After a long day playing games with the other kids and watching muggle magic tricks like a quarter in the ear performed by his new grandfather, the family settled down for a Sunday roast, which Harry managed to eat a few bites of it before Severus let him excuse himself to play with Joshua and their monster trucks while the adults talked quietly again, resuming their card game from earlier.

               While Harry rolled his truck after Joshua’s, he noticed the girls’ playing with their dolls, and while Ruth and Iris chatted away, they also moved their hands. Esther also moved her hands, and Harry realized he had yet to hear the little dark-skinned, three-year-old say a word. He stopped zooming the truck around and pointed at the girls.

               “What are they doing?” Harry asked Joshua.

               Joshua pushed his car back over to Harry and looked over at his sisters and Iris.

               “Signing,” he said. “Esther’s deaf.”

               “What’s that mean?”

               “It means she can’t hear. She was born that way.”

               “Can she talk?”

               “She makes noises, but she doesn’t really talk. She goes to therapy or whatever for that, but it’s really hard for her to learn stuff like that so we just stick with signing. I’ll show you how to say hi!”

               Joshua dragged Harry over to the girls, who paused in their game of house to watch what they were doing.

               “Since when do you want to play dolls?” Ruth asked, crossing her arms.

               “Since never!” Joshua shot back. “I’m introducing Harry to Esther. This is how you say hi.”

               Joshua moved his hand from his forehead and out in a salute like manner. Harry copied him and Esther signed back with a smile. She then touched her index fingers together, one hand closed, the other splayed open, and she rested the tips of her index fingers against her cheek and made a small twisting motion.

               “That’s her name,” Joshua said. “The letter “e” and the sign for dimple kind of blended. Mum picked it out for her cause she’s the only one with dimples. You can also spell it out.” Joshua demonstrated by moving his hands too fast for Harry to see what each letter was. Joshua grabbed Harry’s hands and began shaping them as he said, “This is your name. Harry.”

               Harry allowed Joshua to manipulate his hands through each letter before trying it on his own.

               “And “my name is” looks like this,” Joshua said, taking two finger and throwing them off his forehead in a similar manner as “hello” before pointing to himself and the spelling out his name. Ruth did the same, but much slower, as did Iris. Harry gave it a try himself.

               “My name is Harry,” he said slowly as he signed out everything.

               Esther smiled, then pointed at herself before touching her thumb to her forehead, her hand closed.

               “What’s that mean?” Harry asked.

               “She said I know,” Joshua said with a smirk.

               “Oh,” Harry said, smiling at everyone’s laughter.   

               “Aw, look at the kids,” Tori said, setting her cards down and grabbing a muggle camera, snapping a few pictures.
               The adults looked over their shoulders at the children in the living room gathered in a circle, their toys abandoned as they practiced and taught each other different signs. Severus smiled as he watched Joshua move Harry’s hands in the correct manner while trying to tell Esther that he liked his stuffed dinosaur the best out of all his gifts. Severus had picked up on a few words here and there and could generally figure out what the little girl might want, but he still learned something new from Iris whenever they visited. He was glad Harry was taking to it just as Iris was.  

               As the evening ended, Tori collected her children, holding Esther and keeping her other two close to her side as they floo’d backed to her own house. Addie and her husband left soon after, and Severus was left packing up Harry’s new gifts and settling his kids in their car seats. Nami and Pappy kissed each kid goodbye, Iris gladly returning the affection while Harry was unsure of how to react. On the way home, Iris and Harry were still going over the British sign language alphabet, Iris showing Harry the correct hand movements for each letter. After ten or so minutes, they fell silent, and Severus glanced in the rearview mirror.

               Iris, snuggling her doll, and Harry, cuddling Spikes, had fallen asleep.

               Severus turned the radio down slightly and drove the rest of the way in silence, deep in thought. He wasn’t looking forward to going back to work tomorrow, especially since he would have to bring Harry. Addie would be too busy tending to triplets for another family, and he didn’t want to force yet another child on her load. He had taken Iris to Hogwarts before when her school had been closed for whatever reason or she had fallen ill, and Addie wasn’t available to stay around.

               Iris was pretty good at amusing herself in the classroom quietly while he taught his classes. He hoped Harry would be just as independent, and if worse came to worse, he could have Harry scrub vials if the child was so insistent on having some kind of chore to do. He hoped the new toys helped Harry stay amused. If only he could read . . .

               Severus pulled into his driveway and parked the car. He stared back at his kids, reflecting on his day. Harry had finally managed to come around and he was properly introduced to each person in the house. Everyone had fawned over him, and Harry allowed it but would pull away every few seconds, going back for more just as quickly as he left. The child was so starved of affection, he didn’t even know what to do when he got it.

               As the moon rose in the sky, Severus stepped out of his car and with practiced ease, pulled one sleeping child out of her seat. Iris’s doll had slipped from her hand, and he shrunk it and pocketed it. He moved around toward Harry, pausing for a minute to think through how he would get the second child out. He grabbed the dinosaur first, shrinking and pocketing it as he had done with the doll. He spelled the buckles of the car seat undone, then carefully gathered Harry in his free arm, minding that he didn’t jolt either child around too much.

               Iris stirred slightly, but she merely snuggled into Severus’s shoulder, her arms reaching up to wrap around his neck. Harry’s head rested on his other shoulder, and the child’s arms moved to trap themselves between Severus’s chest and Harry’s, something Severus noticed his son did often whenever he picked Harry up.

               Now that they were still again, Severus locked his car with a spell and carried them to the house, using magic to open and close doors, and turn on and off lights as he moved through his house. He went to Iris’s room first, and gently laid her down and used a quick spell to change her clothes into pajamas. Returning her doll to normal size and setting it next to Iris, Severus kissed her temple and turned out her light, using both hands to adjust Harry as they left Iris’s bedroom.

               Unfortunately, Severus had realized that he had forgotten to pack any of Harry’s medication, even his emergency inhaler, and cursed himself for the oversight. What if Harry had had another attack at the party, and he didn’t have the right medication on him? Severus made a mental note to pack all of Harry’s medications with a lunch for tomorrow. As the father, Severus would have to get better at remembering to bring certain things out on trips.

               Severus sat down on Harry’s bed, gently shaking his child awake.

               Harry moaned, blinking up at Severus with half awake eyes.

               “Hey, buddy,” Severus said, already picking up Harry’s nutrient potion, “I need you to do a couple things for me, okay? First, here’s your potion.”

               Severus held the vial to Harry’s lips and Harry swallowed obediently. Severus grabbed the inhaler next.

               “Now your inhaler,” he said, holding it to Harry’s mouth.

               Harry pulled his head away, burying it in Severus’s shoulder.

               “Harry, please not now,” Severus said. “I know you’re tired, and I’d like to get you back to sleep, but you have to take your medicine first.”

               “Where’s Spikes?” Harry asked suddenly, looking around the room wildly before staring wide-eyed at Severus. “I can’t have him anymore?”

               “Of course, you can have him,” Severus said, reaching into his pocket and returning the dinosaur to full size. “I wouldn’t take him away from you; calm down, he’s right here.”

               Harry took the dinosaur and squeezed it, but he still sniffed sadly.

               “He’s yours,” Severus reassured, dragging his thumb across Harry’s cheek when a tear rolled down it. “And no one is taking him from you.”

               Harry nodded, leaning back to rest his head on Severus’s shoulder again, staring off with a dazed look.

               “I know you’re tired,” Severus said, “but you need your inhaler before you go to sleep.”

               Severus tried offering the inhaler again, and Harry reluctantly opened his mouth and took the medication, coughing slightly after. Relieved that Harry didn’t fight him, Severus used the same spell he had used on Iris to change Harry’s clothes, and the feel of the magic must have startled Harry, who jumped and looked down at himself to see his dinosaur pajamas on him. Harry relaxed quickly however and allowed Severus to tuck him into bed.

               Severus packed some leftovers from the Sunday roast that he had brought home for Iris’s and Harry’s lunch tomorrow. He only gave Harry some pieces of roast, potatoes, applesauce, and Yorkshire pudding, since those were the only items, Harry had eaten earlier for dinner. Severus also summoned the emergency inhaler and packed it away so he would have it with him tomorrow.

               With the kids set, he went to his study, poured more owl food into Tum’s bowl, then finished grading all the essays left on his desk. He worked late into the night uneventfully before retiring for bed.

               The next morning came too quickly for Severus’s taste. He found himself dealing with lack of sleep, packing away all his paperwork, making breakfast, giving Harry his morning medications, and a tantrum throwing Iris all at one time. No one wanted to help make his morning easier either.

               “Harry, please drink your potion,” Severus said for the tenth time that morning. “You could be done with it all ready and upstairs brushing your teeth. You like the taste of it.”

               “I don’t want it,” Harry said. “I’m full.”

               “You haven’t even touched your breakfast,” Severus said.

               “I’m full from yesterday.”

               “Well, it’s not going anywhere, and neither are you until you drink it. Full or not, you need the extra vitamins, and I expect you to drink it on your own or I will spoon feed it to you.”

               Harry pouted at the table, resting his head on his arms.

               “Why can’t I go to Hogwarts?” Iris complained as she came back downstairs with her brush, which she had forgotten to bring down earlier. “I’ll be good. I promise.”

               “I already told you,” Severus said, taking the brush from Iris and brushing out her hair. “You need to go to school. I don’t want you missing too many days and you’ve been to Hogwarts many times. Harry hasn’t.”

               “Harry has to go to school.”

               “You’re right, but he isn’t registered at the school yet. I’m hoping to hear word about his status this evening. He could be in school tomorrow.” With a little magical push to move things along, Severus thought to himself.

               “But I can show him around Hogwarts.”

               “He’ll be staying in my classroom,” Severus said. He did a quick three strand braid to the side. “Just as you would be if you had to go with me. Which you do not. Tori will be here to pick you up soon and Addie will pick you up after school. You’ll stop by at Hogwarts then to pick Harry up. That’s final.”

               Iris hmphed, then felt her braid.

               “I want a French braid.”

               “I don’t know how to French braid,” Severus said, handing her the brush. “Be glad I can braid at all. Go get your shoes on.”

               Iris huffed and walked back upstairs. Severus turned around and frowned at Harry.

               “Harry James, drink your potion.”

               Harry still had his head on his arms, and he turned it the other way, away from Severus’s stern look. Annoyed and about done with the impertinence, Severus walked over to Harry, sat in the chair next to the boy and grabbed the vial. He summoned a spoon and poured some of the potion out on it.

               “Open your mouth, young man.”

               “But I’m full!” Harry complained, his lower lip puckering out at Severus. “I can’t put anything else in my—”

               Severus took the chance to shove the spoon in Harry’s mouth, cutting off Harry’s sentence as he was forced to swallow. Harry gave him a miserable look.

               “Hey,” he whined. “That’s not fair.”

               “This morning hasn’t been fair,” Severus retorted. “Are you going to drink the rest on your own, or must I keep feeding it to you?”

               Harry took the vial from Severus and took small sips, pouting at his father the whole time.

               The doorbell rang and Severus breathed a sigh of relief.

               “Thank Merlin,” he muttered.

               He walked over to the door and opened it, revealing Tori, who smiled cheerily at him.

               “Good morning, Severus,” she said.

               “I don’t know how you manage three soon-to-be four kids,” Severus said. “I can hardly manage two.”

               “You’re just new to juggling two kids, that’s all,” Tori said, stepping inside the house. “You’ll figure it out. Iris! Time to go, sweetie. You don’t want to be late.”

               “I want to go with Harry to Hogwarts,” Iris said, stomping down the stairs, her backpack slung over one shoulder.

               “You’ll go with Addie after school,” Severus reminded. He summoned her lunch and held the bag out to her. “Behave for Tori.”

               “Whatever,” Iris grumbled, taking the bag from Severus.

               “That is no way to talk to your father, young lady,” Tori scolded, her hands resting on her hips. “You apologize to him and give your daddy a proper goodbye.”

               Iris’s lower lip quivered as she turned back to Severus and said, “Sorry, Daddy.”

               It was a rare moment when Tori raised her voice, and she pulled off the angry mother look well. Severus pulled his daughter into a quick hug. He brushed aside a loose lock of hair.

               “You’re forgiven. Now, have fun at school. I’ll see you later.”

               Tori took Iris’s hand and led her to the waiting vehicle where her kids impatiently sat. Tori helped Iris into a car seat and waved to Severus one last time before driving off. Severus watched the car drive down the road before glancing at his watch and cursing. It was almost eight thirty am. He still had to set up his classroom before the students arrived at nine. And find something to occupy Harry in that time. He looked back at his son, who was still holding the potion vial.

               “You better be done with that,” Severus said as he walked back to Harry.  

               Harry took one last gulp from the vial and handed it to Severus’s outstretched hand.

               “Thank you,” Severus said. “Are you not going to eat breakfast?”

               Harry shook his head.

               Severus sighed and vanished the food and dishes. He could always have a house elf prepare a mid-morning snack for Harry later. He took Harry’s hand in his and led him to the fireplace, placing a temporary disarming spell on the charm Addie placed on the fireplace for Harry’s safety.

               “Can I bring Spikes?” Harry asked, grabbing his toy off the couch where he put it after Severus declared no toys at the dining table.

               “May I, and you may,” Severus said, waving Harry back over to him. He rested a hand on Harry’s shoulder. “We are going to travel by floo. I know your first experience wasn’t pleasant, but this time will be much smoother. You are only ever allowed to enter the fireplace for this reason and only if accompanied by me or another adult. Is that clear?”

               “Yes, Daddy.”

               “Would you like to hold on to my hand or for me to pick you up?”

               Harry raised his arms and Severus lifted him, grabbed a handful of floo powder, then stepped into the fireplace. Harry wrapped one arm around Severus’s neck and the other held onto Spikes securely as he waited for that strange free falling feeling he had felt the first time. He closed his eyes, not wanting to see the flashes of fireplaces again.

               “Severus Snape’s quarters, Hogwarts,” Severus said. He threw the powder down and they were both engulfed in green flames.

Harry clung tightly to Severus until the feeling of falling stopped and he opened his eyes cautiously.

They were in a small living space that had an attached kitchen with a small dining table. There were three doors to their right, two bedrooms and a bathroom, all of which were hardly used. The only time Severus actually slept in these rooms was when he was on night patrol, which were rare times, and when he had to cover for a holiday, which Iris loved spending the night for Christmas or Easter. He also would stay in the quarters a week before the school year began in order to prepare his classroom, reorganize and stock his supply closets, look over and edit the schedule, and make sure Slytherin house was clean and ready to go. Otherwise, he went home as often as he could to his kid—now kids.

Severus set Harry down, took his hand, and pulled him along to the classroom that was just down the hall. He waved his wand and the shades over the high windows opened, allowing natural light to flood in so he could see much better. Another swish of his wand and cauldrons were flying off shelves to various tables. The supply closet door opened, and certain ingredients rearranged themselves to the front of the shelves. His fifth years should be able to pick out the correct ingredients without him supervising their every move, unlike his first years, but better safe than sorry.

Once that was complete, he unlocked the classroom door and shoved his wand up his sleeve. Harry had watched everything with awe and smiled up at him.

“You did all that with magic?” Harry asked.

“I did,” Severus said. “Let’s set you up over here.”

Severus brought Harry to his desk and cleared away his lesson plans.

“Can you do more magic?”

“Not now, honey,” Severus said as he found some old coloring books of Iris’s in his drawer. She had a princess one, an animal one, and a word and logic puzzle one for kids. He decided the last two might interest Harry more and set them down on his desk. He wasn’t sure of Harry would be able to read the puzzle one, but he could at least color some animals.

“I don’t want to color,” Harry said.

“You don’t have to, but it is an option. I also brought your dinosaur toys.”

Severus pulled a bag out of his pocket, enlarged it, then dumped out the little plastic dinosaurs. Harry happily set them up, so they were all standing. The first class came, fifth year Gryffindors and Slytherins. And while they showed mild interest in Harry, most had seen the wizarding paper, a section of which covered what was happening with Harry Potter’s case in the muggle world. While many were surprised that Severus Snape was actually Harry’s father, the shock faded quickly after reading the details of Severus’s and Lily’s past, as well as Harry’s current muggle situation. Most were glad he was away from his muggle relatives.

Severus had his fifth years begin brewing an invigoration draught, a potion they had reviewed and studied all last week. While Harry fiddled with his dinosaurs, he couldn’t help but watch the bubbling cauldrons as well. Severus walked between rows, aiding students where needed as questions popped up when something about the brewing process seemed awry.

Halfway through class, the classroom door opened, and all heads glanced to see who it was.

“Severus,” Albus greeted warmly, “may I speak with you outside?”

Severus frowned. He really didn’t want to have this conversation now, but he couldn’t possibly avoid it when Albus was standing directly in front of him requesting a word. Severus looked around his classroom.

“Continue brewing your potions,” he told the students, “you should all be near finished with two or three steps left.”

Everyone gave a quiet “Yes, sir,” and Severus walked over to his desk, where Harry was sitting with his dinosaurs all lined up in three neat rows.

“I’m going to be right outside those doors, okay, Harry? If you need me, come get me.”

“Okay, Daddy,” Harry said, earning some awes from the students.

Severus joined albus in the hallway, and he shut his classroom door firmly and put up a muffling charm around them.

“Severus, I wanted . . .” Albus began.

“May I just say,” Severus interrupted, “that I am very furious with you right now, Albus. I trusted you to put Harry in good hands, and you told me repeatedly for years that he was fine. Not once did you suspect Harry was being mistreated and now look where we are. He’s so confused right now, and what’s worse—he wants to go back.”

“Severus,” Albus tried to interlude.

“Did you ever actually check up on him? Or did you just take Petunia’s word that he was safe and healthy. And the damn pictures? Please tell me you were not the one who manipulated them.”

“I am but probably not in the way you think.”

“Do tell.” Severus crossed his arms as he waited for Albus to explain.

“I admit I was lax in actually confirming that Harry was healthy and safe in Petunia’s care,” Albus said, ignoring Severus’s annoyed grunt. “In my few visits there, I never saw a single picture of Harry up on the walls. Petunia simply told me Harry was camera shy and handed me the pictures I requested that she had managed to take of him. He did look thin in some of them, dirty too, but smiling, nonetheless. I only brightened some of the pictures and cleaned up Harry’s looks so you would at least have a decent picture. I never questioned the circumstances under which Petunia took the pictures, or what else she may have done to them.”

Severus felt slightly relieved that Albus had been only trying to preserve the quality of some of the pictures he had been given, but he was still annoyed that Albus admitted to not checking in on Harry in the way he should have been.

“Did you ever actually see Harry?” Severus asked.

“No. There was always a reason why Harry wasn’t available. School, at a friend’s house, extracurricular activities. I see now that none of it was ever true. I truly am sorry this has happened to him, Severus. Could you forgive an old man for his role in bringing this disaster about?”

Severus wanted so much not too, but he knew he was as much at fault as Albus was for his son’s state of being. He should have checked on Harry himself. He shouldn’t have abandoned his kid. With a heavy sigh, he nodded his head.

“I should have been there for him,” Severus said. “I shouldn’t have sent him away so easily.”

“I should have encouraged you to take him,” Albus said. “I didn’t want to seem pushy at the time, as you already had so much on your plate. How is Harry, by the way? He seems to be settling in nicely.”  

“If you could call it that. He has so many health problems we’re working through, physically and mentally. We’re getting his asthma under control, he’s eating habits need improvement, and Petunia is . . . I have no kind words for that woman. But Harry is completely devoted to her. He wants to go back to her. I don’t know what “love” or “affection” she gave him, but he craves it. He climbed up my chimney the second day I had him and tried to run away. He’s been settling in more, but only because he’s been told he has a visit with his aunt this week.”

“And you are taking him?” Albus questioned, his brows raising.

“I don’t want to,” Severus said, “but I already gave him my word. I will not go back on that, he’s had too many people who’ve betrayed him already. I will not be one of them any longer.”

“I understand,” Albus said. “He’ll need that from you. From me as well. I owe him that much. When can I meet the lad?”

“Well, I have an hour break once this class if over. You’re more than welcomed to stick around.”

“Perhaps for a few minutes.”

Severus cancelled the muffling charm and led the way back into the classroom. He halted at the sight and Albus paused next to him with a big grin.

The cauldrons were all simmering, the final step in the brewing process, and all the students were circling his desk, and Harry was showing off each dinosaur individually to the students.

“And this is ankylosaurus,” Harry said, holding up the dinosaur in question. “See how he’s protected by armor and he’s got a big club for a tail that he can swing and protect himself.”

“Wow,” some students said, while others said, “that’s brilliant.”

“And this one is pachycephalosaurs,” Harry said, grabbing another one. “He’s got armor, too—on his head. He smacks into other dinosaurs with it. Pow!” Harry demonstrated by ramming the pachy into the ankylosaurus.

“Does he eat the other dinosaurs he smacks?” a student kneeling closer to Harry asked, watching with an amused look as Harry made a face.

“No, he only eats greens. But Tyrannosaurus Rex eats both of them!” Harry grabbed his T-rex and pretended it was gnawing on the pachy. The students laughed.

Albus chuckled.

“Looks like you’ve got a little teacher in that one,” Albus said.

“My answer key to their next test is on my desk,” Severus growled, then whistled loudly, making everyone jump and look his way.

“These potions better all be worth an O if we can find the time to learn about dinosaurs,” Severus said, and everyone ran back to their table to look at the color of their potion.

One by one burners were turned off, and everyone stepped back and waited patiently while Severus swept the classroom, critically eyeing each one. Satisfied, he stopped in front of his desk, smiling, and winking at a nervous looking Harry, who relaxed and smiled back at him. Turning around, Severus gave his students a mild glare.

“Vial up your potion, label it appropriately, and leave it on the back table. You will see your grade next class period. Dismissed.”

The students rushed to vial their potions, labeled the vials, then collected their belonging and set the vials on the table on their way out, wishing the headmaster a good day as they did so. Albus slowly moved his way to Severus’s desk as the students left, his smile never fading. When the last student left, Severus looked down at Harry, who had lined up his dinosaurs once more.

“Preparing to teach the next class?” Severus asked.

“I was just showing them my parasaurolophus,” Harry said, holding up one of the dinosaurs. “They wanted to know more.”

“I’m sure,” Severus said. He took the dinosaur and studied it. “Where did you learn so much about dinosaurs?”

“Sometimes, Dudley would leave the tv on when he would go play a video game or go outside, and there was a dinosaur show that would come on and teach me all about them. I wasn’t supposed to watch tv.” Harry’s face suddenly fell, and he looked down at his hands. “Aunt Petunia will be mad. I shouldn’t know anything.”

Severus threw Albus a pointed look, and the elder wizard’s face saddened.

“It’s hard not to watch something that was already left on,” Severus said. “That’s not your fault.”

“I should have turned it off,” Harry said.

“Were you allowed to touch the tv?” Severus asked with a knowing look.

“No.”

               “Then how could you turn it off?”

               Harry shrugged, but he seemed less upset. Severus breathed a sigh of relief that Harry hadn’t shed any tears this time.

               “This is the headmaster of the school, Albus Dumbledore,” Severus said, gesturing to the wizard at his side.

               “Hello Harry,” Albus greeted, reaching out a hand to shake.”

               “Hi,” Harry said, shaking Albus’s hand. “You have a funny name.”  

               “Harry,” Severus scolded gently. He set the plastic dinosaur down on his desk in line with the others.  

               “No, it’s all right, Severus,” Albus said warmly. “You’re not the first to think so. It is a bit of a funny name, isn’t it?”

               “Daddy has a funny name, too,” Harry said.

               Severus rolled his eyes while Albus chuckled. Albus winked at Harry, ruffling his hair.

               “I agree with you there,” Albus said. “Your father’s name is by far stranger than mine.”

               Harry looked up at Severus, and only when Severus smiled at him did Harry feel comfortable enough to laugh.

               The rest of the day went by pleasantly, with Harry playing with his dinosaurs and surprising Severus by solving a couple of sudokus during one class period. He ate a mid-morning snack of carrots and apples with a caramel dip, which meant he ate less of his lunch when Severus sat down with him at his desk, sitting Harry on his lap and working on grading and eating at the same time. He tried to stay on top of grading, so he had less to bring home at the end of the week and more time to spend with his kids.

               Harry showed interest in the essays he was grading, and Severus read a paper to him softly while commenting on where certain errors had been made. Harry leaned back against Severus’s chest, and Severus rested his head against Harry’s. He was enjoying the one-on-one time with his son, a chance to just focus on him and get to know him a little better. Harry was such a smart kid, and he had so much potential, yet the Dursleys had allowed him to fall behind in so many areas of life—socially and emotionally, especially. While they sat, Harry showed off his favorite dinosaurs in the group he had, including the pachy, the t-rex, the mosasaur, and the stegosaurus.

               Severus had learned more about dinosaurs in that morning than he ever thought he cared to know. But seeing Harry’s face as he taught his father something new made up for the endless chatter about what stegosaurus ate and did in his day. It was another ten minutes before the lunch hour ended. Severus still had to set up trays of ingredients for his first year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. But he didn’t want to move Harry or interrupt his story. They were halfway through the school year; the first years should know how to get their own ingredients by now.

               “Daddy,” Harry asked, “are you listening?”

               “Of course,” Severus said. “You were saying something about Maiasaurus.”

               “Maiasaura,” Harry corrected.

               “Right.”

               “They were good parents. Like you.”

               “Why, thank you, Harry,” Severus said, pride swelling in his chest.

               “And Aunt Petunia.”

               The sense of pride deflated at the thought of being compared on the same level as Petunia weighed on him. He was sure Harry meant no harm by it, and he was still quite pleased by Harry’s compliment, but Petunia’s hold on his son bugged him, and he wanted to end it sooner rather than later. He secretly hoped the visit with her went exactly as planned.

               And he secretly wished he didn’t have to go at all.