Disclaimer: Don't own it! If I did, I would be making money. /opens wallet and moths fly out/ No money. No ownie.

Chapter 3: Truth in Darkness

Down in his private quarters in the dungeons, Severus opened the door to what had been converted from a storage room into a small bedroom. Little had been done to decorate except charming the walls to change color to fit whatever mood the occupants were in and to put in a bed and a few shelves. A window that was charmed to have a view of the grounds finished the ensemble.

Severus leaned over to lay Harry on the bed and found that the boy's hands were tightly wound into the fabric of his shirt. Chuckling softly, he untangled the worrisome fingers and pulled the dark blue coverlet of the bed over the child. Brushing the shaggy locks of hair with his fingers, he turned and left, gently closing the door behind him.

Dumbledore smiled at him and asked, "Is he?"

Severus frowned at the old wizard and snapped, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Severus, my child, I know how you are with children."

"Yes…"

"And you are not that way with young Harry. What is it about him that makes you act so?"

Severus scowled. "He's Lily's son. That's enough for me."

"But is it?" asked Dumbledore. "The castle trembled when he arrived, you know. As if it were afraid."

And well it should be, thought Severus. But he said, "I don't know why these ancient grounds would be afraid of a child, let alone that one. Now, if you'll excuse me, Headmaster, I have some work I need to finish. And I'd like to get it done before Harry wakes."

Dumbledore bowed his head and said, "Very well. Good night, Severus."

"Headmaster."

When the old wizard left, Severus activated the wards he'd placed upon his rooms and collapsed into his favorite chair, which was a very worn Muggle easy chair that looked as though it had seen much wear and tear. Not to mention the claws of a cat.

The aforementioned feline padded into the room a moment later, purring loudly. Deep golden eyes peered at her master and she paused before rushing across the room and leaping into his lap.

Severus grunted as twelve pounds of cat slammed into his stomach and he glared down at the black-furred creature. She was part wildcat and therefore larger than most cats.

And completely mad. Which was the reason he had named her The Cheshire Cat (for the cat in Lewis Carroll's Alice stories). Though that was generally shortened to Chesh.

"What mischief have you been up to in my absence, Chesh? Clawing up my chair more? Or perhaps eating the pixie wings in the stores again?"

Chesh flicked an ear at him and meowed mournfully. She batted at his hand with a paw and he relented, reaching out to scratch underneath her chin.

"Rrrrow," purred Chesh, her eyes half-closing in content.

Severus laughed and said, "Foolish creature."

"Mrow," said Chesh in confirmation before she curled up in his lap, tucked her tail over her nose, and closed her eyes. Severus shook his head at her then picked up the book he was reading from the elegant table sitting beside his chair and opened it.

"Who? T-who?"

Harry rolled over and pulled his pillow over his head. Aunt Petunia must be tapping on his cupboard…

"T-who!"

Emerald eyes snapped open and Harry sat up so quickly that he very nearly propelled himself off the end of the bed. He looked around and saw Hedwig perched on top of one of the bedposts. She rustled her feathers and tilted her head to the side before she voiced her eternal question again.

"Who?"

Harry smiled and leaned towards her, burying his fingers into the silky white feathers.

"Hi, Hed," he murmured. "Where's Severus?"

"T-who?"

The eleven-year-old sighed and threw the covers back. He climbed out of bed and was surprised to find a pair of neatly folded blue jeans and a crisp t-shirt sitting on a small stool by the bed. Closer inspection found them to be some of the clothes that Severus had bought for him.

Harry looked down at the baggy hand-me-downs that he was wearing and immediately pulled his shirt up over his head. A few moments later, wide green eyes peeked out through the keyhole to the room beyond. Seeing nothing, Harry eased the door open and stepped out, Hedwig balanced precariously on his shoulder.

"Good morning."

The eleven-year-old froze and gazed fearfully at Severus from underneath his shock of dark hair. He looked rather amusing with the large owl engulfing his tiny shoulder.

"Sorry to have frightened you," said Severus apologetically. He gestured at a table set up near the back of the main room – a table that was currently heaped with food. The bright green eyes goggled at it for a moment before turning to the man in disbelief.

"Go on," urged Severus.

Harry needed no more than that. He practically sprang across the room and engulfed what food he could. Which wasn't much as the Dursley's had never given him much to eat in the first place. So his stomach couldn't withstand too much.

A half-hour later, Harry made a weaving path over to the dimly burning fireplace at which Severus sat. He plopped down into the chair set up across from the one that the wizard sat in and blinked curiously at him. Hedwig did the same from her perch on the back of the chair.

"Finished?" asked Severus over the top of his book.

"Yes, sir – Severus."

Severus smiled at the boy then said, "Good. Then we can get down to business." He set the book on the table beside his chair before speaking again.

"You remember what I told you in the letters?"

Harry nodded and Severus smiled.

"Good lad. Now…to explain that. There was something about your mother that very few ever knew. She told me after I saw her at work. The only others who knew were her mother and father. Her father – your grandfather – still lives and was not, as she believed for a very long time, a Muggle. He, alas, could never have made a claim on you when your parents died without starting a war between the Sidhe and the Ministry – hence your placement with your infernal relatives."

Severus looked at Harry to see how well he was listening. The boy was sitting on the edge of his chair, back as straight as the handle of a broomstick and his bright eyes wide on Severus' face. Even the owl was intent.

Severus continued, "Your mother was a powerful witch in her own right but she had…other gifts as well. Gifts that she passed on to you. You see, your grandmother was a Muggle but your grandfather was of the Sidhe race. Do you know what the Sidhe are, Harry?"

The shaggy-haired head shook.

"The Fae folk," explained Severus. "Or Faeries. Very beautiful and very deadly. Can't abide iron. And they sometimes enjoy frolicking among we mere mortals. Your grandfather did as such as your mother was born."

"Aunt Petunia…" began Harry.

"Is not your mother's full-blooded sister. Their fathers were not the same."

"And my grandfather?"

"I met him once with your mother. He had a powerful presence. Not menace but power, pure power. I've never met a mortal that could match him with the exception of Albus – the Headmaster to you."

"But what does this have to do with me?" asked Harry. "I don't understand…"

Severus frowned and ran a hand back through his hair.

"A harder trick to explain," he replied. "There are currently two sides of the Sidhe: Winter and Summer. Your grandfather was from before the separation, from the elder, more powerful Fae. He had all the powers of the Fae but he also had something else. Another much darker power."

He looked at Harry closely as he finished, "He could control the very Darkness and all of its creatures. Demons obeyed him as well as vampires and werewolves. And they knew it. They could sense the Darkness within him."

Harry's eyes widened and his mouth opened a little but he said nothing. Severus paused for a moment before continuing.

"I suppose that's why I was drawn to her. One of my ancestors was of the vampire kin. She trusted me with her secrets. But she never trusted the werewolf. He was too close to your father to be trusted."

"So I'm…"

"Part Sidhe? Yes. A master of the Darkness? Indubitably. In danger? The deepest."

"What danger?" demanded Harry.

"Your mother warned me that you would be powerful. A mixing of the oldest bloods from Sidhe and wizard kin could be nothing less." Severus sighed and continued, "Your father was a descendant of Morgana – or Morgan Le Fay, as she was sometimes called. Powerful old blood that. And your gift over the Darkness emerges with your magic. Hence the reason I wanted you here now, under my watch. Here I can keep you safe."

"Safe?"

"If the Ministry were to find out that a mortal child of the Sidhe was wandering around, they'd have you killed – Harry Potter or not. They fear the Sidhe more than they fear the Dark Lord."

Harry swallowed hard then asked, "What sort of training?"

Severus smiled tightly and rose from his chair.

"We'll begin now."