Chapter 4: Severus and Harry Talk to Albus

Severus knew that Harry needed to be held like this. Especially, before the emotional upheaval he was going to go through during his conversation with Albus. He gently ran his hand through the first-years hair.

"Come, up Harry. We need to go talk with Albus." Severus knew this wasn't going to go well, but knew that it had to happen.

Harry sighed. He didn't want to get his hopes up about leaving the Dursley's. Severus so far had kept his word, but ultimately adults couldn't be completely trusted to come through on everything they said. With that thought, they left the Professor's rooms.

Halfway down the hallway, Severus felt a little hand try and take hold of his. Looking down, he saw the color on Harry's face and the hand quickly retreated. Taking the hand in his, he faced forward, but looked out of the corner of his eye toward the shorter boy. When he saw the smile, his heart lifted a bit and knew the boy was beginning to trust him more.

Upon arriving at the Headmaster's door, Severus raised his hand to knock, but was interrupted by a, "Come in, Severus." Shaking his head at the man's antics, he should have remembered the Headmaster's wards.

Upon entering the room, he held up his hand. "Don't Albus. I have come to show you how far you've gone this time." With that, he led Harry to a chair in front of the Headmaster's desk, and walked to the Pensieve. He started to remove the memories, and could feel his anger building at the horrors he was seeing. When he was done, he calmed himself down and sat next to Harry.

"Albus, you need to look. Look, and tell me how he can remain there." Albus looked agitated at what he would find, but knew that it had to be serious if Severus was coming up at this time of the morning. With a last resigned look at Severus, he dove into the Pensieve.

Severus looked over at Harry, and saw the confused expression.

"That, Harry, is a Pensieve. It allows yourself or others to look at memories that are put into it."

Harry's look cleared up, but there still remained confusion.

"But, Si-Severus, what memories did you put in there?"

"I put in the memories that I gained from your mind, Harry." He waited for the protests, but upon hearing none, he looked over at the boy. When he recognized that there were tears in Harry's eyes, he grabbed the child to him and allowed him to cry out his fears.

When Harry was done, he looked up at Severus and gave a guilty smile. "I continue to get your shirt wet, Sev." The professor chuckled at the boy's expression. "Well then, I guess I'll just have to get used to it."

"Yes, I rather think you will, Severus."

Both heads turned towards the remark and saw the Headmaster look like they've never seen him before. Albus looked old. His twinkle was gone and a light sheen of tears was visible. He stared mournfully at Harry, and knelt next to the chair.

"I am so very sorry, my dear boy. I had no idea they were so bad."

"But you knew they didn't treat him correctly, didn't you?" Severus hands clenched tightly and he took a deep breath, before looking at the Headmaster.

The child decided to chime, "No, Professor, it isn't so bad. I'm fine."

Dumbledore's eyes shined brighter with tears and his guilt grew.

'Oh, my boy, what have I done to you? I left you with those monsters and you think it's okay.' Albus chanced a look at Severus, and if looks could kill, the Headmaster would have been dead 10 times over. With a weak smile, Albus gave him a nod, conveying that Severus had his approval to remove Harry from the Dursley's.

Severus' glare softened, but suspicion quickly replaced it. "What, Albus, did you mean by 'I would have to get used to it'?"

Albus' grin grew and a small twinkle was beginning to return.

"Well, my dear boy, I think Harry should live with someone who has first-hand experience of this kind of thing, don' you?"

Harry's gasp drew there attention, and Severus tightened his arms around the boy. Looking down, he saw the grief in the boy's eyes, but, also, there was a happiness. A happiness that spoke of relief that he would be staying with someone who cared for him. Harry yawned and snuggled into Severus' embrace and quickly fell asleep. Severus grinned and looked to Albus.

The twinkle had made a full comeback and the grin almost split his face in half. "Oh, and Severus? I do believe that Harry can stay in your rooms for the last few hours of sleep he has left. However, we can't make this an everyday occurrence."

Severus' lips curled at the ends, hiding the smile that wanted to break free. "Of course, Albus. Thank you." Severus' gaze returned to the boy and the smile grew. He lifted the boy in his arms, and felt Harry snuggle further into his arms.

"No problem at all, my boy."

Luckily for Severus, he ran into no one on his way back to his rooms, as he had taken to murmuring reassurances to the sleeping Harry.

"Don't worry, Harry. Know that you will never have to fear being hurt again. I will never abandon you and you will never have to fear returning to the Dursley's. You are mine now, Harry, my son and I will never force you to go back." He pressed a kiss to the top of Harry's head.

Whispering his password as to not wake the sleeping boy, he led the boy, not to the couch, but to his bedroom. Laying the boy on the bed, he crawled under the covers and gathered the boy in his arms.

"Good night, Harry. I'll always be there for you, son, never doubt that."

"Night, Si-Sev-Daddy." Harry grinned in his sleep and snuggled into his soon-to-be-fathers' arms. Severus tightened his grip with shock, but soon his body relaxed and his emotions gave way to awe.

He grabbed Harry tighter and both fell into dream-land.