FIC: Always and Forever (Severus & Harry; Gen - 4950 - PG)
Title: Always and Forever
Author/Artist: ANON
Pairing(s): None
Prompt: #101: Defying Dumbledore's orders, Severus sneaks into the Dursleys' house on Christmas Eve 1981 to confirm Lily's son is being spoiled rotten...
Word Count/Art Medium: +/- 4950
Rating: PG
Contains (Highlight to view): *mentions of child neglect*
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: Thanks to my beta! ♥
Summary: Severus nearly has a coronary when Dumbledore let’s slip that he placed Harry with Lily’s hateful sister, Petunia. He knows better than anyone how jealous Tunney was of Lily’s beauty and magic and is concerned about how she will treat Lily’s magical child.
**~*~**
The Three Broomsticks was packed with last minute Christmas shoppers, loudly exchanging holiday greetings as they toasted one another. The drinks flowed and Rosemerta smiled brightly as her customers spent freely in the first peaceful holiday season they had enjoyed in years. With the Dark Lord gone and the war over, everyone was in an indulgent, celebratory mood, spending lavishly and drinking hardily.
All, expect Severus Snape, who sat at a table in the far corner, his back to the wall. He nursed a glass of firewhiskey as he contemplated the state of his life. Thanks to Albus Dumbledore, he was cleared of wrong doing during his time as a spy and out of Azkaban. Severus, at twenty-one years old, was now the new Potions professor at Hogwarts and heir to the Prince fortune. While Severus doubted he was welcome in polite society and he knew he owed his freedom to Dumbledore, the real reason he’d agreed to teach was because Hogwarts had always felt like home to him.
Where else would he go? What good was money when he had no one left? Severus grimaced as he took a swallow of his drink, feeling it burn all the way down to his empty stomach. His mother had disappeared years ago, and his father drank himself to death while Severus had been obtaining his mastery. And Lily, his dear sweet Lily had been murdered eight weeks before by the megalomaniac Severus had sworn himself to while he was still a student.
Raw grief flooded through him as Severus knocked back the rest of his firewhiskey, concentrating on the fiery path of pain down his throat to explain the moisture in his eyes. Despite everything he’d done to try and protect her, his Lily was gone. Severus couldn’t get the image of her, dead on the floor, her brilliant green eyes dull and sightless, out of his mind. Severus had closed them and held her one last time. Her child, crying hysterically and bleeding, had looked at him with the same eyes, beseeching him to fix what had happened. Severus had lifted the child out of the cot for a few minutes, until he heard the sound of multiple Apparation. Severus had almost grabbed the baby to flee, to get them both as far away from the living nightmare as the Prince fortune could take them. Only his debt to Dumbledore had stopped him.
At least it was until this morning, when the Headmaster had mentioned in conversation with Minerva McGonagall the child had been taken in by Lily’s sister. Severus shook his head. He’d followed Dumbledore to his office, confronting him and learning he had literally left the baby on the door step like a bloody bottle of milk. Dumbledore seemed surprised when Severus roundly protested, remembering all too well how deeply Tuney’s hatred for magic went. Severus had felt like an admonished schoolboy as Dumbledore forbid him from “disrupting” Petunia’s family by checking on the boy.
Severus pushed the empty glass away. He didn’t know what was nauseating him, the firewhiskey or the thought of Petunia taking out her petty jealousies on Lily’s defenseless son. He knew that he wouldn’t be able to let it rest until he checked to make sure Petunia was treating the child as the pampered prince that Dumbledore eluded to. Severus just couldn’t shake the foreboding he felt since hearing that Tuney had Lily’s son.
Making an impulsive decision, Severus threw a couple of coins on the table and stood up. He caught Rosemerta’s eye and jerked his head towards the fireplace. At her nod, Severus spelled the fire and Flooed to the Leaky Cauldron in London. No one in the crowd of holiday shoppers noticed him as Severus wrapped his cloak tightly around him before Apparating to Spinners End.
The house was dark and musty, with a hint of mildew in the air. Severus didn’t even bother to turn on a light as he moved the bookcase aside and took the stairs two at a time. He knew he had Tuney’s new name and address in the pile of clippings he’d cut from the local newspaper. It was a wedding announcement and had solicited for gifts to be sent. His lip curled into a sneer. No doubt Lily’s sister had basked in the attention on her wedding day.
“Yes!” Severus cried, triumphantly. “Little Whinging, Surrey.”
Retracing his steps to the front door, Severus lit his wand tip and pulled a thick paper book from the pile of mail that sat below the mail slot. “Duarte…DuPont…Dursley!”
Severus found the correct name and reconfirmed the address. Shaking his head, he dropped the phonebook onto the seat of a dusty, worn armchair. Dumbledore believed Harry was safely hidden in the Muggle world, yet it had taken him only a matter of minutes to find where he lived. Turning on his heel, Severus Apparated to the back alley of a pub, the only place he remembered near Little Whinging. A Muggle cab took him the short ride to Privet Drive and a well-cast charm made the man forget where he’d been dropped off. Not that Albus Dumbledore would ever think to check a Muggle conveyance if he suspected someone had been here. The same way Severus was sure Dumbledore wouldn’t have allowed a spell to alert anyone to simple magic used in the residence, as he was sure the boy would experience bouts of accidental magic.
Number four was a large box of a house which looked like every other house in the neighborhood, save the paint colour. A tidy front walk and rose bushes were the only distinguishing features. All the windows were dark and Severus cast a Notice Me Not spell before slipping up to the door on silent feet. A non-verbal unlocking spell and the front opened with a faint click. Severus moved cautiously forward, leaving the door ajar, lighting his wand tip to look around the small entry area. Steps led upwards with a padlocked boot cupboard under them.
Stepping to the right, Severus saw large sitting room, gaudily decorated with a Christmas tree that brushed the ceiling. Underneath it were piles of colorfully wrapped presents and, hanging from the mantle, was a huge stocking stuffed to bursting with sweets. Severus’ lip curled in disgust, it seemed Dumbledore was right and he’d been a fool to care.
As Severus started to turn away, his wand light illuminated the name stitched in large letters at the top of the stocking: DUDLEY. It stopped him in his tracks. Where was the stocking for Lily’s son? He scanned the mantle with wand light, seeing many photos of a rotund man and a pudgy baby with blond hair. Several appeared to be family portrait, just the three of them with Petunia holding the child, including a recent holiday themed portrait. Nowhere was there a picture of the dark-hair child that the wizarding world called The Boy Who Lived.
Frowning, Severus moved closer to the pile of presents and leaned down for a better look. Every one of them was tagged with Dudley’s name. Turning abruptly on his heel, Severus went upstairs, finding a spare bedroom, the nursey with Dudley in a large cot, and what appeared to be a guest bedroom. Severus didn’t bother to open the door of the master bedroom, the snores coming from it loud enough to cover any sound of his movement.
Perplexed, Severus returned downstairs and stood in the entry. Putting his wand on the palm of his hand, he whispered.
“Show me, Harry Potter.”
His wand spun a full circle before pointing towards the boot cupboard and Severus stared at it with a scowl. His eyes fell to the padlock and a sense of dread filled the pit of his stomach. Surely Petunia wouldn’t…
The lock disengaged with a flick of his wand and Severus threw open the door. The odor of urine and sick from the small space assaulted his nose and the opening was so small that it forced Severus to drop to his knees. Using his lighted wand tip, Severus had to blink his eyes to make sure he was seeing what he thought: a toddler, dressed in rags and filthy clothing, lay on an old cot pad on the floor. The child was shivering and deathly pale, curled up in a fetal position. A surge of rage exploded through Severus as he moved closer. He could tell the boy was ill and knew there was no possible way for Petunia not to know. Casting a diagnostic charm, Severus confirmed the fever he suspected and discovered indications of an infection.
”There are blood wards in place, Severus, to protect young Harry.” Dumbledore’s words echoed in his head, but Severus knew he simply could not walk away. The wards might keep out anyone who wanted to hurt the boy - they weren’t protecting him from the hatred of this family.
Making another impulsive decision, Severus levitated the baby off the pad and towards him. Wrinkling his nose at the smell, Severus removed his cloak and gingerly wrapped it around Harry. He looked around the cupboard and saw no toys or other belongings.
”Accio Harry Potter’s property!”
A torn and stained quilt flew toward Severus, who tucked it under his arm. Holding Harry awkwardly against his chest, Severus could feel the heat coming off the child as he made his way to the kitchen. He found what he needed at the back of the immaculately clean pantry. Levitating the sack of potatoes back into the boot cupboard, Severus laid them on the pad and transfigured them into Harry’s likeness. It wouldn’t hold for more than two or three days, but Severus knew it would give him a head start on getting the child away safely. Somehow Severus doubted that Petunia kept too close an eye on Harry and with Christmas and Boxing Day activities. In fact, he suspected she wouldn’t check on him at all.
Severus closed the cupboard door and, with a flick of his wand, secured the padlock. Using the filthy quilt, Severus created a Portkey to take them back to Spinner’s End. It would not do to trigger any Anti-Apparation wards that might be in place. Harry whimpered at the sensation but otherwise was silent as they disappeared from Privet and reappeared in the cold, dingy sitting room.
Carrying the child upstairs, Severus went directly his bedroom, turned on the lights, and cast a quick Cleaning Charm on the bed to get rid of the dust on duvet. He carefully laid Harry down as he tried to remember the healer classes he’d taken during his Mastery training. There were a few minimally invasive spells that he knew he could use, immediately casting a simple diagnostic spell over the baby. A blue aura surrounding Harry’s chest indicated an infection as did one that highlighted his forehead. Tilting Harry’s head, Severus could see the lightning bolt shaped curse scar was red and enflamed, even though it had been over seven weeks since Halloween. Another flick of his wand showed Harry was running a high fever.
Severus left Harry to quickly gather the supplies he needed to treat him. Once he had everything, Severus Vanished the disgusting rags the baby was wearing and gritted his teeth when he saw Harry’s skin littered with bruises in various stages of healing. Turning Harry over revealed open sores on his arse as well as a purple hand-shaped mark. With the basin of warm water he’d prepared, Severus swiftly cleaned the shivering child and dried him off. He spread an ointment with dittany over the sores before transfiguring a sock into a nappy and an old vest into a long sleeping shirt. Lifting Harry carefully, Severus sat on the bed and leaning Harry back against his chest and tilted his head back. Carefully, Severus coaxed Harry to swallow a small measure of fever reducer and a decongestant potion.
Severus stood and turned to lay Harry back down; he wasn’t prepared when the baby whimpered, one hand reaching out to latch with surprising strength onto the front of Severus’ robes. With a sigh, Severus wrapped an arm around Harry and sat down on the bed. He didn’t regret his rash decision to remove Harry from the abusive situation, but Severus knew he was ill-prepared to care for an eighteen-month-old toddler. There was little food in the house, other than a few tins in the cupboard, and he certainly had none of the other supplies he needed to properly care for Harry. Add to that the fact that it was Christmas Eve and he had nothing appropriate to give the child.
His thoughts went to the one person who had been there for Severus during the last ten years of his life. Sliding off the bed, Severus kept one arm wrapped around Harry as he descended the stairs and used his wand to start a magical fire in the hearth in the sitting room. He threw in a pinch of Floo powder from the old tin cup on the mantle.
“Spencer Manor!”
Carefully keeping Harry’s face pressed into his robes, Severus stuck his head into the green flames. There was no one in the Floo foyer and Severus waiting impatiently for someone to appear. He was about to shout for someone, his back cramping at strange angle he’d knelt at, when Severus heard rapid footsteps. Poppy Pomfrey, a smudge of flour decorating on cheekbone and hair in disarray, was wiping her hands on a red apron as she hurried towards him.
“Severus?”
“I’m so sorry to bother you at home, Madam Pomfrey, but I need your help-“
The mediwitch was already moving. “Step back, Severus.”
Straightening up, Severus moved back towards the threadbare couch, Harry wrapped in one arm and his wand in his other. He wasn’t sure how the mediwitch was going to react as he had no doubt she would recognize Harry.
As Pomfrey came through the Floo, she barely looked around as her eyes focused on the child in his arms. Severus could see her nostrils flare as she took in the sound of the toddler’s breathing and saw his trembling.
“Where might I examine the baby?” She asked brusquely and followed in silence as Severus led the way back up to the bedroom.
Leading the way back up to his bedroom, Severus laid Harry down but was hindered by the grip the toddler had on his robes. He slid his little finger into the tight fist and was able to transfer the grip there. Harry whimpered as Severus drew away but settled when Severus laid his hand on the baby’s still filthy hair.
Pomfrey frowned as she waved her wand over Harry, an arched eyebrow the only indication that she knew who he was. “What have you already done?” She asked briskly as she studied the runes forming in the air.
“Fever reducer, decongestant, and dittany balm for the skin ulcers on his bum.”
“It doesn’t appear that he’s been properly fed since-since that night and the dehydration caused a concentration of uric acid,” Pomfrey spat out, as she cast healing spells. “He has pneumonia and a fractured right tibia, as well as being dehydrated and malnourished.”
“That bloody bitch has done this much damage in less than eight weeks!” Severus hissed, his hand tightening around Harry’s fingers. “Dumbledore insisted he would be safe!”
“And why won’t he think that!” Pomfrey snapped, her hands still busy.
“Because I told him what a jealous, vindictive bitch she was,” Severus spat out, his voice dropping to a whisper as Harry began to tense up. “Petunia always hated Lily’s magic and she would never willingly take a magical child to raise, even her sister’s son.”
“Is that why you defied the headmaster’s orders?”
Severus jerked his head up, meeting Pomfrey’s eyes. “I just needed to make sure Lily’s son was being cared for.”
There was no condemnation in her eyes. “Now you have him, Severus, what are you going to do?”
Severus stared at her for a moment as Pomfrey reached into her bag. “I-“
“A Slytherin without a back-up plan?” Pomfrey smirked at him. “Can you pick him up so I can give him another potion?”
Severus carefully lifted Harry into his arms, cradling his head back against his chest as Pomfrey coaxed him to swallow another vial of medicine. The baby began to whimper until Severus shushed him gentle, speaking nonsense words into his ear. He could feel Pomfrey watching him as Harry settle quietly against him, hand once again firmly grasping the front of Severus’ robes.
“I will not take him back,” Severus ground out, knowing he had made the decision to keep the child as soon as he’d removed him from the Dursley’s house. “They had him stuffed into the boot cupboard under the stairs, dressed in rags, and laying on a filthy pad. I transfigured a bag of potatoes into his image and I doubt they will realize he’s gone for several days.”
Pomfrey nodded as she closed her bag. “Will they report him missing?”
“I doubt they would,” Severus said, considering. “Petunia will probably be relieved he is gone.”
“Then if you are to raise him, you will need to hide him in plain sight.” Pomfrey announced.
“But I haven’t anything for him- “
Pomfrey silenced him with a look. “You received the Prince estate on your birthday last January, you have every resource to provide for the little one.”
Severus narrowed his eyes. “I’ve not spoken to anyone of my inheritance. How is it you know?”
Smiling, Pomfrey reached over to pat his hand where it lay on Harry’s leg. “I went to school with your mum, Severus, and even though she was three years ahead of me, we were close. We are distant cousins even, on your maternal side, and I was often a guest at Prince Hall. I know your grandparents had house-elves, who would still be tending to the house and grounds. Summon one of them.”
“How?” Severus hadn’t been in a position to claim his inheritance, especially when he was suspected of being a loyal Death Eater, until his Wizengamot trial and Dumbledore’s testimony had cleared him a mere week ago.
“Just call for your head elf, Severus.”
Feeling self-conscious, Severus raised his voice and spoke firmly. “Head house-elf, Prince Hall!”
With a loud crack which made Harry jump and whimper, an elderly house-elf stood in front of Severus. Dressed neatly in a grey and green tunic, the elf had the air of someone in charge as he bowed to Severus.
“Lord Prince, I is most honored to meet you.”
Severus winced at being addressed as lord anything. “What is your name?” He asked, rocking a bit to calm Harry.
“Enry, the head house-elf, Master.”
“Severus,” Pomfrey said softly. “Albus will get curious if you deviate from the normal routine you’ve established. You’ll need provisions in your quarters as well as Prince Hall.”
With a nod, Severus came to a quick decision and relayed his instructions to the house-elf. He was going to make sure Harry had the best Christmas he could.
**~*~**
A loud noise woke Harry up suddenly and he stiffened when he heard the voices. These days, voices meant pain, but when nothing hurt, he blinked his eyes open. The first thing he realized was he was being held and rocked. The next thing was he felt much better than he had, he didn’t hurt, and he could breath. The rumble of a deep voice under his ear and the feel of arms holding him, made Harry feel safe for the first time since the night the bad man had hurt his mummy and daddy. Harry relived that night every time he closed his eyes.
Turning his head slowly, Harry thought he remembered the man holding him. This was the man who picked him up out of his cot and cried with him while his mummy was laying on the floor. Harry knew she wasn’t just asleep, Mummy would never sleep while her Harrybug was crying for her. This man had rocked Harry until a giant man had taken him away. Harry’s hand tightened on the man’s shirt. He didn’t want to be taken away again! Harry wanted to stay with this man, who rocked him and cried with him. Harry knew the man had loved his mummy, too.
Closing his eyes tightly, Harry wished with all his might to stay with his man forever, never seeing the bright white aura of magic which surrounded them.
**~*~**
“Severus!”
Pomfrey gasped as he was giving instructions to the house-elf, pointing out the white sparkle which enveloped he and Harry. Severus could feel heat sinking into his skin, the warmth of Lily friendship and love, with a sharper heat at the edges - almost as a reminder that James Potter had also given his life for his son. Harry showed no sign of distress, if anything, pressing closer to Severus. The intensity of the wave of magic made Severus dizzy for several minutes, his head and body wracked with pain before the feelings subsided to a dull ache. An overwhelming feeling of gnawing hunger surprised Severus, especially after he realized the feelings weren’t his.
“Well, it looks as if Harry has made the decision for you,” Pomfrey said, awe in her voice.
“What did he do?” Severus thought he knew all the forms magic could take, but this wasn’t one he was familiar with. “Was it wish magic?”
“An aura like that denotes a deep magical bonding, one almost as deep as an old magic soul binding, Severus, an equivalent to a magical adoption. It is ancient magic from the time of the Druids and it’s a bond that has only been witnessed a few times in history. Merlin was said to have magically adopted Arthur before giving him to Sir Antor to raise out of the spotlight.”
Severus frowned, not sure how he felt about this bond but as he had no intention of surrendering the child to anyone, it could be helpful. “How do I suddenly show up at Hogwarts with a son? Surely Dumbledore would see through that coincidence.”
Pomfrey was silent for several minutes, her gaze on the sleeping toddler in his arms. “Frankly, I doubt Albus would care whether you have fathered a child and I suspect those Muggles won’t ever tell anyone that Harry has disappeared.”
“Without Dumbledore’s support-“
A crack heralded Enry’s return. “All is being arranged and I has a bottle for the young master, Lord Prince!”
Pomfrey took the bottle, sprinkling some of the milk on her wrist, and examined it closely. “What is in here?”
“Nanny elf says this is the needed food for young master, Mistress,” Enry told her, bowing.
Pomfrey nodded her head and gave the bottle to Severus who stared at it. “What do I do now?” he asked softly, feeling stupid, but he’d never been around a child as small as Harry before.
“Hold the teat to Harry’s lips,” Pomfrey told him. “Harry should be able to do the rest.”
Severus shifted Harry carefully, tapping his lips with the nipple. As if on cue, Harry opened his mouth and began sucking in earnest, his hands coming up to close around the bottle. Severus supported the end of it, amazed as he watched Harry drink.
“Nanny elf is saying that young master must not eat too much until he’s stomach is better,” Enry relayed to them.
“Thank you, Enry, we’ll be along in a moment.”
Enry bowed once again before disappearing with a crack. Severus looked up to meet Pomfrey’s eyes. He could see the swirl of emotion in them and decided to take a chance.
“If I am to take Harry and raise him as my son, he will be needing a godmother to help guide him.”
Severus was disconcerted when he saw tears well up in the mediwitch’s eyes. “I would be honored, Severus.”
Harry opened his eyes fully for the first time since Severus had taken him and stared at him. Severus bushed a strand of hair back from his forehead, trying not to frown over the swollen scar as Harry examined his face. Pulling the bottle away, Harry held it up for Severus to take. Pomfrey took it from him as Severus continued to watch as Harry looked around curiously. Severus reached out a finger to stroke Harry’s cheek and he flinched away from it, but Severus held his hand steady. Slowly, he gently ran his thumb along the bruise that was still visible on Harry’s cheek bone before cupping is with his hand.
Pomfrey patted his arm. “I must get back to my baking, Severus, but I’ll pop over to Prince Hall tomorrow afternoon to see how you’re doing.”
Severus nodded absently, his focus still on the child snuggled so trustingly against him. Lily’s eyes, every bit as bright and alive as hers had been, looked back at him.
“I’m not sure if you can understand me, Harry, but I will always take care of you. Always! You will never be cold or hungry or mistreated again, I promise you.”
“A’ways?” Harry parroted back.
“Yes, little one, always.” Severus felt a genuine smile curve his lips as Harry sat up in his lap and for the first time, looked around. “Now, let’s go home and see about getting on with Christmas.”
Lifting Harry to his shoulder, Severus flicked his wand to turn off the lights as they went back downstairs. Severus took a handful of Floo Powder and a deep breath, before tucking Harry’s face into his shoulder.
“Prince Hall!”
As they spun through the Floo system, Severus made plans to pay Petunia a visit the next day - spoiling her holiday, he hoped - and having her sign custody over to him. Severus would store his memories carefully in a Pensieve and brew the complex potion which would allow him to blood adopt Harry. If he was going to raise Lily’s son, he was determined to do it right.
The Floo spat them out into a large room, with bright white walls, comfortable chairs, and a leather couch which gave the space a warm feel. In one corner stood a Christmas tree decorated in green and silver with white fairy lights and Harry’s eyes grew wide as he took it in.
“Welcome home, Harry!”
**~*~**
Six Years Later:
Harry woke up with a start, snuggled against his father’s chest, and it took him a minute to remember why he was there. Suddenly, Harry remembered it was Christmas morning and, even though he wanted to dash out to see what Father Christmas had brought, he laid perfectly still. If Harry moved around and woke his dad up too early, he’d be grouchy and Harry didn’t want that. The only time Harry got to sleep with his dad was when he had the nightmare about the green light and on Christmas Eve.
For as long as Harry could remember, Christmas was the best day of year. Dad said that was because it was at Christmas when Harry was a baby that they’d become a family and Aunty Poppy had told Harry how his father rescued him on Christmas Eve. His dad had told Harry about his parents, how they had love him and saved Harry from an evil wizard. Harry had pictures of them in an album and on the wall in his room. While his dad yelled sometimes, Harry always knew Dad loved him and Harry could even feel the love as a warm glow that encircled his heart.
“I know you’re awake, Harry,” his dad whispered in his ear just before two fingers began to tickle his ribs.
Harry shrieked with laughter and pulled away, turning around to throw his arms around his father’s neck to give him a hug. “Come on, Dad! Let’s go see if Father Christmas came!”
**~*~**
Severus followed Harry out of the bedroom, tying the belt on his dressing gown. He heard Harry greet his godmother loudly as Severus Summoned the boy’s robe and slippers. At seven and a half, Harry was a tall, sturdy child who was quiet and studious, had his mother’s intense curiosity and his father’s talent on a broom. From Severus, Harry had acquired a talent for Potions which pleased them both. Harry tested boundaries like any child and had the propensity to pout at times when he didn’t get his own way, which Severus blamed on his Potter genes.
Harry had adjusted well over the years and there’d never been any questions when Severus had finally announced his son would be coming to Hogwarts with him. As far as Severus knew, Albus Dumbledore had never gone back to Privet Drive to check on how Harry was and had no suspicion that Harry Potter was actually Harry Snape. Only a few very close friends, several of them with children Harry’s age, knew the truth.
“Dad! Hurry up!”
“I’m waiting for you to come back and brush your teeth, or-“
Harry came running around the corner. “Or no presents! I know!”
Severus smiled as Harry disappeared into the bathroom, although for less than a minute, but Severus heard the water run and the toilet flush. Holding out his robe, Severus corralled his son in it and helped him tie the belt. Leaning down, he kissed Harry on the top of the head.
“Happy Christmas, son. I love you.”
Lily’s eyes looked up at him, warm and loving, crinkling at the corners as Harry smiled. “I love you, too, Dad. Always!”
“Yes,” Severus agreed, steering Harry back into the large family sitting room where Poppy Pomfrey was waiting. “Always and forever.”
**~*~**
Author/Artist: ANON
Pairing(s): None
Prompt: #101: Defying Dumbledore's orders, Severus sneaks into the Dursleys' house on Christmas Eve 1981 to confirm Lily's son is being spoiled rotten...
Word Count/Art Medium: +/- 4950
Rating: PG
Contains (Highlight to view): *mentions of child neglect*
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: Thanks to my beta! ♥
Summary: Severus nearly has a coronary when Dumbledore let’s slip that he placed Harry with Lily’s hateful sister, Petunia. He knows better than anyone how jealous Tunney was of Lily’s beauty and magic and is concerned about how she will treat Lily’s magical child.
**~*~**
The Three Broomsticks was packed with last minute Christmas shoppers, loudly exchanging holiday greetings as they toasted one another. The drinks flowed and Rosemerta smiled brightly as her customers spent freely in the first peaceful holiday season they had enjoyed in years. With the Dark Lord gone and the war over, everyone was in an indulgent, celebratory mood, spending lavishly and drinking hardily.
All, expect Severus Snape, who sat at a table in the far corner, his back to the wall. He nursed a glass of firewhiskey as he contemplated the state of his life. Thanks to Albus Dumbledore, he was cleared of wrong doing during his time as a spy and out of Azkaban. Severus, at twenty-one years old, was now the new Potions professor at Hogwarts and heir to the Prince fortune. While Severus doubted he was welcome in polite society and he knew he owed his freedom to Dumbledore, the real reason he’d agreed to teach was because Hogwarts had always felt like home to him.
Where else would he go? What good was money when he had no one left? Severus grimaced as he took a swallow of his drink, feeling it burn all the way down to his empty stomach. His mother had disappeared years ago, and his father drank himself to death while Severus had been obtaining his mastery. And Lily, his dear sweet Lily had been murdered eight weeks before by the megalomaniac Severus had sworn himself to while he was still a student.
Raw grief flooded through him as Severus knocked back the rest of his firewhiskey, concentrating on the fiery path of pain down his throat to explain the moisture in his eyes. Despite everything he’d done to try and protect her, his Lily was gone. Severus couldn’t get the image of her, dead on the floor, her brilliant green eyes dull and sightless, out of his mind. Severus had closed them and held her one last time. Her child, crying hysterically and bleeding, had looked at him with the same eyes, beseeching him to fix what had happened. Severus had lifted the child out of the cot for a few minutes, until he heard the sound of multiple Apparation. Severus had almost grabbed the baby to flee, to get them both as far away from the living nightmare as the Prince fortune could take them. Only his debt to Dumbledore had stopped him.
At least it was until this morning, when the Headmaster had mentioned in conversation with Minerva McGonagall the child had been taken in by Lily’s sister. Severus shook his head. He’d followed Dumbledore to his office, confronting him and learning he had literally left the baby on the door step like a bloody bottle of milk. Dumbledore seemed surprised when Severus roundly protested, remembering all too well how deeply Tuney’s hatred for magic went. Severus had felt like an admonished schoolboy as Dumbledore forbid him from “disrupting” Petunia’s family by checking on the boy.
Severus pushed the empty glass away. He didn’t know what was nauseating him, the firewhiskey or the thought of Petunia taking out her petty jealousies on Lily’s defenseless son. He knew that he wouldn’t be able to let it rest until he checked to make sure Petunia was treating the child as the pampered prince that Dumbledore eluded to. Severus just couldn’t shake the foreboding he felt since hearing that Tuney had Lily’s son.
Making an impulsive decision, Severus threw a couple of coins on the table and stood up. He caught Rosemerta’s eye and jerked his head towards the fireplace. At her nod, Severus spelled the fire and Flooed to the Leaky Cauldron in London. No one in the crowd of holiday shoppers noticed him as Severus wrapped his cloak tightly around him before Apparating to Spinners End.
The house was dark and musty, with a hint of mildew in the air. Severus didn’t even bother to turn on a light as he moved the bookcase aside and took the stairs two at a time. He knew he had Tuney’s new name and address in the pile of clippings he’d cut from the local newspaper. It was a wedding announcement and had solicited for gifts to be sent. His lip curled into a sneer. No doubt Lily’s sister had basked in the attention on her wedding day.
“Yes!” Severus cried, triumphantly. “Little Whinging, Surrey.”
Retracing his steps to the front door, Severus lit his wand tip and pulled a thick paper book from the pile of mail that sat below the mail slot. “Duarte…DuPont…Dursley!”
Severus found the correct name and reconfirmed the address. Shaking his head, he dropped the phonebook onto the seat of a dusty, worn armchair. Dumbledore believed Harry was safely hidden in the Muggle world, yet it had taken him only a matter of minutes to find where he lived. Turning on his heel, Severus Apparated to the back alley of a pub, the only place he remembered near Little Whinging. A Muggle cab took him the short ride to Privet Drive and a well-cast charm made the man forget where he’d been dropped off. Not that Albus Dumbledore would ever think to check a Muggle conveyance if he suspected someone had been here. The same way Severus was sure Dumbledore wouldn’t have allowed a spell to alert anyone to simple magic used in the residence, as he was sure the boy would experience bouts of accidental magic.
Number four was a large box of a house which looked like every other house in the neighborhood, save the paint colour. A tidy front walk and rose bushes were the only distinguishing features. All the windows were dark and Severus cast a Notice Me Not spell before slipping up to the door on silent feet. A non-verbal unlocking spell and the front opened with a faint click. Severus moved cautiously forward, leaving the door ajar, lighting his wand tip to look around the small entry area. Steps led upwards with a padlocked boot cupboard under them.
Stepping to the right, Severus saw large sitting room, gaudily decorated with a Christmas tree that brushed the ceiling. Underneath it were piles of colorfully wrapped presents and, hanging from the mantle, was a huge stocking stuffed to bursting with sweets. Severus’ lip curled in disgust, it seemed Dumbledore was right and he’d been a fool to care.
As Severus started to turn away, his wand light illuminated the name stitched in large letters at the top of the stocking: DUDLEY. It stopped him in his tracks. Where was the stocking for Lily’s son? He scanned the mantle with wand light, seeing many photos of a rotund man and a pudgy baby with blond hair. Several appeared to be family portrait, just the three of them with Petunia holding the child, including a recent holiday themed portrait. Nowhere was there a picture of the dark-hair child that the wizarding world called The Boy Who Lived.
Frowning, Severus moved closer to the pile of presents and leaned down for a better look. Every one of them was tagged with Dudley’s name. Turning abruptly on his heel, Severus went upstairs, finding a spare bedroom, the nursey with Dudley in a large cot, and what appeared to be a guest bedroom. Severus didn’t bother to open the door of the master bedroom, the snores coming from it loud enough to cover any sound of his movement.
Perplexed, Severus returned downstairs and stood in the entry. Putting his wand on the palm of his hand, he whispered.
“Show me, Harry Potter.”
His wand spun a full circle before pointing towards the boot cupboard and Severus stared at it with a scowl. His eyes fell to the padlock and a sense of dread filled the pit of his stomach. Surely Petunia wouldn’t…
The lock disengaged with a flick of his wand and Severus threw open the door. The odor of urine and sick from the small space assaulted his nose and the opening was so small that it forced Severus to drop to his knees. Using his lighted wand tip, Severus had to blink his eyes to make sure he was seeing what he thought: a toddler, dressed in rags and filthy clothing, lay on an old cot pad on the floor. The child was shivering and deathly pale, curled up in a fetal position. A surge of rage exploded through Severus as he moved closer. He could tell the boy was ill and knew there was no possible way for Petunia not to know. Casting a diagnostic charm, Severus confirmed the fever he suspected and discovered indications of an infection.
”There are blood wards in place, Severus, to protect young Harry.” Dumbledore’s words echoed in his head, but Severus knew he simply could not walk away. The wards might keep out anyone who wanted to hurt the boy - they weren’t protecting him from the hatred of this family.
Making another impulsive decision, Severus levitated the baby off the pad and towards him. Wrinkling his nose at the smell, Severus removed his cloak and gingerly wrapped it around Harry. He looked around the cupboard and saw no toys or other belongings.
”Accio Harry Potter’s property!”
A torn and stained quilt flew toward Severus, who tucked it under his arm. Holding Harry awkwardly against his chest, Severus could feel the heat coming off the child as he made his way to the kitchen. He found what he needed at the back of the immaculately clean pantry. Levitating the sack of potatoes back into the boot cupboard, Severus laid them on the pad and transfigured them into Harry’s likeness. It wouldn’t hold for more than two or three days, but Severus knew it would give him a head start on getting the child away safely. Somehow Severus doubted that Petunia kept too close an eye on Harry and with Christmas and Boxing Day activities. In fact, he suspected she wouldn’t check on him at all.
Severus closed the cupboard door and, with a flick of his wand, secured the padlock. Using the filthy quilt, Severus created a Portkey to take them back to Spinner’s End. It would not do to trigger any Anti-Apparation wards that might be in place. Harry whimpered at the sensation but otherwise was silent as they disappeared from Privet and reappeared in the cold, dingy sitting room.
Carrying the child upstairs, Severus went directly his bedroom, turned on the lights, and cast a quick Cleaning Charm on the bed to get rid of the dust on duvet. He carefully laid Harry down as he tried to remember the healer classes he’d taken during his Mastery training. There were a few minimally invasive spells that he knew he could use, immediately casting a simple diagnostic spell over the baby. A blue aura surrounding Harry’s chest indicated an infection as did one that highlighted his forehead. Tilting Harry’s head, Severus could see the lightning bolt shaped curse scar was red and enflamed, even though it had been over seven weeks since Halloween. Another flick of his wand showed Harry was running a high fever.
Severus left Harry to quickly gather the supplies he needed to treat him. Once he had everything, Severus Vanished the disgusting rags the baby was wearing and gritted his teeth when he saw Harry’s skin littered with bruises in various stages of healing. Turning Harry over revealed open sores on his arse as well as a purple hand-shaped mark. With the basin of warm water he’d prepared, Severus swiftly cleaned the shivering child and dried him off. He spread an ointment with dittany over the sores before transfiguring a sock into a nappy and an old vest into a long sleeping shirt. Lifting Harry carefully, Severus sat on the bed and leaning Harry back against his chest and tilted his head back. Carefully, Severus coaxed Harry to swallow a small measure of fever reducer and a decongestant potion.
Severus stood and turned to lay Harry back down; he wasn’t prepared when the baby whimpered, one hand reaching out to latch with surprising strength onto the front of Severus’ robes. With a sigh, Severus wrapped an arm around Harry and sat down on the bed. He didn’t regret his rash decision to remove Harry from the abusive situation, but Severus knew he was ill-prepared to care for an eighteen-month-old toddler. There was little food in the house, other than a few tins in the cupboard, and he certainly had none of the other supplies he needed to properly care for Harry. Add to that the fact that it was Christmas Eve and he had nothing appropriate to give the child.
His thoughts went to the one person who had been there for Severus during the last ten years of his life. Sliding off the bed, Severus kept one arm wrapped around Harry as he descended the stairs and used his wand to start a magical fire in the hearth in the sitting room. He threw in a pinch of Floo powder from the old tin cup on the mantle.
“Spencer Manor!”
Carefully keeping Harry’s face pressed into his robes, Severus stuck his head into the green flames. There was no one in the Floo foyer and Severus waiting impatiently for someone to appear. He was about to shout for someone, his back cramping at strange angle he’d knelt at, when Severus heard rapid footsteps. Poppy Pomfrey, a smudge of flour decorating on cheekbone and hair in disarray, was wiping her hands on a red apron as she hurried towards him.
“Severus?”
“I’m so sorry to bother you at home, Madam Pomfrey, but I need your help-“
The mediwitch was already moving. “Step back, Severus.”
Straightening up, Severus moved back towards the threadbare couch, Harry wrapped in one arm and his wand in his other. He wasn’t sure how the mediwitch was going to react as he had no doubt she would recognize Harry.
As Pomfrey came through the Floo, she barely looked around as her eyes focused on the child in his arms. Severus could see her nostrils flare as she took in the sound of the toddler’s breathing and saw his trembling.
“Where might I examine the baby?” She asked brusquely and followed in silence as Severus led the way back up to the bedroom.
Leading the way back up to his bedroom, Severus laid Harry down but was hindered by the grip the toddler had on his robes. He slid his little finger into the tight fist and was able to transfer the grip there. Harry whimpered as Severus drew away but settled when Severus laid his hand on the baby’s still filthy hair.
Pomfrey frowned as she waved her wand over Harry, an arched eyebrow the only indication that she knew who he was. “What have you already done?” She asked briskly as she studied the runes forming in the air.
“Fever reducer, decongestant, and dittany balm for the skin ulcers on his bum.”
“It doesn’t appear that he’s been properly fed since-since that night and the dehydration caused a concentration of uric acid,” Pomfrey spat out, as she cast healing spells. “He has pneumonia and a fractured right tibia, as well as being dehydrated and malnourished.”
“That bloody bitch has done this much damage in less than eight weeks!” Severus hissed, his hand tightening around Harry’s fingers. “Dumbledore insisted he would be safe!”
“And why won’t he think that!” Pomfrey snapped, her hands still busy.
“Because I told him what a jealous, vindictive bitch she was,” Severus spat out, his voice dropping to a whisper as Harry began to tense up. “Petunia always hated Lily’s magic and she would never willingly take a magical child to raise, even her sister’s son.”
“Is that why you defied the headmaster’s orders?”
Severus jerked his head up, meeting Pomfrey’s eyes. “I just needed to make sure Lily’s son was being cared for.”
There was no condemnation in her eyes. “Now you have him, Severus, what are you going to do?”
Severus stared at her for a moment as Pomfrey reached into her bag. “I-“
“A Slytherin without a back-up plan?” Pomfrey smirked at him. “Can you pick him up so I can give him another potion?”
Severus carefully lifted Harry into his arms, cradling his head back against his chest as Pomfrey coaxed him to swallow another vial of medicine. The baby began to whimper until Severus shushed him gentle, speaking nonsense words into his ear. He could feel Pomfrey watching him as Harry settle quietly against him, hand once again firmly grasping the front of Severus’ robes.
“I will not take him back,” Severus ground out, knowing he had made the decision to keep the child as soon as he’d removed him from the Dursley’s house. “They had him stuffed into the boot cupboard under the stairs, dressed in rags, and laying on a filthy pad. I transfigured a bag of potatoes into his image and I doubt they will realize he’s gone for several days.”
Pomfrey nodded as she closed her bag. “Will they report him missing?”
“I doubt they would,” Severus said, considering. “Petunia will probably be relieved he is gone.”
“Then if you are to raise him, you will need to hide him in plain sight.” Pomfrey announced.
“But I haven’t anything for him- “
Pomfrey silenced him with a look. “You received the Prince estate on your birthday last January, you have every resource to provide for the little one.”
Severus narrowed his eyes. “I’ve not spoken to anyone of my inheritance. How is it you know?”
Smiling, Pomfrey reached over to pat his hand where it lay on Harry’s leg. “I went to school with your mum, Severus, and even though she was three years ahead of me, we were close. We are distant cousins even, on your maternal side, and I was often a guest at Prince Hall. I know your grandparents had house-elves, who would still be tending to the house and grounds. Summon one of them.”
“How?” Severus hadn’t been in a position to claim his inheritance, especially when he was suspected of being a loyal Death Eater, until his Wizengamot trial and Dumbledore’s testimony had cleared him a mere week ago.
“Just call for your head elf, Severus.”
Feeling self-conscious, Severus raised his voice and spoke firmly. “Head house-elf, Prince Hall!”
With a loud crack which made Harry jump and whimper, an elderly house-elf stood in front of Severus. Dressed neatly in a grey and green tunic, the elf had the air of someone in charge as he bowed to Severus.
“Lord Prince, I is most honored to meet you.”
Severus winced at being addressed as lord anything. “What is your name?” He asked, rocking a bit to calm Harry.
“Enry, the head house-elf, Master.”
“Severus,” Pomfrey said softly. “Albus will get curious if you deviate from the normal routine you’ve established. You’ll need provisions in your quarters as well as Prince Hall.”
With a nod, Severus came to a quick decision and relayed his instructions to the house-elf. He was going to make sure Harry had the best Christmas he could.
**~*~**
A loud noise woke Harry up suddenly and he stiffened when he heard the voices. These days, voices meant pain, but when nothing hurt, he blinked his eyes open. The first thing he realized was he was being held and rocked. The next thing was he felt much better than he had, he didn’t hurt, and he could breath. The rumble of a deep voice under his ear and the feel of arms holding him, made Harry feel safe for the first time since the night the bad man had hurt his mummy and daddy. Harry relived that night every time he closed his eyes.
Turning his head slowly, Harry thought he remembered the man holding him. This was the man who picked him up out of his cot and cried with him while his mummy was laying on the floor. Harry knew she wasn’t just asleep, Mummy would never sleep while her Harrybug was crying for her. This man had rocked Harry until a giant man had taken him away. Harry’s hand tightened on the man’s shirt. He didn’t want to be taken away again! Harry wanted to stay with this man, who rocked him and cried with him. Harry knew the man had loved his mummy, too.
Closing his eyes tightly, Harry wished with all his might to stay with his man forever, never seeing the bright white aura of magic which surrounded them.
**~*~**
“Severus!”
Pomfrey gasped as he was giving instructions to the house-elf, pointing out the white sparkle which enveloped he and Harry. Severus could feel heat sinking into his skin, the warmth of Lily friendship and love, with a sharper heat at the edges - almost as a reminder that James Potter had also given his life for his son. Harry showed no sign of distress, if anything, pressing closer to Severus. The intensity of the wave of magic made Severus dizzy for several minutes, his head and body wracked with pain before the feelings subsided to a dull ache. An overwhelming feeling of gnawing hunger surprised Severus, especially after he realized the feelings weren’t his.
“Well, it looks as if Harry has made the decision for you,” Pomfrey said, awe in her voice.
“What did he do?” Severus thought he knew all the forms magic could take, but this wasn’t one he was familiar with. “Was it wish magic?”
“An aura like that denotes a deep magical bonding, one almost as deep as an old magic soul binding, Severus, an equivalent to a magical adoption. It is ancient magic from the time of the Druids and it’s a bond that has only been witnessed a few times in history. Merlin was said to have magically adopted Arthur before giving him to Sir Antor to raise out of the spotlight.”
Severus frowned, not sure how he felt about this bond but as he had no intention of surrendering the child to anyone, it could be helpful. “How do I suddenly show up at Hogwarts with a son? Surely Dumbledore would see through that coincidence.”
Pomfrey was silent for several minutes, her gaze on the sleeping toddler in his arms. “Frankly, I doubt Albus would care whether you have fathered a child and I suspect those Muggles won’t ever tell anyone that Harry has disappeared.”
“Without Dumbledore’s support-“
A crack heralded Enry’s return. “All is being arranged and I has a bottle for the young master, Lord Prince!”
Pomfrey took the bottle, sprinkling some of the milk on her wrist, and examined it closely. “What is in here?”
“Nanny elf says this is the needed food for young master, Mistress,” Enry told her, bowing.
Pomfrey nodded her head and gave the bottle to Severus who stared at it. “What do I do now?” he asked softly, feeling stupid, but he’d never been around a child as small as Harry before.
“Hold the teat to Harry’s lips,” Pomfrey told him. “Harry should be able to do the rest.”
Severus shifted Harry carefully, tapping his lips with the nipple. As if on cue, Harry opened his mouth and began sucking in earnest, his hands coming up to close around the bottle. Severus supported the end of it, amazed as he watched Harry drink.
“Nanny elf is saying that young master must not eat too much until he’s stomach is better,” Enry relayed to them.
“Thank you, Enry, we’ll be along in a moment.”
Enry bowed once again before disappearing with a crack. Severus looked up to meet Pomfrey’s eyes. He could see the swirl of emotion in them and decided to take a chance.
“If I am to take Harry and raise him as my son, he will be needing a godmother to help guide him.”
Severus was disconcerted when he saw tears well up in the mediwitch’s eyes. “I would be honored, Severus.”
Harry opened his eyes fully for the first time since Severus had taken him and stared at him. Severus bushed a strand of hair back from his forehead, trying not to frown over the swollen scar as Harry examined his face. Pulling the bottle away, Harry held it up for Severus to take. Pomfrey took it from him as Severus continued to watch as Harry looked around curiously. Severus reached out a finger to stroke Harry’s cheek and he flinched away from it, but Severus held his hand steady. Slowly, he gently ran his thumb along the bruise that was still visible on Harry’s cheek bone before cupping is with his hand.
Pomfrey patted his arm. “I must get back to my baking, Severus, but I’ll pop over to Prince Hall tomorrow afternoon to see how you’re doing.”
Severus nodded absently, his focus still on the child snuggled so trustingly against him. Lily’s eyes, every bit as bright and alive as hers had been, looked back at him.
“I’m not sure if you can understand me, Harry, but I will always take care of you. Always! You will never be cold or hungry or mistreated again, I promise you.”
“A’ways?” Harry parroted back.
“Yes, little one, always.” Severus felt a genuine smile curve his lips as Harry sat up in his lap and for the first time, looked around. “Now, let’s go home and see about getting on with Christmas.”
Lifting Harry to his shoulder, Severus flicked his wand to turn off the lights as they went back downstairs. Severus took a handful of Floo Powder and a deep breath, before tucking Harry’s face into his shoulder.
“Prince Hall!”
As they spun through the Floo system, Severus made plans to pay Petunia a visit the next day - spoiling her holiday, he hoped - and having her sign custody over to him. Severus would store his memories carefully in a Pensieve and brew the complex potion which would allow him to blood adopt Harry. If he was going to raise Lily’s son, he was determined to do it right.
The Floo spat them out into a large room, with bright white walls, comfortable chairs, and a leather couch which gave the space a warm feel. In one corner stood a Christmas tree decorated in green and silver with white fairy lights and Harry’s eyes grew wide as he took it in.
“Welcome home, Harry!”
**~*~**
Six Years Later:
Harry woke up with a start, snuggled against his father’s chest, and it took him a minute to remember why he was there. Suddenly, Harry remembered it was Christmas morning and, even though he wanted to dash out to see what Father Christmas had brought, he laid perfectly still. If Harry moved around and woke his dad up too early, he’d be grouchy and Harry didn’t want that. The only time Harry got to sleep with his dad was when he had the nightmare about the green light and on Christmas Eve.
For as long as Harry could remember, Christmas was the best day of year. Dad said that was because it was at Christmas when Harry was a baby that they’d become a family and Aunty Poppy had told Harry how his father rescued him on Christmas Eve. His dad had told Harry about his parents, how they had love him and saved Harry from an evil wizard. Harry had pictures of them in an album and on the wall in his room. While his dad yelled sometimes, Harry always knew Dad loved him and Harry could even feel the love as a warm glow that encircled his heart.
“I know you’re awake, Harry,” his dad whispered in his ear just before two fingers began to tickle his ribs.
Harry shrieked with laughter and pulled away, turning around to throw his arms around his father’s neck to give him a hug. “Come on, Dad! Let’s go see if Father Christmas came!”
**~*~**
Severus followed Harry out of the bedroom, tying the belt on his dressing gown. He heard Harry greet his godmother loudly as Severus Summoned the boy’s robe and slippers. At seven and a half, Harry was a tall, sturdy child who was quiet and studious, had his mother’s intense curiosity and his father’s talent on a broom. From Severus, Harry had acquired a talent for Potions which pleased them both. Harry tested boundaries like any child and had the propensity to pout at times when he didn’t get his own way, which Severus blamed on his Potter genes.
Harry had adjusted well over the years and there’d never been any questions when Severus had finally announced his son would be coming to Hogwarts with him. As far as Severus knew, Albus Dumbledore had never gone back to Privet Drive to check on how Harry was and had no suspicion that Harry Potter was actually Harry Snape. Only a few very close friends, several of them with children Harry’s age, knew the truth.
“Dad! Hurry up!”
“I’m waiting for you to come back and brush your teeth, or-“
Harry came running around the corner. “Or no presents! I know!”
Severus smiled as Harry disappeared into the bathroom, although for less than a minute, but Severus heard the water run and the toilet flush. Holding out his robe, Severus corralled his son in it and helped him tie the belt. Leaning down, he kissed Harry on the top of the head.
“Happy Christmas, son. I love you.”
Lily’s eyes looked up at him, warm and loving, crinkling at the corners as Harry smiled. “I love you, too, Dad. Always!”
“Yes,” Severus agreed, steering Harry back into the large family sitting room where Poppy Pomfrey was waiting. “Always and forever.”
**~*~**