A/N First I'd like to thank Thranx, Mikee, Englishgirl, Kateri, Sela, Lady Lightning, Jilies, Sparrow, Reasonably crazy, Bonnie, and Gwendellen Snape for taking the time to review and for encouraging me to continue the story.

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Chapter 4

Revelations

Harry woke the in a pitch black room, as dark as it was he was sure that it must be quite late at night. He felt around for his glasses hoping that they were nearby. After several minutes of searching he finally put his glasses on and realized that he could clearly see, that it was to dark to see.

"Where's a flashlight when you need one?" Harry mumbled as he set about searching for his wand. "Oh yea, no underage magic." He sat up and stared about the dark room. "Lights on?" He tentatively asked. The torches on the walls instantly lit. "Just my luck" He shielded his eyes and blinked several times trying to get used to the sudden light.

Harry looked around the brightened room pondering the previous days events. "I'm adopted and Professor Severus Snape is my real father," For some reason that just didn't sound right. He looked at the red and gold hangings on his bed. "I said I would try," he sighed finally spotting a clock hanging over a small fireplace just large enough to heat the one room, had it been lit. "10:25 AM, I'm not off to an early start today am I. I can't believe he let me sleep in." He shivered as he stepped off the bed and made his way to his trunk to get clothes for the day. He'd fallen asleep without changing into his nightclothes, for which he was somewhat thankful. As cold as the room felt now he could only imagine what it would feel like in his thin pajamas. He opened his trunk, reached down and blinked. His clothes were gone, and so were many of his other belongings. More than slightly annoyed Harry checked the dresser, maybe the house elves had put his things away while he was asleep. Sure enough, to his great relief, everything was neatly organized and more importantly, all there. He pulled out an outfit for the day and opened a door off the side of his room in the hope it was a bathroom. It was.

Severus Snape had gotten an early start on the day, not that he'd ever actually went to sleep. No, he had spent the night deep in thought trying to decide how best to handle the situation he found himself in. Presently he could be found pacing the floor in the living area of his quarters. He had no idea what time it was, the room was dark but for a single lit torch. This deep in the dungeons there were no windows to show the late morning sunlight. His mind securely wrapped around a single train of thought, he hadn't bothered looking at the clock. He know his rooms so well he didn't need light, he didn't feel the cold air around him, he didn't notice the sounds of his son waking and starting his day in the next room. Harry had finished with his shower, dressed, cautiously entered the room, and had spent several minutes watching his Professor pacing back and fourth before he got up his courage to speak.

"Good morning, Sir" Harry's morning greeting startled his Professor out of his reverie.

"Good morning," Snape stared across the room at his son.

"Could we have some light Sir?" Harry asked.

Snape was brought to the realization that the room was indeed nearly pitch black and after lighting the torches and a brief glance at his shivering son he, for the first time in the many years he'd called these rooms home, lit the fireplace.

"Would you care for breakfast," Snape glanced at the clock finally noticing the late hour "or perhaps an early lunch?" He made his way to the fireplace and grabbed a small handful of floo powder out of a cauldron sitting on a stand nearby.

"Lunch sounds good, thank you Sir" Harry replied.

Harry watched curiously as Snape threw the Floo powder into the fireplace and called the head house elf to request that lunch for two be served in his quarters.

"Excuse me sir, but I thought that house elves came when you called them." A slightly confused Harry asked.

"If you call a specific house elf they will come, yes. I do not have a personal house elf, I use the school elves. So, if I need anything I request it form the head house elf and he decides who he can spare to handle my request." Snape replied as lunch appeared on the table. "Shall we?"

The two took seats opposite each other and silently served themselves, each wondering how best to go about apologizing for their behavior. Neither wanting to make the first move fearing the others reaction. Severus, for all his years bravely living the life of a spy, had finally found his greatest fear. He found himself terrified that his son would not accept him, or worse would turn his back on him. Harry, on the opposite end of the same situation shared the same worries.

"Sir, I'm sorry for what I said to you yesterday. It wasn't very nice, I shouldn't have said that." Harry blurted out.

Snape looked across the table surprised at Harry's sudden outburst. "Apology accepted" Now if only every word of what he said wasn't true. I deserved all of it. Snape took a minute to steady himself. "I owe you an apology as well. I'm sorry about everything, and especially the way I have treated you these past four years. I have squandered and wasted precious time I could have used to get to know you. There is nothing I can do to change the past, but will you give me the opportunity to make a new future?"

He wants me? He wants to try? "Yes…um" Harry wasn't sure what to say, or what he really wanted to say. He was happy that his father wanted to get to know him, to try to make a family; but Professor Snape, his dad? "I…um…really should write to my friends and let them know that I'm ok. What am I allowed to tell them?"

Snape sat thinking for a few minutes, this was a problem. If work got out that they were related then Voldemort would no doubt be one of the first to know, and that could be very dangerous indeed. "You may tell them anything you wish about the situation, including the truth. Just please inform me of what you tell them."

On Harry's list of options he might possibly be given in the present situation 'just tell them the truth' was noticeably absent. No way did he expect the man before him to openly admit to being his father. "You don't mind if I tell them everything?" he asked.

"You are my son, I will not deny you. In private, in public, or anywhere else." Snape replied decidedly. "I have some errands to run in Hogsmede, we'll leave as soon as we've finished eating."

The meal completed, Severus and Harry went to their respective rooms to get their money bags before starting the walk into Hogsmede. It was a beautiful summer day, the sun shined brightly over the Forbidden Forrest, the birds cheerful songs an unending chorus. The lakes surface was a peaceful, unblemished, blue. The whole world seemed lit by a mysterious inner light, not that the two people traveling the road into town noticed. No, once Severus Snape decided that something needed to be done he had a habit of immediately setting out to accomplish his objective. The means of completing his present task lay in Hogsmede and long legs carried him toward his destination without hesitation. Harry, on the other hand, did not have any personal business in town and was left to ponder his family situation as he attempted to keep up with his fathers much longer strides.

Harry stumbled over a rock in the road but managed to catch himself before falling. Why does he have to walk so fast? Harry asked himself as they turned a corner leading off the main road in Hogsmede. They walked down a few more blocks before entering Tailor Travis's Robes and Clothes. They sell Muggle clothes in Hogsmede?

"Mr. Potter needs clothes." Severus told the assistant.

"I don't have enough money…" Harry started.

"You are in my care for the present time, I will take care of it." Snape replied as he settled himself in a corner, arms folded across his chest.

"I am Miss Tracy. Just take off your tops and stand up here so I can measure you." The assistant directed.

Harry set his tops in a chair nearby and stood as directed in front of the mirror. Snape didn't even notice the assistants accusing glare directed towards him as he took in the condition of his sons back. Harry's shoulders were nothing but black and purple bruises, his arms were covered in scrapes and scabs, red welts crossed his back. Even with the discoloration Snape couldn't help but notice that Harry had needlessly lost quite a bit of weight in the five weeks since the end of term, and Snape was mad. His dark eyes held a deadly gleam as cold as ice.

"Are you done measuring yet?" He growled. "Good, we'll pick up the clothes on our way back. Please make sure they are ready when we are."

Harry pulled his tops back over his head and hurried after his furious Professor. Across the street, down two more blocks, around a corner. Harry still couldn't figure out what he had done to cause the man's sudden anger. Then again this was Professor Snape. They suddenly stopped. Snape held the door of The Hogsmede Medical Clinic open and showed Harry inside. Together they approached the witch at the counter.

"Can I help you?" The receptionist asked.

"I'd like this boy to have a complete examination." Snape ordered.

"I'm fine, I don't…"

"That will be for the Doctor to decide. Sit over there." Snape was in no mood for arguments.

"Fill out this paperwork and bring it back to the counter. I'll put you on the list of patients to be seen. It may be a few minutes before the Doctor can get to you." The receptionist handed Snape some paperwork and a quill.

Name: Harry Potter

Age: 15

Parent or Guardian:

"What are your guardians names?" Snape growled.

"Vernon and Petunia Dursley, sir."

Snape completed the paperwork just as they were called in by the nurse.

"I am Professor Snape. I want the boy to have a complete examination. I will be waiting for the results in the reception area." Snape informed the nurse.

Snape scowled at the issues of Witch Weekly that decorated the reception area and instead chose to amuse himself by imagining the punishment he could inflict upon the Dursley's for their treatment of his son. He was deep into a mental tally of Filch's personal collection by the time he was interrupted by the nurse. He followed the nurse back to a private room where he was greeted by two aurors.

"We have a few questions for you Professor, if you don't mind." The male auror showed him a chair. "It should just take a few minutes."

"As a professor you have to understand the mandatory reporting laws for suspected child abuse cases. We've already spoken to Mr. Potter, we just need to confirm some of the information he gave us." The female auror tried to set him at ease.

Snape stood waiting, his arms folded across his chest.

"Yes well, Mr. Potter told us that the injuries he has are because he's highly accident prone. As one of his teachers have you seen him show an abnormally high tendency to injure himself?" The male auror asked.

"While accidents do tend happen in larger than normal quantities to Mr. Potter, I can assure you that he did not leave school five weeks ago in his present condition." Snape sneered.

"Mr. Potter's clothes seem less than appropriate in both size and condition. Are these the garments he usually wears to school?" The female auror asked.

"The student all wear their school robes over their clothes. Today was the first time I saw the condition of his Muggle clothes. I too felt they were inappropriate and our trip into Hogsmede today was specifically to remedy that situation. It was at Tailor Travis's, when the assistant asked Mr. Potter to remove his tops so she could measure him, that I first saw his injuries. I brought him straight to the clinic for a thorough exam." Snape glared at the two aurors as if daring them to ask further questions.

"As a Professor do you consider Mr. Potters condition to be solely the result of normal teenage activities?" The male auror asked.

"In my personal opinion, no. Are we finished yet, I'd like to know what the Doctors opinion is."

"Just a few more questions. What is Mr. Potters living situation?" The female auror asked.

"To the best of my knowledge when he is not in school he lives with his guardians, his aunt and uncle. His guardians are presently on vacation or something, and left him with the Weasley family. The Weasley's were concerned about his condition when he arrived at their home and contacted Professor Dumbledore; who knowing that I am Mr. Potters biological father asked I was interested in obtaining custody. Mr. Potter was transferred to my care yesterday to give us time to get to know each-other before a decision was made about who would apply for permanent custody. He will be in my care until the start of term when he will join his classmates."

"Biological father?"

"The Potter family adopted him. Are we finished?"

"Before we finish I'd like to recommend that you arrange for an attorneys services to protect Mr. Potters rights and privacy. I don't think any of us wish to see this story on the front page of the Daily Prophet. The Doctors report and the photographs we took are enough for us to file charges of child neglect and abuse against the Dursley's, but it would be better if Mr. Potter could tell the court about his living situation. We will see the Weasley's and ask them to make a report as well as follow up with the school." The aurors finally completed their interview and allowed Professor Snape to leave the room.

Snape walked down the hall looking in the open rooms, about halfway down he found Harry.

Harry was sitting on the exam table staring down at his hands, trying very hard to make everything just go away. He didn't know exactly what would become of this but he knew that for a boy whose life played out on the front pages of the daily newspaper and whose history was recorded and taught to all of his kind. Having news of his family living situation get out to the public could only be viewed as a catastrophe. Why did he have to find out?

"Mr. Potter, I don't believe for a minute that you were able to cause those injuries yourself. Why did you lie to the Aurors?"

"They were accidents, I fell" Harry quietly answered.

"I will obtain an attorneys services immediately to keep this situation private and out of the newspapers. I will do my best to have the courtroom sealed to prevent anyone who does not need knowledge of this matter from finding out. Your privacy will be respected and protected, but I need you to tell me the truth." Snape lifted Harry's chin so he could look into his eyes. "Please, tell me the truth."

Harry looked into the eyes he had desperately been trying to avoid and saw…care. He cares what happens to me. He wants to know. He says he'll keep it private. He hasn't sent me away. He wants to help. But…Harry looked away and sighed, then told his father everything.

It was some time later before they made it back to Tailor Travis's to pick up the clothes and the sun was slowly setting in the sky when they entered the shoe store. After purchasing two pairs of shoes they walked slowly through the small town back towards the main street that would take them back to Hogwarts, the place they both called home. They passed the small shops, the light shining through the windows to brighten the now dark evening, both wondering what was to happen next.

Harry suddenly stopped. "Sir, could we stop here a minute? I'd like to get a frame."

Snape had no idea what Harry could want with a frame, but given the day they'd had, was not about to deny him. He followed his son into the store, patiently watching as Harry picked out the perfect frame. He wondered as he watched how he could have been so wrong, for so many years. Harry Potter was nothing like he had thought he was.

After purchasing the frame they walked home to a hot dinner. Harry's packaged of new clothes were put away and Snape packed the old ones away in case they were needed for the upcoming trial.

"Sir, I think I'd prefer to tell Ron and Hermione about our family in person instead of in a letter. I'm supposed to meet them in Diagon Alley on the 29th to get my school supplies. May I go?"

"Yes, perhaps we can make it a weekend and pay another visit as well." Snape quietly replied "Goodnight"

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A/N Ok. I need a name for Snape's wife and am taking suggestions. That's right…first middle last, first last, any combination…