"Dumbledore said that seer dreams always do," Harry confessed, twisting his hands, all his euphoria fading away under the hard force of the truth.
"You went to him with this," Snape realized out loud, sounding not so much angry over that as... well, disappointed.
"I didn't," Harry denied. "I was reading up on seer dreaming, trying to figure it out on my own. I didn't want to talk to you until I knew what I was talking about, see? But the books Madame Pince Flooed me were almost worthless. So I... uh..."
"Yes?" Snape darkly questioned, eyebrows raised.
"Oh, fine, take points if you want. Off Gryffindor and Slytherin, remember," Harry muttered. Then, in a louder voice, "I asked a friend to smuggle me out some better books from the Restricted Section. Only she... or he... got caught. And that was why Dumbledore invited me up for that chat, sir. I mean, Father."
The barest trace of smile might have slid across Snape's gaze; Harry couldn't be sure. "When Miss Granger was apprehended misusing the Restricted Section, I would think the logical course of action would have been to inform her Head of House, not involve Albus."
So Snape had effortlessly figured out who the friend must be. "Well, Madame Pince knew I was researching that very topic. Maybe as it's to do with me, she decided to go straight to the headmaster." Harry took a moment to gather his thoughts. "Anyway, I didn't tell Dumbledore what was in my dream. I just mentioned having had a new one, that's all."
"And?"
Harry snorted. "What do you think? He insisted I had to tell you about it, which I was planning to anyway, by the way. I just hadn't quite gotten up the nerve. After that, Dumbledore went on and on about what a great father you're turning out to be!" Harry slanted his father a glance. "It's kind of strange you would suspect him of putting the unadoption idea in my head, actually. Does he give you the impression you're not good for me?"
Snape quirked a lip. "No, quite the contrary. However, I don't take what he says at face value."
Harry sighed. "You just see plots everywhere, that's all.... Anyway, twice a week he has you for tea, he said. Is that why you sometimes hardly eat any dinner? You fill up while you and the headmaster gossip about me?"
"We talk about more than you," Snape informed him, ignoring the other question. "Well. You're apparently convinced that this dream of yours means something serious. So, let's hear it, Harry."
"Let me get my diary," Harry murmured. "I wrote it all down until I had it reconstructed just perfectly."
Snape nodded, and waved his wand, causing the office door to gently swing open.
"What's going on?" Draco asked the moment Harry entered the bedroom.
He didn't want to answer nothing, but neither did he want to get into it. "Severus could tell I needed to talk to him," Harry answered. "He sort of insisted."
"More than sort of," Draco noted. "Anything I can do?"
"I don't think so," Harry murmured. "But thanks."
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"I believe you've made an error," Snape said after he'd read through all of Harry's dream accounts.
The boy had been sitting slouched, a little bit despondent, but he perked up on hearing that. "Yes?"
Snape cast him a glance that was all at once derisive and understanding. "Frankly, I'm still inclined to think this merely means you went to sleep worried about my intentions regarding you."
"Then how do you explain the first part?" Harry pressed.
Snape crossed one knee over the other as he considered that. "It is true that Draco and I had that conversation one day in Devon while you were outside," he mused. "However, that does not mean the second part is also accurate."
Harry grimaced. "I'd like to believe that, I really would, but it sounds like wishful thinking to me. No offense."
"None taken." Snape paused to think. "You went through a cycle of seer dreams back in Grimmauld Place, did you not? You could hardly sleep without experiencing one, and then they ceased completely. Am I correct?"
"Yeah, I haven't had one in ages."
That time Snape's expression was definitely derisive. "Three months is not ages, except perhaps when one is sixteen. At any rate, there is no reason to believe that this cycle of dreams holds true to the pattern established by the last cycle. Especially if, as I suspect, that cycle ceased because it was disrupted. Tell me, Harry, what was the last thing you seer dreamed prior to coming here to live?"
Harry thought back. "Hmm, hard to say. I mean, it might have been that bit about me screaming in Parseltongue, but I only have your word for that. I never have been able to remember that dream."
Snape nodded, his dark gaze thoughtful. "I woke you, yes. No doubt that was a mistake, but what is done is done. What matters is simply this: your seer dreams may well be following a different pattern this time around. Perhaps you've started to view the future in symbols instead of literally. Perhaps the second half serves merely to highlight your considerable anxieties. You are in fact not accustomed to being anyone's son."
"Perhaps," Harry said, but only to be polite. His father just didn't want to believe the dream; that much seemed obvious. Harry could hardly blame him.
Hearing what Harry hadn't said, Snape went on, "Suppose, however, your dream will literally come true. I still believe your interpretation tends toward the hysterical, to say the least."
Hysterical? Harry thought that was a bit much. "What else could it possibly mean?"
"Let's review the salient points. Apparently you and I will be caught in the midst of something unfortunate. I have decided to take some sort of legal action to remedy the situation. There are those who are resisting my remedy, but I insist. You have not been informed in advance of what I intend, though you should have been." Snape favored him with a thin smile. "Personally, if I believed your dream to be true, I would suspect it predicts a simple change of name."
Harry gaped at him. "Excuse me? Change of name?"
"Harry Snape," the Potions Master mocked. "Harry James Snape? Hmm. Not sure I care for that. Your middle name may have to go as well."
Harry felt himself go hot all over. "I thought we agreed--"
"We did agree," Snape interrupted, all vestige of humor gone. "I'm not saying I intend to ask such a thing of you. I simply wish you to realize that this interpretation fits the parameters of your dream at least as well as your previous one."
Harry narrowed his eyes. "Does it, though?" Grabbing his journal back, he flipped through the pages detailing his dream. "Well, I suppose it would explain why the casewitch called this a drastic step, but why would she say that bit about how you had changed your mind?"
Snape flicked a bit of lint off his trouser leg. "It came up during my interview with her, the issue of your name. She seemed relieved that I was content for you to remain Harry James Potter."
Harry blinked. "Well, I guess this version of things explains pretty well why she's reluctant, then. She was in the Order the first time around, I think Dumbledore mentioned. She wouldn't want my name to lose its... uh..."
"Cachet is, I believe, the word you're grasping after," Snape inserted. "Your name has symbolic meaning, even more so now than when you were younger. Winning a Tri-Wizard Tournament will do that. "
"I didn't win it," Harry muttered. "Not really."
"Definitely a Gryffindor."
Harry was still caught up in the dream. "Suppose you're right. What unfortunate circumstances could make it so necessary for you to change my name? I mean, what on earth would that solve?"
Snape shrugged. "Who can say? Up until recently you had living relatives, thus Ministry has known itself restricted with regard to you. Now, in a certain sense, you are more vulnerable. Imagine that the threat from Voldemort intensifies. Fear sweeps the land. Fudge desires to use you for public relations purposes, and I quite rightly object. As my status as your guardian is not based on blood, they attempt to abrogate it. I conclude that changing your name would dissuade the Ministry."