Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JKRowling.

Author Note: sorry about the delay, I wrote this chapter about three hundred times, in which various endings occured (Harry dying, Harry losing his mind, Severus dying...). I finally settled for this, I hope you'll like it!

Chapter thirteen: Of success and failure

Half an hour later, number 12 Grimmauld Place was filled with Order members, anxiously waiting to know why they had been called so urgently. When Dumbledore finally arrived with the Portkey, the room felt silent as they waited for him to explain.

"Dear friends, he said, I finally have news regarding Mr Potter's location. We must get there as soon as possible and attempt to rescue him. I do not know in what condition he is in, nor do I have any information regarding his physical and mental state. All I know for sure is that he was still alive four hours ago."

That last bit he had determined with Remus, who could tell Wormtail had touched the letter at that time, and of course he would have already been dead if Harry was killed by his fault.

Remus could also tell that Wormtail had been in a very bad shape when he wrote the letter, and that was what was worrying Albus. He hoped they wouldn't be too late.

Another thing worried him. Severus had yet to come, though Albus was certain he wore the Order pendant which should have alerted him of an Order urgent meeting…

He didn't like it one bit, but finding his Potions Master would have to wait until after the rescue mission.

……………………………………………..

Bellatrix was happily playing with an uncooperative Harry Potter when she heard a yell from her dear master. She hastily got out of Harry's cell to help him, but she was stunned by Remus' Stupefix.

"Albus!" Remus yelled as soon as he saw the black-haired teenager they were looking for laying on the ground.

Mere seconds later, Hogwards headmaster came in, and joined his friend at Harry's side. The boy was unconscious.

"He's alive, Albus, but barely. We need to get him out of here. He needs medical help."

The old man just nodded, then gave the werewolf a pink sock.

"This is a Portkey, leading directly to the infirmary. Take Harry there. I still have to deal with Tom."

"What are you going to do with him?" Remus asked. "He can't go to Azkaban, can he?"

"No, he's not a magical being anymore. I personally think he should go to a muggle prison… but that's for the ministry to decide. He'll get a trial, just like all the Death Eaters we've captured today."

"Oh, and Remus?"

"Yes?"

"Find out where Severus is."

Remus nodded, then took the hand of the unconscious boy next to him and touched the sock.

………………………………………………..

As soon as he was assured Harry was being taken care of by Poppy and there was nothing else he could do for him, he got out of the infirmary to look for his old nemesis. He didn't like leaving Harry alone when he had just found him. His werewolf instincts wanted to never let him out of his sight again, and he sure hoped Severus had a damn good excuse for being missing.

He knocked on the professor's personal chambers door, and waited… and waited… and knocked again, louder.

"Hey!" yelled the portrayed man indignantly.

"Just tell Severus to come out, please."

"Mmm… I doubt it would be useful. He appears to be unconscious."

"Then let me in!"

"Do you know the password?"

"No, but if he's unconscious I have to come in, to help him."

"I doubt he'd want your help, beast. He doesn't like you much, you know."

"Look, we may not like each other, but we're still on the same side. Surely he told you that?"

"Grmf."

The door finally opened, and Remus' scents were immediately on alert. He smelled blood. He raced through the door, worried in spite of him, and knelt next to the potions master.

He breathed in relief when he saw that the man wasn't bleeding. He only seemed unconscious, but not harmed. The blood smell came from something else. He followed it, and found an inscription in dark red ink upon the wall.

At first he was confused. Severus had a son? He shook his head, trying to clear it. It didn't matter. What mattered right now was to bring him to the infirmary, he was ghostly pale. He took the man into his strong arms and carried him out of the room, not wanting to risk casting Mobilicorpus since he didn't know what had caused Severus' illness. As he glanced back to the dark room, the candles on the floor, and the wall inscription, he wondered

"What have you done, Snape?"

…………………………………..

Harry woke up at the sound of whispered voices. What was happening? Bellatrix Lestrange NEVER whispered, nor did any of the others Death Eaters. He was confused. Maybe he was back home? Maybe someone had come and saved him?

Quit doing that, he told himself. No one will save you.

"How is he?" he heard a voice ask.

"Not well. I've never seen anything like that before. Physically he seems fine, but it's like he's drained of his magic. Do you know what spell he cast?"

"A dark spell, I'm afraid. And it didn't work."

"Then it will keep draining his magic until it has done what it was intended to do, as you well know."

"What about young Mr Potter?"

"He will be fine. I'm a little worried since it's been three days, but his body is healing. We won't know about psychological damage until he's woken up."

"As soon as he does, I'll need to talk to him… And I hope for Severus' sake that he's healthy enough to understand what I say."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure yet."

Harry didn't hear anything after that.

…………………………………..

"Albus, he's waking up!"

Madam Pomfrey's voice was the next thing he heard upon awakening. Then, he saw a blurry form sit next to him and get its wand out. Out of habit, he flinched, preparing himself for the pain he was about to feel, but none came, and he heard Albus Dumbledore sigh and say "Silencio".

"I'm sorry Harry, I only wanted to cast a Silencing spell, I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's okay professor", Harry answered. He hated how small his voice sounded to his own ears. It hurt to talk, after so many hours and days of yelling during torture.

"Harry, I'm sorry but I have to tell you something very important right now. I'd have preferred to wait until later, but Severus is dying."

"Professor Snape? What happened to him?"

"It's a long story, Harry. But first maybe you'd like to read the letter Sirius left you when he died."

"Thank you sir, but I don't think so, I mean, why? There was nothing special on it, just him wishing me goodbye…"

"I'm sorry to tell you that my boy, but you never actually read the good letter. The one you think was from Sirius was actually from Snape, who had taken the original from you."

"Why would he do that?"

"Do you remember that Sirius left him a letter too?"

"Yes"

"In that letter your godfather revealed a secret to him, a secret concerning both of you. Severus knew the same secret would be revealed to you in your letter, and he didn't want that."

"So that's why he asked me to come in his office the first night of school! I knew there was another reason! But, sir, how did he know I didn't have read my letter yet?"

"Trust me, he would have known if you had. I'm gonna let you read that letter now, all right?"

"Sure."

There was no envelope in that letter. Harry supposed Snape had gave him the right one. It was just a little piece of parchment, folded in two, almost covered with the handwriting of Sirius. And it contained a secret. Something important enough for Sirius to write a letter to his oldest nemesis. Something big enough for Snape to mimic Sirius's handwriting to hide it. Something that Snape knew since the end of the summer… and hadn't wanted Harry to find out. Something that concerned both of them…

Last time, it had taken him more than a week to have the guts to open Sirius' last letter… and it turned out it wasn't even from him. Under the headmaster's gaze, Harry didn't have a choice. He had to open it now.

Harry, the letter began

I love you. You're a good kid. And whatever Molly may say, I don't confuse you with James. How could I? You have absolutely nothing in common.

Sure, you look alike. And he was a good flyer too.

That's all.

I lied to you. I lied to James. I lied to Lily. I lied to Snape.

I don't wanna lie anymore. What's the point, if I'm dead? Harry, I did things I'm not proud of, and you're the one who had to suffer the consequences. My only excuse is that I had good intentions… and a total lack of trust in Snape.

Harry, your mother loved James, and always had… but he didn't, or at least not as much. James was still a kid, and he was only interested in what he couldn't have… once he had Lily, he didn't want her as much anymore. He started to see other women…

Lily knew, and was hurt. She became friends and more with your real father… the only one she was sure wouldn't take James' side… Severus Snape.

When Dumbledore asked them to go into hiding, she first refused. She wanted to leave James, and live with her newfound love. She had just found out she was pregnant… Her only mistake was to tell me. I immediately obliviated her, and then Severus, so that they didn't remember their love for each other. Then, I asked him to brew a potion that would make you look like James' son…

That's the story, kiddo. You're Severus' son, and I've always known, and always loved you for your own qualities. Never forget that.

Your godfather

Padfoot

Harry wanted with all his heart to think it was some kind of joke. But he knew it wasn't. Everything made sense. Why Snape could suddenly stand to be in his presence. It was just that. Blood. Sirius had loved him for who he was. Snape could stand him because he was his biological father. Nothing more.

He had a father. A real, living father.

Before he could think about it any deeper, he felt a strange tingling in his body. In a second or less it was gone, and he could see Dumbledore smile, as he heard someone coughing beside him. He hadn't noticed before, but in the bed next to his was his real father… And he was waking up.

Please review!

The epilogue will be coming soon.