Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

A Decision Made

By Ancient Midnight

Chapter Eight

2011/11/22

Harry was nervous as he followed Captain Wood all the way out to the quidditch field. Oliver seemed intent on leading him straight onto the field-the empty field. There were no teams practicing on the field today, even though the weather was perfect and all the teams wanted to start practicing early this year.

Besides the necessary tryouts, the teams were actually pretty much all chosen. All the teams were obligated to give everyone a fair try at playing the game, but really, there were only two positions that hadn't been filled yet, a Hufflepuff chaser, and a Slytheryn beater. Add to that, the tryouts were early next week. So it was odd that no one would be using the field today, when the weather was so perfect.

Harry was startled out of his thoughts when Oliver suddenly dropped down on the grass, gesturing for Harry to do the same. "Potter, did Snape talk to you when you were in his lab?"

Not seeing where this was going, Harry told him, "Not really, Just not to touch this and that. Why?"

Oliver sighed, rubbing his hands together, "Well, what did he tell you about the woman?"

"Nothing, but she was really freaked out, she was screaming and crying when I left."

"You know that McGonagal is away, right? she won't be back until the end of the week at least. And Dumbledore is away too, at the minister."

Harry nodded, he had noticed that most of the teachers were gone.

"Harry that potion, it brought people across realities," Oliver explained. "It can bring someone here that isn't alive in our reality-"

Harry jumped up cutting him off, "Great, then they can bring back my parents! We should message Dumbledore right away and get him to being them back too!"

"Potter! Sit down before you hurt yourself. They did try, and your dad, he didn't come through," Harry dropped down disappointed. "Your mom though, she was that lady in Snape's office. That one that was freaking out."

"No, it can't be, she was so upset to see me. My mom would have been happy, she died for me!"

"Maybe she was, she was just also upset that she had lost you," Oliver tried to explain it.

"And she was hugging Snape!"

"I don't know Potter, but that was her alright."

Harry looked at a loss, halfway between kicking something and halfway to running back to the castle.

"She's not here now though, she went to the ministry to fix up her paperwork.

Snape hadn't told Lily that he had in his breast pocket the forms of guardianship for one Harry Potter. and he didn't plan to. he was going to enjoy his day and then go up to Dumbledore tomorrow morning and demand that the infernal boy be left wherever the hell he was. Snape smiled at Lily and took her hand, It had been a long time since they went to the Leaky Cauldron for lunch, and today was a perfect day to pick up on lost habits.

Oliver had told the team to keep an eye out for Potter, he had claimed that he wanted to be left alone. Oliver had parted ways with him outside Hagrid's hut after they had taken a walk together. Harry seemed to be preoccupied, but not too upset over hearing his mom was back. He was quiet, but Oliver figured that anyone would be when their parent had just come back to life and were away.

"That's odd isn't it? I mean Harry isn't the kind of person to keep such a thing to himself is he?" Angela asked him. She was right, there was no way this kid knew his mother was in the castle.

Lily giggled as she ordered another plate of sandwiches, "You are too skinny!"

The two of them hadn't stopped laughing and smiling since they got up this morning. There were so many things that Severus knew that he had never even thought of researching before, and he had so many accomplishes in this reality that her husband had never had time to pursue. Sure her husband had wanted to find a cure for werewolves, but with the baby and the war, he had never been able to finish his notes. And then he had lost the opportunity.

Even his spellwork was better; he made a repelling charm that was so good, it sent the mob of people clear away from them, and kept the other wizards and witches that wanted to intrude on their time outside the restaurant.

She felt a little guilty at how pleased she was that he had never married. She knew that Severus had seen it too, she hadn't managed to catch herself. Her wide grin when he had told her she was the only one for him had made him blush and turn away. She could honestly tell him that she had not once been interested in marrying James.

They spent the day together thinking of no one else but each other. When it was time to go back to the castle (neither wanted a strange room in the Leaky Cauldron), they both felt like teenagers as they sneaked past McGonagal to their quarters. She wanted Lily to stay with her until their certificate had come in.

Severus awoke the next morning in his actual bed. A glance at Lily told him she was still sound asleep, enough for him to quietly get dressed and leave her a note. A brief explanation that he was in the headmaster's office for urgent business and would be back soon seemed appropriate.

Instead of flooing, Severus took the walk as an opportunity to sort out how he was going to explain to the headmaster that a child was the last thing Lily needed right now. All too soon Severus was 'cotton candy'ing his way past the gargoyle,

"Come in Severus," Dumbledore called before he knocked.

"Headmaster," Severus pulled the letter out, "I beleive this to be a mistake."

"What mistake, dear boy? the child belongs with you and Lily," the headmaster smiled gently. "Lemon drop, my boy?"

"No thank you," Severus said. He tossed the contract on the headmaster's desk, taking a seat.

"Ahh, it is a little early in the morning, but alas I can't help myself," and then he popped two in his mouth. "De'ifish!"

"Lily is still morning the loss of her daughter, and she was never with James!" Dumbledore calmly watched his potion's teacher stomp around his office while explaining how Lily was unprepared to care for another one's child. "and on top of that, the blood wards could never work, this Lily never sacrificed herself for her child!"

"the sacrifice," Dumbledore finally spoke up, "it has already been made. that is all that was needed, one sacrifice and so long as Harry is around Lily Even's blood, he will be protected. You do not need to sign the forms-if you don't want to-but I ask you to think of something. How will Harry feel knowing that he could have his parent back and that she doesn't want him."

The headmaster picked up the forms, "Keep them in a safe place, you might change your mind."

Snape snatched the papers up, "You won't tell Potter, you like him too much." He gave one last smirk and then left the office.

Harry had spent yesterday with Fang, playing and rolling around with him. Today he decided though, he would visit Hedwig, He ended up spending the entire morning writing out his homework in a small alcove near Hedwig's favourite perch. Every once in a while she would swoop down to sit in his knee or the edge of his work for a pet.

The smell eventually faded and Harry could sit quite comfortably.

It was easier to sit here, with his familiar than in the second year boy's room with Seamus and Neville and Dean. Or outside where he might be teased by the other houses. It was obvious that they knew he hadn't figured out that women was supposed to be Lily Potter.

A few people came in, but none of them could really see him, so Harry was left alone to play with his owl as he liked. His eyes had adjusted to the dark corner hours ago, so he no longer needed to squint to read his work.

"Writing poetry in the dark? My my my, aren't we pathetic?" The voice was right by his ear. Harry jumped up so fast he threw Hedwig on the ground and ln landed a good four feet from where he had been sitting. Looking up, Harry was furious to see Snape sneering from where he had crept up on him.

Snape had come to the Owlery to get a letter delivered, but he was distracted by Potter sitting in one of the most unhealthy places imaginable. Deep in the stone Owlery where the fresh air couldn't quite reach and the feathers and bird droppings were at their thickest. it was a lung disease waiting to happen. He had almost missed seeing the brat there, had he not noticed the white owl flying down and the unmistakable mop of hair the boy had.

Watching the boy jump gave Snape a great deal of satisfaction. The stunned look of a deer in headlights was enough to make Snape's day.

"Well, don't you have work to do? get back to your common room and do it!"

The boy nearly bolted then seemed to think of something, "Snape-"

"It's professor Snape and get out of here!" Snape's good mood hadn't vanished, but he was getting frustrated.

"Uhh, what about that woman, Lily? is she really-"

This Lily was not Potter's mom, no matter what the papers said, or the Headmaster insinuated. Snape's patience snapped, "Get back to your dormitory. Or better yet, you can serve detention with Filch. Immediately. . ." He let the sentence hang for a few seconds.

Potter paled before turning a red to compete with his ginger friend and running out of the Owlery.

Review please! and am I hinting enough at a Snape father son relationship here or am I focusing on the lily thing too much, i won't know if you don't tell me. and I apologize for the long wait, I've been busy, with work, and life! a new step in life has passed and I am busy getting use to it, but old comforts always help.