Invenio Veritas

By penpunk

Disclaimer:  See past chapters. . . I don't have the creativity to make up a new one.

Chapter 25:  Unmasked

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The silence in the quidditch stadium was deafening before panicked screams rang out from every side of the pitch.  Ron was struggling to keep Sirius from flying after his Godson.  Dumbledore kept his calm demeanor, but his usually twinkling blue eyes betrayed the fear he was feeling at that moment.  The old man stood up quickly and grabbed the microphone from Lee Jordan.

"Quiet!" he cried as he stood up on the bleacher.  The stadium suddenly grew silent as all eyes turned to the teacher's box.  "Everyone remain calm.  Now, all students are to return to their common room.  Teachers will come with me to my office."

Severus heard nothing the headmaster said.  His eyes were still on the now clear sky.  Lucius had reached Draco before Dumbledore had.  And now Harry was in immediate danger.  'More than immediate danger,' thought Severus.  'Certain death.'

Suddenly, Severus doubled over in pain as the dark mark on his left forearm burned in fiery pain.  He dropped to his seat and gripped his arm with white knuckles.  Dumbledore turned as he watched Severus drop.  He gripped the younger man's shoulder and urged him to stand up.

"Come Severus," said Dumbledore as he practically lifted Severus up with unusual strength.  "We must deal with this immediately."

Dumbledore led Severus, still in pain, to the exit and towards the castle.

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"Sirius! Hold up!" yelled Ron as he ran after the large black dog that was bounding towards the castle.  Even Ron's long legs were no match for Sirius' determination.  Sirius skidded to a halt as he reached the castle's main doors.  Sirius started to scratch furiously at the door as Ron ran up, out of breath.  He opened the doors and let Sirius, still in dog form, bound through.

The large canine ran with intensity up the stairs, nails clicking on the ancient stone floor.  Ron tried his best to keep up with him but couldn't match Sirius' gait or determination.  He skidded in front of the looming gargoyle and quickly transformed into the body of Harry.

"Lemon Drops!" he shouted with urgency as Ron trudged up to him.  The gargoyle moved to the side slowly and Sirius, now in human form, bounded up the stairs with Ron in his wake.

Ignoring formalities, such as knocking, Sirius barged into the office, causing all the teachers who had already been assembled to turn their heads in surprise as their supposed student burst his way through the door.

"Mr. Potter!" shouted McGonagall as she turned around.  "What business do you have here?  Go to the Gryffindor common room imme-."

"Can it Minerva," said Sirius as he pushed his way towards the headmaster.  McGonagall stared at the boy with wide and furious eyes as she struggled for something to say.  Sirius got the same look from the rest of the teachers except Severus and Dumbledore.  He stopped in front of the headmaster and crossed his arms.  "I am going to get my Godson back.  Just give me a location and I will get him back."

A murmur of voices flooded over the room at what was coming from this teenage boy's mouth.  Dumbledore glanced at all the faces in the room and saw complete confusion throughout.

"I believe an explanation is in order," he said as he sat at his desk.  Sirius looked around the room and back to Dumbledore, glaring at him with impatience. 

"There is no time!  We need to act now!" cried Sirius as he put his fists down on Dumbledore's desk.

"Sirius, sit down," came a calm voice from the corner of the room.  All heads turned and looked at Remus who was standing next to a sitting Severus, the potions professor holding his head in his hands.  The teachers looked as though they were watching a tennis match as they looked from Dumbledore to Remus to Dumbledore again.

"What is going on Albus?" asked McGonagall as she gave him a hard and puzzled stare.  "Why is Mr. Lupin referring to Harry as Sirius?"

"Because this is Sirius Black," said Albus as he motioned towards Sirius.  The teachers began to mutter again, many commenting on how the headmaster had finally lost his mind.

"Look at his eyes," said a quiet voice from the same corner.  Severus looked up from his hands, his face paler than usual.  All the heads in the room looked at Severus as he stood up.  "Harry has green eyes.  This Harry has gray."

Everyone stared at Sirius, who sure enough had his own gray eyes, changing from Harry's green after transforming from Padfoot.

"This is in fact Sirius Black," said Dumbledore as he took out his wand.  He muttered a long incantation and suddenly a tall thin man with shaggy black hair and ice gray eyes was standing before them.

Most of the teachers totally disregarded the fact that a convicted murderer was standing in front of them, instead wanted to know why Sirius was disguised as Harry Potter and where the real Harry Potter was.  Dumbledore held up his hand to silence them all.

"Mr. Potter is now in the hands of the Deatheaters and Voldemort," said Dumbledore.  "The boy you saw get taken from the quidditch game was in fact Harry."

Silence.  All the people in the room unaware of the situation were sitting in disbelieving silence.

"Albus, I am certain that the boy taken was Alexander Snape," said Flitwick as he laughed nervously.  "Did you not see the same thing as us?"

"Alexander Snape," began Severus as he made his way to Dumbledore's side, "is in fact Harry Potter."

"Why on earth is Harry Potter posing as your son Severus?" asked McGonagall after a brief moment of silence.

"He is not posing as my son.  Harry is my son."

"The boy you know as Alex is Harry.  That is Harry's true appearance," said Dumbledore.  "His mother, Lily Potter, disguised him as an infant.  We do not know how Severus is his father but that fact is not relevant now.  Voldemort has Harry.  We do not know if Voldemort knows it is Harry."

"If he doesn't know it's Harry, then why does he want Alex?" asked McGonagall.  The confusion on her face was evident.

"He wants a ransom," said Severus as he crossed his arms over his chest.  "He wants the ring.  I know that's why he has Harry."

"Ring?" asked McGonagall.

Dumbledore told all the teachers the story and history of the ring and the potential destruction that could be caused if it fell into the hands of someone like Voldemort.  As he finished his explanation, all heads turned to Dumbledore's window as a loud tapping was heard.  A large black, ugly bird was perched outside.  Lupin, who was closest to the window, opened it and let the large bird fly in.  It dropped a rolled piece of parchment at Severus' feet before circling around and flying back out the window. 

Severus reached down apprehensively and picked up the parchment.  He unrolled it and read:

Dear Severus,

I have always had questions regarding your loyalty to me but no more.  It seems that you have decided that deceiving me and betraying your fellow deatheaters has become a top priority and now you will pay.  I have no doubt about what your fate will be.  I have decided that already.  However, the fate of your dear son Alex is still up in the air.  His life will be spared if and only if the ring is brought to me.  And do hurry Severus.  I'm not so sure Alex will be able to handle anymore.  You do know what happens if held under the Cructius too long.  If you don't know, you will soon.  I am waiting.  You know where to find me.  Come alone or both of you will die.

The paper in Severus hand began to tremble as he realized what the glistening red ink actually was.  Blood.  The rational he had mulled over moments earlier was suddenly gone.  He knew that if he rushed and tried to rescue Harry the minute he was taken would have been a suicide mission.  He knew he was facing death himself, that was a given, but he would not risk the life of his son.

Severus handed the letter to Dumbledore.  The older man read through it quickly and then looked back up at Severus.  Severus looked from Dumbledore to Sirius who was looking intently at both of them.  Severus stared at his son's Godfather for a few moments before his black eyes brightened as an idea struck him.

"Change Black back into Potter," said Severus to Dumbledore.  Albus looked at the potions master with a puzzled expression.  "The letter says I have to be alone.  Black can't very well barge in there with me.  I bring "Potter" bound with me, and I may be able to negotiate for a while and give Sirius and I time to do something."

Dumbledore thought this over for a moment before looking at Sirius.

"What do you think about this Mr. Black?"

"I will do anything to save Harry, and for once, Snape has an idea that may work."

Severus and Sirius looked at each other intently, as if they were making a silent agreement with each other to put differences aside and work to save Harry.

"But what will you do about the ring?" asked Dumbledore.  "You can't very well give it to him."

Severus looked from Sirius to Dumbledore as he thought about it for a moment.  He then looked from Dumbledore to the headmaster's desk and the candy dish sitting in the center of it. 

"I have an idea," he said as he took out his wand.

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Harry rolled his head side to side slowly as regained consciousness.  His head ached along with his whole body.  He looked down to his bleeding arm from where Wormtail had taken blood from.  Harry thanked whoever was watching over him that he didn't take it from the same arm that the blood was drawn to resurrect Voldemort. 

With his good arm, he pushed himself off the dusty wooden floor and into a sitting position.  He moved his sweaty and dirty hair from his face and tried to see what was going on.  He was alone in a small dark room.  The door was shut but from the shadows he could see coming under the door that there was someone outside it.  The window on his right was barred and boarded up.

No escape.

***

When he woke up the first time after being stunned on the quidditch field, he was in a much larger room surrounded by dark figures.  He could see the blonde hair of one of the Deatheaters and knew right away that it was Malfoy.  The blonde man had turned around just in time to see Harry wake up.  He gave Harry a nasty sneer before issuing a swift kick into his stomach. 

Voldemort spoke then, scolding Malfoy for treating their "guest" in such a manner.  From there, Harry could make out Wormtail's quivering figure next to a sitting shadow.  Voldemort leaned forward into the light of the fire in the corner, allowing Harry to see his inhuman face.  His crooked and cruel mouth cocked itself into a creepy smile.

"Glad you could join us Mr. Snape," said Voldemort as he stood up from his chair and walked over to Harry.  "It is so good to see you again, although I wish the circumstances were a little different.  Now tell me, what happened to the ring your father gave you?"

Harry just stared up at Voldemort.  A slight pain was starting in his head and the skin around his scar started to burn.  Voldemort waited with his arms crossed over Harry's body.  He raised an eyebrow at the boy and sighed.

"Silence.  Well, let's fix that, shall we?"  Voldemort brandished his wand and pointed it down at Harry.  "Crucio."

Harry writhed with pain, as if thousands of tiny flaming needles were piercing his skin.  He screamed out in pain as his scar started to burn.  He fought to keep his hands away from it, knowing that it would blow his whole cover if he did.  After a few moments, Voldemort lifted the curse and again waited over Harry with his arms crossed.

"Well?  What did Severus do with the ring?"

"I don't know," said Harry weakly as he smoothed his hair with his bound hands.

"Oh, I'm sure you do know," said Voldemort.  "Do you need reminding?  Crucio."

The pain was a thousand times worse this time as he writhed and screamed on the floor of the dusty and dark room.  His nails scraped and gripped at the floor.  He cried out for help.  He cried out for his dad.  He cried out for anyone to stop the pain.  Voldemort sighed before taking the curse off of Harry.

"Well, it seems we won't be getting anything from him.  Wormtail, I need to write a letter.  Take some "ink" from Mr. Snape's arm."

***

Harry cautiously touched the cut on his arm as he thought back to earlier.  He had no idea of how much time had passed or where his father was.

He was startled when the door suddenly flew open.  A large dark figure grabbed him off the floor and onto his feet.  Harry hissed in pain as he was forced to move so quickly.  Fear rushed through him as he was brought to the large room where he had formally been.  A large group of Deatheaters were still assembled in the room, Wormtail still quivering next to a seated Dark Lord.

"Ah, Alex, I see you are awake.  Did you enjoy your unconsciousness?" said Voldemort with cold amusement.  "It's good you are awake.  You wouldn't want to miss the arrival of your dear father, would you?"

Harry didn't speak.  He was too busy trying to hide the immense pain that was coming from his scar.  His daily potion had worn off completely and now was getting the full on effects of the connection.  The darkness of the room wavered before his eyes and he kept getting flashes from Voldemort's perspective.  He could see himself for brief moments before regaining his own vision.

"You do know what is going to happen to him, don't you?"

Harry's heart sank.  He did know and it would be all his fault.  His father, his one true living family member, was going to die because of him.  Harry shook his head.  What was he thinking?  He had faith in his father's abilities.  Severus was a powerful wizard in his own right.  He would save him.  But his hope wasn't a strong hope.

Harry was thrown to the floor by the large man holding onto him.  Voldemort stood up and walked over to him, standing over his body.  Harry grimaced in pain at being so close to the man.  White hot pain ripped through his scar.  Voldemort looked thoughtfully at the boy.  He could tell he was in obvious pain, but why?  He wasn't being held under any sort of curse.

Voldemort squatted down and picked Harry up by the back of his dirty quidditch robes.  He put an inhuman finger under the boy's chin and lifted it up to his eye's gaze.  It was finally too much.  Harry cried out in pain and brought his hands to the disguised scar on his head.  Voldemort got a confused look on his face.  He pulled Harry's hand away and looked closely at what his hand was covering.  In the middle of the tangles of little scars Severus had put over Harry's scar, the lightning bolt scar was red and angry, oozing drips of blood that were now smeared over his forehead. 

Voldemort looked confused and angry.  He set down Harry on the floor and picked up his left arm and drew the sleeve away.  In the crook of his elbow, he could see the crooked old scar from the previous year.  The other Deatheaters looked on with confusion and wonder.  Voldemort took out his wand and pointed it between Harry's eyes. 

"Finite Incantato," said Voldemort as he watched for any change.  There wasn't any.  He tried a few more spells.  None worked.  "Wormtail, get me a bottle of Veritaserum."

The rat-faced man came back to Voldemort's side with a vial of clear liquid.  Voldemort took the dropper and dropped several drops into Harry's open mouth.  He set the vial down and set Harry up in a sitting position.  He looked him squarely in the eyes.  Harry's eyes became glazed as the potion took effect.

"How did you get the scar on your arm?"

"Wormtail cut me."

"On both arms?"

"Yes."

"How did you get the scar on your head?"

"You gave it to me."

"Who is your father?"

"Severus Snape."

"Who is your mother?"

"Lily Potter."

Voldemort's red eyes grew wide.

"What is your given name?"

"Snape."

"What is your given first name?"

"Harry."

"Harry Potter?"

"Harry Snape."

"Who is Harry Potter?"

"Me."

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Phew!  That chapter took me such a long time to do.  I apologize to everyone I left waiting, especially because it's so short, but I needed a place to stop.  If I would have kept going, it would have been so long and I've left you all in suspense long enough. . . too bad I put you all right back in there.  Well, anyway, thanks to everyone who has given me encouragement in getting through college and getting through writing this.  I got my midterm grades back.  I have a 3.8 GPA in my first semester of college so far.  I must say, I am impressed with myself.  I never thought I would do so well.  Funnily enough, my lowest grade is in my creative writing class.  Poetry kicks my butt.  That's what we've been doing.  I'm so horrible at it.  Die poetry die!

Anyhoo, I hope you'll stick with me through this.  I hope to update more often (that goes with all my other fics too).

Oh, before I forget, since I'm nearing the end of this story (finally!) I am going to start right in on revisions and such of all my chapters.  Is there any thing so far that just doesn't seem to be working?  Anything that needs to be fixed?  Right now, I am reworking the beginning.  I'm not going to drastically change it but it needs to be tweaked.  So any suggestions would be great.  I mean, that's the function of these reviews in the first place.  So in short, anything that bugs you about this fic, tell me and I'll see what I can do.  Oh, and I may change the title.  I'm just not happy with it anymore.  So any suggestions regarding that would be great as well.

Thanks to all the reviewers.  I love you all!