Disclaimer: Don't own, don't want to. Okay, so that last part is a lie.

Bold-flashback

Italics, note/emphasis

Chapter 29 shocking

Harry sat on 'his' bed in the hospital wing.

"What happened?" Madam Pomphrey asked as she looked at the bruise developing on Harry's face.

"Nothing."

"Mr. Potter, I highly doubt that this bruise just appeared on your face for no reason. It looks like you were fighting. And with your best friends, too!" She scolded with a glance at Hermione and Ron lying on hospital beds next to Harry's.

"No, Madam Pomphrey, it wasn't like that." Harry told the mediwitch.

The mediwitch just looked between the three friends, disbelief on her face.

"Honestly, Madam Pomphrey, it was an accident." Hermione interjected, she couldn't let a staff member think badly of her or her friends.

"Well, then, explain how this 'accident' happened. I can't help Mr. Weasley regain consciousness until I know what happened to him. What spells did you use?"

Harry sat there, remembering exactly what happened.

- - - FLASHBACK - - -

After Ron gave his word as a wizard Harry began telling him what he learned about their professor from his summer occlumency lessons.

"Harry, what does that have to do with you? I mean, I'm sorry and all that for what happened to Snape's family, but why are you telling me this?"

"Well, you know how ever since my appearance started to change Professor Snape's been mean to me?"

"Mean! He's been down-right evil, Harry. And all for something that you couldn't control! He's been giving you detention and deducting points everytime he sees you. That's beyond being mean."

"Perhaps," Harry agreed. "Well, the reason that he's been acting like that is because I look a lot and I mean a lot like his late wife, Sonja."

"Ugh!" Ron spewed. "You could be related to Snape by marriage. I mean, he could be your uncle or something."

Harry and Hermione exchanged a look. If this was his reaction when he thought the relation might be by marriage, what would Ron do once he found about Harry's suspicions?

"No, Ron, I don't think he's my uncle. I don't believe Sonja had any siblings."

"Well, then, what?" Ron paused. "I got it!"

Finally, Harry thought, glad that Ron figured it out on his own and he didn't have to say it out loud.

"And it explains why he hates you so much." Ron You're Sonja's son. She cheated on Snape with your father. That's why he's so mad. Not that I can really blame him. I mean, I would be mad too, as well as devastated if I found out that my wife cheated on me. But how are you going to figure out who your father is? I highly doubt that Snape will share that information with you."

"No, Ron." Hermione said, stopping his spiel. "That's not it either. We don't believe that she ever cheated on Professor Snape."

Ron sat there quietly, his eyes darting between Harry and Hermione as he tried to take in what they were saying.

"No! It can't be."

"Yes, Ron, we think it is. We think that Professor Snape is my fa-"

"NO! Don't say it out loud. He can't be. You can't be. My best friend can't be the son of that evil greasy-haired…"

"Ron calm down." Hermione said as Ron stood up and started pacing.

The faster Ron paced, the harder it was for him to breathe. Soon he was struggling for breath.

"Oh, God, Harry, something's wrong. We need to get him to calm down."

Harry rushed over to Ron and led him to one of the couches to sit down. He sat next to Ron on the couch, his arm pinning Ron down so that he couldn't get up.

"Ron, listen, it's okay. I'm still the same Harry you met five years ago."

At Harry's words, Ron started to struggle. He twisted and turned his body, kicked his legs and flailed his arms. Harry, however, refused to let him go.

"Harry, it's not working. Either he can't hear you, or he's just not listening. We need to go get help."

"We should probably get Remus. He knows about the adoption and everything. If this is a sign for how Ron is taking the news, we might need to obliviate him."

Right then, Ron's body started to spasm.

"He's having a seizure. Move." Hermione cried as she pulled Harry away from Ron to take over. "Harry, go get someone, I don't care who, anyone. We need someone now!"

Harry raced out of the common room. The first person he ran into was Professor McGonagle.

- - -END FLASHBACK- - -

"As we told Professor McGonagle, we don't know what happened. We were just sitting in the common room talking about Hogsmeade and our families when Ron started to have difficulty breathing. When we tried to calm him down, he started struggling to get loose. Then he started having seizures. That's when Harry went to find someone to help. It wasn't a fight and no one used any spells."

"Hmm," Madam Pomphrey said as she looked into Hermione's eyes. "I will still need to inform the headmaster about this. From what you described, it sounds like Ron went into shock, although why he would at the mention of those topics is beyond me. I would like to yourself and Mr. Potter here overnight as well, just to make sure that it wasn't something else that could affect the two of you."

Harry groaned at the thought of a night in the hospital ward. At least he was healthy, since Madam Pomphrey healed his and Hermione's bruises.

As Madam Pomphrey finished speaking, the door opened and Dumbledore swept into the room. His gaze flitted between Harry, Hermione, and Ron, the latter laying unconscious on the bed.

"What happened?"

"Mr. Potter and Miss Granger are fine, just minor bruising, most like from when Mr. Weasley was fighting against their care. In the case of Mr. Weasley, it appears to be shock. Although what brought it on, I do not know. You will have to ask his friends."

"Will he recover?" Harry asked

"He is currently in a coma, and it might be a day or two before he wakes up, but once he does, he should be fine."

That's something, at least, Harry thought. He couldn't believe that the identity of his father had such an impact on his best friend that he was going to be unconscious for a few days.

"Mr. Potter? Miss Granger?" The headmaster inquired. "Is there something you wish to tell me?"

Harry shook his head, while Hermione addressed the professor, "No, sir. We do not know what happened, we were just talking about Hogsmeade and our families when Ron went into shock."

Dumbledore looked Hermione in the eyes as she spoke. To the best of his knowledge, she hadn't learned occlumency, and couldn't prevent him from seeking the truth from her mind.

"Very well, then. I will talk with Mr. Weasley once he awakes to find out what triggered this reaction."

Early the next morning Harry and Hermione were waiting for Madam Pomphrey to release them from the hospital ward.

"Okay, you two can go now. I will send you word when Mr. Weasley wakes up."

"Thank you, Madam Pomphrey," Hermione and Harry called as they exited the hospital ward. Once outside, Hermione grabbed Harry's arm, making him stop and look at her.

"Harry? When Madame Pomphrey healed your bruises did she perform any other spells on you as well?"

"No, why?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Now what is this about, Hermione?"

"Have you had any headaches or anything lately?" At Harry's glare, she clarified, "Not Voldemort related headaches, but normal headaches?"

"I don't know, Hermione. With everything that's been going, my whole life is one big headache. Now, once again, why?" Harry answered as he once more started walking towards the tower, Hermione, quickly catching up to him.

"Well, do you have a headache now? Does everything look clear or is it all blurry?"

"Hermione!" Harry said, exasperated. "I could probably help you much more if I actually knew what you were trying to find out!"

"Don't yell at me, Harry Potter! I am just trying to help."

"Fine, I apologize, now will you please tell me what this is about."

"You're not wearing your glasses."

"What?" Harry asked as he reached to touch his face. Sure enough, his hands met with air.

"Now that I think of it, I don't remember you wearing them at all last night when we were in the hospital wing."

Harry looked at Hermione, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Now that I think of it, I think they were knocked off when I was trying to restrain Ron."

"Have you been having headaches lately? Or has your vision been blurry?"

"Well, yeah. As I said, my life has been one giant headache, especially with what's been going on the last few days with Snape. And I just figured that since I wasn't sleeping well that that was the cause for my blurry vision."

"Professor Snape, Harry." Hermione corrected again. "You should've told me that you were having headaches or that your eyes were bothering you. At the least, you should have gone to Madame Pomphrey. You should know that if you have headaches or are in pain, then it is your body's way of saying that something is wrong. You really need to pay more attention and be more responsible, Harry." Hermione said as she shook her head. "In this case, I think the headaches were an indication that your vision was correcting itself. I really wish you had mentioned something, Harry. Not only could you have gotten something to help with the pain, but you might have damaged your eyes by wearing your glasses when you didn't need them."

Harry just rolled his eyes at Hermione's lecture and gave the fat lady the password to enter the tower. Once inside he changed the topic. "I'm going to get changed and then see Remus. I need to tell him what happened with Ron and let him know that he might need to be obliviated once he wakes up."

"I'll come with you.."

"Fine. I'll meet you back down here in 15 minutes."

Twenty-five minutes later the two of them found themselves seated on a couch in Remus's rooms.

"You two are up early. Is everything okay?"

"Not sure." Harry replied. "I told Ron last night who I thought my father might be and, well, the three of us spent the rest of the night in the infirmary."

"What?" Remus exclaimed. "Are you okay? Is Ron still there? Don't tell me you guys got in a fight because of that. I'm sorry that Ron didn't take the news better. I was hoping that he might have matured since last year."

"Actually, I'm not sure how he took the news."

At Remus's puzzled look, Hermione said, "Ron kept saying 'No' and that his best friend couldn't be the son of that greasy-haired git' before he started to have trouble breathing and developing seizures."

"Shock." Remus said, almost in shock himself at this news. "That is a very strange reaction to have. It is very unusual for someone to go into shock after hearing some news. Normally, someone has to experience a tragic situation to develop that reaction. I can't believe he went into shock just hearing about this." Remus chuckled.

"What's so funny about this?"

"Well, if this is Ron's reaction to hearing about Harry's parentage, I was just imagining what would've happened if Ron found out that he was Snape's son."

Harry had to admit, that would be interesting to see. Even Hermione had a small smile on her face at the picture Remus's words invoked.

"Has he woken up yet?" Remus asked.

"Not yet. Madam Pomphrey thinks that it will be a day or two before he wakes up."

"Well, thanks for telling me this. You'll have to let me know how Ron reacts once he wakes up."

"Actually, that's kind of what I wanted to discuss with you."

"Oh?"

"I was hoping you might be able to stay with him until he wakes up. I'm afraid that once he does wake up, he'll immediate start to talk about what he found out last night. I really don't want anyone else to know about it right now, especially since no one really knows that I was adopted in the first place."

"Is that all? As long as Madam Pomphrey lets me into the hospital ward, I'm sure that I can do that."

"Well, I was wondering if you might be able to obliviate him once he wakes up as well. At least until I find out whether or not it's true. I mean, there's no reason for him to be so upset if I'm wrong, right?"

Remus looked at Harry for a moment before nodding. "I understand what you are saying, however, I won't obliviate him until the two of you have a chance to talk about this first."

"Fair enough." Harry said "Thanks. Oh, yeah, you might have to protect him from Dumbledore as well. The headmaster is curious about what we were talking about when Ron went into shock. All we said was that we were talking about Hogsmeade and our families."

"I'll see what I can do to keep Albus from finding out. If we are lucky, hopefully I can talk to Ron after he wakes before he comes in. Now, you two better head to the Great Hall for breakfast, now."

"Sir?" Hermione asked hesitantly. "Can we have breakfast here with you? I want to hear how Harry's detention went last night and anyone could overhear us in the Great Hall, not too mention that everybody will ask us about Ron."

"The two of you are more than welcome to join me for breakfast. It would be nice to have company for breakfast for a change." Remus said as he called a house-elf and ordered breakfast for three. "But I don't know why you think Harry's detention would be an interesting topic of conversation."

"His detention was with Professor Snape."

"Oh." Remus said with insight, turning to Harry. "Did you talk to him about this?"

"I tried." Harry replied. "He kept trying to deduct house points. He even threatened to have me expelled for playing 'games'. We were just getting somewhere when Dumbledore interrupted."

"Oh, Harry." Hermione said, as they sat at the table to eat the food the house elves just brought up.

"I just hope that he'll be willing to continue our conversation again tonight. At least I don't have to deal with him during class today."

Harry and Hermione told everyone that asked that Ron had a reaction toan unidentified objectand was recovering in the hospital ward for a few days. Other than Hermione, Harry, Madame Pomphrey, Remus and Dumbledore, only Ginny and Ron's professors knew that he was in a coma.

When asked about his glasses, Harry simply let everyone, except Remus, assume that he was wearing contact lenses.

As the day wore on, Harry grew more and more anxious about his detention with Snape that was to take place that night. He was a bit nervous to bring the topic up again, but at the same time, excited that he might get one step closer to the truth.

However, both of those feelings were replaced by anger when he received a not at the beginning of dinner.

Mr. Potter,

Your detention for this evening will be served assisting Mr. Filch. Please report to his office at 7 p.m. this evening.

Professor Snape

After reading the note, Harry's hand clenched tightly, crumpling it into a small ball.

"Harry? What's wrong?"

"I now have detention with Filch tonight instead of Snape."

"Professor Snape, Harry. You should make sure you get back into the habit of addressing him with respect, especially if we are correct." Hermione corrected. "Did he say why?"

"No, but he probably knows that I want to continue our conversation from last night."

"Harry, I'm sure he's not doing this just to avoid you. Especially since you have detention with him indefinitely until your appearance is explained to his satisfaction. I'm sure that something happened and that he has a perfectly logical explanation for changing your detention."

"Yeah, something happened all right, he doesn't care whether or not his son might be alive. Because if I am his son, then he can't keep finding fault with everything I do."

"Harry!"

"Well, it's probably true," Harry said before groaning and banging his head on the table."

"What now, Harry?" Hermione asked, impatiently.

"I just realized that I'll have to see him in class tomorrow before we get a chance to talk again. I can only imagine what he'll do."

End Chapter 29 shocking

Upcoming: Chapter 30 awakening reflections (oops, accidentally typed revelations last chapter, tried correcting it, but couldn't upload new chapter)

Chapter 31 play along (or playing along, basically same thing)

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season (and a white one!)

Thanks for the many awesome reviews...I think some of you might have tried legilimency on me, since you mentioned some things. Will try to give you a 'gift' of another chapter later this week/this weekend (and it will/should contain Snape's reaction).

Had to have Harry get rid of his glasses, I know that I hate mine (much prefer contacts)!

12/21/04