A/N: ...I am /soooo/ sorry! I recently switched to a new computer and I've been trying to figure out where my files went... anyway since fall is here and I'm actually going to have important work to slack off from, updates should be coming faster. Enjoy!

Previously:

"We can't just leave…" James tried.

"Oh really? Why not?" Sirius challenged. James and Remus fell silent. "I thought so! Pack your bags, gentlemen! We're going to New York City!"

!

If someone had told Severus Snape that he would be the dedicated sole parent to James Potter and Lily Evan's son on that fateful Halloween night, he would have checked them into St. Mungo's himself. But somehow… it had happened. Severus had devoted his life to his family. Lily's son had become his son and Harry had become more family to Severus than any of his theoretical biological spawn could ever hope to be. Severus took care of the boy (providing for him out of Severus's own pocket!) paid for a private magical school so Harry could have a truly amazing education, chauffeured Harry and his friends around to all their band "gigs" and lo—lov—cared for him as any true father would. Hell, some of Harry's friends expressed jealousy at Severus's stellar parenting compared to their parents! How could this have happened?

"Yo! Dad! Wake up!" Severus was forcibly jerked out of his musings by his surrogate son himself. Harry Evans stood in his father's empty potions shop (the early morning rush had finished hours ago and the late afternoon rush hadn't begun yet). Harry's name was a peculiar thing. When Lily and Severus had married, both Lily and Harry had taken the name of Snape. But when Lily died, Severus changed Harry's family name to Evans. At first, Harry had (understandably) protested. Why would Harry want his name to be changed from the name of man who he called father to his dead mother's former name? However, Severus explained it was a tribute to Lily; a way to ensure her memory was never forgotten (Severus would've changed his name to Evans too if his potions fame hadn't been under the name Snape). Harry had agreed.

"Why are you here early?" Severus demanded. "And I wasn't asleep, by the way."

Harry laughed and rolled his eyes. Severus's "Fear Me!" act had never worked on him. It was hard to fear a man who'd baked him birthday cakes for as long as he could remember.

"Band practice finished early. Nev's grandmother came by early and you know how she can get." It was true; Augusta Longbottom was a woman to be feared. "Then Draco skipped out on me so I came back here."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "As thrilling as that incredibly descriptive tale was, it did not answer my inquiry. Why did you choose to come here?"

Harry shrugged. "I dunno; where else could I go? I can't just wander the streets like a vagrant, not while carrying a guitar case."

"So you came here to drop off your guitar case so you can go wander the streets like a vagrant," Severus guessed.

"Yup!" Harry beamed. Severus sighed.

"Leave it in the back room and I'll take it home with me. Keep your cell phone on, have your wand within easy reaching distance and stay within a 3-block distance of here and the house," Severus lectured routinely. Harry was almost seventeen and was a rather extraordinary wizard (Severus had trained young Harry himself, after all). He fought his fear of Harry getting hurt and dismissed it as idle paranoia. "If you are killed, maimed, seriously injured or kidnapped, you are officially grounded."

"Got it!" Harry smiled widely. "See you later, Dad!" Harry practically skipped out. Severus stared after him. How had he gotten so parental?

!

"…And here are you room keys!" The smiling receptionist handed Sirius three keycards. "Your room is on the 27th floor."

"Thanks, love," Sirius flirted. The receptionist giggled as Sirius winked and rejoined his friends.

"One for you," Sirius said as he handed James a card. "And one for you," Sirius tossed an unsuspecting Remus a key. Remus, who hadn't really been paying attention, only caught the card due to his supernatural reflexes and shot the smiling Sirius a dirty glare. "And one for me. Let's go!"

Sirius sauntered across the posh lobby of the hotel. Remus and James followed, Remus giving the bellhop who dragged their bags a pitying smile. Why had Sirius packed so much product for his hair? He had far more bags than James and Remus combined!

"Earth to Moony! Come in, Moony!" James waved his hand in front of Remus's face.

"Oh, what? Sorry, must've spaced out there," Remus said.

"As I was saying," Sirius said while repeatedly summoning the elevator by mashing the up button. Like that would make the elevator come faster! "I was just wondering if either of you had any specific things you wanted to do on this vacation—Here's the elevator!"

Sirius shoved James and Remus into the elevator then quickly pressed the button. The doors closed, causing the bellhop to jump back and glare at Sirius. "I think that bellhop hates us," Sirius remarked casually.

"I think he hates you," James teased.

"Now why would anyone want to do that?" Sirius sniffed. "But anyway, ideas?"

"Actually, yes," Remus remarked. "There's a very famous potions store near here that I'd like to check out for my furry little problem."

Sirius and James sported identical expressions of shock and disgust. "Potions? Voluntarily?" They chorused.

Remus grinned. "You could always come with me. I was planning on going today after grabbing a bite to eat."

"Change of plans," Sirius announced as the elevator ding'd and opened its door. "We'll get a late lunch, Moony will go to his potions store and Jamesie and I will take a nap."

!

Harry waited until no one on the street was paying him any attention then ducked into a small alley. He cautiously cast a glance around to see if anyone was watching (he didn't see anyone) and pulled his wand out from his boot. Harry also retrieved a small skateboard figurine from his pocket and set it on the pavement. Harry unshrunk his board with a flick of his wand then stuck it back in his boot. Harry slipped his mirrored Aviator shades on while skateboarding out of the alley.

Harry started moving down the empty sidewalk when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He reflexively grabbed the hand, jumped off his skateboard and turned hard over his opposing shoulder; hurling the unknown assailant onto the ground with lightning-fast speed. Harry jogged down the road to grab his waywardly rolling skateboard then looked back to see his would-be attacker.

The man currently lying belly-up on the ground didn't seem particularly threatening. He looked about Severus's age with a similar physique: tall, slender and subtly muscular with broad shoulders and a slim waist. He was lightly tanned and he had medium-length light brown hair with natural sandy highlights. His eyes were a strangely-familiar warm brown. Though he was wearing innocuous muggle clothing, Harry could sense his magical aura.

"You okay, there?" Harry asked cautiously clenching his wand tightly out of sight.

"Fine," the man coughed. "Just caught a bit off-guard. Sorry if I scared you, by the way."

"Not a problem." Harry was never scared.

The mystery man stood and brushed himself off while continuing. "I just saw you casting a spell in that alley over there and was wondering if you could help me out."

"You're a wizard too, then?"

"Naturally." The man smiled (what shiny teeth he had!). "I'm actually looking for a potions store that's around here run by a man named Snape. Do you know where it is?"

Harry's face brightened. It was a customer, and from the accent, an overseas one too! "Of course I do! I can take you there if you want," Harry offered.

"That would be lovely. I'm afraid I don't know the area too well; I'm not from here," the man admitted sheepishly.

"No problem. It's this way." Harry turned and started walking, carrying the board under his arm. "What did you say your name was again?" He called back carelessly.

The man easily kept pace with Harry's wide strides. "Remus Lupin, at your service."

Harry froze internally but thanked his lucky stars Severus's teachings prevented any of his emotions from showing on the outside. He continued walking casually while he pondered his rotten luck.

Of all the British wizards that Harry could've seen, it just had to be one of the three Harry hated most in the world! Severus had told Harry of all the horrible things Lupin, Black and Potter had done to him back in their school days, including Severus's first attempt on his life. This Lupin guy was a werewolf; a dangerous Dark creature that even untransformed had the strength and brutality to rip Harry in half. Harry was in big trouble.

"Here we are," Harry said while sweating profusely. He opened the blacked-out glass door and, not spotting Severus, called out, "Mr. Snape? It's Daniel. I know it's your lunch break, but we have an important overseas customer that I think you should see immediately."

!

Though Severus had been living a completely law-abiding life in America for over a decade, he knew he had numerous angry and dangerous enemies in the UK. In fact, one of the reasons Severus was so keen on moving to America was he wanted a happy, safe life for his family and knew he could not attain that with so many adversaries. In spite of this, Severus still worried about the safety of young Harry when he w as out and about so the two had developed a code. If Harry was ever in trouble, he was to come to Severus's shop and call himself Daniel Prince, Severus's fictional shopkeeping assistant. However, the code was only to be used in the gravest of emergencies.

Upon hearing the codename being used, Snape's blood ran cold. He straightened from where he stooped in the back restocking shelves and swept up the counter, affixing a cold sneer upon his face.

Remus Lupin stood behind Harry. Severus felt his heart stop for a few seconds then start back up double its previous pace. "Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in," Severus mocked. "Mr. Prince, there are boxes in the storeroom that need unloading."

"Yessir," Harry mumbled and flew into the back room, undoubtedly eavesdropping to the best of his ability.

"What are you doing here, wolf?" Severus said, words dripping with ill-concealed venom. He only hoped the wolf could not hear his pounding heart with his supernatural senses.

"Who's the boy, Severus?" Lupin ignored Severus's question and gently responded with one of his own.

"A hired hand, not that it matters. Answer me."

Lupin laughed quietly. "Me? In a potions store? Why do you think? I'm certainly not looking for a weed-killer or a haircolor-changing potion."

"Obviously. Small, medium or large?" Snape recovered quickly and moved to where he stocked his Wolfsbane potion.

"Large, please," Lupin said as he pulled out his pitiful wallet. "I don't suppose you take Galleons, do you?"

"Credit or check if you don't have cash," Severus said as he rung the bottle up.

Lupin handed his credit card over and received the bottle of Wolfsbane. "Thank you, Severus."

Severus sneered elegantly and said, "The world already has one mangy mutt on the loose; it certainly doesn't need another. Now get out of my store."

"Tell the boy, Daniel, I said it was nice meeting him. And have a nice day, Severus," Lupin said as he exited.

"I am not your errand boy," Severus icily informed him and closed the door in Lupin's face.

!

A/N: Short chapter is short. But meh. Hope you enjoyed!

Please review!