Disclaimer: This fanfiction is based on the Harry Potter universe created by
J.K. Rowling = Not mine
The plot is based on the Severitus- challenge therefore is not mine either.
Rating: PG13 mild language
Spoilers: All five books (SS/PS; CoS; PoA; GoF; OotP)
A/N:
Hi, everyone, thank you so very much for your wonderful reviews, Ifinally managed to finish second chapter. A really big thank you goes to all of you who gave me pointers where my grammar went wrong. Though sadly I have to admit I have not changed it yet. I will try to correct them sometime this week or at least before the next chapter will be posted. My apologize for not updating earlier though I have been rather lazy of late.
I hope you enjoy this chappy anyway!
Chapter 2: Happy Birthday and Who are you?
The Order of the Phoenix, headquarters
Grimmauld Place 12
4 pm; 31.th July
The doorbell rang at number twelve Grimmauld Place. Immediately the shrieks of Mme Black could be heard throughout the house, freezing everyone in place. "MUDBLOOD! BLOODTRAITOR! VERMIN! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" Her voice also penetrated the thick oak front doors, letting Eric wince in sympathy. Even so more than a year had passed since the order of the phoenix had chosen this house as its headquarters, the current residents of Number 12 still had not found a way to get rid of this nuisance of a magical portrait which spends her days behind old mouldy curtains until roused by any kind off loud noise. For a portrait, Mrs Black has a rather foul tongue. In addition, the volume of her voice in which her monologues are delivered could rival that of a Heavy Metal concert with ease. Cursing under his breath Remus Lupin was trying, to shut her up by closing the curtains ("WEREWOLF! HALFBREED! GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS AWAY FROM ME!"), and cursing under his breath the foolish order member who obviouosly had either forgotten to knock or found it to be immensely funny to use the bell instead.
Meanwhile Mrs Weasley was about to open the large oaken front door. Her two youngest children Ron and Ginny and their friends Luna, Hermione and Neville were attentively watching the proceedings in the Hall below from the first floor banister out of sight and extendable ears at the ready in the hope of maybe catching some snippets of "order business" or even Harry's whereabouts. Ginny and Ron were the only members of the Weasley clan now who haven't joined the order yet because of their age, even Fred and George Weasley, also referred to as "The Twins", have joined the order. Much to the displeasure of Mrs Weasley ("they are barely out of school, yet… they are still too young").Slowly Mrs Weasley opened the door expecting to see either Tonks or Mundungus and stopped in her tracks staring. In front of her stood a very tall boy, … goodness he must be even taller than Ron… he also was rather scrawny for his height, long straight black hair was falling over his shoulders sporting coppery red strands and wearing muggle cloths. Bright emerald green eyes…now where had she seen those eyes before? She wondered. They reminded her very much of Harrys which was rather ridiculous because the boys looked nothing like Harry. Even though her eyes wandered automatically to the boys forehead, but was stopped by a piece off cloth wrapped around his forehead. ...Silly it can't be Harry. He rather looks like Severus. The only similarities to Harry are the eyes and his underfed look... At this point, a small smile crept over the boys face as if the boy had read her mind and was rather amused by her thoughts. Another trade he shared with Severus Snape. The mind reading bit, not the smiling. Strange, she thought. A soft SQUWAK led her to notice the boy's odd travelling companion, a raven who sat sedately on his shoulder, eyes shimmering mischievously, bringing her out off her musings. "Yes? How can I help you?" she asked after finally catching her bearings, trying to sound as if it was commonplace that people would find there way to number twelve Grimmauld Place instead of being hidden under the Fidelius Charm with none other than Albus Dumbledore as its Secret Keeper. A highly complex charm, which hides a secret in the soul of an other. ONLY the Secret keeper can divulge said secret. Therefore, the only way for the boy to know the location of Grimmauld Place is that Albus had told him of the whereabouts of the headquarters of the order. Which didn't make any sense for the boy couldn't be older than sixteen, seventeen at the very most and therefore too young to be a new addition to the order.
Her musings were broken by a hesitant "Good afternoon Mrs Weasley. My name is Eric Emris Snape. May I come in? I need to contact Albus Dumbledore, it's rather urgent. He needs to know what happened this morning at number 4 Privet Drive. Surrey!" Eric's eyes didn't leave Mrs Weasley's expression. Her face went pale and her breath grew ragged. "It concerns the whereabouts of one Harry Potter" he finished. Speechless Ms Weasley beckoned him in, shutting the door behind the boy.
The hall Eric stepped in had changed quite a bit since last he had seen it, his heart clenched painfully when he thought of Sirius but masked his feelings quickly. The house now looked almost inhabitable if one discounted the portrait of Mme Black, mouldy old curtains covering her up again billowing slightly in an none existent draught, and several other portraits of Black ancestry staring down there noses at the new arrival, their faces set in several states of sneers. However gone was the derelict and disused feeling to the house, which had pervaded every room last year. Professor Lupin stood in front of Ms Blacks curtains, having just shut them. Having heard Harry's name his friends had slowly crept halfway down the stairs. That boy didn't look very dangerous, right? Although this was only the case if one dismissed the fact completely that the boy looked eerily like one Professor Snape. ("The greasy git has reproduced? Oh my god the world is going to end." "RON!") "So… how are you privy to the whereabouts to Harry Potter and why can I smell him on you? And why do you look like a Snape? I definitely know that the last of the Snape family has no relatives." came the rather hostile questions of Remus Lupin, stepping menacingly closer his eyes glowing amber a sure sign of agitation for the werewolf. "Now Remus don't frighten the poor boy…" Molly begun, but was interrupted by an irate Eric. 'This is to much', he thought…'how dare he, he does not know me! Only because I look like Snape he assumes the worst", not noticing that he once again broadcasted his thoughts to the room. "Guess!" he spat out. All his feelings of sorrow, anger and frustration of the last past weeks, all the pain and confusion he felt over the last twenty-four hours where rolled into this one word. "I don't know what,…" Remus tried to cut in very unnerved of having someone else's voice sound through his head. However, Eric was faster. With a deceptively calm gesture of his hand Eric slowly removed the bandanna from his forehead, revealing the trademark scar of Harry Potter; his eyes almost glowing like green embers now. Challengingly he stared directly in Remus Lupin's eyes. In a perceptibly calm voice, dripping with sarcasm not unlike a certain Potions master he continued drawing everyone's attention to him "How many people do you know who carry lightning shaped scars on there forehead. Think professor Lupin. Who is always getting in trouble because his elders think him such an idiot that he can't be trusted with any kind of information pertaining his past or future? Any idea Professor? Just for a reminder you taught him the Patronus charm in his third year." by now his anger was an almost physical manifestation; the air around him seemed to thicken and crackle slightly as if charged with electricity. Kara was nervously flapping her wings, "SQUWAK, calm down, will you, SQUWAK. You are scaring them." Taking slow calming breaths his anger receded slightly. His tension hasn't left him yet and his anger at the world and his adoptive father in particular was still there, simmering under the surface, waiting for a spark to unleash it on its hapless victims; though the white-hot all consuming rage of only seconds before was gone, leaving him exhausted. Looking around into the scared faces of Mrs Weasley, Remus Lupin and his friends, who had silently crept down the staircase to take a closer look at this strange boy who insinuated that he actually was Harry Potter, he felt decisively guilty now for yelling at them. None off his current predicments was their fault. Exhausted he apologized "I'm sorry, for yelling. It's not quite everyday business that you find out that the person you thought was your dad has actually stolen your father's wife away and basically only adopted you until your sixteenth birthday if certain requirements were not met. Than you find out that your real father is none other than your most hated teacher, Potions master, voted unanimously the biggest greasy git of all Hogwarts." His voice held a tinge of anger and bitterness again, which he quickly suppressed clearing his mind -it wouldn't do to allow Voldemort access to his brain again like last year because of his raging emotions. "So I freely admit being chased out of my relative's house by Fudge's toadies didn't help my temper much either today." He added, grimacing at the memory.
A shocked silence had fallen over the group when they finally realized whom they were actually talking to. No one moved, still to shocked. Before anyone could respond, Eric turned to Remus Lupin "By the way, my da…James left a letter in a special vault for you Professor Lupin. If it's anything like mine it will explain quite a few things." handing the letter to a still very pale Remus Lupin, who took the letter with trembling hands. Suddenly Eric was pulled in a bear hug from his Ex-Professor, Kara fleeing his shoulder and settling with an indignant "SQUWAK" on the banister. "I'm sorry for shouting too; I should have let you explain first. But I was so worried. I couldn't think to clearly and don't you dare to call me professor ever again. I haven't been your Professor for more than two years. The name's is Remus." …James what have you done my friend… Everything seems to happen to Harry…No! Eric Snape!… Someone out there must have good laugh indeed. Eric returned the hug fiercely, so he was shocked and overwhelmed when he heard Remus' thoughts. Damn that felt like prying and he wasn't even trying. Reluctantly he let go of Remus when he was again drawn into rib crushing hug, this time by a teary-eyed Molly Weasley. "We were so worried after that newspaper article in the daily prophet. When we read the ministry was declaring a manhunt. Instead on putting there resources to good use, hunting Death Eaters and uncover Voldemorts plans, they try to arrest you. The idiots!" Really, a nice, happy birthday for the poor boy, she thought sarcastically.
"Article? Oh, that explains the hostilities in Diagon Alley. It almost felt like they were more worried about ol' me than Voldemort. If the situation wasn't so grave I would almost feel like laughing." Nearly everyone in the hall flinched when Eric used the Dark Lords self-styled name with the exception of Remus and Hermione. Sighing defeated Eric asked, "Tell me what rot did they write this time?" If possible Mrs Weasleys hug became even more fierce as a worried expression crossed her face again. When he was finally released from Mrs Weasley, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville and Luna took the opportunity to give him a hug, before showing him silently the newspaper article. When he had read it, his face growing more sombre with every word, he barely could remain calm. The walls seemed to be closing in and his air supply seemed to grow scarce. "Breath Harry, don't let them get to you like that.", Hermione said. "Do you know that this Umbridge cow is still undersecretary to the minister?" "Figures. It's rather hypocritical of them though, don't you think. If Umbridge had actually managed to use the cruciatus-curse on us, I'm quite sure she could have made it work, sadist that she is." "What do you mean, Harry?", Hermione asked. "When I was foolish enough to try it on Lestrange, after what she had done to Sirius, I was feeling so angry and hurt, still do every time I let myself dwell on it. I wanted to make her feel the pain I was feeling inside. However, if you don't enjoy causing pain the curse does not work for you. Before you ask where I got that little titbit of information, it was Lestrange herself.", anger clouding his face again, "After I was foolish enough to curse Lestrange she taunted me, getting a good laugh out of it. Saying, that one must actually mean the Unforgivables, to make them work, in the case of the cruciatus you must enjoy the pain you are causing others.", he spat out.
"Let's retreat to the dining room, while I contact Albus and Severus, shall we?" Mrs Weasley cut in with a questioning look at Eric. Eric acquiesced and let himself be led to the large table in the Dining Room, where most order meetings were held, and sank unceremoniously down in one of the ornamental not so comfortable high backed chairs his friends and Remus following suit. Kara not wanting to let her new friend out of sight, had again settled on his shoulder. Mrs Weasley left to contact Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape. The fireplaces were all disconnected from the floonetwork for safety reasons. Deeming it also to be to unsafe to use their usual method of contact for this kind of information she would tell them in person, besides she needed a little time for herself to calm her racing mind down, which the walk up to Hogwarts castle would provide.
Eric sighed, his eyes downcast "I can understand if you don't want to be my friends anymore. First lead…" " Harry James Potter, or whatever you are called now, how dare you to even imply that just because the road gets a little bit rougher we will drop you like a too hot potato? Afraid not. Your stuck with us, live with it. Besides I can't remember you ever trying to persuade us to do something dangerous. If I remember correctly it was you who didn't want us to come along with you to the Ministry for example." An enraged Ginny ripped into him, doing a very good Molly Weasley imitation …stubborn, stubborn idiot…So the rest of the group wasn't far behind. "If this is because you used the cruciatus curse on that bitch,…You moron don't you think I would have done myself that night? If it wasn't for my broken wand and bloodied nose I as well might have tried. That bitch is the reason why my parents are insane in a closed ward at Saint Mungos." Neville pressed out, eyes flashing angrily which was rather out of character for the usual soft spoken and shy Gryffindor. Before the discussion could become any more heated, "Sooo,… how did you end up looking like Snape and why did you claim to be Eric Em something Snape. Even your nose looks rather …huge." Ron dropped in trying to get them all back on the problem at hand. Snickering slightly at Ron's not so diplomatic choice of words Harry replied "Long story, amounting to the fact that I'm not in fact James Potter's son but rather the son of Severus Snape. Before you ask my biological father was married to Lily Evans." At this point Remus Lupin was trying to cut in "But…" "Read the letter it will make everything clearer. I'm now practically forbidden to call myself Harry Potter. Therefore the new name, which is as far as I understand it what my mother and Snape wanted to name me all along –Eric Emrys Snape, at your service. I apologize again for my snarky behaviour previously, but I do no longer know what to expect from people I know. In the space of fifteen hours, my life has been turned completely upside down." Adding bitterly "Not that this would be a new thing." Remus Lupin was still clutching the letter of his other dead best friend not having opened it yet. "I will give you the complete explanation when Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape arrive. I…I would rather tell the whole story only once." An uncomfortable silence followed his words, checking his watch feeling bone-weary, Eric was surprised that it was still only late afternoon.
His birthday had been so far both physical and mentally draining. It's rather tiring to fly almost fifty miles on your own wings, especially if you do this for the very first time. Unfortunately, his sore arm muscles had followed him into his human state. "Mate, you look like hell, you know that?", came Ron's concerned voice, slowly overcoming his shock that his best friend was actually the son of their most hated teacher. Poor Harry…no Eric…bugger, he thought. "Well, you try to fly fifty miles on your own wings as a raven for the first time ever…Whoops." Too late, … Great he thought, lets see one,... two,... three,...f.. "FLYING! On your own wings! As a raven! How did you…you didn't! How could you be so bloody stupid!" Hermione started ranting, her face set in a mask off disapproval, while Eric looked like a deer caught in the headlights of a car.
"Actually, Mr. Potter, I'd like to add this one piece of information to my constantly growing list of questions I would like some awnswes from you." A silky, not very amused sounding voice cut in from behind Eric. No one had noticed Snape silently entering the room. "I also would like to know why I suddenly happen to have son; and Harry Potter nonetheless if I'm not totally mistaken." Eric gulped uneasily and slowly turned toward his prof...No, father he reminded himself, feeling as if falling into a bottomless pit; again. Everything he ever assumed to know about himself, not that it was much to begin with, has been ripped from him. Now he also lost his identity. Meeting the black glaring eyes of his newfound father with a defiant stare of his own a malicious glint forming in his eyes, not unlike his dear fathers, he slowly, deliberately brought out his new birth certificate and handed it over to him.
"I suggest you have a look at this first, before I hand over James letter to you, and I assure you it's not a joke however much you might wish it would be." Sneering Snape ripped the piece of paper out of Eric's hands. Everyone else on the table was watching the brewing tension between these two headstrong personalities with tense anticipation. While Snape studied the birth certificate, his complexion turned from very pale to a bluish white tint normally associated with death, his usually tight control of his emotions began to slip. "Do you like to know now what my dear adoptive father has to say about all of this?" Eric asked provocatively waving a letter in front of his fathers overlarge nose. "Come on…father…don't you want to know how your childhood nemesis has managed to pull one over you, once again? Just read that letter. I will leave you to it, now." He ended, "Enjoy!", he added sarcastically, Merlin it was getting harder and harder to breathe.
Not being able to stand the charged atmosphere in the room any longer he transformed, oh the freedom of flying, and swooped out of the dining room through the open door Kara following in his wake, leaving an again very stunned looking Potions Master and slightly less stunned friends behind. His friends, even though most off them were Gryffindor's, got the impression a quick exit was rather prudent, leaving their Professor and Remus Lupin behind. "He just transformed into a bloody raven." Snape exclaimed his mind still spinning, having trouble to digest the new information of not only suddenly being a father to a sixteen-year-old boy but also said sixteen-year-old being an animagus and Harry bloody Potter on top of it.
Reminiscing today's events Professor Snape wasn't to pleased. First, the ministry decides to file charges against the Potter brat; who would have thought perfect Potter would use an illegal curse, even if it was only on Lestrange. That boy finally must have lost what little brain he had to begin with. Now there was a manhunt going on, Fudge, the order…oh yeah…and let's not forget the Dark Lord himself. If this had been his sole problem, he would have been quite happy. Well content would probably be a more accurate description, he was after all never happy, not after Lily...no don't dwell on that one. The memory was too painful. James Potter had stolen her away.
Although what did threw him of course was what had transpired in Diagon Alley. Anything that had happened up until now was merely inconvenient. Everything was business as usual if one discounted the dark murmurs and suspicious looks one got from the locals as he walked down Diagon Alley. Everything went as planned until he had already visited the seedier parts of Knockturn Alley, looking for some rather rare and barely legal potions ingredients and listening to the gossip that was right now running wild. As he made his way back to the "Leaky Cauldron", he ran into a teenager or rather the teenager wasn't heeding his way, after all Snape's always knew where they were going so it stands to reason that it was solely the teens fault. Idiot should look where he was going. A scathing remark already on his lips, it died immediately when he caught the teen's narrowed gaze, the face set in an eerily familiar sneer. Dear god the boy looked like a mixture between Lily and a Snape. Although, what really threw him was the bitterly uttered remark of father, leaving Severus standing their mouth hanging open like a fool. His mind on overdrive now (how could that boy call him father)…how dare he have Lily's eyes…Harry Potter's eyes come to think of that. The expression they held, was what intrigued him the most though; they were old eyes, belonging to a much older person, showing pain, betrayal, hurt and …loss. The eye contact didn't last more than the blink of an eye even though he could almost feel the turmoil behind those eyes, almost the key word here. Anything else was suppressed skilfully by a nearly unbreakable shield of Occlumency. However brief their eye contact, he was able to assess the shield protecting the boys mind. He doubted that even Voldemort or Dumbledore might be able to worm their way through. Why does a teen need to hide his thoughts behind a shield of Occlumency …besides Potter that is and why does every thought revolve around Harry Potter now? Before he could recover his wits however, the boy had vanished in the crowd already, leaving Severus behind in a state off shock. Imagine that Severus Snape most feared Professor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, standing in the middle of Diagon Alley staring, mouth hanging open after a tall teenage boy with ridiculous coppery strands in his hair and a raven sitting on his shoulder. Not to mention the pair of green eyes he couldn't forget and the ridiculous cloths he was wearing, Muggle origin for sure. Must have been a sight for everyone who new him. His thoughts kept always returning to the boys eyes. Eyes so much like his Lily's. When he finally resumed his walk towards the "Leaky Cauldron", covering his inner turmoil with his usual mask, his thoughts circled around Lily Evans, the woman who he had loved more than his life, the woman he had married, the woman who had turned away from him suddenly, painfully unexpected and married James Potter. Telling him with empty eyes that she didn't want to stay married to a Death Eater. Bearing James Potter a son, a son that should have been his. Something seemed to be off with this whole story, so. Seeing that boy in Diagon Alley, had left a rather uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. The boy had looked like a perfect mixture between himself and Lily. The only problem with this thread of thought was that Lily Potter-Snape bore only one child, who went by the name of Harry Potter aka the boy-who-lived. Reaching the "Leaky Cauldron" he ordered some Firewhiskey and sat down on a table in the shadows. He hated to be seen, to be acknowledged, he was a spy after all and a good one at that. Sipping on his drink he pondered this new problem, when the objective of his thoughts entered the pub from Diagon Alley and leaving very quickly through the front door leading to Muggle London. Watching the boy leave, he was just about to follow him and satisfy his curiosity, when a heavy hand landed on his shoulder; slowly turning around he looked in the brutish face of Goyle senior, one of the few Death Eaters who still ran free. What does the moron want, now? Hopefully, he wouldn't start spouting anything compromising around; being only slightly smarter than his son, which was nothing to boast about, this was always a possibility. "Severus, my friend how are you?" he asked jovially. Cursing silently Snape let his trademark glare melt to a slightly more amicable expression, grumbling something in response open for interpretation and silently resigning himself to the inevitable, he settled back in his chair. Goyle sat down opposite him. "Ah Severus, may I treat you to some Firewhiskey?", A bottle of "Odgen's Old Firewhiskey" appeared on the table and before waiting for Severus response he filled two glasses generously. "Thanks," Severus replied and with a slightly forced sounding "cheers" took a sip. Fearing where this conversation would lead. Taking an educated guess it would be most likely Goyle juniors' abysmal potion marks in his OWL exam, today's news namely Harry Potter or if he was really lucky both. Sure enough, when Goyle senior had poured himself a glass of Firewhiskey and emptying half of it with a mighty swallow he immediately got started on his son's grades. "Imagine, a T in his potions OWL. A T. The examiners must have been blind and prejudiced. Probably some mudblood…" After the first sentence Snape tuned him out, nodding and grunting at the appropriate places. "…Always exceptional…" There is nothing as tiring as a delusional parent. A pity that as spy he had to humour the less intelligent of his Death Eater brethren. He simply couldn't risk to alienate them or maybe pass the chance to catch some unwittingly dropped valuable piece off information. Taking the occasional sip from his Firewhiskey he let his attention wander; trying to find some excuse to leave, until…"Have you heard about Potter?" Severus attention returned completely to their conversation now. "What about the brat? He gives me enough off a headache in school, no need to remind me off his existence in those two blessed Potter-free months." He replied menacingly his face set in his usual sneer.
"No need to get all defensive on me. If the rumours are true you never need to put up with the brat again. Haven't you heard he had the gall to cast the "Cruciatus curse" on Lestrange. Even though it was very weak. The ministry is on his case now. He won't last long; even if his wand signature can't be detected anymore." Snape's ears perked further up at this…interesting…he thought quiet interesting. "What do you mean by his wand signature can't be detected any more?" he asked. In a conspiratorly would-be whisper Goyle answered, "I have it on good authority that he simply vanished from the registry at the ministry, you know the one which keeps records about your magical aura. They can't detect his wand signature anywhere in Britain either. Mafalda, an old friend of mine," at this point Goyles expression turned decisively lecherous much to Severus disgust, "told me that both his signature and aura vanished from the records around midnight. Seemed as if this has only been detected after Fudge had returned to the ministry this morning after visiting Potter. They haven't released that bit of information yet. Lest the public will think that the minister is more moronic than ever. He was furious about it. It also seemed that our boy- who-lived was rather accident-prone this summer. As in accidental magic. Probably mopping about his dead godfather." laughing sinisterly at this, mirrored half-heartedly by Severus.Unfazed by Snapes lack of reaction Goyle plunged on "Mafalda's department, she is the head of the Department for improper use of magic if you must know, told me also there were rather often spikes of magical energies being detected around his house. Sadly nothing that would warrant an expulsion not that it matters now. Now the boy wonder can look forward to either getting killed by the Dark Lord or being thrown into Azkaban." They continued in this fashion for some time until Severus was thoroughly fed up and made his excuses. "I'm sorry Goyle I have to go now, some potion to brew, if you know what I mean." He said in a confidential tone, letting his gaze flicker quickly to Goyle's left arm where the Dark Mark was hidden his face an expressionless mask. He made his way quickly to the door while Goyle gave him a knowing glance and apparated away. Before Severus left the pub however he put an advanced notice me not charm on himself, which let those muggle passer-bys see what they expected from a fellow passer-by, any abnormalities in dress code would be missed sparing him the indignity to transfigure his robes into muggle cloths.He wasn't in a state of mind to try appariton any time soon and hopefully the forty minutes walk through muggle London to Grimmauld Place would clear his mind. Interesting piece of information Goyle had provided, though. The words Midnight…magical aura…vanished…kept spinning in his mind. Snape's blood had run cold at theses words. His mind constantly kept returning to the unsettling encounter with that boy he saw in Diagon Alley. It felt as if he had the essential pieces of this puzzle in his hands but wasn't able to put them together in a way that made sense. The answer finally hit him like a herd of rampaging Hippogriffs. It all pointed to one logical conclusion. James Potter never had a biological son. Potter had not only stolen his wife but his then unborn son too. Lily must have been pregnant when she got divorced from him and after barely a month time married James Potter. The short period between their divorce and the wedding in itself had seemed suspicious and when the brat was born barely seven months later he was convinced that his wife must have cheated on him all along. His blood run cold with rage and despair when the implications of events past hit him. That boy he met in Diagon Alley really was his but he also was Harry James Potter, the-boy-who lived to annoy him. A constant reminder of his fathers' juvenile crimes.
To change his son in to an almost look alike of James Potter his arch nemesis must have put the Adoptive potion combined with the adoptive spell to good use Potter wouldn't stoop as low as the Dark Arts. But why did Lily go along with all of this. How did Potter influence her mind? Questions he couldn't find answers to. Not now anyway. He hoped Pot.. his s…damn; the boy did make his way to Grimmauld Place alright. At least this was the only place with exception of possibly Hogwarts and the burrow the boy might turn to. Anyway he could still contact Albus from there, if the boy wouldn't show up. So he rather would like to have chat with the boy before he contacted the headmaster.The headmaster of Hogwarts would probably know anyway because of the boys changed magical aura, which would cause the name of Harry James Potter to vanish from the school roster and his son's new name to appear.
So let him wonder a little bit longer why there wasn't any Potter brat on the roster. He probably would come to the same conclusion as Snape himself in the blink of an eye. Too soon he had reached Grimmauld Place. Before he had a chance to knock, the oaken front door opened and he looked into the face of a very distressed Molly. "Oh, Severus thank Merlin you're here. Come in quick. I was about to inform you and the headmaster about a recent discovery concerning …well… I don't know how to put it…" Molly babbled giving him a furtive look unsure of how he might react to the news she was about to break "My son!" He finished for her rendering her speechless. "Where can I find him?" stuttering, giving a rather good Quirell imitation she answered "Ddd..Dininnggg RRRoomm." Without any comment to unhinge Moll further he swept passed her and walked into the dining room. He entered just when his son was being dressed down by his know-it-all friend Hermione Granger for being a reckless idiot to try the animagus transformation.
Fool girl what was she thinking giving the boy a book about something as dangerous as animagus transformation. As if the boy couldn't find trouble on his own without needing any external help and how did the boy manage this anyway without the ministry swooping in for the use of underage magic. Feeling his temper rise he begun one of his usual scathing remarks, old habits die hard, only to be rudely cut off by the calm voice of his son brandishing a piece of paper in front of his nose. The boy really should learn some manners, so impulsive. Humouring him anyway, he took the piece of paper out of the boy's hand. It was a birth certificate or rather a statement of adoption. This erased the tiniest bit of doubt he still might have harboured. Harry Potter was his son. The boy he had heaped every insult he could think off over the space of the last five years. Insults he would have liked to bestow upon James Potter. His hatred of Potter senior was rising its ugly head once again. He barely registered his sons' next words, handing him a letter. He only understood that this letter was from his dead nemesis James Potter. He just grabbed the letter with his customary scowl again firmly on his face, as his son transformed into a raven and fled the room. His friends had taken this as their cue to leave too, only Lupin remained in the room. Without further ado he was now ripping the envelope open retrieving the letter and unfolding it slowly; he began to read his anger rising with every word.
Greetings Snivellus,
If you are reading this letter I am dead and so is my wife. Yes Snivellus my wife! What pleasure one can derive from these two simple words. It has been rather easy to let Lily believe that this would be the best action to take. Admittedly I helped it slightly on the way with the confoundus potion slipped in her drink. It took some repetition but in the end, she agreed to get divorced from you and marry me instead. You were a spy after all attending those Death Eater meetings of yours, licking that monsters boots. I hope you realize that I actually did you a favour, after-all you couldn't be wed to a "mudblood" isn't that what your lot likes to call muggleborns? Sure they are rather backwards but with the right guidance exceptionally useful. What would have your Death Eater brethren thought of you when the information of you being married to a muggleborn witch had come out? Wouldn't they have killed both of you on the spot had they known? I only had Lily's best interest at heart. With all your acquaintances you wouldn't be able to keep her safe. You as a Slytherin should have known this. Your small private ceremony, your secret marriage, it wouldn't have done a difference in the end. It wouldn't have helped in the least if you had dropped out. You would have been branded a traitor in no time and Lily would have been killed for your trouble. There wouldn't have been a place save enough to hide. I took it upon myself to keep her safe, like I should have done from the beginning. How she ever could fall in love with you is beyond me. It all could have worked out so nicely, if it wasn't for one tiny thing. She was pregnant; with your child. I didn't know, you understand, until one month after we were officially married. I was seething inwardly though I acted the loving and doting father-to-be in her company. Now that I was married to the love of my life you still had managed to keep one step ahead off me. No amount of confoundus potion could make her abort. Than the perfect idea struck me; I would adopt the child using both the adoption spell and potion to override any of your genes. As you know the adoption potion has to be administered again on the child's seventh's birthday or both spell and the potion will be broken once the child turns sixteen even though some hereditary family magic might remain permanently. If not, the person it has been administered to will change back on their sixteenth birthday to their true heritage. Now that you're are holding this letter in your hands and reading it, means that I was unable to administer the second essential dose of the adoption potion to my "son". With this I give him back to you; I don't want him to sully the name of Potter with his Snape genes. You ask why perfect Gryffindor James Potter confessed to his "darkest deed"? For one I do not see it in the remotest as dark or dare I say evil. I only wanted to keep the love of my life safe. This was the only way to do so. For some reason I don't think I will see my sons second birthday, much less his seventh. If this happens, I will cut all the ties to him once he turns sixteen. He won't ever be known by the name of Harry Potter. He is not allowed to use it once he turns sixteen. He will be known to the world by the name of Eric Emrys Snape. Why I am writing this? Perhaps because I have to make my peace before I kick the bucket. You don't believe in premonition, do you? No, you wouldn't, you and Lily were both to logical for that. I like you to know that it wasn't wholly out of spite, when I took Lily from you. I honestly thought it was the only way to keep her safe. However, instead off vanishing, the sense of dread intensified therefore leading me to put everything down in this letter. I thought it would work all out in the end, but than the bloody prophecy was made. At that moment, when Albus told us, I could feel that Lily and I were not going to make it through this war. So I decided to write some letters to your son, Albus, Remus and yourself sending your son the means to get them once he turns sixteen. He will receive a delayed delivery containing a Gringotts key, were these letters and some other things will be stored. I wish this would have played out differently, I wish your son were really mine.
With this said,
Yours truly,
James Harrison Potter (Prongs)
PS: Eric will probably retain some magical gifts from my family branch anyway, like being able to easily become an animagus. I wouldn't be surprised if he retained some of my damned premonition gift also.
With shaking hands Severus Snape put his letter down. His emotion running wild; pain, anger, sorrow and deep regret remembering all the times he had belittled his son. Covering his face with his hands, letting out a deep sigh he slowly looked up in the equally shocked face of Remus Lupin. "James, what have you done?" he could here the other man's anguished whisper. Sneering, a disgusted potions master made to leave the room in search for his newly found …son. Why does it have to be the late Harry James Potter? The person he had despised for the last five years and he was sure these feelings were returned with a passion. Eric Emrys Snape was the name he and Lily had always wanted to name a boy. What should he do? He knew what Albus would expect from him, taking the boy in; to be a father. His thoughts drifted back to their earlier encounters, an almost proud smile begun to play around his lips. The boy has kept his opponent off balance, without once loosing a tight grip over his own emotions, which were probably running wild in the boys head right then. Even so the boy didn't seem to have lost his recklessness. Turning into an animagus; a raven and flying to London nonetheless. Reaching the hallway he could hear voices coming from the first floor. Standing in the hallway undecided he allowed the more rational parts of his brain to take control again, before he slowly ascended the stairs, following the voices. He was resolved to keep his cool over the pending conversation with his son even so he would likely be tempted to rave and rant in the space of mere seconds, considering their past history. Slowly he opened the door to the library and entered silently. The teens have not yet taken notice off him while discussing their OWL results animatedly. His son's statement made him stop in shock "13 OWL's. I still can't believe it how I actually managed to pull that one off; not to mention an O in potions. It surely ranks up with my O in Divination." Closing the door with a resounding bang, Snape cut in "How you pulled off the O in potions I have a hard time to believe. As for your Divination score your Adoptive father might be at fault for that. At least that's what he mentioned in his letter amongst other things." With these words an uncomfortable silence fell upon the room.
Back in the Hallway Eric transformed back. This went well, at least he didn't have the ungrateful task to explain to Sn…his father why exactly he had now acquired a son. A son who is chased by the ministry. A son Snape had hated with a passion because off his supposed father James Potter, for the past five years and propably still does. When seeing the piercing gaze off "daddy dearest" he had simply panicked.
Before he had any time to get lost in his own thought, his friends entered the hallway. "Great show Har…Err..Eric. I never seen the old bat that much out of sorts before." ,exclaimed Ron. which caused Eric to smile half-heartedly. "Ron! You insensitive brat. Don't you think Eric has got enough to deal with at the moment, without you rubbing it in further?" Hermione chimed in underlining her words with a sharp slap to Ron's arm. "Ouch, what did you do that for, Hermione?" In answer she simply rolled her eyes considering any other response to be beneath her. It wouldn't have done any good anyway. However much she loved her boyfriend he could be pretty thick at times. Smirking, Eric asked "You two if you aren't bickering you certainly aren't happy. When are you actually going to admit your feelings to each other?" At this both his best friends blushed furiously, "Well…Harry you see…Wevebeentogetherforthelasttwoweeks." Came the slightly breathless reply from Hermione. Eric suppressed a snicker "Come again? I didn't quite catch that." He asked rather sardonically. "I said…" before Hermione could finish her sentence in a more sedate pace, an amused Ginny piped up "They've been together for two weeks now. Really, I mean it's great that they only bicker now half as much as previously. Also this is probably because they constantly are sneaking off for a snog. Honestly you don't see Neville and I hanging on each others lips…Oops." "Ginny!" Eric exclaimed, "too much information for my poor brain today. So I must say that you and Neville … now comes as a slight surprise." A highly amused but genuine grin was now lighting his face while watching both newly formed couples squirm in-front of him. Idly he wondered when he had smiled last. Oh man he couldn't remember when he had smiled in the past year. The first smile since…definitely before the ministry incident…before Sirius... . What would Sirius think of all this mess? His mind turned bleak again. His suppressed feeling of sorrow and guilt about the events in June were surfacing with a vengeance, today's events and his exhaustion were certainly no help in dealing with his sorrow right now. His eyes were burning with unshed tears now. This time it was Luna who for all her strange sometimes mad seeming ways, was the most perceptive of his friends and simply hugged him "Let it out. Grieve. It's not healthy to bottle it all up inside. It will break you in the end. I've seen it happen." For minute, hours, days he stood there in the hallway being held by Luna Lovegood and let his tears come.
"Come on, let's retreat to the Drawing Room; no one will disturb us there anytime soon." Neville suggested. Kara had again settled on Harry's shoulder now that there wasn't any immediate danger of getting crushed by accident, cawing softly soothingly. Shortly afterwards they reached the old Black Drawing Room. With a Happy Birthday on their lips his friends pushed Eric in the Drawing Room first. His senses immediately being assaulted by bright lights and discordant noises; which after a few seconds of listening could be recognized as a "Happy Birthday to you!" With the rather odd refrain off "…his eyes are as green as freshly pickled toads…" thrown in. With lots of imagination that is. The bright lights were caused by a variation of Weasleys' Wildfire Whizbangs, shaping the words "Happy Birthday dear Harry" in fiery letters in the air, without as much as singeing the sparse but now tasteful furniture. Catherine wheels, fiery dragons, winged pigs and others where fizzing through the air loudly.
Eric smiled in wonder when suddenly an unwelcome realization hit him. He would never again go by this name again ever. His adoptive father James Potter had made that very clear in his last letter to him. The letter, which let the shining picture he always had of James as a loving father erode completely. Tomorrow he would assume his new live and cut most ties to his old one. However for today he would enjoy his first ever birthday party. When he tried to speak, he found his throat had gone dry unable to say anything, it took him a few tries before he finally managed to croak out "Thank you guys. This means the world to me." Instantly, again his friends wrapped him in hugs. "You're welcome Harry." Hermione whispered; frowning slightly when a bitter sweet smile crossed her friends face for a second so fast that she thought she had imagined it. They led him to the once derelict writing desk; now a huge birthday cake sitting in the middle of it -The icing read Happy 16th birthday Harry surrounded by multicoloured parcels. By now, he could see a sliver of humour in a twisted sort of way. Figures he thought, The first time that Harry Potter gets his very own birthday party, he can't even claim this name anymore. The Drawing Room had changed very much from last year were once were mouldy, Doxy infested curtains covering dirty windows, now hung red curtains with gold trim. The warm honey coloured parquet was partly covered with a large luxurious oriental carpet. Slowly he moved to the table afraid it might vanish, just now taking in the many wrapped parcels. The fireworks of the Weasley twins had by now died down. Hermione's present, the step-by-step guide of becoming an animagus, he already had put to good use over the last two weeks. Was it only yesterday that he actually had managed the animagus transformation? Luna got him a small beautiful silver pendant on an equal fine silver chain, a raven in flight with Ravenclaw sapphire blue eyes carrying a book in its talons; how appropriate in more ways than one, he thought smiling happily. "It has protection charms on it. These charms are similar to those of a sneakoskop. So instead of making noise it will warm to your skin if anyone untrustworthy near you. The range is however limited to a five meter radius." she explained and for once, her voice was not misty, for a second or two her eyes seemed to bore into his with an uncomfortable intensity and something else Eric couldn't quite define. Before it could register, her usual misty behaviour was back. "Thank you" he said reverently inspecting the chain and its pendant. Before he donned it he noticed that the chain seemed to be made off one single piece of silver instead of links.
Ron and Ginny presented him with the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes Spy Set Extra containing candies to change ones hair colour, taint, features for a period of about five minutes and a large box of chocolate frogs. Neville had gotten him a book called "A comprehensive guide of which herb to use in your potion" by Fun Gus which made him wryly. "How did you know that I'm going to take the Advanced Potions this year? My potion grades last year weren't so great after all also I've done a lot better in my OWL exam oddly enough. 13 OWL's as a whole. I still can't believe it how I actually managed to pull that one off; not to mention an O in potions. It surely ranks up with my O in Divination." The door was closed with a resounding bang. Eric whirled around and for the third time this day he came face to face with Snape "How you pulled off the O in potions I have a hard time to digest. As to your Divination score your Adoptive father might be at fault for that. By the way we haven't been properly introduced yet. My name is Severus Salazar Snape. And you might be?" With these word's Snape stuck out his hand his eyes dancing with emotion; sorrow, suppressed pain and regret but if one would look closer one would also detect...Was that hope? Eric was surprised. Did Snape just make a peace offering? For surely if the man wanted to keep their relationship as before he wouldn't have offered an introduction. Did he, Eric, want his snarky git of a potions master for a father? He hesitated, one father had already "disowned" him in every way possible even so he never had the chance to get to know him; thinking back to the letters he had found in his new Gringotts vault cold rage and despair again flooded him. Did he really want to be vulnerable for this kind of rejection again? The man in front of him had spent the last five years to make his live miserable in school. Sure, it was mostly because he, Eric, looked and supposedly acted too much like James for Snape's comfort. To hell with it, James had fucked both there lives up and he knew he would berate himself afterwards if he didn't at least try to get to know his real father better. Afterall, his mother Lily had once been in love with this man. There must be something good in Snape deep down. Slowly, watching the eerily open expression of his father and a small smile playing around his lips, he reached for the outstretch hand. "Eric Emrys Snape, Sir. Pleasure to meet you." At this point Hermione, Ginny, Ron and Neville were doing quite good imitations of goldfishes. Luna, on the other hand, didn't seem that fazed by the strange behaviour of Eric and Snape. Watching them closely, she asked in her most misty voice "Soo…does someone like a piece of cake?" Every one turned their gazes to her, coming out of their daze everyone jumped gratefully to this distraction, namely birthday cake. Even their potion master ended up with a plate of cake. This is how a bemused Molly Weasley found them five minutes later. Immediately the forced cheerfulness vanished. There still was some business left to discuss.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry
Headmaster's office
5:00 pm
Headmaster Albus Dumbledore sat behind his writing desk in his office in Hogwarts, his eyes void of their usual twinkle. The portraits of his predecessors were slumbering in their respective frames. At least they gave that expression filling the office with more or less loud and false snoring, the loudest of one Phineas Nigellus. It wouldn't need someone exceptionally gifted with observation skill to see the quick glances darting quickly to the headmaster who was studying a Hogwarts letter in front of him. It was addressed to
Eric Emrys Snape
12 Grimmauld Place
London
Where was that boy coming from? Why and how could he stay at Grimmauld Place? He hadn't told the boy how to find it Grimmauld place. He had never heard of him before so how was this Eric Emrys Snape privy to a house that he himself had put under the Fidelius Charm? What was the boy's relationship to Professor Snape? The surname couldn't be coincidental. He knew for certain that Severus Snape had absolutely no blood relative left with the right to name him or herself a Snape long before the first war against Voldemort had ended. While studying the register, containing the name, age, and for the second class and up the house of every single magical offspring currently attending or starting to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry he had also noticed the boys age. Sixteen years. Coincidence?
Now there was a more urgent problem to think about; that of one gone missing boy who lived branded as a criminal by the ministry. Fools, something has to be done about Fudge and his, for lack of a better word, lackeys and soon. The man was a liability. Even after he had finally acknowledged the return of Voldemort. Actually he was acting even worse than a year before, painting a sixteen year old boy as the future Dark Lord. Umbridge was reinstated as Undersecretary again. The only good news today had been that Harry wasn't apprehended by the ministry…yet. There was still some hope left that the order would find him before either Voldemort or the ministry did.
Dumbledore's thoughts were rudely interrupted when Minerva McGonagall and a flustered looking Molly Weasley in tow entered. "Albus, we know Harry Potters whereabouts." She informed him. "Grimmauld Place? Molly has by chance an Eric Emrys Snape arrived there also?" he asked calmly. Molly paled considerably. How did the Headmaster know about Eric, responding slightly hysterical, "What do you mean by also. Those two are one and the same person, Albus. As to the how, he would only explain while you and Severus are present. We have to hurry so. Just when I was about to leave Severus arrived. I only hope Harry and Severus haven't killed each other yet."
"Well that would at least solve two of today's mysteries; the disappearance of one Harry James Potter from the Hogwarts register and the Hogwarts letter to the previously unknown Eric Emrys Snape. These are rather interesting developments don't you agree?" The customary twinkle had returned to his eyes with a vengeance.
Minerva spluttered, "Interesting? Those two will surely kill each other within the hour. Potter and Severus absolutely do not mix." Her face scrunched up in horror as she imagined in just what state they would find them. "I don't think this will happen at the moment, Minerva. So when the first shock wears off is a different matter. However, you're right. Better to check on the two off them now." With these words headmaster Dumbledore pocketed Eric's letter and turned a small ivory figurine, depicting a dragon into a portkey and with the words "Please hold on…" he held it out for Minerva and Molly. In the blink of an eye the office was empty.
After reappearing in the hallway of Grimauldplace, Ms Weasley led them to the dining room were she had left Eric, his friends, Remus and Severus. Only a distraught Remus was sitting at the table staring off in space clutching a crumpled letter. "Has something happened, Remus? Where is everybody?" Molly asked apprehensively. She had to repeat her questions several times, before Remus finally snapped out of his stupor. "What? Oh, Eric and his friends are probably in the drawing room upstairs right now. I don't know where Snape is though, he wasn't taking the news well either. Not that I can blame him. James really did a number on him this time."
"Molly, would you please summon the children? We have much to discuss." Nodding tiredly and with a heavy sigh Molly left the room, not for the first time this day pitying her youngest sons best friend she has come to love almost like one of her own children. If Severus gives the boy a hard time then… not finishing her thought she imagined various kind of muggle and wizard torture she would inflict on him. Still absorbed in her thoughts she opened the door to the drawing room….and …stared ….totally
flabbergasted at the scene enfolding before her. Her children, Eric and their friends were eating Har… Eric's birthday cake. However, this wasn't what had rooted her to the spot. In their midst stood none other than Severus Snape calmly conversing with Eric. Snape taking note of the new arrival faced her with an amused smirk playing around his lips … nice to see I'm not the only person who is completely overridden with this situation…and addressing her with an rather sardonic "Good afternoon Molly, this cake is absolutely delicious. As I understand you have prepared it yourself. My compliments." Catching her bearings with difficulty "Thank you Severus but I have to decline, Headmaster Dumbledore would like to see all of you." She replied a shaky smile plastered on her face. With the barest hint of a nod in acknowledgement the smirk slipped off his face as he left the room with the rest of it's occupants following in his wake,,, wonder what the old fool has planned now. He didn't notice the scrutinising look that Eric was giving him as they were led back to the dining room.