Harry Potter's Real Dad

Severus could not take his eyes off the young boy sitting on the edge of the bathtub.

"Nothing like that, Severus," Addie waved him off, snapping him out of his stupor. She patted Harry's uninjured shoulder. "Just some glass wounds. But I'm afraid this one has a particularly deep piece in his shoulder.

Severus blinked and shook his head before entering the bathroom. He glanced at Iris before kneeling in front of Harry, taking Addie's place. He slowly reached up and gently stroked a thumb along Harry's cheek, then looked at the black smear he managed to rub off.

"What is this?" Severus asked, wiping his hand on his robe. "You look like a chimney sweep."

Hearing a familiar term, Harry perked up and smiled.

"I am," he said.

"What?" Severus asked as an uneasy laugh escaped his lips.

"A chimney sweep," Harry explained. "Like you said."

"You know what that is?"

Harry nodded.

"And you actually climb up the chimney to clean it."

"Aunt Petunia says I'm the only one who could ever do it for her. She needs me. I have to go home and finish it."

Severus looked back at Addie, who had a look of horror on her face, her jaw slack. The two shared a look before Severus turned back to Harry. He carefully looked at Harry's hands and elbows, taking note of the small cuts along his arms before turning his attention to the glass impaled in his shoulder. Severus pulled out his wand and cast a numbing spell and another spell to cut away the thin shirt. He felt along Harry's skin where the glass pierced.

"Doesn't feel like it's too deep," Severus muttered. "Wouldn't have struck a nerve or artery. But it is going to hurt. Harry, I need you to take several deep breaths for me, all right? Can you do that for me?"

Harry took a deep breath in and out.

"Keep going," Severus said, "I'll tell you when to stop."

Harry kept going, not entirely sure why he had to take deep breaths.

"Nice and slow. Breath in. Hold. Breath out. Slowly."

Harry did it again. And again. This was strange, but nothing about today seemed normal. As he slowly released another breath, a sharp and sudden pain shot down his arm and forced a quick intake of breath again. He held it for a few seconds as his mind processed what happened. Then he let out a soft, "owwww," before crying softly as he reached back to rub his shoulder.

Severus had moved quickly and used his wand to slip the glass out of Harry's shoulder as the boy let out a breath. He was not surprised when Harry started crying, but he felt sympathetic for the child as he set the glass down.

"I'm sorry," Severus said, patting the boy's other shoulder. "I know that must have really hurt but you were very brave for it. I'm going to put a healing salve on it for you, okay? It won't hurt anymore."

Harry was still crying and only nodded at Severus's words. Anything to make the pain go away. Then he was leaving for sure.

Severus summoned a container and then rubbed a generous amount of the salve over the wound on Harry's back. This salve also had antimicrobial properties. Once Severus finished that, he fixed Harry's shirt with the swish of his wand and moved to do the boy's arms. As he rubbed the salve on the many small cuts, the white salve turned grey as it mixed with the soot and his hands turned black as he rubbed the boy's arms.

"You are in desperate need of a bath," Severus said.

"I get one tonight," Harry said.

"I would hope so. When were you cleaning a chimney?"

"Today. I do it weekly in the winter months. It has to get done or the house will get cold."

"You do it weekly?" Severus finished with Harry's arms and washed his hands before moving to Iris and looking her over before giving her the same treatment. "How long have you been doing this?"

"Umm . . ." Harry frowned in thought. "Since I was four."

"Four years old?" Severus stopped what he was doing and stared at Harry. He shook his head as he finished rubbing the salve on her arms. "Unbelievable," he muttered.

"I'm good at it," Harry said, sensing something off in Severus's tone. "Really good."

Severus didn't say anything as he closed the salve and gave his daughter one last look over. Harry swallowed dryly as he looked back down at his picture.

"I have to go back and finish or Aunt Petunia won't be happy. Do you have any more powder?"

"Powder?" Severus asked, raising a brow at Harry.

"He means floo powder," Iris said. "That's how he got here."

"There was floo powder in your fireplace?" Severus asked.

Harry nodded.

"Interesting," Severus said as he stood up and sent the salve flying back to his lab.

Harry watched in awe.

"How did you do that?" Harry asked. He looked at his arms. "And I'm all better. Can I get some to take home?"

"We'll see," Severus said, leaning against the bathroom sink. "First, I'd like you to take a bath."

"I get one tonight. After I finish the fireplace."

"I'd rather you take one now."

"But then I'll just get all dirty again."

"You're not cleaning anymore fireplaces," Severus said, frowning now.

"I have to!" Harry said, standing up and stomping his feet. "I have to finish the job or Aunt Petunia won't be happy."

"Calm down. I'm not sending you back there tonight. I need to think some things through."