A/N: Hi everyone. Sorry it took so long for me to write this chapter. Real life kidnapped me and held me hostage for awhile. Says in hushed whisperOr maybe He who must not be named.found out what I eventually have planned for him and set everything up to keep me from finishing. looks at all the incredulous looks what it could happen. Anyway here is the next chapter. Hope it doesn't disappoint anyone. I will have a challenge at the end if anyone is interested. Tootaloo.

Dumbledore sat in the chair next to Harry's bed and took the small hand into his own. "I know you must have questions Harry. Go ahead and ask." He gently said to the boy while trying to mentally prepare himself to explain the complicated situation.

"How did I get here" he blurted. There was a million questions buzzing around his head and he wasn't sure what to ask first. So he just let his mouth take over for him, again. Harry watched as Dumbledore took a few moments and just stroked his beard before answering.

"It seems that your familiar Hedwig cares a great deal about you Harry" Dumbledore began seriously. "She took it upon herself to bring your situation to my attention. Professor Snape and I arrived at the Dursleys and as soon as we saw your condition we immediately brought you back here." With his next words he gently put his arm around Harry to lend comfort "What happened child?"

"P....Professor Snape!" Harry squeaked out in shock, completely ignoring the last question. 'Oh great' he thought to himself. 'Of all the people to see what had happened it had to be that greasy git. I'll never hear the end of this.' He was sure the man would use this to torment him even more. With this thought and the further realization that now even the Slytherins would more than likely find out, he felt his anxiety begin to build.

Dumbledore sensed how agitated the small boy was becoming and tightened his hold around the thin shoulders. "Shhh..child. It will be alright. Severus and I have no intention of telling anyone you don't want us to." He then began to mutter soothing words, not paying attention to what he was saying, until he felt some of the tension leave the frightened child in his arms. He gently took a hold of the boys chin until the large confused green eyes met his own. "Let me tell you a story Harry. I know some of this may be upsetting to you but please hear me out." Once the boy gave a small nod, the old wizard continued.

"Fifty three years ago, a set of twin baby girls were found abandoned and taken in by a powerful wizard family. My brother Abner and his wife found the girls on their doorstep and immediately fell in love with them and raised them as their own. They named them Abigail and Amelia. They grew to be beautiful, intelligent, and very powerful young ladies. It was all we could do here at Hogwarts to teach them some control over the power they possessed." Seeing the confusion in Harry's eyes he decided to explain in more detail before he could be interrupted.

"You see Harry, the girls had a very rare gift. They were capable of wandless magic. Throughout history there were only a few wizards or witches capable of this. As far as I know the only ones at the time that had this ability were myself, and Lord Voldemort."

Harry's eyes grew large for a moment, then he looked down at the covers fearing where this might be headed. "Are there anymore capable of this now?" Harry asked in a small voice and then covered his mouth with his hand when he realized he had interrupted the aged Headmaster.

Dumbledore gave the boy's hand a reassuring squeeze "It is alright to voice your questions child, I know this can be a lot to take in at once. But please do try to let me finish." He gently admonished the boy. He was happy to see that the boy's uncle did not squelch the child's insatiable curiosity, totally. Harry might be battered and slightly traumatized, but Dumbledore was happy to see that the child's spirit had not been broken by his ordeal. "Yes Harry, there are few more with this ability today, but that is for discussion at another time. Now where was I, yes Abigail and Amelia."

Dumbledore once again sat back in his chair. "Once the girls began Hogwarts, they were both sorted into Gryffindor. They shocked all of us when they both fell in love with two Slytherins. Abigail started dating and eventually married Lucius Malfoy (sr) and Amelia married his best friend Salazar Snape. At first both of the young men were doting husbands and the two couples were very happy. Within a few months Abigail and Lucius had a son that they named after his father, Lucius jr. Several months later Amelia and Salazar had a son that they named James, and two years later they had another son that they named Severus."

Dumbledore allowed a few seconds for Harry to get over his shock before continuing on. "Unfortunately the two ambitious men became followers of a young, powerful, and uprising dark wizard. After pledging their loyalty to Voldemort they began to perform such atrocities in his name that they began to change. They became angry and violent to anyone that opposed them or were muggle born. Abigail loved her husband and stuck with him, determined to try and change him back to the loving man she had married. Although she was very powerful, she never did fight back when he began to be violent with her and his son. He was determined to train his heir to stand at his side and serve Voldemort as a loyal and talented Death Eater when he became older." Dumbledore stopped and tried to collect himself.

"Abigail hardly ever came around the family anymore so we were unaware of everything that was happening. When I first found out, I could not understand why such a powerful, intelligent witch would allow this to happen and not do something to stop it, for she was more powerful then her husband. However, it was later explained to me that some women, when they are in abusive situations, become almost brainwashed into believing that they are powerless and at some level start to believe that they deserve what is happening to them. But I digress; let me finish the rest of the story." Albus noted that Harry seemed to almost have an understanding look in his eye. The old wizard came to the sad realization that perhaps it was not only women who could come to believe they deserved less then friendly treatment.

Dumbledore took in a deep calming breath and continued, "For the first year after joining, Salazar did not become as violent as his friend. He was just more cold and aloof. Although Amelia loved her husband she was lonely and turned to another man whom she had been seeing at the same time as Salazar before they married. Amelia was the direct opposite of her sister. Although they were both very tiny petite women with an almost Elvin beauty, the similarities stopped there.

Abigail had golden blonde hair and bright blue eyes, and Amelia had raven black hair and coal black eyes. Not only were they opposites in appearance but in personality as well. Abigail was shy and timid and not very confident in herself, where as Amelia was a spit fire. She defied rules and tradition and did her own thing. She had no qualms about dating two men at the same time and made no secret of her time with another before they were married. And like always she was honest and upfront about her feelings and the fact she was not happy. She informed Salazar that she was leaving him and taking their children with her.

Salazar refused to let her leave with both of their children. Out of love for Amelia he agreed that she could take one child with her and the other would remain with him. In the beginning he had insisted that the eldest, James, stay with him and that she would take the youngest, Severus. Before the divorce became finalized they learned that James was not really Salazar's son, but rather the son of the other man, Tobias Potter."

Dumbledore could once again feel the anxiety building in the child whose hand he held. Once again he put his arm around the boy's shoulders and whispered soothing words until he felt the tremors that had started subside. Knowing that the rest of the tale would be even harder for the boy to take, he gently scooped up the child and sat on the bed, settling Harry into his arms like a he would an infant.

"Salazar became enraged and demanded that Amelia leave at once with James and that if he ever laid eyes upon her again he would kill her and the boy himself. Amelia, not yet aware of just how powerful she was, and fearing for her and her seven year old's life, fled and never came back. After this Salazar was never the same. He became even more violent and cruel than Lucius. He was even more determined to make his youngest stronger and to wipe any trace of his wife out of him. Severus and Lucius were both trained in the dark arts and were often times raised and punished together. Lucius filled the void in young Severus' life left by James and became more an older brother then cousin."

Four years later, when Lucius turned eleven and was to start Hogwarts, Salazar came to me and demanded that Severus be allowed to attend also. At first I was leery of allowing one so young to attend, for he was only nine. But after meeting him and testing him, I realized that he inherited his intelligence and power from his mother. Deciding that it would be in his best interest to train him right away before his power could get out of hand like Amelia, I let him enter. Although I have to admit a little bit of my reasoning was purely selfish. I had missed out on so much of his life I wanted him near me so that I could get to know him and his cousin better. At the time, I suspected Salazar of being a Death Eater and felt that it was wise to not let on that his son was capable of the same wandless magic as his mother and so had him trained using his wand."

The old wizard stopped his tale long enough to check on the status of the small form in his arms. Harry was so small that it was hard to remember at times that he was almost fifteen. Seeing that he was not too upset he decided to hurry up and finish before the child could drop off to sleep. The poor boy was exhausted, but Albus felt that it was best to go ahead and tell him the rest and then let him sleep.

"It didn't take long before Severus met up with James since they were in the same year. The boys immediately recognized who the other was and were very uncomfortable around each other at first. It didn't help any that James was sorted into Gryffindor and Severus into Slytherin. Severus was so angry at his mother and brother for, as he thought, abandoning him, he especially hated his mother for choosing James and leaving him behind. He also hated James because he saw that his older brother got the kind of life he always dreamed about. His mother was kind and loving and his father, Tobias Potter, was everything Severus' own was not. Tobias was kind, compassionate, and never once struck his son like Salazar did Severus on numerous occasions. He saw how happy and well liked James was and he resented him even more. They were both young and James, not understanding why Severus was so angry and resentful, became just as hateful back. They fought and argued the entire time they were at Hogwarts.

"I learned of the abuse Severus suffered when he was in his seventh year. I petitioned for, and was granted, temporary custody until he turned eighteen. Since he was still a minor he had to remain living at Hogwarts once he graduated. Severus and Lily started dating during their sixth year but after your mother had graduated and gone on to become an auror she became uncomfortable being in a relationship with someone so young and still under parental guidance. She therefore decided to break off the relationship and started seeing James Potter. During this time, Severus was very hurt and confused. For the second time in his life someone he loved had chosen James over him and it only to served to intensify the hate he felt towards his brother.

"Unfortunately, during all of this, Severus had overheard a meeting between the Order of the Phoenix and decided that he would join Voldemort and become a spy. This put him back into contact with his father who was very high in the ranks of the Death Eaters. Voldemort let Salazar perform Severus' training and often times found it amusing to let Salazar be the one to punish Severus for any mistakes that were made. The poor boy was torn between trying to please me and trying to win the affection that he always craved from his father. As he was struggling with this your mother came back to Severus and professed her love to him once again and they got to be together for one wonderful day. The next morning when Lily saw the Dark Mark on Severus' arm she became angry and instead of letting him explain she left him and never returned. Two weeks later, Severus learned that Lily and James were married. For awhile, he walked a fine line between light and dark. He was hurt and angry and even more so after you were born. You were a reminder to him of everything he had lost.

"The death of Lily and James helped him end the struggle between light and dark and he completely came back to me. After the defeat of Voldemort by you Harry, many of the Death Eaters were captured and some were given the dementors kiss, including Lucius sr. and Salazar. Unfortunately, Lucius jr. had never let me get close to him and embraced his father's beliefs even more strongly after the man's execution. Severus remained with me, but he drew into himself and became angry and bitter. While I know he loves me and trusts me, he has never allowed himself to completely open himself up again."

"So.P.Professor Snape is my uncle?" Harry asked in a quivering voice, hoping that was all there was to the tale.

Dumbledore held the boy a little more tightly in his arms before he uttered the words that would bring this child's view of the world crashing down around him. "No child..we just learned today that Severus is not your uncle, but that he is your father."

At first there was stunned silence. And then as he watched, he saw a myriad of emotions cross the boys face. After the shock wore off, Harry buried his face into his headmaster's robes and began to sob. Too tired to cope, Harry let himself slide into a fitful sleep. Albus simply sat there and held the child. He was tired too, but sleep would not come as easily to the old wizard. He still had another child to look after.

A/N: Phew.that chapter is finally done ( First of all..thank you to all of you who have stuck around and are still interested in the story. Thanks for the encouragement and the gently nudges to keep going rubs at sore spots from being poked Okay.now for the challenge. Does anyone recognize from what movie the names are from: Abagail and Amelia? The first person to email me with the correct movie wins. If you leave your email with your guess, whoever wins I will contact and discuss a reward!