Five Ways...For sayshisname
Five ways Harry's life would have been different if Lily and Severus had been his parents and allowed to raise him together.
1. Five year old Harry plays at the very same park where his parents met years and years ago. Lily watches over him from the swing-set, swaying some and never letting her feet leave the ground; he’s on the monkey bars, legs curled over the bar and hanging upside down so that the blood rushes to his head, coloring his pale face.
“Mummy! Watch what I can do!” He laughs in delight and as he does his emerald green eyes shut, his little body swings up some and he catches another bar so that he can pull himself up.
His fingers slip and in a moment he’s lost his balance and is falling.
“Harry!” Lily rises from the swing and is drawing her wand from pocket to stop the fall but it’s too late. His father, watching from a few paces away until now is there and he catches the boy in his arms. The man shakes back his hair, and he breathes out in something like relief.
“Harry Severus Snape, practice care.” Severus Snape scolds. His voice and his face are set, but he’s holding his son in a protective cradle and he doesn’t release him until Lily comes to claim him, nudging her nose against his.
She hushes the boy, combing back his black hair. “Hush, love. Mummy and Daddy just want you safe. You gave us a fright.”
2. “You’d better be in Slytherin.” Severus announced to his son as the family of three stood together at platform nine and three-quarters to see the eleven year old Harry to the Hogwarts Express. “It will be a crime if you’re not placed there.”
“I could be in Gryffindor, like Mum.” Harry ventured, treading on eggshells to see that he did not offend the Head of the noble House of Salazar Slytherin. His mother laughed behind her hand and winked to her son and Snape made a noncommittal noise. The boy smiled, excitement and nerves washing over him.
Lily hugged him, tightly, and he pretended to be embarrassed. “We’ll see you at the feast.”
“Lucky you.” Severus told him, dryly, as he loaded Harry’s trunk. “Homesickness shan’t catch up with you with two professors for parents.” And then there was the barest hint of mirth in his voice. “Lucky us. Being professors we shan’t have to send Howlers; we can simply yell at you in person.”
Harry seemed not to catch his brand of humor and his eyes went wide. “Don’t!”
“Sev, be nice. He’s only teasing, Harry.” The redhead promised, grinning and she looked up as a whistle sounded. “You should hurry and board. We love you, and we’ll see you at the feast.”
“Don’t cause trouble.” Severus warned. Surrounded by students, he let his quirk of a smile be his unspoken show of affection. After all, it wouldn’t do for the students to think that their unyielding Potions Master was getting soft.
3. When the Chamber of Secrets was opened, the Head of Slytherin House had all but begged his wife to take a temporary leave from her duties as Muggle Studies professor. This “Heir of Slytherin” was after Muggle-borns and Lily was unsafe. She had stayed, of course, and been made one of the first victims.
Things at Hogwarts were tense, especially for those who were affected directly by the petrifaction of students, ghosts and professors. Severus looked more pale than usual, and his temper was worse than ever. Harry had been on edge, and more so when his friend, Hermione Granger, had been claimed.
There was hope in the fact that they were only petrified, and that a draft of Mandrake juice would have them restored, but it had not done much to improve their moods. Hogwarts was unsafe and movement throughout the castle was being limited, but father and son found themselves in the Hospital Wing, often. They would sit together in silence, not looking at one another. Severus supposed he should have known that Harry would act.
It made it no easier when he was told and he had planned to shout at him for being rash and stupid if-when, when he returned. However, he promptly forgot whatever harsh words he planned to give the boy when he arrived in the Hospital Wing, drenched in blood (was it his or was it the Beast’s?), and with Albus Dumbledore. Snape did, however, manage to hiss “You stupid boy.” even as he hugged him, tightly.
The best part, though, was when Lily awoke, and her eyes returned to their full splendor.
“Hello, my boys.” She crooned. Severus let out a bark of relieved laughter and Harry moved to hug her, tightly.
She didn’t even mind the blood.
4. There is something decidedly odd about seeing your parents pressed into the rosebushes, snogging, Harry decided with wide eyes as he watched his parents disentangle themselves from one another when they heard his approach. Severus had the great fortune of being able to look calm and collected whether he was pulling from a kiss with his wife or telling an onlooker, levelly, that the body at his feet was not brought down him, despite the blood on his hands. Lily, however, was blushing like mad, pale cheeks as bright as her hair.
“Mister Snape.” The Potions Master drawled, “I believe that the Yule Ball is inside.”
Harry blinked several times, trying to get the image of his parents in such a position from his head and then he positively smirked. “Professors Snape? I believe that the Yule Ball is inside.”
Lily laughed but Severus did not seem amused. “Do you mind?”
“I do, actually. You’re snogging my mum.”
“And…? I fail, Mister Snape, to see the point.”
Lily smacked her husband’s arm. “Play nice.”
“I wouldn’t dream of doing anything but.” Severus said, rubbing his arm as if his wife had genuinely hurt him. “You hit me.”
“She did.” Harry agreed.”
“Gryffindors.” He sighed. “Arrogant, silly things, the lot of you.”
5. They were in the park again, walking together. Lily’s fingers were twined in Severus’ and Harry kept flipping open the pocket watch that his parents had presented him with that morning as a birthday gift. It was customary to give a wizard who had come of age a watch and this one had belonged to his father, marked on the inside cover with the intials HBP.
“What does it mean?” Harry had asked.
Severus smiled, “Half-Blood Prince. It was a moniker I went by when I was about your age.”
There was a pause and Harry absolutely gaped at his father. “You’re the Half-Blood Prince?”
“At your service.” He was grinning, a wolfish sort of grin and he released his wife’s hand to offer a shallow bow, almost mocking his son.
“I found your book! I was using it in Slughorn’s class, you bloody well saved my chances at becoming an Auror, you know.”
“My aim, actually.” The Defense Against the Dark Arts professor promised, taking his wife’s hand again. “I imagine I would be an awful father if I didn’t try to help my son seize his dreams.”
“You helped him cheat?” Lily demanded, shocked and a little disappointed.
Severus nudged her shoulder with his. “You were not complaining when I leant the very same book to you in school.”
“….Yes. Well.” She grinned.
There was a comfortable pause in conversation as the Snape family walked, content, and then Harry spoke. “Dad? How did you propose to Mum?”
“She actually proposed to me, if you would believe it.”
Lily blushed, her cheeks as red as the Gryffindor colors.
Harry laughed. “Rather bold move, wasn’t it?”
“Well, if I hadn’t asked I doubt we would have ever gotten very far.” She said, putting her free hand on her hip and tilting her chin up. “Why do you ask, anyways?”
The Snape boy looked to his parents, flipping his watch open again and snapping it closed. “…I want to ask Ginny to marry me.”
Severus looked positively appalled at the idea, but Lily laughed and released her husband so that she might hug her son. “My little boy is all grown up.”
“Don’t coddle him, Lils.”
“Well?” Harry asked, hopefully. Lily nodded her approval of the idea and Severus hesitated before clasping his son’s shoulder.
“I trust your judgment. And I am very proud of you.”
1. Five year old Harry plays at the very same park where his parents met years and years ago. Lily watches over him from the swing-set, swaying some and never letting her feet leave the ground; he’s on the monkey bars, legs curled over the bar and hanging upside down so that the blood rushes to his head, coloring his pale face.
“Mummy! Watch what I can do!” He laughs in delight and as he does his emerald green eyes shut, his little body swings up some and he catches another bar so that he can pull himself up.
His fingers slip and in a moment he’s lost his balance and is falling.
“Harry!” Lily rises from the swing and is drawing her wand from pocket to stop the fall but it’s too late. His father, watching from a few paces away until now is there and he catches the boy in his arms. The man shakes back his hair, and he breathes out in something like relief.
“Harry Severus Snape, practice care.” Severus Snape scolds. His voice and his face are set, but he’s holding his son in a protective cradle and he doesn’t release him until Lily comes to claim him, nudging her nose against his.
She hushes the boy, combing back his black hair. “Hush, love. Mummy and Daddy just want you safe. You gave us a fright.”
2. “You’d better be in Slytherin.” Severus announced to his son as the family of three stood together at platform nine and three-quarters to see the eleven year old Harry to the Hogwarts Express. “It will be a crime if you’re not placed there.”
“I could be in Gryffindor, like Mum.” Harry ventured, treading on eggshells to see that he did not offend the Head of the noble House of Salazar Slytherin. His mother laughed behind her hand and winked to her son and Snape made a noncommittal noise. The boy smiled, excitement and nerves washing over him.
Lily hugged him, tightly, and he pretended to be embarrassed. “We’ll see you at the feast.”
“Lucky you.” Severus told him, dryly, as he loaded Harry’s trunk. “Homesickness shan’t catch up with you with two professors for parents.” And then there was the barest hint of mirth in his voice. “Lucky us. Being professors we shan’t have to send Howlers; we can simply yell at you in person.”
Harry seemed not to catch his brand of humor and his eyes went wide. “Don’t!”
“Sev, be nice. He’s only teasing, Harry.” The redhead promised, grinning and she looked up as a whistle sounded. “You should hurry and board. We love you, and we’ll see you at the feast.”
“Don’t cause trouble.” Severus warned. Surrounded by students, he let his quirk of a smile be his unspoken show of affection. After all, it wouldn’t do for the students to think that their unyielding Potions Master was getting soft.
3. When the Chamber of Secrets was opened, the Head of Slytherin House had all but begged his wife to take a temporary leave from her duties as Muggle Studies professor. This “Heir of Slytherin” was after Muggle-borns and Lily was unsafe. She had stayed, of course, and been made one of the first victims.
Things at Hogwarts were tense, especially for those who were affected directly by the petrifaction of students, ghosts and professors. Severus looked more pale than usual, and his temper was worse than ever. Harry had been on edge, and more so when his friend, Hermione Granger, had been claimed.
There was hope in the fact that they were only petrified, and that a draft of Mandrake juice would have them restored, but it had not done much to improve their moods. Hogwarts was unsafe and movement throughout the castle was being limited, but father and son found themselves in the Hospital Wing, often. They would sit together in silence, not looking at one another. Severus supposed he should have known that Harry would act.
It made it no easier when he was told and he had planned to shout at him for being rash and stupid if-when, when he returned. However, he promptly forgot whatever harsh words he planned to give the boy when he arrived in the Hospital Wing, drenched in blood (was it his or was it the Beast’s?), and with Albus Dumbledore. Snape did, however, manage to hiss “You stupid boy.” even as he hugged him, tightly.
The best part, though, was when Lily awoke, and her eyes returned to their full splendor.
“Hello, my boys.” She crooned. Severus let out a bark of relieved laughter and Harry moved to hug her, tightly.
She didn’t even mind the blood.
4. There is something decidedly odd about seeing your parents pressed into the rosebushes, snogging, Harry decided with wide eyes as he watched his parents disentangle themselves from one another when they heard his approach. Severus had the great fortune of being able to look calm and collected whether he was pulling from a kiss with his wife or telling an onlooker, levelly, that the body at his feet was not brought down him, despite the blood on his hands. Lily, however, was blushing like mad, pale cheeks as bright as her hair.
“Mister Snape.” The Potions Master drawled, “I believe that the Yule Ball is inside.”
Harry blinked several times, trying to get the image of his parents in such a position from his head and then he positively smirked. “Professors Snape? I believe that the Yule Ball is inside.”
Lily laughed but Severus did not seem amused. “Do you mind?”
“I do, actually. You’re snogging my mum.”
“And…? I fail, Mister Snape, to see the point.”
Lily smacked her husband’s arm. “Play nice.”
“I wouldn’t dream of doing anything but.” Severus said, rubbing his arm as if his wife had genuinely hurt him. “You hit me.”
“She did.” Harry agreed.”
“Gryffindors.” He sighed. “Arrogant, silly things, the lot of you.”
5. They were in the park again, walking together. Lily’s fingers were twined in Severus’ and Harry kept flipping open the pocket watch that his parents had presented him with that morning as a birthday gift. It was customary to give a wizard who had come of age a watch and this one had belonged to his father, marked on the inside cover with the intials HBP.
“What does it mean?” Harry had asked.
Severus smiled, “Half-Blood Prince. It was a moniker I went by when I was about your age.”
There was a pause and Harry absolutely gaped at his father. “You’re the Half-Blood Prince?”
“At your service.” He was grinning, a wolfish sort of grin and he released his wife’s hand to offer a shallow bow, almost mocking his son.
“I found your book! I was using it in Slughorn’s class, you bloody well saved my chances at becoming an Auror, you know.”
“My aim, actually.” The Defense Against the Dark Arts professor promised, taking his wife’s hand again. “I imagine I would be an awful father if I didn’t try to help my son seize his dreams.”
“You helped him cheat?” Lily demanded, shocked and a little disappointed.
Severus nudged her shoulder with his. “You were not complaining when I leant the very same book to you in school.”
“….Yes. Well.” She grinned.
There was a comfortable pause in conversation as the Snape family walked, content, and then Harry spoke. “Dad? How did you propose to Mum?”
“She actually proposed to me, if you would believe it.”
Lily blushed, her cheeks as red as the Gryffindor colors.
Harry laughed. “Rather bold move, wasn’t it?”
“Well, if I hadn’t asked I doubt we would have ever gotten very far.” She said, putting her free hand on her hip and tilting her chin up. “Why do you ask, anyways?”
The Snape boy looked to his parents, flipping his watch open again and snapping it closed. “…I want to ask Ginny to marry me.”
Severus looked positively appalled at the idea, but Lily laughed and released her husband so that she might hug her son. “My little boy is all grown up.”
“Don’t coddle him, Lils.”
“Well?” Harry asked, hopefully. Lily nodded her approval of the idea and Severus hesitated before clasping his son’s shoulder.
“I trust your judgment. And I am very proud of you.”