It had been three weeks.

It had been three weeks, almost on the dot, since Severus had sent in the paper work. After an excruciating twenty one days, five hearings (none of which they forced Harry to attend, thank Merlin), and Vernon Dursley being sentenced to ten years in a Muggle prison, one month in Azkaban, an owl came while Harry and him were finishing breakfast.

Normally, school would have started by then, but after a quick chat with the Headmaster about how he needed two weeks for 'personal reasons', Dumbledore had agreed to school starting two weeks later, in turn for it ending two weeks later as well. How he was going to tell Harry, he had no idea, and he was sure they would have to work out something.

"Daddy, what's 'at for?" Harry asked after his last bite. "I believe it is for the adoption..."

"Do you think I getta stay with you?" Harry asked quietly. They were both staring at the envelope until Severus opened it. He read it once. Then twice. Then a third time for good measure.

He smiled.

"Your mine, Harry. You are officially my son," he said. "Th-that means... I get to stay here forever?! Like forever and ever and ever?!" Severus nodded and stood to pick up Harry, resting him on his hip. "Forever and ever and ever, my Harry."

He felt arms wrap around his neck and returned the embrace, kissing Harry's forehead and hair. "Forever."

He soon felt tears on his neck, and pulled back. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, brushing the black curls out of Harry's face. "Nuffin. I just get to stay with you! I never ever haffta go back!" Harry exclaimed. "You promise, right? I never haffta go back?" His voice got quiet, like he was in doubt.

"I swear to you, as long as I am breathing, you will never stay there again," Severus promised. They stood like that for at least ten minutes, in a tight embrace, swaying back and forth slightly.

Until the fire blared unexpectedly, and Dumbledore walked out.

"Severus."

Severus looked up, and saw Dumbledore standing in the sitting room. "Albus Dumbledore. To what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked sarcastically. "I have just received an owl this morning, stating the oddest of things, that you had adopted the Potter boy?"

He felt Harry squirm, and loosened his grip a bit. "Well, I have, Albus. I see nothing wrong with that."

"Oh, but I do." Dumbledore's usually calm, happy voice was cold and hard with anger.

"Daddy... I don't like him," Harry whispered. "Shh, baby, he won't take you. He just doesn't like me that much."

"Severus, give me the boy," Dumbledore said. "He was never yours to take. He must go back to his family. Give him here, Severus." Dumbledore started to walk towards them, arms out; Severus walked back towards the bedrooms.

He could feel Harry start to shake. "No. I legally adopted him. There is no reason for me to give him to you, back to those animals. I gave them my memories, of when I was a 'Death Eater'. You have nothing against me."

"Sev... don't let him take me."

"Harry, can you be my brave boy and go in my room for a little bit?" Harry shook his head. Well, it was worth a try. "Harry, don't you think it would be nice to go to your family? I'm sure they're worried sick about you!"

Harry shook his head. "No... no, no. I wanna stay with Daddy."

Severus noticed the flash of anger on his face. "Your daddy? Harry, child, your dad died a few years ago..."

Harry shook his head. "Papa died," Harry said, using the new name they had decided on for James. "Daddy's here. Daddy loves me, he wants me, he told me so!" Harry hid as best he could, which was hard as they were both still in pajamas. "Why would you want to go and send him to an abusive household, Albus? What happened to the 'greater good'?"

"Abuse? I never... oh bloody hell. That's what the owls were for," Dumbledore muttered. "Severus, still, he should be with family. School starts in a week, Severus-"

"You didn't read them?!" Severus yelled, making Harry jump. "Sorry Harry. Albus, you didn't read them?"

"Well, some, but it didn't sound like abuse, more like a family who used corporal punishments."

"Harry, cover your ears for a moment." Harry did so, and Severus glared at the elder man in front of him. "You think, that you can just barge into my personal quarters, tell my son that he can not live with me, and that he must go back to his abusive household? That his daddy's dead? Why the hell would you say that to a five year old?! What the bloody hell is wrong with you?! Get out!"

"Severus, he'll be safer there-"

"No. Get out. Now. In case you hadn't noticed, I now have to deal with a five year old who thinks he's going to get the shit beat out of him by his uncle, because you stupidly told him he just 'had' to go back. Out, or I'll kick you out myself."

"Can you imagine the danger this puts him in?! Voldemort-"

"When the Dark Lord returns, I will make a deal with him. Harry will never train to defeat him. Harry will never know about the prophecy. Your people will have to kill him, I am not forcing Harry to, and neither will you. Do I make myself clear?" Dumbledore was about to say something when he was cut off. "Good. Now get out!"

Thankfully, Dumbledore made his exit using the fireplace.

"Harry." Severus lifted his hands off his ears. "He's gone. Remember? I promised. I promised, and I promise to keep that promise even after I die."

"Gone?"

"Yes." Severus moved them to his bedroom, where he sat in an armchair near a window. "Look at me, Harry. He's gone. He didn't know the whole story, okay? He didn't know why I adopted you. But you're stuck with me, okay?"

When Harry looked up, Severus looked into the tear filled emeralds. "School. What school? Do I have to go? Are you making me go to school?"

"No, no. I teach, Harry. I teach potions, a magic class, and the student's are coming back next week so I can teach some more."

"So they come here in the morning, and learn and leave?" Severus shook his head. "No, not really. They live here during the year. I don't like it all the time, but it seems to work. So, I'm going to be busy, which is what I wanted to ask. You can either go to Lucy's during the day, or you can stay with me in class. If you stay with me, you must do what I say when I say it, okay? Potions can be dang-"

"I wanna stay! No leave!"

"It's okay, okay? You can stay. We'll get you some toys you can play with in my office, and we can make you a special corner behind my desk just for you, so you'll be right next to me all the time."

"Why does he want me to go back?" Harry asked after a few minutes. "I don't know, Harry. I really don't know."

"Am I bad?"

Severus' eyes widened as he turned Harry to look him in the eyes. "No. Why would you think that? Who said you are bad?"

"The man... Dumbly-er was mad. He was mad at me, he reminded me of..." Harry trailed off with a shudder. "Of him. He thought... he thought I was bad, so I think he does too." Harry sniffled and wiped his face in his sleeve.

"Hey, don't do that." Severus grabbed the handkerchief on the side table, and carefully wiped Harry's face. "Do you want to go out for the day? Maybe to a park or something?" Severus asked. Harry nodded.

"I have an idea. What if we go shopping for your, clothes, toys and things to do when I'm teaching, and then we can go to the park after lunch?" Severus bounced Harry lightly on his lap, trying to calm him down. "I guess... Are w-we going to Diggin Alley again?"

"Diagon, Harry, and yes. Unless you want to go to Muggle London?"

"No. I like the magic one," Harry said, a small smile creeping on his face. He liked the bouncing. It made him feel better. "Why don't you go get dressed?" Severus asked. "Okay. I can wear Dray's clothes again?"

Severus nodded. Lucy had sent over a few outfits a few days after their meeting. When Severus tried to get Harry out to get clothes, it had turned into a nightmare; the closet sized dressing room had frightened him, as the 'family' one was not available.

He watched as Harry slid off his lap to his room to change, and he walked to his closet to do the same. He chose a simple light grey jumper, along with black trousers. He decided to leave the heavy robes. Despite it being early September, it was an unusually warm day when he casted a temperature spell.

He picked up a Muggle backpack to carry the purchases, and turned to see Harry walking into the room. "I ready, Daddy," he said, carrying Lily in one arm. "Good, so am I. Want to get going?" Harry nodded, and took Severus' finger in his still too thin hands.

Severus was proud of Harry's improvement. He was clearly getting better, as it had been over a month since Harry was rescued. He was gaining weight, having less nightmares each week (though if he didn't sleep in Severus' room, they were horrible), and had even agreed to go meet Draco, who's clothes he had been borrowing.

"If we go for clothes, do we have to..."

"It's a Sunday, so the big one will probably be taken, but this time we'll wait, okay? The big one is about the size of the bathroom."

They apparated after Flooing to Aberforth's pub, and thankfully Harry was able to suppress his vomit this time. "We'll do clothes first, then toys and books, and after that we can go to lunch. After lunch we'll go to a park. Sound good?" Harry nodded, and they made their way to Madame Malkins.

"What can I do for you? Please tell me you don't need school robes," Madame Malkin said once they walked into the shop. "No, we just need daily clothes for Harry. Nothing specially tailored, we just need to look around."

"Oh thank Merlin, Severus. You know where it is."

"Thank you."

Severus lead Harry through a door on the back wall, the same area they were in a few weeks ago, but this time there were far fewer people; only Severus, Harry, and a mother with a toddler. "Since fall is coming, why don't we get you long sleeves and jumpers? And how about I hold onto Lily while we shop, just so she doesn't get lost?"

"Okay..." Severus took the bear and put it in the biggest pocket of the backpack, and they walked around, picking out multiple jumpers, finding the occasional Muggle hoodie in the mix for some reason. They also chose a few button-up shirts, most in either black, grey, or red. Harry chose a few t-shirts to put under his jumpers for the winter,

Severus chose the size he thought would fit Harry, one of the smallest kids sizes, and they made their way to the dressing room. "Why can't you just use magic to make them big enough?"

"Because, it's bad to rely on magic for everything."

"But why?" Harry asked. Severus chuckled. "If you don't know how to do anything without magic, and suddenly your wand gets lost or stolen, how are you going to know how to do anything? You'd be stuck, and you wouldn't know what to do, because you rely so heavily on magic."

"Oh. Okay."

They tried on everything, just to see how Harry looked and if he would like it, and after an hour they were finished.

"Which ones did you like?" Severus asked. "I think... the grey jumpers? And the red ones?" Harry said, it sounding like a question. "Not the black ones?" Harry shook his head. "Okay. Anything else you didn't like?" Another shake of the head. "Let's find a winter jacket, too, for under your robes."

They walked over to the jacket section, and Harry instantly spotted a dark green coat, with fur on the hood. "Sev?" Harry pointed to the jacket with a hopeful look on his face. "That one?" Harry nodded with a small smile, the mornings prior activities slipping from his mind. "Here, try it on," Severus said, taking the coat off the rack and handing it to Harry. Harry tried it, and fell in love with it.

"Like it?" Harry nodded with a smile. The inside of it was soft and furry and warm, almost like a hug. "Well then we can get this along with everything else."

They made their way to the front desk, where an attendant was waiting. "Is this all today?" The name tag said 'Sammy'. "Yes, thank you." With a wave of 'Sammy's' wand, there was a number on parchment. A big number, Harry noticed, almost four hundred.

"Wow... that's a lot... For me?"

"All for you," Severus said as Sammy bagged the items. "But we got like... forty things! That's way to much for me..." Harry exclaimed, not used to having anything for himself. Severus just nodded, shrunk the bags, and slid them in the backpack. "Ready for toys?" Severus asked as

"Isn't this all way too much?" Harry asked as Severus payed and walked out. "No. You're a growing kid, you need clothes, toys, book, and other stuff to keep you busy."

"But I don't need this much!" It was confusing. He didn't need all this, did he? It was to much stuff, to much money, and all for him, as well. A weak little boy like him did not need, nor deserve this much! Even that important man thought so, otherwise he wouldn't of almost gone back!

"Harry, I know what you're thinking." Severus pulled him out of his trance. "Daddy, I don't-"

"Harry, stop. You deserve this, all of it. Everything. Every single child on this planet deserves these things, Harry."

"But th-that was so much money!"

"Harry, we bought you an entire wardrobe. That was going to be expensive, but I have plenty of money. If you are really that worried, the rest won't cost that much, because it's just toys and things like that, not an entire wardrobe for a growing boy."

"O-Okay."

Harry grabbed Severus' finger again when they started walking, but then looked around and saw just how many people were around him. "Daddy, up?" he asked quietly, but he wasn't heard, so he tugged Severus' hand. "Hmm?"

"Up?"

"Okay, bambi." Severus picked Harry up and rested him on his hip as they made their way to the opposite side of the alley, where the toy and book stores were. "Toys, or do you want lunch?" Severus asked, eyeing one of the clocks on a lamppost. It read 12:13.

"I think toys first. Is that okay?" Severus nodded and walked quickly to a small shop, meant for younger kids, which was surprisingly empty. Though it was lunch time, so that might've had something to do with it. "Let's start with puzzles and blocks, and single person games, and maybe we can get a few more stuffies?"

"I can keep Lily though, right?!" Harry asked, tears already forming at the thought of giving up his friend. "Of course you can, but maybe Lily wants a few new friends?"

"'Kay."

They walked to the first section, filled with puzzles, blocks, and building sets. Harry (hesitantly) pointed out what he wanted, and Severus tapped the item with his wand. After maybe six items from this section, they went to the 'stuffie' section.

Harry was in awe. Everywhere he looked was stuffed animals. Bears, cats, dogs, rabbits, dragons, and loads of animals he didn't even recognize. "You may choose three stuffies, maybe four."

Harry looked at a dragon with deep red scales, blue eyes, and large orange wings. It looked like it was a little bigger than his head. "Th-that one?" He asked. Severus nodded, tapped the dragon with his wand, and it disappeared. "Where'd it go?!"

"That just means it was the last one, so it's up at the register waiting for us."

Harry nodded, and eyed a bat. It had black fur, mostly black wings with dark grey stripes. It also had black eyes, like a certain someone...

"Daddy!" He made grabby-hands for it, and Severus gave it to him. "It's soft. Ca' I get this one too?" Severus nodded and tapped it, and this one also disappeared.

After a few more minutes of looking, Harry saw something on the top shelf that was hidden from everything else. "Whazzat?" he asked, pointing to it. 'It' was a huge pale blue fox, with blue grey eyes and a white fluffy tail, hidden behind some even bigger teddy bears. It looked to be a foot and a half tall, and it was very thick with fur. "This one too?"

"Mmm-hmm. Can I?" Severus nodded, tapped it, and this one stayed put.

"How about we look at the craft supplies, and then go for lunch?"

They went to the next aisle, and Severus quickly tapped a roll of painting parchment and finger paints with his wand. "Crayons, or markers?" Severus nodded towards the two packs. "C'ayons!" Harry exclaimed. "Okay." He tapped the forty-eight pack of crayons, and a few coloring books. "All set. Actually..."

Severus walked to a section, still carrying Harry, but turned Harry so he couldn't see what he was looking at.

He was looking at a variety of weighted blankets, one of the only Muggle things in the store, beside crayons, markers, and a Muggle game called 'Uno'. He had had a weighted blanket before, and it felt remarkably like a hug, so maybe it would help Harry sleep by himself, as most nights he would most likely be grading papers until late.

He tapped a grey one, and left the aisle to the counter. People were starting to come back to the stores, now that it was well past noon.

"Order for...?"

"Severus Snape, please." Severus said curtly. The employee nodded and pulled out a piece of parchment from a drawer. "Would you like these with you, or sent to your house?"

"With me."

"That'll be... twenty-three galleons, four sickles." Severus reached into ihs bag and set the necessary amount of money on the counter, and got handed three bags in return. He shrunk them and put them in the backpack.

"Can we go home for lunch?" Harry asked quietly. "Sure, bambi." More and more people were starting to fill the alley, including a certain red headed family. "Would you mind if we go to a bookstore real quick?"

"No. Can I get a new one?" Severus had began to teach Harry the alphabet, how to read, and how to write, but he had only one children's book, 'The Tales of Beedle and Bard', but the pages were worn and yellowing.

"Sure. Want to walk?" Harry looked around and saw that there wasn't nearly as many people in this section, just a few families, so he nodded and was lowered to the ground. He took Severus' finger, and they began walking. They got to their destination, and walked inside.

"WE'll get mine first, because I know what I need, and then we can look around for you, okay?" Severus and Harry made a quick stop at the potions section, where Severus got a new potions journal, and then a normal journal from the notebook section.

"Okay, bambi, time to look for you."

When they were finished, Harry did not get only one book, but he got seven. A few about hippogriffs, another about unicorns, and the rest were different fantasy stories. Harry was practically bouncing from excitement, so they paid quickly and Floo'd home using the Leaky Cauldron's fireplace.

"Daddy, Daddy can we read it now! Please?!"

"Lunch first, bambi."

Lunch past rather quickly, and after a meal of fish and chips, they sat in an armchair to read. Halfway through the first book, Harry fell asleep in Severus' lap, and mumbled, "Love you, Daddy."