I don't own Harry Potter, just this plot.
Enjoy this chapter! It's up a little early! R&R!
Hermione awoke to the smell of bacon, eggs, and pancakes frying downstairs at 7:30. She stretched herself out and yawned in bed, looking around the room to see if there was a bathrobe so she didn't have to go down to breakfast in her nightgown. She noticed one on the chest and got out of bed to get it. She made her way out of her room, and saw her father racing down the stairs. She wondered what was going on. As she entered the kitchen, she saw Severus standing in the doorway, with his shirt untucked and his jacket open staring bewilderedly around the room. It was a sight to be seen.
"Good morning, sir, I mean Severus," Hermione said with a small blush.
"It's alright child," Severus said shortly.
"Um, sir, do I need to get ready for the day? I noticed that you're already dressed and I want to make sure that I do things the way that you prefer them done, and I'm more than happy to go and change."
Severus turned to look at her.
"No, Hermione, you do not have to. When you get a little older, I would prefer that you get ready before you come to breakfast, but since you are 11, I suppose I can make an exception for a few years."
Hermione turned her attention to where Severus was staring.
"Please, Little Master, it is my job to cook, you need to sit down and let me finish. Master will be furious with me if I don't, little master please this is my job," Lucinda almost wailed, tugging on her ears.
"Mister Potter, are you unaware of the job of the house elf?" Severus drawled. Hermione could tell that his temper was short, and slid past him to the table. She disapproved of the way Severus was talking to Lucinda, but knew better than to say anything.
Harry turned with a surprised, yet nervous look on his face.
"Sir, it's my job to cook. I'm supposed to work to earn my keep and do chores, especially now that I have a room. I'll have to do twice as many chores now and I'll need to work harder to make you happy enough to keep my room. Its my job to make breakfast and I have to have it ready and not burnt when you want it.
Severus sighed. This was going to be tough.
"Mister Potter, why exactly are you not resting?" Severus asked.
"Um," Harry started. "You wouldn't be happy with me if I spent the morning being lazy instead of starting on my chores. Freaks like me need to stay up with the chores to earn my keep otherwise you might kick me out."
Severus's eyes flashed.
"Harry, what did I say were the rules last night?" Severus questioned.
Harry's heart sank. He was going to be beaten for calling himself a freak. He had barely been here and he'd already messed up.
"Not to call myself a freak," Harry mumbled.
"Indeed, Harry. After breakfast you will follow me into the library. You will be writing lines," Severus said. "Now sit down and let Lucinda finish cooking."
Harry gave the spatula to Lucinda the House elf and made to sit on the floor, before remembering Severus's rules. "You will sit on the furniture" echoed in his mind, and he hastily got into a chair on the other side of the table as Severus.
"Harry and Hermione, you will both be given small tasks to do throughout the day, but none of them will be as extensive as Mr. Potter's that he received at Privet Drive. For example, today you need to make your bed, open your curtains in your rooms, and make a list of everything you may need from Diagon Alley. We will be going tomorrow to get your things for school."
"Now that you are both here, I will explain who I am and who you are. My name is Severus Snape. I am the Potions Master at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and you two have magic in your blood. Harry, you are a wizard, and Hermione, a witch. There was a law enacted recently that makes you two my wards. You will live with me until you become of age at 17 years old, and I will be taking care of you."
Hermione nodded. Harry just looked unsure. At that moment, Lucinda brought the pots and pans filled with breakfast food over to the trio before disappearing with a pop.
"There is no doubt that you have done accidental magic before you arrived here, especially you, Harry," Severus said, nodding at Harry.
Hermione couldn't hold in her excitement anymore and burst out with a bunch of questions for Harry.
"So, Harry! I'm Hermione, and Severus thinks he's my dad and that he's going to adopt you. Are you excited to find out that you can do magic? Are you excited to go to Hogwarts and learn magic? Are you excited to get our things tomorrow? I've been wanting to invade the library all day and read books about this new world. Can we go after we finish our chores? Would you like to come with me?"
"Hermione, the questions?" Severus warned.
"Sorry sir," Hermione said, blushing.
"Um, sir, I think you have the wrong Harry, I can't be a- a- wizard, I'm just freakish Harry."
"No, Potter, you are indeed the right Harry," Severus said with a smirk. "You are a wizard, and you will be attending Hogwarts with Hermione in a few weeks' time on September first. Hogwarts is where you will learn magic for seven long years. The accidental magic that I did before I went to Hogwarts was quite impressive. I could float rocks in the air, or when I was angry, explode various glass jars around the kitchen."
This sounded familiar to Harry and he took a daring glance at Severus as he spoke.
"But, if you're not lying to me, that means that I'm not a freak? The things I've done, like made dishes explode, and shrink sweaters that I don't want to wear, and grow my hair back after it was shaven off? That's magic?" Harry questioned, doubting every word that the man was saying, but wanting to believe it at the same time.
"Accidental magic, but magic all the same. Tonight, before bed, I will come to you and explain why you were left with your aunt and uncle."
Harry had followed Severus into the library. He was very nervous and was sure that Severus was going to beat him behind closed doors. As Severus gestured toward a seat for Harry to sit in, Harry's heart raced. This was it. He would feel how horrible Severus would be during punishment. Severus sat at the opposite side of the table as Harry.
"Here. We will work on your penmanship with a quill and parchment and you will write your lines. I want you to write 50 times 'I am not a freak and I must not call myself a freak'," Severus said, gazing at Harry's worried eyes.
He handed Harry a sheet of parchment and a quill, showing him how to properly hold a quill. He gently maneuvered Harry's hand until he had it right.
"Now, begin your lines. I will be rummaging through the library if you need anything," Severus said.
Harry started to write his lines, staring at Snape in disbelief. Would this really be his only punishment? He was shocked. In about ten minutes, his hand started to cramp and he was only on line 26. After another 10 minutes, his lines were done and he was fidgeting with the quill, not sure if he should speak up.
"Um, sir," Harry said. "I finished with my lines. When will the next part of my punishment happen?"
"Next part?" Severus came out of the bookshelves with a potions book in his hand. "What do you mean? There is no next part. You are free to go find Hermione and make your list for tomorrow."
"But sir, punishments aren't complete without my beating. Where should I go for it?"
Harry was being so polite about it, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. However, he supposed, it would be natural for him. He probably associated punishment and beatings together in his mind. He sighed before sinking down to his knees to glance at the child at eye level.
"Do you remember what I told you last night about your punishments?"
"Yes sir. You said that I would only have to write lines as punishment or be grounded and wouldn't be beat," Harry said, looking down at the ground.
"Correct," Severus said softly. "I promised, and still promise you that I will never beat you, no matter the circumstances. Harry, you should know that beating anyone is wrong. Anyone who does that to a child, especially, is wrong. Am I clear?"
Harry's strikingly green eyes were brimming with tears as he nodded at Severus.
"Why won't you ever? Uncle said I deserved it, and I did, everything weird happens around me. I was never good enough."
"You don't deserve it, Harry. No one ever deserves what you went through."
"How do you know?" Harry asked accusingly.
"I myself was in your position when I was a young boy. I did not have anyone to turn to. But you will. You have me and Hermione. I want you to tell me one thing that the Dursleys did every single night. We will talk about it at length, and trust me. You will feel better. I'm not saying that it will be easy at all, but it needs to be done."
Harry nodded. He was beginning to trust this strange new man.
"Very well. Go find Hermione and make your lists."
Fortunately, Hermione came running into the library, so Harry didn't have to go far. As Hermione sat down, Severus left to return to his lab. He walked quickly, knowing that he only had limited time while his wards were busy in the library making their lists for Diagon Alley. He trusted them not to cause mischief while they were alone together
He quickly gathered the ingredients. This was a relatively simple potion, but it was rare so it wasn't really made very often. It only took about an hour to make. He added lacewing flies, hippogriff tears, which he had stolen from a Hippogriff from one of Hagrid's escapades many years ago, and lionfish spines, which were added last. The potion simmered for an extra 5 minutes once he had turned the flame down. Once the potion had finished cooling, he plucked one of his own hairs and dropped it in, so it would be functional. He took a dropper and dropped a few drops of the potion on a piece of parchment. The liquid began to branch out while names began to appear. A branch next to his name was labeled as Lily Potter.
As expected, Hermione's name appeared below. He began to roll up the parchment but he suddenly saw another name appear beside Hermione's. He paused. He slowly unrolled the parchment and stared at it, dumbfounded.
He had not one, but two children by Lily Potter. And they were both living under his roof.