January 13, 1981
Carrying the baby in his arms, James Potter stood on the porch of the dilapidated home wondering if he was doing the right thing. Gazing at the baby who slept peacefully, his little chest rising and falling with each breath he took, James made his decision and stepped forward before shifting his grip on the baby. Once the baby was balanced in the crook of his arm, he used his free hand to knock on the wooden door.
There was silence for a long moment before the door creaked open. Standing in the threshold was a tall man dressed in unforgiving black with ebony-black hair tied back away from his face and eyes like onyxes, both of which contrasted with his pale face. He stood gazing at James with surprise and wariness in his eyes before he stepped away from the door.
“Come in before someone sees you,” he said not unkindly though James could tell he was either frustrated or worried.
James did as he was told stepping into the small room. He didn’t think he’d ever see the inside of his best friend Severus Snape’s secondary home. He had only ever seen him during the time he and his mother had spent at Prince Manor after his father was killed in a drunken car accident when he was six. James first met Severus when they were seven, one year after Severus’s father was killed, and the Potters and Princes attended an annual Christmas party with other pureblood families. James, quickly bored of the adult party, had wandered into the backyard of Malfoy Manor and founded Severus.
Severus was unfortunately being harassed by a few Slytherin purebloods, mainly Abraxas Malfoy’s son Lucius and his posse of friends. That was because, James learned later, Severus was considered, by pureblood Slytherins, an anathema because of his half-blood status. But James was an only child and never had to deal with bullies though he had some friends at Wizarding Primary School that were bullied because of their blood status. His mother had always told him that bullying someone just because they were unlucky enough to be born half-blood, which wasn’t in anyway their fault, was bad. She then told him that if he ever saw someone get bullied then he should tell a teacher or an adult.
And that was what James tried to do when he saw Severus get bullied by the older kids. Unfortunately, all of the adults were busy and James had been taught to never interrupt, to wait until the conversation was over. When Severus got hurt though, it irked James and he, since he couldn’t get an adult’s attention, walked up to Lucius and told him to leave Severus alone.
He ended up with a black eye but, years later, James decided that it was worth it because that was the beginnings of a friendship that was still going strong.
He and Severus were opposites and yet they were able to stay friends for a long time. In truth, they had become brothers; opposite in temperament but still there for each other, ready to back each other up if necessary. It wasn’t as if it was impossible to be friends with someone who is the complete opposite of you and James had discovered that when he became friends with Severus.
“What are you doing here, James?” Severus’s voice brought James back to the present and he blinked before glancing at his friend who had led him into the living room. The living room didn’t seem at all habitable but then James knew the only reason why Severus was staying there; it was because of a plot to bring down the necromancer known as Voldemort that Albus Dumbledore had put together.
It began when a false Seer by the name of Sybil Trelawney uttered a nonsensical prophecy that declared that the son of a couple who thrice defied Voldemort would defeat him. Dumbledore decided to use the prophecy to bring about a final end to Voldemort and that led to his best friend infiltrating the ranks of Death Eaters, servants of Voldemort, to spy for the Order of the Phoenix. James never learned the full story of why his best friend decided to spy on Voldemort for the Order; he only knew that Lucius Malfoy had approached Severus with the offer back when the friendship between the two of them ended after an argument over Lily Evans occurred, an argument that James still regrets. He had thought Severus was trying to come between him and Lily, since Severus had made it clear that he liked Lily, and he refused to believe it when Severus insisted that he wouldn’t jeopardize their friendship over a girl.
James and Severus had talked after that and James had apologized for being a “dunderhead” as Severus called him. He had accepted that since it was true; he was being an idiot for not believing the friend who has never lied to him before. It was at that time that Severus told him about his decision to join the ranks of the Death Eaters to spy for the Order.
James had a feeling that Dumbledore was the one who somehow swayed Severus to do it; the old Headmaster could be manipulative in order to get what he wanted and possibly saw the benefits of having a spy in Voldemort’s ranks. That didn’t mean James had to like it.
Either way, Severus did turn spy and, on orders from Dumbledore, delivered Trelawney’s words to Voldemort. Dumbledore insisted that the prophecy would keep Voldemort busy until the Order could make their move against him; he never expected Voldemort to take the words more seriously than he should have, especially since it was only half the actual prophecy. He learned that when Severus told him and told him that Voldemort had narrowed down the list to two possible families; the Longbottoms and James and his family.
As a result, James, his wife Lily and their son Harry were sent into hiding.
James was taking a huge risk by coming out of hiding to visit Severus; at any moment, a Death Eater could spot him and report his location to Voldemort or, worse, kill him himself but he had to do it. It was to ensure that his son had a good safe future should anything happen to him and Lily.
James could only hope the glamour he had used to hid his and Harry’s features would fool any Death Eaters within the area but he also made sure to send a letter, spelled to where only the one it was addressed to could open it, to Severus so that he knew what James would look like when he came to visit. In the letter, James never said why he was visiting him.
“I always knew Gryffindors never paid attention when someone talks to them but this is ridiculous,” Severus said part-amused, part irritated.
James blinked cursing himself for losing himself in his memories. He sighed. “Sorry,” he said. “Is this place secure?”
“It might be best if we continue this discussion somewhere else.” Severus gestured to the floo before walking toward it. Tossing the floo powder into the floo, he called out, “Prince Manor” before stepping through the green flames. Tightening his hold on Harry, James followed him. Once they were in the private study within Severus’s ancestral home, a place protected by several layers of ancient protection spells that none with evil intent and/or bore the dark mark with the exception of Severus could get through, James turned to look at his friend.
“I need your help.”
Severus’s eyebrows rose. “My help?”
“Yes. I’m afraid. I know that we’re supposed to be protected, what with Pettigrew being our Secret Keeper, but I can’t help but worry. Maybe I’m just paranoid but I’m starting to think Lily and you are right about not trusting Pettigrew.”
“Took you long enough,” Severus said. “Hate to say it but Black would be a better Secret Keeper.” He and Sirius Black never got along though they tolerated each other except when Sirius nearly got him killed back in sixth year. That was the day that James nearly stopped being friends with him.
He smiled a little. “I need to get to the point,” he said. “I’m risking a lot by coming here but I want to make sure my son is safe. Lily doesn’t think you’ll help, she still doesn’t trust you since you took the mark even though Dumbledore tried to explain to her that you weren’t really a Death Eater, but I know you will.”
“Help with what exactly? Harry’ll be fine so long as Pettigrew keeps his mouth shut.”
“That’s my point, Severus. I don’t trust Pettigrew to keep his mouth shut,” said James. “I wish I could change Secret Keepers but it’s too late now.” He shook his head.
Severus gazed at him with concern in his obsidian eyes. “You’re talking as if you already know you’re going to die,” he said.
“Maybe I am,” James said softly before he looked up at Severus. “I named you Harry’s godfather, Severus, though unofficially since Harry can only have one godfather and Sirius was named the official one. If something happens to me and Lily—”
“Nothing will happen to either of you,” Severus insisted.
James went on as if his friend hadn’t spoke, “—and Harry, somehow, survives then promise me that you will protect him.” He knew that Severus’s position within the Death Eaters would make it impossible for him to take care of Harry.
Severus looked shocked. “Did you get knocked on your head when you were coming through the floo?” he asked.
James snorted. “I’m serious, Sev. I’m not asking you to take him in, since I know you’ll say no and you can’t because of your duties, I’m just asking for you to protect him.”
“James, you know I will but if something happens to you and Lily then what makes you so sure Harry will survive?”
“I don’t know. It’s just a feeling,” James admitted realizing that the shock wasn’t because of his request but rather because of how he voiced his request, how he made it seem as if he already knew Harry would survive. It was that feeling he mentioned but he couldn’t explain it even to himself. “I can’t understand it.”
Severus raised an eyebrow again before looking at the baby that had just woken up and was now gazing around wide curious eyes; their true color, an emerald green identical to his mother’s, was hidden because of the glamour so they were brown at the moment.
“So you’ll do it?” James asked.
Severus snorted. “I said I would. Something wrong with your hearing?” He said with a slight sneer but James, used to his friend’s mannerism, ignored it.
“Just making sure,” he said. “I’d better be getting back. Goodbye Sev.”
“Goodbye James,” Severus said. James decided not to think about the worry he heard in his best friend’s voice as he turned around before floo-traveling away even though he had the feeling that he would never see his best friend again.
October 31, 1981
Severus Snape did not hear the news; he had been one of the first on the scene after the Dark Lord’s disappearance. He had been the first one to close his best friend’s eyes while reiterating his promise to protect Harry. He had been the one who first entered the nursery, the first one to see the cold, lifeless body of the woman he had once loved. He had been the first one to see the empty upturned crib.
It was only after he returned to Hogwarts that Severus learned where his unofficial godson had been taken; Albus Dumbledore had taken him to live with his Aunt Petunia, Lily’s muggle sister. That was only because Sirius Black, who was supposed to have taken Harry in, had been sentenced to Azkaban for supposedly betraying James and Lily and killing twelve muggles along with Peter Pettigrew.
Severus didn’t think Black capable of killing twelve innocent muggles though he could completely understand Black’s desire to kill Pettigrew; he, himself, wanted to as well for Peter Pettigrew, whom James and Lily had named as their Secret Keeper, had betrayed them. If there was anyone in the world, other than Voldemort, that Severus wanted dead or in Azkaban then it was Peter Pettigrew.
Still, as he was only an unofficial godfather, Severus couldn’t take custody of Harry unless James had put it in his will, which Albus had sealed in the Potter vault after the murders. However, since Severus didn’t know Petunia that well, he figured that Harry would be all right. That did not stop him from forgetting the promise he made to James, his best friend.
Severus Snape never forgot his promises and he never broke them.
He would protect his unofficial godson no matter what.