AN: Sorry this chapter is a bit later than I'd planned. For some reason, it was really hard to write. I still didn't get in everything I wanted but decided to give two shorter chapters so that I could at least get something up for y'all. I hope you like it and let me know in the reviews!

Chapter 44

Harry sat on his bed with the curtains pulled around him, squinting down at the minuscule names written on the map. The other boys in his dormitory had long since dropped off to sleep but Harry wasn't so lucky. He couldn't stop thinking about Sirius Black and he had taken to checking the map at night just to see if he showed up again.

It had been three days since Black had gotten into Gryffindor Tower, and since then Ron had become a celebrity, Neville had gotten detention and had been banned from all future Hogsmeade visits, Sir Cadogan had been fired, and Harry was now being watched even closer than he had been before. He had tried convincing Snape that it was unnecessary, but he wouldn't hear anything that Harry had to say about it. As far as he was concerned, Harry could just as easily do all of his schoolwork from the safety of their quarters and should therefore be glad that he got to go to school at all.

Harry, of course, did not agree. Though, he had resigned himself to his fate anyway simply because the very idea of spending that much time in the dungeons was too much to bear. Especially when there were far more fun things to do up in Gryffindor Tower with his friends.

Harry's thoughts were abruptly cut off when he noticed a new name on the map. A name that he knew very well didn't belong there. He brought the map closer to his face, convinced that he must have read it wrong. He sucked in a breath.

Peter Pettigrew.

Harry shook his head and dropped the map onto his lap before taking his glasses off and rubbing his eyes with his fists. After he'd replaced his glasses, he picked up the map once again and gave it another glance. The name was still there, moving along a fourth-floor corridor.

Harry bit his lip as he looked towards his trunk at the foot of his bed. His cloak was in there. He could get it out, take the map and go down to the fourth floor, just to check if the map was wrong. It had to be wrong.

Snape would murder him though.

Only if Snape found out.

Harry felt like the Muggle cartoon where he had an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. And just like in the cartoon, Harry listened to the little devil.

Without taking another second to think it over, Harry tossed off his blankets and as quickly and quietly as he could, he opened his trunk and pulled out the cloak. After making sure that he was covered properly, he picked up the map and his wand and slipped out of the room.

A few minutes later, Harry found himself searching the map intently for Peter Pettigrew's name. He was standing in the middle of the fourth-floor corridor where he had seen the name on the map, but now, he saw nothing at all.

The name was still on the map, but now it appeared to have moved around the corner and so Harry took off in the same direction. However, as he turned the corner the only thing he saw nearly made his heart leap straight out of his chest.

Snape was walking towards him from the other end of the hallway.

Harry gasped before quickly covering his mouth with his hands. Snape paused and held his wand higher, casting the light from the tip across the corridor before slowly resuming his walk towards him.

Harry held his breath as he stepped quietly back, flattening himself against the stone wall in hopes that he was far enough out of the way that he wouldn't accidentally brush against Snape as he walked past. Suddenly he was rethinking his decision to listen to the devil on his shoulder. More than that, he was cursing himself for not checking the map for Snape's location before he left the tower.

Snape was nearly right in front of him now, so close that he could reach out and touch his robes. Assuming he had a death wish. Instead, Harry pressed himself further against the wall and willed his heart to stop beating so loudly, convinced that Snape must be able to hear it from where he stood.

After what seemed like hours, Snape moved on and Harry took a slow, steadying breath. He glanced back down at the map and watched as the footprints belonging to Snape moved along corridors and down staircases until he was somewhere on the second floor. Only then did Harry move from his spot against the stone wall. He ran through the castle, only being careful enough that he didn't attract attention from Peeves or Mrs. Norris and not stopping until he was safely back inside the tower.

It was the next morning when Harry saw Snape next. He had come down to the dungeons to have breakfast with him, yet he had hardly touched his food. Instead, he was simply moving it around his plate, his mind distracted with other things.

"I do hope you're not moping because of the Hogsmeade trip this weekend," Snape said suddenly, pulling Harry from his thoughts.

Harry looked up to see Snape reading The Daily Prophet. He frowned at him. "You're not even looking at me. How do you know I'm moping? And I'm not anyway."

Snape dropped the top corner of the paper so that he could see Harry. "So then I can assume you won't be giving me a hard time about not going to Hogsmeade?"

Harry sat up straighter. "Would it do me any good?"

"Not at all," Snape answered.

"I didn't think so."

Snape dropped the paper completely before folding it and putting it to the side of his plate. He looked curiously at Harry and asked, "If not Hogsmeade, then what's bothering you?"

"Nothing," Harry said quickly.

"You've barely touched your breakfast or said a word all morning, Harry."

"Maybe I'm just not hungry."

"Are you getting enough sleep? You're not staying up at all hours of the night, are you?"

"I'm fine," Harry said, rolling his eyes. "I've just got a lot going on, but I can handle it."

With that, Harry stood up and pushed his chair under the table and picked up his book bag from where he had left it by the door. "I've got to go or I'll be late for Charms."

Snape nodded. "Alright, I'd better get going as well." He tapped the table, clearing it of their breakfast, and stood up to follow Harry into the parlor. "If you want to talk about what's bothering you, Harry, I'm here."

Harry paused with his hand nearly on the doorknob and turned back. Snape wasn't looking at him now. Instead, he was replacing a few books on the bookshelf. "I know," Harry said. He bit his lip and then before he could talk himself out of it, he said, "See you later, Dad."

"Bye, Harry," Snape answered, "Behave today."

Harry's eyes went wide before he turned and opened the door, rushing through it.

Back inside the parlor, Snape was reaching to put away a book when he realized with a sudden jolt what Harry had said. Or rather, what he had called him. Snape dropped the book and swiveled his head around to see an empty room.

With only a few long strides, Snape crossed the room and opened the parlor door, and stepped outside. Harry, of course, was already gone and Snape found himself breathing heavily. He walked back inside and dropped down into his armchair.

Surely I must have misheard the boy. Harry wouldn't call me...that. Would he? Snape's thoughts were a jumbled mess as he tried in vain to think of what he should do next. Did he talk to him about it? Wouldn't that make Harry feel more uncomfortable? He thought back to Christmas when they'd put up the stockings. He had told Harry that he could call him whatever he wanted. And he'd meant that, of course, but he hadn't thought Harry would call him "Dad"!

What if Harry was calling him that because he thought Snape wanted him to? Did he know that it didn't matter to Snape what he called him? Because it didn't matter in the least. Snape didn't care what Harry chose to call him, and yet, he couldn't deny that the idea of Harry referring to him in that way brought so much happiness up inside him that he wasn't sure how to contain it. Especially since he had been thinking of Harry as his son for weeks now.

The morning of the Hogsmeade trip, Harry said goodbye to Ron and Hermione and watched for a moment as they left for the village with the other students. Ron had said that Harry should take the cloak and go with them, but Harry knew that wouldn't work. Besides the obvious problem of getting past the dementors, Harry wanted to be seen by Snape after everyone had left. He figured that if Snape saw him, then he wouldn't be able to suspect him later on. And aside from that, he wanted to see his guardian.

He hadn't had the chance to talk to him in the last couple of days, not since they'd had breakfast on Wednesday morning. Harry hadn't gone to Thursday breakfast in Albus and Minerva's quarters that week and had avoided any chance of speaking to Snape during Potions or at meals. Snape hadn't asked for him to come around anyway so Harry thought that either Snape hadn't heard him that morning, or that maybe he did hear him but didn't feel the same way about Harry. In any case, Harry's stomach felt once again like the Giant Squid had been swimming around in it, and he thought the only thing left to do was to face Snape and see what he would say.

Harry opened the parlor door and stepped inside, immediately seeing Snape sitting in his armchair. Snape looked up when Harry came in and smiled.

"I was beginning to wonder when you might come back down here."

Harry sat down on the couch and brought his feet up under him. "You miss me?" he asked cheekily.

"Shoes off the couch," Snape said. "And yes, I suppose I have."

Harry grinned before putting his feet back on the floor.

"So what are your plans for today?"

Harry shrugged. "I dunno. I already finished Remus's vampire essay but I could probably work on something else. Or hang out with Neville. He didn't get to go to Hogsmeade today either."

"You know, Harry, I'm quite proud of you for how you've acted about not getting to go. I know you were, and likely still are, upset about it, but all things considered, I think you've handled it really well."

Harry felt his stomach churning at the undeserved praise. He hadn't behaved very well at all and if Snape knew that he had snuck out with the map and that he was planning to do so again today, he wouldn't be proud of him at all.

"Thanks," he mumbled as he stared down at his knees.

Snape studied Harry for a moment before asking quietly, "Is there something wrong?"

"No," Harry answered quickly, looking up to him.

"Are you sure?" Snape pressed. "Because you've all but avoided me for the last few days. When I called on you in class yesterday, you said you didn't know the answer, but I know that you did because we went over that together last week when you were doing homework down here."

Harry could feel his cheeks reddening and he looked away again. "I just...I didn't know if—"

"Is this about the other morning? When you left after breakfast?"

Harry didn't answer, but his silence was enough. Snape left the chair and moved around to sit beside Harry on the couch. He sighed as he put his arm around Harry's shoulders. Neither of them was very comfortable with much physical contact yet, but they were getting there.

"Harry, please be very honest with me. Don't try to spare my feelings or only tell me what you think I want to hear. Just be honest, alright." Harry nodded slowly. "Do you want to call me something besides Snape? No matter what, it's fine. I won't be upset either way. I just want you to be comfortable."

Harry sat still for a long moment as he thought about his answer. He knew what the answer was. He knew what he wanted to call Snape and he knew what Remus had said about it, but it didn't ease his worries at all if it wasn't what Snape wanted as well.

"What do you want?"

Snape was shaking his head even before Harry had gotten out the whole question. "No, Harry. This is not about me. It's about you and what you want and need. I don't mind either way. If you never call me anything but Snape for the rest of your life, that is okay, because this is about you." He paused for a moment to collect his thoughts and when he spoke again, his tone was soft. "I don't want to replace your father. No one could do that. Whatever issues the two of us had, I know that he would be very proud of the young man you are becoming, and I am grateful that you are a part of my life now. And if you never see me as anything other than your guardian, I will be happy with it. But I want you to know that I consider you my son, and nothing will change that."

Harry lifted his head and met Snape's gaze. "You do?"

"Yes, I do."

"So do I," Harry whispered, "And I do… want to call you "dad," I mean."

Snape smiled. "I am honored."

They sat together for a few more minutes before Harry decided to get up to leave. "I think I'll go study now. Or see if Neville wants to play a game of Exploding Snap."

Snape nodded and stood up as well. "Are you sure you don't want to have lunch together down here?"

"No, thanks. Neville's by himself today. Besides," Harry grinned, "Ron's supposed to bring me back a load of sweets and I've got to find a good place to hide them from you."

Snape raised an eyebrow. "I don't make a habit of searching your things, you know."

"You wouldn't find them even if you tried." Harry's grin widened as he walked towards the door.

"Is that a challenge?"

Harry ignored the question and said, "He's bringing me back Zonko's stuff too. I'll be sure and hide those things where you'll find them, though."

"Harry," Snape said sternly, following him across the room.

"This is what you get for not letting me go to Hogsmeade, Dad."

"No pranks, Harry."

"See you later!" Harry was out of the door before Snape could say anything else.

Whatever guilt Harry was feeling about sneaking out (and he was feeling a lot) was quickly replaced by excitement as he met up with Ron outside Honeydukes under the cover of his cloak.

"What took you so long?" Ron whispered in the general direction of where he thought Harry was.

"I was talking to… my dad," Harry whispered back. He was glad that he was under the cloak because he was afraid that Ron might yell or something if he were face to face with him. Harry hadn't told anyone but Remus that he had even been thinking of calling Snape "dad," and he wasn't sure what Ron would think of it.

Surprisingly, though, Ron seemed to think nothing of it at all. Aside from a raised brow, one might think that he hadn't even heard Harry.

"Oh, that's a good idea. That way he'll have seen you at the castle after everyone else was gone."

"That was the plan. Let's go inside."

Hogsmeade was filled to the brim with students as Harry and Ron moved through the crowd inside Honeydukes. Harry passed Ron some gold and whispered to him what to buy. Once they were sufficiently laden down with sweets, they repeated the process all over again inside Zonko's.

The weather was so nice that neither of the boys felt much like staying inside, so instead they decided to climb the hill that led to the Shrieking Shack, the most haunted place in Britain. Even during the day it was creepy and Harry didn't want to think about what it would be like at night. "Even the Hogwarts ghosts don't come here," Ron was saying as they looked up at the boarded windows and overgrown garden from where they stood next to the fence.

Suddenly, Harry and Ron heard voices and they both turned at once to see Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle coming up the path towards them. Harry couldn't make out their words but he could hear Crabbe and Goyle's barks of laughter.

Malfoy caught sight of Ron first and looked between him and Crabbe and Goyle. Harry was slightly afraid of what might happen. He knew from his talks with Draco during Potions club that he was feeling nervous about what his father would do now that Snape was openly trying to adopt Harry. In his eyes, Snape was nothing but a traitor and Draco should have nothing to do with him, but Draco didn't want that. He had meant it that night when he told Snape that he didn't want to lose him. Since then, however, he had been making an extra show of pretending to hate Harry even more and only talking to Snape when he had to. Harry knew that Mr. Malfoy had sent Draco a letter a couple of weeks ago telling him that he was proud of him for upholding the family name and staying away from filth such as Snape and Harry.

Draco came to dinner at least once a week with Harry and Snape under the pretense of detention or help with homework, but Harry could tell that the new role was weighing on the blond boy. It seemed that Harry having to pretend less meant that Draco had to pretend more.

"Well, Weasley, come to have a look at your dream home?" Malfoy said, a perfect sneer on his face. "This broken-down heap would be a step up for you, wouldn't it?"

Harry could see Ron's face growing red and he quickly latched on to the back of his robes to keep him from doing anything. Ron knew what Draco was going through because Harry had told him, but that didn't make it any easier for Ron to take his insults about his family.

"Don't," Harry whispered.

Harry crept around Ron towards Draco, glad now that he hadn't taken his cloak off earlier when he had wanted to. Once he was behind Draco, Harry reached up and yanked his hat right off of his head. Draco turned around, eyes wide in alarm. "Who did that?!" he demanded to know. When Crabbe and Goyle just looked at each other, Harry moved away towards them. He picked up a handful of dirt from the ground and took careful aim before tossing it towards Crabbe, who jumped a foot in the air before growling and turning this way and that to see who or what had chucked dirt at him.

Back at the fence, Ron was laughing so hard he could barely breathe. "Awfully haunted up here, isn't it?"

Just as Harry was about to drop another handful of dirt down Goyle's back, Crabbe moved towards them and nearly collided with Harry, stepping on the edge of the cloak. Before Harry even had time to register what had happened, the cloak slipped off of his head.

Harry was quick to replace it, but it was too late. He had already been seen by everyone and Crabbe was pointing at the spot where Harry had just been.

"It was Potter! Potter was here!"

Goyle took hold of Crabbe's robes and started back down the hill, while Draco took a moment to look between their retreating forms and the air where he had seen Harry's floating head.

"If I were you, I'd get back before I do," Draco hissed before taking off to catch up with Crabbe and Goyle.

"Go, Harry," Ron urged him. "Run."

Harry didn't need to be told twice. Without a backward glance, he started running down the hill back towards Hogsmeade. His only thought was that he had to get up to Gryffindor Tower before Malfoy got to Snape.

Harry ran the entire way. Back inside Honeydukes and down the passageway in the cellar, all the way back to the statue of the one-eyed witch. He left the cloak behind the statue, not wanting to chance getting caught with it. He was nearly to the portrait hole when he heard it.

"Back so soon?"

Harry slowly turned to see Snape, black robes billowing behind him, walking down the corridor towards him with a scowl on his face unlike any that Harry had seen pointed in his direction in quite a while.

This would not end well.