NOTE: I don't own any of these characters, they belong to the wonderful mind of J.K.Rowling

Innovo Adorior

A New Rise

CHAPTER 2 'Father'

He felt a hand brushing through his hair gently. He didn't know who it was but he could feel their power and it was very familiar and comforting. He reached out his newfound senses and felt more people present, all familiar, and very welcome. He slowly tried to open his eyes the lights were low, it had to be late for out the window he could see familiar stars against the black velvety night sky. He was back in the Hospital wing at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A place he was very familiar with. He looked about in the room to see who all was there. He could make out the entire sleeping Weasley clan present by there flaming red hair burning brightly even in the dark, He saw Hermione, sitting next to Ron on a bench just opposite him, leaning against Ron for support as they both slept, Neville and Luna were in the hospital beds around his sleeping away, and next to his bed in a chair was Sirius, absently stroking Harry's hair as he slept laying half way on Harry's bed. He had to smile. They were so loyal; He was glad they had been there for him and always hoped he could be there for them.

Just then the infirmary doors slowly opened, then closed by themselves, Harry could feel someone's power and knew instantly who it was and grinned.

"Hello Professor. Might I ask why you are running around invisible? Both of you?" Harry asked into what seemed to be thin air. But suddenly appeared Professor Snape and Dumbledore right in front of him. The latter grinning sheepishly said, "I didn't want to wake anyone." Then laughed to himself the twinkle in his eyes back with full force. Professor Snape rolled his eyes and set his face into a sneer but offered no excuses.

"It is nice to see you awake again Harry. That was some powerful curse you set on Voldemort. I don't think even I could have managed it, it still took quite a bit out of you though, but where it should have killed or drained any wizard alive of his magic, it seems to have only increased yours. You've been out for about a month now, School is almost out for the year. Very extraordinary. Don't you agree Professor Snape?"

"Yes, indeed Headmaster. But Understandable considering his heritage." Professor Snapes' silky voice replied, "We do have High Elven blood in us after all, he seems to have more than he should though, perhaps his mother had some magic in her family somewhere down the line." Now Harry was confused, Snape just claimed they were related!

"What?" He asked, wondering what Snape was on about.

"Yes, Harry, You and Professor Snape are related as I have just recently found out. Very big surprise to me of course. I should have seen it sooner." Now Harry was thinking they've both gone mad. He and Snape, Related? That was the most absurd thing he had ever heard in his life. 'Surely they're pulling my leg' he thought.

"How?" He asked, wishing he had come up with something better than that. Dumbledore didn't answer this time instead it was Snape. He suddenly looked very tired, and weary, and as if he were very sorry about something which really scared Harry as the only looks he had ever received from his Potions Master were of hatred and complete loathing.

"Pot...err Harry, you see...I...don't know how to say this..." Snape started, his stuttering started to worry Harry and remind him dreadfully of his old Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Quirrell, "I'myourfatherHarry" he said so fast Harry just barely caught what he said, and his eyes widened, 'this can't be, James...James is my father he died...Snape? My Father? But...'

"Professor?" He asked meekly. Then all was blackness again as his tired eyes drooped closed and fell into a deep and fitful slumber.

When he woke again it was daytime and everyone seemed to be bustling about his room or chatting with everyone else. He was glad they didn't notice him wake up, he needed time to think. Had that all been a dream? Or was Snape really his father? He had so many questions he didn't know where to start. As if on cue, Dumbledore walked in and ushered everyone to leave for lunch, and remained behind as he had seen Harry was awake. After everyone finally left, Dumbledore turned to Harry and sat in a chair next to his bed.

"Well, Harry, I guess we have a lot to talk about don't we?" Dumbledore said blue eyes twinkling madly. 'Well, that rules out it was all a dream...' Harry thought to himself.

Snape brooded in his dungeons all day since last night after they had told Harry. He kept thinking how he could have been so despicable to his own son. How could he have not known he even had a son? He thought that after Lily left him it had been Potters kid. Had James known it wasn't his kid? Why didn't Lily tell him that Harry was his child? 'Stupid question.' He thought, 'she knew you had become a Death Eater, but she didn't know I had no choice. After she found out she just ran to James. She left me. And Harry...Harry is my child.' Severus Snape had a child. The gloomy, rude, Ex-Death Eater, sour Potions Master that stalked the dungeons like a predator looking for a kill, had a son. Even finding out Harry was his son was by accident. They were checking Harry's Magic in his blood and Madam Pomfrey had recognized it and went straight to Dumbledore and Snape with the news. To say that they were shocked is an understatement. Severus thought nothing had come of his relationship with Lily. It had ended so abruptly, and Lily hadn't said anything about him having a kid. He wondered if Harry would ever forgive him for the way he treated him for the last nearly five years of his life. And for not being there when he was a child at the Dursleys. He was glad that the Dark Lord was no longer around to find out this information. He could have done awful things with this knowledge. He pushed these thoughts out of his mind and tried to focus on how he could make up to Harry the way he had treated him.

Harry and Dumbledore sat in silence as Harry took in all that was told to him. Snape, no Severus was his father. How could this be? He was always told that James Potter was his father. Had his mother known he was Severus' child?

"Professor, what is to happen now?" Harry asked quietly, wondering if he was to go back to the Dursleys where he would not be welcome and probably locked away in his room for the remainder of the summer, or if he would go to the sour Potion Masters home as he was his father. Dumbledore, as if reading his mind replied, "Harry, that is up to you. If you would like to go back to the Dursleys..." He was cut off by Harry's voice.

"No! I mean, no please Professor, I'd rather stay anywhere else than there." He said quickly. Dumbledore smiled at Harry's pleading face.

"I will not make you go back there Harry. You may choose to stay at your fathers or Godfathers, it is up to you." Harry's eyes bulged; did he just say his Godfathers? Was he aloud? Was Sirius cleared of the charges? They must have caught Petigrew after he had done away with Voldemort. "Yes, he was cleared of all charges, Peter has been captured and the Ministry gave full apologies and reaccredited his name through the Daily Prophet." Dumbledore said again seeming to read Harry's mind. Harry smiled at this. It was about time his Godfather had some peace.

"What about here Sir?" Harry asked, Hogwarts had been the only home he had ever had, the Dursleys were just a place he had to go over the summer holidays. Dumbledore smiled again.

"We shall see." Dumbledore told Harry and his eyes lit up. Dumbledore was actually considering it!

"Thank you sir! Thank you!" Harry said absolutely beaming with joy. Dumbledore chuckled.

"Please Harry, call me Albus as school is nearly out, but during the school year in front of the other students I am Professor or Headmaster, alright?" Harry nodded his head vigorously. He couldn't remember ever having this happy a moment in his life.

"Harry! Your awake!" came a voice from the doorway of the infirmary and was instantly crushed by a body leaping in to hug him. It was Sirius. His face was no longer pale and sunken in as it had when he broke out of Azkaban. He was healthy and full of life and the smile he had seen on his face at his parents wedding was back. No, at his mothers wedding, he reminded himself. Harry's smile faltered a bit but he put it back up before anyone could notice he thought.

"Sirius...I think I need those ribs." Harry gasped. Sirius let go quickly and let out a bark-like laugh.

"Opps, sorry there Harry." Sirius grinned at him. 'Does he know that Harry wasn't really his best friends son?' Harry thought to himself, 'He's bound to not like it.' Harry looked up to Albus as if to ask these questions that ran through his head. Albus looked down to the floor and gently shook his head so Sirius couldn't see him. 'Oh, great, he doesn't know. Should I be the one to tell him? Yes, I should, but when?' Harry thought to himself.

"Sirius. Its great to see you again in the land of the living." Harry joked. Sirius let out his famous bark like laughter at this.

"Yes, and you too Harry." Sirius said. Harry wondered if he would get in too much trouble from Madam Pomfrey if he left the Hospital Wing. He decided he didn't care. He hadn't seen his Godfather this happy ever. He was going to go out and enjoy his time with him as much as possible. Harry let a sly grin slip across his face as he looked at Sirius then Albus. Albus just grinned back and turned away so he wouldn't be a witness to one of Madam Pomfreys' escaping patients. Harry's smile grew wider and he leapt off the bed, glad to find they had him in his own robes instead of a hospital gown. He grabbed Sirius' hand and drug him out the door and onto Hogwarts grounds into the bright afternoon sun and down to the lake under a tree that they would be shielded from most peoples' searching eyes. Sirius definitely didn't disagree to being pulled about by his Godson. It was nice to see him so lighthearted after everything he's had to go through. They spent the day goofing around and talking mainly just catching up on lost time. Harry had asked Sirius to assist him in becoming an animagus so he could run about with him without anyone knowing who he was and Sirius agreed.

"Now, Harry it took us three years to master this so don't be disappointed when at first you don't get it. The first thing you do is imagine yourself out of your body and into another that is hidden within you. You won't know what it is until you have finished your training. Now, clear your mind first," He paused while Harry cleared his mind, and Harry was shortly reminded of his Occlumency classes with Severus, "Okay good, now try and see your self changing, that you are really not in your body and are returning to a natural state." Harry closed his eyes and did so. Suddenly he felt a warm presence stir within him and his skin started tingling, he was worried at first but then assumed that it was natural. His skin started to itch and he could feel hair, no fur bursting from his skin all over his body and his limbs seemed to be changing their shape and length. His face started to feel pulled and elongated as his eyes slanted a bit. He heard a gasp nearby and he was forced over, as his animagus shape was definitely four-footed. Then the feeling stopped and he opened his eyes to meet Sirius' waist. He blinked confused and looked up into his Godfathers shocked face and panicked.

"Sirius, What's wrong what's going on?" Harry demanded, but it didn't sound right, as all he hears was grunts and growls coming from his mouth. His eyes widened as he realized what had happened.

"Ha, Ha! Harry you did it! Wow, how did you do that? So fast, it took us three years and you only about three minutes! Ha, if only we could have done that. You must be pretty powerful wizard Harry. I think you just set an all time world-wide record that I don't think will be broken any time soon!" Sirius exclaimed excitedly. He couldn't believe his eyes; Harry had become an animagus in a matter of minutes. And what an animal he was, Sirius had never seen anything quite like it. He was a lion, but obviously not just any lion, a pure black one with startling, vibrant green eyes and a thin white stripe down the center of his back along with a white lightning bolt shaped mark on his forehead where his scar should have been. It was also larger than your average lion, as it could reach his waist just standing there. 'Harry was a very intimidating lion.' Sirius decided and changed into his animagus form, a black shaggy dog that was the average lion size, so slightly smaller than Harry but larger than any dog you would normally see. The lion and the dog ran wild through the Forbidden Forest until the sun had set. Harry changed back and they walked back up to the castle, glad to have had their first day free from worry spent together to clear their minds of anything and everything that had happened. It was a great, long day; they both agreed they would sleep well that night.

As they got to the stone steps that led into the castle, they saw two shapes standing there; one was slightly pacing back and forth.

"Ah, Harry and Sirius, welcome back." Albus said greeting the two grinning and his eyes sparkling madly.

"Thank you Albus." chorused an equally grinning Harry and Sirius. The shape that was pacing before had stopped when he first spotted the two. And came to stand beside Albus. It was Severus. Harry blinked, and his eyes widened slightly but he covered it up with an expressionless stony face. He laughed at himself, he had probably gotten the ability to hide his emotions from his father, as he seemed a Master at it. Harry met Severus' eyes and saw anger, worry, and something he had never seen in those eyes before flitted across his features but were covered quickly.

"Where have you two been? The whole castle was searched. Madam Pomfrey suspecting every one of letting you leave, and then losing you. It was very annoying that she suspected me for a while of trying to do away with you!" Severus said mostly to Harry. Harry had to stifle a laugh that was coming at his last words. Pomfrey thought Severus would try and do away with him? Then Harry wondered if he might actually try that.

"Aw, calm down Snape, why would you care anyways? Harry is fine he's been with me the whole time." Sirius told Severus, whose eyes narrowed to slits at Harry's Godfather, and mumbled something suspiciously sounding like 'that's what I was afraid of.' It was Sirius' turn to glare at his old enemy.

"Ahem...Sirius, I was wondering if the four of us might have a little chat up in my office?" Albus asked breaking the staring contest that seemed to be going on between the two men. Sirius turned to look at Albus, confusion written all over his face.

"The four of us? Snape too? Why?" Sirius asked not liking how this situation sounded.

"Yes, Sirius the four of us." Albus said shortly, he then turned and led the way to his office Severus following right behind then Harry and Sirius.

"Do you recon he knows? About your animagus thing I mean? He can't can he? I mean, we haven't told anyone yet... we haven't had a chance even. Do you know what this is about?" Sirius started gibbering on like a child that has just been told he was in trouble and to head to the Principals office. Harry sighed, 'If Severus is part of it, I think I know what is going on, I didn't think I would have to tell Sirius so soon. But it is better to get it out of the way I suppose.' He thought to himself. They reached the stone gargoyles that led into the circular office that was the headmasters.

A/N

Hey C2 up. Hope you like. R&R please  more soon