Chapter 38

Having been on a cloud since Thursday's Occlumency lesson, Harry tried to get most of his homework and a little of the preparation for the upcoming defense study group completed throughout his free time on Friday and all Saturday morning. He wanted everything to be done before Saturday afternoon. That was when he was going to down to the dungeons to spend some time with his father.

Ron, who did not like seeing his friend constantly work on homework, convinced Harry to go flying and play at least one game of Quidditch Saturday morning. Harry, of course, couldn't refuse, so he spent a bit of time before lunch out on the pitch on his broom.

Seeing that there weren't many students around, Harry descended to the dungeons through the common stairwells and corridors right after finishing lunch on Saturday. He stopped in front of his father's quarters and just stared at the wooden door. He knew that these were his quarters too, but he still found he couldn't just walk in to them through the front door. Actually, if he thought about it, he wasn't too sure the wards would allow that anyway. With a shrug, he knocked on the door.

Severus, who had been relaxing in front of the fireplace with a book, stood up at the knock, walked to the door and slowly opened it, unsure who would be knocking. "Harry. Why did you knock? Why did you not just come in?"

Harry looked sheepishly at Severus. "I didn't know I was allowed to do that."

"Well, you are. The wards have been rekeyed." He motioned for Harry to come inside and then closed the door behind them.

"But it would feel weird to just walk in," Harry stated as he went to the sofa and sat down, dropping the book bag he brought with him on the floor next to him. "And what if you weren't here when I decided to come down? Then when you did, you may think someone had broken through your wards."

Severus sat down next to Harry and explained. "The wards are keyed to you, as I mentioned. If I happen to be out and you come down, when I come back here, I can tell before I even enter the door. The wards on the door will notify me."

"Oh. Okay. But it will still feel weird."

"Give it time. It will feel normal in no time."

"I'll try."

Severus closed the book he had left lying open on the sofa when he went to answer the door and placed it on the coffee table. "I am not really sure what you wanted to do between now and dinner, but I started brewing a potion this morning and it isn't quite finished. There is another five minutes left in its resting stage before I must continue with it."

"Oh." Harry tried to not sound as disappointed as he felt. He really wanted to spend the rest of the day with his father.

"If you wouldn't mind, I could use your help." Severus looked to Harry and tried not to smirk at his son's reaction.

"You want my help? Surely you remember I'm rubbish at potions."

"If I remember correctly, your last potion was absolutely perfect."

Harry's jaw dropped. "Really?" he asked astounded, not having gotten his grade yet. "It was perfect?"

"Yes."

"Wow!" He couldn't believe his potion was perfect. Then he remembered he brewed that potion with help from the notes in the book he borrowed. He did not deserve his father's praise. He cheated, and he hadn't done the assigned homework.

"Does that mean you would like to help?" Severus asked, unaware of Harry's thoughts.

"Sure." Harry really wasn't fond of the idea though, as he always got nervous while brewing, especially when Severus was nearby. But he really wanted to be in his father's company. That was the whole point of leaving his afternoon and evening free. He just hoped he didn't bugger anything up.

"The potion is brewing in my office." Severus stood up after glancing at the clock. "We better get going."

Harry stood up and followed Severus to his office. The two spent the next hour finishing up the potion. Severus had Harry both preparing ingredients and brewing. When it was done, Severus left Harry bottling it up into vials while he began cleaning up the table and various items used in preparing the ingredients.

Returning to Harry's side, Severus complimented his son. "Thank you for your help, Harry. You did a good job."

"Thanks. Surprisingly I had fun." Harry put a stopper in the top of vial he just finished filling. "Where would you like me to put these?" he asked, indicating the dozen vials lining the table.

"Go ahead and put them in…" Severus stopped and grabbed his left forearm, a hiss escaping his lips.

Harry quickly turned toward his father when he stopped talking. "Where did…" He stopped as he saw the flash of pain on his father's face and the hand tightly grasping his left arm. "It's him isn't it?"

"Harry," Severus began quickly through clenched teeth, "continue filling the vials with the potion. When you are done, please finish cleaning everything up for me. You may then take the vials up to Madam Pomfrey. She is expecting them. There is a box behind my desk."

Harry's heart began to beat rapidly, and while Severus was giving him instructions, he was only half listening, having started to feel dizzy. His mind kept replaying the nightmares he'd had with his father at Death Eater meetings; dying at the hand of Voldemort.

Severus looked closely at Harry. "Did you hear me Harry?" he asked urgently.

"What?" Harry questioned, his father's voice bringing him out of his thoughts.

"Please finish bottling the potion and clean up. Bring all the vials to the hospital wing. When you're done, go on up to your tower and stay with your friends." He began heading to the door to retrieve his Death Eater mask and robes from his quarters.

"No! You can't go!" Harry yelled, rushing over to Severus. "It will be just like my nightmares."

Severus sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. This was not the time for this. If he did not appear promptly, the Dark Lord would happily show how displeased he was. "Harry, I do not have time for this," he began sternly. "Please do as you are told. I will be fine."

"But…"

Severus put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Harry."

Harry gave his father a pleading look, his fists clenched in unease at his side. He was sure Severus wouldn't finish the meeting alive.

Severus' heart constricted at the look Harry gave him. It still seemed so foreign to have someone that worried about him. "I promise I will send word the moment I return to the castle." He squeezed Harry's shoulder and left for his office.

Harry was left standing in Severus' office. He stared at the closed door for a few minutes before he turned around and headed back to the table. Trying to rid his mind of seeing his father surrounded by green light with Voldemort's wand aimed at him, Harry shakily finished bottling the potion.

Once the final drop was bottled, Harry cleaned out the cauldron and the utensils his father wasn't able to finish cleaning. After setting everything neatly on the table, he boxed up the vials and brought them up to Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing.

Ten minutes later, and unsure of how he got there, Harry found himself staring at the ground in front of the portrait of the fat lady guarding the entrance to the Gryffindor tower.

"Well dear?" the portrait asked, as Harry had yet to utter a word. "Password?"

Harry raised his head and stood there looking at the portrait for a few seconds. "Erm…" Instead of muttering the password, he quickly turned around and headed in the direction of the secret corridor by the staff room. Even though Severus told him to go to his tower, the last place he wanted to be was in the noisy common room surrounded by happy classmates. He desperately wanted to be down in the dungeons.

Once in their quarters, Harry couldn't seem to sit still. He had tried to read a book he retrieved from the bookcase in his father's study, but he couldn't concentrate. Even though he was exhausted from having stayed up well past midnight the night before to finish his homework, when he tried to rest on his bed, he wasn't able to do so. At one point he thought of going to see Professor Lupin, but when he got to the door in the hallway to leave, he just couldn't.

Instead, he found himself tucked in Severus' chair by the fire in the living room. With a blanket he brought out from his room draped over his legs, which were pulled under him, he just sat in the chair and watched the flames in the fireplace, willing his father to burst through any moment.

After an hour of staring at the fire with his thoughts running rampant at what could be happening at the Death Eater meeting and feeling more and more unsettled, Harry knew he needed to find a way to calm down. The fear gripping his stomach was becoming too much. He shoved the blanket to the side and went to the kitchen to make some hot chocolate, hoping it would help calm his nerves.

Having had his ears trained for the sound of the floo since he entered their dungeon quarters hours earlier, relief flooded through Harry when he finally heard the tell-tale whoosh of the fireplace five minutes later. He all but ran from the kitchen into the living room.

~SH~

As Severus expected upon his arrival at Malfoy Manor for the Death Eater meeting, the Dark Lord was not pleased with his lateness. Though he seemed content after Severus gave him an explanation, he made his true displeasure known when Severus went to leave at the conclusion of the meeting. He was subjected to the cruciatus curse three times, three unbearably long times, before he was able to floo back to Hogwarts.

Severus stumbled out of the floo and almost landed on the stone floor. Luckily a quickly placed hand on the fireplace wall stopped his fall. Sneezing twice amid the swirling soot and ash he had kicked up, he was exceedingly grateful no one was witness to his undignified entrance.

"Bless you," Harry said uncertainly, standing behind the sofa with his hands resting on the back. He was initially going to rush to the fireplace when he heard the floo activate, but decided not to at the last moment.

Thinking he was alone, Severus whipped his head up, spotted Harry behind the sofa, and glared. "What are you doing down here?" He stopped speaking as a painful spasm rippled through his body. He closed his eyes and slowly tried to stand up straight, wincing as his painful muscles protested. "I thought I told you to return to your common room?" Gritting his teeth against the pain that felt like thousands of knifes slicing his muscles, he walked away from the fireplace toward the sofa.

"I needed to be here," Harry answered quietly. Seeing the pain apparent on his father's face, though it looked like he was desperately trying to hide it, and surprised that the man had let his guard down in front of him as much as he had, Harry finally removed himself from behind the sofa. When he got closer to Severus, he could see him shaking. "Are you all right?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Harry wished he could take them back. He sounded like a complete idiot. Of course his father was not all right. He was extremely pale, breathing shallowly, barely able to stand or walk, and in obvious pain. Every inch of visible skin was covered in dirt and soot, and there were pieces of grass and leaves in his hair and stuck to his robes. Harry even thought he saw some blood.

Severus finally made it to the sofa and sat down, trying his hardest to hide how much pain he was in. Harry did not need to see him like this, and he wished that his son would have listened to him and had been in his common room instead. He dropped his Death Eater mask on the floor by his feet. As another ripple of pain coursed through his body, Severus tried to reach for his wand inside his robes.

"Dad, what do you need?" Harry asked worriedly, as he watched his father struggle to move and obviously keep his pain to a minimum.

Severus wanted to snap at Harry and tell him to leave, but looking over at him, he could see how worried and frightened Harry was. Severus hoped a distraction would help calm him. "Please…get a vial…of pale blue…potion…in my bedroom. It's…in the top…drawer of the nightstand…on the right."

Harry nodded and ran to Severus' bedroom. Not knowing which nightstand on the right his father had meant, the one on the right when looking at the bed or the one on the right when in the bed, Harry hoped he chose correctly and ran to the one on the right side of the room. He yanked open the drawer and fumbled around inside trying to find the correct vial. Seeing a half dozen of the requested vials hidden in the back, he grabbed one and ran back out to the living room. After uncorking it, he pressed it into Severus' shaking hand.

Severus gratefully downed the potion then closed his eyes, waiting for the potion to take effect.

When it seemed his father was not going to say anything else, Harry quickly left the living room and went back to the kitchen. He pulled a clean towel out of a drawer and wet it with warm water. Seeing the pot of hot chocolate on the stove he had just finished making, he poured the hot liquid into two mugs.

Wet towel and mugs in hand, Harry returned to the living room. As his eyes landed on Severus, Harry's heart started pounding madly, his fear returning. His father was bent over with his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands. Harry could also see his whole body trembling every few seconds. Seeing his father like that was really beginning to scare him. "Dad?" he said quietly as he sat down at the far side of the sofa and set one of the mugs of hot chocolate on the table.

With his head still in his hands, Severus looked over to Harry.

Harry held out the wet towel. "So you can wipe off some of the dirt and stuff." He then held out the mug still in his hands. "It's hot chocolate. I don't know if you drink it, but it always makes me feel better."

"Thank you Harry," Severus acknowledged with a hoarse voice, surprised. He took the cloth and mug and noticed Harry shaking. He also noticed Harry looked terrified. "I am fine." He wiped the soot and dirt off his face and hands the best he could and dropped the towel on top of the mask on the floor. Then he took a sip from the mug.

"What did he do?" Harry asked, not truly believing Severus was fine in the least.

"Nothing I have not endured before." Wanting desperately to get out of the Death Eater robes he was still in, Severus slowly stood up. As he started to remove the robes, his body gave another painful spasm. Squeezing his eyes closed, he slowly removed the robes and let them drop to the floor. He sat back on the sofa as quickly as his body would allow.

Harry continued to shake. His father hadn't died at the hand of Voldemort this afternoon, but right now, this seemed almost as bad. Severus was in obvious pain, the potion seeming to have no effect. What if the pain got worse? What if whatever Voldemort cast didn't have a counter curse? What if there was no potion to help?

"Harry, come over here." Severus patted the spot next to him on the sofa.

Harry shook his head at the pain apparent in Severus' voice. He didn't want to cause his father any more pain by sitting next to him. "No. I'll just hurt you more. I know you're in pain."

"And you are frightened. Come over here."

Though embarrassed at being told he was scared, Harry finally scooted over so he was sitting next to Severus.

Severus put an arm around Harry's shoulders and pulled him closer so he was now leaning again his side. "I will be fine Harry." He could feel Harry trembling beside him. Even though he was still in pain, though thankfully it was receding, he ran his hand up and down Harry's arm.

Harry looked up to Severus, beginning to feel calmer almost immediately. "But he hurt you. What if it becomes worse? What if whatever he cast on you kills you?"

"You have nothing to fear," Severus responded, trying to make light of the situation. He could have told Harry what curse was inflicted on him, but thought it best to leave that out. Harry didn't need to know the details. "He has not done any permanent damage yet. The Dark Lord would not be so stupid as to kill me. Besides, he considers me one of his most faithful and trustful advisors." Severus finished that sentence with one more word in his head. Hopefully.

Harry's heart beat rapidly at his father's words. He knew Voldemort liked to inflict pain on his followers, as witnessed in the graveyard his fourth year. He just didn't think his father would be one of those people. "He hurts you all the time…at every meeting doesn't he?"

Severus closed his eyes briefly. His son did not need to know what went on at the meetings. But deep down he knew Harry had to know the truth. "He hurts me, yes, but not at every meeting."

Looking up at Severus miserably, Harry pressed himself closer into his father's side. "I don't want you to go anymore."

"Harry, you know I must. This is one of the only ways in which we have a chance of winning this blasted war."

"I know, but I don't want you to get hurt anymore. What if next time he kills you?"

Squeezing Harry's shoulder, Severus let out a sigh. He didn't know what to say to Harry's statement.

~SH~

Two hours later, pain and tremor free, Severus stood in the kitchen watching Harry wash their hot chocolate mugs. "Are you hungry for dinner yet Harry?" he asked.

Jumping slightly, as he thought Severus was still resting in his bedroom after taking a shower and speaking with Dumbledore, he turned around. "Yes. A little."

"Good." Severus moved into the kitchen. "I don't know about you, but I really do not want to eat the shepherd's pie the house-elves are serving for dinner. Are you amendable to having something Italian? I thought we could go have dinner in London. While we were there during our outing last month, I spotted an Italian restaurant close to the Leaky Cauldron."

"London?" Harry questioned, in surprise. "Are you sure? I really don't mind having dinner in the Great Hall or down here." The thought of leaving the castle and spending the time alone with his father was definitely appealing, but he knew it had only been hours since his father returned from the Death Eater meeting barely able to stand.

"But I mind. I would like for us to have a meal outside of the castle."

Harry looked his father up and down. Severus looked like normal, but he knew his father was gifted at hiding what he didn't want people to see. "You're not…aren't you still…" Harry stopped, not sure how to word what he wanted to ask.

"I am perfectly fine," Severus said, giving Harry a reassuring smile. "You do not need to worry." He walked over to the sink and cupped Harry's cheek with a potion-stained hand. "Harry, you are the child. I am the parent. I worry about you. It's not the other way around."

"Sorry," he responded shyly, though inside his heart was beating wildly at Severus' words and the foreign touch. "But I just don't want anything to happen to you." His face then dropped a moment later. "We can't go to London. We might be recognized."

Severus pulled out his wand. "And that is why we will be going as Christopher and Harry Evans."

"Oh…yeah," Harry replied feeling completely stupid.

~SH~

Severus and Harry stepped out of the floo into their quarters three hours later. The restaurant, having been located a bit west of the Leaky Cauldron, had them having to take a bus to get to and from there. The trip, unfortunately, took a bit longer then Severus expected as he didn't realize the restaurant was as far as it was.

Yawning, Harry headed to his bedroom and took off his jacket. He still had a little bit of time before curfew so he went to his book bag lying on the desk and pulled out his photo album. He wanted to look through it and see if his father would tell him more about the pictures. And, if he were honest with himself, he really didn't want to leave Severus' side yet.

Harry walked into the living room and spotted his father stoking the fire. "Dad?"

Severus gave a log one more push into the flames and stood up, setting the poker back on the hearth. "Yes?"

"Erm…I brought my photo album with me. I was wondering if you would tell me about some more of the pictures?"

"Go ahead and get comfortable on the sofa and I'll bring in some tea and biscuits."

Harry headed to the sofa, took off his shoes, and sat in the middle. While waiting for Severus to return, he flipped open the album. His eyes landed on the note his father had left him while he had been sick, and he smiled. He read through it once, and then turned to the beginning of the pictures. His father had already told him the stories of the first few pages of pictures, but he still stopped at each one. By the time Severus returned with the tea and biscuits, he was finally at the start of the pictures they had yet to talk about.

Severus set the biscuits on the coffee table, handed a cup of tea to Harry, and sat next to him with his own cup of tea. He moved the photo album so it was resting on both of their laps.

Harry drank a little of his tea then set the cup on the coffee table. "This is where we left off last time." He pointed to a Muggle picture of Severus and Lily at a picnic bench. One end of the table had a bunch of balloons attached to it with a cake, plates, forks, and cups surrounding the balloons. The other side of the table held wrapped gifts. Severus and Lily looked like they were beginning to stand up. "When was this one taken?"

"We were ten in this picture. It was taken at the house of a good friend of your mother's. She lived a few houses away. The girl was having a birthday party. With consent of Lily's friend, I was invited. Your grandmother was one of the few who were taking pictures."

With a smile, Harry turned the page to the next photo and listened to the story behind it with rapt attention. This scene continued for a while.

Forty-five minutes later Severus pointed to a picture on the far side of the album. "This was taken on the grounds of Hogwarts our fourth year. Lily and I had found this secluded spot around the back of the castle during our first year. We went there all the time. For some reason no one really ventured to that side of the castle. That was how we were able to hide our friendship over the years."

Harry stared at the picture, which was only of his father. Severus was lying on his back in the grass with his hands under his head. His eyes were closed and it looked like he was asleep. His potions text was open and sitting on top of some parchment. The edges of his text, strands of his hair, and branches of the tree were being ruffled in the breeze.

"We spent almost the entire day out there," Severus continued. "We worked on homework and just talked. I obviously fell asleep. Your mother had promised me she didn't take a picture."

Laughing, Harry reached to the coffee table and took a biscuit. He ate it as he looked at the picture of his father again. He couldn't take his eyes off of it. This was the only time he had ever seen his father looking so relaxed, without hiding what he was really thinking or feeling; looking vulnerable. He wished his father could look like that again. Yawning, Harry curled his legs under himself and leaned into Severus' side. So far, this was his favorite picture.

Severus took a biscuit himself then turned the page in the photo album. After finishing the biscuit, he continued explaining the pictures. About ten minutes later he realized he hadn't heard a word from Harry. He looked down and realized Harry had fallen asleep against him.

Very carefully, as to not wake Harry, Severus closed the photo album and set it on the coffee table. Relaxing back against the sofa, he put an arm around his slumbering son, causing the boy to snuggle a little into his side. Severus smiled and began carding his fingers through Harry's hair.

It was a perfect ending to a not so perfect day.

~SH~

"Ron, I am not going to give you my defense notes," Hermione said distractedly from a table in the corner of the Gryffindor common room. "You are a sixth year. You should know how to take notes for yourself by now."

"Fine." Ron gave a huff and looked to the entrance of the common room as it opened. "Harry," he said happily as he saw his friend walk into the room. "Do you have your notes from defense?"

"Er…yeah. I think so." Harry walked over to the table and set his book bag on top. He looked from Ron to Hermione. "What are you two doing?"

"Homework," Ron answered harassed. It was a beautiful Sunday morning and Hermione wouldn't leave him alone until he decided to do some homework. "Hey, where were you from yesterday afternoon through breakfast today? I haven't seen you since lunch yesterday?"

"Oh…I spent the afternoon with Lupin," Harry lied. "I got back to the tower when you were out. I was really tired and I fell asleep. You didn't see me at breakfast because I got up early. I had a few more things I needed to ask Lupin." Harry, of course did not go back to the tower last night or get up early. Because he had fallen asleep down in the dungeons, Severus let him stay overnight. The two had just finished breakfast a half hour ago.

Hermione eyed Harry with uncertainty but didn't say anything.

"Well, now that you're here, you can join in the fun," Ron said sarcastically. "Let's work on our defense homework together. My notes are useless." He moved his unused books and parchment to the floor to make room for Harry.

"I've already done my defense. But I do need to complete my charms homework."

"Great. You can do that while I borrow your notes."

"My notes should be in my book bag, in the blue notebook. Help yourself. I have to go up and get my charms stuff. I'll be right back." Harry left the table and walked up the spiral staircase to the sixth-year dorm.

He went to his bed and was surprised to see the curtains surrounding it were open and his bed made. Before leaving for the dungeons yesterday afternoon, he left his books and notebooks on the bed and had closed the curtains. The house elves had obviously come and cleaned during breakfast. Knowing the elves tended to put their belongings in their trunks, Harry opened his and knelt down to find what he needed.

A few minutes later, he walked back down to the common room with his text and spare parchment in hand. When he got to within a few feet of the table, he stopped immediately. His stomach dropped to the floor and his mouth opened in shock.

Ron and Hermione had his photo album open in front of them and were reading the letter from Severus.

"Wha…what are you doing?" Harry knew at one point he would have to tell his friends about Severus, but not like this. He walked over to the table and noticed the album was open to the photo of his father asleep, the page where he placed the letter earlier that morning. Angry, he yanked the letter out of his friends' hands, put it back in the album, and shoved the album in his bag.

"What was that?" Hermione asked, ignoring Harry's question.

"None of your business." Harry slung his bag on his shoulder and turned to leave the table.

Ron grabbed Harry's arm. "Wait!"

Irritated, Harry spun around and glared at Ron. "What?"

"Who was that letter from?"

"Again, none of your business."

Hermione stood up and walked to Harry. "Harry, the letter said it was from your father. But your father is dead. And the letter was new. What is going on?"

Harry whirled on Hermione, furious and a little hurt. "Why can't you mind your own business for once Hermione?" he yelled. "Why do you always have to know everything? And who gave you the right to invade my privacy?"

Hermione grabbed Harry's arm to lead him back to their table.

Harry yanked his arm out of her grasp. "Let me go."

Ron glance around the common room, having a feeling they were being watched. Harry's outburst had indeed caused everyone to stare. "Harry, stop yelling will you?"

Looking around, Harry saw everyone's eyes on him. "Sure." With that, he turned around and left the common room with Ron and Hermione chasing after him.

"Harry, stop." Ron called after Harry.

Harry spun around. "Why should I? You have no respect for my privacy. You start looking at things you have no right to look at!"

"It was in your book bag. You told me to get out your notes."

"My notes yes. Not everything else that is in my bag." Livid with his friends' actions, Harry turned around and strode away.

Not giving up, Ron and Hermione followed. When they came to an alcove in the corridor, Hermione put a hand on Harry's arm to stop him. "Harry, stop. We need to talk about this."

"There is nothing to talk about."

"Sit down," Hermione ordered while indicating to the alcove.

Giving Ron and Hermione one more glare, he reluctantly walked over to the alcove. Dropping onto the bench, he crossed his arms over his chest. His anger was evident.

"What is going on?" Hermione asked yet again, as she sat down next to Harry with Ron sitting down next to her. "I recognized the writing on the letter."

Harry froze and didn't say anything.

"You recognized it?" Ron asked Hermione incredulously. He was always surprised at how observant Hermione was.

Knowing it might be best if no one else was privy to their conversation, Hermione pulled out her wand and cast a muffliato spell around them. "Yes Ron. We've been seeing the handwriting on our homework for over six years."

Ron narrowed his eyes and he tried to figure out whose writing it could be.

With the attention off of him for the moment, Harry picked up his bag and stood up, beginning to leave.

Hermione grabbed his arm, pulling him back down. "Harry."

Glowering at Hermione, Harry reluctantly sat back down. He began to realize there was no way of getting out of this.

"It's professor Snape's writing isn't it Harry?" Hermione asked. "That was him in the picture wasn't it?"

Ron looked outraged, only having read the letter. He hadn't had a chance to look at the picture. "What are you doing with a picture of Snape, Harry?"

"And why did he write a letter to you signed as dad?" Hermione added.

"Just what it means," Harry replied. Still exceeding angry, he took a deep breath. "Professor Snape is my father."

"What? You're mental Harry," Ron responded laughing. "What are you playing at?"

"You wanted to know. Well, there you go. And I'm not mental Ron." Harry looked from Ron to Hermione.

Ron's amusement was slowly being replaced with disgust. "There is no way in…I know you Harry. You would never believe that mean, greasy, bat of the dungeons was your father. You must have ingested a befuddlement draught or been hit with a confundus charm. It's disgusting that you would even believe that." Ron stood up angry. "First you're getting on our case when we ask you questions, then you're always making excuses for everything, and now this? It's totally disgusting. When you get your head on straight and come to your senses, let me know. I will not be a friend with someone who thinks his father is Snape!" With a shudder, he left the small alcove and stormed off in the direction of Gryffindor tower.

Disappointed with Ron, but not wanting to deal with him, Hermione looked at Harry, unsure how she should proceed. Her thoughts were going a hundred miles and hour in her head. "Harry, it is unfortunately not uncommon for teachers to…well…to act inappropriately with students." Seeing Harry opening his mouth and knowing what he may say, she explained. "I know how much you want a family Harry. Anybody in your situation would want the same thing. But please be rational about this."

"I am rational," Harry interrupted.

"I don't think you are. Why would you believe professor Snape is your father? How can you trust anything he says after how he's acted all these years towards you? He may just be playing you."

"He is not playing me Hermione." Harry was at the point of yelling again.

"I'm going to assume all these times you haven't been around, you've been down in the dungeons." Harry shook his head. "Don't deny it Harry. I've seen you heading down there outside of classes and when you don't have a detention. Did you ever think he was using being your father as an excuse to get you down there Harry? Ron told me there have been nights when you never showed up in the dorm." Hermione stopped for a moment, trying to figure out how to word what she wanted to ask next. "Harry, has he ever…um…has professor Snape ever touched you or anything?"

Outraged, Harry stood up. "WHAT? I can't even imagine why you would think such a thing. Why would you suggest that?"

"Harry, calm down." Hermione tried to get Harry to sit down, but he refused to budge. "It's just…I don't trust him. You know none of us do. He's obviously got an ulterior motive, and if it's not…you know…then it must be to give you to Voldemort when you fully trust him. He verbally abuses you in every single potions class, Harry. He uses his power of a professor over you. Can't you see that? You can't trust him. He cannot be your father."

"Hermione, you don't know what you're talking about." He began to feel nauseous at what Hermione had implied.

"I don't think you should see the professor outside of class Harry. I really don't trust him."

"Why don't you believe me?"

Hermione looked at Harry seriously for a few moments. "Because you've been lying to Ron and me for months."

"You know, Hermione, you're a hypocrite. First you're mad because I'm lying and then your mad and don't believe me when I'm telling the truth." Harry had heard enough. Wanting out of her presence, he picked up his book bag.

"I think it best if I raise my suspicions to Professor McGonagall" Hermione stated, ignoring Harry's last few sentences. "As I said, Harry, it isn't uncommon for a teacher to hurt the students under them."

"You're making a mistake Hermione." Harry was shaking with rage. "You're going to make a fool out of yourself."

"I don't think I will."

"Believe what you want to believe. At least I know the truth. Goodbye." Without another glance at Hermione, Harry left the alcove.

Hermione shook her head at Harry's denial. The situation needed to be brought to her Head's attention. She'd speak with the professor before she went to lunch as she knew McGonagall was currently unavailable.

~SH~

Breathing heavily, Harry wandered around the castle corridors. He couldn't believe his friends. They go through his private things and then they sprout those awful words. Then Hermione had the audacity to say she couldn't believe a word he said because he'd been lying to her and Ron for months?

Feeling betrayed and almost on the verge of tears, Harry tried to rid his thoughts of the past ten minutes. He needed some air and to find someplace quiet. As he was about to exit the castle, Remus called his name.

"Harry, how are you doing?" Remus walked up to Harry.

"Hi," he responded gloomily.

At Harry's unenthusiastic response, Remus looked carefully at the boy. He was shaking slightly and breathing heavily. "Is something wrong?"

"Huh? Erm…no. Everything's fine." Harry then left Remus staring after him and walked down the stairs to exit the castle.

His legs carried him up to the owlry. As he entered, he called for his snowy owl, but Hedwig never appeared. Looking around, he didn't see his first friend anywhere. With a sigh, he slowly trekked back down to the grounds. Not wanting to go back inside, he began wandering over to the back side of the castle. The same side his mother and father always snuck off too. Under the shade of a large tree, he laid down and with his hands under his head and closed his eyes.

"Hello Harry."

A dreamy voice broke through Harry's sleep-filled mind a while later.

"Harry?"

Harry slowly opened his eyes. Spotting someone to his left, he looked over. It was Luna. She was sitting on the grass with her legs crossed. Slowly Harry sat up.

"You seem kind of pale. Are you okay?" Luna asked, concerned.

"Yeah," Harry said around a yawn. He looked at Luna confusedly. "What are you doing over here?"

"I was looking for a blibbering humdinger. They like the quiet."

Harry tried to hold in a laugh at yet another one of Luna's strange creatures.

"Would you like to join me? You look like you need to take you mind off of things."

"I…" Harry was going to say no, but the odd girl always made him feel better about things. "Sure, Luna."

"Great. Four eyes are always better than two, I say." She stood up and held out a hand to help Harry up.

"Thanks," Harry responded once he was standing.

"No problem. Come on. The humdinger will probably be closer to the forest."

Harry followed, glad to get his mind off of his friends' earlier reactions.

"So what has you so down Harry?" Luna questioned a few minutes later as they came upon the edge of the forest.

"Nothing." Harry definitely did not want to talk about his problems with her.

"It's about your father isn't it?" Luna asked. She stopped walking momentarily and bent down to study something on the ground. After a few moments she stood back up and they continued walking. "Your friends don't trust professor Snape and they don't believe you," she added.

Harry whipped his head around. Luna was looking at him knowingly with a kind smile on her face.

"How do…"

"One only has to keep an open mind and observe what is right in front of them to see the truth."

"So, let me guess, you don't approve like everyone else?" Harry could not bear if it another person began to hate him, even if it was Luna.

"Of course not Harry." Luna's silvery grey eyes shown with sincerity.

"So far you're the only one," Harry mumbled, "though I only told…no…I was only forced to tell two people."

"I can see how happy you've been Harry. I can even see a slight change in professor Snape."

"Really?" He couldn't even see a change in the professor, well outside of class anyway. How was it possible for Luna?

"Yes. I knew about you did I not?" Luna continued to look at Harry somewhat dreamily.

A thought then crossed Harry's mind, causing him to panic slightly. "You won't tell anyone Luna, will you?"

"Of course not Harry. I know the danger of it getting out. I'll take it to my grave if needed."

"You won't need to keep it a secret that long," Harry laughed. "Just until Voldemort is gone for good."

Luna smiled in response.

As they continued walking along the edge of the forest, stopping every now and then for Luna to look at something on the ground, Harry began to realize how relaxed he now was. He no longer felt the immense anger he had over a half hour ago. The calm Luna projected always seemed to have that effect on him. He remembered it well after their encounter at the end of his fifth year. "Thank you, Luna," he said, looking over to his right, but was surprised to see her gone. Was he so caught up in himself he didn't even notice her walking away? Harry looked all around but could not find her. Shrugging, and with a smile on his face, Harry walked back toward the castle.

Well, unfortunately, I think this may be my last quick update. I know where I want to go next, but I'm not sure how to get there. Hopefully inspiration will come in the middle of the night, like it always seems to do, fairly soon.

Thanks for all the reviews and alerts!