June 1993

Severus and Harry had only been home to Spinner's End for less than a week after the school year ended a fortnight ago. First walking into the recently renovated house felt somewhat ceremonial as it was the first time they'd returned after the adoption became official only three months ago. He'd left for Harry's second year of school this past September not having a clue that he'd return as Harry's father. It was an odd, yet satisfying feeling; like somehow the universe aligned and this was exactly how his life was supposed to go all along.

The Potions Master had just walked into his home from a quick shopping trip to gather the last minute necessities they would need for the upcoming holiday Severus had planned. He would never admit that he was nervous to be taking Harry away just the two of them. It was not something he would normally do on his own, however he wanted to give Harry - his son - the kind of experiences that had been withheld from him during his time living, or more accurately imprisoned, at the Dursleys. This trip - and this location - was a perfect way to start their summer.

"Come in," the young wizard called from the other side of his bedroom door.

Sitting up in his bed, Harry had a book laying across his lap. Hedwig was perched in her cage and ruffled her feathers, giving a small hoot when the door opened; she seemed to enjoy her new home. Severus placed the bag onto the top of Harry's bed.

"We're going away for a week or two," he explained to the Gryffindor, "I expect you to be packed and ready to go in the morning."

As predicted, Harry didn't hide his skepticism, "Where are we going?"

"You'll see in the morning," Severus replied "Pack casual clothing and a pair of swim shorts."

"We're going swimming?" Harry asked with a smirk that immediately fell, "I don't have swim shorts."

Lifting up the bag he had placed on the bed, the professor replied, "Now you do. Get packed."

Early the next morning, the portkey Severus arranged took them almost all the way to the cottage he rented for the two of them. Once they landed - or fell in Harry's case as it was his first time using a portkey - the moist sea air instantly brought Severus back to one of his best summer memories from his own childhood.

"Where are we?" Harry asked, walking out from the narrow space between two stone buildings and looking around the village they had arrived in.

"Aberdaron... in Wales," the Potions Master replied, taking a left and walking confidently down the street.

Severus could see Harry looking around in amazement as they continued their journey. Severus was not normally a sentimental man, nonetheless watching Harry reminded him of his own first visit to this same town; his excitement to leave Cokeworth if only for four days and to see the ocean for his first time. It had been years since he'd been here, and walking down the familiar streets with Harry helped to heal a wound so deep within him that he'd long gotten used to always being there.

It was less than a ten minute walk to get to their first destination, most of which was spent walking in silence. They finally approached a small white building with a bright red door.

Before opening the door, Severus turned to Harry and said in a quiet voice, "Please remember this is a muggle town. Keep your wand on you at all times, but under no circumstances should anyone see it. And it goes without saying that you cannot perform anything with it."

"That's not a problem sir," Harry replied, almost smiling.

Nodding, Severus opened the door and gestured for Harry to go in first. The professor greeted the older woman who was checking them in, all the while Harry went looking around at the old artefacts and history of the town that was on display around the room. With the keys to their cottage in hand, Severus called Harry to head out until they were stopped by the innkeeper.

"Do let me know," she started, giving the Severus's arm a soft pat, "if you or your son should need anything during your stay Mr. Snape."

"Thank you very much," Severus politely replied before continuing to walk out the door; sure he would never get used to Harry being called his son.

They continued walking until they reached a steep hill with a winding dirt path leading up to a faded yellow cottage. Severus turned when he noticed Harry had stopped following behind.

"Is everything alright Harry?" The professor asked.

"Yes sir," the young wizard replied with a small quiver in his voice. "I..."

"It's just at the top of this hill," he told the young nervous wizard. "Trust me, the view is worth the hike."

Severus nodded his head as he helped lead Harry up the hill and towards the small house. He knew it wasn't the hike that was causing the Gryffindor's hesitation. Harry was feeling overwhelmed with the reality that someone wanted to take him on a holiday. It was the exact same way Severus himself felt when he came here... with Lily's family. His first ever holiday. He had been so shocked when Mr. and Mrs. Evans had invited him on their family trip after their third year and even more shocked when his mother allowed him to go. They spent the entire time on the beach and swimming in the sea; it was one of the most relaxed he had been in his life.

Severus had been correct that the view was worth the hike, however for him it was not the stretch of beach against the blue sea; it was the look on Harry's face the moment he first saw the sea. From up on the hill, the sea breeze passed through Harry's always messy black hair and the almost teenager looked completely carefree. The Gryffindor closed his eyes and took a deep breath of sea air.

"This is brilliant Severus!"

The pair ended up extending their stay until the week after Harry's 13th birthday, where they celebrated seaside at the more secluded Porthor beach and Harry was able to experience the whistling sand when he slid his feet across it in just the right way. The trip had been filled with laughs, stories about Lily and her parents, and discussions about both the previous school year and the one coming up. Harry fell in love with the sea - claiming it to be his favorite place outside of home and Hogwarts - and Severus, not realizing that Harry did not know how to swim, taught the young wizard to swim. It was a perfect holiday for them both.

The only damper to their first family holiday was the night Severus saw an all-too-familiar face splashed across the muggle news at a cafe near the Aberdaron beach. Sirius Black had somehow escaped Azkaban; or prison according to the muggle news. There was no doubt in the former spy's mind that Black would be coming after Harry. His insides burned with hatred for the man that not only bullied him as a teenager, but also who's betrayal killed Lily. With any luck, the mutt would go to Little Whinging first, knowing that Harry would have been left with Lily's sister after the Potter's deaths. He would never be able to find Harry with the Fidelius in place at Spinner's End, which meant that their beach trip had to come to an end. It was time to go home.

Once they were finished packing up the cottage; finding the random book out on the front porch or parchment and quills stuffed between the sofa cushions from when Harry decided to work on his summer assignments, they both sat outside looking out to the sea one last time.

"Thank you Severus," Harry said, turning his head to look at the man who rescued him from his old life and was helping him rebuild this new one together. "I really appreciate you bringing me here."

"You are very welcome Harry," the Potions Master said, "We'll be back, I promise."

What Severus did not know was that they would never make it back to Aberdaron. The next two summers would be spent with the Quidditch World Cup, followed by a summer dedicated to a complicated commissioned project in addition to Aunt Petunia's funeral, and their final summer together they would spend tweaking potions to try to cure the Leukemia that was - even now - secretly held within Harry's blood waiting to wreak havoc on his body. Severus would plan to bring his son back to celebrate both the teen's 17th birthday and remission to the cancer he would fight hard against, however they would never make it because they would both be gone by then - Harry to the cancer and Severus to a new reality... a reality where a boy, who was not his son, was now sitting away locked up in a room that was not his own hoping to be ignored and thinking that would make it the best summer ever, instead of sitting next to his father getting ready to go home after his first real holiday.