CHAPTER ONE

Harry Potter sat behind his desk in the dark dungeon awaiting for the arrival of his most hated teacher, Professor Snape. There was a light chatter amongst students, but all immediately went quiet as the door shut loudly when Snape entered the room.

"Page three hundred and thirty five." He said as he appraoched his desk. All remained quiet save for the sound of riffling paper as students found the appointed page in thier potions books as quickly as possible. Harry quickly found the correct page and read the title of the potion here in contained

'Paternus Potion.' It read. He glanced down the list of ingredients and found it quite short, it comprised of four items, baxweed roots, dragon scales, snakes blood and water.

"Who can tell me what Paternus Potion is?" Asked Snape his eyes surveying the room constantly for any unwary gryffindor he could swoop upon and take points or give detention. Immediately and predictably Hermione Granger's hand rose into the air. Harry didn't know why Hermione bothered when Snape never called upon her to answer. He liked, as he was doing now, to ignore her straight arm with fingers pointed upwards to the sky. Harry shook his head to himself.

"No one?" Replied Snape staring staright at Hermione and acting like her hand was as limp at her side as everyone else's. Slowly another hand rose with deliberate and graceful movemnet, this hand belonged to Dracoo Malfoy. "Yes Mr Malfoy."

"It's a potion used to determine who your father is." Replied Draco and Harry couldn't help but npotice how basic an explaination that was, Hermione's would have beenbmuch more in depth.

"Very good, Mr Malfoy." Replied Snape. "Ten points to Slytherin, and Ten from Gryffindor for their serious lack fo knowledge." Thier was snickers from the Slytherin's and groans from the Gryffindors but no one challenged Snapeby now they had all learned that would only lose their house more points and probably only gain themselves a detention. "This potion only takes ten minutes to prepare so begin." Soon the room was full of coloured smoke as the potion was brewed. Harry looked at his own concoction in his cauldron and found to both his relief and aurprise that it was the exact colour and texture it should be. Ten minutes later everyone had finished and Snape began to wander the room glancing into people's cauldrons and praising Slytherins or else kindly informing them what had gone wrong. Soon he reached the Gryffindor side of the room, any potion brewed correctly recieved no comment however Nevilles potion, which was green instead of clear recieved an onslaught of verbal repremandation, probably due to the fact that he was for once unable to find fault with Harry's.

"Right you will all prick your finger and allow one drop of blood to fall into your potion." Harry picked up his wand and conjured up a thin pin which he then pierced the end of his finger with. A dark crimson patch appeared, slowly gathering until one tiny droplet fell into the potion. "I will act as the tester, and since I have fathered no one in this room," he paused and glanced at the gryffindor side of the room. "Thank Merlin, your potion should turn black a a negative result." He walked over the Draco Malfoy's potion first, pricked his own finger and one drop of blood fell into the cauldron. The clear liquid instantly turned black. "Who can tell me the colour it would turn to show a positive result?" Again Hermione's hand went up and again Snape ignored her, and again Draco raised his and again Snape called upon him to answer.

"White, Sir." He said and Snape nodded, Hermione's hand remained in the air and when Snape continued to ignore her she spoke up.

"White unless the childs appearnce had been altered prior to birth." She said causing Snape to divert his attention from Seamus potion which had now turned black. "In which case it turns a transparent red colour for negative and a transparent blue for positive."

"I did not ask for your input, Miss Grnager." Retorted Snape. "Ten points from Gryffindor." By now Snape had reached Harry's potion and added his drop of blood as Harry watched the potions master instead of his potion. Suddenly Snapes features changed to shock as he stared at Harry as if he had was only just first laying eyes on him. Harry glanced down at his potion and almost gasped out loud. It had turned transparent with a vibrant shade of blue. He looked around the class and saw them all straining to see what had surprised thier potions master so much, however ron and Hermione who were sat either side of him could both see the potion. Harry quickly waved his wand, vanishing the potion and ran from the dungeons as quick as he could, hearing the sound of pounding footsteps behind him signalling that his friends had followed him.

"Harry wait up," called Hermione but Harry didn't slow. He didn't know where he was going but it had to be as far away from Snape as possible. This was some sort of cruel trick he was playing on him, right? Thought Harry but wasn't convincing himself very well.

"Harry!" Called Ron his voice sounded closer than Hermione's he was obviously keeping up better. Harry didn't stop he kept running. What if it wasn't a trick, he thought. Then how could that be? Snape would have to have slept with... He didn't finish the thought but stopped abruptly and shortly afterwards hearing panting breaths behind him. He had his fists clentched and his arms were shaking. That couldn't be true, could it? He turned suddenly to meet the gaze of his worried friends.

"Harry are you alright?" Asked Hermione and Harry had to resist the urge to throttle her. Of course he wasn't alright, a paternity test was saying that Snape was his father.

"Come on, mate." Said Ron. "We can go somewhere quiet and talk." Harry shook his head.

"That potion doesn't lie, does it?" Asked Harry a tremble in his voice, praying above all hope that Hermione would just decide to not answer, no such luck.

"Not as far as I know." She replied.

"But you look like your dad, Harry." Said Ron and a tear trickled down Harry's face as he remembered what Hewrmione had said.

"Transparent blue," said Harry. "Means my appearnce was changed before I was born." He looked up at Hermione. "H... How would someone do that?"

"Dark magic." She replied

CHAPTER TWO

Harry had skipped the remainder of his classes that day and was laying down on his bed, his face stuffed into his pillow while everyone else was in the great hall eating dinner. Ron and Hermione had wanted to stay with him but Harry had, after a good ten minutes of arguing, convinced them that he would be alright and just needed to be left alone. He lay there listening to the tappingof rain against the window then climbed off of his bed, his eyes all red and sore. He needed answers and there was only man who could give them to him. He put his shoes on and headed out of gryffindor tower making his way towards the dungeons. He had a feeling Sanpe felt like eating about as much as he did, not at all. The halls were deserted and he quickly reached the dungeons. He didn't knock but just enetered the classroom and into Snape's office. Upon hearing the door open Snape looked up from his desk where he was sat, his eyebrows were furrowed as if in deep thought.

"We need to talk." SAid Harry bluntly and satnding infront of the potions master, who merely nodded looking no less shocked than when Harry had left the classroom earlier that day. "Did you... did you have an affair with my mum?" He asked and again Snape just nodded. "Did either of you get found out?" This time he shok his head. "Did you know about..." Harry paused wondering how to word it then decided to just say it, "about my altered appearance?" Harry expected Snape to shake his head but he slowly nodded.

"Then you knew!" Harry exploded at him. "You purposely set that potion so I'd find out, you..."

"No I didn't." Replied Snape cutting Harry off from his rant. "I swear I had no idea," he continued. "The spell had conditions, they..."

"How do you know so much about it!" Shouted Harry. "Have fun discussing how little Harry should look?"

"It wasn't like that." Snape said. "It was just one small condition to it." Snape now stood up and walked round the front of the desk and placed his hands on Harry's shoulders. Harry shrugged them off and took a step back.

"Don't touch me!" He spat ignoring what appeared to be hurt displaying on Snapes usually cold features. "What condition!"

"That any features of mine would appear as features of James." Answered Snape. "So it would only take effect if you were my son."

"How do you know so much!" Snapped Harry and Snape cast his gaze to the floor, something Harry had never seen him do before.

"Because I performed the spell." He replied. "Lily decided she wanted to be with James Potter and she didn't want to risk him finding out about us." Harry suddenly saw red.

"AND EXACTLY WHERE DOES MY WELFARE COME INTO ALL OF THIS!! DID YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT ME WHEN YOU WERE BOTH DOING ALL THIS PLANNING." He calmed slightly. "And you just assumed you weren't my dad?"

"No." Said Snape. "I wanted to know if you were my son. I asked Lily and she took a tiny bit of my blood to do the paternity test. She told me it had come out negative. I swear I didn't know." Harry shook his head to himself trying to shake out the information he'd been given. No his mother wouldn't lie like that, would she?

"Harry..." Started Snape.

"Oh so it's Harry now, not Potter." Harry paused to catch his breath before continuing. "Why didn't you demand to present when the test was done?" Snapped Harry.

"I couldn't go to the house she was sharing with James Potter, and she claimed at the time you were il and she couldn't bring you out." Replied Snape his voice sounding distant.

"Why not bring some of my blood to you and not your blood to me?" Said Harry, he was trying to get his head round all of this, trying to make sense of it all.

"She obviously didn't want me to see the result," snapped Snape. "In case you haven't noticed she lied to me."

"DON'T SNAP AT ME!!!" Shouted Harry. "I'M THE ONLY ONE IN ALL OF THIS WHO DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG, SO DON'T YOU DARE SNAP AT ME."

"Don't raise your voice at me, young man." Replied Snape trying to keep his voice level and steady.

"Why what will do?" Replied Harry. "Spank my bottom, 'daddy-dearest'." What happenes next was so sudden that Harry didn't have time to react, he must have pushed Snape too far because his cheek suddenly stung where Snape's had just slapped him across the face, hard. Harry instantly brought his hand up to his burning cheek and just stared at Snape in shock. Snapes eyes suddenly went wide and he reached to touch Harry's cheek but Harry stepped back out of reach.

"Harry, I'm sorry." Said Snape and he genuinely sounded it, but Harry was hurting too much to care.

"Well atleast I now know why my mother lied to you," replied Harry rubbing his cheek. "She probably new you'd be a child beater." Harry then turned and headed for the door and upon reaching it turned back to look at Snape. "I don't care what any paternity test says, you are not and will never be my father. My father died to save me." Harry then left the dungeon not turning back round, and hence did not see the tear make it's way down his potions master's cheek.

CHAPTER THREE

"Today we will be transfiguring solid inatimate objects into small animals." Said Mcgonnagol to the class infront of her. "If you will all get out your wands please." Everyone pulled out their wands them Magonnaggoll continued. "The spell is 'animare fera'." Soon the class was full of voices chanting their spells trying to be the first to get it right, but Harry's mind wasn't on transfiguration today. It had been two weeks since Harry's confrontation with Snape and he hadn't been able to concentrate since. Was it really fare of him to tell Snape he would never be his father, after all it was really Snapes fault that his mother had lied to him. Harry put down his wand and started to consider this till a sharp rap on his shoulder brought him out of his thoughts. He looked up and saw Maggonngoll infront of him.

"Shouldn't you be working, Potter." She said and Harry looked at the stone infront of him and felt the heat rise to his cheeks.

"Sorry professor," he muttered picking up his wand and then realised he couldn't remember the spell, Maggonaggoll seemed to realise this.

"Animare fera." She said and Harry nodded.

"Animare fera." Said Harry pointing his wand at the stone, nothing happened.

"Animare fera," he heard Hermione say besides him.

"Well done, Miss Granger." Said Maggonnaggoll. "Twenty points to Gryffindor." Harry glanced over and saw a small brown mouse scurrying around on the desk where her stone had been. Class didn't last much longer and soon they were all headed down to the dungeons. Harry stopped and grabbed Hermione's arm.

"Tell Snape I'm not well." He said as he turned around to head back to Gryffindor tower instead.

"Harry you skipped every potions lesson since we brewed the paternus potion." Hermione was right. Harry had purposely been avoiding Snape he just couldn't face him. "You'll end up failing." Harry sighed, this was about school work and Hermione always seemed to win those arguments.

"'Mione's right, Mate." Said Ron. "You're gonna have to face him eventually, might as well get it over with." Great thought Harry, now he stood no chance.

"Fine," he said dully, he knew he wouldn't win against both of them, so a couple of minutes later he was sat in the dark dungeon.

"Page three hundred." Said Snape as he entered the dungeon then stopped when he noticed Harry. "Finally decided to join us, Potter." He said the last name with more venom and malice than Harry had ever heard him muster before. "I assume you've copied up the notes you've missed from someone, hopefully out of the two it is Miss Granger, as Mr Weasley possesses as little ability in this subject as you." Harry instantly felt hatred towards the men and wondered why he had started to actually feel sorry for the guy.

"You can't say one nice thing, can you?" Said Harry jumping to his feet. "Then I suppose that what comes from never having ever been with someone, And it wouldn't surprise me if your attitude is the reason you don't have kid's. Bet everyone you went tpo school with does. Or maybe a better man beat you to it." The abger was so suddenly etched upon his face and he took a step forwards. "What you gonna hit me again, go on then." And Harry jumped to his feet.

"You need to learn some manners." Retorted Snape his voice betraying how angry he was.

"Well I thought that's what your family taught you." Replied Harry his voice staedy and calm. "And you are not my family." Harry saw the hurt flash through Snapes eyes, and could see that he was struggling with an inner battle about what to do. Suddenly he reached out and grabbed Harry's arm forcefully and pulled round the front of the table and out of the dungeon everyone staring wide eyed at them. Once out side he grabbed Harry's other arm with his spare hand and forced him hard against the wall.

"Now you listen to me," hissed Snape leaning in so close to Harry that he could feel his breath on his face. "I can understand that you're a bit hurt by all of this, but you're not the only one affected by this. I thought..."

"I know what you thought!" Snapped Harry. "But it's not my fault she lied to you. I didn't ask for any of this."

"I I I... Me me me," Replied Snape. "Is that all you can ever think about. You're as conceited as..."

"As my father." Finished Harry. "Thats right, my father James Potter, not you." Harry then tried to push snape away buthe had a tight grip on Harry and refused to move. "Let go!" Harry shouted.

"No," said Snape. then looked towards the dugeons realising that someone may hear them and pulled Harry away from the wall and further from the classroom and into a spare one his grip tightening.

"Owe, you're hurting." Said Harry. "Let go." But Snape refused and his grip only tightened. Harry winced as fingernails dug into his skin. "Stop it."

"We're having this all out right now." Said Snape his voice had become more threatening and though Harry would never admit it out loud it was starting to scare him. Snape pushed Harry into a chair then waved his wand at the door which shut and looked, then performed a silencing charm on the room. "To avoid eavesdroppers." He said. Harry abentmindedly rubbed his sore arms while staring at his potions master. "Nothing to say now." Continued Snape. "You seemed to have plenty to say back in the classroom." Harry set his lips into a straight line averted his gaze away from Snape. "Though you seemed to have to say everything in such a manner so only I would get the gist of it, what's the matter scared to tel your friends that I'm your father." Harry opened his mouth to reply but Snape cut him off. "And don't say I'm not. You may not like the idea, you may even wish it weren't true but it does not change the clear and simple fact that it was I who fathered you."

"Like you're so fine with the idea." Snapped back Harry. "Didn't exactly see you announce anything to the class either, what's wrong don't want your precious slytherins to know you slept with a muggle-born." They then seemed to spend the next five minutes glaring at each other. "I always wondered what my oarents were like." Said Harry, "and what do I find out. My Father's a bitter twisted shell of man," at this Harry purposely looked directly at Snpe. And my mother was a slag." Harry hadn't menat the last part, he'd just said it cos he was angry that she'd gone anywhere near a man like Snape, and he regretted it the moment it left his lips but there was also no taking it back now.

"DON'T YOU EVER CALL HER THAT AGAIN!" Thundered Snape. "DO YOU HEAR ME!" And with that Snape sent his hand yet again reeling through the air and making direct contact with Harry's cheek. "I WILL NOT STAND HERE AND LISTEN TO SUCH VILE THINGS ABOUT HER, UNDERSTAND" Harry carefully placed his hand against his once again sore cheek and stared at the man before him, who had lost all composure and struck out because of what Harry had said. Had he really cared that much for her. Hary swallowed, rubbing his cheek and looked at the floor speaking so quietly it was barely above a whisper.

"I didn't mean it." He said not removing his gaze from the ground. Slowly he lifted his head to meet Snape's eyes after there was no reply.

"Wait here." He said as he walked towards the door and unlocked it using his wand. "I need to dismiss the class." Harry watched him go and remained in his seat fiddling with his fingers and waited. A few minutes later Snape returned and again relocked the door and silencio-ed the room. He was carrying with him a small bottle of some sort of potion wich he poured onto a cloth then placed it against Harry's cheek. Harry took a sharp intake of breath as his cheek stung and burned against the cloth, he went to move his head but snape quickly placed a hand behind holding his head in place. "It'll reduce the bruising." He said moving his hand from behind Harry's head and waited for Harry to hold the cloth against his cheek himself, slowly Harry did.

"You did care for her, didn't." Said Harry looking into Snapes eyes searching for some sort of truth in them.

"Yes," said Snape. "I did." Harry nodded and looked at the floor again, he didn't know what to say so they sat in silence for what felt like hours though it was more likely to only have been a few minutes. "Let me see," sadi Snape breaking the silence and moving Harry's hand and cloth from his cheek. "Is it still sore?" Harry shook his head. "That should be it then." again silence enveloped them until Harry spoke.

"I didn't mean it when I said you'd never be my father. I was angry." Snape nodded but remained silent. "It's not your fault you were lied to."

"That hurt when you said it." Replied Snape, surprising Harry a little, he'd always thought Snape hated him. "Before your mother told me yu weren't mine I would think about what it would be like to have a son, and after she told me you weren't mine... well... I started to think about raising a family."

"What happened then?" Asked Harry.

"Well I wasn't exactly in the right type of... environment, shall we say." Replied Snape, and Harry knew he was referring to his death-eater days.

"Didn't stop you with my mum." Replied Harry, then quickly added. "I'm not being horrid, just saying." Snape nodded.

"I hadn't been thinking of starting a family then, and I think that's why she made the choice she did. It's no life for a child having a death-eater as a father." Explained Snape and this time Harry nodded, he supposed that Snape was right.

"So why didn't you after Voldemort fell." Asked Harry. Snape shivered at mention of Voldemort but seemed to decide to ignore that Harry had said his name.

"I got ill." continued Snape. "And the only cure available left me incapable of producing offspring."

"Oh." was all Harry could say, and suddenly alot of things began to make sense. Snapes attitude towards Harry, the son he lost to his rival James Potter, the only chance he ever had of a family. He'd felt bitter about that, and as the result of the love triangle Harry had been the target of Snapes resent. Just then they heard a voice outside the door chanting some sort of spell ending incantation and the door clicked open. Harry and Snape both looked at the door to find Dumbledore stood there with Ron and Hermione behind him.

"Hello, Professor." Sadi Harry.

"Hello, Harry, Serverus." Replied Dumbledore.

"Afternoon, Headmaster." Replied Snape.

"Sorry to intrude but I had two worried students who minds needed to be put at ease." Continued Dumbledore, Harry smiled at Ron and Hermione.

"What's up, Guys." He said.

"We got worried." Said Ron. "The whole class did, well Malfoy and that lot didn't but all the gryffindors did."

"Snape seemed so angry, we've never seen him like that before." Said Hermione.

"'Professor' Snape." Corrected Dumbledore.

"Sorry," said Hermione.

"Well if everything is fine I'll be on my way." Said the headmaster and he turned to leave, "though I should remind you both the school day is not over." He added before disapearing down the corridor.

"I'm ok, Guys." Said Harry. "We were just talking." Harry noted that during all of this Snape was being very quiet.

"He's not making you say that, is he?" Asked Ron taking a step forwards and pulling out his wand.

"Ron!" Exclaimed Hermione making Ron stop and reluctantly put his wand away.

"Are you sure, Harry." She asked.

"Yes," said Harry trying not t laugh at his friends, it wasn't that they were comical, just how endearing it was when they worried so much.

CHAPTER FOUR

Harry lay awake in bed that night thinking over everything that had happened when he heard something being smashed, very faintly as if it came from the corridor. Instantly Harry sat up and jumped out of bed and crept out of Gryffindor tower, forgetting about his socks and shoes. The floor of the corridor was cold against his bare feet. He looked up and down the coridor and then shook his head guessing he must have imagined it when a shadow on the stairs caught his eye. Slowly he made his way down the stairs keeping just far enough behind if whoever it was turned around they wouldn't see him. He was most of the way down when he realised in his haste he hadn't picked up his wand. Well too late for that now. Slowly he descended and finally the shadow crept towards the dungeons and Harry wondered if it was just a Slytherin wandering the corridor and heading back to bed now. Harry was just about to turn back to bed when he heard a shout of surprise coming from the area of the potions classroom. Harry bolted the rest of the way down the stone steps to be met with a couple of Slytherins who had left their dormitory to see what the comotion was, ignoring them he ran towards the potions classroom.

"What's going on!" Said someone behind him, presumably to one of the other boys, but Harry recognised the voice it was Draco Malfoy's. "Potter!" He shouted but continuing to ignore everything around him Hary reached the clasroom door, and upon trying to open it found it locked and sounds of a struggle coming from the other side. Damn, he thought to himself why hadn't he picked up his wand.

"What are you doing down here, Potter!" Harry spun around when he heard this to find Malfoy stood there. His normally tidy hair was hanging in his face and he was wearing a black robe over his pjamas and then Harry noticed the wand in his hand.

"Apologies in advance, Malfoy." Said Harry causing Malfoy to look incredibly confused.

"For what?" He demanded.

"This." Said Harry as he snatched the wand from Malfoy's hand before he could react. "Alo Hamora." Said Harry pointing the wand at the door, but it didn't open. "Incantatem finite" Still whatever spell was keeping the door closed didn't cease. Harry wasn't losing his patience and not caring about school property and the likes he raised the wand once more "discutere" A bright light shot from the wand and an explosion was heard as the door was blown clear off it's hinges. Harry ran through the smoke that the explosion had caused and found Snape pinned against one of the desks his attacker with one hand wraped round his throat and the other gripping a wand that was pointed straight at his heart, Snape's wand was about a meter away from them and he himself was variating between trying to get the hand from his throat and push the wand away from his heart. His attacker was dressed completely in black with his/her face hidden below their hood, Harry knew this was a death-eater.

"Well look who decided to stop by," said the seath-eater but Harry didn't recognise the voice. "I'll deal with you as soon as I've killed this traitor."

"You'll do no such thing!" Exclaimed Harry wand infront of him. "Get away from him now." The death-eater merely laughed.

"Are you going to make me." He replied, Harry glanced at Snapes face, he appeared to be struggling to breath. Harry loked back at the death-eater and saw red.

"GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF OF MY FATHER NOW! EXPELIARMUS." The wand shot out of the death-eaters grip and he was thrown back against the wall. The Death-eater slowly got back to his feet and lunged forwards for Snapes wand, who was leaning against the desk trying to get his breath back. "CATAPULTA" Harry shouted and again the death-eater was shot back against the wall. "DON'T YOU EVER, 'EVER' GO ANYWHERE NEAR MY FATHER AGAIN. PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!" Instantly the death-eater was laying on the floor, as rigid as a board. Harry then began to hear a mumr behind him but ignored it as he went over to Snape and helped him into a chair.

Suddenly Harry started to hear a fainst clapping behind him. He turned around and found a few Slytherins were clapping at Harry's win.

"You called me your Father." Said Snape softly and Harry couldn't help a little half smile.

"I guess I did." He replied.

"What has been going on here," came a kind voice threw the crowd and it parted to allow Dumbledore through folowed by Magonnagoll.

"A death-eater broke into the school, headmaster." Said Snape.

"Forget that." Said a voice from the crowd and Draco Malfoy stepped out. "What we want to know is one, why that death-eater called you a traitor. Two, why Potter would want to save you. And three, What the hell he was doing calling you his Father." At this last statement Dumbledore looked confusingly from Harry to Snape.

"Is that true, Harry." Asked Dumbeldore and Harry slowly nodded. "Harry your Father...."

"No he's not." Said Harry cutting Dumbledore off. Snape looked down at Harry and raised a brow in silent question to which Harry very slightly nodded.

Snape nodded back then stood to his feet.

"A death-eater entered the school, and had it not been for Harry I would not be stood here right now." Continued Snape then looked at Draco. "And in answer to your questions Mr Malfoy, Since the Dark Lord already knows then I can freely say I have been posing as a death-eater to supply the light side with information, which would certainly explain Harry getting involved and finally the reason he called me Father is because that is what I am."

"Serverus.." Started Dumbledore.

"I can explain." Said Snape and he went into an explaination about the affair he'd had With Harry's mum, the lies he'd been told. "Only it turned out she'd lied to me," finished Snape. "A paternity test proved Harry to be my Son." The whole area was suddenly very quiet. Harry looked from face to face while fiddling with the wand in his hand and suddenly realised he needed to give it back.

"Malfoy," he said and handed the wand back. Draco took it and just stared at him.