Snake's Child
Disclaimer- I own nothing. J.K Rowling does.
A/N - Thanks to my beta, who made this possible
Chapter 4
When Damian returned to his dorm, he was panting heavily. After all, he had run the entire way.
He looked at his roommates who were sleeping peacefully. After what he had seen, Damian couldn't dream of sleeping. He sat on his bed thinking about the happenings in the abandoned classroom.
The next day, Damian remained distracted in classes. During break, Hermione decided to confront him.
"Are you going to tell us what's wrong? You've been distracted the entire day. If I wasn't there you would have gotten detention from Professor McGonagall!" exclaimed Hermione.
Damian took a deep breath—and then everything spilled forth. After he finished telling Hermione and Ron about the night before, the two of them were visibly shocked.
"We'll visit that place tonight," said Damian. Ron nodded in agreement.
"Oh no. I'm not going with you guys. Some of us still care about rules and regulations. Unlike others," said Hermione, looking pointedly at both boys.
At night, while Neville, Dean and Seamus slept, Ron and Damian snuck out of their dorm. Despite being under the cloak, they didn't wanted to get caught by Filch, or worse Peeves. He would scream bloody murder and alert the entirety of Hogwarts if he caught them.
Once they were inside the classroom, Damian removed the cloak. Ron looked at their surroundings with wide eyes.
"Woah mate this is actually room of mirrors," said Ron in astonishment. While Damian was searching for the mirror, Ron came across another. When he looked in it, his eyes widened to the extent that they looked like saucers.
"Hey, Damian! Come here take a look at this. This thing is bloody brilliant. I—I'm head boy a—and Quidditch Captain; I'm shaking hands with Dumbledore. We got the house cup!" said Ron excitedly, but Damian payed him no mind.
Just then, Damian shouted, "Ron come here!" Ron moved to stand near him and looked at Damian's reflection—which wasn't even his.
"Bloody hell. What kind of shit is this?" asked Ron, gesturing towards the mirror. He had never seen something like this in his whole life. Just then, two other images appeared in the mirror.
Ron's eyes went huge. "Wait, that man. T—that woman, I—I think I saw their picture somewhere. But I have no idea about that boy," said Ron.
"Where?" asked Damian impatiently.
"I don't remember, mate," said Ron with disappointment. Damian simply nodded and they took their leave.
Two weeks later, it was the start of the holidays and everyone was heading home. Damian and other boys were packing their trunks.
"You know, you can come to our place if you don't want to spend the holidays with Malfoy," suggested Ron.
"I don't know mate. I'll have to ask Father first," Damian grumbled. Ron groaned as well.
Holidays were boring for Damian, since he refused to go Malfoy Manor and his father was busy making potions. At least Dobby and Mipsy were there to give him company.
One morning, while Damian was having breakfast with Severus, an owl flew to their window… only to collide with it. The Owl looked much older then Hedwig. Damian found a letter attached to its leg. He gently untied the letter, but before he could read it, Severus took it and began to read:
Dearest Professor Snape. Severus scoffed after reading the line. He started to read again.
Dearest Professor Snape,
We're requesting you, please please send Damian to our home. We know he's getting bored there, since he doesn't wanted to spend his holidays with that prat—we mean Malfoy. Please professor give him permission. We really want to spend our holidays with him. Again, please, please, pretty please.
Your favourite students,
Fred, George, Ron and Percy too.
Severus shook his head after reading the letter. Stupid Weasley twins. Can't even write a letter properly, Severus thought.
"Father, can I go please?" Damian pleaded.
"Alright, but you're not going alone. Dobby is going with you," Severus ordered. Damian nodded and sent a quick reply through to Hedwig.
The Weasley family was having lunch when the Floo went off and in entered Damian with a house elf. The Weasleys looked at him in shock.
"Hey, mate you finally made it! We thought Sna—I mean your father won't allow you," said Ron.
"Woah Damian you have a house elf!" exclaimed the twins.
"Uh, yes his name is Dobby. He was a gift from the Malfoys," said Damian nervously.
"What!" shouted the Weasley children.
"I visited Malfoy manor on my seventh birthday. There I saw how badly the Malfoys treated their house-elves, especially Dobby. So when Aunt Narcissa—I mean Draco's mother asked what I wanted as a present, I asked for Dobby," said Damian.
"Boys, aren't you forgetting something?" asked a short, plump woman. Then she turned to Damian and smiled kindly. "Hello, dear. It's really nice to finally meet you," said the woman.
"Hello, Mrs Weasley," greeted Damian.
"Oh, dear, you can call me Molly. Fred, George go and remove the gnomes from garden now!" ordered Molly.
Damian's vacation at the Weasleys was going smoothly. He spent most of his days either playing Quidditch or de-gnoming the garden with Ron and his siblings. Damian really liked Mr Weasley. He wasn't anything like his own father or Uncle Lucius. Mr Weasley was friendly and jolly. Also, he was fond of Muggles, unlike his father who hated them.
Dobby and Molly constantly fought over who was going to cook.
It was the last day of holidays and Damian was in Diagon Alley with the Weasleys. He was hoping to see his father. He looked at his list of equipment; he didn't understand why they had so many of Gilderoy Lockhart's book in their Defence Against the Dark Arts course. According to his father, Gilderoy Lockhart was, "an utter git, who does not know anything."
However, Damian was more concerned about the Weasley family's financial condition. Though him and his father were no purebloods, his father had his life savings, which was enough for them.
Damian and the Weasleys were heading towards another shop when they heard someone call out.
"Damian, Ron over here!" They looked up to see Hermione waving at them, while her parents were looking here and there nervously. The Weasleys greeted them. Arthur was talking to the Grangers excitedly while Molly was listening whatever her husband was telling the poor Muggles.
Ron, Hermione and Damian were taking when someone drawled, "Well, well, well. Look what we have here... a traitor with a bunch of losers."
Damian looked up sharply and met Draco's cold, hardened eyes. Draco's father was with him, who fixed Damian with a glare.
"I never expected this from you. I thought you were better than this. Severus is being much too lenient I see," said Lucius coldly.
Just then, Arthur spoke. "Hey kids, let's go to…. Oh, Hello Lucius," greeted Arthur coldly, suddenly losing all traces of his good mood.
"Arthur. Being over friendly with Muggles, I see. So, how are things in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Department? I heard you're doing over time these days. What else could I expect from someone who is such a disgrace to wizards?" drawled Lucius
"Well, I have a completely different view on what is called a disgrace, Malfoy," hissed Arthur. Both men were about to explode in a shouting match, but Molly caught her husband's arm.
"Don't be a fool, Arthur. Children are present here, don't make a scene," hissed Molly, dragging Arthur away.
During the entire ordeal, Hermione's parents looked terrified
It was the first day of Hogwarts. Damian, Hermione and Ron were heading towards the Great Hall.
"Last year was quite boring. Nothing happened besides Gryffindor winning the Quidditch cup and Quirrell died," said Ron. Hermione hit him on head. "What?" shouted Ron.
"You should be more sympathetic towards people, Ronald," Hermione scolded. Ron just ignored her.
One week after school started, Damian found out how much of an 'utter git' their new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor was. Unlike Quirrell, who was a total scaredy cat, Lockhart was a self centred, vain twat with blonde hair and blue eyes, who always spoke about how great he was. Damian didn't like attending his classes.
The Gryffindor Quidditch team was heading for the Quidditch grounds. When they reached it, they found that the Slytherin team was already present there. Marcus Flint was smirking at Oliver.
"What the hell, Flint; we booked this ground for Quidditch practice," said Oliver.
"Well, Wood, we have a permission letter from Professor Snape. We booked this ground to train our new Seeker," drawled Marcus. Oliver snatched the slip from Flint's fingers and read.
"He's telling the truth guys," said Oliver, disappointed.
"Professor Snape always favours Slytherins. Why can't Professor Mcgonagall do the same for us?" whined the twins.
"Because she's Mcgonagall," grumbled Ron, who was also present with Hermione.
"So, where's this new Seeker of yours, Flint?" asked Oliver. Right on cue, Draco entered clad in Slytherin Quidditch uniform. He was holding his broomstick which was identical to the others' in his team.
"Is—is that the Nimbus 2001? The fastest broom?" asked George.
"Indeed, it is. Draco's father brought all of us new brooms," said Flint.
"Well, at least in Gryffindor, people don't buy positions with their money," said Hermione.
Draco turned sharply to her. "And who asked for your opinion, you filthy Mudblood," sneered Draco. Hermione's face fell, while the Slytherins started to laugh. Then something happened that nobody expected.
Damian punched Draco right across the face.
Draco stumbled backwards regained his balance. He touched his bleeding nose and glared at Damian. "You ungrateful bastard. You hit me, me. Have you forgotten just how much my family has done for you? You don't deserve to be Professor Snape's son. You're a huge disappointment and burden on him. Father was right; you're indeed a slut's son—who never wanted you and left you outside Professor Snape's house," spat out a seething Draco.
Damian's face fell.
"Enough of your bullshit, Malfoy. Eat slugs!" shouted Ron pointing his wand at Draco. But Ron's spell backfired and he ended up cursing himself! Soon slugs were coming out of his mouth. The Slytherins started to laugh, but soon enough, both teams took their respective housemates to Madam Pomfrey.
That night Damian was standing outside his father's office. He was very nervous. He gently knocked on the door.
"Enter!" Severus barked. Damian nervously entered the office. He looked up to see his father's expression. He was beyond furious. Before he could say anything, his father shouted,
"Who do you think you are? Just because you won a Quidditch match last year and became a star Seeker overnight, doesn't mean you can run around punching people. Is this what Minerva teaches her precious Gryffindors? I thought you were better than this. Would you care to tell me why you punched Draco?" But Damian kept quiet, which only angered Severus more.
"I'm asking something, boy; why?" demanded Severus.
"Because he called Hermione a Mudblood," said Damian. That single word brought back Severus's worst memories. It was as if somebody had poured cold water over him. He blankly looked at his son, who took his gaze the wrong way.
"I know. I'm a disappointment to know. I know how ashamed are you of me. I know you hate me because I didn't get sorted into Slytherin and because I'm not perfect like your beloved godson. I'm a disgrace and a burden. You don't want me, just like my mother never wanted me and left me on your doorstep." Damian's voice became strangled as he spoke the last line and to Severus's horror, he started to cry.
Severus' cold expression fell; a lump was forming in his throat. Quickly, he locked the door with a Locking Charm and kneeled before Damian.
"Please look up," said Severus hoarsely. When Damian didn't look up, he gently took his son's chin between his fingers and made him look up. His heart broke to see Damian's tear-filled eyes. "Damian Severus Snape. You are neither a disappointment nor disgrace or any of that. You're better than all of those pure-blood children. And listen to me, your mother loved you and always wanted you. She was even willing to give up her life for you. So, please son, don't you ever doubt your mother's love. You said you aren't perfect; no-one is perfect, son. Not even me. I have made mistakes too. When you're a bit older, we're going to have to talk about certain things," said Severus.
"Father?"
"Yes, Damian?"
"Can I sleep in your chambers tonight?" asked Damian hesitantly. Severus just nodded. That night, before going to bed, Severus gave a photo to Damian.
"You said you wanted to have your mother's picture. Here it is," said Severus. Damian took the picture happily and looked at it. But soon the colour drained from his face. His mother was woman from the mirror.
Damian was heading towards the library with his mother's picture in his hand. Suddenly he bumped into someone. He looked up to see that it was Hagrid.
"Uh, sorry, Mr Hagrid," Damian apologised. Hagrid only chuckled and ruffled his hair. He looked down and picked up the piece of paper that Damian dropped.
"Damian you dropped something" said Hagrid looking at the piece of paper, the photo, in shock.
Damian turned around and saw Hagrid's shocked expression.
"W—where did you find this picture?" asked Hagrid. Damian just shrugged his shoulders.
"Do you know who she is?" asked Damian.
Hagrid just sighed. "Lily Potter. Ah, such a great witch she was. I knew her since she was a little first year student. I don't know why Merlin does this to good people. On the night of Halloween, Lily along with her husband James and son Harry, was killed by You-Know-Who. Such a tragedy. Harry was only one year old. You know, if he was alive, he would be around the same age as you"
Damian was shocked to hear, what Hagrid said. His mother had a husband and son too…. He was sure now, that his father was hiding something
