Disclaimer: Harry Potter Books are the intellectual and financial property of J.K. Rowling. I receive no financial compensation for writing fanfiction. I merely get the fantastical pleasure of playing in her world, and you get the pleasure..or displeasure…of reading the result.

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Chapter One

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"PUT ME DOWN, YOU GREASY BAT!" A small, wiry teen with untidy hair bellowed hysterically as he beat his fists upon the back of a tall man with sallow skin, a hook nose and silky black hair that hung into his face in long, greasy curtains. Students in the corridors stared, some in horror, others in amusement, as the teen kicked and squirmed in the Potion Master's arms.

Severus smirked at the boy unceremoniously slung across his shoulder like a sack of dog food. "I don't believe so, Mr Potter. We have an appointment with Madam Pomfrey. One I don't wish to be late for."

"NO! I'm not going! You can't make me…and…and I'm not sick!"

"You will be going, I can make you, and whether or not you are 'sick' as you so eloquently put it, remains to be seen."

"I hate you!" The boy said hotly, his voice thick with pent up emotion.

"Oh, I am thoroughly crushed by your feelings of animosity toward me, Mr Potter. I think, after depositing you at the infirmery, I shall take a little stroll off the Astronomy Tower, seeing as it's the end of all life as we know it." Severus replied sarcastically.

"You hate me," the child pointed out in a resentful tone. "That's why you're doing this. Because you know I…don't want to go," he finished in a dejected, dead tone.

Severus rolled his eyes. "Do you really want to discuss this in the corridors, Mr Potter?"

The child paled. "No," he said quickly.

"Then desist!" Severus snarled.

A very, very, very, very, very brief moment of silence, then—

"PUT ME DOWN, RIGHT NOW!"

Severus sighed. It was going to be one long trip to the hospital wing.

FIFTEEN MINUTES EARLIER

Snape leaned back, his mouth still twitching. "So…you imagine that I occasionally resemble you?"

Harry fidgeted. "No, sir. I…occasionally resemble you, when I'm an arse," he admitted, embarrassed, to his fingers, his eyes only darting up only after he had finished the comment.

"I see," Snape said softly, his obsidian eyes glittering strangely in the dim room.

Everything became quiet as student and teacher regarded one another. After about five minutes, Harry broke the silence.

"So, uh, what's my punishment?"

Snape leaned forward. "Do you want punishment, Mr Potter?"

Harry started to shake his head, but quickly stopped himself. He didn't want to give Snape the satisfaction of giving Harry punishment that he didn't want. Wait, what?

Snape smirked at his confused look. "Nevermind. Actually, prior to your little speech of "everything that is wrong with Severus Snape," to this, Harry's entire face became red, "I had fully intended on discussing something else with you."

"My potions work, sir?"

"Surprisingly, no," Snape stood and strode around the desk , reaching out to take Harry's right arm. Harry flinched as Snape opened his fingers. Harry gasped as he realized what the man was doing and tried to wrench his arm away, but Snape was astonishingly strong. "I wanted to discuss…this," Snape said, holding Harry's fingers open to reveal the large scar inside his hand.

Harry jerked his hand away in horror. "I…it's…I…it's nothing. I'm fine," he said, hitching a look of complete indifference.

Severus's eyes flashed angrily. "It is not nothing, Potter! I know exactly what causes that kind of pattern!"

Harry snorted. "How would you know?"

"I know, Potter."

"How?" The boy challenged.

"I simply do."

"How?"

"I JUST DO! Merlin, you are infuriating! Just like your—"

"Father?" Harry snapped angrily. "Yeah, James this and James that! Perhaps I should change my name to James since it's so bloody hard for people to just call me Harry! Either James, or Boy, or FREAK!" Harry bellowed the last word bitterly. "Why don't you decide? I'm not all that picky."

"Watch…your…attitude, Mr Potter." Snape said warningly. "Suffice it to say that I know how you obtained a scar like that—"

"How?"

Severus growled in frustration. The irony of it! Actually, Severus had been about to comment how stubborness was his mother's trait, but the boy had assumed…This is getting nowhere, fast.

"Mr Potter, I'm going to ask you a series of question, and I expect for you to answer honestly."

The teen shrugged. "Fine," he sighed.

"Are your relatives harming you?"

Potter looked at his hands. "No."

"POTTER!"

The child flinched so hard he toppled from the chair.

Severus began again in a quiet tone. "If you don't understand what the word honest means, permit me to simplify it for you: Don't…lie…to me. Now I ask again: Do your relatives hurt you?"

Potter glared over the desk. "What do you care? You probably just want something else to rub in my face during Potions class!"

Severus winced at the accusation. "Mr Potter, I am a teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is my duty—"

"See? You really don't care, do you? You're just doing this because you have to!"

Severus glared down at the miserable brat. "I really don't have to do anything, Potter, except breathe and blink! I'm 'doing this' because no child deserves to be abused."

"I deserve it," the child mumbled to himself as he eased back into the chair.

Snape slammed his hand on the desk, causing Harry to yelp and lean away from the angry man. Snape rushed around the desk and leaned forward, his face inches from Harry's. "I'm going to say this one last time, Mr Potter. No child, not even the Dark Lord, if he ever even was a child, ever deserves to be mistreated. Do you understand?"

"I'm different," Harry pointed out.

Severus was beside himself with frustration. "Merlin, child! Do you believe I say these things simply to hear myself speak?! No child deserves being abused, starved, or mistreated in any fashion!"

Harry sniggered.

"What?"

"You said it again, sir."

Severus stared. "What are you talking about?"

"You said you were going to say it one last time. Then you said it twice."

Severus closed his eyes and counted to ten. "Stop changing the subject, Potter!" He snapped as his eyes flew open at ten. He sighed. "Fine. Since you are failing to understand the seriousness of this, we'll just have to visit the infirmery."

Harry's eyes widened. "No," he said fearfully.

"Then start talking."

"I…can't," the boy stuttered, breathing shallowly.

"Your relatives can't hurt you here, Potter. You can say anything."

Harry looked at the teacher skeptically. Yeah, right. After I tell, they'll send me back anyways…and probably fire you…just like last time.

Severus stared at the child. "Have you…told a teacher before?"

Harry stared at the Professor in shock. He always felt like Snape could read minds. He looked down at his hands, silently.

Severus sighed. "Very well, Mr Potter. The infirmery."

"No!"

"After you," Severus said, motioning toward the door. Harry's shoulders slumped as he strode outside the office. As Severus turned to lock the door, Harry bolted.

Severus spun around. "POTTER! GET BACK HERE, POTTER!"

…

Harry could hear robes billowing behind him as he sprinted up the spiral staircase. As he reached the top, he felt strong arms lift his feet from the floor and sling him over a black-robed shoulder.

"Lemme go!" He protested, swinging his legs out.

"I assure you, Mr Potter, that you will be visiting the hospital wing, whether you want to or not!" The man pushed the door open with a resounding crash and strode purposefully down the corridor.

Panicking, Harry pounded the muscular back with his clenched fists, lashing out with his legs.

"PUT ME DOWN, YOU GREASY BAT!"

Harry Potter pushed on the cold, padded surface of the examining table, squirming as he cast angry glares at the Potions Master, who had placed a sticking charm on the teen to prevent his escape. Said Potions Master was characteristically leaning against the nearest wall with his arms folded carefully over his chest. Harry gasped as he heard a rip come from beneath him. Professor Snape covered his mouth and 'coughed' silently.

"This isn't funny!" Harry said angrily as tears stung his eyes.

"Don't worry, Mr Potter. I can fix your garments when Madam Pomfrey finishes your examination. Never fear. Your graypants secret is safe with me."

"What are you talking about? Everyone in Lupin's class saw my nickers."

"No, Potter. They saw the nickers on the boggart. No one knows what your underwear really looks like."

Harry shook his head. Surely Professor Snape wasn't ignorant enough to believe that the students were so obtuse that they wouldn't guess.

Severus glanced at the boy curiously. "Why did you do it?"

Harry shrugged. "I was angry."

"You could have done anything to the boggart. Why the shorts?"

"I wanted him to feel what it was like to be humiliated. Maybe he wouldn't have said those terrible things if he knew how it felt," Harry said, tensing as he remembered some of the things his cousin had done to him.

"He was a boggart, Harry. A boggart. Boggarts change into our greatest fear as a defense mechanism. If boggarts learn anything, I seriously doubt their education exceeds anything past their own self-preservation."

The boy nodded. "I know. I guess I was so angry I forgot it was just a boggart." Harry's eyes widened as he stared at the potions professor.

"What?"

"You said my name."

Severus blinked. He did, didn't he? He shrugged. "Ah, well. Accidents happen."

Potter's shoulders slumped dejectedly. Severus strode toward the padded examination table.

"You tell anyone about that, Potter, and I'll humiliate you beyond your worst nightmares."

Harry's gaze shot up defiantly. But his curiosity got the best of him. "How would you do that?"

Snape billowed the rest of the way over to the table with a satisfied smirk. "Well, you see, Mr Potter, your mother was terribly ticklish in a particular spot; if it's genetic, and with any luck you should wet your moldy, holey, graying underpants. The ultimate humiliation."

Harry looked into the glittering obsidian eyes and stared. Snape's face muscles worked as he tried to control himself. Harry snorted at his effort, which caused both to burst into laughter, baritone mingling with soft tenor, which was only interrupted by a blinding flash of white light. Both abruptly stopped.

"Ah, one for the scrapbooks, that," a familiar, serene voice said as the Headmaster stepped into view, holding a camera, eyes twinkling madly.

Livid, Severus pointed an accusing finger. "YOU'VE BEEN SPYING ON ME!"

Dumbledore chuckled. "It takes one to know one, my dear Severus. Actually, my boy, I've come on a more serious matter. After Harry's examination, I'd like the both of you to come to my office to chat. I'm afraid some very disturbing things have come to light. I've also come to tell you that Madam Pomfrey is going to be ten minutes late."

Harry groaned as Dumbledore left. "Can't I just go?"

"I'm afraid not. At this point, even if you were to tell me everything that happened, I have reason to believe that you have some unhealed injuries that need looking after. You still need this examination, just in case there are any life-threatening complications."

"I'm still alive," Harry mumbled.

"And perhaps you'll manage to stay that way between those disgusting Muggles, Quidditch, the dementors, and that wretched mutt!"

Harry blinked. "You know about the Grim?"

Severus flinched in shock. "You've seen Black?"

...

"Tell me everything. When did you see him?"

"I don't understand. Are you saying the Grim is Sirius Black?"

"Sirius Black takes the animagus form of a large, black, shaggy dog. You know what an animagus is?"

"Like Professor McGonagall? So Black's the Grim?"

"Yes, Minerva is an animagus. Tell me when you saw Black."

"I saw him in the bushes near the play park when I ran away from home. Just before I got on the Knight Bus."

"Did he do anything?"

"No. He just stared at me."

"Odd. Why didn't he attack you right away?"

"He looked hungry. Maybe I was too scrawny a prey."

Severus snorted. "As psychotic as that mongrel is, I seriously doubt he'd resort to cannibalism."

Harry laughed. "You said Siriusly."

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, Potter!"

Harry grinned. "Maybe we can sic the dog on Crookshanks. Then maybe it'll leave Ron's rat alone."

"Foolish boy! Don't you go anywhere near that dog! In fact, if you see him ever again, you tell a Professor. Understand?"

Harry bit his lip. "Yes, sir."

Severus sighed. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, Potter. But this is seriou—damn it!"

Harry sniggered.

"All right, smart arse. Just keep away from the mutt. Got it?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good boy."

"Ruff."

"Do shut up."

...

By the time Madam Pomfrey returned to the infirmery, Harry was beginning to squirm again, becoming increasingly agitated.

"I don't want to do this! Please, can't I go?"

"After the examination, Potter."

"Please?"

"Potter—"

"PLEASE! NO! I CAN'T DO THIS! I CAN'T. I have…TO GET AWAY!" Harry pulled at himself frantically from the exam table, wrenching this way and that, his clothes ripping with his efforts. Harry's breaths shortened as he struggled fiercely against the sticking charm that held him in place. His rapid breathing quickened to high pitched wheezing, his eyes grew wide with panic as he clawed at his neck. He immediately found himself surrounded by something dark and warm, feeling a vial pressing to his lips.

"Steady, Potter. You're having a panic attack. Drink this. It's Calming Draught." Desperate for relief, Harry opened his mouth and allowed the liquid to pour down his throat. "Good. Now take deep breaths. Your lungs will hurt at first. Just follow the sound of my voice…in…and out…in…and out—"

Harry obeyed the instructions, and the constriction in his lungs finally ebbed. He sobbed silently into the dark robes. He felt someone rubbing small circles on his back, singing something in a language he'd heard somewhere before, but couldn't place it. As he calmed, Severus handed him a hankerchief while continuing to rub his back.

"What language is that?" Harry asked, hiccuping.

Severus ignored the question. He turned to face the approaching mediwitch. "Poppy, Mr Potter needs a full medical can—"

"Do not," Harry muttered.

Madam Pomphrey sighed as she flicked her wand. "What's Potter got into now? Fell off a broom? Explode a potion? Oh…oh, my! Oh…Severus!" She clamped a hand over her mouth as she began reading the parchment that was steadily increasing with length. Harry slumped on the table, shaking and pale as the potions master strode toward the mediwitch, who pointed at something on the parchment. Snape inhaled sharply as a murderous look crossed his features.

Madam Pomphrey schooled her features as she passed the document to the potions master and approached Harry. "Well, Mr Potter, it would seem that someone's done a number on you," she said softly as a derisive snort ecchoed through the room from behind.

To distract his attention from the rage he felt, Severus began reading reading the parchment from the start.

Name: Harry James Potter
DOB: 31 July 1980
Medical History:
Six month stasis charm performed on pregnancy—

"WHAT?" Severus shouted, staring at the parchment in disbelief. Patient and Mediwitch stared at him. He stared back, wild eyed at the seated child. He stared at the paper again.

--during first trimester.
Patrillineal glamour charms and potions taken at birth.
Lightning shaped cut retained—

"No. No, no, no," he murmured softly. "Lily, what have you done?" The mediwitch, curious, walked over to the parchment and read the parchment again, this time more carefully.

"Oh, dear. Does this mean what I think it means, Severus?"

The potions master shakily downed a calming draught. "If Albus knew about this, I'll murder him," he said between clenched teeth.

The midiwitch scoffed. "Oh if I had a knut every time you said that, Severus—"

"I. Don't. Care. That meddling, interfering coot has gone too far this time, Poppy. HOW COULD HE NOT TELL ME?!"

Harry's eyes widened at the irate, wild-eyed potions master.

"Calm down, Severus. You're frightening the boy. Injuries first," the mediwitch replied. "Mr Potter, I'm rather impressed that you're still walking around. Currently, you have two cracked ribs, a fractured wrist, a broken coxyx—"

Severus slapped his forehead for his stupidity, immediately severing the sticking charm. Harry jumped from the table, doubling over in pain. "Merlin, Potter! Honestly! Why didn't you say you were experiencing discomfort?"

"I'm…it…I'm okay, professor," Harry gasped.

"Merlin, save me from dunderheaded Gryffindors," Harry heard Snape mutter.

Madam Pomphrey continued. "You're going to have to stay the night, Potter—"

"No," Harry murmured. "Please—"

"No nothing! It's going to take all night just to repair the damage of you living with those horrid relatives of yours! In addition to the aforementioned, you have countless previous injuries that I'm going to have to rebreak for them to heal correctly. If you think regrowing your arm was painful…scratch that. There's no way I'll let you be conscious for it. I'll be back with the Dreamless Sleep."

Harry fidgeted.

Severus motioned to a nearby bed. "Well, come along. Wouldn't want Dumbledore's precious Gryffindor to hit his head when the Dreamless Sleep kicks in," Severus said, attempting to sneer but failing miserably.

"But sir, what about the meeting with Dumbledore—"

"Professor Dumbledore, Potter. Not to worry. I'll handle Albus," he said grimly, causing Harry to shiver slightly. Harry gingerly sat on the bed, his face betraying little of the pain he was experiencing by the action, and leaned back onto the elevated headrest. Severus winced at the obviousness in Potter's eyes. And the idiot potions master stuck him to a table with a broken coxyx! No wonder the brat was ripping his clothes.

Madam Pomphrey returned with several bottles. "Alright, Mr Potter. I'll be having you take a series of potions, the first being a nutrient potion. The next will be Skelegrow, obviously. And the final will be the Dreamless Sleep. You'll be kept overnight for monitoring, once we've set and reset your bones. And we'll have to do something about all of those bruises. I'm afraid we can do nothing about your old scars, but we may be able to diminish fresh ones. Bottoms up!"

She handed the vials to Harry, who downed them, grimacing only at the Skelegrow. The child's lids grew heavy, and he slumped against the bed, while Poopy Pomphrey spelled his clothes into a hospital gown. She nodded grimly at the potions master, and they set to work, seting the new injuries and mending them and rebreaking old injuries to set them correctly. Severus marveled at the boy's ability to walk without a noticable limp as he rebroke and set a particularly nasty leg injury.

"Well, now we know why Potter's handwriting was so lamentable. Now he'll be without excuse," Severus muttered as he rebroke some of Harry's fingers and reset them.

Poppy tsked. "Honestly, Severus! Must you belittle the boy on everything?"

"He's Potter," Severus sputtered lamely, as though the 'fact' explained everything.

"Perhaps not, Severus. You read the parchment. Those charms and potions are rarely used unless to conceal paternity of a child—"

"I know that! But the boy was still raised a Potter—" Severus stammered, his heart racing.

"Don't be ridiculous, Severus! Are you actually telling me that you still believe Harry to be a spoiled, pampered boy? What is your problem, Severus? Why are you so set on hanging onto the notion that Harry is—oh, Severus," she finished, cottoning on as the pale potions master sank, trembling, into a nearby chair, holding his hand over his mouth.

"I'm such a fool, Poppy. How could I not see it? I've seen him for over two years! How could I not notice that he's…he's—Lily," he whispered.

"He's yours?" She inquired softly.

Severus stared at the slumbering child. "The timeline makes sense. I was with her shortly before she discovered the mark. I tried to explain about it, my grandfather and Lucius, but she had given me so many chances. I'll never forget the broken, disappointed look she had on her face when she left.

"I should have refused, Poppy. I would have been dead, but at least Lily would have been proud of me. If I had refused, Lily would still be alive…I wouldn't have made THE STUPID MISTAKE OF TELLING THE PROPHECY—"

"That's enough, Severus—"

"I was a coward, Poppy. If I would have refused the mark the day Lucius had grabbed me in Diagon Alley—"

"Severus—"

"Harry would still have his mother—"

"HE HAS A FATHER!" Poppy shouted.

Severus snorted. "Of course! Severus Snape, the Death Eater! Trust me, Poppy. He would have been better off with his mother—"

"Do me a favor, Severus, and SHUT UP! Don't you see? There's no point of arguing it now, because Lily is dead, and you are Harry's father! Harry has a father!"

Severus stood and pointed his wand. "No, he doesn't. Obliviate! Poppy, tell me when the boy awakes," he said as he pocketed the parchment and left.

I can't be a father. I can't! What if I become exactly like my father? Well, I may not be able to be a father to the boy, but I can ensure that he never goes back to those people again. Merlin, I can't believe this. I have a son—

He stopped in front of the stone gargoyle. "ALBUS! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

…

"Severus, my boy! Where's Harry?"

Severus snorted. "The boy's in the infirmery, recovering from his injuries. Honestly, Albus! How could you put him with those people!"

"He has to stay there, Severus. It's the only protection he has from Voldemort. The blood wards—"

"Hang the blood wards, Albus! Potter had broken ribs! What if the next time his relatives decide to 'discipline him,' he turns up dead? What good will precious Potter be then, hmm?"

Albus winced. "Severus, can't you see it? Harry isn't his father. He's more like Lily than James…he even has more in common with you than—"

"You knew, then," he spat angrily. Dumbledore's eyes widened for a moment before he shook his head, chuckling.

"It became obvious when Lily handed me the two letters to give you and Harry when Harry became of age."

"I want to see the letters," Severus said angrily.

"Of course, I'll give you your letter, Severus. But Harry's letter belongs to him, does it not?" Albus pulled an ornate box from the shelf and pulled a stiff envelope from the paper. Severus snatched it away and pulled his letter opener.

My dearest Severus,

If you're reading this letter, it's because I'm dead, and our son has reached his seventeenth birthday. Albus told me everything. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you when you tried to explain. I was so upset and disappointed that I couldn't see, hear, or think straight. As soon as I left, I sought out Minerva to place a stasis charm on our boy. She doesn't remember this, of course, so don't bother asking her for confirmation.

Yes, Severus. You have a son. Today, he goes by the name of Harry James Potter. His true name, the name that only I, James, and now you know is Harrison James Severus Snape. James knows. He's been so understanding considering Harry. James approached me a couple of months after I left you, and I told him everything. He asked me to marry him a month later, and I consented. I removed the stasis charm a few months later, and nobody was the wiser.

Harry will also be getting a letter concerning this, and I hope that you two will get aquainted. I want Harry to know the brave, wonderful person his father really was. Please, Sev, I know you'll make a good father. You don't have to be afraid. Just show him the same Severus Snape that I know is inside you still. The same one that would risk everything to keep his best friend and arch nemesis safe from an evil tyrant.

I will always love you,

Lily

Severus accepted the proffered hankerchief from the older man.

"I have a son," he said quietly.