Disclaimer:

I do not own the characters of Harry Potter, these belong to that wonderful author JK Rowling and the various publishing companies used to publish her works. I am however borrowing them, no not to make money but for fun and fun only.

Summary:

Harry was taken in by McGonagall at the end of his third year. Sirius Black was declared innocent but still is believed dead to the Wizarding world. Harry has survived his fourth year but barely, Voldemort is back to full power. To add to the tension he faces he knows why Voldemort wanted him dead having heard the full prophecy. Add to that a new defense against the dark arts teacher that is poison and new allies to help him through this year. To add to the mix a young child a boy will help soften and mend broken hearts. Sequel to Lions and Wards: A New Home.

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Prologue:

Aberforth Dumbledore was a cold hard man after a lifetime of battles and wars of his own. He had spent his youth as far from his brother as he could get in America and had come back to live a simple life running his own inn in Hogsmeade. To all but a few he was seen as a simple gruff old man unlettered as it were and a good business man but not much more. To those who knew him well he was here to keep watch over his brother in case he did turn to the side of evil once and for all. He was like his brother tall with the same blue eyes that peered from behind round glasses. His hair was gray and hung to his shoulders and he kept his gray beard trimmed. His robes were dusty and of earth colors and it was rare he was seen outside his inn in Hogsmeade.

Yet today he was headed for London on a mission, a young girl had trusted him with this task and he was not going to fail her. He had to hurry though, if his brother found out about the child he would possibly do the same with him as he had done with Harry or worse. This child's father was alive and he had a right to raise him even if he was a spy. He had a right to take care of his son, had not Aberforth spoke to the girl about this for so long? Had he not told her to include the boy in the child's life? She had kept the boy secret though she named him after his father, maybe she did love him but fear of Voldemort and those around him caused her to hide the child. Now she was dead and the child was without a mother and in need of his father. He was not sure who could have killed her, she was suppose to be safe!

"Is he alright?" Aberforth asked Moody who he trusted with this task, though Moody did not exactly like the boy's father he knew a child needed his parents and the boy would be good to the child. "Was he hurt?"

"No he was asleep when I got here, she was right smart to have those wards in place." Moody said.

"Where is he now?" Aberforth asked.

"Right here, see he is fine." Moody said letting Aberforth into the small suburban home that was Moody's and gesturing to where a small boy sat on a couch huddled up not sure what was to happen to him now.

"Max?" Aberforth said and the child looked up at him with wide onyx eyes his black hair falling in waves around his pale face. "Max I need you to come with me alright then?"

"Yes sir." Max said getting up and walking to Aberforth. "Where are we going sir? Where is mummy?"

"She is in heaven Max with the angels," Aberforth said, "I am going to take you to your father."

"I am going to meet my daddy?" Max said.

"Yes Max you are." Aberforth said picking up the small child who clung to him and refused to let him go. "We are going to Apparate there okay?"

"Yes sir." Max replied.

"Good luck with him." Moody said, "you will need it with the headmaster."

"Oh he will agree this time." Aberforth said cheerfully, "he really will have no choice in the matter."

He Apparated with the young boy to the gates of Hogwarts and went through and walked up to the school. Max had buried his head into the soft woolen robes of Aberforth and had fallen asleep on the walk up. Aberforth was grateful that it was a Hogsmeade weekend as most of the school was empty save for the first and second years. Even so he had covered the boy with his invisibility cloak as he made his way up to the headmaster's office. He saw McGonagall on the way and without a word she lead him to the headmaster's office. Dumbledore looked up and saw his brother and got up knowing this visit was not going to go as he wanted it to somehow.

"Abe what do I owe this visit?" Dumbledore asked his brother.

"This young child." Aberforth said removing the cloak over the boy. "His name is Maxmillan Severus Tobias Snape."

"Severus has a son?" McGonagall said looking at the young boy and seeing the similarities.

"Aye and he does not know, his mother was worried for the child's safety but now, now she is dead." Aberforth said. "Minerva could you take Max for a bit I do need to speak to my brother."

"Of course, come here child let's go get you some breakfast." McGonagall said.

"Yes ma'am." Max said letting her take him and hold him.

Once she was gone with Max Aberforth faced Dumbledore who was getting very upset. Aberforth knew this would happen, his bother hated when things were not done his way completely. This was a big problem for him now but Aberforth was going to remain strong and not let him harm the child or the boy anymore. No had not Severus Snape suffered enough for what he had done? At least he had not caused the death of his own sister! He had come to Dumbledore begging for the life of a friend who had discarded him years before and he was scored and scoffed by Dumbledore. No more, Severus was going to get things he needed now and one of those things was his son. It was sad the lass was dead but now Severus would get a chance to raise his own child instead of never knowing he even had a child.

"Severus is going to get his son." Aberforth said.

"It's not…"

"In your plans for him, right I get that. "Aberforth said cutting off his brother.

"That is not what I was going to say…"

"No of course not but it is what you meant, now Severus gets his son and all your support to protect the boy or I will go to the papers about you."

"You would not dare!" Dumbledore said glowing with rage.

"I would, I care about Severus I see a better wizard in him than you. He risks his life and you scorn him, he does it all willingly for you! What do you give to him?"

"I see you will allow me no say in the matter." Dumbledore said still angry.

"No I will not, the child is Severus's and he goes to him." Aberforth said.

"Very well, Severus will have his son, and you will leave now!" Dumbledore snapped at his brother.

It was clear, things were about to get interesting for one Severus Snape. No scratch that they were about to get better Aberforth mused. Severus need to heal and feel love again and this was the best way for that to happen. If the girl had survived she would be headed to America with the boy Aberforth knew and Severus would never know his son. It was tragic the girl was dead but maybe things could turn out better for all with Severus having his own flesh and blood to love and raise…

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Severus Snape was an ordered man. He loved things just so and did not like things out of place. He knew exactly what he was going to do today and the next day. This was not a trait some would say would make a good professor yet he had turned out by far the highest NEWT level students in potions study ever in Hogwarts thousand year history. He would say he expected his students to work hard for their grades and prove they deserved to go on, many would say it was something else. Yes Severus Snape was an excellent teacher, a good man and was the best with potions at the school. All in all an ordered structured man, day in and day out he knew exactly what he was to do and liked it that way thank you very much!

Yet this past week had been one of disorder and mayhem and he was sure as he headed to Dumbledore's office that more bad news was to come. Yet he wondered just what could be worse than Voldemort being back? He gave the password at the gargoyle and went up to the headmaster's office and entered. He saw Dumbledore sitting at his desk and by him was McGonagall and huddled around her ankles was a small boy clad in robes of navy blue. Snape took another look at the boy, soft lank black hair, black eyes, sallow skin, the child looked very familiar though he could swear he had never seen him before.

"This is Maxmillan Severus Tobias Snape, he is your son." McGonagall said as way of greeting getting Severus to look up at her shock on his face, Aberforth had been right, Severus did not know this boy was his.

"My son?" Severus said grabbing the chair as he was about to fall off in a dead faint. "But how, where is his mother, if I had known I would have wed the witch, I…"

"She is dead, murdered." Dumbledore replied a bit sharply. "The boy was found in their flat, he was unharmed and did not see her killed."

"Do you know who did it?" Snape asked.

"No, but this child is your son." McGonagall replied. "He will need you now Severus."

"How am I to, to raise him?" Snape asked looking down at the small boy who looked terrified at the sight of him, that was not good, he was his son and a son should not fear his father! "How old is he?"

"Five years old." McGonagall replied.

"Five, he is so small, he is well?" Snape said looking at the boy softening his look to show the boy he meant no harm.

"Yes, very, he can read and write, he is a well behaved charming boy." McGonagall replied. "He is average for his age in height and weight."

"Max would you like to live with me?" Severus said getting down on the boy's level. "Believe me if I had known before now you were mine I would have been there for you and your mother."

"You take care of me now?" Max asked. "You my daddy, you really my daddy?"

"Yes, I am, I can see that I am you will live with me and I will take care of you." Severus said. "I promise I will do all I can for you, I will raise you to the best of my ability you will not lack."

The boy looked up at McGonagall who gave him a reassuring smile and he walked up to his father. He studied the man before him and smiled and it confirmed what Severus had seen in the boy's mind when he gently probed, the witch the boy's mother had told him who his father was. Severus held out his arms and the boy ran into them and he embraced the little boy, it felt so right, the boy was his and he felt a bit of the hardness leave his cold heart. His son, he had never expected it or thought it would happen but there it was, the boy was his. He looked down at him and smiled, a real warm smile and the boy returned it. Severus felt something deep inside starting to flow through him and it felt good.

"You not leave me daddy?" The boy said holding onto his father's soft woolen robes.

"No Max, you are mine and I will not leave you." Severus and he recognized the warmth spreading through him as that of love. "I, I love you, I really do son."

"Good, well he can stay in your quarters, you can spend the summer getting to know him. McGonagall said getting emotional at the boy and his son bonding so quickly here. "If you need any help I can help you Severus alright?"

"Thank you Minerva, I wish to get to know him, I am going to take very good care of him." Severus said as Max snuggled close to his father's chest.

Severus smiled again, a real smile and carried the boy out and down to his quarters. Dumbledore watched him walk out with the boy, Aberforth had been right Severus needed the child, his child. Severus now had something of his own to fight for. Seeing him soften and the coldness leave him was a good change. Merlin if he could keep that way things would be much better for all concerned McGonagall thought. She saw a bit of the hardness leave Dumbledore too when he saw how happy Severus and Max were together. If this boy could bring happiness for all then more than Voldemort could be destroyed, the gloom that affected the headmaster for one…

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So there it is, Severus Snape with a son. Now JKR did say that Severus has no daughters, but she never said he did not have a son! So it is very plausible he has a son and of course I had to make him cute and smart too. Yes he does talk like a five year old too, many of my nieces and nephews speak very clearly too. Quite a few can read and right as well and are far smarter than me! So little Max is modeled off my nephews in all but looks of course. Yes Severus had a "friend with benefits" for a time. But that ended and he never knew she had his kid until now.

Please do review!