Warnings: This story will have non-explicit one sided slash (sort of?). But the M is mostly for violence, gore and character death. Don't like, Dont' Read, Warnings may be updated in later chapters.

Grimmauld Place was an awfully old and awfully grim townhouse that felt to Harry as if it were being held together purely by the spite of the family who used to live there. Despite its misery, he did appreciate its blissful silence and was ever grateful that no-one was there. Of course, it was lonely without the rest of the trio but for a few days at least he appreciated his seclusion.

And of course there was something thrilling about being in a house he really should not have been in, with all its nooks and crannies free for him to explore. However he had been for almost a week at least and while it had been fun hiding whenever an order meeting was taking place, he spent the rest of the days not having much to do at all. Even Kreacher had disappeared.

It happened that today however he would finally find something.

Opening one of the many drawers of the cabinet in his room was starting to become a passtime of his, but this time he caught a glimpse of something tucked just at the back. Pulling out the object with some force, he realised it was a letter, and it was addressed to him

Opening the envelope, he read through it. And he read through it again, each time trying to understand what on earth he was reading.

Dear Harry,

It's me, James, your father. I hope you're doing well prongslet. I hope you're well when you read this. I'm not foolish, I know this war may take me away from you. I just need you to understand something and understand it well so you may not repeat the same mistakes I made. I'm not sure if you know this person, but I urge you to become familiar with Severus Snape. I know, I know, Sirius and probably everyone else would think me barmy but I am being serious. Snape is your greatest source of protection. I should also make this clear here Harry, Severus and I have an…interesting history. And for this reason Snape will probably hate me and probably you by extension. But have some patience, there is no-one I would trust more in regards to your safety. I hope you're kinder than me, prongslet, and kinder than your mother even. You'll need it. And if the situation comes to it, you may need to escape, Severus will be able to help you with that but as to why I say this…..

And the letter abruptly stopped, having been torn. Someone had read this, even the envelope on closer inspection had looked as if it had already been opened. But who and why?

But most importantly, how did Professor Snape know his father?

Severus Snape detested number 12 Grimmauld place. Black wasn't even the worst part; the filthy interior was still offensive even when the mutt was absent. Of course not to be offensive to Mrs Weasley but this wreck was just beyond any single person's expertise.

Despite his hatred of the house though, he still sat on the bottom stair of the ground floor awaiting the order meeting. He did not want to hazard a trip into the drawing room to never return from it again.

Seconds passed by painfully slowly so he decided to make his way up the stairwell to see if he had any company. Dumbledore had sent the order's Aurors on a mission so they wouldn't be here, neither would Granger or the Weasleys. The mutt and the wolf were at Hogwarts and Harry Potter was… Well, he wasn't exactly sure.

As he rounded the 3rd staircase he mindlessly opened a door, remembering that he didn't know exactly where the Potter boy was, and there had been a suspicious lack of updates as to the boy's position. It was only when his foot collided with a small figure that he looked down to see the boy in question curled sleeping on the floor next to a letter.

Once he had overcome his momentary shock, he decided to leave the boy there for a few seconds and instead drew his attention to the letter.

Once he had read it, he had to read it again and again. Yes he remembered James Potter very well, and if he had been a bullying toerag then Severus would have been fine to leave it there and would've simply thought the other man had finally had some sense knocked into him by Lily. But then there was the other, the James he also remembered that was so very kind to him those few nights they were alone when they had been in fifth year. All the more ridiculous, Severus sneered, when Potter had ended up humiliating him in front of the whole school just a few months later. It seemed though that the Senior Potter had not just been playing some cruel prank on him all those years ago, but even then it was all too confusing for Severus.

Deciding it was far too much to think about he turned to Harry and decided to rudely wake him up with an Aguamenti showered over his face. Only what the little brat deserves for keeping us all worried, Severus thought. The little troublemaker then had the gall to innocently stare up in confusion like some wide-eyed little child.

"Potter, care to explain why I see you here when you should be with your aunt and uncle?"

"Come on Snape, you know what they're like,"

"I do know, but you could at least inform us where you'll be. You're very lucky Potter that Professor Dumbledore was otherwise occupied." It had been strange that Dumbledore had not been all too concerned but there were other things. Besides, if Voldemort had Harry, they would certainly know about it.

"Why're you here anyway?" Harry was really wondering what time it was. It had been early morning when he was last awake but from a look outside the window, it was pitch black. Had he really slept that long?

"Well come along Potter, it's an Order meeting tonight and I'm sure everyone would be curious to know where you are,"

"Oh come on Snape, can't let me off this one time, you know how they'll be," Harry pleaded.

Severus did know, and he also knew that tonight's meeting may not be benefitted from a fifteen year old boy listening in. He decided to leave Potter here, and come ask questions later.

"All right Harry, you win. I will be back though, and if I come back to find you gone, there will be hell to pay. Understood Potter?"

And to Severus' annoyance, the boy simply smirked at him.