Harry was in the middle of eating a scone when the Great Hall's doors flew open with a large echoing bang. The entire room, which had been bustling with breakfast noise as usual, fell silent as the ex-Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor stalked his way to the staff table. Snape stopped in front of a smiling Minerva McGonagall and handed her a roll of parchment tied with black ribbon.

"It's good to see you, Severus."

"Your requested information, Minerva."

"Murderer! Coward! How dare you come back here after all you've done, Snape!"

The two conversing ex-colleagues, along with the rest of the Hall, turned to the voice in shock. Harry was standing up, holly wand pointed at the man in black billowing robes.

"How dare you! My son is not a murderer! He helped you little brats find every single one of those Horcruxes. He spied on Voldemort for over 17 years just so you could enjoy your childhood in peace. How dare you say my son is nothing more than a murderer, Potter! He took the responsibility of the entire Wizarding world while you couldn't even return your books on time!"

It was now Madam Pince who was the focus of attention.

"I knew it!" A third shout echoed throughout the room and all heads turned back to the Gryffindor table where a bushy-haired young woman stood. "Irma Pince is Eileen Prince!"

"What the bloody hell are you talking about, Hermione?"

"Don't you see, Harry? Eileen Prince didn't die like the Daily Prophet reported! It would have been too dangerous to return to the Wizarding world if she was a labeled Muggle-lover and her son was a Death Eater spy. So 'Eileen' died and 'Irma' moved to Hogwarts so she could still be near her son but without repercussions or attachments that could potentially hurt him. It's brilliant!"

"Well thought out, Miss Granger. 1 point to Gryffindor."

"Thank you, Prof- Master Snape."

"Hermione! What are saying?! This is Snape!"

"Master Snape, Harry. He isn't a Professor but he's still a Potions Master."

"I don't care what he is! He killed Dumbledore!"

"Ah, did he now? I certainly don't feel very dead right now."

All the entranced eyes now turned to the main doors where Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore stood, very much alive and wearing bright purple robes.

"Severus, my boy. Your plan worked brilliantly, as I knew it would. You ought to write it down and publish it."

"Honestly, Albus. I don't really think I need anymore attention right now."

"Severus Snape, respect your elders! Honestly! I'm sorry for his manners, Albus. It has just been so long since I've been able to correct that child. He can be rather difficult."

"Mother!"

Many of the younger were now almost in tears in their confusion. The older students, apart from the Ravenclaws of course, were also in a grand state of bewilderment. No one had ever heard Snape whine before. Snap, snarl and even smirk, but never whine. It was more than enough to keep the children silent while the soap opera in front of them unfolded. One seventh year Ravenclaw muttered that all they needed was Madame Hooch to be Snape's long lost twin sister who had been separated at birth and Dumbledore to be Madame Pomfrey's great-uncle on her mother's side. He was quickly quieted by his friends, many of whom poked him to stay silent.

"Severus! Why didn't you tell me you were innocent? Me, your own twin sister!"

The seventh year smirked.

"I'm sorry, Xiomara. You know you were always horrible at Occlumency. You might have been captured and tortured if they had even an inkling."

"Well, Uncle Albus. What have you to say for yourself then? Leaving me to worry."

"I'm sorry, Poppy. You know I have a tendency to forget the most important things."

"Sorry my arse. Mother always said you may have been her favorite uncle but you certainly deserved to be in Slytherin. I just knew the Sorting Hat had known something the rest of us didn't."

The students of Hogwarts, especially one emerald-eyed young man who still stood in shock, were by now ready to accept just about anything. The Ravenclaw who had smirked stood up.

"Well, if we are going to reveal all these wonderful familial relationships, I ought to come clean, Father."

Severus Snape snorted, "You aren't my son, Terry. You are only my ward of state, thank Merlin. What Rosalind was thinking when she named me your guardian I'll never understand. However," he turned gleefully towards the black-haired young man, who gasped in horror, "you, Potter, are an entirely different case. Now stand still, boy. This Adoption Revealing Spell won't hurt.

"Much."

His wand focused and a yellow spell sped at the Boy-Who-Had-Finally-Gotten-Around-To-Defeating-Voldemort. Harry screamed, "NOOOO!

"Never! Never!"

"Harry! Harry! Wake up, mate! It's just a nightmare! It's all right! You're safe now!"

Ron's voice eventually invaded Harry's inner conscious and the newly titled Savoir of the Wizarding world sat up, drenched in sweat and panting hard.

"You all right there, mate? You were yelling pretty loudly. Something about Snape and Dumbledore."

"Yeah, I'm all right, Ron. Just a nightmare. Go back to bed. It's nothing."

"Right, then. If you need me, I'm here. Try to get some sleep, Harry."

"Thanks, Ron.

"No problem."

Harry sat on his bed in 12 Grimmauld Place and listened to Ron pull his blankets over his head and go back to sleep. He shook his head to rid himself of the images the nightmare had created. It had all been so real…

"Calm down, Potter." He told himself, "It was just a dream."

And it had been just a dream.

Hadn't it?