Harry Potter's Real Dad

Severus sighed and walked away from Harry this time. The truth would settle in soon enough for Harry and then he would adjust to a normal life as a kid and not a house elf to an awful family. Severus decided to check with Iris on what she might like for lunch. He headed upstairs and knocked on Iris's bedroom door.

"Iris?" Severus said, opening the door and peeking inside.

Iris was sitting on her bed, hugging her knees and crying softly.

"Honey," Severus said, coming into the room and sitting on the edge of her bed. He wrapped an arm around her, and she snuggled against him. "What's wrong?"

"Harry doesn't like me," she cried.

"That's not true," Severus rubbed her back soothingly. "He likes you very much. He thinks your cool."

Iris looked up at her father.

"Really?" she asked.

"Mmhmm," Severus agreed. "He told me himself. And you were very helpful today. He barely left your side. I think your making him feel more at home."

"Why doesn't he want to stay then?"

Severus sighed as he leaned back on the bedframe.

"He's just confused. His family wasn't very nice to him. They made him believe he had no where else to go and that he had to stay with them. They lied to him, and he thinks that he's wanted there."

"But he's not," Iris said, "right?"

"Right. We have to show him how much he's wanted here. And you've been doing a very good job at that. So you keep doing what you're doing. Think you can do that?"

Iris nodded and smiled.

"Thank you." Severus kissed his daughter's cheek before standing up. "Any ideas for lunch?"

....

Harry stared up at the ceiling. In all the times he had seen Dudley throw a tantrum, Aunt Petunia or Uncle Vernon were fawning over him and catering to his every need. He had been so sure it would work on Severus, but instead, the man had left the room completely this time. Harry wasn't sure what he was supposed to do now.

Standing up, Harry walked toward the staircase he had seen Severus walk up. He paused as he watched Severus walking back down them.

"You can't keep me here," Harry said as Severus stepped down the last stair.

"I disagree," Severus said. "I am legally your godfather, not to mention your father, and I have every intention of obtaining full custody of you."

"I don't want you to," Harry pouted. "Aunt Petunia will miss me. She loves me."

Severus did not comment on that. He made his way to the kitchen, opening the fridge and grabbing a few things. Harry was not paying much attention to what Severus was doing.

"Please, take me home," Harry tried, softly, using a look he had seen Iris use on Severus to win an extra biscuit. He widened his eyes and puckered his lower lip.

"I see you're taking lessons from Iris," Severus muttered. "Unfortunately, given the severity of the circumstance, that's not going to work."

Harry frowned.

Iris skipped into the kitchen at the moment and Severus handed her a sandwich.

"Thank you, Daddy," she smiled, taking a bite happily. "Can Harry and I play outside later?"

"Not today," Severus said.

"Why not?" Harry asked, pouting once more.

"I'm sure you could give me a reason why yourself," Severus said. He handed Harry a sandwich.

Harry took it and stared at it. Aunt Petunia rarely gave him sandwiches, and when she did, it had cheese on it only. This sandwich had a strange filling and a slice of lettuce trapped between two slices of bread. Iris was happily eating hers while watching Harry.

"Try it," she said. "You'll like it."

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"Ham salad," Severus answered, turning, and watching Harry.

Harry took a small careful bite, chewing slowly.

"It's good," Harry said.

"See?" Iris smiled. "I told you he'd like it."

"So you did," Severus agreed, taking a sandwich for himself. "Sit at the table please. I would like you to eat at least half of your sandwich."

Harry stared at the sandwich in his hands. That was impossible. He would never be able to eat it half of it. He was being set up to fail.

"I can't," Harry said.

"I'd like you to try," Severus said. "If you can't, then that's okay. But at least try."

Harry took another small bite as he sat down next to Iris at the table, setting his picture down. What if he couldn't wat a quarter and Severus decided to punish him for it? Aunt Petunia sometimes gave him impossible tasks but never with trying to eat so much food. As far as food went, she was usually happy when he didn't finish all the food she gave him. This family was still very strange.