Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters.

A/N: My premise is that this is the summer before 7th year. Horcruxes don't exist (sorry all). Therefore, Dumbledore wasn't dying, so Snape didn't vow to help Draco but instead did everything he could to get Malfoy to change sides, which he did in the end and warned everyone of the imminent attack at the end of 6th year. Everything else is fairly cannon though I do play with it a bit. This starts out pretty cliche, but I hope to get past that fairly quickly.

Warnings: mild language and mild slash. Mentions of abuse in this chapter and a character death.

It was 10pm on July 29th and Harry Potter was lying in his bed and staring at the ceiling. This summer had been one of the worst. Not because the abuse from his relatives had increased, though it definitely had, but it was the feeling of helplessness that plagued him most of the summer. This helplessness centered around number 7 Privet Drive. The new neighbors down the street. It was a young couple with a baby that looked to be about 6 or 7 months. Harry saw the mom and baby at the neighborhood playground on the few occasions he was able to get out of the house and waved at them when they walked by and he was doing yard work.

Harry was distressed because he could see all the signs of abuse he knew so well on the mother. She wore long sleeves in the summer, had bruises just visible on her neck, and looked down instead of interacting with the neighbors. He was sure they were in a very bad situation. He had no clue how to help though; he couldn't even get himself out of his own abusive home. He quickly discounted calling the authorities or child services early in the summer when the family walked fairly close by number 4 Privet Drive one day. He could sense their magic. He had never been able to actively sense magic before, but he could feel it rolling off of both of them. By the feel of it, he was certain they must be some kind of magical creatures, but the husband felt all muggle to him. He didn't know how he knew this, but all his instincts screamed that he was right. There was no way he could turn in magical creatures to either the muggle or wizarding authorities and they be treated fairly.

So, he just felt…helpless. He tried to smile at her and look friendly so that maybe she would talk one day, but she never did. So, that led to his sleepless night, two days before his birthday when the Order was planning to pick him up. Maybe he could try telling Moody; maybe the old auror would have an idea. It was in this indecision that a large, brown owl swooped through his open window with a letter. Hedwig was out hunting, so the owl immediately hopped over to her water bowl and took a quick sip before flying out again. "Uh, thanks!" Harry called after the owl who seemed in a hurry to get away.

The letter was in a thick envelope with a Gringotts seal. Curious, Harry broke the seal and found a sheet of parchment inside and another sealed letter. He opened the parchment first.

Mr. Potter,

This letter was left in our care by Lily Evans Potter to be delivered to you by 10pm July 29th of your 16th year. We hope that this find you well.

May your gold ever increase,

Ragnok

Head of Accounts

Gringotts

Harry held the sealed letter in reverence. It was a letter from his mother! She left him a message. It was like her last words to him, replacing the ones he heard her scream every time the dementors came near. He carefully opened the envelope and pulled out the letter.

My Dearest Harry,

I'm so sorry. If you are reading this letter, I'm no longer with you. As things have gotten so dangerous for us, I decided I must leave you this safeguard, but I truly hoped you would never need to receive it and I could tell you all this myself. Now that I'm writing, I don't even know where to start. I guess I will start with the most shocking. Harry, James isn't your biological father.

(At this point, Harry dropped the letter and let out a sob. James wasn't his father? He wasn't a Potter? Why? How? He picked up the letter again in fear this time.)

James and I had a huge argument and broke up just a couple weeks before our wedding. The reasons are unimportant as we did get past them, but the important thing is that I sought comfort in my best friend, and you are the result. Your father and I knew that we couldn't be together, he was in a very dangerous situation as a spy in Voldemort's forces. If they even knew we were friends, I would be in danger, let alone that we had a child together.

(Wait, the only spy Harry knew of was Snape. Harry's jaw dropped and he prayed that his mother wasn't about to write what he dreaded she was.)

James found me a couple days later and apologized. We made up and continued with our wedding as we had planned. To my shame, I never told him about what I had done when we were broken up. If I had, everything may have been easier, or at least more honest. It was over a month later before I realized I was pregnant. I assumed that, after you were born, I would do a paternity test and know for sure, but it turns out that was not needed. Your father, Severus Snape…

(Here Harry once again dropped the letter and buried his head in his pillow and silently screamed. Snape! His father! Harry just couldn't believe it. He wanted to kick something, to break something, but that would just bring the Dursley's down on him and he had enough self-preservation to avoid that. So, he picked up the letter and kept reading in dread.)

Your father, Severus Snape, had told me in the past that magical creature blood ran in his family though it had been several generations since the trait was dominant in a family member. When you were born, James was away on a mission, and it was just me and the midwife. I remember the first time I saw you; you were perfect. Perfect fingers, toes, and a full head of hair. However, your eyes were completely black: pupil, iris, and the whites of your eyes were all black. The sign of your creature blood being dominant. I quickly swore the midwife to secrecy and started doing research. You are an Erinys or more commonly known as a Fury my son, and I will tell you as much as I can here.

I was looking to find a way to hide your eyes to keep you safe and claim you as James's son. I'm sorry, but I'm not perfect. I haven't always made the best decisions. Luckily, I found that after 24 hours, your eyes turned to a normal human's, and you ended up with my green eyes. All creature traits then remain dormant until you turn 17-years-old when they will activate.

Since you were born, everyone has said you look so much like James. This always makes me laugh because you are under no glamour or potion. You actually look a lot like me and a little like Sev. I think it's mostly your hair that looks like James's, but very few people know that Sev's hair is just as wild. It drives him crazy though, so he always slicks it back. You have my eyes and nose and his cheekbones and ears.

(Harry walked over to the little mirror on the wall and took off his glasses and pushed back his hair. Without the glasses and with his hair tamed, he could kind-of see it. This made his stomach clinch, aggravating his already bruised ribs. He carefully lowered his bruised and battered body back to the bed to finish the letter.)

Unfortunately, my son, I don't think you will look like either of us for much longer. The traits of a Fury are quite distinct. I don't know if Severus is still alive, but if he is, reach out to him. I know he is bitter and rough around the edges, but he is a good man and will help you. I think you will need each other. With me gone, you will need someone to love, and Severus will too. It might be hard to get into his heart that he guards so well, but he loves fiercely those few he lets in.

(With this Harry snorted. He couldn't picture the dungeon bat loving him, calling him son. That wasn't going to happen.)

I have one last revelation, Harry love. Because of my research and not knowing what to do about your eyes, it was a day before I contacted James to bring him home. Because of that, everyone assumed your birthday was a day later. Your actual birthday is July 30th. Your creature traits will activate in just a couple hours. Good luck my son. I am so sorry. Remember, I love you and will love you always.

Mom

Harry looked over at the clock frantically. It was only 10:30pm, so he still had an hour and a half before he turned 17. He started to pace the room, thinking quickly. His mother didn't say what the changes would be exactly. If they were too drastic, then the Dursleys would flip, they already called him a freak, and he looked normal. He decided to go with worst case scenario and started throwing all his things into his school trunk that was thankfully left in his room that year. If he was about to turn 17, that meant the trace would break, and he would need to leave as the wards around the house would also fail, regardless of how the Dursleys took his changes. It was better to just head to the Burrow a day early.

Everything was ready and Harry lay back down on the bed to wait for whatever was going to happen. He stared at the clock, 11:30, 11:45, 11:55, 11:58…Just as the clock turned to 12am, Harry felt a pop. He was surprised to recognize this as the Trace leaving him. He let a breath out. Maybe nothing was going to happ…

Even before he was able to finish the thought, a blinding flash of pain spread through his body worse than the Cruciatus curse. It was only years of experience with pain that kept him from screaming out and waking his relatives. That blinding flash of pain left and a feeling of intense cold spread over him followed by heat and then another wave of intense pain. As soon as it had started, it was over.

Harry opened his eyes and took several calming breaths in and out. The first thing he realized was that he felt great! All his injuries from his family's 'tender loving care' seemed to have been healed. The second thought was why was everything so blurry. He reached up and took off his glasses. Everything came into focus. Harry laughed a quick laugh. He'd always hated his glasses. At least that's one thing he wouldn't need anymore. His vision seemed a little funny though. Everything was much clearer and crisper than normal. If he focused, he could see each individual thread in the blanket on his bed and all the grains in the wood of his door.

Harry stood and walked back over towards the small mirror, which seemed much lower on the wall now. Harry bypassed it to walk to the window and measured himself by the window frame. He was only about 5'4" before, probably because of malnourishment in his formative years. He seemed to be over 6 ft. now though. Walking back to the mirror, he finally took in his appearance.

His eyes were just as his mother described, completely black and, frankly, a little off-putting. Shockingly his hair was now straight, just below his shoulders, and steel gray. It was not a natural color, but Harry decided he liked it. It was probably part of his genes, but he just couldn't get past feeling that this was how he was supposed to look, eyes and all. That's when his gaze went to his ears which were definitely pointed now. After feeling a strange sensation, he opened his mouth and realized he could lower and retract a set of razor-sharp fangs over his own teeth. The whole combination summed up to look…dangerous. The best thing though, the scar was gone! The lightning bolt scar that everyone knew him by had disappeared. Actually, all the scars on his body had disappeared from his numerous beatings, the basilisk fang, Voldemort's ritual, everything.

Harry scratched an itch on his back and felt something strange. He quickly removed his shirt and saw what looked like a large tribal tattoo taking up his entire back. Touching it, it felt like something was right under the skin. As he watched, the tattoo started moving and unfolding and it came off his back into a set of large, bat-like wings with razor-sharp edges. He focused and folded them back into the tattoo. Brilliant! Was Harry's thought once he realized he would probably be able to fly with the wings. He had the oddest feeling that he should be freaking out about all these changes, but instead, it felt like this was him, who he really was or was meant to be. It felt good, powerful, and like he was finally at home in his body.

Realizing that he should be getting a move on before anyone noticed the wards were gone or his family woke up. Harry shrunk down his trunk and put it in his pocket. He was about to leave as something clicked in his brain. Some part of the creature, the Fury, was awakening, and it was calling for vengeance. His family had promised to care for him, and they had betrayed him by abusing and starving him. He didn't think he could stop himself. His fangs lowered over his teeth and the wings ripped out of his shirt. He must punish. He began to walk to the door until something even more powerful stopped him.

Something really bad was happening right now. Something close. An innocent, an innocent was being harmed. He must protect. Protect overrode vengeance. There was a hierarchy it seemed to Fury emotions and protect was at the very top. Harry had no clue what he was doing by this time. Instinct had completely taken over and pushed his conscious mind to the side. He focused on the one that needed protecting and felt space being folded around him. He wasn't apparating; it was like he took a step and he was in a new location.

Harry found himself in a living room similar to the Dursley's though a little less floral than Petunia's taste. He growled and claws started growing from where his nails used to be as he realized what was happening. He was standing in number 7 Privet Drive and watching the new neighbor man kick the prone form of his wife who was on the floor, unmoving in a pool of blood. A blast of magic surged from Harry, sending the man flying into the wall hard, knocking him unconscious.

"No, no, no!" Harry exclaimed as he ran over to the woman and knelt down. She was still breathing. "I need to get you help. I'm crap at healing spells. We have to get you out of here!"

The woman raised her hand and grabbed Harry's arm. "Fury?" She asked in a surprised gasp.

"Yes, but where is your baby? I need to get you both out of here before he wakes up again. I'm not sure how hard I hit him."

"Take…care of my baby," the woman gasped, having trouble breathing but staring in Harry's eyes insistently. "Promise me!"

"I will," Harry said instinctually. His magic immediately flared around him, binding him to an oath he didn't realize he was making. He distractedly pushed it aside as something about his Fury nature. "We can get you help though. You just need to stay awake. You can't leave your baby now."

"Take him," the woman said almost frantically and shoved a small piece of what seemed like leather into Harry's hand. He put it in his pocket, not really even registering it, and went to lift the woman. "No," she shook her head. "Not…going to…make it."

"Don't talk like that!" Harry begged as tears started to flow freely from his black eyes.

The woman pointed at herself. "We're…Selkie. Take care of…" With that she collapsed and stopped breathing. Harry stared at the lifeless form through his tears. Here he was sitting by a dead body with her unconscious murderer beside him. What was he supposed to do? As he was starting to panic, the body just disappeared. He wiped his eyes and looked around; the woman was nowhere to be found. Maybe it was a Selkie thing, he wondered. He knew very little about Furies, let alone Selkies. The only think he could remember ever hearing about Selkies were that they mostly lived in the ocean. He was starting to see a serious lack in his education at this point.

It didn't take but another second for his Fury instincts to kick back in. Vengeance. He must seek vengeance on the man. He took two steps before a baby's cry broke through his instinctual haze. Protect. The most important emotion, his mandate. Harry quickly stunned and obliviated the man so that when he awoke, he wouldn't remember Harry being there.

Harry rushed to the crying and found a small little boy crying in his crib, having been awakened by all the shouting. Vaguely recognizing, and then not caring, that he was about to basically kidnap a child, Harry shoved as many clothes and diapers as he could find quickly into the diaper bag on the chair by the crib. He picked up the child and then took a deep breath. He focused on the feeling that he had when be moved to the neighbor's house, and then took a step into Diagon Alley.

Even though it was dark, Harry ducked beside a building and took several breaths as he retracted his wings, teeth, and claws. He took a moment to briefly acknowledge that he had just kidnapped a baby and used some form of magic he had never even learned. After a second, he pushed it aside to avoid the nervous breakdown he felt it starting to trigger. "Solve the problem, Harry. Don't think about what just happened," he told himself as he bounced the crying baby on his hip. He pulled out his trunk and unshrunk it to change his shredded and bloody shirt quickly as he also attempted to calm the child.

It was a challenge to get the new shirt on while holding the baby, but he eventually managed it. The baby seemed to also cry himself out about that time as well and cuddled up to Harry's chest and fell asleep. Harry sat on his trunk to think.

What was he going to do with the baby? He had a strong feeling that his promise to care for the little boy was binding. What did that mean though? If the child's family were in the middle of the ocean, he couldn't take him to them. There was no way in hell he would give the child over to muggle social services being a creature, and it wasn't a good idea to take him to wizarding social services for the same reason. Creatures, himself included now, were not treated well in either world, just look at how Remus Lupin was treated for being a werewolf. Ok, so he was keeping the child…he was raising the child as his own…this was his son. Instead of freaking him out, that thought seemed to oddly feel right, just like the changes in his body had earlier.

Harry sighed. He had started the day as a 16-year-old wizard who had never had a real girlfriend (He and Ginny had decided fairly quickly they weren't right for each other besides friends), now within 24 hours, he was 17, a single dad, and a Fury. Deciding that he was too tired and emotionally drained to make any important decisions in that moment, Harry shrunk his trunk again and walked into Gringotts. After an intense stare at his eyes from the goblin behind the counter, Harry produced his key and made it to his vault where he collected enough galleons to last him a very long time and back to the lobby with the baby still asleep. He had no clue how the baby, no his son, had slept through the cart ride to the vault and back, but he had.

Harry and the baby made their way to the Leaky Cauldron where a bleary-eyed night manager checked him into a room under the name James Black, not seeming to notice or care about Harry's eyes. Harry passed up the little cot placed in the room for the baby and instead lay on the bed and placed the baby on his chest, wrapping them both in his wings. He didn't know why, but it just felt right and like what he needed to do. So, they both slept deeply in their little cocoon.

The next morning, after fixing a bottle for the baby from what Harry found in the diaper bag, and a harrowing experience figuring out how to change a dirty diaper, Harry finally set down to a breakfast from room service. Now, he needed to figure out what to do, their next steps. It would be midnight before anyone realized he was gone from Privet Drive when the Order went to pick him up. So, he had until then to make his decisions and live with them.

He couldn't stay in the muggle world as he had essentially just kidnapped a baby that the police would eventually be looking for. That left the wizarding world, but life with Harry Potter was anything but safe. How in the world would he protect a baby when a maniac was trying to kill him every year? It was then that a crazy thought started to form in the back of his brain. It was probably a horrible idea, and his friends would never forgive him, but it made sense. He no longer looked anything like Harry Potter, and no one knew that Harry Potter was a Fury. If he killed Harry Potter and started over as someone knew, then there would be no one for Voldemort to go after.

Harry needed more information before making any drastic decisions though, so he put a new, soft yellow bodysuit on the baby and got ready to go out. The baby played with the long strands of his hair as he was being changed, surprisingly not scared of Harry's eyes at all. Harry smiled and kissed his forehead. He suddenly completely understood what his mother wrote in her letter, that he was perfect. He looked at this little baby with soft brown hair that stuck up at odd angles and bright blue eyes, and he was…perfect. His little fingers and toes, his button nose, he was the most beautiful, adorable little thing he had ever seen. "We need you a name," Harry said as they walked down Diagon Alley to Flourish and Blotts. He quickly conjured a pair of sunglasses and made sure his hair covered his ears.

Harry found several books on magical creatures and some parenting books that he bought and took back to his room in the Leaky Cauldron. Deciding that Selkies were more important to know about at this point, Harry quickly skimmed through the books. It was the second book before he found the information he was looking for. The passage read:

Selkies are highly magical creatures that can live on land or at sea. While in the water, they have a skin resembling a seal which they shed while on land. Selkies have similar but milder attraction auras to Veelas that lead less to lust and more towards protection. Those who encounter them feel a strong pull towards them. If the Selkie's seal skin is stolen and hidden away, the Selkie must serve the one who has their skin. They are unable to leave the person and their skin behind. They will serve that person as long as their master retains their skin. Selkies in their human form can be identified by a small mark of a seal on their right hip. If a Selkie dies in their human form, they will return to their seal skin as their final resting place. Nothing else is known of Selkie magic or abilities. They are understandably secretive considering the danger of being forced to serve others.

Well, that explained why the body disappeared, Harry mused. He tickled the baby's tummy, getting him to laughed as he then turned the baby over and checked his back. There was a tiny birthmark in the shape of a seal. "Well, that answers that," Harry said poking the baby on the nose, eliciting a happy giggle. Remembering something, Harry stood up and fished around in the pockets of his jeans from the night before. He removed the piece of leather that he had forgotten about as soon as it was given to him. After rolling it out, Harry gasped. It was the baby's seal skin! He had to make sure it was safe! He folded it and emptied out a pouch containing quills and ink. He put the skin in the pouch and hid it under everything at the bottom of his trunk. His son was in danger if anyone were to find that skin. That's what must have happened to his mother. It's why she couldn't leave that monster.

First things first, the baby needed a name. He couldn't just be called the baby. Harry figured that there would eventually be fliers and news articles about the missing baby where he could find out his real name, but he would need a new one for now. He thought about the dual nature of a Selkie and how it was two beings in one, the seal and the human. "How about Castor?" Harry asked the baby. "You know, like Castor and Pollux. Your seal form can be Pollux, like a marauder name. They were twins and pranksters, like your uncles Fred and George. You'll really like them."

The baby cooed, so Harry took that as his agreement. "Castor it is then! Now, what are we going to do, Castor?"