Time had passed. Harry could see that immediately. They were standing in the living room of a typical suburban home- not unlike the Dursleys'- watching what seemed to be a typical family disagreement. A girl, who looked about 11 but was small for her age, seemed to be shouting at her parents, who were seated on a couch, watching. A small boy, less than a year old, was playing on the floor. Harry's eyes widened as he realized the identities of the family- Snape, exactly as he had been when Harry had first met him, Rose, older and more careworn, and a bit heavier, and Kat, shouting and stomping her foot, and slightly resembling a young Bellatrix in looks, although she had Rose's eyes and resembled Sirius in an inscrutable way.

"I will go to Hogwarts! I don't even know why we are discussing this! I got my letter, and I'm going!"

Snape's lips were pencil thin. "Katerina Rosella. You know perfectly well Hogwarts would not be safe for you..."

"I don't see why not! You live there!"

"I am an adult."

"Oh, so this is why I can't go to school like every other teenager? I'm somehow more of a child than every other eleven-year-old in the country?!"

Rose answered this "No, but you have quite a different past."

Kat stood still "What do you mean?"

Rose and Snape exchanged a look. Snape cleared his throat. "I'm not your mother's first husband, nor am I your father."

Kat's eyes flew open "What!? Then- then who is?"

Rose swallowed painfully. "We were hoping to tell you when you were older. His name was... was..." Rose's eyes filled with tears. Snape bit his lip, and finally finished the sentence.

"Sirius Black."

Kat's eyes opened even wider "The Sirius Black? The one that bullied Dad at school? The one whose fault it was that the Potters died?"

Snape nodded. Rose broke into the argument, shooting her husband a classic Rose look. "He was innocent. Yes, Sev, he was."

Snape shook his head. "Rose, you and I both know..."

Rose shook her head, turning away. Kat broke in. "But... why didn't you tell me?"

Snape spoke again, looking out of the corner of his eye as his wife left the room with the small boy. "Because he was a murderer. We can't let you go to school with that over your head. Your mother will teach you from home, and I'll tutor you when I can. Don't worry- you'll be fine."

Her eyes filled with tears, and she hugged him. Snape seemed rather alarmed, then awkwardly patted her head. "But... I wanted to meet everyone! You tell us so many funny stories- about the defense against the dark arts curse, about Professor Dumbledore and the other professors, all sorts of things! I wanted to see it."

Snape shook his head. "Maybe you will, some day."

Kat's face lit up with wonderment, and she danced around the room. Then she hugged Snape again. "I love you, Daddy"

Snape blinked awkwardly, and then smiled. "I love you too."

Rose poked her head out from behind the corner, and smiled. Then the scene began to change....