Severus asked to see the photo album once they had arrived at his quarters and Harry handed it to him, watching quietly as the taller man sat down on the couch in his living area and began to flip through it. After the conversation he'd heard between the two older wizards, Harry no longer thought Snape hated him. He'd made it quite obvious that he cared for Harry, and the boy was content with that for now. His feelings towards Severus were still muddled, but he was too tired to sort them out and so he sat down on the couch next to his father and drifted into a half doze.

Poppy's head appeared in the fireplace a moment later, waking Harry from a very pleasant dream of his mother. "Severus! Please tell me you know where Harry is! He's left the infirmary."

Severus lowered the album and answered calmly, "No need to go insane, Poppy, I have him here in my quarters. I thought it best to have sessions here, he's fine, don't fret."

Poppy heaved a sigh of immense relief. Then she flashed the former professor a scowl that nearly rivaled his own. "Thank Merlin! Severus Snape, next time leave a note before you remove a patient from my care, is that clear?"

"Yes, Poppy," said Snape contritely. Harry gaped. "I apologize for frightening you. Now, if you will excuse me, I have a discussion to continue."

"Very well, but I want to see him back here when it's done, he's not fully healed yet." Poppy said, then disappeared.

Severus cast Harry a look of amusement. "She tends to forget sometimes I'm not her student any longer. Are you feeling all right? You look a bit pale?"

"I'm fine."

Snape raised an eyebrow, then reached out and laid a hand on the boy's forehead. "You've a bit of a fever still. Take this," he ordered, summoning a familiar blue potion.

Harry made a face but swallowed it at Snape's warning look.

When he handed the vial back to the older wizard, Snape set it on a table then said softly, "I want you to know that while I don't approve of eavesdropping, what you heard in the office was nothing but the truth. Up until this morning I had no memory that you were my son, not until I had placed the memories back in my head from the Pensieve Lily left for me."

"Uh, what's a Pensieve, sir?" Harry asked. He had no idea what to call the other man, Dad seemed too new just yet, so he settled with sir, since Snape couldn't object to that form of address.

"Here. I'll show you," Severus rose and went to fetch a large silvery bowl filled with what looked like silver water. "This is what we call a Pensieve. It hold memories inside it, thoughts we wish to preserve and examine more thoroughly. Inside this one were all my memories of you and I together. This was the one thing I agreed to when Lily and I made the decision to disguise you. It was a safeguard to prevent me from revealing anything about you to the Dark Lord, better known as Voldemort. He was . . . very skilled at penetrating his followers minds, and though I am a strong Occlumens, even I could not be sure he would not discover my true secret, that I had a family I loved and was not the solitary man I appeared. So I agreed to put all my memories of my married life and you in here, and so ensure he would never discover you to use against me. It was meant to be a temporary thing, and once he was defeated I would have been given the Pensieve back by Lily. Only she was killed and for some reason the Old Meddler found it and hid it away, and never gave it back until now."

"Why did he wait?"

"Who knows?" Severus shook his head. "His reasons are as twisted as a skein of yarn and just as comprehensible. He probably figured that now you were without magic and vulnerable, you needed more protection than those relatives of yours could provide with the blood wards."

"Huh? I don't understand. What the heck are blood wards? And what's an-an Occlumens?"

"Pay attention, please. An Occlumens is a wizard skilled in the magical discipline of Occlumency, which is the art of sealing one's mind against unwanted intrusions by another wizard. I am an expert Occlumens, it is one of my talents, one reason why Dumbledore made me his chief spy for over thirteen years. Not even Voldemort could penetrate my shields, and I could lie to him with impunity."

"Oh. And the blood wards?"

"Magical protections that can only exist when a wizard is tied to a family by blood, in this case through your mother's sister, Petunia. Dumbledore activated them when he brought you there as a baby, after Lily and James were killed. They made you safe from any evil intent or person, protecting you. But they were nowhere near as strong as the ones I would have been able to cast as your . . .father," Snape admitted quietly. "I was not lying when I said I would be able to protect you better than anyone else, Harry. I swear it upon your mother's grave."

Harry squirmed uneasily at the mention of Voldemort's followers. "D'you think they're still looking for me then?"

"That's hard to say, but let us assume so. One thing is certain, they will be waiting for their next chance to capture you and . . .finish what they started," Severus informed him calmly. "I don't say this to frighten you, but to make you aware of what you're up against. They will never get that chance. Not while there is breath in my body."

Harry believed him. He radiated such an air of confidence and deadly power that it made him shiver and thank Merlin that he was not on the wrong side of Snape's wand. The Potions Master would make a terrible enemy.

"I know you must feel . . .confused, to say the least," Snape began awkwardly. "Much as I myself felt after I had absorbed the memories in the Pensieve. But one thing you must decide, Harry, and the sooner you make up your mind, the better. What do you wish to do, remain here at Hogwarts or go with me when I leave here? For you heard I have resigned, for I cannot stomach working under that-" here Severus used a word that made Harry's eyebrows go up, he wasn't aware the other man even knew terms like that. "-anymore, not after what he's done. However, I don't want to force you into anything, too many people have been doing just that ever since you came here. So, the choice is yours, stay or go, but know that if you stay I cannot help you as much as I would like, though you may call me if you ever need anything."

"Do I have to give you an answer now?"

"No. Think about it. Why don't you take a short nap? I will be here, looking at the album your mother left. Sometimes if you sleep on a problem it helps."

"Okay," Harry agreed, and removed his glasses and curled up on the couch. For one instant he considered laying his head on the other's shoulder, the way he'd done so long ago, but then thought it was too much too soon and so he leaned back on the cushions instead.

Soon he was fast asleep, the day's revelations wearing him out.

Severus eyed the boy resignedly, then muttered something about the kid getting a crick in his neck from sleeping in that position, and drew the boy's head down until he was lying with his head in Severus's lap.

Only then did the wizard resume turning the pages of the album, one hand resting lightly on his newfound son's head.

Old memories warred with newer ones, and Severus felt no small amount of guilt over the way he'd treated the child over the past two years. Hopefully Harry would eventually forgive him for being such a snarky bastard, though Snape knew it would take longer for him to forgive himself. One thing he did know, was that if Harry chose to go with him, he would do his best to give the boy what he should have had before, a consistent caring father, one who loved his son and showed it.

He had vowed long before that he would never be the kind of father he had grown up with. A drunken bully who delighted in tormenting and slapping his son around, hating him for having magic, and for being smarter than he would ever be.

No, Severus would never be like Tobias was. This would be his second chance to have a family, and this time no one would get in his way, no matter if it was for the greater good or not. Lily, I'm so sorry. I never meant for this to happen, neither of us did. But now I have a chance to make things right, love. And I will, if our child here allows it.

He smiled down at the boy sleeping peacefully in his lap and one hand lifted to brush his fingers through Harry's hair, the way he'd done long ago, when two-year-old Harry used to fight taking a nap, refusing to close his eyes until Severus had cuddled him and rocked him to sleep. Sudden tears misted his vision and Severus suppressed a sob. So many years wasted . . . damn you Albus! You meant well, perhaps, but I can't forgive you for this. Not now. Maybe not ever.

Harry stirred and Snape automatically put a hand on his son's back, gently rubbing it. "Hush. Sleep, child. I'm here. And this time I won't leave, I promise," the Potions Master vowed.

In his sleep, Harry Potter, who had once been a Snape, smiled.

* * * * * *

Harry dreamed he was running down a dark road and the Death Eaters were after him. He could hear their footsteps behind them and their wands shot green and red spheres at him that hissed and smoked when they hit the ground. He dodged them, but he knew he couldn't keep it up forever and sooner or later he would falter and then they would have him. His wand was gone and he could cast no spells.

Suddenly, a huge masked figure appeared before him, cold red eyes glinting behind the iron face. "End of the line, little boy. Time to die, Pretty-boy Potter." The Death Eater's wand came up and he hissed, "Avada-"

Only to be struck down by a blinding flash of white light.

When Harry could see again, he saw his father standing in front of him, glaring daggers at the dead wizard. "No one touches my son. No one." Then he held out an arm to his son and Harry walked into his embrace and they Apparated away to a small house with blue siding and white trim. On the porch waited his mother, smiling, and she rushed down the stairs to hug her husband and son. "You're all right! Now we can be a family again, the way it was meant to be."

Harry awoke still hearing his mother's voice in his ear, only to find that his head was pillowed on something soft. Opening his eyes, he discovered his face pressed against black velvet. Huh? Blinking, he lifted his head slightly, only then realizing he had fallen asleep with his head in . . . Severus's lap.

Harry felt his face go red, though he had no idea how he'd gotten into such an embarrassing position. The last thing he remembered was falling asleep on the couch. He was surprised his father had allowed him to remain so, but when he darted a look up towards the other man's face, he saw with a start that Snape had fallen asleep as well. Guess that explained a lot. Harry doubted if the strict professor would have allowed Harry to use him as a pillow otherwise.

The boy tried to shift himself off of Snape's knees, but the older wizard had his hand about Harry's waist and tightened when the teenager moved, and rather than disturb the man's rest and risk getting Snape annoyed at him, Harry resigned himself to staying where he was. Truth be told, it was quite comfortable lying this way, and Harry nestled into the deep black softness and drifted, musing over everything he'd heard and seen that day.

Perhaps the most shocking discovery, besides the loss of his magic was that the man he was lying on was his father. Not only that, but if Severus's discussion with Dumbledore was any indication, a father who very much wanted the son he'd been deprived of for eleven years. That was a new thing for the young wizard, who'd never been with relatives who actually desired his company, much less one willing to give up all he had for the son he'd only recently recalled. Yet Snape had done it and that regard went a long way towards healing the wounds the former professor had caused over the past two years with his sarcastic tongue.

The fact that the man was willing to protect him and had actually said he belonged with him helped soothe the child's shaky self confidence, and enabled Harry to forgive much of Snape's temper and attitude. Harry and Lily were my life and I would have never given them up forever. Never! His father's impassioned words to the scheming Headmaster echoed in Harry's ears and caused a warm glow to ignite deep within him.

It seemed he had waited his whole life to hear those words and it made him angry that Dumbledore had denied him the pleasure of a real home and a family all those years. Eleven years of being a slave to the Dursleys and made to feel like a worthless freak, and for what? he thought angrily. The greater good, he said, but what the hell does that mean? Dumbledore thinks I'm some sort of savior because I survived the Killing Curse as a baby, but how does that excuse the fact that he kept me from my father all those years, a father who actually wanted me and loved me? The teenager shook his head slightly, and smiled when the movement caused Severus to pat his back gently, as if soothing him to sleep. Snape had been right, whatever reason Dumbledore might have had, it did not justify keeping Harry from his real father all this time. He recalled the Headmaster saying something about Severus not being a decent parent, but he had to have been better than Uncle Vernon or Aunt Petunia. A dog was a better parent than they were, Harry scowled.

He bit his lip and considered the proposition Snape had put before him. Go or stay. Harry knew that if he stayed, he would be forever reminded of what he had lost and there was the possibility that he might not be permitted to stay at the school, since technically he was a Squib now, and Hogwarts was a school for young wizards. Dumbledore might think it best to send him back to the Dursleys and what then? No, he would never risk that. Far better to go with Snape-his father-wherever the older wizard wanted, at least Harry would be assured he had someone to protect him and maybe, just maybe, he could finally have a real father, just like everyone else.

He could just imagine Ron's face if he told him that-that he'd rather have Snape for a father than no one. He'd think I'd gone round the bend for sure. But then he doesn't know what it's like, having nobody. And he didn't hear the way Snape tore strips off of the Headmaster for keeping me from him all those years. For once in my life somebody actually cares about ME-not the Boy Who Lived, just Harry.

He hated the fact that he couldn't return to Hogwarts, he loved the school, it was like a second home, and he would miss Ron, Hermione, and all the rest of his housemates dreadfully, but he had no other choice. His life had been turned upside down and now all he could do was make the best of it. But at least he was no longer alone.

He yawned, he was still tired and achy, his body had not yet recovered fully from his ordeal with the Death Eaters, despite the wholesome food and potions Madam Pomfrey had given him. But his heart felt a bit lighter now that he had made his decision to stay with Snape, and perhaps gain a second chance at having a family. With that thought to comfort him, he closed his eyes and snuggled into the velvet robe beneath his head, falling asleep moments later.

He was awakened an hour later by Severus's hand on his shoulder. "Harry, wake up. You need to eat something."

Harry opened his eyes and groped for his glasses. Once he had them on, he sat up. Severus must have woken up and moved him, because the man was standing beside the couch and Harry's head was on a pillow. "What time is it?"

"Just past one. I think you ought to eat something and then you need to tell me what you've decided, all right?"

"Yes sir." Harry agreed, throwing off the soft afghan and standing up. "Uh, where's the bathroom?"

"Through there," Snape pointed to a wooden door across from the den area.

While his son used the facilities, the Potions Master summoned Dobby and asked him to bring them a light lunch.

When Harry emerged from the bathroom, a plate of ham and cheese sandwiches, chips, and tomato soup waited on the table, along with a pitcher of pumpkin juice. Harry promptly sat down and fixed himself a plate, his appetite had returned with a vengeance.

"I'm glad to see you're hungry again," his father remarked. "You're too thin, you need to eat more."

"I never really got meals when I lived with the Dursleys, only leftovers," Harry admitted, inbetween bites of his sandwich.

Severus's eyes flashed. "Miserable skinflint bastards," he growled. "They got a monthly stipend from Albus for your keep and they starved you."

"They did? I never knew that. They always said they took me in out of charity."

Severus snorted. "Not on your life. They were compensated, believe me. That was why I assumed you were spoiled, because I knew just how much money they received. It was more than enough to see to the needs of one boy. What did they do, spend it on themselves?"

"Probably. Dudley got loads of presents and stuff and all I ever got were his hand me downs and the toys he broke."

Snape looked livid. "I could throttle that old man. He sent you to live with those-those leeches when you could have been with me. Did he think I wouldn't provide for my own son? Stupid-" he bit off the rest of what he was about to say, sighing. Then he coughed and said awkwardly, "I know I haven't treated you fairly most of the time, Harry. Most of that was because I had a role to play, I was a spy for the Order of the Phoenix, which is the resistance movement fighting against Voldemort. Many of my Slytherins have parents who are still loyal to the Dark Lord, and I had to maintain the fiction that I was too, which meant favoring them and displaying animosity towards the Gryffindors, especially you. And I also resented you for being James's son, we were archenemies in school and I never really forgave him for taking Lily away from me. I looked at you and I saw James, my rival in school and for the woman I loved, and that was all I saw. I know that's no excuse, and I hope that one day you can forgive me my abominable behavior. I let old grudges and my temper rule me and I apologize."

For one moment Harry was speechless. Of all things, he'd never expected this. He swallowed sharply, and looked the other man in the eye. Snape met his gaze squarely and Harry saw regret in the dark eyes. It was not an act, Snape truly did regret what he had said and done. "I-I understand, sir. And I can forgive you. I provoked you a lot too and most of those detentions were deserved. I'd like to start over if-if that's okay with you, sir."

"It is." Severus said, and gave his son a tentative smile. "And there's no need to sir me now, Harry, I'm no longer your professor."

"Uh . . .what should I call you then?"

Severus was quiet for a long moment, then he said softly, "When you were two you called me Daddy. But I'll understand if you don't feel comfortable addressing me that way right now, and so you may use my given name, Severus, or Sev if you prefer. Your mother always called me Sev."

"Okay, Sev," Harry said, testing it out. It didn't sound quite so awkward, and he wasn't ready to call Snape dad yet.

"Good. How are you feeling, Harry? Are you still sore anywhere? Because if you are, I can put more salve on you," the Potions Master offered, relieved that the boy seemed willing to let bygones be bygones. He was very like his mother in that regard, for which Severus thanked God.

Harry flushed, acutely embarrassed, but managed to answer that he was fine and no, he didn't need any more salve.

"Are you sure?" Severus pressed, eyeing the boy worriedly. "Those were some nasty welts and bruises, son. Two applications might not have been enough."

"It was. Really, sir. I mean, Sev." Harry could feel his ears turning a brilliant scarlet.

Severus raised an eyebrow. "There's no need to be embarrassed, Harry. I was the one who applied the salve the last two times and there's nothing I haven't seen before. I used to be an apprentice Healer, you know, and I've seen my share of bare bodies."

Harry felt the back of his neck heat. "I know, but . . ."

Severus chuckled. "Really, Harry, who do you think gave you a bath and changed you when you were a baby?"

"Mum."

"Yes, but I took turns too."

"Sev, please! I don't want to know and I'm fine, honest I am!"

"Very well. But if you change your mind . . ."

Harry shook his head rapidly. Having Snape put salve on him when he was asleep or nearly so was one thing, but having him do it when Harry was fully awake and aware was something else again. Besides, he didn't want Severus to scrutinize those marks too closely, else he'd see that this hadn't been the first time he'd been beaten that way. If Snape ever knew that Vernon had taken a belt to him, Harry was certain the sharp-tempered wizard would Apparate to Privet Drive and curse his uncle and aunt into oblivion. And while it would have been immensely satisfying to know that they'd been made to pay for their abusive ways, Harry didn't want his father to go to Azkaban for hexing a Muggle. It wasn't worth it.

Seeing that Harry was pink with embarrassment and not wanting to push the boy, Severus relented and changed the subject. He had forgotten how easily embarrassed boys got when they were thirteen. Besides, I can always examine him when he's sleeping again and put on more salve if I think he needs it, thought the professor with a devious little smirk. There's more than one way to skin a cat. Or a Gryffindor. "Very well. But I do need an answer to my earlier question, Harry. Will you be staying on at Hogwarts or coming with me?"

"I'll go with you, Sev," Harry said. "I mean, there's no point in me staying now that I've got no magic and I don't want people pitying me or anything. And-and I'm really mad at Dumbledore for doing what he did and he might think I ought to go back with my uncle and I'd rather die. I've never had a real family or a father either and I'd like to." He glanced shyly up at Severus, his green eyes full of hope. "I'll try to behave myself, sir, and not irritate the hell out of you."

Severus smirked and said, "And I promise to be a good father and not criticize the hell out of you, Harry. However, I do have certain rules and such that you'll be expected to follow and consequences if you break them, but we can discuss that later. Finish your lunch and then you ought to go and pack up your things. We'll leave as soon as I've packed everything here."

Harry began eating faster, only to be told to slow down. He sighed exasperatedly, then obeyed. "Where are we going, Sev?"

"Someplace far away from here, where no one will find us."

"Like a deserted island?"

"No. I've contacted my aunt, Aurelia Prince Burns, who lives in America. She has agreed to open her home to us, she's a Squib who married a Muggle, though my uncle has since passed away from cancer. He was a nice man, though I didn't know him as well as I should have. She has a small cottage on the bay in New Jersey and has said we might stay with her for as long as we wish. She's eager to see me again and to meet you."

Harry brightened at that, then said, "Does she know we're wizards?"

"She does, so you have no need to fear speaking about your past, Harry. I think you will find Aunt Relia, as she likes to be called, a refreshing change from your mother's side of the family. I used to love going for visits when I was a boy, she spoiled me dreadfully," Severus admitted with a small smile. "I've no doubt she'll do the same to you, my boy." He then resumed eating.

After lunch, Harry went back up to his room to pack and Severus began packing as well. In two hours each of them were finished and the only thing left was for Severus to leave some farewell letters to his fellow staff members, like Pomona, Filius, and Minerva. Poppy he would say goodbye to in person, for she would have it no other way.

They found the medi-witch restocking her potions cabinet and when she caught sight of them, she immediately hauled Harry down on a bed and insisted on performing several diagnostic charms on him, over both his and his father's protests.

"Be quiet, Severus!" she ordered. "Who's the one with a medical degree here, Potions Master, me or you?"

Severus sputtered and Harry gaped, having never seen the tall professor at a loss for words before. But Poppy ruled her own infirmary and so Harry submitted to her with a groan, seeing his father wasn't going to be able to overrule the elderly witch. Even the Headmaster bowed to Madam Pomfrey in matters of medicine, despite his years and power.

"Hmm. Well, Mr. Potter, you seem to have mended from what those barbarians did to you, for the most part. You're undernourished though, Severus you need to brew him a Nutrient Potion and have him take it every day with food, at lunch and dinner."

"I will, Poppy," said Severus respectfully. Then he cleared his throat and said regretfully, "I have some unpleasant news for you, Poppy. I've resigned my position at Hogwarts."

"What?" the medi-witch gasped, staring at her colleague in utter shock. "In the name of Merlin, Sev, why? What's happened, dear?"

Harry would have snickered at the way Pomfrey addressed Snape, but it was no laughing matter.

Severus beckoned Poppy to a seat near her desk and told her what had happened that morning. The witch listened without interruption, her eyes wide. When Severus had finished, she rose and embraced the tall wizard. "Oh, Severus, I am happy for you, child, but I will miss you. You were my best assistant and there never was a better Potions Master."

Severus blushed and patted her on the back awkwardly. "Poppy, there's no need to carry on so. I'm not dead yet. I'll write you and perhaps come back for a visit one day."

"I know," she sniffed, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "But I'll still miss you, Sev. That old fool doesn't know what he's done, with his high toned plans and such. He's always had his nose stuck where it doesn't belong. I warned him once that he ought to stay out of the private lives of his friends and allies, but he never listened to me and now he pays the price. Pride goeth before a fall."

"Indeed," Snape agreed gravely. He hugged the older woman back. "Keep in touch, Poppy. I'll give you my address as long as you promise me on your witch's honor never to reveal my whereabouts or Harry's to anyone."

"You have my oath, son. I would never betray you, Sev." She kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Take good care of Harry now and don't be too hard on yourself. You'll do fine."

"I hope so. I'm . . .not the best father material, you know."

"Nonsense, Severus Snape! You raised that boy fine once before, now the only difference is he's older and mouthier and more inclined to get into trouble he can't get out of. Just be there for him, Sev, and love him and you'll be a better father than most. You know what not to do, son, from your own experiences. Take it one step at a time and don't be afraid to make mistakes."

"I'll try. Thank you, Poppy," said the Potions Master sincerely. Then he drew away, muttering something about needing to borrow a quill and parchment, turning away hastily to wipe his eyes.

Poppy pretended not to see, then went over and hugged Harry, who was looking rather shell shocked. It had never occurred to him that the Potions Master actually had friends on the staff, nor that they would miss him when he was gone. "Well, Harry, looks like you're off on another adventure, eh?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"I'm happy you finally have a family, child. You deserve it, and so does he, he's been alone far too long since Lily died." She lowered her voice and whispered, "I know he sometimes seems hard and strict, but that's a mask to hide his true self, Harry. Learn to look beyond it, son. He's a good man and he loves you, even if he doesn't always say it. Actions speak louder than words. Remember that. I think, once you come to know him better, you'll see the kind honorable man he really is, which is what your mother saw in him all those years ago. She made the right choice, Lily did, when she married Severus and not James. James was always flighty and impulsive, reckless, he wanted her because she was the one girl who didn't worship the ground he walked on. He loved her because she was a challenge. But Severus loved her, Harry, for all that she was, and he remained true to her always, and she to him. Don't ever let anyone say differently, you hear?"

"Yes ma'am."

She patted his cheek and Harry blushed. "Good. I wish you joy in your new life, Harry Snape. I will miss you, though perhaps one day you'll come back to us. Your magic is sleeping now, but I think it will awaken again. You just have to be patient, dear."

"I'll try."

"That's all anyone can ask. Remember what I said, young man, and do try and mind your father for once."

"Yes Madam Pomfrey," Harry agreed, then he hugged her back. "Thanks for saving my life. I'll write if my father lets me."

"Oh, he will. Severus Snape knows better than to break a promise to me, Harry. Take care now, child." She hugged Harry once more, much to his embarrassment, then let him go.

Harry rose and accompanied his father out of the infirmary. Unlike all the previous times, he would not be going home alone.

* * * * * *

They took the International Floo Network to the small cottage on the water at the Jersey Shore, after Severus had firecalled Aurelia to let her know when they'd be arriving. Once he'd shrunk all their belongings down so they could fit inside his traveling cloak and Harry's robes, the two stepped into Severus's fireplace and were whisked away in a shower of green flames. They went through three different fireplaces, making Harry's head spin, before at last arriving at their destination. By that time Harry's lungs were on fire from all the soot he'd inhaled and his eyes were watering.

Severus kept firm hold of his son's arm as they emerged from the grate onto a spotless flagstone hearth in a pale green and mauve colored den. A rather tall woman with dark hair and sparkling blue eyes rose to greet them. She looked to be in her mid-fifties or so, dressed in a pair of beige pants and a cream colored top with a pair of silver and turquoise earrings.

"Oh, you're finally here!" she exclaimed, smiling broadly. Then she eyed her tall nephew with something approaching shock. "Good heavens, Sev, you've grown since the last time I saw you."

Severus smirked. "I'd certainly hope so, Aunt Relia, since last time you saw me I was the same age as Harry here, thirteen." He stepped carefully from the fireplace, still gripping Harry's elbow.

Harry blinked, sneezed, then began to cough.

"You poor thing! Let me get you some water," said Aurelia, and she bustled away into the kitchen.

Severus patted Harry on the back and handed him a handkerchief to mop his eyes.

Harry coughed a moment more, then gratefully took the handkerchief and wiped his streaming eyes and nose. He felt as if he'd swallowed half the ashes in all three fireplaces.

"Here you go, dear." Aurelia handed him a glass of water.

Harry gulped it down eagerly. "Thanks," he murmured once he could talk again.

Aurelia smiled at him and said, "Welcome to the States and New Jersey, Harry. My name is Aurelia Prince-Burns, but you can just call me Aunt Relia, like the rest of my nieces and nephews do. It's a pleasure to meet you." She eyed him up and down. "My, but you remind me of your dad at that age. You're the spitting image of Sev, except for the eyes and your nose is smaller."

Harry grinned, Severus had removed the last of the glamours over him and now he did indeed resemble his father, with high cheekbones, silky black hair, long fingers, and he was taller by an inch and a half like Aurelia said. "And not as crooked," he added impishly.

Aurelia laughed and hugged him. "True, but well, you didn't break it playing Quidditch the way he did."

"You played Quidditch?" Harry stared at Severus.

"Yes, I was a fair Chaser once upon a time. Until a Bludger knocked some sense into me," replied Snape. He rubbed his nose lightly. "But that wasn't the only time my nose was broken. The second time was as a result of the werewolf prank Potter and Black played upon me. Remus knocked the door into my face. And the third time was while I was dueling a dark wizard and after that it wasn't able to be straightened. Too much scar tissue, even for magic to fix."

"Doesn't matter, Sev. You're handsome anyway," said Aurelia and she moved over to hug him too.

"Why thank you, Aunt Relia," laughed her nephew and he hugged her so hard she gasped. "You always did say the nicest things. I'm sorry I never got a chance to visit you before."

"Ah well, you've been busy. Better late than never, I say." She beckoned her two new houseguests into the den and said, "I've given you the two bedrooms on the west side, just off the kitchen. I've got supper on, but it'll be an hour or so yet. You can start unpacking, if you like. Make yourself at home."

The two wizards followed the matron down the hallway, finding the rooms she indicated were quite roomy and tastefully decorated in dark green for Severus and a deeper blue for Harry. Severus enlarged Harry's trunk and other items and left his son to get settled in while he did the same.

An hour later, Aurelia called them for supper and they sat around the small round oak table in the kitchen and ate their first home-cooked meal in their new home. Aurelia had made her specialty, spaghetti carbonara with crusty Italian bread slathered with butter. It was delicious and for dessert there was a chocolate mousse with fresh strawberries.

Afterwards, Harry washed the dishes, without magic unfortunately, while Severus filled Aurelia in on everything that had happened recently. As the young Gryffindor scrubbed the spaghetti pot, he thought that perhaps living here wouldn't be so bad, Aurelia was friendly, an excellent cook, and Severus seemed very relaxed here. He wondered if he would have to attend normal school in the fall, like every other kid, then shrugged and decided he'd worry about that if and when it became necessary. Right now he had all he could handle dealing with the move, his newfound father, and the rest of the summer.