Outside the Potion's Classroom

Disclaimed over and over again. Like a record, baby.

Chapter Two

When he awoke, after being out for several minutes, he found himself staring into the agape expression of Minerva McGonagall. "Did you hear what I heard?" he asked her.

She nodded, her pursed lip look returning to her stern features. "Try to regain your composure Severus, please," she hissed. As she helped him rise he found himself surrounded by owl-eyed students and a perplexed looking Hagrid. Dumbledore was staring at him from his perch by the Sorting Hat and stool, where his eyes were still shining brightly even though the room was dim. Beside him stood the same dark-haired, pale-complexioned boy, staring at him with an especially startled look upon his pallid face. The same boy that was the source of his consternation.

Something had to be amiss in the universe.

Embarrassment flooded through him as he weight of realization hit him. He had just fainted in front of a flock of first years! He had to act quickly before his reputation was tarnished and he would spend the next seven years as the professor who passed out. Oh the speculation of children…

"It appears I am unwell." The words dripped off his sharply wielded tongue in a tone laced with venom. "Seeing as gawking like dunderheads is hardly beneficial to my…state…I advice you all to return to what you were doing as you can obviously be of no help. Professor Dumbledore," he said, managing to focus on the one he knew would have answers. "Perhaps you could assist me?"

Dumbledore smiled softly. "Certainly Professor Snape. Retire to my office and I shall join you once the Sorting had concluded. Professor McGonagall, would you be so kind as to assist Professor Snape to my office, just in case?"

"Come, Professor," Minerva grabbed his arm and lead him back up the stairs. He shrugged her off the moment they were out of student's view and earshot.

"Lay off, woman!" he hissed, smoothing out the creases she caused in his black robes.

"Honestly, Severus. You do have a flare for the dramatic. Indeed it is a shock to discover–"

"No!" Severus insisted. "You do not understand. Go back to your cubs, Minerva. I need a moment to think without the incessant nagging of your voice in my head!"

She raised an eyebrow and turned abruptly, leaving him in a huff. Just as well, he would end up having to deal with her later anyway – Minerva never knew when to mind her own business. It never helped that Albus would tell her everything anyway, so maybe she felt she had a right to interfere.

He was pacing when Dumbledore finally entered his office. Severus wasted no time rushing up to the man with an entourage of questions.

"What is going on here? Who was that boy? Why does he have my name? How could someone with my name be in Hufflepuff?"

Dumbledore, in all his gentle wisdom, raised a slender, wrinkled hand to silence the much younger wizard. "Please sit down, Severus, and have a lemon drop."

"Fuck you and your lemon drops, you old geezer!" He cursed his employer. "Don't tell me to calm down when not only is there an first year with my name but I fucking fainted in front of him and the rest of the students! How am I going to live this down!" He threw himself into the overstuffed leather chair by the hearth and threw his face into his hands. "Is it to early to start drinking?"

Obviously ignoring his subordinate's vulgarity, Dumbledore smiled gently and rested the wrinkled hand upon the edge of the seat. "I shall explain to the best of my ability, Severus, but you must calm yourself and please try to keep an open mind."

"So you basically know everything but will reveal nothing. Say no more – I don't wish to hear any riddles or cryptic languages. Spit it out!" Severus jumped up from the seat with such vigor that had Dumbledore's hand not been resting on the back, it would have flipped over.

"You did hear correctly. Hadrian Snape is the boy's name, and he is in Hufflepuff."

"How is it that he has come to possess my name? I am the last Snape in over seven generations. Snape men only ever father one son then go sterile – it has been the fate of our house since before Hogwarts. So what conniving witch decided to steal my name and give it to her offspring? Tell me her name so I can hex her lying tongue back into her skull," he raised his eyes to the ceiling, as if promising the gods.

"His mother is Hermione Granger."

Severus's face paled, more so as the synapses in his mind began to connect the information. Granger. Hadrian. First-year. Eleven years old. Twelve years ago. Suddenly the pieces became a very clear puzzle.

"Shit."

"Quite." Dumbledore handed him a cup of tea. He must have summoned the house-elves.

"What does she want?" Severus's eyes immediately narrowed.

"Nothing, actually. She gave her son the name of his father after he asked who you were at age five, I believe. A very bright young man, much like you were at his age, and like his mother as well. It is obvious that intelligence runs in the family. "

Severus sat down again and set down the tea. His hands were trembling – he fisted them to hide it. "Why…did she not tell me this?"

"I sure she didn't want you to feel obligated – she is a very determined, very stubborn woman. But have no fear; the boy was very well raised. He had a very good home and lots of love and nurturing. He has a mother who loves him very much and very doting uncles and aunts."

Potter and Weasley, he meant, and Severus cursed aloud. Those dunderheads knew about his child before he did. There would be hell to pay. Oh, she would pay for this – even if he had to hex her to Hades to get his retribution.

"Now before you believe yourself truly wronged, Severus, might I ask how it is that Hermione Granger had your child seven months after graduation?"

That could have made many a man's blood run cold, and for all his articulations and skill for chastising even the chastest – he suddenly understood what the expression 'deer caught in headlights' meant.

Tbc.

Thanks again for the intellectual feeding! Always R&R!