Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and settings belong to J.K. Rowling.
"You dunderhead! You could have killed a student!" Snape roared at the cowering student sitting in front of his desk. "Have you completely lost your mind? Did you think you were being clever? If Harry's shield hadn't have held up, you would be in Azkaban for murder!"
Blaise sunk lower in his chair. He had tried to look indifferent to his Head of House but couldn't help feeling fear at the anger radiating off of him.
"Of course, the way you are going you will likely end up in Azkaban eventually," Snape snarled, resisting the urge to throttle the little brat.
"You only care because it's precious Potter," Blaise snapped. He leaned back in his seat as Snape leaned down to stare right into his face.
"Do I care because he is my son? Of course. However, I assure you that you would be in just as much trouble if you had pulled that stunt on a Hufflepuff!" Snape yelled. "You are a disgrace to Slytherin Zabini; I'm ashamed to have you in my House. I will be letting your parents know of your shame," He stood up. "They may approve you learning dangerous spells but I doubt they will be impressed with the careless way you used them in front of your professors' and fellow students. Losing points for your House, which you deserved to lose, will also not impress them." He paced back and forth. "Not that it matters if they care or not, you have to deal with me. You were given detention with Filch which I will be extending to two weeks. You are also restricted to your dorm for those two weeks. Except for classes and meals you will not be allowed to wander the castle."
"That's not fair!" Blaise protested.
"I think it is quite fair," Snape retorted. "If you pull another stunt like this, I'll be taking your wand from you and letting you only have it back for classes. Am I clear Mr. Zabini?"
"Yes sir," Blaise said in a sullen voice.
"Good, now get out of my office," Snape snapped.
HP
"Legilimens!"
Hagrid was telling him he was a wizard, he was seeing Voldemort's face on the back of Quirrell's head, Dudley was laughing as he punched him, he was being thrown into his cupboard, Umbridge was telling him she hoped the lesson sunk in…
Harry gasped, realizing he had fallen to his knees. "Sorry…I couldn't do it," He said after he caught his breath.
"It's okay, that is why we are practicing," Snape said, holding out a hand to help him up.
Harry closed his eyes for a moment to try and clear his mind. "I'm ready," He said, opening his eyes.
Snape hesitated for second before pointing his wand and casting again.
He was running from the Basilisk, he was asking Daphne to go steady, he was hearing his mum scream, he was writing words into his skin…
Snape felt himself being pushed out, though not as forcefully as he would have liked. Still, it was something. He watched Harry as he tried to compose himself and summoned a glass of water to hand to him.
"Thanks," Harry muttered as he took a sip.
"Harry," Snape stepped forward. "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
Snape looked conflicted with what he was trying to say. "For you having to hear your mother like that," He said quietly. "For Umbridge hurting you."
"Dad, I'm okay," Harry sighed. "I just wish I could get the hang of this."
"You did manage to push me out," Snape pointed out.
"Not soon enough," Harry said in clear frustration.
"Getting irritated will only derail any progress," Snape told him. "When do you feel most relaxed? When do you feel like nothing can bother you?"
Harry thought for moment. "Flying has always made me feel that way," he said thoughtfully. "Spending time with Daphne does too…" He trailed off and flushed.
"Ah," Snape said in amusement. "Yes, it was quite sweet to see you ask her to go steady."
"Don't make fun of me," Harry pleaded.
"I'm not," Snape hid a grin. "Although perhaps we should have a talk as you are now dating."
Harry's eyes grew wide. "Uh, no thanks." He said quickly.
Snape raised an eyebrow.
"Really, there is no need for…that," Harry insisted. "We're dating and I really care for her but I'm not…she's not…we're not near ready for anything more that would require a serious talk."
Snape was silent for a moment and then nodded. "Very well. We'll put it on hold, for now."
Harry sighed in relief.
"It's interesting that I can still torment you and enjoy it," Snape smirked.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Should we try again?"
"Yes. Try to think of how you feel when you are flying. Free, relaxed, nothing can hurt you or bother you."
Harry focused, thinking of a clear blue sky sprinkled with tiny clouds as he soared in the air. He didn't have to worry or think about anything…wait, he felt something…a presence invading his safe place. He felt himself begin to panic images of his childhood started to emerge. "No!" He pushed the presence away.
Snape lowered his wand. "Good job," He commented.
Harry looked at him in surprise. "I didn't do it though. Not right away."
"Harry, this is a very difficult form of mind magic that you are learning," Snape explained. "It will take time for you to be able to occlude fully without even trying. You did manage to do it; you pushed me out before I saw much of anything. Our aim is for you to be able to occlude like that without even thinking about it. You especially want to do that before you sleep."
Harry nodded.
"Let's try again," Snape said, raising his wand.
HP
After his lesson, Harry realized he hadn't been spending too much time in the Gryffindor Tower lately so he made his way there to get some studying done.
"Harry!" Hermione said happily when she saw her friend walk through the portrait.
"Thought you had forgotten you were part lion," Ron teased as Harry settled next to them by the fireplace.
Harry rolled his eyes. "I have not." He frowned. "You don't really think that do you?" He asked anxiously.
"Ignore Ron, he's just teasing you," Hermione said as she looked through her potions book. "Have you started the reading about Confusing and Befuddlement Draughts yet? We have to be prepared to make them our next class although it shouldn't be too hard, we brewed the Confusing Draught third year already."
"Yeah, the reading kept putting me to sleep," Harry said with a grin.
"The reading had me completely befuddled," Ron quipped.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Why do I have a feeling you most likely study better in the Slytherin common room?" She asked Harry.
"You just wish you could be there, now that you are with Draco," Ron scoffed.
Hermione's cheeks turned a little pink while she kept her eyes on her book.
A book dropped on the floor near them and they looked over to see Seamus and Dean staring at them. "You've got to be bloody joking!" Seamus said loudly. "You're actually dating Malfoy? After all the times he called you mudblood?"
"You don't know anything Finnigan," Hermione snapped. "You don't know Draco."
Seamus shook his head in disbelief. "I really thought you two would come around," He said, gaining more attention of everyone in the room. "I thought you would eventually see that Potter isn't worth being friends with anymore, that you were just humoring him by hanging out with those snakes."
"Seamus, just stop," Dean said, looking weary from his friend's continuous bad attitude.
"No, this is just too much," Seamus stood up.
Harry and Ron stood up as well, standing protectively by Hermione.
"He hates half-bloods and muggleborns," Seamus threw his hands up. "If he's dating you, it's for some sort of prank. Malfoy and his entire family is evil, they are death eaters for Merlin's sake!"
"They are not!" Hermione hissed as she stood and stepped threatening towards Seamus. "You are making judgments about people that you have not bothered to get to know."
Cormac McLaggen sauntered over. "Finnegan's right. He's being a good Gryffindor by trying to warn you," He said. "It's bad enough we have this disgrace in our House," He sneered at Harry. "Him and his git of a dad," A slow cruel smile spread across his face. "Your real dad would be so disgusted with you. It's a good thing he's dead, I suppose."
"No Harry!" Hermione and Ron grabbed their friend as he started towards McLaggen.
"Keep your mouth shut," Harry said dangerously.
"Or what?" Cormac mocked.
"Or I'll recommend to Professor McGonagall that you serve detention with Professor Snape," Hermione smiled sweetly. She glared at Seamus. "And you with Filch."
"Yeah, I hear Zabini needs some help cleaning toilets," Ron taunted.
Dean turned to Seamus. "You need to stop. You know Harry, he's a good person."
"Oh please, you don't like him either," Seamus rolled his eyes. "You know Ginny would drop you for him in an instant if he broke up with Greengrass."
There was a small gasp and all eyes turned to Ginny, who had just come down the stairs from her dormitory. Her face turned almost as fiery red as her hair. She seemed embarrassed to look at either Dean or Harry.
Dean shoved Seamus and then fumbled for his wand, pointing it straight at Seamus. "You go too far. You're out of control because you keep hanging around that git." He nodded toward Cormac. "Until you come around to your senses, we shouldn't be friends." He lowered his wand and walked to Ginny, speaking quietly to her.
"I need to get out of here before I do something I'll lose my prefect badge for," Hermione seethed, turning on her heel and walking out of the portrait.
Harry and Ron followed. "Hermione, are you okay?" Harry asked, putting aside his own anger for the moment.
"Yeah," Hermione breathed. "It's just…what a git!"
Harry gave a dark chuckle. "Yeah, he's getting worse."
"I should have hexed him for what he said about Ginny," Ron said angrily.
"No, then you would have gotten in trouble with McGonagall. Besides, Dean appeared to be handling it well," Hermione said.
Harry held onto the banister tightly and glared at the moving staircases. Why couldn't Seamus and Cormac just let it go? They had gotten along with him before, how could being a part of Slytherin change everything? They should be able to see that he's the same Harry he's always been. And it wasn't just them; he knew others felt the same.
"Harry?"
Harry looked up to see his friends looking at him in concern. "I'm fine, just frustrated. I don't get why they won't get over it. It's been over a year since I got adopted by Snape and became part of Slytherin House. And they're not just attacking me, their attacking my friends," He gave Hermione an apologetic look.
"Don't worry about me, I don't care what Finnegan or McLaggen think," Hermione assured him. She smiled slowly. "I suppose it will be a surprise to most people that Draco and I are together."
"Can say that again," Ron snickered.
Harry studied his friend and was pleased to see that Ron really did seem over the problem he had with Hermione and Draco. At least that was one thing he didn't have to worry about. He ran his hand through his hair. "This is my fault."
"Don't say that Harry," Hermione admonished.
"It's true though. The reason you are getting signaled out is because you are friends with me," Harry insisted.
"You're not responsible for their behavior mate," Ron said in uncharacteristic seriousness. "The problem they have with you is their problem."
"Still," Harry sighed.
"Let's just go back inside and ignore those idiots," Ron suggested. "We can play a game of chess."
Hermione made a face.
"Loser has to play Hermione," Ron grinned.
"Hey!" Hermione protested as Harry began laughing. "I'm not that bad."
"Yes you are," Ron snorted. "Even Harry is better than you."
"Hey!" Now it was Harry's turn to be insulted.
"We could always play each other and ignore Ron," Hermione suggested to Harry as the portrait opened to let them back in.
"Aww, come on! I was just kidding!" Ron whined as he hurried after his friends.
HP
Harry was surprised at breakfast when an owl he had never seen before dropped an orange envelope onto his plate before heading to the Head Table. Curiously, Harry opened it and took a sharp intake of breath as he read the short note.
Enjoy losing yet another father, Potter.
"Who's it from?" Hermione asked as she buttered her toast. She looked at him in concern. "Harry?"
Harry didn't respond to her, instead he stood up and looked over to where his dad was sitting, taking a piece of parchment out of an identical orange envelope as the same owl that delivered his flew away. "No!" Harry shouted, running to the table while everyone in the room looked on in shock.
Snape had been talking to Minerva while he opened his mail and was taken by surprise as a puff of dark green dust flew into his face. He sat in surprise for a second before sliding off of his chair, unconscious.
"No!" Harry gasped as he made his way to his dad. Dumbledore and McGonagall were already crouched down beside him. Harry knelt down and held his dad's arm. "Dad?" He gently shook his arm but Snape didn't wake up.
"Poppy," Dumbledore said in alarm, putting a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder.
"Please be okay," Harry whispered to Snape as he blinked back tears. He couldn't believe this. Because someone wanted to hurt him, Snape was the one hurt. It should be him that was unconscious on the floor, not his dad.
Poppy hurried over and began casting a diagnostic. "Gather some of that dust so I can examine it later," She said briskly, indicating the dust on the floor. She waved her wand and levitated Snape. "I'm taking him to the infirmary. So far, there is nothing wrong with him that I can see. Physically, at least."
Harry followed along with Dumbledore and McGonagall, his heart pounding. He couldn't lose Snape; he just couldn't lose another parent. Please, please let him be okay…
HP
Once in the infirmary Poppy settled Snape on a bed and began running more diagnostics, frowning as she did. "He is fine, I do not know why he isn't awake," She said in frustration. She held her hand out for the vial of powder that Dumbledore had gathered. "I need to run some diagnostics on that Headmaster."
"Of course," Dumbledore handed it over and pulled a chair over to the side of Snape's bed. He gestured for Harry to take a seat.
"Professor," Harry shakily handed him the note he had received.
"Ah, this is how you knew something was wrong," Dumbledore murmured as he read the note. "A deliberate attack on both of you," he murmured to himself. "We need to notify the Aurors."
"He's waking up," Minerva said in relief.
Harry eagerly watched as his dad opened his eyes and he took his hand. "Are you okay?" He asked anxiously.
Snape blinked a few times and then his gaze fell on Harry's hand covering his. He pulled his own hand away roughly and scowled. "What do you think you are doing Potter?" He snapped.
Harry sat back in surprise. He hadn't heard that tone from Snape in a very long time.
"Severus, how are you feeling?" Dumbledore asked in concern.
"I feel fine. Why am I here?" Snape asked, looking at Harry suspiciously. "Did Potter and his little friends do something?" He asked suspiciously.
Harry felt a strong sense of unease settle in the pit of his stomach. Why was his dad talking like this?
"Severus," Dumbledore said slowly. "You opened a letter and something burst out at you, like dust. You passed out and we brought here."
Snape frowned. "I received mail during the welcoming feast?" He asked, clearly confused.
"You believe it is September?" Dumbledore asked in surprise.
Snape froze. "I take it that it is not?" He asked after a moment.
"It is nearing the end of October," Dumbledore said slowly.
"So I am missing my memory of about two months?" Snape asked, perplexed. His gaze fell on Harry who was staring at him with wide eyes. He scowled. "May I ask why Potter is here?" He asked in an irritated voice.
"I was worried about you," Harry said softly.
Snape snorted. "Unlikely. My guess is that you are behind this somehow." He accused.
"No Severus, he is not," Dumbledore frowned. He glanced at Harry before focusing back on Snape. "What year do you believe it is?"
Snape sat more upright. "1993," He answered, his eyes darting from Dumbledore to Minerva. "What year is it?" He asked finally.
"1995," Harry whispered. Merlin, Snape was missing more than two years. Which meant… "He doesn't remember," Harry stood up, feeling panicked. Snape wouldn't remember adopting him, wouldn't even remember liking him!
TBC: