Title: Lions and Lambs
Pairings: Harry Potter/Severus Snape
Rating: T
Disclaimer: I never did and never will own these awesome characters from the Harry Potter series. Everything but the plot line is from the imagination of a brilliant British author, J.K. Rowling.
Warnings: This has not been checked by a Beta. If there are any mistakes in any of the chapters, review or PM and tell me what I need to fix. Trust me. I won't be offended. I will give anyone who helps the story improve a cookie, and by a cookie a mean either a very gracious 'thank you' or I will post another chapter and dedicate it to you.
Italics=thoughts
Bold Italics=the letter
Prologue
Death. All Harry could see around him was death. And destruction. He lost sight of everything around him. He couldn't keep anything straight. The only thoughts running through his head were 'It's finally over' and 'dead. They're all dead'. It was just moments after Voldemort had fallen, but the adrenaline was already receding and the pain and grief were making his chest feel as if a herd of hippogriffs had trampled all over it.
His vision seemed to turn all black, as black as the death surrounding him. There was a stabbing pain in his knees as he fell forward onto them, his legs connecting jarringly with the cold, stone floor. Then, over the roaring in his ears, he heard an owl screeching as it flew into the Great Hall. He didn't recognize the creature, so he was immensely surprised when the tawny owl landed in front of him. A leg was proudly stuck out toward Harry, who hesitantly took the weathered looking roll of parchment from the deliverer.
The Great Hall seemed to rush back into his consciousness and Harry suddenly became aware of hundreds of eyes looking at him trying to gage his reaction. Deciding it was best to ignore them all, Harry quickly exited the Hall, and when he reached an empty classroom, the Boy-Who-Lived sat down to read his mysterious letter.
To my beloved son,
Harry paused and stared at the word 'son'. He quickly glanced to the bottom of the note and nearly fainted when he saw the name 'Lily Potter'. 'Mum?' Harry wondered, 'If this is actually from her why am I just getting this now? Is this even possible?' When Harry received no answers, he returned to the letter in his trembling hands.
If you are reading this then it means you are finally of age and I am dead. First, I would like to say how proud of you I am. You've only been alive for four months, but I love you more than I ever thought possible.
Second, I'm afraid I have some big news. I'm just going to say it bluntly….James isn't your real father, Harry. James will always love you like a son, though. Don't ever doubt that fact. Your biological father, Harry, is Sirius Black.
'Sirius?' Harry thought, 'How is that even possible? This can't be true! Sirius can't have been my father. I was with him for two years, and the whole time I thought he was my godfather and my dad was dead.' After sitting, dumbfounded, at the letter from his late mother for what seemed like months, Harry decided the only thing to do was to read on and find his explanations.
I know it seems impossible, but you have to believe me. I love James, Harry, and I'm married to him, not Sirius. James and I had a major fight one night right before he had to leave on a mission for the Order. I was so devastated I asked Sirius to come over (you can tell how out of it I was to be desperate enough to ask Sirius Black to join me). He agreed to come to my house in a couple minutes, and, Sirius being Sirius, brought some Firewhiskey with him. I can barely remember what lead up to what we did, but I promise you Harry, we never did it again and never wanted to. Later, James and I made up and life went on.
When I learned I was pregnant, I took a paternity test and it confirmed my suspicions that you were Sirius's son. I put a charm on you so you look like James. I never told either man the truth, and I don't regret that choice. Sirius and I might have conceived you, but James and I are your mum and dad.
Please don't think any less of me. I'm doing what I think is in everyone's best interests.
Your mum,
Lily Potter
Harry's thought took a turn for the worse. They started out with 'James isn't my father, Sirius is.' which soon turned into 'I actually had a father for a while' which triggered 'I was that close to having a father and then I just had to go and get him killed by going to the stupid Ministry'. Harry began to feel self-loathing rise like bile in him. All he knew was that he needed to get away from everything. With that thought, Harry jumped up and ran from the small, abandoned classroom toward the big doors that would be his escape from all the painful memories Hogwarts held for him now.
He had almost reached his freedom when suddenly a very solid something was in front of him. Harry ran straight into the form, apologized quickly, and then made way to go around the unknown figure.
"Where exactly do you think you are going, Mr. Potter?" said a voice Harry thought he would never hear again. He looked up right into the face of Severus Snape. Images of giant snakes, blood, and the memories he received rushed into his mind. 'This is just a hallucination.' Harry thought to himself, 'I just saw Snape get bitten by Nagini. Snape's dead.'
Harry knew he had to get out of there. He ran straight out onto the Hogwarts grounds, not looking back, and as soon as he was out of the wards, Harry apparated away, fully intending to never return.
AN: Love it? Hate it? I wrote this whole story down in my notebook first, so this story is totally completed. I just have to type it up and upload it and do you know what makes my fingers type even faster? Reviews! The more you review, the faster you get the next chapter!