Hey there... I'm posting this from my AO3 account, thought that maybe I should give this place a chance again... Idk if anyone would like this.. more power to you if you like it... if not then don't complain please.

It was quiet in Dumbledore's office, the portraits were wide awake yet quiet as they stared at the group under them with intensity, Minerva McGonagall perched on one of the chairs, her back straight, her arms resting in her lap solemnly, Albus Dumbledore sat behind his desk, he looked like every one of his years as he observed the man with unruly black hair who appeared unconscious on a transfigured couch, the final two occupants were by far the strangest, not because of how they looked but who they were; Severus Snape the fearsome Dungeon Bat of Hogwarts (who had already made a majority of the school's students cry at least once in his short few months as the Potions Master) stood rocking slightly as he tried to keep the one year old child he had in his arms from waking up while at the same time put more healing cream on the child's forehead. The child shifted slightly causing the young professor to curse.

"Honestly Potter, you're already taking after your father, I'm quite sure that your blanket doesn't need healing cream." Minerva and Albus smiled at that as they listened to Severus continue to tell the child just how much trouble he'd be getting into as he got older, even a few of the portraits chuckled at the young man's words.

"Lily." The mood dropped as the figure on the couch spoke up his eyes open, "Lily will never get to see him get in all that trouble, will she Snape?" Severus didn't look up at James, instead he chose to stare into the sleepy pair of green eyes looking up at him, "You know what he said, 'it would be such a shame to waste pure blood.'" James shook, anger pouring from his figure as he snarled, "He fucking knocked me out while he killed Lily!" He practically screamed, "IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT SNIVELLUS! IF YOU HADN'T TOLD YOUR LORD ABOUT THAT STUPID PROPHECY LILY WOULD STILL BE A-"

The angry man was knocked back onto the couch as his former head of house slapped him across the face, "If it wasn't for Severus you and your son would be dead from smoke inhalation!" A cry ran throughout the small room and all eyes were drawn away from the fight as they watched Severus calm the child.

"Shush now, your father isn't mad," Severus said softly, "He just misses your mother, now hush up, we have important things to talk about," Severus gave the baby a soft smile, "Now go to sleep, little troublemaker," Severus crooned at Harry and before their eyes the infant had been rocked to sleep by the terror of every first year's nightmares.

James twitched, "How the hell did you do that, Harry usually cries for hours, not even- not even Lily can- could calm him down." James said, his anger replaced by shock.

"Being a fellow spy isn't why Lucius made me Draco's godfather, the child can be a brat and Narcissa is useless at the best of times, I can usually get their little Dragon to do anything."

"Can you get him to eat peas?" James asked a bit stupefied by the fact that Severus appeared to be good with infants.

"I can't work miracles." he muttered as he cuddled the now sleeping child close, "Get your son Potter, and I'll be out of your hair so you can discuss what will be happening to you and your child."

James nodded mutely (still a bit shocked by how Severus acted), he stood up to collect his son but as soon as Harry was in his arms the child began to cry, Albus chuckled, "It seems that your son has become attached to Severus, James." The animagus twitched slightly before he muttered that Severus could stay if he held Harry.

After the group shuffled around for a few minutes the couch was turned back into two chairs, with Severus in the softer of the two so he could lean back to allow the infant to rest on his chest and not make Severus hold his weight for the rest of what would probably be a long talk.

Minerva looked at the two men and shook her head, she had a good idea of how this conversation would go. Albus gave a tired smile to both of the men, "So, James do you have any plans?"

James frowned, "No, Albus, my house just burned down, my wife just died, and my son just vanquished Voldemort (Minerva and Severus flinched), do you really think that I have any bloody plans?" He frowned and scratched his head, "Perhaps Molly would allow Harry and I to stay at the Burrow until I can find a place for Harry and myself. Or I could stay with Sirius." The other occupants stiffened.

"James," Minerva said sadly, "Sirius is being hunted for giving information on your whereabouts to he-who-must-not-be-named."

The ex-auror gave a confused look to the professor, "Minerva, what are you talking about, Peter always apperated Sirius to the porch, he didn't know where we were."

"The rat was your secret-keeper?" Severus asked quietly as he tried to keep Harry asleep.

James nodded and Minerva jumped from her chair horrified, "Albus I'll inform the Auror Department about this, they must know."

The headmaster nodded silently as the witch went to the fireplace and then turned to look back at the two remaining adult occupants, "Actually I was hoping that you could take over the lower DADA courses for the rest of the year, Professor Milintery has the most peculiar fear that the first years want to sacrifice her and that the second and third years are helping them." James looked slightly shocked, "Now my boy, you have three, extremely exciting, years of being an auror under your belt along with a year of very intense on-the-job training, it will give you time to get back onto your feet and think about your future."

"But what about Harry, what about everything else, how will any of this work without-" He choked slightly, "Lily here to help me."

"Severus will help you." Albus said cheerfully.

"WHAT?" both men said at once before they glared at each other.

James turned back to the obviously crazy headmaster, "Sir, no offence, but the day that the greasy git helps me is the day that Malfoy does a cartwheel in a pink dress."

"My promise to Lily didn't include babysitting her husband. And find a different analogy Potter, Lucius already did that."

"What? Wait what promise?" Albus and Severus exchanged a look, "I feel like Lily and you two are hiding something from me again."

"Lily made me vow in front of Dumbledore," Severus began uncomfortably, "vow on my magic, that should something happen to her that I would help raise her son." James stuttered slightly, obviously grasping at just why his wife would go to the potions master for her son's future, "Lily was like a sister to me Potter, we had a falling out and when I switched sides we reconciled," He smiled sadly down at the child drooling onto his chest, "it was nice to have her back, even if it was only for a little while. We've been sending letters back and forth for months, you know she really didn't think that your mutt could ever be a parent, just a crazy uncle at most." He smirked at James.

The animagus pouted, "I don't care what Lily said, Sirius is a perfect godfather for Harry."

"He's dating a werewolf."

"Remus is a good person twenty-nine out of thirty days a month." James protested.

Severus rolled his eyes and sat up while he pulled Harry so the the child's chin was resting on his shoulder. "What about living arrangements, Milintery's already occupying the Defence Master's quarters."

Albus smiled, "I already had the elves extend your room so that James and Harry could stay with you, I also change the schedule so that you have your NEWT students in the morning so James can watch Harry before he needs to teach, but sadly you both are teaching a class right after lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but Severus you said that your fourth year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs are quite competent, so you watching Harry would probably be safer than James' second year Gryffindor and Slytherin class." Albus ended what he said and, for all the world, looked like a dotty old grandfather while James and Severus just sat there for a second trying to figure out what had just been decided without their input.

Eventually Severus just shook his head and glared at the headmaster, "Of course sir." he muttered disdainfully.

James turned his wide eyes to Severus, "You're just going along with this?"

The potions master stood up, carefully cradling Harry as he scowled at the child's father, "You should know, Potter, that there is no arguing with Albus Dumbledore once he has set his mind to an idea." Severus growled, resigned to his fate.

Albus smiled, eyes twinkling wildly, "Good, good, you boys go off and adjust, I believe that it is high time for me to go and shut down the party that is going on, I'm afraid Mr. Baddock took over your position as head troublemaker in the Gryffindor house."

James grinned (his first real smile since he had woken up), "Little Gabriel Baddock huh? Kid was adorable, always pulling pranks."

"On Slytherins," Muttered Severus, "Potter, take your son. I don't want my reputation damaged anymore than it will be." James rolled his eyes and held out his hands. But when Severus put Harry into James' arms the boy's face immediately scrunched up and he began to whimper in his sleep. Severus sighed and grabbed the baby, "Honestly."

James looked devastated, "Why does Harry like you more than me? He's my child."

The potions master thought for a moment before he blushed slightly, "Lily recommended a muggle shampoo to cut down on grease in hair in one of our recent letters, she said that it was what she used on her hair."

The other man blinked before he leaned forward and sniffed Severus' hair he then took a step back with an awkward and slightly pained look on his face, "Your hair smells like Lily's." Which was quite funny since she used a shampoo with strawberry scent.

Severus glared at James, "You just sniffed my hair."

James laughed awkwardly, "So where are your rooms? We should head there." Severus narrowed his eyes and gave the other man a glare that made even the sixth and seventh years who remembered Severus as a student scampering in fear. James simply shrugged and they left with a quick goodbye to the headmaster at the base of the stairs as they headed in opposite directions. James barely kept up as Severus strode towards a hidden staircase, "Could you slow down?" the animagus snapped, "How are you faster than me, we're the same hi- ouch." James muttered when he ran into Severus' narrow back which caused the man to stumble. "Why'd you- oh hello." James smiled as he stood next to Severus, who was glaring at a pair of frightened looking Hufflepuffs who shook where they stood a few paces ahead of the two.

"What are you doing out of bed Mr. Smith, Ms. Cattell?" Severus snarled as he hoped that the two Hufflepuffs wouldn't say anything about the child who had drooled all over his shoulder in his sleep.

"W-we were s-studying in the R-Ravenc-claw common room, sir," Jackson Smith, a fifth year muggle-born, stuttered, before his eyes flickered to the blue bundle that the potion's master held and the boy's shoulders seemed to sag, "Our quidditch captain decided to throw a party, and me and Shelly hadn't finished the dreamless sleep essay yet." he said slightly more confidently, "Is that a baby sir?"

Severus winced, "That is no concern of you Mr. Smith, ten points from Hufflepuff for walking around after curfew."

"That isn't very fair Severus," James said, "They were doing a report for your class."

Severus glared, "I did not give you permission to use my name Potter, and they are lucky I did not give them detention for wandering around after curfew." Severus turned his glare back to the two confused fifth years, "And what are you two doing? Go to your dormitory, now."

The two Hufflepuffs gave a quick 'yes sir' and headed towards the passage that led down to the basement, "Hey Shelly."

"What?" the blonde asked her friend as they entered the 'secret' passage.

"Was it just me or is professor Snape less terrifying with a baby sleeping on him?"

Shelly nodded with a faint smile, "Coupled with the fact that his hair no longer looks like he used petrol as a shampoo, he seems pretty human."

Jackson groaned, "No one is gonna believe this!"

Shelly giggled, "My question is who was that man that was with him, they looked kinda cute together."

Jackson made a quick sound of disgust, "Only you would be thinking about stuff like that about professor Snape."

She giggled, "Admit it you thought the same thing."

Jackson blushed, "Why would I think something like that its girly." With that the two friends argued all the way back to the Hufflepuff common room. By the time the two of them headed towards their separate dorms they had forgotten just what had started their fight in the first place.