In which James Potter was everything that Vernon and Petunia said but he did love his son and wife, oh and Harry's maternal grandparents survived…

Harry Potter was an ordinary boy, well as ordinary as a wizard boy could be. He had come from good stock on both sides, well grandparents on his fathers and his mother, his mother was a good woman despite who she married. You see James Potter was a rake, a drunk and had, on whim decided to learn to drive. He had gone out one night and came back in a box, the brand-new car totaled with ten dead death eaters found around him. Lily had gone on alone for a time, until Voldemort found her and killed her, well they had killed each other, two killing curses and one baby boy. Harry was dropped off at his aunt and uncles house with a letter. One more letter came and changed Harry's growing up life with the Dursley family for the better.

From a young age Harry was told tales of his mother, how she was kind and how his father, a drunk, a rake and a loser had done one thing right. He had killed several terrorists and saved several families in doing so. Harry knew all that and saw his uncle never drink and refuse to let his sister visit because she was a drunk. Petunia would be kind to both boys, she required hard work and with her mother and father there to help both boys grew up to know what was right and wrong. The only time anyone really got upset with Harry was when he used his magic to get revenge. Turning a teachers wig blue, shrinking a sweater because he did not like it, a sweater his grandmother made for him, keeping his hair long and refusing to keep it short as he knew how to. He was not going to be a bully like his father, and so he was taught to use his magic for good and not to hurt others.

Harry learned that love was strange, his mother could have done better but she loved James for some reason and it was not for his money. Or rather his grandparents money. Thanks to Harriet and Robert, Harry was a weather boy, they had invested in muggle things and reached out to the magical world in their limited way had helped one family, the Weasley family get a head. Their children went to the same school as Harry did. This lead to a very different trip to Diagon Alley, and a very different train ride to school. Harry had sat clad in his school uniform without the robe with Ron and Neville Longbottom who Harry had all but dragged into the compartment. A bush haired muggleborn joined them and a good time was had by all until Malfoy showed up with his goons.

"I heard Harry Potter was on the train, that you?" Malfoy asked Harry.

"Yes, I am, who might you be?" Harry asked.

"Draco Malfoy, no need to ask who you are," he said turning on Ron, "a Weasley, how is your parents paying for this?"

"Stocks from Apple of course." Ron said, "they are saving most of it for Ginny, she is the only girl born in seven generations. Least I get new robes and some supplies, but some are alright to hand down. Harry has his mum's books and things and his dad's trunk and he is loaded."

"I have all new things." Draco bragged.

"Who are your friends?" Harry asked looking at the two boys."

"These are Crabbe and Goyle." Draco said.

"Nice to meet you, looking forward to school?" Harry asked.

When Draco could not get the reaction or something he hoped he left and Harry went back to helping Hermione learn more about this world. How raising ones hand was not done, unless one needed to be excused from class. How essays should be short and to the point and never, ever to go over the limit or under the limit set. Harry told of his childhood by a loving aunt, uncle and grandparents how he was scolded for using magic to be mean three times and how he knew magic was not to be used to hurt others. By the time they got to Hogwarts they were fast friends and all were sorted to Gryffindor. Harry hated the staring but paid it no mind and in his first potions class he was able to answer the questions set fort with ease. He sat with Neville and made sure they made a good potion. After the class Harry walked up to the professor with a letter.

"Sir, my grandparents wanted me to give this to you." Harry said. "When they found out you taught here."

"Good, I was expecting this." Severus said.

"You were?"

"Yes, I know your grandparents, you look so like your mother, your hair though, that is Potter hair though so short."

"Yes sir, my aunt does not like long hair on boys, so I have to keep it short." Harry said, "at least I don't look like my father, he was a drunk sir, and well I know what he did, but he nearly bankrupted the family. Only my aunt and uncle being smart saved the Potter fortune, or rather restored it, sir."

"I see, a word of advice, Potter, babbling is not a good trait, even to me. I may let your secrets slip."

"You would not sir, I trust you."

"Just so, be careful, off you go now."

Harry left and Snape read the letter. In this reality Severus Snape never joined the death eaters, and it was Regulus who heard the prophecy. Dumbledore still hired Severus as he could temper the old man and Dumbledore liked him standing toe-to-toe with him. Severus put down the letter and realized a visit was in order. He went to visit the Evans and found they fully understood why he stayed away until now. He became good friends and even was able to go see Petunia when it was found out he was a second cousin and so was included in the blood wards. He liked to rile her up and she liked to have a younger bother to beat on. Vernon liked the entertainment and was very happy when Severus got exactly what he deserved in a word battle with Petunia. Something Severus never did win.

Back at Hogwarts Harry studied hard, got good grades and did not get into undue trouble. He found he liked potions but not as much as defense and charms. At the end of his first year he did not go after the stone and whatever happened down the third floor corridor made sure Voldemort never came back. Harry started to study healing by his third year and by the time he graduated from Hogwarts he was well loved and well on his way to a healing masters. While others would celebrate by having a glass of wine or a pint of beer, Harry never did. His father a drunk, a bully but he had changed in the end and had saved many lives. Still Harry did not want to go down the same road, he was made of better stuff than that.

What Harry was not aware of was the hand that Severus Snape had in his future. It started when Snape had turned over a new leaf after what he had said to Lily. Lilly never forgave him so Severus had swallowed his pride and went to Petunia and begged forgiveness and she had given it. Severus remained her friend and gained a place at Salem Magical University to pursue his masters in potions and healing. He had made money from a few potions he patented and so asked the Evans family if they wanted to join him on a trip of the west coast of America. They had agreed and so were never in the car crash that would have taken their lives. They had met two young businessmen in San Jose and bought shares in their company they called Apple and went to New Mexico and bought shares in Microsoft for good measure. Severus followed their lead and would not regret it.

He was working on his healers master after finishing his potions when he got a letter from Petunia. It was about how James Potter had treated her husband and so Severus made a long distance phone call to talk to her and her husband. He was able to calm Vernon down and show him that James was a jerk and not like good honest wizards like him. In addition, James was a drunk, a cad and in no way good for Lily but he hoped that any child they had took on his grandparents traits and not his father's. Once done with his masters Severus applied to several jobs, but one that caught his eye and gave him moment to pause was that of potions master and head of Slytherin house of Hogwarts. Normally one as young as him did not get considered, but he had a double masters at the very young age of twenty one and so he knew he was qualified, besides he could turn the house away from evil and he would. So he applied, got the interview and got the job, on his terms. He was allowed to bring his two servants, Randy and Rom with him to England as free elves under a family bond instead of slaves.

He was very sad when Lily died to save her son and after a letter from Petunia he visited once to comfort her and Vernon. He would not visit over the years as Harry needed to stay out of the magical world to stay safe and he was too high profile to risk seeing him. He did help from afar with issues on how to deal with Harry's magical outbursts and so Harry learned to use his gift wisely. Yet once Harry started Hogwarts Severus did visit and became fast friends with the Dursley family. He helped destroy Voldemort and rid the world of one evil and, while teaching at Hogwarts he fell in love and married Charity Burbage, they would go on to have three sons and five daughters.

None of this of course would have happened had not Severus changed and become the man he needed to. There was still darkness that Harry would have to fight but he would fight with his family firmly behind him and one honorary healer uncle to have his back as it were.