kbinnz - Harry's New Home

"Hush, you ridiculous brat!" Snape commanded, his own voice wavering. "Those unnatural Muggles have planted lies in your head. Do you not understand just how special and talented you are? The entire Wizarding world practically worships at your feet. You, unlovable? There are many many people who love you, foolish child."

"But you don't!" Harry wailed. "An' I don't care about the others!"

"Idiot. Of course I l-love you," Snape snapped, tightening his grasp about the boy.

Harry's gasping sobs shut off as if a switch had been thrown. Slowly, without daring to breathe, Harry raised his head and looked up at his professor's severe face. "Y-you do?" he whispered incredulously.

Snape tried not to fidget under the piercing green gaze. "Yes. I love you." Ha. Managed it that time without stuttering.

Harry's eyes were huge in his white face. "Really? Honest?"

Severus rolled his eyes. "Yes. Need I repeat myself yet again?" At Harry's shaky nod, he huffed. "Fine. I love you. Satisfied?"

And then Harry was crying even harder and hugging him until Snape thought his ribs would crack. "Is this another example of your 'happy tears'?" Snape eventually asked warily.

Harry managed to laugh and sob at the same time. "Uh huh."

Snape sighed and continued to wait the storm out. Finally he could feel the boy gulping and hiccupping. "Are you nearly done?"

Harry nodded against his sternum. "Uh huh. ErmтАж Are you mad at me?"

Severus nearly groaned. Did this child have no self-esteem whatsoever? "Why would I be angry with you, Mr Potter? Did we not establish that I am happy for you to call me 'Da'?"

"Y-yes, I guess so." Harry couldn't keep the smile out of his voice.

"Good. Because while I do not object to your calling me by that term, I most decidedly do object to your referring to yourself as a 'freak'. I believe I have spoken to you about this in the past."

Harry gulped and burrowed his head further into Snape's robes. Uh oh. "Y'sir," he mumbled, though if truth be told he hadn't even realized he was doing it. Not that he really minded that Snape was annoyed. Weren't dads supposed to make sure no one called you names? Not even yourself. "No soap, 'kay? I won't do it again," he promised, screwing up his face at the thought of a mouth full of soapsuds.

A light swat landed on his backside, causing him to squeak in surprise and glance up at his professor. "If I hear it again, you will not get off so lightly," Snape told him sternly.

Harry ducked his head again, hiding his smile in the man's robe. Even as he had delivered the smack with one hand, Snape's other arm had continued to hold Harry tight. "Y'sir," he said obediently.

"Get into your pyjamas. I believe an early bedtime is appropriate tonight," Snape ordered. "You are obviously overwrought."

Harry sniffled and gave his guardian one last squeeze before letting go. He wiped his nose with one hand and rubbed his behind with the other. Not that the swat had hurt in the slightest, but just for the principle of the thing.

Snape took the slimy little urchin by the (relatively dry) shoulder and pushed him towards the bathroom. "Wash and change, Mr Potter. I will return shortly and you had better be in bed."

"YesтАж Da." Harry screwed up his courage and tested the new word, biting his lip anxiously and glad he couldn't see the man's face.

A pat on the shoulder answered him and he relaxed with a sigh, heading for the shower.

Snape watched the bathroom door close behind the little fiend, then went straight to his supply closet where he downed two Calming Draughts in rapid succession, considered briefly, then took a third. It was only then that his hands stopped shaking.

He was surprised to find that his happiness тАУ oh, all right, his ridiculous joy тАУ at the boy's declaration actually outstripped his gleeful anticipation of the mutt's reaction. Although after today's unexpected and uncharacteristic speech from Black, he supposed that the Gryffindor might not be all that surprised. Or at least not as surprised as Snape himself had been.

When he returned to the boy's room twenty minutes later, he found the brat in bed, his green eyes hopeful. "C'n we practice Occlumency tonight, Da?" Harry asked, delighting in the sound of the word and the way it rolled off his tongue.

His profess- father grumbled, but seated himself on the edge of Harry's bed. "Oh, all right. Roll over and start clearing your mind."

Harry let out a whimper of sheer happiness as his father's strong fingers started rubbing his back and the man's velvety voice guided him through the initial relaxation. Less than five months ago, he'd been living in a cupboard, without a single friend, hated by his only relatives. Now he had a new life, complete with a somewhat peculiar (but well-meaning) godfather, wonderful friends, and the best father in the whole world.

Snape stroked the boy's back, idly noting with a corner of his mind that the boy was actually beginning to construct some very respectable mental barriers. His head was spinning as he absently recited the words to Harry's visualization exercise. Less than five months ago, he'd been living in his dungeons, without a single friend, and despised by most of the British Wizarding world. Now he had a new life, complete with lovestruck teenagers, newly admiring colleagues, and a son who loved him. He allowed a sneer to steal over his features; did that foolish Dark Lord actually imagine Snape would allow any harm to come to this child? Voldemort would never know what hit him.

TBCтАж

*Chapter 37*: Chapter 37

The next morning, Snape was surprised to find Harry wholly unembarrassed by the previous night's emotional meltdown. He himself had spent much of the night castigating himself for being such a sentimental fool. Honestly! Even Sprout тАУ chief Hufflepuff though she was тАУ would have blushed to utter the syrupy endearments that had somehow emerged from his mouth.

And yetтАж and yet he couldn't bring himself to regret the admission he'd made тАУ embarrassing though it might appear in the clear light of day. And looking at Harry's shining face this morning further convinced him he had done the right thing, whatever the cost to his pride or evil reputation.

"Remember," he cautioned the boy sternly as they made ready to leave their quarters, "you are in complete disgrace. You spent last night sobbing into your pillow after my harsh treatment of you."

Harry grinned. He loved his guardian's sense of humor. Even more, his chest swelled with pride as he thought of how much his guardian trusted him to play his role. So often grownups wouldn't rely on a kid to do anything. They just patted you on the head and told you to run along. But not Professor Snape. He was willing to involve Harry in something important.

Harry vowed to make his guardian proud of him. "I'll r'member," he promised.

"Do you have Quidditch practice today?"

Harry blinked at the apparent non sequitur. "No."

"Then immediately after your last class you will return here," Snape instructed.

Harry's brow creased. He hadn't expected that. "Am I on restriction?" he asked in dismay.

Snape rolled his eyes. "What do you think?"

Harry sighed. "I guess I'd have t'be," he agreed mournfully, after a moment of consideration. "An' write an essay?"

"And lines," Snape said in a tone that brooked no argument. "You will make a start on those during your study period. Five hundred lines of 'I will not chase snitches on my broom in the castle.'"

Harry opened his mouth to protest the length of the sentence, but thought better of it. It had not escaped his notice that his professor had chosen a line that referred specifically to his own embellishment of the authorized prank, and Harry rather suspected that while the restriction and essay might be for show, the lines were a genuine punishment. "Y'sir,"he mumbled. "I am sorry, Da," he added, wanting the man to know he genuinely regretted upsetting him.