Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters. This is a Fan-Fiction loosely based off the Harry Potter series.
{Summary: Before dying from the lethal snake bites to his neck, Severus, is visited by cloaked figure; offering him a chance to be with Lily and father Harry as his own son. Upon accepting the deal, the potion's master is sent to an alternate reality were Lily is indeed, his wife and Harry is his four year old son. How will Severus cope in this new reality and how will he protect his young family from future threats.}
Chapter 2 - Once Upon A Dream
'I know you, that look in your eyes is so familiar a gleam
And I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem
But if I know you, I know what you'll do
You'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream'
- Lana Del Ray 'Once Upon A Dream'
'Strange. Has the boy always looked like this? Obviously not! He was his son after all, wasn't he? He looks so much like Lily, and very little like myself. Was that normal? Why is he doing that? Why is he crying? No. NO. STOP —' Severus was pulled out his mind as the small child in front him started tearing up and sobbing, it was obvious that Harry wasn't used to the silent treatment, but Snape had never handle a child as young as him before. What in Merlin's name was he supposed to do?
Watching the distressed child in front of him Severus finally noticed the minor differences between this Harry and the dreadful Potter brat; One this Harry was lacking the sun-kissed tan that Potter had gained from many days outside in the garden. Two, his hair was darker more raven like and much more curlier than Potter's usual messy and straight atrocity. Three, this Harry's eyes were more complexed and hypnotising, gone were those mesmerising emerald orbs, now they were a deep forest green with several flickers of amber and silver speckling outwards from the pupil; And four, the most surprising change of all was to that dreaded lightening bolt scar. It was … missing? No! Not missing. It was gone.
He couldn't refrain himself from gasping at the wondrous sight of the crying cherubic child in front of him. 'He was perfect! No, better than that. He was my son!' Severus finally seemed to react physically as he slowly kneeled down, reaching out with shaky and uncertain hands to pull the small whimpering child into warm and loving hug, one only a parent could give. He felt tears of his own misting up his vision as they echoed the pain his child was feeling. 'His child! Its was still a foreign thought to him, but it felt right.'
Harry's tears seemed to lessen as his small face buried itself against his father's shirt covered chest, slowly his body started relaxing as it melted into the warm comforting hug. "P-Papa?" He sniffled, wiping his little button nose with the baggy sleeve of his shirt. "Awe you mad at me, Papa?" He questioned in a tiny voice as a frightened whimper threatened to leave his sore throat.
The 'dungeon bat's' heart melted at the sound of the little one's voice, the sincerity and the innocence it held threatened to bring him to tears as it bit back the water works and hugged the small creature tighter. "N-No…" He wheezed, cursing himself mentally for sounding so weak and emotional. "No, Harry…" There was another pause as he tried to pull himself together - to frightened that this was all a sick joke and the real Potter was going to jump out of the wing's with his friend yelling 'Surprise!'. He wanted this to be real. This need to be real. "I'm not mad at you little one…" He chimed in a sickly sweet voice. He started rocking slightly, trying to calm the creature further. "I'm not…" He reaffirmed the fact that he wasn't made at the little one. "I promise. I just…" He stopped himself, daring to look up at his supposed wife - Lily - with a pained expression before continuing. "I just had a terrible dream. I thought that I had lost your and Lily and I was so scared…" He mumbled, feeling the warm slither of tears snake down his face in thick glistening streams, before a tiny hand brush against his cold skin attempting to wipe them away.
"You won't lose me, daddy…" The boy whispered as though it were a secret. "You won't lose me or mummy. I pwomise…"
Lily watched the sight in front of her with a faded smile, worried about her husband - She swallowed thickly and coughed softly to clear her throat. "Come on boys…" She said in a singsong tone, moving to pry the small child out his father embrace before kissing Severus's cheek gently. "This is breakfast time after all…We shouldn't be starting the day on such a sad note…" She informed, lightly scorning them as she carried Harry back to his booster seat.
The boy tried to protest, but his mother shushed him before turning back to her husband with a jovial grin. "You look a little pale, love. I think it would be wise for you to go back to bed instead of teach today. I'll inform the headmaster when I leave to drop Harry off for his play date with Draco..." Her smile faded as a worried expression spread across her face, lightening her features as she moved forward to kiss Severus's cheek. "Go sleep, love. I'm sure Tom won't mind you taking the day off..."
The name Tom sparked concern in the bottom of the potion master's stomach as he gripped onto the nearest wall tightly. "T-Tom? As in Tom Riddle, Tom?" He stuttered, heart racing madly in his chest as he inhaled small intakes of air.
Lily furrowed her brow at the strange comment before nodding her head slightly. "Yes, Severus. Tom Riddle. He has been the headmaster of Hogwarts for several years now. He was the youngest professor to ever take the position, but he earned it considering the last headmaster, Dumbledore, tried to turn the students into trained killers..." She muttered the last bit with great distaste.
"K-Killers? That's impossible! Dumbledore is a great man. He's saved Harry on several occasions..." He replied in a disgruntled tone before realising his mistake. The young child visibly flinched in the corner of his eye, causing shame to boil in the pit of his stomach. "Y-You're right..." He murmured soft, hoping he could blame his reaction on a cold. "I don't feel well..." He sighed, giving Harry a weak smile before Lily nodded towards the bedroom, signalling for him to go and lay down.
"I'll be in soon..." She smiled, kissing Severus's cheek and patting his back lightly, before turning back to face Harry with a bold smile. Knowing that the mention of Dumbledore's name frightened the small boy to the core, she moved closer to pick the boy up while humming. "It's alright! He isn't coming back. Your papa and I are going to protect you, no matter what..."
Severus stilled after hearing what Lily had said, trying to comprehend what she could have possibly meant. 'The headmaster wasn't evil! He had protected, Harry, on several occasions, granted Albus was normally the one to push the boy towards the danger, but still. What kind of world was this? How was he expected to believe that Tom M. Riddle is good? Fight for the light. How? The man had made it his mission to destroy Harry in his past world, but there it was - This wasn't his world!' He thought, slowly climbing into bed and resting his head against the soft velvet green pillow. 'What am I going to do?'
Author's note: Hey guys, sorry I haven't updated in awhile but I've been studying for my course exams. Anyway, I really hope that you enjoy the new chapter.