Severus Snape had no idea who or what had set off his wards in the middle of the night, but he wasn't happy about it. He went out and aimed his wand at a figure moving almost hesitantly towards the house.
"Stop! Who are you?"
"Professor?"
He blinked and lowered his wand.
"Potter?"
Harry Potter never thought he'd be happy to see his potions teacher.
"Lumos," Snape intoned.
He went to the boy and stared in horror. The fifteen year old boy was battered, bruised, and bloodied.
"Merlin. What the devil happened to you, Potter?"
He coughed rather wetly, getting weaker.
"Uncle Vernon."
Snape found he could no longer hate the boy.
"I had to get away, sir."
"I understand. Come, lets get you inside."
He looped a supportive arm around the boy, took the cage with his owl, and helped the limping boy into the house. Once inside Harry took his things out of his pocket then collapsed into the potions master's arms.
"Potter!"
When Harry awoke it was morning. He blinked in the light then realized he was laying a large bed with black sheets. He felt better as well. His wounds had been treated and bandaged. He looked around and spotted Snape asleep in the nearby armchair.
"Professor?"
He jerked awake and looked at the boy.
"Ah, you're awake."
He stood and stretched before going over to the bed.
"How do you feel, Potter?"
"Much better."
He nodded.
"Hungry?"
Harry hesitated, but his stomach chose to then growl loudly. He blushed as Snape smirked.
"I'll take that as a yes. I'll be back."
True to his word, the potions master soon returned. He carried a plate of eggs, toast, and bacon in one hand and a glass of milk in the other. He set them on the nightstand and helped Harry sit up.
"Eat up, Potter."
He didn't need to be told twice. The food was delicious, and Harry tore into it.
"Potter, slow down. You're eating like a starving man."
"Might as well be," he ground out.
Snape blinked and sat on the edge of the bed.
"Didn't they feed you?"
"Once a week if I was lucky, and even then it was just table scraps."
The man scowled heavily.
"I must floo the Headmaster. I'll be back once I've talked with him."
Severus left, and a few minutes later, after Harry had finished his breakfast, a small light brown haired boy with brown eyes came running in. He smiled widely at Harry.
"Hi!" he said brightly.
"Uh,... hi."
The boy scrambled up onto the bed and sat facing the teen.
"I'm Jimmy. Who are you?"
"Harry Potter."
"Oooh. Then you're the kid Daddy don't like."
"Doesn't- wait, Daddy?!"
The boy nodded.
"Uh-huh."
Harry stared at him as Severus came back in.
"Jimmy, I thought I told you not to bother him."
"But-"
"He's not bothering me, Professor."
The potions master gave him a look of disbelief.
"He's just curious to meet the new guest, right, Jimmy?" Harry said.
"Yep!"
The child beamed at the man.
"All right, munchkin, go play."
Jimmy ran off to play.
"Professor?"
"I took him in about two years ago when I found him on my doorstep in a similar condition to what you arrived in."
Harry grimaced.
"No one has a right to abuse a child, especially their own. Once he was well enough to go into foster care he clung to me."
"So you adopted him."
He nodded.
"Yes, I adopted him. He's a muggleborn but knows about magic since I adopted him. He stays in my personal quarters at Hogwarts during school or with the Headmaster."
A little later Snape allowed Harry to get up. He was soon seated on the living couch watching Jimmy play on the floor. Suddenly the flames in the fireplace turned green, and Lucius Malfoy stepped through.

"Uncle Lucius!" Jimmy squealed happily, running over to the hug the blond.

The man smiled and hugged the boy back as Snape came into the room.

"Lucius, you're just in time for lunch. Join us?"

"Yes, thank you, Severus."

Then he noticed Harry.

"Potter? Good Lord, what the devil happened to you?"

Harry scowled at the Death Eater but decided to answer anyway.

"My uncle, Mr. Malfoy."

He was surprised to see the anger in Lucius' face at his answer.

"Blasted muggles."

"Uncle Lucius, see my new toy?" Jimmy asked, waving a toy car.

Lucius smiled, and even Harry had to admit that it was rather endearing.

"I do see. Very nice. Who got you that?"

"Grandpa Albus."

Harry snorted back a laugh.

"The Headmaster?"

"Yes," Snape answered before returning to the kitchen.

Lucius sat down on the floor and watched Jimmy with a soft smile.

"Mister Malfoy?"

"Yes, Potter?"

Harry hesitated for a moment.

"Why did you get angry when I told you my uncle did this to me?"

Gray eyes met green ones.

"No one deserves to be abused. I'm not actually your enemy, Potter, not willingly anyway. I do what I do to keep my family safe. I don't always agree with his methods, in fact I rarely do nowadays, but to keep my wife and son safe and alive, I must obey him. I'm sorry for the pain we've caused you."

He turned back to Jimmy and jumped when a hand touched his shoulder. He looked at Harry in surprise.

"I forgive you, sir."

He smiled.

"Thank you, Potter."

"You know, Dumbledore and the others could keep them safe."

Snape came back in.

"Trying to recruit him, Potter?" he asked dryly.

"More than you, Severus," Lucius shot back.

Harry smirked and started when Snape chuckled.

"True, my friend, and he's right. The Order would keep you safe. There is no safer place for Draco than Hogwarts, and the Order's headquarters would be the perfect safe house for you and Cissy."

The blond sighed.

"All right."

"Good. Now, come on, lunch is ready."

Lucius got up and swung Jimmy onto his back, jogging into the kitchen with Harry following at a slower pace. After lunch, as Jimmy was getting down, Lucius slipped him a packet of Droobles.

"You spoil him, Lucius," Snape said with a smirk as his son ran off happily with the sweets.

His friend smiled.

"He needs a bit of spoiling, Severus. You've said so yourself on occasion."

"That he does, and you only give him sweets once in a while, so I suppose it's all right."

Harry looked at Lucius.

"What do you usually give him?"

"A toy, new crayons, or a new coloring book."

He blinked. Malfoy Sr. certainly did spoil the child.

"Cissy would like to do his birthday party at the manor this year."

Snape gave Lucius a look.

"They'll be gone by tomorrow, so he'll be perfectly safe. Come on, Severus, he needs a change of scenery other than here and Hogwarts, and frankly he doesn't see enough of that place."

"The students-"

"No student in their right mind would dare mess with your son, muggleborn or not. You don't scare them that stupid."

Harry knew Malfoy was right.

"He's right, sir."

Snape sighed.

"I'll think about it."

Harry finished his lunch and started to leave. As he passed Lucius, the blond pressed something into his hand. He glanced down to see it was a Chocolate Frog.

"Lucius," Snape growled.

"What? Spoil one and not the other?" came the innocent reply.

Smiling, the fifth year left the kitchen and opened his sweet.

"Harry!"

He grinned as Jimmy ran over to him.

"Wanna play with me?"

"Sure, kiddo."

They sat down to play. Jimmy gave Harry half his Droobles, and Harry gave Jimmy half his Chocolate Frog. Severus and Lucius came to see Harry helping Jimmy build a toy castle, both boys munching on their sweets.

"Building Hogwarts, munchkin?"

"No, Daddy. Just a regular castle," Jimmy answered.

The two men sat on the couch and simply watched.

"Done!"

"All right," Harry said,

He held up his hand.

"High-five, pal."

Jimmy smacked his hand and giggled. Lucius cast a spell that made Jimmy's toy people fly around the castle on brooms.

"Uncle Lucius!"

"It was Severus."

Snape looked at his friend.

"Hey!"

Harry smiled, and Jimmy giggled.

"I make Jimmy stand in the corner for lying, should I do it to you, too?"

"No," Lucius said quickly.

"Then don't blame me for what you did."

The blond smiled at his raven haired friend.

"All right, all right. Well, I better go anyway."

"Awww. Do you have to?" Jimmy whined.

Lucius smiled and scooped the boy up into a hug.

"I'm afraid so, little one, but I'll see you soon."

"Okay."

Jimmy hugged him tightly before he was set down.

"Goodbye, Potter."

"Bye, Mr. Malfoy."

He looked at the potions master.

"Goodbye, Severus."

"Goodbye, Lucius."

He left through the Floo Network.

"What an weird morning," Harry said.

Snape chuckled.

"Might as well get used to it, Potter. The Headmaster has agreed to let you stay so you're safe from your uncle."

The Gryffindor stared at him.

"Of course that means I have to legally adopt you, so the choice is yours."

"I... I'd like that, sir."

The potions master smiled.

"That means I get a big brother?"

His smile widened.

"Yes, Jimmy, it does. I'll go take care of the paperwork."

He left, and Jimmy hugged Harry.

"Yay!"

Harry laughed and hugged the child back. Snape soon returned with some papers in hand.

"I have already signed these, but you must as well."

The fifth year signed his name.

"All right. Lets get these to Ministry."

They flooed to the Ministry, with Jimmy between them. Harry found it odd seeing a child holding the potions master's hand, but he knew he'd have to get used to it. He followed his professor down a few levels.

"Jimmy, wait here with Harry."

"Yes, Daddy."

Both boys sat on a nearby bench as Snape went into the Department of Adoptions and Family Custodies. Jimmy kicked his legs, instantly bored while Harry sat patiently, praying the Ministry would allow Snape to become his father or at least his new guardian so he wouldn't have to go back to the Dursely's. He wondered what Sirius would think if he knew Harry was actually wishing to live with Severus Snape.

"Harry."

"Yeah, kiddo?"

Jimmy sighed before answering.

"I'm bored."

The Gryffindor looked at the boy.

"Well, I can't help that, buddy, sorry. We have to wait for Professor Snape. You can't run off because I can't be chasing you. My leg still hurts, so I can't go after you."

The child huffed and snuggled closer to the teen. Harry smiled and put his arm around him. Jimmy was soon asleep, and Harry was starting to doze off when Snape came out, startling them awake.

"Lets go."

The boys instantly obeyed, following him to a fireplace to floo back to the Snape Manor.

"Well?"

Snape smiled at the Gryffindor.

"Welcome home,... son."

Jimmy squealed and hugged his new brother.