Just taking a few lines to say 'hi'

I also own none of the recognisable characters

I also will not harm any of said characters, leaving them in the same condition as I found them in so others can play with them,too.

This is my first fic, so it may be a bumpy ride, so seatbelts on and off we go :)

Finding A Family

There was just the two of them staying at Grimmauld Place, Snape and Harry. Harry was lying awake, putting off getting up and facing the man he had found out just yesterday was actually his father. To be fair the man himself hadn't known either, but still…..

In fact the only person who had known before yesterday had been Lily. She had left a message and proof to be held by Sirius, which in turn was to be passed to Severus in the event their deaths. So far only Harry Snape and Dumbledore Knew , and Harry wasn't ready to believe it yet. He didn't know how to react to the man now, at least with their mutual hatred Harry knew where he stood , but now? The confused teen raked a hand through his hair almost wishing the day before had just been a dream. He took that thought back before it really became a thought at all. Uncle Vernon had not been happy at being told how to look after his nephew by the order of the phoenix (and why had they threatened his family? No one had ever bothered before) The teen had suffered for his Uncle's 'embarrassment at being told what to do by those unnaturals' The pain-relieving potions he had taken home with him had been life savers, but he was completely out of the bruise balm he had smuggled, unfortunate as evidence of Vernon's punishments was currently littering his back.

Aunt Petunia had mainly just ignored him, but Dudley had always enjoyed hurting his cousin, and had carried on as usual. He was definitely turning into his father, Harry thought ruefully. Thinking of fathers (and hoping their sons didn't always turn into them) Harry headed for his shower.

Harry had been growing his hair, and now it was long enough to comb over his famous scar. Ironic really, given that when he was younger he had hated his aunt doing just that. He had believed his scar to be cool and a little bit special. Then he had found out just how cool and special it was, and kept it hidden when he could. Seriously! Where did people get off just trying to touch it! staring at it was bad enough! Maybe his aunt had been protecting him all those years?

Reluctantly the boy threw on a t-shirt and jeans (both had once been Dudley's and were huge on the slim wizard) deciding that some of his bruises may be visible Harry pulled on a shirt. He was glad Hermione wasn't here as there was so much wrong with this outfit. He was counting on the cluelessness of wizards on muggle clothing to bluff his way through the school holidays.

The professor watched as the nervous boy came into the kitchen and poured a glass of pumpkin juice. Snape raised an eyebrow at the lack of food. He believed that breakfast was the most important meal of the day, but was willing to let it go today and went back to his newspaper and second cup of coffee.

"When you have finished 'breakfast' I suggest you change into something decent", the man drawled.

"These are decent" Harry defended. It was true, all his other non-school clothes were worse.

"Those", the man gestured with a sneer ,"are not 'decent' by any stretch of the definition"

What on earth was the child trying to prove?

"Its what muggles wear", Harry tried, adding, "Sir". Well that was true. Dudley was a muggle who had worn these exact clothes.

"My father is a muggle and, I can assure you , he doesn't parade around looking like a scarecrow"

Harry flushed.

"Also, we have several muggle born students at school…", he raised an eyebrow, "Do you see where I am going with this?"

Harry gave a careless shrug "Aside from my school clothes, this is the best I have"

"Hmmmm" was the professor's only comment to that.

It took a Harry a moment to realise he was suddenly alone in the kitchen, and he rushed to follow.

The professor was pulling things out of Harry's trunk, and separating the items into piles- the Dursley clothes in one, his Weasley jumpers into another school books and supplies in another.

"What are you doing?", Harry shouted, embarrassed that his pitiful few possessions were being pawed through by someone who could, and probably would use his poverty as a weapon.

"Getting rid of your rubbish", Snape said calmly, though wondering where on Earth the boy had gotten his dress sense. "Then, I think , we will be getting you some proper clothing"

The boy blushed at that, then realised what the man was holding in his hand.

"I need that sir. Please?"

Snape glanced at the parchment he was holding, then at the child almost in tears over it. He realised he could make the boy beg, but also knew he wouldn't do that. He handed it over, curious as to the importance on such a useless item.

Harry sent a frantic glance at the almost empty trunk .

"Did you um get rid of anything?", he asked trying not to panic.

"I would not just 'get rid' of your possessions no matter how useless they appear to be. For example this broken mirror which I assume you also 'need'?"

The boy was obviously relieved to see that.

"There was a melted knife?", Harry asked hesitantly

The professor hadn't come across that yet, but a silent summoning charm brought it to his hand, and he gave it to the teen. It was curious that the child owned an invaluable invisibility cloak and one of the most expensive broomsticks on the market, yet it was a melted knife a broken mirror and, of all things, an old torn parchment that he seemed to be distraught over the thought of losing .

"There is a reason you wish to keep those?", Snape found himself asking.

"Sirius gave me them….and", the boy gulped, "This was my dad's ",he whispered. Then he realised what he had said to his actual father "I ..I mean J- James's", he amended before it hit him….James wasn't his dad. Would Sirius still have wanted him if he had known? And Remus?

The next thing Harry knew, he was leaning against the Potion masters chest being held and instructed to "Breathe in…good…and out…that's it . Deep breaths" until he calmed down.

Embarrassed, he tried to push away when he realised what he was doing.

"Sorry about that sir", he mumbled.

Severus couldn't believe what he was going to say, but knew he had to.

"You can still call James 'dad' you know", he told his son, managing to hide how much it would hurt him to hear it.

When the boy seemed in control, Snape checked Harry had no objections before banishing the Dursley rags, broken quills and other general rubbish, cast a cleaning charm on the trunk and used a spell to repack it neatly.

"I believe a full new wardrobe is in order" ,the professor commented on seeing the remaining clothes. "Poly-juice perhaps?", The man pondered

"No way! I am never taking that again.", Harry remarked

"Excuse me?" eyebrow raised

"Tastes like crap",Harry continued

"And you would know that how?", Snape voice was getting dangerously soft.

Harry's eyes widened realising what he had said and to who. "Well think about the stuff that goes into it, it would probably taste kinda gross, and it takes like a month to make. Oh and we'd need a bit of someone to pretend to be'", Harry babbled

"Indeed", drawled Snape, letting it go for now,

"Perhaps I could just get my tailor to come here?"

"Oh yes! And I too can wear 100 shades of black(!)",. Harry muttered sarcastically imagining himself wearing a smaller version of the professors robes. Did they have a 'billowing spell' as standard?

"Watch your smart mouth young man", Snape warned. Son or not, he was not putting up with cheek from this child.

After casting a disguise charm on both of them, Snape apparated them to a clothing store, which surprisingly had muggle -looking clothes as well as a large range of wizarding robes. Within minutes of arriving Harry found himself being measured by seemingly un-assisted tape measures while his guardian (soooo not ready to try another title for the man) conferred with the sales witch.

It was not long before the witch announced that the order was ready, and asked if the young man would like to try some of the items on to be sure they fit comfortably.

"No thanks", Harry answered at the same time as Snape said, "Yes , he would"

The two dark haired wizards locked gazes for a second, before the elder spoke as though addressing a much younger child , "We do wish to make sure they fit properly after all"

The boy glared back, "Which is why, I assume, I was measured"

His father ignored that remark as he pulled out a shirt and jeans and told the boy, 'Put those on and bring the rags back to be banished'

Clenching his jaw a little, Harry went off to change .

He had to admit it was good to have clean, new clothes that fit, it was a little (well, more than just a little) uncomfortable to be shopping with his Potions professor .

Snape ran an appraising eye over his new found son when he reappeared wearing the jeans and green shirt, which would suit his eyes when the disguise spell wore off. He shook his head when he saw what the boy was wearing on his feet, and gestured with one hand. Harry rolled his eyes but obeyed the unspoken command, and pulled Dudley's old worn trainers off. Snape winced as he noticed the boy had no socks on, and handed over a new pair as well as the trainers he had purchased for Harry to wear during the school holidays. As the child pulled them on, the man gladly banished the Dursley rags.

Only after they left the shop did Harry realise that the professor must have paid and he felt another prickle of embarrassment.

"Um Thanks for that sir. I can pay you back….."

"Indeed you will NOT", Snape cut off the rest of his son's sentence.

"But..", the boy started to argue.

"Enough! Providing proper clothing is one of the things a parent or guardian is responsible for!", the man snapped. He could afford to buy the best, and damn it all, that is precisely what his son would be getting from here on in! In part, to make up for not being in his life until now, and also because his parents couldn't afford more than second hand clothing for him, it was a matter of pride that he could.

Back at Grimmauld place, Snape announced they should pack as they were not staying there for the rest of the summer.

Harry frowned at that. Was he going back to his Aunt and Uncles then? How would he explain about having decent clothes?

"I have arranged for you to stay with my parents for the rest of the break", the man continued, not seeing Harry's confused look.

"Why?" If snape didn't want him, why had he even acknowledged being his parent? Or taken him shopping? Why not have just left him at Privet drive blissfully unaware?

"Because you cannot stay at my home", the man answered shortly. Just how stupid was the child? He knew Severus's situation. As a Death Eater he could be called or have 'visitors' at any time and there was no way he would leave any child alone in his house unsupervised! And most definitely NOT this child who could not stay away from trouble for any amount of time.

"Couldn't I just stay at my Aunts house then? Oh or Ron's?" Harry tried not to sound desperate. At least and the Dursley residence he knew what to expect, better the devil you know and all that..

"My parents are anxious to meet their grandson. It also means that we can get to know each other", Snape answered aloud, but added to himself 'but I can leave without worrying about leaving you alone'

"Yeah? you've known me 5 years and it took you that many minutes to decide you didn't like me! Remember?", Harry snarled ,"So why bother?"

Snape grabbed Harry's shoulders, moving so they were nose to nose, "I will be bothering because I am your father", the man hissed through a clenched jaw. He took a deep breath to calm himself.

"Now, do you want to go home for anything or are we ready to go to my parents home?", he straightened up, and combed his hair out of his eyes.

Harry frowned "Why would we need to go …Ah the Dursley's? No we don't need to there for anything", he shook his head adding to himself 'Ever again!'

Snape regarded the boy curiously. Of course he had meant his relatives, where else?

He shrank the trunks and Hedwig's cage and pocketed them, held onto his son's arm and apparated. Harry Knew that Hedwig would find him, where ever he ended up.

They landed in a garden. A nicely kept one at that, Harry couldn't help but notice, and wondered who took care of it, and then felt a pang of loss. Who would tend to 'his' garden at no.4 Privet Drive now? In the few seconds it took to find his feet after apperating, he noticed Snape had started walking towards the door, and followed not wanting to make a bad first impression.

He tugged nervously on his fringe to make sure his scar (and the bruise beside it) was covered, and chewed on his bottom lip.

Snape knocked on the door and waited. It was only a minute before it was opened by a small slim woman with long black hair, who greeted her son with a smile. "Severus", she welcomed drawing him into a hug. A tall but stocky man with sandy hair joined the family reunion, shaking the Potions Master's hand. "Sev", the older man nodded.