The Hidden Father

Chapter One

Harry Potter bounded down the staircase to Severus Snape's lair that lay within the dungeons of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He wasn't looking forward to the occlumency lesson. Snape was never easy on him. Harry was the puppy that Snape liked to kick around because he could find no one else.

Harry rapped his knuckles on the dungeon door. A cold sneer beckoned him in. Snape was sitting at his desk, his nose still glued to the piece of parchment he was scribbling furiously on. His nose was pressing so close to the parchment, Harry was sure that the grease marks were making it impossible to read what he was writing.

After a moment, Snape got up and showed Harry to the chair that sat in the back of his office. Harry tended to fidget and struggle when Snape entered his mind. This time, Snape was ready. Last time, Snape got punched in the jaw. It was hard to not lose his temper, but he was sure that it was the boy's anger for the things he was reliving and revealing to Snape.

"Relax, ease your mind," he sneered.

Harry closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He tried easing his mind as much as he could. Every thought he had before had been replaced of thoughts of how much he hated Snape. "Legilimens."

A flood of light flowed from Snape's wand into Harry's mind. The light acted like a projector of Harry's fears and thoughts. Flashbacks of he and Ginny Weasley kissing; Sirius falling through the veil in the Department of Ministries; and the dementors closing in on he and Sirius by the lake in the Forbidden Forest. He began to twitch and struggle, he stood up out of his chair and charged at Snape. Snape dodged him, and let him run into the table. Harry hit the table hard and fell to the ground. Snape pulled Harry up to his feet but fell backwards in a shelf with glass phials and they fell on top of them, shattering on top of them. One of which had sunk deep into Harry's shoulder, Harry cried out into pain.

"Oh shit!" Snape picked Harry up and apparated to the Hospital Wing.

In the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomphrey took no more than a second to patch Harry up. He stayed the night though due to massive blood loss. Severus waited outside the wing all evening, worrying.

"Severus, he's fine, go to bed," Madam Pomphrey shooed him in a tired and irritated tone of voice.

"I'm sorry, but I feel so guilty," he sighed. Then Dumbledore appeared. "Severus, come with me."

Severus stood and followed Albus down the stairs toward the castle grounds.

"Severus, I know why you care so much for him," Dumbledore smiled.

"You have no idea how confusing it is for me, Professor," Severus said with a harsh and defensive tone.

"No, I may not be bearing the same guilt or conflict as you, but I know that one thing is certain. You must tell him. It is vital to everything that is to happen in the coming years. Besides, I think you need him, and he needs you," Albus reasoned.

"You know damn well that he will never accept me as his father, not even if his mother came back from the grave and told him that it was true," Severus was now irritated, not at Dumbledore, but at himself. And he knew Severus was right.

"He will come around," Albus said, and then left Severus alone on the suspension bridge.

A few days later, Harry was heading towards Dumbledore's office. He had been called for a private and serious meeting. Harry thought, was he going the fire Snape for what happened? Surely not, because Snape was the spy for Dumbledore so the Order could know what Voldemort was up to next.

Harry reached the Eagle statue that guarded the hidden passage to Dumbledore's office and found It already open and waiting for him. He didn't even have to knock at the door because before he rapped his knuckles on the door, Dumbledore beckoned him in.

"Harry, sit down."

Dumbledore gestured to the seat in front of his desk. Snape stood behind Dumbledore, arms crossed and had a look of worry that he had not seen on Snape's before.

Harry took a seat.

"I know that this is so out of the blue and not in context of what has happened in the last few days, but there is something I believe Severus would like to share with you. An important piece of information. Severus, it is all you now," Dumbledore said, leaning back and watching Snape carefully as he stepped forward.

"Harry," Snape began, "I-I am your father," he stuttered.

There was a moment of silence until Harry started laughing. Dumbledore and Snape exchanged glances of surprise and dismay.

Harry wiped his eyes from laughing so hard. "No really, what did you want to tell me?" Harry stared blankly at them, waiting for the two wizards to say something that was more realistic. When nothing came from them, Harry realized, they really weren't kidding.

"How? When? Where? Why? Who?" Harry jumped in confusion and anger.

Severus had a look of horror on his face, knowing that Harry was soon to resent him.

"Relax, Harry," Dumbledore said standing up and approaching Harry's side. "Let Severus explain further." Dumbledore nodded at Severus who came closer to Harry, paused before speaking again.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this. Your mother didn't want there to be any complication between your father and I, no more than there already was. So it was our secret. But I am sure James always knew. We thought it best."

"So what? I was an accident now?" Harry said, now very angry. He had to restrain himself from punching Snape.

"You were never an accident! I loved your mother very much! I wanted a life with her, more than you could possibly dream of!" Snape roared.

Harry rose from his chair, looked both of the wizards in the eyes, and turned and left.

Harry fled from the passage to Dumbledore's office and down the corridors to the main stair case. The corridors were empty and he was thankful. He started to jog off his anger. He ran out to the courtyard and on to the extension bridge towards the Owlery.

How could this be? Snape, his father? This was obviously some awful prank! Harry sat on the ground against the wall, his head in his hands. His whole body throbbed with anger. What was he to think about his mother now? What does the father figure, James mean to him now? How were things going to change between him and Snape?

"Severus, just give him time," Dumbledore said, watching as Snape thrashed about his office, punching walls and pulling books off of the shelves, which picked themselves up off the floor and went back into their proper places.

"That's very easy for you to say, old man!" Severus roared. Albus didn't flinch at Severus' hateful response. "You don't realize how this is going to change his whole point of view of me. I have to make up for the last 16 years of not being there for him when he needed a father so bad."

"The Holidays are just around the corner. That is the perfect time to make up for it," Albus suggested.

"It's going to take longer than just the holidays to get him to be even half way close to liking me."

"It's at least a start."

Severus knew he was right.

"Snape is your what?" Ron nearly choked on the chocolate frog he had just shoved in his mouth.

"My dad," Harry confirmed, still trying to process it himself.

"I can't believe this one bit," Hermione said, shaking her head, in utter confusion.

"This, my friends, is the complete definition of being mindfucked," Ron said.

"You're telling me," Harry said, throwing his head back against the couch and sighing. The common room was empty. It was late, and he knew there was no way in hell that he was going to get to sleep.

"What about the Holidays, you were planning on coming home with me to the Burrow, remember?" Ron said sadly.

"I don't see that happening now."

"It's worth a shot."