Hah! I'm pretty sure that the last chapter threw everyone for a loop. I'd
like to thank kateydidnt profusely for her honest review. I'm pleased to
assure you that there are no more incidents of personality change in Harry
throughout the rest of the story- I really don't even know why I put those
in there to begin with. Whatever. Erm, and I know that chapter 10 was
rather.. different. Again, there are no more incidents of one person taking
over another's body or insane freak accidents like that. Just thought I'd
tell you beforehand. And I really don't know what I was thinking when I
wrote that bit about the Riddle House. Perhaps it was late when I wrote it
and never actually read it again to figure out what I had written. I
promise to rewrite that part as soon as I get home. Please forgive my
insane lack of coolness. Yay! Soo..here's hoping that this chapter won't be
so long and confusing and rather blah in general! Read on!
***
"Harry? Harry? Are you okay?" asked Remus worriedly when Harry crutched into the library, looking thoroughly exhausted. Having Snape in control of his body had completely worn him out, and having to crutch all the way up to the library afterward hadn't helped much, either.
"Yeah. Just tired," Harry replied. He collapsed into a waiting armchair.
"As you should be, Harry! Good lord, Albus, it's late! We all need to get some sleep."
Harry yawned. "Oh, I found out where the Riddle House is," he said sleepily.
"Where is it?" asked Lupin.
"Some place called Little Hangleton."
"Hmm," Dumbledore murmured thoughtfully. "We should be able to find that."
"How did you find it, Harry?"
"Hm?" The teenager was halfway asleep in his armchair. "Oh, um.. Snape told me."
"He knew where he was?" asked Minerva, a hint of annoyance toward the potions master in her voice.
"No. I told him it was the Riddle House, and he knew where that was. He didn't know beforehand," Harry murmured.
"Perhaps, Harry, it is time for bed?" mused Dumbledore as he took in the incredibly tired teenager before him.
"Yeah," he said with a brief smile. He stood up and grabbed his crutches, leaning on them heavily for support as he hobbled toward the hospital wing. His three professors walked slowly behind him.
"He's awfully worn out," noticed McGonagall.
Dumbledore nodded in agreement. "Too much so for one who just went out for a walk. He wasn't so tired when he left."
"Where do you think he went?" asked Lupin.
"He went to talk to Severus," stated Dumbledore.
"How can you be sure?"
"He said that Severus told him about Little Hangleton."
"Oh, right. But he's talked to Severus before, and he's never been this exhausted."
"It's late at night, Minerva. He didn't really get much sleep last night, after all. Harry has a lot on his mind."
"You're right of course, Albus. We're all tired."
The group had reached the hospital wing and Harry had immediately sunk into a bed. He opened his eyes wearily, said, "Goodnight, Professors," and was fast asleep.
"I worry about him, Minerva. I worry about him a lot," admitted Remus as he watched the Boy-Who-Lived sleep.
"So do I. There is so much pressure on him. And now, he looks.. lost."
"He looks so different," said Remus quietly. "I didn't even know who he was! If it weren't for that scar and his eyes, he would be completely unrecognizable."
"He's changing more every day," said Minerva.
"Why? Why does he look so different?" asked Lupin demandingly. "What aren't you telling me?"
"You might as well just tell him," said Harry's muffled voice from under a blanket.
"Go to sleep, Harry," ordered Dumbledore.
"I am asleep."
Dumbledore chuckled and motioned the other teachers to follow him to his office. They walked in silence to the stone gargoyle, at which Dumbledore said, "Cotton candy!"
The gargoyle moved over and the three wizards walked sullenly up the stairs. Dumbledore landed heavily in his chair and gestured for the other two to take a seat. A joyful phoenix song suddenly filled the room, giving its occupants a much-needed feeling of levity from the situation.
"Remus, there is a reason for the change in Harry's appearance. It seems that over the summer, Harry's hair began to grow and he got much taller. He's been changing every day since he got here. While he was immobile in the hospital wing, a letter from his mother arrived."
"A letter from Lily? But.. that's impossible!"
"It was delayed delivery, Remus. You know that Severus and Lily were together before she married James?"
"Yes, I remember," Lupin said darkly.
"It seems that Harry's father is not who we thought him to be," said Dumbledore cautiously.
Lupin's face paled and he looked pained. "You mean.. James? James isn't-" his voice caught and he didn't continue.
"No, Remus. James isn't Harry's father. Lily put a charm on him when he was born so that nobody would find out. It would have endangered Harry's life."
Remus's face turned red with anger. "You mean to tell me," he hissed, "that that horrible, heartless DEATH EATER is Harry's FATHER?"
"Remus, control yourself, please," said Minerva.
Remus sank to his chair in agony. "So that's why he's changing. Lily's charm is wearing off," he said.
"That's correct, Remus. By his birthday, he should look like he ought to have looked for fifteen years. This is why Harry is able to maintain a connection to Severus, you see," said Dumbledore pointedly, "because they're related."
"Severus will never be his father. He hates Harry, and I know Harry feels the same way," said Remus.
"Until Voldemort and his supporters are gone, Harry's true parentage cannot be revealed. So Harry and Severus have a lot of time to get used to each other before this will be told to the public. However, Remus, I do share your concerns. There is definite mutual loathing between them, to be sure. This will somehow have to be countered," Dumbledore said.
"Albus, if I may say so, we're going to have to conceal his appearance when the students get here. Harry looks so much like Severus that it's uncanny. The resemblance is blatant. It would be unsafe for both of them, and for Harry's friends, if anyone found out," commented McGonagall.
"Very true, Minerva. No one can know of this. No one. We've already put Severus and Harry in danger by telling you and Remus. Eve my knowledge in this matter puts them in danger. But we all know now, and there's really no going back on that part. So we'll just have to figure out how to rescue Severus and protect Harry," said Dumbledore.
"I don't understand why Harry even thought of being captured. I know he has a tendency to jump into thinks but surely he can't be that daft," Remus said softly.
"I don't understand it, either."
***
"Harry? Harry? Are you okay?" asked Remus worriedly when Harry crutched into the library, looking thoroughly exhausted. Having Snape in control of his body had completely worn him out, and having to crutch all the way up to the library afterward hadn't helped much, either.
"Yeah. Just tired," Harry replied. He collapsed into a waiting armchair.
"As you should be, Harry! Good lord, Albus, it's late! We all need to get some sleep."
Harry yawned. "Oh, I found out where the Riddle House is," he said sleepily.
"Where is it?" asked Lupin.
"Some place called Little Hangleton."
"Hmm," Dumbledore murmured thoughtfully. "We should be able to find that."
"How did you find it, Harry?"
"Hm?" The teenager was halfway asleep in his armchair. "Oh, um.. Snape told me."
"He knew where he was?" asked Minerva, a hint of annoyance toward the potions master in her voice.
"No. I told him it was the Riddle House, and he knew where that was. He didn't know beforehand," Harry murmured.
"Perhaps, Harry, it is time for bed?" mused Dumbledore as he took in the incredibly tired teenager before him.
"Yeah," he said with a brief smile. He stood up and grabbed his crutches, leaning on them heavily for support as he hobbled toward the hospital wing. His three professors walked slowly behind him.
"He's awfully worn out," noticed McGonagall.
Dumbledore nodded in agreement. "Too much so for one who just went out for a walk. He wasn't so tired when he left."
"Where do you think he went?" asked Lupin.
"He went to talk to Severus," stated Dumbledore.
"How can you be sure?"
"He said that Severus told him about Little Hangleton."
"Oh, right. But he's talked to Severus before, and he's never been this exhausted."
"It's late at night, Minerva. He didn't really get much sleep last night, after all. Harry has a lot on his mind."
"You're right of course, Albus. We're all tired."
The group had reached the hospital wing and Harry had immediately sunk into a bed. He opened his eyes wearily, said, "Goodnight, Professors," and was fast asleep.
"I worry about him, Minerva. I worry about him a lot," admitted Remus as he watched the Boy-Who-Lived sleep.
"So do I. There is so much pressure on him. And now, he looks.. lost."
"He looks so different," said Remus quietly. "I didn't even know who he was! If it weren't for that scar and his eyes, he would be completely unrecognizable."
"He's changing more every day," said Minerva.
"Why? Why does he look so different?" asked Lupin demandingly. "What aren't you telling me?"
"You might as well just tell him," said Harry's muffled voice from under a blanket.
"Go to sleep, Harry," ordered Dumbledore.
"I am asleep."
Dumbledore chuckled and motioned the other teachers to follow him to his office. They walked in silence to the stone gargoyle, at which Dumbledore said, "Cotton candy!"
The gargoyle moved over and the three wizards walked sullenly up the stairs. Dumbledore landed heavily in his chair and gestured for the other two to take a seat. A joyful phoenix song suddenly filled the room, giving its occupants a much-needed feeling of levity from the situation.
"Remus, there is a reason for the change in Harry's appearance. It seems that over the summer, Harry's hair began to grow and he got much taller. He's been changing every day since he got here. While he was immobile in the hospital wing, a letter from his mother arrived."
"A letter from Lily? But.. that's impossible!"
"It was delayed delivery, Remus. You know that Severus and Lily were together before she married James?"
"Yes, I remember," Lupin said darkly.
"It seems that Harry's father is not who we thought him to be," said Dumbledore cautiously.
Lupin's face paled and he looked pained. "You mean.. James? James isn't-" his voice caught and he didn't continue.
"No, Remus. James isn't Harry's father. Lily put a charm on him when he was born so that nobody would find out. It would have endangered Harry's life."
Remus's face turned red with anger. "You mean to tell me," he hissed, "that that horrible, heartless DEATH EATER is Harry's FATHER?"
"Remus, control yourself, please," said Minerva.
Remus sank to his chair in agony. "So that's why he's changing. Lily's charm is wearing off," he said.
"That's correct, Remus. By his birthday, he should look like he ought to have looked for fifteen years. This is why Harry is able to maintain a connection to Severus, you see," said Dumbledore pointedly, "because they're related."
"Severus will never be his father. He hates Harry, and I know Harry feels the same way," said Remus.
"Until Voldemort and his supporters are gone, Harry's true parentage cannot be revealed. So Harry and Severus have a lot of time to get used to each other before this will be told to the public. However, Remus, I do share your concerns. There is definite mutual loathing between them, to be sure. This will somehow have to be countered," Dumbledore said.
"Albus, if I may say so, we're going to have to conceal his appearance when the students get here. Harry looks so much like Severus that it's uncanny. The resemblance is blatant. It would be unsafe for both of them, and for Harry's friends, if anyone found out," commented McGonagall.
"Very true, Minerva. No one can know of this. No one. We've already put Severus and Harry in danger by telling you and Remus. Eve my knowledge in this matter puts them in danger. But we all know now, and there's really no going back on that part. So we'll just have to figure out how to rescue Severus and protect Harry," said Dumbledore.
"I don't understand why Harry even thought of being captured. I know he has a tendency to jump into thinks but surely he can't be that daft," Remus said softly.
"I don't understand it, either."
