"Lily and I met when we were nine years old…"
Severus forced himself to keep talking, struggling to ignore his discomfort. He described their shared childhood, from that first, awkward encounter to their arrival at Hogwarts. Potter and Black on the train, the bloody Sorting Hat…
"You wanted to be in Slytherin?" Weasley frowned. "Why?"
"For the same reason you wanted to be a Gryffindor, I'd imagine. I was raised with certain beliefs and expectations, a family legacy that…"
"Wait," Harry said.
"Yes?"
"That first year… the Sorting Hat gave me a choice. It said a bunch of stuff about Slytherin, like it was pushing in that direction. I made it put me in Gryffindor instead."
So that was what had taken so long. Severus had always wondered, recalling the lingering silence before the hat had called out its verdict. At the time, it had seemed like unnecessary drama, leading to what was practically a foregone conclusion. Potter and Lily's child? Of course he'd be in Gryffindor.
"I figured it had something to do with You-Know-Who, but maybe not. If you're a Slytherin…"
"Not just me," Severus said. "My entire magical bloodline."
"So you're saying Harry's related to a bunch of…" Weasley grimaced.
"Slytherins aren't always bad," Granger said, "just like Gryffindor's aren't always good. Honestly, Ron, don't you know that by now?"
"Bollocks. Name one Gryffindor that's bad."
"Peter Pettigrew," Harry and Granger said in unison.
"Okay, so I forgot about him, but he's obviously an exception. Who else…"
"James Potter," Harry said quietly.
"Oh, come on, he wasn't bad. He fought for the Order, didn't he?"
"He was also an arrogant, self-centered bully who did terrible things to my parents."
"Like what?"
"We're getting to that," Severus said.
Difficult though it was, he forced himself to describe all the bullying he'd endured. He left nothing out, not even that final incident that had traumatized him so deeply. Naked, shivering, the putrid stench of urine stinging his nostrils…
"They left you there all night?"
"Yes, Miss Granger. I was discovered the next morning, lying there frozen as the entire school witnessed my humiliation."
"Professor Snape," she said quietly. "I'm so sorry."
She meant it. He could see it in her eyes, soft and full of sympathy. It left him feeling humbled, even more so as he remembered how he'd treated her. Those cutting words, all his nasty remarks…
"You weren't insufferable," he said abruptly.
"What?"
"Years ago at Hogwarts… I shouldn't have…"
"It's okay."
Even her interruption was an act of mercy, sparing him from having to stumble through a proper apology. Had she always been so compassionate? If so… well, she clearly wasn't the person he'd fooled himself into believing she was.
"Is all that true? I mean, what they did to you…" Weasley trailed off, staring at Severus as if he'd never seen him before.
"It's true," Harry said. "I saw the memories."
Weasley didn't bother to question whether those memories were real. They were beyond that now, the Unbreakable Vow having removed any trace of doubt or suspicion. Really, Severus should've just taken the damn thing to begin with. He could've saved himself a lot of trouble.
"Needless to say," he continued, "I was relieved when that final year was over."
Granger nodded. "I don't blame you."
"What about the Death Eaters? What was that like?"
"Not what I'd expected, Mr. Weasley, though I suppose that's an understatement."
"Did you kill anyone?"
"Ron!" Harry whispered. "Don't ask him that!"
Severus shrugged. "It's a fair question. Not one I'd prefer to answer, but a fair one nonetheless."
"If you'd rather not answer, I guess that means you did."
"Very astute, Miss Granger."
"So you're a murderer?" Weasley said.
"No."
"But if you killed people…"
"Killed, Mr. Weasley," Severus said. "Not murdered. There's a difference."
"What do you mean?"
"Murder is a deliberate act, done out of hatred or vengeance or simply for the joy of watching another person suffer. Killing, at least for me, has only ever been an unfortunate necessity, whether to put someone out of their misery or save my own skin."
"Has that happened a lot?" Weasley said.
"Rarely."
To his relief, they didn't press him any further. Granger nodded, quickly changing the subject.
"So what happened with Harry's mum?"
"She joined the Order, married Potter…"
"And you were a Death Eater," Weasley said.
"Yes."
"Then how…"
Briefly, he described the night he'd run into Lily. He still remembered how shocked he'd been to find her in that alley, the air thick with tension as he'd waited for her to attack. She hadn't, of course, though that didn't mean it had been a friendly encounter. He'd had no choice but to leave her there, utterly convinced he'd never see her again.
"When she contacted me a few weeks later…"
"Wait," Harry said. "Don't tell them yet."
"No?"
Harry shook his head. "They need to know about James, how he tricked her, what their relationship was really like. I wouldn't want them to think…"
"I understand," Severus said. "Would you like to tell them, or shall I do it?"
"Tell us what?"
"My mum did nothing wrong," Harry said. "She was tricked into marrying someone who didn't love her, who didn't even want to be with her that way."
"But why?" Granger interrupted. "Why would he marry her if he didn't love her?"
Severus stayed quiet, glad he didn't have to tell this part of the story. What Potter had done to Lily still made him furious, even more so as he thought about the repercussions. So much pain, nearly 20 years of distortions and lies…
"Kids?" Weasley said.
"That was part of it. He didn't want his family's name to end with him."
"Your name."
"Yeah," Harry said. "Not sure how I feel about that."
"Well, it's not like you can just get rid of it. You've always been…"
"What was the other part?" Granger interrupted. "I mean, aside from having children…"
"Revenge."
"Revenge against who?" she said. "Professor Snape?"
Harry nodded. "I guess bullying him for years and ruining their friendship wasn't enough. Dating my mum, the two of them getting married… he knew that would hurt worse than anything else."
"But that… that's evil!"
"Yes," Severus said, "though in his twisted way, he truly believed she was better off."
"Better off being lied to?" Granger said. "Being used?"
"From his perspective, a Gryffindor who didn't give a damn was far better than a Slytherin who did."
"Well, you were a Death Eater," Weasley said. "I'm not saying that makes it all right, but…"
"No, Mr. Weasley. This goes back much further, long before I had any intention of joining You-Know-Who. It never mattered how I felt or who I was, what I did or didn't do. He hated me for…"
"Existing," Harry said quietly.
Severus nodded, sighing heavily. "House rivalries were even more acute back then. Lily defied them, or at least, she tried to, which was the one thing Potter couldn't accept. Our friendship, what it represented…"
"He was punishing her, too."
"I believe so, Miss Granger. He certainly believed he had a right to control other people, which is a testament to his arrogance. I don't suppose it ever occurred to him…"
"What about the others?" Weasley interrupted. "Sirius and Remus?"'
"I already told you about Sirius," Harry said. "Him and James…"
"So that was true, too?"
Harry nodded.
"You know, the more I think about it…" Weasley paused, brow furrowed. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Sirius was awfully hung up on him, wasn't he? I figured he was just sad he'd lost his best mate, but…"
"It was more than that," Granger said. "I can see it now, too."
"I just don't know how to feel about it. Knowing that he lied about so many things…"
"Did Remus know?"
"Yeah," Harry said. "He wasn't around for all of it, but he hid a lot of stuff from me, too. He knew James didn't really love my mum, that he didn't actually change and become a better person. He knew about Sirius, too, that they were still involved even after James and my mum got married."
"Why would he lie about all that?" Weasley said.
"I'd already been told that James was a hero, that him and my mum were happy together. He just… didn't want to spoil it, I guess."
"So why now? Why is he finally telling the truth?"
"Because there's one thing he didn't know," Severus said. "Like the rest of the world, he always believed that Potter was Harry's father."
"What did he say when he found out?"
"Let's back up a bit, shall we?" Severus paused, waiting for Harry's nod before he continued. "After that night in the alley… needless to say, I was shocked to hear from her again. We met, we talked, cleared up years of misunderstandings, eventually realizing that our similarities were far stronger than our differences. We both had regrets. We'd both made mistakes. She wasn't content with the path she'd chosen any more than I was, both of us hoping to find some better alternative."
"So you and her…"
"Started an affair?" Severus said, secretly amused by Weasley's distaste. "Yes, I suppose you could call it that."
"An Order member and a Death Eater."
"On the surface, though it was never that simple. If I'd defied You-Know-Who or attempted to leave his service…"
"You would've been killed."
"Yes, Miss Granger. I had to keep up the facade, just as Lily had no choice but to stay married."
"She couldn't get divorced?"
He shook his head. "Potter, as loathsome as he was, did offer certain advantages. She had access to money and a secure place to live, not to mention the protection of an ancient family name. Without that… well, she was Muggleborn. She couldn't strike out on her own or find employment without placing herself in danger."
"So what happened?" Weasley said. "You just carried on in secret?"
"Yes, at least for the time being. We both believed that when the war was over…"
All their hopes, those foolishly naive dreams. How painful it was to look back on them now, knowing they'd all been for nothing. Even those precious moments of secrecy had been stolen from them, snatched away by Potter's cruelty, his treachery…
To his horror, Severus felt his eyes stinging, his throat tightening despite all his attempts to stop it.
"Go on without me," he muttered. "I'll return shortly."
"Blimey," Ron said, "that's something I never thought I'd see."
"What?"
"Professor Snape crying, or close to it. That's why he left, right?"
Harry was about to defend Snape when he noticed two things. First, Ron had used his title, something he never did without prompting. Second, there was no amusement in his voice. He'd never looked more serious, his expression almost… sympathetic?
No. He wasn't quite there yet. Still, he did look baffled, which wasn't surprising. He'd spent six years forming an opinion on Snape, only to have it blown apart in a single afternoon.
"It's a lot to take in, isn't it?"
"Yeah, you might say that."
Harry nodded. "There's more."
"Well, go on then," Hermione said. "Tell us!"
She was coping much better than Ron, though that wasn't surprising. Ron was stubborn, often defensive, preferring the familiar to the unknown. Meanwhile, Hermione was curious to a fault, eager to absorb new information.
Of course, she'd also spent years giving Snape the benefit of the doubt, scolding Ron for his rude remarks and constant suspicion. Finding out that she'd been right… well, she was probably feeling a bit smug right now.
"Okay, where were we?"
"They had to keep it a secret," Hermione said. "At least until the end of the war."
"Right, well, they got caught."
"By who?"
"James."
"James?" Her eyes widened. "How did he catch them? What did he do?"
With Snape gone, she was more talkative, peppering Harry with questions as he struggled to keep up. He described the memories he'd seen, telling her about the fight and the tracking charm, James's threats against Snape and everything else. The Vow…
"See, that proves that she really did love him. She was willing to give him up if it meant he'd be safe."
"But why? If they really loved each other… did James honestly think he could change that? Why couldn't he just leave them alone?"
"I don't know," Harry said. "I mean, he had Sirius. He knew what it was like, and he still…"
Hermione nodded, her eyes shimmering with tears. "Go on."
"She wrote him a letter. Snape, I mean."
"I thought the Vow said she couldn't talk to him. Three years, right?"
"Yeah, but James made her write to him first. She had to make him think she was breaking up with him."
"That's awful!"
"As awful as it is, I guess she had to do it. If she'd cut off contact without any explanation…"
"He would've been suspicious," Hermione said.
"Right."
"Did they ever see each other again?"
"Just once from a distance. By the time the Vow would've ended, she was already dead."
"But what about you?" Ron frowned. "If they couldn't even see each other…"
"It's obvious, isn't it?" Hermione said. "She was already pregnant when she took the Vow."
Harry nodded. "She didn't find out until a few weeks later."
"And she couldn't even tell him? That's terrible!"
"She couldn't tell James either," Harry said. "He would've known I wasn't his."
"You mean they weren't…"
"Shagging?"
"Ron…"
"What?" he said, giving Harry an innocent look.
"We're talking about my mum."
"So? Doesn't sound like she was actually shagging anyone. Well, she did shag Snape, but…"
"Ron!" Harry and Hermione said in unison.
Subject matter aside, Harry didn't mind Ron's humor. It made everything seem a bit more normal, something all three of them could use right now.
"Okay, I'll stop," Ron said, though he still looked amused. "What were you saying?"
"I was about to say that she found a way around it somehow. By the time I was born, James honestly believed that he was my father."
"Of course he did. Seriously, mate, you look just like him."
"I know."
"So how can you be sure you're not… sorry to bring it up again, but she must've shagged him. How else was she supposed to make him think you were his?"
"I'm sure, Ron. She was already pregnant, and besides… this isn't what I really look like."
"Glamours can't do that, Harry," Hermione said. "Not for 17 years."
"Ordinary glamours, no, but do you remember what Snape said? He couldn't have been lying, so…"
Ron nodded. "He said your mum's magic was different. She could do lots of things that weren't in any books."
"Maybe," Hermione said, "though it still would've faded after she died. Any charm with a single caster… don't you remember what Professor Flitwick said?"
"The charm on her box shouldn't have kept working either, but it did."
"What box?"
"We'll get to that," Harry said. "The point is, she was especially good at protective magic. Isn't that why I'm still alive?"
"So who do you really look like?" Ron said. "Snape?"
"My face was a little longer before she changed it. Nose a bit bigger, too."
"As big as his?"
"On a newborn baby? Ron, that isn't even possible."
"Is it permanent?" Hermione said. "The glamour, charm, whatever it is… can it be removed?"
"I think so, but it really doesn't matter. No one's supposed to know about any of this, remember?"
"Yeah, but would you want to take it off?" Ron said, still staring at Harry's nose.
"I don't know! Look, we've still got a lot to cover, and I want to get through this next part before Snape comes back. Let's get on with it, okay?"
"Sure, mate. Whatever you want."
Harry swallowed his exasperation, launching into Snape's side of the story. He delved into the prophecy, explaining why Snape had given it to Voldemort, followed by the horror he'd felt when he'd realized what he'd done. Kneeling on a hillside, pleading at Dumbledore's feet…
"So that's why he switched sides?" Hermione said. "Wow."
"He made a terrible mistake, but he did everything he could to make it right. He didn't just go to Dumbledore but to Volde… You-Know-Who, too, begging him to spare my mother. That's why I'm alive, you know. She wouldn't have been able to save me if You-Know-Who hadn't given her a choice."
"You'd both be alive if it wasn't for that bloody prophecy."
"Ron, he knows that," Hermione said. "Why would you even bring it up?"
"I was just making a point."
"What point? That he shouldn't have done it to begin with? Okay, fine, but it's not like he can take it back!"
"Harry…" Hermione said gently.
He took a deep breath, surprised by the force of his anger. It took him a minute to calm down, nodding in response to Ron's mumbled apology.
"It's okay. Just a touchy subject, you know?"
"Yeah, I know. I really am sorry."
"Don't worry about it," he said, forcing himself to smile. "Anyway, you already know what happened next. They… well, James… he chose Wormtail as their Secret Keeper."
"Speaking of mistakes," Ron said. "That was a big one."
Harry couldn't agree more, swallowing hard as he described that terrible scene in Dumbledore's office. Snape howling like a tortured animal, wishing he was dead…
"If you loved Lily Evans, if you truly loved her, then your way forward is clear. Help me protect her son."
"I don't believe it," Hermione whispered. "I mean, I do, of course I do, but… this explains so much."
Harry nodded. "Now you know why Dumbledore trusted him, even when we were so sure he was up to no good."
"He hated you!" Ron said.
"Yeah, but he did everything he could to keep me alive."
"And all that time," Hermione said, "he never knew you were his son."
"Nope."
"When did he find out? How?"
It didn't take Severus long to recover, shedding only a couple of tears before he regained his composure. Nonetheless, he delayed his return to the kitchen, opting for a much-needed shower instead.
Clearly, it was the right decision. The hot water revived him, soothing his senses, his muscles relaxing by slow degrees. By the time he'd finished, he felt infinitely better, casting a freshening charm on his robes as he exited the bathroom.
Yes, that was a vast improvement. Now if he could just…
He whipped around, eyes narrowed as he pointed his wand at the ceiling.
Creeeak
Silently, he crept up the second flight of stairs, coming to a stop just beneath the attic door. Another creak, followed by a shuffle… he jerked on the handle, cursing under his breath as he peered inside.
"The half-blood traitor returns to Mistress's home, tarnishing her memory with his betrayals…"
The bloody house elf. Of course.
Beneath the wretched creature's babbling, Severus heard Harry's voice, his words as clear as a bell from three floors below.
"Eavesdropping, are we? What did you hear?"
The house elf scowled. "Kreacher doesn't answer to you."
Stupid. How could he have been so stupid? For all his talk about bolstering their defenses, he'd somehow forgotten that this… thing was lurking about.
"Who is your master?"
Another scowl.
"Who is your master?"
"Kreacher's master is Harry Potter."
"Stay here," he said. "I'll return shortly."
"Kreacher doesn't take orders from…"
Severus slammed the attic door, still gripping his wand as he headed downstairs.
"When he saw what was in the box, that's when everything changed. He started giving me private lessons, treating me a lot better…"
Harry trailed off, startled by Snape as he strode back into the kitchen. He looked better than he had earlier, though his expression was grim.
"Come with me."
"All of us?"
"No," Snape said. "Just you."
"Okay," he said, shooting Ron and Hermione a worried look as he got up from the table. Of course, they knew Snape wasn't a threat now, but he was obviously mad about something.
Harry followed him upstairs, not speaking until they'd reached the second floor.
"What's this all about?"
"The house elf," Snape said. "A house elf who happens to be fond of eavesdropping. Your house elf."
"Kreacher isn't… oh wow, I guess he is."
"Yes, which is why you must be the one to silence him."
"Silence him how?" Harry frowned. "I don't want to hurt him."
"That's not what I'm suggesting."
They reached their destination, Harry holding his breath as Snape opened the attic door. Kreacher shuffled forward, bowing so low his nose nearly scraped the carpet.
"Master," he said, "filling my Mistress's old house with Mudbloods and traitors…"
"Do not use that word!" Snape snapped.
"Kreacher does not take orders from half blood scum. He will only answer to…"
"Me," Harry interrupted. "Kreacher, I forbid you from insulting anyone in this house. No 'Mudblood', no traitor… actually, I forbid you from mentioning anyone's blood status at all unless I ask you about it."
"Yes, Master," Kreacher said, lips moving soundlessly as he executed another bow.
"Professor Snape says you been listening in. Is that true?"
"Yes, Master."
Harry nodded. "No one can know, do you understand? I forbid you from repeating a word of what you heard to anyone outside of this house."
"Yes, Master. Kreacher understands."
"Perhaps you can forbid him from leaving the house," Snape suggested. "He cannot tell anyone he doesn't have access to."
"Right," Harry said. "Kreacher, you're not to leave Grimmauld Place unless I tell you otherwise. That's an order."
"Of course, Master. Kreacher will obey."
For all his subservience, there was no hiding the resentment in the house elf's eyes. It made Harry nervous as he and Snape headed back downstairs, not helped by what had happened to Sirius.
"He betrayed him, you know."
"I'm aware," Snape said, his voice barely above a whisper, "though I believe there was some justification for his actions."
"What? How can you say that?"
"Because Black was a fool. It would've been so easy, mindlessly easy, to earn that creature's loyalty. He could've guaranteed his own safety, not to mention the entire Order's, yet what did he do instead?"
"Yeah," Harry said, "I guess he didn't treat him very well."
"That's an understatement. He was abusive and cruel."
"Wait. Are you saying you felt sorry for Kreacher?"
"Hardly." Snape snorted. "What I'm pointing out is a simple matter of logic. The house elf preferred those who showed him kindness… or at least pretended to, over one who did not."
"So I should be nice to him. Is that what you're saying?"
"If you can bring yourself to do so, yes."
Harry nodded. "I wonder why Sirius never thought to…"
"Because he was a pureblood," Snape said. "And quite a privileged one at that. Of course, being a Gryffindor also put him at a disadvantage…"
"Hey!"
"Again, I'm only pointing out the obvious. Bellatrix, Narcissa, old Mrs. Black… they thought of the house elf as inferior, too, I assure you. They just knew better than to show it. Respect, or at least the veneer of it, was much more likely to work to their advantage."
"I don't think he's inferior."
"You don't?" Snape looked surprised.
"I don't like him," Harry said, "but no, I don't think he's inferior. He's got feelings too, doesn't he? He can feel sad and hurt and lonely just like anyone else."
"You really are like your mother. Softhearted to a fault."
Harry smiled, following him back into the kitchen. Hermione and Ron were still seated at the table, though one of them had obviously gotten up at some point to make sandwiches.
"Oh good," he said, grabbing a ham and cheese. "I'm starving."
"How about you, Professor Snape?"
"I'll have a roast beef, Miss Granger. Thank you."
"So what was that all about?" Ron said. "What happened?"
Briefly, Harry explained their encounter with Kreacher, followed by the conversation they'd had on their way back downstairs.
"So you're saying we should be nice to him?"
"Of course," Hermione said, her expression smug. "Isn't that what I've been telling you all along?"
"He called you a Mudblood, Hermione. Why should I…"
"Because it isn't his fault, Ron. It's not his fault that he's a slave, or that he ended up with a family who taught him such awful things. House elves have been oppressed for centuries, you know, treated like…"
"Miss Granger."
Hermione clapped her mouth shut, shooting Snape a dubious look.
"You can lecture Mr. Weasley later on. In fact, I encourage it. For now, we have more urgent matters to discuss."
"Sorry."
Snape shrugged, turning his attention to Harry. "Where did you leave off?"
"I told them just about everything. Well, except for the stuff about Dumbledore."
Harry had already tried to explain Dumbledore's death, though that was before Snape had taken the Unbreakable Vow. This time… well, it wasn't any easier, especially when he told them about the night Dumbledore's hand was cursed. He'd left that part out in the first version, quite sure they wouldn't believe it.
"But why?" Hermione said, her eyes meeting Snape's. "Why would he want you to kill him? Why make everyone think you were a traitor when there were other ways…"
Ron shook his head. "That can't be true."
"I saw the memories," Harry said. "we know they couldn't have been tampered with, don't we?"
"Well, yeah, but…"
"You can see them yourself if you wish."
Ron and Hermione stared at Snape, eyes wide.
"Really?"
"I don't see why not," Snape shrugged. "Accio Pensieve."
The basin hurtled down the stairs, landing with a thud on the table. Snape touched his wand to his temple, withdrawing several silvery strands.
"What are you going to show them?"
"The night his hand was cursed," Snape told Harry, "followed by the Unbreakable Vow. They need to understand…"
"Yeah, I guess they do."
"They'll also see what happened when I presented an alternative."
"What about the night he died? I'm not sure they need to…"
"No," Ron interrupted. "No, I want to see it. I mean, I don't want to, but it's better than not knowing what really happened."
"I already told you…"
"That isn't the same," Hermione said quietly.
Snape nodded, withdrawing another memory. His wand hovered over the basin, the strand twirling in midair.
"Wait."
"If you'd rather not…"
"No, we can show them," Harry said. "I just think this one would be better if it came from me."
"Perhaps you're right." Snape paused, putting the memory back in his head. "Do you know how to do it?"
"Yeah."
Harry brought his wand to his temple, trying a couple times before he managed to separate the memory from countless others. He dropped it into the Pensieve, watching it swirl until it was indistinguishable from Snape's.
"Ready?"
Ron nodded, glancing at Hermione.
"I'm ready," she said.
The pair disappeared into the Pensieve, leaving Harry and Snape alone.
"It's easier this way."
"Agreed," Snape said, taking a last bite of his sandwich before he got up to clear the table. Harry hadn't even noticed the clutter, watching curiously as he wiped down the counters.
"Why are you doing that?"
Snape shrugged. "It needed to be done."
"I'm not that good at it," Harry said. "Cleaning, you know."
"Neither was Lily, at least when we were children. I spent quite a lot of time picking up after her."
"Did you mind?"
"Never."
Strange, but these tiny details felt more significant than the big ones. They made it more real somehow, emphasizing Lily's human side rather than the legend Harry had grown up with. As for Snape… it was interesting to learn about him, too. There were so many things Harry hadn't known about him until recently, fascinated by their similarities as well as their differences.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Of course."
"I know it sounds stupid, but… what's your favorite color?"
"Green."
"Because of Slytherin?"
"What do you think?"
Harry nodded. "What was hers?"
"Lily's favorite color depended on the season. In springtime, she'd swear it was yellow to match the daffodils. Summer, she couldn't get enough of green. In autumn, she was partial to orange, and winter was for blue or silver."
"Wow," Harry said. "Do you want to know mine?"
"Unless there's been some recent change, I'm assuming it's red."
"How did you know that?"
Snape shrugged. "You mentioned it in an interview several years ago."
"You actually read…"
Harry trailed off, both of them turning their attention to the Pensieve. Ron and Hermione looked shaken as they landed in the kitchen, one muttering under his breath as the other collapsed in her chair.
"So he really was dying," Ron said. "He knew all along that he…"
"Yeah," Harry said.
"He… he wanted to make Professor Snape look like a murderer."
"Indeed, Miss Granger," Snape said, pausing to refill the teapot. "It was a terrible thing to ask, though you must understand…"
"Why did you change the plan?" she interrupted. "I mean, it seemed like you were just going to go along with it until…"
"Until I found out about Harry."
It was a revealing answer, one that silenced all three of them as Snape returned to the table. He set out a trio of teacups, grabbing a fourth for himself before he sat back down.
"Are you still going to do it?" Hermione said. "Take over as headmaster, I mean."
"That is the plan."
"So You-Know-Who doesn't know…"
"He believes I murdered Dumbledore, an act I somehow managed to conceal from his enemies."
"So you're still playing both sides."
"Yes."
"How much longer can that last?"
"Not long." Snape sighed, pausing to take a sip of tea. "When I take charge of the school, everyone must assume that I'm doing so on his behalf."
"That's terrible."
"Those are the terms I agreed to, Miss Granger. Would you rather a real Death Eater take the position?"
"Of course not, I just…"
"So what are we supposed to do?" Ron interrupted. "If we're not going back to school…"
"You three are to stay here," Snape said. "You will not leave this house under any circumstances without my consent."
"How's that going to work? We're supposed to be looking for…"
"Horcruxes? Yes, Mr. Weasley, I'm well aware of that. Nonetheless, I won't have you gallivanting around the country on some scavenger hunt. There are safer, more sensible alternatives, which will be much easier now that I'm involved. I just need to know which objects you're trying to locate…"
"That's the problem," Harry said. "We don't know."
"You don't know?"
"Well, we know about the locket. There's also a cup, though we're not sure where it is. The last two…"
"Dumbledore did give Harry some clues," Ron said. "Should be enough to help us out."
"Clues?Yes, well, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. I imagine it never occurred to him that…"
Snape trailed off, cursing under his breath.
"What's wrong?" Harry said.
"I'm being summoned."
"Now?"
"He's in no mood for delays."
Snape was right. Harry felt a prickling in his scar, followed by a strong burning sensation. Clearly, Snape felt it too, wincing as he rubbed his forearm.
"You, all three of you… I meant what I said. Stay put until I return."
"We will, Professor Snape."
Snape wasn't looking at her. He was staring at Harry, doing his best to hide what was obviously a grimace of pain.
"Promise me."
"We won't leave," Harry said. "I swear it."
Snape nodded, shooting him a last, lingering look before he disappeared in a swirl of black robes.
"Bloody hell," Ron said. "I don't even know what just happened."
"He's gone to see Vold… You-Know-Who."
"No, I know that. I mean this, all of it…" Ron trailed off, shaking his head in disbelief.
Of course, the story still wasn't finished. Harry had a final part to share, though he knew Ron and Hermione weren't ready for that just yet. They'd been through too much already… the last thing they needed, at least for now, was another shocking revelation.
"How are you feeling, Harry? Are you doing all right?"
"Me? Um, yeah, I guess."
Hermione nodded. "If there's anything you'd like to talk about…"
He'd never felt more drained, shaking his head as he got up from his chair. All he'd been doing was talking, weighed down by information and the hours he'd spent trying to share it. What he needed was peace and quiet, a little time to get used to who he was now and what it all meant.
"I'm fine," he said. "Just a bit tired. If you guys don't mind, I think I'll take a nap."
"Sure, mate. Whatever you need."
"You'll stay here, right?"
"Of course," Hermione said. "Go get some sleep."
He nodded, stifling a yawn as he trudged out of the kitchen. Somehow, he made it upstairs, not bothering to undress before he fell into bed. So much left to talk about, so much to think about… how was he supposed to tell them…
"So the boy must die?"
It wasn't the thought of dying that shocked him. Year after year, he'd risked his life, knowing that sooner or later his luck would run out. But to know that Dumbledore had been planning it all along, that he'd hidden…
He hadn't only hidden the truth from Harry. He'd kept it from Snape, too, only confessing when he'd had no other choice. There at the end, when he'd known he'd be dead in a matter of weeks…
"And Voldemort himself must do it, Severus. That is essential."
"You have used me."
Harry couldn't imagine how Snape had felt in that moment. It must've seemed like the worst sort of betrayal, finding out that he'd been lied to for so many years.
"Help me protect Lily's son."
That was what Snape had chosen to live for, despite his belief that Harry was a living, breathing reincarnation of James Potter. Sacrificing so much just to keep him alive, and for what?
"You've been raising him like a pig for slaughter."
How terrible it must've been for Snape, even more so since he'd known the truth by then. Realizing that his own son was being led straight to his death?
Really, it was no wonder he'd taken so many risks. Short of some miracle, this was the only chance he'd ever have to make things right.
"You're not going to die."
Could Snape find a way to save him? Harry wasn't sure, though he decided not to dwell on it. What mattered right now was that he had a parent… a real, living parent.
True, Snape wouldn't have been his first choice. It was hard to know how to feel about him after everything he'd said and done. But he was here and he was trying, willing to be honest no matter how much it hurt. That was more than Harry could say for… well, anyone, really. The least he could do was meet him halfway.
Satisfied with this conclusion, Harry closed his eyes, scar still prickling as he drifted off to sleep.