Thanks to the following for reviews: Athena kitty, starangel2106, Lexy 578, Mikee, Thirteen Ravens, The Lady Quotes, xikum, Kateri1, barbarataku, sakurasaisaka, HecateDeMort, dreamlover, Persephone Lupin, juliedecarson, crumplehornedsnorkack, Kris-tina4.

Mikee- Thanks. I promise the Remus issue will be dealt with though it will be a while.

xikum - Yup, Snape does know what Harry will look like and I think Snape actually knows what Harry will look like better then Harry himself because in Snape's vision Harry was 16 and in Harry's is was 11. Thanks so much for your comments BTW. They made me concider a few things and how best to fulfill them in this story.

Dreamlover & Kris-tina4 - Thanks for your several reviews. It's nice to see people who review as they go along when reading a bunch of chapters at once. :)

crumplehornedsnorkack- Very sorry for taking so long and I'm glad you like the story so much. My sister who betas my fic tends to take a while in general with looking chapters over and in the last 2 weeks she has moved, started school and gotten a job so she had even less time than normal. I did use your kind review though to let my sister know people were waiting, lol. Your English is perfectly fine as well.

The moment Molly Weasley stepped foot into the Snape residence, her eyes widened with horror.

"You can not possibly have Harry stay in a place like this," she shrieked.

Snape's mouth went into a sour line. "Is it not enough of a palace for the boy?"

"Palace? This is a rat hole!"

The woman was clearly exaggerating. The rooms that were occupied daily were sparse, but basically clean and livable. As for the other rooms, Snape felt they mattered little and he told her as much.

She gave an annoyed expression and asked, "Where is Harry?"

"In his room, most liking doing nothing that could be taken as productive."

She waited for him to say something further, but was greeted only with a stony glare. "Well, will you take me to him?" she asked at last.

Silently, Snape swept out of the room towards the hall where Potter's room was. He was only barely aware of the footsteps pattering behind him. When he reached his destination, he knocked and an aggravated voice told him to enter.

Potter was seated on the small bed with a book laying out on his lap. He wasn't reading it though and was only staring out the window. He hadn't bothered to glance in Snape's direction since he had entered.

"Mrs. Weasley is here to see you," Snape informed him.

Potter jumped up excitedly causing the book to drop down with a thump and half jogged over to the door, where Molly Weasley was waiting for him and smiling. As Snape made to leave, she grabbed onto the sleeve of his robe, the smile still plastered on her face.

"Hello, Harry," she greeted him warmly. "I was just talking to... your father here. I was saying how this place could use a little fixing up and from the sight of this room I believe it more than ever. How would you feel helping me out?"

"Sure," Potter shrugged. "I'm really bored anyway. There isn't much to do in here." He gestured around the bare room.

"Yes, I see." She turned to Snape. "I assume you have basic cleaning supplies?"

Snape scowled at the gall the woman had to come into his home and do such a thing without his permission. He'd seem like an unfit guardian though if he told her in front of Potter that he didn't want the place cleaned up.

"Yes," he hissed. "They are in the cupboard under the stairs."

"Thank you. Harry, be a dear and go fetch them for me and place them in the kitchen."

The boy nodded and squeezed his way between them, obeying her orders at an impressive rate, in Snape's opinion; at least compared to his actions while in class.

Once he was out of earshot, Snape snapped, "You are not to do anything like that again! This is my home and you are best to remember it."

Weasley's face suddenly matched her family's notorious red hair. "And you're best to remember that you're a father now and should take care of duties like this yourself!"

Snape opened his mouth to respond, but she went on, "And don't say it's suitable. I'm not intimidated by you and I'd bet anything your mother never kept the place like this for you when you were young."

"What my mother did is and never will be any of your business."

"Perhaps not, but I think you'll find I tend to make Harry's welfare my business. Someone has to."

"If you continue on, I won't allow you anywhere near Potter until he is of age," he threatened darkly.

The woman continued standing tall, but Snape could practically smell the fear wafting off of her. "You wouldn't dare," she bit her lip and furrowed her brow. "You wouldn't."

He gave a small smile. Snape no longer had to imagine the fear was there, it was now evident enough.

"I'm just trying to do what's best for Harry," she added.

Snape heard a scuffling down the hall and glanced in it's direction. Harry was standing there wide eyed and fuming, his fists clamped into tight balls.

Molly Weasley's eyes followed his own. "Go wait for me in the kitchen, Harry. I'll be there in a moment when I'm through speaking to your father."

"Fine," he spat. "But if he carries out that threat, I'm out of here." Harry threw him a nasty glare and retreated from the hall.

Much to his horror, Snape found himself affected... no, more than affected; distressed by the words no matter how empty they probably were. He swallowed down his discomfort realizing he would most likely have to swallow something else in order to make this work, his much held onto pride.

"You may do what you like with the ground floor, minus my room, the library and the lab. That is it."

Weasley's expression softened. "Thank you."

When Mrs. Weasley entered the kitchen, Harry was leaning against the counter, his arms across his chest. His green eyes immediately focused on her. They were as hard, cold and stormy as she ever remembered seeing in her life time. His face was flushed with anger and his expression had settled into a furious pout.

"You shouldn't have heard that," she said sorrowfully.

"Yes, why should I ever hear something that concerns me?"

Molly swallowed, a bit frightened by Harry's tone. "It's not a matter of whether-"

"He has no right!" he screamed, stamping his foot down hard.

Molly sighed and cautiously took a few steps forward, timidly reaching out to comfort the boy. "Let me tell you a secret about him, his bark is worse than his bite."

"Are you sure? I've been on the receiving end of many of his 'bites.'"

"And just how many of those had you truly earned?" she boldly asked back, towering over him as if he were one of her many, at times ill behaved, children.

Harry glanced away. "He's just like the Dursleys. He'll blame me for every little thing and hang threats over my head every chance he gets."

"He didn't threaten you, Harry. He threatened me."

Harry grunted. "And that's better? Besides, how long before it is me?"

"He may level minor threats at you from time to time. All parents do. I do. Really, Harry," she shook her head, "you must have seen me threaten Fred and George countless times."

"Yeah, " Harry admitted with a slight smile that quickly turned into disgust. "And he's not my parent. It takes a lot more then what he did to be one."

"I don't question that fact, but what I saw in there was someone who wants to make it work. Trust me, he won't ever admit it, but he does."

Harry narrowed his eyes. "Why do you care whether we get along so much?"

Mrs. Weasley gave him a sad smile, doing her best to remain calm and supportive. Harry needed that. "Because I care about you and you've been alone your whole life."

Harry began to protest when she added," And human contact couldn't hurt him much either. But you do both need someone."

Harry snorted. "Sure, we'll become one loving family."

"Don't roll your eyes at me," she admonished. "And I never said you would. In fact, I'm sorry to say, that I doubt you'll ever be as close as a father and son should be."

Molly was surprised to see hurt and disappointment flicker in Harry's eyes. Maybe the younger and newly found Snape wanted it as much as the elder did, but also wouldn't admit it, even to himself.

"You need to try, Harry."

"This again! Professor Dumbledore-"

"Is right and I'm also sorry to say it, but the trying to make things work will have to come from you." She pointed at him to emphasize the statement.

"Of course, because he doesn't care enough."

"No," she sat down in the chair in front of him and looked him straight in the eye. "To be honest with you Harry, I believe something died in him a long time along. I'm not sure when; it was gone when I met him, but his ability to love... it just wasn't there."

"Great..." Harry said sarcastically.

"What?"

"Not only am I a bastard, but I'm from a completely loveless union."

"I never said that. I didn't know him during that time. It's something you're going to have to ask him about."

Harry laughed bitterly and sneered. "Oh, yes. I can see it now. 'Hey, when you screwed my mother was it just lust or was it something special for ya?'"

Molly pursed her lips crossly. Harry, on the other hand, had closed his eyes as if trying to calm down his own emotions.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I shouldn't talk to you like this." Harry opened his eyes and there was a glassy, yet aware look to them. "And I don't even believe what I just said is true. At least, from what that woman... Rosemary said, my mum cared for Snape, even if he didn't in return." Harry sighed and ran his hand through his messy black hair. "I think he did too. I overheard him talking to Professor Dumbledore. Something in my gut says he loved her or maybe that's just wishful thinking."

Molly smiled, proud of him for the grownup breakthrough he just reached. "Maybe he did. Are you feeling any better?"

"Yeah." He then made a face. "It's weird thinking of Snape in love. It seems wrong."

"Everyone is born with the ability to love. He was young once too. I'm sure he at least cared for someone in his life. It's often the later actions and events in life that cloud those feelings. I think if anyone can, you will be the one to bring those back out."

Harry began to laugh. It started as a sputter laugh hidden behind a raised hand before turning into a full body shaking, eye watering, 'isn't that ridiculous' sort of laugh.

Molly placed her hands on her hips. The grown up breakthrough had been nice while it lasted. "What am I going to do with you," she sighed.

Several days had gone by since Molly first found out Harry's parentage and she had fallen into a bit of despair. Her presence in the Snape home had seemed to have worsened things instead of making them better.

Still, she arrived early each day after fulfilling some basic duties at Grimmauld Place. First thing each morning, Molly made sure Harry had eaten breakfast, which the fussy eater suddenly always did now much to her delight. In fact, his appetite had become quite ravenous compared to his former eating habits. She then enlisted his services in helping to clean the house. That task alone was the single thing going her way. Harry had been very helpful even though he wasn't able to use magic. It hadn't mattered much because many of the things they needed to do had to be done by hand anyway.

After the first day, she left with the kitchen suitably cleaned and the day after, it was stocked properly with supplies any household would need. Harry's room had been given a quick going over though it remained bare as it had been previously. Molly planned on pulling down some things from the Borrow's attic and bringing some things left over from Sirius when she got the chance, to lighten the room up and make it more a 'home' for Harry. There was no reason for Harry to spend the month in what looked like, to her, a jail cell; though she still hoped to talk Snape into opening the second floor where the real bedrooms were. She shuttered to think what condition they were in after years of going untouched.

Today, when she arrived she knew something was different, she sensed something was wrong. The house tended to be quiet, but now the silence had an eerie edge to it. Slowly, she placed the packages she had brought with her down and went down the dim hall to Harry's room, where she placed a hesitant knock on the door. When she entered, she found that Harry had not only not eaten, but he hadn't gotten out of bed yet either.

"What's wrong?" she asked, quickly crossing the room.

He peered at her wearily with his big green eyes over a blanket, which was far more suited for winter. "I don't feel well," he murmured.

She sat on the edge of his bed and felt his cheek and forehead. "You're a bit feverish. Did you wake like this?"

"Been like this since last night." Harry opened and closed his mouth and licked his dry lips as though he were thirsty.

"Do you want something to drink?"

Harry nodded.

She took an empty glass from his bed side and with a wave of her wand filled it with cool water. "Here," Molly said, tipping the glass towards the boy's chapped lips.

"Thanks," Harry yawned.

"Why didn't you tell your father you're not feeling well? I'm sure he'd have some potion to make you better and if not, he'd make one."

"We tried several," came a voice from behind.

Molly turned to see Snape standing there, his hair worse than usual and his clothing slightly disheveled. He looked as though he hadn't slept in a day.

"And?"

"They clearly didn't work," he stated blandly. "The headmaster knows. We believe it is the spell Lily cast undoing itself."

"Can't we do anything?"

"Only a spell-"

"Then do it!" she exclaimed, bouncing up. "Can't you see he's suffering?"

"I was about to say, only a spell we have limited information about and have concern that there might be side effects of." Snape quirked an eyebrow, a dangerous glint in his eye. "Would you prefer we hazard obliterating parts of Potter's inner self, as the headmaster so dramatically phrases it?"

"Wha-" she wrinkled her forehead in distress and looked back and forth between the father and son. "Have you at least investigated the spell to see if this would happen?"

"No, why would I spend my time wisely?" he huffed sarcastically. "Yes, obviously I have and we've discovered little more than what we knew to begin with. Lily left no trace of her research and if she did it, it was destroyed in that fire, which destroyed the Potter's wretched old domain. What did you think I've been doing these past and endless few days while you fussed over a little dirt and disorder in rooms, half of which we don't even use?"

"I didn't think..."

Snape eyes sparkled with amusement and his mouth twisted into a smirk. "No," he said coldly. "I fear you didn't."

Three nights had passed since Molly had found Harry ill and Dumbledore still had not given permission for the spell to be cast. Snape continued his strenuous research, being cautious not to tread too closely to dangerous ground. The original spell, Molly learned much to her horror, had been a dark one and the Ministry was paying extra care to anything that fell under that label these days. To understand the effect of the counter spell, which thankfully was not considered sinister, they needed to better comprehend the original. Snape already had a large mark, the dark one You-Know-Who had given him to be precise, against him in the Ministry's eyes and they would not over look this new one if they found out. Besides, Dumbledore's plans would unravel if people learned what they were up to.

Even Dumbledore was unable to contact the only person, a woman named Rosemary, who had been present when Lily had cast the spell. She was locked away in Azkaban, determined a traitor by the Ministry and sentenced for life for 'the attack' on Harry and the assumed use of dark magic. Snape often complained about the amount of time wasted with superfluous conversation when they had the chance to speak to her.

In the recent days, Harry sickness had only worsened and he now slept little due to the psychical and mental pain he was in. It left him weak and despondent.

"I suspect, if we don't cast the spell soon it will be too late," Snape told Dumbledore grimly as all three stared down upon the sweaty boy, who was grimacing and tearing in pain.

"Please," he choked, tightly gripping at the blanket covering him. "I don't care what it does. Just make. this. stop."

"We can't." Molly brushed some of his messy and slightly oily yet clean hair back. Harry's appearance had begun to change quite a bit in the past few days. The change was slight but it was still there and most obvious in the shape of his face, which now reflected some of his Snape heritage.

"It might happen anyway," Snape commented.

Molly knew it was true. Harry was changing in ways they could not comprehend yet. Dumbledore had pulled her aside and told her what was at risk and in far more detail than Snape had given her if they cast the spell. Molly's heart broke as she reluctantly agreed it was not worth the risk. The thought that they may lose Harry as they knew him...

Snape suddenly looked angry. "I can not comprehend why you are both mourning the boy if he does change. You claim that what Lily did was wrong. That she was deceptive to hide what he truly is. If she altered his personality that is also part of it. If his personality changes that was what he was meant to be to begin with or is it that you're troubled you will lose your golden Gryffindor boy for something that just might be more like me?"

"It was never my intent to portray that, Severus and yes, you're particularly right," Dumbledore admitted. "I do fear losing Harry for what he now is, but you must understand that Harry is someone we are fond of and would fret to lose."

"I'm right here, you know," Harry grumbled.

Molly patted his arm. "We're sorry, Harry."

"No, you're not," he pouted, shoving her hand away. "If you were, you'd just do it."

"We believe, you will only have to wait until your birthday and it will be over."

"My birthday," he gasped, straining to push himself up into a sitting position and looking paler then he even had moments before. "That's days away! I can't take it that long. It just keeps getting worse."

"Harry calm yourself," Molly reprimanded and tried to make him lay back down. "You'll regret it later if you don't."

"I'll regret it later if I don't complain. It hurts."

"Stop whining," Snape demanded with distaste evident on his face.

Harry glared at them. Molly startled and glanced to the others to see she was not alone. From their taken back expressions, the others saw it too. The resemblance to his father was now becoming clear and uncanny.

Snape turned to Dumbledore. "Given that his presence is now gracing my house, I assume Potter is now my responsibility now, is he not?"

The headmaster consented to this.

"Then this is my choice to make."

"Perhaps that is so, but you should make the decision on what will be best for Harry and not what you hope he might become."

"I realize that," Snape snapped.

Molly never recalled seeing the Potion's Master as grumpy and on edge as his currently was at this moment.

"I believe, what's best for Potter is him knowing that who he is hasn't been tampered with in anyway. Do you want him to always wonder?"

"He's right," Harry jumped into the conversation and was sitting up on his allows again with an intense gleam in his green eyes. "He's right."

"Harry..." Dumbledore warned with an uncommon displeased expression crossing his face.

"No! This concerns me most of all. Besides, I don't see why it matters. I take after him somewhat anyway. I just hide it. You know it's true."

This got a eyebrow raise out of Snape. "Really? How so? I must ask. I admit, I see little resemblance."

Harry glowered. "That's because you barely know me and see what you want to see."

"Harry," Molly said calmly. "I know you pretty well and can't see how you take after him either." Harry opened his mouth to speak, but Molly hushed him. "I think you just want the spell cast and I don't blame you, but we are only trying to do what is best for you long term."

"You only see a child," Harry spat once he got his chance. He was far too impassioned for someone so ill. "I'm not what you think either. That damned hat even wanted me in Slytherin. You know it's true," he accused glaring at Dumbledore. "It said I'd do well there, that I was ambitious."

"Yes it did..."

Molly gasped, glancing at Dumbledore, barely believing those three words. Snape appeared shocked as well, but also very pleased in a way she could never be about that fact.

"Was that why you kept seeing the Sorting Hat ceremony during your Occlumency lessons?" he asked not bothering to hide the amusement in his voice.

Harry diverted his eyes as a blush crossed his cheeks. "Yes," he simply mumbled .

"Harry, I said that it was our choices which make us who we are," Dumbledore told him. "Not our birth."

"Yes and I choose this."

Dumbledore looked grave. "Very well." He took up his wand, but paused. "Are you certain?"

Harry closed his eyes and nodded enthusiastically.

Dumbledore reached into his robes. When his hand withdrew, a gem the color of Harry's eyes dangled on a chain held between the old man's fingers. Gently, the gem was dropped down upon Harry's chest. With that, the headmaster began to whisper a strange spell. It was sweet and flowing, almost like music.

Molly watched as a green mist began to waft around Harry's body. A slight breeze picked up. As the spell continued swirls of black entered the mist. It would have seemed peaceful if not for Harry's eyes going wide in agony.

Then, Harry gritted his teeth. Molly gripped her chest at the sudden pressure she felt there. The whirling of air filled her ears. What was happening? Her heart was beating rapidly and her red hair and robes were now swirling about her. Harry was now letting out what looked like a silent scream. Molly could have sworn that his eyes flashed pitch black before turning their emerald green again.

Then suddenly, there was a blast of blinding light and a whoosh of wind blowing away from Harry. She had to turn away from it. The light hurt her eyes and the wind was stinging her checks.

"Please," she begged in a shrill voice. "Make it stop!"

It did. Molly turned slowly back. Snape was lying next to her. He was nothing more than a black heap upon the floor. With much strain, he pulled himself up a bit. Not much, but just enough to gaze at Harry. A bewildered expression was on the father's face.

But it was the son's eyes that worried Molly the most. They had glazed over. They had the look of one shocked senseless. It was only for a moment that awareness reentered them before they fluttered shut. Harry was completely still. When the mist faded, she saw the gem was now a fine dust. Drops of what looked like blood ran down Harry's chest.

In shock, Molly quickly went to check for a wound. Her fingers groped about, being stained with the blood before she saw… there was none.

"Harry?" Molly whispered still worried.

"It's all right, Molly," Dumbledore comforted her. "He's asleep. We'll have to wait until he wakes to see what we've done."

End of Chapter 10

Yes, I know it was a bit short, but I liked the cliffy.