Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related characters and ideas are the whole intellectual property of Ms. J.K. Rowling and are hers alone to sell. I do not receive, nor would I accept any compensation for any of the owned intellectual property of Ms. Rowling (nor that which she has licensed to WB etc.). What follows is just a wacky little ditty I wanted to get out of my brain. It only got there because I so love that which Ms. Rowling created. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter 19 Father and Son

'I hate you!' Harry screamed, throwing open the door to the apartment he'd grown up in in the Hogwart's teacher's wing. 'I hate you forever!' He didn't even acknowledge the four teachers sitting in the common room as he stormed past and down the stairs. Three sets of eyes had followed him out, wincing as the common room door slammed hard. Only the headmaster was looking in the other direction, only he saw the dejected figure that was Severus Snape as he very quietly and slowly closed his apartment door.

With a sigh, Albus stood and went to knock on Severus' door. 'Please go away Albus…' He heard Severus say quietly from just inside the door – he obviously hadn't retreated when he'd closed it. Albus merely knocked again in reply. With a sigh, Severus unlatched the door and turned to walk into his sitting room.

'Do you want to talk about it?' Albus asked after they'd settled themselves in the two chairs in front of Severus' fire.

'If I said no, would you let it go?' He sighed, seeing the look on the headmaster's face. 'Didn't think so.  He wanted to tell his friends about the parseltongue. I forbade it, we argued… you saw how it ended.'

'But he knows that that is impossible,' Albus frowned. 'He's known that since the beginning… What brought this on now?'

Severus sighed, rubbing his hands wearily over his face. 'During his detention just now, he heard a voice that Lockhart couldn't hear. He said it felt like when he's hearing snake-speech.' He leaned further into his chair, his eyes closed as he took deep breath before going on. 'I suggested that he couldn't be certain it was a snake, especially as he couldn't see one nearby… He suggested that I'm stupider than I look…' Severus sighed again, looking sadly into the fireplace for a moment before continuing.

'Voices were raised, things were said… He trusts his friends and wants to talk to them about it…' Standing up, Severus leaned forward, his arms supporting his weight against the mantle. 'In the end,' he ground out, his face obscured deliberately behind his hair. 'I told him that if I even suspect that he's told them, I'd wallop him bare arsed in the middle of the common room, in front of every one of his teachers… Apparently,' he added quietly after a moment. 'All the students are right about me and I really am an evil-greasy-git… and he hates me… and…'

'Severus,' Albus interrupted him, standing to lay a hand on his friend's shoulder. 'You know he didn't mean that – neither did you mean what you said for that matter…' Severus snorted, though he didn't contradict the headmaster.

'He's getting older,' Albus went on. 'These kinds of arguments are going to happen more and more – you know that. It's a natural part of adolescence to challenge ones parents – or parent, as the case may be. Also,' he chuckled slightly. 'It is normal for a boy his age to completely lose his temper and fly off the handle… Now,' he clapped Severus on the back. 'There are two things I want you to think about before you stew on this too much.' Albus waited until Severus looked up warily.

'One, he didn't lose control – well, not magically anyway – I see nothing broken in here…' He smiled as Severus absorbed this encouraging thought. 'And two, he came to ask you first. He didn't just go off and tell them. He knew what the answer would be… but he didn't just disobey… and I don't believe he will now – and I don't believe that he'll keep his word to keep this secret  because he actually believes you'd wallop him in the common room…' Albus' eyes were twinkling as he bid Severus good-night, and quietly left the apartment.

*********************

Harry was so angry that he took a detour to the kitchens to complain to the house-elves and eat all the sweets they'd give him (he planned to save the chocolates that had appeared in his pockets after he'd stormed out of the teacher's common room for later). Harry liked the house-elves at Hogwarts, they always cheered him up and they never yelled at him. Also, they never told on him, no matter what he said or did around them. Though really he wasn't their master – that was Dumbledore by virtue of his position as headmaster, the little workers had taken it upon themselves to adopt Harry as their own as well and guarded his secrets as they would Dumbledore's.

So it was, that by the time Harry arrived back in Gryffindor tower (having arrived by way of a hidden passage that insured that he would not be spotted by Filch) Ron had already returned and was sitting on his bed in his pyjamas pouting as he massaged his aching arm.

'Hey Harry,' he groaned. 'I can't believe that you're just getting back. I thought sure you'd be back before me – Filch kept making me polish things over again until he could see is great ugly face in them… What's wrong mate? Lockhart's detention that bad?' Ron asked with a frown, noticing Harry's mood as he too changed into his pyjamas.

'Nothing Ron,' Harry sighed. 'I got out of Lockhart's office a while ago – I had a row with Dad…'

'What? About your detention? Is he still mad about Malfoy?'

'Nah,' Harry fell into bed, unable to look at Ron as he prepared to lie. 'It was about something else – can we just forget it?'

'Sure mate,' Ron agreed at once, though his face held a look of concern. 'Hey are you free tomorrow? Or is he making you do something else?'

'I've got homework to do tomorrow, but other than that…'

'Good,' Ron padded over to the side of Harry's bed to whisper conspiratorially. 'Do you know a way to the Quidditch pitch without getting spotted?'

'Are you kidding me?' Harry demanded with a smirk. 'I've spent half my life sneaking out to that pitch. I know about five ways to get there without getting caught. What did you have in mind?'

'Slytherin team's practicing tomorrow… I only want to spy on them!' he added quickly when Harry started to frown. 'You know, see if those new brooms are really all they say they are…'

'You're on!' Harry smiled wickedly, as he pushed the idea that his motivation for wanting to spy on the Slytherins mightn't be motivated by more than just curiosity, or team competitiveness after his argument with his father earlier that evening.

*************

It was the worst potions class any of them had ever sat through. Even the Slytherins were losing points! The tension in the room was palpable, leaving everyone nervous and resulting in not a few students' shaky fingers tipping too much of certain ingredients into their potions. The results were universally poor. Only Harry, Hermione and Malfoy had gotten the potion correct in the end, and none of them had done it easily. So it was a relief when Professor Snape issued the order to clean up after assigning a rather lengthy essay about the Forgetfulness Potion they'd failed to brew during class. However, for Harry at least the relief was short lived.

'Harry,' Severus instructed softly before releasing the rest of the class. 'Stay behind.' Harry nodded morosely and told his friends to go ahead without him, he'd meet them as soon as he could in the Great Hall for lunch.

Severus watched as the last students filed from his classroom, making sure that the door was closed before approaching the slouching form that was his son. Harry'd sat further back than he usually did this class, so Severus took the seat in front of him, leaning on the desk.

'About the other night…' he began.

'Didn't mean it,' Harry interrupted in a small voice.

'I know… Me neither.' Severus felt as if he'd been holding his breath since Saturday night, only to breathe again at those words.

'I know…' Harry seemed to be making a very serious study of the various stains on the desk in front of him.

'Well, I did mean the part about not telling them about it. But the rest…' Severus sighed, placing his hands on the desk, in Harry's field of vision. 'Harry, look at me… It's too important. It's not about whether you trust them or not, it's not about if they'll keep the secret or not… What if someone else overheard? What if they talk in their sleep? What if…' Severus stopped and took a deep breath. There were many other 'what-if's' that made it a danger to tell anyone any of Harry's secrets that he had no desire to burden Harry with at this time. Bad enough he knew intimately what could happen…

'I know,' Harry sighed, looking away. 'It's just… I hate all the secrets, you know? I hate being different from everyone else…' He took a deep breath, unclenching fists he hadn't even noticed he'd made when Severus gently covered them with his own hands. 'It sucks…'

'I know Harry,' Severus soothed. 'I know. You can come to me any time you need to. You know that right? Any time you need to talk…'

'Yeah…'

'It's not the same, I know…' Severus correctly interpreted the note of doubt in Harry's voice. 'You want a friend to be able to talk to about it…'

Harry nodded, then blushed scarlet. 'It's not… I mean… you're…'

'It's alright, Harry,' Severus chuckled. 'I understand. I'm your father. Sometimes any boy needs a trusted friend other than his father to confide in. And most boys don't have as much to deal with, or confide as you do… How about Albus?' Harry's hesitation was answer enough. 'Right,' Severus smiled sagely. 'I see what you mean. Tell you what,' Severus squeezed Harry's hands. 'I have an idea, but I need to check a few things first. Can you hold out for a few more days?' Harry merely shrugged in answer, but Severus recognized the slight relaxation of his tense shoulders as he pulled Harry to his feet. 'Good,' he squeezed him into a one armed hug. 'You'd better head to lunch before your friends start to worry I've been torturing you.'

***************

By the beginning of October, things were as back to normal as was normal for Harry. Severus' solution was to arrange for regular Floo-calls from Remus. At first he'd been reluctant to let even Remus in on even this one of Harry's secrets. Though he no longer doubted his intentions, Severus couldn't forget the fact that Remus was a dark creature, if only one night a month… Still, seeing how much more relaxed Harry was after each Floo session, Severus knew he'd done the right thing. He didn't know exactly what they discussed. Severus had taught Harry a rather strong privacy charm, and had insisted that Remus similarly protect his end of the conversations, so Severus only knew what Harry was willing to share with him after the conversations were over. Unfortunately, sometimes all Harry would say was that they were talking about 'you know – stuff'.

A rather nasty flu bug made its' way through the castle mid-month, hitting Harry with full force. Severus had made him stay in his old room for a night as his own brew of Pepperup potion cleared him up.

'But I don't want to take Pepperup potion…' Harry'd whined. 'It tastes horrible! Why can't I just go to sleep and let the flu bug go away on it's own like the Muggles do?'

'Because I said so,' Severus had answered him, suppressing a smile. 'Now quit complaining and take your medicine and go to bed.' The smoke hadn't even stopped coming from his ears from the potion before he was fast asleep…

Now, as he trudged in from another rainy, exhausting Quidditch training session, he was glad his father had insisted he take the Pepperup potion and rest. He couldn't imagine how much worse he'd feel if he were also still fighting the flu. Still, he wished that his father hadn't shown up at the beginning of practice to make him take another dose. The twins were still teasing him about it.

'Shut up you two,' he growled finally as they trudged through the corridor. 'If you don't stifle it, I'll tell Ron why you were doing a detention in the dungeon instead of attending the Hallowe'en feast in your second year.'

Both twins froze, mouths agape for a moment before Fred finally smiled and nudged his brother. 'So, what do we care if you tell Ron. We can't get in trouble about that again…'

'They didn't write home and tell your Mum about that,' Harry smirked. 'Did they?'

'Uh… Er…' the twins stammered, glancing at each other nervously. 'That is…'

'How fast do you reckon Ruby could get to the Burrow with a letter?'

'Right,' said George quickly, deciding to change the subject. 'As I was saying, good practice Harry, Malfoy doesn't have a chance against you – I don't care what broom he's on…'

All three halted as the came around a corner and spotted the Gryffindor ghost, Sir Nicholas pacing in the middle of the hall (or as close as a ghost can come to pacing – he sort of just floated back and forth, wringing his hands and mumbling).

'Hi Sir Nick.' All three of them regarded the obviously agitated ghost warily. 'What's up?'

'What?' the ghost started, spotting the boys. 'Oh, hello Harry, boys – it's nothing, really, just…' He bristled as he drew a letter out of his pocket. 'They've rejected me for the headless hunt… stupid really. It's not like I really wanted to join, just thought I'd… I mean, you'd think that being hit in the neck forty-five times with a blunt axe would qualify…'

'Er…' Harry looked to the twins and shrugged seeing they were just as baffled as he was as to what the ghost was talking about.

'I mean, it's not like I don't wish it had been clean and easy – one quick thwack and off with my head. It would have hurt a lot less at any rate…'

'Oh, I'm sure!' Harry nodded earnestly.

'But apparently, I don't qualify! Apparently, as my head…' he shook open the letter to quote 'hasn't parted company with my body, I do not fulfil their requirements! Half an inch, Harry!' Nick fumed and Harry nodded seriously, having heard all of Nick's complaints many times before. 'If that! Most people would consider that good and beheaded – but noooo, apparently, it's not good enough for the great and grand Sir Properly Decapitated-Podmore!!'

'Don't worry, Nick,' Harry reassured him, 'We all think of you as good and headless, don't we Fred? George?'

'Yes! Oh, definitely. Headless Nick,' the twins assured quickly at Harry's nudging. 'That's what we all say – That Nick, he's beheaded alright…' They stopped suddenly as they all heard a high-pitched mewing at their feet.

It was Mrs. Norris, gazing up at them accusingly. Suddenly aware of the muddy tracks they'd made, Harry spoke up. 'Sorry, Nick, gotta go before Filch gets here. Come on!' He very quickly pulled off his shoes and tore around the corner toward a tapestry, beckoning Fred and George behind it he quickly followed just in time. Even as he dove through the hidden passage, he could hear Filch wheezing down the hall.

They all landed in a heap in the middle of another corridor. 'Where are we Harry?'

'Shhh!' Harry cautioned, looking back and forth down the dark corridor. 'Teacher's wing. Be quiet. If we're caught, you'll catch it for being here…' He dragged them quickly down another corridor to their left. 'And I'll catch it big for bringing you here.' Harry kept his eyes and ears alert as they made their way along.

The twins, meanwhile, who had never been to this part of the castle, were looking in every direction they could, trying to absorb as much information as possible. So when Harry suddenly stopped and shoved them into an alcove, they were quite surprised. 'Stay here, don't move until I come back!' They were about to protest when they too heard what Harry had obviously already noted. Voices – teacher's voices.

'Harry?' they heard the voice of their dreaded potions master. Hidden in their alcove the twins couldn't see each other's looks of amazement at how different the man sounded out of the classroom. His voice didn't sound angry or nasty, and though they couldn't see him, they thought that by the sound of things, the sneer they were used to seeing must not be there.

'What are you doing here?' Severus asked, concerned. 'Were you hurt at practice?'

'No, I'm fine.' Harry answered.

'Are you feeling sick again?'

'No Dad, really, I'm fine.' Harry sighed, relenting to his father's hand on his forehead, checking for fever. 'I, uh, just wanted to see if you'd had a chance to look at my essay yet?'

'Harry,' Severus scolded slightly, quite aware that Harry wasn't telling the truth. 'You rushed all the way here, still in your Quidditch things to check on your essay?'

In their alcove, the twins tensed, wondering if they were caught, and instantly forgetting how much like any parent Snape had just sounded to them, to worry if he weren't about to murder Harry if he caught him smuggling two other Gryffindors through forbidden territory. But to their surprise, instead, they heard Harry laugh slightly.

'Dodging Filch,' he chuckled, holding up his muddy trainers. 'I think he's got the same thing I had and he's in a foul mood so I dodged through a hidden passage before he could pitch a fit.'

If the twins were surprised before, they were completely in awe when they heard everyone's most hated teacher burst into a deep rolling laugh. From their vantage point, they could see him reach out to mess up Harry's hair while Harry laughed as well and playfully pulled out of his reach.

They were still in a kind of amazed state when Harry made his way back to lead them out of the teacher's wing.

'Alright,' Harry sighed, stopping a little ways before the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. 'Let's have it. Tease away. You'd better get it out of your system, because you can't say anything once we go in the common room. No one can ever know you were in the teacher's wing with me, or we've had it.'

'Harry,' Fred said slowly. 'Your Dad…'

'Yeah,' added George. 'He's so… er…'

'Well, Dad-like…'

'I have never – ever – heard Snape laugh before…'

Harry looked back and forth from twin to twin as they stammered on.

'Yeah, well,' Harry shot them a superior look. 'You'd be surprised how different all of your teachers are when they feel they are safe from the likes of you two. Speaking of which,' Harry smirked. 'Before you get any bright ideas, the passage we took out of the teacher's wing only works one way. You can't get back in that way. And the passage we took into the teacher's wing was warded. The only reason why you two could get in was because I opened it before I shoved you through…' Laughing, Harry left the two mischief makers frowning and looking decidedly deflated in the corridor.

TBC