5 – Like Father, Like Son

A year had passed since Heidi had first met Ron, Harry and Hermione on the Hogwarts Express. They all now knew and accepted (after quite a few odd looks from anyone else who had read that particular paragraph of that particular yearbook) that Heidi's mother was Professor McGonagall as well as her father being Professor Snape.

Harry had saved Hogwarts from You-Know-Who again at the end of his second year, and Professor Lockhart had left the school. (You've read Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, you know what happened). Harry and Heidi had become boyfriend and girlfriend after the Valentine's Ball, much to Snape's displeasure. 

Harry, Heidi, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were now sitting on the Hogwarts Express, on their way back to Hogwarts for their second/third year.

'I wonder if anything odd is going to happen to us all this year?' Ron asked while gazing out the window.

'Knowing our track record, almost anything!' Hermione replied.

'At least we're not the 'ickle firsties' any more.' Ginny said, meaning herself and Heidi.

'I wonder if Snape's changed at all over the holidays…' Harry said.

'Snape'll never change.' Heidi muttered sadly.

***

The sorting ceremony was over, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher had been announced (Professor Remus Lupin), and the school was now enjoying the start of term feast.

Harry was looking idly along the staff table, seeing whether Dumbledore's beard had grown any longer, or if Flitwick had become even shorter, when he saw it. It happened so quickly he thought he must have imagined it.

Harry shook his head – that would never happen. But there it was again, clear as daylight. Harry nudged Ron, who was sitting next to him at the Gryffindor table.

'What?' Ron said through a large mouthful of chicken.

'Look at Snape!' Harry hissed.

Ron did look at Snape, but couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. He was sitting between Professor McGonagall and Madam Hooch, as usual, and eating – perfectly normal.

'What about him?' Ron asked.

Harry looked puzzled. 'He's back to normal now… I was looking along the staff table just then, and I'm certain he was crying.'

'Oh, come off it Harry! Snape doesn't possess human feelings!' Ron laughed.

'You don't know that.' Hermione said, who had been listening in on their conversation. She lowered her voice before saying 'I mean, he does have a daughter… oh my God Harry, you're right – look!' Hermione was looking at the teacher's table, transfixed.

Snape had stopped eating, and had his head in his hands so they couldn't see his face.  Hooch seemed to be saying something to him, but it didn't seem to be doing much good. McGonagall turned to Snape, and also said something that Harry, Ron and Hermione couldn't hear from their distance.

Whatever she had said, she obviously shouldn't have said it. As soon as she had finished speaking, Snape stood up very quickly with a look of utter outrage on his face. He still had tears in his eyes, Harry noticed. Obviously not wanting to stay in the Great Hall, Snape hurriedly left the table, and walked out the door. Harry noticed how upset he looked as he passed them. Hermione looked back up at the rest of the teachers, and noticed that McGonagall was looking very annoyed with herself.

***

Dumbledore walked quickly through the dungeons. They had given him the creeps ever since he was a student at Hogwarts. 'Why,' he thought to himself, 'is it that whenever another member of staff has some kind of breakdown, I'm the one who has to deal with it?'

He didn't know where Severus had gone. He knew exactly what was wrong, and he could understand why Snape would be so upset. He just hoped he wouldn't do anything stupid.

The first place he tried was Snape's dungeon classroom – empty. Next he tried Snape's office – also empty. He decided the best bet was probably Severus' living quarters. He headed towards the Slytherin common room (the best bit about being the Hogwarts head was that you were the only person in the school to know where all four common rooms were). Just next to the Slytherin common room entrance was a stone gargoyle. Dumbledore touched the head of the gargoyle, which promptly moved, along with the wall, to reveal a dark passageway, which Dumbledore walked down until he reached a wooden door.

Dumbledore knocked on the door. 'Severus, are you in there?' He asked.

'Please leave me alone Albus…' Dumbledore heard Snape say from the other side of the door.

'I am not leaving you Severus. You are clearly upset, and I know why. Now if you don't let me, I'll let myself in.'

'Oh, come in if you must.'

'That's sounds more like Severus.' Dumbledore thought as he opened the door and stepped inside the room.

Professor Snape's quarters were absolutely immaculate. The bed was in one corner (black sheets, black pillows, black everything), there were a few shelves with different books neatly placed on them, and in another corner of the room was a small desk. Dumbledore smiled as he noticed that, despite Severus' apparent hatred of Heidi, there was a framed picture of her in the centre of the desk, along with a picture of another Hogwarts student he clearly recognised.

'You've been talking to Lucius Malfoy, haven't you?' Dumbledore said, still looking at the picture of the blonde Slytherin on Severus' desk.

'It's not fair…' Severus said from a corner of the room, where he was sitting on a chair, tears freely running down his face.

'As far as Lucius is concerned, it's perfectly fair.'

'Read this.' Snape said, his voice full of hate as he got up and shoved a piece of parchment into Dumbledore's hand.

Severus,

If you know what's good for you, don't talk to Draco. As far as he, Narcissa and myself are concerned, he is our son. The fact that he is not isn't relevant. You and Minerva gave him to us when he was 2 years old, and with him you handed us the responsibility of being his parents. If you say a single thing to him, you are a dead man.

Lucius

'I never wanted to give him away!' Severus cried. 'Minerva said she… said we weren't ready for a child, and suggested that Lucius and Narcissa would be able to look after him. Lucius was a friend – I never thought he would stop me from even letting Draco know I'm his father!'

'Indeed, this is a problem…'

Snape obviously wasn't ready to stop talking, however. 'Then Minerva had Heidi, and that was that, we were keeping her. Don't get me wrong – I love Heidi with all my heart, but she's like her mother. I see Draco every day, and he's just the same as me when I was his age. It tears me apart!'

'Severus, listen to me! Draco needs to know who his real father is, I agree. But also, Heidi needs to know she has a father.'

'She knows that!'

'I mean, a father she can love, and one that will love her back. A father she can go to if she's scared or upset. Minerva's there for her, but Heidi needs you as well!'

'I promise I'll talk to her, show her I've changed!'

'As for Draco, I want you to talk to him. Tell him you're his father.'

'But Lucius…'

'I'll talk to him. I am Draco and Heidi's godfather, and I want what's best for them.'

***

Snape was even more uptight than usual during his next potion lesson with the Gryffindors and Slytherins, taking points from Harry for doing things like cutting up his ingredients too loudly.

Snape was dreading the end of the lesson, when he would have to talk to Draco. He wanted Draco to know, but he was just worried about how he would take it. They had a good teacher – pupil relationship, but father – son…

Soon enough it was time for everyone to leave the dungeon classroom and head off for dinner. Snape walked over to Draco and said, 'Mr. Malfoy, please may you wait until the rest of the class has gone. I need to talk to you.'

Draco nodded, thinking it would be something to do about homework or the lesson. He told Crabbe and Goyle to meet him in the Slytherin common room, before walking over to Snape's desk.

'Come with me.' Snape said, leading Draco out the classroom and into his office. Draco was looking slightly worried now; he didn't think Snape would have taken him to his office just to ask whether he understood what they had to do for homework.

'Draco.' Snape began. Draco was surprised that Snape had used his first name.

'Yes Sir?'

'Before you hear this, I want you to know that your father doesn't want you to know what I'm about to tell you.' Snape said. Draco nodded.

'I won't tell him.'

'You see… it's hard for me to say this… Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy are not your mother and father.'

Draco looked extrememly shocked. 'They're… they're not?!'

'No.' Snape replied.

'Who… who… who are my parents then?'

Snape took a deep breath. 'Professor McGonagall and myself.'

Draco couldn't speak. He was shocked; he didn't know what to say. His favourite teacher – his idol – was his father. And one of his least favourite teachers was his own mother.

Draco's head began to spin… he didn't know what was happening. His shock overtook him, and he fainted.