Voldemort lowered his wand, smiling viciously.
"I've had a thought," in an instant, Harry was on his feet. He seriously fought down an urge to make a witty comeback, and he managed to keep it in. Voldemort stripped his wand with a spell and chained him up on the wall beside his father. Severus was taken down and placed at the Dark Lord's feet.
"What –?" Harry mumbled, before the realization dawned in his eyes.
"Yes, Mr. Potter. Why would I kill you when you could do more good on my side? So, before I make you watch as I deal with this traitor," he kicked Severus in the stomach, "I will give you a chance to spare his life. Join me." Harry's eyes connected with his father's, and Snape saw the Gryffindor shining in them.
~No! He'll kill me anyway! I'm not worth the suffering you will endure~
Harry looked back up at Voldemort, thinking.
"First, you must promise me, on the honor of Salazar Slytherin, that you will not harm him, in any way, ever again." Voldemort smiled evilly, chuckling to himself.
"Very clever indeed. You do indeed know me well. Why not have me swear on my word?"
"Because you never keep your word, Voldemort. But Slytherin's honor, that you wish to keep intact." Harry hoped Voldemort had never sifted through the history books of Hogwarts.
"You would have done well in Slytherin, Potter, very well indeed. Very well, you may have your request, on one condition. Tell me why you want his life spared? Why should you care so much?" Harry's eyes narrowed, but he knew what the Dark Lord was doing. If he couldn't hurt Snape physically, he was going to make him live with this last thought.
"He's my father," Harry replied simply.
"I killed mine, the weak pathetic fool he was," Voldemort pointed out. Harry took a breath and looked Voldemort in the eyes, unafraid.
"I love him." A sharp intake of breath was the only reaction from Snape, but Voldemort chuckled.
"Foolish Gryffindors...weakened by your emotions. Very well, I will agree to your promise." Severus was shoved to the other side of the room with a wave of Voldemort's wand, and the Dark Lord made to brand Harry. Harry looked up at Snape one last time.
~Go!~
~Not without you!~ Harry smiled at the look of pain in Severus' eyes, and closed his, hoping this worked. The scream that pierced the air was not Harry's, but Voldemort's. Harry opened his eyes to see a deep green light emanating from every one of Voldemort's orifices. He shut his eyes and turned away, not really wanting to know what was happening. The shriek lasted minutes, maybe hours.
"Potter!" The dying breath of Voldemort was spent cursing the Potter line forever, and Harry just smiled.
"But I'm a Snape," was his reply, and as the Dark Lord curled in pain on the ground, he let out another defeated wail, and the energy that burst forth from the death of the Tom Riddle shattered Harry's manacles and dropped him to the floor, unconscious. Severus was far enough away to have avoided most of it, but he was still a little shaken up. He crawled back over to his son, cradling the boy against his frame.
~Harry...Harry, can you hear me?~ The boy made no move or indication he'd heard, and Snape stood, a little panicked. He rushed out of the room, taking no notice of the searing hot pain on his left forearm.
He stepped out into clean air, only then realizing how much like death that entire placed smelled, and Apparated with the child to the edge of the forest. He bounded though, only to be met by a shaggy dog at the doors. Wordlessly, Sirius transformed, opened the doors, and transformed back, following the potions master and his bundle. Half way, Snape turned to the dog without looking back.
"Go get the Headmaster," he ordered. The dog let out a small woof in response and bounded off at a gallop towards the gargoyle. Snape entered the Hospital Wing and laid his son down on a nearby bed, taking his temperature and brushing hair out of the boy's face in one movement. Poppy entered with a few potions and her wand.
"Out of my way, Severus." The potions master stood at the foot of the bed as the nurse worked her ministrations on the boy. The Headmaster entered with Snuffles in tow, who immediately turned into Sirius Black. Poppy let out a startled cry before Dumbledore silenced her with a hand.
"I will explain later, Poppy, but rest assured, he is perfectly harmless."
"Unless I get my hands on the bastard that did this," he said coldly. "Who?" he directed the question at Snape.
"Voldemort," was his reply.
"What?!" A chorus of voices rung out. Severus took a deep breath, then recounted his view of the tale.
"How did they get Harry away from the Grangers?" Sirius asked.
"I do not know, we will have to ask Harry when he wakes," Severus replied calmly, taking a seat beside his son. Sirius gawked.
"What are you doing?" he demanded. Severus looked up, but instead of the cold sneer he had been expecting, the gaze he know held was full of worry and sorrow.
"Because this," he gestured to Harry, "is my son, and I will not leave his side until he is well again." That was all they could get from him as he focused his full concentration on the boy laying prone before him. Poppy weaved her magic, declaring Harry exhausted and drained from the experience.
"It will take him a few days to fully recover, but I expect he'll be awake tomorrow. His body's been through a horrible shock." Dumbledore nodded sadly.
"Perhaps now that Voldemort is gone," he laid a hand on Sirius' shoulder, "he can have a normal life, with a normal family."
"You mean You-Know-Who is gone for good?!" Sirius exclaimed, only to be hushed by Poppy.
"Yes, Sirius, that is what I mean. You see, Harry is smarter than I originally gave him credit for. He must have been skimming the books in the library during the summer here, for there is one, if I do recall, that tells of oaths. Hold on a moment." He held out his hand casually, and moments later a book came zooming through the doors and into the old wizard's hand. He flipped through the ancient-looking tome until he found what he was looking for, and began to read.
"The Founders' Oath, Slytherin: I leave this as my last decree to the wizarding world:
On my honor, those who vow
Shall be bound until the end
For should they break this keep,
Shall perish with the wind.
Know that on my honor
All oaths and swears you keep.
Lest you meet the fate of those
Who've left their wives to weep."
Sirius and Snape both looked at Harry, then back to the Headmaster. "He remembered that from the summer?" Sirius asked, amazed.
"It would seem that Mr. Potter here possesses a photographic memory of sorts. It is not uncommon among Seekers really, having to process so many things at once on a pitch." Sirius began to move towards the bed, but Dumbledore laid a hand on his shoulder. "I believe we have the business of clearing your name? Come, let Harry rest, so he can wake up to a free uncle." Sirius smiled at the thought, but as he walked out, he turned slightly.
"Thank you, Snape, for sticking with him." Confusion flashed across Snape's features before being replaced with assuredness.
"I would never leave him alone, Black; he's my son." With that, he turned back to Harry, and Sirius walked out with Dumbledore, finally seeing a glimpse of what Harry saw.
Severus bedded himself down in the cot next to Harry's, lying on his side so he could see Harry perfectly from his vantage point. He mulled over Harry's words in his mind until it was mush, then he fell asleep, finally dreaming of family and love, and all the things Voldemort, the Darkest Lord, Heir of Slytherin, despised.
Harry blinked against the first rays of the morning sun, and moaned softly. He had only opened his eyes slightly, but even with his sleep-blurred vision, he knew where he was. He rubbed his eyes with his hands and looked around. Snape lay in the bed next to him, and Harry sat up fully, swinging his legs over the edge. He stood, swaying slightly, but managed to remain on his feet. He took a few steps before a voice cut through the silence.
"Just where do you think you are going, young man?" Harry grimaced mildly, and turned back to the man in the bed.
"Uh, bathroom?" he offered, but Snape wouldn't have it. Grabbing Harry's arm, he steered him to his own bed, and sat down with the boy, tucking him in.
"Nope, you'll suffer for a few moments. First off, what did you do?"
Harry swallowed, wondering if the blast had knocked out Snape's memory at all. "Uh, it was The Founder's Oath of Slytherin I read in a book. I remembered it at that moment, thankfully. Of course, I had to word the oath very carefully; Slytherin is very picky apparently."
"What do you mean 'word it carefully?'" Snape pried.
"Well, er, you see, he had to vow not to hurt you in any way. I took a chance with it, and won." Snape smiled softly.
"Because giving your life to the Dark Lord would have hurt me emotionally," Harry nodded, smiling. "Maybe we should transfer you to Slytherin." Harry's eyes widened.
"If had known that..." he started, mock-wondering. Snape cuffed him on the shoulder, and Harry laughed as he rubbed the offended spot.
"Second: what you said..." Harry's stomach flopped, knowing now that Snape had not forgotten at all. He was saved from further comment by the Hospital Wing doors swinging open to reveal Sirius and Remus striding through, happier than he'd seen both of them in a long time.
Sirius bounded over, grinning maniacally. "I'm free!" he spread his arms wide, encompassing Harry in a huge hug.
"What?" he managed to croak.
"Dumbledore told them about You-Know-Who's demise, and they questioned me under Veritaserum. I've been cleared of charges, and the Ministry giving me a nice compensation for locking me up in Azkaban for 12 years."
"That great Sirius!" Harry exclaimed, beaming. Snape stood awkwardly, and answered Harry's unspoken question.
"I will leave the two of you to talk; I'm sure you have much to discuss." Before either could object, the potions master had swept out of the room. Dumbledore grabbed Lupin's arm and steered him outside. Once the doors were shut, Harry turned to his godfather.
"So, what's it feel like? To be free, I mean."
"It's the best feeling in the world. What about you? How does it feel to be free from the Dark Lord?" Harry beamed.
"Great! Where are you staying?"
"Well, Black Hall needs some renovating, so I'm staying with Moony for a while, then we're both moving in to my place. I'll fix a room up for you too, so you have a place to stay when you visit." Harry gawked.
"What do you mean? I thought…"
"Harry, I'm not going to keep you from Snape," he grimaced, but continued, "Me and him probably won't get along very much, but I promise you that I'll try. Some things are just hard to forget, even if, and I stress if, I was wrong." Harry nodded, still smiling happily.
"How do you think everyone will react when we tell them that Professor Snape is my dad?" Sirius started at the term, but smirked mischievously.
"Oh, about the same as when the Weasley twins realize Moony has been teaching them all year, and your uncle is Padfoot." They laughed together, Harry's face brightening.
"It's good to have you back, Sirius. I missed you this year," Harry said. The Marauder's eyes fell for a moment, but he looked back up.
"I know kiddo, and I'm sorry. I just had some things to work through, you know." Harry nodded. "So how is living with Snape? He's not experimenting on you in your sleep?"
"Sirius!"
"Alright!" he threw his hands up in surrender. "I'm trying, it's just going to take some time." Harry sat up, swinging his legs over the edge.
"Alright, you can start by helping me back to the dungeons. I hate this place." Sirius grabbed Harry's arm to steady him, and Harry pulled his wand, summoning his clothes. He changed quickly, happy to note that most of his scars were gone or faded, which is what usually happened around Christmas time. Of course, normally, they'd all be back on the first day of summer, but not this year. Sirius opened the doors to reveal Snape and Dumbledore in conversation, and the old wizard smiled.
"Ah, it's wonderful to see you up and about. How do you feel?" Harry nodded, standing up.
"Fine, sir, thank you. I'm just a little dizzy every now and then." He took a step and swayed a little, but Snape placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping the motion. Harry nodded his thanks just as his stomach growled. He looked up sheepishly at his father, who gave him a pointed look.
"Come, let's get you something to eat, then we will go the Headmaster's office." At Harry's questioning look, he continued. "If you want, we will remove the charms for good." Harry's eyes lit up and he beamed. He looked over to Sirius, who smiled at him.
"I'll see you in the office. I have some catching up to do with Moony." Harry nodded and gave him a quick hug, then walked off with Snape.
"Harry, how did the Death Eaters get you from the Grangers?" Harry took a breath; that was not the question he'd been expecting.
"Wormtail transfigured himself to look like you. He even helped Herms complete her Animagus spell."
"Really?" they entered the dungeon chambers and Snape moved to the bookshelf. Harry's eyes widened.
"Your book! But how did –?"
"Pettigrew must have used his Animagus form to sneak in and steal it from me. But no matter…" Snape pulled the small leather book from his robes and replaced it on his shelf. Harry chuckled and left for his room. He showered and changed into heavy cotton robes and emerged clean and smiling.
"Ready?" Snape asked, and Harry nodded eagerly. He had purposefully put on larger robes to accommodate for his real height, and he made for the door. "But first…" Harry's eyes closed, inwardly groaning. Here's where he throws my words in my face.
~Whatever gave you that idea?~ Harry shrieked, then snickered.
"I really need to learn to control that more," he commented, sitting down on the couch.
"What did you mean? I was going to suggest a little lunch." Harry's shoulders dropped in relief, but tensed at his next words. "Well, what did you mean?"
"Uh, I thought you'd want to talk, you know." Harry kicked the sofa with his heel as he spoke, but stopped, looking down at the floor.
"What have I told you about looking me in the eye when you speak to me?" Severus chastised softly. "Is this about what you told Voldemort?" Harry nodded, looking up.
"Are you mad?" Silence reined as Severus contemplated these words. Why on earth would he be mad? He should be overjoyed! He stood and moved over to the couch, laying his arm behind Harry.
"Harry, what in Salazar's name gave you that idea? Over the last few months (Merlin, it's been half a year already) we've been through a lot. If I'm not mistaken, there were a few instances these past few weeks where the term 'dad' has been used." Harry flushed and nodded sheepishly. "I'm not really familiar with how a proper family should act. Mine could hardly be called a family. My mother died when I was young, and my father died in the service of the Dark Lord just before Potter and Lily were killed. I have no siblings, so I was much like Mr. Malfoy as a child." Harry grimaced at the remembrance of his old rival.
"So as you can imagine, I really have no good fatherly role model to go from, other than Albus. He's the closest I've ever had to a real father, but sometimes, he can be insufferably cheerful and optimistic." Harry grinned and leaned into Severus, who draped his arm down across the boy's shoulders.
"If you're asking me, I'm just as lost as you. The only family interaction I've known is the Dursleys." Harry laughed as Snape's eyes narrowed at the name. "Relax, Dad, they're not here." Harry stopped short, realizing what he'd said. What startled him further was how easily it came to him. He smiled a little nervously at first, but when Snape's grip tightened around him, he sighed mentally and sunk further into the embrace.
"What do you say to some food?" Snape asked after a few moments of silence. Harry nodded, standing quickly. He pulled his father off the couch and they walked together to the dining hall.
After a relatively quick and quiet lunch, they strode to the gargoyle, and they entered together. Sirius and Remus stood, smiling, and Sirius held out a hand to Severus.
"Snape, I may not like you now or ever, but I'm willing to at least try and get along...for Harry's sake." Snape looked at it for a moment, before taking the hand. A small jolt was sent through his hand, and he jumped at the buzzing sound from the palm of the other man. Remus and Sirius burst out with laughter, and Albus chuckled. Harry had to turn around to hide his smile, but Severus heard the snort he made. Pursing his lips, he leveled a glare at the Marauder, who turned his hand over to reveal a small joke item.
"Merlin bless whoever invented these things. Wonders, they are." Dumbledore, sensing Severus' discomfort, quickly stood.
"Alright, Sirius, that's quite enough. Have a seat Severus, Harry." They took a seat on the couch next to Remus while Sirius occupied the chair. "Now, I'm about to take these charms off for good, do you understand that Harry?" He nodded, smiling. "Sirius, Remus, pleased don't be alarmed. You are about to see what Mr. Potter looks like under the charms." Harry stood and walked over to the desk as Albus took out his wand. Despite it being very old, the wand was in excellent condition, and Harry inspected it further. It was near white, probably some kind of birch, and about a foot long.
Magic filled the room as a series of revealing and counter spells were cast. Light encompassed the boy as the charms Lily so carefully placed on her son for his protection were cast aside, and the real Harry Potter was revealed. When the light cleared, the three men sitting in the room gasped. Sirius stood, moving closer to Harry, who discarded his glasses carelessly.
"Harry? Is that you?" He nodded, moving to take in his own reflection in the mirror. "You...you look good!" he exclaimed, and Harry beamed. Dumbledore transfigured a quill into a rubber band, and Harry pulled his shoulder-length hair back off his face The deep blue robes he had picked complimented his form perfectly, and he looked fuller and more healthy.
"Fascinating!" Albus declared, and the occupants turned to him.
"What do you mean, Albus?" Snape asked, rising to stand beside his son.
"Well, it seems as if the charms Lily placed on him were meant to adapt to his environment. Because the Dursleys mistreated him, and didn't feed him, the charms made him look small and malnourished. Now that they've been removed, he is of his normal size and health."
"And I must say," Remus added, standing as well, "you look much better this way." Harry smiled and turned to his father.
"Well, what do you think Dad?" Snape smiled at his son.
"I think you are very handsome, Harry, and this look suits you much better than the other." Harry did a once-over in the mirror, smiling at his look. His hair was jet black with red highlights, no doubt from his mother. His green eyes were more pronounced due to his high cheekbones, but thankfully, he inherited his mother's nose. The charm had made him look short, but in reality, he was a towering 5'8'' at fifteen, and presumably had some growing to do.
Dumbledore walked around the desk and summoned a newspaper. "If you are done, I think there's something you should see." He unrolled the morning's paper, and the three beamed.
The Ministry gleamed proudly in the background, the morning sun rising over the roof. The Minister stood outside, surrounded by the governors, and all of them were smiling and congratulating each other. The headline made Harry smile even wider.
DARK LORD DEFEATED! PEACE AT LAST!
Harry continued to read, and, as expected, they over embellished his involvement, leaving Severus out of it completely.
"I guess this means they're going to want to talk with me, huh?" he asked. Dumbledore nodded.
"Only when you want them to. We can always say you're...indisposed?" his eyes twinkled merrily and everyone, including Severus, chuckled. Sirius stared in wonder at the potions master, laughing of all things.
"Will wonders never cease?" he asked cheerfully. Harry punched him on the arm, and Sirius yelped in pain. "Merlin Harry! Not so hard next time!" Harry rolled his eyes as his uncle ruffled his hair, but it didn't have the effect it once did. Harry smoothed his hair down, his bangs parting in just the right place to reveal the famous lightning bolt scar.
"Are you ready to astound the rest of the staff?" Albus asked, spreading his arms. Harry nodded eagerly. They descended the stairs as a group and trekked to the Great Hall, where Dumbledore had asked the staff to assemble. When they walked in, they all looked expectantly at the new stranger, but several of them gasped as he approached and they recognized the scar on the boy's forehead.
"Harry?" McGonagall asked, approaching the boy. He nodded, bowing his head slightly.
"It's me, Professor McGonagall. This is what I really look like," he gestured to his new look, smiling proudly.
"I must say, it does suit you. And I'm glad you're feeling better." Trelawney stood up, moving somewhat gracefully around the table.
"Mr. Potter! What a pleasant surprise to see you alive. The Fates seem to have smiled upon you." As she continued to ramble, Severus poked Sirius in the side. Sirius glared at him, but after many of Severus' pointed glare, he grinned evilly. With a pop, a large Grim took the place of the man, and he bounded out.
The shriek that followed pierced everyone's ears, and Trelawney bounded out, raving maniacally about death omens. Once the doors had shut behind her, the group of five erupted in laughter, and Sirius transformed back. After the initial shock, the rest of the staff realized what had happened, and joined them in laughter. Sirius walked back over to Severus.
"That was genius, Snape. I never would have expected that from you." Severus merely crossed his arms over his chest and smirked.
"You remember all those pranks played on you, and you never could quite pinpoint the perpetrator?" Sirius gawked.
"That was you? But I always thought it was Prongs or Moony, but they were just denying it for fun! We never suspected it was you!" This only made Severus smirk deeper.
"I'm a Slytherin," was his only reply. They all took seats and began talking about what to do now that the war was over, now that Harry had his father, and now that Sirius was free. A few ate lunch, but most had either already eaten or weren't hungry.
"So Harry, what do you want to do now?" Remus asked. Harry sat back in his chair, folding his arms over his stomach.
"I don't want to talk to the papers until after the start of the term. Of course, perhaps, oh I don't know. If I tell the papers, everyone will know by the time they get here. And the papers will distort things for better press coverage. If I tell everyone, it will leak out, and the papers will distort that too. I'm stuck either way." They listened to his rant, impressed at the analytical viewpoint the boy had. McGonagall was the first to speak.
"Mr. Potter, I can only advise you, not tell you what to do."
"That's reserved for Snape," Sirius cut in. Dumbledore leveled a mirthful glare at him, but he smiled all the same.
"Your friends already know, and they are the most important. What others think, it doesn't matter as long as you remember this. You have friends, and family," she threw a small smile at Snape, "that care about you and will stand behind you no matter what. You can get through anything as long as you remember that." Harry smiled at his Head of House.
"You're right, Professor. I think I'll just talk to the papers when they come, and deal with the repercussions when they come." Sirius clapped him on the back.
"No one is going to mess with you, Harry. You're father is the feared potions master, and your uncle and godfather is an ex-convict. I really doubt you're going to have a problem." Harry chuckled.
"Yeah, especially now that Ferret-face is gone." This sent Snape, Remus, and Harry into giggles, but the rest looked confused. So Harry launched once more into the story of Malfoy the Amazing Bouncing Ferret, and by the end everyone was teary-eyed with laughter. A knock ceased the merriment and a few people strode through the doors with quills and cameras, accompanied by the Minister of Magic.
"Headmaster, we're from the Daily Prophet. We were wondering if we could have a word with Mr. Harry Potter?" The man looked fairly young, as if he'd only graduated a few years ago. The mysterious disappearance of Rita Skeeter must have given him the opportunity he needed to climb the ranks. The Headmaster stood, smiling.
"Of course! Mr. Potter, if you would be so kind as to use the staff room?" Harry nodded and stood, indicating to the reporters and the Minister that they should follow. They gawked for a moment, but they scurried behind him, eager to find out information on his mysterious transformation.
"Would you like company?" Severus' voice cut through the silence. Harry looked back.
"That's alright, I think I can handle it. If not, I'll call," he tapped his chest, and Severus nodded. Once the doors shut, the camera went up, but Harry stopped him.
"First, I want you to hear the whole story, then you can take a picture. But only one picture." They nodded enthusiastically, and sat down at the small table.
"Let's start with the Dursleys," Harry offered, and began to divulge information on his life at Privet Drive, leaving out more personal or embarrassing moments. He moved on to life at Hogwarts, and then to the shocker. "Over the summer, facts were revealed about my family that changed my life." He looked down at the Quick Quotes Quill, but saw that it was writing what he said, word for word, so he took a breath.
"Go on, Mr. Potter," Fudge urged. Harry nodded his affirmation.
"My mum sent me a message through an orb, informing me that James Potter was not my father at all. You may have noticed my appearance change?" They nodded, smiling a little. "Yes, well, that is because my father is really Severus Snape." Gasps were heard all around the room, and the minister blinked a few times.
"Could you, uh, repeat that last one? I don't think I heard you right." He furiously cleaned his ears out with his fingers and leaned in closer.
"Professor Snape is my father," Harry stated simply. "You may find it hard to believe, but it is the truth." Silence engulfed the small room until the photographer spoke up.
"What about You-Know-Who? How did you defeat him?" Harry launched into the telling of the Founder's Oath, and how he'd tricked Voldemort into breaking it. He made sure Severus got recognition as well, and Fudge stood.
"Harry, you have my word that your, erm, father will get full credit for his actions. I suspect both of you will be receiving Orders of Merlin, First Class. In fact, I'll guarantee it." The reporters began packing up their things, all except the photographer. Harry nodded at him, and he snapped a picture for the paper.
"Hold on a moment," Harry took out his wand and made a copy of the parchment of notes. "There, now I don't want any slander in there. Just the truth, you got it?" They all nodded, still in awe of the wizard who defeated the Dark Lord, and scurried out of the office.
Harry emerged with the Minister, who shook hands with Severus, extending the same promise. Before he could say anything, the doors burst open, admitting the entire Weasley clan, Blaise, and Hermione. She jumped on him, holding him in the fiercest hug she'd ever given him. Ginny hugged him as well, and he shook hands with Blaise.
"You look good, Harry. That is still your name, right?" Blaise looked a little apprehensive.
"Yeah," Harry chuckled, "that's still my name." Ron began to shake his hand, but Harry pulled him in for a hug, and they were soon joined by all the Weasleys, Blaise, and Hermione. It was the largest group hug Harry had ever been in, if he didn't count that dog-pile in the common room a few months back.
"We were so worried when we read the papers this morning!" Hermione exclaimed, clutching her boyfriend's arm tightly. The reporters had already left, and Fudge was talking quietly with Dumbledore. Snape strode up to them, and they all backed away a little, still a little wary around the man. He stared down at them, then smiled a little. Ron fainted on the spot, sending the entire group into peals of laughter. They were all a little shocked to see their dreaded potions professor keeled over laughing, but they all decided that was much better than sour and grumpy. The Headmaster said goodbye to the Minister as he left and approached the group.
"I'm sure Mr. Potter is very happy to see you all. However, he is still slightly weakened from his excursion. I suggest you all return to your homes and enjoy the remainder of your holidays. You are all welcome to return a day early to be with Harry as others arrive. They will probably be confused, maybe even upset, but I know that together, you can pull through anything." He twinkled a little at McGonagall, who smiled and flushed slightly. They all nodded and said goodbye to Harry. Hermione held on a little longer, and he whispered in her ear.
"I'll be alright, Mione. I'm safe, there's nothing to worry about." When he pulled back, he saw tears in her eyes, and carefully wiped them away. She hugged him tightly once more, then they parted with a kiss. "I'll see you soon," he called after her. She waved, then vanished out of sight with the Weasleys. Snape came up behind him and laid a hand on his shoulder.
"You look tired," he commented.
"Exhausted," Harry agreed, allowing the man to lead him toward the dungeons. They entered their quarters and Severus guided a now-semi-conscious Harry to his room. He laid the boy down under the dreamcatcher, smiling as he glanced around the room. He'd really moved in, Severus noted, and laughed at the pile of clothes in the corner. He pulled Harry's shoes off and laid him down in the bed, pulling the covers over him.
"I'll be back in a few hours to check on you. Sleep well," he pulled Harry's hair out of its confines and laid the band on the bedside table.
"Night Dad," Harry mumbled, "Love you."
"Love you too, son. Get some rest," he kissed Harry lightly on the forehead and smiled, leaving the room silently. Harry settled down in his bed, feeling, for the first time ever, like he was truly home.