The story might involve the child being from a past relationship that Harry had forgotten due to some spell or memory charm. As he finds out, he has to face the mother of the child as well. This could lead to a complex web of relationships and emotions. He might struggle with whether he can be a good father, considering his own difficult upbringing without his parents.
One popular fanfiction could be 'Harry Potter and the Lost Kitten'. In this story, as a child, Harry discovers a magical cat that leads him on an adventure through the Forbidden Forest. It has elements of mystery and friendship.
The plot could be that the cat is a magical key to a hidden chamber. As a child, Harry stumbles upon the cat and realizes it has a strange mark. When he touches the mark, it reveals a map that leads him to a secret chamber filled with ancient magic and knowledge.
Well, in the fanfiction, Harry might first try to find the owner of the cat. He could use magic to see if there are any identification spells on the cat. Then, he might take it to Hogwarts. The cat could be a magical cat with special abilities, like being able to talk or lead Harry to a hidden place in the school.
Well, he might discover a whole new world of magic in that fanfiction. Maybe it contains spells that are not in the original books. He could get inspired to try out new things or it could even lead him to new adventures within the Hogwarts library, like finding a hidden section related to the ideas in the fanfiction.
It could be a snowy owl, just like Hedwig. In the original series, Hedwig was Harry's loyal and beautiful owl. A fanfiction might follow this idea and have Harry find a young snowy owl that he bonds with immediately.
At first, Harry would probably be in shock. He's been through so much in his life, and this would be a huge new development. He might be a bit hesitant and scared, not sure if he's ready to be a father. But as time goes on, his Gryffindor courage would kick in and he'd start to take on the role with determination.
It can change the storyline a great deal. For instance, if Harry finds advanced technology that can detect dark magic more accurately, he can prevent some of Voldemort's attacks earlier. So the whole battle against Voldemort could be much shorter and less destructive.
It could expand his understanding of magic. Since fanfictions often explore different aspects of magic, he might learn about new types of magic that he hasn't encountered before. This could be something as simple as a new way to use a wand or a more complex magical theory.
In this kind of fanfiction scenario, Snape might initially be conflicted. On one hand, he has his long - standing dislike for James Potter, Harry's father. But on the other, his sense of duty as a Hogwarts professor could kick in. He might reluctantly start to heal Harry, all the while muttering under his breath about how much trouble Harry always seems to get into, just like his father. Then, as he heals Harry, he might start to see some of Lily, Harry's mother, in him and soften a bit.
The pet might introduce Harry to new magical creatures or areas. For instance, if it's a cat that loves to explore the Forbidden Forest, it could lead Harry to discover hidden places or meet other magical beings that he wouldn't have encountered otherwise. This could expand his knowledge of the wizarding world and his own powers.