The last few days of term passed by in what seemed to Harry like an instant. They had classes during which the teachers gave them feedback on their exams and set assignments for them to complete over the summer but all in all everything had a very relaxed feel to it. Everything of course except Potions class! Harry had found it impossible to keep up a subdued façade, the weather was glorious and the excitement that always accompanied the end of the school year was infectious but Snape remained snarky enough for the both of them. Harry had barely even set foot in his classroom when he pounced on him, chastising him for his scruffy appearance – his shirt tails were hanging out of his trousers and his tie was pulled loose. Harry looked around the room. It was only eleven o'clock and already it was twenty seven degrees, unusually hot for Scotland even at this time of year, and even down in the dungeons the air was still and clammy. Not one of the other boys had their shirts tucked in, and few sported ties at all but this didn't matter to Snape. If Harry was his son, he would be better disciplined or he would suffer the consequences. Once again Harry was left wondering if this was just another show for his classmates or if it was something he actually meant, he knew presentation was genuinely important to him and he noted that the potions master was still wearing his usual black teaching robes despite the heat. Harry sighed before smarting himself up and making a show of presenting himself to his father for inspection. The potions master glowered at him critically before finally deciding that his basic appearance at least, was no longer an embarrassment and allowed him to sit down. He then began an exhausting tirade on how disappointed he was in the rubbish they seemed to think constituted satisfactory answers to an examination before setting them more homework to be completed over the holidays than all the other teachers put together.
"Couldn't you have asked Daddy to go a bit easier on us?" Malfoy mocked as they left the dungeons groaning.
"Couldn't you dear cousin?" Harry retorted, "If I'd asked we probably would have gotten twice as much."
"I'm not your cousin dogsbreath!" Draco replied loudly in disgust.
Harry turned to Ron and Hermione and in perfect imitation of the young Malfoy began simpering Uncle Sev this and Uncle Sev that.
Malfoy glared at him as the other student laughed. "Snape is my godfather not my actual uncle."
"Lucky you" Harry muttered before turning his back to him and walking off. He contemplated making an additional comment about how he supposed at least it was better to be a Snape than a Malfoy as he went but thought better of it. He knew his father was particularly anxious about how Lucius Malfoy would take their news and he didn't want to exacerbate the situation by deliberately provoking Draco.
Harry didn't actually get a chance to speak to his father again after that until the very last afternoon. He was lying out under a tree in the courtyard with the rest of the Gryffindor's in his year playing dynamite with a ball that actually exploded into a cloud of glitter at the end of each countdown when a dark shadow loomed over them. Ball frozen in midair, the headmaster nudged Snape towards his son. The potions master glared back at him before turning towards Harry, clearing his throat loudly. You will take the train back to Kings Cross tomorrow. I will meet you there. He turned once more to Dumbledore and scowled before stalking off, leaving Dumbledore standing over them alone, smiling serenely. After a few steps he turned back. "Discipline is to be strictly observed in my house Potter, you will conduct yourself appropriately or I will make you wish you had never been born, do you understand?"
"Yes sir" Harry replied sullenly before turning to Dumbledore with a hopeful look in his eyes, "Do I really have to go and stay with him?"
"Yes Harry, I think it's for the best"
"But Sir, you heard what he said, can't I just return to my Aunt again?"
"Professor Snape is your father Harry, you belong with him" then addressing the group he bade them farewell, wishing them all a happy and exciting summer.
Last years end of year feast had been every bit as extravagant and exhilarating as this years and yet last year the extremely joyous occasion had been slightly overshadowed by his impending return to the Dursleys. This year Harry felt free to enjoy every minute of it. The Great Hall was adorned in banners of scarlet and gold, Gryffindor had won the house cup and the food was absolutely marvellous, he had already eaten more than his fill and desert had yet to be served. He had never felt so happy in all his life. He was surrounded by his friends, people who truly cared for him. The fact that not one of them had deserted him on hearing the truth of his parentage was testament of that. He wished this moment would never end and yet he was also excited to think about going home to the manor and the twins. Being underage he still wouldn't be able to actually practice magic over the summer but neither would he be denying its existence altogether. He would be able to do his homework in the school room or in Snapes private library, instead or under his blankets in the dead of night and his father would be there to support and guide his learning if he needed help. None of his things would be locked away, well except perhaps his wand; he thought thinking back to the incident on the frozen pond at Christmas. He would have everything else though, he would be able to soar high above the treetops on his broomstick, Hedwig flying free beside him, and best of all he would be surrounded by people who actually wanted his company. He wondered what his Aunt would say when she discovered that it was Lily's childhood friend who had fathered her child and not her husband James Potter, and that more to the point his actual father was still very much alive. Would she regret the years of neglect or would she just be even more annoyed that he had been foisted on them when he had had a father who could have cared for him. He grinned, either way he was looking forward to the look on her face when she opened the door.
The feast went on well into the evening and the party in the common room afterwards went on well into the night. The train didn't leave until lunch time allowing the students to recover from the night before, before being sent home to their parents. Harry was usually a light sleeper but he was so tired he did not wake until Ron and Seamus jumped on him. He had to get up now to pack the last of his belongings if he wanted to have time to eat before they left. He dragged himself out of bed and over to the washroom across the hall. Splashing the cool water over his face he realised he was lucky he had been tired because otherwise he wouldn't have been able to hide his excitement to be finally going home otherwise.
One of the house elves had ironed the clothes he had left out for himself to wear going home, properly fitting beige trousers and a green button down shirt that brought out the colour of his eyes. He had left most of his new clothes at the manor, not wishing to arouse suspicion but he knew his father would expect him to be properly attired today.
Harry had thought he would never be hungry again after the amount he had eaten last night but catching a whiff of fried bacon as they made their way down to the great hall, he realised he was ravenous. They ate their fill and collected the food parcels the elves had prepared for them for the journey before joining the throng of students making their way to Hogsmeade station to get the train.
The first person Harry saw when they disembarked at platform nine and three quarters was Mrs. Weasley. She rushed forward; greeting her own children warmly before doing the same to Hermione and Harry as Mr. Weasley went to claim their trunks from the luggage carriage. She looked at Harry with obvious concern, noting his smart new clothes and his carefully brushed hair. When she had first met Harry, here at this very train station he had been all alone. She hadn't realised who he was then and yet she had been concerned about the fact that he had been all alone but now having heard from Percy that Harry Potter was not really a Potter at all she almost wished he was still alone. Ron and the twins had risked a lot to rescue him from his aunt and uncle the previous summer so she knew they obviously weren't the best caregivers in the world but surely he was better off with them than with Severus Snape.
She admonished the rest of her children for not telling her the news before turning back to Harry "Know that you can call upon us, for anything Harry" she said. "We will always be here for you if you need us"
Harry smiled at her before throwing his arms around her again.
"Thank you" he said, and he truly meant it.
He heard the sound of someone clearing their throat and he looked up to see his father. It was so strange seeing him out of the black gown he always wore at school again.
"Hurry on boy, I don't have all day" he snapped as Molly Weasley glared at him.
Having said a final farewell to his friends, Harry went to fetch his belongings as Ron's mum threatened to kill his father should he so much as try to do anything to hurt him.
"You took your time" Snape snarled as Harry reappeared with his luggage. Bidding a curt farewell to the Weasleys, his father then affixed the foulest expression yet on to his face and stormed off ahead of Harry.
"Don't drag your heels boy do you mean to infuriate me?" he snapped.
"No Sir" Harry scuttled after the professor trying not to laugh. He truly was an impressive actor.
Just then Harry tripped over his shoelaces. They were tied together. How had that happened? He looked around angrily to see Draco Malfoy and some other Slytherins laughing. Snape glanced around at him furiously. He caught hold of his arm and hauled him up of the ground towering over him menacingly as Harry muttered an apology. He let go of Harry's sleeve and barked "Are you incompetent?" "No Sir" Harry answered again. "Come along then, I will not have you disgrace me boy." Snape strode off again Harry looked down at his feet his lacers were back to normal and then hurried after him.
Harry followed his father through the crowds in Kings Cross proper to a small unobtrusive doorway that lead to a grubby disused waiting room, around a corner behind a pillar was another door marked private. Snape opened the door and beckoned harry inside and down a long corridor to an unlit room without any windows that looked somewhat like an office. There was a large dusty desk in the middle of the room and a large ornate fireplace at the other end.
Closing the door behind them Snape summoned Cobb who appeared with a pop to collect their things and take them back to the Manor.
Alone again, Snape put his hand into the pocket of his trousers and withdrew a handful of floo powder.
"The address is 7 wisteria walk, Little Whinging, Surrey." He informed his son as handed over the greenish dust and beckoned towards the fireplace.
Passing through the floo, they landed on Mrs Figgs rug. " Mrs Figg!" Harry gasped in surprise.
"Hello Harry" she said kindly.
"Thank you for allowing us to use your fireplace Mrs Figg."
"That is quite alright Severus. I was so happy to hear you had found each other. I really couldn't bear to think of poor young Harry here stuck with those dreadful Dursleys for much longer."
"You're a witch?" Harry muttered, disbelievingly.
"A squib, Dumbledore tasked me with watching out for you but I am afraid I couldn't let you enjoy the time we spent together as it may have meant I might lost access to you. Sorry Harry."
Severus smiled at the two of them, "I'm sorry to break up this reunion but we really better be on our way. I'm not sure how long we will be at the Dursleys but my other children are expecting us home for dinner so we best be on our way. Thank you once again for the use of your fireplace Mrs Figg, depending on how it goes I have yet to decide if we shall leave by the door or if we will just apparate out of their midst. If we do not need to return to use your fireplace again I will send you word that you no longer need expect us."
"My door is always open for young Harry here. Despite everything he was always such a well-mannered young boy. It brought me great joy to be a part of his life."
"Perhaps when Harry is settled you might like if you would join us at our house for dinner one evening? Give Harry a chance to get to know the real you."
"Thank you for your kind invitation but I wouldn't like to impose."
"Please Mrs Figg?"
"Shall I bring the photo albums?" she asked winking.
Harry screwed up in face
Mrs Figg tousled his hair and laughed.
"I will send you an invitation next week. I'm sure you will be interested to know how it goes with the Dursleys!"
"Okay then, if you insist." She smiled and wished them good luck as she let them out the front door.
They walked around the corner to Privit Drive. And having checked the driveway to see that the car was there and that they were most likely home they approached the house.
"Do you have a key?"
"No"
Snape knocked on the door while Harry stood behind him, rather sheepishly for a Gryffindor.
Vernon opened it.
"It's the boy and his teacher." Vernon called to Petunia. "Listen you, he said to Snape looking him up and down. We never wanted him to go to your little school to begin with. Whatever he gets up to while he's there is your problem it has nothing to do with us!"
Snape smiled patiently at his Uncle Vernon. It was the most crocodilian a smile Harry had ever seen. "May I come in Mr Dursley? It's your wife I wish to speak with."
"No. we don't want any more of your kind in this house!"
"Surely, Mr Dursely, you wouldn't rather I remain on the doorstep in full view of the neighbours?" Severus arched one eyebrow towards the sky as Vernon Dursley fumed on the doormat.
"I would rather you left" he began, resolve faltering under Snapes glare.
"And I will, just as soon as I have completed my business here, now would you like to invite me in or would you like a repeat of the debacle involving Mr Hagrid and the invitation to attend Hogwarts?"
Red faced, Vernon stood aside and they followed him into the sitting room. "He says he will not leave until he speaks to you," Vernon said addressing his aunt.
"Hello Tunie," Snape said smirking at her.
"Severus Snape!" she gasped.
"You know him?" Vernon reproached.
"He was a friend of Lily's, from Cokeworth. The wrong side of town! The dirty little freak who taught her all about magic and who turned her away from me."
"Delightful as always to see you Petunia!" Severus crooned.
"What do you want?" then rounding on Harry she accused him of lying, they had been expecting a teacher.
"I am a teacher Tunie dearest, I thought it would be rather nice for us all to catch up."
Petunia glared at him.
"Is this some kind of joke Potter?" Vernon Bellowed. "What is the meaning of this? Why did you bring him here?"
"I have come, Mr Dursley" Snape said drawing himself up to full height, "to relieve you of your guardianship of Mr Potter.
"Brilliant!" Vernon interrupted "take him!"
"Professor Dumbledore said he had to live with me?" Petunia stated, clearly confused. "Something about a blood ward."
"He is older now, he is learning how to use the craft to protect himself, plus there is another now to whom the blood wards can be transferred."
"Who?" She asked feeling very confused. "We are Lily's only living relatives. Potter had none, or so I was informed."
"Potter has no immediate relations no, however it seems that he was the boy's father in name only."
"So you're saying his real father is still alive?"
"Yes and it has been noted that your treatment of him has been well below par in comparison with that of your own son."
"We never asked for him he was dumped here. We had planned to have one child. We have the means for providing for one child. You couldn't expect us to throw away the life we had planned for our own son. Potter was lucky to have a home at all after his parents went and got themselves blown up dabbling in god only knows what."
"Lily was murdered in the great wizarding war for standing strong against one the most evil dark wizard of all time."
"Well much good it did her."
"You should be proud of her. Her final sacrifice brought an end to a long line of tragedies in both our world and perhaps more notably yours."
"Voldemort was like Hitler," Harry exclaimed, "He believed that wizards, particularly pureblood wizards were superior and he and his followers used to go around torturing and killing muggles like you for fun."
"A muggle is the wizarding word for a non-magical person" Snape began to explain
"I know what a muggle is," Petunia snapped.
Severus looked at her crossly, he wanted things to remain civil for Harry's benefit but he was beginning to lose his patience. "If the tables were turned and you two were killed I suspect you would have expected more from Lily if it had fallen to her to raise your son."
"Dudley would never have went to the Potters! My sister Marge would have taken him."
"Be that as it may, your reasoning for the neglect of young Mr Potter is unfounded. If Dumbledore had only known you couldn't afford to bring up both boys equally he could have provided you the means to do so. The Potters died very wealthy. I'm sure it could have been arranged that some of Harry's inheritance be redirected to you towards his upkeep."
"There was no inheritance. We went looking for it. They hadn't one single penny between them. Potter didn't even work."
"Potter did not have to work," Snape smirked. "Knowledge is power, Mr Dursley, and with power oft comes reward. Had you consulted with Professor Dumbledore regarding money you would have attained the knowledge that we wizards do not deal in the imaginary promissory notes you muggles use. We prefer a more tangible currency."
He removed a single gold galleon from his pocket and tossed it at Vernon.
"If Dumbledore had knowledge of your difficulties he may have rewarded you for your trouble in taking the boy in, perhaps granted you the power to manage Harry's Trust until he came of age but looking at your meticulous home I find it rather hard to believe that financials were indeed an issue. Petunia, it is clear you have done well for yourself. We have both come a long way from Cokeworth."
Vernon's eyes bulged greedily as he turned the coin over in his hand before raising it to his mouth and biting it.
"Solid gold Mr Dursley, I assure you, be careful you don't break your teeth."
"Show me dad! Dudley demanded.
Vernon tossed the coin to him.
"Cor wicked. How much is it worth?" Dudley asked momentarily forgetting his fear of all things magical.
"One Galleon is worth 17 sickles or 493 knuts but I digress, I did not come here today to give you a lesson on the monetary system of the wizarding world, let us return to the matter at hand."
"If Potter wasn't the boy's father then who is and how come they have waited until now to claim him especially considering they have such objection to our treatment of him, and why send a teacher, why not come himself?" Vernon asked annoyed to think that he might have missed his opportunity for a share of Harry's gold.
"You're his father!" Petunia interrupted, the truth finally dawning on her.
"It would seem that I am" He admitted, "but unfortunately I only recently found out. How different all our lives may have been if I had only known then what I do now."
"But then why did she marry James? She was almost certainly already pregnant at the wedding."
"There are a myriad of possibilities and no way of confirming any of them now. The only thing I can know for sure is that I am Harry's father and that he is my responsibility."
"So basically you're saying Potters rich and that you're taking him away to live with you." Vernon spat bitterly.
"What I am saying is that he is my son and I am taking him and that I intend to take him home, where he belongs" Snape replied, "Now if you'll just sign this, we will be on our way" he withdrew the custody papers and handed them to Harry's aunt.
"I still don't understand," she said, eyeing Snape with suspicion. "How is it you can be so sure that he is your son now, when you say you didn't know before and how could you not have known before, surely you remember being with her?"
"Of course I remember being with her, but then she went off and married Potter, it never even occurred to me that the child might not have been his, things were difficult between Lily and I then, the wizarding world was being decimated by civil war and we were on opposing sides. She never told me"
"So you are telling me that you are evil, that she clearly didn't want you as father of her child and that she died fighting against you and you just expect me to hand over her son to you" She thrust the papers back at Snape with a glint of defiance in her eyes.
Harry looked at his aunt with newfound admiration but remained silent. He had never expected her to have the courage or even the consideration to stand up against anyone on his behalf, not to mention a wizard. His uncle, Vernon on the other hand had begun backing slowly towards the other side of the room at the mere suggestion of evil. He wasn't chivalrous enough to stay to defend his wife and son let alone his nephew.
"There is no such thing as good and evil, only power and those to weak to seek it" Snape quoted, echoing what Harry had heard while he sought to protect the Philosopher's Stone from Voldemort last year. "I readily admit that I have committed evil acts but I am not evil. If I were, I would be rotting in Azkaban. I was young and easily led, though that is no excuse, but because of Lily I came to see the error of my ways. I changed sides, and with the inside information I was privy to, became instrumental in the fight against the Dark Lord, I tried to save her, to save all of them, but I failed. Do you think I would be standing here in front of you now if I was planning anything untoward for the boy? I could have just taken him! With one wave of my wand I could kill you all instantly, what could you do to stop me? I'm sorry Petunia, I don't mean to scare you, I just need you to know that the fact I am even standing here, begging you for this, means that I would do anything for him. I'm asking for your blessing; please, let me do right by him"
He handed her back the custody papers, she opened them, skimming through the legalese.
Severus held his breath. Like he said, they could do this the easy way or they could do it the hard way but he really hoped she would just sign the blasted thing and be done with it.
"Is this what you want?" she asked Harry pointedly, looking up from the document.
Harry nodded intently. Snape gestured for him to go and collect the last of his belongings.
"Where do you live now?" She asked of Severus as Harry slipped up the stairs, "That house in Cokeworth, was no fit place to raise a child."
"Perhaps not, but a trifle better than the cupboard under your stairs I would imagine."
Petunia blushed crimson before testily asking if he wanted her to sign the papers or not.
"Forgive my rudeness Madam" he stated formally, "and if it pleases you to know, I now live at Prince Manor, my mother's ancestral home."
She looked stunned for a moment, she could tell he had done well for himself, he looked a lot different now to how she had remembered him, and Harry too, in his new properly fitting clothes. He had a good job too it seemed , as a teacher but she never would have imagined that he could have come from money and even if there was no actual money left, she couldn't understand how a woman with an ancestral manor would have put up living in that kip with the drunken fool that was Tobias Snape.
Emboldened by the possibility of riches, Vernon sidled back towards Snape as Petunia regained her composure and turned to them with one final question. "Does Dumbledore approve of your taking him?"
Severus smiled and nodded, pointing out his signature at the foot of the document.
"Very well" she stated, reaching for a pen "You have my blessing." She passed it to Vernon to countersign but instead of signing it he turned to Snape. "We took the boy in when he had no one else, cared for him as our own. He was your responsibility. Surely you should repay us somehow before expecting us to just give him up to you.
"Repay you for what?" Severus boomed, losing his temper now, "Denying my son a happy childhood, neglecting him, bullying him, starving him, working him to the bone, oh I will repay you all right. He drew his wand and pointed it at Vernon threateningly.
"Father don't!" Harry shouted returning with the remainder of his belongings, just in time to bring him back to his senses. He lowered the wand, perhaps I will repay you by reporting you to the authorities. It would be interested to see how your own son would fare if removed from your care.
"Vernon, sign it now" Petunia said sharply as Dudley whimpered in the corner.
He signed it, Severus snatched it off him and with an intense feeling of triumph carefully folded it and put it in his pocket before taking a look in the bookbag his son held. He frowned. Surely the boy had more to his name than just this? "Is this all?" he asked. Harry nodded.
"And you have the gall to claim you treated him like your own?" Snape remarked to Mr. Dursley. "Come on Harry say your goodbyes and let us be on our way."
After a very awkward farewell Severus took the bag from Harry and led him towards the door with Vernon following behind in a manner that suggested he was inclined to feel the need to escort them from the premises. Hesitating on the doorstep, Severus turned to face him one final time. Dursley raised one of his big beefy arms to hold onto the doorframe seemingly to prevent them from re-entry. Snape scoffed at him before taking a wad of muggle money from his pocket and throwing it on the floor at his feet.
"Take it" he said "For your troubles, never let it be said that either myself or Harry owe you anything"
