Severus Snape was settled in his study, the sounds of a quill scratching on parchment filling the room as he revised his class curriculums for the upcoming school term. Normally by this time in the summer, he would have already finished his school duties, however, this summer differed vastly in comparison to his previous summers.

He was just finishing the second years syllabus when a knock on his door interrupted his work. After a clearly spoken enter, the door cracked open just enough for a boy with dark brown hair and black eyes to peer into the room.

"Didn't I tell you not to disturb me this morning?" Severus asked, glancing up at the fourteen year old.

"Yeah, but I'm bored and there's nothing to do here," the boy replied as the rest of his body entered the room. He shut the door behind him, then sauntered over and plopped himself down into the chair positioned in front of Severus' large oak desk.

Severus raised an eyebrow at him, "And that warrants disrupting my work?"

The boy didn't answer, only giving a small shrug as Severus set his quill down and folded his arms across the desk.

"Well, I certainly would not have any trouble giving you additional assignments, if you have difficulty finding something productive to occupy your time, Kieran."

Kieran made a face and quickly shook his head. He leaned forward in his seat, his elbows resting on his knees. "I came to ask if you wanted to go flying with me."

"As I have said before, I have a lot of work in preparation for the new term—"

There was a dramatic groan that interrupted him, before the boy said, "But Dad, you've been holed up in here all day already!"

Severus gave him a disapproving glare at the interruption, though it didn't have the customary effect on Kieran as it usually did on his students.

"Let's go get some fresh air... and sunlight," said Kieran, glancing out the window with warm streams of sunlight filtering in. He turned back to Severus and smirked, "Which is what you sort of need right now, anyway."

"Cheeky brat," Severus muttered. He glanced at the clock, noting that he had spent a good amount of hours seated at his desk. Perhaps it was time for him to take a break, if only to stretch his stiff limbs.

"Very well, go retrieve your broom. I'll meet you out there momentarily," he conceded, waving his son off.

Kieran grinned, nearly knocking the chair over in his excitement as he stood and hastily left the room without another word. Severus shook his head at his son's antics, as he stood, stretching his legs. Usually Severus wouldn't tolerate such behavior, however, it seemed when it came to his son, Severus had inadvertently developed a soft spot for him, ever since the boy had come to stay with him for the summer.

Severus had been reluctant to believe it when the boy's mother sought him out and told him the previous year, but Clarice had explained what had happened, at least providing some proof. When Severus had met Kieran, he couldn't deny some resemblance between the boy and himself. Kieran looks similar to how Severus had at his age, the differences being that fortunately, his son didn't inherit his hooked nose, and his hair was dark brown which he inherited from his mother.

At first, he didn't want to have anything to do with the boy, having been accustomed to living alone for very long time now, until Clarice had managed to convince him to get to know his son and be a part of the boy's life. Therefore, Kieran was now staying with him for the summer at Prince Manor, a home that Severus had inherited from his mother's side. He had rarely stayed there before, mostly preferring to stay in his quarters at Hogwarts over the fairly large sized property by himself.

It was strange sharing a home with someone at first, but soon Severus found he didn't particularly mind spending time with the boy and getting to know him. Severus could admit, if only to himself, that he rather enjoyed the company and having someone to take care of and to call yours. His son was certainly more tolerable than the idiotic students he had to teach every year.

Severus was still fairly new to the whole concept of fatherhood, and considering his own dreadful childhood, it was no wonder why he was inexperienced with the ways of parenting. He didn't exactly have any competent role models. The thought had terrified him at first, suddenly realizing he had a son, when he never planned on having a family. And the only person he ever considered having that with was long dead.

Lily was the only person who saw a different side of him and the only person he had ever opened up to. That side was now concealed and padlocked away after she went and married James Potter and had the Potter spawn. Ever since then, Severus had put up a firmly constructed wall, not allowing anyone in. Deep down he knew that the only person he could ever love was Lily.

"C'mon, Dad!" a shout from Kieran snapped Severus out of his thoughts. He looked up to see the boy waiting eagerly by the door, his newly polished broom clutched in his hand.

Not wanting to keep his son waiting, Severus retrieved his own broom and followed him outside. They flew around together in the extensive back garden until sunset.

As Severus was finishing his work that evening, he thought about all that had changed in his life since he had found out about his son.

It had been a one night stand with Clarice, in his attempt to drink away his grief after that fateful Halloween night. His recollections of that night were foggy at best. He had been so drunk that it happened without him knowing. It was only the morning after when he woke up in bed with Clarice next to him that he realized what had happened. Clarice had apparently been trying to offer comfort and Kieran came into existence because of it. Even though Severus didn't have feelings for Clarice, far from it in fact, he was just trying to be a good father to their son.

Severus had been worried that he couldn't provide everything that Kieran wanted. The boy had been spoiled with extravagant gifts of the best quality by his mother ever since birth. Severus had never seen himself as wealthy by any means, even if he was a highly esteemed Potions Master and had plenty of money in his vaults to last him his lifetime. Severus just bought what he needed and nothing more, preferring not to waste money on frivolous items that had no use.

His thoughts were abruptly cut off when he felt a shift in the magic of the room. Severus stilled and instantly drew his wand, prepared for anything that could have caused the change in the air.

Suddenly, a thick letter materialized out of thin air and landed gently on the floor in front of him. He cautiously moved towards it, casting all sorts of revealing spells on it to make sure it didn't contain any curses. After finding nothing out of the ordinary, Severus picked up the letter and turned it over. What he saw made his breath catch in his throat. He had to take a seat on the settee, his legs buckling beneath him.

On the front of the letter was his name, written in familiar handwriting he thought he'd never see again.

Impossible... It can't be…

His long fingers carefully broke the seal of the envelope and slowly slid the letter out with as much care as if it was the most precious thing in the world.

A floral scent filled the air around him, and he had to suppress the memories it brought up.

Dear Severus,

First and foremost, Harry is yours, not James.

You always said you wanted to fulfill your role to ensure a safer world for our son to live in, but I wish we didn't have to resort to these measures. I hope when this letter reaches you, the war is over and you are no longer a spy for the Order. I have been wanting to tell you this for so long now and return your true memories. You had decided it would be best to have your memories removed to keep us safe when Voldemort grew suspicious of your role in the war. Dumbledore had suggested that Harry and I would stay safe here with James, and let everyone believe we were together. 

Harry has a glamour on that makes him resemble James. It's an illusion I wish every day that I could remove and have him appear as he was meant to. Harry reminds me so much of you, and yet, he's the perfect mixture of the both of us. I believe he has inherited your stubbornness and both our tempers, which can be quite a troublesome pairing sometimes. 

I don't think I will ever forget the look of pride on your face when you held our son in your arms for the first time. You can sneer and scowl at me all you want, Severus, but Harry had you simply wrapped around his little finger. I miss the days when you would come home and fall asleep in the rocking chair with Harry snuggled up against you. 

There are some days when I still expect to see you come through the door… On those rare occasions when we have visitors, Harry still toddles over as fast as he can, as if hoping to be the first one to greet you and be scooped up into your arms, just as he always did whenever you came home from a long day. 

Ever since you left, Harry has missed you so much. Recently, he threw a tantrum, causing his first incidence of accidental magic that almost broke every glass in the house. Quite an impressive feat for a one year old. He was calling for you. Harry has been doing that a lot lately, and my heart breaks every time, knowing I can't do anything about it. The stuffed doe you gave him is always tucked underneath his chin every night; he can't seem to fall asleep without it. At least Harry still has that to provide a small bit of comfort through these difficult times.

I keep telling myself this situation is temporary, that everything will turn out fine in the end, but I'm starting to sound like a broken record player. I miss you Sev. Every day when we receive the latest edition of the Daily Prophet, I wonder where you are and whether you're safe. This blasted war has torn my family apart and I don't know how much longer I can take. I can only hope that one day we will be reunited as a family again. 

But if that time never comes, I wrote letters to you, Harry, and Dumbledore, returning your memories and explaining everything on Harry's sixteenth birthday. Your true memories will replace the false ones, once you see them. Please look at them and remember, Sev. Remember all the good times we spent together as a family, and even though it was such a short amount of time, they were still the best times of my life. 

Please find our son. I believe Harry needs his father, just as much as you need your son. 

You were a great father then, and you still are. 

Please take care of our son. 

I love you, Sev. 

Always.

Your wife,

Lily Snape

Severus sat quite still for some time, staring down at the letter and rereading it over and over. His mind seemed to be temporarily unable to comprehend the words written in front of him…

Lily and I were married... We had a son together...

Harry is yours...

The boy who lived to torment every waking hour of Severus' day with his arrogance and foolish recklessness for the last five years was not a Potter?

It was as if his entire world had been flipped on its axis...

How the bloody hell did this happen?

Severus knew for a fact that Lily had ended their friendship after he'd called her that foul word in a time of humiliation. His attempts at apologizing were for naught, as she never forgave him, and ever since then, he had been regretting that day. He wouldn't hesitate to go back and change it, if he could. From that day forth, his emotions were buried deeply behind layers of his Occlumency shields, but every time he had seen Lily with Potter, all that anger, bitterness, and self loathing would rise to simmer just below the surface.

And when Severus first set eyes on their eleven year old son in the Great Hall, messy black hair with round glasses and the spitting image of James Potter, all the bitterness and hatred re-emerged and was spilled fully on the boy.

Those blasted green eyes, Lily's eyes, always reminded Severus of what he could have had.

Well, somehow, he was yours all along, Severus…

That jolted him out of his shock, and he shook himself, quickly shoving that thought from his mind.

Severus carefully tipped the envelope, catching the vial of swirling silver white memories that fell out.

Your true memories will replace the false ones...

His eyes narrowed at the glimmering vial, wondering what they contained, and which of his memories were true and which were fabricated.

Should he look at them? Did he want to? Did he even want to be Potter's father?

Severus scowled. No. I just found out I already have a son, there was no need for another, especially not Potter.

But he wasn't really a Potter, was he?

No doubt the boy wouldn't accept him as his father anyway. His relatives must pamper and spoil him— why would he want to leave them? Besides, he was still that arrogant, rule breaking, attention-seeking, impertinent teenager from school, even if he wasn't a Potter. His behavior was in every way similar to James Potter's.

But he's yours and Lily's. A tiny voice in his head spoke. He's the last thing left of Lily's.

Severus firmly shut that voice up, pushing those thoughts to the very back corner of his mind and locked the door.

Of course, somehow, Potter always seemed to find a way to disrupt his life.

He stalked back over to his desk, and with a sharp flick of his wand, his top desk drawer flew open.

No, he wasn't going to let the brat ruin this perfectly good summer with Kieran.

Apparently coming to a decision, Severus gently set the vial of memories and the letter in the drawer, telling himself that he would look at them at a later time. Then he warded it shut, ensuring it couldn't be opened by anyone other than himself.

After finishing everything, Severus swept out of his study and went straight for his bedroom, only pausing briefly to peer into Kieran's room as he passed. His son was deeply asleep on his stomach, snoring into his pillow, one arm dangling off the side of the bed. With a very fleeting upward twitch of his lips, Severus continued on his way to his own room where he fell into a restful sleep, not even sparing a second thought to the fact that he'd just found out he had another son.