Chapter Text
Second, December, 1996
Severus Snape,
It has taken me these last three years to find a way to contact you.
I am very well aware that you will remember me, as I was Lily Evan's sister. I cannot continue raising the boy.
Since that wretched man unceremoniously dropped my nephew off on my doorstep with only a blanket and a letter, it has been one nightmare after the next.
I will not continue to provide for my sister's bastard child, and you cannot expect me to. While he is Lily's boy, I detest his foulness being in my home, and I am not exaggerating.
If you do not come fetch him at once, I will be taking him to the nearest orphanage, on this I swear.
It should have been you, raising him, all along. He is, after all, your son.
Make haste, Mr. Snape.
Sincerely,
Petunia Dursley
Severus stared at the door of Number 4 Privet Drive, with dread pooling in his stomach. As far as he was aware, he had no children and Potter's brat certainly wasn't his child. While he and Lily had reconciled their friendship two years before her death, he'd never had sex with a woman in his life -- especially not his dearest friend. And wouldn't he remember it, if he had?
However mistaken Petunia might be, he couldn't very well let her turn her nephew out and into an orphanage. He'd sworn to protect the child -- to both Lily and Headmaster Dumbledore -- and so that was what he was here to do. Somehow, he had to go in there and convince Tuney to continue raising young Harry.
Suddenly, the front door swung open. Petunia stood in the doorway, scowling at Severus.
"Come in, quick!" she cried as she lunged for him.
Severus let himself be pulled into the house.
In the front parlour, Petunia sat down on a flower-patterned sofa and smoothed her hands over the skirt of her dress. "I always said that she'd do well to be rid of you," she said unkindly.
Severus snorted. "And I always said that she'd do well to ignore the likes of you, Tuney," he replied.
Petunia bristled. "Well, it seems we're both disappointed then."
"Hardly," Severus said. "You have some insane notion that Mr. Potter is my child, so...where is the boy?"
She rose from the couch and disappeared through the door.
Severus heard footsteps and a loud banging sound before Petunia reappeared, one hand on the back of a very small child as the boy walked slowly into the room.
For a moment, all Severus saw was Lily's deep, bright, bottle-green eyes.
He blinked back tears for a few seconds before regaining his composure and taking in the finer details of the young lad before him.
Even at four years of age, Severus could see the stamp of himself in the boy's face. Harry's cheeks had the Prince hollow and sharpness. His nose was very slightly pointed at the tip, but otherwise unobtrusive. His hair was long, lanky and black. His chin had a delicate point, his mouth was thin. The boy looked much too small for his age, with very slim hips and shoulders -- although at first glance, Severus attributed that to his age.
The eyes were all Lily -- the shape, the colour.
"Bloody buggering hell," he whispered as Petunia handed Severus a very small suitcase.
"As you can see," Petunia gloated. "He doesn't look a thing like Potter. And he's made my life a misery, so you'll take him now, Severus!"
"But....how?" Severus trailed off and pressed his fingers to his eyes. What the fucking hell was going on?
"The usual way, I'd imagine...though I'd like not to imagine it," Petunia replied crossly.
Severus stood and approached Harry. His eyes narrowed at the way Harry flinched away from him. He went down on his knees.
Eye-level with Harry, Severus said in a very soft voice. "You're coming home with me. I'm your father. I'll take very good care of you, I promise."
Harry's brilliant eyes went wide and watery before he nodded and held out a tiny hand to the man in front of him.
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TBC