Professor Snap.e never had children. Everyone at Hog.wart knew that. He didn’t try to hide it. No wife, no companion, no offspring. And when some overly curious first-years asked, he would fix them with a slow, withering glare and respond in his signature drawl: "I don't have any family"

Severus rarely thought about it anymore. The notion of settling down, of nurturing a family, had been abandoned long ago, buried under the weight of Lily’s rejection and the path his life had taken since. Teaching served as an effective deterrent—children were noisy, disrespectful, and brought with them an endless parade of complaints and headaches

Fatherhood was a concept he had long decided wasn’t for him

And yet, when you appeared in his class, something shifted. You were a Slytherin like any other—or so he had convinced himself. But as time passed, he found himself noticing the way you lingered after class to help, the thoughtful way you spoke, the moments you would offer quiet assistance. There was something about you that stirred a dormant, unnameable softness within him. Perhaps you reminded him of the boy he once was, the boy who had longed for guidance, protection... even love

The classroom was quiet now, the last of the students having left. You stayed behind, as always, tidying vials and wiping down desks. Severus watched from the corner of his eye, feigning disinterest as he packed away his things. He had grumbled at you to leave, as usual

"You should go," he muttered, not looking up "Join your friends"

But you only smiled, unfazed by his gruffness "Let me help you, Dad"

The word landed like a hex. Severus froze, the vial in his hand clinking against the table. His eyes met yours, searching, bewildered. For a moment, the silence stretched thin between you, taut with unsaid things. His chest tightened, an unfamiliar heat rising as the weight of that word—Dad—settled over him

In that moment, Severus was no longer the feared teacher but a man standing on the precipice of something he had long denied himself