August 31st - Harry, age 11

Harry gathered items from around his room, pulling open his dresser drawers and gathering some of his favorite shirts. Tomorrow he'd be off to Hogwarts as a student and he absolutely couldn't wait! Instead of just staying there with Snape, he'd be going to all the classes.

Harry beamed as he moved across the room, gathering some of the items he wanted to take before walking to his bed and placing them down. He had things already at Snape's quarters, but those he would just keep there. He was sure Snape wouldn't mind.

Snape was walking down the hall when he stopped in the child's bedroom doorway, watching him intently. He knew how excited Harry was. He also knew that there was too much that he could not put off any longer. "Be sure to pack enough sleep clothing and socks." He leaned slightly against the door frame as he watched Harry fill his trunk.

Harry turned to look over his shoulder at Snape, his grin never fading for a moment. "I know." He started to place the clothing items within the trunk. "I know." He turned back to his dresser, opening up another drawer and taking out several sets of sleep clothes first. "I can't wait."

"You have been waiting on this for a long time." Snape stepped into the boy's room, moving over to his bed. He sat down. "Hand me those and I will fold them properly." He motioned to the clothing in Harry's hand.

Harry moved back to the bed, holding the clothing out to Snape before turning back to gather socks. "Thanks," he hummed, gathering several pairs before he moved back and placed them within a certain corner of his trunk.

Snape began folding the pajama tops before he cleared his throat. "I think that there are a few things that we need to discuss prior to tomorrow."

"About?" The child took the tops Snape folded, placing them where he wanted within the trunk. "We've been over the rules."

"We have," Snape nodded. "We have also discussed that you can be punished just as easily in our quarters as you can here at home." The man gave the child a serious look. "However, that is not what I want to discuss right now." Snape began folding the pajama bottoms as he waited for Harry to respond.

"O-kay," Harry paused what he was doing, watching Snape continue to fold. "About?" He pressed a bit more, moving to instead sit on his bed next to his trunk.

"Do you recall when you came to stay with me all those years ago and I explained to you what really happened to your parents?" Snape eyed the child carefully as he folded another top and set it to his side.

"Yeah," Harry's voice grew soft, his shoulders slouching slightly. He wasn't sure he liked where this conversation was going. Still, he leaned and picked up the clothing and placed them within the trunk.

Snape folded the last bottom setting it to his side before he devoted his attention to his child. "I have never really, however, talked to you about how you got that scar on your forehead."

Harry rested his hand on his head, his fingers brushing his scar for a brief moment. It was something he never really thought about. He could have even been fooled that he was born with it.

Snape cleared his throat softly as he turned his body slightly to face Harry more. "That dark wizard that I have told you about before. When he killed your parents he tried to kill you as well. You, however, survived. You are the only person who has ever survived a killing curse. That is where your scar came from."

Harry's expression was a mix of several emotions. Confusion and hurt being the main two as he studied Snape's face. Why was this important now?

"He tried to kill me? Why?" His voice was soft, moving to sit further up on the bed and cross his legs.

Snape swallowed hard as he debated how much to share with the child. How much he could handle at eleven. "You were there Harry. He did not allow those who got in his way to live." The man paused a moment clearing his throat softly once more. "Due to your surviving the killing curse, you are quite well known. When we are out and people know who you are and your name it is not simply because you live with me. They knew who you were long before that."

"How was a baby in his way?" Harry muttered softly, looking down to his knee. That made no sense. And how did he live? How did he live so young—and his parents...

The child didn't press on the question, falling silent as he felt his shoulders start to slouch down. "And everyone knows me?"

Snape nodded. "You are considered quite famous for surviving. I want you to be aware of that. I also want you to consider that when making friends and trusting people at Hogwarts."

"But why me?" Harry shifted his legs, raising a knee up and wrapping his arms firmly around it.

"As I have said, you are the only person to ever have survived that curse." Snape sighed softly. "That is quite incredible, regardless of how old you are when it occurred."

"So what happened to him?" He rested his chin on his knee, staring at Snape as his body rocked side to side.

"No one is certain." Snape picked his words carefully. "Many people think he is dead."

Harry frowned, shifting his head to rub his scar idly against his arm. He was now very aware of the mark and he shook his head so his hair fell over it.

He had never thought about when people knew his name or the looks he got. Thinking back, people did often look at his forehead. The thought caused his frown to deepen. "What do you think?"

"I think he may be dead." Snape cleared his throat softly. "He also may return one day. I cannot be certain."

Harry tightened his hold around his leg. He didn't like the sound of that. "Why did you wait to tell me?" He raised his gaze back to Snape after having lowered it for a moment. "Until now?"

"I never felt that there was reason to do so." Snape's tone was gentle as he reached out a hand placing it gently on Harry's arm. "I did not want to tell you when you were too young to fully understand."

Harry's frown never faded, turning his head to rest his cheek on his knee. He stared towards his trunk. So that was why all the students at Hogwarts knew his name when he stayed with Snape. His shoulders slumped down. "Why my parents though?"

Once more Snape found himself debating how much he should tell his eleven-year-old. "They were part of an Order that was fighting against him."

The child tilted his head back to look at Snape once more, a hurt within his eyes. It didn't make any sense to him. He had only been a baby. "They had said it was a car crash."

"They were wrong to lie to you about it," Snape said softly. "Even if they didn't fully understand."

Harry swallowed, blinking and looked to the top of the covers. "So everyone else always knew," he whispered, one hand falling from his leg to rest on the covers. "About them… about me… and I didn't."

"Yes." Snape moved his hand to gently rub the child's back. "Perhaps I should have told you sooner however, I just wanted you to have a normal childhood. I did not want to take you places with you having any of this on your mind when you met people."

Scooting around on the bed, Harry moved to sit next to Snape and lean into the man's side. His shoulder rested against Snape's shoulder as shrugged a shoulder.

"You are considered quite the hero among our kind. I am sure your new classmates will know who you are and that they are about to start school with you." Snape tapped the boy's knee lightly.

"How am I a hero?" He watched Snape's hand tap against his knee.

"People believe that you are because in their eyes you defeated Him and escaped the killing curse." Snape's fingers tapped gently once more. "I do not want you to let that go to your head, however."

Harry shook his head at the words. "I won't," he promised softly, continuing to watch the same rhythmic tapping. "I'm nervous now though."

"There is no reason to be nervous. You have grown up in that castle, you know all your Professors. You have a strong advantage over other first years."

"I'm not nervous about being at Hogwarts. Not really. I just mean... with the people now. Everyone will just care about this." He made a motion towards his scar.

"I have never cared about that scar." Snape tapped the boy's knee lightly once more. "If I know you, Harry James, you will find friends who do not care either."

Harry grinned, leaning further into Snape's side before away slightly. "I know you didn't." Thinking back, Snape never said anything about his scar, perhaps the occasional brush of it but really it was if it was never there! "And I hope so."

"Perhaps that was more of my reasoning in keeping it from you for so long. I never wanted you to question my intentions." Snape wrapped his free arm around the child as his other hand tapped the small knee once more. "That scar of yours never affected my decision to keep you or adopt you."

Harry's smile only widened at the words. It wasn't long ago that the papers were signed and it still didn't quite feel real. He hardly recalled the conversations him and Snape had when he was younger. The first weeks staying with the man were mostly a blur besides a few key memories. "You think the families that were interested in adopting me only wanted to because of my scar?"

Snape was silent for a moment as he considered the question. "I think that some were interested in that, however, Alb—Professor Dumbledore and I would not have allowed you to go with anyone that did not want you for the right reasons. We had no intention of sending you with just anyone."

"Did you think you'd be stuck with me?" Harry grinned up to the man, resting his head on Snape's shoulder.

"I did not," Snape replied honestly. "Truthfully Harry when you first came to stay with me, I was sure that you would want to live with anyone in the world aside from me."

Harry fell silent for a moment, looking over to his trunk as his smile faded slightly. "I thought you were mad I was here," he admitted softly, his lips turning back to a smile.

"Perhaps I was a bit for the first few days." Snape hummed softly as his fingertips tapped the small knee once more. "That, however, did not last."

"Not even a week!" Harry beamed at the man, his grin wide. "Glad I was brought here."

"No, I was fairly certain about four days in that I did not want you to go. I was just convinced that you did not want to stay." Snape pulled the boy a bit closer to his side. "I have never been more thankful for anything than I am that you were brought here."

Harry closed his eyes tightly as he was hugged closer, his arms wrapping around Snape's middle. "You were kinda scary for a few days." He grinned. "But not mean."

"No? I will have to work on that then." The man swallowed a chuckle.

"I don't think you can ever actually be mean, Snape." Harry pointed out, looking up to the man doubtfully. "At least not to me." He nodded, looking back down to his knees.

"Well, you may have a valid point there." Snape leaned down placing a kiss on the top of the boy's head. "You may be the only person able to truthfully say such a thing."

The child closed his eyes for a brief moment before stretching his legs out across the bed. "What, do I have to act like you scare me in class?"

Snape thought about the question for a moment before shaking his head. "No. You simply need to behave in my classroom and in all your other classrooms as well."

Harry nodded at the words before giving a huff a breath. "Good because I wasn't goin' to." His right hand rose, idly tracing along his scar before lowering back to his lap.

Snape swallowed a chuckle at the words. "Is that so?" He raised an eyebrow at the child.

"Yup." Harry blinked his eyes open, looking up to the man with a grin.

Snape nodded. "Just behave. You do not want me to hear from one of your Professors that you have not." The man reached out and tapped the boy's knee softly once more. "Also remember to address them properly. I know that you have grown up around them but that does not change how you will respect them."

"I wiiill." The smallest of a whine hinted at his tone, yet his smile never faded for a moment. "I know, I know. And I'm always good, Snape."

Snape hummed softly at the words. "Always, Harry?"

"Nearly," Harry huffed, pulling his head away to look up at Snape with a scowl.

"I will agree with nearly always." Snape tapped the boy's knee once more. "You are sure you want to ride the train tomorrow rather than floo to Hogwarts with me?"

"I always get to floo there. I've never ridden the train though." Harry pointed out. "It's okay I ride the train, right?" He chewed on his bottom lip a moment as he looked over to his trunk. He had been looking forward to riding the train, but with everyone on it and knowing him… maybe he shouldn't?

"It is absolutely okay." Snape nodded reassuringly. "I think it is the best decision. I only wanted to make sure you hadn't changed your mind."

Harry nodded then, relaxing once more against Snape's side. "Okay, because I really want to."

"I am sure that you will have a fine time on the train," Snape nodded. "I would bet that by the time you step off at Hogwarts you will have made a friend or two."

"That'd be nice," Harry spoke softly, sighing at the thought. He didn't want to tell his guardian that he actually doubted that would happen. Now he would have to be on guard on who he spoke to and why they were speaking to him.

"You will be just fine." Snape tapped the boy's knee gently once more. "You have never had an issue making friends."

"But this is different now," Harry pointed out, looking down to his knee with a frown. "Everyone will know about me and not want to be real friends."

"You do not know that they will not want to be your friend for the right reasons." Snape gave a soft sigh. "You are a good judge of character Harry. Just trust your gut feeling."

Harry gave a nod at the words, sighing softly as well. "I will." He nudged a foot against his trunk slightly. "I can't wait to start classes though. No more normal school."

"No more muggle school." Snape's cleared his throat softly. "Do not forget if any of your neighborhood friends ask, you are going to a boarding school in France."

"Oh yeah," Harry nearly forgot he wouldn't be able to tell his friends the truth. So he'd have to make up stories that didn't involve magic as well.

"Also," Harry continued, looking up to watch Snape's expression. "No more dentist? Ooor doctor visits?" He tested slowly.

Snape nodded. "Correct. Your magic is mature enough now that you will not need a muggle dentist or doctor." The man tapped the boy's knee once more. "Speaking of Dr. Granger, I recently learned that his daughter is a witch and will be attending Hogwarts with you. Her parents are both muggles."

"Really?" Harry sat up properly at that, leaning slightly away from Snape as he did so. "Do you think they knew? I mean…I had accidental magic. Do you think she did too?" He frowned, recalling it was the exact reason whine his aunt and uncle didn't want to keep him.

"I am sure they did," Snape nodded. "Nearly all magical children have some accidental magic. I am sure she was no different."

Harry nodded, rubbing his arms idly. So maybe he could at least introduce himself to her one day. "I have a question," he started, pausing for a moment to gather his thoughts. "So, when Mum and Dad died… how was it explained? Or were there no muggles around? I mean…"

"It was known that He was looking for them." Snape sighed softly. "They were in hiding in a way. In a house that everyone thought He would never find. Unfortunately, He did."

Harry finally fell silent then, his thumb rubbing against the top of his bed as he slowly nodded in understanding. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his legs as he continued to stare down to the top of the covers.

"It is horrible. I know," Snape said softly as he tapped the boy's foot once more. "However, I am sure that you make them both very proud."

"I will," Harry promised softly, resting his head back against Snape's shoulder. "I'll do my best at least."

"I am sure that your best will be just fine." Snape nodded before turning his head to rest his chin on top of Harry's head. "Better than fine, little boy."

Harry shifted his head against Snape's shirt just slightly, rubbing a stray tear away as he nodded. He closed his eyes, taking in a breath. "Yeah."

Snape's hand moved to gently rub the small back. "I know that you will excel at Hogwarts. You will make your parents proud and you will make me proud as well."

Harry's lips twitched to a smile, nodding once more in agreement. He shifted his arms and wrapped them tightly around Snape's middle, hugging the man. "I will."

Snape wrapped his arms around the child, his chin once more resting on the boy's head. "I do not doubt that."