Chapter 4

Disclaimer: blah blah same as before. We don't own HP & Company.

A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. Had a bit of writers block and frankly life just gets in the way. We will try to be better. PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!!

After dinner found Harry out on the pitch flying. The sheer freedom of the air could lift his spirits like nothing else could. Whenever Harry was feeling stressed or was upset, everyone knew he could then be found on the pitch pulling crazy stunts with this broom, going full speed. It was there that James found his son and for the first time was able to speak to him alone. Sitting in the bleachers, James watched in awe as his son flew, pulling wronski feints and other difficult moves as if they were nothing.

Soon Harry noticed his father and after a slight hesitation landed next to him on the bleachers. An uncomfortable silence stretched between them, neither one knowing what to say. "Your flying is amazing. I can see why you made Seeker as a first year." James broke the silence.

Harry laughed. " I thought for sure I was going to be expelled for flying without Madame Hooch's supervision. Instead I was immediately taken to the captain and was made the Seeker. And I didn't have the faintest idea what they were talking about. Of course I felt like that many times during my years here," Harry shrugged. "The Wizarding world was very much the mystery to me. But people tended to forget that I didn't grow up here, that I was raised as a Muggle."

James felt his heart break once again, knowing he would not be there to see his son grow up. He would not be able to teach his son how to play Quidditch and all the things wizards take for granted. "I knew when you were one that you would one day play Seeker. Padfoot gave you a toy snitch for your birthday and you wouldn't let go of it. It's your favorite toy."

Harry laughed. " I remember my first professional Quidditch game. The Weasley's took me to the World Cup game the summer before my 4th year. Bulgaria v. Ireland. It was Quidditch like I had never seen before." Harry smiled over at his dad. "I wanted to be on that field. Flying at breakneck speeds, pulling feints, always with your eye out for that little golden ball."

"So why didn't you play professionally after school? From watching you just now, you are definitely good enough." James asked. "And you obviously love the game." he added.

"Yeah...I wanted to. I even had the offers; " Harry eyed the pitch wistfully. "But I had responsibilities and obligations. Things that affected not only me, but my friends, Hogwarts, even the Wizarding world as a whole." Harry sighed and looked down, whispering to himself, "I am the Boy-Who-Lived."

"The boy-who-lived?"

Swearing to himself, Harry realized James had heard his whispered comment. Deciding to tell his father an edited version of the truth, minus the information about Peter Pettigrew, Harry explained why he was known as the Boy Who Lived.

After he finished, silence fell between father and son. Only to be broken by a shocked voice from behind them. "You survived the Killing Curse?" Lily Potter came and sat next to her husband, staring at her son. "How? Nobody can survive that."

"Yeah well, I did. How? Nobody really knows. " Harry laughed. "Minerva will tell it was 'sheer dumb luck'. If you ask Severus, he would say that as a Potter, I just instinctively believed the rules of the universe did not apply to me."

James smirked at the eerily accurate imitation of the Potions Master. Then looking uncomfortable at the reminder of Harry and his enemy's relationship, he commented, "Gads, that gives me the creeps...he's a DeathEater."

"He's not. And never was."

"Huh?"

"I think it's time I told you about the real Severus Snape, as I learned it. Because I once hated him as much as you do now."

James and Lily looked confused at this supposed contradiction.

"I first got to really know Severus my 5th year when he gave me extra lessons in Occlumency..."

***FLASHBACK***

Harry knocked on the potion master's door, dreading the lesson that he knew he would fail. In effect giving Snape more ammunition to use against him.

"Potter! You are late."

"Sorry sir."

"Let's get started....Legilimens!"

In a desperate attempt to finally prove his worth and strength to his teacher, Harry resisted as hard as he could.

"Protego!" Suddenly he found himself inundated with Snapes memories rather than the other way around. For some reason, Snape didn't resist and Harry was caught in a memory of Snape's.

A young Snape was sitting in Dumbledore's Office, while Albus sat
stroking Fawkes. The usual twinkle was missing from the Headmaster's
eyes. "My son, I admit that your idea would be a great help to the us
in the fight against Voldemort, but do you know what you are getting
yourself into?"

The dark-haired teenager laughed humorlessly. "Do I know what I am
getting myself into? Of course. You think I haven't seen what He is
capable of? I spent every holiday with Lucious's family! Voldemort is
a regular guest." Self loathing filled his eyes." They have been
'training' me since 3rd year. I can cast every Unforgivable with
ease. I have killed." Severus clenched his fists, face twisting with
hatred. "And I swore that I would do everything, anything to wipe
that monster off the face of the earth. I will become a death eater
like they want. I will be the best! Then I will bring Voldemort
down!"

Suddenly, Harry found himself on the floor of the classroom, trying to understand what he had just seen. Looking at Snape in shock, he said, "you...."

"Potter, get out. Lesson is over."

"But..."

Without looking at Harry, Severus walked out of the classroom, leaving his student behind.

***END FLASHBACK****

James and Lily Potter sat in shock as all their beliefs about the Potions Master were shattered in one blinding instant.

"Holy shit," James muttered. "He was always such a bastard. I can't imagine him doing that."

Harry, vaguely amused, said, "Oh he still is a bastard. But he's my bastard." Harry got up and walked down the bleachers, leaving his parents still sitting there.

**

Severus was sitting in front of the fire in their quarters when Harry entered. He looked up and said, "So? How'd it go with your parents? I saw you all sitting at the pitch."

"Well, let's say that maybe they won't be so rude to you next time they see you."

Sev snorted. "I'll believe that when I see it."

Harry just smiled and shook his head. Walking over to Sev, Harry sank down into his lap. He grabbed the potions book he had been reading and put it aside. Severus raised his eyebrow inquiringly. "Don't you think we could do this in the bed this time rather than the sofa?"

"Oh I don't know, I thought the sofa was rather comfortable this morning."

Standing suddenly, so Harry was dumped on to the floor, Severus said dryly. "You weren't on the bottom. I still have the imprint of the book you left on the sofa in my back." He walked towards the bedroom. "But since you are so enamored with the sofa, you can sleep there if you want."

Smiling to himself at Harry's flabbergasted expression, Severus was unprepared when Harry suddenly tackled him from behind and they landed on their bed.

Harry stared down at Snape. "You are such a snarky bastard."

"And you are an impertinent brat." Severus replied.

Laughing Harry could only say, "I guess it's a match made in heaven." Both were smiling as they kissed.

AS they finally fell asleep, Harry heard the words that Severus so rarely let out.

"I love you."