“What?!” Several people gasped simultaneously.

“Harry, give me that letter please,” Severus said and held his hand out.

Harry handed the letter over to his guardian, who read the letter aloud for everyone to hear.

Potter, you will tell the other freak, who was with you to undo what he has done. Otherwise I will tell your Lord Whatsoever all about your weaknesses and help him to get rid of you. You will never be happy again! Vernon

“What a piece of BS!” Severus blurted out very uncharacteristically. “What does the dunderhead think a Muggle is able to do?”

“Severus?” Remus eyed his colleague curiously. “What have you done to the man?”

Severus smirked and told the others who didn’t already know about what he had done to Harry’s relatives, who, in fact, would have deserved much worse.

“Harry…” Severus turned to his son and handed him a Calming Draught. “…drink this and calm down. Vernon Dursley cannot do anything to you, me, or any other wizard.”

Harry obliged and felt better immediately. “Thank you, Severus,” he mumbled gratefully.

“Now, Harry,” Minerva addressed Harry, “do you still feel up to go to Hogsmeade?”

“Yes, of course, Professor,” Harry replied firmly. He only had been to Hogsmeade twice, both times together with Severus, and he had liked the small town very much.

“Here, Harry, take this with you, please,” Poppy addressed the boy and handed him a key on a golden chain.

“A Portkey?” Minerva asked, glancing at Poppy curiously.

“Yes, it’s a Portkey leading directly to the Hospital Wing. When you are in danger, you have to touch it, together with Professor McGonagall, or – in case you have been separated for some reason – alone and say the activating password. It activates on ‘Poppy’s Place’. Is that clear, Harry?”

“Yes,” Harry replied. “Thank you, Madam Pomfrey.” He threw the Healer a soft smile.

-----

Hogsmeade was very quiet so early in the morning. Minerva and Harry spent two hours in the bookshop, where Minerva managed to buy a few books for Harry’s birthday without him noticing it. Harry bought several books: ‘Advanced Transfiguration – Changing your World’, ‘Wandless Magic and Practical Application’, ‘The Patronus Charm and Other Complex Defence Methods’, ‘Magical Animals and their Characteristics and Interactions in Nature’, and three different wizarding children’s stories Minerva had recommended him.

Finally, it was about lunchtime, and as Minerva had arranged with the other teachers to have lunch together at The Three Broomsticks, she ushered Harry out of the bookstore and into the inn for lunch and pumpkin juice.

While Minerva had kept Harry busy, Severus had collected several things to take with him into the past like the Daily Prophet of today, copies of the Daily Prophet of specific events in the years around Harry’s birth, an assortment of recent chocolate frog cards, and letters from Remus and Poppy to give to their younger selves. He had also gotten the potions ready.

Albus had consulted some of his old journals and had been able to tell Severus that he had signed the contract for the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher in 1974 on August 1. Therefore, he knew that they had to arrive in the past on July 31, the same day on which they were leaving, so they had to move back exactly 18 years. He had also made another special potion they would both have to drink in order to avoid being separated during their travel to the past whatever happened.

-----

Very early on Harry’s birthday, Severus sat on the edge of Harry’s bed, waiting for his son to wake up. Finally, he stirred and lazily opened his eyes. He was fully awake as soon as he saw his guardian sitting next to him.

“Good morning,” he groaned. “Is something wrong?”

Severus chuckled slightly. “No, my boy. Happy birthday!”

“Thank you,” Harry said, smiling. He nearly had forgotten that this would be his first real birthday celebration.

“Harry,” Severus started to speak, and Harry noticed that he was looking much sterner than just a minute ago. “I have thought and done a lot of research about something.” He held a phial with a green Potion out to Harry and sighed. “I want – together with you of course – to travel back into the past and to try to save your mother and many others from their deaths. Do you agree to come with me, pretending to be my son?”

Harry nearly choked. There were many things he could have expected from the stern Potions Professor, but certainly not an invitation to join him for a travel to the past as his son.

“Um… yes, um… why not? I mean. um… eh… how long will we stay in the past, what will we do there, and when will we be back? And how do you intend to save my mum? And why so suddenly?”

Severus smirked. “So many questions! Why: I thought about this on Christmas, when I realized that you were abused and hadn’t had any Christmas presents before and so on. I then tried to invent a potion that would take us to the past and back. We will go to Hogwarts in the year 1974, where you will attend third year together with Lily, Remus Lupin, James Potter, and my younger self, while I shall be teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts.”

“Wow,” Harry commented in awe.

“So, do I understand your comment correctly when I assume that you are inclined to accompany me?”

Harry gave his guardian a wary glance and nodded excitedly. “Yes, sir. Um… when will we leave?”

“Tonight.”

Harry nearly choked again. He then continued to ask several dozen questions until Severus reminded him that they had exactly fifteen minutes until they had to show up in the Great Hall for breakfast.

“Hadn’t we decided to have breakfast here in our quarters at the beginning of the holidays?” Harry asked reproachfully and was informed that everyone would be waiting for them because it was his birthday.

-----

Finally, they were so late that Harry had to flash the two of them to the Great Hall to be almost in time for breakfast. As soon as they arrived, he saw a huge cake in the form of Hogwarts on the breakfast table and a pile of presents on an extra table. He sat down between Severus and Minerva, and suddenly the twelve candles on the cake were lit. Harry blushed when everyone started to sing ‘Happy Birthday’. ‘Why hadn’t they eaten in their quarters?’ he contemplated, hating the attention he was getting again.

He didn’t notice that everyone was looking at him expectantly until Minerva whispered, “Harry, you have to blow the candles out.”

Harry obliged quickly, and Professor Dumbledore started to cut and distribute huge pieces of cake. When Harry eyed his piece, which was extremely large, Minerva giggled.

“This is the Transfiguration classroom,” she told her student, and Harry had to laugh as well, especially when Severus got the Gryffindor Common room.

“Just wait,” he told his son, “until your Gryffindor friends are here in the afternoon and will be given the Slytherin dormitories.

Harry exploded with laughter. It was really nice to have his birthday together with so many nice people. He was very happy.

-----

After breakfast, Severus ushered him up to the Headmaster’s Office. Minerva and Poppy joined them there as well. After offering a round of lemon drops Dumbledore started to speak.

“Harry,” he addressed the birthday boy. “Has Severus already told you about his plans, and have you agreed to accompany him?”

Harry threw a wary glance at Severus and answered, “Yes, sir, he has talked to me, and yes, I will accompany him.”

“Very well, my boy. That’s what I expected,” Dumbledore said contentedly. He walked around his desk and held out a phial, which contained a yellowish potion. “Harry, before you go for your trip, I want you to take this potion. However, you should lie down on the sofa…” He pointed to the sofa. “…because the potion will change your appearance, and it might hurt a lot.”

Harry threw an unsure glance at Severus, and when he nodded encouragingly, he complied and lay down on the sofa. He gulped down the potion and groaned in agony.

Poppy rushed over to Harry and made him drink a Pain Relieving Potion, and Severus followed her, looking piercingly at his son. What happened? What was this potion? Had it been Polyjuice? However, no… that couldn’t be. If it had been Polyjuice Potion, Harry’s eyes would be black now. But in fact, Harry looked like a combination of Lily and Severus. And his scar was still there. With Polyjuice, it wouldn’t be visible. Suddenly he understood.

“That was not Polyjuice. Was that the Inhabitas Potion?” he asked in the direction of Dumbledore.

“Yes, my boy,” Dumbledore replied and handed Severus a letter.

Severus suddenly noticed that Harry was crying silently and rushed over to his son. “Harry, what’s wrong?” He quickly conjured a mirror and held it in front of his son’s face. “Look, Harry, now you look like a mixture of Lily and me,” he said proudly.

Harry sat up and had a thorough look into the mirror. “What happened?” he then asked, slightly upset. “What was this Potion, and what has it done to me?” he added.

Severus sat next to him and laid an arm around him, holding the letter with the other hand. Then he opened the letter and gasped when he saw who it was from. It was from Lily – HIS Lily. He suddenly decided that this would concern Harry as well and proceeded to hold the letter in front of both of them, so that they could read together.

Harry threw Severus an unsure glance, but receiving an encouraging nod in the direction of the letter, he started to read as well.

My dear Severus,

When you read this letter, it means that I am dead. There is something I still need to tell you.

I have to tell you that Harry is your son. He is not James’ son like everyone believes. In fact, I have prolonged my pregnancy so that nobody would notice. Please, Severus, be a father to him. He needs you as much as you need him.

I have given Harry the ‘Inhabicua Potion’ to give him James’ appearance. Not even James knows that Harry is not his son. As you will certainly know, you have to give your son the ‘Inhabitas Potion’ containing your blood in order to restore his original features.

I am still very angry at you for leaving me. I have married James, although you know that I won’t ever be able to love anyone but you – and Harry, of course. I know that you only abandoned me for my safety, but nevertheless, sometime I’ll probably be able to forgive you.

I will always love both of you!

Lily

Harry was stunned. Had he understood that correctly? James wasn’t his father, Severus was? He, his guardian, was his real father? Could that be true, or was it just a dirty joke? Of course, Severus had always felt like a father to him, but… oh, he didn’t know what to believe any more. However, he hoped very much that this news was true.

Severus had to try hard not to let his emotions show on his face. However, a hint of anger could be heard in his voice when he turned to Albus. “How long have you known?”

“Since the day before his eleventh birthday,” Albus replied solemnly. “I am sorry, Severus. I should have told you; however, I thought it was the best to wait a little.”

“So that’s why you told me I couldn’t blood-adopt Harry,” Severus stated, sighing. Then he gave his son a proud look.

“You wanted to adopt me?” Harry asked anxiously.

“Yes, Harry,” Dumbledore replied this time. “He really wanted to be a father to you, but he couldn’t adopt you as he already was your father. But I had decided to wait until your birthday to tell both of you at the same time. Congratulations to the two of you!”

Severus turned to Harry and put both hands on his son’s shoulders, his eyes looking for the approval in his son’s green gaze.

“Dad?” Harry asked softly. “May I call you that?” ‘It feels so natural,’ he thought.

Severus threw Harry a proud smile. “Yes, of course you may call me ‘Dad’. I am very glad that you are not having problems with it, in fact,” he assured his son.

“Um… can we go back to our quarters now, Dad?” Harry enquired, unconsciously playing with a small parchment that was in his robes.

“Yes, my son. That we will do. We will come back later, Albus,” he addressed the Headmaster.

“Very well,” Dumbledore answered, his eyes twinkling madly. “Come back after dinner, and we will speak for a few minutes before you may go for your travels.”

-----

The new found family spent the next few hours in the Snape quarters. Both of them still had to get used to the fact that they were family now, even Severus who had known of this now for two weeks. Severus was very happy, and looking at Harry was a pleasure, as happiness was written all over his face.

Suddenly Severus gasped and pointed to Harry’s robes. “Oh no, Harry. You have grown at least three inches – all your clothes will be too short now.”

Harry groaned and asked, “Do you think we can transfigure them? I mean can I try to make them longer with wish magic?”

“Yes, Harry, either that or we have to go and buy new clothes for you now. But I’m afraid it will be too strenuous for you as you have a birthday party and a time travel waiting for you today.”

Harry went over to his room and tried to wish his clothes longer, noticing that it was very easy.

“Only charm the clothes you want to take with you. We will spend a year in the past, but we still have a month until school starts, so we can buy a few clothes in the past.” He handed Harry a travelling bag and added, “Put everything you are going to take with you in the bag. However, we should have lunch first. Do you want to eat here or in the Great Hall?”

“Here!” Harry said firmly, and after a few bites of lunch, he returned to his room and engrossed himself in his packing. It took him nearly two hours to adjust his clothes and to decide which books to take with him.

Suddenly Severus knocked at his door. “Harry, your friends will be arriving in twenty minutes. I think it is nearly time to head to the Great Hall. Are you ready to go?”

“Dad? Um… what do you think they will say? I mean everyone can see I look different than before. Will they…?” Tears were welling in his eyes.

Severus looked at his son’s face, slightly shocked. “You mean, your friends won’t like you anymore because you are my son?” he asked. Seeing Harry’s expression, he sighed. “No, Harry. I don’t think that Mr. Weasley will like it very much, but they won’t abandon you because of it. You are still yourself even if you look differently now.”

Harry’s expression brightened and he sat upright again. “Thank you, Dad. All right, let’s go.”

-----

When they arrived in the Great Hall, the teachers were already there, and Ron and Hermione were just climbing out of the fireplace. Already forgetting about his different look, Harry went into the direction of the fireplace to greet his friends. However, Ron eyed him suspiciously while Hermione gave him a piercing look before she carefully asked, “Is that you, Harry?”

Harry threw his friend a huge smile while Ron scolded her, “Why should that be Harry? Look, he looks like Snape. Where the f… is Harry?”

Hermione let out a loud sigh. “Look, Ronald,” she said in a lecturing tone. “He has a scar like Harry’s and he has Harry’s green eyes. I think it is Harry, although he really looks like a miniature version of Professor Snape.” She went over to her friend and carefully hugged him, fully aware of the fact that Harry was very reluctant hugging people. However, Harry managed not to flinch at her touch. “Happy birthday, Harry,” she said finally.

“Thank you, Hermione,” Harry replied before he turned to Ron. “Hello Ron, nice to have you here. Unfortunately, I completely forgot to invite your brothers. In fact, I would have liked to have Fred and George here as well, but I was busy and then ill and then Professor Snape sent out the invitations for me….” He trailed off.

Suddenly the fireplace flared green and Draco stepped out. He went over to Harry, held out his hand and said, “Nice to meet you. I am Draco Malfoy, I…” Suddenly he stopped, had a closer look at Harry, and said, “Harry? Is that you? Did he blood-adopt you or… what happened?”

Harry laughed and seeing that everyone was looking expectantly answered, “No, he didn’t do anything. However, we have learned this morning that I am his son. So, this is what I am supposed to look. My mum had given me a potion so that I looked how I looked before.”

“This is much better, Harry,” Hermione blurted out. “You look gorgeous, you know.”

“What?” Ron blurted out. “The gr…”

“Shhh!” Hermione shut him up by kicking him in the shin. “Be quiet and behave yourself for once. Don’t you see that Harry seems to be happier than we have ever seen him? So just let it be for Harry’s sake.”

Ron shut up, eyeing Harry with a hint of disgust in his eyes. Fortunately, Harry was too happy to notice.

Fortunately, Blaise had arrived just in time to hear Harry’s explanation, so that he didn’t have to tell the story again. Suddenly Dumbledore’s voice directed them to the table, where the enormous remains of the huge birthday cake were waiting.

Harry was so happy to see his friends again that they chatted and giggled and didn’t notice how the time flew by. It was nearly time for dinner when Severus came over to the five students and said, “Harry, if you want to open your presents before the beginning of the new school year, you should do it now.”

Everyone laughed and Harry started to unwrap presents. He received many books from his friends, as well as from the teachers, as it was well-known how much Harry loved to read. From his father, Harry received two envelopes. One contained a silver necklace holding a pendant in form of a snake with the Prince emblem on it. The other envelope contained a voucher for a Nimbus 170. Harry let out a giggle and quickly closed the envelope, before he turned to his father to let him help fastening the necklace. Severus complied while he explained about the emblem of the Prince family, his mother's family.

Too soon, it was time for Harry’s friends to leave. The house elves had overdone themselves with Harry’s birthday dinner, and the five friends had eaten so much that they had the impression they couldn’t even move anymore. However, Harry’s friends stepped into the fireplace to Floo home, and Harry was pulled out of the Great Hall by his father.

After returning to their quarters because Harry had forgotten his inhaler teddy, they finally arrived at the Headmaster’s Office. Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall each handed Severus a letter, addressed to their younger selves. Then Albus gave Severus a few phials with Pensieve memories to give to his younger self.

Finally Albus said pensively, “I believe you need some proof in order for Minerva and me to believe you. Therefore, we want to let you in a secret nobody except Poppy knows.” Seeing that both of them were listening interestingly, he continued, “Minerva has been my wife now for 52 years, and our wedding day is April 1, 1930. Moreover, you, Harry, are related to us. As soon as you arrive in my office, tell my younger self that I have instructed you to tell him that, and he will certainly believe you.”

Severus and Harry remained quiet for a while, stunned. The professor was the first to recover and he decided, however, not to comment on these revelations. “All right,” Severus said and pulled three phials out of his robe pocket. “This is the bonding potion, Harry. We drink this in order to stay together until we arrive in the past. You know, it could be that I brewed the potion incorrectly and we arrive at a very different time. In that case, you will still arrive next to me. Of course I have tried the potion on rats, but I believe it is better to be on the safe side.” He let Harry drink half of the potion before he gulped down the rest of it. Then both of them took one of the remaining phials, said ‘good bye’ to Minerva and Albus and downed the potions.

The effects were immediate and horrible. Just in time, Severus managed to pull Harry into a fierce hug, but everything about them turned and turned and Harry felt himself getting sick. It seemed to last endlessly.