Hogsmeade
3rd July 1985 - Lunchtime
The town of Hogsmeade was accessed by one main road that went through its market area where all the shops, vendors, and food establishments were. From this road sprouted smaller roads that led to several farms, and homes scattered throughout the woods that surrounded the town. At each of these main road entrances was a tall archway of river stone. Each entrance was a magical gateway and when Harry saw a horse and rider vanish under the arch as it left Hogsmeade, he was speechless.
"It's magic! Dad! Did you see that? The horse disappeared!" Harry enthused practically jumping from his skin.
Severus was pleased at Harry's excitement but he was more pleased at hearing his son refer to him as 'dad' for the first time.
"Shadow, how did they do that?" asked Harry as he turned to his father.
"As you observed, Magpie… magic." Falling more easily into the mien of a teacher he began to lecture, "Everything from the stone to its shape is a part of the magic that is contained within, Mr. Snape. The stone is feldspar riverstone that has had its edges smoothed off by the flow of the river. You will see this river at the other end of Hogsmeade. The stone not only absorbs the magic but projects it. It is the wards that direct the magic and the arch shapes the magic so that it weaves itself and constantly is moving. You might be able to feel the magic in the stone as a faint hum that tickles the timpanic membrane in your ear, or you will feel the magic as you step under the arch as either a breeze that buzzes like a bee."
Harry stepped towards the arch and held his hand out until he could touch the stone. He giggled as his ear vibrated with a tickling that caused him to shake his head. He glanced back once and when his father gave him a short nod he slowly walked under the arch along the wall. He grinned as a gentle breeze drifted around him and the sound of bees lazily drifting on the air surrounded him.
"What do normal people see, Shadow?" asked Harry excitedly. He had both palms pressed to the stone wall.
Severus moved to step beside his son. "We are normal people, Harry. We are called 'wizarding' people, magical people, or individually witches and wizards. Our world, separated from the non-magical world, is the Wizarding World. People without magic are called Muggles and they live in the Muggle World."
"Then Muggles see magic stuff differently?"
"They do," replied Severus just as he pulled Harry out of the way of an arriving carriage. "We are a minority, Harry, and so it is important that we hide ourselves and our world. Much of magic hides itself. Such as many of the magical animals and creatures. Their own magic keeps them hidden from the Muggle World. We have created many wards and spells to hide our structures, towns, villages. Even Hogwarts is hidden by a complicated ward that makes the castle appear as a ruin that Muggles are discouraged to explore."
"So what do Muggles see here?" asked Harry once more.
"A simple path. They do not see the gateways but the magic subtly causes a temporal shift that allows a Muggle to walk along the same path where a thriving community walks," replied Severus.
"Like Doctor Who!" Harry suddenly comprehended.
"Good gracious! Is that television show still being produced?" asked Severus in surprise.
That element from the Muggle world that was a joy to boy and man set them off upon a discussion of the British show Doctor Who. Harry loved it for being a clever and magical show. Severus had always enjoyed all the travelling to different places in a blue police box.
Of course, the subject faded as all of Hogsmeade came into view.
Harry could not keep his jaw from dropping. There was so much to see and magic was everywhere! Severus had captured Harry's hand when they walked down the main street because Harry's magpie-like tendencies had him darting off when his green eyes caught something interesting to look at.
Severus heard his son's tummy growl in warning so before they began their shopping they would need to get something to eat. A small restaurant that appeared in the market only during the months of Summer was just what they needed.
Called Félicité it was a curious set up of comfortable loungers in various stained pine upholstered in woollen tapestry of many colours. In front of each two-person lounger was a low table where food and drink would be settled. It was not an odd sight to see a patron or two taking a nap on their lounger.
Severus fully expected Harry to fall asleep after his well-rounded lunch. He did not expect himself to also snooze lightly once Harry's head had dropped sleepily to his thigh.
A half hour later father and son had awakened from their naps and began their shopping trip in earnest. Severus directed his son towards Gladrags Wizardwear. It was a good place to shop for a growing child and the wizard had rightly assumed that Harry at the age of four and a half had many years of growth ahead. That meant the new father would need to put aside a considerable portion of his teaching income towards Harry's clothing.
Gladrags was not a crowded place that day for which Severus was thankful. Not having the attention of a seamstress or tailor the two were left to their own devices as they perused the many racks stuffed with "gently" used and new clothing from underwear to robes.
Severus intended to purchase more of the "gently" used clothing later but Harry, in need of a full wardrobe, deserved the new clothing he had never owned. As they began with the underwear Severus discovered his son's modesty. He could not resist tweaking the boy who tried to hide his sight behind his hands.
"Do you prefer coloured underwear or perhaps you would like the underwear that has hippogriffs or dragons on it." Severus held up a pair of each he mentioned. The dragons were the straw that broke the camel's back.
"I'm four and a half, Dad, not two!" he pushed the dragon underwear from his father's hands not realising that he had just called his father "dad" for the second time.
Severus, though he expected the warmth that bloomed like a fever in his chest, was not uncomfortable with that degree of distraction. He stated softly, "You need to choose something, Harry."
"Black," Harry replied. "I only want underwear if it's black." He then glanced shyly up at his father. "I called you, Dad. Was that okay?" He had not been aware of his first slip. This time he was.
Severus smiled in contentment. "More than all right, my son. I rather like the sound." Harry beamed, gave his father a quick, one-armed hug, and then stepped towards a rack that was stuffed with shirts.
Later, socks were a problem.
"Socks need only be in black, brown, navy, or white, Harry. You do not need socks with stripes or dancing hippos!" Severus lifted a sock that had purple hippos in pink tutus dancing gracefully across the yellow background of the sock.
Harry grabbed the sock and smiled at the hippos. "But, the hippos are purple, Dad," said Harry cajolingly.
Severus crossed his arms over his chest and glared down at the small four-year old boy. "Black, brown, navy, or white."
"I want purple hippos, and stripes, and rainbows and leprechauns, and…" Harry stubbornly listed what he wanted.
"Black, brown…"
"Pleeeeease?"
Severus sighed at the large, green eyes and the features full of limpid hope that he would acquiesce. The Potions Master's eyebrows beetled, adding a dark frown to his face. He grimaced. Harry's eyes only got larger. How can I fight such a sight, his mind questioned. "A compromise, then, Harry."
"What's that mean?" Harry asked with genuine interest.
"It means that I will allow for three sets of ridiculous socks if you select five pairs of socks in black," sighed Severus.
Harry beamed. "Okay!"
And, just like that Harry had five pairs of black socks for dress, and three pairs of socks that Severus knew a certain old wizard would approve of.
An hour later, and laden down with not yet shrunken packages, Harry had outfits for every day of the week which included everything from his preferred black underwear to a variety of socks, 2 pairs of trainers, and 1 pair of dress boots. Just out the door of Gladrags Severus shrank the boxes and bags until he was able to tuck them all away in an inner pocket of his long frock coat under his robes.
And, Harry yawned. The newly adopted boy had such a busy day that it was not odd to see him tired once more.
"Someone needs another nap," observed Severus.
"I already had one," Harry protested.
"Yes but you have had a very busy day so far…"
"Can't. Where next, Shadow?" This time the yawn that caught him nearly bent him double with its force. Harry breathed heavily after the yawn.
"Harry, have you ever taken a nap midday?" asked Severus with the certainty he already knew the answer.
Harry shook his head. "Aunt Petunia always said I was being lazy if I fell asleep in the middle of my chores." He sighed. "I can stay awake if you want to keep shopping, Dad."
Severus suppressed a faux yawn. "Actually, I would like a nap. We can then put your new clothes in the wardrobe?"
"Really? It feels like we've been shopping forever!" Again, he yawned.
"Which is why we both need a nap.
Harry practically sighed with relief. "I guess I'd like that, Dad." As he slipped his small hand into his father's hand, he glanced up at him sideways. "You're just pretending, aren't you? 'Cuz, you care and want the best for me."
"How disgraceful!" Severus mocked himself. "I make a poor Slytherin if I am that transparent." He squeezed his son's hand, winked, and they were gone from Hogsmeade.
The Snapes returned to the dungeon and promptly went to Harry's room to put away his new clothes. It was quickly apparent that the wardrobe, a small one Severus had taken from one of the Hogwarts attics, was insufficient to store everything.
Severus Expanded a box into a much larger box. "We will be shopping for furniture tomorrow, I see."
"I never thought I'd need all this stuff, Dad. It's a lot, isn't it?" Harry's voice held a slight tremor of worry.
Joining his son in packing the clothes away in the now enlarged box, he agreed, "Rather surprising, is it not, Harry? And, you are a growing boy so you will need more."
Harry dropped a set of socks in shock. "More? But, Dad, shouldn't all these clothes last for years and years? That's what Aunt Petunia always told me."
Severus lips thinned in restrained anger. "Harry, you will learn that everything your aunt and uncle told you was a lie. A growing boy requires new clothes at least once a year. It is not until you are in your latter teen years that you will attain your full height."
He caught Harry chewing his lips as the child frowned in consternation. Severus bent to pick up the fallen socks, and then knelt. "Harry, this is something you need not worry about. As I have said before it is my responsibility as your father to make certain that you are clothed, sheltered, fed, and always taken care of." He gently tugged the boy's lower lip from his teeth. "I knew precisely what I was taking on when I adopted you, Harry. It is my intention to take care of you, to provide for all your needs, and to be sure that you know I shall always do the best for you because… I care about you."
Harry stepped closer to his father so he could lean towards him but not lean on him. "Maybe… someday, maybe, you'll love me, Dad?"
Severus gathered Harry into his arms and the boy threw his thin arms around his neck as he tucked his head into his father's shoulder. "I believe... I already do... love you, Harry."
Harry smiled against his father's shoulder, and his muffled voice reached Severus' ear, "I think I love you, too, Dad."
That night, after a story about Mowgli the Jungle Boy, Harry slept blissfully until a strange dream wove its way into his consciousness.
… The Shadow's eyes were fixed upon the coiling snake in its enchanted cage. "No, my Lord, but I beg you will let me return. Let me find Potter."
An older boy with a redheaded boy and a bushy-haired girl all watched from the shadows as the scene played out.
"We have to help him," whispered the girl.
The older boy who looked familiar to the young dream Harry shushed his friends. "Look. That isn't our Snape. It's Shadow and he knows what he's doing, 'Mione. We helped the Magpie in his cupboard and now Nagini is going to help the Shadow."
The large snake burst from the confinement of her cage and instead of striking the younger Death Eater in the throat, it lunged for the wizard's forearm. The Death Eater cried out in pain as Voldemort let out a howl of anger.
Four year old Harry screamed for his father.
Severus was not sleeping well, either. He dreamt again of that horrid Nagini, the familiar of the Dark Lord. Voldemort wanted Harry Potter and Severus was doing his best to get the vile wizard to let him 'Find Potter' and then Voldemort struck. A shimmer of the dreamscape changed it and now Harry's Shadow stood in place of the young, terrified Death Eater. This was right. The Shadow knew what was coming and he was ready. The huge snake burst forth from her magical cage and lunged. The Shadow threw up his arm to protect his neck. Fangs sank into his arm. He cried out at the searing pain. It was a pain at the surface of his arm but there was a pain even deeper that pulled at his very essence. Shadow was certain he was dying.
With his vision blurring at the burning of his arm a pair of green eyes obscured by glasses rose up before him. "You're not finished, yet, Shadow. This ends tonight. Save him."
Emotions he had never known before boiled within The Shadow's blood. He knew they were not his emotions but even so he felt anger at the "stupid boy with eyes as green as his mother's but that looked like his bloody father".
Just as the young Dream Harry Potter was about to turn away The Shadow grabbed the young man's wrist with his good hand. "You're not mine…" the pain was almost blinding him that he had to fight against it. "Look… at… me…"
Dream Harry Potter somehow knew to take his glasses off before looking into the black eyes filled with pain.
The Shadow saw what he needed to in those green eyes. Not her… but his… his little Magpie.
"Daddy! Help! Daddy! Daddy!"
Severus leapt from his bed fully awake. He only wore his black, silk pyjama bottoms so his chest was bare as his feet were. His wand in hand he sprinted out of his room, across the hall, and into his son's room. Harry's face was a picture of terror until his gaze locked onto his father. Before he knew it, Severus had caught his son just as he launched himself from his bed. Harry was wrapped around his father like a second skin as they both fell to the floor. Severus shifted but kept a tight hold of his son.
"My little Magpie! Shhhh! Daddy's here! Hush little one… I have you… it was a terrible nightmare but it is over now." Severus held his son tight as much to reassure himself that his own nightmare was also over. Unfortunately, he wanted to know why he was having such an awful dream.
Harry was petting his father's pale arm. "Dad? Your skull-snake scar is gone."
"No…" Severus looked down at his left forearm where Harry's small fingers traced over… nothing. The Dark Mark was gone. How? "Gone…" he whispered. "Harry, we need to see Albus." For a moment they disengaged while Severus gained his feet and Summoned their dressing gowns. He then picked up his son and they went to the Floo in the sitting room. "Grab a handful of that green powder and throw it into the flames, Harry."
His father brought him closer to the black box that held the Floo powder and Harry stuck his hand into the green sand that sparkled lazily. He threw the handful of powder into the flames and then quickly grabbed onto his father - and wondered where the collar of a shirt had come from.
Magic! Wasn't it wonderful? Harry never got tired of it.
Severus called into the green flames, "Headmaster Dumbledore's quarters." He then waited a moment.
"Severus?" came the Headmaster's voice through the flames. "Is everything all right?"
"I need to show you, Albus. I'm bringing Harry with me."
"Come through, then."
"Is that gonna burn?" asked Harry tensing in his father's arms.
"It is safe when the flames are green, Magpie. Now, hang on tightly and close your eyes. It can be disorienting at first." Once Harry had buried his face in his father's shoulder the Potions Master stepped through the green flames and then into the Headmaster's Tower.
4 July 1985
Hardly had the sun risen for a new morning when Albus Dumbledore was awakened from a sleep disturbed by a nightmare in which he was falling from the Astronomy Tower. But… there had been an end to the nightmare he could not recall. Just as he was attempting to recall that vague thread the small embers of his fire had whooshed into powerful, green flames.
Wakened by Severus Snape's call he was eager to leave the unsettling dream behind as he left his bed, and threw on a heavy, red velvet, dressing gown. Oddly, the matching, soft cap, skewed by his nightmare tumbling and wrestling, remained on his head.
Upon receiving his early morning guests Albus had ordered chamomile tea with a sweetener should Harry want it. He had also arranged two chairs near the fireplace when he had seen that Harry had no intention of leaving his father's embrace.
After all three of them related very realistic dreams that appeared to tell of a future that might not be, and the eradication of Severus' Dark Mark, it was hoped Albus might have a theory.
"What I find remarkable in each of these… dreams, my boys, is that within them is a figure known to us," said Albus slowly. He caught the dark-eyed gaze of his Potions Master. "You, my boy."
"He looked like you, Shadow, but he wasn't. Then, as if someone pushed the picture and jiggled it you were there." Harry nodded firmly. "That was you."
Severus kissed his child's forehead, pulling him close for the comfort he needed that moment. "I would never lift my wand to you, Albus, as much as you have irritated me." He tried to smirk but was unable to do so. To think that he could kill the Headmaster even if the man pleaded for him to do so… no. He could not. Again he pulled his son so close Harry squeaked at being squeezed too hard. "My apologies, Magpie," he whispered into his child's ear." He looked up at the tired old man and realised that for the first time he looked more tired from age rather than from lack of sleep. "What are we to make of these dreams, Albus?"
Albus rose to his feet and moved over to a tall, mirrored, octagonal cabinet. "Before I speculate, Severus, I should like to see if I can catch the end of my dream."
The older wizard opened the tall, narrow doors of the cabinet to reveal a heavy looking, carved, stone bowl on a pedestal. Severus knew the Headmaster owned a pensieve but what shocked him were the number of phials that held the squirming, coruscating contents that were the milky-pearl substance of memories. If all of those memories belonged to Albus how did he retain his sanity?
Albus turned and smiled at the younger wizard, "I assure you, Severus, that these are not all my memories. Many are copies from my active days on the Wizengamot and then there are copies of every Order of the Phoenix meeting."
Harry watched in fascination as the Headmaster put the tip of his wand to his temple and pulled a wriggling strand of the dream from his mind. He dropped the memory of the dream into the clear pool in the basin.
"Severus? Would you give me your opinion?" asked Albus.
"Of course, Albus…" Severus began to try and put Harry from him as he rose from their chair.
Harry clutched on tighter. "Are you leaving me, Shadow?"
"I will be viewing Albus' nightmare beside him. I do not think you would care to join us," Severus explained gently.
Harry hesitated a moment. Seeing someone else's nightmare? And, didn't Professor Dumbledore say that The Shadow killed him? Harry shook his head and released his father. "Don't be afraid, Dad," he cautioned softly.
Severus smiled softly and ran the knuckles of his hand down his son's smooth cheek. "I promise not to be. Stay here. We shall return momentarily."
Harry then watched, with his anxiety rising, as both his father and the older wizard dipped their faces into the wide bowl, and were sucked in. Harry jumped to his feet but froze where he was.
"The bowl ate them!" he rasped in a harsh whisper.
Fawkes, not so far away, flew down to beside the boy and soothed him with song. Harry moved to stand next to the large Phoenix that stood as tall as himself, and petted the bird's fiery crest.
Albus and Severus found themselves on the Astronomy Tower. On either side of the Dream Headmaster and the Dream Snape were a half-dozen Death Eaters. Beside Dream Snape was the grown Draco Malfoy pointing a trembling wand at the Dream Headmaster.
"Give me the Elder Wand," Dream Draco cried. "I don't want to kill you!"
"Do it, Draco! Make our Master proud!" screeched the Death Eater Bellatrix LeStrange.
The Dream Snape pulled the Dream Draco behind him. The Dream Headmaster captured the gaze of the Dream Snape. "Severus. Please."
Without hesitation, anger and pain evident in his voice, he held out his wand steadily, and cried out harshly, "Avada Kedavra!"
The real Severus stumbled in shock and was prevented from falling to his knees by the real Albus grabbing his elbow. "This is not important, Severus. Something happened after my death."
While the Dream Snape and the Dream Death Eaters followed him, the real Severus and real Albus went over to the railing where the body of the Dream Headmaster fell. In slow motion. His body had not struck the ground. Inexplicably they were joined by an anguished, nearly grown student with dark hair, glasses, and very green eyes.
"NO!"
"Magpie?" gasped Severus. Albus stared for a moment with his Potions Master.
"You were supposed to save him!" the young man, Dream Harry Potter screamed into the night before turning abruptly away and running after the Death Eaters.
"Here, Severus," whispered the Headmaster. His thin arm wrapped around the Potions Master's arm in order to wrest his attention from the Dream Harry Potter.
At the very bottom a figure of ink and shadow darted out of the tower. It caught the Dream Headmaster, whispered in his ear, and the older wizard, now alive, stood on his own and walked away with the figure in billowing black robes.
"That is me," the real Severus said rather unnecessarily.
"That is what I thought, my boy. You… ended my death."
In that declaration the memory of Albus' nightmare ended. Both wizards were spat from the pensieve and Albus, more used to the abrupt travel, caught Severus before he tumbled arse over tea-kettle.
"Dad!" Severus was knocked anyway to his arse as Harry threw himself at the taller man. "The bowl ate both of you and I was totally scared but Fawkes came and sang to me and I knew you were coming back and you did!" Harry took a breath, then lowered his voice as he asked, "Were you scared, Shadow?"
"Never," Severus denied strongly. "Did I not promise you that I would not get scared?"
Harry nodded, threw his arms around his father's neck, and kissed his cheek. "Why did we dream of you, Shadow?"
"That is a very good question, Magpie," agreed Severus. He stood, seated himself and Harry climbed up onto his lap. "Albus, have you a speculation as to what these dream mean? Why my… Mark is gone?"
"I needed to confirm that which was vague in my dream, Severus. As I suspected, you are not the only common thread in our dreams," began Albus as he settled himself into his plush velvet chair.
"The young man with the glasses," Severus quickly interrupted. Albus nodded in understanding. The younger wizard did not want his son to know his grown self had appeared in their dreams. A different Harry Potter who had lived a much different life than the one Harry Snape would live.
"It is interesting that the young man has managed to save each of us… and have you be near to catch myself, Severus," mused Albus softly. He smiled at the bundle in the younger wizard's arms. The Potions Master glanced down at his son who had fallen asleep. No doubt the grown-up talk had simply been too boring for a four year old.
"Will the nightmares plague us anymore, Albus?" asked the younger wizard.
Albus shook his head. "I do not believe so, my boy."
"Then I should like to ask a favour of you, Albus?" Severus asked carefully and with gravity.
Albus leaned forward attentively in his chair. "Anything, Severus, I owe you so much that there is nothing I can deny you. What is it you ask of me?"
"You only added to the hell that my years as a student was and you did make me feel as though, of all in the world, I had failed you when I asked you for help…" Severus paused. These were old arguments they had both nearly come to hexing each other on, but they were also being resolved. Even now.
Severus kissed his son's messy black hair, drew breath in and out and began anew and without accusation. "You have changed, Albus. Sometimes slower than I wish, but you are doing what another man could not. Whether I have always welcomed it or not you have become more a father to me than my own father was.
"Last year at the beginning of term you finally came to the Slytherin common room to meet my Snakes…"
"I have neglected the Slytherins for too long, Severus. It had to stop before my shunning of the Slytherins became irrevocable," sighed Albus.
"Indeed," the Head of Slytherin agreed in voice that rumbled pleasantly against his son's ear. "My son will be raised within the walls of Hogwarts where he will have witches, wizards, and even ghosts to watch over him. He needs another family member, though. I ask that you consider being grandfather to my son."
Albus was stunned at the younger man's request. It was true that he often attempted to treat Severus as a son but rarely were his actions taken at face value. He admitted to some jealousy that Harry had so easily trusted the Potions Master but he knew he was far too old to raise a four year old boy. Yet, he wanted to be… something of import… to the child. "Grandfather," whispered Albus. Severus nodded as he suppressed the smirk that threatened. "Yes. I would be so honoured, Severus."
"I should also add, I would like you to be his grandfather in more than just name, Albus. I would like… for you... to formally adopt me," Severus almost blurted the last of that sentence. It was something he had thought of before but had never made mention of because there was a deep, down, lost part of himself that was afraid the old man would refuse him. It was a rejection he had long expected would finish him.