Snape stomped through the patchy garden and followed his instincts as to where to find the person. He had known that he was being stalked for a while now, but this was the limit. The blood was rushing in his ears and he was trembling-not just out of anger, but because of how suspicious the contents of the letter were...

I know who you are...and I know who you have...

Who you have...

Harry! What did this person want with Potter?

You won't get away with this, traitor.

That made no sense-Why was he a traitor?

Who was this person?

Snape stopped abruptly and scanned the area. He strained his ears to listen. He was standing on the street, quite alone.

Suddenly he saw it-somebody advancing upon him and casting a spell...

Snape blocked it vigorously and thick smoke filled the air. By the time the smoke cleared, the somebody was gone...

XXX

Furious, Snape trudged back home and checked on Harry. Thankfully, the baby was still sleeping peacefully, tufts of rough, black hair peeping through the blanket.

Snape went back to the kitchen and inspected the window frames. But for some reason, there were no finger-prints. Perhaps the person had worn gloves?

Whoever this person was, he was definitely not a Muggle, but a wizard (or witch?) and Snape was going to catch him.

Snape put the bottle of alcohol away contemptuously, and went to his bedroom. It took hours for him to settle down to sleep. He spent a long time thinking about the contents of the letter, trying to figure out what they meant...

He was just thinking of contacting Dumbledore, when his eyes drooped and dreamless sleep consumed him.

XXX

Snape felt Harry nuzzle his nose into his hair and he sighed with irritation.

"Dumbledore will be coming soon, Potter-the matter is quite serious now. I suggest you stop messing about and go to sleep,"

"No!" Harry said, good-naturedly. He pulled Snape's hair. Snape wondered why he was so fascinated by his stupid hair.

The man put him down with difficulty and then went to prepare the refreshments. Harry followed him everywhere, crawling with absurd speed.

Finally, Severus picked the baby up and put him down on the carpet. He passed him the Lego.

"There, let's play a game, Potter. Let's build,"

Harry nodded obediently and started to build haphazardly. Many a time he twisted his arms between him and looked up at Snape, grinning, and then started again.

"Aaaah!" Harry said, trying to break the building by butting his head on the Lego. He got hurt instead and Snape hastily gathered him into his arms so that Harry was surrounded by black and was sniffling mournfully.

Unfortunately, this incident put Harry off playing with the Lego altogether and he instead began to talk to 'Evrus', desperate to tell him all about those folk he had lived with before, the sweet woman and the joking father.

While listening to Harry's chatter and scanning the windows occasionally, Snape forgot all about Dumbledore's imminent arrival until the doorbell rang.

"Oh! Incorrigible brat, you made me forget!" Snape hissed, putting Harry down.

"Sohwwy!" Harry said worriedly, seeing Snape rush away.

Snape opened the door composedly enough, however, and saw Dumbledore, wearing bright yellow robes today, and...Minerva, who seemed to be worried.

"Er...Dumbledore-Minerva. Glad you could come at such a short notice."

"It was no problem, Severus. You said there was a serious matter you had to discuss?" Dumbledore asked, curiously.

"Yes. Come inside," Snape led them inside the house. They walked over to the living room, sunlight streaming in. Harry was still sitting on the rug, looking sad.

When he saw Snape he crawled over to him and grabbed his leg tightly, not letting go.

"Potter, stop it at once!" Snape kicked slightly, trying to get Harry off. The baby did not budge but held tighter.

"Sometimes I wonder if he is simple," Snape scowled, as he bent and picked Harry up, pulling him away.

Dumbledore was chuckling but Minerva narrowed her eyes impatiently. "No time for jokes! We were here to find out what had happened. Oh, give him here Severus, you are just making him cry,"

Snape, who had been scolding a sobbing Harry, handed him over gratefully and took a seat.

Harry relaxed enough in Minerva's hold but he couldn't help feeling that Evrus's hold was much better.

Then the talk commenced; Snape told Dumbledore and Minerva every single thing-about the strange movements, the stalking, the letter, him running to catch the person...

"You left Harry alone?" Minerva was appalled and indignant.

"He was sleeping-" Snape started.

"Just think if whoever the person was broke into the house and kidnapped him! You ought to be more careful!"

"What is done is done." Dumbledore said quickly, seeing that Snape was opening his mouth with no intention of the forthcoming words to be polite. "What did the letter say again, Severus?"

"I know who you are and who you have...you won't get away with this," Snape murmured. "Who I have-they're obviously after Potter,"

"Pot!" Harry agreed.

"But why? Who are they?" Minerva looked very concerned.

Dumbledore was silent for a bit. "We should keep a look-out. Severus, take extra care of Harry. We will need to investigate and look into the matter. It was good of you to inform us. We should be going now."

And Dumbledore stood up. Snape remembered that he hadn't offered them any refreshments.

"Would you like tea or coffee?" He asked, warily.

"No, but thank you for the offer," Dumbledore smiled. "Goodbye Severus, we will meet again very soon."

And with many goodbyes and last-minute warnings as to how to take care of Harry, the two of them left. Snape went to pick Harry up and put him down for a nap.

But in the way to the room, the baby suddenly bit down on Snape's fingers and Snape gasped and almost dropped him.

"Don't you ever bite me again," Snape said, dangerously. Harry stared back at him defiantly. "The next time you do such a thing, I will sit down and pull you over my knee. Is that clear?"

Harry didn't like Evrus's tone. Still glaring, he opened his mouth and began to scream at the top of his lungs.

Snape was very startled and he rushed to the boy's room and put him in the crib. Harry only screamed louder.

The young man looked around the room hopelessly, trying to think of something to quieten the brat down. Finally, Snape scowled and got the little owl toy that Harry seemed to like so much.

"Here, brat. Play with this," he ordered.

Harry snatched the owl and glared at it. But then he sniffled and hugged it close to his wet cheek. "Birdie," He said, lovingly.

Snape gestured to Harry with his bitten, slightly red hand. "See what you did," he said, sternly.

Harry stared at the hand, still holding the owl. He looked contrite. "Sohwwy," he said, very softly. He crawled closer to Evrus and tried to reach for his hand.

"Stop these theatrics. I don't accept your apology. Now go to sleep while I set up some wards around here. As usual you bring nothing but trouble with yourself,"

Harry obediently lay down, playing with the little owl until his eyes began to droop and he fell asleep, yawning.

XXX

After setting up wards at Harry's door, Snape went to his own room for a small nap before he was to begin his chores of cooking and cleaning up the house. There weren't many days for the winter holidays to end-In fact, day after tomorrow was Christmas. After six more days of December, it would be January and a New Year, and after a few more days, the wretched school would start again and he would have to teach those annoying children. He could leave Harry with some elves in his quarters and then teach the students...yes, that was a good idea.

Snape settled into an uncomfortable slumber on his large bed, and suddenly he had a rather strange dream...

He could see Lily and Potter Sr. sitting on the sofa and talking, while the little Potter slept in the cot beside them.

"I'm so happy we got married," James was saying, dreamily.

"Yes, I really wanted it. I knew there was something about you from the minute I saw you. Even on the train," Lily replied.

Somewhere in the dream, the dream-him felt a stab of betrayal and hurt.

Lily and James were just about to kiss when Harry suddenly began crying.

"What's wrong?" Lily picked Harry up, who looked an exact copy of her husband. For some reason, the lightning-shaped scar was already on Harry's forehead, and it was red and bleeding...

There was a scream of horror from Lily and the dream ended abruptly, Snape biting his lip to stop himself from yelling aloud.

That was the strangest dream he had ever had...Panting, he drank some water, bitterly remembering the way Lily and James had seemed so in love.

"She never loved me, never," He finally realised. She had never, never loved him! He was a fool.

Throwing the glass away, he ran his fingers distractedly through his hair. He suddenly heard soft cries and his blood boiled. How dare he stoop to such a level? He was not a servant of the Potters!

He got up and went to Harry. When he reached the room he saw Harry crying, pointing out of the window. Snape was too angry to realise just how significant the matter was.

"What?"

Harry jabbed his finger at the window again and again, but Snape would not understand. "I'm warning you, Potter," Snape said. "One more sound out of you and I'll make sure you're Silencio-ed for the rest of the day."

"No!" Harry said, angrily.

"Argue as much as you want," Snape said. He snapped the curtains close so that the window was covered. He turned around and saw Harry blinking up at him with furious green eyes.

Lily's wretched eyes.

And suddenly Harry used the bars of his crib for support and smacked Snape one.

It didn't hurt much, but the daring and gall of the boy was too much for Snape to tolerate. He raised his own hand and, blinded, was about to strike, when Harry hid his face and started crying.

He stopped, lowering his hand guiltily. "I...I didnt..." He tried to justify his sudden move but he couldn't. He just stood there, staring at Harry crying.

"Be quiet!" He said, weakly. "Just stop."

Harry didn't listen.

"Potter," Snape tried his best to contain his anger. He could feel it pulsing through him, but he took deep breaths. Babies behaved like this all the time...but even as he thought this, he felt his magic rise as his anger rose too, and when Harry just sobbed loudly, he shouted: "Potter! Just shut that insolent mouth of yours and go to sleep!"

There was a loud crackling sound and Snape felt himself cancel the protective wards in his anger.

"Fine! Do what you want then! If you do not need me then you don't need these wards either!" And he stormed out of the room.

"EVRUS!" Harry squealed, suddenly sounding extremely frightened. "Evrusssss!" Short squeals were issuing from the room.

Snape kept on walking angrily until he had whipped off his travelling cloak from the peg, and was wearing it. He didn't turn back until he was at the door and opening it forcefully, and, without a single protection charm, slamming it with immense force and walking off, away, away from Harry, and away from everything, a mistake that would haunt him to the grave.