Family Ties

Severus didn't even flinch when his windows smashed with Harry's anger who shot to his feet.

"Why didn't you tell me? I had a right to know Severus!” Harry snapped.

Severus stood up also. "Of that I agree Harry but when should I have told you? When I first met you at the age of only eleven? Tell me Harry, think of yourself years from now, you have a son who is off to Hogwarts, all excited, he has made friends, he has a best friend, wants to bring him home for Christmas to meet you. Your son turns up with his friend and the first thing Draco says to your son's best friend is. Your mother is dead because your dad hid and did nothing."

Harry actually looked ashamed of himself for being angry with Severus. "Well, when you put it like that… sorry.”

Severus moved forwards and gently placed his hand on Harry's shoulder. “You have nothing to apologise for.”

Harry sniffed. “May I see that night please?”

Severus only nodded as he wordlessly called his pensieve to him and pulled the memory out and stepped back and let Harry watch that night.

When Harry leaned over and started to watch the memory. Severus conjured his patronus and sent it to Draco to drop everything and get to his house now.

Two minutes later Draco stumbled through his floo with his wand drawn.  Looking around he saw Harry bent over a pensieve and Severus sat waiting. “What's going on?”

“Harry knows everything.  He has already smashed all my windows. You need to keep him calm, Draco.”

Draco was about to reply when Harry looked up, tears running down his face. “Harry?”

“Draco..”

Draco hurried forwards and pulled Harry into a hug, placing his hand on the back of the brunet's head. “What's happened?”

“My dad…. He hid Draco.  Voldemort came, dad hid and didn't show himself until he killed my mum.”

Draco frowned. “What the fuck? Cowardly bastard!”

“Draco!” Severus warned.

Draco nodded and sighed and curled his fingers, slowly massaging Harry's head. “Okay Harry. Let's get you home.”

Harry pulled away. “No. I need to confront him.” He turned and looked at Severus who stood up. “May I take the memory please? He will deny it. I want to give him something he can't deny.”

Severus nodded. “You may.”

Harry slowly walked over to Severus who put the memory in a vial and closed his hands around the older man's. “Thank you Severus.” Harry looked into the black eyes. “For everything. Now there are no secrets between us. I will be back wanting that date.”

Severus smirked. “I will be waiting. But Harry. Don't give him any reason to turn it around on you by claiming you are being hysterical therefore don't know what you are saying.”

Harry nodded and kissed Severus’ cheek. “I won't do.”

Draco managed to talk Harry into leaving it for a couple of days to think things through before confronting his dad. He had offered to go with Harry when he confronted his dad but Harry declined, saying he had to do this on his own. 

Harry took a deep breath as he walked into his dads house.

He walked into the living room and saw his dad sitting at the table with Sirius and Remus.

Sirius looked up and smiled. “Hey pup. What's this about?”

Harry ignored Sirius' question and looked at his dad. "I want to talk to you." 

"Harry." James said, sitting up straight, he glanced at Remus and Sirius briefly. "What-"

"Did you know he was a coward?" Harry asked, looking from Sirius to Remus. 

Sirius blinked and looked sideways at James who had gone slightly pale.

"I don't know what-" James started, forcing a smile as he stood from the table. 

Harry bared his teeth. "Yes you do!” He snapped. Taking a deep breath to try and calm himself. “Yes you do.” Harry repeated and pulled the vial holding Severus' memory of that night out of his pocket. "He saw you and you know it." 

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Remus stand but refused to acknowledge him until he felt the older man's hand on his shoulder and shrugged it off. "Severus saw you crawling out of your hiding place after Voldemort killed my mum... my mum! You never fought him. You took glory in her death and pretended to be a hero!"

James lost his smile and scowled. "Whatever lies Snivillius has told you, are just that. Lies. I was there that night. I know what happened.”

Harry walked over to his dad and glared. "Yes you do and you have lied about it ever since. You told the lies! You did!" Harry jabbed a finger into his dads chest making James stagger back into the table. "You let her die while you pretended you weren't there. I can't believe you! You disgust me! I hate you!"

"Harry." Remus said. “You can't go saying stuff like this without proof.”

Harry looked at Remus. “I have proof.” He said before looking at his dad. “You know. No one really knows what happened the night I killed Voldemort. No one knew of the conversation we had. How he taunted me, how I would soon be joining my mother. He taunted how she begged for my life. To take hers and save me. Not once did he mention your name. As though you were never there.”

Harry sighed. “Severus feared for mother that night and went to the house. He broke down when he saw he had lost his only friend. He heard a noise that made him think more trouble was coming but what was it he saw?” Harry looked from his dad to Sirius and Remus. “He saw James. Crawling out of a cupboard.” Harry slammed the vial down on the table. “Watch it.”

Harry turned to his dad. “I want nothing more to do with you. I hate you. Do you hear me?” Harry leaned in close so he was almost touching noses with James. “I. Hate. You.”

Seeing the emotion flicker over James' face, Harry shook his head and turned to walk out. As he closed the door he heard Sirius speak.

“I knew there was more to you hating Severus than school.” 

Followed by Remus shouting "what the hell is going on?”

James ignored Remus who stared at him before leaving, following Harry. He walked over to the window and saw Harry stop in the middle of the empty road, looking further he saw Draco get up from the wall he was sitting on facing the house and walk over to his son and pulled him into a tight hug.

“If it was just me and Lily I would have happily stepped in front of anything Voldemort threw.” James turned and saw Sirius staring at him.  “But we had Harry. What would have happened to him? Who would have raised him?”

“He would have had me and Remus and he would have grown up how he has now. Wanting for nothing.” Sirius picked the memory up. “I need to see this for myself.”

Remus hurried out of the house. “Harry!” He called as he ran over to his godson and Draco. “I want you to know I am in no way standing up for James I am on your side Harry. But if James died also you might have been sent to Petunia and that is one person you don't want raising you. Lily and her sister are as different as day and night. Anyone with magic she called a freak and would deny you who you are. From what I have heard how she is now she has only gotten worse.  I wouldn't have put it past her if she tried to beat magic out of you. Yes James hid but doing that you grew up with one parent instead of none. There were a lot of orphans after this war, still now grieving for having no parents, don't chuck yours away over something I know you'll regret. Yes it will take a lot of getting over. Just don't dismiss him completely.”

Harry sighed. “I need to get away from here. I just need not to see him for a while.  I will owl you soon Remus.”

Remus nodded and hugged Harry. “I am always here for you pup.”

Harry smiled. “Thank you Remus.”

Severus looked up when his floo flared and stood up and caught Harry who stumbled through. “Are you okay?”

“I have just come from dad's. Told him I knew everything, Remus and Sirius were there also. When I left, Remus followed me.”

Harry sat down with Severus and told him everything that had been said and what Remus had said when he followed him. “I just don't know what to do for the best, Severus.”

Severus placed his finger under Harry's chin to lift his face up. “You do what is best for you Harry. You think about what Remus said and give yourself time and how you feel. You never know you might feel differently after a while and forgive your dad.”

“At the moment I don't see how I could ever forgive him.”

“Never say never Harry.  After all, I was the one who told Voldemort of the prophecy that led to Lily's death and you are dating me.”

Harry gave a little laugh and leaned into Severus. “Whatever happens between me and dad and whatever I decide to do…”

Severus kissed Harry gently. “I will be behind you completely.” He promised.

Epilogue

James Potter stood and clapped proudly with all the others as he watched Harry receive his certificate.  He had completed his apprenticeship. Harry had decided to work alongside Severus in creating new potions and finding antidotes to dangerous potions.

After Harry confronted him that day along with Remus and Sirius he didn't hear from his son for a year. He saw him but got ignored. All letters he sent got sent back. Sirius was mad at him also and didn't talk to him for a couple of months. Only Remus who made it clear he was mad and in time he will be okay with him kept talking to him because if Remus didn't then he wouldn't have anyone and having no one with that guilt wasn't a place he wanted James to go.

After a year Harry had surprised him when, after waking up, after being injured on the job, his son was sitting by his bed. Once awake. Harry had stood and told him he was glad he pulled through. 

After that when James had left the hospital and sent Harry a letter he was pleased he got a reply. He accepted that it will be a long road for them both. That he needed to give Harry time and because he wanted to be back in his son's life. He would give him all the time he needed.

Draco stood and faced everyone and spoke how it had been a tough and busy few years but how it had all been worth it as they were now all about to start working just where they wanted to. Draco reached over and grabbed Harry and pulled him into a hug. “I know I for one couldn't have done this without not my best friend. My brother!” He laughed and hugged Harry tight and laughed when a picture was taken. “But now we have received our certificates and it's now official. There is only one thing left for my brother to do.” Draco let go of Harry and smiled. “Go to your man!”

Harry laughed and walked over to Severus who gave a small smile and opened his arms. Allowing the younger man to walk into them.

Harry looked into the crowd and smiled at Remus and Sirius who were cheering him on, his smile faltering when he saw his dad standing there looking weary.

He had thought on what Remus had told him and he had let James know what he did that night would go no further than the people who knew. When James took that as forgiveness Harry had only shook his head. This wasn't him forgiving James. He had warned his dad in years to come he probably will forgive him. But he would never forget. What James did would go no further because it would do no good. Nothing good would come of it. It wouldn't bring his mother back so what was the point?

After that day he got at least five letters a week off James and sent them all back. They only stopped when he asked Remus to tell his dad to stop. He needed time and all the letters weren't helping. 

He did plan on speaking to his dad at some point but not yet, that changed when Sirius came and told him his dad was injured on a raid and he was currently in a coma. It seemed to hit Harry then that he could lose his dad. Then he'd have no parents. After talking to Severus and Draco, he had spent his free time by James' bedside. It was time spent there watching his dad that had him thinking over the past year. He had heard Sirius fell out with him for a while and Remus only talked to him so he still had someone. 

He knew he had to start to let this anger go and give his dad a chance once more. He could have lost his dad. He could have died thinking Harry hated him. Harry no longer hated his dad. He just felt the sadness and anger still but he knew if he didn't let that go and try and move on with his dad he would always feel this way. Yes he had Draco and Severus and Remus and Sirius. He was happy but he did miss his dad.

A week after James had left hospital, Harry went to see him and they spent all night talking. He had told his dad to still give him time but he does want to move past it and move on and be on better terms.

James walked over to Harry and nodded his head at Severus, he held his hand out to Harry. “Congratulations son. You have not only now achieved your dream but your mother's also. I know she would be beyond proud of you today.”

Harry took the hand and shook it only to let go quickly.  “Thank you dad.”

James smiled. “I'm proud of you son.”

Severus looked from James to Harry. “Well. You have now passed. You have your certificate. What's your next plan?” he asked.

Harry looked at the man he loved and smiled. “Well we live together. Starting Monday we will be working together.”

“Yes…” Severus pushed.

Harry took two steps back from his lover and got down on one knee and took a ring out of his pocket and held it up. “Severus Snape, will you marry me?” He shouted. Smiling at the silence in the room.

Severus scanned the quiet crowd. He leaned forward. “You even got a ring?”

“I have had it for a month, planning to propose  once I got my certificate.  So. Severus Snape. Will you marry me?” He asked again.

 “Yes.” He said, loud enough for all to hear. 

The end.