A week later Harry was curled up on his bed with one of the books from the Founder's Library when Snape came in. Harry hadn't seen the wizard for three days except for a few times in passing through the hallway.

"Don't you ever knock?" Harry asked. Turning a page he glanced up at the dark outline in the door frame.

Snape gave him a dark look but only said, "Come, the Headmaster is here; he wishes to speak with you."

Abandoning the book on his bed he stood and followed Snape into the study. On a rather large, plushy chair that Harry was sure Snape would never allow in his chambers of his own volition, was Dumbledore. His glasses were perched on the edge of his nose and he was steadily pursuing a book from one of the many shelves. Sensing their arrival he looked up and gave a benign smile. "Good to see you again, Escalus, I trust you've been staying out of trouble?"

"Of course," said Harry; talking in the same cultured voice Snape had been teaching him to use.

Taking a seat on a dark colored divan pressed up next to the wall and a book shelf the teen leaned back and watched both adults silently. Since their last meeting both Snape and Albus had made a concerted effort to erase all connection between the boy they saw and Harry. Snape had even gone as far as to not glare at him any longer.

"Have you set a date yet, Headmaster?"

"That's what I wanted to speak with you about. Severus, might I have a moment with your son alone?"

Snape wordlessly stood and swept from the room. Once the door was shut the wizard turned his attention to Harry. "I believe it would be prudent to postpone revealing certain things to the old crowd."

Harry felt irritation flare alive within his chest," But my friends!" He protested.

"Would be put in considerable danger should we tell them more than they already know. Believe me, Harry-"

"Escalus!" Harry corrected.

"Escalus," the headmaster continued demurely," I do understand your wish to tell your friends everything that has been happening to you, but you must understand! We are at the very brink of a war and I know you would not wish to endanger them needlessly."

"But this doesn't explain why you won't tell everyone about the prophesy."

Dumbledore seemed to age before his eyes as he frowned and regarded Harry sorrowfully. "Last term I made a mistake, one that I cannot afford to make again, for your sake as well as mine. " Then, as if the words were being pulled from behind his teeth the headmaster said," I believe there may be a leak within the crowd."

Harry digested the information slowly, "A leak? But…I thought…How can there be a leak?"

"The old crowd first banded together when Grindewald was just coming to power, we had twenty members at the first meeting and we disbanded soon after he brought down. Then, we came together again when Riddle became a threat. We acquired even more members and were finally able to spread out at different locations across Europe giving us vital contact that could fill us in on what he might be trying to accomplish beyond the British boarder. Well, after his apparent defeat, we almost completely disbanded except for a few of us who kept in touch here at the school and at the Ministry. But," Dumbledore sighed and looked at his gnarled hands heavily.

"I neglected to realize that after so long apart the other members had sixteen years to change their minds about what they supported when they were younger. When we called the first, full meeting of the old crowd only two thirds came from the original group. Of course, several had died of age and possibly disease or been too old to make the journey. Other may simply have not believed in Voldemort's return or changed their mindsets. I fear that someone may have returned with less than the best intentions."

"But…who would…?" Harry trailed off.

Dumbledore shook his head at the unspoken question. "The crowd has grown significantly beyond anything that I would have imagined, it would be impossible, short of administering truth serum to everyone, to tell who the informant is. I'm afraid time will have to tell on this one, that is why I cannot allow anyone to know who you are and where Harry Potter went. And telling anyone about the prophesy now would be suicide. Now do you understand, Escalus?"

Harry nodded his head, his black fringe falling into his eyes. "Yes. Is that all, Headmaster?"

"Ah, yes, if you could ask Severus to come back in on your way out?"

"Of course, Headmaster," said Harry. Re-adjusting his house robe, Harry bid the headmaster farewell and closed the door behind him. In the main room Snape was standing next to a knee high book shelf, staring off into space.

"Sir? Professor?" receiving no answer, Harry crept forward uneasily. "Professor Snape?" Still no answer. The wizard's eyes were far away and worried for his professor Harry drew even closer. "Professor!" the word fell on deaf ears. Uneasy, Harry took a deep breath, and gathering his courage, addressed, "Father?" His voice had been barely above a whisper but the word did its magic. The older man started violently, his black eyes pinning him where he stood.

"Escalus?" said Snape, the voice addressing some other shade beyond Harry's vision.

"The headmaster wishes to speak with you," said Harry, shaken to his core. The black eyes were still not entirely present but they tore themselves from Harry's and sought out the closed door to the study. "Yes."

"I'll be in my room."

Slowly Snape seemed to become more and more aware of himself and his surroundings, "I'll see you at supper then?"

"Yes, sir."

Snape nodded and walked stiffly to the door and closed it behind him. It took Harry a couple minutes to realize he hadn't disappeared into his room and wiped at his face, suddenly very tired. Well, that was weird.

In his room Harry collapsed onto the bed and closed his eyes. He'd been instructed to take at least one afternoon nap each day and after the little scene with his professor Harry was more than willing to sleep it all away. Unfortunately his dreams didn't quite agree with him.

Harry leaned against the barrier on the Astronomy tower and felt the wind blow across his face and hands. Cracking open twin green eyes he turned at the sound of footsteps coming from the open door way behind him.

"What are you doing up here, Snape spawn?" Ron's voice broke what peaceful spell had descended upon him and he whirled around in surprise. The freckled red head was glaring at him in annoyance.

"Hello," said Harry, his gaze flicking toward Hermione's who remained behind Ron on the steps. "Who are you?" He forced his gaze to their Gryffindor insignias and gave them a neutral gaze.

"I'm Hermione Granger and this is Ron Weasley; students aren't permitted on the Astronomy Tower outside of class. If you leave now, I won't take points from Slytherin." Ron had an objection to this statement but when he opened his mouth Hermione elbowed him in the ribs.

Harry felt like someone had punched him in the gut. "Why are you up here then?"

"We're prefects." They both gave him pointed looks and moved away from the staircase to allow him passage.

"Ah." Harry moved pass them, happy at least that Ron hadn't tried to trip him. Although, Harry was certain the only thing stopping the other boy was fear of his father's retribution. "I'll see you around then, Granger, Weasley."

With that he swept down the stairs, Ron's voice haunting him from the top, "Slytherins, Merlin, what do you suppose that was about?" He didn't hear Hermione's reply. He wasn't so sure he wanted to know.

"Escalus, wake up. Escalus," said a voice above his ear.

"'M commin', aunt Petunia." He said groggily, Ron's eyes beginning to fade from his dream.

"Wake up, Escalus," prodded the bemused voice.

Opening his eyes into a squint he looked up into Snape's black ones. "Yes, sir?"

"You were late for dinner, have you been sleeping since your talk with the Headmaster? Are you feeling well?" Something unreadable flickered in his black gaze.

"Yeah, I think so." Well, except for having fallen asleep on his transfiguration text.

"Hmm, come then, our meal is waiting." Snape took a step back, away from the bed and watched as Harry dragged himself up, that strange expression still on his face.

Glancing at the grandfather clock that stood alone in the corner of the main room Harry nearly tripped in shock. He'd been sleeping for five hours! Blinking his eyes rapidly he followed his professor into the dining room. The dining room was large enough to hold one table to seat eight people including one on each end, and a fire place to fire call the kitchen if necessary. Harry thought that Snape would always take the head of the table position but had been in for a surprise when not only did he not take that head seat but, instead, he seemed to favor the seat facing the entrance door and near the center of the table. Harry always tended to seat himself farthest away from the dark figure but tonight, after the dream, he wanted something else.

After Snape took his customary seat Harry pulled out the chair directly in front of him. Snape stared at him in surprise but didn't comment. The meal arrived and soon the only sound was silverware scraping across porcelain.

"Are you alright, Escalus?" Snape had finished his meal and was swirling something around in a wine glass. Harry noted his gaze was taking in everything, including the meager bits of food he'd been eating.

"I haven't been feeling very hungry."

Snape stood in one graceful motion, the liquid in his glass not so much as sloshing, and came around the table until he was standing next to the teen's chair. A long, pale hand sought out his forehead behind the fringe and settled there for a moment. Unexpectedly the sensation was cool and soothing, causing Harry to lean into the touch in relief. Snape's thin lips turned down at the corners and, not breaking contact with Harry's skin, he drew his thumb over his eyes which had fluttered closed. Harry felt his eyes being tugged open and complied, feeling tired all over again.

"Wait here," said Snape. If Harry hadn't felt so…off, he might've realized Snape was being, of all things, temperate. In a few moments he returned with two vials and pulled a chair out from beside him. "Drink this."

Harry obeyed and pursed his lips together at the nauseating taste. Through the haze of sickness he felt a hand grab his elbow and soft voice says, "Come with me."

The hand supported him as he stumbled across their living space and into his room. "Here, lie down. Easy," said Snape when it appeared Harry would knock his head against the back wall. Somewhere in the back of his mind Harry realized something, "You're being nice," he accused as if it was some heinous wrong.

Snape merely raised a brow, "Am I?" He sounded slightly offended, or confused. "Drink this now." He placed the cool, glass container into his palm and watched as he uncorked it and brought it to his lips.

"Thank you, professor," said Harry, falling back onto his pillow, clumsily pulling a blanket over his shoulders.

"It is my duty to ensure your well being, Escalus, no thanks are needed."

"Still," Harry insisted, letting his lead lined eyes fall closed and slumber over come him. If I can win over Ron and Hermione, this father son thing might work…

A/N: Thank you all for sticking around! And a happy 4th to all you in and of the U.S.A.

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