Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Tom stood and surveyed the two. Both of them looked nervous beyond comprehension.

"Come now, both of you sit down here," he conjured up two chairs across from each other in front of him. "Now hold out your hands." They did so and Harry's eyes widened when he brought out a knife.

"Relax Harry. I will not cause lasting damage, and will heal you as soon as possible. Nothing more than what is necessary." Tom's voice was low, soothing Harry's nerves. He hated to do it, but nonetheless, he found himself pressing the edge of the knife to the palm of Harry's hand before drawing blood. He repeated this process on Severus and collected six drops of blood from each of them.

Careful not to spill, he combined Harry's blood with one small vial of the potion he had made earlier in the week and once more repeated the same steps for Severus in a separate vial. Once both potions had turned olive green, he poured them both onto a sheet of parchment.

When he turned, he saw that Severus had already healed Harry's hand and was applying a watery salve to ensure it didn't leave a mark. They both looked cautiously content in the quiet. He cleared his throat.

"All we have to do now is wait for the parchment to give us the answer. Depending on the persons involved, it's been known to take a few hours."

"Tom, how will we know?"

"If the parchment glows then Severus is, indeed, your father. If not, the parchment will simply burn. Now, why don't you two drink some tea? You both look like you could use something to perk yourselves up." A house elf came in with more tea and informed Tom of more death eaters having questions for him.

"You two can stay here. This shouldn't be too long but you never know with some of these people."

Harry gulped, unsure of what he was to do now. Nursing his tea, he glanced up at the man across from him several times. Letting his mind wander wasn't something he was used to doing in the man's presence, but he found himself doing exactly that.

Just what would it have changed if he had been raised by him? Would he have been snarky and distant? Would his mother have survived? What would it have been like to live with the man while growing up? He could be so cruel in Hogwarts, but he seemed almost caring in the way he applied salve to his hand to heal the cut Tom had made.

He hadn't known he was staring at the professor until his thoughts were interrupted by him clearing his throat.

"I'm sorry, Harry." Those three words startled Harry, bringing his mind back to the present.

"For what, Sir?"

"For this. I'm sorry I didn't confront Lily about it back then. I'm sorry that I never noticed the signs of you being abused in Surrey. I'm sorry I was harsh…" The last admittance was almost whispered.

"Regardless of what that parchment tells us, I regret the way I treated you. You see, after your mother was killed, I grieved for a long time. My heart hurt that the one person that had ever loved me was gone for good. We had just reconciled after years of being apart and all I wanted was to spend more time with her. And then she was gone.

"When we were all called to a meeting and Tom didn't return when he was supposed to, I went to ensure her safety. Dumbledore had told me that he had put her in hiding but that Tom would likely try to kill her and James since they were so openly against him.

"When I entered that house and saw James there, on the floor...Well, I couldn't believe it. I had hoped that she had gotten out but then I heard you crying in your room. And there she was, lying on the floor beside your crib." Harry watched as the older man's eyes darkened and faded as they gazed onto a very different scene than the library they were in.

"When I came to my senses, I laid her down and closed her eyes before I bundled you up and took you away from the house before anyone could come looking for you. The world wasn't deserving of having Lily in it, and you didn't deserve to have her taken from you."

"What then, Sir?" Harry's voice was raspy with emotion, but he was determined to hear this out. No one had been this up front about his parent's deaths before and he wasn't about to miss the opportunity to learn more about it.

Dark brown eyes met his. They held an eternal sadness in their depths.

"I took you to my home in Spinner's End. Sent a patronus to Dumbledore as soon as I could find enough sense to cast one. I told him that your parents had been visited by Tom and that he needed to come see me at my home before anyone found out. He came rather quickly and berated me for taking you. Told me I was being selfish, that in my grief I was clinging to the last thing of Lily in the world. I tried to tell him you could have very well been my son to begin with and he insisted that it was safer for everyone if you were put with your aunt. That it was impossible for you to be my son. That Lily wanted you to go to her sister if something were to happen to her. I am sorry, Harry. I shouldn't have listened to him. I should have kept you, fought for you. Checked up on you. Anything. Something…"

The anguished voice broke and Harry found himself hugging his professor and making soothing noises to help him calm down.

"Professor," Harry started.

"My name is Severus, Harry." The whisper took Harry off guard before he made use of his Gryffindor courage and plowed forward.

"Severus, then. It doesn't matter what happened then. What matters is how we move forward. I'm not sure what my future brings anymore, but I don't have to ever return to that hell-hole ever again. I'm learning a lot with Tom, he actually managed to help me make a few potions and has explained the theory behind magic and how that all works so I'll have a better handle on how to control it. I'm...I've been happy here. I've never felt so safe and content before. I'm sorry you had to go through all that you have, but I'm not mad at you for any of it. You were grieving for a friend and lover that you had just regained the trust of. It was only natural for you to latch onto the first thing anyone had told you to do. You went to someone that you thought would understand and instead you had your life shattered, then the hope of another bloomed and had that dashed straight away as well. I do not blame you. I blame Dumbledore.

"He gambles with lives that aren't his own. He bluffs and when a situation calls for it, he will forfeit anyone who is willing to help him. He saw an opportunity in your pain. That's what he does. He kept me with people who tortured me in the hopes that it would allow him an easier time with making me complacent with his ideals and beliefs. He didn't care that a child was being treated so poorly. He didn't care that the one person who could tip the scale of the war was being...he only cared that he could throw me away later when the time was right." Harry's voice broke and he plopped down on the couch before his legs gave way.

"You are wise beyond your years, Harry. I can only hope that one day you are comfortable enough with me to share with me the extent of the damage that occurred at that house. It isn't healthy to keep it contained."

Harry sat with Severus for a long while in silence. They had sunk back into the couch cushions and the potions master had closed his eyes, although it was painfully obvious he was awake.

"Severus?" He watched as an eye cracked open. "What...what happens if...what I mean is…"

"What happens if I am, indeed, your father?" Harry nodded. "Well Harry, it would change a lot. We would have proof against Dumbledore, especially with my memory of him taking you from me when all I wanted was a better life for you. I wouldn't try to change anything too much in your day to day life, as the last thing I want to do is make you uncomfortable. It seems you've grown fond of being here, even if it has been a short while." A glint of emotion passed through his eyes. "But I will expect you to put forth your best efforts in potion making. I simply won't accept that any child of mine would be anything less than awe-inspiring in the art of potions." Severus could hardly contain the shaking of his shoulders by the time he finished and they both started laughing.

"I take it you two have been having fun without me?" Harry focused on breathing properly to contain his laughter and nodded.

"I thought you'd be back ages ago Tom. Where've you been?" Tom looked tired, even though he hadn't missed dinner.

"An extraordinary amount of nothing, actually. I find that either I'm getting smarter or my followers are getting stupider. Yaxley has, once again, managed to take a direct order with explicit directions and done almost the complete opposite."

"Yaxley isn't the best person for directions. He's better fit for combat and being told to be as nosey as possible at the Ministry about everything. Specifics tend to flummox him." Severus had once more regained his composure and was now leaning back onto the couch with one arm draped across the back.

"Quite. Has the paper done anything yet?" Both Harry and Severus jumped. They had both forgotten to keep an eye on the paper and turned to see it was glowing a soft golden light around it. "It appears that many plans need to be made to accommodate this new development."

"I...I suppose so, my Lord."

Tom couldn't believe his eyes. Harry was, in fact, Severus's son. When this had first been brought to his attention, he had thought that it would be too convenient for him if it were true. But the proof was right in front of him.

Plans needed to be made. Now he needed to call a meeting to discuss what everyone had found out and needed to discreetly disclose that Harry's father was not, in fact, James. He needed all of his options before deciding on a plan.

Harry's face looked ashen and his eyes were far too wide. Tom placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and asked him if he was alright. Harry nodded.

"Come, you need some rest. Go take a nap, it'll help you process all of this." Gently leading Harry from the room, Tom turned back to Severus. The library door clicking closed seemed to have pulled him out of his mind.

"And what do you think of all this, Severus? I'm sure many emotions are coming to the surface right now."

"You know I hated his father, but I just can't see any of James in him at all now. All I can see is Lily and myself. I don't know if I should be happy or sad or worried or-"

"You should be all of those things Severus. Feel happy that you have found the truth and that you can let this relationship with your son blossom. Be sad that Lily didn't get to see him grow and that you have treated him a bit more viciously than you should have. Let yourself be worried, that is only natural. Most parents worry for their children and most children aren't Harry Potter. And before you start berating yourself for how you treated him, let me first tell you this.

"If there was no possible way that you could have a normal relationship with your son, then you and him would not have been laughing your arses off up here when I came in to check up on you two. I would not have left the two of you alone in the first place if I hadn't thought it was possible. He is different than we thought. He uses sarcasm and snarkiness to deflect people. It's to prevent everyone around him from looking too closely. You should be familiar with the idea.

"He has a great need for someone to constantly be there but not be overbearing. He needs to know that he can count on someone to be there for him no matter how stupid, or mundane, or harmful or embarrassing. Just me knocking on his door in the morning to ask if I can come in is enough to make him start crying because he hasn't had anyone respect him like that in his life. You'll be good for him. Do I think you can jump into the role of parent to him? Maybe, but likely not. Not in the 'go to your room' sort of way anyway. He needs someone to teach him how to be an adult."

"Thank you, my Lord. I would have thought that you would be completely against all of this." Tom brushed off his thanks and told him to inform the others that there would be another meeting in two days. Severus nodded and turned to leave.

He paused at the door to Harry's room and heard movement on the other side. Knocking, he heard the room quickly go silent before the door cracked open.

"Severus?" The door opened wider. "Come in. What can I do for you?" Severus walked through the door and, without saying anything, pulled Harry into the first hug he had given anyone in over a decade.

Harry stiffened in surprise at the sudden contact. Once he realized nothing bad was happening, he slowly relaxed and curled up inside the man's arms with his eyes closed. It felt good to just be held, to have the silent confirmation that everything will be alright. One hand held him around his back, holding him close and the other was on the back of his head that was currently resting upon his shoulder.

"Thank you Harry. For allowing my the opportunity to right my mistakes. I can't just step in as the father you never had, but I am grateful that you are gifting me with the opportunity to be there to support you and help you in any way you need. Anything you wish to know, and I will do my best to answer all of your questions. And I may not be the best at emotions, but please know that you can confide in me. Tom and I both have had hard childhoods, and even though mine was not as bad as yours or his I am always going to be here to listen and to empathize." Severus pulled away, seeming to memorize Harry's face. He saw a hot tear trickle down the older man's cheek as he realized that he was Severus's son. Emotion overwhelmed him and he heard the man whisper "My son," as more tears flowed from his eyes.

Harry threw his arms around his potions professor turned father. "Dad," his voice cracked, even with how quietly he had spoken. It was odd, being able to say that without thinking about James. In the end, Harry hadn't known James, only what people told him. He had loved the idea of his father, but that quickly faded when he realized his actual father was right in front of him and willing to do what no one in his life had ever bothered to do. He was scared of being hurt, but somehow he knew that if he ended up hurt by all of this then Severus would also be hurt.

The embrace loosened and Harry found himself being examined by the potions master. "I must go to the goblins and start gathering evidence Harry. You will be safe with Tom here. And," a small pause settled over them before the man smiled warmly. "Lily would have been so proud of you."

"No offense, but how could you know that when she's been dead for fourteen years?"

"Because I am proud of you." With that, Severus left the room in a swish of robes and smiles.