"I am sure you all have noticed the absence of our esteemed potions master and it is now that I reveal to you why. Professor Snape came in contact with an artifact that causes the person to deteriorate rapidly and fatally. He is currently in the care of our own mediwitch in the infirmary and there is a cure but one that will not work for everyone. It is not looking good for our professor at the moment but I ask you all to hope for a breakthrough." Harry felt his stomach do a little flip and decided that after the meal he would go to the headmasters' office to ask about the man.
"Sir?"
"Yes my dear boy?"
"This artifact Professor Snape's fighting against, what does it do?"
"There is no artifact. He was discovered as my spy so he was trying to brew a potion to remove the dark mark from his arm. Unfortunately the potion started attacking him as the mark has been a part of him for so long."
"What's the cure?"
"There isn't one when it comes to Severus my boy."
"What would it be?"
"Why are you so interested, I thought you hated him?"
"Doesn't mean I want him to die sir."
"You're a good man Harry. We need a family member so that the potion would be able to differentiate between Severus and the Mark, alas, he has no living family so all we can do is stop it hurting him."
"Okay then. Thank you sir." Harry stood from where he was sat opposite the man and began walking towards the door to his office.
"Is that all then Harry?"
"Yes. Thank you for telling me." After bidding one another goodbye Harry walked out of the office and slowly down towards the infirmary, unaware of how late it was and curfew having already been with it being earlier because of Sirius Black on the loose. As he opened the doors the mediwitch came running from her office having been alerted to someone entering the room.
"Oh Harry, what have you done this time?"
"Nothing."
"Well then you should be in your dormitory."
"Yes I should ma'am. What do you need to help Snape? I mean, I know that you need a family member but what do you need?"
"Why?"
"Because I want to help."
"How?"
"Keep it a secret?" The woman nodded solemnly. "He's my father, I've known since I was 9 that he was my father, not that I met him until first year. My mum nor I have ever told anyone so there is no reason that anyone else would know."
"Are you serious? If not, he will die."
"He's dying anyway isn't he? The worst you can do is try and cut his misery short, otherwise you've saved him."
"You want this kept a secret? He knows that it has to be family, he told us that, he will surely ask when he wakes up."
"You can tell him that I helped but that is it. If he wants to know anymore he has to ask me himself. No one else needs telling though. What do you need?"
"You'll have to stay here the night, and I'll need to take some blood periodically to give him. He should be awake by morning if not fully recovered. He may see you if you are still here though."
"He's going to find out it was me anyway, it will just mean that you may have an angry potions master on your hands if I leave the room."
"I can deal with him if that happens. Come along young man, we've got your father to save." Harry swallowed harshly before nodding and following the woman over to the curtained off section of the infirmary. He paused when he saw the man on the bed looking even thinner than before with his skin a near deathly white as he took rough, shaking breaths occasionally. Madame Pomfrey noticed the change in the teen and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder where he froze at the end of the bed.
"It'll be alright Mr Potter."
"Yeah. Come on then, stick your needles in me and steal my blood." Harry sat in the plush chair next to the man's bed and held out his left arm while pulling his sleeve above his elbow.
"It's normally taken through cutting a finger but I can use a needle if you prefer?"
"Oh, finger's fine." Harry pushed his sleeve back down and offered the woman his hand, hissing slightly as she pulled a scalpel across his fingertip." He watched avidly as the blood welled to the surface quickly before flowing into the small crucible she held beneath the cut to collect the red liquid as it fell.
"Want me to put a spell on it to keep it open but it won't bleed, it will save me having to reopen it every time?"
"Whatever would be best Madame." The woman nodded while drawing her wand to place the spell onto Harry's finger, figuring that the teen would be having a tough enough time that night without having to have the cut remade each time.
"Very well, you may use the next bed if you wish to Mr Potter."
"I'm alright here thank you." The plump mediwitch was about to argue until she noticed how the teen looked towards the man he was there to save and relented. She wasn't going to make the boy leave his father who only revealed that fact because the man is dying. After injecting Harry's blood into Snape, once she ensured they would not fight each other's blood type, she noticed the teen's eyes closing so she summoned a warm blanket and wrapped it around Harry's shoulders.
"You're in for a disturbed night's sleep Harry. I'll need more blood each hour." Harry hummed in acknowledgment as she walked back through the curtains and away from sight. He sat there for a couple of minutes before pulling his chair nearer to the bed while resting his forehead against the mattress. That was the position that the mediwitch found him back in each time she came for the first several hours. It was not until she came to take some blood for the sixth time that she noticed Harry gripping Severus' hand tight in his sleep. By the eighth blood draw Harry was awake completely once more but still took up the cold hand in his own as some of the colour returned to the man's face, not that she ever commented on this development. "It definitely seems to be working, I was wrong to doubt what you were saying earlier it seems. Thank you for coming forward Mr Potter."
"Do you think I will be?"
"Will be what?"
"A Potter."
"I don't know, I'm sorry. He always wanted a child but was terrified of being like his own father. Whether or not he would accept having a child now I can't say. That is something you would have to ask him."
"I don't think he'd want me. That's why I've never told him about our relationship." Harry began tearing up but he wiped his eyes viciously and forced a smile as he looked at the woman. "I couldn't not come forward, whether he likes it or not he is my father and I couldn't let him die when there is a chance that I could have saved him."
"Honourable. He should be proud of you Harry." At these words the smile became genuine towards the woman but dropped slowly as he looked back towards the bed in front of them. "Only 5 more draws to go. At this rate I think he may wake up after 4 so you may have to stay for an hour of him being awake."
"Very well Madame. Seems he will find out my involvement quicker than I'd wanted. What do I say to him?"
"What do you want to say to him?"
"I don't know. I can't very well sit there and say 'hi dad'. He'll want to know more and I don't know what I'd say."
"You could just say that. I'd certainly pay to see his reaction." Harry chuckled quietly but it wasn't filled with glee but rather trepidation.
The man woke up earlier than either of them had thought to except and Harry was startled out of his thoughts by the man sneering his name before drinking some of the water that Harry silently offered him.
"What are YOU doing here?" he snarled just as Madame Pomfrey walked in and saw the dejection in the teen's eyes at how the man reacted.
"Time for your next blood draw Mr- oh Severus, you're awake, and terrorising young Mr Potter already I see." It was only at that comment that he looked at the boy and saw how his words seemed to have hurt the teen but he didn't understand why. Once the blood had been drawn Harry walked out through the curtains and sat on the bed opposite, out of sight of the others as Madame Pomfrey gave Severus the blood.
"Why are you giving me HIS blood Poppy?"
"You told us yourself that you need family connection to save you. Figure it out yourself Severus. That poor boy has been sat next to you for the last 10 hours, fretting over how you'd react to him while giving you his blood and hoping you'd wake up. Granted he was hoping to be gone before you woke up so that you wouldn't react exactly as you just did. I'm glad you're awake Severus, truly I am, but next time you might want to show some gratitude to the person who was willing to save you no matter what it took." Poppy walked away without another word and went to find Harry in the other section of the infirmary. "I thought you'd left." She stated quietly as she rubbed gentle circles on his back and offered a tissue to wipe away the silent tears.
"Still have blood to give him. Guess I was right, he hates me."
"It doesn't matter what he thinks, you're a good man."
"It does though. He knew we must be related for him to be better and he still hates me. Even if he doesn't realise he's my father and just believes us to be some distant cousin or something he still hates me and I'm the only living family he has. I was stupid for ever considering the possibility that he might have cared about me on some level. I'm going to go for a walk, I'll be back in time for the next draw Madame." She was reluctant to but she let the boy go off before returning to see if there was anything that Severus needed.
"Are you hungry or thirsty or anything Professor Snape?"
"Is Mr Potter alright?"
"That doesn't seem to be your concern right now. Nor is it what I asked you."
"He and I are related? How?"
"Yes, and that is something that he wanted to tell you himself. Although I'm definite he doesn't want to see you at the moment."
"Is he still here, can you ask him?"
"He is not, he will be returning to give up some more blood to save your life."
"When he does can you ask him if he will come see me?"
"I'll ask. Do you need anything else?"
"No, I'm okay thank you Poppy." An hour later Poppy returned and answered Snape's question before he could ask it.
"He didn't want to see you. I can try again when he comes back for the final lot of blood. You may not realise this but it really does matter to him what you think."
"I'm sorry."
"It's not me you should apologise to."
"I know, but he won't speak to me. Tell him I'm sorry?"
"Will do. He managed to heal you quicker than we thought, you should be able to make it to the feast tonight. I've let the headmaster know that there has been a breakthrough but you are not to have visitors until Lunchtime at least so I'd assume him to be here then."
"The faster you heal, the closer the familial connection. At this speed he has to be immediate family. I know he can't be my brother, it is impossible for him to be my father, that only leaves the one option Poppy."
"Well then start treating him better. You've known this connection for an hour, he's known of it for 4 years but the only you that he has ever known, is one that belittles him."
"4 years? And he never said anything?"
"I'm not meant to be telling you any of this. He only revealed it now because you were dying. How did you treat him in your first lesson?"
"Not well."
"So he has a father who hates him even though he doesn't know him. Is it any surprise that he didn't tell you? You know what it feels like to have a father who hates you, better it was a stranger instead, surely? As long as you didn't know who he was to you he could possibly imagine that it wasn't his dad who hated him. You woke up and must have realised that your only surviving family was him and still you sneered at him like he was filth. He's 13, Severus he's still a child, forgive him for acting like one."
"What do I say to him?"
"That's the exact same thing that he asked me about you, and I'll ask you the same thing I did him. What do you want to say to him?"
"That I'm a shit father."
"Perhaps you don't start with that." The two lapsed into silence as Snape slipped back into his thoughts, not even registering the mediwitch leaving nor her return bringing the next bit of blood. He didn't even notice her injecting the final lot of blood but he did register her leaving and the curtains parting as a tear-stained Harry walked in, refusing to look up at the man, focusing on the floor instead.
"You asked to speak to me sir?" Harry whispered in a meek voice.
"Yes." The two lapsed into an awkward silence as neither knew what to say. Snape slowly pushed himself up the bed so that he was no longer led down fully but sitting up more, and slightly off to one side. "Come here." Harry timidly stepped nearer to the man but still did not take his eyes off his shoes. "Thank you," Snape whispered as he reached out and gripped Harry's hand. This action finally got the boy to look up at him in surprise.
"You're welcome sir."
"I know the truth Harry."
"What- what truth sir?"
"I wouldn't have regained my strength this quickly unless you were my close family, leaving only one possible answer. Hello."
"Oh, that truth." Harry dropped his eyes once more as he pulled his hand back and crossed his arms tightly around his stomach.
"Sit down," Snape stated firmly as he patted the bed next to him, waiting for the boy to do as he said before he continued. "How did you know it would work? That we were related."
"Mum wrote a journal for me. Didn't really understand most of it because it spoke about magic and I was never allowed to use that word so I obviously couldn't ask about it. I understood one sentence well enough though, telling me that she wanted me to know that I may think I had no parents but that my real father was alive, and what his name was. I only knew who this mysterious 'Severus Snape' was when I came to Hogwarts, I got to meet the man I used to pray would come and save me from my family and he HATED me. So I never told you, and when I would feel particularly bad after a lesson or a detention with you, I would read the journal when she'd tell me that she knew my father would love me. I was almost able to believe it until the next time that I saw you and I'd be reminded of the truth."
"I'm sorry. I understand why you wouldn't want to tell me."
"I don't care."
"I guess that's understandable too. Thank you for saving me then. We don't have to talk of this again."
"Oh. Okay," Harry whispered as his eyes once again filled with tears, turning away from the man on who's bed he was sat. "I'll just go then. I'm glad you're alright sir."
"Wait, what's wrong?" Snape put a hand on Harry's arm to try and get him to stay. He shook his head quickly so Severus forced himself up fully to pull Harry round to face him and into a hug. "What's wrong?"
"You don't want me," Harry whispered into Severus' shoulder.
"What!? I- you said- I DO want you. You said that you didn't care so I thought you didn't want anything between us."
"I didn't care about you saying sorry to me. I didn't- didn't want you to feel guilty for me never telling you, it was my fault you didn't know."
"I made you feel as though you COULDN'T tell me."
"Didn't matter to me. I used to try and find you when I was younger. Figured that your name was uncommon so I might be able to find you."
"And I could come and 'save you'?" Harry nodded but from his position Severus felt it rather than saw the action. "Not in the muggle world you wouldn't have."
"I know. One of my teachers helped me once, it was the only way I could try and find you. She came back and told me that there was no such man. I figured I lost my parents again when she told me that, then after the sorting ceremony Percy Weasley told me your name."
"Then I treated you like an arsehole."
"Pretty much." Severus swatted the back of Harry's head.
"Brat." Harry pulled back from the hug and smiled at the man. As the two lapsed back into silence Harry started playing with his hands in a sign of nervousness. "Why were you hoping to be saved?"
"Doesn't matter."
"Hey! I decide what's important when it comes to my son."
"Fine, but when you're healthy."
"I'm fine."
"I'll just go clarify that with Madame Pomfrey, shall I?"
"You'll be telling me once I'm released from her clutches then."
"Yes sir."
"Only in lessons."
"What?" Harry asked with furrowed eyebrows.
"If we both want this, you have got to stop calling me sir unless we're in lessons."
"What do I call you then?" Severus seemed to think for a few minutes before looking to Harry with a half-smile.
"I don't know." Harry chuckled at the man's response.
"Sev?"
"Sure. If that's what you want to use, if that's what you're comfortable with." Harry chewed the inside of his lip in embarrassment and nerves, an action that wasn't missed by the potions master as he looked at his son.
"Why do you hate me?"
"I don't. Not really. I had to pretend while I was still a death eater and I hated your father. Well, I hated James. I hated your father as well actually. I just took all that out on you to further my act."
"Did you succeed in removing the Mark before you- you started dying?"
"I don't actually know. I was preoccupied with the idea of NOT dying." Severus looked down at his left arm and the long sleeved shirt he was wearing, apprehensive of what he might find if he moved it. Harry could see his nervousness though so he took it out of the man's hands and pulled back the sleeve without looking, letting Snape see. "That'd be a no then." Harry finally looked down to check if the man was joking or not but found the black ink.
"What is the Dark Mark?"
"It's the sign all death eaters have that enables the Dark Lord to call us."
"No, I mean, what is it? A charm, spell, tattoo, potion? What?"
"It is a spell combined with a brand that the Dark Lord would mark us with if we reached his Inner Circle. He activates it when he wants to summon us and it'll burn to tell us that he's calling. Unfortunately I don't have to answer but he knows I won't suddenly appear before him so he uses it to torture me. Burning my arm past what he would for a summons."
"What would happen if you removed it?"
"It would never fully be gone. I would still have the brand, like a scar, but it would sever the connection to him so he couldn't use it against me."
"Isn't there some sort of counter-spell?"
"Yes, and we've tried, but it doesn't seem to work."
"Can you show me it?"
"What sort of father would I be getting you into the dark arts?"
"I don't know, never known what it's like to have a father before. I don't know what they act like."
"I have but I don't think mine is anything to aspire to be. Think how I feel though, you've never had a father so you don't know what to expect. I'm a father to a 13-year-old and I still don't know what I should expect."
"Yeah, I think you've got it worse. So, can I see?"
"Oh fine. Why the interest though?"
"Curiousity. Wishful thinking." Snape cocked a single brow at the boy. "I saved your life last night, I don't want you to have to spend it being tortured." Severus smiled at the boy.
"Don't you have lessons to go to?"
"Potions is cancelled but Madame Pomfrey banned me from other classes for the day. Something about blood loss and shock and an emotional night and my father being on his death bed a few hours ago. I don't understand it really but I'm not going to complain."
"I can accept her judgement there. I guess even if you've known about me for the last 4 years you've had quite the roller coaster in the last 12 hours."
"I've been giving you my blood for 12 hours, the roller coaster started about 15 hours ago when Professor Dumbledore told everyone of your plight, well somewhat anyway."
"Are you alright?"
"Sure, you?"
"Don't lie to me, no one could be fine after the night you've had."
"I- I'm confused. I'm scared. I'm thrilled. I'm nervous. I'm absolutely terrified. And I kinda want to throw up."
"That'll be the blood loss probably, have you told Madame Pomfrey?"
"I think it's more you actually. The combination of all the different things going through my head."
"Well I'm sorry I make you sick."
"Oh shut up."
"Excuse me, I'm your father show me some respect," Snape stated firmly adding worry to Harry's list of emotions until he noticed the man smiling at him. "Come on, explain to me. Why each of those things?"
"I'm confused because the man I've known is my father for 4 years now knows of me and I don't know how I'm meant to act with him. I'm nervous because I don't know how you're going to act with me. I'm thrilled because you were dying, and rapidly, now you aren't, you're alive still. I- I'm scared- I'm scared because-" Harry's brows furrowed as tears grew in his eyes and he lost all words from his mind prompting the man to pull him into a second hug.
"It's okay Harry, just breathe. Take a deep breath for me. Take your time, okay? You don't HAVE to tell me."
"I'm scared that you hate me. That the man I prayed would save me will just end up treating me the same as the people I wanted saving from. I'm scared that you'll be just like them and I don't actually think that I could take that. I'm scared Sev, and I don't know what to do, what you expect of me and from me and what I should expect from you."
"What I want from you is for you to be happy and to come live with me if you want, although that we will have to figure out slowly. It's okay to feel scared, even for a Gryffindor, and confused, and nervous, and everything else going on in that head of yours. Got that?"
"I'm not a true Gryffindor."
"Of course you are, that's where the hat placed you."
"Didn't want to though. He wanted to put me in Slytherin but I said no, ergo a lion, that is not brave at all when it comes to having a family or anyone who cares for him. What kind of Gryffindor would be scared of his family? I can tell you the answer, not a very good one. Hell, Neville's been dropped out of a window and off a pier yet he isn't scared of his family."
"Longbottom?" Harry nodded so Snape shook his head while rolling his eyes. "They always did behave strangely with one another. Although I'm must say, I'm much more interested in knowing why you said no to my house, considering you didn't know that I was your father yet. Although the sorting hat would have figured that out from your thoughts pretty quickly."
"Malfoy. I'd met him already. That put me off first but then everyone kept telling me that all Slytherin students were pure evil and I wanted to fit in."
"You don't need to be brave for me. I will always to my best to make sure that I never hurt you in any way."
"Thanks. Hard belief to break though. Or would it be a habit? Would you refer to the bravery, or lack of, as a habit or as an emotion or thought? I never really thought about that. Is brave what you are or what you do?"
"What's hard to break?"
"Being scared. Trying to be brave. Accepting that you won't hurt me."
"I know we haven't had the best relationship in the past but I wouldn't-"
"I know YOU think that. I've never had an adult care about me who didn't hurt me eventually though. Why are you any different?"
"Because I'm family, I'm your father."
"Vernon, Petunia and Dudley are family, didn't stop them. He was the closest I KNEW as a father for so long and it didn't stop him."
"I'll swear on my magic never to hit you or do anything of the sort to you?"
"I don't want that. I want you not to hate me and hurt me because of who you are, not because some vow is forcing you to act a certain way towards me. I want to trust you because you care for me, not because you care about losing your magic more than you care about me."
"Very well, no vow. Pure trust between father and son. This'll be a fun challenge for us both."