I draw in a deep breath before I start to read Dad's response. I mean, I've already figured out just by the blood smears on the parchment that he was hurt while writing this response. My imagination fills me with various scenarios with each one being grizzlier than the last.

Harry,

With your first assumption about the Wizarding population, you indirectly prove that they are ignorant imbeciles who should be in St. Mungo's for suffering from lack of brains. Unfortunately, you are correct, though. They all believe that ridiculous farce that you must be the one to defeat the Dark Lord. This preposterous thought, however, will only end up in your death if you believe it for even a moment. You are only a fourteen-year-old who can barely pass his classes. Let alone defeat a fully-grown wizard who knows more spells than you know Quidditch moves. Furthermore, I will believe it when I see about this travesty of you having some hidden power that will allow you to defeat him. The only hidden power that I currently know you have is your ability to give me a heart failure with your outlandish stunts. Between you and Sinistra, I don't know which one of you will kill me first.

In response to you being a savior, it only shows further proof that they are complete morons. You lost both of your parents to the Dark Lord. Why he was unable to kill you is still a mystery. In my opinion, though, I believe you lived not to be a savior to the entire population, but a reminder that there are individuals out there that will stop at nothing to kill anything that stands in their way. You are also a testament to sheer dumb luck. You were not the only child the Dark Lord ever tried to kill. You just were the only child who did not die. That is luck, not a demonstration of your savior abilities. The definition of a savior is someone who rescues somebody or something from harm or danger. The only time you were ever a savior would be your second year with Miss Weasley when you saved her from the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets, but even then, it is a stretch.

It seems that I misdirected my prior assumptions of you living in luxury from your cousin. You have never been a freak, though. What that cousin of yours did…he is by no means a precious child. You are the precious child, Harry, that we foolishly entrusted your care to your horrific relatives.

In response to that spiteful woman you unfortunately had to live with, her treatment of you does not surprise me in the slightest. When your grandparents learned that your mother was a witch, they openly were rather proud of her being as such. To them, being a witch was the best thing in life. You are correct, unfortunately, that she became jealous and bitter over your mother. They never truly ever repaired that rift between one another, but it was not for lack of your mother trying. Petunia Evans, however, has always been a malicious spiteful bitch. To treat you as a house elf, though, just shows how horrid the woman is for not appreciating you. I believe the headmaster thought that she would get over her anger about your mother and raise you as she would raise her own son. Of course, the old shrew couldn't even do that right. I have a deeper appreciation for you now, Harry, for having put up with that hag for so long without hexing her to pieces. I would not have lasted as long as you did.

When I read your next paragraph, I desperately wanted to hunt down this Vernon Dursley and curse the man a thousand times over. To beat a child is the epitome of evil. A child is something to cherish, not to beat. To tell you that he was beating the freakiness out of you… That man is in need of a beating if he believes that horrific thought of his. You cannot beat anything out of a child, except his will to defend himself. Then later to tell you that you enjoyed it because you love pain… If I were not as loyal as I am to Albus Dumbledore, I would hunt that Dursley down and use my nastiest curse on him. If he begged me to stop, I would only make him feel ten times more pain. However, I am unfortunately loyal to Albus Dumbledore so no amount of my hatred and itching ability to make the monster pay for hurting you will ever help. I want you to know this, Harry. Even though you have an exceptional talent with spells, I do not consider you weak for not using your magic to punish him for what he did. So do not ever consider yourself weak, Harry. You were a child. No one should consider you weak because you were unable to defend yourself against a fully-grown Muggle that should have loved you, not beat you. Vernon Dursley was the freak, Harry, not you. To take a belt to a child…to inflict bodily harm on a child, especially a child like you proves that he was a monster. If you wish it, I will speak with the headmaster about bringing charges upon Dursley for his abuse of you. OUR laws would bind him, and I assure you that Vernon Dursley would not receive a light penalty by any means.

I wish to reiterate that you are never alone, Harry. You are not the only child who had a person entrusted with a child that beat him. My own bastard father did the same with me. I am sure the beatings were for the same reason Dursley gave you. Like Dursley, my father was a Muggle. He hated magic so whenever I used it near him, he would attempt the same thing as Dursley. There came a point once when I thought I deserved the beatings. If it were not for your mother, I would perhaps not be alive today.

I remember that night when the headmaster brought you to me. I also remember that look on his face, but you must understand. Albus Dumbledore would not have left you there had he known what the Dursleys did to you. He loves you, Harry. Perhaps more than you will ever know. His seeking of absolution was only in reference to him believing that the blood wards would not allow the Death Eaters to reach you. He would have removed you if there were suspicions of abuse. You are his Golden Boy, Harry. He would not have left you there. One of his many faults is that he cares so much and believes the best in people. He believed the best in the Dursleys when there is nothing but hatred in those monsters, and I am sure that I need not mention how much he cares for you.

Minerva may think that you are her one shot, but she would not risk your life over a game of Quidditch. I promise you that, Harry. In fact, while you may not know this, both she and I gave speeches to our older students on our teams not to play as rough as past years during your first year of playing Quidditch. In reference to why they allowed you to play so young, I also agree that I see no point in allowing it, but you have been relatively safe for the most part. It also has provided you with a way to connect with your father in a way that no amount of stories could ever make up for, Harry. While it pains me to admit it, you would have given James a run for his galleons with your ability to fly. And I am certain that if he were still alive, he would be extremely proud of you, Harry. Over the years, I have been at the receiving end of numerous lectures from her over my treatment of you, so do not misinterpret the look she gives you. I learned a long time ago that her look is not of pity, but of love. She loves you, Harry, and cares very deeply for you as if you were her grandson. She has given me that same look since I started working here, but I believe in my case it is more motherly. I assure you that it is not pity she feels for you, but love. She loves you and I know she would never let Quidditch override that.

In response to Filius, there were numerous teachers here who became overly excited about you coming to Hogwarts. It really was rather sickening to watch. Therefore, I am not surprised to hear about his behavior towards you on your first meeting. Filius Flitwick is a championed dueler, though, so it perhaps would be the equivalent if you ever met a famous Quidditch hero of yours. If you have an issue with his excitement, though, then inform him. He perhaps does not even realize what he is doing.

You are not the only one that has difficulty in trying to ascertain what drives Aurora. Since the start of this summer, I have also noticed her maternal actions towards you. I am glad that you like the attention she gives you and that you do not try to shy away from it. She can give you something that I am unable to do. In response to your questioning of her motives, I would say that it is not because of her feelings for me that she acts that way.

Hagrid understands most people better than they understand themselves. It is one of his many good qualities. I shudder to think what would happen if Hagrid for some reason ever was away for a long time from Hogwarts. I believe you said your second year to him that Hogwarts wouldn't be Hogwarts without him. I second that thought of yours.

If Molly Weasley ever read your essay, you perhaps would have a sore backside for suggesting that she only cares for you because she pities you for the loss of your parents. That woman would still love you even if James and Lily were still alive. She is full of love, Harry, so do not ever assume that she pities you. I have seen the sweaters you've spoken of, and I assure you that she will continue to make you sweaters until you die of old age, Harry. You are an honorary Weasley, I believe. In fact, after I received custody of you, I had to explain my intentions to them. It was not Arthur who wished me to explain myself but Molly. She is fiercely protective of those she loves, and she believed that my receiving custody of you would be the worst thing imaginable given our past histories together. However, it is my understanding now that she has come to see that she was wrong in her first thought.

While you are correct in your belief that you are their last connection to your parents, remember that you are also my last connection to your parents, namely your mother. I do not believe I need to inform you of this, but Azkaban does not do wonders for a person's sanity. Black's error of calling you James is perhaps only a side effect of all those years. I am sure that Black does not even realize that he called you James, and if you informed him of it, he would be beside himself. Without a doubt, I am certain that Black does not wish you were James or that he even thinks that you are like James. You have taught me that you are your own person.

I did not know that Lupin taught you how to cast a Patronus. Given how badly the Dementors affect you, it is understandable that he would, though. I do, however, agree with you that compared to the other idiots we've had in the past that Lupin was the least moronic of them. There are numerous people who miss your parents. I myself miss your mother greatly, so do not be upset with him for what he tries to hide from you. Lupin only wishes you the best, and like your godfather, Lupin loves you.

I have never told you this. Had things been different and you would have been my son during that incident in the lavatory with the troll, though, I would have given you the lecture of a lifetime for that stupid ridiculous harebrained attempt of yours. Your first year nearly killed me with how many moronic suicidal attempts you had. Some day you will admit to me the truth of what really happened because even I am not that thick to think that Granger went after a fully-grown mountain troll because she read about them. In response to Mr. Weasley being jealous of you, by your statement you yourself have stated the reason as to why he would be jealous. However, he is only a young man such as you are. It is just the nature of adolescent males to be jealous of others. It is nothing personal, though. With Miss Granger, however, I can see her point of being angry with you sometimes. She is rather practical, while you and Weasley must always be the class clowns. With your friends, you have a rather strange bond, which is the reason you stay above the water of dread, not because of your foolish behavior.

As much as it pains me to admit it, you are correct. I did use my petty childhood grudge against you at first. I also did intentionally destroy your potions, but not for the reason you mentioned. It was never for my Slytherins that I debased you. It was solely for my benefit. My actions also helped my cover of not caring about you. You are not the only student I tortured, though. I understand that my actions made you nervous and perhaps were the reason for your inability to brew properly. I see that now with how you've excelled with Professor Vector. I sincerely apologize, Harry, for all that and more.

Since you explicitly stated the events, I believe I need to explain my actions that night. I was angry that someone had knocked at my door at 1:30 in the morning. My annoyance referred to the fact that you and the headmaster were the culprits. Two people that I had hoped I would be far from for the summer vacation. You are correct, though. I was shocked when I saw you in the quick flash of light from the storm. I remember that night clearly. I remember the broken nose, the dark bruises to your face, and the blood streaming out of the deep laceration to your left temple. I remember that look of defeat in your eyes and surrender, and that shocked the hell out of me to see that look on your face. I stared at you trying to figure out what had happened to make you look like that. I barely listened to a word Albus said that night. I did not even hear him when he gave me custody of you. And let us get this straight here and now. I never would think you deserved your wounds. I never would ever think you deserved to be hurt. No matter what you did, Harry, I would never think that.

Your fear of my killing you did not even register in my mind that night. I did not notice you calm yourself. However, I do remember washing the blood from your face. I do remember how you never winced once as I scrubbed the dried blood off. I thought I had lost you that night. That you lost your ability to fight and that all my hopes of making good on my promise to your mother were gone. When you screamed, though, I knew that you were still there…that there still was hope…for us. I did not know what to do as your emotions controlled you. I did not know how to help you, and that scared me more than you will ever know. You are correct in your assumption that I realized you were not James that night. James never would have broken down in front of me like that or anyone else. He would have kept it in and allowed it to consume him until he would see me again and use me as his outlet.

You do mean to me a son, a son I never would have imagined I'd have. My emotions are hard for me to express. It is partly the reason why I have not asked Aurora to marry me yet. However, your declaration is sound, Harry. I do care greatly for you, and I would not have adopted you if I did not feel something towards you as a father would to a son. You are also correct that we'd all be devastated if we lost you so learn from your mistakes and do not attempt them again. I am as pleased as you are, Harry.

Severus Snape