A/N: Thanks to EVERYONE who reviewed! There were way too many reviews for the last chapter, which makes me feel EXTREMELY good, but I just can't reply to all right now. I've been procrastinating on this chapter, and I want to get it out to you as quickly as I can. There are a few replies I would like to make, tho, and I will be posting the names off those who got the answer correct. I was asked if I was shipping Harry and Hermione. No, I'm not. But the thoughts and glances and such will be explained in a later chapter.
Congratulations go to Coolguy86, Vikki, fairygirl131129, Yasei Raiden, Kim13, SlytherinHeadGirl, lady macbeth, Mikee, MarsMoonStar, samayn, Roxy, and fullsailnate. You guys got it correct. I still need houses for Kim13 and lady macbeth, tho. I will be moving the house points tally to the beginning of each chapter, while the question will still remain at the end. The house in bold is the one in lead with points.
House Points stand as thus:
Gryffindor: 50
Slytherin: 90
Hufflepuff: 30
Ravenclaw: 45
On to replies:
fullsailnate- You pretty much used my reasoning. Go you. *grins*
Amaya- That was great conjecturing, and wonderful insight. But
I used totally different reasoning, so... sorry. But I loved the thought
you put into it.
hermionegreen- Sorry about that. I just didn't want to say "______(fill
in name here) got it wrong" or "_____, not correct." Everyone puts in wonderful
replies, and I'm flattered that they would even attempt to answer. I just
didn't want to discourage anyone from answering future questions, so I
refrained from stating who was wrong. I did, however, state to the person
or people in their replies if they did get it correct, so they'd know.
I apologize for that, as it seems I went about it the wrong way. Thanks
for pointing it out to me. *smiles*
blunt-but-honest- Actually, that question still stood until
this chapter was posted. The question, I believe, was who does it openly
and verbally to the other. Not in lost mutterings or through viewing a
book they shouldn't have had in the first place. But to each other, face
to face. While I appreciate you bringing up the fact that I lose a lot
of words to replies and such, I feel that the people who read my story
would like to know that I've read and appreciate their reviews, whether
I like said review or not. I never claimed to have the longest chapters,
or the best story. Hell, I didn't even think I'd manage a half decent story,
but still I tried. I am glad and heartened that you like it, and I hope
you continue reading. As to answering reviews with e-mail, a lot of the
people who regularly review are anonymous, and don't include their e-mail
addy's with their reviews. There are some who do, but many more don't.
I will try to keep my replies to a minimum, but do you understand how hard
it would be to copy down everyone's e-mail addy's, then post them into
an e-mail, reply to each individually or as a group, and still keep the
replies individual like I do here, and not have them delete the e-mail
at first glance because it's from an unknown? Someone wrote to me about
this story the other day, and before I noticed the subject, I was about
to delete it because I didn't recognize the sender. See what I mean? This
way, I know they'll get the reply intended for them. Again, thanks for
reviewing, and while I felt the review left something lacking in manners,
it definitely lived up to the name you have. Very blunt, and very honest.
Thank you.
2309 words, minus the replies and such. Chapter only, without even the Chapter number and title.
'these' are thoughts
**this** is parseltongue
*~*~*~*~*~*~ is a new perspective or scene
Chapter Thirteen: Father and Son
Harry Potter felt increasingly nervous as the evening approached, and with it the time to speak with his father. He was unsure of how to go about this meeting, and even less sure of how to act. Finally, just before stopping outside of a portrait of Salazar Slytherin, he decided to let Snape set the pace. He conversed quietly with Salazar, after introducing himself, while waiting for the last three minutes to tick by. He didn't want to be late, but he didn't want to seem too eager, so he thought if he was perfectly punctual then things may work out better.
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Severus Snape paced his rooms, glancing at the clock again to see that it was only a minute later than the last time he looked. He sighed in frustration and sat down in an armchair, leaning his head back against it and closing his eyes. Ever since that morning, he had been both anticipating and dreading this moment. He wasn't sure what Harry's reaction would be, but he had come to terms with himself. He had already decided what to say to the boy, and as soon as he arrived he would do so. He wasn't going to let anything sidetrack him from what he had mentally argued with himself for hours over. The time for petty jealousy and unearned animosity was past. Slowly he let himself relax, knowing that he would be meeting with Harry in half an hour's time. The minutes ticked by as if each were an eternity, until finally he heard a noise outside his chamber. But it wasn't the sound of knocking that alerted him to the presence. It was a strange sound, one he had heard only that morning. Parseltongue. Standing abruptly, he pushed open the portrait guarding his rooms to find his son standing there, a guilty look on his face.
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Harry jumped when the the portrait swung open and he stared up into his father's black eyes. He had been having a wonderful conversation with Salazar Slytherin as well as Salazar his guardian about the pendant and Voldemort and the legend. Sal looked from his young master to the Potions Master with what would have been amusement if he could form facial expressions. Salazar Slytherin merely chuckled as Severus glared at him.
"This is a wonderful boy you have here, Severus." He remarked.
Severus inclined his head and motioned Harry inside. Sal had opted to remain with the portrait and talk, so he quickly unwound and slithered down Harry's leg to the floor, patiently waiting for the painting to close before resuming the previous conversation.
Harry stepped into his father's room apprehensively, and sat when requested to do so. He had unwittingly taken the chair his father had just vacated, so Severus sat across from him on the sofa. There was the sofa, a coffee table, then the armchair Harry was in and it's twin, next to it. The grouping was perfect for those who indulged in idle conversation, but Severus Snape had not done that for years. Now the only ones who dared venture here were young Mr. Malfoy, and Albus. And now his son. He decided to start off the conversation.
"Would you care for a drink? I have tea, pumpkin juice and butterbeer."
"A butterbeer, please."
Severus nodded, and with a flick of his wand a butterbeer appeared from
the small kitchenette. Taking the bottle, Harry sipped it as he watched
his father, who had his own cup of tea before him.
"Harry, I would like to tell you that..." he grimaced. This was harder than he imagined. All of his ingrained personality traits, plus years of being a spy worked against him. Harry watched him silently, letting him work through his mental blockage, reminding himself to let his father set the pace.
"I. I don't hate you, Harry. I just thought that you were Potter's, and..." he trailed off, though Harry seemed to know exactly what he was saying as he simply nodded. But there was a flash of emotion across his face that Severus couldn't miss. It was sadness, although he didn't know exactly what the boy was sad about.
Harry knew. He was sad for the lost years between them, years that they could have been a family. He was sad for the fate that befell the man who had accepted him as his son, even if he wasn't his by blood.
"I understand, sir. I don't hate you either, but I assume you know that." This last was said with a wry smile, and Severus had the grace to flush lightly as he was reminded of the eavesdropping he had been doing on the trio earlier with their blasted book.
"I apologize for that, but it helped me to understand things better, albeit a very little bit. But we cannot change what is in the past. We can only create future."
Harry sighed at this and Severus looked sharply at him.
"Sorry, sir. It's just... my future is already laid out for me."
Finally Severus noticed what had been eluding him about the boy. His son, who was rapidly turning into an enigma, a puzzle he needed for figure out. Harry's shoulders seemed to droop a little bit as he spoke, and a world weary look came into his expressive eyes. 'Lily's eyes.' He had been able to read every thought she had, everything she felt in those eyes. And their son was no different. He saw the strain of being the savior of the wizarding world. The regret and pain. And guilt. It was this last that intrigued him the most, but he didn't ask. He didn't want to pressure the boy. Yet.
"What do you mean?" he asked, his obsidian orbs catching and holding Harry's green ones.
Harry waved almost dismissively as he responded.
"The prophecy Voldemort was so insistent on retrieving from the Department of Mysteries. The one about us. I can't tell you what was said, so don't ask."
"Why not? If it concerns you, then it concerns me as well."
"It would be far safer for you. It would only put you at greater risk to know. As it is, only myself and Professor Dumbledore know, and that's one person too many to my way of thinking. The less who know the better."
"I see. Well then. Perhaps we should move on. Why don't you tell me about your life? What it's been like up until now?"
Harry hesitated, but felt that maybe he should give his father this much. He felt a need coming from the man across from him. A need to know, to understand. So he began talking. There was no way he could've stopped after he started. The words seemed to pour from him, like water from a broken dam. He told his father about his early years, growing up with the Dursley's. He told him of their irrational fear of magic, and their fear of him. He spoke of the cupboard under the stairs, though only briefly when he saw anger reflected in the eyes watching him. He elicited a snicker when he talked about the trip to the zoo and setting the snake free. His first trip to Diagon Alley merited mention, as well as his shock at finding out he was famous. For something he couldn't remember. For something his mother had done. He told him all about his first year and getting the Philosopher's Stone from Quirrel and Voldemort. Then his second year, how he had felt when the entire school except for his two friends and Ginny had thought he was the Heir of Slytherin. He remarked how he would have to inform Salazar Slytherin about that and earned a chuckle from his father. He told of third year, and the fear of Sirius and how relieved he had been to find out he was innocent. How happy he was to be able to go live with him. How devastated when Wormtail had escaped. He talked about his visions before and during fourth year, and the anxiety and stress from the Tournament. The fear as the portkey took him and Cedric to Voldemort's rebirth. The helplessness and guilt he felt at Cedric's death. The rebirth of Voldemort using his own blood. The priori incantatem and the beads of light. The shades emerging from Voldemort's wand. The perilous dash through the cemetery to retrieve both Cedric's body and the cup to portkey back to Hogwarts. Fear of Crouch. He choked up when he spoke of Cedric and stumbled over his words when he began talking about his fifth year. About the dreams from Voldemort, the fear for Sirius. The anger as he realized he had been tricked and had brought his friends with him into untold danger. The pain and denial at Sirius' death. The hatred for the man who had caused it all. The use of the Cruciatus Curse at Bellatrix Lestrange. The possession of his body and his determination to do better in Occlumency to save others. He talked until he was hoarse, even with him draining his butterbeer and Severus getting him a cup of tea. But when he finished, he realized that he felt as if a great weight had been removed. He felt better than he had in a long time, and he owed it to this man.
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Severus, meanwhile, had been sitting there shocked when Harry started talking. He didn't actually expect the boy to talk to him, yet everything came out. He felt a variety of emotions, some he couldn't name while others felt like old friends returning. His defenses cracked, then shattered as every single one of his preconceived notions about the boy disintegrated. His son clearly didn't like the fame, the fawning, the ridicule. He didn't want the infamous scar with it's connection to the Dark Lord. He didn't care for the pile of gold, silver and bronze in his vault. He would give it all to his friends if they would just take it. He finally saw through the 'Golden Boy' facade to the child underneath. The scared, vulnerable child. The strong person, the brave heart, and the love. The love for his friends, and even some of his enemies. He saw that Harry truly believed that he could reach some of them, make them see that joining the Dark Lord be nothing more than becoming a glorified house-elf or worse. And he saw that his son was tired. Tired of the fame and the attention, tired of people always gawking at him. Tired of not being a normal sixteen year old youth. And he realized that the one thing his son wanted more than anything was within his ability to give. A family. A real home. A place where he wouldn't be called a 'freak' and punished for things he had no control over. Seeing Harry stifle a yawn behind his hand, he stood and stretched, looking over at the clock on his mantelpiece.
"It's much later than I had planned." he said. Indeed it was, as it was after midnight. Harry nodded after checking the time himself as he stood and readied to leave.
"You can stay here tonight, if you want." Severus invited softly.
Harry was startled, to say the least. But he nodded gratefully and watched his father grab some sheets and a comforter and spread them out on the sofa, making a bed for him. Then he remembered Sal, and with a quick explanation, told his father he'd be right back. He dashed to the portrait hole and pushed it open. He saw that both the portrait Salazar and the snake were napping. With a smile, he hissed out a greeting. Both snapped to attention at the words.
**Sssal, we will be ssstaying here tonight. I'm sssorry I left you out here for ssso long, but we were talking and I lossst track of the time.**
The serpent slithered inside the room and waited as Harry spoke once more.
**Lord Ssslytherin, I will bid you goodnight. I hope to sssee you again sssoon to finish our talk.**
**Of courssse, Harry. Maybe, if you have time tomorrow we could talk
more.**
**Indeed, I would like that, Sssir. If there isss time. Goodnight.**
**Goodnight.**
With that, Harry let the portrait swing to behind him and made his way to the couch.
"Sir? Do you have a quill and ink I might borrow?"
Severus looked surprised, but nodded and went to retrieve said items. When he returned, he noticed Harry had his book out and open. He accepted the quill and inkwell from his father, and jotted a quick note to Hermione telling her where he was and that he would see her in the morning. She had obviously been waiting for him to either write or show up because her response was instantaneous. She told him goodnight and that she would see him later. Harry smiled and returned the quill and ink to it's owner before slipping the book in the pocket of his robes. Then he groaned.
"What's wrong?" his father inquired.
"I don't have pajamas." he replied with a small smile.
"That is not a problem." Severus said as he left the room. He came back in with a pair of his own pajamas, in emerald green silk with silver accents and tossed them to the boy.
"Thank you, sir."
"My room is the door on the right if you need me for anything. The bathroom is the one across from it. Goodnight, Harry."
"Goodnight, sir." Harry replied as he went into the bathroom to change. When he got back to the sofa, Salazar was already coiled on the arm where Harry's head would be and sleeping. Smiling, he stroked his head and laid down, falling into a blissful, dreamless, sleep.
A/N: Again, short, but intense. I hope. Let me know what you think.
House Points Question:
What decision does Harry make regarding his parentage to the rest of
the school? Ummm... how can I put that better? What does he decide? To
be Harry Potter, son of Severus Snape, or to become someone else as the
son of Sev and have Harry go into hiding? (15 points)