"Let me see if I have this correct. For the past eight months, Professor Snape has been pretending to be my father. This was after he created a potion, that you put in my pumpkin juice once a month so that I would appear to be his son if and when I was tested. You encouraged numerous testing, including one from the Ministry. Together, you arranged the original parenting potion and genealogy potion to be done in front of witnesses, one during class and one when we tested it in my detention." Harry was sitting stiffly in the chair in front of Dumbledore's desk.
Harry could see that Snape wanted to speak, but decided not to. He was trying to process what he was learning. What started at the end of October. He had fought for months not believing the potions were true. He searched for months trying to find out how it was done. He had told Weasley and Granger that something was off. They didn't believe him. It wasn't until the end of December he yielded and started to meet with Snape a few times a week to work on their relationship. Of course, that was after he got threatened with the Ministry interference by Dumbledore and Snape.
"It was for the greater good Harry. It was a way to get you to be protected by Severus during the year, to allow him to spend time with you without arousing the suspicions of Tom's followers." Dumbledore popped another lemon drop into his mouth. He felt this was going to be at least a six lemon drop problem.
"So all those heartfelt conversations, after the numerous guilt trips you and Granger sent me on, was just a ploy. I didn't want to spend time with him, but you, with Granger and Malfoy, made me feel guilty for rejecting the only family I could have had all while saying it was for the greater good. You know how my relatives treated me. You knew the only thing I ever wanted was a family. Someone to actually love me, not Harry Potter. Especially after Sirius' death. Did you forget what you promised me last year?"
"Harry, we couldn't tell you, you had to have a natural reaction in the classroom." Dumbledore stated. "We needed the shock to be genuine."
"You had eight months to tell me. You had eight months to say Harry don't take Snape's name. You didn't and now I lost everything from my real father. I didn't want to change my name, but you and Granger, again with Malfoy, made me feel guilty for not taking his name." He had a brief flash of the lecture Granger gave him about the importance of family and how names meant a lot in the wizarding world.
"Harry, I am sure we can get it back." Dumbledore looked quickly to Snape, who still wasn't speaking. The man had already voiced his opinion, numerous times, on the foolhardy plan. He didn't want to listen to Snape tell him "I told you so."
Harry exploded. "No, I can't. You see, when I spoke to Gringotts and the Ministry I was told I couldn't since I willingly gave up the name, and there aren't any other people in the Potter line, I can't get the name back." He wasn't about to tell them he claimed the lines above it, enabling him to get his family vaults back, they didn't need to know that. He was, however, stuck with the name of Snape, until he could arrange some rituals to get himself one of the older names in his lines.
"You mean you are keeping my name?" Snape gasped. "I don't want you to have my name. It was bad enough having to pretend to be your father."
"Thanks. I'm so glad the last eight months meant that much to you. So how much of a laugh did all of you have? I can't believe I fell for it. Now you want to ship me back to my relatives. You are unreal. I have spent the last six years following your advice, listening to all you said, believing it all, and each time I did, you lied, kept information from me, sent me back to be abused. I didn't say anything. I only asked after Sirius' death that you don't hide things from me, you promised you wouldn't, and you have again. No more. No longer."
"Oh, poor little boy, what's a matter, your relatives won't bow to your whims now that you have my last name? Can't be proud of your bully of a father?"
Harry turned and faced Snape, his eyes blazing with anger. His face was set in stone, his posture stiff and as he opened his mouth, in the coldest voice possible. "You know nothing. You have spent the last eight months belittling me, I ignored it. I was trying to work on a better relationship. You want to see what I had to endure, what they did to me. Let me show you." Harry's glamour fell.
"Get a good look. This is what they did. This is what he allowed to happened. This is what I went home to each year." Harry lifted his shirt sleeve, showing a large scar. "This is from a basilisk bite in my second year." He lifted his other sleeve and pointed to the mark. Harry ignored the other numerous scars. "This is the present I got from the graveyard during the Triwizard Tournament." He then lifted his pant leg. "This is from the lovely spider that bit me in the maze, during that last task. They were bleeding for hours before he finally let me go to the Infirmary. So don't tell me how pampered I was or am. Don't tell me how easy I had it. When you have gone weeks on just filling up on water and a few pieces of stale bread, locked in a cupboard, come and tell me how spoiled I am." He lowered his sleeves and pant leg. "I am done." Harry marched out of the office, with robes billowing behind him, almost exactly the way Snape's did.
Neither spoke for several minutes. "You knew?" Snape finally asked. He was recovering from seeing the numerous scars over Harry's neck, face, arms, and legs. He had thought Potter's was avoidance about learning Occlumency, but if he was hiding those images, he was better than Snape thought.
"I did. I didn't know it was that bad, but I knew he didn't have an easy life. I know that Petunia wouldn't love him as much as she would her own son, but I didn't think it was that bad." Dumbledore wasn't sure what to do now. He couldn't send Harry back there knowing what he did now, but he wasn't sure where he could keep him safe. He knew Snape wouldn't let Harry stay with him.
"What are you going to do?"
"I am not sure. I always thought he would be able to get his name back. It's why I told Hermione to encourage him. Why did Draco?"
"Pure-blood views on family. I didn't know Draco was doing it. If I had I would have told him to leave the boy alone." He had thought that the boy changed his name because he wanted to. Yes, he mentioned it, but he honestly was surprised when the boy did it.
"You aren't going to aid him, are you? You still don't care for him?"
Snape didn't answer right away. He still hated all things Potter, but he didn't know the truth. He honestly thought Harry was just like James. It had taken him almost two months to stop glaring, sneering and yelling at the boy before he could have a single conversation with the boy. "I need to think." Snape got up and left the office, his robe billowing behind him.
Harry went straight to the tower, turning himself invisible as he walked. He stood outside the portrait and waited for someone to either exit or enter. As soon as the portrait opened, Harry slipped into the common room and made his way to his bed. Neville and Dean were sitting on their beds. Dinner was soon, so he knew they would be leaving. He waited.
Most of his things were already packed as they were official leaving Hogwarts in two days. Their final exams were over and Harry knew he did very well on them, he bet they would be all outstandings. He had spent many hours studying with Snape. Ever since he got his OWLs results, surprising a vast number of people he knew he couldn't hide his intelligence any longer.
As soon as Dean and Neville left, Harry packed up the rest of his belongs, took his broom, his invisibility cloak, shrunk his trunk down. He put his trunk into his back pocket, opened the window by his bed, put his cloak on, and flew out of the room on his broom. He landed in the Forbidden Forest, made his way to the huge boulder in the far east corner of the Forbidden Forest, he hissed the password to the Chamber of Secrets. He had a lot of work to do if the Chamber was going to be his home for the next year.
"I am telling you, Albus, someone else is in the Castle. Each night we find books misfiled, half burned down candles, ink stains on the tables, and ashes in the bins from parchment." Snape told Dumbledore.
"I am aware." Dumbledore finally admitted. It had been going on nightly for almost six weeks. "I am not sure what is going on. The ghosts and the portraits haven't seen anything."
"Have you searched the Castle?" Snape had taken to patrolling at different times during the night and had yet to find anyone in the Castle.
"Yes, I have even spoken to her, and she can't find anything out of order. The wards aren't alerting me to anything out of place either."
Snape snarled and left the headmaster's office.
Harry stood in the library, hiding in the rafters', watching Dumbledore and Snape search the library again. He was enjoying the nightly attempts by them to catch him. Hogwarts was starting in two days. He had an appointment at the Ministry the same Hogwarts started. He couldn't wait for the mayhem that would happen a week after that.
He sent a chill down Snape's spine and saw him shiver. He smirked. He couldn't wait for this game to end. He was looking forward to his new life.
Snape and Dumbledore were sitting down discussing how their nightly visitor was still around. They were trying to form a way to catch whoever it was when McGonagall came storming into the Headmaster's office. "Tell me this isn't true?"
"I am afraid I am not aware of what you are speaking about." Dumbledore stated.
McGonagall tossed the Daily Prophet on the desk.
BOY WHO LIVED USED AND ABUSED
By Rita Skeeter
While I was researching a story I found some very interesting news. It appears our Savior has graduated from Hogwarts. He took his seventh-year exams on 1st of September and passed. I figured there had to be a reason so I began to research why our Savior wasn't at Hogwarts and discovered our Savior's new name. He is now Lord Harrison James Peverell.
In my research I discovered that Albus Dumbledore had submitted false evidence of our Savior's parentage. We reported on the 17th of October last year that Harry Potter was really the child of Severus Snape and Lily Potter, nee Evans, based on the evidence submitted by Albus Dumbledore. It turns out that the evidence was wrong. He is truly the son of James and Lily Potter. I have to wonder why false evidence submitted. What gain did the Headmaster get out of submitting such claims?
On 5th of January this year, we reported that Harry Potter was now Harry Snape, and from our sources at Hogwarts, we learned Lord Peverell was pressured by Albus Dumbledore, Hermione Granger, and Draco Malfoy into changing his name to Harry Snape. I will state for the record that Mr. Malfoy was unaware of the false parentage and was doing it out of loyalty to Professor Snape and our traditions of honoring family. Those beliefs were also shared to Lord Peverell by Neville Longbottom.
Numerous students witnessed the encounter with Mr. Longbottom and Mr. Malfoy when the issue was raised. Many stated that Lord Peverell was clearly unaware of how important family is in our world. He was also unaware of what last names truly meant in our world. Those same witnesses also stated how Miss Granger and Headmaster Dumbledore urged Lord Peverell to drop the Potter name and take the name of Snape. They saw several discussions occurring over a few weeks where Lord Peverell was made to feel guilty for not changing his name.
I am not sure how many of you are aware of some laws concerning family names, but the family name is very serious. When Lord Peverell gave up the family name of Potter, he ended the line and lost everything because of lies. Lies told to him by Albus Dumbledore and Hermione Granger. Lord Peverell was lied to and lost everything because the only way he could have gotten the family name back and his inheritance, once he realized he was truly James Potter's son, was if another Potter invited him back into the family. He was the last of the Potters, one of the Sacred 28. We have lost one of our oldest names because of lies.
According to my sources in the Ministry, Lord Peverell became Lord Peverell because of an older family line, and he was able to claim that title and any title, vault or land in that line. The records were sealed so I can't provide any further information.
According to my sources, Lord Peverell is leaving Britain. He has no desire to fight in the war and has told others he is done. He wants nothing to with the United Kingdom's magical world. He was heard saying he was tired of the lies, the deceit, and the yearly tests he had to endure at Hogwarts.
See page 2 for the yearly events during his time at Hogwarts.
Snape looked at Dumbledore and McGonagall. "The Dark Lord."
"Severus?" McGonagall asked.
"I didn't tell him that Potter was missing. I thought we would have found him by now." Snape looked at Dumbledore as his arm started to burn. He gasped as the pain intensified. "I need to go."
"Severus, you can't."
"I will think of something." Snape stood up and headed out of the office.
Snape landed in the graveyard and made his way into Manor. He started building his shields up and as he walked, he noticed there weren't any Death Eaters around. It was a good sign, if there wasn't anyone around then he might not be in as much danger as he believed. He didn't hear anything as he headed to the gathering room. The doors were opened and he entered the room, he gasped in surprise.
"You need to remove the charm before he passes out." Harry was sitting in a chair to the left of Voldemort.
"Severus, come in. After I remove the charm you will understand." Voldemort pointed to the chair to Snape's right.
"My Lord?" Snape obeyed. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he wasn't about to disobey Voldemort.
"Severus, let him remove it and you will remember everything. He already removed mine." Harry reassured him. "I promise you it's going to be fine."
"Fine." Severus consented. He watched Voldemort wave his wand and suddenly he remembered everything. "Oh, Harry." It was their plan. When Dumbledore created the idea of bringing them closer, he hadn't agreed. He had fought it with everything he had. Finally, they spent time together, he learned the truth about Harry over the winter holidays, when they were dueling and he had removed Harry's glamours. When Dumbledore decreed that Harry needed to take Snape's name, and what it would mean, the two of them plotted and planned. They worked out a training schedule for Harry and Harry sent a letter to Voldemort.
Shortly after that, they met with Voldemort and worked out the complete plan. It was Voldemort, who after Harry learned what it meant to lose his name, suggested the goblins. They had been thankful that the goblins were able to find a way around the last name issue and get Harry back his inheritance.
"Now I can remove your mark. I already hid my followers' mark, but I did promise I would remove yours if this plan that the two of you came up with worked. From what Lucius said, it worked exactly like we planned. Dumbledore is ruined."
"He is. His face when he saw the article by Rita when Minerva slammed the paper down on his desk was one I am going to enjoy."
"So Dad, you ready to go to America?" Harry asked Severus.
"Yes. The store and house just need some last minute touches." Severus answered. Yes, he was he fought kicking and screaming into Dumbledore's last scheme. It gave him a son. "Harrison Semptus Snape Peverell."
Harry grinned. "I have the port-key, Dobby already packed up your quarters and should be waiting for us at our new home. Kreacher is locking down all the houses and making sure no one from the Order can access anything."
"I love it when a plan comes together." Voldemort smirked as he listened to them make last minute plans.
Chapter 2
Dad, you home?" Harry had tried the store, but it was after hours and Severus wasn't brewing there. He started to head to the library. "Dad?"
"Yes, Brat. No need to yell." Severus had some books opened and was clearly research.
"I got a letter from Voldemort. He is getting married to Minerva in March and we are invited." Harry sat down in one of the empty chairs. The library was a mess. Harry knew he couldn't clean the room until Severus was finished with his research. "New potion?"
"Yes, so don't move anything. I'm aware of the news. I received the invitation. Minerva fire called me last night."
They had been in America for almost two years. Harry was attending Harvard and studying to become a doctor, while also taking some wizarding medical courses. Severus' specialized in creating potions for wizards and witches while having two assistants keep the shop stocked with the basic potions. "I guess we're returning to Britain?"
"For a brief visit. Voldemort and Minerva are coming with the Malfoys for the Yule holiday." Severus hadn't really looked at Harry since he arrived, but he knew his son. "Draco will not start a fight. I know the two of you will never be friends, but he is my godson."
"I will try if he does." Harry knew that Severus knew that the fights were usually between Wesley and Draco.
Severus looked at Harry. He had grown and changed so much since they left Hogwarts. The article about the lies concerning Harry's parentage had released a floodgate of information into the dealing Dumbledore had done. The man had stepped down from the position of Headmaster, followed by losing his position on the ICW and Wizengamot. Dumbledore even had his card revoked. "You know no one blames you."
Harry smiled, knowing Severus knew what he was thinking. "I'm aware, but Dad, I guess I will always wonder why he did the things he did."
"Power. He did it all for power and control. Why he picked you and your parent, I can't say. Why he did so many things will always remain a mystery because no matter what reason he gives us, it won't be the truth."
"True. Is Edna spending Yule here too?" Edna was a witch a few years younger than Severus, who worked at the local Salem Public Library.
"Yes, and before you ask, I plan on asking her on Yule." Severus had already removed the Prince rings from his vaults, and had them cleaned and polished. "I picked the rings up yesterday. How about your Miss Devilia?"
"She is going to spend Yule with her parents but will be here for New Year's Eve."
"Have you decided?"
"Dad, we still have two more years of college and then medical school before we make any decisions. Besides, let's get you to the altar before you worry about me."
Severus laughed. "I'm still shocked that Voldemort is beating us to the altar and to Minerva of all people, Dumbledore must be having a fit." Harry laughed too.