Next Chapter: Strong Emotions

               Escape from Azkaban, the heading on the Daily Prophet read.

With cold, piercing eyes, Severus stared down at the face of an old tormentor holding a prison number in a mugshot, the dim light of the lamp offering little to lessen how dark the look on Sirius’s face was.

How had he broken free of Azkaban, one of the most secure prisons on the planet? It was a shock when Severus learned that Sirius Black had been a spy to the Dark Lord and had betrayed the Potters. He still struggled to believe the story, as he had not once encountered Black at any of the meetings, but that was not to say the Dark Lord did not have meetings with potential spies outside those meetings. Yet, why on earth would Black have turned on the Potters? James Potter and Sirius Black had been inseparable as students at Hogwarts. He had been James’ best man at the wedding. He was even named Harry’s godfather when the baby had been born.

The only assumption Severus could make was that the Dark Lord had threatened Black’s life, tortured him, even, and Black had caved and turned spy to save himself.

               Coward.

               It was the only logical explanation that made sense in Severus’s head. There was no other plausible reason Black would turn on the Potters. It just didn’t make sense.

               But now, Black was free, and most likely itching to finish the job the Dark Lord had started—killing Harry. And that made Severus very anxious and fearful for his son’s life. No, he would not allow Black to touch Harry with a thirty-nine-foot pole, forget harming Harry. He was not taking any chances.

               A noise caught Severus’s attention, and he quickly folded the paper in a way that the front page was hidden from view, and he sat up straighter in his armchair and glanced over his shoulder to see Harry stepping into the dark kitchen.

               “It is late, Harry,” Severus said. “What are you doing up still?”

               “I couldn’t fall asleep,” Harry said as he shuffled over to his father with a cup of water. He raised the cup slightly. “Just getting a drink. Why are you still up?”

               “Just reading,” Severus answered.

               Harry leaned against the arm of the chair Severus was sitting in and took a few gulps of the water, looking down at the paper Severus was holding. Severus realized Harry probably wouldn’t have been able to make out much on the paper anyway as the child was not wearing his glasses, and the small table lamp was the only light on in the house at the moment. Regardless, Severus felt better having hidden away Sirius Black’s face, at least for now. He knew he would inevitably have to talk about the convict before school started up, as there would be several new rules in place then.

               Severus was surprised when Harry leaned over and kissed his cheek. It was rare that Harry initiated physical affection that wasn’t directly after a punishment, and Severus charted it up to Harry being raised in a home that wanted little to do with him. However, Harry was starting to feel more comfortable doing so with Severus, probably due to Severus’s own physically expressive mannerisms.

               “Thank you for letting me fly Oppilamani,” Harry said. “Giovanna and I had a lot of fun.”

               “Of course,” Severus said as he gently pulled Harry around the arm of the chair and then into his lap. “I’m sorry your friends were unavailable for a real birthday party.”

               “I didn’t mind much,” Harry said. He set his cup of water down on the end table next to the lamp before leaning back into his father, resting his head on Severus’s shoulder. “Hermione is on vacation with her family and Ron’s family won the lottery. They’re in Egypt visiting one of his brothers, I think. They’re having fun. I had fun, too.”

               Severus reclined the chair back slightly, allowing Harry to stretch out his legs next to his own. He carded a hand through Harry’s hair, gently stroking Harry’s scalp.

               “Don’t you think I’m getting a little too old for this?” Harry asked, glancing up at his father.

               “I’ll decide when you’re too old to be held by your father,” Severus growled playfully as he rubbed a warm hand over Harry’s cold hands.

               “Sure, you will,” Harry joked, wrapping both hands around his fathers’ to steal the warmth from him. He hesitated, then turned Severus’s hand palm up, where a scar marred the center of Severus’s palm.

               “What happened to your hand?” Harry asked, gently tracing the scar.

               “I cut it.”

               “Obviously,” Harry said in a slow, serious tone that sounded too much like himself Severus couldn’t help but chuckle. He ruffled Harry’s hair before resuming his gentle stroking.

               “You got me. It was a while ago, back during your little adventure into the Chamber of Secrets. I had . . .” Severus hesitated before asking, “You realize how much you scared me with that near-death experience, don’t you?”

               “Yeah,” Harry answered softly.

               “Enough to drive me to drink.”

               Harry’s head shot up and his wide eyes met Severus’s dark ones.

               “You didn’t, did you?” Harry asked.

               “I did not. I came very close to it though, but I broke the glass bottle in my hand, and it cut me.”

               Harry was quiet as he processed what Severus had said, staring at the jagged scar on Severus’s palm, a finger trailing along the edges of it.

               “Why didn’t you heal it?” Harry asked. “Don’t you have scar repair potions?”

               “I do. But it’s a good reminder.”

               Harry looked up at Severus again, and Severus snorted at the concern written all over his son’s face. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss on Harry’s temple, bringing his hand up to smooth away the worry lines on Harry’s forehead.

               “It’s nothing to worry about. There will be days that tempt me and challenge my limits, especially when it comes to you, but my decisions are my own, and they impact more than just me now. I need to remember that, no matter how frightening the day.”

               “I didn’t help though,” Harry said.

               “No, you did not. But you and I already had a discussion on your behavior that day, and I hope I’ve left an impression so something like that does not happen again.”

               “You did.”

               “I hope so.” Severus detangled his fingers from Harry’s hair and reached down to give his son two firm taps on his bottom. “You know what to expect if it does.”

               “I won’t.” Harry’s face turned red, and he squirmed as he grabbed Severus’s arm and wrapped it around himself, so the man was hugging him now. Harry draped an arm over Severus’s torso and snuggled into his father, muttering, “I promise.”

               “Good to hear,” Severus said, tightening his arms around his son and resting his chin atop Harry’s head. He closed his eyes, feeling as Harry shivered slightly against him, and he waved a hand, summoning a blanket that flew into the room and draped over the two. Harry closed his eyes and sighed contently, and Severus could feel him relaxing and slowly becoming dead weight against him.

               “I love you, Dad,” Harry whispered.

               “I love you, too,” Severus said, kissing the top of Harry’s messy hair. “So very much.”

               The next couple of days, Severus managed to hide the front-page news of the Daily Prophet from Harry as his owl delivered them, keeping Sirius Black’s escape a secret from his son for as long as possible. However, that ended when Harry’s Hogwarts letter came with his list of school supplies and requirements for the year. Severus had been working in his lab on a very sensitive potion when Harry ran into the lab with the dreaded parchment in hand.

               “Dad, my Hogwarts letter came!” Harry said excitedly. “And a Hogsmeade permission slip. I’ve heard Fred and George talk a lot about the trips, I can’t wait to go on them now. Can you sign it? Please?”

               “Harry, I am in the middle of a potion,” Severus said, as he continued counting in his head. This potion required being stirred twenty-nine times every minute for a total of twelve minutes before the aconite could be added to it, which would make the potion a little less sensitive.

               “Sorry,” Harry said, not sounding the least bit apologetic. “Can’t you just wave your hand to sign it? I’ve seen you do that before. Then it’ll be done.”

               “Not now. You and I need to have a discussion about the Hogsmeade trips. Now please.”

               Severus said nothing else as he finally reached twenty-nine stirs and removed the stirrer, glancing at the clock to watch the seconds hand count out sixty seconds.

               “Are you done now?” Harry asked tentatively. “What is there to talk about? All the rules are listed in the letter, and I promise I’ll be good on the trips, and I’ll follow any additional rules you want me to have, I won’t even complain about them.”

               Severus grinded his teeth as he tried to tune Harry out and focus on the clock. Thirty seconds ticked by; thirty more seconds to go, but Harry was clearly on some overexcited sugar high as he kept pushing the subject.

               “Can’t you talk and work on the potion at the same time? Why can’t you just wave your hand and spell your signature on it and then it’s done? Do you think—”

               “You’re not going!” Severus finally yelled at his son, turning to glare at him.

               Harry fell silent quickly with a befuddled look on his face as he took a hesitant step back.

               Then Severus heard the potion bubble angrily in the cauldron and he turned back to it to see it turn into a black, bubbly goo and he growled loudly, throwing his hands up in frustration before running a hand through his hair, grinding his teeth again.

               After a few seconds of breathing, Severus snatched the Hogsmeade permission slip and slammed it down on the table, the action making Harry jump a bit.

               “Get out,” Severus snapped.

               “Dad, I’m really sorry . . .”

               “Get. Out.” Severus reiterated, pointing a finger at the door.

               Harry’s cheeks were red as he lowered his head and quickly left the lab, leaving Severus to stew alone for a moment. Severus leaned onto the table, glaring down at the permission slip in front of him. He didn’t want to deal with anything Sirius Black right now, or ever, but he knew he couldn’t put it off any longer. He had nearly forgotten about the Hogsmeade trips, and now he would have to take that away from Harry who had clearly been looking forward to them. He closed his eyes, running a hand down is face as he thought over how best to handle the Hogsmeade problem. No matter what he did, Harry was going to be upset. He could not risk his son’s life though, so Harry would have to deal with the loss.

               Once he felt more composed, Severus glanced at the ruined potion that was now a burnt goo. He vanished the mess, though some of the burnt-on residue refused to magically lift off the cauldron. Another spell would take care of that, but Harry could also spend some time scrubbing away the mess he had caused. Severus sent the cauldron flying over to his sink before he picked up the permission slip, sliding it in his robe pocket, and left his lab, closing the door behind him with an unnecessarily loud click. He stepped out of his bedroom and headed for Harry’s room, where he found his son lying face down on his bed, his eyes red, but no tears streaked his face—yet.

               He cleared his throat before crooking a finger at Harry.

               Harry swallowed but pushed out of his bed and slowly walked over to his father, his hands reaching behind himself in a subtle attempt to protect his bottom. Severus waited until Harry was directly in front of him before he grabbed his son, turned him, and swatted him twice, earning a small yelp from Harry.

               “You know better than to act in such an impulsive, childish manner while I am working in my lab,” Severus scolded.

               “I know,” Harry said, a tear finally escaping his eye and trailing down his cheek. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin your potion; I was so excited.”

               “I understand that, but that was a very valuable, time-consuming potion, not to mention an expensive one to brew, and you distracted me long enough for it to destroy itself. Not only have I wasted materials, I have to start over.”

               “I really am sorry for that, Dad. I can help you. What kind of potion was it?”

               “Never mind that,” Severus said. “You will be scrubbing the cauldron later to clean up the mess you made as punishment. Right now, we need to talk about this.” Severus pulled out the permission slip and held it out to Harry, who took it and frowned at the unsigned parchment.

               “You said I wasn’t going,” Harry said. He looked up at Severus with a frown. “Is that true?”

               “For now, it is,” Severus said.

               “So you’re not going to sign it? Why?”

               “Before you start throwing a tantrum and undoubtedly land yourself in serious trouble,” Severus began with a warning look, “sit down and listen.”

               Harry sat down on the edge of his bed while Severus pulled out the desk chair, moving it so he was sitting directly in front of Harry. Severus summoned the Daily Prophet and unfolded it back to the front page and showed it to Harry. Harry set the permission slip down at his side and took the paper, his brows furrowing at the man in the picture.

               “That is Sirius Black,” Severus explained. “He is a prisoner of Azkaban, a very dangerous man, and as we speak, he is also at large.”

               “At large? You mean he escaped prison?”

               “Yes. He is believed to be a spy for the Dark Lord, and he is the reason the Dark Lord managed to find your parents that fateful night. He is a known murderer, as before his arrest, he killed thirteen muggles and his friend, Peter Pettigrew.”

               “That’s awful,” Harry said. “Why would he do that?”

               “I am not sure,” Severus said, despite the many reasons his brain could come up with as to why Black may have done what he did. “Regardless, it is imperative that you follow every rule I am about to give you.”

               “What does he have to do with me?”

               “As I said, he was a spy for You-Know-Who, and he is the reason your parents’ secret location was found.”

               Harry’s eyes widened as he realized what that could mean.

               “You think he’ll come after me?” Harry asked.

               “I do not know what he’ll do, but it is highly probable that he will target you and try to finish the job he started.”

               Harry looked back at the photo on the paper, staring intently at Black’s face for another minute. Severus waited patiently for Harry to draw his own conclusions and, fingers crossed, to not blow up in an emotional outburst. Harry slowly lifted his head to meet Severus’s eyes, and Severus sighed as he saw the arguments forming behind those spectacles.

               “This is why you don’t want to sign my permission slip.”

               “Yes,” Severus agreed. “With Sirius Black on the loose, I cannot take any chances with your life. Any opportunity Black may be presented with to get to you, he could take, and these Hogsmeade trips are too chaotic, not well supervised, and anything could go wrong. Furthermore, you will not be permitted to wander the castle grounds alone, and you most certainly won’t be allowed somewhere that you could easily slip out of sight and vanish. So no, Harry, I will not be signing your permission slip.”  

               “What if I stay near the professors? I won’t go out of their sight, I promise! I’ll even follow any extra rules you give me and—”

               “My rule is that you are not going, now stop and listen—”

               “What if they find him?” Harry asked. “What if he goes back to prison?”

               “Then we’ll revisit this subject. But until then, I do not feel comfortable about you wandering around Hogsmeade. And with that said, you will not seek, pursue, or even think about looking for Sirius Black.”

               “Why would I do that?” Harry’s jaw dropped.     

               “Your track record as of late has not been promising. You’ve always found a way to defy the rules, but not this time. You will not concern yourself with Sirius Black, and as long as you stay in Hogwarts, you will be safe. And if you need to be outside for any reason—Quidditch practice, Herbology—you always stay in a group of friends or classmates. You are never to be the last student outside, nor are you allowed outside on your own.”

               “This isn’t fair!” Harry exclaimed, shoving the Daily Prophet aside. He gestured wildly at the paper. “What if he’s not even after me? What if all of this has nothing to do with me?”

               “Then that would be excellent news,” Severus said, forcing himself to remain calm, “but I don’t know what Black wants. No one does. For all we know, he could go into hiding and no one will hear of him for years. He could be after the Dark Lord himself, hoping to resurrect him. He might be after you. My concern is you, and if there is any chance he wants to come after you, then I need to do what I must to protect you, even if you hate me for it. I’m not signing your permission slip, and that is final.”

               Harry’s eyes fell on the permission slip at his side, and he glared at it, though Severus could see he was fighting back tears.

               “Fine. I didn’t want to go anyway,” Harry muttered.

               “You have every right to be upset. I’m sorry you can’t go with your friends, but you and I can visit Hogsmeade at any time.”

               “It won’t be the same.”

               “I know.” Severus stood up and gently ran his fingers through Harry’s hair soothingly. He wished he could make it up to Harry, perhaps somehow make Hogsmeade the safest magical town on Earth, but he could not, and Harry would just have to miss out on the Hogsmeade visits. It wasn’t like they would be forever; Black would be caught and then Harry could join his friends on the trip. One day, Harry would understand the sacrifice. But right now, he was an emotional teenager who just lost out on the biggest social events of the year.

               “I’m sorry, Harry. I truly wish it were different for you.” Severus leaned forward to kiss Harry’s forehead, but Harry fell back on his bed before Severus could, and the child buried his face in his pillow, not making any sounds, just pouting. Severus tried not to feel hurt by the action and instead said, “Very well. I expect you to be in the lab to clean that cauldron in an hour. Change into a robe.”

               Severus returned to his lab to brew the potion he had lost earlier. Thankfully, Albus was supplying most of the ingredients, so he didn’t have to pay any extra for most of the supplies. There were three million other potions he’d rather brew, but he had to complete several batches of this one before he could consider working on any others. It was an inconvenience, but a job he would complete to the fullest of his capabilities as the students’ lives were at risk, including his own stubborn little student.

               An hour later, he was almost finished with his first batch, and he looked around for Harry. He frowned when Harry did not appear, but he could not leave the potion alone, so he kept working. If Harry did not appear when he was finished, he would drag his son to the lab.

Harry strolled into the lab fifteen minutes later, wearing one of his school robes and giving Severus a cautious look. Severus directed Harry to the sink where the cauldron waited to be scrubbed, and Harry put on his pair of gloves hanging on the wall and began soaking the cauldron first before he scrubbed vigorously.

               They worked in silence for several minutes, Severus finishing the potion and vialing it in seven labeled vials, and Severus set them on a high shelf out of his son’s reach. He knew Harry had been trying to sneak a peek at what was written on the vials, and he didn’t want to answer any more questions regarding what was to come for the new school year.

               It took Harry forty minutes to clean the cauldron of its caked-on goo, and Harry set the cauldron to dry and tiredly took off the gloves, hanging them back up before stretching his arms out. He walked over to Severus, who had started another batch of the meticulous potion. Harry paused next to his father, watching him work for a few minutes, and when it seemed Severus was finished adding ingredients or stirring, Harry leaned against his father, wrapping an arm around Severus.

               Severus rested a hand on top of Harry’s head as he gave his son a curious look.

               “I get you’re just trying to protect me, Dad,” Harry said. “I’m sorry for acting like a brat earlier.”

               Severus snorted and ran his fingers through Harry’s hair.

               “You were already forgiven,” Severus said. “I apologize that circumstances have prevented you from having fun with your friends, but your life is far more valuable than a few trips to the sweets shop.”

               Harry smiled up at Severus, wrapping both arms around his father to hug him properly, squeezing rather tightly. Severus returned the hug, then pulled Harry’s arms off from around him.

               “You seem in a much better mood,” Severus said. “What are you up to?”

               “What do you mean?” Harry asked, blinking at his father. “I haven’t done anything.”

               “I didn’t say you did anything.” Severus quirked a brow. “But now I feel like you’ve done something. In fact, you were late to your detention.”

               “We’re not at school, Dad,” Harry said with a playful smile.

               “No, we’re not,” Severus agreed, then leaned forward and successfully kissed Harry’s temple. “Go get dinner started and stay out of trouble.”

               Harry grinned before running out of the lab. Severus shook his head, trying to ignore the feeling in the back of his mind that Harry was up to something and accept that maybe Harry had gotten over the permission slip situation. After all, Harry could not deny that his reasons for not signing were outrageous or inappropriate. Severus finished the last few steps of the potion and filled seven more vials, labeling them appropriately and levitating them to the top shelf. Fourteen vials down, only fifty-six more to go. He will be brewing this potion a lot in the next few weeks. Severus decided he had done enough for today, and he stepped out of his lab and headed for the kitchen, curious to see what meal plan Harry had in mind.

               The next morning, Severus received word from Albus that he would be stopping by later that morning, after all, he never did get to attend a housewarming. Severus had rolled his eyes at Albus’s letter but decided to fix the floo to allow Albus’s magic through his wards. He made a quick breakfast of yogurt parfaits and threw together some fruit in a bowl that he set on the table, just in time as Harry lumbered into the kitchen with a yawn.

               “Morning, Dad,” Harry greeted as he sat down next to his father.

               “Good morning. I trust you slept well?”

               Harry nodded as he began to take large mouthfuls of the yogurt parfait. 

               “Professor Dumbledore will be stopping by later this morning,” Severus informed Harry. “Surely to share some trivial news and see the house for the first time.”

               Harry had stopped midbite at what Severus had said for a fraction of a second before he resumed eating. If Severus didn’t know his son so well, he would have missed it.

               “Perhaps he would like to see how you are faring while he is here,” Severus commented nonchalantly.

               “Oh, actually, I was hoping I could go to the library for a while,” Harry said.

               “I do not recall you having your book club meet today.”

               “Not for that, just to do some reading. It’s been a while since I went to the library just to visit and browse the books. Can I, Dad?”

               “I don’t see why not, but only until noon, I want you home for lunch.”

               “Yes, sir.”

               “And before you leave, you will eat some fruit.”

               Harry looked at the bowl at the center of the table, collected a spoonful, then returned to his yogurt. Severus cleared his throat and gave his son a pointed look. Harry huffed, then collected two more spoonsful of the fruit. Severus smirked at Harry’s annoyed look as he picked up the Daily Prophet to read. Harry managed to finish his yogurt and most of the fruit on his plate before he said goodbye to Severus and took off out the door. Severus began another batch of the potions he had been asked to make, and it took his mind off Sirius Black for a while. Black had no clue where Harry was living, nor who he was living with, and it offered Severus some peace of mind that Harry could still have some freedom in their own hometown. However, at the first sign of trouble, he would take that away from Harry without a second’s hesitation.

               But Black was not a problem in the small town of Ostbridge, and Severus focused on the potion in front of him, and with no distractions (not that he would ever admit Harry was a distraction), he finished a perfect, high-quality version of the potion, and he was quite pleased with himself as he vialed the doses. This would be a great week for a certain someone. Not that Severus really cared, of course. He was doing this out of request of his employer not obligation, so he could make the potions as perfect or as so-so as he wanted, as long as the end result kept everyone safe.

               Severus heard the floo flare as he labeled the last vial, and he walked out of his lab to greet Albus, who was admiring the small living quarters.

               “My, Severus, it is very quaint,” Albus said. “With a touch of modern-day trends. I never would have thought this was your style of a home.”

               “It does the job,” Severus said dully. “I am sure you must have news that brings you here. Is it about Black?”

               “I wish it were,” Albus said. “I’ve actually come to answer some peculiar questions that came up while I was sorting through paperwork as they arrive. I thought we had agreed that for the safety of Harry’s wellbeing, it would be best that he did not attend the Hogsmeade trips.”

               “Yes. I am the one who pushed for that.”

               “You have not changed your mind? Made any new rules for Harry to follow that made you more lenient? Hexed Harry with a million tracker charms?”

               “I have not. What is your point?”

               “I see, I see. I do not like to do this, but I’m afraid this appeared on my desk.”

               Albus held out a parchment and Severus recognized it as a Hogsmeade permission slip. A signed slip. He frowned as he took the parchment from Albus, frowning at the slightly shaky signature that was almost a near match to his own. Anger was slowly building up inside him and he shook his head at Albus.

               “I did not sign this,” Severus said.  

               “I figured as much,” Albus said. “But the signature does have your magical residue. Any thoughts as to how that may be?”

               Severus’s frown deepened as he considered all the possible ways Harry could have accomplished that, then closed his eyes with a sigh.

               “My grading quills,” he said. “On my desk. I use them so often, I’m sure they’ve collected my magical signature over the years. I am so sorry, Albus, I had no idea what he was up to. We talked about the trips yesterday and why I could not sign the permission form and Harry was upset but I never thought he would . . .”

               That anger rose in his chest again and Severus crinkled the edges of the parchment as he clenched his fists. How dare that conniving, little brat. When he got his hands on Harry, he was going to beat his arse into next week in front of whomever and wherever he found him. He took several deep breaths, but his nostrils were flaring, and he was not calming down.

               “I’m sure Harry did not realize,” Albus mused, “that when a guardian signs the slip, it magically delivers itself to me.”

               “He should never have signed my name on it in the first place,” Severus snapped.

               “No, he shouldn’t have. But he is just a child who had a fun opportunity snatched away from him in a single day. Remember that, Severus.”

               “I am well aware,” Severus said. He set the parchment down on dining table, then snapped his fingers, changing his robes to muggle attire. “If that is all, Albus, I need to go find my son.”

               Albus smiled sadly at Severus, then said, “Just void the signature, and Harry’s name will disappear from the list of approved students. It’s a good thing magic can be so flexible, don’t you agree?”

               Severus didn’t comment as he threw a muggle jacket on and nodded once to the headmaster.

               Severus felt an ominous cloud following him as he stormed out of his house and marched swiftly down the street. Harry had better be in that library, he was not in the mood for a game of hide and seek right now. He had his wand tucked in a holster on his sleeve just in case, but the less energy he had to spend on searching for his son magically, the more energy he would have to make it absolutely clear that something like this was never to happen again.

               Severus had never felt so angry before. Many times, Harry had done idiotic, reckless, life endangering stunts that made Severus’s heart want to freeze. Sure, he had been angry then, but he had mostly been afraid for Harry’s life. Even the firework incident last year had ultimately been done for the greater good. But this, this was willful disobedience. Harry had been told the dangers that were present and why he could not go to Hogsmeade, and instead of accepting that fate, he dared to forge Severus’s signature. Absolute defiance.

               Severus made it to the library in record time and he scanned the area for Harry, slowly and silently making his way through the shelves of books and scattered tables in between where people were reading in peace. He finally spotted Harry in the far back of the library, pretending to read a book in the far back corner while biting his thumbnail, his leg shaking in anticipation. He knew he was in trouble.

               Severus narrowed his eyes and sped walked straight for Harry, who spotted him and jumped out of his seat, keeping the table in between them.

               “Come here,” Severus demanded as he paused on the other side of the table.

               “We’re in the library,” Harry said a low whisper.

               “And if you don’t want to be bare bottom spanked here, you will come to me this instant,” Severus threatened in a low voice himself.

               “You can’t do that,” Harry said.

               “Do not test me.”

               Harry swallowed nervously, looking around as if someone might come to his rescue, but there was no one else in the aisle he was in, and Harry reluctantly, though very slowly, walked over to Severus. He seemed to regret his decision when Severus grabbed Harry’s chin, angling his son’s face up and glaring down at him. Harry’s face reddened as he gave Severus a pitiful look.

               “How dare you, little boy,” Severus scolded. “After everything we talked about regarding Black, you went behind my back and signed the form for yourself.”

               “I didn’t know it would just disappear. I didn’t know what I would do with it, I just—”

               “You are in so much trouble, young man, you’re grounded.” Severus leaned close to Harry, whispering in his ear, “And you can expect a severe smacking when we get home.”

               “Please, no,” Harry pleaded softly. “I don’t know what I was thinking, I won’t ever do it again.”

               Severus released Harry’s chin and grabbed Harry’s upper arm, then proceeded to march his son out of the library. Harry stumbled to keep up with his father’s long strides, but he kept his head down and his mouth shut as he followed Severus out of the library, hoping no one was staring. Once outside, Harry pulled against Severus, but he only tightened his grip.

               “You’re hurting me,” Harry complained.

               Severus had the right mind to loosen his grip, but he did not let Harry go as he dragged Harry away from the library, but Harry suddenly planted both feet firmly and leaned back, jerking Severus to a stop. If Severus had any intention of harming Harry, he would just yank Harry’s arm and force his son to keep moving, but he was not going to act like his own father right now. That didn’t mean his patience wasn’t running thin.

               “Harry, walk,” Severus growled.

               “No. You’re really mad at me, and you won’t even let me explain.”

               “You signed my name on the permission slip using one of my grading quills. I don’t think there’s much left to explain.”

               “Well, no, but I wasn’t going to turn it in or anything, I promise!”

               “Whatever you planned to do afterwards with the parchment does not matter. The fact is that you deliberately disobeyed me, went behind my back, and signed a form for something you know you can’t be apart of because of the dangers. Now we’re done discussing this here. Anything else you want to say can wait until we get home.”

               Severus tugged on Harry, but the child resisted, and Severus growled irritably.

               “Knock it off, Harry,” Severus said.

               “I don’t want to go home right now.”

               “I’m not giving you a choice.”

               Harry glared at his father, not budging the slightest. Severus narrowed his eyes at Harry, then said, “So be it.”

               Severus stepped closer to Harry, keeping a firm grip on Harry’s arm, and before Harry could figure out Severus’s intentions, he lifted Harry over his shoulder, his upper body dangling over his back while Severus pinned down the back of Harry’s knees securely. Harry gasped in surprise, but when Severus began walking down the sidewalk, Harry began struggling, though his efforts were in vain as he couldn’t really kick.

               “Put me down!” Harry shouted, pounding his fists on Severus’s back. “Stop, let go of me.”     

               Severus was tempted to swat Harry’s rear end, but he realized they were starting to get some stares from other pedestrians, and Severus wasn’t sure who they were more sympathetic for. He ignored Harry as the child struggled more, trying hard to kick at him to be freed. Honestly, how had this escalated so quickly?

               “Hey,” someone called out to them, followed by two short honks. Severus turned the slightest to see Freddy pulling his truck over next to them, and Severus paused. Freddy, leaned over the passenger seat and asked, “You two need a ride?”

               “Yes!” Harry quickly answered, giving Freddy a pleading look, while Severus rolled his eyes at Harry’s drama.

               “We’re fine,” Severus snapped.

               “Don’t look it,” Freddy disagreed. He waved them forward. “Come on, Severus, put your kid down and get in the truck. I’ll take you home. Should be much nicer on both of you.”

               Severus sighed, suddenly feeling very weary, and he lowered Harry to his feet, grabbing the boy’s arm and directing him to the truck. Once Harry had climbed into the back seat and put his seatbelt on, Severus stepped up into the passenger seat.

               “This was unnecessary,” Severus said, glaring at Freddy, “I was handling it.”

               “You were causing a scene,” Freddy retorted with a cool glare back as he pulled away from the curb, driving very slowly down the road.

               Severus rolled his eyes once more and stared out the window, watching the town go by much faster.

               “So, Harry,” Freddy said, glancing at the boy in his rearview mirror, “what trouble did you find this time?”

               “Nothing,” Harry argued, crossing his arms, not wanting to share details, even with Freddy.

               “Come on, you don’t expect me to believe that your dad is upset at you for no reason?”

               Harry looked down at his shoes for a second before saying, “I signed a permission slip with his name after he said no.”

               “Wow, kid. Did you know that’s illegal?”

               “No,” Harry answered softly. “I knew it wasn’t right.”

               “Under the law, that is a criminal offense. I’m sure your dad isn’t planning on pressing charges though. Bet it was something really fun you wanted to do. And so disappointing to hear when your dad said you couldn’t do it. But sometimes, us parents have our kids’ best interests in mind when we make these decisions, and we need you to trust us that this is for the best.”

               “I know.”

               “Now, I get why your dad is upset, and probably feeling a bit betrayed. He was trying to make the right choice for you, and you went behind his back and did your own thing using his name. That hurts, you know? That puts quite a damper on trust.”

               Severus could feel Harry’s eyes on him, but he did not look at his son. He held his tongue and watched houses pass by until theirs came into view.

               “I don’t want you to lose your trust in me,” Harry said to Severus. “It was stupid. I just kind of did it because I really wanted you to sign it so I could go, but then I felt bad right after. I wasn’t going to turn it in but then it disappeared, and I didn’t know what to do. I know it was wrong. I’ll never even think about doing it again.”

               Freddy pulled into the driveway of the Snape house and looked at Severus pointedly. Severus sighed and closed his eyes but said nothing, nor did he move. Freddy turned in his seat and smiled at Harry.

               “I bet a really nice thought-out apology letter would make your dad feel a lot better,” Freddy said, and Harry nodded his head eagerly. Freddy nodded to the house. “Go inside and get started on that. Your father will be in shortly.”

               Harry climbed out of the truck and ran into the house. Freddy sat back in his seat, crossing his arms thoughtfully as he stared at the driver wheel.

               “I nearly lost it on him,” Severus admitted softly. “I was just so angry and upset that he would do something like this. And he knew it. He left the house before I could find out what he even did. He’s afraid of me.”

               “He is not,” Freddy said. “He was angry and upset just like you are now. And when he realized his mistake, he felt guilty for betraying your trust. He didn’t want to face all the inevitable disappointment you would feel; that’s why he left the house.”

               Severus thought back to how Harry had hugged him yesterday, seemingly out of the blue, and how he had gripped on to him, and it made sense. Perhaps Harry had been contemplating telling the truth of what he had just done in that moment but lost the nerve.

               “He made a mistake,” Freddy added, “a slip in morale, just like you and that beer you desperately wanted to drink.”

               Severus looked down at his hand, eyeing the scar that reminded him of that night over and over. He closed his hand into a fist, taking several deep breaths, exhaustion washing over him.

               Freddy reached over and rested a supporting hand on Severus’s shoulder.

               “We all make mistakes. And Harry is not the first kid to plagiarize his parent’s signature. But surprisingly, he was immediately remorseful. He could have come clean a little sooner but you’re doing something right if your kid has a conscience like that.”

               Severus smiled softly at that, staring at his house.

               “Thank you, Freddy,” Severus said. “For . . . stepping in.”

               “Of course,” Freddy said with a smile. “Now, go put your kid at ease before the house blows up.”

               Severus chuckled as he stepped out of the car, waving Freddy off as the man backed out of the driveway and drove back toward town. Severus slowly walked up to his door, grabbing the handle and taking another deep breath, then he opened the door and stepped inside.

               He slowly walked toward Harry’s room, where Harry was quickly scribbling away on spare parchment at his desk. He leaned against the doorway, watching Harry for a moment before his son noticed him, and smiled uneasily.

               Severus stepped into the room and pulled Harry from his chair and hugged his son.  

               “If I could,” Harry said into his father’s chest, “I’d take it back. I never would have done it.”

               “That is good to hear,” Severus said as he pushed Harry back slightly. “I understand the news of Sirius Black and the subsequent loss of the Hogsmeade trips has been very upsetting, but lying, forging, hiding it all from me—that is not the answer, Harry.”

               “I know.”

               “You’re grounded to this room for the next couple of days.” Severus hesitated as Harry nodded at him.

               “I wanted to tell you right after I did it,” Harry admitted.

               “You certainly would be in less trouble if you had,” Severus said.

               “I would have been?”

               “Absolutely. I may have yelled, swatted you a few times, but ultimately, it would have been an easy fix, and this would be behind us. Harry, I would much rather hear of your mistakes from you than from someone else a day later. I want you to trust me enough to come to me when you’ve made mistakes and be truthful and forthcoming about it. It certainly would have saved us both from some public humiliation.”   

               “Yeah,” Harry agreed softly. “Are you still going to . . . smack me?”

               Severus quirked a brow at his son as he debated it in his head. Feeling completely drained, Severus shook his head slowly.

               “I think you’ve been humiliated enough for one day. But this does not happen again. If I ever catch you with something forged or stolen of mine, not only will you be grounded for an indefinite amount of time, but your bottom will be sore for the entirety of it. Do I make myself clear?”

               “Yes, sir.”

               “Excellent.” Severus turned Harry back to his desk and gave him a hard swat to propel him toward it. Harry winced as he quickly moved back to his chair. “Finish your letter. I need to void the signature on the form you signed.”

               “Yes, sir.” Harry sat down and picked up his quill. Before he began writing, he looked up at his father. “Dad? Would you take me and my friends to Hogsmeade together sometimes?”

               “I think something of the sort can be arranged,” Severus answered, smiling at his son.

               “Thanks.” Harry returned to writing his apology letter while Severus walked out to his dining table and picked up the parchment, waving his hand over it to vanish his signature. It certainly it wasn’t an exact replica of his own writing, but Harry had done an impressive job. Little brat. If this was how the year was shaping up to be, Severus was not prepared for it at all.