Mum's Letter

Harry; SeverusxLily mentioning

Rated T

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or its characters from the franchise. That honor belongs to JK Rowling

Mum's Letter

Part 2

Harrison Severus Snape? Was my mother trying to imply that I was possibly Professor Snape's child and not James Potter's that I and everyone else have known to be since forever? I couldn't wrap my mind around it all. I was Harry James Potter, wasn't I? But that official document was magically designed to sign my real name from my blood and instead of Harry James Potter, it signed Harrison Severus Snape. Did I just get Snape's inheritance? If so, why? I stared down at the letter that mum left for me, contemplating if I should really open and read it.

"Would you like to look over Lily Potter's will now?" Sheevannalynn asked me, breaking me out of my thoughts. I looked down at the lady goblin before looking back at the envelope in my hand. Shaking my head I said, "No, not today. Is it alright if I come back another time to look over the wills?"

Sheevannalynn nodded and answered, "That is fine, Mr. Snape. I did not expect you to look over everything today. Processes such as these take time, especially for those that have been orphaned their whole lives and only are just able to accept their inheritance if they have one. Now let us go back up, shall we."

After mum's vault was closed and sealed shut once again, we took the cart back up and got off before walking back towards the main part of the bank. As we walked Sheevannalynn said, "Next time you come, just ask for me and I will be happy to assist you once again."

Nodding I said, "Thank you very much. Have a good day."

The lady goblin nodded and walked away and I walked towards the exit. As soon as I stepped outside I looked back down at the letter in my hands. Mum's letter had the answers to the questions I had circulating in my brain. The main one that was stuck at the moment was whether I was really Professor Snape's son and not James Potter's.

I know mum and Professor Snape had been friends in their youth, but that ended when he called her a Mudblood out of embarrassment and anger. No matter how many times he apologized, she wouldn't forgive him because he was going to become a Death Eater. And then he decided to protect me to honor her after her death. I get that he loved her, but my mum didn't love him that way, did she?

"Mr. Potter!"

"Potter!"

"Harry Potter!"

Startled I looked up to see a whole lot of people coming towards me, wanting to thank me all over again for saving them and the Wizarding World. Usually I let them do so, no matter how much I didn't want their thanks, but not today. I had way too much on my mind at the moment to be dealing with the crowd at the moment. Turning on the spot I Disapparated away, heading to Grimmauld Place to get away from them and read the letter.

I sank down into the armchair that was in the bedroom that I was occupying, letting out a sigh before looking at the envelope. It was now or never to read the letter, I guess. Opening it I pulled out the piece of folded paper and gazed at my mother's handwriting for a moment. It was so pretty and curly, but also legible; my handwriting would and could never match it. Taking I deep breath I began to read.

My dear Harry,

By the time you receive and read this letter, I will be long dead, the war will be over, and you will have questions that need answers. I have written this for you should you survive and find out the truth. I'm sure you are wondering about the origins of your name and whether it is true or not. I am the only one who knows the truth about your birth, Harry. Not James, not Sirius, not Dumbledore, and not Severus; just me,

Darling, I am sorry to say that what you know about yourself and your parentage is a lie. I regret deciding to go along with this ruse, but I felt I had no choice. You see Harry, James is not your birth father; Severus is. As the envelope this letter will sit in said, your name is Harrison Severus Snape, not Harry James Potter.

Contrary to popular belief, I did not hate Severus after our falling out. He was my best friend and I treasured him greatly, more than he or anyone else will ever know. I should have been more understanding with him about what happened between us, but I let my pride get in the way, along with James, Sirius, and everyone else's cruel words. I understood Severus better than anyone and I failed to be the understanding friend he had. I regret to this day for letting all of that happen the way it did. It was while I was engaged to James did I begin to really think about how I felt for Severus, and I realized it surpassed friendship. Unfortunately I could not tell anyone that, as by that point he was a full fledge Death Eater. But I was surprised when he paid me a visit the night before my wedding to James. He once again apologized for what happened in Hogwarts and I finally forgave him for it. We talked the whole night and he let me know just how much I meant to him, how much he loved me and only me. I was so overwhelmed I cried in his arms until I fell asleep, only to wake up alone.

The wedding went on and I suddenly found myself to be Lily Potter, but I wasn't as happy as everyone thought or made me out to be. James couldn't see it though, too absorbed in the fact that he was married to me and gloating about how he knew we would end up together and married one day. We went on our honeymoon and returned and I decided to get some fresh air. I ended up returning to my old home and I saw Severus in what we called "our spot". He was surprised to see me there and I could tell that he was crushed by seeing the Potter family marriage ring on my finger. But even so I knew he loved me and that was why I could see it hurting him more than he was letting on. It was then that I realized that I was wrong to marry James, but I could do nothing about it. We were bonded and could not marry another if we wanted to unless one of us died; it was what James wanted and I stupidly went along with the idea. Even so, I realized that I had always loved Severus and loved him the way he loved me. We spent the day together and I confessed to him how I felt about him while also apologizing for how horrid I acted after our falling out. Severus had already forgiven me though, even if I felt I didn't deserve it. I kissed him and we ended up snogging afterwards. I'm sure you can imagine what happened after so I won't go into detail, but I will say that that was the best time of my life, being held in Severus' arms for a final time. I told him I loved him before I left, but I'm not sure he really believed me.

I later found out I was pregnant and James was ecstatic about having an heir. He believed he impregnated me during our honeymoon and after our return, but based on how far along I was according to the MediWitch that checked me, I knew the baby wasn't his. However I decided to keep my mouth shut. When it came time to birth you, I couldn't help but cry because the real father of my child wasn't there with me because he didn't even know you existed, at least not as his. You're hair was black, apparently like James' when he was born before it began to take on a bit of brown, and you had my green eyes. You definitely could have passed for James' son, but I knew that as you got older who you would really look like and I couldn't let anyone know about my infidelity or that you were Severus' child. So after James left to tell the others about you, I asked the MediWitch for another birth certificate and put your real name on it along with the name of your real father, Severus Tobias Snape. And just to make sure I placed some of your blood on it to finalize it. When a child is born into the Wizarding World, their blood is dropped onto the birth certificate to automatically add them under their parents at Gringotts. I did not do this with the other certificate where it states that James is the father and surprisingly, no one noticed. After that I placed advanced Glamour Charms on you to make sure that as you grew, you would look like James. It will be when, and only when you accept your inheritance you obtain your natural features, though I do not know how long it will take.

Harry, I am so sorry that I hid this from you. You don't know how much I regret doing so, but you come to realize that there are decisions that you have to make in this world, no matter who they affect. I wish Severus could have known about you, know that you are his son. Maybe he would have loved you just like I do, would have loved that he had a son. Unfortunately he will never know and I can never tell him.

Sweetheart, if there is one thing that I want you to know then that is this: don't be fooled by someone based on their outer exterior. Because those that you truly care about will always show you who they really are and there is more to them than what meets the eye. I knew that with Severus but I let my hurt and pride make me believe that he was just as bad as those he was with in Slytherin House. I wish things could have been different, but they are what they are and I cannot change that. Now I leave this information with you to decide what to do. Whether you choose to believe me or not, whether you choose to accept this or not, it will not change the fact that you are Harrison Severus Snape. But do not let this information weigh you down, my love.

Once again, I am so very sorry and I wish I could fix everything. Mummy loves you so much, Harrison. And I'm sure that if Severus knew about you, he would love you, too. Take care, sweetheart.

With all my love and regret,

Lily Evans

I didn't know that I had tears running down my face until the words blurred in my vision. I couldn't believe all of this; it was too much to take in. My real father was Professor Snape and neither him nor I knew. That meant that I had had a parent still living, someone in this world that could have meant something to me if I had known. But all I ever did was make him irritable and think horrible things about him.

I cried harder as I realized the last things I ever said to Snape was that he was a coward, a murderer, so many hurtful things. How could I have said that to my own father? Granted I did not know, but still it hurt. And now he was gone, dead for putting his life on the line to protect my own for my mum. There was nothing I could ever do that would pay that man back for everything he ever did for me, even if he had no idea I was his son.

Feeling a headache coming on I walked over to the bed and kicked my shoes off before placing the letter on the nightstand and pulling back the covers. I got in and laid my head on the pillow, deciding to rest for a bit, though all the while I kept thinking that I was now Harrison Severus Snape, and I was okay with that.