Pairing: Severus/Harry (implications of Severus/OFC, Harry/OMC, Adrian/Hermione, Blaise/Draco, Remus/Ron, Sirius/Luna, Neville/Cho)
Warnings: (please continue to warn for DH spoilers) Non-magic, Implied M/M relations, AU, OOC-ness, Angst, Romance, Possible Book/Movie spoilers
Disclaimer: All original characters belong to the author. JK Rowling, and her associates strictly own all Harry Potter characters, places, and canon ideas. The lyrics, Blame it on the Mistletoe, belong to Toby Keith. No money is being made on this story. It is being done for the pure enjoyment to others and to myself. Copyright infringement not intended.
Summary: With the help of his son, Severus Snape finds out the real meaning of Christmas.
A Very Special Note to my Betas: Thank you to my wonderful betas for helping me through this: Jen, Shannon, and Joji. Without you, I doubt I would have made it through. With all my respect to you all, Mistress Vamp.
-?-?-?-?-?-?-?-?-
Chapter I: Pictures of an Unknown Man
It was a calm Friday evening when Montie Snape decided that he was going to use the night to his advantage. His father was gone for the evening and his Aunt Minnie, his father's former colleague and Montie's Godmother, had demanded that she be allowed to spend some time with her Godson. Severus couldn't help but agree after his son gave him the puppy eyes and made his lower lip quiver. It was rare that his father would allow himself to have a night for himself so when Minerva had offered to spend some time with Montie, Severus had finally agreed.
As his Godmother kept herself occupied with a book she had brought to read, Montie decided it was time to go to the one place his father had warned him to never go alone; their attic. According to his father's tales, there were ghosts living up there that were so spooky, they even scared him. Not that Montie believed it, of course, but he always obeyed his father. However, he felt as though there was a reason he needed to be up there and if there was one thing his father and his Godmother taught him, it was to listen to your gut.
Creeping slowly up the stairs then pulling them shut once he was inside, Montie turned on the flashlight he had brought with him. Taking a good look around, he finally spotted what he believed was needed for his father's happiness; old photo albums of his father's notorious career as an Alchemist and Chemistry teacher at the Hogwarts Institute.
Montie soon settled himself next to the first box and after turning on the light that was attached to the wall, he took out the first of the photo albums. In this one, there were awards that his father had earned during his own times at Hogwarts Institute. Montie smiled when he saw his Godmother and his father, knowing now just how far back their relationship went. It was something that made Montie fill with pride. As he continued to look through the pictures, he began to realize just how important his father truly was to his life.
Album after album, Montie got a glimpse of the boy his father once was and the man he had worked so hard to become. When he came across the pictures of his father and mother, he started to notice the pictures of his father were different from the previous ones; he wasn't smiling near as much or his smiles looked forced. This confused Montie. He knew his parents weren't happy together, but he just didn't get how deep it went. As he shook his head in confusion, he took out a new album. This one was different from the rest. The other albums had plain covers with just the word Memories on their cover, but this one stood out from all the rest. The cover was black with a red outline and in the middle of the album, there was only one word: Harry. Intrigued, Montie opened the album to get a look inside.
The first picture inside made Montie blink. He opened his mouth then shut it, confused by what he was seeing. There in the middle of the first page, stood his father and an unknown man who Montie would guess to be this person named Harry. Not that that confused Montie, of course, but what was confusing him was that his father had his arms around this Harry person, smiling brightly, and hugging Harry so tightly the could have been molded together.
Montie bit his bottom lip, flipping the pages of the photo album. Page after page was nothing but photos of his father and Harry. In some of the pictures, they were smiling at the camera, and then in others, they were just cuddled together. Then at the end of the album, there was a picture that looked like a family picture. Underneath the picture were the names Adrian, Hermione, Blaise, Draco, Severus, Harry, Remus, Ron, Sirius, Luna, Neville, Cho. Closing the album, Montie bit his lip a little more and looked around a little. He grabbed another photo album, this one having pictures of everyone that was in the last picture, but also including Minerva and a very white-headed and long bearded man.
'I bet Aunt Minnie knows who these people are, but...will she tell me what I need to know?' Montie needed answers and upon shutting the album, he grabbed both of the albums and then another one that included his mother and father inside, along with his flashlight. After shutting off the light, Montie carefully lowered the stairs then climbed down. He closed the steps back up and went in search of his Godmother. He had questions, she held the answers, and before the night was over, Minerva McGonagall would have a massive headache.
Minerva McGonagall was used to having surprises in her life. After all, she was the one who watched Severus Snape go through his years with bullies around every corner. She was there with Harry Potter and his two friends whom were all infamous for their follies throughout their school years. She had witnessed terror throughout the ages and yet she had survived. She had been there when Harry had had the world's safety thrust upon his shoulders without thought and she had been there when he, along with his one time beau, Severus Snape, had conquered the evil the world had said he was to defeat.
Thinking back on that time, Minerva closed her book and thought about the changes. Once Harry and Severus were free from the war, they pursued their relationship, with the blessings of their friends. Though their orientation was not what most approved of in that age, the two men hadn't cared what others thought; their friends were their souls and therefore, the only opinions that mattered were theirs.
Shaking her head to clear it of the thoughts that were forming, she often wondered why Severus had left Harry. As always, her thoughts came upon a little boy that looked much like his father, but had the softness his mother harbored. Severus had wanted an heir and Harry wasn't able to provide that for him, much to their disappointment. Harry had done everything possible to keep Severus in his life, but the more he tried, the more he pushed the older man away.
Hearing the footsteps of her Godson, Minerva raised her head and put a welcoming smile on her face. As much as she missed seeing Severus and Harry together, she was pleased that Severus had this little boy. She was, as well, pleasantly surprised at how good a father Severus had become. Putting her book aside, for she knew she wouldn't be reading much more of it on this night, she opened her arms and welcomed the comforting presence of Montie Snape.
Montie had watched his Godmother in thought before he made his presence known to her. He wondered what went on through her head sometimes, but knowing that it was useless to ask most of the time, he just shrugged it off and decided he would ask when he was older.
Climbing into her lap, he kissed her cheek and grinned. "You know I'm getting too old for this, Aunt Minnie."
"Too old for what, my dear boy?" Minerva asked with a lift of her eyebrow.
Montie chuckled. "Climbing into your lap like I'm a little kid. I am nearly twelve, you do realize?"
Minerva huffed. "You will not be twelve until the end of November and as of this instant, you are still my little boy. Now, to what do I owe this pleasure?"
Looking down at the photo albums, he knew what he wanted to ask, just not the right words. "If I ask you something, will you answer me honestly?" he asked as he looked at her. "And please, Aunt Minnie, don't tell me what you think I want to hear."
As she gave Montie a long look, she gently nodded her head. She knew this must be important for him to ask the way that he did. "All right, Montgomery. You have my word."
"Who is Harry?"
'Well,' Minerva thought. 'This certainly wasn't what I was preparing to hear.' "Why do you ask?"
Handing her the photo album with the pictures of Harry inside, Montie spoke in a soft voice. "I went up to the attic to see if there was something that would give me a hint as to what I could get father for this coming Christmas. While I was searching for a clue of some sort, I came across some of father's old photo albums."
"I see."
"Who is he, Aunt Minnie? I know you know because you have that look in your eyes that father has when he is trying to deny such things."
Minerva looked at the photo album then at Montie, raising one hand to rub his hair back from his face gently. "Harry was a student of your father's. A man, that when your father fought briefly in the war, he came to love."
"Why doesn't father speak of him if he loved him?"
"Because, Montie, those were hard times and your father wanted something that Harry couldn't give him."
"What was that?"
Minerva smiled just a little. "A child."
Montie nodded just a little. "Aunt Minnie..."
"Yes?"
Montie looked at her then at the photo album, looking like a conflicted little boy. "He wasn't happy with mother, was he?" He looked at her, his eyes soft, yet curious. "I know he loved her, but...he wasn't happy. I know it. Just as I know that now, he's not happy."
"Whatever gave you that idea?" Minerva asked with a bit of her own curiosity.
Montie handed her another photo album. "In the pictures with mother, his eyes don't light up. The smiles never reach beyond his cheeks and in a few of them, they looked forced. Though, when you look at the pictures with Harry, he looks like he is floating on cloud nine. He was happy with Harry, wasn't he, Aunt Minnie? I know he was."
Minerva took a slight breath than nodded. "Yes, Montie. Your father was very happy with Harry. But, do not mistake his life with your mother as something he wasn't proud of."
"I know," Montie said with a slight nod of his head. "He was happy with mother because I was the result, but what I mean is...well, he wasn't happy being with her."
"Can you tell me what you mean, exactly?"
"No, but I can show you?" With Minerva's nod, Montie took the photo albums and opened both to three very specific pictures. "This one," Montie said as he pointed to the picture. "Is mother and father while she is pregnant. Here, his smile reaches just below his eyes, but never reaches completely. Then in this one," he said as he flipped to another picture of his parents, "his smile is forced. Whereas in this photo," Montie turned to a picture of Harry and Severus, his fingers rubbing gently over his father's face, "his smile reaches beyond his eyes and they are glowing." As he looked at her, his voice demanded the same challenge his eyes gave her. "Now do you see what I mean, Godmother?"
Minerva looked between the three pictures and took another breath, this time letting it out slowly as she counted to ten in her head. "I think, Montgomery," she started with a soft, but calm voice. "This calls for us to be seated in a more comfortable and controlled environment so why don't we get you ready for bed? Once you're in your bed, I can tell you the tale of one Severus Snape and his beloved prankster, Harry Potter?"
Four hours later, Montgomery Lavaryous Snape was lying quietly in his bed, his mind reeling from the overwhelming amount of information his Godmother had provided him. Never in all the years he'd wondered about his father's happiness, had he ever though that his father would betray his own heart for the gift of a child.
Flashback
"Now, you're all tucked in, you're comfortable, and you're sure you wish to know this tale?"
"Yes."
Minerva sighed. "This will not be happy all the way through, Montgomery, but it is mostly pleasant throughout."
Montie looked at her, his eyes and voice soft. "I need to know, Aunt Minnie. Please."
Minerva looked at him for a bit then nodded her head as she began her tale. "Your father, as you know, was a Chemistry teacher at Hogwarts Institute for the Gifted & Talented. Harry, the man in the pictures, was one of your father's students. Now, Severus hadn't been a teacher there but for a few years when Harry started at the age of eleven. He himself was still young compared to most teachers. Though, he had already accomplished a great deal for himself before he taught at the Institute.
"Your father was well known for his medicinal herbs and the likes. He studied Alchemy and became one of the greatest in a very short period of time. He had grown up at Hogwarts, of course. Your grandfather, Tobias, was not an easy man to get along with, especially for Severus. Has your father ever spoken to you about him, my dear boy?"
Montie shook his head. "Never."
Minerva nodded. "I thought as much. Tobias was very...abusive toward your father, both physically and mentally. Now, do not get me wrong, Montgomery. Your grandfather was a good man, but when he got drunk and he went on his rants, Severus was the only person who your grandfather felt was strong enough to challenge him and that was not something he appreciated.
"Severus came to our institute in the year of 1971. Unlike most students, we had a summer program that year and your father was the first student we admitted into the program. The moment I laid eyes on him, I knew he would have the potential to be someone great. Unfortunately, however, there were students that were jealous of your father."
"Jealous? Why?"
Minerva smiled. "Because your father excelled at all of his subjects, Montgomery. He was brilliant in Mathematics, English, Literature, Art, and when it came to Science, he was the top student. His brain worked faster than anyone could ever imagine."
"I always knew father was brilliant," Montie said with a smile.
Minerva smiled again, this time, a bit sadly. "Yes, but it was his greatest misfortune."
"How is that?"
"He had no friends, Montgomery. All those that he tried to get close to, he was turned away and looked at as different because he was so smart. He, however, did make one friend. A young woman by the name of Lily Evans decided that she had seen enough pranks take place that she stood up for him. Now, of course, Severus didn't take this lightly and in the beginning of their relationship, it was rough for them. Fortunately, they were able to see past most of the hardships to maintain their friendship. However, there was just one little rock in the path that refused to be moved.
"A man by the name of James Potter was the leader of a group of pranksters that called themselves The Marauders. They used to get by with everything, including tormenting Severus. The Headmaster, may he rest in peace, believed it was just childish acts. Unfortunately, many of the pranks were hurtful toward your father and as he grew, he distanced himself from Lily, who in the end married James."
At this, Montie nodded, slowly absorbing all the information his Godmother was giving him.
"Now, I told you this because you need to understand the beginning of your father's and Harry's relationship. When Severus graduated during the summer of 1977, it was the last time he ever spoke to Lily. Unfortunately, it was the last time we saw him until he accepted our offer to teach at our institute.
"During those years we didn't see Severus, he was the constant talk amongst the staff. He was, and still remains, of our dearest students. We followed his Alchemy career from the very beginning. When he accepted our offer, the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, and myself, along with the entire Hogwarts staff, was bouncing with excitement. Two years later, we all met the little boy that would eventually melt Severus' heart. A young and very awkward Harry James Potter, the son of Severus' one time greatest friend, Lily Evans, and her husband, Severus' long time childhood enemy, James Potter."
End Flashback
As the tale continued, Montie listened to everything his Godmother said. He listened to the stories about the detentions Harry and his friends earned, how Harry's Godfather, Sirius Black, another member of the Marauder's group that made his father's childhood a nightmare, returned from a long imprisonment after being falsely accused. He learned through the stories how Remus, a male friend of Lily's had been entrusted with Lily's worries about the happenings between Severus and James. He listened as Minerva spoke of how the relationship developed between his father and Harry, and how his friends accepted the relationship because they loved Harry. They, themselves, had relationships with those that were not considered normal in the eyes of society; his friend Ron with Remus, his Godfather with a young woman that was two years beneath his Godson in years, and his friend, Hermione, with a former student that had been in trouble with the law.
He knew that, despite the road being long and complicated, this was when his father was happiest. His father had been happy with Harry. He was happy during their time at war when they could be alone together. He was happy despite the fights the two had and he smiled at the irregularity of the little family he had formed without realization. In turn, his heart hurt for the man that was his father and for the man who had been separated from his father. By the end of the tale, Montgomery knew exactly what to get his father for Christmas.
Before he drifted off to sleep, he could only foresee one little problem; how was he going to bring Harry Potter to his father when he had no idea how to go about getting him? Then, he thought 'Why do adults have to be so complicated?'
End Chapter I: Pictures of an Unknown Man