“Your essays on Venus flytraps’ efficiency as a catalyst is due next Saturday and I will not be taking any excuses from any of you if it is missed.” The potion master said as the bell rang and the students scrambled off their benches, almost racing to the door to get away from the man as if running away would somehow magically vanish their assignments.

Severus rolled his eyes, sneering at the herds of scampering dunderheads. Two years into his teaching career and Severus felt as if he still didn’t have enough control over the brats. Oh, they feared him alright, but scenes such as this…them racing to the doors and almost falling to their faces in their pursuit proved that he didn’t intimidate the brats as much as he liked.

‘You’re just new in the job,’ Minerva had told him earlier that morning over breakfast. ‘It takes a while for you to build a reputation as the grumpy potion master, Severus,’ she said, sipping her tea.

Severus scowled at the woman and he scowled now, willing them to go even faster so he could retreat into his headquarters.

This was his last class for the day, the Ravenclaw-Gryffindor third years, that he absolutely loathed as much as the rest of them. The one good thing about his last class on Mondays was that they were half days, and that meant the sooner those ignorant children were out of his way, the sooner Severus could go back home to his own child.

Who was nothing like the ones he had to deal with here. If someone even dared as much as say that his five-year-old son was anything less than ideally perfect for a boy his age, Severus would hex them into next year.

Harry was different, in every way that mattered. And Severus couldn’t wait to go back home to spend some time with his son, whom he hadn’t seen since that morning after breakfast.

Once the last student was through the doors, Severus sighed, his shoulders sagging as he finally turned and headed for his office. The fireplace in his office only floo’ed back into his personal headquarters, and his home itself wasn’t accessible from anywhere but the fireplace in that office.

Severus enjoyed the privacy and the little bit of increased security. He couldn’t have just anyone having access to his home, where his son spent his days almost every day, and likewise, he couldn’t have his child running wild in the castle with other dunderheads around as well.

Harry himself being deathly afraid of floo helped his case quite a bit, even though he hated to be left alone by himself for too long when Severus had to work. The potion master felt guilty, leaving his son alone for long periods of time, but he also knew that they needed the money and the job.

Not many people were too keen to give him a job, even though he was the best and the youngest in his field. They all judged him by the mark on his forearm (the ones who knew) or by the rumors circulating around his name. They didn’t know that he had adopted the boy-who-lived. That he had him in his home, had to feed him, and provide for him, and even get called ‘father’ by the boy in return.

If they knew, Severus would be dead, because they would try to take his son away from him, and he would sooner die than let that happen.

Minerva told him that it’s unhealthy, his attachment to the small child and Harry’s separation anxiety in return, time and time again, but she didn’t understand. How could she? Harry was all that he had, and he was the only person who could care for Harry.

Once Severus stepped out of the fireplace, still partially engulfed by roaring green flames, a tiny force slammed into his legs as soon he stepped out, toppling them both back into the fireplace.

“Harry!” he gently admonished the boy, picking him up by his armpits. The small boy hooked his arms around the man’s neck.

“Hello!” Harry cried with delight.

“Hello to you too,” Severus stepped out of the fireplace. “What did I tell you about running into people?” the words had no real force behind them.

Anyone seeing Severus Snape now, wouldn’t be able to tell him apart from the seething potion master only minutes ago.

“I missed you lots Daddy!” Harry sniffed in the crook of his neck instead. Severus’ sighed.

“I know you did,” he had missed his son just as much. “But you could hurt yourself doing that,”

“You’ll always catch me.” The boy said with firm conviction and Snape hummed, sliding Harry down to the floor.

“What were you up to all day?” Harry mostly spent his days playing with the house elves, coloring or just making up stories for his stuffed animals over a tea party he had thrown with the help of the elves. It was a sad truth, but his son was very lonely, for his own protection more than anything but still lonely. Although it didn’t always show, and Harry was a happy child…Severus felt so bad.

His son’s only playdates were either stuffed animals or the elves, or Severus himself on rare occasions and the weekends. He spent time with Albus and Minerva from time to time, but it wasn’t the same.

Judging by the hour they should be having lunch now, on the days that Severus had to stay until the evening he made sure that Dona, their house-elf would make sure that his son ate enough, or didn’t skip a meal.

Dona herself was nowhere in sight now, and that slightly worried Severus.

Harry giggled. “I did so many things! I cannot remember all of them.”

“Oh, I’m sure you’d manage,” Severus said as he started ushering the excited boy toward the kitchen.

As Harry saw where they were headed, he quickly turned and latched himself to Severus’s legs again, almost knocking the potion master off his feet.

“Harry!” Severus scowled as he tightened his hold on the couch. “I just told you to stop doing that.”

“But we cannot go to the kitchen now!” Harry cried, sitting on the floor as he locked Severus’ legs together.

“Why not?” Snape asked with narrowed eyes. Nothing seemed out of place. Could it be that the disaster was awaiting him in the kitchen?

“I made you a surprise!”

Snape blinked. “You did?”

Harry nodded. “But-But I cannot remember if it’s finished yet Daddy,” he patted Severus’ legs. “You have to promise you’ll wait here, so I can check, okay?”

That didn’t sound very promising. “What sort of surprise is this?”

“I cannot tell silly!”

Severus crossed his arms. “Alright then…” he trailed off reluctantly, sharpening his senses for whatever trouble laid ahead. He doubted it was anything too dangerous, Dona would have put a stop to it and notified him immediately if that was the case.

Harry clicked his tongue. “Promise first.”

“I promise I won’t peek while you’re checking on the surprise.” Although, he did have his wand read by his side to use if necessary.

“I’ll be back! Don’t move okay?” with that, his son darted to the kitchen, slamming the door shut behind him. Severus watched the closed door with narrowed eyes, his fingers twitching as he heard chairs being drawn across the floor and cupboard banging.

He was almost tempted to creep closer, but that inane paternal part of him held him to his promise as if it was an unbreakable vow. No harm would come to Harry from the kitchen, Severus was sure of it…unless he somehow managed to drop the chairs on himself, or hit his head on the side of the table, or crush his little fingers while banging the cupboards or-

Oh, merlin, Severus thought in horror, the kitchen was a death trap.

Just as the potion master scrambled to save his son from getting maimed by kitchen furniture the door opened and Harry came rushing out, his arms outstretched to be picked up. Severus knelt, this time ready for the impact as the little mass of pointy limbs threw himself into his arms.

“It’s ready now!” the child declared with a grin, a single sprinkle smudging his upper lip. Severus narrowed his eyes at the offending sprinkle, they didn’t have any in the house, Harry must have asked Dona for it then.

“Let’s go get some lunch then,”

“First your surprise!” he insisted and Severus nodded.

“Yes, yes, but then lunch,” Harry’s eyes dropped as his head settled on his shoulder. “And a nap for you.” Severus continued as he carried the boy to the kitchen.

“I don’t want nap Daddy,” the boy whined, shifting and demanding to be let down. “I want to play with you.”

He looked down at Harry. “How about we play a new game?”

“What?”

“We play ‘Daddy and Harry take a nap together so they won’t be cranky anymore’.”

“I don’t like the name,” Harry pouted with crossed arms. The potion master shrugged, gesturing at Harry to go ahead.

“You could pick a nicer name while we’re playing.”

“Can Scarecrow play too?”

“Who?”

“Surprise Daddy!” his eyes snapped away from his son to the table.

The assembly on the kitchen table looked like something straight out of a nightmare, with a base of superfluous whipped cream, and mayonnaise…or both, sprinkled with shredded cheese and gummy bears, adorned with cabbage and sprinkles for hair of the assembly, and had two apple slices acting as ears. And that was only what was on the surface.

“Oh,” Severus said upon seeing the dish. “That’s…unexpected.” And deadly.

“Do you like it? Do you like it, Daddy?!”

“Yes,” the potion master said without thinking and stepped closer to inspect the diabetes-inducing ‘surprise’ his son had made just for him.
“I made it!” Harry chirped the obvious, clambering on the nearest kitchen chair and leaning on the table for support. “Is it good?! I didn’t ask for anyone’s help Daddy, it was all me! But maybe Dona too, but mostly just me!”

“Did you, err… thank Dona for her help?”

Harry’s hair bounced as he nodded, his grin getting wider by the second. “I did! And she cried! I don’t think she likes me thanking her.”

Then again, Severus thought, what house-elf wouldn’t be reduced to tears if such a thing were to happen? Although, Severus was sure that Harry’s enthusiasm played a major hand in the severity of Dona’s breakdown. Sometimes, he didn’t understand how something so small could contain so much energy within that small body. He certainly wasn’t quiet about it.

“She’s just not used to being thanked,” Severus said as he took a seat beside his son, mindful of the plate as he pointedly pushed it away with the tip of his finger.

Harry caught on the subtle push with narrowed eyes. “Don’t push Mr. Scarecrow.”

Severus’ eyebrows rose above his hairline, his neck slowly cricked as he turned to face his son. “You named it?”

Harry stared back as if he was insane. “Of course I named him, he’s my friend! Call him by his name Daddy or he’ll cry!”

“Well,” Severus stole a glance from the pile of whip cream and then looked back at his son. “Is Mr. Scarecrow going to stay here with us for more than a day?” could it be possible that he wasn’t forced to eat himself into an early grave just to appease a five-year-old?

Snape’s heart skipped a beat. He just dodged a hex, a close one at that. He didn’t think he could even think about eating Mr. Scarecrow without dying of a heart attack first.

But much to his growing horror, Harry just tilted his head in a confused manner. “But I made him for you,” he said slowly. “To bring to the party, Daddy,”

“To have fun with us?” Snape asked hopefully.

Harry looked him dead in the eyes with raised eyebrows. “Mr. Scarecrow is food, Daddy. You’re gonna eat him with your friends.” He spoke each word as if he was the adult explaining it to a child.

Severus almost rolled his eyes. Of course, there was no such thing as miracles. He was going to die on Halloween night, because he’d rather drive himself into a sugar coma, than upset Harry by getting rid of his monstrous creation.

“Of course I am,” He said out loud. “Mr. Scarecrow is coming to the party with us.”

All week, Severus had been thinking that the best way to make a memorable first impression on the new Professors on this Halloween party was not to attend it in the first place. But then Albus insisted that Harry needed to get out more, and this was a party so of course, he had to attend as part of the staff anyway, now with this…Severus was sure it would be memorable alright.

Despite all of that and his plans for an intimidating first impression being ruined by a bunch of jellybeans and whipped cream, Severus thought that it was all worth seeing his son smile. So what if the staff thought he was a softhearted fool like Dumbledore, or an all-around idiot, for forcing this thing down his throat? Harry didn’t care, he never judged Severus, never looked at him with anything but admiration.

The way people might look at their heroes.

Harry’s face broke into a grin once again and the boy threw himself into Severus’ arms. “You’re the best Daddy ever!” he shouted in Severus’ ear. “I love you,”

“I love you too,” Harry snuggled to his chest, his hair tickled Severus’s chin.

There was a moment of expectant silence from Harry and a grievous one from Severus as he glared at the plate of doom over his son’s head. Harry shifted in his arms until he was face to face with the man.

“And Mr. Scarecrow?” he asked.

Severus’ sigh was anything but content. “And I love Mr. Scarecrow too,” he gritted out.

“From the bottom of your heart?” Harry relentlessly continued.

The potion master felt as though the wretched thing was laughing at him as he slowly, painfully nodded his head and drew Harry back to his chest, his mouth curled and his eyes narrowed into thin slits as he glared daggers at the cloud of whip cream and its silly candy toothed smile.

‘I will end you.’ he vowed in his head, tightening his arms around his child. ‘I will obliterate you, you cursed plate of atrocities.’

“From the bottom of my heart.”

“Mr. Scarecrow loves you too Daddy,” Harry mumbled in response.

His plans of tampering with Mr. Scarecrow on naptime was all but ruined when Harry demanded to have it with him in the bed while he napped.

“Harry you cannot take this thing-.” He sighed. “Mr. Scarecrow to your bed with you, he’s going to ruin your mattress.”

“But you promised he plays nap-nap with us!”

The young father pinched the tip of his nose, and then gently nudged the hazardous plate of Harry’s hands. “Mr. Scarecrow likes napping in his own bed, in the fridge. You don’t want him to get sick do you?” and, there was no way Severus could get rid of it with his son asleep next to the abomination itself. Not only Harry was a light sleeper, but also Severus was afraid of getting caught in the act of sabotaging something the boy had made just for him.

He didn’t want to destroy the thing completely but he much rather not die by consuming whatever on earth the thing actually was. He would just tamper with the ingredients, transfigure the actual thing into something edible and then cast a disillusionment charm on it so Harry wouldn’t know the difference.

“He would get sick?” his son asked with morphing horror and sympathy in his eyes, and Severus felt even worse.

“Yes,” Severus rushed to explain. “But it’s alright now that we’re putting him in the fridge while we nap.”

Albeit reluctantly Harry let Mr. Scarecrow be taken back to the kitchen, and only shed a few tears as Severus came back to lie down next to him for nap time. He didn’t usually get to do this, and he didn’t particularly enjoy sleeping in the middle of the day, but he could tell that the only way his son was sleeping was that he did it too.

He already planned on getting up once he was sure Harry was asleep anyway.

“Alright Harry, the rules are that you’re going to close your eyes, snuggle up under the blankets, and then go to sleep for a few hours.”

“That’s not fun.”

Severus held up a finger as he laid next to Harry, covering them both with the blanket. “Here’s the fun part,” he patted the pillow with faked eagerness. “Daddy gets to play it too.”

“But how can we play when we’re sleeping?” his son whined, attempting to kick off the covers to get up but Snape was quicker, he snaked a hand around Harry’s shoulders and gently lowered him again.

“I’ll be there waiting when you dream, alright? Then we can play there.” He smoothed a hand over Harry’s hair and yawned, eliciting another yawn from the younger boy.

“Alright Daddy,” the boy mumbled, his eyes already drooping. “We’ll play catch the snitch.”

“We will.” He assured the boy, watching as his son quickly drifted to sleep soon after. He would only lay there a little longer, make sure that the five-year-old was truly out of the way before getting up, just a few minutes for the sake of it.

Severus’ next yawn was wider, cutting off his thoughts as his eyes started drooping.

So what if he just rested his eyes for a few minutes? He would have plenty of time before Harry woke. Severus nodded to himself, feeling his limbs melt into the soft bed underneath him. He didn’t get to do this often, even at nights. Ten minutes would do him no harm.

Severus was out before he could even finish that line of thought.

*

He woke to Harry giggling right into his ear. He groaned and raised a hand to bat his son away.

“Wake UP! Wake up, Daddy! We’re going to be LATE!”

He groaned louder and rolled over, his mind still muddled and his eyelids as heavy as two simmering cauldrons. He had fallen asleep by accident, exhaustion really did pull him down and Harry’s bed was very comfortable. The potion master secretly applauded his own taste in choosing furniture in the same dazed state, smugly smirking as he burrowed deeper into the covers.

“Daddy wake up!” the small child groaned throwing himself onto Severus’s chest. “The sun is already gone Daddy, we’ll be late now!”

His eyes snapped open and Severus surged up with a gasp, the sudden move almost jostled Harry out of the bed. With a quick, experienced reflex that only came with fathering a hyperactive child, Sev grabbed Harry by his shirt.

“The sun is gone?” he croaked and shot out of the bed, his legs tangled in the covers.

“Yup, it’s been gone for ages !” Severus didn’t wait for Harry to finish he scooped the messy-haired child in his arms and ran out to their living room. Harry squealed as he was quickly dropped on the couch, grinning widely. Snape raced to his own room, hastily tearing into his wardrobe for his dress robes.

“Harry, go wash up!” he shouted over his shoulder, undressing with maximum speed as he checked the time.

Eight-thirty, it was already eight-thirty?! He had been asleep for six hours?!

There was no time for a shower, no time to waste on grooming, or even washing up so he hastily cast a cleaning charm rushed out of his room while trying to button up the robes and pull on his boots at the same time. There was water running in the bathroom, and Severus was glad that Harry had listened to him for once.

“Brush your teeth too!” he called out as he passed the bathroom.

“Late!” the five-year-old exclaimed.

“Harry James Potter you brush those teeth! Or no candy at the party!”

“Daddy!”

“Teeth!” Severus snapped back.

He hated being late, even fashionably so. He hated people who were late and judged them with no shame or decorum. Even after he had adopted Harry, he had made a point to the boy to be punctual and on time and pass down that trait into the child as well. He hated wasting other people’s time and his own, and now this was the first impression he was going to make on the two new Professors.

Severus Snape, only two years into the job, young and inexperienced, and horrendously late for a private staff party. And let’s not forget about that bloody surprise.

Belatedly, he wondered if he could scurry Harry out of their quarters before the boy could mention it and then claim that he forgot about it afterward.
He rummaged through Harry’s drawers and then knelt in front of the boy himself as he ran out of the bathroom.

“Show me your teeth,” Harry bared his teeth exaggeratedly.

“Squeaky clean?” the child asked as Severus tried to push his head through the red shirt he had picked out.

“Squeaky clean,” the potion master reassured the boy and used the opportunity to lace his own boots.

Now, he thought, time for the part they both hated.

“I have to charm your scar too Harry,”

The boy frowned, pouting. “I don’t wanna Daddy!” he threw his arms around Severus’ neck. “It feels heavy on my forehead.”

Severus felt awful. “I know, baby, but we have to hide the scar, alright? It’ll only take a moment.” The child burrowed his head further into Snape’s neck.

“I hate this stupid scar!”

They really didn’t have time for this. “It’s only for a few hours alright? You won’t have to wear it again.”

“Why do I have to hide mine? Headless Nick doesn’t have a whole head!” Severus sighed. They really didn’t have time for this.

“It’ll be the last time,” he promised. “I promise. Besides, you’ll forget all about it once we’re at the party.”

Harry perked up at the mention of the party. “Only for tonight,” he said.

“I’m sorry,” Severus made a quick job of the glamour charm and hugged the small child close.

“Put your dress pants on, you can choose your socks.”

Harry seemed overjoyed by that small notion, his scar all forgotten. He was rarely allowed to choose his own clothes, and he was taking this responsibility very seriously. He made that very clear as he rowed every sock he owned on the ground as fast as he could and started pairing the unmatched colors. Severus didn’t stop him, socks weren’t a big deal, it wasn’t like Harry was going to get rid of his boots any time soon.

Harry picked out a ducky sock and his deep forest green fuzzy sock that Professor Dumbledore had given him for his birthday, and Daddy only allowed him to wear on winters when it was chilly.

Severus picked up Harry once again. “Boots now.”

“Rain boots!”

He hesitated. “It’s not raining. We’re going to a party child.”

“But it’s Halloween!”

It was too late to argue with his son’s logic, so he picked up the shiny yellow boots in his free hand and settled Harry on the couch once again.
“Why these though?” he mumbled under his breath. One wouldn’t think it was possible for one single item to ruin the whole outfit, but it was. Yellow rain boots didn’t exactly bode well his dress robes and the red shirt underneath.

“It’s my costume,” Harry mumbled the reply.

“Who are you going as?” Severus felt a little offended also baffled that Harry was deciding to dress up for the party in the last possible minute again.
The boy had blatantly refused ANY and all offers of Halloween customs, even though Severus had made sure to ask at least once a day, ‘Are you sure Harry?’ ‘You can dress as your favorite animal,’ or the myriads of ‘Are you really really sure that you don’t want to dress up?’

Now that they were running late, the child was thinking about costumes.

“As me on a rainy day!” the child declared as if it was obvious. “I’m wearing rain boots too!”

The potion master didn’t have enough energy to deal with that reasoning and just nodded his head. “Alright then,”

Just as they were about to floo out to his office, and Severus thought that the danger had passed, Harry yanked on his arm, his eyes wide with mortification.

“We almost forgot Daddy!” he gasped dramatically, this time yanking on Severus’ hair and rearing them out of the fireplace. “We left Mr. Scarecrow!”
Severus’ eyes closed, he sighed. “Harry we’re running late,”

The boy’s eyes went wide and his lower lip trembled. “Mr. Scarecrow HAS to come with us, Daddy he has to!”

“Alright! Alright, we’re taking him.”

He should have known that Harry wouldn’t forget about it, children had an impeccable memory, and his son was no exception to that phenomenon, no matter how many barrages of distraction Severus directed at his son, it rarely worked anymore.

He kept his face carefully blank as he set Harry on the ground and hurried back to the kitchen. He had no time to go with his original plan and tamper with the damn thing. They were already too late. He decided that he would just take the dish and then convince Harry not to eat it at the party. Persuading children was easier than tricking them.

“Daddy hurry!” his son gestured at him with his hand, impatiently tapping his little foot on the ground. Severus narrowed his eyes at the boy.

“None of that now young man,” he balanced Mr. Scarecrow in one hand and leaned down for Harry with the other.

“You’re going to be on your best behavior tonight,”

“I am!” Harry held onto his shoulder for support.

“I know, son,” he paused, stepping into the fireplace. “But maybe you could use your inside voice while we’re at the party? I know you’re excited, I am too,” he wasn’t. “So we’re going to have fun, but without shouting.”

With Harry being the only child present at a party only staff members were supposed to attend, Severus was sure that his son would be too shy to be his usual enthusiastic self anyway, so he could have left it be without any warnings, but with children, one could never be too sure. It was quite unfortunate, that Harry didn’t get to socialize with anyone closer to his own age, but safety mattered more at this stage, and until Severus could find the perfect toddler for playdates whilst maintaining his crazy work schedule and make time for his son…well it just had to wait.

“Is this better?” Harry whispered in his ear and Snape rolled his eyes. “Yes, that’s perfect, now hold your breath for a moment and hold tight. We’re using the floo.”

As they got there, Severus slid Harry down his hip and on his feet. The doors were ajar, and inane chitchat was filtering through the walls, Hagrid noisily wheezing, booming with laughter.

“Are you ready Harry?” Severus wasn’t sure whether he was asking the child or himself. Socializing wasn’t his thing, especially considering that he didn’t have the most sterling reputation amongst these people.

He had barely gotten this job. A mercy job, from Albus, and more for Harry’s sake rather than his. Since the headmaster had no hand in who got the boy’s guardianship, and Severus’s adoption claim was final after Black’s betrayal, the least he could do was making sure the boy didn’t starve to death.
Snape would have felt ashamed, spat at the man and refused the pitiful offer-Except that he wasn’t ashamed. He couldn’t afford to be ashamed, he had a child to look after, and selling off questionable exotic potions that required ingredients with ridiculous prices that went right through the roof didn’t cut it for them anymore. It wasn’t his fault that people didn’t employ a suspected death eater, although the fact that he was one in the first place was completely his fault.

Severus refused to touch Harry’s parents’ vault. He had that much pride left, and there was no way he was touching his son’s trust money. Potter’s money.

It was his second year here, he should have gone through all of these useless necessities before…but he hadn’t. He had skipped every single one of them, even the beginning of the year Feast in favor of arranging Harry’s room inside the new headquarters.

This was a first for him…and two other Professors too, apparently. Severus didn’t know their names, nor the subjects they taught.

“Daddy?” Harry was pulling at his sleeve, still whispering. Severus appreciated it this time around.

“Yes?”

“I’m ready.” The potion master felt as the boy meant the words for both of them and nodded, slightly smiling. Reaching out, he took Harry’s smaller hand in his and pushed the double door open with the tip of his boot.

“Severus, my boy, you made it!” Albus called out, drawing heads to stare at father and son both as they entered the Staffroom that has been temporarily decorated for Halloween.

Harry squeezed Snape’s hand as other greetings rang out, muddling together.

“Oh hello there Severus,”

“Professor Snape, so nice to meet you,”

“Who’s the little tyke?”

“’ AY THERE Harry!”

With each new greeting, Harry’s body progressively grew closer to Severus’ legs to the point that the small child was almost hiding behind them, making it difficult for Severus to find a seat. He nodded at the teachers, noting that Minerva and Hagrid were both throwing sympathetic glances over at a shy Harry.

“Say Hello, Harry.” He said as he pulled out two chairs, reserving the one near Hagrid for the little boy.

“HI,” Harry’s voice was as quiet as a mouse, “I’m Harry.” Several women cooed, hands on their chests and their eyes pruned, Pomona included in the list. The potion master unabashedly stared them down as he helped Harry on his seat and took his own. Sentimental women and their weird noises…Harry was undoubtedly the most adorable child in the world, but he couldn’t have these over-emotional women pushing Harry farther into his shell by such displays.

“I apologize for the delay,” he said, staring at Albus. “I’m afraid Harry and I lost track of time.”

“We were playing catch the snitch,” Harry mimicked Severus by staring at Dumbledore only while giving his version.

Minerva looked amused. “And I trust that you won?”

The small boy shrugged. “Daddy and I don’t keep score.”

Severus very pointedly didn’t mention that his son had dreamed the whole ordeal and rather smugly stared at a taken back Minerva.
That’s right, he thought with a smirk, we don’t keep score, Minerva.

Instead, he straightened Mr. Scarecrow in front of him, nonchalantly trying to reach past it for the treacle tart.

“I’m sure it was delightful nonetheless Harry,” Albus grinned at Harry, and the boy smiled back, shyly playing with the fork in his hand.

“I’m sure you would love knowing everyone then, no?” the headmaster continued and Harry nodded once again. The older man’s eyes glittered.

“Everyone, this is Severus Snape,” Severus nodded at the two strangers, one dark-skinned woman, with a lean nose and wide eyes, and a younger man, who was timidly nodding back at the potion master. “-Our potion master, with his son-.”

“Harry.” Harry cut Albus off. “And I’m five.” He held up four fingers and his thumb.

Pomona cooed again. “Isn’t he a sweetheart?” she said to the woman who smiled in return.

“Aurora Sinistra,” the new woman introduced herself, her teeth a shining rack of white pearls as she grinned down at Harry and then to Severus. “I teach Astronomy,” The potion master nodded to her once again, wryly noting that his son was a blushing mess next to him.

Oh, Harry, he thought in utter amusement. The five-year-old would undoubtedly have this woman wrapped around his little fingers in no time at all.
“That means the stars?” Harry asked. Aurora’s smile widened and she looked down at her robes, smoothing a hand over the black silk that was littered with tiny moving stars.

“These gave it away, huh?”

His son shrugged, “It’s very pretty.”

Severus almost rolled his eyes. “Cake or Biscuits Harry?” he pointed at the platters as a way to distract the child.

“Both, Daddy.”

Severus expertly ignored the curious glances that were thrown at Mr. Scarecrow and politely asked the young man ‘Vector’ who taught ‘Arithmancy’ and was the clumsiest man Severus has seen to that day to pass on the Pumpkin cake platter. He too offered Harry a toothy smile, and a small wave, nearly dropping the heavy cake twice.

“The decorating took no time at all,” Flitwick was telling Dumbledore. “However, if we are to go for the same style for the Great Hall it’s going to take more than a day for me, Albus.”

“Oh I’m sure others would be delighted to help,” the old man reassured the small man, popping candy in his mouth, “I’ve heard that Severus is quite apt at casting charms.”

Snape gave him a look that went ignored. “And he has a small child himself, he should be familiar with their tastes,” Severus’ hand tensed as he placed a slice of pumpkin pie on Harry’s plate.

“Oh I don’t know Albus,” Pomona cut in, much to his relief. “Are we sure we want to keep these same decorations? Those bats look frighteningly real, the children would be-.”

“Just fine Pomona,” Minerva said with a curt nod. “It’s a Halloween feast. A little scare would do them some good.”

Harry hummed along, munching on his treats.

“And I’m sure as lovely as that task is,” Severus drawled with an internal sneer. “Filius would be more than capable of doing it alone.”

“I can help!” Vector spoke up, quite loudly, knocking down a goblet on himself in his sudden excitement. Hagrid chuckled at the lad, and Harry snorted a little, both, however, were quietened by Minerva’s piercing stare.

“I’m sure it will be fine Professor Bailey,” she said in her thick Scottish accent and waved her wand to vanish the mess. “Pomona and I will help Filius,”

“These Cauldron cakes are delicious!” Aurora exclaimed loudly to spare Bailey the embarrassment.

Hagrid hummed in agreement. “Ay, try ‘em with y’er ice cream!”

“Yes, I’m sure that would be divine,” Minerva said, however, she was smirking at Severus with raised eyebrows. “Although, I’m sure nothing would look more tantalizing than what Professor Snape brought with himself tonight.” She seemed fully satisfied to be bringing up the elephant in the room now.

Harry, momentarily unfazed with the adult conversation, jumped in his seat, his face lighting up at the compliment. “Really?! I made it for my Daddy as a surprise!”

“Oh, you did?” Pomona asked, craning her neck to take a good look at Harry’s masterpiece over the large table. Nearly every other Professor was doing the same, and Snape almost groaned.

“I did!” Harry shouted, then settled back in his seat with a little frown. “Well, Dona helped grate the cheese, and slice the apples, and use the knife,” he shrugged. “But that’s just ‘cause I’m not allowed to touch dangerous stuff.”

“Oh, it looks-.” Filius seemed to be looking for the right word. “Very eccentric.”

A few others hummed in silent agreement.

“I like it!” Pomona declared.

“Indeed Harry, you seem to have put a lot of work into it,” Albus shared a look with Severus. “Did your Daddy enjoy the surprise as well?” Severus nodded, running a hand through Harry’s hair.

“Uh-huh, and Mr. Scarecrow liked to come to the party too, and Daddy said yes, so we brought him. Daddy has to eat it later.”

“Mr. Scarecrow,” Professor McGonagall looked shocked. “He actually named it.”

Severus felt protectiveness surge high in his veins. “Harry and I happen to like Mr. Scarecrow Minerva,” he growled, just daring the woman to contradict him on this. He couldn’t have her judging his son. He was five years old. And no one got to judge his son. Not even Severus himself.
“Of course!” she nodded slowly, not being able to tear her eyes away from the plate.

“What is he actually made of Harry?” Aurora asked.

“Oh, that’s easy!” Harry set his fork down, grinning. “A lot of creams, because I like it on my cake, and Dona told me ice cream would melt,” the woman, much to her credit nodded along, looking very invested. “And-And Mayo too! Because Daddy likes mayo but not pickles…it’s weird, but I love him anyway so it’s fine.”

“Do you now?” she smiled up at Severus, seemingly able to discern the poorly hidden emotion behind his eyes. If Severus didn’t have the self-control he was usually known for, he would be choking up at Harry’s guileless declaration.

He hid it behind a smirk and took a sip from his goblet.

“I do!” his son eagerly replied, sitting up a little on his chair. “He always says he loves me more, but then he gives me apples and green beans,” he made a face and the teachers laughed, “So I think Daddy loves apples as much as me. So Mr. Scarecrow has an apple for ears too.”

“Apples are good for you,” the potion master said, running his hand through Harry’s hair once again. As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t bring himself to distract Harry from the conversation anymore to spare himself the image. In fact, he was glad that he hadn’t had enough chance to tamper with the gift. He would eat every bite of this thing even if it killed him.

Because his child had made it for him and that was all that mattered. It didn’t matter what all these people thought of him, only one mattered, and he already thought the world of Severus.

“And I eat them too Daddy,” Harry answered diplomatically and moved on. “Dona helped me put grate cheese-."

“Grated Cheese,” the potion master gently corrected.

“Yeah, that, for his hair and-and some dancing jelly into his mouth,” Harry wiggled in his seat as if to imitate the jelly. “And I put a lot of candy in it too, I like those a lot.”

Severus was really trying to keep things under check, keep his face perfectly blank, his back straight, and his eyes blazing. Show no weakness to others, because they couldn’t understand, none of them did, and he didn’t want to give them the right to judge him based on that by seeing him showing emotions.

By merlin, it was hard. Harry rarely talked to other people in general, now he was telling them about him, Severus. Death eater scum Severus Snape, killer Severus Snape, with two years of teaching to back up a reputation he loathed with every part of his being with the people who he hated even more.

“Daddy likes candies too,” Harry was saying, “But he doesn’t let me have much, because it’s bad for my teeth, and I got a stomach ache once-.”
Severus lost Harry’s muffled voice to his thoughts once again as the Aurora woman caught his gaze, somehow looking like she knew , he didn’t know what it was, but she looked as if she knew all about it anyway.

He gulped, leaned against his chair and watched his son sing his praises to people who were most likely only pretending to be interested. Harry, of course, didn’t notice this. It flew right over his head, as it would any five-year-old as he carried on barely pausing for breath.

“Are you sure that you want to eat Mr. Scarecrow after all that?” Albus kindly asked the boy and Harry was silent for a beat.

“He’s food,” he told Dumbledore, perfectly deadpanned and similar to Severus in every way. The potion master felt another pang in his heart this time mingled with pride and reached out to grasp the plate by the tips of his fingers. He edged it closer to himself. “Of course we’re eating him,” he replied for Harry.

“We have a sassy one here Albus,” Filius giggled nervously, snatching up a biscuit. “I can easily see him fitting in amongst my ravens.”

Pomona clicked her tongue. “Oh come off it old man,” she said. “Look at what he made for Severus?! There’s no way that he’s not going to be one of mine,”

“Mayo and whipped cream, that takes a lot of creativity.”

“One might say ambition Kettleburn, no way that concoction won’t kill a wizard.”

Minerva hummed. “He’s just a child Filius, don’t get ahead of yourself.”

“Now, now children,” Albus called out. “Don’t fight, Harry is only five now, and the possibilities are vast.”

Severus turned to Harry, only having to spare the small child one look to see that he was clearly uncomfortable. Image be damned, he thought, he wouldn’t have his son upset and embarrassed. The boy was squirming in his seat, his hands on his lap, and his eyes wide, the conversation moving too rapidly for him to follow.

He was seconds away from crying, the young father could tell.

Deftly, Snape pushed his chair back a fraction and reached for Harry, hoisting him up with a grunt before he settled the boy on his lap.

“I think that’s enough now,” he practically growled the warning through gritted teeth, glaring at his colleagues. The others looked at him, then at Harry and promptly stopped, reducing the table to an awkward silence.

“We’re going to try Mr. Scarecrow now,” he declared with a straight face, took his spoon. His free arm was safely wrapped around Harry’s waist to keep him balanced. The smaller boy shifted against him, looking up at Severus in surprise.

“Really Daddy?”

“Of course,” the potion master easily replied. “You made him for me, let’s see how he tastes.”

“Severus are you sure this is the best idea-.” Pomona trailed off as Severus sunk his spoon into the plate and took a huge chunk out.

It wouldn’t be too bad, he thought. He was surrounded by other adults, nothing could really go wrong, and he most definitely wouldn’t die of food poisoning. He would get to see his son smile because let’s be frank- who cared about the job, or the image?

Well, he did, but that was before.

He brought his face closer to the spoon, inspected it up close.

It tasted like every bit of the nightmare it looked, and worse? His son might have forgotten to mention one ingredient in the mix. Severus’ teeth ached as the raw pasta shells crunched, broke into tiny pieces and lodged themselves into his throat.

The potion master carried on, biting into the jelly and resisting the urge to puke as the nauseating mixture of mayonnaise and baking frosting filled his mouth. The cheese was just the cherry on top.

“The shells, Harry.” The potion master groaned out after swallowing the disgusting bile down his throat. His stomach immediately clenched, but the man was stubborn.

“Are they delicious?”

Severus hugged Harry closer as he took the second bite, not managing anything further than a nod. He gazed over at Albus, who looked helplessly amused, and then at the others, all of them stunned, with raised eyebrows, except for Aurora who just…stared.

Suddenly Hagrid reached for the plate with his own large spoon. “Oh well, canno’ have Se’erus steal all the fun now, ay?”

The half-giant shoved the spoon in his mouth and chewed away, humming at the taste with crinkling eyes. “Y’ got a good hand at cookin’.” The large man exclaimed, patting a shy Harry on the head. “It tastes like my own Roc’ cakes’ I tell ya!”

Severus swallowed the second bile and nodded along. “Yes, good job son.”

“May I have some too?” Filius said.

“Oh I should try some as well,” Pomona crooned. “Diet be damned.”

“Pass on the plate Severus,” Minerva said with a smirk. “Leave a little for us too,”

The plate was snatched away and whisked from teacher to teacher, all of whom scooped at least a mouthful onto their plates, and with every praise or compliment Harry’s smile got wider, his green eyes shining up at Severus in wonder, and his mouth half opened in astonishment.

“You really love Mr. Scarecrow?” he asked Severus, his voice hushed in awe. The potion master turned Harry, so he was facing the boy and smiled. “Of course I do, and I love you too.”

Harry’s body knocked them both against the back of Snape’s chair. “I love you too Daddy, from the bottom of my heart.”