Harry didn't know how long he had been sitting on his bed with his jaw dropped open, but he finally shook sense into himself and opened the package that had come with the letter.
Inside the package was an ebony box with a snake carved into the lid. Harry opened it to reveal a birth certificate, his birth certificate.
Name: Alexander Romulus Snape
Father: Severus Tobias Snape
Mother: Lily Marie Evans
Date of Birth: July 31st, 1981
Father's Choice:
Godmother: Clara Hanna Hervor
Godfather: Derek Timothy Ackerman
Mother's Choice:
Godmother: Alice Danielle Longbottom
Godfather: David Edmund Stevens
Baby Weight: 7 ¼ pounds
Baby Length: 20 inches
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Green
Harry nearly dropped the paper when he read it. His godmother was Neville's mum! He had no idea who the other three were, but figured them to probably be muggles or wizards he didn't know.
There was another piece of parchment inside the certificate and he read it as it said:
Alex dear,
I'm sure you're probably wondering who Clara Hervor, Derek Ackerman, and David Stevens are, but before you assume anything all three of them are muggles.
Severus and I grew up with them and Derek and Clara were true friends to him. He was not too close to them but they were the only friends he had besides me.
I am sorry to say that one of my friends, David, was one of his worst enemies. David was extremely kind to me and I chose him as your godfather because of how much he meant to me.
Severus was not able to choose godparents but he did say to me if he had to choose anyone it would be his two closest muggle friends and so I chose them.
Keep looking through the box and you'll find more items and letters.
Lily
Harry put the certificate and letter back in the box and took out a small stuffed snake that looked as if its eyes had been charmed green and the rest of the snake was black and silver with small bits of red and gold as well.
Alex,
This was mostly mine and Severus' idea of a joke. This was a month before I ran off. We had joked that if I had gotten pregnant the child would be stuck between Gryffindor and Slytherin and so he decided to give you a charmed snake that had my green eyes and Slytherin's silver bands.
The snake was originally green, but I charmed it black since Sev loved the color so much he wore black almost all the time. He later added the Gryffindor gold and maroon and it was originally for you, but I kept it with me at all times.
I love you child,
Lily
Harry put the snake down and he smiled at the small Gryffindor lion emblazoned on its tail. He went to put it on the bed, but decided against it and hid it under the loose floorboard along with his birth certificate. The next thing he pulled out was a set of baby robes and a picture of Lily and James.
Alex,
By the time this picture had been taken we were in hiding and James and I were good friends by then. He loved me, yes, but he knew I still had feelings for Severus.
Sirius, Peter, and Remus never knew the secret only Severus, Dumbledore, and I knew. I removed Dumbledore's memories and placed them in a pensieve which is also inside the vault I left you.
Lily
Harry looked at the picture and watched as his da-James and his mother turned in circles in the snow. James eventually picked her up and twirled her around, both of them laughing and smiling.
He went through the rest of the box with no other notes explaining anything until he got to the very bottom.
Alexander, my beautiful baby boy,
You must realize by now that you cannot change the past. What could have been never was because of my foolishness. I leave you a key to a Gringotts' vault in which you will find some pensieved memories and a few possessions of mine and your father's.
James has also written to you and you will find his letter under mine. You looked so much like your father when you were born, Alex, the only difference was your eyes and your nose.
I love you my son, take care,
Lily Marie Evans
Harry's eyes watered at the final goodbye and he reached into the box for James' letter.
Hi pal,
Look, I know I'm not your real dad, but you are like my son. I love you and this change of Snivellus---I mean---Severus being your father makes no difference.
At this moment Lily is watching me and threatening me with a painful spell should I write anything offensive about your father. I never got along with him, but it makes no difference as to who you are in my eyes.
I have no heirs and so you are the heir to the Potter family as well and the Snape and Evans families. Good luck kiddo.
Your loving Stepfather,
James Harold Potter
Harry let the unshed tears slide down his face at the short, but very kind letter. James really did care about him and Snape really was his father.
Silently, Harry put everything back into the box and hid it under the floorboard. The box was long and narrow, so luckily it fit perfectly. The last thing Harry felt when his head hit the pillow was a dull ache over his body.
A/N:
Can someone please let me know how it is going so far? I have never written Severitus but I am trying to make it follow the challenge rules.
How do you like it so far?
PLEASE NOTE THAT I HAVE CHANGED THE STORY A BIT. MY ORIGINAL IDEA WAS NOT WORKING OUT AND SO I CHANGED THE PLOT. SEVERUS IS STILL HARRY'S FATHER, BUT HE WILL NOT RECEIVE A LETTER HARRY WILL HAVE TO EXPLAIN IT TO HIM, HIMSELF. THE FIRST CHAPTER HAS ALSO CHANGED SLIGHTLY. I HOPE YOU LIKE THE CHANGES!