"Call me Severus when in private Harry."

Harry just stares at Severus in shock. "A...Are you sure sir?"

Severus sees the hesitation. He raises his eyebrow at the title. "Yes Harry. I am sure. You are now my child. Children don't call their parents with a title."

"Kids don't call their parents by their first names either." Harry argues back.

"That is not necessarily true. Many adopted children call their parents by their first name until they are comfortable with calling them mom and dad. I don't care what you call me but I would prefer it if you called me Severus."

Harry doesn't respond, he just looks down at the chessboard. Severus sighs when he sees Harry retreat into himself. "Potter. Let's start playing this game so we can hope to finish before dinner. You are white so you move first."

Harry, happy about the change in topic, looks down and makes his move. Severus then makes his counter-move. That is how the next 2 hours go. Severus realizes that Harry is better than he thought that he would be. All throughout the game they are talking about anything and everything. Severus gets Harry to open up about the Dursleys.

Severus notices that Harry is more willing to talk when he is busy doing something. But Severus notices that Harry is more closed lipped about things that happened at the Dursleys.

After 2 hours Severus finally gets Harry in check-mate. Severus looks at Harry and says, "That was a good game Harry. I didn't expect it to be such a close game. You are much better than I thought."

Harry acts offended. "What is that supposed to mean? You didn't think that I could play a decent game?"

Severus laughs at Harry's reaction and says, "Not at all. I just didn't think that you would know how to play strategically. Who taught you how to play?"

"Ron. He loves it and wanted someone to play so he taught me. He regrets it now and doesn't like to play with me. He is used to playing games that the other player is no match for him."

Severus just laughs at what Harry says. "If you want I could teach you some more strategies with the game so you can play Ron in a different way that he doesn't know so it should be easier for you. Only if you want of course."

Harry is eager and says, "Yes sir."

Severus raises an eyebrow when he hears the title. "What's my name?"

Harry deflates a little. "Severus. Yes Severus."

Severus can tell that Harry is expecting to be reprimanded. "I am not going to scream at you when you mess up Harry, I may punish you but I won't ever scream at you. I know that it will take time for you to get used to having a parental figure that cares about you no matter what. Harry look at me."

Harry looks up at Severus through unsure eyes. Severus sees the uncertainty in Harry's eyes and sighs. "Harry, I promise you. There will be times when you mess up. It is natural. You are a child, you are supposed to make mistakes and mess up. I will be here every time you do and I will be here to most likely punish you but that is a part of growing up Harry."

Harry smiles at this when Severus reassures him. Severus sees the smile and smiles himself. Oh how I love when Harry smiles and his entire face lights up. "Besides, how could we have a normal year at Hogwarts when you are here can we?"

Harry laughs and says, "No sir that would be impossible. I wonder is going to happen for my fifth year here."

"I don't know but I promise you if it is anything like these past four years you won't be sitting down comfortably for a while." Severus says with a warning tone.

Harry blushes and exclaims. "It's not my fault. Things just happen to me."

"I never said you did do them on purpose but there are many other ways you could have dealt with those situations."

"It was just easier to do them myself because I was already there so it would have taken too long to find a teacher, explain what was happening and get at the scene."

"Harry, I am just telling you, you won't be getting away with those stunts this year."

Harry opens his mouth to respond but an owl flies through the window carrying a letter. The owl flies over to Severus and drops the letter. Harry looks curiously at Severus before asking, "What is that si…. Severus?"

"I don't know but it is from the Wizengamot. The magical courts." Severus opens the letter and starts reading it. Harry watches Severus carefully and sees Severus's face grow from confusion to anger.

"I don't believe this!" Severus says throwing the letter down on the table.

"What?"

Severus sees Harry's frightened look and forces himself to calm down. "Harry, they want you to testify at your relatives trial. They want you to recount the happenings throughout the years at the Dursley residence."

Harry is shocked into silence. Severus sees this and says, "we are going to talk to Albus about this. Alright?"

Harry just nods still too shocked to say something. Severus stands up and Harry copies. Severus walks to the door with Harry following.

Severus walks through the door of the office and immediately says, "How can they do this to Harry?"

Albus is startled by the outburst and is genuinely confused. "I am sorry my boy but how can they do what to Harry."

"Make him testify to the Wizengamot for the trial of his relatives."

"Oh. Severus my boy. I am sorry but we need him to testify so we can get what happened."

"How can they put him through that? He is a child, he shouldn't have to go through that."

"I know my boy. But if we want to have proper evidence to get them charged we need his account of what happened. You are his legal parent so you can refuse but if we want them to be locked up for good we need his word."

Severus sits down and says, "I know the reason but still. He is a child. Harry, I am not saying that you are but if you do I will be with you the entire time and if they ask something you don't want to say I will help you out."

Harry just nods trusting Severus. "I want to testify. If it ensures that I won't have to see him again I want to do it. I know Aunt Petunia asked to see me. If she isn't charged I wouldn't mind seeing her, she never did anything to me. When Dudley and Vernon weren't there she was nice."

Severus just nods. "I don't know if I am comfortable with you testifying Harry. I will think about it. The date is August 30 and it is currently the 25th so we will see. Let's go down and eat some dinner before Poppy has our heads."

An/ Are you surprised that happened? Do you think that Severus will allow him to testify? What about how Harry will react if he does have to testify? I want to hear what YOU think is going to happen. Please. I want to hear what you have to say. Sorry for the short chapter but with what I have planned I had to stop there.