Harry, who was expecting to spend the day being confronted by hostile Slytherins in relation to his connection with their head of house had risen earlier than usual that morning and had taken a walk up to the owlery to visit Hedwig and spend some time in quiet reflection. When he returned to the tower Ron was impatiently waiting for him to go to breakfast but he was so nervous he wasn't hungry at all.
"You might as well get it over with Harry" Hermione encouraged gently, "There's no point in putting it off!"
He sighed inwardly before nodding, she was right, as usual; there was nothing to be gained from putting it off.
Harry entered the great hall flanked by his friends. A sudden silence settled on the Gryfindor table indicating that once again he had been the chief topic of conversation but the Slytherins didn't appear to react to his appearance at all leading him to wonder if his father had told them after all. He had expected to be greeted with contempt and mockery and yet they seemed to be totally ignoring him. He sat down, Malfoy was glaring at him with open disdain but that wasn't exactly anything new and a few of them did seem to be watching his father but for the most part they seemed to be going about their own business. In a way he was pleased, contrary to popular belief he wasn't particularly fond of being the centre of attention and yet he found their disinterest rather unsettling. Had his father changed his mind about telling them this morning? Or did the Slytherins just not care?
"Maybe Snape told them to stay away from you?" Ron suggested.
Harry shook his head, it was a nice idea but it would have completely gone against the image they were trying to project.
"Slytherins are known for their cunning" Hermione pointed out "They only just found out, it's unlikely they will act until they have had time to appraise the situation."
Harry shivered, knowing they were sitting there just a few feet away, scheming against him and his father was pretty unnerving and yet as Lavender Brown sidled up to him and began probing him for more information he realised he still had problems closer to hand. The majority of his housemates, like Lavender, thought the situation to be hilarious- the gossip of the year, others couldn't care less, but there were also a few who seemed to consider the whole thing a personal affront.
Unable to stand anymore snide remarks he left his unfinished breakfast and went for a walk outside. A few moments later Hermione appeared behind him with a rather irritated looking Ron in tow. Harry suppressed a laugh; he could just imagine Ron's face when she dragged him away from his plate.
She looked at him concerned.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't hungry and it was just getting a bit too much, you didn't need to follow me"
"See, I told you he…" Ron began before spotting someone sneaking up behind them, "Hey, get lost Malfoy" he shouted.
Draco Malfoy stood staring at them from the top of the hill for a moment before disappearing from sight again.
"What's his problem?" Ron demanded, breakfast now completely forgotten.
Harry shrugged "He's father's Godson, Maybe he's jealous?"
"Why, it's not like your Father was childless before?"
"No, but he wouldn't know them like he knows me and we all know Master Draco doesn't like to share, maybe he thought being the Potion Master's Godson made him special or something, he certainly wouldn't want to share that with me
"You need to watch out Harry" Hermione warned "Whatever his problem is he is probably plotting something."
"I know, come on let's go and visit Hagrid, he won't follow us down there"
Harry was feeling somewhat guilty, the huge grizzly man had been a wonderful friend to him since he first met him almost two years ago and yet this would only be the second time he had gone to visit him since the poor man was released from the wizarding prison, Azkaban.
He couldn't begin to imagine what it must have been like for him there and Hagrid hadn't been inclined to talk about it but he knew it must have been a truly dreadful experience.
Hagrid was outside tending to his kitchen garden when they reached his cabin, he greeted them cheerily and invited them in.
"Would you like some strawberries?" he asked, setting a basket of them down in front of them.
They eagerly accepted the fresh fruits, relieved at not being offered some of his usual, somewhat dubious attempts at home cooking.
They ate in amiable silence for a moment before Harry worked up the courage to ask if the groundskeeper had known that Snape was his father.
"Dumbledore told me last night, I must say I was surprised, Lily and James seemed so good together but thinking back I never would 'ave put those two together. It was always her and Snape."
Harry nodded solemnly.
"Listen 'Arry, I know you're not exactly fond of Professor Snape, but he is a good man. You could do a lot worse than 'im and you will be better off in a proper home with a family what cares for you."
"Snape doesn't care for me!" Harry replied feeling incredibly guilty.
" Yeah, it won't be safe for Harry, living in Snapes house, unsupervised. He will probably poison him, or at the very least torture him."
"Codswallop, course 'e cares for you 'Arry. An' you know this means you're not an only child anymore. You have a brother and sister, two brothers and a sister in fact."
"I heard, twins, they start school next September, but they will hardly be happy to see me coming, I'm probably going to ruin whatever plans they had for the summer."
"Nonsense 'Arry, where ever did you get an idea like that from? I'm sure they will have been delighted to find they have a big brother, someone to introduce them to life as a normal kid before coming to Hogwarts, you might even save them from following your father into Slytherin" Hagrid winked "But even so, you shouldn't feel guilty about anything, this is your father's mess not yours."
They continued to talk about Snape and his family for a few minutes longer before the guilt of lying to his friend started to get too much for Harry and he changed the subject, asking Hagrid how he was getting on now that he was legally allowed to practice magic again. An hour or so later, following a short magical refresher course lead by Hermione, they wandered back up to the school. A group of Ravenclaw girls who were huddled together under a tree began giggling profusely as they approached- tales of Harry's parentage had obviously spread like wildfire.
Harry stood and glared at them for a moment causing them blush before Ron pulled him off in the direction of the boat house.
There were quite a few other students out on the lake enjoying the bright summers morning but it was breezy out on the water and taking a boat out would give them the privacy to talk that they would struggle to get anywhere else at the moment.
Together they made plans for the summer; Harry couldn't wait to see Lily and Evan again, he had really missed them but they were no replacement for Ron and Hermione and he really hoped his father would agree to allow his friends to come and visit at least once during the holidays.
One by one they watched all the other little boats turn and head for shore until finally they followed them in themselves, it was almost lunch time and although Harry would have been quite content to stay away from the Great Hall, Ron and Hermione were getting rather hungry.
On their way in, they collided with one of the older Slytherin students, "Oi look where you're going, you stupid little…" he began even though it was he who had marched straight into them before he cut himself short on realising who he was speaking to, he gulped before brushing himself down and turning directly to Harry. " Please accept my sincerest apologies Mr. Snape, I didn't see you there"
Harry blinked at him in surprise, as the boy, a chaser on the Slytherin Quidditch team, turned and grinned to his friends before giving Harry a long sweeping bow. Still confused as to what was going on, Harrry muttered something about how his name was still Potter before turning back towards the Great Hall leaving the Slytherins behind him laughing like a pack of hyenas.
He took a seat at the Gryffindor table beside Neville but instantly regretted it when his former friend stood up and moved down the other end of the table without speaking a word.
Harry had kind of hoped that Dumbledore might have changed his mind and made the announcement this afternoon to just get it over with, especially given that the majority of the school seemed to have heard the news already but he had no such luck. The headmaster wanted to give the student's time to speculate before providing them with the official, although not entirely accurate version of events and speculate they were. Harry struggled to eat as the students at other tables, some of which he didn't even know, glanced between him and his father, comparing them, laughing and whispering behind their hands as they analysed his fate and given the stilted conversation around him it was evident that his fellow Gryffindor's were struggling not to do the same.
He stared down at his food and tried to ignore it all as Ron chattered on about the chances of his favourite quidditch team the Chudley Cannons winning the league when all of a sudden he noticed the room go rather quiet. He looked up to see most of the attention had now shifted to the staff table where his father and the Headmaster seemed to be having a rather heated discussion. Yet again Harry struggled to determine if his father's behaviour was real or if it was an act. Snape appeared to be fuming and while usually a rather sickly pallor, he was getting redder and redder with every moment that passed until eventually he stood up, his chair scraping noisily across the wooden floor and then in the most dramatic flurry of robes yet, began to sweep out of the Great Hall. It had just registered with Harry that the teachers usually entered and exited the hall by a small door to the side of dais when he was unceremoniously hauled out of his seat. Shocked by the unexpected move, he gasped loudly as he was brought to his feet but made no further objections as he was dragged silently out of the hall by his father. Harry had expected him to release him when the doors slammed shut behind them but keeping a firm grip on the shoulder of his jumper Snape wordlessly lead him along the corridor and down the stairs to his office. Once inside Snape brushed him down gently and apologised for having startled him. "I needed an excuse to speak with you but also I couldn't help but notice the tension at your table and I felt I needed to do something to ensure the Gryffindors at least are on your side"
Harry smiled and asked his father how his talk with the Slytherins had gone before detailing his own experience with the Gryfindors. Snape was surprised to hear how helpful the Weasley twins had been, they had always been so immature and ill-disciplined and yet he had to remind himself that they were his son's friends. The boy was exceptionally lucky really, he was the wizarding world's biggest celebrity, he could have ended up with no end of selfish, fair weather friends and yet somehow he had managed to surround himself with a circle of the most loyal companions. Still Longbottom's behaviour concerned him, Snape knew first-hand how easy it was for a young tortured soul to be lead down a path of darkness and though the boy might not even know it, his fate had become entwined with Harry's long before birth. If these feelings of betrayal and resentment couldn't be nipped in the bud there would be a danger of them blossoming into something a lot more sinister. "Don't be too hard on Neville, he will come around if you give him time" Snape advised as he made a mental note to keep a close eye on the boy before changing the subject to Harry's homecoming arrangements.
"Have you spoken to your Aunt about you're not returning to Little Whinging?"
Harry shook his head, he could have argued that he thought he was supposed to be keeping it a secret or that he was afraid that Snape might have changed his mind but in truth it had simply never occurred to him that he should mention it to them. He was well aware that they considered his having to live with them a major imposition.
"Very well," Snape smiled, eyes shimmering mischievously, "I will look forward to delivering the good news to her myself, Send them an owl – that will ruffle a few feathers if you'll pardon the pun! Write only that one of your professors will be escorting you home and that you will not require them to meet you. Don't mention my name or our relationship. It can be our little surprise."
Harry laughed, he could just picture the look on the faces when Snape turns up on their doorstep, but then suddenly he remembered the reception his uncle had given Hagrid, "Are you sure you want to meet them sir? They aren't particularly fond of people like us. My uncle tried to shoot Hagrid once. Cannot I just send them a letter or something?"
"No Harry, Dumbledore is having papers drawn up to transfer your guardianship to me – I need to get them to sign them and besides I have a few bones to pick with them about the nature of your upbringing."
Harry gulped, it was what he had always dreamed of, a white knight riding in to save him from the Dursleys and to take him away to his happily ever after, but Snape was no white knight and despite all their mistreatment Harry didn't want him to hurt them.
Severus had always been good at reading people and having noticed the flicker of fear on his sons face was quick to allay his fears "I'm not going to hurt them Harry, but I do need to understand." He placed a reassuring hand on the boys shoulder and smiled at him before regretfully sending him away. He had kept him far too long already and the other students would be getting suspicious.
There were a number of Slytherin students milling about the dungeon corridors; undoubtedly trying to eavesdrop on what was happening in their heads office. Harry fixed a mournful look on his face and avoided eye contact as he hurried towards the stairs, making a point of rubbing the arm Snape had caught him by as he dragged him from his lunch as he went.
Ron and Hermione were waiting for him on the landing, as to his immense surprise was Neville.
"Are you okay Harry?" he stammered. " I'm sorry I've been such a terrible beast, it's just I… he… your… I.."
Harry smiled at him" Look forget about it, It doesn't matter, I didn't take it very well when I found out either"
Neville smiled sheepishly back before extending his hand, "Friends?" he asked hopefully.
"Friends!" Harry replied as he accepted the outstretched hand, grinning, he was going to have to be very wary of Snape, he knew just how to play people. "Come on, it's a beautiful day lets go back outside until we have to get ready for dinner!"
Harry had been dreading the big announcement but by the time it came down to it, almost everyone had already heard so it came as a shock to no one and it was more a matter of tying up loose ends. In fact the truth, as Dumbledore gave it, was really rather boring in comparison to some of the more sensational rumours that had begun spreading around the place but still although perfectly contented with the outcome, he found himself rather surprised at how quickly the circumstances of his birth was becoming yesterday's news. Now as conversation changed to discussions of summer plans his housemates began to wonder instead where it was Snape lived.
"Does Professor Snape have his own house somewhere Harry or will you be staying at the school for the summer?" Dean asked.
"Of course he has a house somewhere stupid" Seamus put in before Harry had a chance to answer, "Don't you know he already has twins"
"Yeah but, sure they could be here too for all you know" Dean argued back.
"Eh I think we would have noticed two mini Snapes roaming about the place?"
"Not necessarily Fred, Harry doesn't look much like Snape, does he?" Lavender supplied, flashing a smile at Harry.
Harry struggled to hold back a laugh as he pictured Lily and Evan as miniature reproductions of their father while Hermione rolled her eyes. "Anyways Harry is only half a Snape" the conversation continued. "How can you be half a Snape?" " Yes sure if you put it like that I'm only half a Weasley" " Haha quick someone tell Lord Draco he's only half a Malfoy – he will be distraught" " Yeah or Justin Finch-Fletchley" "Actually I think Justin really is one half Finch, one half Fletchley!" " Hmm I suppose that's true, but you could actually be a full something if your parents were brother or sister or cousins or something" " Eww that's gross" " Does Snape have a sister Harry?, Maybe the twins are full Snapes after all" " Yeah sure who else would have him, greasy old bat!" "Well Harry's mother did obviously"
The table erupted into a chorus of stifled laughter.
"Hey watch it", Harry replied gruffly, glaring at them, "Say what you want about Snape but you can leave my mother out of it."
The Gryffindors murmured a sheepish apology before turning the conversation back to questions about where Harry would be spending the summer.
Harry faltered, he wouldn't have known about Prince Manor if he had truly only recently found out and he didn't really want to share such intimate details of his father's home life with his students anyways even if most of them were Harry's friends. Seeing him struggle to come up with some kind of a response – he realised he didn't actually even know where the manor was, Ron began postulating that the potion master live in some kind of a creepy gothic crypt and it didn't take long for the others to make their own suggestions saving Harry from having to answer at all. Smiling to himself he made a mental note to share some of them with his father when they got back to the manor.
After dinner they returned to the common room where Harry was spared any further discussions about his father by the Weasley twins producing a number of novelty items they had created for sale. Some of them were absolutely ridiculous but a few were actually quite ingenious and the whole tower was quickly abuzz with people testing out their various inventions before they were auctioned off one by one to the highest bidder.
They had just sold off the last item and were pocketing their returns when McGonagall appeared in the doorway to the tower. She looked cautiously around the room as though she knew someone was up to something before beckoning Harry over to her. She spoke to him for a few minutes, wishing to ascertain that everything was okay with him following Dumbledore's announcement before bidding them all a good night.
Harry awoke Sunday morning feeling as though a massive weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Though he had pushed it to the back of his mind he had been worried about how people would react to the news. Now that it was out there he could just enjoy his last few days at the castle with his friends.
