A/N: Another chapter from Severus's POV, for reasons that will be clear if you read further. This takes place one day after they moved into the castle. Enjoy!

"Severus, please see me in my office tonight after Harry's bedtime," the Phoenix said, having entered the Potion master's room just after Severus rose that morning. "The password is cockroach cluster."

Severus groaned. "What could that manipulative old man want this time?" he grumbled, buttoning his robes. After a pause, he summoned his own Patronus. "I shall see you after 9:00 this evening."

They had only just moved in the previous day, and had barely unpacked properly. Severus had planned to spend the day showing Harry around more of the immediate area of the castle, and perhaps, doing a bit of brewing. Not that the headmaster's message would prevent any of this, but it certainly put him in a dour mood. At least, he knew, Harry would not be taken from him. Severus took a deep breath. He would not take his annoyance out on his child.

Long used to compartmentalizing his emotions, Severus performed these tasks that day with particular care. Towards Harry, he displayed the affection and love that he used to think he was incapable of feeling, much less expressing. But he loved the child as though he was his own son, and Harry clearly saw him as a father.

Harry was especially tired this evening, having worked hard to learn the routes. After a few minutes of carding his hair, after reading a chapter of the Narnia book to him, Severus discovered the boy was fast asleep. Smiling at the image, he carefully tucked the covers around his child more securely, then left their quarters.

"Cockroach cluster," he said, upon arriving at the entrance.

The barriers to the office pushed aside, Severus strolled forward. He kept his Occlumency shields up, allowing only curiosity to seep through.

Fawkes glanced at him from his perch, then made a warbling sound.

"Good evening to you as well," Severus returned, with a slight nod.

"Ah, Severus," Albus greeted, rising from his desk. "How are you tonight?"

"Fine, headmaster." He shook his head at the nonverbal offer of some sweet. "And yourself?"

"Very well." He beamed. "I expect you'll wish to return to your plans this evening, so I'll come right to the point. Sit, please."

Severus took a seat opposite the rising headmaster. The older man opened a drawer, and then removed something that nearly made Severus recoil.

No, he certainly was not prepared to encounter James Potter's invisibility cloak. Why, he could practically smell the long dead man's scent on it.

"What," he asked, pushing his chair back, "is that? Or, to be more precise, Albus, what is your intent in showing me Potter's cloak?"

Albus placed it on his desk, then looked up at Severus, his face contorting into a pained expression. "James Potter loaned it to me to study shortly before his death. Had he not...Well, that's neither here nor there. Yes, Severus, this is a true invisibility cloak, not a charmed replica. It belonged in his family for countless generations, passed down from father to son after the child turned eleven and entered school.

"And by all rights," Albus concluded, "it will belong to Harry when he turns eleven. From what I've read, it need not be given to him on his eleventh birthday, but magic will interfere so that he's in possession of it beginning in the second term of his first year." Albus lifted it up. "As you are his guardian, I thought it would mean more coming from you."

Severus felt his lip curl. "You propose I give it to an eight year old boy? Have you taken complete leave of your senses?"

"Not at all. It can wait until as late as Christmas Day of his first year at Hogwarts as a student." Albus smiled genially. "If I may be permitted to give a piece of advice, as an old bachelor, I would certainly make Harry aware of the cloak well before then."

Severus glared at him. "Of course, magic would interfere. Do you not realize, Albus, that Potter's ability to cause trouble would have been greatly diminished had he not had access to that infernal cloak?"

"Harry is not his father, Severus," Albus countered, mildly.

"Not yet," Severus snapped.

But he knew there was truth to the headmaster's statement. Yes, James Potter had been closer to twelve upon their first encounter on the train, and Harry was eight years old. The two could hardly be more different, and while Severus credited himself a bit, he knew that between Harry's blatant neglect and his personality resembled his mother more than his father. All the same, a spoiled and entitled and cruel child did not form overnight.

"Harry is not his father, Severus," Albus repeated, more firmly. "An invisibility cloak in his possession will not change that. Particularly as I expect you will show him how to use it wisely."

Severus heaved a sigh. He supposed that the headmaster was doing him a favor, really. If he had three years to acclimate Harry to the responsibility of such a cloak...well, it would be far better than simply giving it to him.

"Perhaps," he allowed. "In any event, there's no need to give Harry the cloak immediately." Severus, very reluctantly, took hold of it. "Is there anything else?"

"Not at present, my boy."

"Then, I shall take my leave." At the man's nod of assent, Severus felt himself relax slightly. "Good night, headmaster."

"Good night, Severus."

Severus expected to have an hour or two to himself before preparing for bed, and gave a mental start when the wards alerting him to emotional distress on Harry's end sounded immediately upon his entrance. He swore under his breath. Lord willing, the child was still asleep...

Cloak still in his hands, he ran to Harry's room, where the child was still sleeping, but the whimpers from his mouth were the sure sign of a nightmare.

Pausing only to set the cloak on the edge of the bed, he rushed over to the bed and took Harry into his arms, rocking him back and forth, then rubbing his back in a calming, circular motion.

"It's all right, it's all right," Severus murmured, holding Harry against his chest with one hand. "You're safe, little owl. You're safe."

Slowly, the child roused. The whimpers increased, briefly, but as soon as Harry realized his guardian was holding him, they stopped, and the child burrowed himself into Severus's frame.

"Do you wish to talk about it?" Severus asked, softly.

Usually, Harry did, but it took a couple of minutes to verbalize this. A normal response. Harry's short life had been one of trauma, after all, and of those who had been meant to care about him causing nearly all of it.

"He was after me," Harry whispered, clinging to Severus.

"He" usually referred to his uncle, but occasionally, it was the Dark Lord.

"Which one?" Severus specified, keeping his tone soft and reassuring.

"M-my uncle."

Harry clung even tighter to Severus after uttering this statement, who resisted the urge to swear. Would that vile man never cease to harm his child?

"You're safe, now," he soothed, still rubbing his back. "He can't hurt you."

"He could be a ghost," Harry countered. "He was one, in my dream."

Severus had to chuckle at this. "Muggles can't become ghosts, remember? They can only move on, owlet."

"I remember." Harry didn't let go of his death grip. "Will you stay with me, tonight? Please, Daddy?"

"I will." Severus had long since determined not to leave Harry's side after a nightmare, not even after he fell asleep. "But you won't find me comfortable in my robes."

"Your buttons will poke me," Harry recalled, causing Severus to laugh again.

"Precisely. So, if you will permit me a few minutes to change, I will return shortly," Severus promised. "All right, owlet?"

"All right, Daddy," Harry agreed, letting go with reluctance.

Severus gave him a final hug, and brushed some stray hairs from Harry's face, before leaving the bedroom. He didn't didn't think to take the cloak with him, and while the lights were off, the hallway one was on. It was no surprise, then, that when Severus returned, Harry's light was on, and he had pulled the cloak to the edge of the blankets, and his hands were stroking it.

As soon as he saw Severus, he removed his hands as though they'd been burned. His face wore an expression that resembled guilt.

"I'm sorry!" he squeaked, looking away from the cloak.

"Harry. You did nothing wrong." Severus managed not to sigh. This wasn't how he'd wished Harry to discover his father's cloak, but he could blame no one except himself for his carelessness. He sat down next to Harry on the bed, and gently placed the child's hands on the smooth, silvery garment. Well, now that Harry had seen it, he might as well know..."The headmaster gave it to me, to pass on to you when you were rather older. It belonged to your d-to your father, and his before him, and so on for quite a number of generations."

"C-can I ask what it is?" Harry asked, tentatively.

Severus chuckled. "An invisibility cloak."

Harry's mouth opened wide. "Invisibility is real?"

"Oh, quite real." Severus had to smile at this. Harry was still so new to the ways of magic... "You can become so temporarily with spells and potions, but a cloak like this is extremely rare. Which means that, when I give it to you, I will expect you to use it very, very wisely. Not for pranks or cheap laughs or untrustworthy behavior."

Harry nodded, then frowned. "Maybe I shouldn't have it."

"I'm afraid that you will need to be given it in a few years. I don't know the specifics," he admitted, "but I can hardly not give it to you."

"Oh." Harry looked down at it, then up at Severus. "Can you show me how it works, now? Please?"

"Very well."

Severus rose, removed the cloak from the bed, and placed it around him. He had to admit it felt rather surreal to be wearing a garment that had belonged to his archenemy. Had Lily ever worn it? Severus could swear he smelled James's scent, but perhaps, there was a hint of Lily's as well. Had the two made out under it? Severus forced his thoughts elsewhere.

The cloak, he observed, extended past his feet-whoever had first sewn it must have been quite tall. Or didn't wish for even the slightest possibility of feet being visible. Harry gasped.

"All of you disappeared except your head!"

Severus glanced in the mirror. Sure enough, it did look as though his head was floating in the air. Impulsively, he lunged over Harry and began to tickle him. The child shrieked with laughter, allowing it for several seconds before trying to squirm out of Severus's grip.

He allowed it, of course.

"That was creepy!" he said, grinning. "I felt you there, Dad, but it felt like I was being tickled by a headless man!"

"Or a bodiless man," Severus mused.

Then, he pulled up the hood, making himself entirely invisible, and Harry nodded, grinning. Compensating for the fact that his ward could not see him at all, he was rather less ambitious in ticking him than before. It was rather amusing. Harry couldn't see him at all, but he could feel him, and he squirmed playfully as Severus's invisible fingers found his most ticklish parts. Under the child's arms and sides, it appeared. He ceased after a few seconds, of course. Then, Severus removed the cloak, placed it on top of the wardrobe, and joined Harry in bed.

The child was still giggling a bit, as he curled into Severus. It was an improvement over tears, and Severus wondered if it would be an appropriate way to treat nightmares. After holding Harry, of course, and seeking his permission first.

"Dad?"

"Yes?"

"Would it be wrong to use the cloak to tickle you while you're asleep?" Harry asked, rather tentatively.

Severus smirked. "No, but you would be declaring war if you tried. Would you like to be awakened in the early morning hours by an invisible guardian in a similar way?" Severus retorted.

"I suppose not..."

Severus placed a kiss on top of his head. "I won't tell you not to attack me with tickles wearing the invisibility cloak, little Fox, only to be aware of the very dire consequences that will follow."

Harry giggled. After a silence for quite some time, he spoke up. "Can more than one person fit under it?"

"I expect so...why?"

"It would be fun to use it together," Harry admitted.

"Hmm." Severus felt rather touched that Harry would think of this. "What would we do?"

"I'd have to think about it."

"Then, so would I," Severus returned.

Harry yawned, curling up closer to his guardian. "Good night, Daddy."

Severus tightened his hold on Harry, making sure he felt warm and secure. "Good night, Harry. Sweet dreams."

Author's note:

Next up: Harry experiences his first Sorting...and his first taste of treacle tart.