Please go read my friend Nonezumi's fanfiction Keeping the Light.

A/N: So this chapter is majorly short and ends with a tiny cliffhanger so be prepared. Next chapter is where the fun stuff starts. It is also quite a bit longer than the last few chapters so look forward to it. I'm working on chapter seven right now which I think all of you are looking forward to. It's time for Harry to go to boot camp! I want everyone to remember that I need to have this whole story beta'd since I don't have the time to go through it myself. Sorry for the spelling and grammar.

Dark Intentions

VanityIre

Chapter Five

Settled

Of all the people in the British wizarding world, who could have been appointed Harry's temporary guardian, not that he needed one at twenty-seven, Severus Tobias Snape was not who he was expecting.

Well to be honest, that was not entirely true. After seeing the lawyer ministry had attempted to force on him, Harry figured they would pull something like this. After all Fate needed something else to amuse her.

The ministry car had been waiting outside when he and his two Auror escorts came out. Through some sort of back way of course, to avoid any crowding from those who were waiting in the atrium for his reappearance. No doubt, there were many reporters lined up and waiting to get a picture and story about his ministry visit. He hoped the few shot they got in earlier captured his good side. The was stroller\ stored away in the trunk and Lily was fussy in the backseat, but the car ride was short and they parked on a known wizard street located a little distance away from the ministry. Glad he wasn't being taken some where unknown outside of London, Harry retrieved Lily from the car seat and let the driver take the stroller from the back. They made their way up a short drive way to a turn of the century styled town house.

Number 565

Carrow didn't speak when he ring the door bell but the younger Auror seemed to finally gain a bit of courage.

"Err, I suppose you'd already know who your guardian will be."

Harry didn't, but he didn't say as much.

"I... sir, I hope you and your daughter have a bit of peace for just a little while, I know Azkaban was probably the least ideal place to be raisin' her. I don't want to sound disrespectful, but she'd be better off anywhere but there. Well, except on the front lines. Hope you keep her away from the action. What am I saying of course you will..."

Harry snorted effectively stopping the man's one breath tirade before it could go much further. "Not to worry, I'll be making suitable accommodations for Lily in a little while. What is your name?"

The Auror's eyes widened. "Oh, I'm a right moron. I forgot to introduce myself didn't I. It's Robert Wood. I think you were on the same quidditch team as my older brother Oliver. He's a professional quidditch player now, took a few years but he's managed to acquire the position of Vice Captain..."

Harry knew that already as Oliver was one before he entered Azkaban. He also knew that Oliver's last game had ended up with a land sliding victory "I know." His younger brother wasn't half bad though. And unlike many others he'd seen thus far, we wasn't feeling any resentment towards the boy. After all he couldn't have been more than seven when he was tossed away. His anger was kept for key people instead.

The door swung open and Carrow, having ignored their entire conversation quickly stepped inside and shut the door without a word. He was left to stand outside, confused beside Robert who seemed to at ease with the other's departure and continued to blather on, prompting Harry to believe Carrow was indeed suppose to do this. Harry tuned himself back into the younger wood sibling's rambling.

"I've been told lots and lots about you Mr. Potter. My brother practically drilled it into my head that you weren't a terrorist. Not like they tried to tell all us back in Hogwarts. Started teachin' that rubbish the minute you got sent away they did. I entered Hogwarts in around 1996 so I don't suppose you'd know me. You wasn't around back then. A Gryffindor. Mr. Potter..."

"Call me Harry," he told the other offering his free hand for shaking. The door swung open and Carrow exited.

"Get a move on Wood, Shacklebolt wanted us back before shift changes, wanted to discuss your placement."

Harry didn't think that sounded good but decided not to add anything when he noticed Robert seemed fine. In fact, he looked even happier.

"Right then Harry, I suppose this is goodbye. I can't wait to tell Ollie I managed to speak with you before he did," Robert chirped.

"You'd be surprised," He laughed out loud at Robert's confused consternation.

Before he was cast into Azkaban, Harry had been on the outs with his former potions professor. Of course, thinking the man had purposely killed the one man Harry had thought of as a grandfather didn't help. That had definitely put a blunder in their blossoming friendship. Not to mention, Harry hadn't seen nor spoken to the man since before his imprisonment so he wasn't expecting much in the way of conversation.

To be honest Harry couldn't remember a time he or Snape had held a conversation that didn't consist of contempt on both sides.

So after a decade away, Harry was a bit taken back with the first words out of Snape's mouth.

"What is that?" He asked with confusion. The man was staring with a pinched face at Lily who was cuddled in Harry's arms awake and starring around in wonder at the foyer area of the man's house.

Harry snorted adjusting Lily so she would be more comfortable on his hip. "It's a baby Snape. Maybe you've seen one around once or twice."

The gave him a glare, as if daring him to continue talking. Harry loved to defy his elders so he had no intentions of shutting up.

"Watch your tone with me boy,your the last person I wanted to be appointed caregiver to" Snape commanded.

Harry started patting Lily on her back as she began whining. "I'm twenty-seven, Snape, not quite as old as you but I no longer can be considered a 'boy'." He used his one free hand to make air quotes. "I didn't expect to be burdened with you either."

Snape looked at him, actually looked at him for the first time he entered his home, and seemed surprised by what he saw.

True, Harry didn't imagine he was much to look at. He was twenty-seven now, hair barely reaching his shoulder cut rather neatly. And freshly shaved. His appearance when Shacklebolt came to pick him up was no fabrication on his part. He had truly let himself go after Lily was born. Her mother's death had been one of the main reasons, but other factors had led to him not keeping in good health. He was skin and bones, though if it wasn't for Alice and Pimpkin's constant badgering about his health he was sure he would have gone into a coma due to food deprivation. In all the time he didn't spend taking care of himself, he was instead making sure Lily was well kept. He never neglected Lily. Never. Harry knew he was a damn good father, if nothing else.

Harry found the man's gaze quite annoying after a little while. He had long ago stopped looking into the mirror and seeing a James Potter's replica. Instead he seemed to have grown into his own. If his parents were alive today he was sure anyone could have seen the resemblances between them. But Harry had a rather original character to his face. His feathers were soft where James Potter's had been strong. An almost pointed chin but very high cheek bones, which stood out due to his sunken cheeks. And he had been told on numerous occasions that his eyes stood out large and glowing green on his pale face. Lily's eyes, which were the most shocking thing about her were quite large as well. He thought she may have inherited them from him. For her mother's eyes were much narrower.

"Not much has changed about you Potter," Snape sneered. Harry obviously knew he was lying. "I've no idea why they've decided I was the best for housing you for the next couple of days, but I assure your, despite Carrow's insistence that it was on Lucius' Orders I will be dong my best to ensure that you and that thing will be moved from here before you have a chance to ruin anything."

Harry frowned, "You'll refrain from ever calling my daughter a thing again, if you had any sense Snape."

Snape clenched fingers. "Insulant boy I-" Snape started but was stopped by the entrance of a tawny owl fluttering through an open window just off to the side of the foyer. It landed on a dining table and cawwed loud enough he was sure the neighbors would hear it. Snape growled and stormed his way over to the owl before taring the envelope open and reading through it's contents.

Snape Cursed before shooing the owl away and out the window. "Meddlesome old man. You'll be staying, Potter."

Harry shrugged, "I figured since it was only three days. It wouldn't matter if I was staying with you or not. Maybe we should just agree to stay out of each other's way?"

Snape sighed he waved his wand and the stroller started floating into the air. "Gather your things," the Potions Master ordered turning and walking away without checking to see if Harry was following him.

Harry quickly scooped up the diaper bag and quickened his pace to match the older man's.

He was led down a small hallway with maybe five or six doors lining the walls. "All the rooms are off limits except the kitchen the bathroom, and your own room. I don't have much to spare you, nor did I have anything prepared as I was just informed of this decision five minutes ago, damn Malfoy."

Harry smiled, finding that his surprise visit seemed to irk the older man to be quite amusing. He'd have to keep in mind that Snape truly didn't like surprises. The information would probably come in handy later on.

Snape stopped before one of the door towards the end of the hall. He swung it open before letting Harry walk through.

It quite resembled Dudley's second bedroom from years ago when he was just a boy. The bed had a singly then white sheet and the floor was littered with random novelties. A rememberal was rolling on the floor next to the bed and racing broom was I the corner and an expendable trunk was shoved up against the window and seemed almost like a window seat. The dresser was covered in them as well and so where both nightstands on either side of the bed. There was enough room to walk across to the bed but not much else. At least none of the things were broken and just cast in there. Harry wondered why Snape of all people would have a room like this in his house.

"A spare junk room Snape?" Harry asked, picking up one of the random knickknacks from the night stand. A magical snow globe, with a waving Santa in the center.

"I apologize Potter, if the accommodations are not to your liking. I'm sure my small hovel pales in comparison to what you are used to."

Harry snorted mind drifting from past memories of a dark moist cupboard to an even darker and colder cell. "Quite the contrary, I've lived in much worse," He said giving the man a pointed look.

Snape's brow furrowed, then he pursed his lips, probably to keep himself from saying something he would regret, like offering Harry his sympathy for example.

Harry didn't linger on the subject, "If nothing else can you see about transfiguring something into a crib and maybe a changing station. I need to take care of this ones need," He told the man lifting Lily a bit higher to catch the man's attention.

Snape seemed bothered by the entire ordeal but didn't do much more than what was asked. After the crib and table were set in place beside the bed he turned on his heels.

"Dinner is at six, be on time if you don't wish to go hungry. Will I need to buy the child any formula, or diapers? Or are you feeding her yourself?"

Harry sighed placing Lily on the changing table. "Don't bother, we have about five hundred nappies and a good amount of wipes still, Shacklebolt provided them earlier. And for your information, I'm not Lily's mother. I couldn't feed her with out formula, which if you would be so kind would be greatly appreciated," He explained all of this while changing Lily, who had finally decided to poop. The smell was rather strong, as it normally tended to be with babies, and he saw Snape wave around a hand in front of his hooked nose.

The man left quickly after that. Probably going to report to whoever had sent him that letter. And Harry was glad for the time alone. It was time he needed to sit down and think. Things were coming together just about the way he and Alice thought it would. He would take the time to contact her later, for now he placed Lily on a blanket on the floor after checking that nothing was a danger to her in the immediate vicinity. She hadn't managed to master crawling quite yet, but she was able to shuffle and squirm her way backwards on the floor. It would be any day now that she got crawling down to an art form. By the time she would be able to walk, Harry needed to ensure she would be safe. If that meant joining the military then he would do it.

Dinner with Snape. Harry didn't think he'd ever have the opportunity to say he'd be having dinner with Snape of all people. And the entire affair was nothing like he would have been expecting.

He'd imagined the man would bee so cheekily focused on insulting him that he wouldn't be able to stay seated without cursing the man effectively ruining his cover of an untrained and wandless wizard. He had even though the man if nothing else would stay stonily quiet and the meal would end as a somewhat awkward affair.

He wasn't prepared for Snape to greet him across the table after he sat down and placed Lily in a suitable highchair. She was almost five month and he figured about a week ago she was ready for something other than a bottle for dinner. So he fed her some fruity mush before handing her a bottle and putting her to sleep.

"How was the room Potter?" Snape began causing Harry to look up from spooning banana into Lily's open mouth. She made a whiny noise when he just sat their spoon expended but not moving close enough to her. He snapped out of it quickly and went about feeding her.

"Er...it was fine, me and the little one got a bit of a nap in," he shrugged, "Not much to say really."

About ten spoon fulls in Lily refused to eat any more, so he handed her a bottle and watched her hold drink for a few second to ensure she wasn't just nibbling on it. He was rather proud when she held the bottle up on her own a few days ago, and she had been do it ever since. Harry, slightly hungry since he hadn't eaten since last night quickly turned to dig into his own meal of potatoes and chicken.

He heard a clinking and looked up to see Snape had dropped his fork and was now sipping at his campaign glass.

"Your daughter," He began, "Carrow didn't say much, but I assume she is yours. How did you come about having her? You said you didn't give birth to the child so I assume she must have a mother, quite hard to go about dating in prison isn't it?"

Harry's eyes widened on the man's face, he had even asked the question as if he were asking about the weather. Someone must have told Snape to find out information on Lily. His fork dropped as well and he placed his hand over his mouth struggling not to burst into laughter. Severus Snape, hadn't changed. Just as blunt and demanding as ever. And he was just as nosy, placing himself in everyones business and doing so without remorse.

Shaking his head Harry picked up his fork. He would have to answer Snape without truly telling the man anything. Well at least nothing more than he had already planned. "Lily, that's her name," He emphasised. "She was a product of love I assure you. I didn't go about raping anybody if your worried about that. And since her mother has passed on, I'm her sole guardian."

Snape seemed satisfied with the little information Harry was willing to give.

"What do you plan of doing with her when you go off to Phase One? I might have agreed to taking you in for the next few days, but I will not be forced to babysit her for the next twelve weeks. I'll be busy at the time anyway."

"Not to worry Snape, I'll be making suitable accommodations for her tomorrow."

Snape's eyebrow raised. "Possibly the Weasley's?"

Harry snorted into his plate. "Not likely, I haven't spoken to a Weasley in ten years. Other than Granger maybe. I wouldn't leave a child with that treacherous lot."

Snape seemed taken back by his attitude towards the Weasley's. "You know, if not for the surprise of the gir- I mean Lily," Snape corrected himself, " Your original temporary guardians were the Weasley's. A room had even been set up for you at the burrow," he said with a quirk in his lips.

Snape looked as if he were to add more but the chiming of a bell announcing seven o'clock had him cursing and out of chair.

"I have urgent business to attend, I'll return later this evening Potter. You're not to leave the premisses. The floo connections have been blocked and the minute I leave wards have been set in place that will keep you from leaving the house. Though, since you've been enlisted you are still a considered a convict until you leave for phase one in which-"

Harry waved his hand dismissively. "Yes, yes, I know. Once I am truly enlisted into military services and in fractures on my record will be dismissed and I'll have been cleared of all charges if I agree to serve two years. It's a clause enacted during Grindelwald's time in the 40's. I believe it was to motivate convicts or many other citizens to join the military, just before the draft."

Snape gazed at him queerly, probably pondering on how Harry had managed to come across such information. Harry hadn't been the most studious student in Hogwarts during his school years. Snape knew this for a fact, since the man spent the majority of his potions classes grilling Harry on subject they would not be reading on for a few months. Harry never got an answer correct losing Gryffindor many house points. "I hadn't known you were interested in Wizarding Law in Hogwarts Potter."

"I wasn't."

Snape was gone soon after.

Harry made a face turning to Lily who was playing with her bottle by popping the nipple in and out of her mouth. "Remember Lily, there are three things to always avoid in this world. One is pompous hooked nosed men, red haired freckled faced idiots and the last are sporks. Avoid sporks at all costs my dear."

Lily cooed at him and promptly threw her bottle to the ground.

It was almost Lily's bed time, the house was quiet, and dark. Harry was positive Snape had a house elf, there was no other explanation for how the plates vanished after he finished eating alone at the table. E had stood up and announced to no one that he and Lily would be retiring for the evening. Once he entered his room the lights around the house flicked off. He waited five minutes after entering his room, with Lily in his arms waiting to see if one would appear. When none did he assumed I would be safe for he and Lily to disappear for a little while.

His placed Lily once again on the floor and went searching through her bag until he found with his a silver pocket mirror.

He sat on the bed and flipped it open, "Alice?"

A face instantly appeared, a mature woman, possibly in her mid thirties with tight curly brunette hair. She gazed at him with almond shaped brown eye.

"Harry, Thank Merlin!" She gasped. "Are you okay? What happened? Why did the ward around your cell go off? Why were you and Lily away so long? And Circe where the hell are you?"

Harry smiled soothingly, "Calm down Alice everything is fine. It was pretty much how you and I both assumed. The Ministry wanted something from me, And in exchange I gained my freedom."

"Oh Harry, that's great!" She exclaimed. "What did those barmy bats need?"

Harry smiled nervously and cleared his throat, "Nothing much really, I've managed to enlist in the British Military though."

"That's great Harry. Wait, what?" Harry heard a second voice I the background exclaim with her. Awewell, Presley would have to have been told at some point, though he hoped the old man wasn't ill from the shock of it."

"Harry James Potter, if you don't explain this minute so help me Merlin..." Alice threatened.

"Calm down woman, I'm activating the transport on the key, the wards around Snapes house wards don't seem to be fine tuned towards disappearing cabinets. I'll be coming home with Lily now I suggest you place the mirror down and step back."

"Severus Snape?" Alice questioned wide eyed. She saw Harry's lips purse and nodded. "Right," Alice said with no nonsense. "I'll meet you at the third floor. Cabinet."

Harry scooped Lily from the floor, "Ready to go see Auntie Alice, and Grandpa Presley Lil' girl?"

Lily smiled up at him through her thick lashes. "Bah!"

Harry smiled grasped the mirror in his left hand. Harry fiddled with the pocket mirror for a little bit until a door key slipped from it he jammed it into the knob of the closed bedroom door, and twisted it.

"I hope Snape doesn't come back before I do," he muttered to Lily before swinging the door open to see Alice standing there a hand on her cocked hip.

A/N: Wow, one of the hardest things in fanfiction is trying to re-characterize an already complex character. i.e. Snape. At 37, he was already a grumpy grandpa but at 47? I figure a few years of no longer being a spy would mellow his behavior. I wanted him to stay true to his general snarkiness though. I hope I captured the right attitude. Him believing himself above others and always correct.

Ugh, I wanted to make the dinner scene much longer, actually I wanted to make a lot of these scenes longer but I don't have time so enjoy what you get.

Oh and Robert isn't really an OC. I looked him up and Oliver Wood really does have a relative named Robert, I merely deaged the man.

I'm trying to avoid any true major OC's. Other than Alice, Presley and Tompkin, I don't want any other characters to be OC's. I hope you guys get to enjoy Harry's family tomorrow, I've worked hard on trying to make them realistic.