Snape looked fondly down on Harry who had passed out on one of the armchairs in the living room. The Weasley's had just finished going through the Floo, Molly kissing Harry's forehead and Arthur ruffled his hair before making sure they got all their children to the Burrow.

Harry hadn't been able to sleep the night before. Severus had found him sitting at the dining room table once he woke up at six in the morning. There was hot chocolate sitting in front of the boy and Harry had said that he had been too excited to sleep.

And then he was worn out further by a set of over excited twins, Ronald, who had jumped up and down since they were both ten now, and Ginevra who had been hovering off to his side. They had run about the rooms and eaten far too much cake and then gone and watched the sunset in Severus' private garden. The moment they had come back inside Harry had collapsed into the armchair and passed out.

Severus had thought momentarily about leaving Harry to sleep in the chair but soon realized that he would have a horrid crick in his neck the next day. And when Harry didn't sleep well the next day was sure to be miserable. He sighed, knelt down and prodded at the boy until he started mumbling about being too tired to move. Severus turned and pulled the boy onto his back. Harry's body was limp, his arms flopped down around his shoulders and his head lolling forward.

It only took two steps for his back to start protesting. He had never carried anything above twenty pounds, there was never a need for it and there was always magic. And Harry was easily triple that now, so by the time Snape made it to the boys room, Harry melting off of him and into his bed, his muscles ached.

It hit him then that Harry was turning into a little man. That he would be soon off to school and then living on his own with a job and maybe a family. Snape felt a pang of jealousy and longing. Harry had become his whole world, his life. And to think he would have to let that go, let the boy go and be relegated to Floo calls and holiday dinners. It hurt. It hurt in a way that Severus couldn't heal with potions or spells. It was something he would have to learn to live with and just hope that their relationship was strong enough to weather. They weren't connected by blood, something that couldn't change, but by love and duty. And those as Snape knew could change. Though he knew on his end they never would. Cemented into his being.

Severus showered, letting his muscles relax under the warm water. Mind solely focused on what his role within Harry's life would be. How it would change next year let alone by the time the boy was eighteen.

It was hard but it was something he had to think about. He had no other choice since it would come no matter what.

The first time Severus ever really knew fear, and he had thought he had known it before then, was when Harry was ten. Harry had insisted he was finally old enough to really help Snape when it came to potions making. Normally he would just sit and ask questions while Severus worked on the more advanced stuff but the boy had grown bored with that.

Wanting to share his love for potions with the boy Severus had accepted. At first he only let Harry fetch ingredients or would guide his hand while stirring or chopping. It all was going well. The way Harry's eyes lit up when they perfectly pulled off a potion was truly mystifying. To be able to share his love of potions with the person he loved the most and for that person to love it in return. It was… well, it was magical.

However, Severus got too comfortable, allowing Harry to do more and more on his own. And while the boy was smart and could easily handle himself that would never stop accidents from happening.

He shouldn't have treated Harry like an adult, like he knew what everything in the lab did and knew which things to be extremely careful around, because he wasn't and he didn't.

Harry didn't have the natural talent for potions that Snape had, his magic was too unsteady to feel the subtle energy potion ingredients gave off. Snape always knew, by the feeling around a potion or ingredient how dangerous they were. It was what made him a potions master. Being able to throw things together without thinking much, letting his magic do all the work for him.

So when Harry, eager to help, moved too fast around some of the bottles containing some of the more potent (not always dangerous) ingredients it wasn't too surprising when he accidently knocked down a bottle of flesh eating spores. The moment they moved from their place on the shelf Severus felt it, the whole room suddenly feeling out of place. Severus knew the moment the bottle hit the ground they would both be dead, and so would anyone who breathed the air the spores were in.

A simple sticking charm, maybe a cushioning spell, could have prevented this. But Snape never thought something like that would be needed since he knew better.

Harry didn't.

The split second of falling seemed to take forever. Snape trying to draw his wand as fast as possible but feeling like his arm was fighting its way through molasses.

A blink and it would all be over.

The fear he felt then, not at his own death but at Harry's rose within him like flames, knowing that not only would his son die but that it would be his fault. Severus watched as it inched its way closer to the floor, time slowing down around them.

It would all be over in a second.

That didn't happen though.

To his surprise Harry reached out, grabbing the bottle out of mid-air arm moving so fast it was almost like he was being guided perfectly until he was cradling the bottle, and putting it back on the shelf before making his way merrily over to Snape with the lacewing flies.

Harry smiled completely unaware of the danger he had just been in. Severus stood there eye's wide and heart still pounding against his ribcage. Harry holding out the bag of flies with an unyielding smile.

Severus fell to his knees, pulling the small body into his own, squeezing with all his might and taking in deep breaths of the smell of cinnamon, ozone and potion ingredients. It was so familiar. The soft warm scent that he had come to know as family, that meant safety and happiness.

There were tears rolling down his cheeks, Harry was struggling in his grasped to get away as Snape crushed the lacewing flies between them. "Dad, you're crushing them!" It was the most beautiful sound, Harry whining about something as silly as wasted lacewings.

Snape pulled back, planting a kiss to the boy's forehead, hair wild under his lips. Harry looked at him, "Is there something wrong?"

Severus didn't want to worry him but he couldn't help the extra hug he pulled the boy in before they checked to see if the lacewing flies were beyond use, which they weren't. They finished their cauldron of Pepperup Potion, bottling it and then taking them to Pomfrey before heading to dinner.

They stuffed their faces and once Harry went to sleep Severus snuck into his lab, sitting down at his work table for a while. Simply holding his head in his hand. Thinking over how careless he had been. How he had almost been the death of his son and how the only thing that had saved them both was Harry's reflexes.

Severus quickly got to work charming down anything that could be dangerous, as well as casting a cushioning spell on the floor.

Once he was finished he headed back to their chambers, throwing his top cloak onto the back of the couch and rolling up his sleeves. Snape stood in the doorway of Harry's bedroom, hip resting against the doorframe as he watched the boy twitch in his sleep.

Snape remembered when Harry's room had been filled with baby things, an elf always by his side. Severus suddenly thought of Draco, and how he had ruined his godson's life. Draco would never know his father. And even though Lucius was a horrible person, Snape knew Lucius would have done almost anything for his son. Lucius would not spare any amount of money to make sure his heir never wanted for anything. He might not be there emotionally but at least he would have been there.

Though this was one of the things Severus regretted the most he would not change it for the world. And while Snape tried his hardest to visit Draco as often as possible, it would never be enough.

Snape headed to bed, weighed down with guilt at making a child fatherless but he had to remind himself this was better for Harry, his son.

Harry always enjoyed Halloween, unfortunately he never had the real experience most children did. This was Harry's last Halloween fully as a child, next year he would be a student and this was last chance for him to have this experience.

Severus set it all up, Molly, Arthur and the two youngest Weasleys coming to join in their fun. All the teachers had been provided with sweets, courtesy of Dumbledore, to hand out when they came to the door. Molly had made the three children costumes, Harry and Ronald were dressed as Merlin and Arthur respectively. Ginevra was wearing Molly's old school robes, demanding that she be allowed to go to Hogwarts when the boys were.

Her demands didn't quite make sense but apparently it was sound enough for a nine year old girl. And her parents humored her to keep her placid as Ginevra out off all their children, threw the fiercest tantrums. Or at least Arthur said so, Molly had just glared at him when he said that. Snape thought it had to do with the fact that Ginevra was her only little girl.

The kids were anxiously standing around the Floo trying to get all the adult to hurry up. They had wolfed down their dinner and Severus and Molly were still working on their shepherd's pie.

Arthur expertly directed the kids over to the couch where they started chattering about one thing or another. Severus turned back to Molly, she was staring at him, and he felt in brows come together in confusion.

"He is growing into a fine young man, you know," Molly said out of the blue. Snape couldn't help the brief flash of shock on his face, and clearly Molly had seen it. "You have seemed a little off lately. You look at him how Arthur did before Bill started school. Like he finally realized that childhood doesn't last." She sighed and reached out, resting her hand on his. "You don't need to worry, Harry obviously adores you, and he will always want you in his life."

Snape couldn't help it but he quickly looked away from her, looking over to the living room at his son. His son.

Severus couldn't eat anymore if he wanted to, and they were soon ready to go. They Floo'd from office to office, visiting everyone. Soon the kids were moving slower, having ate too many sweets already, bypassing the hyperactive stage completely. Their pumpkins were filled and there was only one last stop before they went home.

They arrived in Dumbledore's office which was decorated to the max, even the portraits had somehow been convinced into wearing costumes, though most of them were frowning. Dumbledore was dressed as a Muggle, his shoes purple alligator skin boots, clashing horribly with his pea green pinstripe suit. But he was smiling and holding out a giant bowl of sweets and chocolate.

Ronald rushed forward, suddenly having a burst of energy, pulling Harry by the wrist behind him. Molly had Ginevra sat on her hip, the girl nodding off before jerking back up and trying to stay awake.

Dumbledore chuckled lowering the bowl to within the boys reach. Ronald started stuffing his pumpkin until it was overflowing and sweets was falling to the floor, and then he went on to stuff Harry's pumpkin.

The headmaster chuckled at their antics they leaning down to whisper at them conspiratorially, "Do you to want to eat a chocolate frog?"

They both nodded, but Harry looked over at Snape to see if it was okay with him. Severus knew all too well though that any more sweets would probably cause the boy to be sick. He could tell Harry had already overdone it, his skin was paler than normal and he could see sweat starting to form on his brow. "I think you have had enough for today," Severus told him before looking away to talk with Arthur.

Arthur was asking about what Severus knew about aeroplanes, which wasn't much even though he had traveled in them before. But he explained as much as he could. They soon left to go back to Snape's quarters, the Weasleys leaving short after.

Harry was looking worse than he had before and Snape instantly fell to his knees in front of the boy, putting a hand to his forehead to take his temperature. He was pale and sweaty and his skin was feverish.

Suddenly, Harry went green, and Severus knew what was coming and had no time to stop it. The smell of bile, sugar, and chocolate assaulted him as vomit covered his torso and Harry struggled through being sick, trying to gasp for air as his stomach convulsed.

Snape rubbed his back through it until he was done and tears were running down his face. He was still gulping down air and Severus quickly waved his wand and rid them of the mess. As soon as it was gone Harry was into his arms, sobbing away and saying over and over how sorry he was. However, when he told the boy that there was nothing to be sorry for and it was not his fault he was sick, Harry choked out into his ear, "No, you said not to eat anymore and I did!"

Of course this caused him to frown since he didn't really understand why Harry would have disobeyed him like that so he asked. "You didn't seem like you wanted anymore, why did you do it?"

There was no need to scold Harry on this, being sick was punishment enough and hopefully he might learn through this some sort of limit. But anything he might have considered the answer before hand was shattered when Harry said, "Dumbledore said it was okay, and Ron said it was okay…."

Snape frowned but held his son close, shushing and repeating that it was okay and not his fault, and that no, he was not mad. The last one was a lie though. Severus was mad, furious in fact. He knew that Dumbledore had heard him tell Harry that he didn't need anymore sweets and then the man had contradicted him.

He could not, would not, let this go.

Once Harry was down for the night, completely worn out to the point that he had fallen asleep the moment his head hit the pillow, Severus made his way to his fireplace. Checking first to see if Dumbledore was available.

When Snape stepped through the Floo, his eyebrows scrunched slightly in anger. He might have tried to hide it but he saw no need in this situation.

"Hello Severus, do you need anything?" Dumbledore was obviously confused by both his appearance and presence. "Will you sit and join me for a cup of tea?"

"No," Snape wanted to make sure the Headmaster knew that he took this seriously. That this wasn't something they were just going to forget and act like it never occurred. Severus could not let this go.

Dumbledore frowned in confusion, "What has happened?"

"Harry was sick," He all but hissed out. The Headmaster started to speak but Snape interrupted him before he could. "He is my son, and I will not have you interfere in how I raise him. And when I say no, that is final."

The older man assessed him for all of one moment before finding his words. "He is James' son."

Severus saw red. "He is my son. I am the one he lives with. I am the one who tucks him in at night. I am the one who cares for him when he is sick. And I am the one who loves him most." He had never be able to forget this now, it was too big of an insult.

"I understand, Severus," There were many things Snape could dissect in that one sentence alone. Dumbledore wasn't talking knowing he was wrong, or saying he wouldn't do it again. He was saying he understood that Severus no longer served only him, that he had taken a misstep, even if he didn't understand why or how it had happened. He had been a fool not to realize this sooner.

But now they knew where the other stood, and there was nothing else to say or do. So Severus left, checking in on Harry again before heading to his own room for the night.

It had almost been two years since Severus had first told Harry about his family, and suddenly, starting a few weeks ago, the boy was yearning to meet them. Wanted to know everything about them. Snape thought it might have something to do with the fact that after this summer Harry would start at Hogwarts himself and soon would be too busy to really make a connection with the Dursleys.

Snape had been racking his brain for days, trying to figure out how to make this meeting happen. It wasn't that Severus wanted the meeting but it was something Harry wanted, and he didn't think the boy would be in any danger, and Severus wanted to make sure Harry always got what he wanted within reason. Showing up at the Dursley's house, announced or unannounced, was completely out of the question. Neutral ground was what they needed but that meant that Snape would have to find some way to figure out where they would be and when. Severus highly doubted Petunia would agree on a meeting.

He knew the only thing that could be done. So he left Harry with McGonagall before making his way off of the grounds and then apparating to the closest apparition point. He arrived just inside the edge of a large forest, the sun had not fully risen and the morning dew was still on the grass. Severus made his way farther into the forest, making sharp turns until he was absolutely sure he wasn't being followed, not that it had been a real worry to begin with.

It might seem a little paranoid but this was a secret that he had to keep at all costs. He did another quick look around, before he concentrated on the feeling of forcing his body to shift, letting feathers force their way through his skin, and allowing his organs to reposition themselves. His eye's moving making his vision go momentarily blurry, his nose elongating and hardening. This was only the third time he had ever done it and it was hard to relax enough to let it happen.

The shift came, and he found himself closer to the ground with his talons digging into the dirt. He took a few uneasy steps, getting used to the change in his center of gravity. Snape took a few more wobbling steps before spreading his wings a few times to get used to the weight of them. He spread his feathers a few times, taking a few hopping jumps before figuring out how to properly take off.

The reason Severus was not used to his animagus form was because after his second time using it he decided that he would only ever shift in the most serious of times. No one knew about this, not Voldemort or Dumbledore. He had realized the seriousness of what he had done, as he had become an animagus in his sixth year at Hogwarts after finding out what Potter and Black had been up to, and the advantage that it was. His form was small, inconspicuous (invisible during the nights) and could fly. It had dawned on him then that this was his ultimate defense. That this was a secret no one would know and could be used to save his life in a time of need.

To think now that he was willingly using it to spy on a couple of Muggles almost made him rawk. It was strange to hear any noise come out of this form. And while he could still talk, one of the other huge upsides to his animagus form, it always came out like it was playing on a bad gramophone. And sometimes as he tried to talk too fast it came out as muttering, completely incomprehensible.

Severus soared out of the forest, figuring out how the angle of his wings affected his flight. How to turn left and right, how to rise and fall, how to keep steady. Descending onto the picket fence of number four Privet Drive was the hardest thing he had done yet, talons digging into the wood as he tried to catch himself.

He walked forward, making his way over to the open window in the kitchen, the smell of bacon wafting through. Snape made the last little jump, landing on the windowsill. The woman inside was hurrying around the kitchen to put food on the table where her husband and son sat.

Petunia had aged, wrinkles marring her face, and Severus wondered if Lily would look anything like her. Severus shook his head, wanting to remember Lily as she had been. The man sitting at the table was fat with no neck and his face was red as a tomato. The lump of a boy sitting at the table, shoving bacon down his gullet looked exactly like his father.

Severus watched in fascination, when he was younger he had always wanted to be a part of a real family, him, Lily and their children. Now though, Snape wouldn't trade Harry for anything. He knew it was selfish, he didn't care. Would never be able to bring himself to care.

The boy interrupted his thoughts, screaming at his mother for more bacon, the older man laughed and ruffled the boy's wispy hair. Petunia smiling from ear to ear as if there was nothing she wanted more, rushing about in a whirl to fix her son more food.

Severus wanted to sneer but didn't know if this form could pull off anything close, plus he also didn't want to be shooed away, so he stood still on the window. Watching. Observing

He kept up his post, every once and awhile shifting his weight, and fluttering his wings to keep from going stiff. There wasn't much of interest the family said, mostly just babble about work and school until finally Petunia said something of interest.

"Dudley dearest, Mummy wants to make sure that you still want to go to the zoo with Piers?" Petunia's voice was sickly sweet and still carried the tone that a mother might used with a newborn.

Dudley just nodded, cheeks stuffed with food, looking incredibly like the chipmunks Snape had seen in his time in America.

Vernon, Snape had overheard his name, piped in, guffawing, "Little tyke knows what he wants!" While rubbing at his son's head. "I already got next Wednesday off."

"And Mary took Charles there a few months ago, she said the ZLS has a new set of lion cubs. Do you think we should head out at nine or ten?" Petunia was now up and starting to clean the table, Veron took the last sip of coffee before he finally said that ten should be good.

Severus left then, not caring to hear the rest of the conversation. He had been to the ZLS once when he was a child on a primary school trip. His mother had scrimped and saved until she had the fee for the trip, he was pretty sure she had gone and collected coins from the ground. It wasn't much money but Severus father had been the type of man to control his wife and family so strictly that he watched where every pence went. When Snape had been eight he had nicked a sixpence out of his dad's coin dish so that he could buy a bag of crisps.

The bag of crisps, which had been his first ever, had also been his last. It had been tainted by what had happened later that night when he arrived home from school. His mother had been dutifully cooking dinner, limp dark hair curtaining her face. She did not look up at him like she normally did and her fingers, that were clutching a knife, were shaking.

It was until a glass bottle slammed down against wood though that he understood.

His father was sitting in his leather back chair, soot covered and already drunk by the look of his eyes, which weren't really focused. But the moment his eyes locked with Severus' they went sharp.

"Come here boy," He growled out in a too familiar way. He had gone willingly, knowing from experience it was best to just go along and to not show fear. His father gripped him by his hair, so hard he felt strands as they were ripped from his scalp. Severus cried out, and then everything was a blur, the next thing he knew he woke for school the next day, body covered in bruises.

Unfortunately, when Severus had been a kid no one questioned things like domestic and child abuse. It was just part of the culture and no one dared question a man on it.

Snape finally made it back to the woods, making a few lazy circles above the treetops, before landing and changing back into his own body. It took a few steps to completely right his balance.

He then apparated back to Hogsmeade to pick up a treat for Harry. Seeing how the Dursley's choose to raise their son had made him realize that he hadn't done bad with his own. It was a great feeling, to know that so far he hadn't completely screwed this up. Snape quickly ducked into Florean Fortescue's new little shop and got them both mint chocolate chip and a raisin rum before heading up to the castle.

It was hot this late in June and he was sure Harry would be outside flying about with Madam Hooch on the pitch. They were both flying about the pitch, going after what was most likely the snitch even though he could not see it.

Rolanda had been sneaking Harry onto school brooms since the start of summer. Snape knew she had been doing that but had chosen to ignore it. Snape trusted her to take care of his son. She knew how far Harry could go, allowing him to learn and enjoy but making sure he didn't go too far.

Snape saw Rolanda slow down just a little as Harry reached out and grasped the snitch. It was still surprising that he had kept up that far, Hooch had been a world class seeker in her day and it showed how much she cared for Harry to let him win knowing just how competitive she was. Once when Severus had been a student someone had challenged her to a race, and she hadn't held back at all even though the student's father had been one of the school governors.

There had been a huge incident over that.

They both landed and headed towards him, thanking him for their ice cream and digging in. It wasn't until Harry had finished, a smudge of cream above his lip, and was back on his broom making loops around the pitch that Hooch told him, a little awe in her tone, "He beat me, I didn't even slow down and he beat me."

Snape's head cracked with how quickly he turned towards her. He couldn't help his own shock. To realize just how talented his son was when it came to flying. This was the first time he had taken his eyes off of Harry when flying without someone else looking too so he quickly turned back.

Harry was taking a dive, height restriction upped with every year, until now there was only a softening charm left on the ground that would only insure he lived if he were to fall. He was heading straight down for the pitch until at the last moment when he pulled up, feet skimming the ground as he rode straight for them. His head was thrown back and the laughter bubbling from him was intoxicating.

Severus smiled as he listened to Harry and Hooch ranted rapid-fire about Quidditch strategies.

Harry had already been awake for an hour by the time Severus got up. Snape found the boy in his room with all his clothes spread on the bed. He was standing in his boxers with a shirt hanging around his neck. Once he noticed that the door had been opened he quickly spun around and started speaking, "Should I dress up? Or is casual okay?"

Severus sat down and sighed, ready to listen to Harry's indecision for the next hour. Harry tended to do this, he would freight over things that he need not but at the same time he didn't want anyone to interrupt this, he always wanted to come to his own decision. So Snape let him, gave him the time he needed and a person to listen to his every query.

Harry finally decided on jeans and a smart top. They ate breakfast (though Harry was only picking at it) and put on trainers, jackets, and a glamor before Flooing to the Leaky Cauldron. They made their way out onto the London streets, the early birds in the pub ignoring them in favor of coffee and tea. They grabbed a taxi, Harry in awe of it all since this was the first time he had seen the Muggle world even if he had seen it all in books. He constantly asked questions about how everything worked, and it was obvious to Snape that he was doing this more to cover his nerves than out of curiosity. The taxi driver kept looking at them oddly through the rear-view mirror.

They chose to ignore the cabby and continued to talk about all the strange facets of the Muggle world.

When they finally got out of the cab and walked up to the entrance of the zoo. There were a few dozen people milling around outside of the entrance and Harry's head swizzles around in fascination. And they were a few hours earlier than the Dursley so they could have some time to look around before they had to worry. So if the meeting didn't go well Harry would at least have had the chance to look at some of the animals.

The boy was fascinated by everyone and everything. The London zoo was relatively small, since almost all animals normally found in zoos from countries such as America could not be kept there since the weather was so inhospitable. And while Severus knew that the animals here could never be treated as well as they would in the wild he would do anything but tell Harry this on his first trip.

If it had been up to him he would have waited until Scamander's Muggle Animal Conservation and Education Show was back in England. While the old man was a little off he cared about his animals and beasts more than any Muggle zoo could ever do or try to do. And he had heard, from Hagrid, that the experience had been so awe-inspiring for him that it was the reason he cared for beast so much.

But this wasn't about Harry seeing animals, not wholly, this was about Harry seeing his relatives. So Severus did his best not to ruin it for the boy as they walked through the park. Harry babbling away about all the animals and what he had read about them.

Severus mused about taking Harry and maybe Ronald when they were a little older to see Scamander's animals. They would surely like it more than this.

They continued to walk around and feed what animals they could until the sun was high in the sky and blazing down on them. Because of this they took refuge in the cool, dark, reptile house.

This so far more than anything excited Harry. As he hurriedly whispered to each and every snake having short conversations to each one. There was a particularly chatty Boa and by the end of their conversation Harry was frowning and looking a little teary eyed. Severus knew that it was time to go now before Harry accidentally set all the animals loose. Snape knelt next to his son and pulled on his chin until they were looking into each other's eyes.

"I know that it isn't fair that they are kept in small cages for people to gawk at. But there is nothing we can do about it." Snape knew if he did not make this clear Harry would go into a fit about Severus helping him free and return all the animals to where they belong.

Harry frowned, brows pulled together in frustration and eyes still shiny at the injustice. "But we can let them out, I know we can."

"Harry, just because we can doesn't mean we should." He made sure to only speak once there was no one to close to where they were crouched. He looked shocked that Severus was going to let this continue. And like he would do it himself if that was what it took. Snape had to act quickly, "Listen Harry, the animals in zoos are normally born in captivity, if we were to release them into the wild they would not survive. They haven't learned the skills they would need to get by."

"But then we can just keep them, Hagrid will help take care of them," Harry said stubbornly.

Snape sighed, he had known this was a bad idea. Harry's heart was just too big to let injustices like this go on challenged. "I am sorry but where do you think they will live? At Hogwarts? Do you think Lions and Tigers are meant for the cold and rainy weather of Scotland? And I know you know how much space these animals need to be happy, do you think Hogwarts has that much room? And what will they eat? What if they hurt a student?"

Harry looked about ready to cry at this. He turned his face back to the Boa and whispered something that sounded absolutely heartbroken before turning back and declaring, "I want to leave now."

Severus nodded and moved them over to corner before whispering a quick Point Me.

They found the Dursley's in no time, leaving the restaurant beside the bird exhibits. They had another small boy with them and their own son was begging his father for something or other.

This was the moment of truth.

Harry waved at Petunia, who look so confused for all of two seconds before it hit her. It must have been the eyes. Her eyes lingered before snapping up to Snape. Her eyes were wide and her face had lost all of its color. A frown started to form the longer she stared at Severus, but when Dudley came up to her side undoubtedly to ask for something, she seemed to snap out of her trance.

She looked at her son in fear, quickly rushing to get out of the zoo. Petunia started to push everyone towards the exit, son still complaining about not getting something, his friend looking utterly confused, and her husband trying to get her attention. She only looked back once, terror still etched into her face, one tear sliding down her pale cheek. And then she never looked back again.

Severus looked down at Harry who was clutching at Snape hand like a vice, he had tears running down his face. This signified the end of childhood, and they both knew it.