Thanks to those who reviewed! I was way excited! So, here's the next chapter! ( I know I'm spoiling you but uni is back soon and I'll have to slow down then so I'm trying to get as much out now!)
Chapter TwoEarlier that day…
Severus was most annoyed. He had been eating breakfast with his family, debating with Cassi what to do with the fine summer day beginning outside when Fawkes had flared in. The letter was short, requesting Severus' presence in that way that only Albus could manage, a request that while seeming polite was really no request at all. Cassi was used to such things and merely smirked at her husband's scowling face, even as he kissed her and then their son good-bye. Stepping into the now green flaring fire Severus snarled "Hogwarts- Headmaster's office".
His mood was not improved when he was met with Albus' twinkling blue eyes as he stepped out of the fireplace. "Tea, Severus?" Albus offered, as he always did, not surprised when Severus merely glared in response, he never accepted the tea. "Lemondrop?" or the lemondrops.
"Albus, while you may have nothing better to do with your summer, I prefer to enjoy my time free of these brats with my family"
Severus was actually surprised when Albus' eyes lost their famous twinkle. Severus had only ever seen the old man this serious once before, and that was the night that Albus had announced the death of Lily and James Potter. Severus had been a spy for many years, and he had survived in an occupation which did not forgive mistakes by knowing when it was better to simply shut up and wait. He quickly decided this was one of those times.
It did not take Albus long. "Some months past I received a letter, time delayed by Lily Potter to arrive exactly 6 months before he son's 16th birthday if anything should unfortunately happen to herself or to James. The letter spoke of an event which occurred shortly before her marriage to James, apparently 2 months before her wedding she began to have doubts, get 'cold feet' as the muggles say. Apparently during this time she ran into someone who had once meant a great deal to her. Do you remember the event to which I am referring Severus?"
Severus wasn't sure if Albus truly wanted an answer but he somehow felt compelled to offer one anyway. "I do Albus" Although he felt he should offer more his throat seemed to freeze shut. 'Why must Albus draw out old memories best left behind?'
"As you know Lily returned to James, surer now then ever of the decision she had made and continued with her plan to marry him. What none of us knew was that it didn't take her long to realize she was pregnant. The timing meant that she could not be sure if it was James' child, she managed to find a spell which would identify paternity. Not wanting to hurt James but knowing she couldn't lie to him either, she went to him and told him he the truth, about what had happened, about the fact that the child she now carried wasn't his."
Each word seemed to freeze his heart a little more, squeeze his throat a little tighter. He wasn't sure how he continued to breathe, wasn't sure how he was managing to sit quietly while his mind screamed at him to say something, question, protest, deny… anything! Lily only had one child and that child was a little James in everyway.
"Lily gave James the option of ending their engagement, but he loved her and he knew that she did love him. He also knew why she had originally ended her relationship with you, that your… political opinions at the time would not have allowed you a 'bastard child' to a muggle-born witch. As such, James and Lily decided to continue with their engagement and no one would ever know that the child wasn't James'. They would use a glamour to ensure that he appeared as a child of theirs should and James claimed Harry as his in every sense of the word."
'Harry'. Until Albus actually said his name Severus had been hoping that somehow they were discussing some other child. But no, the fates rarely smiled his way and it seemed that this time they were smirking. He always wanted a family, felt his child, any child, was a blessing. Now he finds out that he was 'blessed' so long ago, and that that child had been kept from him. On some level he almost understood but that small part of him was buried deeply under the rage at having his son kept from him, the rage that first Lily, then James and finally Albus had conspired to keep his child from him.
Like a good little spy, he covered his emotional response without thought, hiding his rage until he had time and opportunity to properly express it. Besides, right now Severus needed all the information he could gain, and Albus was his only source. He knew that he didn't know Harry, not really. He was so busy maintaining his cover as the perfect little Death Eater that he never had the opportunity to get to know Harry, plus when he went to tell Harry later, and he would tell Harry, he would claim his son, he wanted to be able to tell the teen as much as he could, answer all the questions he was able to.
"Continue."
It seemed to be all Severus could manage to say, he hoped that for once Albus would give the information that the other person in the room sought, not what little information the old man felt the other person needed to know. (But no, Severus wasn't bitter right now at all.)
"I assume you mean why didn't I tell you 6 months ago when I found out, or perhaps why am I telling you now? I wanted to tell you Severus, I did, but Lily's letter requested that I didn't, not until after Harry's 16th birthday. She knew that you could never let such information rest, that you would act in some way, though she was unsure as to how, and as such she insisted that I wait till the last possible moment, that is now. The charm Lily and James used would only last approximately 16 years without renewal; they expected it to wear out within a few months of his birthday, either side. That is why I was made aware so early, incase the charm failed and Harry came to me for answers. He has not, but the time is coming and now that he is 16 Lily felt that he had a right to know."
So, his son probably did look like him. The thought gave cold comfort as he realized what was being said, the implications to this child. They were going to pull his whole world out from under his feet. 'Your father isn't your father, your face isn't your face, dear gods above let there be no more!'
"Where is he? Where is my son?" Severus knew that his anger was showing now, but he didn't seem to be able to care. He saw the protest begin on Albus lips and, though his glares had never proven effective before against the old man, this time Albus paused at his look and decided to merely answer the question.
"At his Aunt and Uncle's home in Little Whinging."
Severus seemed to almost slam the green powder into the fireplace and left before Albus could gather himself enough to comment.
Severus, despite what some may think, knew better then to approach someone and hope for a favorable outcome in the mood he was in. Stepping though to Snape manor Severus didn't even pause to greet his wife and son before sweeping upstairs. His wife knew something was very wrong. Handing Tainen off to a House Elf Cassi quickly followed her husband.
She was shocked when she found him in their bedroom. With the anger in his every step downstairs she had expected to face a hurricane, not this broken looking man on his knees in the middle of the room. She rushed to him and he clung to her, unable yet to put into words what had happened that morning. Lucky for him, she knew him and understood this, merely holding him, waiting for him to gather himself. When at last he could speak the story poured from his lips, uncensored passion spewing forth all the feelings behind the facts.
She knew about Lily, knew what had happened. She knew all of him and as such knew his anguish at finding out he had a son he did not know. Hours past as she held him and he spoke till he had no more words. And she still held him. The sun set and the room darkened, she spared a thought for checking on Tainen but knew that the Elves would take care of him and right now this was more important. Eventually she felt Severus pull himself together.
"Go, bring your son home with you." They shared a kiss, him searching for the strength to do this, and her giving it freely. With that he was gone, walking till he was beyond the apparation barriers where he left with a crack.
Please R&R!
