Severus walked around and through the rows of tables, watching closely. His students were doing relatively well for mere second years. That is, until one started bubbling over and onto the table. It started... moving?

He had to bite his lip in order not to start yelling. He pointed his wand at... whatever it was at this point, and it disappeared. "Just... do better next time."

The entire class stared at him. "Are you ill?" someone asked. "No, I'm not ill! Get back to work!"

He moved back to his desk. "Daddy?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"You didn't yell," Harry pointed out. "Of course I didn't yell."

"But you always yell at them. You haven't yelled in a week." Severus shrugged and began grading papers. "We'll just say I'm trying something new." Harry hugged Severus' leg. "I like it when Daddy isn't mad."

"I don't try to be mad, bambi, it's just how I am. But, I'm trying to not yell as much, okay?" Harry grinned and nodded. "Why's you never mad 'round me or the Slithys?" Harry asked. "Let's talk about this later, okay? I have papers to grade."

"Daddy!" Harry said, not moving from his spot. "What, Harry?" he responded, his patience being tested. "Can I have my c'ayons?"

"Aren't they-" He spotted them on his desk. "Here, bambi, but now you have to be quiet, okay?"

Severus' lack of sleep, plus his nightmare, plus Harry's nightmare, plus Harry's lack of sleep, along with his overly loud students, was eating at him. He knew that soon, he would either snap at Harry, snap at his students, or break. None of those choices were ideal, but he wasn't going send Harry with McGonagall, or Madame Pomfrey, and he sure as hell wasn't going to drink when Harry was with him. If anything, that would give him a headache, which would make him tired and short tempered.

And then there was Remus. Remus Lupin, coming to his quarters, for dinner. Tonight. This, of course, just added to his stress.

"Sir? Class is over, can we go?" a student asked. "What?"

"Class is over, has been for a few minutes. Can we go?"

"Oh... yes, yes, you all can go. A ten inch essay is due on Monday on Bezoars. Just a review. You are dismissed." Whispers were heard throughout the room as they left, mostly about how Severus must be furious if he's acting nice. Some were saying this side of him was better, while the rest disagreed.

"Daddy?"

"Yes bambi?" Severus picked Harry up and rested him on his hip. "You're... different today. Why?"

"Let's go home first, bambi." He decided to take the short route instead of walking through the corridors of the castle, and gave the password to Salazar. The portrait opened, and he took the two steps.

"Harry, remember how I've been talking to someone through owls?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, that someone is coming over tonight. You remember him, right? Moony?" Harry nodded and ducked his head. "He's really nice, I promise. You sounded excited when I brought him up last week, what's different?"

"I have to see him now," Harry whispered. "What if he doesn't like me?! What if I'm nothing like he thought?! What if he don' want me!? Sev, what if I'm nothing-"

"He loves you, honey," Severus assured. "He loves you a lot."

"Why didn' he come for me then?!"

"Because, Harry, we were all told to stay away. We were told you were safe, we trusted that evil man that came here before, okay? Now that you're with me, you're going to meet a lot of new people, who love you so, so so much. I promise."

"Promise promise?"

"Promise promise. Do you want to help me make dinner?"

"Snack first?" Harry asked, eyes gleaming with joy. He loved cooking with Severus, no matter what they were cooking, and it always lifted his spirits.

"I'm going to assume you want a treacle tart?" Severus asked, pushing the bubbling anger to the back of his mind. He could deal with that later.

Harry nodded, and gratefully ate the treat once he was given it. "Daddy want some?" he asked, saving the last bite. "No, you go on and eat it."

Harry did so, and the two started getting stuff ready for dinner. "What are we making Daddy?" Harry asked. "Spaghetti." Harry's eyes lit up. "Really?!"

"Yes, Harry. Can you turn on the sink?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Remus, Thank you for coming," Severus said when Remus stepped through the portrait. "Harry, this is Remus Lupin. Remus, this is Harry."

"Severus. Thank you for having me." Remus words sounded choked, like he was struggling. Severus set Harry in one of the armchairs. "I have to use the loo before dinner. Wait here for me?"

Remus nodded and sat on the sofa, opposite of Harry. "No Daddy," Harry whispered. "You will be fine, honey." Severus went down the hallway, leaving Harry and Remus to find something, anything to talk about.

"So, Harry," Remus started. "Severus already told you, but I'm Remus. Me and him went to school together."

"With mummy and Padfoot?" Harry asked quietly. "Yes- wait. Padfoot? He told you about him?"

"I'm sorry, I had a dream 'bout you and him. I'm sorry," Harry replied. "Don't be sorry. You remember me?"

"Are you mad?"

"No, of course not!"

"You sound mad... or sad. Are you sad?" Harry looked up at the man in front of him. Was he sad? "I'm not sad... Harry I missed you so much..." Remus whispered, fresh tears gleaming in his eyes. "I've missed you and I've loved you since before you were born."

"You... missed me? And loved me?"

"I still love you, cub... Harry."

"Moony," Harry said. "Moony."

Remus started crying. He couldn't take it, he thought he would never see Harry again. He thought him being a part of Harry's life was impossible, especially after he had been denied by Dumbledore when he asked if he could visit.

"Did I do somethin' wrong?! I'm sorry!" Harry whimpered. "N-No, you didn't do anything wrong. I... I thought I would never see you again, after... after..."

Harry walked over to him and tugged the sleeve of his jumper. "Daddy hugs me when I'm sad... d-do you...?"

Remus almost instantly wrapped the boy in his arms. "I'm sorry, Harry, I'm so sorry, I missed you so much," he said through tears. Hesitantly, Harry wrapped his arms around Remus' neck. He didn't say anything. He didn't need to.

Remus opened his eyes and saw Severus watching them from the doorway. Thank you, he mouthed. Severus only nodded and began to set the table.

"Moony, are you gonna stay now?" Harry asked when they parted. "Not here, but I'll visit whenever Severus says it's okay."

They moved to the table and started eating, talking about nonsense, which gave Remus and Harry a chance to get to know each other.

"I want you to stay," Harry said when supper had finished and Severus was washing dishes. The two were in their prior spots in the living room.

"You barely know me, though."

"I want you to stay! Please don't leave?!" Harry cried. He didn't want to be left. Not again. "Harry, maybe in the future I can be a teacher here, and it'll be different, but I'm sorry. No. I don't want to leave either, I just got you back."

"Why do you have to leave?!"

"I... it's grown up stuff, Harry."

"I am grown up!"

"Adult stuff. You are a little kid. Harry, I'll come here whenever you want me to, you just have to call me and I'll be here. Okay?" Remus begged. "Promise? Promise you won' leave me?"

"Never. I will never, ever leave you again."

Harry climbs in Remus' lap and curls into a ball. "Good." In a few short moments, he was out like a light, snoring lightly. "I'm surprised," Severus said as he sat next to Remus. "He really likes you."

"Thank you, Severus. Thank you. I thought I would never see him again."

"He needs you. And, you need him."

"Severus, look, I-"

"Don't. Don't apologize for anything Potter or Black did."

"I was going to apologize for never stopping them. I am sorry I never stopped James... or Sirius, they were both arrogant prats as teenagers. I also wanted to talk to you about Sirius."

"What about?" Severus' tone changed slightly, wondering where this was going. "I don't think he did it."

"What do you mean?!"

"Let me explain, Severus. When you owled me, I got a gut feeling. I started researching his arrest and what happened. Pettigrew was supposedly blown to pieces, but if that happened there would've been... well, chunks of flesh, not just a finger. Also, Sirius had never been branded and had no memories of doing that to Pettigrew. His wand had no recent spells, save for Alohomora. Pettigrews did, it was a version of Bombarda that did far more damage. Another thing. Sirius wasn't the secret keeper. He couldn't have told."

"What do you mean? Black was made-"

"Secret Keeper at first. I was going through some things, and I found a letter from James to Sirius. They switched to Pettigrew last second, Sirius thought You-Know-Who would go for him, then me, and not think of Pettigrew since they weren't as close."

"What?" Severus asked. An innocent man could be in Azkaban. Azkaban...

"Yes, Severus."

"This needs to be reopened. Soon, now, something, he needs to get out of there."

"Why are you-"

"I was almost sent there. When I did nothing. Because I wanted something. Not power or fame. Now, Black... Sirius has been there for four years. Those Dementors are vile. They shouldn't exist."

Remus let out a yawn and nodded. Of course dinner ran long. "I should get going. I'm sorry." He tried to shift Harry, who grabbed Remus' jumper in his small hands and would not let go. "I don't think he wants you to leave."

"But..."

"Stay if you want. Either you can take the sofa, or sleep in his room."

"I..."

"He sleeps in my room most of the time. I guarantee you it will be fine."

Remus stood awkwardly and let Severus take him to Harry's room. "He has nightmares. He used to have them every night, but now it's three to four days a week. If he has one, he will wake you up, and I will come running."

"Anything I can do?"

"Hug him until I come."

"Alright."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Stop! Please stop!" Harry whimpered quietly, waking Remus. Tears were streaming down Harry's face, he was covered in a cold sweat. "Please..."

Harry let out a bloodcurdling scream. Just like he said, Severus came running. He took Harry from Remus. "It's okay, Harry, it's me. It's Daddy, you're okay. You're okay." It took a while before Harry finally calmed down, but he also woke up. "D-Daddy, h-he did it again. He did it again, I don't like it, it hurts. It hurts."

"I know honey. I know it hurts, it hurts more than anything, ever, but it will all get better soon."

"Wait... Moony?! Did he leave?! He left me! Where-"

"I'm still here, Harry."

Harry's head spun as he looked at Remus. Then he looked back to Severus. He looked back and forth. He let out a small wail.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Severus asked. "I-I... I want you, b-but I want Moony too!"

"Oh... um..." Severus sat on the bed next to Remus and shot him a glare, as if to say, tell anyone about this and never see the light of day again. Remus nodded. "Harry, do you think you can go back to bed?"

"No!"

"Harry, we're both here. Try going back to sleep."

Harry shifted so he was laying down, spread across both their laps. "I don't understand," Severus mumbled. "Understand what?"

"How much he loves you already. It took him a few days to trust me, he even ran away once, but with you..."

"He ran away?! And you didn't tell me!"

"Shut it, I think he's finally out. Yes, he ran away. I told him I'd be there when he woke up. I was in Poppy's office, getting some potions for him, and when I walked out he was gone. I'd never been more scared in my life..."

"What, so you don't understand why Harry trusts me so easily?"

"He doesn't trust Lucy like he does you, or Minnie."

"Lucy? You don't mean-"

"Yes, Remus, I mean Lucius Malfoy." Remus flared with anger. "A Death Eater! Near Harry Potter!? You-Know-Who wants to kill him!"

"Yes, yes, I am aware. Lucius has gotten himself, Narcissa, and his son out. They are no longer Death Eaters, Remus."

"Stop fighting." Harry's tiny voice was heard. Turns out he wasn't asleep after all. "Sleep, Daddy. Moony."

Remus stood to leave, about to say something, when Harry grabbed him yet again. "Stay. No leave."

"I should get going home," he said simply. Tears came to Harry's eyes. "Please don't leave me again."

"Remus, it's the middle of the night. If you leave, he's going to think you're leaving him for good."

"Severus-"

"Don't leave me again!" Harry yelled. "Daddy, don't let him leave!"

"Remus!" Severus hissed. "Just suck it up and deal with it. Abandonment issues, remember?"

"So what are we going to do? Sleep in the same bed or something?!" Remus snarled. Harry smiled. "Yeah! Daddy and Moony an' me in da middle!"

"Way to go, genius," Severus grumbled when Harry finally fell asleep. They were in the exact position Harry described; Severus on one side, Remus on another, Harry comfortably in the middle, appreciating the warmth from the two men along with the weighted blanket. "You suggested I stay here! Why are we fighting anyway?! I apologized!"

"An apology isn't everything you imbecile. You think Black would come running into your arms after an apology for not getting him out right away? No. You let them torment me for years. A simple apology won't cut it."

"I would let you go home," Severus started after an uncomfortable silence. "But Harry needs you now. You knew his father. I knew his mother. Not to mention if you left now, it would just send him back, which would get him right where he started."

"You really care about him, don't you?"

"Of course I do. You know, unfortunately, about my past. You expect me to let him go back there?"

"I..."

"Of course you did. Everyone did."

"Well, you were an arse in school, and you called Lily a-"

"Forget what I said. You can leave," Severus hissed and gathered Harry in his arms. "Honestly. That happened more than five years ago, why bring it up now? If this is how you want to act, you can leave. I have a son now. You're just going to add to my stress."

"Severus-"

"What did I say?!"

"Look. I'll sleep on your sofa, just so Harry doesn't freak out. Does he always remember when he has a nightmare?"

"No. Why?"

"Just tell him he had a nightmare, so you went to sleep in your room and I took the sofa."

Severus nodded curtly, and they went their separate ways. Severus laid down, mind racing. Why did he have to bring up that day? That stupid day where he made on of the worst mistakes of his life.

When he lost Lily.

It happened ten years ago. He should be over it by now, shouldn't he?

Even so, tears were shed that night.

* * *

Severus staggered out to the sitting room at eleven. He felt like he got hit by a bus, though it was no surprise considering while he slept, he relived the moment he found Lily, dead on the floor, and Harry with a bloody mark on his face, crying. Screaming for his Mummy to wake up.

"Where is Harry," he snarled when he saw Remus sitting on the couch. "Daddy?" Harry's head popped up next to Remus. Harry ran to him and hugged him around the middle. "What's this for?"

"Daddy was c'ying when you were sleeping. I don' wanna see you cry! Are you sad?!"

"No, honey. It's... some grown up stuff."

"But I am grown up!"

"Fine. Adult stuff. Personal stuff." Severus rubbed his eyes, which were red and puffy. "Remus, would you mind taking him outside- wait, no, nevermind. I'll figure something out."

"Look, Severus, I'm sorry for last night. I should not have said what I said."

"Just, go. Please just go," Severus grumbled as he sat down in the nearest chair. Head in his hands, he started to think. He needed a day. To cry, to scream, to do everything the dungeon bat wasn't supposed to do. To think about therapy, and if he needed it or not. "Daddy..." Harry whispered. "Did I do somethin' bad?"

"No, of course not Harry. Like I said, it's adult stuff."

"Sev, your sad. I don't want you to be sad. I want happy Daddy."

"Harry," Severus started. "I need to take a walk. Would you mind staying here and playing with Remus for a bit?" he asked, eyes trailing to Remus, silently begging them both to agree.

When he received two nods, one more hesitant than the other, he let out a grateful sigh. He scooped Harry in his arms, walked over to the now standing Remus, and handed him to Remus. "I'll be back in a half hour," he said. "I don't want you two to leave my quarters unless it's an emergency."

He left before he could change his mind, and found himself pacing three times in front of a wall. A door appeared and opened, Severus walked inside. There were rows of glass jar, vases, anything breakable. He picked up the nearest thing, a small, pale blue vase, and gave it an experimental toss. He turned and chucked it at the wall.

He threw something else. Then kicked something.

Kick, throw, toss, stomp. It was a cycle, until almost everything was destroyed and in pieces. Severus leaned against a wall and slid down it.

That was the day the potions master finally let himself break.

All thanks to a little boy.