Thursday, July 6th 1995

Harry woke up just before midday. Once again, he had dreamt about the graveyard in Little Hangleton, but his dream had changed this time. He was walking down some hall, at the end of which was a closed door. When he approached the end, he immediately woke up with a prickling ache in his scar. Additionally, the whole left side of his face was strangely stiff. Then he remembered last night's incident. He was angry at Tobias that he hit him, but well, he shouldn't be so careless either. It is no wonder that the man was mad. If he woke up the Dursleys in the middle of the night and broke dishes, he would be locked in his cupboard or room for a week without food. Harry hoped that Tobias would forget it soon. The teenager knew that the man shouldn't lay a hand on him, especially that it wasn't his fault that the floor was slippery from the oil. Still, it didn't change the fact that he felt that the previous night's events could have been avoided. He decided he would be more cautious in the future. He didn't really feel like making Tobias mad at him. Until yesterday everything was really good. Harry would rather that they forget about last night or just pretend that they didn't happen at all.

He went to the bathroom to take a shower and, with great anxiety, looked in the mirror. His left cheek was purple-green, and his upper lip cracked and puffy. He felt embarrassed. He had to figure something out before the next football practise because he didn't want the guys to see him like this. Unfortunately, he also knew it would take at least a week for the bruises to disappear. He went downstairs, pulled out some ice from the freezer, wrapped it in foil, and put it on his hurt cheek. Then he went back to his room and lay on his bed. Maybe he would be able to brew ointment for bruises, but he didn't want to risk brewing potions in the house. He could picture how furious Tobias would be if he blows up the whole building. He snorted at that thought. Maybe he exaggerated a little. Blowing up cauldrons was Neville's speciality, and Harry rarely did that. Still, knowing his luck, it didn't mean that it wouldn't happen this time, though.

Maybe he should just look in the recipe book and see how unstable it would be to brew such an ointment? There was also the issue of Dumbledore's anti-magic barrier around his house. He didn't know exactly how it works. He wondered if it's inhibiting the effects of potions or their ingredients. Dumbledore's idea with his protection frustrated him a bit, but on the other hand, the barrier gave him some kind of comfort. It wasn't just Harry, who was unable to cast spells here, but in case of Death Eaters' attack, they couldn't do the magic as well, so he felt relatively safe. Besides, at least there was no chance for him to be kicked out of school for using magic as a minor.

HPHPHPHPHP

Harry rubbed his eyes and heard the increasingly familiar creak, which he was starting to associate with the opening of the front door. It seemed he took a nap because, when he looked out the window, the sun had already travelled to the other side of the house, and the ice Harry had placed on his cheek had long since turned to water.

A moment later, Tobias knocked on the door of his room. Harry took it as a good sign. He rather expected the man would barge in without any consideration for Harry's privacy. He hoped Tobias wasn't angry anymore.

"Come in," said Harry with a tense voice.

"Hi," the man greeted him and entered the small and poorly furnished bedroom.

"Hi," Harry returned.

"Harry, listen... Maybe I overreacted a little yesterday," the man muttered apologetically.

"Oh," replied the young wizard, looking at Tobias, who seemed a little remorseful.

"You know that I work hard, and I was tired. You woke me up in the middle of the night, and you know that I have to get up early in the morning, right?"

"Yeah," muttered Harry.

It was the first time an adult apologized to him for anything. It had never happened before, neither at the Dursleys nor at school, where the headmaster employed incompetent teachers because of whom Harry repeatedly came close to losing his life or, in case of Lockhart, memory. Snape had not even once apologized for humiliating him in class. No adult ever admitted a mistake.

"What do you say about going to the pizzeria? You know a father-son outing?" asked Tobias.

Harry agreed without a thought. He had never eaten pizza.

HPHPHPHPHP

Even though Severus Snape had moved from Hogwarts to Cokeworth two days ago, he didn't have time to unpack until now. The day before, he was making the house liveable after his half-year absence. However, that afternoon his presence was required at Grimmauld Place for the Order meeting. Of course, they didn't plan any action—so nothing new there. Albus decided that they should wait and observe. Just as Snape was heading back home, he got a call from the Dark Lord. Of course, after that, the Potions Master had to once again go to Hogwarts, where he could fill the headmaster in on Voldemort's latest activities. He hadn't gotten to bed until the wee hours of the morning.

After putting every one of his things in its place, he decided to go shopping at Mrs Maggie's shop. She worked there for almost thirty years. When he was a little boy, she had given him the occasional lollipop or candy. And even after many years, whenever he visited the shop, she's always filling him in on what was going on in the neighbourhood. He didn't like to gossip, but he felt more secure when he had information about his surroundings.

Leaving the house, he noticed one of the people who he really had no desire to meet. Unfortunately, the proximity guaranteed that he had seen his father more often than he would like to. Sometimes, Severus met Tobias when the latter was going to or from work. However, more often, his father was standing next to the shop with a beer in hand. Right now, some child was walking beside him.

'Probably brat of Tobias' another lover', he thought. He was irritated at the moronic woman that she would leave her child with such a human being as his father. He was too aggressive, especially when something angered him. When something wasn't going his way, his father didn't hesitate to use violence.

However, when he looked closer at the boy, he found him strangely familiar. His baseball cap was pulled almost over his eyes; he was dressed in popular Muggle hooligans clothes, wide trousers, and a hooded sweatshirt. All this made him look rebellious. Even though the child's clothes looked new, and even he, who occasionally visited Muggle malls, noticed that they were branded and therefore expensive, he didn't think they looked respectable.

The wardrobe speaks a lot of its owner and how children looked, reflected on their parents. In Severus' book, clothes, like the child was wearing, gave the impression of disdain for other people. Suddenly, he felt appreciation that his Slytherins respected his wishes regarding their appearance. Without unnecessary complaints, he was able to enforce their neat and trim look. It was also probably a consequence of most of them being pure blood, brought up to care about appearance, and the rest tried to imitate them.

When Severus heard the voice of the child from afar, he was struck dumb. It was none other than the Gryffindor's Golden Boy. He didn't recognize the boy at once, which was probably due to his lack of those hideous glasses, which usually covered his irritating face. On top of that, Potter was hiding his messy hair, not to mention his companion. There is no way that these two people who aroused such negative emotions in him could appear together before him.

Suddenly, Severus recollected the conversation he had with Dumbledore two days ago.

What a sick joke! 'What does he want to accomplish by this!' he thought, starting to shake with fury at the powerful wizard and his blasted machinations, at Tobias that he agreed to take Potter in, and at Potter that he had to find himself, as always, in the centre of havoc.

'Bloody kid!'

They were nearing Severus. Potter's annoying voice was more unmistakable with each passing second, and his father made an impression that he was listening to what the whelp was saying. No, Severus wasn't jealous about Tobias's attention to the stranger child, the attention he had never given to Severus or at least any positive attention. Now, the Potions Master felt only a grudge and repulsion for the man. The drunk was damaging his own and the lives of everyone around him.

Nevertheless, Severus wondered what the headmaster offered or how much he paid Tobias for babysitting Potter, and first and foremost, why?

When they were in front of him, Tobias diverted his eyes from the child, and their gazes met. Surprised to see him, the older man held his hand out and stopped the small teenager.

"Harry, meet your brother, Severus," said Tobias.

Equally surprised, Harry looked up.

When Severus saw the boy's bruised face, he was even more furious. One of his most hated things was the physical abuse of children, even of those he couldn't stand. He himself maybe wasn't excessively nice to them, but he would never hit any of them.

"I know him; he teaches me potions," responded the boy, trying to sound indifferent, but Severus could hear some tension in his voice. Tobias narrowed his eyes at the young wizard.

"He's not my brother. I don't know why the headmaster told you such a tale, but there is no way that the boy is related to you," snapped Severus. "And you, Potter, will come with me," he added in a voice that brooked no argument.

"You don't have any right to take him anywhere," Tobias said, putting his hand on Harry's shoulder. Severus could see that the boy flinched a little from the sudden touch. Tobias again turned to his older son.

"And what right do you have?! Potter come here and don't argue!" snarled Snape, even more irritated.

"But I didn't say anything yet," muttered Harry under his breath but didn't move.

He wasn't going anywhere with his teacher.

"He's my son, and you can't take him away from me! I did get guardianship over him. Go away, or else I promise you that he won't be back at your school!" Snarled Tobias.

Hearing that, Harry stirred nervously.

"Potter, do you want to find out what he is really like? But I see that he gave you a foretaste of what is to come," said Severus in a mocking smile, though he was inwardly steamed with anger at his father who dared hit the boy.

"You don't have any right to talk like that," the older man hissed through clenched teeth.

"I don't have a right? Me!?" yelled Severus.

"Severus, your mother and I did all we could to bring you up for a good, hardworking man, and believe me, it wasn't easy. We even paid for that blasted school of yours. But you've never been able to appreciate anything. You were just a recalcitrant whelp. As for Harry, his uncle wanted to kick him out if I didn't take him. I couldn't let my son live in an orphanage or worse on the streets. Maybe I'm not able to give him everything he wants, and I'm not going to pamper him, but I'm also not going to hurt him."

"Right, judging by the bruises on his face, you are doing an excellent job here. How-

"It wasn't him," lied Harry, stopping the Potions Master mid-sentence. "I was fighting with some guy. Listen, my father," he used that word despite it still felt strange in his mouth, to emphasize their relation, "cares about me and up to now, he's treated me a million times better than you ever have. So why would I go with someone who hates me? The feeling is mutual, anyway," hissed Harry, looking at his professor.

Severus involuntarily took a step back, surprised by the venom in the child's voice, which reminded him of the Dark Lord's hissing. For just one second, he felt a thrill of fear at the sight of fierce and hate-filled green eyes, which reminded him of two killing curses. The Potions Master was well aware that he didn't arouse any positive emotions in the boy. Anger, open dislike—yes, of course—but he really didn't expect so much hate, aggression, and hostility.

After a second, he came to his senses and snapped furiously at the outright lie and pitiful attempt to defend Tobias.

"Don't you dare lie, Potter! I don't believe you."

"And how's that my problem?" Harry shrugged his shoulders, trying to look calm.

"Watch your mouth, you little, dumb, arrogant-"

"Severus," Tobias stopped him. "Don't insult him," he hissed angrily. Don't even try to threaten him. Just leave us alone. Don't butt in. It's not your business," Tobias added, and then he turned to Potter: "Let's go, Harry. What do you say to some ice cream after pizza? Hmm?" The man asked, probably trying to prove that he really is a good father

"Sure," smiled Harry.

Tobias passed his older son, not saying anything else, and Harry followed him, leaving the furious Potions Master behind.

HPHPHPHPHP

Still furious, Severus did not wait for permission and marched into Dumbledore's office.

"Albus, what are you playing at!?" yelled the Potion's Master, hitting the desktop with his palms.

Sitting behind the desk, the headmaster looked at him from behind his glasses.

"I'm sorry, Severus, but I don't know what you are talking about. Tell me, what's the matter?" The older man said calmly.

"Like hell, you don't know! It's about Potter!" snapped Snape, even more, enraged by Dumbledore's composure.

"What about him? Really, Severus, you should leave him be. It's summer. How could he get under your skin now? You didn't even see him," he smiled, and his blue eyes sparkled happily.

"Don't pretend to be innocent! Why did you send him to my father? What did you think?! Do you have any idea how he is?!" With every question, Severus' voice became stronger.

"It wasn't my decision. I didn't get any say in this matter," responded Dumbledore.

The calmness in his voice infuriated Snape.

"Oh, cut it out! What he is doing at Spinner's End then?" questioned Severus.

"I told you that recently discovered information revealed that Lily and James adopted Harry. Tobias is his biological father." The headmaster explained to him as if Severus were a small child.

"You've got to be kidding me! It's not possible, Dumbledore," contradicted Severus.

"But it's true. I performed the paternity charm myself."

"And would you care to enlighten me of why you didn't inform me about this earlier?" bridled the younger man.

"I don't know why I should. You don't have a good relationship with neither Harry nor with your father. And you didn't ask who was his father at our last meeting." Dumbledore explained, reproving, but Severus was sure that he noticed some glint of amusement in his blue eyes.

"And maybe you were afraid that I would put the lid on my father's guardianship over him?

"As I told you before, you nor I would be able to do anything in this matter. Tobias is his father and legal guardian. By signing the muggle papers, the magical ones were automatically signed under the condition that nobody forced the Dursleys to abdicate their rights over Harry. We can't do anything, and even if we could, we won't.

"Albus, Tobias will kill him," warned Snape, trying to calm himself.

"Don't exaggerate. Give him a chance. He changed," responded the older wizard.

"And how could you know that!? That bastard will never change. Do you really want to make the child's life hell? My father doesn't tolerate any mistake!" shouted Severus.

Dumbledore smiled, "I talked to him. Anyway, wasn't it you who said that Harry is a spoiled, arrogant prince? And it would do him some good to have some discipline?"

'Again, that bloody smile,' thought Snape furiously.

"Can't you understand? He will abuse him? You have to do something," Snape pleaded with the headmaster.

"I'm sorry, Severus, but I really have tied hands. Harry has to stay there until he becomes a legal adult. Do you know what would happen if Harry Potter was in the minister's custody and care, or worse, some Death Eater? Can you imagine what Lucius Malfoy would do with him if Harry entered his house? No, Severus. Now, we cannot even draw people attention to Harry's guardianship. There isn't any other choice. He must stay there," he said in a voice that could stand no argument. "Anyway, I didn't know that you cared so much about him," Dumbledore added, the amusement came back to his eyes.

"The fact that the boy is Potter has nothing to do with it. I, in contrast to you, am not going to be calm and do nothing when my students are maltreated in their own homes!" yelled the furious man, not understanding how Dumbledore could sit in his office, eat his lemon drops, and not even try to do anything to help.

The headmaster leaned his hands on the desktop. The air in the room suddenly became chilly. Few people knew that this old man, pretending to be a good-natured grandfather, could have such a cold look.

"I thought that you of all people wouldn't resent the fact that I'm willing to give second chances," hissed headmaster.

Severus only looked at him with a furious expression, turned around and left the office, slamming the door on his way out.

HPHPHPHPHP

After returning home from his outing with Tobias, Harry went into his bedroom and threw himself on his bed, his face shining with a rare wide smile. He was happy. He was so grateful that Aunt Petunia found those papers. There was probably nothing better that could ever happen to him. He felt some kind of affiliation, and it was the best feeling in the world. First, his father stopped Snape's rant of insults. It was so rare that an adult stood up for him. Just that would be enough to make Harry painfully appreciative. Next, Tobias had taken him to the pizzeria. The restaurant wasn't high quality, but the pizza that they had ordered was tremendous. Now he knew why Dudley had to have it at least twice a week. He was so full that he didn't feel like eating ice-cream, so Tobias took him to the pub nearby where, it turned out, he had gone pretty often. He talked for a couple of minutes with the bartender and ordered a beer for himself and a coke for Harry. There were billiard tables in the farthest corner of the room, so the man decided to teach Harry how to play. The young wizard had to admit that his father was really good at it. For the next two hours, they played seven games, which Harry won only one, but nevertheless, Tobias told him that he had inherited his talent from him.