Sev's POV
All the next day, I have the feeling Harry is only going through the motions. He seems strangely absent and keeps forgetting things as if his head is filled by something else. And he keeps close to me. He spends so much time with me doing things he don't like he seems sick. Maybe it is because of his breakdown yesterday, but somehow, I think not. I rather think he's planning something. Something important he really doesn't want to do, but has to. It worries me. He worries me.
Sometime after another healthy meal made by me, he disappears though, leaving me alone in my potions room. He stays away for half an hour and then, he return, a sad, desperate look on his face and a parchment clutched tightly in his hand.
"Sev?" the word rolls off his lips with a yearning meaning behind it. "Can you come with me? I want to show you something."
I look questioningly at him and nod, pulling the cauldron off the magically created flame. This has to be it. The thing he worries so much about.
He leads me to the stairs and call out 'the living room', creating a weird looking phenomena as the staircase suddenly appears to dive into the floor, down to the living room. But I take no notice of it, used to it as I am, and silently follow him to library door. There we stop, and Harry turns to me and hugs me tightly to him in an almost distressed way. Then he backs away, suddenly blank faced and brave once again.
"Just go through the door and you'll find it."
He's surprisingly calm when he says that, not showing any emotions. But his eyes betray him, screaming out the anguish he truly feels.
"Take this," he says, holding out the folded parchment. "But do not open it until you've entered the library."
And before I'm able to say anything, he opens the door and practically run away, leaving me to stare into the room. There's a young man waiting for me inside. A little over six feet tall, a little shorter than me, and built like a beater. His black hair almost reaches his waist and his skin is as tanned golden as mine. But the fact that captivates me so much is his pale, green eyes. The eyes of his mother. Because he can only be Donal.
There are no words to describe the feeling of seeing him standing there, alive and well, a wondrous expression on his face, so much like his mother. His eyes express the hesitation, the utter joy, the fear of meeting me, and I feel the same thing. We do not know what to do.
"Donal?" I hesitantly say, a tremor in my voice I am not used to having.
He stare at me, then apparently makes a decision.
"Father" he simply states and walks over to me.
We look into each other's eyes a few seconds, trying to read each other's souls. Can we be a family again? Having been apart for all our lives, we may never fully reach the closeness of those who have if we pursue a relationship as a family. But I will fully try if we decide to do that, and I think Donal will too. Because I can sense it in the air, read it in his eyes. We want to know each other. And that get us a long way. And if Harry and I became family in only months, Donal and I certainly have a chance too.
I do not know whom of us moved first, but suddenly we hug, happy to finally meet. Happy that we have reached the unspoken decision to try and become a family. Together with Harry.
"It's so great to see you," he hoarsely says. "I've wanted to meet you for so long, it's so…"
Words are not enough for the guilt I feel inside in that moment. What if he doesn't know? What if he hates me? Donal is not Harry, grown beyond his years.
"I'm sorry," I silently say. "I should've been there…"
I don't come any longer, as Donal interrupts me as he separates from me, a grim look on his face.
"Don't blame yourself," he sternly says. "As I believe Harry has already told you, you couldn't really help it."
Surprise floods me at that. Surprise that Donal does not blame me, surprise that Harry told him of our little talk.
"I know" I quietly admit. "Did Harry tell you?"
"No" Donal says. "But the undertones were obvious. He truly loves you. Am I right when I say I will have a brother?"
"You have nothing against it?" I say, surprised.
I will not abandon the trust Harry has given me. Donal may be my son by blood, but I will not let go of Harry just because of petty dislike. But it seems like that situation won't arise.
"No" he softly says. "I would love to have a brother."
Then he goes sombre.
"But he seemed awfully torn up when he went to fetch you" he adds. "Has something happened?"
And suddenly, everything clicks into place. His strange behaviour today, his breakdown yesterday. This is what it was all about. I curse and rip the parchment out of my pocket, folding it up and reading it.
"Sev!
I guess it's time for me to leave now, when your real son, Donal, is back in your life. First, I had planned to leave without telling you, but then, I decided to leave you this letter.
I guess you have met Donal by now. He's a nice young man and I think you'll like each other. Besides, he's your son.
I locked Honey into the room you gave me to stop her from following me. You can give her to Donal now.
As the locking spell you used to secure the crystal is too advanced for me, I can't take it off by myself, but I'll send it to you as soon as possible.
Last, all I want to say is that this month has been the happiest of my life and that I hope you will be happy.
Always, Harry."
With that, I curse again, probably shocking Donal with my foul language. He stares at my panicked face, and then grabs the note for him to read. Half a minute later, he shocks me with his foul language. Then we dash as one out of the room and up the stairs. I blast the door open and is attacked by a distressed Honey. Somehow I seem to have forgotten to tell him that Honey chooses whom to be with. Absently, I stroke her.
"He's gone," Donal says, worry in his voice.
"No" I say, just as absently. "I know where he is."
Harry's POV
I have planned this well. The moment Sev looks through the door into the room, I run away, up the stairs to my room. There, I pack my things, giving Sev time to remember me, come to me. But I know he won't. Nothing can break the bonds between parent and child. What I have shared with him means nothing when compared to that.
I have already decided where to go. Sirius told me he lived with Remus at his cottage for the moment, and that's where I'm going. Not on my firebolt though, but by floopowder. I just hope he's connected to the network.
Not wanting to disturb Sev and Donal, I decide to use the fireplace in Sev's room. I have already taken floopowder from downstairs so I just have to throw it in, squeeze the trunk into the fireplace and fit myself into it as well. Then I'm ready to go.
"Remus Lupin's cottage," I call out, sending my world into the puking feeling whirl of flooing.
Thankfully, it doesn't take very long, and soon, I fall out of a tiny open fire, the trunk falling after me. A loud bang is heard as we land, and it sends the two well-known figures of Remus and Sirius into the room, staring at me where I lie.
"Can you please help me up?" I ask, looking at their baffled faces.
In a hurry, they get to my side. Sirius get the trunk off me, while Remus helps me up and assists me in getting rid of all the grime stuck to my cloths. Then they place themselves in front of me, looking curiously at me.
"Why are you here, Harry?" Sirius gently asks. "Is something wrong with Severus?"
I do notice his new address of Sev, but at the moment, I can honestly say that I really do not care at this point.
"I don't belong with him anymore," I simply say, even as it hurts like hell inside.
At that, Sirius and Remus share a long look and to my surprise, Sirius doesn't look mad at all. I had thought he would try to go after him by now. In this moment, I really wonder what they talked about in the library just a few days ago.
"What makes you think that?" Remus carefully enquires.
I look down. I really have no right to be sad when I am the one who brought Donal to his real father.
"I found Sev's son and reunited him with his father," I say. "They are together now."
Another long look are shared between the two wizards, and as if Sirius had told him telepathically, Remus gives me a quick smile and disappears. At the same time, Sirius walks towards me, a serious expression on his face.
"I think we need to talk," he seriously says.
I am confused and look that way also as my godfather leads me out of the room, up a staircase and into a small cosy sitting room, where he silently beckons to me to sit down in the couch, taking place next to me. He looks me in my eyes for several moments, and then starts to talk, never letting go of my eyes.
"Harry, what is the meaning of family?" he softly says, very aware of my increasing confusion. "I know you haven't really been a part of one, but what do you believe it should be like?"
Family? Why is he talking about family? Nevertheless I will answer him as well as I'm able to with my small amount of experience.
"It's the ones you love closely," I obediently answers. "Not only parents, siblings and relatives, but also everyone else whom you hold close to your heart."
Sirius smiles faintly at my explanation, but the serious air around him doesn't even diminish a little.
"Exactly" he softly agrees. "Now, what do you feel about me? Would you consider me family?"
I don't understand where he is trying to get me, because somehow, I don't think this is about Sirius need for love.
"I love you, you are my godfather," I confusedly answer though. "Of course I consider you family."
"And Hermione, Ron, Sev?" he continues.
"Them too."
Sirius grips my hands now, conveying the severity of the situation I still don't understand.
"Would you ever kick us out if your father came back to life, even if he asked you to?" he plainly says.
"No" I immediately say. "I would never…"
I trail off. I understand now. With my lack of experience I've made a grave mistake that quite possibly can cause a great rift between Sev and me.
"Do you see where I'm going?" Sirius gently says.
I blink, inwardly beating myself up for being so stupid.
"Yes" I silently say. "Even if Sev has gotten his son back, he won't just automatically shut me out of his heart and home."
"That's right" Sirius says, laughter in his voice. "And if I remember how that necklace of yours works correctly, Sev should be…"
He doesn't get any longer as a cold and horrifying voice is heard from downstairs.
"Where is he, Remus?"
It's Sev, and I have never heard him so furious before.
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