The humid air of Lima clung to Harry and Severus like a damp cloak as they stepped off the magical portkey. The vibrant chaos of the Peruvian marketplace, a stark contrast to the quiet solitude of their home, swirled around them. Severus, ever the pragmatist, adjusted his travel cloak, a subtle ward against the tropical heat, and steered Harry through the many wizards and witches going about their shopping before they stepped through a stall that took them to the muggle side of the marketplace and, sort of like a strange one-way mirror effect, the magical side vanished from sight. Belladonna and Boomslang trotted at their sides, keeping up with their humans.
"Heriberto is expecting us at his research facility," Severus explained. "He's been experimenting with unconventional applications of blood magic."
"In what ways?" Harry asked, picking up Boomslang and setting the cat on his shoulder.
"I guess we'll find out," Severus said.
They arrived at a secluded compound nestled in the foothills of the Andes, a place where the scent of exotic herbs and the hum of magical energy filled the air. The compound was a fascinating blend of rural and scientific, with fields of quinoa and llamas grazing alongside a state-of-the-art laboratory complex. As they neared the entrance of the lab, they were greeted by Heriberto Verdugo, an older gentleman in a loose white robe that smiled warmly at Severus and Harry, turning to shake hands in greeting.
"Severus! It's been too long. And Harry," he said, shaking Harry's hand firmly. "Julio has been eagerly awaiting your arrival."
Julio, a boy with a mischievous grin and a mess of curly dark hair, emerged from a nearby doorway, his eyes lighting up when he saw Harry. "Harry! You're finally here!"
While their fathers disappeared into the building, Harry and Julio launched into a lively discussion about their studies as they walked around the laboratory, comparing notes on their latest projects and the challenges of homeschooling.
"Those transfiguration exams were brutal, weren't they?" Harry groaned, remembering the particularly tricky question on animagus transformations.
"Tell me about it!" Julio shuddered. "And don't even get me started on the potion theory test. I swear, my father thought he'd invented half the questions himself!"
"Your father is an alchemist," Harry said, "my dad specializes in potions and I think he did come up with some of the questions.
Their conversation was interrupted by a series of excited bleats. Julio pointed towards a pen where a group of adorable baby llamas were frolicking. They walked over to the gate, meeting a couple of the babies up close.
"Meet Luna," Julio said proudly, pointing to a particularly fluffy llama with big, curious eyes. "She's the newest addition to the farm."
"She's beautiful," Harry commented, leaning over the fence to stroke the llama's course coat.
After spending some time catching up with each other and playing with a few of the young llamas, offering treats and such, Julio finally led Harry into his father's laboratory, where several projects appeared to be underway. Staff moved around the boys as they completed their tasks of either cleaning or trialing an experiment, creating puffs of smoke in cauldrons or turning strange objects into something far smaller or bigger. Julio led the way to a cage where a muki goblin was sitting munching on what looked like threads of raw meat. It had pale, almost grayish-green skin that was covered in fine downy hair. Its long, slender fingers with black retractable claws manipulated the meat with careful consideration before it took another bite of the food. Its large, pointed ears twitched as Julio and Harry approached its cage, and it turned big gold eyes on the boys as it smacked its lips on the meat.
"This is Subject A," Julio said. "We've been administering a specially formulated potion, a complex blend of rare Peruvian herbs and a touch of . . . well, let's just say a very specific magical catalyst. The potion slowly alters the goblin's blood, saturating it with a compound that, when introduced into a potion, renders it profoundly toxic."
"So by doing that," Harry said, "you've made killing and harvesting muki goblin blood and parts that much more dangerous. A new motive to deter poachers from killing them."
"Exactly," Julio said. "But, we discovered a new component in the blood. Something we weren't quite expecting."
Julio led Hary over to a large table in the center of the lab, where a powerful microscope and a magical projector displayed a magnified image of the goblin's blood on the wall, revealing several small though slightly oblong shaped blood cells. Julio sat down in front of the microscope and looked down at the slide while Harry focused on the wall to watch what Julio was doing.
"The potion contaminates the blood down to the mitochondrial level," Julio explained. "And by contaminating the blood, the host stays forever interconnected with every drop of the potion running through its blood and the blood in its young if it reproduces, creating a unique and tight bond."
Julio used a meniscal pipette to pick up a drop of a chemical sitting near the microscope, then looked through the lens and careful moved the pipette to a single blood cell, where he administered one drop, burning the blood cell on the slide, creating a small fizzle.
"If the original host dies, so does all its counterparts," Julio said, and Harry watched amazed as several other blood cells on the slide began to burn and fizzle as if they too had been given the chemical. Julio continued, "It doesn't matter at what stage you contaminate the blood either, as long as the original host ends up with it, all counterparts die. Dangerous, isn't it? A complication none of us were expecting."
"By trying to create a way to preserve the muki goblins," Harry said, "you create something that saves them and proves to be their downfall. Hmm, how interesting. Is it permanent?"
"No, if they were to stop taking the potion, in time, the contaminate would slowly break down and leave the body like any other chemical or substance one consumes. So in time, Subject A would be free of the contamination. But it brings us right back to square one on how we can stop the poaching of the muki goblins."
Harry tapped his chin thoughtfully as he stared at the blood slide that now had significantly fewer blood cells on it, frowning and narrowing his eyes at the projection.
Suddenly, a loud crash behind them made the boys jump, and they looked over their shoulders to see what had made the noise, but it must have come from a room over.
"What do you think that was?" Julio asked.
"Not sure," Harry said, then his eyes widened as he reached up to his bare shoulder, then looked around his feet and the lab with a quick sweep of his eyes. "Oh no . . . where's . . ."
"Harry!" Severus stern voice called from the next room over, and Harry winced.
Harry and Julio walked into the next room, an extension of the lab that consisted of several finer and more delicate experiments that either sizzled in cauldrons or sat in temperature-controlled chambers. Plants hung all over the room, and staff sprayed them with strange substances. In the center of the room, Severus and Heriberto were seated at a table looking through a journal of Heriberto's research, Belladonna sitting on the table next to the book, her tail twitching. Severus had his arms crossed, and when his eyes met Harry's, he jerked his head to a back corner of the room.
Boomslang was crouched on a shelf staring down at a shattered glass vial and a dark, viscous liquid that was slowly spreading across the floor. The cat's ears were flattened, and he let out a low, rumbling growl.
"Boomslang!" Harry scolded. He hurried over to the cat, picking him up gently. "What did you do? You know you're not supposed to be up there."
Boomslang let out a plaintive meow, rubbing his head against Harry's chest. Severus, though still annoyed, looked relieved that Harry had found his errant familiar.
"The last thing I need is to be responsible for lost research and an injured familiar," Severus said, his voice tight. "Fortunately, it seems the spill is contained. Still, you must be more careful and keep a better eye on that troublemaker."
"He won't do it again," Harry said firmly, pulling a small, intricately woven harness and leash from his bag. He carefully secured Boomslang in the harness. "Now you stay close."
Heriberto, waving a dismissive hand, chuckled. "Accidents happen, Severus. No harm done, I assure you. It was just a stabilizing agent, nothing too volatile. We have plenty more." He turned back to Severus, his expression shifting to one of quiet seriousness. "Now, as we were discussing . . ."
He gestured to the journal on the table, and they resumed their conversation, their voices dropping to a low murmur. Harry, still holding Boomslang, watched them curiously. He couldn't quite catch what they were saying, but he noticed a small, intricately carved wooden box that Heriberto slid across the table to Severus. Severus accepted it with a nod, his expression unreadable.
After a few more minutes of hushed conversation, Heriberto stood, a warm smile returning to his face. "It's been a pleasure, Severus, Harry. I hope you find our research enlightening."
"Indeed," Severus replied, his voice clipped. "We appreciate your hospitality."
They exchanged a final handshake, and Severus turned to Harry. "We'll be departing now."
Harry and Julio said final goodbyes, promising to write to each other soon, and Severus leads his son out of the lab, heading back to the marketplace where they portkeyed back to their home, the forbidden house on the corner as it was affectionately known as. The cats were left at home when Severus announced they were meeting a friend for dinner.
"Who?" Harry asked.
"An old acquaintance. He has something I need, so think of this more as a . . . business dinner, you know?"
Harry nodded and reluctantly followed his father to the floo, where they vanished to a wizarding restaurant in Italy, and Harry excitedly followed the waiter to a table on the balcony that overlooked the river. They were the first to arrive, so while they were served tea, Severus told Harry another surprising piece of news.
"My acquaintance is bringing his son," Severus said. "You two can get to know each other while I discuss business with him."
"I have to amuse his kid?" Harry said, making a face.
"He's the same age as you," Severus informed him, quirking a brow. "It'll do you good socializing with peers your own age, as I'm constantly told I need to do more of with you."
"By who?"
"Julio's father for starters." Severus casually sipped his tea.
Harry rolled his eyes then sipped his own tea, not looking forward to the forced playdate he suddenly found himself on. He didn't mind talking to most kids his age, he just preferred when he shared the same interests with the other kids, and usually, that only happened at research conventions. Suddenly, Severus stood up, and Harry quickly followed his lead, offering a smile as his father shook hands with a tall, slender figure with long platinum blonde hair. The man wore silver robes with intricate design, and Harry shook his hand as well when Severus introduced him.
"Harry Potter," the man said. "My name is Lucius Malfoy. It is an honor to meet you."
"Thank you, sir, it is an honor to meet you as well," Harry said.
"This is my son, Draco," Lucius said, pulling his son forward with a hand on his shoulder. "He is in the same year of schooling as you are, perhaps you may make fast friends?"
Draco looked exactly like his father, though his hair was much shorter and combed back and held in place with what could only be an abundant amount of gel. Harry forced a smile as Draco regarded him with a look of awe.
"Harry Potter," Draco said, "I've heard a lot about you."
"Oh, err, I'm not surprised. My name's been thrown around a lot in history books. But I think I'm far more interesting in person than on paper." Harry smirked a bit, but Draco only sneered slightly.
"We'll see," he said as he took his seat at the table.
Everyone sat down at the table, ordered meals, and then had quite conversation until the food arrived, the silence punctuated by the clinking of silverware and the hushed conversations of other patrons. Harry, determined to be polite, tried to engage Draco in conversation.
"So, what are you studying?" Harry asked, attempting to find some common ground.
"Well, probably whatever you're studying," Draco replied, his tone implying that Hogwarts was the pinnacle of education. "Hogwarts is a pretty well-rounded education."
Harry raised an eyebrow.
"I meant like, what interests you most? I've been focusing a lot on potion theory and a few complex potion sequences lately, but I'm also really interested in how language can influence our magic and the power behind it. With all the different languages Dad has me studying, some spells have differentiation in pronunciation or even have a different name altogether in other languages, and the spells perform differently because of it. It's been really fascinating research."
Draco blinked a bit at that.
"Why bother learning so many languages? What do you know?"
Harry shrugged.
"So far, French, Spanish, German, and Mandarin, but that's been a hard one for me. Dad says we'll start reviewing Arabic as soon as we can carry a good conversation in Mandarin, but we'll see."
"But why do you need to know all that?" Draco's eyes widened slightly.
Harry shrugged again. "We travel a lot. All over too. It's good to know how to speak other languages rather than using translator spells. I like it, it's a lot of fun."
"What about regular classes?" Draco asked, his voice laced with disbelief. "How do you have time for all of it? And what do you do for fun? Don't you have any friends?"
"Of course, I have friends," Harry said with a roll of his eyes. "I just spent a fun afternoon with Julio in Lima. He's got a big llama farm, so we played with the llamas a bit before we shared some of our research topics."
Draco made a disgusted face.
"Llamas? Like those things that spit? I much prefer more refined pursuits."
"The llamas are a big part of Peruvian culture, Draco. I would say that's a rather refined pursuit."
"You're such a nerd, Potter." Draco shook his head and returned to eating his dinner.
Harry, deciding he didn't like Draco much, just shrugged and started eating his food as well.
Lucius, having overheard a bit of their talk, turned to Severus with a sly smile.
"It seems you have him quite well trained, Severus. He eats out of the palm of your hand."
Severus's eyes flashed dangerously.
"Do not speak of my son in such a way, Lucius."
"Of course. My apologies. I meant no offense." Lucius raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his voice.
Severus, his expression still cold, turned to Lucius. "Have you secured the tickets?"
"Yes, as promised," Lucius replied, producing two ornate tickets. "For the TriWizard Tournament."
Harry, who had been trying to ignore the awkward atmosphere, perked up.
"The TriWizard Tournament? Why are we going? I thought you didn't like such medieval sporting events."
Severus's lips thinned.
"I do not. But this provides a convenient opportunity to visit Hogwarts and secure certain items while the tournament is in progress. And it also allows you to finally see the place you have heard so much about and cross it off your bucket list."
"I could show you around," Draco said, smirking at Harry.
"Err, well, that's nice of you, but—"
"Draco would make a fun tour guide for you, don't you think?" Lucius said. "It will be his fourth year at Hogwarts. He knows the layout very well."
"Right," Harry said, looking up at his father, who offered no help whatsoever. He smiled weakly. "Thanks, Draco."
The crisp Scottish air nipped at Harry's cheeks as he and Severus stepped off the Hogsmeade portkey. The village was already bustling with students, their excitement for the TriWizard Tournament palpable. Severus led Harry to the Three Broomsticks Inn, where he checked himself and Harry in, having already reserved a room for them. Boomslang and Belladonna sniffed around their new room, checking every inch of it for any unusual smells. Harry and Severus unpacked for their weekend stay, and Harry shoved a small journal into his robe pocket, excited for all he might learn about Hogwarts and its surrounding landscapes.
"We will first venture into the Forbidden Forest," Severus stated. "There are certain rare ingredients I require that can only be found here, and nothing like having the chance to collect it yourself."
Harry sighed, He had kind of wanted to explore the school itself first, but he followed his father down the path leading away from the small village and into the dense, shadowed woods. The forest was a labyrinth of ancient trees and whispering undergrowth, a world away from the manicured lawns of Hogwarts. Severus, his senses sharp, guided them through the tangled paths, identifying rare herbs and fungi with practiced ease.
"Observe this," Severus instructed, pointing to a cluster of glowing, violet mushrooms growing at the base of a gnarled oak. "These are Luminaria Noctiluca, their spores are crucial for certain illumination potions, and their bioluminescent properties are enhanced when harvested under a new moon. Of course, now will do just as well."
He carefully extracted the mushrooms, placing them in a specially prepared pouch.
"And here," he continued, gesturing towards a patch of thorny vines, "is Vipera Radix, a root that only blooms when exposed to the venom of a basilisk. The roots properties are essential for stabilizing volatile potion ingredients."
Harry wrote in his journal as he took everything in, and watched as Severus, using a pair of enchanted shears, carefully clipped a section of the root, his movements precise and deliberate. Belladonna sat next to her human patiently while Boomslang unhelpfully tried playing with leaves that fell from the plant as they were cut. They continued deeper into the forest, encountering strange and wondrous flora.
They came across a tree with bark that shimmered with iridescent scales.
"This is a Squamata Arboris, its scales are used in potions to create illusions, they mimic the reflective properties of a demiguise." Severus carefully removed a few scales, storing them in a small, lead-lined vial.
After a few hours of foraging, they made it to the castle at least, and a familiar voice echoed through the trees. "Severus! What a pleasant surprise!"
Albus Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling, walked down the path from a side door in the school, his long silver beard swaying gently. "I was hoping you might grace us with your presence. I have something I'd like to discuss with you, if you have a moment. Something we were about to call a potioneer for but since you are here . . ."
"What is this regarding?" Severus asked, crossing his arms.
"We have a bit of a flu outbreak, and the flu potion does not seem to be making a dent in it. We were hoping for some professional advice."
Severus, with a heavy sigh and slight nod, turned to Harry.
"Well, I suppose this is your chance to check out the school now. Stay within the property wards and play nicely with the other students."
Harry, rolling his eyes at his father's tease, then watched Severus, Belladonna, and Dumbledore disappear into the school. He sighed, then decided to explore the edge of the grounds, making his way towards the main entrance of Hogwarts Castle, Boomslang at his side.
The castle was even more magnificent than he had imagined, its towering spires and ancient stone walls radiating an aura of magic and history. As he approached the entrance, he encountered two students that were entering as well, smelling a lot like they had been in a greenhouse somewhere minutes before.
"Harry!" A familiar voice called. Hermione Granger, her bushy hair slightly windswept, rushed towards him, a bright smile on her face. "It's so good to see you again! Remember, we met in Rue Dispa last summer?"
"Hermione!" Harry replied, returning her smile. "Of course, I remember. It's great to see you, too."
"Oh, and hi, Boomslang," Hermione greeted the cat who rubbed up against her. A little nervously, she gestured to the boy beside her. "Harry, this is Neville Longbottom. Neville, this is Harry Potter."
Neville gave a shy smile.
"Nice to meet you, Harry."
"You too, Neville," Harry replied.
"What brings you to Hogwarts?" Hermione asked as she led the way into the castle. "I know you had hoped to visit, but based on your last letter, I didn't think it would be so soon."
"Neither did I," Harry said. "But Dad is always good at taking advantage of opportunities, so we're here because he got tickets to the TriWizard Tournament. He's using his allowed access here to secure some ingredients from the Forbidden Forest.
"That's cool," Hermione said. "I suppose that gives you more chances to study magical plants."
"Yes, it does."
"Neville and I are heading to the library to review our lessons from today," Hermione said. "Care to join us?"
"Sure."
As they walked down the hall that led to a grand staircase, they nearly ran into a small group of boys. Ron Weasley, a tall, lanky boy with fiery red hair, grinned at Harry, his eyes wide.
"Blimey, you're Harry Potter! What are you doing at Hogwarts?"
"I'm here with my father," Harry replied, with a hint of a smile.
"Your father?" Ron asked, his eyebrows raised.
"Severus Snape," Harry explained.
A ripple of recognition went through the group as the other boys muttered.
"Severus Snape?" Ron repeated, his eyes widening. "The potioneer? You're his son?"
"Yeah," Harry said. "You've heard of him?"
"We use his textbooks in Potions," Hermione said. "He's a brilliant researcher. I heard he taught here briefly, years ago, but he's more famous for his research."
"Ah, that makes sense. I didn't know Dad's books were used in Hogwarts schooling, but I shouldn't be too surprised. I have to read his stuff all the time for my own schooling."
Other Gryffindors, curious and friendly, introduced themselves, and Harry found himself surrounded by a welcoming group. He met Seamus Finnegan, Dean Thomas, and Fred and George Weasley, and everyone was friendly and making jokes, and he felt quite at ease with this group.
Suddenly, a drawling voice cut through the air.
"Well, if it isn't the famous Harry Potter. Back from whatever . . . enlightened education he's been receiving."
Draco Malfoy, flanked by his two hulking cronies, Crabbe and Goyle, swept into view, his pale face set in a sneer. He paused, his eyes raking over Harry.
"So Potter, you remember you agreed I'd give you the proper tour of Hogwarts."
"Yeah, about that," Harry said, trying to diffuse the situation. "Hermione's been doing a fair job of that herself."
Draco's lip curled.
"You're associating with them?" He gestured dismissively towards Hermione, Ron, Neville, and the other Gryffindors. "Blood traitors and mudbloods. You could be learning from the best, associating with purebloods, those who understand the true value of magic. I thought you might at least appreciate that."
Harry's eyes flashed.
"I think I'm perfectly capable of judging character for myself, Malfoy. And for your information, Hermione is one of the most intelligent people I know, and my friends are not defined by their blood status." He took a step closer, noticing the lack of bag or schoolbooks in Draco's arms and all the stuff Crabbe and Goyle were carrying. "Besides, I'd rather spend my time with people who don't judge others based on their family tree. Oh, are your cronies carrying your textbooks for you? Must be tough to lift all that pureblood superiority."
A ripple of surprise and approval spread through the Gryffindor group. Ron and Neville exchanged delighted glances, and Hermione's cheeks flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and gratitude.
"Well said, Harry!" Ron exclaimed, clapping him on the shoulder.
"Yeah, Malfoy's a right git," Neville added, his voice surprisingly firm.
Draco, his face reddening, glared at Harry. "You'll regret this, Potter."
He turned on his heel, his cronies trailing behind him, and stormed off. The Gryffindors, their spirits lifted, turned to Harry, their eyes filled with newfound respect.
"That was brilliant!" Hermione said, her eyes sparkling.
"Yeah, you really put him in his place," Ron agreed.
"Come on," Neville said, gesturing towards the castle. "We'll show you around. You've got to see the Great Hall, and the moving staircases, and . . ."
After a long day of being shown around Hogwarts and dinner in the Great Hall with the Gryffindors, he caught up with Severus once more, and Harry was exhausted by the time they made it back to the Three Broomsticks Inn. Boomslang and Belladonna curled on one of the beds while Harry readied for bed himself. Severus sat at the small desk to write in his journal while Harry was in the bathroom, but when Harry stepped out, he waved his son over to him. Harry frowned but walked over to his father, wondering if he was in any trouble.
"I understand you had a rather eventful encounter with Lucius's son today," Severus began, his voice low.
Harry shrugged.
"More or less. He was being insufferable."
"Insufferable or not, you could have at least kept things . . . nonhostile between the two of you."
"Why? He certainly wasn't."
Severus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Harry, you could have managed to make an enemy of someone who should, at the very least, be a neutral acquaintance."
"Are you talking about Draco or . . .?" Harry asked.
"I am talking about Lucius Malfoy," Severus said. "He is a valuable source of intel and supplies. The last thing you want to do is upset him by rejecting his son's . . . overtures of friendship and potentially lose such a valuable ally."
"He's not my ally," Harry retorted, crossing his arms.
Severus's gaze hardened.
"That is not the point. In the future, please use discretion in which people you immediately write off. You're right, Lucius is not your ally, but he is mine. I know how to smooth things over with him, but remember, if learning a valuable piece of information came down to befriending his son, I would expect you to do that. Understand?"
Harry, though still bristling at the idea of befriending Draco, nodded slowly.
"Yeah, I get it."
"I know this is a lot to ask of you," Severus said, "but for now, it is what's needed. You do not have to make friends with Draco, but please be mindful of who we run into in the future and how you address them. Some of the people I know are not to be messed with."
"I get it, Dad," Harry said.
Severus studied him for a moment, then sighed again, the tension in his shoulders slightly easing. "Good. Now, try to get some sleep. We have a long day tomorrow. And I promise, it won't involve social games."
Harry smiled weakly as he retreated to his own bed, pushing the two cats over so he could lay down. He turned off the light above his bed, but the dim light from Severus's desk caught his attention, and he watched his father work for a few minutes.
He knew Severus wasn't exactly known for his warmth. His father was a man of shadows and secrets, a master of strategy and manipulation. But Harry had always held onto the hope that, beneath the gruff exterior, there was a capacity for genuine friendship, for loyalty that went beyond mere utility.
Tonight's conversation had chipped away at that hope. Was everyone just a tool to Severus? A means to an end? Even . . . him?
The thought sent a shiver down Harry's spine. He knew Severus cared for him, in his own way. He'd shown it in countless small gestures, in the quiet moments of shared study, in the fierce protectiveness that flared when Harry was threatened. But was that care rooted in genuine affection, or was it simply another form of strategic investment?
Harry remembered the way Severus had spoken of Lucius, of how "smoothing things over" was a necessary evil. It was as if people were pawns on a chessboard, their value determined by their strategic position, their potential to advance Severus's goals.
But then Harry remembered people like Heriberto, Julio's father. Severus had spoken of him with a different tone, a quiet respect, a warmth that was entirely absent when he talked about Lucius. They'd shared research, laughed over shared discoveries, and seemed to genuinely enjoy each other's company. It was a stark contrast to the cold, calculating terms he used to describe his relationship with Lucius.
And then, there was the war. The whispers of a potential resurgence, the shadows that still lingered from the Dark Lord's reign. Severus had spoken of it, not often, but with a gravity that made Harry's blood run cold. Maybe, just maybe, Severus's pragmatic approach wasn't just coldness, but a necessity. Maybe, in a world teetering on the edge of conflict, sacrifices had to be made. Maybe, for the greater good, friendships had to be used, information obtained, and alliances forged, even if it meant compromising personal feelings.
"Go to sleep, Harry," Severus's voice interrupted his thought. "I can practically hear your brain churning."
"No, you can't," Harry muttered defiantly as he rolled over, facing away from his father.
Severus chuckled softly.
"Oh, but I can. Besides, when you get that furrow between your eyebrows, it's like a beacon in the dark. It's distracting."
Harry couldn't help but crack a small smile, despite his earlier annoyance. "Distracting?"
"Yes," Severus said. "I keep expecting you to start reciting potion ingredients any minute now. Now, close your eyes. Even I need a break from your incessant thinking."
Harry smiled as he stroked Boomslang's fur, feeling the day finally catch up to him.
"Night, Dad," he mumbled, his voice thick with sleep.
"Goodnight, Harry," Severus replied, his voice low.
The room fell silent, save for the soft scratching of Severus's quill against parchment. Harry drifted off to sleep, the tension of the day slowly melting away, replaced by a quiet sense of comfort. He was reminded, that just because Severus had a pragmatic and strategic mind, it did not mean he lacked the ability to care, and show his affection in small, subtle ways.
I have two, possibly three parts planned in my head to finish this short little story. So glad so many people have liked this.