"W-what?" This couldn't be happening. "No!"

Professor McGonagall looked pleased. "Well, at least now I know I'm making the right decision. Perhaps I should have taken you to Severus long ago."

"I can't go," Harry tried to explain. Not only would Snape just get madder, but the man would simply not care. And Harry didn't want to see him again.

McGonagall looked stern. "Now don't be ridiculous Harry, he won't hurt you. And I've been warning you for a while now. You know the rules of the school. I thought Severus's influence would have stopped you from breaking them-he was a very quiet boy at school himself-but it seems that you really are your father's son." McGonagall smiled. "You remind me quite a bit about James,"

Tears filled Harry's eyes. If McGonagall herself thought that he was a copy of his father, surely Snape hadn't been wrong. Harry looked down at his feet.

McGonagall, who mistook the meaning of his tears for him missing his father, said softly, "Now, now Harry. Don't be like that. Now come along. And I'm sure Severus will just talk to you. You know he is quite fond of you,"

Harry was about to bawl. No he isn't, he isn't, he isn't, he thought angrily. He set his face into a deadpan expression and followed her down the hallway. They walked until they reached the dungeons. Harry tried to look as blank as possible but he was extremely nervous.

Soon Professor McGonagall was knocking on Snape's office door and Harry was shivering in the cool air, wishing that he could run away.

The door opened after a while with Snape looking surprised.

"Minerva?"

"Yes, Severus I wanted to have a little talk with you,"

"Alright. Come inside,"

"Come on, Harry,"

"What?" Snape opened the door wider and stared at Harry, expression withering. Harry gulped and stared firmly at the floor.

"You see, Severus," Minerva walked inside the office. "Harry has broken rules several times, roaming out after lights out and picking fights. He is a good child naturally, but I think he's confused,"

Snape was looking at Harry with a burning look. It was so stern Harry thought he was going to melt. "Confused? He knows very well about the rules. He is being wilfully disobedient,"

Harry kept quiet. "Now, Severus, don't be like that. Everyone makes mistakes," Minerva said.

Severus sighed sharply. "Very well, Minerva. I'll talk to him. And hopefully you won't catch him doing such things again,"

Minerva whispered something very much like Don't be too hard on him, before nodding at Harry and leaving the office.

There was an oppressive silence.

Harry gulped, eyes still trained downwards.

"Look at me," Snape snapped and Harry reluctantly did so. "What is the meaning of this?" The man demanded. "Breaking rules, picking fights...Just like your father. You make me sick,"

Harry didn't respond.

"And the teachers probably think it's my fault, a flaw in my upbringing. Didn't I tell you I wanted you to behave? Yet you never listen! I'm heavily disappointed in you and can barely stand to look at you right now. I knew you were exactly like your father, he got in trouble in his very first week too."

Harry blinked, not saying a word.

"And you did all of these things deliberately, didn't you? I would have let you off with a lecture but I think you deserve a more severe punishment."

Now Harry started to feel scared. Snape's punishments were awful! And he had a feeling it wasn't going to be scrubbing or cleaning this time. He shifted from foot to foot, nervous.

"I think you need a smacking,"

Harry gasped sharply. Snape smacked him only sometimes, at serious offences. And Harry dreaded those smackings. They didn't happen often, but they were awful!

Harry watched with a blank expression as Snape pulled an armless chair forward.

He wanted to tell the man no, run for the door, try to explain or plead. But he didn't. He just stared quietly at the man and obediently lay over his lap when he was beckoned forward.

The first smack was hard and Harry shut his eyes but didn't say a word. The smacks were unusually solid and painful and Harry shifted a lot, but didn't say anything. He could hear Snape lecturing and expressing his disappointment above, but Harry didn't concentrate. He just did his best to stay quiet and wear out the punishment.

Snape had started to get frustrated. This wasn't like Harry at all. Harry usually cried, or said sorry, but now the boy was stiff and struggling not to make a single sound. He lay down one final smack and then pulled the boy up roughly.

"What is wrong with you?" The man demanded, shaking him. "How dare you continue to defy me,"

And Harry's tolerance died there and then. Staring angrily at the man with his tear-filled eyes he shouted, "Me? What's wrong with you!?"

This was the first time the boy had spoken the entire time.

"Me?" Snape was surprised. "What's wrong with me?"

"You know very well! You've been my guardian for almost ten years! And then, just because I'm in Gryffindor, just because I'm in my father's house, you suddenly desert me, abandon me, never look back at me! You're the worst father in the entire world!" Harry said, starting to cry. "I hate you!"

Snape froze. I hate you. Harry had only said that a few times before. And it hurt each and every time. He could do nothing but watch Harry cry.

"I don't care if you think I'm some kind of bully, or an arrogant brat. I just try to make you happy and you-and you never see it!"

Snape gulped, still too shocked to speak.

"I-I wanted to go in Slytherin, but that stupid Hat didn't listen to me. I-I was so excited for potions, I was going to-to impress you..."

"Harry," Severus shook his head. "Harry, stop. Stop crying. You know I hate it when you cry,"

"You just hate it because you don't want to d-deal with me! I'll leave, I don't want to-to be a burden anymore!"

How could he have been so stupid, so senseless? Harry had never looked like Potter again after he had brought him back home from the warehouse. He had always looked like a different boy, a boy with Lily's green eyes.

Harry had always wanted to please him, to make him happy, to get his approval. And what had he done? Pushed him away.

Snape sighed and suddenly pulled Harry close, pushing his head into his chest and holding him for a while. Harry shuddered and went still, crying quietly into the black robes.

"I...I love you, Dad. I-I'm sorry for what I did,"

"I love you too, now stop crying." Snape held him for a few more seconds and then pulled away, summoning a handkerchief. He wiped Harry's red and swollen eyes and then said, very quietly, "I was wrong. I apologise. I hope you can forgive me,"

Harry stared in wonder at the man. Severus never apologised, never! He admitted sometimes that he was wrong but never had he asked Harry to forgive him.

"Of c-course, you're my-my father," Harry wheezed.

And that sentence broke Snape's heart.

XXX

"Every Friday and Saturday?" Harry asked in wonder.

"Every free Friday and Saturday," Snape promised. "And if I call for you, then too,"

"Thank you," Harry sounded delighted.

"It's definitely no problem."

"So you'll be nicer to me in class?" Harry cuddled closer to the man.

"Not too nice, but better, I promise,"

Harry smiled widely. "Can I stay here for the rest of the day?"

Snape raised his eyebrow but before he could answer there was a knock on the door. McGonagall suddenly let herself in without permission.

"My word, what are you two-" she suddenly stopped when she saw Harry leaning against Snape on the sofa. She smiled. "Oh, so I see you two did talk?"

Snape flushed and rolled his eyes. "Yes, apparently he was breaking rules left and right because he was upset that I wasn't speaking to him,"

"And why wasn't he speaking to you, may I ask, Harry?" Minerva shook her head angrily. "Severus and his mood swings!"

"'Cause I went into Gryffindor..."

Minerva looked absolutely outraged. "No, Severus Snape, tell me this is a lie!"

Severus sighed sharply. "Minerva, even after all these years, you still seem to like nosing into my business,"

"Of course I'll nose in, young man! Harry I hope you taught him a lesson,"

Minerva and Snape argued for a few more minutes until Snape told Harry to go to his dorm and meet him later. Harry hugged him one last time and left the office, a new skip in his step, his face stretched out in a wide smile.

That night, Harry slept peacefully and without a heavy heart. He couldn't wait for Friday evening to come.