When Harry entered Gryffindor Tower, Rosie snuggled half-asleep in his arms, he was prepared for anything, or so he thought. Most of the Gryffindors were still awake, despite it being after ten at night, Harry had a strange feeling that they's remained up to catch a glimpse of their old housemate, who now went by a new name and identity.

Hermione rushed up to him as soon as his foot had cleared the portrait hole. "Welcome back, Harry!" she cried and went to hug him. Her swift movement woke the beagle nestled in Harry's arms, and Hermione found her face the recipient of several licks. "Oh, you've got a dog! Oh, she's such a little darling!"

"Yeah, until she chews your shoes," chuckled Harry. Rosie was fully awake now and wagging her tail. "She's a beagle and her name's Rosie." He set the dog down and Rosie immediately went to sniff Hermione's loafers.

"Aww, you're even more beautiful in real life than in your photo," Hermione gushed, hugging the beagle puppy. "Such a sweet girl." Several of the other girls crowded around, all of them wanted to pet the puppy. "Your dad got you her for a birthday present, right?" Hermione queried, loudly and deliberately.

"Yes, and she was the best birthday present ever," answered Harry, wanting his Housemates to hear that his newfound father treated him decently.

Ron came over along with Fred and George to see the beagle. Rosie ate up all the attention. Ron knelt to pet her and said quietly, "She's one cute dog, mate. I always wanted a dog."

"But Mum said we-" began Fred.

"-couldn't have one because-" continued George.

"-there were already too many of us in the house," finished the two together, as they scratched Rosie's belly.

"It was right nice of Snape to buy you her," Ron added, chuckling at the groan of pleasure the dog was giving the twins.

"Doesn't sound like the Snape I know, right Dean?" remarked Seamus snidely to his best friend.

"No. The Snape I know would be more likely to kick a puppy than buy one," agreed Dean.

Harry's eyes flashed. "Then maybe you two don't know the real Severus Snape." He rose and confronted the other Gryffindors, giving them a glare worthy of a Snape.

"What, you telling me that all of a sudden Snape's your dad and he's become Parent of the Year, Harry?" sneered Seamus. "Leopards don't change their spots."

Harry flushed, struggling to control his temper. They don't know, they don't understand what happened six months ago. "Listen to me, Seamus and listen good. Everything you think you know about Snape is a lie. He was a spy for the Order of the Phoenix, the resistance movement fighting against You-Know-Who. The way he acted in class was a cover, it wasn't how he normally was."

"Told you that did he?"

Harry eyed him coldly. "As a matter of fact, he did. But more than that, he showed me the way he really was, Finnegan."

"How? By tucking you in at night and buying you a puppy, Snape?"

"No, you stupid git, by risking his damn life and saving me from Voldemort's followers that had captured me," Harry snapped. "They were torturing me to death and my father saved me. Before he ever knew we were related, mind you! His memory of me as his son was Obliviated by sodding Dumbledore after my mum was killed, and I didn't remember either because I was just a baby. We found out the truth when Dumbledore released two items left for us by my mum-a note and a photo album for me and a Pensieve for him, with the rest of his memories in it of me and my mum as his family. And once he found out, d'you know what he did, Seamus?"

"Fainted dead away?" snickered the other.

Harry was not amused. "No. He marched himself up to the bloody Headmaster's office and told Dumbledore where to get off and then he quit! He wasn't on a bloody sabbatical like you were told, Finnegan, he quit because he couldn't stand the fact that Dumbledore knew all along that I was his son and hid me away with my bloody Muggle relatives instead of doing the right thing and giving me back to him. He told off the greatest wizard of the age for me, and then we left and went to America. That's where I've been all this time." Harry crossed his arms over his chest. "So, if you've got a problem with my father, Dean and Seamus, keep it to yourself. He might not be the easiest teacher to deal with, but he knows what he's doing. And if I hear any of you badmouthing him, you'll answer to me, so think before you open your mouth, got me?"

The look he was giving them, cold and deadly, like a tiger about to spring, froze the two in their tracks. This was not the Harry Potter they had known, no this boy was someone else now, someone with a blazing temper and the air of a warrior about him.

Ron laid a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, take it easy, Harry. We're all mates here, right?"

Harry exhaled sharply. "We used to be, Ron. Just because I've got a new last name shouldn't make a difference, but it will if you keep on passing remarks about my dad. I mean it. He's been good to me, and I won't have you spitting on him. So put up or shut up, and we won't have a problem. Don't and you'll see what I was learning all those months I was in America."

"What's that supposed to mean, Harry?" asked Neville tentatively.

"It means that I know a little more about Defense than I did at the beginning of the year, Neville. And that's all I'm going to say," answered the professor's son. Then he whistled for Rosie and made his way up the stairs to the circular room he shared with his five other yearmates.

His trunk was already there, and he quickly undressed, put on pajamas and got into bed. The sheets were cold, but he warmed them with a silent wandless warming charm, courtesy of Neil. Between them and his beagle snuggled inbetween his feet, Harry was quite toasty.

Removing his glasses, he soon drifted off into the realm of slumber, gratefully for sleep's swift arrival for once, since it meant he wouldn't have to answer any more questions until the morning.

* * * * * *

Back in the common room, Seamus, Dean, and Neville were all staring at one another and occasionally glancing up the stairs where Harry had gone. "Can you believe it, Dean?" grumbled Seamus. "He actually threatened us, his Housemates, just ‘cause we spoke the truth about Snape. What's gotten into him?"

Hermione drew in a deep breath, and Ron winced, knowing what was coming. "Why don't you ask yourself what's gotten into you, Seamus Finnegan? Ever since you learned that Harry was Professor Snape's son, you've been acting like a first class idiot! Making comments like that about the professor to Harry's face, honestly! How do you expect him to react? What if somebody had said nasty stuff like that about your father, huh? Would you be laughing, or would you be mad as blazes?"

"But Hermione, it's Snape," protested Dean. "The greasy dungeon bat that hates all us Gryffinodrs!"

"He doesn't hate us, Dean," Hermione defended. "You heard Harry, that was only a cover since he was a spy."

"And I say Snape lied to get in good with his son and is still a mean nasty bastard," insisted Seamus.

Ron frowned. "I don't think Harry's that dumb, to fall for a lie when he's been living with the bloke for six months. I say we trust Harry and. . . " he swallowed for he could hardly believe he was saying this. ". . . and give Snape the benefit of the doubt."

Seamus and Dean's mouths fell open. "Merlin's bloody pants! Not you too, Ron!" cried Dean.

"I agree," said Fred.

"Me too," added George. "Snape's not so bad-"

"--so long as you don't act up too much-" Fred pointed out.

"-in his class," finished George. "He taught us a lot about potion ingredient reactions."

Neville was flabbergasted. "You mean Snape actually taught you how to-to prank people?"

The twins smirked. "Well, not right off, but he-"

"-explained some theories we were having trouble with and let us experiment a little after class."

"As an extra credit project."

"To make sure we didn't kill someone," chuckled George. "So you see, Seamus-"

"-old Snape's not such a git after all. Now shut your trap, okay?" and Fred glared at him.

Seamus scowled right back. "I think all of you are barmy, is what. Harry used to hate Snape same as the rest of us. Maybe Snape put a spell on him or something, so that now Harry likes him."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Hermione snapped. "Harry never hated Snape, he disliked the way Snape treated him, because it wasn't fair. And weren't you listening when Harry said Snape saved his life? Doesn't that tell you anything?"

"He was saving his own arse, Hermione," sneered Dean. "Dumbledore would've flayed him alive if something happened to Harry. Seamus is right. Leopards don't change their spots."

"You're wrong," Hermione insisted. "Dead wrong. Both of you."

"You always think you know everything, Granger!" scoffed a fourth-year girl. "Snape was right to call you a know-it-all."

Hermione whirled and glared daggers at the other girl, but before she could respond to her comment, Ron jumped to her defense.

"Ah, shut it, Abercrombie! Hermione's got better instincts than any of the rest of us put together and you all know it. And if you don't want to believe her, then believe Harry. He wouldn't support Snape unless he had a damn good reason to, and I was in touch with him all the time he was in America, and he told me everything that went on there. He got in trouble with Snape a few times and Snape didn't tear him a new arse like he could've. In fact Harry said he rarely yelled at him at all and he never hit him, a far cry from what he used to live through at the Dursleys. Plus, you all heard what Dumbledore said at dinner tonight. He apologized to Snape for hiding his son from him and said he deserved the Order of Merlin First Class. Now would he say that if Snape was really a nasty bastard only out for himself?"

That time neither of the boys had an answer to refute Ron's words. They practically worshipped the ground Dumbledore walked on.

Satisfied he'd put the doubters in their place, at least for tonight, Ron yawned and announced he was going to bed.

So did everyone else, though Hermione whispered to Ron before heading up to the girls' side of the tower, "Seamus and Dean aren't going to be the only ones who are shocked by Harry being Snape's son. Just wait until the Daily prophet gets wind of it. I wouldn't be surprised to see an article on it in tomorrow morning's edition."

Ron nodded glumly. "Poor Harry. Just what he needs. First he's in the papers for surviving the Killing Curse and now he's in them again for being born Snape's son. I wish they'd cut him a break once in a while."

"I know. But that's what it's like, being a celebrity, Ron. Every little thing you do is talked about by everyone. Makes me glad I'm just a plain ordinary girl sometimes."

"Me too." Ron yawned again. "Well, g'night, Mione."

"Night, Ron," Hermione called, then she departed up the stairs