Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or anything pertaining to the Harry Potter universe. That honour goes to JK Rowling and her publishers.

Chapter 2

Kidnapping, Secrets and Truth

Severus clutched himself tightly around the middle. He had never felt so alone, so helpless. All at once he felt his normally strong occlumens shields break, his emotions flooded to the front of his mind and poured out of him in the form of tears. It was at that moment that Severus Snape, the feared and seemingly emotionless "bat" of the dungeons, found himself crying.

He cried over what could have been, he cried over his beautiful Lily Evans, he cried over memories long since past of a shy boy and a stubborn red headed girl, but mostly he cried over his guilt. He knew; with every tear that past his normally impenetrable visage, that it was his fault that Lily Evans was now dead. If he hasn't been so overtly foolish enough to relay that prophecy to the Dark Lord! Lily Evans would still be alive, her hair would still be able to let the crisp, November air brush through it, she would still be able to laugh, but most importantly, he would be able to win her back.

Now it was all over. The only thing he had ever lived for, the only thing he had ever breathed for, was gone. She was his only friend, she was the only one who understood him, and she was gone, and it was his fault.

He glanced down at the paper she had written him, the paper that held her deepest confession. She had loved him. After all this time, she had continued loving him, even when she was with that damnable Potter. It had all been a ruse, one to protect her child, their child, safe from the Dark Lord's clutches.

He wondered if what she had written was true, or if it was a note to ease her passing. He knew she was never one to lie, so he supposed it has to be true, but then again, if it was true, wouldn't that mean she had been lying to him all along? That she had lied to his face when she had told him she had always loved Potter?

Oh Lily. Somehow, this was all Potter's fault, he knew. That whole plan to "keep the child safe" reeked of Gryffindor bravado, something that she, despite being Gryffindor, had never possessed. Yes, somehow this was all Potter's fault. It was always Potter's fault.

He occluded the pain behind his strongest shields. He knew it wasn't healthy to stop the grieving process, but at the moment it was prudent. He had other matters to attend to. Dumbledore had said he needed potions, just in case. Yes, Lily might not be dead. Why else would he have said just in case? He grabbed the appropriate medicinal potions from his personal stores and sent them through the floo to the Hospital Wing. He was sure Madame Pomfrey would be able to find them.

He gathered his travelling cloak and double checked to make sure he had his wand in its holster. With one more tug at his mental shields to make sure they were as strong as ever, he disappeared through the floo. He was heading to the place that was indicated on his letter, he was heading to Godric's Hollow.

A few apparition trips later, he found himself standing in front of the Potter family home. He wasn't sure what he was expecting to find, but certainly it wasn't this. The entire home was destroyed. What was probably once a respectable, average sized home was now in ruins.

Severus carefully approached the rubble and stopped abruptly when he saw two figures standing a few feet ahead of him. His first thought was that they were Death Eaters lingering around the scene of the crime, but certainly Death Eaters would have moved on by now. If the prophecy was to be believed, the Dark Lord was now defeated, and he had certainly felt that through his Mark. It would also explain why his Mark had suddenly vanished. He knew what awaited him now. Like all Death Eaters, he would be sentenced to a lifetime in Azkaban, spy or not. With the death of Lily, now confirmed in front of him by the destroyed home, he welcomed the thought of the feared Wizarding prison.

He carefully approached the two figures. He noticed one giant of a man that he recognized to be none other than Hogwarts' own Rubeus Hagrid. The other figure he recognized almost immediately after to be his childhood tormentor and the best friend of the late James Potter.

He watched from the shadows as Sirius Black handed over a bundle of blankets to the bumbling half-giant before apparating away. He stayed in the shadows and watched as Hagrid mounted an immense motorcycle and flew away, out of site, with the bundle of blankets.

Severus waited until he was absolutely sure he was alone before venturing into the resting place of the Potter family. The night held an eerie silence, there were no sounds of birds, there was no light breeze in the air, and there wasn't even the sound of crickets or other insects. It was as if the Dark Lord was waiting in the shadows.

Walking over the broken home, Severus gasped at what he saw. There was Lily lying lifeless on the ground. His heart leapt into his throat, and all at once all of his emotions broke through, seeming to rip his occlumens shield apart. He loudly cleared his throat and gathered his emotions; it wouldn't do him a favour to fall apart now.

"Oh my Lily," he breathed as he approached the woman on the ground. He looked at her face and saw the terror in her face, the imprint of her last emotion. He gently closed her ever-gorgeous, emerald eyes with his fingers and held her close, breathing in her aroma one last time.

"Oh Lily, it's all my fault," he cried into her ear, hoping that somewhere she could hear his confession, hoping that somewhere, she could forgive him. "I'm so sorry my Lily flower."

And as he held her close to him, whispering to her how sorry he was for all the hurt he had brought her, he cried for the second time that night. And as if the place was haunted in memory by the awful deed that had been done here, the echoes of the recent past cried with him.

He knew he had to leave, before the Aurors arrived. He knew a Death Eater caught at the scene of the death of the heroic Potters would not bode well, likely a Dementors Kiss. Not that it matters, he thought to himself. My soul is already gone.

Gathering what emotions he could control, he stood, looking down at the peaceful Lily Evans one last time. He was about to turn to leave when he realized he could still hear the echoes of the past seemingly crying. It took him a moment to realize that it wasn't the remnants of a spell that was crying; it was a baby.

Could it be? thought Severus hopefully.

He listened intently on the sound of the crying and discovered it sounded like it was coming from everywhere. Mustering all of his strength he composed himself and honed into his spying capabilities trying to discern where the source of the crying was coming from.

He followed the sound to a small bed. He noticed there was something drawn under the covers, huddling in them, as if the blankets would keep him safe. Severus cautiously walked over to the small bed and drew back the covers, thinking it was going to be Potters' second child, what he saw instead sent his heart back up into his throat and once against broke his personal mental shields. He was staring into a terrified mirror image of himself.

"It's okay, child," he said in the most soothing voice he could produce. He knew it sounded false, he had no idea how to sound reassuring, especially at a time such as this one. The child must have thought it sounded off as well, for he dived into the safely of his blankets.

"Your name is Charles, correct?" Severus continued, trying to let the boy see he meant him no harm. He knew they had to leave as soon as possible, but he wanted to make sure the boy at least felt safe.

The child looked up him, sorrowful, black eyes studied him, and they reminded him so much of his own, so full of pain and sadness. "My name Chawlie," the child all but whispered.

"Well Charlie," said Severus, trying his best to smile but knowing all he managed to do was make his lips twitch. He hoped it didn't look too much like a sneer. "My name is Severus and I've come to take you to Hogwarts. It's a magical castle; no doubt your family has told you all about it."

The child just stared at him; Severus had no idea if the boy had understood a word of what he had said. "Want mummy!" the child suddenly yelled at him, and Severus felt pain creep inside of him.

"We've got to go now Charlie," said Severus, slowly approaching the boy, all too aware that he looked a menacing vampire bat. "I promise you it will be okay."

"Hawwy comin'?" asked the boy. Severus realized he was asking for his brother Harry.

"I don't know Charlie; we'll see when we get there. I need you to hold on to me as tight as you can and whatever you don't look around or let go of me," and with those parting words, Severus apparated both himself and Charlie to just outside the Hogwarts grounds.

It wasn't until later the next day that Severus had the opportunity to speak to Headmaster Dumbledore. The aged wizard was standing in his sitting room staring at the small boy who was oblivious to the tension in the air around him, choosing instead to immerse himself in the toys Severus had transfigured for him.

"You kidnapped a baby!" Albus all but thundered at Severus, choosing instead to keep his voice at a bare minimum so as not to frighten the distracted child.

"I did not kidnap him Albus, he's my son," sighed Severus, he had only tried to explain this to the Headmaster three times so far.

"I find this hard to believe Severus, where is the proof?" The headmaster glanced from Severus to the small boy as if finally noticing the similarities between the two. "There were rumours that the boy was yours, but since the Potters were in hiding no one knew for sure."

"I received a letter yesterday from Lily-"

"How is that possible?" interrupted the aging Headmaster. "Lily and James died yesterday."

"Magic;" said Severus growing impatient. Honestly, wasn't it the Headmaster himself who was always bantering away about how one could never discover all the secrets of magic?

"This is hardly the time for jokes Severus," replied the Headmaster, the slightest hint of his signature twinkle reappearing into his piercing, blue eyes.

"Do I look like the kind to make a joke?" sneered Severus; he was definitely becoming impatient now.

"I'm sorry Severus, I just really don't understand," explained the Headmaster. "Could you please just start at the beginning?

Severus let out a sigh and pinched the bridge of long his nose between his fingers. He really didn't want to relive these painful memories, but he knew he had to do, for the boy; for his son.

"As you know," started Severs. "Lily and I were great friends before we came to Hogwarts. It was I in fact, who told her she was a witch. During most of our Hogwarts academia we remained close, but from the moment I first laid eyes on her, I knew I loved her. I wasn't foolish enough to think she could ever love me back, at least not then. How could she-"

"Severus please," interrupted the headmaster. "This isn't the time to wallow in self-doubt."

"Interrupt me again Old Man," barked Severus. "and you will never get your story."

"Very well, continue my boy."

"Our friendship continued until the bloody Marauders had to ruin it. I put up with their pranks, I tolerated their insults, I let them have their four on one bravado heroics, but that day after my O.W.L. it became too much. They decided to embarrass me with one of my own spells, one of my own inventions! Lily came down, defending me as always, but I was just so angry. I called her a Mudblood and she refused to reconcile with me."

"I'm confused my dear boy," said the Headmaster after a few moments of silence. "If Lily never forgave you, how is it she claims you are the father to her first born son?"

Severus stared at the small child who was happily playing with his stuffed bear Severus had conjured for him. He had named the bear Baxter and hadn't let it go since. Despite all that happened, Severus couldn't let out a small smile in spite of himself, the child reminded him so much of himself when he was a child; Alone in the world with nothing but a stuffed toy to keep him company.

"Lily did eventually forgive me," Severus continued, his obsidian eyes turning back to the Headmaster. "But it was years later. By then in all my youthful foolishness and rage I had joined the Death Eaters. Lily knew it was dangerous to trust me, but she was always willing to see the good in everyone, not unlike you Albus."

Dumbledore chuckled fondly and motioned for the young professor to continue.

"I felt ashamed at what I had become. I was fighting to rid the world of people like Lily. Lily told me we could turn the situation around, if I was truly ashamed of myself I could use the knowledge and information I gained at the Death Eater meetings and relay the information to Lily, who would then report back to you. Lily and I would hide from prying eyes; it would be our little secret."

Dumbledore let out a small gasp at this pronouncement. "So you were a spy for the Light even before you came to me for help?"

"For a while I supposed," replied Severus, nodding his head. "I was happy. I had my Lily, and I harboured less guilt over the Death Eater activities. She was starting to soften the bitter and ice heart I had started to develop. Eventually though, it came to an end. She told me she loved Potter, and I, like a fool, believed her. I believed she was using my feelings for her to supply the Order with information on the Dark Lord."

"Oh Severus," scolded Dumbledore. "You have to stop encompassing yourself in all this self-pity."

"When I found out not only had she left me for Potter," glared Severus, ignoring the Headmaster's reprimand. "But she was also pregnant with his apparent child, I was furious. I closed off all ties with her and as much as I am loath to admit, I devoted myself completely to the Dark Lord's cause. That is until the infernal prophecy and becoming your spy, but you know that part of this delight tale."

"Yes, indeed I do," nodded Dumbledore. "But I still fail to see how this proves the boy is yours."

Severus dug his hand into his robe's pocket and took out the letter from yesterday, along with an official birth certificate among other documents, proving that Charles Marcus Potter was actually Salric Severus Snape. Severus handed the pieces of paper to Dumbledore before continuing to speak.

"As it turns out, Lily became aware of the danger she was, especially when she found out she was pregnant with my son. She knew all children of Death Eaters would be moulded from birth to appreciate the values of the Dark Lord, and she didn't want that for our son. She also knew that the child of a Muggleborn wouldn't be received with open arms amongst the jubilant band of Death Eaters; she knew we were in danger. There were also rumours developing among the Light that Lily was a traitor, fraternizing with the enemy as it were. She did the only thing she thought she could do, she left me for James."

Dumbledore glanced at the documents as Severus was finished his story, his looked bewildered and shocked at the story Severus had just relayed to him. His Lily and James had sprouted a web of lies equal in cunning to any Slytherin? It was hard to believe.

"So," said Severus, his voice returning to its deep, silky rhythm. "What do we do?"

"What do you mean my boy?" replied Dumbledore, as if he had no idea in the world what Severus was talking about.

"About the child!" hissed Severus, his voice regaining the malice that had been lost since Halloween. "Do we send it wherever you've whisked off Harry Potter to?"

"I don't see any reason why we should," smiled Dumbledore, his eyes once again finding their twinkle.

"Then what?" demanded Severus, noticing too late the twinkling that had reappeared. "Oh no Old man, I don't know the first thing about raising a child!"

"I don't see how you have much of a choice."

"You will not meddle in my affairs Headmaster," Severus replied as his eyes shot daggers at the headmaster. If it had been anyone else, they would have known to back away in fear. "I don't know the first thing about being a father; my own father wasn't a good role-model in that regard."

"I have no doubt you are a better man than your father."

"I'm a bitter, cruel man; you know this to be true," continued Severus, ignoring the Headmaster's counterpoints. "And anyways Albus, it doesn't matter. I'm known as a Death Eater, I'll be on my way to Azkaban. I saw the Daily Prophet this morning. They've already caught the Lestranges."

"Severus!" exclaimed the Headmaster in surprise. "Do you trust me so little? I told you when you started spying for me that I would keep you out of Azkaban, I promise you I will keep my word."

For a moment, Severus almost looked speechless. "I-I- Headmaster I don't know what to say."

"No thanks is required Severus. You know I trust you completely, and I know you will make a great father. Your son is, after all, one of the last two living reminders of Lily Evans. I'm also sure that when Harry begins his education here at Hogwarts, you will do everything in your power to help protect him."

Severus scowled at that last remark. He knew the Headmaster had won the battle of paternity rights, he just hoped he could prove to the Old Man that he really was capable of being a good father. He was worried he was going to end up the reincarnation of his own father. And protect the Potter brat? How could he possibly do that? The child was likely to be as arrogant and foolhardy as his bully of a father.

"Anyways Severus," exclaimed the Headmaster, rising from the light brown sofa. "I had best be on my way. I have some business to attend to, and I have to convince the Ministry of your innocence, which I'm sure, will not be a problem. I'll also deliver your son's documents for you if you would like? Good-bye Salric!"

"Meddlesome Old Coot," scowled Severus as he watched the Headmaster escape his chambers through the interschool Floo in Severus' sitting room. Severus turned to look at the young boy no his son, his and Lily's son, and smirked as he watched the boy still playing quietly with his new bear.

"Come on Salric," said Severus, fighting back a yawn. "It's time for bed."

"Me Salric?" asked the boy, his obsidian eyes piercing his father's counterparts.

"Yes, you're Salric," replied Severus with a twinge of guilt. He knew it wouldn't be safe for the world to know that the first born son of Lily and James Potter still lived and was harbouring with a Death Eater (acquitted or not), and that said Death Eater just happened to be the boy's biological father. In a time when the Wizarding World was idolizing James and Lily, the realization that Lily had been with a Death Eater and that James' and Lily's marriage had been a lie, would cause public outrage, Not to mention what it would do to Harry Potter when he aged; the supposed saviour of the Wizarding world. Not that he cared about the Potter brat. True he was grateful for what James had done for his son, but he was still convinced this entire scheme was James Potter's idea, he still blamed James for taking his Lily away, and nothing would erase the hatred he felt for his old Hogwarts nemesis.

.

.

.

TBC