Mistakes

"Papa! Papa!"

Severus Snape awoke suddenly from a dream panting quickly. He had another one of his dreams. They had all started shortly after the defeat of the dark Lord Voldemort. But no, they weren't about Voldemort nor about what he had witnessed and done during his time as one of his loyal servants, but about his son. The one he had given up long ago. He had thought about him constantly since that day and regretted his quick actions ever since.

Severus wiped a hand over his tired face before running it through his hair. He was surprised when his hand came back dry and realized that the potion he used on it to keep it neat and orderly, though the students he knew thought it too greasy, had worn off and he would have to reapply it before he left his rooms. He would do that later; right now he was much too tired and laid back down against his pillows and he let his thoughts go back to the dream.

He had been married quite a while back and they had just had their first child not even a month ago when his wife, Serena, had been in the wrong place at the wrong time and was hit with a stray Avada Kedavra. It had been during a Death Eater raid in Muggle London that he hadn't even knew was going to happen. He had found out that some of the death eaters had decided to have some fun and Serena had gotten the brunt of it. This act had been what turned him completely away from the Dark. His emotions over the past year had been wavering and this was the final snap of the strings. Knowing that the others didn't even care that they had killed an innocent pureblood witch with their antics was too much for him and he left for what he hoped was for good but Albus Dumbledore had convinced him to spy.

After everything that happened he had been left along with his infant son, Sebastian. He quickly realized he had no idea how to deal with him and his broken heart. So after days of debating he finally decided on a course of action, he was going to place his son in a Muggle orphanage in order to get him as far away from Death Eaters as he could get him and hope that they can find him a good loving home. Much more then what he himself could give him at the present time. It had taken all his inner strength to bundle up his son, give him a kiss on the forehead and leave him on the doorstep of the orphanage with a note attached to the blanket.

Dear Whom It May Concern,

This is my son, Sebastian; he is one month old and was born on August 1, 1980. Please find him a good home, as I am unable to care for him properly following the death of his mother just a few days ago.

If it is allowed please let him know when he is older that his Papa does love him.

A loving father

'Merlin, he's what? Eleven now. He's old enough to come to Hogwarts now,' he thought to himself sadly. 'And I didn't even get to bring him to Diagon Alley to get his first wand. Is it Oak like mine? Does it have a unicorn hair like his mother's?'

He pulled the blankets up to his chin and sighed deeply. 'Will he be one of the first years this year? Or will his parents send him to a different one? Will they send him to one at all?' He remembered that Sebastian looked very much like his mother with his black hair. How much had he changed? 'Would I recognize him if he was among the first years? What should I do if I do? Should I tell him or just leave him be?'

Severus was startled out of his thoughts by the loud POP that announced the arrival of a house elf. He looked over and found the small creature smiling cheerfully at him.

"Professor Snape! Yous must get up! Professor Dumbledore wants you at breakfast!" The elf said while jumping up and down, its long ears flapping.

Severus sighed once again but began to get up. "Alright, alright. I'm getting up," he said exasperated.

The little elf made another POP noise and disappeared back to the kitchens. Severus went into the shower and put the potion in his hair and dressed in his black professor's robes.

Ten minutes later he made his way from the dungeons to the Great Hall where the meals were taken. He saw the Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, already there along with his Deputy Headmistress and the Gryffindor Head of House, Professor McGonagall.

"Ah, Severus. Good of you to join us," Dumbledore said cheerfully.

"Yes, well, you did get a house elf to come get me and as you well know you can't say no to a persistent house elf," he said with a half sneer.

Dumbledore chuckled, "I needed you down here Severus so all the Heads of Houses can talk about something important. I'm not sure if you are aware but Harry Potter will be starting his first year this year."

Severus's jaw dropped. The Potter brat would be coming to Hogwarts this year. Probably as spoiled and conceited as his father.

The headmaster kept talking but Severus wasn't paying attention. He couldn't help thinking about the incoming first years and the possibility that his son could be among them. He hoped he would be able to tell if he was. He wanted desperately to see him, make sure he was ok. That his dreams of his son, alone, scared and hurt were just his imagination and worry going overtime.

"Severus!" He snapped his head up at the sound of his name. All eyes were on him and he worked hard not to blush. "Are you listening?" McGonagall's harsh voice asked.

"I apologize Minerva. I have a lot on my mind at the moment."

"That is quite alright Severus," Dumbledore said and Severus couldn't help but notice that that damn twinkle was in his eyes and going full force. He knew the headmaster knew something but what he wasn't sure.

"As I was saying Severus," Dumbledore continued. "Mr. Potter will need to be treated the same as all the other students. We must not acknowledge his status in our world and hopefully by example neither will the other students. He deserves the same education as the others.

The meeting went on for another few hours and then they were dismissed to get ready for the welcoming feast. Once back in his rooms within the dungeons, Severus went to his desk and pulled out a framed picture. It held a smiling Severus with his arms around a beautiful young woman and in her arms was their son. It was the most recent picture he had of the once happy family. As he watched, baby Sebastian poked his head out of the blankets and gave a baby smile at the camera. A small tear worked its way down Severus' cheek.

A few hours later, much more calm and composed, Severus sat at his normal seat at the right of Dumbledore's head chair. He waited anxiously as the first years made their way to the front of the hall. His eyes swept over the anxious faces hoping to see any sort of resemblance to either himself or his late wife. His heart dropped as each face didn't match up to the one that he had conjured in his mind. After one more look over his hopes vanished and a sneer replaced the hopeful look on his face. At the end of the line of first years there was one young boy he recognized. Potter. Looking exactly like his father. His locked on the boy's and he sneered causing the boy to flinch slightly.

Severus settled in his chair for the long sorting, no longer interested as he once was. Heart heavy he sighed and clapped lightly as a new Slytherin was added.