This is just a one-shot that randomly crossed my mind and I decided to write it down.
Hope you enjoy.
Maybe It Was Fate
Severus Snape glanced through the open door of each room as he passed it, checking it over quickly before continuing on. He continued his search down the long, winding corridor until he reached the end of the Hallway and entered through the last door. He sighed and turned to leave; planning to search the next floor when something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye.
"Harry?" Severus asked staring at the figure covered in shadows, staring into the fire place almost unblinkingly.
Harry Potter, now Snape, didn't turn away but still responded, "Hello Father."
Severus stared at the only boy he'd ever cared for as a son for a long moment, a frown marring his features, "What are you doing?"
"Thinking," Harry replied softly, finally glancing away from the fire.
"Thinking about what?" Severus asked as he moved closer to the chair beside his adopted son.
Harry glanced back into the fire, "Thinking about what it would have been like if Hagrid hadn't had that accident the day before he was supposed to pick me up from the Dursleys."
Severus frowned at the fire as he sat down, "Harry…"
"I know," Harry sighed. "It is not right to dwell on 'what if's and 'could have been's. It does not mean that I do not think about it."
There was a long silence between the two. It was comfortable, one shared between father and son as they simply enjoyed each others presence.
"Did you ever think maybe it was fate?" Severus asked suddenly.
Harry glanced up at him in surprise, "Pardon?"
"Fate," Severus repeated. "Did you ever think that maybe it was fate that made Hagrid suddenly unable to retrieve you from the Dursleys and left me as the only option?"
Harry did not answer.
"Maybe it was fate that made sure I saw the way you were treated," Severus pressed. "I was so ready to hate you that it would have been the only way I'd ever believe you weren't a clone of your father. Maybe it was fate that you met Draco with me before you left for Hogwarts. Maybe it was fate that made you suspicious of all things light after spending some time with us. Maybe it was fate that made you accept Draco's hand over the Weasley child, that you allowed the Sorting Hat to place you in Slytherin."
There was a long silence before Harry asked softly, "You think so?"
Severus nodded, "It was fate that made everything happen. It was fate that pulled you towards the Dark and ultimately landed us where we are today."
"But what if..." Harry began.
"If you had been picked up by the half giant like Dumbledore wanted?" Severus asked. "If you had chosen the Weasley over Draco, if you had begged the hat to put you in Gryffindor?"
Harry nodded slowly.
"Then we would not be where we are today," Severus told him. "You would have been a Gryffindor, you and Draco would have been enemies, you and I would have been enemies. Most importantly, you'd be right under Dumbledore's thumb obeying every order he gave. Both you or Tom would be dead and the Dark side would have fallen."
The father and son sat in long silence.
"Harry?" a voice called out.
The two turned to the door way and Harry quickly stood when he recognized the owner of the voice, "Tom."
The man who looked so much like a twenty year old, but was really in his fifties, smiled at him as he entered the room, "I've been looking for you everywhere. What have you two been doing?"
"Nothing," Harry reassured him quickly. "Just talking."
Tom Riddle nodded, an amused smile that told him he did not entirely believe Harry flittering across his face for the briefest of seconds, "Come along, then. We have a meeting with Lucius at the Ministry."
"Of course," Harry agreed.
Tom nodded and walked back out into the hall way. Harry followed him but paused at the door, his hand on the frame and turned back to look at the only man he'd ever considered a father.
"Maybe you're right," Harry said softly. "Maybe it was fate. Maybe it wasn't. Either way, it does not do to dwell on 'what if's. It does not matter if I would have been a Gryffindor or a light supporter. What matters is that I'm not."
There was a pause of silence.
"I'll be home for dinner," Harry spoke finally before turning and following Tom out into the Hallway and outside the house to Apparate to the Ministry.
Severus Snape sat quietly in front of the fire, watching the flames flicker in strange patterns. He smiled to him self slightly. No, it did not matter what would have been had the half giant not been attacked while in the Forbidden Forest the day before he was supposed to pick up Harry. What mattered was that Harry was his son and he wouldn't have been happy any other way.
Thanks for reading!
Slytherin Fixation