Part 2

Severus wrote two letters that afternoon. He had two owls, one for business and one for personal use. The latter was a tiny little thing that even Severus realised would be called cute by certain persons; it'd been a mocking gift from Lucius, and Severus had named it Little Bastard. His business owl had no name, but she was fast and unremarkable, which was all that mattered.

He used the business owl to send a letter to a contact at Saint Mungo's who owed him a favour, requesting a portion of the potion that poisoned Calla Potter. The St Mungo's diagnostics team was good, but apparently not good enough to figure out how such a simple potion could put a six year old girl in a coma. Severus didn't particularly care about the girl personally, but he was curious about the potion, and curious to see how well Harry – his son – had brewed it.

Merlin's beard, his son. It would take a while to get used to that. How could Lily not have –

He broke that train of thought. He'd deal with that later.

His second letter he sent with Little Bastard to Regulus Black, asking for a speedy meeting at the Ministry of Magic. He'd tutored Regulus at potions in Hogwarts, they'd worked together under the Dark Lord once or twice, and now Severus provided Regulus with the occasional illicit potion while Regulus kept him appraised of any Ministry crackdowns on illegal potion dealing. Somewhere along the way they ended up actual friends.

While he waited for Regulus' response, an echoing knock rang through the library. That echo meant someone was knocking at the door of his potions' lab, and he scowled. He delivered to the apothecaries and the dealer he supplied for, and all his legal personal customers only came at scheduled times, which meant it could be only one other person.

He left his desk and tapped his wand to the bookcase which swung open to give access to the lab. Like the library, the lab was fashioned into a single house from which he'd knocked out most of the inner walls. He'd kept up a few half-walls to separate brewing areas, and had an enclosed balcony room where he brewed the illegal potions.

It occurred to him that, as a father, he probably shouldn't be brewing and selling illegal potions, but he wasn't going to stop. Children were expensive; the illicit parts of his business brought more income than the legal side, and he had absolutely no desire to get some second and extremely boring job doing something else.

The echoing knock sounded again, and Severus swept around his workstations to the external door which opened onto the street. As expected, a raggedly-dressed man leant against the frame outside, dark hair even greasier and longer than Severus', tatty and knotted with filth. His Muggle clothes were over-sized and unwashed, and his pale face was gaunt and haggard, a look not much improved by his yellow-toothed grin.

"Hi, Sev…erus."

The last part was added on hastily when Severus' eyes narrowed at the nickname.

"Nemo," Severus greeted shortly. Across the street, Nemo's front door sat open, but it wasn't like there was anyone here who would rob it. Severus doubted Nemo even had anything to rob. It wasn't that he had no money – quite the opposite – but he didn't seem to care about anything that didn't come out of a potion vial or a hypodermic needle.

Severus despised the man. He was a filthy drug addict who occasionally passed out in the middle of the street, or came banging on Severus' door singing off-tune Christmas carols when he was pumped full of uppers. Unfortunately, he was also Severus' best source of income. For the benefit of getting potions direct from the brewer, Nemo paid twice what a dealer did, and purchased enough to medicate a small hospital. Severus still hadn't figured out how the man wasn't dead, especially as he took as many Muggle drugs as he did magical.

"Sev-e-rus," Nemo said again, this time in a sing-song voice, "Severus, I got the shakes. Look." He thrust his hand out, making Severus rear back to avoid getting smacked in the nose. "I could cause an earthquake. You got anything to help?"

"Perhaps a dose of poison?"

Nemo leant his head against the door frame, grin widening. "You're funny. C'mon, I got money."

"You always do. Is it at least wizarding money this time?"

Nemo scrunched his nose and dug a hand in his pocket, pulling out a fistful of coins. He peered at them, then held them out to Severus, the metal tinkling as his hand shook.

"That's wizardly, innit?"

Mostly. Severus could see a couple of fifty pence pieces and a pound coin amidst the galleons and sickles. He took the lot, suppressing a shudder when his fingers brushed against Nemo's filthy palm, and as always didn't wonder where the money came from. Nemo didn't work and Severus was almost entirely certain that he wasn't dealing any of the potions that he bought from Severus. As such, wherever the money did come from, Severus probably didn't want to know.

"Wait there," he said, and shut the door in Nemo's face.

He considered giving the man a standard anti-anxiety draught, which would stop his shakes but give him no high, but the amount of money Severus took from him was actually quite a bit so he fetched a sedative that'd send the man to sleep with a smile on his face.

When he returned to the door, Nemo was sat on the floor beside it, legs crossed, hand out in front of him and a small unicorn made of sparkles prancing over his palm. Opposite him, Harry was crouched with a delighted look on his face as he watched the unicorn.

Severus grabbed Nemo by the shoulder, wrenched him up with a ripping sound of fabric tearing, and shoved him across the street. "Stay the fuck away from my son."

Nemo staggered, nearly fell, managed to catch himself. He nodded, gaze fixed on the vial in Severus' other hand. Severus was tempted to deny him it, but he knew Nemo could get nasty with that and refusing him drugs wouldn't keep him away from Harry. But –

"Say it," he demanded, pulling the vial away when Nemo reached for it. "Swear you'll stay away from him."

Nemo's dull green eyes flicked briefly to Severus' face. "I won't go near the kid, swear on my life, gimme the potion."

Severus snorted at the promise – what worth was this man's life? – but gave him the potion. Without so much as a thanks, Nemo wrenched the cork out and downed a large mouthful, then turned and staggered to the house across the street. Severus didn't watch him, but turned to Harry, who'd straightened up and was now staring at Severus.

"I told you to stay away from him," Severus snapped. "What are you even doing outside?"

Instead of answer, Harry replied in a tone of awe, "You said a bad word."

Severus blinked, then realised what the boy was talking about. Swearing in front of one's children was probably frowned upon, wasn't it? Tobias Snape had never censored himself and he was an example Severus certainly didn't want to emulate.

"That's besides the point," he said, shutting the door to the lab and taking Harry's arm, tugging him down the street to his main front door. "Stay away from that man."

"Why? He made a cool unicorn, did you see it? Can you do that?"

"He's unsafe to be around," Snape said, pushing Harry back into the living room and following.

Harry stopped in the middle of the room, looking up at him. "Is that why you gave him a potion, to make him more safe?"

He asked it with such earnestness, an expression on his face like he cared whether or not Nemo was safe. What the hell had Potter been teaching this child to leave him so concerned as to the welfare of a complete stranger?

Except that wasn't Potter. Staring at Harry's earnest face, at the curiosity in his green eyes, Severus had to admit that caring for others was Lily through and through. She'd stand up for anyone until they gave her a reason not to – (he tries not to think about the reason he gave her) – and apparently it was something she'd passed on to her son.

Their son.

Good Merlin, he still couldn't get over that.

In Lily, it was a trait he both admired and hated, but right now he was just glad that James Potter hadn't managed to squash this bit of Lily out of the child. He only hoped there were other traits Harry inherited that hadn't been pushed out by seven years of being raised as a Potter.

And if Harry had learnt any Potter mannerisms, Severus would soon teach him out of them.

Harry was still waiting for an answer, so Severus nodded tersely. It wasn't really a lie; giving Nemo a sedative certainly made him safer than some of the other drugs Severus gave him.

To his surprise, Harry beamed at him. "That's nice," he said, and then his smile faded and his shoulders drooped, chin dropping to his chest and eyes to the carpet. "That's nicer than me," he muttered. "My potion didn't help Calla."

Severus scowled. "That wasn't your fault."

"But I made the potion."

"Did you poison her on purpose?"

Harry's head jerked up, mouth dropping open, eyes wide. "No! I'd never do that!"

"Then it wasn't your fault."

"Dad – I mean, James said it was," Harry said, and Severus' scowled deepened.

"Potter is an idiot and a liar. If he didn't want his child getting poisoned, he shouldn't have let you have access to his potion store. Any imbecile knows that."

Harry didn't look encouraged by this, but Severus didn't ask why. There was a tapping at the window and he looked over to see Little Bastard hovering outside, a letter attached to his leg.

"Is that your owl?" Harry asked as Severus let the bird in.

"Yes."

"What's his name?"

"Little Bas–" Severus broke off.

"Hi, Little Bas. Can I stroke him?"

"If you must," Severus said absently, taking the letter and slitting it open. He smiled grimly at the contents. Regulus came through; he got Severus an appointment for four o'clock with the Department of Family and Child Services. He checked his watch; an hour and a half. Enough time for a visit to the Malfoys.

They were the only people he called friends that had a child, and he desperately needed parenting advice right then. Fawcett provided some helpful information, but she was a Muggleborn. Severus wanted the opinions of some pureblood parents.

His first thought was to leave Harry behind, but realised that probably wasn't appropriate, and depending on how long he visited Wiltshire he might go straight the Ministry of Magic afterwards.

He got Harry into shoes and cloak – he'd gone into the street without even those, idiot child – then took him out and down to the riverside where the apparition point was. His fireplace was too small to floo from even if it had been connected to the network; the Anti-Apparition spells were his own doing, and he had ones that would alert him at home if anyone were to Apparate into the area. One could never be too careful when they dealt in illegal potions.

Only when he started to Disapparate did he think to wonder if Harry had ever been taken on Side-Along Apparition before, and when they reappeared finished the thought that he hoped Harry wouldn't throw up.

The boy didn't disappoint. He pulled a distasteful face at the method of transport, but didn't vomit or show any sign that it was unfamiliar to him. He did, however, gape stupidly at Malfoy Manor as they passed through the wrought-iron gates and headed up the driveway.

"Shut your mouth, child," Severus chided. "You'll catch flies."

Harry's mouth snapped shut with a click of his teeth, but his wondrous gaze didn't leave the manor. "It's so big."

"Excessively so," Severus agreed. Harry's brow furrowed in confusion, but before he could say what confused him – were four-syllable words too much for seven year olds? – a peacock burst out of one of the hedges. Harry jumped and grabbed at Severus' robe.

Severus scowled down at him. "It's just a peacock, boy. It won't hurt you."

Harry let go, flushing. "I know that."

At the house, the large front doors opened by themselves into a hallway lined with portraits. Severus was used to the foreboding glare of the Malfoy ancestors, but Harry appeared put out by all the eyes, walking so close to Severus that he almost tripped on his robes.

In the drawing room at the end, Narcissa greeted them with a smile. "Severus, it's good to see you."

"Narcissa."

Lucius didn't rise from his chair by the fireplace, but he lowered his newspaper and gave a nod of greeting to Severus, then raised an eyebrow questioningly at Harry. Narcissa, too, looked down at him.

"Who's this young man?" Narcissa asked.

Severus glanced down at Harry, patted his shoulder awkwardly once, then dropped his hand again and cleared his throat. "This is, uh… this is Harry. He's my… my son."

Clear surprise flashed across Narcissa's face. Lucius put aside his newspaper. "This is quite the surprise, Severus," he said. "All these years and we only just now learn you have a son?"

Severus didn't respond to that just yet. "Where's Draco? I need to speak with you both. Can we send the children somewhere?"

The Malfoys exchanged looks then Narcissa gestured for Harry and Severus to enter.

"Dobby!" Lucius called, and Harry jumped as the house-elf appeared. He tugged on Severus' robes.

"Is that a house elf?"

"Yes."

"Dobby, take young Harry to Draco's playroom," Lucius ordered.

"Yes, master," the elf agreed, bowing low then turning to Harry. "This way, Mister Harry."

Harry looked up at Severus, who scowled and gave him a nudge. "Go."

Apprehensively, Harry went.

Narcissa offered Severus a chair and a drink, and once he was settled with a glass of whiskey – damn the time of day, he needed it – then he explained the situation to them.

"This is quite the turn up for the books, Severus," Lucius said after, making no effort to hide his amusement. "I remember you having a twisted little obsession with that Mudblood –"

"Don't call her that!"

Lucius continued without acknowledging him. "– but to think you actually screwed the girl…"

"Lucius."

Lucius glanced at Narcissa. "My apologies, darling. But it's not like he made love to the bitch."

"Shut up, Lucius," Severus snapped, earning a raised-eyebrow look from the other man. "Whatever her parentage, I loved Lily and she was my – my son's mother."

"You degrade yourself by saying that, Severus."

"I'm only a half-blood myself, Lucius. Hardly spoiling myself with a Muggleborn witch," Severus remarked.

"You're certain this boy is your son?" Narcissa asked, setting aside her teacup.

"I brewed a paternity potion myself."

"It'll be quite the scandal, Severus. Potter is a war hero with an Order of Merlin. When it gets out his son isn't really his son, the Daily Prophet will be all over it. You know what they're like for gossip."

"Just want I need," Severus sighed. "As long as the Ministry doesn't hassle me over it. I've already taken steps to get him officially recognised as mine, but the last thing I need is them inspecting my house or some such for child suitability."

Narcissa looked to Lucius questioningly.

"I wouldn't expect any such thing," he said. "You're the boy's real father and Potter clearly doesn't want him anymore; FCS don't tend to waste time investigating biological parents unless there's allegations of abuse."

"There are a lot of practical matters to consider, Severus," Narcissa said. "Do you even have the space for a child?"

Lucius snorted. "You barely have space for yourself, isn't that right? I don't know why you live in that shack."

Severus scowled at him. "Just because my home isn't large enough to host half the wizards in England doesn't mean it's small. I've plenty of room for myself and a child. But," he admitted, "I don't know how to look after a child, Cissy. I don't even know where to begin."

"Do you even want to?" Lucius asked before Narcissa could say anything. "Just because the boy was dumped on your doorstep doesn't mean you have to look after him. He's the product of a mistake some eight years ago. He's not your responsibility."

"He's my son."

"Technically, perhaps. But –"

"But what?" Severus demanded. "Am I supposed to give him back to Potter? The man has made it perfectly clear what he thinks of my son. What else should I do? Let the Ministry give the boy to strangers? Or worse, to the only other family he has?"

Narcissa shook her head. "The state your mother is in, the Ministry would never –"

"No, not my mother. Lily's sister."

Lucius scoffed. "Certainly not. Not even the soft Ministry we're suffering now would give a young wizard to a Muggle. Doesn't he have a godparent or something?"

"A godmother, but she's both Muggleborn and unfit to raise him herself. Besides, I don't care. I might not know what I'm doing, but he's still my son. I'm hardly the first person to find themselves unexpectedly a parent."

"Most of them have nine months to prepare though."

Severus scowled. Lucius smiled. Narcissa reached over and swatted Lucius on the arm.

"Do stop teasing him. We're happy to help, Severus; whatever you need."

Severus gave her the closest thing to a smile that he ever managed. "Advice. What do I do first? Are there things I need to buy immediately? What do I do with him all day?" He paused then added, "I suppose I ought to find him a tutor."

Narcissa looked down at her hands, then back up again. "Perhaps. He's been raised by James Potter," she elaborated at Severus' questioning look. "He opened and runs that school. I expect both Harry and his daughter attend."

Severus frowned heavily. He remembered reading about that school. The Lily Daycare and Primary School for Young Witches and Wizards. He didn't tend to read the papers, but it'd been front page news when it first opened four years ago and of course the name had caught his eye. It was the first official school for under-elevens that wizarding Britain ever had; most parents taught their own children, hired tutors if they could afford it, or occasionally sent them to Muggle school.

"I don't see why I should continue sending him there," Severus said. "I don't want him around Potter."

"Understandable," Lucius drawled. "I certainly wouldn't send Draco there."

"Quite," Narcissa agreed, "however, Harry is not Draco." She leant toward Severus. "I understand why you don't want Harry near Potter, but you're not the only one affected by this. It's going to be very difficult for Harry to deal with this upheaval. It'll help if he can keep something from his old life, to have some sense of normality."

"Are you saying I'm not normal?" Severus asked. Narcissa sat back again with a disapproving look.

"Don't take that tone with me, Severus. You know full well what I mean. We've been friends for a long time; I know you. If you really want to be a father to this child then you have to think about more than just yourself for once."

"You make me sound like a completely selfish bastard. Shut up, Lucius."

"I said nothing."

Narcissa glanced at her husband with a quirk of her lips, but she addressed Severus. "You're a single man who's been living alone since you left Hogwarts. You don't get out much, if at all. You're going to have to change that. You can't keep Harry shut in that house of yours; children need socialisation – with other children."

Severus groaned, thumping his head against the chair back.

"Once again, Severus," Lucius said, "you don't have to take responsibility for the boy."

Severus stared at the ceiling for a long moment, considering it – he never considered himself suited to fatherhood and couldn't help ponder if Harry might be better placed elsewhere – but eventually sighed and looked at his friend. "No, Lucius, I do."

They talked for some time, Lucius providing as much parental advice as Narcissa despite his arguments against it, until the abrupt arrival of the house-elf. It apologised hastily for interrupting them, assuring them it would punish itself for doing so, but that Draco and Harry were fighting viciously in the playroom.

The three hastened upstairs and found the two boys scuffling like common Muggles. Draco's lip was bloodied and Harry's robes torn, and neither paid heed to the admonishments of the adults. They didn't even seem to notice them until Narcissa viciously slashed her wand and they were forcibly wrenched apart, landing on their backsides with startled looks as their last punches struck at nothing.

Draco, finally noticing his parents, looked stricken; Harry, by contrast, merely glared at the other boy and wiped at his mouth. There was no sign of injury, but he appeared to have been so angry as to be literally frothing at the mouth.

Lucius was almost as furious himself. "Explain yourself, Draco!" he demanded, then, before Draco could do more than obstinately open his mouth, continued, "No! In fact there is no excuse for such behaviour, especially to a guest!"

Narcissa looked equally displeased, and Draco, panicked in the face of his parents' fury, blurted out, "He started it!"

Severus temper flared. He didn't doubt Draco's assertion for a second. Harry spent seven years raised by James Potter, no doubt with plenty of influence from Black, Lupin, and Pettigrew; of course he would pick up such ugly habits as Muggle fist-fighting.

He strode into the room and grabbed Harry by the arm with one hand, hauling him to his feet and raising his other hand with every intention of smarting him across the backside, only to stop when Harry spoke, still glaring furiously at Draco and heedless of the impending punishment.

"He called my mum a Mudblood! And Mary!"

Severus lowered his hand, his grip instantly loosening on Harry's arm, his own gaze darkening as it fell on Draco.

His relationship with that word was, he would admit to himself, complex. Since the first and only time he'd uttered it directly to Lily, he hated it and everything it meant, yet he continued to use it, especially during his brief tenure as a Death Eater. It had always tasted bitter in his mouth, however, and he endeavoured to avoid it wherever possible.

He'd never censored anyone else on the word, though, unless it was aimed at Lily. Conversations with the Malfoys generally avoided such topics as to encourage the word, but Lucius did utter it on occasion in Severus' presence, and Severus did no more than scowl at it. That Draco had picked up the word should be no surprise; in other circumstances, Severus might have been irked but not duly concerned by this.

However, to have the word directed at Lily was more than he could forgive, even from a youngster. He suddenly wholly agreed with Harry's decision to hit Draco; in lieu of a wand and the ability to hex him, fisticuffs was the next best thing.

He felt only some anger that the word was also put to Mary Fawcett. He was fully aware of the hypocrisy of it, but his love for Lily hadn't managed to fully destroy a disdain for Muggles that his father engendered. It didn't go so far that, even when he joined the Death Eaters, he thought they should be killed off entirely, but he heartily supported a distinct separation between Muggle and wizard, including taking Muggleborns away from their parents as soon as their magic was realised.

Harry's shout stalled the Malfoys as well as Severus. Something flickered in Narcissa's eye suggesting she realised the impudence in her son insulting a new acquaintance's mother. Lucius, however, looked momentarily surprised and then schooled his expression to hide what Severus suspected was pride at his son.

Draco took the momentary silence to scramble to his feet and speak up. "I only said it 'cause it's true!"

Severus' loosened grip tightened again to restrain Harry from jumping at the other boy.

"He told me!" Draco persisted, either unaware of Harry's growing anger or secure enough in his parent's protection. "His grandparents are Muggles, and so's his godmother's family!"

"That's not a bad thing!" Harry yelled. "Mudblood's a bad word, you can't call them that!"

Draco's brow furrowed and he looked to his parents. Lucius said and did nothing, giving no indication of his feelings, whatever they were, but Narcissa's mouth tightened slightly as she glanced to Harry and then Severus before looking back to her son.

"Harry is correct," she said. "Mudblood is a foul word and you shouldn't use it, Draco."

Lucius frowned, shooting Narcissa a questioning look that she ignored. Lucius glanced briefly at Harry, then to Severus, who stared back coldly.

Draco objected. "But Father says it, I've heard!"

"Your father says lots of things he shouldn't," Narcissa said. "It doesn't mean you should repeat them. Now, apologise to Harry."

Draco scowled and looked to his father. Lucius frowned slightly, but after a moment's hesitation said, "Do as your mother says, Draco."

Severus gave a short, stiff nod of thanks to Lucius for that, but received only a curled lip and a look away in response.

"Fine," Draco grumbled, and turned to Harry. "I'm sorry I called your mother and godmother a Mudblood."

Harry looked up at Severus, who merely raised an eyebrow at him, then back to Draco, and finally relaxed in Severus' grip.

"Okay. Thanks." He paused, then added, "I'm sorry for hitting you."

Severus glanced at him in surprise, only realising then that an apology for the violence was appropriate. He wouldn't have expected Harry to offer one up unprompted.

"Thank you," Draco said formally.

"Very well then," Narcissa said in a lighter tone. "Draco, come here so I can repair your lip."

Draco obediently went to her. Severus let go of Harry and looked him over once more for injuries, but his robe was the only casualty.

It was a little early for the appointment at the Ministry, but Severus decided it would be best for them to leave right now. The kids might have apologised, but they probably shouldn't be left alone again right then.

He repaired Harry's robe – it was a simple tear, easily fixed – then said his goodbyes to the Malfoys and led Harry out. He looked down at the boy as they walked down the manor's driveway, wondering what, if anything, he should say. A parent was probably supposed to scold their child for fighting, and Severus certainly didn't want Harry thinking it was acceptable, but Harry had apologised so was it still necessary?

In the end he settled for saying, "It was very… mature of you to apologise for hitting Draco."

Harry looked up, cautiously pleased. "It was?"

Severus looked away from him, uncomfortable with the boy's intense look. "Yes. Fighting like that is completely unacceptable, you realise."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, I know. I was just really angry when he said that. Mrs Weasley said that's the worst word in the world. She made Parvati sit in the naughty corner for a whole afternoon when she said it at school, and called her parents, and Padma told me Parvati wasn't allowed afters for a whole week after that."

Severus noted the horror with which Harry said this. He was wondering what suitable punishments were – excepting the occasional swot to the backside, he wasn't going to follow his father's abusive footsteps – so hearing this was useful.

They left the manor grounds, but rather than Apparate directly away, Severus walked down the lane a ways, taking the chance to tell Harry that there were visiting the Ministry next and making sure he knew how to behave. Harry pulled a face at hearing where they were going, but promised to be good and only asked how long they would be there.

"I'm not sure," Severus admitted. He hesitated, glanced briefly at Harry, then said, "I intend to legally claim you as my son."

"Oh," Harry said.

"Are you… okay with that?" He was surprised to find himself genuinely interested in Harry's answer. Harry was his blood and Severus would claim him regardless, if only to ensure James Potter could never take him again, but he wanted Harry to like him. Severus had hated his own father and had a miserable childhood; he didn't want Harry's to be like that.

Harry shrugged, then said, "Yeah, I guess. You are my dad so I guess you should." He frowned then. "What does it mean, exactly?"

"You'll be on official records as my son, instead of Potter's."

"Oh, okay. So will my name be Snape now?"

"Yes."

"Okay." A pause. "Harry James Snape. I guess that sounds okay."

Severus stopped short. "Harry James?"

Harry nodded.

"We're changing that," Severus said bluntly. He didn't care what Harry thought about this; his son was not bearing that name, at all.

Harry frowned. "But…" He trailed off, thought about it, then said, "What would be my new middle name?"

Severus blinked. Did he use his? No. Harry Severus Snape wasn't a good name. He certainly wasn't using Tobias, nor were there any names on his mother's side that he'd want to use. Lily's father had been Henry – no doubt the inspiration for Harry's forename – and Severus didn't know any other male names from her side.

He had a sudden idea. "Evan. Harry Evan Snape. From your mother's maiden name."

Harry's shoulders straightened at that. "Okay, yeah, I like that."

"Good. Now give me your hand, it's time to go."

The Ministry visit was longer than Severus hoped it would be, but shorter than it might have been. As expected, they did a paternity test to ensure Severus and Harry were related, but still insisted on calling Potter to ask if he was willing to relinquish all custody of Harry. They also did an interview with Harry, which Severus wasn't allowed to sit in on, and took details on Severus' life – his work, living arrangements, what his plans were for Harry's education and such.

They also asked if he wanted to assign a new godparent. Tempting as it was to dismiss Mary Fawcett as godmother, he knew Harry should have something unchanging right now, and Severus realised he wanted that extra input on parenting. The Malfoys might be his friends, but he didn't want Harry growing up as the spoilt brat that Draco was quickly becoming. did, however, add Regulus as a godfather. If something happened to Severus, he needed someone with means to take Harry, which Mary clearly didn't have. Regulus was also a pureblood, but not so fanatical as the Malfoys, despite his heritage.

They'd never discussed it precisely, but Severus had the impression Regulus had been as doubtful of the Dark Lord's plans as Severus had been, and just as grateful for his death. The Dark Lord had given them both the chance to prove themselves – Severus as something more than a greasy, nerdy half-blood; Regulus as more than a second son and brother of a blood traitor – but his methods and plans became too much for both of them. His death was a timely intervention.

It was also, to this day, up to debate. Voldemort and a small group of Death Eaters had walked into Hogsmeade, set fire to some awful little tea shop, which then blew up and supposedly killed all of them. Most people liked to believe Voldemort had died that day, and certainly he hadn't been seen since, but they also still refused to speak his name.

Personally, Severus hoped he was dead for good, but he knew as well as any other Death Eater that Voldemort had done a lot of dark magic in his desire for immortality. If the Dark Lord ever did come back, Severus wouldn't be caught unawares. He had contingencies in place.

He'd have to alter those contingencies now, he realised; none of his plans accounted having a child with him.

Once Family and Child Services was finally done with them, Severus stood outside the elevator, staring at the reissued birth certificate now proclaiming Harry Evan Snape instead of Harry James Potter. Regulus waited beside him and Harry leant against the wall, grumpily jabbing the lift call button.

"This certainly explains some things."

Severus lifted his gaze from the certificate and frowned at Regulus. "What do you mean?"

"The way Sirius talked about him," Regulus said in a lowered voice with a nod of his chin towards Harry. "He never talks about Harry with the same fondness he does Calla."

Severus folded the birth certificate to keep himself from scrunching it in a fist. "That man knew about my son before I did?"

Regulus shrugged slightly. "It wouldn't surprise me. Potter tells him everything."

"Fucking Potter."

Though Severus was almost as angry at Lily. If she'd told him about Harry to begin with, Severus could have taken him in the day she died. Or perhaps sooner; he wouldn't have wanted Potter raising his son even with Lily in the picture. Lily might even have left Potter to be with him.

Although, that wasn't necessarily good; the time of Harry's conception had been an emotion-fuelled one-night stand. While nineteen-year-old Severus would have been overjoyed to have Lily be with him, at twenty-seven he knew they would have made a bad pair. Lily never would have stood by him while he dealt illegal potions, and maybe she never would have truly forgiven that Mudblood sling from their youth, or Severus joining the Death Eaters.

Or perhaps she would. He could never know, and there was no use dwelling on it.

Regulus accompanied them to the Apparition room in the foyer, and made hints at joining them for dinner, but Severus had had enough of people for one day. He said a terse goodbye and took Harry back to Cokeworth.

On the walk from the river to Spinner's End, Harry, who hadn't spoken much since the Ministry meeting, suddenly asked, "Can I have an ice cream?"

Severus frowned, looking down at him. "What for?"

"Because I was good at the Ministry," Harry explained, and added, at Severus' incredulous look, "James got us a treat when we were good at boring places."

Severus scowled. "I'm not Potter, and you shouldn't behave well just to get a reward. You should behave well because it's the proper thing to do."

Harry scowled too, then, and Severus was suddenly struck by the similarities in them. He didn't make a habit of watching himself in the mirror, nor getting his photo taken, but he'd seen enough to recognise his own scowl on Harry's face. It was tempered by his childish features, but once the boy grew up it could probably be as fearsome as Severus' own.

Was that a good thing? He knew he didn't want Harry to have the miserable childhood he'd had, but did he want Harry to grow up like him? He had no problems being unsociable and curt with everyone he met, but was that what he wanted for Harry as a man?

No, he realised. He didn't want Harry becoming like Potter – a nasty bully hiding behind a charming façade – or ending up a wimpy coward like Pettigrew, but he didn't want the boy to grow up a bitter loner like him.

He wanted Harry to grow up like Lily. Kind and friendly, but not taken for a fool; brave and determined, but not impulsive; clever and driven, but able to relax and have fun.

Fear struck him. Could he raise a child to be like that? Could he even raise a child to be happy, well-adjusted, normal? He was a potion dealing introvert living in a town even the Muggle government saw no worth in improving – hardly the model parent.

When the Ministry lackey had asked what Severus planned for Harry's education, he'd said he'd leave Harry at the Lily Primary School simply to avoid further questions, but perhaps it was the best thing to do. He didn't want to leave his home or give up his work, as would be necessary if he was to hire a home tutor; the school would give Harry the input of other adults and time with other kids.

Not that he was overly keen on the influence of whatever dunderheads taught at the school, but opposing opinions were good, right? Harry couldn't learn to form his own ideas if all he heard was Severus' view; the incident with Draco proved that. Severus wanted Harry to be more than a parrot for his own thoughts.

What he wanted, he realised, was for Harry to grow up free thinking enough that he wouldn't join an organisation like the Death Eaters before realising it wasn't the best way to forward his ambitions.

Harry yawned and afterwards his scowl was more of a grumpy pout. Without thinking too much as to why, Severus decided suddenly, "You can have a small treat. But not ice cream."

He had been better behaved than Severus expected, after all, and the occasional reward wouldn't hurt.

Harry looked up in surprise, then grinned. "Thanks… Dad."

Severus very nearly responded automatically that he wasn't the boy's father. Hearing that directed at him was going to take some getting used to.