" " is change of scene...I couldn't get the ruler to work and everything else I tried to use was deleted.
" "
TRUTH IS IN THE BLOOD
CHAPTER 26
WARNINGS
"What do you want to know?" Severus finally asked in quiet resignation.
"Anything!" Harry said eagerly as he took a seat next to his professor. "What she looked like, how she acted, her favorite colors and foods; her favorite subject. What she liked or disliked, how you met, what house she was in." Taking a quick breath Harry continued with more questions that he wanted the answers to, "Did you know she was pregnant? Were you married or engaged? Why did you hate James so much if you loved her? Do you have any pictures of her or her famil-"
Snape cast a silencing charm on the hyper boy. Never before had he seen Potter sound so excited about something, not even Quidditch. "Thought about this much?" The potions master asked snidely, "I dare say if you thought about your class work half as much, you might actually be able to pass without help from Granger or the Headmaster."
Sighing, Severus pondered where to start and what questions to answer. "She was two years below me at Hogwarts. We met in the library."
"The library?" Harry mouthed, while Snape looked at him in amusement.
"I should have silenced you years ago," Snape commented with a smirk, "Much easier to ignore your attempts at interruption. And yes, the library. She had a potions book I needed so I tried to trick her into giving it to me. She didn't fall for it," Severus reminisced fondly. "Definitely the smartest Potter I ever met," Severus stated, absently waving a hand in Harry's direction.
While Snape was caught in his memories, Harry was trying to get his attention and ask a question. Since he still couldn't talk, he clapped his hands to get the older man's attention. When Severus glanced his way, Harry pointed to the Gryffindor crest on his own robes, indicating that he wanted to know what house Hannah had been in.
"A Gryffindor?" Severus snorted, "I think not. As for her looks, she was beautiful. There was something about her that made her seem so fragile, you felt that you had to protect her. Of course, she didn't need it. She was lethal with a wand in her hands, of course, she had a strong right hook as well," Severus muttered the last quietly while absently rubbing his jaw as if the memories brought back the pain.
Since he never received an answer to his question, Harry began to stomp his feet as he once more pointed to the crest on his robes.
"You're behaving like a six year old," Severus cautioned, "Continue to do so and I'll have you in a full body bind, in addition to the silencing charm."
Not doubting that Snape would do that and leave him that way, Harry kept his feet still, but looked pleadingly at his professor and again, indicated the house crest on his left chest.
"Love?" Severus asked, purposely misreading Harry's question. "As strange as it might seem to you and your classmates, yes, we were in love. I foolishly thought that we would be together forever, that nothing could separate us."
"Unfortunately, the future that I envisioned for us never came to be. I had planned to marry her and I knew that she wanted that as well. We had talked about getting married after she finished school. The summer before her seventh year, I met with her father, asking for his permission to marry her. He said no. I was convinced that Potter had something to do with it. After all, why else would her family deny us this opportunity? I had known them for a few years, and they never indicated that they had a problem with our relationship. Angered, I tracked down Potter. He didn't hesitate to rub in the fact that he and Evans would soon be married, even had the gall to invite me to the wedding. Furious that I still didn't have an explanation as to why I was denied, I once more met with Hannah's father."
Harry remained silent and still, not wanting to distract his professor, causing him to stop his story.
"Overall," Severus spat sarcastically, as he once more began to discuss the events of the past, "He said he didn't have a problem with me. He thanked me for being a good friend to his daughter, but stated quite clearly that that was all I could ever be. Apparently I didn't meet his qualifications for a good match. My family wasn't the most prosperous," Severus stated clearly, "so I imagined he had concerns about my ability to provide for her and any children we might have. That assumption was wrong; he didn't doubt that I would be able to provide for her, since I was the youngest and most talented potions master in over a century. He also agreed that I would be able to protect her and defend our home, since he heard from Potter that I was skillful in Defense Against the Dark Arts."
Gee, Harry thought as he listened to Snape's tale, perhaps he didn't want his daughter to marry a Death Eater?
"No," Snape continued sharply, "apparently the problem was my blood."
Harry looked at his professor curiously. What was wrong with Snape's blood? What was wrong with his blood, Harry wondered.
"It wasn't pure enough," Severus answered the unasked question bitterly.
Harry stared at his professor in shock positive that he misunderstood what was just said. Perhaps Snape meant that it wasn't pure wizarding blood? Maybe there was some elf or Veela blood in his ancestry? Then again, Harry thought, holding back a snort, maybe it was vampire blood?
"I never imagined that members of the Great Potter Family would discriminate against me because I was a half-blood. After all, James," Severus said bitterly, sneering at the name, "was going to marry a mudblood and nobody had any problems with that. But Merlin forbid that his cousin marries a half-blood."
Surprised by his father's words, Harry knocked a scroll of parchment off the desk. Amazingly, Snape didn't react at all, it was as if he had blocked out everything except the past.
"I tried to get Hannah to ignore her father's decision and marry me anyway, but she wouldn't. She felt that we just needed to give her father some time, stating that if we were meant to be together, it would happen. I, however, did not want to wait and leave it to fate. I knew how she felt about me and did everything I could think of to show them that I was just as good as, if not better than a pureblood. My attempts," Severus said with a derisive laugh, absently rubbing his left arm, "failed and seemed to create a bigger rift between myself and Hannah's family. Yet I still would not give up. Hannah and I continued to meet, often in secret. Each time we met, I asked her to ignore her father and marry me anyway. I could feel her resolve melting."
Harry was speechless, not sure if he was interpreting his professor's words and actions correctly. Finding out he was a half-blood was surprising, but did he really just imply that he joined Voldemort in hopes of impressing his girlfriend's family?
"Unfortunately, fate was against me. By December, Hannah had disappeared. Her family wouldn't provide me with any information. For months I waited to hear from her or her family. The only thing I received was from James. In July I received a notice informing me of the birth of their son. As if flaunting his marriage wasn't enough, he had to gloat about the fact that he had a family, while I didn't."
Snape finally looked up, a brief flash of surprise passed across his face when he saw Harry sitting across from him, a look of shock and compassion on the young boy's face. "That's enough. I'm sure you're fan club is missing you right now," he snapped before standing and retreating from the room, not giving Harry a chance to speak, even if he knew what to say.
" "
"He's not a pure-blood?"
"That's what Harry said, Ron," Hermione confirmed again.
"You mean that he's part elf or…or vampire or something, right?" Ron asked desperately.
"I thought that too," Harry admitted, "But, no, he's a half-blood. One of his parents was of Muggle descent."
"Snape's a half-blood?" Ron echoed.
"Yes," Harry answered for what seemed like the twentieth time.
"Are you sure?"
"I didn't test his blood myself," Harry replied dryly, "If that's what you mean, but otherwise, yes, I'm sure. He said it himself."
"Honestly, Ron," Hermione interrupted before the red head could question Harry some more. "Why is it so surprising?"
"He's a Slytherin!"
"The Head of Slytherin, actually," Ginny commented.
"Yeah, that too," Ron agreed, "and he's a Death Eater!"
"Was a Death Eater," Hermione reminded.
"Yeah, yeah, you know what I mean."
"Same as Voldemort," Harry muttered quietly.
"What?"
"I just realized how much he had in common with Voldemort. A half-blood sorted into Slytherin, one later discovered to be the Heir of Slytherin, the other to become the Head of Slytherin."
"But still," Ron argued, "Why would Voldemort accept a half-blood as a follower since he wanted to rid the world of Muggles and Muggleborns?"
"When faced with the choice of deciding which infant could be his downfall, why did he choose the one he believed to be a half-blood?" Harry questioned in return.
Ron just shrugged in reply to Harry's question as Harry did the same to Ron's.
"Voldemort probably thought that Professor Snape was like him and hated his Muggle parent as well as all things Muggle," Hermione answered, hoping that that would satisfy Ron. "Now can we find out what else Harry learned about his mother?"
Ron nodded and looked at Harry.
Harry shrugged, "Not much, I still don't know what House she was in or what she looked like or what she liked or disliked. It would be nice to know what I have something in common with her."
"You have the same initials," Luna commented before softly singing, "Hannah Jessica Potter, H-J-P, Harry James Potter, H-J-P, Hannah Jessica Potter, H-J-P."
As Luna continued singing, each repetition becoming softer than the last, Hermione asked the questions she had been wondering about, "Did he know? Were they married?"
"I don't think so," Harry responded, "Part of me still thinks he doesn't quite believe it himself. And no, they weren't married. They planned it, but, apparently Hannah's father didn't approve or wouldn't let Snape propose or something."
Ron snorted, "Who could blame him since he was a Death Eater."
Harry paused wondering if he should share this information with his friends, "Actually," he began quietly, "I-"
Harry became silent as the doors of the Great Hall slammed open, and a tall figure dressed in black stormed towards them.
Stopping at the end of their table and looming over them, Snape commanded, "Don't say a word of this to anyone," he paused as he took a moment to look all six students in the eye, making sure that each of them knew how serious he was about this. "Nothing spoken, nothing written, nothing in code, or smoke signals. Nothing."
"What a-"
"Nothing," Snape reiterated sharply. "I'm sure you are familiar with the concept of nothing as it is what resides in your heads."
"But-"
"Nothing," Snape snarled, "If you can't accomplish this one thing, I would be more than happy to obliviate you and your friends, regardless of how the Headmaster feels about it."
"Fudge," Harry said quickly, hoping the Potion Master would understand what he means by that one word.
"Is an idiot," Snape snarled, "And will probably announce it to the world, however, until then I have a job to do. One I won't be able to do once this information becomes known," he completed before turning on his heal and storming out of the Great Hall.
"Touchy," Ron muttered before Hermione smacked him on the back of the head.
"What!" He asked her in confusion, rubbing his head. "I just don't see why he won't be able to teach once everyone finds out that he's Harry's father. I mean, he could still teach and be mean to the Gryffindors, I'm sure it's not the first time that a student had a parent on staff at Hogwarts."
"Don't you realize what's at stake?" Hermione asked rhetorically, looking each of them in the eyes. "Once Voldemort learns of this, he won't be able to spy anymore, in fact, most likely his life would be in jeopardy," Hermione quietly explained.
" "
"Sir?"
"What is it, Potter?" Snape asked sharply.
"I was wondering if we could talk?"
"I know that I can, and unfortunately, so can you, seeing as that is what we are currently doing," Snape drawled, "Now if that is all?"
"Er, no," Potter answered, "I actually meant to ask if we could talk about the pot-"
"Potter," Snape snarled.
"What?" Harry asked defensively, "I just thought we should talk about the fact that you're m-"
"Potter!" Snape reiterated, "Don't you listen to directions?"
"All you said was my name," Harry complained in confusion, "There was nothing to listen to or follow."
"Think, Potter," Snape demanded, "I know it's difficult for you, especially without Granger around to help you, but try to remember yesterday's conversation in the Great Hall."
"You said not to mention the results to anyone," Harry finally answered.
"No, I did not," Snape denied.
"Yes, you did," Harry argued.
"Actually, what I said was not to say a word of this with anyone."
"Well, I haven't. None of us have," Harry confirmed. "Not by owl, or smoke signal, or floo. We haven't mentioned this to anyone."
"Anyone who didn't already know, you mean," Snape added dryly.
"Well, yeah," Harry quietly admitted. "I assu-"
"Well you shouldn't have," Snape interrupted. "My instructions were quite clear, and unlike some people, I mean what I say. However, just to clarify, you and your friends are not to discuss this by verbal, written, or any other method that you assume I don't mean with anyone, that includes each other, myself, and the Headmaster."
"But-"
"These are my instructions," Severus reiterated, "I highly suggest that you follow them this time, for your sake and mine," he continued as he ushered Harry out the door to the potions lab, shutting it in the boy's face.
" "
Harry was still growling as he entered the Gryffindor Common Room. He hoped Ron was there, the red-haired boy was always willing to complain about Snape.
"Ron!" Harry yelled as the door shut behind him, "Ron!"
"He's not here," Luna quietly answered.
"Oh, I suppose he's down at the Quidditch Pitch, then?" Harry reasoned, "I'll just grab my broom and join him." Flying and complaining about Snape, two of his favorite things, Harry thought, surely that would make him feel better.
"He's not there either."
"Oh, okay," Harry muttered, retreating from the stairs to the dorm and taking a seat beside Luna. "Do you know where he is?"
"Yep," Luna said, emphasizing her answer with a nod of her head.
After a few moments of silence, Harry finally asked, "Could you tell me?"
"Of course," Luna said with a smile in Harry's direction, "He's in the library,"
"The library," Harry echoed in shock, not letting Luna finish. Why would Ron be in the library?
"With Hermione," Luna completed.
"Oh," well, that answered that question, Harry realized, wondering when his two friends would finally realize how they felt about each other.
"If you want someone to fly with, I'll go," Luna offered, seeing Harry's dejected look.
"Nah, that's not what I needed Ron for," Harry answered.
"Maybe I can still help," Luna offered again, "As long as you didn't need Ron because you wanted to study the Erubescoquito."
"No, I just need to comp-" Harry paused as he finally processed what Luna said, "Wait…study what?"
"The Erubescoquito," Luna repeated patiently, "You know, the microscopic insect that causes your hair to turn red once you get bitten. I decided that there has to be a nest near their house. How else do you explain why they all have red hair?"
"Uh, genetics?" Harry offered, "Or a spell?" as he remembered the cause of his resemblance to Lily and James.
"Maybe," Luna said skeptically. "Hopefully I'll be able to investigate; after all, I don't live too far from them."
"From who?" Ginny asked as she entered the Common Room, closely followed by Neville who took one look at Harry and disappeared up the stairs.
"You," Luna answered.
"Hey, that's right," Ginny said with a smile. "Maybe you can come over for a visit some day?"
"That would be great. Tuesday's are the best days for Erubescoquito hunting."
"Uh, of course they are," Ginny agreed with a pleading look at Harry, hoping that he would either provide her the information about Luna's new creatures, or change the subject.
Harry just laughed and shook his head.
'Please, Harry,' Ginny mouthed, hoping to change the boy's mind.
"So," Harry said a few minutes later, taking pity on her, "What were you and Neville doing?" Or maybe it was because it was a prime opportunity to tease her.
"Nothing," Ginny said with a blush.
"Uh-huh," Harry said doubtfully, "At least we know that it isn't too serious since you hadn't put your elbow in any butter dishes."
"Harry! I was eleven!" Ginny exclaimed in embarrassment, "And barely awake."
"So, it had nothing to do with me?" Harry asked, "You were just clumsy and tired?"
"Yes, of course," Ginny reluctantly answered, still embarrassed about how she had acted five years ago.
"Hmm," Harry hummed while thinking, "Perhaps you and Neville are perfect for each other after all."
"He's just helping me with my Herbology homework," Ginny mumbled.
"Of course, and I'm sure that's exactly why Ron is in the library right now."
"Ron's in the library," Ginny said in shock, "The place with all the books?"
"And Hermione,"
"Aah, that explains it," Ginny smirked, "He likes Hermione, but won't admit it, but in order to spend time with her, he has to go where she is, in this case, the library."
"Just like you and Neville?"
"Ye-No!" Ginny denied, "Don't change the subject."
"I'm not," Harry smirked, "You did."
"I told you, he's just helping me with my homework."
"I didn't know you needed so much help," Harry joked, "After all, the two of you have spent just about every afternoon in the Greenhouse gathering data for your report."
"Yeah, well," Ginny mumbled, "It's a really big assignment. Probably won't be finished until we leave."
"And even then you'll probably have to owl him, asking for help, right?"
"Most likely," Ginny agreed with a grin. "Who knows, I might even need him to visit the Burrow a few times to check my work."
Harry snickered as the common room door opened.
"What's so funny?" Ron asked as he took a seat beside his sister.
Once again, Ginny was sending pleading looks at Harry, this time begging him not to tell her brother about their conversation.
"Nothing," Harry answered, mouthing, 'you owe me' to Ginny. "Where's Hermione?"
"How would I know?" Ron sputtered, "I'm not her keeper or anything."
Ginny snickered, whispering, "Not for lack of trying," in Harry's ear.
"Luna told me you were in the library with her."
"Yeah, well," Ron said shooting a look at the blonde sitting silently in her chair and wondering what else she knew, "That was earlier. So, how did it go with Snape?"
"It didn't," Harry mumbled before sharing his conversation with Snape with Ron, Ginny, and Luna.
"I'm telling you, mate," Ron advised once Harry finished, "You can't let him treat you like that. For Merlin's sake, you're not six! You deserve to know the truth. Besides," Ron continued with a grin, "What have you got to lose if you hound him for answers for the next few weeks? It's not like he could deduct points or assign you a detention during the summer, right?"
" "
After thinking about what his best friend said, Harry decided that Ron had a point, what would it hurt to approach Snape again?
"Professor?" Harry quietly asked as he stood in to doorway to the potion's lab.
"Potter," Snape said with a sigh,
"I wanted to apologize for misunderstanding your threa-, er, directions," Harry offered quietly.
Snape smirked, the boy wasn't as dumb as he appeared if he was able to identify his original remark as the threat it was intended. "Fine," Snape responded waiting for Potter to return to his friends.
"And?" Snape finally asked when the boy made no such move.
"And I still want to talk about it," Harry admitted.
"Impossible," Snape commented.
"You said that about the results as well," Harry said dryly only to receive a glare from Snape for not following his directions.
"Could we talk about Hannah then?" Harry pleaded.
"No."
"Why not?" Harry asked not receiving an answer. "Well then, what about your family?"
"No."
"Fine," Harry said, not giving up and taking a seat across from the professor's desk, "Then you suggest a topic."
Snape just ignored Harry and continued to brew his potion.
"Aren't you going to say anything?" Harry demanded after fifteen minutes had passed. "I just want to talk, surely that isn't a crime?"
"Fine," Snape agreed, a smirk hidden on his face.
Harry smiled; glad that he might finally get some answers. "How abou-"
"Uh-huh, Mr. Potter," Snape scolded, "You said that I could pick the topic."
"That's fine," Harry agreed, hopefully it would be something he wanted to know, and if not, Harry shrugged, well, maybe he could lead the conversation in that direction. "What do you want to talk about?"
"Your lack of involvement with your friends," Snape supplied, "After all, they are here to keep you company as you recover, correct? If you're not going to spend the time with them, perhaps they should return to their families where they would be appreciated."
Harry's jaw dropped open as he recognized another threat, "You wouldn't," he hissed, eyes narrowing.
Snape simply smirked as he walked across the room to the fireplace, throwing in a handful of floo powder he called, "Headmaster."
"Fine," Harry growled, "I'll go, but this isn't over."
" "
"Ug!" Harry complained when he entered the Great Hall for lunch a few days later.
"What is it now?" Hermione asked.
"Snape," Harry snarled.
"You mean your father," Hermione corrected.
"Shh!" Harry hissed, "Not so loud. I've been told that the walls have ears."
"Who told you that?" Ron mumbled around his food.
"Snape," Harry said again, before explaining his recent encounter with his friends.
"Sir?"
"Now what is it, Potter?"
"I know that you don't want to talk about that or her," Harry explained quietly, "But surely there is something we could talk about."
"We can still talk to the headmaster about your friends leaving," Snape offered snidely.
"He already agreed that they could stay until I leave for the testing at the ministry," Harry smirked in reply.
"Then there is nothing left to talk about, is there?"
"I'm sure there's something," Harry hinted.
"The only thing I'm required to talk to you about is potions, and frankly, I don't believe that you are able to have an intelligent conversation on that subject," Snape retaliated, "Of course, I doubt your ability to hold an intelligent conversation on any subject that would interest me."
"Oh, come on," Harry whined, ignoring the insult "Can't we just talk and get to know each other better before…"
"Before what, Potter?" Snape snarled, knowing Potter was about to refer to the time the two would be required to 'live' together.
"Before I leave," Harry finally supplied.
"Unfortunately you will return in September along with the other miscreants, therefore, I do not see a great need or desire to get to know you or any other student better."
"But-"Harry went to add as his professor applied a silencing charm to him and a privacy charm to their conversation.
"Furthermore, since most are aware of our feelings for towards each it would be highly suspicious if the two of us were found willingly in the other's company.
"Even though everyone in current residence of the castle is aware of the situation, there will be other professors, order members, and occasionally Ministry personnel visiting at various times, not to mention the fact that the walls have ears.
"My life is worth more than satisfying my curiosity about your favorite color, subject or food," Snape sarcastically stated, "Now for the final time, drop this subject. Anything you need to know can wait until the week of your birthday," Severus added before canceling both the silencing charm and the privacy charm. "Now, good day, Mr. Potter," he said before once again shutting the door in his face.
"The walls have ears?" Ron repeated, after Harry finished relating the most recent conversation with his father. "Mate, I hate to say it, but I fear insanity might run in that family."
"Honestly, Ron," Hermione said with a sigh, "Obviously he meant the portraits and the ghosts. Any of them could hear our conversations or see Professor Snape and Harry together and tell somebody about it. In fact we need to be careful about what we say as well.
"And he is right, you know," Hermione added, "There will be plenty of time to talk the week of your birthday."
"Yeah, mate," Ron agreed, earning a smile from Hermione, "Plus this way you can spend time with us before the testing instead of that greasy git."
Outwardly Harry smiled in agreement with Ron, while inwardly he was wondering whether or not that would be true. As Snape had said, he really hadn't been spending much time with his friends. He was either trying to get Snape to talk to him, thinking about how everything was going to change once everyone knew who his parents were, or he was worrying about the time he and his father would be living together.
"Well," Neville said, removing himself from the table, "I'm going to stop by the greenhouse before I get to work on some more homework."
"I'll go with you," Ginny eagerly said, trying to leave before anyone could say anything. "Maybe you could give me some more help me with my Herbology project."
"Aren't you done with that yet?" Ron asked. "Neville, don't let her con you into doing it for her."
Hermione and Harry snickered as Neville turned red, "I'm not, er, she's not," he said before quickly leaving.
"That sounds like a good idea," Hermione said standing up, "I'm going to the library to check over my homework."
"Oi," a besotted Ron called, grabbing another sandwich to eat on the way, "I'll join you."
Harry watched his best friends leave, wondering which would be the first couple to emerge.
"I wonder if they know that a steady diet of liver and onions will keep the Agape bug away," Luna commented while absently twirling her wand.
" "
"Don't tell me Neville's helping Ginny again," Ron muttered as he noticed that neither one were in the Great Hall for lunch yet. "I hope she isn't taking advantage of him. Neville is too nice a guy to tell her no."
Harry laughed into his napkin before replying, "Don't worry," he told his friend with a laugh, "I'm sure Ginny's helping him as well."
"With what?" Ron questioned, "If she's having this much trouble with Herbology, what makes you think that she's doing well in her other classes? Especially well enough to help someone who is a year ahead of her. I can't help but wonder if something's wrong," the big brother in Ron quietly admitted. "Maybe I should owl Mum."
"NO!" Harry and Hermione shouted together, causing Ron to jump in his seat out of surprise.
"Why?" Ron asked suspiciously, "What do you know?"
Harry and Hermione exchanged a look before Harry said, "You tell him, you could probably explain it better."
"Explain what better?" Ron asked, only to be ignored.
"No you," Hermione suggested, "He'll take it better from you."
"HA!" Harry shouted, his voice drowning out Ron's question of 'Take what better?' "In other words you don't have the courage of a Gryffindor to tell him."
"I'm just as much a Gryffindor as you," Hermione snapped back. "Besides, you're his best friend, you should probably do it."
"Do you really think I could explain it well enough for him to understand and not lose his temper?"
"Will one of you just tell me?" Ron demanded.
"They don't have to," Luna said, pointing towards the entrance to the Great Hall when the trio looked at her.
Neville and Ginny were walking towards them holding hands.
"Ginny," Ron began angrily as he stood up and approached the new couple, pointing a finger at them, his face turning as red as his hair.
"Ron, stop now before you say something you'll regret," Hermione advised, realizing that she really would be the best one for this task. Standing up, she grabbed his arm and dragging him out of the hall.
No one knew exactly what was said, but that evening at dinner, Ron and Hermione also appeared holding hands, causing Ginny to snicker.
" "
As the day of the testing drew closer, Harry grew quieter. He really didn't want to spend a week with just Snape for company and wondered if his professor had a residence outside of the castle for them to live in for that week. He had tried to find out the answer to that question, but unfortunately, the potions master still wasn't talking to him, unless, of course, it was to make a derogatory remark.
Harry hoped that the two would be spending it at the castle, at least then he would be on familiar territory. The only problem with that scenario was that his friends wouldn't be there with him. Most of their parents/guardians wanted them to return home once they learned that Harry was recovering nicely, it was only the interference of the Headmaster, explaining that Harry could use the support and company of his friends during this time that allowed them to stay until the day of the testing.
" "
"So, Harry, who are you going to bring with you for the testing at the ministry?"
Harry shrugged, "Don't know. Haven't decided yet."
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed in disbelief, the testing is tomorrow. You'd better decide if you want to make sure they can come."
"Why wouldn't they?" Harry asked in confusion, as far as he knew, none of his friends made any plans for that day,
"I don't know," Hermione cried in exasperation, "Appointments, illness, schedule conflicts, a number of things could happen."
"All of you guys are free, right?" Harry asked looking at his friends. "I mean, I know when you guys do 'couple' things, you don't necessarily plan them, but I figured one of you could be there with me."
Neville and Ron nodded in agreement. Even if they had made plans with their girlfriends they would cancel them to be with Harry if he asked them to go. Luna, Ginny and Hermione however, just exchanged looks.
"Harry, you really should ask an adult," Ginny finally advised.
"Why? Ron and Hermione are able to use magic."
"Not for the magic factor," Luna stated calmly, "but for the intimidation factor."
"If he wants intimidating, he should ask Snape," Ron muttered, remembering how he felt when the Potions Master threatened them when ordering them not to reveal Harry's parentage to anyone.
"Actually, he probably should ask Professor Snape," Hermione agreed.
"Wait. Stop," Harry said, indicating timeout with this hands. "Why do I need someone intimidating?"
"Maybe not intimidating," Ginny observed, "But definitely somebody who can and will stand up to the Minister for your rights."
"And you suggested Snape?" Harry asked in disbelief.
"He's sworn to protect you," Hermione reminded him, "All the Order members are. If Minister Fudge tries to give false results, Professor Snape won't let you go into someone else's custody."
"Yes he would," Harry debated, "He might be sworn to protect me, but he doesn't care about me. He especially doesn't care that he's my father. He would gladly give me over to someone else."
"Give it-"
"That's a discussion for another time," Ginny interrupted, "Right now, Harry needs to decide who's going with him to the ministry."
"Well, why not your father?" Harry asked.
"I'm sure he would love to," Ronald spoke enthusiastically. "He thinks of you as a son, he would be honored that you asked him to stand beside you on such an occasion. Of course," Ron continued a bit quieter, "Mum might be upset that you didn't ask her."
"Two problems," Ginny commented, "One, Dad has to work and two, if he goes against Fudge, which he would willingly do for you, he could be risking his job."
"Don't want that," Harry muttered before offering, "Remus?"
"Do you know where he is?" Ginny asked dryly.
"Uh, no, not really," Harry quietly admitted, realizing that most likely he wouldn't be able to get here in time.
"Just as well," Hermione added, "The ministry probably wouldn't let him stay because of his condition, then you would just end up alone anyways."
Harry sighed, who knew that this decision would be so difficult. "Dumbledore? He'll stand up to the ministry for me, and if Fudge hasn't been able to dismiss him as Headmaster in the past, he shouldn't be able to do so because of this."
"True," his friends agreed, causing Harry to sigh in relief. At least that was done, now he just had to hope that the Headmaster would be available.
"You should ask Professor Snape," Luna responded quietly.
Harry looked at the blonde girl in confusion. Didn't they just agree on Dumbledore?
"Not only is he your father, but as a Potion Master he'll be able to tell right away if anything is wrong with the potion."
"That's true to," everyone else agreed.
Harry sighed once more, "So which is it? Dumbledore or Snape?"
"Dumbledore," Neville and Ron responded, while Luna and Hermione answered with "Professor Snape" at the same time.
Harry looked at his friends before turning to the one who hadn't answered, "Gin? What do you think?"
Ginny shrugged, "It's your choice, Harry. Just remember that either way, once it's done, you'll be living with Snape for five days."
"So the less time spent with him before, the better?" Ron finished with a grin.
"Or you could ask him as a sign that you want to get to know him better and give him a chance," Luna quietly argued, causing everyone to fall into a reflective silence.
END CHAPTER 26
erubesco -rubescere -rubui to grow red , blush
So…what did you think about Snape's spiel? Did anyone pick up on anything that might be important?
And what house do you think (want) Hannah to be from?
UPCOMING:
CHAPTER 27 A DAY AT THE MINISTRY (Where Harry & a guest head to the ministry for the testing…Is Fudge going to try something?)
CHAPTER 28 MINISTRY MADNESS (The brewing of the potion at the Ministry Labs)
CHAPTER 29 WELCOME HOME
CHAPTER 30 HAPPY? BIRTHDAY
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter. Harry Potter is the creative works of JK Rowling.
Thanks to everyone who is reading this story. Thanks as well to everyone who has included this (or my other stories) in their favorites or C2's.
Many more thanks to those who take time to review & let me know what they think of this story. I love receiving the feedback & knowing that people are enjoying it.
Much thanks to my new beta nljfs (nancy in chicago)
A/N Sorry about the delay, my computer still isn't fixed (Merlin do I miss my laptop).
8/30/2006