Harry James Potter woke up on a bright Saturday morning, and stretched. He smiled happily. It was a lesson-free day. He burrowed under his duvet, and tried to go asleep. He felt his eyes closing when a loud tapping noise. His eyes shot open, and he angrily opend the window, where an unfamiliar owl was standing, hooting impatiently.

Harry took the envelope of its legs, and looked at who it was adressed to.

Harry Potter.

Harry ripped it open, and looked at the short note.

Potter,

Meet me at the statue of Uric the Oddball, on the west side of the grounds. It's important.

Prof. Snape.

Harry stared at it curiously.

Snape wanted to talk to him?

He pulled on a grenn jumper and a pair of jeans. He pulled on a cloak as well. He looked in the mirror. He had chjanged a lot this year. He had long hair which went to his chin. He had high cheek bones, and his eyes were slanting slightly. He left the dormitory and Common Room. He passed the Great Hall, (where he could smell bacon, and almost went in, before he carried on outside). He passed the Green houses, until he found the statue of Uric the Oddball. Snape was leaning on it, and no body else was around.

Harry walked up to him, and nodded. Snape did nothing, and there was an awkward silence. A few minutes passed, until Snape spoke.

"You've changed this year."

"Er…yes. It started around my birthday….I'm not sure what to make of it."

"It's nothing to worry about, too much at least."

"D'you know what is it?"

"A spell, likely cast by yourself when you were just a baby. It's not all that uncommon. You wanted to know your father; therefore…you became him. Fifteen is often a pivotal age...it's not surprising that it would wear off now."

"So you mean that all these years I've only looked like my father because I wanted to?"

"Yes."

"So…I'll look more like my mum, then?"

"Perhaps. Harry, there is something that I must tell you…the reason I brought you out here…"

"Excuse me, Professor…but did you just call me by my first name?"

"Yes…and I suppose I must make a few things clear before I continue."

"Alright…"

"First off…I wish to apologize. The way I act in the classroom, towards you especially, is not the way I am; it hasn't been for a long time, anyway. I behave the way I do because of the Slytherins…I'm sure that you're aware that many of their parents are Death Eaters?"

"Yes...I know of a few."

"As far as they know, I am a loyal Death Eater. As long as I am needed as a spy, I must keep up my act. All Death Eaters are expected to despise Gryffindor and Muggleborns, and you especially for what you did to Voldemort. If I were to show leniency, any at all….my loyalty would be questioned. In reality, I can't stand that brat Malfoy…he's just as bigheaded and pompous as his father. And you…I don't hate you. As of yet, you won't understand why, but…you bring up many painful memories for me, as well as a lot of other issues that I'm still trying to deal with. Therefore…I am sorry, Harry. I should have told you that it was an act, and nothing more."

"That…that's alright, Professor. You've told me now."

"I appreciate that, Harry…but I'm sure you won't feel that way in a minute. I'm sure you're not fond of all the secrets that have been kept from you over the years…"

"No, I'm not…it always seems like everybody else knows more about me than I do."

"Yes, and I'm afraid I didn't know that until recently. I always thought that you grew up with full knowledge of who you were, of what you did. I assumed you'd been spoiled by your aunt and uncle, placed high on some pedestal like so many seem to do. But now I know differently….Remus told me about what they did to you,"

"He...he told?! But, he promised that he wouldn't…"

"He kept his promise well, Harry…he had good reason to tell me,"

"You haven't…told anyone else, have you?"

"Dumbledore knows, but that is all."

"Oh….I suppose I'll be…staying at some orphanage now…."

"No, you won't be. I made a deal with Remus after he told me, Harry. I agreed to tell you a …rather large secret, if he promised to tell Dumbledore about the abuse,"

"What is it?"

"First you must promise me that you won't run off, and you'll hear me out,"

"Okay…I promise."

"Thank you. Now I'm quite sure you'll hate me even more than you already do after this…but you must be told the truth. About fifteen years ago Voldemort sent me on a mission to steal something from James Potter, and Dumbledore instructed me to do what I must in order to appear loyal to the Dark Lord. So…I waited until I knew James would be gone for a few days, and used Polyjuice to disguise myself as him. I snuck into his and your mother's home, only to discover that the item I'd been sent to fetch had gone along with James. As I was leaving…your mother found me, and, believing me to be James, she…asked me to bed with her. We slept together that night, Harry."

"You...and my mum…did that?!"

"Yes…The next morning as I was trying to slip away, as I'd run out of polyjuice, Remus Lupin discovered me. Unfortunately, he quite easily figured out what had gone on between Lily and I, and was hell-bent on telling both Lily and James about it. However, I…threatened to tell his secret, and he agreed to keep quiet about it. He allowed me to leave after that, and I saw him again a few weeks later. He told me that he had waited around for Lily to wake up after I left, to make sure she was alright…and she wasn't. A few weeks later she was ill. She was pregnant…with you."

"What…? I mean…no, that can't be….James…"

"...never knew about it, and neither did your mother."

"But…if that's true, then that means that…that…you're my father."

"Yes, it does,"

"H-how do you know? For sure? I mean…surely someone would have…"

"I know because there is no way that you could not be. Looking at you, now especially, I can see little pieces of myself. Your position in Quidditch, some of your attitudes and expressions…they all remind me of myself when I was your age. And before you argue that it could be coincidence, I did have a test performed, so that I'd know for sure. I was able to acquire a sample of your blood during your last stay in the hospital wing. I gave it, along with a sample of my own blood, to Poppy to test. You are my son, Harry, the test proved that beyond a doubt."

"But…why didn't anyone tell me sooner? Why was I…"

"I thought that you would be better off living with the muggles. After the fall of Voldemort, I was hospitalized during the time you were being delivered to the Dursleys. Afterward, I was imprisoned for a short time while I was put on trial for my association with the Dark Lord. When I was finally freed, I thought that you'd be better off surrounded by family and with a memory of Lily and James, than you would be with me, a former 'dark' wizard. If you had grown up knowing about me, you would have been ridiculed about your birth, assaulted with questions. I was afraid…I didn't, and still don't, have the slightest idea on how to be a father. I was terrified that I would mess up, that something would happen to you if I were to claim you as my son. I am sorry that you had to grow up with those…people, and that you've lived with yet another lie. I should have checked up on you, and I should have found out how they were treating you, taken you out of that place…"

"It's…okay. Don't worry about it. I'll forgive you all that if you promise me one thing."

"What?"

"Promise me that I'll never have to go back to the Dursleys, or go to an orphanage or anything like that."

"I promise that you'll never have to see those people ever again. You could stay with me for the holiday, if you wish."

"Okay, I think I'd…like that." "God...you're my father…I have a father…."

"Harry, I'd better get you back to the castle now. I know it's an awful lot to take in, but I'd like to talk to you again tomorrow, if that is alright."

"Yes…that sounds like a good idea."

There was a knock on Severus Snapes door.

''Come in.'' answered Snape shortly.

A very shabby Remus Lupin walked in.

''Have you told him?'' Remus asked.

''Yes. This morning. he took it better than I thought he would. He was shocked, of course, who wouldn't be, and he's coming here tommorow to talk things through.''

''Good. We need to talk to Dumbledore. I hope things work out OK. Good Luck.'' Lupin said.

Snape nodded and pulled on his cloak.