Disclaimer- * Sigh* Still not mine.
Harry arose to a sharp pain in his mid-section. He also noticed that his glasses had been removed once again. 'Snape,' he though. Briefly he wondered if he should call him Dad. Harry shivered. Too weird. This whole things still creeped him out. At least now he knew that he had a least one relative that care about him: Sirius. He had often wished that he could really be related to him. He was sure Sirius had his reasons for not telling him, as well as his mother. At least he could ask one of them why, he thought bitterly. He knew that he couldn't change anything, so it was best to accept it, even if he didn't like it. Fact was that he was still kind of mad about this. At least this was better than living with the Dursleys. The only thing he worried about was how his friends would react. Maybe he shouldn't even tell them…
"Finally decided to wake up?"
Harry quickly slipped his glasses back on. "Sir?" He could tell that Severus had on a grim expression. It was obvious that Snape was not pleased about Harry being there. Harry felt a short bout of anger flow through him at the thought. He hadn't asked for any of this. If Snape didn't want him here, then maybe he should have just left him at the Burrow.
Harry felt queasy as another rumble jarred his stomach. Severus noticed Harry's face blanche. "Here, drink this." Severus thrust out a wine glass filled with a red substance.
Harry accepted the glass meekly. He could feel its warmth through the glass. 'Well, I don't think he would have gone through all this trouble just to poison me,' he thought to himself. Still, he tentatively smelled the contents of the glass. As soon as he took a deep breath, he felt a shiver flow though his whole body, giving him goosebumps. The odor was very heady and strong. He looked at Snape, who was giving him an irritated glare. 'Here goes.'
Harry could feel the substance burning all the way to his stomach. It was like an explosion of euphoria, and Harry was sure this was what narcotics were supposed to do; not that he minded. For a brief second it seemed like everything was more vivid and real. The colours in the room exploded in a sudden burst of brightness. However the effect quickly gave way to a sense of normalcy, and Harry was disappointed to have the feeling end.
"What was that Professor?"
"Yes, it's a wonder feeling isn't it? I'm sorry that you had to experience it."
"What…why?"
Snape stepped closer to Harry, so and he could see the danger flash in the potion master's dark eyes.
"Harry, are you sure you don't know what was in that glass?"
Harry swished the inside of his mouth for any remnants of the concoction. There was a mild film on he teeth that tasted mildly metallic, but indiscernible. "No, Professor."
Snape let out a brief snort. "Harry, I'm afraid I have some more…news for you. Do you feel up to the task?"
Harry was beginning to feel irritated. Why did Snape have to be such a slimy git? "Well, I doubt there's much more news that could be as surprising as yesterday. Or are you going to say that Lily wasn't my mother but Professor McGonagall is?"
Snape was barely able to resist the urge to slap Harry in the face, but Harry could see the vein in Severus's forehead throbbing. Then a slow smile crept up Snape's cheek. Harry didn't know what to be afraid of more, Snape's glare or his smile.
"No Harry, this is much worse, though I guess you could say it comes with the territory of me being you father."
Harry took a deep breath, this didn't sound good at all. Was the "Snape curse" having greasy hair or lethal halitosis? Harry had a mental image of himself with long greasy hair, horrible breath, with a huge nose. He quickly shook that thought out of his head.
"What, what is it sir?"
Snape's smile faltered and he let out a sigh. "Harry, I…I am not an "normal" man by any means. Some would say it is because I am so cruel and heartless. Maybe that is so, but that is not without its reasons, and I don't think you need to know the particulars about that at this time. Harry do you what to know what was is that glass?"
Harry swallowed the lump in his throat. He didn't like the direction this was taking; still he knew it would not behoove him to run away from the truth. "Yes, professor."
"It was blood, living blood."
Harry thought he was going to be nauseous. Blood? Oh, God. He pressed a hand over his mouth, as he felt the bile rising in his throat.
"The Snape blood carries in it a foul taint and has for generations. No one in my, our, family has been borne from it and left untouched. I was the last member of our family, or so I thought. I am not a real vampyre, Harry. I, as well as you, am a half-breed- wizarding blood mixed with vampyric bonds. If you have children, they too will suffer our fate. That is if you are not staked first."
Harry didn't know how to answer this. He just stared at the sheets on the bed. Inside him he could feel the blood of another rushing through his veins. "Who's blood was in the glass? Yours?"
"No, it was several of my house elves. Don't worry, I didn't harm any of them for you."
A wave of relief washed over Harry.
"Don't feel too secure. I can't bring my house elves to Hogwarts."
Hogwarts! What was Harry supposed to do? What was he going to tell Ron and Hermione? 'Hey guys. Just thought I'd let you know that Snape's my dad, I'm part-vampyre and you're lives are endangered by being around me. So what classes are you taking?' Then Ron would swiftly put a stake in his heart. Great.
"Do you remember the pain you felt when I came over to those obnoxious relatives of yours house?" Harry nodded his head. "That was because your true nature was revealed. 15 is an age that you could take care of your self and hunt, and so it has come to pass as a marker into manhood, as my father called it. If you don't feed regularly, it will happen again and no one will be able to stop you. In time you should be able to control it, and eventually never require blood."
"Have you achieved that state?"
"For the most part, yes. I still have to eat regular food to maintain a healthy metabolism. As I said, I'm not a full vampyre. I do not live by most of their rules, but I am still a living organism and must ingest nutrients of some sort."
Harry's mind was racing. 'Ok, calm down. There's nothing you can do about it. Just accept it. God, who I'm I kidding? What am I going to do? Shit, shit, shit. Ok, there has to be something I can do to avoid killing classmates. Ok, Harry, you can get through this. Don't freak out. Alternatives, there has to be some alternatives.'
"Professor," Harry still thought that Father or Dad was too weird, " what then am I supposed to do at Hogwarts? Could you teach me control before school starts?"
Snape let out a snort, " Maybe before school starts in your 7th year. It is a long and painful process, but yes, I will begin teaching you as soon as you wish."
"Could I drink the blood," Harry couldn't believe he was actually talking about drinking blood. This was too weird. "of some kind of animal? Or live on the blood lollipops at Honeydukes?"
"Yes, that would make things a lot simpler, and frankly that's what I was hoping to do."
"Great, now…"
"But, I'm afraid that's not an option now. I only have myself to blame. If I'd not been so incompetent! But the time for "ifs" is over. What's done is done."
"What are you talking about?"
Snape leaned in even closer. Harry could feel his breath on his cheek. "Harry, once you taste human blood you can never go back. That's why the feeling from the house elves blood was so short-lived. It's enough to satisfy for a day or two, but not as long as human blood. I had brought a vial that contained a blood serum that would have prevented all of this. After drinking it, you would have been fine with animal blood. You aunt startled me and caused me to lose my grip. If I hadn't of done what I did you would have killed anything in your sight in blood lust. Instead, I let you feed on me. My blood has the same components of a regular human's. Since this is what you tasted first, it is what you will desire."
"What do you mean by your incompetence?" Harry yelled. "You mean that you could have stopped all this and you didn't? What the hell were you thinking?" Tears shown in his bright red face, full of rage.
"I don't wish to talk about it. Yes, it as my fault and I will accept the responsibility for it."
"Ha! Responsibility? If you were that responsible, you would have made sure that I wasn't yours to begin with. If you were responsible you wouldn't have left me in that house for 15 years. You don't want to talk about it? Well, fine! This conversation is over!" With that Harry jumped out of the bed and ran out the door, still in the pajamas that Snape has put him in.
'Damn it! Well, he won't go far. There too much to learn and too little time. He'll come back when he's hungry.' He pulled the medallion out from under his robes. "Lily, I promise to do what I can. I'll try…to make the best out of that situation." Severus sauntered out the door and back to the library to read up on how best to train young vampyres.
