The teachers returned to their respective apartments around four in the morning, the search had been fruitless and turned up nothing, even Rosie had lost the trail once they'd gone beyond the castle. McGonagall would have brought the beagle back to Harry, but Severus told her he would instead, and she gave the dog into his keeping.

What Severus did not tell her was that he no longer felt comfortable having Harry sleep in Gryffindor Tower after this latest incident, no matter Dumbledore's assurances that such couldn't happen again. That it had happened once was enough for Severus and he left a note on Harry's pillow for his son to see him before breakfast. Then he glided back down to the dungeons, grateful that tomorrow was Saturday and he didn't have to teach, because between dealing with Aria's nightmare and searching for bloody Black, he was exhausted.

So was everyone else, and students and staff alike all woke grumpy and out of sorts the next morning. Dumbledore had ordered the house elves to delay breakfast for an extra hour, allowing everyone time to sleep in. Even so, tempers were frayed and rumors ran rampant.

Neville was in black disgrace with most of his Housemates and Professor McGonagall. Mortified that one of her students could be so scatterbrained as to write down passwords on paper and then lose them, she punished Neville most severely by giving him a weekend of detention, banning him from Hogsmeade, and insisting he wait outside the portrait hole each night for someone to let him inside.

Harry felt sorry for Neville, who always seemed to bring trouble down on his own head all unwitting. But he couldn't spare much time over Neville's plight, since he had problems of his own. Upon waking up that morning, he'd found a note from his father asking to see him. He'd quickly taken Rosie out, surprised not to see Aria running the way she usually was, but he couldn't linger waiting for her and hurried inside.

Making his way down to Snape's apartments, Rosie trotting along beside him, Harry couldn't help yawning. He stumbled into his father's quarters bleary-eyed, wondering irritably what could be so important that he had to come talk with his dad before breakfast.

"Good morning, Harry," Severus greeted. He was sitting in his recliner, sipping a cup of tea and reading the paper.

"What's good about it?" growled his son.

Severus arched an eyebrow. "The fact that you're alive to complain about it. Sit down and have a cup of stress tea."

Harry sank onto the couch, still muzzy and out of sorts. Rosie jumped up next to him and put her head on his knee, asking to be petted, but he ignored her. "Don' want any tea. What did you want to talk to me about anyhow, Dad?"

"I would think that would be obvious, Harry."

"Sirius Black coming into Gryffindor Tower," answered his son. "I'm tired, Dad. Can't we talk about this another time? I barely got any sleep last night."

"Neither did I, and you don't see me whining like a two-year-old," his father pointed out crisply.

"So sue me," Harry grumbled.

"Here," an exasperated Potions Master thrust a cup of tea at his grumpy son. "Drink that and lose the attitude, I'm in no mood to deal with it this morning."

Recognizing the warning tone in his parent's voice, Harry took the tea and drank it sulkily. To his surprise he felt a little better after he had done so, more alert and less inclined to snap at every little thing. "I guess you didn't find any traces of Black last night, did you?"

"No, we didn't," sighed Severus. "And that's why I called you here this morning. After last night, I don't think you're particularly safe sleeping in Gryffindor Tower, Harry. I want you to sleep down here until the issue with Black is resolved. My apartment has some of the most sophisticated and powerful wards in the whole school, Black would never be able to slip past them."

"But Dad, I'm still safe in my room, Professor McGonagall brought back the Fat Lady, and changed the password and we've got security trolls and everything."

"That may be and while I trust Minerva to not intentionally endanger her students, I would still feel more comfortable if you were to sleep down here. Black would never think of looking for you in the dungeons."

"Dad, I'm not a baby. I can take care of myself!"

"Oh really? You've barely had three years of schooling and suddenly you're an expert on fighting an escaped convict who has already killed one wizard and thirteen innocent bystanders with a single spell?" Severus snapped.

"I can do wandless magic," Harry argued. "And you taught me four new spells in Defense, remember? And I've got Mum's pendant too, so I'm not helpless."

"Harry, that's all well and good, but Black's a predator and I don't want to trust your safety to anyone but me." Severus declared firmly. "Now quit giving me a hard time, son, and just do what I ask."

"You're being paranoid, Dad. The others will think I'm afraid or something if I sleep here."

"Do you truly care what they think?" demanded Severus.

Harry flushed. "Well, yeah. A little."

"Then you may tell your Housemates that I insisted upon it and let them make of it what they will."

"Fine!" Harry huffed. "But I still think you're overreacting, Dad."

Severus snorted. "Better safe than sorry. One day you'll thank me for it."

"Uh-huh. Like when I'm thirty, maybe."

Severus gave him a very annoyed look. "Sounds like someone's asking to be grounded and miss Quidditch practice today. Mind the attitude, young man. I won't tell you again."

Harry wisely shut his mouth and apologized. It was embarrassing the way Severus was so overprotective of him, but not so much that he wanted to miss his first Quidditch practice of the spring term. Although he would never admit it, he was secretly glad Severus had insisted upon the new sleeping arrangements, for Dean, Seamus, and a few of the other Gryffindor boys were still giving him the cold shoulder since he stuck up for his father and told them he was proud to be Snape's son. Their attitude was wearing on him and he was sick and tired of trying to deal with them, his classes, and Malfoy, who now hated him more than ever.

Thinking of Malfoy reminded him of Aria and he asked Severus if she were all right, since she hadn't been up at her usual time for her morning run. "She usually stops and talks to me when I'm walking Rosie," he explained, trying to hide a sudden blush.

Severus arched an eyebrow, seeing the blush but deciding to spare his son a comment. The boy was already extremely touchy today, probably from lack of sleep. "I would assume Miss Lupin is sleeping in today like the other students, none of us had a restful night's sleep last night."

"Oh. I thought she might be, uh, sick or something."

"Not as far as I'm aware." Severus checked his watch. "Come, let's go down to breakfast. I'm sure the house elves have set it out by now."

Harry followed his father to the Great Hall, breakfast being his top priority then.

• * * * * * *

At the Gryffindor table, Ron was still the center of attention, answering questions from the students about his midnight encounter with Black. Harry was relieved for once not to be the topic of the day, and slid into the seat next to him and started helping himself to some bacon, eggs, toast, and cereal. Hermione was reading the paper across from him, she nodded and smiled at him.

"Hi, Harry. Did your dad want to ask you about what happened last night?"

"Uh, yeah, he did." Harry answered briefly, then began to eat.

A large Great Horned owl glided over to their table with an ominous crimson envelope and dropped it at Neville's place.

Neville gulped and stared at it in dread. "Oh no! Gran, why?"

"Better open it mate," warned Ron.

Neville groaned and unfolded the Howler, and for the next three minutes everyone in the hall was treated to the sound of Augusta Longbottom's voice giving her grandson the scolding of the decade.

Poor Neville, Harry thought sympathetically. His grandmother's almost as bad as Dad when she lectures. And at least he yells at me in private, and not in front of the whole school. That was one thing he was extremely grateful for, that Snape did not feel the need to scold his son in public.

Harry quickly finished his breakfast and headed out to the Quidditch pitch, his new Meteor tucked under his arm.

His practice went well, thanks to his early morning flights with Aria, Harry found his precision and aerodynamics on the Meteor had improved tenfold and Wood was very pleased with his Seeker's prowess. Harry caught the Snitch within thirty minutes of play and Wood allowed the team a break before continuing.

The Captain was awed at Harry's new broom, no one at Hogwarts had a Meteor 2000, they weren't available yet in Britain and he was even more impressed that Harry's broom had an official signature on it, signed by Andrew Ascot, professional Quidditch captain of the US Alphas. Harry was impressed too, how had he missed that little detail? Then again, Ascot's signature wasn't very large and it was placed right where Harry normally gripped the broom handle when he flew.

"Did you ever meet him, Harry?" Wood wanted to know.

"No, but I think Dad did. That's how he got me a Meteor. Brewed Ascot a special potion or something," Harry told him.

Behind him, Katie Bell and Angelina Johnson sighed in envy, they adored Ascot.

"Too bad he's married," groaned Angie.

"Yeah and his wife's having a baby," said Katie mournfully.

"All right, you two, quit mooning over Ascot and get back in the air," Wood ordered. "Girls! You think they never saw a man's bicep before the way they go on over him."

"Not like his we haven't!" shot back Katie, then she mounted her broom and took off.

Wood just rolled his eyes and Harry hid a smirk. Looks like Dad's fertility potion worked after all. Not that I ever doubted it would. After all, he is a Potions Master.

After practice, Harry decided to sit out by the lake, letting Rosie hunt in the grass and dozing in the warm sunshine. He was startled awake by a small hand gripping his shoulder and a voice half-shouting in his ear, "Rise and shine, Snape!"

"Ahh!" he yelped, jerking up so fast he lost his balance and nearly tumbled head first into the lake.

Recovering from his near ducking, he spun around and glared at his surprise visitor. "Aria! For the love of Merlin, don't do that! I damn near fell in the lake."

She gave him a most unrepentant grin. "Cranky today, aren't we?"

"Only when my friend scares me out of a sound sleep," grumbled Harry.

"Sorry. Couldn't resist." She sat down next to him, skipping stones into the water.

"Yeah, well I wasn't the only lazy one this morning, Lupin," he teased. "What happened to staying in shape like Master Velasquez insisted?"

"Took second place to sleep this morning," she admitted with a frown. She couldn't bear to tell him about her nightmare, or how she'd bawled all over both his dad and Remus. He'd think she was a coward crybaby, the way some of the other girls did in her House.

She'd already endured some snide comments about her dream and how Severus had comforted her like a three-year-old. "Maybe next time the professor'll tuck you in with a glass of warm milk and read you a bedtime story too, little Lupin! I'll tell him to leave the light on so you won't be scared of the dark!"

That had been followed by some more comments about how she could probably see in the dark since she was a shifter. Those barbs had struck home, and she'd gone cold upon hearing them. How had they known? She had told no one in her House of her ability and she doubted if Severus would ever break her confidence that way. But she'd tried to maintain a façade of coolness and asked, off-handedly, how the girls knew she was a shape-slipper.

Lilah Danridge had replied sneeringly, "Because we saw you shifting in your sleep, duh! You were screaming and your bloody hand was becoming a paw and then a feather or something. Absolutely revolting!"

Aria had gone pale beneath her tan. The scornful, half-fearful looks she was getting from most of the girls told her more than words what they thought about having to share a room with one of her kind.

"Yeah, isn't a shape-slipper supposed to be the offspring of a human and whatever animals it can shift into?" demanded another, a pretty brunette who was trying to get Draco's attention, and was furious that he wouldn't give her the time of day. "So which one of your parents went and mated with a lion or whatever it is?"

Aria went red, and her eyes sparked with fury. "You're sick, Parkinson! Now shut your face, before I do it for you, got me?" She flexed her hand in warning.

Pansy had gone white and backed off, muttering to Danridge, "How could Dumbledore permit that beast to come here? She could run mad someday and kill us all as we slept!"

"Really?" the other cried in horror.

"Yes, they're unpredictable, those shape-slippers, just like the animals they transform into. They can't be trusted. Professor Snape ought to chain her up like the wild beast she is."

That was said in an undertone, but pitched to carry back to where Aria was standing, tugging on her sneakers. The vicious words made her want to find a hole and crawl into it. But another part of her wanted to haul off and slap the stupid girl into next week, or jinx her tongue off. She recalled the conversation she'd had with Severus the morning of her first day, and how he'd reassured her that the students here wouldn't think any less of her because of what she was.

You were wrong, Uncle Sev. I knew it would be this way, it always is, it never changes. People look at me first and think, oh what a lovely girl, I'm my mother's daughter all right. Until they find out that I can become a cougar and a hawk and suddenly I'm nothing more than a beast wearing human shape, a furry wanna-be human.

Remus had told her that people feared her because they didn't understand what a shape-slipper truly was. "It's a sad fact of life, kid, but people fear the different and the unusual. Wizards are just as guilty as Muggles in that regard."

Which to Aria seemed like the worst hypocrisy imaginable, since by definition, a wizard was different as well, because they had magic, and the rare and impossible was mundane to them. Every wizard studies Transfiguration and they think nothing of transforming a teapot into a bird or a pocketwatch into a chair, but a girl shifting into a cougar gives them the screaming horrors, she thought bitterly. And I'm not like a true cougar at all, I'm still me in the shape, I can react like a cat but I can think like a person, that's the shape-slipper's gift-to slip from one shape to another and never fear losing yourself, no matter what you become or how long you stay in a shape.

Ordinary Animagi, who learned to transform from a spell, always had to gauge how long they remained in a shape, for they were in constant danger of allowing themselves to be seduced by the animal mind and form, and if they stayed in their Animagus form for too long, they risked becoming losing their true self to the animal spirit. It was why there were so few wizards Animagi, and those that could become one were carefully monitored and registered.

But a shape-slipper was to an Animagus what a human was to a monkey, one step further on the evolutionary ladder. Shape-slippers were born, the ability coded into their genetic makeup, though no Healer had ever researched why a person was born a slipper or not. And the talent did not always breed true, so the child of a shape-slipper might not have the gift at all, while a child born to perfectly ordinary wizards might be a shape-slipper. Aria could eventually learn to shift into more than two animal forms, if she practiced enough, and that was a closely guarded secret, one that was never revealed to any but another shape-slipper. Master Velasquez had told her that the most accomplished slipper of the decade could change into six kinds of animals.

That was pretty amazing, but Aria had enough problems with just being able to change into a cougar and a hawk, she didn't need to add to them by transforming into anything else.

Her one consolation was that Mandy Jones alone didn't treat her like a pariah. Instead the older girl stuck up for her to the others, informing them that if they kept up this shameful treatment to another Slytherin, she'd dock House points. Now they regarded Mandy as a traitor too.

But at least Aria had Mandy and Harry for friends, which was two more than she'd had when she'd started here, and that must be enough. 

"I had Quidditch practice today, so I'm kind of beat," Harry admitted. "Last night was, um, kind of crazy, what with Black invading Gryffindor Tower and all."

"I'll bet. But you're lucky he didn't do more than just tear a few bed hangings." Harry nodded. "Kind of odd behavior for a murderer, don't you think? I mean, he could've killed Ron before he sounded an alarm, but he didn't."

Harry looked thoughtful, only now realizing Aria's observation was correct. Black could have easily silenced Ron permanently, if he'd chosen to. And a man sent to Azkaban for over eleven years and a convicted murderer of fourteen people shouldn't have balked at killing a thirteen-year-old boy. Of course, Harry was profoundly grateful Black had not killed his friend, but still it was an odd behavior.

"You're right, I never thought about it like that before. Smart of you to pick up on that, Aria."

She shrugged, embarrassed. "Uh, well, I read too many mystery novels. There wasn't much to do in the rain forest with my dad once I was done with my magic lessons, so I read a lot. Guess I picked up something from all of them."

"You know, besides Hermione and my dad, you're one of the few people who actually remember what you read and then use it in real life that I know."

"Oh? Then you don't do the same, Harry?"

"Only sometimes," he admitted, amused. "But Dad's working with me to correct that. He says that theory's all well and good, but practical application is the thing that's gonna save my butt when I, uh, face Voldemort. If I ever have to."

"Voldemort? But isn't he dead?"

"Supposed to be, but Dad doesn't think he still is. And if he comes back, there's a prophecy about him and me that says one of us has to kill the other."

She stared at him in horror. "That's-Harry that's awful! Are you sure you have to fulfill it?"

"No, but I need to be prepared, just in case. Dad says prophecy is all the way you interpret it, and I interpret to mean that I can defeat Voldemort with help, from him especially."

"If anyone can help you, it's Sev," Aria agreed. "He reminds me of Master Velasquez a little, and he could kick your ass just by looking at you."

"Yeah, Dad can do that all right," Harry laughed. Then he said, "You called him Sev."

"Uh-huh. Why are you surprised?"

"Because only family or very close friends are ever allowed to call him that."

"He said I could," Aria replied, a little defensively. "Said you call Uncle Remmy, Uncle Moony, and I could call him Uncle Sev if I wanted. So I do. I always wanted another uncle, after my gran died we traveled so much on business for the journal, I never got the chance to see any of my relatives, not that matters now since the only ones I've got left are Mom and Uncle Remmy."

Harry said nothing for a moment, he could empathize with her desire for a family, since he wanted that for as long as he could remember. But secretly he wondered that if she thought of Severus as an uncle, did that mean she considered him a cousin of sorts? He wasn't sure if he wanted her to think of him that way. She's your friend, Harry. Let it go at that for now, whispered the sensible part of his brain. It was too early to wish for something else, even if Aria was willing to be his girlfriend.

"You said you spent some time in America," Aria began, trying to start up a conversation. Normally she enjoyed talking to whoever would listen to her, but for some reason she found that talking with Harry was awkward today. "What did you like best about it?"

"A lot of things," he answered honestly. "But especially because over there I wasn't a celebrity. Nobody knew I'd once been Harry Potter, and I could just be Harry Snape, a regular kid, like everyone else."

"Well, I'd never have guessed you were a celebrity, Harry. You sure don't act like it. If anything, I'd of pegged that snob Malfoy for one before you."

"Yeah, he does fit the part, the prat." He looked at her searchingly. "D'you mind then?"

"No. Why should I? You're still the same person, no matter what you call yourself."

"Right," Harry said softly and his heart soared at her answer, which was one he'd never dared to hope for from anyone except perhaps his father, Remus, and his two other best friends.

• * * * * * *
  

Soon after that incident, there was a staff meeting and Dumbledore told all the of the staff that they were increasing the security around the castle. The Minister had insisted on the dementors being close to the school, but Dumbledore was adamant that they not come onto the school grounds. Severus agreed with that, he too did not trust the dementors, they were too much of a wild card, creatures which fed off of pain and despair and fear, and sucked the souls of the living. He thought the Minister was a fool to trust such creatures, who had no love for the wizards who commanded them, and who would turn on them if given the chance.

After the meeting, Severus informed Dumbledore that he was concerned for Harry's safety and had him move into his quarters for the time being. "I know you assured me that Black won't be able to enter the castle again, but frankly Headmaster, I think there is an informant in the school who is betraying us. I know the signs, having worked the shadows myself."

"Severus, I think you're mistaken. No one on the staff would betray the students to a known criminal."

"Don't be naive, Headmaster," Severus bit out, his dark eyes flashing. "Only the purest soul cannot be bought, and even then they could be manipulated. I'm telling you Black has help on the inside, and I cannot risk Harry's safety. So I have him with me, where I know he will be safe, at least at night, from any more midnight intrusions. Merlin Above, Headmaster, do you realize how close we came to losing a student last night? I don't know whether Weasley is the luckiest boy in the world or simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, but either way he could have ended up dead and we would now be attending a funeral. Black must be caught, but until he is, I shall take every precaution to ensure my son's well being."

"As you should, my boy. I never expected otherwise."

Severus nodded stiffly and turned on his heel and left, returning to his quarters for a quick bite to eat and a short nap before he began brewing antidotes for the next class he would be teaching. He had expected Dumbledore to protest more than he had, unless the old wizard had realized it was futile for Severus would never bend when it came to protecting his son, not that he needed the Headmaster's permission when it came to Harry anyhow.

Little did the Potions Master realize that Harry wasn't the only student he had to be concerned about.

• * * * * *

Later that night, as Harry prepared to go down to his father's quarters, and was packing up his trunk, Ron eyed him curiously and said, "Where are you going at this hour, Harry? Isn't it a little late for rearranging your stuff?"

Harry sighed. "After what happened last night, my dad wants me to stay with him until Black is caught. He says his apartment is warded against any intruder. So I'm packing up my trunk, since I can't be bothered running up and down or summoning stuff all the time." He ran his hand through his ebony hair, which now fell in crisp waves against his head, a vast improvement over the way his hair had been before, under the glamour. "I can't believe he's freaking out this way, Ron. What does he think could happen in my own room?"

"Uh, you sure you want me to answer that, Harry?" Ron began. "Look what almost happened to me."

"I know, but that was before we knew Black had all the passwords and changed them," Harry argued. "And now we have guards and everything and Dad still insists I stay there with him."

"I think that makes perfect sense, Harry," put in Hermione, standing in the doorway of Harry's room. "Professor Snape's reacting exactly the way a parent would. He's worried for your safety."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I know, that's why he gave me my mum's charm of protection. That's enough protection to my way if thinking."

Ron looked thoughtful. "Y'know, she is right, Harry. If my mum or dad were here right now, they'd probably take me home with them, after what almost happened to me. The only reason my mum isn't down here right now hauling my arse away is because my dad or Dumbledore persuaded her otherwise. Mum's like a mother dragon with only one egg, fierce and crazy. Guess it's only natural, though it's bloody annoying at times, ain't it?"

"You can say that again." Harry shut his trunk and pointed his wand at it, preparing to levitate it down the stairs. "Sometimes I think Dad forgets I'm not two years old anymore."

"Can you blame him?" put in Hermione, kneeling to pet Rosie. "After all, he missed all those other years with you, so his most vivid memories are when you were little."

"Oh." When she put it like that, Harry understood better where Snape was coming from. "But Ron's right, it's still bloody annoying."

He turned to go down the stairs, Ron, Hermione, and Rosie trailing after.

They had just walked into the common room when the portrait hole opened to admit Seamus, Dean, and Neville.

Harry halted, waiting for the other three boys to go past him. Ever since the start of the spring term, Seamus and Dean had been antagonistic towards Harry, unwilling to accept the fact that Harry liked having Snape for a father and that the professor was not the greasy git they'd always thought. Potions class wasn't the dreadful lesson it used to be, as Severus had ceased baiting the Gryffindors and favoring the Death Eater Slytherin children. Now all the students were treated fairly, receiving praise and scoldings alike. It was a vast improvement over the way Severus used to teach, and he even went easier on Neville, allowing him more time to complete his potions and pairing him with Hermione, Harry, Aria, or Blaise, so he could learn from them, since they were Snape's best students.

But all of this evidence simply flowed through Seamus and Dean's heads like water through a sieve, they absorbed none of it. Their obtuseness irritated Harry to no end, because he knew his father was making an effort to abandon his old persona completely and students like Dean and Seamus just made harder for him to do so. Harry tried to be patient, but his patience was fast wearing thin, which was why he tended to avoid them as much as possible.

"Hey, Ron, Harry, and Hermione," greeted Neville, who alone of the three boys that had entered was not prejudiced against Harry for being Severus's son. Oddly enough, Neville who was still scared of Snape sometimes, was the first to congratulate Harry on having a family again, even if that family happened to consist of his sarcastic potions professor.

"Hey, Neville," answered Ron. "Got a lot of homework to do?"

"Loads. Especially in Herbology," Neville said. He walked over to one of the study tables and set down his bookbag.

Seamus and Dean nodded at Ron and Hermione, pretending not to see Harry, until Dean caught sight of Harry's trunk floating behind him.

"Where are you going, Snape? Running to hide behind your daddy's robes? Afraid the Grim or Black will get you one night?"

Harry bit his lip. "Where I'm going is none of your business, Thomas. Now move, so I can get through."

Dean stepped away, but then his pal Seamus stepped in front of Harry and sneered, "Figures, you'd be too much of a coward to stick it out here with your fellow Gryffindors. Can't take the strain, eh? Aww! Poor baby!"

Harry felt his temper ignite, but he forced himself to remain outwardly calm. Inside, he was picturing himself beating Seamus into a wall for insulting him and his family like that. "Button your lip, Finnegan, before I make you regret it. I'm no coward and neither is my father!"

"Leopards don't change their spots, Snape!"

Harry's hand balled into a fist, but before he could move, Ron did, grabbing the other boy and shoving him hard away from Harry. Seamus staggered and nearly fell on the couch. "Shut it, Finnegan! Or Harry's not the only one you're going to have to worry about."

"What the bloody hell's gotten into you, Weasley?" shouted Dean. "Since when are you a Slytherin lover?"

"Since I met some other Slytherins besides Malfoy and his gang," Ron replied. "Aria Lupin's a Slytherin, and she's not at all like Malfoy and his bunch of snots. Neither is Mandy Jones, the prefect, and neither is Professor Snape."

Seamus gaped at him, astonished that Ron had such a formidable temper. "But Slytherins and Gryffindors are enemies, how can you like them?"

Hermione scowled. "Not enemies Seamus, rivals. There's a difference. And not all Slytherins are the same, just like not all of us are the same. Why don't you give Harry a break and his dad a chance?"

"Why should I?" Seamus demanded belligerently. "What's Snape ever done for me that I should be nice to him?"

"How about save your arse by protecting the school, dung for brains!" Ron shouted. "Honestly, you are so thick sometimes!"

"Forget it, Ron," Harry interjected. "Let them think what they want about me, they wouldn't know the truth if it jumped up and bit them on the arse."

"Oh really? And what truth's that, huh?" cried Seamus.

Harry stepped close to him then, his green eyes alight with the fires of battle. He breathed in and out sharply, trying to control his flashfire temper so he didn't lose it totally.

"The truth that you never bother to look beyond your nose and see what's right in front of you. But if you want to go around blind, be my guest."

"I know the truth, Snape Junior!" sneered Dean. "The truth is your dad's a weathervane, he switches sides like the wind, and so do you, Harry! Like father like son."

Harry spun around, his temper sparking after that last comment, ready to punch Dean into next week and to hell with the consequences.

Luckily, Hermione stepped between them before blood flew. "Stop it, Harry! The last thing you need is to get in another fight. Your father would be furious."

"Get out of my way, Hermione!"

"No. You hit him, Harry, and Severus will have your hide."

Harry glared at her helplessly, knowing she was right, but his pride wouldn't let him back down gracefully.

"Ooo, little Snape's afraid Daddy's gonna punish him for being a bad boy," mocked Dean. "What's he gonna to do-make you pickle rat organs, make you stand in the corner, write lines?"

Seamus guffawed, then gasped when Ron slugged him.

"Wait, I know! He's going to take you over his knee and spank you, naughty boy!" howled Dean.

Harry started to move around Hermione, eager to put his fist through the other's sneering face. But Hermione beat him to it.

"Maybe someone ought to spank you, you bloody imbecile!" shouted Hermione, then she hit Dean hard in the jaw, sending him backwards into a table. "There! Now keep your mouth shut."

Ron and Seamus were gaping at the girl and Harry whistled admiringly.

"Thanks, Mione."

"Anytime, Harry," she declared, then she dusted off her hands.

Dean was nursing a bloody lip and Seamus was in shock over Hermione's sudden show of temper.

Harry left them that way and went down to the dungeons, accompanied by Ron and Rosie, who growled at Seamus as she walked by. Suddenly, leaving Gryffindor Tower had just become ten times easier. He turned to Ron once they'd reached Snape's door and said, "You're welcome here anytime, Ron. And so's Hermione. So whenever you get sick of certain people, come here and relax with me."

"Your dad too?"

"Yeah. Then you'll see a different side of him all right, Ron," laughed his son. "That's when he takes off all his masks and is just himself. Right, girl?" He ruffled Rosie's ears and she barked happily, scratching on the door.

"All right, you little pest, I'm coming!" came Severus's voice from somewhere beyond the door.

Rosie whined upon hearing it and wagged her tail delightedly.

Severus threw open the door and was promptly jumped upon by an ecstatic beagle and licked nearly to death. Ron burst out laughing at the sight of his formidable professor being assaulted by the lovable dog.

But Snape did not make one of his snarky comments, instead he picked up the beagle in one arm and gestured for Harry to enter his domicile. His son obeyed and then Severus turned to Ron and asked, "You also, Mr. Weasley?"

And Ron followed Harry inside his new quarters.

• * * * * * *

In the three weeks that followed, rumors hounded Aria like a pack of vicious dogs, most of them circulated by members of her own House, girls like Danridge and her ilk, who took great delight in casting aspersions on Aria's character, calling her a "furry" and slighting her whenever they could get away with it.

But it was Draco who was her worst detractor. Having been publically spurned by the object of his affection twice, only to see her being friendly towards his greatest rival, made the blond boy turn on her with a vengeance. Where before he'd been annoying in trying to make her notice him, now he was twice that as he sought to make her school days a misery.

It was he who gave her the name "The Beast Girl" and told people she was unstable mentally and they'd better watch their step because one day she might turn on them like the beast she was and tear them apart. "They're all mad, those shape-slippers. My father says any family with a shape-slipper in their tree is tainted, worse even than a blood traitor."

It was nothing she hadn't heard before, back in South America, where shape-slippers were more common, but also ran into more than the usual amount of prejudice as well. Although in the beginning she'd had hopes that things would be different here and she could simply be Aria, the professor's niece, the new girl from Louisiana, not Aria the reject beast girl from America. So much for Slytherins sticking together, she thought bitterly. Though in all fairness, the majority of her House was not participating in the persecution, but neither did they defend her to those who were, except for Mandy. And now members of the other three Houses were joining in as well-it never took much for Gryffindors to have an excuse to badmouth a Slytherin, and some kids in the other two Houses were just as bad.

She supposed she could have gone to her uncle or Severus and told them what was going on, Severus had as good as promised that if anyone in her house was harassing her, he'd have their hide. So too would Remus. But she was not ready to take it that far, she was accustomed to fighting her own battles and she didn't want to go running to them like a tattletale brat.

Sticks and stones, Aria she reminded herself when the whispers and rumors started getting under her skin. That had been an old saying of her gran's-sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me. To that saying should have been added the phrase, Unless you let them, for words had the power to wound only if the target believed them. Never apologize for who you are, that had been her dad's favorite saying, and he never had, even when what he was had been dead wrong.

So she wouldn't apologize for being what she'd been born to be, but that didn't mean that on occasion she wished she hadn't been blessed with this particular ability. When she'd first discovered it, just before she turned eleven, she'd thought it the coolest thing ever, until the first time a wizard child had sneered at her and called her a "furry" and a "beast child". Her dad had called them ignorant and told her to ignore them, but that was easier said than done.

The ironic thing was that Aria was aware she could take her tormentors apart if she chose to, and not only with magic. Her master had taught her self-defense as well as spells, and her cougar shape was more than a match for a person. But she feared if she allowed herself to react to the students' taunts with physical violence it would escalate beyond her control and then she'd really be in trouble.

So she practiced the art of invisibility and vanished every chance she got when she wasn't in class, using her hawk shape to fly high and far away, spending most of her free time studying in the library, or roaming the forest in her cougar shape.

Uncle Remmy would pitch a fit if he ever knew I was going into the Forest voluntarily, but I'd rather face a monster than one of my stupid classmates. At least a monster I could thrash until they begged for mercy. Besides, I know quite a bit about avoiding them from growing up with my dad.

Even so, this was not how she had planned on spending her time at school, by becoming an outcast, hated and feared by nearly everyone. What would it take to make people see that she was more than just a shape-slipper? What would it take for them to stop seeing her as a beast and only as Aria?

A Goddamn miracle, that's what, the cynical part of her mind thought, just before she changed into her hawk form and took wing. It was just before lunch, during her free period, when normally she would have spent it chatting with Harry or studying, but that day she felt the need to just fly, to feel the wind in her wings. Had she glanced down, she would have seen a tall man in black watching her, wondering why she preferred a solitary flight over the grounds to being with her Housemates. Something was not right there, Severus mused. He had observed that Aria had changed after her nightmare, becoming more quiet and withdrawn, more inclined to hide herself away, all of her earlier self-confidence vanished.

The Potions professor pursed his lips and promised himself he'd speak with the child tonight, perhaps invite her for tea along with Harry in his quarters. Perhaps she would be more willing to discuss what was bothering her then. Or, if she would not confide in him, perhaps she would in his son, or even Remus. Either way, he would keep an eye on her, the way another adult should have kept an eye on him at that age, and perhaps he wouldn't have ended up the target of the Marauders so bloody often, bullied and humiliated and miserable. Dumbledore had failed to protect Severus, but Severus refused to fail Aria. He refused to stand by and let another student go through what he had, especially this one, who was the niece of his dearest friend.

Severus tucked his hands in the pockets of his cloak and stalked back to the castle, resolved to get to the bottom of this once and for all.