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Harry Potter And The Father

Chapter 15

Visiting Hagrid

Harrison Snape formally Harry Potter had to have been the only child to be scared of Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He was a half giant and one of the friendliest men, er, half giants you could ever hope to meet. He had a love for dangerous animals and had always dreamed of owning a Dragon. Harry though had freaked out upon seeing the half giant peaking at him and promptly buried himself in his new daddy. Refusing to emerge no matter what was said; Harry was petrified that much was obvious.

"How did this appen Severus?" asked Hagrid frowning, he wasn't used to people being so scared of him. Especially Harry, even at the age of one he had been quite happy to know him.

"Lily gave me a time delayed letter" said Severus explaining everything as he rubbed soothing circles on his son's back. He was still floating on air despite Harry's scare, after all his son had called him daddy. If that wasn't trust Severus wasn't sure what else could be considered trust.

"So you are his Uncle aye? Why did Dumbledore place em there then? I thought the blood wards were important" frowned Hagrid confused.

"We don't know" said Severus lying; everyone knew the utter adoration Hagrid had for the white haired headmaster. Just for simply keeping him on when he was due to leave school. Hagrid had no idea it was out of guilt because he was expelled, when he knew good and well the half giant didn't open the chamber.

"That's all very strange; this wee tyke liked me when he was younger! Took him to his, er, well, his supposed family" said Hagrid his beady eyes watching Harry's looking sad.

"How about some fudge?" asked Hagrid grinning widely, that surely would get the child's attention surely.

"No Hagrid" said Severus adamantly, Harry had lost too many of his teeth to try and eat Hagrid's version of bloody fudge or cake. He was going to be like that until he was eight or nine until his new teeth came. Some of his baby teeth were rotten too; they truly were in a sorry state. Half missing, a few rotten and some chipped and some were thankfully intact. Severus was just glad it wasn't his adult teeth or there wouldn't have been anything they could do. If Lily's letter hadn't been read it might have been, he shuddered anew at the very thought.

"Ah alright then" sighed Hagrid looking sad again.

"I just thought I'd introduce you to him…I had no idea he would react like this but I suppose it's only to be expected" sighed Severus agitated with himself for his mistake.

"Why is that?" asked Hagrid his warm black eyes met dark black tunnels curious.

"He was abused by the Dursley's" said Severus very quietly but he had no doubt Harry could hear what he was saying. Considering the way he had began quietly shaking upon hearing that dreaded name. He hadn't seen Harry this bad in days, Severus hoped he wasn't about to have a draw back. Sighing sadly, he pulled out a potion with ease and uncorked it with his thumb. He softly told Harry to drink it, which he did he never argued, never had since he came here. Severus couldn't wait for the time where Harry shook his head and refused to do something.

"I'll bloody kill em!" snarled Hagrid turning into a mother bear. It was a good thing Harry had just swallowed a calming potion, despite that though Harry squeaked in surprise and fear at the sudden loudness of the man's voice.

"Hagrid" warned Severus his voice low and dangerous, but those wonderful hands continued to sooth the distraught child. Slowly the drugged child began to calm down properly; they only stayed for a few more minutes before leaving. Seeing as Harry wasn't about to take to the half giant any time soon.

Severus carried his son back to the castle; no doubt the calming potion would have made him drowsy. He was getting there it would take time as all things did.

"Why did he scare you?" asked Severus kindly, his sons face was warming up his throat with his breath as his face was buried in his throat. He didn't look ready to emerge any time soon, and Severus hoped his son answered.

"He took me there" whispered Harry shivering anew.

"You remember that?" asked Severus stopping in his tracks stunned. If he remembered Hagrid…what else did he remember? Could he remember his parents that sent cold shivers running down his back. Could that be what his nightmares were about? No wonder he woke up screaming it that was the case.

Harry just nodded tightening his hold on his new daddy.

"Harry can you tell me what your nightmares are about?" asked Severus, seen as he was getting answers. Plus he needed to know if his son truly was still remembering what happened to his parents.

"The car crash" murmured Harry shivering horribly.

"Excuse me?" asked Severus stunned what car crash? Had those Dursley's tried to actually kill his son in a car? Oh he had to stop himself going back there and killing Vernon Dursley.

"My parents" murmured Harry very quietly.

"What about them?" asked Severus totally bewildered? The Potter's hadn't owned a car, Lily had lived in the Wizarding world there wasn't room for cars here. Potter wouldn't have wanted such a Muggle contraption anywhere unless it was a wizarding toy car for his son.

"That's how they died, I remember the green light, horrible screaming, laughing and red hair" whispered Harry hoarsely. He shuddered at the thought of those nightmares they made him so scared and he wasn't sure why.

Severus stood there stunned at what the nearly four year old child was telling him. He was under the impression his parents had died in a car crash? The green light was the killing curse but what green light had to do with a car? He didn't understand it. Then he remembered something he and Lily had done, crossing the road the red, amber and green lights that stood aside each pavement. He remembered waiting when the light was red, but Lily had begun moving when it was green.

His heart lurched when he realized Harry didn't know how his parents had died. He didn't know they had died for him, how did he go about telling his son such things? He was just a child, but he couldn't leave Harry thinking they died in a car crash. Or was it safer? To allow him to think that it was better than telling the child an evil wizard had wanted him dead because of the day he had been born.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts he began walking again, his mind was in utter turmoil. He made his way to the hospital wing instead of going straight to his quarters. He found Poppy in her office, looking to be updating her medical bag and writing everything down she had used (requisition forms) and writing out all the potions she would need.

Severus spelled himself and Poppy under a privacy seal so little ears didn't hear anything.

"He doesn't know how his parents died" said Severus as soon as the spell was done.

"I see" said Poppy she didn't look too shocked by that.

"He believes they died in a Muggle car wreck" sneered Severus furiously.

"I'd say it's for the best but it's not good on Lily or James' memory to lie to their son" sighed Poppy looking deeply conflicted.

"I was hoping for some advice" said Severus looking just as conflicted as Poppy was.

"Perhaps you could just tell him they were attacked by an evil Wizard. Not anything else and they protected him making sure nothing happened to him" said Poppy.

"He's abused he'd latch on to that as it being his fault" said Severus adamantly pointing out a flaw in their plan.

"Yes, true unless you tell him quite firmly that they loved him and wouldn't have let anything harm him" said Poppy. "He will find out sooner or later, and abuse never leaves a child you know this. Whether he finds out from a child in school or from a book he will find out" she finished adamantly.

"I know that's my problem I do not want him thinking I've always lied to him" said Severus grudgingly.

"Just tell him a bad wizard came to his home and hurt his mum and dad. As he gets older tell him more when you think he might be able to handle it." said Poppy.

"And his fame?" asked Severus, that was his biggest fear abused children hated attention more than anything else in the world.

"Nothing of that Severus, let him find that out in his own time…give him the life he needs right now. I think finding out people know who he is would freak him out right now" sighed Poppy.

"I guess you are right Poppy, I'm just not sure how to say it" sighed Severus he wasn't used to speaking kindly or softly. He told the truth whether the children liked to hear it or not. However, he couldn't do that to his own son without damaging him more.

"I know Severus, but I have confidence in you … I'm sure you will come up with something" said Poppy confidently, patting him on the arm in a comforting gesture. The changes to the man was astonishing, he didn't have his normal greasy hair, he looked worried instead of stoic and the fact he had a child on his hip made him look like a father not someone to fear.

"I got him a focus stone today" said Severus changing the subject, he looked proud of himself.

"Did you now? Let me see it!" said Poppy looking quite excitedly.

Severus gave over the beautiful chain with two embedded jewels that would serve as a focus stone. Poppy put it down and touched it with her wand, then began chanting, the stones glowed briefly five seconds after she stopped chanting and then returned to normal.

"What was that?" asked Severus alarmed.

"Healing spell, quite a powerful one I might add, it will help start the healing progress if he's hurt" said Poppy, not many had the ability or the magic to infuse it with an object. However, Poppy was a true healer, and had that ability since she was a child. Her own children had something like a necklace on infused with her magic. She was planning on making the same thing for her grandchildren soon. Now Harry was the first person outside her family to ever receive one. She would love to give one to Severus, however she knew Voldemort would probably sense the powerful magic and her life would be in danger as would Severus'. So she just healed him when he got back from the evil one and did all she could then.

"Thank you Poppy" said Severus surprise in his voice but pride was in his eyes, his son would be fine and he and everyone that was helping him would make sure of it. He hadn't thought anyone would go with him against Dumbledore. When he had taken Harry he had been under the impression he would be doing it alone. Now he had the Malfoy's, Minerva, Poppy and Filius. Hagrid he couldn't quite trust yet, he'd be waiting forever for Hagrid to ever denounce Dumbledore.

"Will I give him a once over?" asked Poppy quietly.

"Not today, we went to see Hagrid" explained Severus quietly.

"Did it not go well?" sighed Poppy, Hagrid was probably devastated.

"Couldn't have went worse, he remembered Hagrid taking him to the Dursley's" said Severus morosely "He also remembers his mother dying but doesn't realize exactly what he's seeing. He think's he's seeing the results of the car crash"

"Merlin" whispered Poppy her hand over her mouth in horror her eyes full of pain for the child.

"I'm going to get him back its nearly time for dinner" said Severus sadly.

"You do that Severus and good luck" sighed Poppy sadly, removing her hand from her mouth as she spoke again. The sadness lingered in her eyes at the thought of one so young remembering his parent's deaths.

Severus and Harry had dinner sitting on the couch once more, when Harry was able to sit properly for a better amount of time they would use the table. He would ensure Harry had appropriate table manners but right now he just wanted to get the child better. It was roast beef and potatoes today, the roast beef as usual was cut up into tiny bits for Harry. He couldn't chew very well, despite his teeth no longer painful. He didn't have many of his back teeth left, or any of his teeth left come to that. Most of them were gone and Severus didn't want to know just how the hell it happened. The thought alone was enough to make him sick.

Once dinner was done he read a book to Harry, making sure to sound them and point to them. For the first time Harry was able to stay awake through out the entire story. Once that was done, he bathed Harry and let him play for five minutes. Washed dried and into his pyjamas Severus slid the child into the covers and as usual snuggled him into his fluffy blanket.

"Harry do you remember our conversation earlier about your parents?" asked Severus softly, soaking back Harry's locks.

Harry nodded quietly as usual but his eyes were tired so Severus wasn't hurt that he wasn't talking this time.

"They didn't die in a car crash little one" said Severus softly, he saw the small face scrunch up in confusion. "They died when a bad man came to your house; they hurt your parents and tried to hurt you. You're magic stopped him and made him go away"

"Why?" asked Harry his little face was so confused that it was heartbreaking.

"I don't know little one, it's just one of those things that happen we never get the answer to" said Severus softly, praying that Harry would forgive him when he was older for his lie. He wasn't under any circumstances was he about to tell his son that he was responsible for his parents death even indirectly because of a damn prophecy. That was the wrong word to use, Harry wasn't responsible and Severus would make sure he never blamed himself.

Harry just started at Severus confusion written all over his beautiful green eyes. Eventually though Harry's eyes began to droop closed, as Severus' hand and the potion worked its magic and calmed him enough to slip to sleep. Severus stayed there for half an hour after Harry was asleep just staring at nothing but Harry's relaxed peaceful face. He had been called daddy, and he hadn't shared it with anyone yet.

He had his own doubts about being able to raise Harry, but he would be damned if he ever let him go. Harry was stuck with him through the good and the bad. He loved him already too much to even consider giving him up not to anyone. He couldn't let Dumbledore win, couldn't let Harry down if he ever saw those green eyes glaring at him in hate he didn't know what he would do.

Quietly making his way out of the room, he took the time now that Harry was asleep to brew potions. Two hours later you would find him sitting on his personal favourite chair in the living room immersed in a book a potion journal open beside him.

Severus closed both books and sighed, he knew he would be up early with Harry. Not that Harry would let him know, he would remain sitting or lying there until he came. Creaking his neck he showered and got his own nightclothes on before slipping into bed.

Severus groggily looked at the time to find it was nine o'clock, blinking away the sleep he immediately got up and checked on his son. He found him still asleep, which surprised Severus greatly. He was pleased though, Harry had for the first time slept through the entire night in his own bed. Very pleased he asked Blinky to make breakfast. It was another half hour before Harry came around blinking sleepily.

Severus smiled softly when he noticed Harry climbing out of his bed on his own. Even if it was only to run to the toilet, almost jumping up and down with need. He flushed the toilet and walked back out, before walking towards his daddy and curled into his side. Severus hugged him right back feeling a small smile spreading across his face.

"Did you sleep well little one?" murmured Severus kindly, rubbing soothing circles on his son's back.

"Yes…daddy was I a good boy" breathed Harry as if he was scared of how Severus would react to asking a question.

"Good, yes you were a very good boy to be able to sleep in your own bed. If you need it though there's nothing wrong with coming to daddy's room, everyone get's scared sometimes. Now how about some breakfast? Would you like that?" asked Severus smirking knowing he had Harry's full attention with that. No matter how often he was fed, food always caught Harry's attention. He was finally gaining weight, it was slow in coming but it was getting there. As usual Harry took his potions without complaint, and stuck into his breakfast grinning toothily at his new daddy. Severus had to stop himself grimacing the glaring holes in the child's mouth testified to how he was treated. How could anyone treat a defenceless baby in such a way? There was never an excuse unfortunately.

"Yes please" smiled Harry once again rather sweetly, despite the holes where his teeth should be.

"Great" said Severus sitting Harry in the corner just as Blinky popped in with their food. Harry no longer timid with the elf but rather always gave him a small smile in thanks. Blinky was beginning to like Harry too, Severus could tell because he always said hello to the little one.

What did you think? Harry knows the truth now. will the nightmares get worse now he knows what truly happened? or will they disappear becuase he feels safe with his daddy? will i skip ahead or keep going at this pace? will Harry's teeth come in sooner since he doesnt have any? his magic pushing them into place? will poppy and minerva be in it more? will the order meeting take place before harry is better emotionally or after? R&R please