Chapter 8- Truth
Severus was ecstatic as he walked back to his quarters after a particularly tiring day of classes. It was quite unusual for him to be in such a good mood after such a day, unless he was having dinner with Harry, which was not regular. He opened the door to his quarters with a slight smile before throwing his cloak on the armchair and falling down on the sofa in a very ungraceful manner.
"Wow. You really are a messy person." Severus half sat up to look as Harry appeared from the corridor.
"Only when I am alone." Severus commented convivially.
"No. You being messy means you are in a good mood." Harry said knowingly.
"Well that, I am. Anything I can do for you?" Severus asked him.
"No, I just came down to get my Potions textbook." He waved a very old copy of the book at Severus.
"You still haven't gotten a new one from Flourish and Blotts?" Severus frowned as he loosened his shoe laces.
"Nah, I cancelled the order after I got this from the Room of Hidden Objects." Harry shrugged.
"Oh goody." Severus said and kicked his shoes over to the fireplace.
"Are you drunk?" Harry solemnly asked the man, remembering all the times Severus had chided him for throwing his shoes.
"I don't drink before 9 in the evening." Severus told him. "And if you must know, I got a letter from Sebastian." Severus said with a happy tone. "And I am hoping for him to be in some kind of trouble."
"Why are you hoping for your own brother to be in some trouble?" Harry asked, baffled by the talk.
"It's a long story. One that involves me getting paid every time he lands himself in some muggle jail for some felony." Severus said pleasantly.
"I am not sure if you both are loving brothers or evil siblings." Harry mused as he moved towards the quarters' door.
"Oh Harry, if only you knew." Severus said with a short chuckle.
"I am not sure if I want to." Harry muttered as he left.
Severus sighed happily before lying down on the sofa with his feet propped up on the armrest. He took out a letter from his pocket before opening it.
Dear Severus,
I am not gallivanting around the world, as you so eloquently put it. Really Sev, who uses that kind of language anymore? Only dad did. Anyways, I met a beautiful woman called Sarah in Bahamas. She was the one, Sev! I knew it in my gut.
Severus snorted at that.'Every girl you meet is THE one, Seb.'
Unfortunately, she stopped responding to my calls.
Severus chuckled at that.
I am quite curious to know what this important news must be. I am currently in Belfast, trying to sign up a deal with O'Malley Potion Care. Will come home for Christmas. I miss you, brother. Hope to see you soon. And no money for you this time, didn't get caught by the police once.
Severus could literally hear the proud grin in his brother's writing.
Take care of yourself.
Your loving brother,
Sebastian Snape
Severus chortled at the end before depositing the letter on the coffee table and closing his eyes. As much of a pain in the arse his brother was, Severus couldn't help but be eager for the man's arrival.
/
Harry whistled as he walked back to the Gryffindor common room. Seeing Severus in a good mood had elevated his own. He even nodded civilly at Draco Malfoy who was standing near the Grand Staircase with his goons.
He took two steps at a time and practically bounced to the common room. He gave the password before entering and sitting beside his friends in his previously occupied seat.
His smile dropped off his face as he noticed the looks Hermione and Ron were giving him.
"What?" He asked.
"Harry, we need to talk." Hermione said seriously. Ron nodded from beside her and Harry felt like a child getting some reprimanding from his parents.
Ron slowly took out a small vial from his robe pocket and showed it to Harry.
"Where did you get this from, mate?" He asked him. Harry noticed with a passive face that it was the vial of Dreamless Sleep he had gotten from Snape.
"Madame Pomfery." He said smoothly and snatched the bottle from Ron's hand.
"Liar." Hermione snapped. "Infirmary's bottles have a Hogwarts' crest and the name of the student along with when it was issued to them."
Leave it to Hermione to notice all the details. Harry sighed as Snape's words rang in his head.
'You have to tell them at some point, Harry.'
"What's going on with you, Harry?" Hermione asked with genuine concern. "You've been acting really weird from the starting. We know that we've not been spending time together as we did last year because of me and Ron dating, but we still care about you Harry. Have we done something wrong? If yes, please tell us, we are worried, Harry." There were tears in her eyes at the end of her small speech.
"Yeah, mate. You don't eat, you don't talk, you don't sleep. You smuggle potions from god knows where. Talk to us, Harry." Ron said with a hint of desperation in his voice.
Harry looked at them before making his decision.
"Follow me." He said and heaved his bag on his shoulder.
Hermione and Ron gave him strange looks before getting up.
"Where are we going?" Hermione asked him once they were out of the Common Room.
"Room of Requirement." He answered before leading the way.
The walk to the Seventh Floor was a quiet one and no one dared to speak.
Harry closed his eyes as they neared the room and directly opened the door to a warm looking living room.
"You have some fine details." Ron commented as he looked around.
"I've seen this room enough to not get it wrong." Harry muttered and took a seat on the armchair opposite to the fireplace.
"Sit down." He told his friends. Three bottles of butterbeer appeared on the table and Harry handed them around.
"Whatever I will tell you now, you must not repeat it to anyone." Harry started. "Now, I know that you both would disagree on my decision, but I assure you beforehand, I am very happy with it."
"What are you talking about?" Ron asked him but Harry held up a hand to stop him.
"Don't interrupt me while I tell you. I assure you, I will tell you the truth." He said. "Trust me."
His friends nodded.
"As you both know, my home life hasn't always been exactly…ideal." He gulped. "This year, it wasn't any different." He took a sip of his beer before continuing.
"I always said that the Dursleys hated me, but I never told you how much." He said. "Uncle Vernon started…beating me when I was around 14." Hermione gasped loudly and Ron held her hand. They looked at him with surprise but didn't interrupt. "I know I should have told you, but I was too embarrassed and... scared." He stated. "Anyways, after Sirius' death, it got worse. I never told anyone, not even Dumbledore. I was particularly dreading Occlumency because I thought Snape would see my memories and ridicule me. But mostly I didn't want anyone to find out." He ran hand through his hair. "I started reading Occlumency books days before my first class. I knew I couldn't keep him from watching my memories, but I hoped to keep him at bay from the ones I didn't want him to snoop around." He was silent for a few seconds.
"Nightmares and lack of sleep…disturbed my focus." Ron and Hermione were listening intently.
"And I couldn't concentrate on my defenses. Snape penetrated my wall and…and saw everything."
"What a bastard!" Ron burst out.
Harry smiled sadly at his reaction.
"Quite the opposite, Ron." He said. "I ran out of his office, not wanting to look at his face. I ran and came over here, in the Room of Requirement. He followed me and spoke to me."
"About?" Hermione asked him.
"He told me I…never deserved such treatment and…scolded me for not telling anyone." He told her. "He even gave me a salve for the bruises."
"Snape did that?" Ron asked in disbelief.
"Yes. He's not what he looks like, Ron. He's a good person." Harry told him.
"Harry, does Dumbledore know?" Hermione asked him.
"Yes. Snape told him after I gave him the permission to tell."
"Surely he's not sending you back." Ron said doubtfully.
"No." Harry cleared his throat. "He…removed me from the Dursleys care."
"Thank god. I was ready to go over and give him a piece of my mind right now." Hermione said with a huff.
"Harry, you can live with us at the Burrow, mate. Mum and dad already consider you as a part of the family." Ron said.
"I know, Ron. But I can't." Harry licked his lips.
"Why? Will you be staying at Hogwarts then? Is Remus going to-"
"Snape adopted me." Harry interrupted the red head.
There was nothing but hard silence in the room after that. Hermione was looking at Harry as if she was examining a bug under a microscope and Ron was gaping at him with wide eyes.
"Snape adopted me." Harry said again, a bit slowly.
"Harry…" Hermione started.
"No, Hermione. I know you disagree, but as I said at the beginning, it was the right decision to make. He cares for me, Ron." He looked at his friend. "He has dinners with me, he laughs with me, he talks and shares personal details with me. Hell, he even cracks jokes around me!" Harry said.
"He is like a…like a father to me now." He breathed.
"Harry." Hermione said after a minute. "I was just going to say, congratulations."
Harry looked at her with confused eyes before smiling a little.
"Thank you, Herms." He then looked at Ron who was still looking at him with a strange expression.
"Ron, I know you hate Snape, but he's the only family I have now. He offered to adopt me." He told the boy.
"You're wrong, Harry. He's not your only family. We are there too." Ron said in a low voice. "Look mate, you know my feelings for Snape, but if you are happy, I am happy Harry." He said.
Harry's face broke out in a huge smile.
"Thanks, Ron." He said. Ron's approval mattered to him more than Hermione's as he was Harry's first friend ever.
Harry stood up and looked around the room.
"This is his living room." He said with a sigh.
"How long?" Ron asked him.
"2 months." Harry said. "There's something else." He hesitantly opened his cuffs and after taking a deep breath, dropped his glamour.
A sob escaped Hermione and Ron gasped. Harry suddenly found his arms full of a bushy haired girl and he hugged her back, desperately wanting her comfort.
"I am so sorry, Harry." She sobbed. "I should have known."
"No, no, Hermione." Harry soothed her. "I am sorry, I should have never…I was too far gone, Herms." He whispered in her shoulder. "Snape saved me."
"I will make sure to personally thank him." She said and pulled back.
Harry chuckled at that and wiped his eyes. He looked at Ron who was looking at him with a hurt expression.
"I failed you, Harry." He whispered.
"No, Ron. I failed you. I thought I was strong, but I am not, Ron. I am not." Harry gulped back his tears. Ron came forward and hugged Harry too.
"You are stronger than you let on, mate. Never doubt that." He whispered in Harry's ear before pulling back. Harry nodded at him, not trusting himself to speak.
"It's late, we should leave." Harry said and picked up his bag.
It was well after curfew when they left the Room of Requirement. They took a turn and almost bumped into Snape.
"Look what we have here." Snape intoned.
Harry looked at the man and gave him a small smile.
"I told them."
Severus looked strangely at him before looking at the other two.
"Get back to your Common Room." He instructed. His hand rested on Harry's shoulder for a moment as he passed them.
"Sir, I know we are prefects and shouldn't be breaking rules and staying out after curfew, but please don't tell Professor McGo-"
"I do not know what you are talking about, Ms. Granger." Snape said in his silk voice before sweeping out of the corridor.
"Did he just-" Ron pointed his hand in the direction of his Potion's Professor.
"Yeah. As I said, he's not what he lets on. He's a totally different man when you get to know him." Harry said with a grin before turning around and continuing their journey.
/
Harry once again found himself on the floor panting like a dog for the third time that evening.
"You are improving." Severus said as he helped him sit up.
"Yet I cannot block you out." Harry said as he sat heavily in the chair in Snape's office.
"I find it ludicrous to compare the ability to run, of a toddler with a 15-year old boy." Severus commented and conjured a bottle of water for Harry to drink. "Rome wasn't built in a day, Harry."
"I know. I just feel like I don't stand a chance against Voldemort if I can't block him!" Harry said frustrated.
"He is not so easy to destroy." Severus nodded. "But not indestructible."
"What do you suggest?" Harry asked him as he rolled the capped bottle from end of the table to the other.
"I suggest you stop destroying my desk." Snape said and vanished the empty bottle. "And I suggest you take a warm shower, have a hearty meal and sleep peacefully."
"I can agree with the first two, although I am not in control of the third." Harry said.
"I was wondering, now that you have told your friends about the adoption, there is no problem for you to sleep here at night. We can try the Occlumency technique I suggested a few days ago." Severus said and steepled his finger in front of his face.
"I won't mind." Harry gave him a scrutinizing look. "That is…of course, if you won't be troubled by my presence-"
"Nonsense." Severus waved him off. "I'll ask one of the house-elves to get your school uniform and night clothes along with your school bag."
"How do I tell Ron and Hermione?" Harry asked him.
"They have been standing outside my office door for 15 minutes now." Severus muttered and with a wave of his hand, the door opened to reveal a bickering Ron and Hermione.
Harry turned in his seat and looked at them.
"You were planning on knocking sometime this year, weren't you Mr. Weasley?" Snape asked with a smirk as the boy visibly flinched.
"Yes-yes sir."
"We are sorry, sir. We just wanted to-" Hermione was cut off by Snape.
"See if I haven't mangled him into any potions ingredient yet?" Ron hissed as he recognized his words from a few days ago.
"Hey! You said you wouldn't use any of my memories in torturing them!" Harry protested lightly.
"It was too good to pass." Severus smirked and closed the door as soon as the couple had stepped inside. "Anything we can do for you?"
Ron gave up all the hopes to talk and turned to Hermione, his eyes clearly stating: 'It was your idea, you talk.'
"We came down to say thank you, sir." Hermione said.
Severus raised an eyebrow at that before looking at Harry who shrugged.
"For what, Ms. Granger?"
"For taking care of Harry, sir. And for supporting him when we couldn't." She said bravely.
"You are…welcome, Ms. Granger." Severus said.
"And…congratulations on the adoption." Ron said in a squeaky voice.
"Quite unexpected, coming from you Mr. Weasely. Thank you, nevertheless." Severus nodded at the boy.
"I will be staying down here tonight." Harry said as he got up and stretched a bit.
"I will see you inside, Harry." Severus said. "Good night Mr. Weasely, Ms. Granger." With that, he left from the back door and into their quarters.
"You are staying…in his quarters?" Ron said and pointed to the door.
"Yeah." Harry nodded. "I've got my room over there."
"That's great, Harry." Hermione commented.
"It was weird to see you and Snape in your…" Ron struggled to come up with right words.
"Natural environment?" Harry laughed at Ron's face. "Yeah, you'll get used to it."
"We'll see you tomorrow." Hermione said.
"Cover up for me?" He asked her.
"Of course." She smiled at him.
"Professor McGonagall knows, so you don't have to lie to her." He told them.
"What about Remus?" Ron asked casually. Harry's heart beat quickened as he realized that he hadn't talked to his friend in a while and he probably didn't know about the arrangement.
"Hold off on him, for a while." He said.
"Alright…" Hermione said with an understanding nod. "Good night, Harry."
"Good night, mate." Ron said and Harry escorted them out of the door. Ron turned back at the threshold and gave Harry a sly smirk.
"So, does Snape give you the talk about birds and bees-" Harry chuckled as he slammed the door on Ron's face before walking over towards the back door and going into the quarters.
"Shower." Snape pointed at the corridor without even looking up from his magazine. Harry rolled his eyes and walked into his room. He came out after 10 minutes to see a delicious platter of chicken and lamb on the dining table.
"Does Remus know?" He asked Severus as they ate.
"I thought I should ask you before taking a decision of telling him." Severus replied.
"Oh, that's very understanding of you."
"You say that as if it's quite a rare thing on my part." Severus narrowed his eyes at the boy.
"Well, can you blame me?" Harry shrugged and grinned at the glare he received in return.
"Do you think he will disagree?" Harry asked in a small voice.
"I have known Lupin for a long time, Harry. Even though our relationship has been the one of hatred, I can assure you that the wolf cares deeply for the ones those are his own. In this case, you. He might resist in the starting, but will come to terms with it." Severus said. "He will have to."
Harry nodded at him as he pushed his food around the plate.
"Will he think I betrayed them?" Severus didn't have to be Sherlock to know who 'them' was.
"I don't know, Harry. The only way to find out is by telling him." He told the boy gently.
"Will you be there with me when I tell him?" The hope in those green eyes made Severus' heart ache.
"If that is what you wish." He nodded.
"Thank you." Harry gave him a small smile.
"Would you care for some Ice-Cream?" Severus asked the boy and vanished the dishes.
"Ice-Cream?" Harry's eyebrows shot up.
"I have chocolate and vanilla." Severus said as he got up and walked to the muggle refrigerator that he had in the kitchen. "I personally prefer one scoop of each."
"I'll have the same." Harry said, still in shock. "Why do you keep ice-cream?"
"I have favourites too." Severus said and took out two bowls.
"You are such a different person than I anticipated."
"What did you anticipate? Cobwebs and coffins?" Severus asked him as he put a scoop of each flavor in each bowl.
Harry laughed at him.
"Close. But yeah, I mean, nobody took you for a guy who has a younger brother, who likes listening to music, has preferences in ice-cream." Harry said.
"Human after all, Harry." Severus said as he placed one bowl in front of the boy who thanked him in return.
"Were you happy with the letter your brother sent?" Harry asked him as they ate.
Severus nodded.
"He is in Ireland." He said and scowled. "He hasn't been in any trouble, so no money for me." He shrugged in the most un-Snapeish way possible. "He said he is planning to visit on Christmas."
"Does he know?"
"That is the reason I called him."
"Oh." Harry said.
"You are worried." Severus observed.
"Geez Sherlock, I was wondering if you had lost your abilities." Harry said sarcastically.
"Sarcasm is not very becoming of you." Severus said as he got up to deposit his empty bowl in the sink.
"I am sorry." Harry said and followed suit. "It's just that I don't have a good track record with relatives."
"Sebastian won't be problem." Severus chuckled. "You will like him the minute he steps into the room. And he will like you too. Contrary to popular belief, you are a very likable person Harry."
Harry raised an eyebrow at him.
"Is that so? You were really living by those words for the past 5 years, weren't you?" He said.
"Mistakes and misinterpretations are easy to make. But apologizing for them is where courage is needed." Severus explained to him. "I am sorry, for the way I treated you for the past 5 years. It was wrong of me."
"And I am sorry too. For not respecting you and for calling you a Dungeon Bat." Harry grinned at the expression on Snape's face.
"Apology…accepted."
They sat in the living room for a while before Harry started yawning.
"I think I'm going to head to bed." He said and got up.
"I'll be there in a minute." Severus nodded as he read the essay of an unfortunate student who was sure to get a big D.
When Harry came out of the bathroom, Severus was waiting for him near the bed. He gestured Harry to lie down.
"Close your eyes and try to occlude." He instructed in a heavy voice. He was surprised to find that Harry trusted him enough to sleep in his presence.
"Don't go to sleep yet." He said in a bit louder voice so as to wake the boy up who was finding it hard to battle with sleep.
"Yes…okay." Harry mumbled.
"Bring up your memory. The muggle swing one. Make sure it holds enough for me to come in."
Harry concentrated hard and suddenly found himself sitting on a swing gazing at the clouds.
When Severus thought that Harry had done what he had asked, he took a seat at the edge of the bed beside Harry's head and uttered the incantation. He found himself looking at a 10-12 years old Harry Potter sitting on a swing, looking as lost as a wanderer in the jungles of Peru.
He started strengthening the hold of the memory and dissolving the weak spots. After he was satisfied with his job, he exited.
"Alright Harry, you can go to sleep now." He whispered in the dark. But Harry was already in the land of dreams. Severus' hand rested on top of his head for a minute and he ruffled the boy's hair before getting up.
"Good night, Harry." He left the room, not closing the door all the way and leaving a gap so that he could hear if something went wrong.
His fireplace made a whooshing sound and he went there to see the face of floating Minerva.
"Severus, is Harry down there?" She asked.
"Sleeping, Minerva." He answered and took a seat on the sofa from where he could see her perfectly.
"I didn't believe it when Granger and Weasley told me. I had to check." She said.
"Of course." Severus said tiredly.
"Get some sleep, Severus. You look tired." She said in a motherly way.
"Good night, Minerva." With that, the floo call cut and the woods cracked in the heat. Severus sighed before deciding against a nightcap. He checked on Harry once before thinking that he was ready to sleep off the tiring day he had had.
/
"Congrats, Ron!" Harry said as he thumped the boy on his back. He had conducted the Quidditch tryouts, with a little help from Ginny, he blushed mentally at that. Ron was awarded the position of the Keeper and was currently happier than the happiness combined of the whole population of Hogwarts.
"Thanks, Harry." He said as they made their way to the showers.
Ron suddenly stopped and put a hand on Harry's arm.
"What's wrong?" Harry frowned.
"Harry, you didn't select me because I am your friend, did you?" Ron asked seriously.
Harry looked at him for a second before he started laughing hysterically.
"It's not funny, Harry!" Ron said as he watched his friend go mad.
"Sorry…Sorry." Harry said and tried to control his laughter but failing miserably.
Finally, when he was calm enough, he out a hand on Ron's shoulder.
"Ron, you have been playing Quidditch with your rough brothers since you were what, seven?"
"Six, actually."
"Yeah, six. McLaggen has been playing since a year or two. You clearly had more experience and were crushing it."
"But he was good too!"
"Are you trying to get out of the team?" Harry raised an eyebrow at him.
"No!" Ron said. "I just don't want to be that guy who got on the team due to contacts, you know. I am not Malfoy."
"Of course." Harry chuckled. "I assure you, Ron. If you would have been in my place, you would have seen what a good game you were playing."
Ron nodded at him, developing some sort of self-respect.
"Thanks, Harry." He said.
"Anytime." Harry shrugged as they continued their walk.
"So, how's it living with Snape?" Ron suddenly asked him.
"I have tea with Malfoy every day." Harry said as if it were a regular occurrence.
Ron's eyes widened and he stopped in his tracks.
Harry couldn't keep it in, and burst out laughing once more.
"Oh you're so getting it." Ron said in a deadly voice before he chasing Harry all across the grounds and into the castle.
A/N: Hey Guys! I am back! Sorry for the long delay!
