Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

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Something was utterly wrong, and Elizabeth was going to find out what it was, no matter what. The intense urge she had to just pry the truth from the boy she had befriended had immensely increased as she observed him over the next few days. It didn't take long to realize that Harry didn't eat much and that he spent most of his meals simply pushing the food around on his plate. Every now and again he would flinch when someone moved or spoke too loudly.

He had changed since they had left Grimmauld Place a week before. It seemed strange, but then again it could have been the change of settings that triggered the behavior that seemed to support Elizabeth's theory. Or maybe the reactions were always there and she had simply never noticed it. Just like everyone else. Somehow he had managed to conceal everything just below the brave Gryffindor mask he always wore in an attempt to keep that part of his life hidden away so no one would ever know. Then again, maybe he just wanted someone to piece it together and save him like anyone else would.

XXX

Harry sat alone in the Library; a stack of books littered the table as he attempted to do his homework. He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose in frustration as he gave up half way through his potion's essay, his head hurting. Not only did he not posses any real desire to do the assignments he had been given, but he desperately needed some time to just sit down and think.

He really wanted to tell someone about his problem, but he just didn't know how. All the previous attempts he made had blown up in his face and he had ended up worse for wear. After a while he had simply given up. But now he wanted to try again, he didn't want the barrier of secrets that had been between him, Ron, and Hermione to come between him and Elizabeth. For some reason he trusted her, he had no idea why, but he did.

After sighing deeply, Harry closed all of the books in front of him and put them away. He no longer wished to work on his mountain of assignments. Instead, he wanted to find Elizabeth and tell her everything. Everything he felt, all of the secrets he kept from everyone else; everything,

XXX

Elizabeth was now completely and utterly annoyed as she made her way up to the Headmaster's office. She had no real desire to be in the presence of the man that made her spend the majority of her summer in a place that was worse than treating her father after a brutal Death Eater meeting.

Slowly Elizabeth walked down the corridor, her mind now racing, thinking about what the ancient wizard possibly had to talk to her about. Maybe it would be about her friendship with Harry, or be something a bit more serious, like her father. But, whatever it was about, she knew she would not like the outcome.

Much to Elizabeth's displeasure, she reached the headmaster's office all too quickly. Once she reached the Gargoyles that lead up to the Headmaster's office, instead of shouting the password obnoxiously like she had the sudden urge to do, she merely whispered the word that allowed her entrance. After a deep breath, she was just about to ascend the spiral staircase, but stopped at the sound of someone shouting her name. As the Slytherin turned she was surprised to see Harry dashing towards her, nearly crashing in to the younger girl.

"Elizabeth! I need to talk to you." Harry panted once he had stopped in front of her.

"Can it wait Harry?" Elizabeth asked as she glanced back at the staircase, "I'm supposed to see Dumbledore about something."

"Mind if I join you?" Harry asked, making it apparent that what he had to tell her was very important.

"I don't mind." Elizabeth replied as she turned around and began her ascent of the stairs with Harry close behind.

XXX

Albus was surprised, yet pleased, when Elizabeth walked in with Harry close behind. It was quite apparent by the look on her face that she had not expected her father to be there as well.

"Thank you for coming, Elizabeth," Dumbledore greeted as the two teens approached. "And you as well Harry, my boy."

"Can you hurry this up Albus?" Severus voiced as he glared at the headmaster in ill concealed annoyance. "I have things I wish to accomplish this afternoon, and spending all my time in here isn't going to help!"

"I was getting to that Severus." Albus replied calmly, his blue eyes twinkling behind his half moon spectacles. Slowly the ancient wizard withdrew an old worn envelope from his top desk drawer and held it out for the Potion's Master who looked at it apprehensively before taking it.

It was obvious that the dark man recognized the neat script that marred the front of the envelope, and after a moment of hesitation, he opened it. The neatly folded paper within the yellowed envelope came open easily as he unfolded it and began to read.

XXX

Severus breathed in deeply as he allowed his onyx eyes to carefully take in every word that was scrawled upon the aged parchment.

Severus,

I wished to tell you this in person, but I am afraid that I will never get the chance. So it may be best just to tell you now. The proclaimed son of James Potter and I is in fact the son of you and I. I understand this is a shock to you but it is the truth. When I left you I was already pregnant, and James was kind enough to agree to marry me. Despite the fact that Harry may look like James, due to a blood adoption, I would be pleased if you were a part of his life, Severus.

Sincerely,

Lily

Severus stared at the paper in his hands, dumbfounded. Slowly he tore his eyes away from the parchment and looked at the Gryffindor that stood by his daughter. It seemed impossible; Harry couldn't be his son, could he? The boy was nothing like him, but then again Elizabeth was nothing like him either. With unsteady hands, the Potion's Master handed the letter to Dumbledore, who too scanned it carefully, and read it aloud in a crisp, clear voice.

XXX

Harry felt his heart stop, plummet, and explode as Dumbledore read the letter aloud. Any and all emotions he felt shrank away and any eagerness he had to finally tell, died as he let it sink in. It seemed entirely impossible that the man that hated him so much was actually his father, but then again it had seemed impossible for Voldemort to come back as well. Slowly everything that he knew, or at least thought he knew, disintegrated around him. Everything he thought he knew about his past was a lie, hell, he himself was a lie.

Elizabeth stood frozen on the spot, her heart felt as if she had just run a marathon. It just seemed so unreal. Then again the fact that Harry was her brother did explain why she felt the way she did about him, why she trusted him.

"Sir, this does mean Harry and I are brother and sister, right?" Elizabeth asked, hating the way her voice sounded and hating the way Harry looked at her even more. She had never thought of confiding in the Gryffindor about who her father was, but she had also never thought that it was really necessary either.

"Yes, I do believe it does Elizabeth," Dumbledore replied in his all too calm voice that could drive any person insane if subjected to long periods of exposure. This had certainly changed everything from the war to their personal lives; everything was going to be different.

Elizabeth took note of the way Harry slowly backed away from them, shaking in disbelief, and within seconds the Gryffindor had turned and sprinted out of the door. The Slytherin couldn't blame the boy for his reaction. If she was in his place she would have done the same thing.

XXX

Severus just couldn't keep himself up anymore and so he slowly sank into the nearest chair. He was in utter disbelief as he attempted to finally grasp the fact that the boy who had just bolted from the large, spacious office was his. Harry was his child just as much as Elizabeth was, and that scared him. After a moment of gathering his bearings, he finally glanced up at his daughter, but received nothing from her impassive face.

"Go find him." Severus ordered in a very uncharacteristic voice that would have disturbed anyone that had heard it. Severus watched as Elizabeth exited the room, waiting a few minutes before standing up.

"This was a hell of a time to do this." Severus replied in his normal, controlled cold voice. "You should have done this years ago instead of waiting until the worst possible moment in all of our lives."

"I had no choice, Severus." Albus replied as he looked at the stoic man before him.

"Yes, you did." Severus replied as his voice slowly rose. "Hell only knows how long you had that damn thing."

"I did it to protect Elizabeth." Dumbledore explained as if he was looking for a plausible excuse.

"Don't blame her for something you had control of." Severus growled as he turned and stalked out of the room, slamming the door with all of his might. Everything just seemed to be falling apart all at once.

XXX

Author's Notes:

I am so sorry it took forever to update, some family things occurred and I just couldn't find the time to write. Anyway a big thanks to my friend and Beta Hpgirl4ever.