Disclaimer: All the usual ones apply. And I still don't own anything, other than this bottle of sprite I'm drinking. :p

Chapter 107

Severus inwardly sighed as he stared down the hallway. He had merely suspected that Harry was avoiding him and had been doing so for the past week. Now he had proof.

The boy had literally stopped dead in the hallway and gone the other direction when he had caught sight of him.

"Give him time, Severus," Albus said as he materialized at his side. "This is a big thing for him."

Nodding, he reached into his robes and handed over a signed Hogsmeade permission form. "He'll need this tomorrow."

Albus gave him a small smile.

"I'm going to Hogsmeade this evening. I have some errands to run."

Now the Headmaster frowned. "Severus, you're safer in the castle."

"I won't hide, Albus. If I do, then the Dark Lord wins."

"I will not take the chance on you being ambushed. Therefore, I will be going with you."

Severus stifled the eye-roll he desperately wanted to do, but nodded. He knew the Headmaster would not allow him to leave otherwise.

"Ron, how do sons' act?" blurted out Harry, quite suddenly.

Ron looked at him funny. "What?"

Harry glanced around the empty dorm room. It was a Hogsmeade Saturday so that wasn't unusual. Ever since he had come to the conclusion that he wanted to give this family thing a try, he had been avoiding Snape - which was completely backwards.

He saw Ron bend over to tie his shoes.

"How do you be a son?"

Again, Ron looked at him funny. "Harry, there's no real answer to that. It's not something I think about, it's just something that comes natural."

He frowned. "Do you talk to your dad about stuff? Does he help you with your summer homework? Do you help him do things?"

"Harry, mate, slow down. You're going to have a panic attack."

Harry took a deep breath. Ron was right. If he wasn't careful, he would have a panic attack.

"When you went home with Sirius this past summer, did you think about how to act?" Ron asked after a minute had passed.

"Not really, but I tried to be on my best behavior so that he wouldn't send me away," he admitted after he thought about it.

"Harry, you're such a prat. Sirius wouldn't have sent you away, even if you did something to make him angry. I take it this means you're gonna tell Snape you want him as a father?"

Harry made a face. "Yeah, but I'm afraid I'll screw it up."

"So what if you screw it up? I screw up all the time but my dad still loves me. C'mon. A day away from the castle will do you some good."

He quickly grabbed Ron's arm, holding him up for a second. "Ron, are you okay with all of this? I know that you hate Snape ..."

Harry thought Ron looked amused by the question.

"He tormented us for ages, so yeah, I don't like him, but while you were in the hospital wing recovering, Hermione had a 'talk' with me."

"A talk?"

"Yeah." Ron flushed slightly. "I ranted about Snape for well over an hour before she set me straight."

"What did she say?"

"Something along the lines that if I didn't want to lose your friendship, I'd best keep my mouth shut. She then went on to remind me that Snape has saved us ... well, saved you, many times over the past years."

"I ..."

"Harry, it's okay. I'm okay with this as long as you're happy. I mean, you have your father ... alive. It's strange ... very strange for me to think of him as your dad, but that's what he is. I told you once before that you are my best friend, and you are. I won't abandon you over something like this, especially since it isn't exactly something you can control."

"Who are you and what have you done with Ron?"

Ron snickered. "Come on. I want a couple of biscuits before we head into Hogsmeade."

When they arrived at the Great Hall, Harry reached in his pocket for the permission from McGonagall had given him the prior evening during detention. (Despite the fact it was revealed that Snape was Harry's father, she still insisted on him having detention for punching Snape.)

"Go on," encouraged Ron quietly as the red head walked toward the Gryffindor table to join Hermione in a spot of breakfast.

Harry took a deep breath, nodded, and headed toward the Head Table, where most of the professor's were currently eating their own breakfasts'.

"Good morning, Harry."

"Morning Professor Dumbledore." He then turned to face Snape. "Morning, sir."

"Morning, Potter. Did you need something?"

He pulled out the blank Hogsmeade form. "I was wondering if you would sign this so I can go to Hogsmeade. I promise I'll try to behave."

Snape snorted. "Gryffindor's don't know how to behave. Thank you for bringing this to me, but I have already signed one."

Harry's eyes widened.

"Was there anything else you needed?"

"I ... uh, have Quidditch practice this evening, but I was wondering if I ... well if I could come down to your quarter's afterwards?"

He saw Snape raise an eyebrow, which made Harry curious as to whether that was his shocked expression. "You may. Do you remember the way?"

"Not really," he admitted.

"I can bring him down after practice, Severus," interjected Remus.

Snape nodded.

As Harry walked away, he heard Snape say, "if you so much as twinkle at me Albus, I'll hex you with incurable boils."

He fought back a laugh as he headed toward his waiting friends.

"C'mon you two. I wanna head to the bookstore."

Harry and Ron rolled their eyes at her - out of eyesight, of course.

While Hermione browsed the books, Harry went over to the school supplies section. As he went to check out, he realized that Snape had done more than pre-sign his Hogsmeade form.

"It's already paid for, Mr. Potter."

"I don't understand."

"Professor Snape was down here yesterday and told me that if you purchased anything, it was to be charged to him."

"But I want to pay."

"Sorry, but I have my instructions. Next!"

Harry grabbed his bag and went outside to wait on Ron and Hermione.

'Why would Snape do that?' he silently fumed.

The wind picked up so Harry pulled his cloak tighter around himself.

Before he could get too lost in his musings, he heard a laugh. A laugh he would recognize anywhere.

Harry looked around and quickly found Gabriella walking hand in hand with a Ravenclaw he knew by sight but not by name.

She looked happy, which made Harry instantly jealous. He scowled at himself. She had told him that she was going to look for a boyfriend and he had told her to do so. He should be happy for her because with her having a boyfriend, she was safe.

Harry looked away from the new couple. When he did, he saw Cho and her group of friends enter the Three Broomsticks.

He looked away from there only to let his eyes fall on Susan entering Honeydukes.

With a frustrated sigh, he glanced around Hogsmeade refusing to look at anyone in particular. As he did, he saw the magical signatures of Tonks nearby, as well as the signatures of a couple other people he didn't know.

'Either Dumbledore is having me followed or there are invisible Auror's around to keep an eye on Hogsmeade.'

"Ready to go?" asked Hermione as she and Ron exited the bookstore.

"Let's go to Honeydukes next," Ron said eagerly.

Harry groaned softly but nodded. Once there, he realized that Snape had, once again, stopped him from paying.

"Why is he doing this?" asked Harry.

"To take care of you."

"I don't need anyone to take care of me."

"Oh Harry, providing for their children is what parents do," said Hermione gently.

"But I have the money that I got from my ... vault," Harry said as he paused slightly.

"When you see Snape tonight, ask him about it mate," Ron said as he paid for his sweets.

Harry frowned but nodded.

Eventually they made their way into the Three Broomsticks.

"Uh, maybe we should just head back," Hermione said, suddenly.

Harry looked around and saw Gabriella and the Ravenclaw in the corner. He shrugged. "I've already seen them. Besides, I'm happy that she's happy."

"Are you sure? We can take our butterbeer's with us," Ron said.

"I'm sure." He then headed to a table where they wouldn't be in a direct line of sight of her.

An hour later, the trio plus Neville headed back toward the castle.

During Quidditch practice that evening, Remus came out to the pitch to watch him.

"Closer to the broom, Potter!" screeched Angelina.

"If I get any closer to it, I'm going to turn into a piece of wood," he called back.

"Nonsense. I want to see that move done properly by the end of practice."

Harry scowled as she flew toward the twins.

Two hours later, Harry limped out of the locker room to where Remus was waiting on him.

"Do you need to go to the infirmary?"

"No. I'll walk it off" he said with a slight grimace.

"At least you can do the move now."

Harry shifted his book bag to his other shoulder. "Let's just hope that each time I do it, I don't crash into a goal post."

Remus snickered. "So are you really going to give Severus a chance?"

Harry nodded as he took a deep breath. "It's what my mom wanted ... and what I want too."

He saw Remus smile down at him.

Ten minutes later found Harry staring at Snape's door. "Thanks Remus. I have no doubt I'd have gotten lost looking for it."

"Good luck."

Harry nodded and, despite Snape telling him the password, he knocked on the door. A minute had passed before it opened.

"Harry? You didn't have to knock."

"I know, but well, I wanted too."

He merely nodded. "Come in."

When Harry walked in, he saw that Snape had some food in the mini-kitchen.

"I figured you might be hungry after practice so I had the elves bring you a snack."

"Thank you."

"How was your Hogsmeade visit?"

Harry took a drink of his pumpkin juice. "Was fine. How come you wouldn't let me pay for my own things?"

Snape raised an eyebrow. "Because it is my job to care for you."

"But I have money," protested Harry.

"From the Potter and Black vaults?"

"Just the Potter one. I've not been to the ones Sirius left me, yet."

Snape fixed himself a sandwich. "James ... clearly wanted you to have access to his vault, even though he knew you weren't his biological son. For a while, I thought about just letting you continue using it but I realized that I wanted to pay for you, to buy you things."

"But I don't want anyone to buy me things. I don't need anyone to buy me things."

Snape took a bite of his sandwich. After he swallowed, he said, "Harry, I realize that you have been forced to grow up. You are more mature than your classmates, but a part of me is saddened by this. I want you to stay a child just a little while longer. I want to do all of the fatherly things that I have been informed fathers' do.

"Save the money James and Bl ... Sirius left you for when you are out of school. After you figure out what you want to do, put it toward an apprenticeship. But while you're here, at Hogwarts, let me pay for what you need."

Harry was surprised by Snape's honest answer. Clearly he had been expecting this discussion.

A few minutes had passed before he finally glanced up. "Okay."

Snape nodded. "How was Quidditch practice?"

Harry chuckled. "Fine, except for slamming into the goal post."

"Did you hurt yourself?"

"No more than I usually do. I ... uh ... have a question."

"Go on."

"On Monday, you said that you've known I was hiding how smart I am in potions. How come you never said anything before?"

"I started to, but I couldn't suddenly begin giving you good grades. I'm sure Draco, or any of the other Slytherin's for that matter, would have informed their parents."

Harry nodded as he reached for his glass of juice again. That's what he thought. He then frowned. "So you knew that Voldemort wasn't dead?"

"I did."

They fell into an uneasy silence when Snape smiled slightly and spoke. "Your mother would be pleased to know that you inherited her knack for charms and potions."

Harry laughed slightly. "I suppose you're happy about the potions part."

"Surprised is more the appropriate term."

"Why are you surprised? Remus told me that mom was brilliant in potions, too."

Severus briefly wondered if Harry realized that he had given him a compliment. "And she was. I go to a potion conference every three years. The top brewers that attend are a married couple. They have three children and all three make Longbottom look like a genius in potions."

"How?"

"That's the way it works sometimes."

"Hmph."

"Did you have any other questions?"

Harry frowned for a minute, then steeled up his Gryffindor courage. "Do ... do you know if it's normal to still have nightmares every night, even with my occlumency shields in place?"

"You're having nightmares again? Are they of the Dark Lord?"

"I am, but no, they're not of Voldemort."

Snape reached across the table and gently made Harry look up at him. "What are they about?"

Harry sighed. "Mostly ... the dead. But sometimes I dream about a pitch black night. Eventually I find a light source coming from a pit. I always know what's inside it and I try to keep from looking down into it, but I can't stop myself."

"What do you see in the pit?"

"Me. I'm lying dead, in several pieces. That's not what bother's me though. It's the fact that my body was tossed on top of the bodies of my friends. All of them had their eyes open and all were staring at me with the accusation that I should have saved them."

"Is that what you're afraid of? That you won't be able to protect your friends?"

He nodded.

"Harry, you can't protect everyone. Any deaths that occur will not be your fault. I know Lupin talked to you about this."

"He did but ... I don't know. It's just a dream right?"

Severus frowned even deeper, realizing that Harry was trying to change the subject. He had no idea how to fix the notion that Harry wasn't responsible for every death that happens in this war. He could, however, check his occlumency shields. "As for your question, if you allow me, I can check your shields to make sure they are firmly in place."

He saw Harry grimace but nod.

It had taken Severus three times to successfully enter his son's mind, which was an excellent indication that the shields were fine. He then searched, gently, through the boys memories, looking for weaknesses - and he found none. That meant that Harry was subconsciously trying to punish himself.

He pulled from Harry's mind and got up to retrieve a calming draught for him. He had no idea how to deal with this. Maybe this was something Albus or Lupin could help him with.

"Your shields are fine."

"The nightmares are of my own making then, aren't they?"

Severus looked at his son with a raised eyebrow. "They appear to be. You need to sort carefully through your memories and put them behind the correct shield. Do you still meditate?"

"Not as much as I used too," admitted Harry.

"Each night, before you go to bed, I want you to spend at least a half hour meditating. Sort through your memories then."

"Do you still have to meditate to sort through your memories?"

He shook his head. "No, but I'm a Master Occlumens."

"You don't get nightmares?"

Severus picked up their dishes and put them on the counter. He knew the elves would take them away later. "Of course I get nightmares. Sometimes there is truly nothing you can do to prevent them, and I have seen a great deal in my lifetime to cause my nightmares. However, I do believe that most of yours are preventable."

He turned around to see that Harry was lost in thought. Another minute had passed when he spoke up. "When you entered my mind earlier ... it felt different from when Dumbledore does it."

"I didn't hurt you, did I?"

He shook his head.

"I'll give you a dreamless sleep draught tonight. I'll also inform the Headmaster that it will need to be another couple of weeks before he should test you again."

"Can't ... nevermind."

"What is it?"

"Can't you test me?"

"I can, but what I did just now, that was me trying to be gentle. If I test you, I'll be much harsher."

"I know. Sometimes I think Dumbledore goes too easy on me. I need to know what Voldemort would truly try if he caught me."

"If you wish, I can do so, but it will still be another couple of weeks before I test them again. That being said, I have paper's to grade. I saw that you brought your book bag. Homework?"

Harry nodded.

"Unless you have any more questions, you may use the table in the living room to study."

Harry nodded. "Thank you, sir."

While Harry set up to write an essay for defense, Snape sat in his chair to mark paper's.

At one point, Harry glanced up and watched Snape smirk nastily as he graded someone's essay.

He chuckled softly, while seriously hoping that wasn't one of his essay's. His mind inadvertently drifted back to when Snape had checked his shields. He had felt an unexpected wave of ... something from the man. It almost felt like ... warmth ... or caring ... or something like that. He found it difficult to describe.

A very surprising thought then entered his mind.

He almost dropped his quill at the revelation.

It was a thought unbidden, yet not scary in the least, despite the morbid conversation earlier.

It was the thought that he could, somehow, admist his crazy life, get used to being normal in his potion master's ... no, he corrected himself, in his father's quarter's.

Here, apparently, he didn't have to be anyone but himself, and that, more than anything, was an encouraging thought.

A/N: Look! They talked s'more! *grin* As you might guess, right now their both trying to stay civil to each other to keep from pushing the other's buttons as they figure out this whole father/son thing. Don't worry. That won't last long. Sooner or later, one of them is gonna snap. hehe

And yes, Harry (and Snape too for that matter) is a bit slow in realizing what he felt from Snape when the man had entered his mind. I actually had a pretty good time writing this chapter.

Up next, Harry and Dumbledore has a chat, plus there's an oppertunity for another bonding moment between Snape and Harry. =)