself up, keeping his hands on the arm as he waited for his brain to recalibrate his balance. He sighed and said, “You need to leave.”

“No, I’m not leaving you.”

“Harry, please, just do as I say and go.”

“No.”

“Now.” Severus glared at Harry, but the boy glared back. Severus sighed and pushed off the arm of the couch. “Fine. Stay in your room then.”

Severus stalked away from Harry, going into his own bedroom. He might as well as sleep off this horrible substance before he did something else regrettable. He collapsed on his bed, clutching at his pounding head. A shuffle caught his attention and he looked over at Harry sitting in a chair he had dragged in from the dining table. He narrowed his eyes.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m staying right here in case you need anything,” Harry said, crossing his arms stubbornly after kicking of his trainers. “And you can’t make me leave, so don’t bother.”

“I struck you.” Severus tried to make the boy see reason. The child was not safe near him. Perhaps the Ministry was right to remove Harry from his care. The thought hurt, but it was the second coherent thought he had had so far in the past couple hours.

“I know you didn’t mean to.”

Severus scoffed at that. “You are far too forgiving. An absolute dunderhead. And an insolent brat.”

“Hey,” Harry complained, frowning at Severus, pouting slightly. “You need me right now, so I’m staying whether you like it or not.”

Severus turned on his side, propping himself up on an elbow as he studied Harry. And Severus thought himself stubborn. He was starting to feel awful deep inside past the drunken idiocy inside him. Here he was, drunk and incapable, and Harry was willing to stay awake and watch over him. He tilted his head sadly at his son. “I think I need a hug,” he said.

“Really?” Harry asked, giving the man another suspicious look.

Severus motioned to the boy to come to him, and Harry was out of the chair and on his bed in seconds. Severus wrapped his arm around Harry, being careful not to tighten his hold too much as he rested his head against his son’s. He knew they both needed this. Harry tucked his face into his neck, and he could feel the shaking boy relax, probably for the first time since he had arrived at his quarters that night. Severus felt worse for his actions. He wasn’t about to let this boy mother him all night: he was just a child.

He pulled Harry down next to him, covering him with the blanket. He wrapped an arm around Harry, carding his fingers through the boy’s hair.

“Go to sleep, Harry,” he whispered, “I’ll do the same. Glasses?” Severus held out his hand for them.

“No, you’ll probably break them,” Harry said, pulling off his own glasses and reaching over Severus to set them on the nightstand. He settled back down, resting his head on Severus’s shoulder, yawning. “You’ll wake me if you need anything?”

Severus snorted sadly and nodded, even if he had no true intention of doing that. He pulled the boy closer against him, stroking Harry’s scalp gently.

“Good,” Harry said, curling up against his father. Severus leaned down and planted a kiss on Harry’s forehead, and the boy scrunched his nose. “You smell awful.”

“You don’t have to stay here if you don’t want to.”

“No, I’ll stay.” Harry snuggled into Severus’s side. “Just don’t breathe on me.”

Severus smirked before purposely landing a quick kiss on Harry’s nose, hovering over the boy slightly.

“Hey,” Harry complained, his face scrunched up, but he was smiling. “That’s not funny.”

“Agree to disagree,” Severus commented before placing another kiss on Harry’s cheek.

“You’re being really nice now,” Harry said emphasizing the ‘really.’

“I’m always nice.”

“Ha! Now that’s funny!”

Severus snorted. He felt a surge of love for the child rush through him. How could he have let all these years go by without ever getting to really know Lily’s son? He should have raised the boy instead of allowing Dumbledore to leave him with those horrid muggles. He moved his lips to the forming bruise on Harry’s cheek, placing a soft kiss there before trailing up and brushing his lips at the corner of Harry’s eye. This child should have been his. It was a startling thought, but in the moment, Severus deeply wished it were true.

“Okay, I get it,” Harry interrupted, pulling away slightly, “you love me. Stop and go to sleep.”

“What, I don’t get any love in return?” Severus smirked.

Harry’s smile faded. “You want a kiss,” he stated more than asked.

“I need a kiss,” Severus corrected.

Harry hesitated, frowning as he said, “When I was little, Aunt Petunia used to slap me whenever I tried to kiss her.”

“Do I look like your horse of an aunt?”

Harry laughed. “No.”

Severus snorted as he settled down next to Harry and closed his eyes, exhaustion kicking in. Perhaps it was better that Harry had come to him tonight. If not, he would have enjoyed finishing that fourth bottle, or even a fifth before turning in for the night. The bed shifted, and Severus smiled as he felt Harry plant a quick kiss on his cheek. Harry rested his head against Severus’s shoulder, closing his eyes. Severus opened his eyes and wrapped an arm around the boy.

“Love you, Dad.”

“I love you more, brat,” Severus said, placing one last kiss on Harry’s temple.

“Dad, stop.” Harry rolled over, his back against Severus’s side. “Go to sleep now.”

Told off by the kid. Severus watched Harry sleep for several long minutes. For the first time, he realized just how much his drinking would impact his life with Harry. He vowed then and there: he would break his addiction, and never touch the drink again. He should probably make this vow again when he was sober. He sneaked another kiss on the top of Harry’s head before closing his own eyes and falling asleep.

The next morning came faster than Severus would have like. He squinted at the few rays of natural light striking through his charmed window, his dry mouth coated in thick saliva, and he moaned as he sat up. Nausea hit him, and his hand flew to cover his mouth as he swung his legs over the bed, the room swirling around him from the sudden movement. He swallowed several times before raising a hand and summoning a hangover potion. It would take alleviate some of his symptoms, but he knew from experience that the throbbing headache would not fade. The potion flew to his waiting hand and he choked it down in two gulps. He leaned his elbows into his knees, his head in his hands as he waited for the potion to work it’s magic.

Last night was blurry, yet Severus did remember the most important thing that had occurred. He had struck Harry out of rage. Drunken anger and confusion, perhaps, but it was still a slap that had injured the boy. That alone could cost him everything.

The potion eased his stomach and kept the room from spinning, but his head still felt like an inflating and deflating balloon. He asked a house elf for a glass of water, and he drank with need. He sighed and glanced at the sleeping child in his bed, setting the empty glass down on his nightstand.

Harry was sleeping on his side, his dark hair sticking up, his hands under his chin. A red welt was still visible on the back of his hand. Severus laid back down, propping up on an elbow and carefully taking Harry’s hand in his, studying the injury. How did the boy say he acquired it? He couldn’t remember but he knew he would be discussing it with the child.

Severus’s eyes strayed to the boy’s cheek. A bruise had formed on his cheek. Why hadn’t he applied a bruise balm last night? Severus raised his hand and summoned the vial, scooping a good amount of the potion out with a couple fingers and applying it to the boy’s face. As he massaged the potion in, the bruise faded.

Harry’s face scrunched up and he stretched, reminding Severus of a cat. Green eyes blinked open and met Severus’s. The boy sleepily smiled and leaned into Severus’s touch as the man finished applying the bruise balm.

“Morning,” Harry smiled.

“Good morning,” Severus responded, “how are you feeling?”

“Okay. My cheek feels cold.” Harry rubbed his cheek once Severus finished. “Thank you. What about you? Are you okay?”

“Besides the hangover? Yes, I’ll live.” Severus sighed, staring sadly at the boy. “Are you sure you’re all right? There’s no lingering pain? Your jaw doesn’t hurt? Maybe another layer, just to be sure.”

“I’m okay, Dad,” Harry insisted as Severus rubbed more bruise balm on his cheek. Severus paused when Harry addressed him but swallowed dryly and finished with the balm and setting the container aside, rubbing his hands together to remove some excess. Harry rubbed the cold feeling on his cheek away before saying, “I’m happy you’re okay. You were acting really weird last night.”

Severus shook his head, taking the boy’s injured hand and rubbing the welt gently. “Did I scare you?”

Harry shrugged and said, “Maybe a little.”

“I am so sorry, Harry. I never wanted you to see me like that. I hope you can forgive me for last night. I will see to it that whatever family you end up in, it will not be one where this ever occurs again.”

“Wait, what?” Harry asked, sitting up. “What are you talking about?”

“Obviously, staying with me is not an option,” Severus began. “I hurt you. I could have broken your jaw.”

“But you didn’t.”

“That does not negate the fact that I did strike you in a rather dangerous manner. Any harder, I could have knocked you out.”

“You weren’t you! I don’t blame you.”

“Harry,” Severus was prepared to scold the child. He was not prepared for the tears that started falling from the boys eyes.

“I should have just left, shouldn’t’ve I? I’ll listen next time, I promise.”

“There won’t be a next time. I can’t let that happen. I did my best to . . . stop my habits, but they are hard to give up. What if I relapse again?”

“You won’t—I’ll help you.”

“You will not. Listen to me: last night was dangerous. I could have really hurt you. I did!”

“I’ve had worse,” Harry tried to argue, giving Severus a slight glare behind his tears.

“That”—Severus had to bite his tongue for a second to hold back the anger he felt toward the Dursleys—“That does not make this okay.”

“I know it doesn’t, I just . . .” Harry looked down. “I don’t want to leave you. You made a mistake, and-and you can fix this. You don’t have to send me away, I mean you did blood-adopt me and all, and-and we’re so close to winning, you just need help is all—like how you helped me. I can help you or-or we can find someone else . . .”

“Harry . . .”

“I love you,” Harry said, falling into Severus’s arm. The man had to readjust himself in order to hug the child back. He sat against the headboard with the boy’s arms wrapped around his torso, the child’s face buried in his side, his muffled voice saying, “don’t send me away. Please.”

“I love you, too, child. And it is why I should send you away, if only for your safety. I don’t want to do it. I’ve come to love you so much.” Severus tightened his arms around the boy. He really didn’t want to lose the child. But last night had been unacceptable. His mother’s words rang through his head, and for a split second, he believed her words once more. He was nothing to the Ministry, and Umbridge had already said the child was as good as theirs.

Despite that, the child in his arms made him feel entirely different. To this boy, he was so much more than ‘nothing.’ He made sure this child did not go without on many occasions. He had saved this boy from returning to uncaring and abusive relatives. He had adopted the child. He had loved and cared for the boy when no one else had before. And yes, he was not easy to live with, he would agree to that, Harry wanted to stay with him of all people. Severus would never admit it to anyone else in this world, but he needed this child as much as the boy needed him. And he really wasn’t ready to give up on the boy yet.

“All right,” he said, rubbing the boy’s shoulder. “Calm down. I’m sorry I brought this up. Let’s make a deal.”

Harry didn’t let Severus go, but he did look up at the man with red-rimmed eyes.

“I will try my hardest to stop drinking,” Severus said. “Completely. Not a drop more. If I succeed, I see no reason why you cannot remain in my care.”

Harry smiled up at Severus, but the man gave the boy a stern look. The boy’s smile fell at Severus’s next declaration.

“If I fail, you will go somewhere where you are safer. No matter for how long that may be. Understand?”

After a moment, Harry nodded. “You’ll do it. I know you can, you will. And in the meantime?”

“Well, Hogwarts is still in session, is it not?”

“I can still come down here and visit, right?”

“I would never deny you that.”

Harry’s smile returned. “Love you.”

Severus smiled and leaned down, placing a kiss on Harry’s temple. He was very surprised when Harry pulled back and used an arm to wipe at his forehead.

“Ugh! No more kisses from you for a week! I can’t take anymore.”

It took Severus a moment to remember last night and he tried not to turn red in the face. “If I made you uncomfortable in any way last night . . .”

“No, you were okay. It was kind of funny. When you were nicer, I mean.”

“Funny?”

Harry just smiled cheekily up at Severus. The man shook his head at the boy. “I’m sure I do not need to tell you that what happened here stays in these quarters.”

“I know.”

“Good.” Severus patted Harry’s hand. “You need to get up and then we are having a talk about your hand.”

Harry suddenly yanked his hand out of Severus’s hold. “No, it’s okay. It’s healing.”

“We’re discussing what happened yesterday, end of story. Now go take a shower and get dressed. You have twenty minutes.”

“You should take one first,” Harry muttered, slowly sliding off the bed and shuffling toward the bathroom.

“Fifteen minutes,” Severus decided.

Harry ran the rest of the way. After they were both showered and dressed, they enjoyed a light breakfast, Severus merely nibbling on some triangles of dry toast while Harry helped himself to jam and fruit yogurt. They remained at the table to discuss Umbridge, Severus demanding to know what happened before he healed the boy’s hand.  

“She said she was here to see the headmaster. I was leaving Charms and she was passing in the hall. She stopped me and kept going on and on about how I should prepare myself to be a ward of the Ministry and all, and I got mad. I told her to bugger off and that I would rather be the ward of trolls before I was a ward for the Ministry. She didn’t like that.”

“I can imagine,” Severus said, though Harry’s comment did amuse him more than anger him. “I will remind you to show your elders respect, even the ones who are least deserving of it.”

“Yes, sir. She said I needed to learn that as well and pulled out a ruler. I tried to pull away, but she had me by the wrist. The ruler only hit me three times, but I think she said it was charmed. It really hurt.”

“Where was Professor Flitwick? Or your friends?”

“She asked to speak with me alone and I said it was okay.”

“You shouldn’t have, Harry,” Severus scolded lightly. He sighed, not really in the mood to explain the whys. “However, she was in the wrong to speak to you without my permission. That alone is enough to discredit her report.”

“Really?”

“Really. Now let me see that hand. I will not have you walking around with it like that.”

“But what if they want to see my hand as evidence.”

“You and I have memories they can review if need be.” Severus had already summoned a healing salve and was rubbing it gently on the boy’s wound. Harry smiled as his hand was healed.

“I’m glad I came here,” Harry said. “Even if it wasn’t a good night, I’m glad you found out about my hand.”

“Would you not have told me?”

“It’s a force of habit, I think.”

“I see. I cannot say I entirely agree with you, and I will be having a word with the headmaster. With that said, I do think your presence helped me end my drinking much sooner than it would have without you here. You reminded me why I should quit. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Harry smiled, rubbing his healed hand. The grandfather clock chimed ten and Harry’s eyes widened. “I said I’d meet Hermione and Ron in the library at ten! I have to go!”

Harry jumped out of his seat, running to the living room to slip his trainers on.

“Well, goodbye to you, too,” Severus said, a sly smile on his lips.

“Oh yeah,” Harry said, running back over to Severus and giving the man a quick kiss on the cheek. “Bye, Dad.”

And that was how the boy left the man. Speechless. The man reached up to cover his cheek before a small smile spread across his face.

Later that same morning, Severus knocked on the headmaster’s door, waiting for entry this time. The office door clicked, and Severus stepped inside.

“Why, good morning, Severus,” Albus greeted, sitting down at his desk and intertwining his fingers.

“It would be a better morning if someone had not sent an eleven-year-old boy down to a drunk professor’s quarters after curfew.” Severus crossed his arms in front of the headmaster’s desk.

“It does sound awful when you put it that way, doesn’t it?”

“What were you thinking?”

“I was thinking about how someone could use a wake-up call.”

“I hurt him, Albus! It could have been so much worse.”

Albus’s eyes darkened considerably for the normally cheery headmaster. “I was hoping you were not so out of it yet; it had not been that long since you ran from my office. However, I’m sure Harry is well and of sound mind as we speak.”

“Of course.” Severus frowned. “If you ever find me in such a state again, I would appreciate if you did not send the boy my way.”

“I am hoping there will not be a next time.”

“I do as well,” Severus admitted, lowering his head, his hands dropping to his sides. “I am also filing a complaint against Umbridge. She injured Harry yesterday and spoke to him against my wishes. She is off this case immediately.”

“You have evidence?”

“Harry’s memories of the event should suffice. I healed his hand, but I have the memory of that as well.”

“Very good,” Albus nodded, shuffling through parchment on his desk. “This is even better than I hoped. You see, while you were . . . indisposed, I reached out to an old friend of mine who works in Family Services. She is appalled at how Harry’s situation has so far been handled and will personally see to it that justice is served.”

“Is she on our side or the Ministry’s?”

“She is on Harry’s side.” Albus found the parchment he was looking for and held it out to Severus. “But you will show her the best of you, Severus, and she will be on your side as well.”

Severus looked down at the long letter written in response to Albus’s. He couldn’t help but ask, “After what happened last night?”

“Last night never happened in the eyes of the Ministry. We cannot allow them to gain an upper hand. If you do not wish to create new reason for a custody battle, do not let them find out about your incident. It never happened.”

Severus nodded in understanding. Last night never happened.

Oh, but it had. It very much had.