Chapter 1: A New Dad

(Severus Snape)

It was laying on my desk for 18 years. The neat script on the envelope scaring me as soon as it was delivered, I'd refused to open it out of anger and then grief. But the war was over. The Dark Lord was destroyed and the Potters had been avenged. It was time for me to get over my issues with Lily, and read the letter that may have been her goodbye to me. I still owed her that.

My hands shook as I reread the letter. I stared at Lily's elegant script, but couldn't wrap my head around the words. It didn't make sense, none of it made sense. He looked so much like James, he had to be his son, so there was no other possibility. James' face with Lily's eyes, everyone had said it. Then why did Lily sound so sure in her letter, so sure that James couldn't have kids? It was all just too crazy. Harry couldn't be my son, it was biologically impossible.

I mean, sometimes Lily and I would talk about it, I mean I was always a healthy person, so she kept saying we'd have healthy kids if I weren't gay. She always begged me to be a sperm donor, if for some reason whoever she married couldn't have kids, and I'd always agreed because she was my dearest friend and someone I'd trust to mother my children, but how the hell did she manage to get any of it. I'd never given her any.

"But it still might not be true," I said to myself. "I have to know, it'll eat away at me inside if I don't."

I stormed out of my living room, grabbing my coat on my way out the door. It was quite cold for a day in July, even if it was the 31st. I stopped in my tracks, it was July 31st, Harry's birthday. A quick detour to Diagon Alley would be necessary. But what would he want, I barely know him. Some dad I am. Well, maybe am. Merlin, it's so confusing not knowing. And how am I meant to see him, his Godfather will no doubt stand in my way, but hopefully, Lupin can calm him down when I just show up out of blue, enough to make him listen anyway.

~o0o~

Ron and Hermione sat down on the end of Harry's bed, looking at him anxiously with his birthday presents in their laps. Harry smiled at them, reaching out to take his presents off them. Ron handed him a small rectangular parcel that was flexible like clothing. Oh, Merlin, please don't be another jumper, Harry thought. He slowly unwrapped the present, a sigh breaking through his lips as he held up a red and yellow scarf. He wrapped it around his neck and thanked Ron, well he told him to thank his mum.

"No problem mate," Ron smiled.

"Here you go Harry," Hermione smiled, handing Harry the parcel in her hands.

Harry could tell she'd got him a book, it wasn't hard to guess from the shape and hardcover, and because Hermione always bought him a book. It was her way of keeping him smart. Harry opened it with a smile on his face, loving the normality of the presents, it was the only thing that was still normal for him these days. He looked at the book "Mythical Creatures According To Rubeus Hagrid". Harry grinned, laughing to himself that Hagrid had finally done something for himself. Hermione smiled, glad Harry liked his present.

"So Harry, about that…" She started.

Until they heard yelling from Sirius downstairs, "What the fuck is that wanker doing here?"

Hermione gaped at Harry, but he just shrugged. Harry guessed someone Sirius didn't like was here, but that doesn't narrow it down, it could be anyone in the Ministry. Hermione nodded, and Ron laughed. After that scream, there was just muffled yelling.

"Anyway, like I was saying," Hermione continued. "That message you sent us sounded urgent, are you alright?"

"Yeah mate," Ron agreed. "It was a proper cry for help, what was the problem?"

Harry explained that it didn't matter, the problem was over and that they could see he was fine. But they pressed on, saying he sounded worried when he'd called them, so to just tell them. Harry closed his eyes, remembering that morning when he'd woken up with wings sprouting out his back and blood-red eyes. Not the usual look he sported in the bathroom mirror when he woke up.

"Well, when I woke up this morning, I headed to the bathroom for a shower like I do every morning, and when I walked past the bathroom mirror, I noticed these wings sticking out of my shoulder blades, at first I thought I was seeing things, but then I felt them. Then my eyes started to go red, and I started to panic. That's when I called you, but that woke Sirius up. I prayed in head for them to go away, so Sirius wouldn't see them, and they were gone. As I started to relax, my eyes went back to normal, and just in time for him to storm in."

"So, why did it happen?" Ron asked.

"I wish I knew," Harry frowned.

Sirius barged into the room, scowling. Harry felt Ron and Hermione jump, but he just raised his eyebrows at his Godfather. Sirius walked over, visibly calming down, and sat beside Harry. He asked Harry if he could take a few strands of his hair because without it the 'bastard' downstairs wouldn't leave. Harry nodded, asking why he needed it, and who was downstairs.

"No one you should worry about," Sirius smiled. "He's going to do a little test, then I'm going to get angry and throw him out."

Sirius stroked his head softly, and Harry winced when he yanked out some of his hair. Harry grumbled, rubbing it better, as Sirius laughed at him. Sirius left, in a better mood than when he came in, and Hermione and Ron looked at Harry expectantly.

"Well, are we going or what," Ron laughed.

"Thought you'd never ask," Harry grinned.

After descending the staircase in silence, Harry pressed his ear against the living room door, leaving room for his friends to follow his lead. They couldn't hear much to the first few minutes until Sirius kicked off again. He was yelling about their visitor being a liar, that there was nothing wrong with James, and that Harry was the spitting image of him too.

"Yes Sirius, you've already said that about fifty times," Remus growled. "But Lily sounds certain in Snape's letter, so please honey, shut up and let him finish."

Sirius mumbled curse words, stressing about a 'pointless paternity test'. Harry's world slowed as he pieced together the words, and he thought...he didn't know what to think. On the one hand, Harry had looked up to James Potter his whole life, making him proud was the reason he fought so hard in the war. And he looked just like him. But James was dead, if he wasn't Harry's biological dad, maybe his dad was still alive. Maybe he had a chance to know him, to have a dad for once. He was so emotionally confused in minutes.

"Woah, what does that mean?" Sirius asked.

"It means positive," Remus answered. "James isn't Harry's dad."

"I am."

Harry could tell who was, he didn't even need to see the man, he recognised Snape by his voice. The change in his friends' facial expressions meant they knew too, Ron looked sick to his stomach, and Hermione looked concerned. Harry's mind went blank, he didn't know how to react to news like this, he'd always hated Snape, but he never really had the chance to feel any different. And this was his chance to have a dad.

"What are you going to tell him?" Remus breathed.

"Nothing, he's better off thinking James is his father, at least he doesn't hate him," Snape said, much to the other men's surprise. "I can look out for him at school, but he wouldn't want me as his father."

Harry scowled. He was 18 now, old enough to make his own decisions and he was sick of other people choosing his path in life. He wasn't about to let Snape make this one for him. He pushed Ron and Hermione to the side, and opened the living room door. The three men turned to him in shock, but he just glared at Snape, holding back tears that threatened to fall and embarrass him.

"Don't I get a say," he spat.

Snape stood straight, trying to not let the awkward tension surface, "Hello Harry."

"Hey dad," Harry stressed the last word, wanting to be heard. "Or would you rather I didn't call you that?"

There was silence in the room as Harry and Snape stared at each other, neither one of them saying anything. Snape looked at Harry, really looked at him, and his mind wondered as he looked at his son, his flesh and blood. He smiled at Harry, who looked at him in shock. He'd never seen Snape with emotion on his face, it was usually impassive and plain, a spy hiding his thoughts.

"If that's how you want to think of me," Snape smiled.

Harry thought. He didn't know if he liked Snape yet, but the look on his face showed there was more to him than Harry knew. Harry nodded, after all, if Snape was his biological father, he was going to act like it. Snape relaxed, asking Harry if he wanted to spend some time together, just an hour or two, so they could talk things over. Harry nodded, insisting he got dressed first because it wasn't natural for wizards to walk around in their PJ bottoms.

~o0o~

Snape took Harry to a little café in Diagon Alley, where they sat outside in the sunlight, which smiled on them as they had left Grimmauld Place. At first, there was an awkward silence, two people who used to hate each other but became family minutes before, until Snape asked Harry if he'd heard about the eighth year for Harry's year to do their exams. Harry had already sent back his acceptation letter, agreeing to go back to Hogwarts, and asking if Snape knew who else was going.

"Well I shouldn't say, but I won't tell if you don't," Snape grinned. "Not many people are going back, and it's mostly Gryffindors, but they're redoing the sorting ceremony for your year, it's meant to mark a new year, seen as you are the first set of eighth years."

Harry nodded, pondering what house he'd get sorted into, because in his first year the Sorting Hat wanted him in Slytherin, but he protested. Maybe if he didn't protest, and honestly didn't care if he was in Gryffindor again, the Sorting Hat would put him in Slytherin. The tea they'd ordered came over, and Harry remembered his ordeal that morning.

"Hey, ummm…." Harry mumbled. "This morning was a little strange, I woke up…different."

"Oh, you're definitely my son," Snape smiled comfortingly. "You see, my father wasn't a muggle, he was a half demon, and so am I, which means…"

"So am I," Harry grinned.

Snape explained that because Harry had turned 18, he'd reached his full demonic growth, and now the demon half of him was surfacing. He'd already met the wings and seemed to control them well, his eyes would turn red when he was angry, scared or panicked, any intense negative emotions, but he'd also start to feel drawn to someone. Harry didn't understand the last part, seen as he hadn't felt any different toward anyone. Snape explained that demons had a sense for people, they could find their perfect mate or soulmate, and that person would become very special to him. He'd just want to be near them, to spend his life with them in whatever way he was allowed, though he'd want to intimate with them.

"After the bond between a demon and his mate has been made, you'll be happier when you're around them, but if you are separated for too long, you'll be in pain, and grow weak, like a vampire without blood. It becomes you're biggest weakness."

"And how do you make a bond, just so I'm prepared," Harry asked.

"Intercourse," Snape blushed.

"Oh, right," Harry stuttered. "Anything else I need to know?"

"No. Wait, yes," Snape smiled. "Our anatomy is different to normal people, like the wings in our backs. And, even though we're men, there's a chance the demon gene allows us to…get pregnant."

"Wow, I'll need to be careful then," Harry frowned.

"Now, I should probably get you home, or Sirius will have another reason to hate me."

Snape took Harry back home and agreed to meet him on Platform 9 1/3 the following day. Harry hugged him, taking Snape by surprise, and hurried back inside to the warm, and to his dinner, leaving his father stunned by shock on the doorstep.