He was drunk tonight. He shouldn't be but here he was pouring the last of a once full bottle of fire whiskey into his glass. No matter how much he consumed nothing removed the anguish from the memory. The child of his most hatred rival and the woman he loved . Severus Snape threw the glass into the fire, the flames leaped higher for a moment before dying back down. And he, he had no choice, tomorrow he taught to this boy, who now knew too much about things better left buried. Severus wondered if this was even know circulating the halls of Hogwarts. Damn Albus for his interfering! Teach the boy, be near the boy, get to know the boy. For what? So he could invade what little personal private space Severus had left? Between Voldemort and the Order Severus could feel what little that remained his slipping away. It was in this frame of mind he passed out in his chair, head lolling back and a slight snore escaping. The house-elf who zapped in went unnoticed by the Potions Master, who laid a letter on the side table by his chair along with two hangover potions for the morning. Dobby looked around and gathered up the bottle and broken glass before silently teleporting from the room. After a moment he reappeared with a blanket and pillow and maneuvered the professor to a more comfortable pose before popping out again. He made a note to have breakfast brought up for the professor in the morning, just as Harry Potter had requested.

Severus woke in the morning to the smell of porridge and bacon. He cracked an eye open, surprising comfortable for being in an armchair all night. He felt the pillow slip from behind his head and the blanket covering him fell to the floor. He reached for the hangover potion and downed it quickly, relaxing to left the effects begin to take effect. Once the pain had subsided he opened his eyes fully seeing the breakfast tray and letter sitting to his side. He looked between the two before deciding the letter to be the less important and began to eat. Once he finished he drank the second potion, feeling the last of his hangover slipping away. Only once it disappeared did Severus open the letter. It was a simple thing, no name on the front. He sat back and popped the wax seal. The letter began,

'I'm sorry. Not just for looking but for what happened. You're right about him and I hate you a little for that. He was supposed to be a good man not a bully. There s no excuse for what he did so I won't make any. I always figured you just hated him and wanted me to feel bad about being his son. I do now because I'll always wonder now if he hadn't treated you like that would you have joined you-know-who. I wish I could just hate you. This is getting off topic. I am sorry. He can't apologize and he probably wouldn't anyways so I'll do it instead. I am truly and completely sorry for his and Sirius's behavior. I'm sorry Remus just stood by and did nothing. I'm sorry my godfather continues to treat you terribly. I'm sorry I can't fix what happened to you. I don't expect you to forgive me I just felt this needed to be said. I am not my father. I refuse to be that man. I hope you can believe that.'

Severus finished the letter and stared into the fire. His thoughts were racing yet his face remained a mask. He reached for a piece of parchment and a quill and quickly wrote out a missive. Summoning a house-elf he gave it instructions on who to deliver the message to before sending him on his way. He sat back, relaxed, allowing a small smile to peek out on his stony face.

Dobby appeared in Harry Potter's room and placed the message on the boy's bed before popping out again. Harry popped his head around the corner and went to retrieve the message.

'Remedial Potions tonight. Seven sharp. -Professor Snape.'

Harry smiled. He could not undo history but he would change the future.