Harry Potter's Real Dad

Harry slowly calmed down after nearly twenty minutes of throwing a fit on the floor. He took several deep breaths as he looked around. The house was very quiet now that he wasn't screaming. He turned his head to the left, spotting Severus sitting on the couch watching him. Harry rubbed his eyes as he stared back. If he had done something like that in front of Aunt Petunia, he would have long ago been locked in his cupboard. All this man was doing was staring at him.

"Are you quite done?" Severus asked, raising a brow at him.

Harry shook his head.

"No?" Severus stood up and walked over to Harry. "And what exactly do you hope to accomplish?"

"I want to go home," Harry said sadly. "I don't want to stay here forever."

"You have no where else to go," Severus countered. "Your relatives are in jail now—they can't take care of you."

"Take em out," Harry argued.

Severus sighed, then kneeled next to Harry.

"Harry," Severus said, waiting for the child's attention. "You had rules at your relatives, right?"

Harry nodded.

"And if you didn't follow those rules, you were—I'm assuming—punished, correct?"

Harry nodded again.

"Well, Britain has rules, too, and in order to live here, you have to follow those rules, or you'll be punished, even if you're an adult. Your relatives broke many rules, so they have to spend some time in jail, just as you might have to spend time in time out."

"You mean my cupboard?" Harry asked.

"Hmm," Severus said, standing back up. "If that was your time out, then yes."

"I don't want them in jail."

"I know, but I don't make the laws. We all have to follow them and when we don't, we get in trouble for it."

"They didn't do anything, though. They're good, normal people."

Severus frowned at Harry's phrasing.

"Normal," Severus repeated.

"Yeah, they don't make freaky things happen."

"You mean like this?" Severus waved his hand over Harry and the child slowly began floating up. Harry gasped, startled, but he was lowered back down to the floor gently. Harry smiled up at Severus as he sat up.

"Yeah, like that!"

"That is called magic," Severus said. "And it's far from freaky. It's normal for wizards and witches. Some muggles simply do not understand it."

"What are muggles?"

"People without magic."

"Like me?"

"No." Severus shook his head, summoning a picture from his study. He held it out for Harry, who accepted it and stared at the picture. It was of his parents again: Lily and James touching their wands together, and then a silvery stag and doe pranced out of their wands, spun around in the air and landed in front of the couple, touching noses. The picture repeated the scene again and again. Harry awed at it.

"Your parents had magic," Severus said. "As do you."

Harry's head snapped up. "Really?"

"Really. It's not freaky. It can be exceptionally beautiful, actually."

Harry stared at the picture, touching it gently. "Can I keep it?"

"You may have that one," Severus said. "Why don't you go put it up in your room?'

"I want to take it home with me," Harry said.

Severus bit his tongue in frustration. He had thought he had been doing well with their conversation. Harry was quite stubborn—he wondered whose genes that boy got that from. Severus had been hoping to work on decorating Harry's walls and reorganizing the bedroom in a more kid friendly manner, but at this rate, he may end up doing that tomorrow. He still had to make lunch for the kids as well.

"This is your home, now, Harry," Severus said. "I suggest you start accepting that."

The reaction was immediate. Harry's face morphed into a pout and he threw himself back down and kicked his feet.

"I want to go home!" Harry cried.