Earlier.

"Severus, I believe the only option is for Harry to stay with you." The old man said thoughtfully.

"What?" Harry and Snape both nearly yelled in unison.

"Obviously we would have to come up with a story to explain who you are because it would be to dangerous to have anyone find out that Harry is staying alone with you Severus. Though I dare say that will be easy enough." Dumbledore smiled slightly at him with a mischievous twinkle in his eye that Harry didn't like in the least. Again Harry and Snape tried to intervene and change the headmaster's mind, but each time they failed.

"Harry, you will pose as professor Snape's son.  You look enough like him to be able to pass off as such.  Severus told me you went by the name Nikolas?" Albus shifted in his chair slightly.

" Yes, sir." Harry replied with a scowl, knowing that he wouldn't be able to change the headmaster's mind about this.

"Then that will be your new name. Nikolas Snape.  We can say that your mother was from France, so we'll have to charm your voice a bit. You can go into 6th year like normal; you'll be a transfer student from Beauxibatons.  I suppose we can say you're mother passed away, and living here was your only other choice. How is that? It's vague and there will be plenty more paperwork we'll need to make the story believable, but I think the basic plan is fine." Dumbledore stood up, pulling his wand out of his pocket and pointed it at Harry.

"Accente" He said softly before putting his wand away. "Okay Harry, what do you think of my plan?"

"I don't like it in the least, but I have no choice I suppose." Harry replied noticing that his voice now had a French accent that reminded him of Fleur.

"Headmaster, are you sure this is wise? You do know that once this gets out certain people are going to want to meet him." Snape stood and looked to the headmaster, making it a point to express a certain dislike when he said 'certain people.'

"Yes, I am quite sure Severus. He is safer as Nikolas Snape then he will ever be as Harry Potter. Just inform me before meeting anyone, okay?"

"Of course." Severus groaned and led the headmaster to the door, watching as the old man said something to himself and then disapperated.


~*~

Nikolas Snape.

He had spent a short while using this name, and he never thought twice about it.  Now he had to actually play the part of Snape's son and he hated the mere thought of it.  He looked at himself in the mirror nearby and groaned inwardly. He also had fun with his new look at first as well. Like this it was easier to frighten his great lump of a cousin, and that was always amusing, but at this moment he would give anything to have his untidy short hair and awkward body that had been his for 15 years.

"If you are quite done." Snape stood in the doorway and looked over to Nikolas. The boy nodded and walked over to the man who had been his professor and nothing more for so long and then in a few short moments had been forced upon him as a counterfeit father. "Good. Your room is the one you awoke in. You can go anywhere in the manor except my room, which is across from yours, and the dungeons. Dinner will be served at seven sharp. I will send a house elf tonight to get you, after that you're on your own. If you're late to dinner you get nothing. Got it? Oh, and read this while your at it." Snape dropped a book into Nikolas' hands and then glided over to his desk.

"As you wish. Father." Nikolas replied, trying his best to keep a straight face as he left the room, Snape's reaction forever imprinted in his brain next to the memory of Draco; the amazing bouncing ferret.

~&~

Nikolas dropped down on the bed he had awoken in. He scowled and looked down at the book; Advance Potions. He laughed and tossed it aside then slid down in front of his trunk and peered down at the contents. Advance Potions sat in the trunk as well, being one of the books he had already purchased.  He pulled off his muggle clothes and put on an emerald green robe. Finally he pulled out his book on the Dark Arts and settled down in a chair.

He wasn't quite sure how long he had been sitting there, but before he knew it a small house elf appeared with a 'Pop' in the room.

"Young Master Snape. You are to come down for dinner now. I was also told to tell young master to be presentable because there is a guest downstairs." The elf said quickly before opening the door for Nikolas. Nikolas looked in the mirror and ran a hand through his hair, making sure it covered his scar, and then followed the house elf.

"Malfoy." Nikolas growled the name under his breath as he entered the large dining hall. The blond sat comfortably in one of the chairs chatting with the potions master. Nikolas took a deep breath and then stepped forward, walking to the opposite side of the table, and gracefully sat down. Lucius looked at him from across the table in confusion.

"Lucius, meet my son, Nikolas. He is staying with me from now on, and will be attending Hogwarts this year." Severus started. "Nikolas, this is Lucius Malfoy." He finished, not a hint of dislike in his voice or expression as he talked to his 'son.' Nikolas nodded, silently chuckling to himself at the thought of how hard it must be for Snape to be acting like this.

"Good Evening Mr. Malfoy." Nikolas said quietly, attempting to hide the dislike in his tone. Luckily Lucius didn't notice the tenor of his voice, that or the man didn't care, but either way Severus noticed and shot Nikolas a glare.

"Pleasure to meet you, Nikolas." Lucius greeted. Food appeared on the table a moment after, and all three began to eat, but Nikolas remained silent as Lucius and his 'father' talked. He finished as soon as possible so he could leave quickly. He had made it almost out of the dining hall when –

"Severus, it is pleasant to know that you take pride that you are a Slytherin, but I would not advise allowing poisonous snakes wander freely through your home."  Nikolas turned and looked back towards the table. Nyx slithered across the room slowly, looking the two men over as if inspecting them.

"It's mine." Nikolas said as he stepped forward, catching Nyx before the serpent had the chance to strike Lucius. The snake hissed softly then curled up around Nikolas' arm.

"Yours?" The blond man looked at the teen with curiosity.

"Yes, Mine. I don't like most other animals, with the exception of the owl, but owls are only good for delivering letters. Nyx is well trained and will bite anyone who attempts to harm me." Nikolas replied, fighting back a laugh as the snake moved around under his robes until finding its way to his neck and resting there, poised and ready to strike the untrustworthy blond.  Lucius laughed.

"A true Slytherin. I shall tell my son about you. I daresay that you two would get along well." He stood and picked up his hat. "I'm afraid I have to take my leave now. We will talk later Severus, and I'm sure I'll be seeing you again, Nikolas." With that he turned and apperated away.  Nikolas wasted no time either; he went up to his room as quick as his feet would take him.

"He isss not to be trusted, the light haired one." Nyx hissed, as Nikolas lay down in his bed.

"I know. He is a death eater, one of the people who wants me dead."

"Why did you ssstop me then massster? My poissson would have killed him."

"Because I don't need that much attention drawn to me. Severus Snape's supposed son appears, the boy's snake kills Lucius Malfoy. I'd have death eaters and the ministry after me again, and then they would eventually find out that I'm Harry Potter and not Nikolas Snape . . .Just trust me Nyx. We will have to put up with all of them, trustworthy or not."  Nikolas said softly in Parseltongue.

~2 Weeks Later~

Nikolas sat in the last compartment of the train. He was in a great mood. His summer with Snape had been quiet after that night. The two avoided each other except for at dinner, and Harry found that Snape had more books then he ever would have dreamed. The books were on every subject, and Nikolas had found the section on the dark arts particularly fascinating. The bitter man also let him take a few of the books on the Dark Arts. (But not without a lecture and a few blatant threats on what would happen to him if he ruined any of the books.) Whatever time he didn't spend reading he spent in a separate potions lab practicing. He wasn't allowed to use magic, but he was permitted to make potions, and that was better then nothing. He had managed to make a few decent ones, and quite a few that he was sure would be useful this year.  He also had practiced Occlumency because Snape had started using Legilimens on him every time they passed each other in the hall. Now he could block his mind from Snape successfully.

Now his sat in the small compartment relaxing. He was quite a sight to be had, which was soon noticed by the two girls who pulled open the compartment door. He sat reclined comfortably, one leg sung out the open window while the other was stretched out in front of him, his left hand holding a small glass of firewisky (something he had found in Snape's office and stolen) and his right arm doubling as a pillow behind his head. However unusual as the site was already, his position was not all.  He was wearing only a pair of black pants, his robes, glasses, and shirt sat on the seat opposite to him. His smooth chest was bare for all to see; pale like the rest of his skin, but with chiseled features from the years of Quidditch.

"There was a sign on the door that clearly said 'Do Not Disturb.' Or can't you read?" He derided not bothering to look at whom he was insulting. There was that little Slytherin in him that has been waiting to be free. He might as well start acting like a Slytherin now he figured.

"S-sorry. Eh. We didn't see it." Came a voice.

"I did." Said another lightly.

"Why didn't you say something?"

"Because I was already saying something else." Came the dreamy reply.

"Oh yeah. Snorkel berry smoke stacks or something right?"  The other responded.

"Have you found a compartment yet Gin— Nikolas?" A third voice joined them. Nikolas groaned and opened his eyes. In the doorway stood Ginny, Luna, and Hermione, the three now staring at him.

"Hermione?" He sat on the chair properly and put on his glasses.

"I knew there was something different about you when I saw Snape lead you on the Knight Bus, but I never thought you'd be coming to Hogwarts! What did Snape want with you anyways?" Hermione asked, smiling the whole way through.

"He is my," Nikolas paused. "He's my father." He took a swig of the firewisky, doing his best to ignore the shocked looks.

"Did I hear right? That great git has a kid! Who the hell would want to have a kid with Snape?" A red haired boy appeared behind Ginny and howled with laughter.  Nikolas scowled and looked away. 'Why?! Why does everyone I know have to find me? Why can't they all just bugger off! It would make this charade so much simpler without having to worry about them finding me out.'

"Ron!" Hermione spun around. "As a prefect and as a tactful human being you can't go-"

"But Hermione, come on. The slimy git having a son; you can't tell me that you haven't wondered who in their right mind would want to be with Snape." Ron said, not seeming to care that Nikolas was right there.

"I'm standing right here." Nikolas growled, standing up.  "Now I was enjoying the quiet. So if you all don't mind; Shut the hell up and bugger off!" They all turned to look at him with slight surprise.

"We're sorry. There are no other empty compartments though. Could we sit in here Nikolas?" Hermione smiled apologetically. Ron looked ready to argue, but the only sound coming from him was a muffled cry of pain as his little sister stepped on his foot.

"Fine." Nikolas answered simply, pulling on his robe, and then sitting back down. Ginny and Ron sat on the floor, Ron teaching the smaller girl how to play chess. Hermione pulled out a book and sat down, and Luna simply stared at Nikolas curiously.  Nikolas gazed out the window with little interest as he drank the last bit of the liquid and tossed the bottle out the window. 

The door slid open again.

"No more. There are quite enough people in here as it is so sod off." Nikolas snapped at the newcomer, not bothering to look at them.

"Well. Who have we got here? A pair of Weasels, a nutcase, a mudblood, and – Oh look, you've already replaced Potter." The blond prefect sneered, kicking the chessboard forward so it nearly hit Nikolas, who turned to stare at the blond.

"Honestly Draco, haven't you got anything better to do?" He asked with an annoyed sigh.

"No I haven't, and it is always amusing to insult the weasel. Who the hell do you think you are anyways? Only those in Slytherin are allowed to call me by my first name, so it's Malfoy to you and your mudblood loving friends."  Nikolas laughed and pulled out his wand.

"I'll be in Slytherin soon enough."  He replied.

"You honestly think you have a chance in Slytherin?" Draco scoffed.

"Well considering my father is the head of Slytherin house, yeah I think I have a very high chance of making it there." Nikolas chuckled at the look he received from Draco and with a flick of his wand Draco's once blond hair became neon pink. Draco left in a hurry.

"How did you know who he was? You two obviously haven't met before because he didn't know who you were." Hermione questioned.

"I met his father, and he told me about Draco." Those were the last words Nikolas said while on the train. When they arrived at Hogwarts Hagrid pulled him aside.

"Are you Professor Snape's son?" He asked. Nikolas nodded simply. "You'll be comin' across the lake with the 'irst years." The large man motioned to the boats, and Nikolas grudgingly got on one of them.  His attention focused on the thestrals as he waited.

A good twenty minutes later and the first years walked into the Great Hall followed by a rather unhappy looking Nikolas Snape.

*~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~*

Another chapter up! A little more then five pages! Not a lot, but it's about average for me. ^^;;  Hope you like it.

REVIEW PLEASE!

J-Chan 3