Severus was having a rather rotten day.

And, no, it hadn’t started with the green hair prank, but that certainly hadn’t helped. Something had snapped within the entire school. Even the very foundation of Hogwarts herself seemed to rebel at Umbridge’s presence – not that Severus could blame anyone. He hated the hag as much as the rest of them. Thus, while he was notone to let someone get away with a prank, he was conveniently turning a blind eye to every pranking student.

Today only, though.

Besides, if he did give a detention to every student who was involved with a prank, Severus would be trapped supervising the miscreants for the next decade.

If they lived through all this and Dumbledore was reinstated as the headmaster, Severus was going to demand a raise. He was getting too old for this kind of nonsense – yes, thirty-six was well past the prime of dealing with this crap.

Apparently the universe thought otherwise.

“Testing, one two three – is it working?”

Severus came to an abrupt halt in the corridor. He glanced around, his eyebrows furrowed and his lengthy hair whipping back and forth.

Is that… That’s Harry’s voice.

“Excellent.”

What in Merlin’s name is that boy up to now?

“Greeting, Hogwarts’ students!” said Harry, his voice booming throughout the corridor. It echoed against every wall, making the old bricks tremble. The portraits on the wall startled awake. Some began to complain, others waved furiously towards the ceiling. Their angry grumbles were drowned out. “This is your friendly neighborhood Harry Potter speaking with a public announcement. Please pay attention.”

Severus snorted. Another prank, then. Lovely. He resumed walking, lightly wondering what the boy had in store for the school. Unfortunately, Harry would be punished. There was no way around it and Severus couldn’t protect him. No doubt that hag was making her way for him like a bloodhound. The boy was acting like a Gryffindor, announcing himself like that. Too bad he wasn’t more Slytherin. Foolish boy.

“Well, to start off with: Professor Umbridge is currently in my custody.”

Severus slammed to a stop, clutching at the wall for support. His eyebrows crinkled in alarm. He stared towards the ceiling, his jaw dropping in quite the undignified fashion. 

“We, the students, have deemed her unworthy to be part of the long tradition of being Headmistress over this school. Therefore!” The boy’s voice boomed even louder. There was a pause. “I, your friendly neighborhood Harry Potter, will be taking her place as Headmaster of this school.”

The air shuddered in response. A blast of ancient magic flooded the halls and washed over every section of brick. It rushed over Severus like a wave, leaving him breathless in its wake.

What was that?

Severus sucked in his breath.

That stupid, idiotic brat! What in Merlin’s name is he thinking? He’s going to get himself expelled and thrown into Azkaban!

“Let me explain myself,” said Harry, his booming voice softening, as if he were standing next to his listeners. “You all know what happened in the hospital wing. Some of you are still suffering, even now. You know that Umbridge has lied, so that she could become the Headmistress of this school. Her agenda doesn’t include our welfare. If it did, then she wouldn’t have used a Black Quill on us. She poisoned my magic with an illegal magical object. There are still two students who haven’t woken up. They might…” There was a shaky exhale of breath. “They might never wake up.”

The pause burned the silence with its implications.

“Is this someone who is supposed to protect us? Is this who the Ministry of Magic wanted to teach us? Why have they allowed something like this to happen to us when they’re supposed to keep us safe?”

Something touched Severus’ heart. He leaned against the wall, feeling the rough texture of brick beneath his hand. 

“If so, then we have a big problem. I, for one, am tired of the world these adults have left us,” continued Harry, his voice growing more passionate. “Aren’t we the ones who have to take their place eventually? I don’t like what they’re leaving us. I don’t like what they’re forcing us to learn – or not learn. These adults are acting like idiots. They’rethe ones who are acting like children. Well, except for most of the professors here. You know who you are.”

A chuckle escaped Severus’ thinned lips, breaking the last of the furious tension in his chest. Maybe the boy was a bit more Slytherin than he’d thought.

“I’m tired of the corruption in the adult world. They expect us to do as we’re told, to follow their rules, yet they don’t do it themselves. Hypocrites. Why should we listen to a corrupt adult? Why do they get to shape ourfutures? That’s just not right. And I will not stand for it any longer.”

There was power in that boy’s voice, power that went beyond the tenor of a fifteen year old. It was the power of a leader; it breathed hope and inspiration in Severus’ heart – unlike either the charismatic Dark Lord or the grandfatherly Albus Dumbledore.

It was the voice of a hero.

And it terrified him.

“That’s why, as Headmaster of Hogwarts, I declare that all previous Ministry degrees null and void. This includes the unfair firing of professors and professors put on probation.”

“Hang on, mate, you’re not really including Trelawney, right—”

“Ron, shh.”

Golden Trio. Of course. Why am I not surprised?

“This is our chance to show the adults that we don’t need their corrupt world,” said Harry, the volume in his voice growing softer than before. It dropped to a whisper. “We fought back the only way we knew how – with pranks. And they worked. But we can do better than that because we all know in the long run it’s not enough. Let’s show them we’re better than them. We can change things, I know it.”

Severus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Weight fell upon his chest as the burden deepened in his heart. Gryffindor.Gryffindorideology.In reality, there was little the boy could do. Yet, he was making promises he would inevitably be unable to fulfill. With another sigh, Severus strode down the corridor, determined to find Harry. He had to stop this before it was too late. Umbridge’s office, perhaps? The Headmaster’s office had closed itself off in rejection to Umbridge, unless for some insane reason Hogwarts actually acceptedthe boy. 

Knowing this boy…

The recent memory of the magic rushing over him came to the forefront of his mind.

Better check anyway.

Something changed in Harry’s voice as he continued. 

“Ever since I found out that I was a wizard, I was also told that I was The-Boy-Who-Lived. I was the savior of the wizarding world. A fifteen monthold child was their savior. There were expectationson me, ones that I didn’t earn. Every year, I’ve had to face those expectations. There hasn’t been a year at this school where I haven’t had to face some kind of dark wizard who was out for my blood. Even when everyone turned against me, I was still required to be the savior of the day. A hero without support.”

Severus quickened his steps. The more the boy talked, the more worry bubbled inside Severus’ chest. If only he were closer to the Headmaster’s office…

“I don’t deserve to be your hero and savior. I’m only fifteen. I’ve done nothing to earn this. I’ve done nothing to earn that confidence, if you call it that.”

There was a pause. A deep breath could be heard.

“But that changes from now on,” said Harry, his voice stronger than ever. “I’m going to earn the title of being the savior of the wizarding world. The world wanted a hero. Well… You’ve got one.”

A chill slid down Severus’ spine. He licked his dry lips, breaking into a run. No. He couldn’t bear the thought. No!The boy was going to take on the world – now when he didn’t have to any more. Why was the boy doing this? He didn’t have to fight. The burden had been taken from him!

“But I’m going to do it myway. I’ll do my best to make it the right way. It’s going to be hard at first, but I swear that, if you trust me, we can all make a better future for ourselves – one without the threat of evil over our heads.”

Blast. The boy was making him feel proud.

“We need to be united through this. We can’t be four separate groups any more, divided by the color of our scarves and badges on our chests. I’m sure the founders of this school had the best interests at heart, but we need a major change if we’re going to survive.”

There was another deep breath.

“As Headmaster, I declare that there are no more houses. No more passwords blocking us from each other; no more house colors dividing us; no more house Quidditch—”

“What?!”

Draco… Draco, of all people, is with them?

What power did Harry have?

“—hang on, don’t get excited. There will still be Quidditch, of course, but members of each team need to have students from all of the old houses. We can’t rely on our old prejudices. This is why dark wizards like Grindelwald and Voldemort rose to power. They used our prejudices against us; Voldemort divided us by simply being sorted into a house at the age of eleven. That’s a child. And from that age, the division has fueled our every interaction with each other ever since. How is that right?”

Severus kept running towards the Headmaster’s office, appearing more like a swooping bat than a man darting with all his strength. He couldn’t stop the glowing pride in his heart at the boy’s words. How so much had changed.

“We mustbe one. I’m sure the founders never meant for it to turn out like this. We have to show the adults that their centuries of prejudices have done nothing but cripple the world. How many more dark wizards need to rise before they get a hint? Two dark wizards in a single century? How many more innocents need to die in meaningless wars? How many more orphans do they need to make?”

There was a sharp exhale of breath.

“No more,” whispered Harry.

The silence was a chilling yet hopeful promise.

“Please think about what I’ve said. If you have concerns or suggestions, you’re more than welcome to come to the headmaster’s office. The gargoyle will remain open for all. School hours should continue like before. Study hard. I will, too. I hope you will support me in this.”

There was a pause; then, a whisper.

“Hermione, can you shut this off now?”

Nothing was heard afterward. Students gasped, slamming themselves against the walls to make way for Severus. Voices in the corridors were loud and intense after Harry’s announcement. Severus ignored it all. Even the portraits were making their opinions known.

Severus had mixed feelings himself. He wasn’t sure what to think. Harry had made sense, but his words brought fear and uncertainty to Severus’ heart.

This could either change the course of history for better or for doom. Both sounded like a lot to deal with; though, it did bring some interesting thoughts to mind. What would have happened if the prejudices hadn’t existed? What if there had been no house segregation? Would Severus had fallen in with the wrong crowd? Would he and Lily been better friends? Would it have led to something more?

Harry could’ve so easily been his biological son.

And while it would’ve been so easy to slip into wishful thinking, Severus forced his thoughts onto the present. He didhave a son. Biological or not, Harry was his now. And the boy needed his guidance in the years to come. He needed Severus’ support. He needed his…

Yes.

He needed his love.

Well, of course, after Severus strangled the boy for this idiocy.