Chapter 10: A lie revealed.
Astra stormed into her parent's rooms. She looked around and saw no one. "Mother got out here now!" "Astra? Honey what's wrong?" Serena asked coming into the outer room.
Astra started to wave the letter. "Would you mind telling me why I got this today?" Serena looked at Astra questioningly. Then took the letter and read.
Severus walked into the room and watched his wife pale. "What's wrong Serena?" "Oh Merlin! Severus he's found a way to contact her!" Serena gasped and sat down.
"What?" Severus growled. "Who?" "Thad!" was all Serena managed.
At that moment Astra screamed. "So it's true? Why didn't you tell me? Why make me believe that he is my father!" she pointed at Severus.
"Serena." Severus croaked and looked at his wife sternly. "It's time to tell her the truth." "I can't Severus." Serena sobbed. "How can I tell her?"
"Hello! I am still here!" Astra screamed. "Will you please stop acting as if I'm not and explain this to me!" "Astra. please sit down and be quiet." Severus growled.
"No! I want you to stop talking as if I'm here and I want an explanation now!" "Well if you would sit down and shut up you will have your explanation!" Severus shouted back.
"YOU'RE NOT MY FATHER!" Astra screamed. "You can't tell me what to do!" Severus paled and bit back a retort. But Astra didn't notice. She had turned to face her mother and her mood sobered as she noticed her mother was quite pale and she was shaking, muttering to herself with tears streaming down her face.
"Okay." Astra breathed "Okay, I'll calm down and listen." Astra moved over to her mother and sat down beside her. She tentatively laid a hand on her mother's shoulder. "Mom. Don't cry, but why didn't you tell me." "Well if you would have..." Snape started. Astra whirled on him. "I'm not talking to you!"
Severus gaped at Astra unable to find the words to say. Astra turned back to her mother. "Please mom. Just tell me the truth." Astra put a hand on her mom's knee. "All of it."
Serena looked from her daughter, to her husband and then back to her daughter. Amazed at how much she was like Severus. She sighed and nodded as to if affirm that she could no longer avoid this. "Astra, honey when you were born your father (your real father) came in and said 'you'll do.' Was I believe his actual words. I mean what kind of a man looks at his first born child and says that!" Serena growled, and then sighed. "Anyway, I had brought you home and in a short time you had started to show signs of magic. He moved to attack you and I stopped him with my own magic. But I panicked and ran with you. Not the best choice I have ever made but what can I say? I then came to London and contacted professor Dumbledore. He offered me a place to stay and a way to take care of you. Your father did find me and tried to get you away from me. Not because he wanted you but because he wanted to hurt me. But thankfully I was able to keep you with me. By then you had Severus wrapped around your tiny fingers and well, we fell in love. I wanted you to have a father that would truly care for you. Severus did then and he still does. He has been the only father you have ever had, and there is more to being a father than genetics alone. I did all of this to protect you. I can only hope that you understand." Serena finished.
Astra sat there and listened to her mother. This was a bit more than she had expected. She had learned that the man she had thought was her father was not her true father and her mother had lied to her. But had done all of this to protect her. Well to be honest she didn't feel very protected. In fact she felt like she had been violated in the worst way.
"I need some time to think this through." Astra muttered soberly. "I can't deal with this!" Astra got up and ran from the room with tears running down his face.
"Astra!" her mother yelled after her. Severus put his hand on Serena's shoulder "let her go." He said. "Just let her go, Serena."
"I...I can't." Serena sobbed. "Merlin help me! What have I done Severus?" "You did what you thought was best Serena. You had to do what you could to protect her. She'll see that." He tried to sound convincing but was not so sure of himself. He added mumbling more to himself. "It'll be alright. It has to be."
"I hope so. I can't lose her!" "You won't" Severus kissed her affectionately "you won't" he prayed that he wasn't wrong.
Astra went back to the Gryffindor tower. She looked around briefly. Harry locked eyes with her and gave her a sympathetic look. She just shook her head and made her way to her room. She laid down on her bed and was deep in thought when she heard a knock on her door.
"Yes?" she croaked "Astra?" Hermione said tentatively. "Are you okay? Do you want to talk about it?"
"NO!" Astra sobbed. "I just want to be left alone!" Hermione started to close the door but stopped when Astra's look fell on her and she continued.
"Why did they do this to me? Didn't they care?" she shouted. "Why didn't they tell me the truth?" "I don't know Astra." Hermione said closing the door and moving to sit down beside the younger girl. "Maybe they didn't want you to get hurt."
Astra glared at Hermione and was about to tell her off when Hermione put up her hand to halt her words. "No! Hear me out." Hermione pleaded "What if you had known and went to find your real father and he was a total jerk to you? You would have been upset for not being told that right?"
Astra nodded. "And Snape has been a good father to you right?"
Again she nodded. "Well how would you have felt if he hadn't adopted you and treated you like his own daughter?" Hermione asked but didn't let Astra answer. "You would have been miserable right?"
"Yes." Astra hung her head. "Then that's all that counts. They didn't do any of this to hurt you. They did it to protect you because they love you." Hermione smiled.
"How did you know all of this?" Astra looked up at Hermione. "How did you know what was bothering me?" "Harry couldn't come up and talk to you so he told me the situation and asked me to speak with you. He's worried about you, Astra. He values your friendship and wants you to be safe and happy." Hermione quickly surmised. "That's just the way Harry is."
"Ah!" Astra muttered in understanding. "Well if you will excuse me, I have a whole lot of thinking to do." Hermione nodded. "Anytime you need me. Just ask." and with that she left.
'Huh' Astra thought. 'Never in a million years would I have thought she would say that. True we are not enemy's but from what I had heard she doesn't like it when others were better at something than her. I guess you should never go by what someone else says.' Astra sat and mulled on what Hermione had said. 'She's right though.' Astra thought bitterly at herself. 'You have been acting like a child! Snape has been a good father to you and what have you done to repay him? You hurt him in the worst way by telling him he's not your father! Shame on you!' Astra scolded herself mentally.
Astra got up and ran out of her room. She had made it to the common room but not any farther. Aiden had stepped in front of her, blocking her path.
"Move Aiden, I have to be somewhere important." She growled annoyed. "NO!" Aiden shouted defiantly "You have been avoiding me since I asked you out and I want to know why!"
"Aiden, I have not been avoiding you. I just." She paused selecting her words delicately. "I've been busy." "Yeah right. You've been busy alright." Aiden hissed "you've been snogging with Potter!"
Astra rolled her eyes. "Aiden come on. Do you know how ridiculous that sounds? Don't be an idiot!" "I'm not an idiot!" Aiden hollered.
"I know you're not. But realistically Aiden, there are numerous reasons as to why I can't date Harry." She muttered annoyed. "One- he's too bloody old for me, two- my father would kill him, three- my father would kill me and finally my father is more annoyed with the fact that Neville is your cousin."
"Oh! So you're using me?" he glared at her "No. that just makes our relationship all the more sweeter though." She moved toward Aiden. "Think about this Aiden, why would I want to date someone who will be graduating this year when I have a perfectly handsome and understanding boyfriend right here?" she blew him a kiss to clinch the deal.
Aiden blushed. "And I can annoy my father for six more years." She muttered to herself.
"What?" Aiden looked at her suspiciously. "I said that I really should get going." She moved around Aiden. Her eyes met with Harry's as he mouthed the words 'thank you'. She nodded and left through the portrait hole.
'Obviously Aiden had confronted Harry first.' She thought wryly. 'Poor Harry. Caught in the middle of a "lover's" quarrel. I really should apologize to him later.'
She walked briskly to her parents rooms and hissed the password. "Mom? Dad?" She called. "Astra?" Severus poked his head out of the room.
"Daddy? Where's mom?" Astra asked softly. "She has cried herself to sleep with worry that you would never forgive us." He said coolly "For doing what we thought was best."
Astra paled. "Oh daddy! I am so sorry!" she spoke softly. "I didn't mean to tell you that your not my father." "I know. But you must remember that words can be your worst weapon. They can cut a person to shreds or build them up. Severus scolded her gently. "And trust me. Your words hurt me terribly."
"I know." She whispered barely audible. "Now. I am willing to forgive your harsh words." He muttered. "If you are willing to forgive your mother and I for keeping this from you for so long."
"Deal." Astra beamed brightly. "I love you daddy." Severus moved to embrace her. "I love you too."
There are truth's which are not for men nor for all times. – Voltaire letter.
"What do you mean Astra" Harry bent down in front of her.
"I got this letter today. It's from my father, my real father!" she cried waving the letter. "You're..." Harry stammered. "You're real father?"
"Yes. Apparently I'm not a real Snape!" "Wait! Hold up. What are you talking about?" Harry hissed "What on earth are you talking about? And just what makes you say you're not a Snape?"
"Haven't you been listening? Do I have to spell it out for you?" Astra Glared angrily. "Here!" She flung the letter at Harry "See for your self!"
Harry looked down at the letter and read quietly to himself.
Harry looked up at Astra. "Oh."
Her face had gone from torn to fury in the time it had taken him to read the letter. She got up, grabbed the letter and stormed out of the portrait hole.
Harry watched her go and thought 'I would hate to be in the Snape rooms tonight.' He winced at his own thoughts 'and I never thought that I would ever feel sorry for Snape!'
Astra stormed into her parent's rooms. She looked around and saw no one. "Mother got out here now!" "Astra? Honey what's wrong?" Serena asked coming into the outer room.
Astra started to wave the letter. "Would you mind telling me why I got this today?" Serena looked at Astra questioningly. Then took the letter and read.
Severus walked into the room and watched his wife pale. "What's wrong Serena?" "Oh Merlin! Severus he's found a way to contact her!" Serena gasped and sat down.
"What?" Severus growled. "Who?" "Thad!" was all Serena managed.
At that moment Astra screamed. "So it's true? Why didn't you tell me? Why make me believe that he is my father!" she pointed at Severus.
"Serena." Severus croaked and looked at his wife sternly. "It's time to tell her the truth." "I can't Severus." Serena sobbed. "How can I tell her?"
"Hello! I am still here!" Astra screamed. "Will you please stop acting as if I'm not and explain this to me!" "Astra. please sit down and be quiet." Severus growled.
"No! I want you to stop talking as if I'm here and I want an explanation now!" "Well if you would sit down and shut up you will have your explanation!" Severus shouted back.
"YOU'RE NOT MY FATHER!" Astra screamed. "You can't tell me what to do!" Severus paled and bit back a retort. But Astra didn't notice. She had turned to face her mother and her mood sobered as she noticed her mother was quite pale and she was shaking, muttering to herself with tears streaming down her face.
"Okay." Astra breathed "Okay, I'll calm down and listen." Astra moved over to her mother and sat down beside her. She tentatively laid a hand on her mother's shoulder. "Mom. Don't cry, but why didn't you tell me." "Well if you would have..." Snape started. Astra whirled on him. "I'm not talking to you!"
Severus gaped at Astra unable to find the words to say. Astra turned back to her mother. "Please mom. Just tell me the truth." Astra put a hand on her mom's knee. "All of it."
Serena looked from her daughter, to her husband and then back to her daughter. Amazed at how much she was like Severus. She sighed and nodded as to if affirm that she could no longer avoid this. "Astra, honey when you were born your father (your real father) came in and said 'you'll do.' Was I believe his actual words. I mean what kind of a man looks at his first born child and says that!" Serena growled, and then sighed. "Anyway, I had brought you home and in a short time you had started to show signs of magic. He moved to attack you and I stopped him with my own magic. But I panicked and ran with you. Not the best choice I have ever made but what can I say? I then came to London and contacted professor Dumbledore. He offered me a place to stay and a way to take care of you. Your father did find me and tried to get you away from me. Not because he wanted you but because he wanted to hurt me. But thankfully I was able to keep you with me. By then you had Severus wrapped around your tiny fingers and well, we fell in love. I wanted you to have a father that would truly care for you. Severus did then and he still does. He has been the only father you have ever had, and there is more to being a father than genetics alone. I did all of this to protect you. I can only hope that you understand." Serena finished.
Astra sat there and listened to her mother. This was a bit more than she had expected. She had learned that the man she had thought was her father was not her true father and her mother had lied to her. But had done all of this to protect her. Well to be honest she didn't feel very protected. In fact she felt like she had been violated in the worst way.
"I need some time to think this through." Astra muttered soberly. "I can't deal with this!" Astra got up and ran from the room with tears running down his face.
"Astra!" her mother yelled after her. Severus put his hand on Serena's shoulder "let her go." He said. "Just let her go, Serena."
"I...I can't." Serena sobbed. "Merlin help me! What have I done Severus?" "You did what you thought was best Serena. You had to do what you could to protect her. She'll see that." He tried to sound convincing but was not so sure of himself. He added mumbling more to himself. "It'll be alright. It has to be."
"I hope so. I can't lose her!" "You won't" Severus kissed her affectionately "you won't" he prayed that he wasn't wrong.
Astra went back to the Gryffindor tower. She looked around briefly. Harry locked eyes with her and gave her a sympathetic look. She just shook her head and made her way to her room. She laid down on her bed and was deep in thought when she heard a knock on her door.
"Yes?" she croaked "Astra?" Hermione said tentatively. "Are you okay? Do you want to talk about it?"
"NO!" Astra sobbed. "I just want to be left alone!" Hermione started to close the door but stopped when Astra's look fell on her and she continued.
"Why did they do this to me? Didn't they care?" she shouted. "Why didn't they tell me the truth?" "I don't know Astra." Hermione said closing the door and moving to sit down beside the younger girl. "Maybe they didn't want you to get hurt."
Astra glared at Hermione and was about to tell her off when Hermione put up her hand to halt her words. "No! Hear me out." Hermione pleaded "What if you had known and went to find your real father and he was a total jerk to you? You would have been upset for not being told that right?"
Astra nodded. "And Snape has been a good father to you right?"
Again she nodded. "Well how would you have felt if he hadn't adopted you and treated you like his own daughter?" Hermione asked but didn't let Astra answer. "You would have been miserable right?"
"Yes." Astra hung her head. "Then that's all that counts. They didn't do any of this to hurt you. They did it to protect you because they love you." Hermione smiled.
"How did you know all of this?" Astra looked up at Hermione. "How did you know what was bothering me?" "Harry couldn't come up and talk to you so he told me the situation and asked me to speak with you. He's worried about you, Astra. He values your friendship and wants you to be safe and happy." Hermione quickly surmised. "That's just the way Harry is."
"Ah!" Astra muttered in understanding. "Well if you will excuse me, I have a whole lot of thinking to do." Hermione nodded. "Anytime you need me. Just ask." and with that she left.
'Huh' Astra thought. 'Never in a million years would I have thought she would say that. True we are not enemy's but from what I had heard she doesn't like it when others were better at something than her. I guess you should never go by what someone else says.' Astra sat and mulled on what Hermione had said. 'She's right though.' Astra thought bitterly at herself. 'You have been acting like a child! Snape has been a good father to you and what have you done to repay him? You hurt him in the worst way by telling him he's not your father! Shame on you!' Astra scolded herself mentally.
Astra got up and ran out of her room. She had made it to the common room but not any farther. Aiden had stepped in front of her, blocking her path.
"Move Aiden, I have to be somewhere important." She growled annoyed. "NO!" Aiden shouted defiantly "You have been avoiding me since I asked you out and I want to know why!"
"Aiden, I have not been avoiding you. I just." She paused selecting her words delicately. "I've been busy." "Yeah right. You've been busy alright." Aiden hissed "you've been snogging with Potter!"
Astra rolled her eyes. "Aiden come on. Do you know how ridiculous that sounds? Don't be an idiot!" "I'm not an idiot!" Aiden hollered.
"I know you're not. But realistically Aiden, there are numerous reasons as to why I can't date Harry." She muttered annoyed. "One- he's too bloody old for me, two- my father would kill him, three- my father would kill me and finally my father is more annoyed with the fact that Neville is your cousin."
"Oh! So you're using me?" he glared at her "No. that just makes our relationship all the more sweeter though." She moved toward Aiden. "Think about this Aiden, why would I want to date someone who will be graduating this year when I have a perfectly handsome and understanding boyfriend right here?" she blew him a kiss to clinch the deal.
Aiden blushed. "And I can annoy my father for six more years." She muttered to herself.
"What?" Aiden looked at her suspiciously. "I said that I really should get going." She moved around Aiden. Her eyes met with Harry's as he mouthed the words 'thank you'. She nodded and left through the portrait hole.
'Obviously Aiden had confronted Harry first.' She thought wryly. 'Poor Harry. Caught in the middle of a "lover's" quarrel. I really should apologize to him later.'
She walked briskly to her parents rooms and hissed the password. "Mom? Dad?" She called. "Astra?" Severus poked his head out of the room.
"Daddy? Where's mom?" Astra asked softly. "She has cried herself to sleep with worry that you would never forgive us." He said coolly "For doing what we thought was best."
Astra paled. "Oh daddy! I am so sorry!" she spoke softly. "I didn't mean to tell you that your not my father." "I know. But you must remember that words can be your worst weapon. They can cut a person to shreds or build them up. Severus scolded her gently. "And trust me. Your words hurt me terribly."
"I know." She whispered barely audible. "Now. I am willing to forgive your harsh words." He muttered. "If you are willing to forgive your mother and I for keeping this from you for so long."
"Deal." Astra beamed brightly. "I love you daddy." Severus moved to embrace her. "I love you too."