Family Ties

Draco walked over to Harry and grabbing his arm, dragged him into the kitchen and shut the door. 

“Draco wha-?”

“Use legilimens. Have a look and listen to what I just witnessed.”

Harry sighed and did as Draco asked. He pulled out of the memory and sat down hard at the table. “Dad did something to mum and Severus knows. That's why they hate each other. Severus hates dad for what he did and dad is panicked that Severus will tell me. It has to be something bad.”

Draco sat on the edge of the table and looked at his best friend. “What are you going to do?”

“I don't know. I've got to think. Let's get back to the party. I'm going to ask Severus for a dance.”

Draco looked shocked at his friend before he found his voice. “Why?”

“Why wouldn't I want to get that close to him.” Harry smirked. 

Draco frowned. “Do you- no. You do! You like Severus!”

“What's not to like? So dark and sexy and that voice. Couldn't you just come listening to him?”

Sirius looked up when the kitchen door opened and his cousin came walking out, heading straight to the drinks table and helping himself to a very large glass of whiskey. He walked over. “What's going on baby dragon?”

Draco saw Harry walk out of the kitchen and over to Severus. “You're about to find out.”

Harry slowly made his way over to Severus who had spotted him walking over and raised a single brow.

"Harry."

"Severus. Would you like to dance?" 

"You're father won't like it."

"I don't care."

"People might think you are asking to suck up."

"I don't care. I know the truth as do you and that's all that matters."

"And the truth is?"

"I'm asking you to dance because I like you and I want to dance with you. And there is only one kind of sucking I do… Master Snape."

"I am twice your age."

"Again I don't care and none of that matters to me."

Harry smiled as Severus took his hand and felt another hand on his waist as he started to slowly move with the music.

"What in the name of Merlin's balls is going on?" Sirius asked.

James, turning to look at what Sirius was looking at, felt his jaw drop when he saw his son in Severus' arms, being held close as they slowly danced. He put his drink down and just as he took a step forward, a hand on his chest stopped him. "Let me go, Remus."

"No. This was all Harry, he approached Severus, he asked Severus. Despite being turned down and reminded that you wouldn't like or approve and that he is twice his age, Harry said on all counts he didn't care, he stated that he likes Severus and wants to dance with him."

"No." James whispered.

"It's true James, my hearing, I heard it all. Leave them be. Do not cause a scene, because I guarantee, Harry will side with Severus." Remus warned.

James turned and stormed from the room with Sirius following.

Draco walked over to Remus. "Is all that true?" 

"It is. My hearing senses, I sometimes hate to hear things I could have done without knowing."

Draco smirked. "Did Harry flirt?"

"He stated there is only one thing he sucks at." Remus shook his head and walked away.

Harry smiled up at Severus as he started to lead him around. “I am actually surprised. All the balls I've been to at Malfoy manor with you there I have never seen you dance. And yet here you are dancing with me. May I ask why you never danced before now?”

Severus only smirked as he continued to dance with Harry. Only answering when the song had finished. “The right person never asked.” Lifting his hand, he placed his finger under Harry's chin and lifted the younger man's face. Lowering his head he placed a small gentle kiss on Harry's lips. “Happy birthday Harry.” Looking over Harry's head, Severus nodded his head at Draco, looked back at the man in front of him, smiled and then disapparated.

James hurried over to his son. “Harry! Tell me that was forced! You hated it!”

Draco scoffed. “Come on Mr Potter. Everyone could see that wasn't forced and look at Harry's face, does he look unhappy?”

Remus placed his hand on Harry's shoulder. “Harry?”

Harry blinked and looked at his second godfather. “Best present ever.”

James swallowed. “I need a drink.”

The next morning, James walked into his kitchen and stopped when he saw his son sitting there. “Harry? Is everything okay?”

“The memory Severus showed me last night. It was mum.” Harry finally looked up and watched his dad closely. “He showed me a certain one of mum and then I saw you.”

James quickly sat down and faced his son. “Harry, I can explain. It's not how you saw it, how it happened.”

“It's exactly how it happened! Mum's dream job was what I am doing now. My dream job was hers, I unknowingly picked my dream career that was also hers and then I saw you. You supported her. Told her you would help all you could. Why can you not do the same for me?” Harry dropped his head but looked up with his eyes and saw his father looked relieved. He needed to talk to Severus.

“Harry I do support you and I am happy for you, I just don't like Snape. We have been like this since school.”

“Oh come on dad! This isn't school enemies. School ended twenty years ago for you, until recently when I started this apprenticeship you have never seen Severus so that's crap!”

James stood up. “You may be eighteen now but I am still your father and you will not talk to me that way!”

Harry stood up and disapparated.

The following afternoon, Severus was walking back to his cottage and stopped when he saw Harry sitting on the doorstep. “Harry?” He asked once he got close enough.

When Harry looked up, Severus could see something or someone had upset him. “What's your question Harry?”

“My dad hates you because you know what he did to my mother. Severus…. What did he do?”

Severus sighed. “Come on in Harry. It's a good job I have no potions that need seeing to. This is going to be a long afternoon.”

Harry followed Severus inside and sat down in the living room while Severus walked into the kitchen. He looked around as he heard the older man making drinks.

He spotted a photo on a shelf and slowly got up and walked over to it. Picking it up he smiled when he saw his mum at what must have been his age. In the photo she had her fingers on a young Severus’ face, either side of his mouth, trying to get him to smile who relented in the end and smirked at the camera which Lily then beamed at as she hugged Severus close. “Mum…”

“Remus took that photo.”

Harry jumped and turned around. “I'm sorry I didn't mean to be nosy, I just saw my mum and-”

“It's fine Harry. Remus took the photo. James nor Sirius would take a photo Lily wanted with me in it, but Remus is more mature.” Severus handed Harry his hot drink and gestured to the sofa with his free hand. “That was taken at graduation.” He explained as he sat down.

Harry smiled in thanks for his drink before taking a small sip. “I don't know where to start.” he stated as he sat back down.

Severus looked at Harry closely. “I will clear one thing. I did mean that kiss I gave you last night. If you truly mean what you stated about pursuing me then I believe before we do so we clear the air. Start clean.”

Harry nodded. “No lies. I know something is going on between you and my dad. You know something that he doesn't want you to know and is obviously afraid you will tell me.”

“It is true. It isn't my place to tell you but I see what this is doing to you. It carries on, you won't be able to focus properly on your studies. I will admit, once you find out they will take a hit but not as much as it would with you not knowing.”

“Draco overheard your conversation with Sirius last night and he showed it to me in memory, even Sirius knows there is something. Something father did to mother and where he thought no one knew. He found out you know.”

Severus sighed. “I know you know I was a death eater, went abroad when Lily died, threw myself into my work, turned myself around. I still hope one day Lily would forgive me.”

Harry leaned across and placed his hand over Severus’. “Severus. I know you made the mistake of telling Voldemort about the prophecy. But that could have meant me or Neville Longbottom. We both had parents who fought against and had a son born at the end of July. It was him who picked mum and dad and it was Peter who told him where to find them.”

Severus frowned. “Who told you what I told Voldemort?”

“Voldemort himself.” Harry sighed and ran his hand through his hair, making it more messy than usual. “I haven't slept all night. I have been going over everything. How dad has been, what he has slipped out here and there since I started working under you, things I have read up. But then that night came back to me. The night I killed Voldemort, he boasted a lot about how he was going to enjoy killing me. How he enjoyed killing my mum.” Harry looked Severus in the eyes. “He never mentioned my father. It's as though. He wasn't even there. But he must have been, I have seen clippings of newspapers. Father fought him before being knocked unconscious. He came to hearing me crying and my mum dead.”

Severus took a deep breath. He knew what was coming.

“Severus. The night my mum died. Where were you?”

“I feared for Lily so I went straight to the house. I saw it destroyed. I saw Lily lying dead by your cot with you crying. I broke down and held Lily, apologising over and over. I must have been there a few minutes before I heard a noise.”

Harry placed his cup down and edged further. “Did you see my father there that night Severus?”

“I did.”

“Was he unconscious like he said he was?”

Severus found he couldn't look away from the piercing green eyes. “No.”

“Severus… what was my father doing?”

“Hiding.”