When Harry awoke the next morning, it took him a few minutes to work out where he was. He was surprised, he wouldn't have expected his father to have allowed him to stay over. He was even more surprised a moment later when he stretched and realised the warm cosiness he was feeling meant he had even tucked him in. Blushing, he sat up and began groping around for his glasses just as his father, freshly washed and dressed, appeared around the door frame.

"Good Morning Sleeping Beauty." He teased.

Ignoring the jest, Harry asked for the time.

"Six Thirty" his father replied,

"I fell asleep?"

"Yes"

"You let me stay?"

"Obviously."

Harry smiled. "You tucked me in?"

"Is that not what a father is meant to do?"

Harry nodded, grinning, then feeling an urgent pressing in his bladder, asked to use the toilet.

When he returned, the blanket had disappeared, all the cushions had been re-straightened and his father was waiting for him at the door with his satchel. "I don't mean to kick you out Son, but it would probably be better for you if you returned to your tower before your housemates note your absence." he explained apologetically.

They walked back up to Gryffindor Tower together, their conversation echoing eerily in the unusually silent halls, his father asked how he had slept then shared that he would going home for a couple of hours this afternoon. "I'm having lunch with Morgana and the children so you won't see me in the Great Hall", he warned before starting to ask Harry to promise him that he would actually eat today.

"I didn't know you had arranged that!" the boy interrupted in surprise.

"My apologies Mr Potter-Snape, I didn't know I was expected to apprise you of all of my plans now", his father replied sarcastically with a raise of an eyebrow."

"I didn't mean it like that", Harry muttered defensively. "I was just surprised, it's good though, I'm glad your building a relationship with them."

Severus smiled at him, "Yes I know, I'm only joking with you . I plan to see them every second weekend so if you're ever looking for me that's probably where I am. Now about your nutrition, I need you to promise me?

"I promise!" Harry groaned in exasperation – he wasn't four!

"Good, you will be okay now though won't you? The headmasters not going to have to summon me back early because you've put a curse on someone or something?"

Harry shook his head, grinning at the thought of Dumbledore interrupting his father's lunch with that kind of news. Morgana would be sure to find it infinitely amusing."

As they approached the Fat Lady his father handed him back the satchel that he had insisted upon carrying for him and wished him luck before leaving him to slip back up to his dormitory alone.

True to his word, Harry had dutifully nibbled on some buttered crumpets at breakfast and then taking advantage of the much improved weather went outside with Ron and Hermione to visit Hagrid who was still deeply upset about Malfoys accident with the Hippogriff.

On the way back up to the castle after they ran into Lily and Evan with four of their new friends down by the lake.

"When you mentioned your brother Harry you never said it was Harry Potter". One of the girls remarked, slightly awestruck.

"Harry Potter-Snape" Lily corrected proudly.

As usual Harry felt rather uncomfortable to be receiving attention from strangers due to something he had done that he couldn't even remember but for once he also found it somewhat amusing. They had all been concerned about how the twins would fare at school in the shadow of their father the Potions Master, but in actuality it seemed as if everyone was much more concerned about who their brother was.

It was good though, it meant that they probably hadn't had to suffer the same kind of taunting Harry had had following the Bogart incident. Plus Ravenclaws, by nature of their fondness for learning, seemed to hold a similar view on teachers to Hermione and as such were generally more respectful towards them anyways.

They stopped to chat with them all for a while, asking the tiny Ravenclaws about their lives pre-Hogwarts and enquiring as to how they were settling in. The first years were absolutely delighted to be receiving so much attention from the older students especially from ones with stories of trolls and dragons and terrifying trips to the forbidden forest to share. Not all of them seemed to be enjoying the stories though unfortunately with one poor boy going deathly pale at the realisation of the many dangers that surrounded them. Subtly gesturing to his stricken expression, Hermione cut the older boys off just as they were about to move on to the Basilisk and attempted to reassure the younger children that they had nothing to worry about, Ron in particular was rather prone to exaggeration after all. Then swiftly changing the subject, she asked where they had been on their walk so far before suggesting various other places they needed to check out before returning to the castle for lunch.

With a now incredibly packed itinerary, the First Years said their goodbyes and the two groups set off again in opposite directions but as he proudly watched them go Harry suddenly realised that he probably should have told his brother and sister about their father's lunch plans. Quickly calling then back, he spoke with them privately for a moment but regretting it almost immediately as Little Lily seemed strangely upset about the news.

He looked to Evan in confusion, he thought it was good that their father was making such an effort with his younger children but clearly the twins didn't agree. In their experience Morgana was bad news and the presumption that their fathers attempts to merge the two families would cease again on his return to school had been a source of relief to them.

"You liked me joining the family though didn't you? Harry asked hesitantly.

He was relieved when both twins nodded sincerely and so before he could put his foot in it any further, he told them he would talk to them about it properly some other time and sent them off to catch up with their friends.

By the time lunchtime did come around, Harry still wasn't all that hungry and would have preferred if they could have just stayed where they were, laughing and joking happily on the lawn as they watched the clouds race by, but as always Ron was starving and he had made a promise to his father so reluctantly he got up. On taking his seat at the Gryffindor table though he was delighted to discover that Bogart Snape was now old news and instead the topic of conversation was some poor Hufflepuff second year who had tripped going up some stairs earlier and seemingly performed an entire ballet in his attempts to stop himself from falling on his face.

Harry glanced across at him sympathetically as a group of Slytherins pranced by humming music from Swan Lake. The Hall erupted into a cacophony of laughter as the clumsy student sank down lower into his seat. Having so recently experienced the other boys pain himself Harry made a point not to join in the laughter but he couldn't help but feel somewhat relieved by the timing of his misfortune as he began piling food onto his plate, his appetite now very much returned.