Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

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Harry felt his heart keep in time with his pounding feet as he sprinted down the corridor. He wanted to put as much distance between himself and the headmaster: the man that had the secret that had just changed his life forever.

He didn't have to stay at the Dursleys' for all of those years, his father was alive, and Dumbledore knew it. But the question was why? Why did he want him at the Dursleys'? Why didn't he give the letter to Snape sooner? Why did everything have to happen to him? Harry stopped abruptly as these questions whirled around his already spinning head; slowly he leaned his back against the wall and slid down until he was sitting flat against the cool tiled floor, totally unaware of the person that stood less than three feet away from him.

X

It was much harder than it seemed as Elizabeth stood motionless in the middle of the hallway. To any onlooker, this next course of action to take might have been simple: just walk up and strike conversation, but it just wasn't that easy. Harry had only moments ago received the shock of his life, and was bound to be upset by the fact he had been betrayed, not just by Dumbledore, but by her as well making the situation anything but simple. It seemed as if time stood still as Elizabeth inched closer to the boy that sat in front of her, but it wasn't long until she too slid down the wall, taking a seat next to Harry.

"Harry?" Elizabeth asked softly, gaining the boy's attention. She wanted to make sure he knew she was there. "Harry, we need to talk."

"What is there to talk about?" Harry demanded his voice hoarse and broken as he spoke. "About how you decided that there was no need to tell me who you are?"

"You know this has nothing to do with me." Elizabeth replied as she redirected her gaze to the Gryffindor beside her. "Harry, I understand that you're hurt, but I want to help you."

"No, you don't understand how I feel." Harry snapped, his voice filling with anger as he finally looked up at the girl next to him. "You will never understand how I feel unless you've lived with my relatives. You've always had someone to care about you, so don't tell me you 'know how I feel'. YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND HOW IT FEELS TO BE UNLOVED, STARTVED AND BEATEN!" Elizabeth started up at Harry, who now stood above her, with disbelief. The boy had confirmed her theory in a matter of seconds, in a flash of anger he had revealed his home life.

It only took him a fraction of a second to realize what he had said as he gazed down at Elizabeth. He had wanted to tell her, but not like that. He'd just been so consumed by his emotions it slipped out during his rant. It just seemed to be the day for the truth to come out.

"Harry?" Elizabeth's voice came easily as she stood up, the stern look that had been there moments before disappeared as she reached his eye level. "Harry, are you alright?"

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to lose it, I promise." Harry stammered as he felt Elizabeth grasp his arms above the elbows. It wasn't long before he realized he was trembling, and soon the tears he had held back for so long broke through the dam and spilled out onto his cheeks, running down his now pale face.

He knew he looked pathetic as he cried like a five year old, but he just couldn't help it. Gradually Harry felt the pressure on his arms decrease and then disappear all together, and just as he thought Elizabeth had left, he felt himself being pulled into an embrace.

"It'll be alright." Elizabeth's voice echoed as she rubbed circles on Harry's back. "I promise I will do what I can to keep you with me. I won't let you go back to those people, Harry, I promise."

X

Elizabeth felt as if she had been hit by a train as she stood there with Harry in her arms. He had confirmed her presumption about his life outside of school, and to be honest, it kind of scared her. Yeah she had wanted him to open up and tell her about it, but it was upsetting to know that she was right. In an instant she felt her mind began to race, the truth was coming out and now there would be more problems and obstacles in the way for both of them, but if everything went the way she hoped it would, then they could address them together.

"Harry, do you want to talk about it?" Elizabeth asked as she allowed him to pull away, letting him dry his eyes.

"Not at the moment." Harry whispered, his voice hoarse from crying. "I don't think it's the best moment to burden you with this. You have other problems to deal with right now, as do I."

"Harry-" Elizabeth began but was cut off as Harry raised his hand.

"Elizabeth, not right now." Harry said impatiently, he just didn't feel like himself. He was glad he said something, yet guilty at the fact that he had just dumped it on Elizabeth's shoulders, especially after what they had heard. "I just need some time to think."

Elizabeth stared at Harry for a moment, it was perfectly clear that it was a hard subject for him, and she wasn't going to push it. So instead, she let him go, allowing him to silently walk away with his thoughts and feelings swirling around him like a hurricane. She would give him some time to clear his head. There was really no need to force him to do something that he didn't want to do, especially if he was anything like their father.

Xxx

For once in his life, Severus Snape had no notion of what he should do. He had sent Elizabeth off to find the boy to earn him some alone time, sometime to think and sort out the thoughts that kept fading in and out of his consciousness.

A part of him wanted to step up to the plate and be the father that the boy never had, but another part of him just wanted to ignore the fact that Harry was his son and continue to believe he was the offspring of his sworn enemy: James Potter; and go one with his life. However, he would have to weigh each option carefully, and he would have to keep the information he had just discovered a secret, not only for the safety of himself but for Elizabeth and the boy as well. It seemed that this year had just got harder.

Author's notes: Here is the next chapter. I Summer homework to tackle, but I will update am so sorry if it sucks but I haven't been feeling well and I have ASAP.