Author's Note: I just wanted to apologise for the long wait, I really found this difficult to write. That also means it may not be as long as I wanted - or you wanted - but I figured it was better to release something short, rather than having a long upload time (with too much story in one go).

The First Year (Part Three):

- Ten -

"Harry?", Severus took Harry aside. They had been at Malfoy Manor all evening and this was the first chance Severus had found to talk to Harry alone.

"Yes, Severus?", replied Harry. He had initially felt unsure of how to refer to Severus Snape but, with his permission, Harry had found himself naturally wanting to be less formal with the professor who had taken him in. His only restriction was that formality was wanted - by Severus - when there were other students around.

"Professor Dumbledore asked me to give this to you", he said with no emotion as he handed over the gift, "I did not want to give it to you in front of the Malfoy's, as I have my suspicions about what Dumbledore has gifted to you".

Harry tore open the gift and found a cloak, made from a fluid-like silky, silvery material, "I'm sorry, Severus, but Dumbledore's cloak is far too large for me".

Severus felt the urge to laugh at the boy almost too irresistible. Instead, he managed to merely smile, 'I knew Dumbledore would pull a stunt like this', considered Severus knowingly.

"It was your father's", Snape said dryly. Harry thought Snape looked bitter but a moment later the expression was gone, so Harry didn't dwell on it.

"Oh, ok... It's still rather ugly though, isn't it?", said Harry aridly.

Snape smirked at this and shook his head, "Try it on, Potter".

"Oh, am I Potter now?", simpered Harry. He really found Severus amusing, occasionally, 'when he wasn't being a cold bastard', he silently giggled at that and threw the cape gracefully over himself.

"Oh no, I've lost Potter. What a shame (!)", leered Severus in a sarcastically childish manner.

"I didn't realise it would make me invisible!", laughed Harry as his head poked out of the overly large cloak.

"I realised", said Severus dully as he found himself remembering all of the times that very cloak had been used against him as a child.

Harry found himself unable to think of an appropriate reply.

"Well, Merry Christmas, Severus", Harry stated, then timidly added a quiet, "I think of you as a parent; I lo... appreciate you".

Harry moved forwards, looked straight into Severus' eyes, then unexpectedly hugged him. Though the awkwardness of it escaped neither of them, neither had the heart to admit so.

Severus put his arm around Harry and sighed. He never imagined he'd end up loving James' son, but he did. 'Perhaps it was just because he was Lily's', thought Severus, but he knew he was lying to himself.

"I love you too", He said, before hastily adding "sometimes" and moving out of the boy's embrace.

Harry narrowed his eyes, "not 'always'?".

The sneaky bugger was smirking. 'Shit. How does he know about that?", panicked Severus internally. He glared at Harry, as if he were Neville. Then, just as Harry looked worried, he smiled and dramatically rolled his eyes, "always".

"And, Harry, you best be more careful about snooping on people", Severus said, mostly with concern "I do know what you did there, though I was shamefully underprepared. You don't want me to catch you up there again. Or else you will suffer the consequences".

Harry nodded and looked at his shoes. He didn't know that anyone would be able to tell, but he knew that - if anyone were to notice - it would be Severus who would.

"Don't worry, I am sure we can put you to use", Severus considered the consequences of what he wanted to say before deciding it was for the best. "I'm going to teach you some... tricks. They will serve you well".

- Eleven -

"Sherbet Lemons", said Harry, revealing the password to the two Gargoyles, who parted ways for him once he had said it.

"Hello, Harry. How nice of you to be here", stated Dumbledore calmly.

"Yes. Very nice of me", said Harry with a slightly petulant sourness to his voice. He sat down, without any invitation, and glared at the headmaster.

"I imagine you know why you are here", continued Dumbledore. He paid no mind to Harry's childish behaviour, he was a child after all.

"Well, I imagine I do not", sarcastically quipped Harry. He crossed his arms over his chest defensively and avoided all eye contact - just as Severus had advised him to. "Why don't you tell me?".

Dumbledore chuckled, which irritated Harry, though he said nothing. He then swiftly returned to his kind but serious demeanour, "Why aren't you using any magic?".

"Can't", said Harry simply, "Maybe I'm useless?".

"I sincerely doubt that", Dumbledore muttered. "I think you are more useful than you are willing to let on".

"I feel scared, sir", Harry whispered, putting on the facade he had planned all along. He allowed a single tear to run down his face as he looked to the floor.

"Why, my dear boy? You have nothing to be afraid of", Dumbledore sympathetically inquired.

'He's going to eat this up', Harry reasoned. "My aunt, and my uncle, and my cousin...", Harry whimpered, "I... I'm so sorry, sir. I c...can't".

"Please, don't cry. Take your time, Harry" Dumbledore calmly insisted.

"Every time I used m... magic, they b... b... beat me and they, they s... starved me!", Harry allowed himself to stutter and sniffle freely, "I don't want t... to think about it".

"Oh... Harry, please do not worry. It is ok if you take things slowly. I am sure you will become brave soon", said Dumbledore comfortingly, though he completely avoided the implications of what Harry had said.

"I wish to leave, Sir", said Harry, still crying slightly.

"Of course, Harry, goodbye", spoke Dumbledore quietly as Harry walked away.

Author's Note: The final part of first year will mostly be focused on Quirrelmort. I'm looking forward to it but I've been finding it difficult to write.

Thank you for reading, I really appreciate all the support and interest you guys have shown; it still blows my mind how many people have read this.