It was mid November, now, and cold. Not cold enough to snow, but cold enough to make Harry not want to go outside on weekends, except perhaps for a few hours in the afternoon to fly.

His dad seemed to feel the same way. Since just after the Halloween feast, they would slept in even later than usual on weekends. Harry knew his dad worked long hours during the week, even though he insisted that his work load was less than before he'd become Harry's guardian. All the same, weekends were when he caught up on sleep, no doubt lulled by the warm covers and warmer fire.

"I have a surprise for you," Severus said, as they ate breakfast.

Harry had been immersed in his porridge, but looked up. "What kind of surprise?"

"Now, my little fox," the older man teased, smiling, "I can hardly tell you what it is."

Harry laughed. "Can I ask if I'll know what it is today?"

"Oh, you'll find out after breakfast." At Harry's look of surprise, Severus added, rather mysteriously, "It involves the invisibility cloak."

Harry grinned. The last time they'd used it had been to visit the kitchens. The house elves had prepared their favorite desserts, and they'd sat on comfortable chairs in front of a lovely fire to eat them. The elves had made so much that Harry's treacle tart lasted for several desserts, too! He'd loved visiting the kitchens and seeing the elves and eating the food, but he'd really loved being with his dad. They'd traveled to the kitchens late at night, too, under the invisibility cloak. By the time they returned to his dad's quarters, it must have been almost midnight! He'd had to carry Harry back, he'd been so tired. But it had been a wonderful adventure.

"It's not another trip to the kitchens?" Harry pressed.

Severus shook his head. "Oh, we'll return, don't you worry, Harry. Soon, I promise. No, today is another type of adventure." He smiled, then nodded towards Harry's half-eaten porridge. "Finish your breakfast, and we'll start soon afterwards."

"Oh!" Harry, who had absentmindedly set his spoon down, immediately picked it up. "I will!"

"Indeed." His dad laughed, and Harry thought if he wasn't sitting across from him, he'd reach over and tousle his messy hair.

Shortly afterwards, they were well fed, dressed, and ready to go. Harry was nearly bouncing with excitement, but his dad didn't seem to mind.

"I don't suppose we need the cloak until we're outside," he determined, placing the invisibility cloak into one of his pockets. "Stay by my side until then, Harry."

"I promise," Harry answered, smiling.

After warming their cloaks, they left the warm quarters to brace the colder corridors. It occurred to Harry that it would be even colder outside the castle-he guessed that's where they were going-but tucked into his warm cloak, he didn't much mind. They were going on an adventure, after all!

The corridors were bustling with students, and Severus held Harry's hand tightly. Some of the kids smiled waved at them-Dora Tonks not among them-and they responded in kind. No one stopped to chat, though.

Once they walked past the entrance hall, Severus opened the door, and a fierce wind greeted them. Harry pulled his hood over his head more securely, grateful for the added warmth.

"Can you tell me now? Please?" Harry begged.

But his dad just shook his head, smiling. "Patience, owlet. A few more minutes, and you'll know."

Harry nodded, feeling giddy excitement fill him. They walked past the hut that belonged to Hagrid, the gamekeeper. At first, Harry thought the adventure might be a visit to him, but quickly dismissed the idea. Hagrid, his guardian had explained, was not a bad sort of man, but not someone he trusted alone with Harry. Not that he would hurt him, exactly, but the man had very little common sense with regards to danger.

"He befriends dangerous creatures, Harry. Calls them his pets. Mind, he's a good deal taller than the average wizard, and has some giant blood in him, so he doesn't suffer from cuts and bruises the way we do. But he'd bring them to you, or you to them, without a second thought, and consider it a treat for you to meet them. No, I won't have you alone with him anytime soon," Severus had explained.

Harry thought he rather knew the sort. There had been a kid in his year, back in primary school, who had a collection of venomous snakes. Allegedly, they no longer had the venom in them, but even the threat was enough to make Dudley steer clear of him. Come to think of it, the kid might have been a good friend for Harry, an ally against Dudley and his gang, but he'd been just as scared of his terrifying snakes.

Now, Harry followed Severus until they reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest, and promptly stopped. Severus turned to Harry.

"Fancy going there?" he asked, smiling.

Harry stared. "But-but it's the Forbidden Forest, Dad."

His dad nodded, then placed both hands on his shoulders. "That it is, for students by themselves. Not for teachers, and certainly not for teachers with young boys who stay close by their side," he said, softly. "Besides, we won't go very far in. There are some rather dangerous creatures, mind, but they're more in the heart of the forest. Stay by my side, owlet, and you have nothing to worry about."

Harry faltered. Going into the Forbidden Forest felt far more dangerous than riding a school broom-but then, Severus had allowed him to do that in the end, as long as he or Madam Hooch was watching him. Was this the same sort of thing? His guardian had spoken as though he'd been there before, and surely, he wouldn't offer it as an adventure if it wasn't reasonably safe. After all, he loved Harry, and you didn't put those who you loved in danger.

"All right," he answered, after taking a breath. "If you'll stay near me."

"That," Severus said, removing the cloak from his pockets, "is partly the reason for this cloak. The other reason is to be able to observe the creatures withinin their own environment." He squeezed Harry's hand. "I'm glad you're being careful, child, but I can assure you, as long as you stay with me, you'll be perfectly safe."

Harry nodded, and allowed his dad to pull the cloak over both of them. Remaining close to his side, then feeling an arm wrap around him, they walked further.

Privet Drive had been a suburban house, like all of the other ones on the street. Surrey hadn't been known for forests, although there were some parks. Forests existed, Harry knew, and not just in fairy tales. They just weren't a part of their town, anymore than high buildings or skyscrapers. Excitement filled Harry as they walked on the path. Unlike Hansel and Gretel, they wouldn't get lost.

Probably.

The forest wasn't exactly silent, because there were animals living there. Harry could hear the chirping of birds from afar, and the occasional movements of other animals. Deer, perhaps? Or smaller animals? Still, it felt far more quiet than the corridors of Hogwarts.

"At the fork," Severus murmured, interrupting Harry's thoughts, "we'll take the left path. That's where-never mind. You'll see soon enough."

"Okay," Harry whispered.

His dad squeezed him in a reassuring manner. Harry saw a mossy stump before long, and could hear the sound of running water. Was there a stream nearby? There must be, or how else would the animals survive?

But before he could contemplate more about that, an animal Harry had never seen jumped into their line of view. Well, not jumped, exactly, but it felt that way to Harry. At first, it looked like a horse, but all white. Except, the horn on its head made Harry think of the pictures of magical creatures he'd read about in Muggle fairy tales, and it did look exactly like the image on the blanket Severus had given him for his birthday.

"Is that..."

"A unicorn. Yes." Severus's voice was hushed. "Let's watch it for a bit, and then, perhaps, she'll let us get close."

"Ohh!" Harry murmured. "Really?"

"Perhaps." Another squeeze. "Having fun?"

"Yes!"

Then, another unicorn, a much smaller one, appeared, running after the larger one. Was this a baby unicorn? Was the older one the mother?

They watched for what felt like ages as the two ran around in circles. The Forbidden Forest was their home, not a place of fear to them. Harry felt glad of it.

He was aware of his dad removing the cloak. The older unicorn walked towards him, and he stood still. Harry wondered if unicorns could understand English, or if this one knew his dad. Had they met before? She placed her head under his neck, and, chuckling slightly, Severus gave her head a few pets. Then, he lifted Harry up. The unicorn studied Harry, and when he raised his hand, she pressed her head under it.

Harry grinned, thinking of how Calla would do the same when she wanted him to pet her head. The unicorn didn't purr the way his kitten did, but her eyes did close until he let his hand go. Then, the smaller unicorn appeared, trusting that he and his dad meant them no harm, and rather demanded the same affection. Harry obeyed, of course. The younger unicorn's hair was softer, though nothing compared to his cat. Still. Petting a unicorn had to be something most kids didn't get to do! He was grinning ear to ear when the unicorns had clearly decided they had enough of being with humans, and scurried off.

Severus set Harry back down.

"Do you see unicorns often, when you go into the forest?" he asked.

"Sometimes," he replied. "I visit mostly to gather plants for potions. You can purchase nearly anything an the apothecary, but it's free in the forest, and I have years of experience knowing where to look. The animals have come to see that I mean no harm, and, as you've seen, a couple see me as rather a companion." He looked-almost sheepish? "Grown unicorns can be slow to trust humans. Not so much the younger ones, but even they prefer females over males. The fact that they both took to you speaks well of your character, Harry."

"And you, Dad," Harry chirped, earning himself a hair tousle.

"Perhaps," he allowed. Glancing at his watch, he added, "It's nearly time for lunch, unless you'd rather stay a bit?"

Harry considered. He was becoming hungry, and while the forest didn't feel quite so scary, he felt rather ready to get back. After being able to pet a unicorn, he didn't expect anything to top that.

"I think I'd like to return home, now," he decided. "Thanks, Dad. This was fun. Really fun!"

"Good, I'm glad." Severus hugged him tightly. "Perhaps, we'll see some bowtruckles or nifflers next time."

Over lunch, his dad told Harry more about the creatures that lived in the Forbidden Forest.

"Ordinary animals reside there, such that you would find in a Muggle forest," Severus began. "Foxes and deer, for instance. But the overwhelming majority of creatures are inhabitants of our world. Unicorns, as you saw, are among them."

"What else?" Harry asked, eagerly.

"Centaurs and thestrals are the most innocuous . Centaurs are half man, half beast. They remain separate from wizarding kind by choice, but might aid a child if they enter the forest and become lost." Severus paused, then added, "On occasion, students are sent into the forest with Hagrid, in order to serve a detention. However, as I previously told you, he's not the most reliable." At Harry's nod, he went on. "Thestrals are winged horses, black in color, but visible only to those who have seen death. Technically, you witnessed the death of your parents, so you may be able to see one, but you were also only a year of age, and likely did not comprehend it. Beginning in your second year, you will ride in a carriage from the Hogsmeade train station to Hogwarts. You can tell me if they appear visible to you."

Harry nodded. "What else is there?"

"Much darker creatures. Werewolves, hippogriffs, and mooncalves, to name a few. Yes, werewolves are real," Severus added, rather darkly. "One was among your father's friends, in our school days."

"Are they like the Muggle kind? Do they-I mean-bite people and turn them into one?" Harry had trouble believing that, if this were the case, his father would be friends with one. But his father had also been a bully, so befriending a creature that could harm those he disliked didn't seem very far off. Dudley might have done so, perhaps.

"Most are only dangerous to humans in werewolf form, during the full moon," Severus explained, gently. "During all other times, they have the resemblance of humans, and can be harmless."

"Can be?" Harry echoed, now glad he had finished eating. He wasn't very hungry.

A bit ill, really.

Severus rose, then gestured for Harry to follow him. He stopped at the couch, and patted the space next to him. Harry sat down, and almost immediately, Calla took a space on his lap.

"I don't wish you to worry about being bitten by a werewolf, owlet," Severus soothed, wrapping an arm around him. "There are a few who wish harm on children like yourself, but far more are just like us, only they're at the mercy of the full moon. Moreover, no students or staff at Hogwarts are werewolves."

"But my father's friend...?"

Severus brushed some hair away from his face. "Remus Lupin was among those who didn't wish harm on others. When he attended school, his condition was disclosed to the staff, and he was taken to a safe location to transform, where he would never harm others. The student body, myself and your father included, soon noticed that his monthly disappearances corresponded with the full moon."

"Oh. But he never hurt you, did he?"

His dad hesitated. "Lupin did not. But that's a story for when you're older. Now," he added, in a cheerier voice, "why don't we go to the library and see if we can find any books about the creatures that live in the Forbidden Forest? I can read to you, of course."

"With voices?" Harry pleaded. "Please?"

Severus tousled his hair. "That's the best way to read a story!"

Author's note:

I rather expect Severus to wait until Harry's third year with him to tell him about the prank. Of course, he was sort of broaching the subject by telling Harry that his dad was friends with a werewolf!

Asking again for help. While I am not having trouble coming up with ideas for Harry's first year with Severus, I am struggling with future years. I don't want to skip over these years entirely, but I don't want to repeat the same events. My purpose with this piece is a series of somewhat self-contained one shots that are a combination of snapshots of his life, while building on the characters. Here are my ideas, so far, for a 9 and 10 year old Harry:

He observes one of Snape's lessons (age 9)

He flies with Snape (who can do so unaided by a broom) (age 9)

They visit each common room before the school year begins (age 10)

As you can see, it's not very much to put into two years, especially since Voldemort hasn't officially begun his quest for the stone. It's a period of normalcy for Hogwarts students and staff!

Oh, and Remus will not enter his life until the third book. While not as hated as Sirius and James, I highly doubt Severus would consider him a good influence. When he's hired, though, Severus will grin and bear it.

Next up: The first snowstorm of the year, and the first time Harry can actually enjoy it!