Chapter 52

The Truth

(Same day)

I stood in the doorway of David's bedroom, Severus in my arms. He was so still and quiet. He seemed to be asleep, but when I awkwardly turned my head to look, I saw that his eyes were wide open, staring at nothing.

I stepped further inside the room.

The room was not nearly as bland as the rest of the house. I got the impression that David spent a great deal of time in this room.

An old fashioned mahogany dresser with a mirror rested against the wall across from the four poster bed. A few framed photos sat on the dresser; they all seemed to be of Sparky, David's childhood golden retriever. I ran my hand over one on of the pictures, remembering that dog eating my Popsicle when I was six and David laughing.

One of the dresser drawers was left open and I nonchalantly looked inside. There were about a thousand Reese's peanut butter cup wrappers in there and a half bottle of whisky. A drawer I thought I might visit again later.

The walls were painted bleach white which was a drastic contrast with the thick red wine colored curtains.

I walked over to the nightstand and turned on the frilly old fashioned lamp that rested there. A worn sketch pad lay next to the lamp, flipped open to a scribbled grocery list: MILK, TOILET PAPER, REESE'S

I half smiled to myself.

I heard footsteps behind me.

David stood in the door way looking at me thoughtfully.

I sighed at him and moved aside as he went to strip the unmade sheets off the bed and began replacing them with fresh crisp ones.

When he was finished he gazed at me again. I blushed and looked down.

I heard him move around the room and open drawers. When I sensed him near me again I turned my gaze up and saw that he was holding a small pile of clothes.

"Here," he said as he put the pile on the freshly made bed. "You and Severus can sleep in these.

"Thank you," I muttered.

"Thanks, Mr. Harper," whispered Severus.

I put Severus down on the bed gently and then turned my attention towards David.

"I will be just right down stairs if you need anything," he said seriously, eyeing me cautiously. He probably thinks I am a nutcase. Suddenly he reached out to me and drew me close to him. "Someday you will explain everything to me," he whispered in my ear and then he kissed my forehead and left the room.

I took in a large gulp of air, not even wanting to think about anything. I felt so emotionally drained.

I looked down at the clothes on the bed. David had left us one of his t-shirts and a flannel button down pajama top, that I assumed was for me.

"Severus," I whispered.

"Yes, Mommy," he said softly.

"I love you," I said.

"I love you too, Mommy," he told me.

I proceeded to help Severus out of his clothes and put him in David's t-shirt, which fell to below his knees. Then I quickly undressed and threw on the flannel night shirt that fell too far above my knees.

Severus and I got under the covers. The sweet smell that David carried danced in the air of the room and within the fibers of the clothes and bedding.

I turned out the light of the frilly lamp and Severus cuddled up to me.

Severus sniffed into my chest.

"Don't worry, Sev," I uttered. "Everything will be better in the morning."

And then we fell asleep.

The sun was slowly ascending in the sky and its light ly snuck through the thick curtains of David's bedroom.

Severus sat up in the bed wide eyed next to his mother. Although it was not the dim light in the room that had woken him. His mother beside him tossed and turned in her sleep. The blanks that had covered them both had been kicked onto the floor and the full extent of the restless woman was exposed. Severus's mother kicked her bare legs around and low mumbles and moans escaped her sleeping lips.

Little Severus was not alarmed by his mother's state, for he had seem it's likeness on many occasions. Severus knew that his mother had bad dreams. Several nights when he had climbed into bed with her he had had this same experience and sometimes he would hear his mother's shrieks in the night from his bedroom. This was normal.

Severus touched his mother's hair and stroked it twice. His mother seemed to ease at her son's gentle touch and stopped tossing.

"Rest now, Mommy," Severus soothed.

Severus climbed out of bed quietly and picked up a sheet from the floor. He recovered his mother and left the room without waking her up.

He slowly descended the stairs. He left out a little shiver as his bare feet touched the cold wooden floor.

Once Severus reached the landing he followed the sound of snores to the living room where the artist was asleep in his underwear on the couch that was too small for him.

Severus poked the man's bare chest with his finger. The artist snorted once and then continued sleeping.

Severus poked the man again but this time the man stirred and then rolled off the sofa and onto the floor with a spat.

"Shit," David said from the cold floor. "Oh what the hell," he said with confusion as he rubbed his tired eyes.

David looked up to see the kid standing over him grinning to see him on the floor.

"Morning," David groaned as he stood.

"Good morning," Severus said.

David looked around for his slacks. He saw them sprawled at the other end of the room and he went to retrieve them. "What can I do for you, Kido," said David as he climbed into his pants.

"I'm hungry," said Severus.

David glanced at his watch it was 5:30. "Of course," he said to himself.

Severus was standing patiently swinging his arms in the oversized navy t-shirt of David's. David couldn't help but smile as he looked at the child. He was, after all, a very cute kid, although he didn't resemble his mother much at all. David tried to find Alex's likeness in the boy, but he was forced to conclude that the boy must take after his father and whoever his father was he must have been really good looking.

David scowled at the thought.

"Come on, Severus," David said as he sleepily walked over to the kitchen.

In the kitchen David picked Severus up and sat him on the counter's stool. Severus smiled, excited to be on the high seat.

David opened the refrigerator and examined the content. It was practically empty except for last night's left overs and a single egg.

"Do you like eggs?" asked David, "or in this case an egg."

"I only like eggs that Mommy makes," Severus explained. "I have tried other people's eggs and don't like them, so I don't see why your eggs would be any different."

"Okay then," David said. So the pulled out the platter with the chocolate cake on it and put it in front of the kid and then handed him a fork. "Okay have at it."

"Mommy never lets me have cake for breakfast," Severus pointed out.

"What your mommy doesn't know won't hurt her," David told him.

Severus thought about this for a moment but decided that chocolate cake this good couldn't possibly be a bad thing and took a huge forkful off the top of the cake.

"Do I have to call you Mr. Harper?" Severus asked, "because I don't like that name much."

David rolled his eyes. "Sure kid, call me whatever the heck you want."

"I'm thirsty," said Severus.

David moved to get him a cup of water.

I woke up very confused. At first I forgot where I was; the vivid images of my nightmares flooded back to the front of my mind and I looked around the room wildly expecting to see Lord Voldemort's icy stare.

But soon I became familiar with my surroundings.

"David," I sighed with a mixture of affection and irritation. I climbed out of bed and was about to get dressed when I heard a huge clattering sound coming from downstairs.

"FUCK!" carried David's voice.

I picked up my wand then sprinted downstairs and into the kitchen. Severus was crying on one of the kitchen stools and David was on the floor looking terrified.

I hurried to pick up Severus. I slid in getting there, because the floor was soaking wet.

I took Severus up into my arms and turned to David angrily.

"What did you do?" I accused.

Stunned, David shook his head wildly and pointed at Severus as if he was the playground tattletale.

I looked down at him.

Severus met my gaze tearfully. "I was bad, Mommy," he cried.

"What happened?" I asked my son.

"I was thirsty," Severus told me.

I suddenly became very aware of my wet feet. I looked at David again.

David stood slowly with his back pressed against the wall.

"It was raining," David whispered.

I looked outside. The sun was shining. "We live in Washington, David, rain happens." I dismissed.

"No, no," David shook his head wildly again. "It was raining in the house!" David half shrieked.

"I'm sorry, Mommy," Severus said unhelpfully.

"Don't be silly, son," I stressed.

"It had to do with him!" David pointed at Severus again.

I slapped his hand down. "Will you stop that," I demanded. "I am sure there is a logical explanation for all of this."

"There is nothing logical about what just happened!" David exclaimed.

"Don't be ridiculous," I said.

"I am not ridiculous!" David said. "You are just unreasonable!"

"How am I being unreasonable?" I asked incredulously. "I am so sorry that I am not rationalizing with an insane person!"

"I am not insane," David said defensively. "Look at Severus," David gestured to my crying child. "He knows he did something!"

"How do you explain that my five year old did this," I gestured around the damp room with the free hand not holding Severus. "He is upset because you swore at him! He is five!" And then it hit me. Severus was five. How could he have produced this much magic at age five? This is unheard of!

"You should have seen him, Alex! He knew what he was doing," David said.

"And what exactly was he doing?" I asked roughly.

"I-I don't know what to call it," David said frustrated. "All I know is that you and your whole family are strange. You were strange when I first met you and you are still strange now. Weird things kept happening around you. Growing up, anytime anything freaky would ever happen, you would be involved. Then you died! And now you are back! You are back and you are still strange and now you have a strange kid!"

I stared at him, steaming with anger. I was trying to find something really horrible to say, but nothing I wanted Severus to hear.

"I didn't die," I hissed at him. "I already explained that to you remember! And if you think I am so strange why did you invite us here?"

"I invited you because I-" he cut off. "You keep saying things and I know you are not being truthful."

I couldn't think of anything to say.

"I want you to tell me the truth. The whole truth," David said.

"Why do you need to know?" I asked with exasperation.

"Because I want to know you," David said.

"What if you don't," I whispered. "What if the truth is too much to handle?"

"Try me," said David.

I sighed and set Severus down on the puddled floor. I looked down at my son and winked. "Let's clean up shall we?" Severus wiped away his tears at once and smiled. I raised my wand that had been in my hand all along and with one swift wave the water evaporated.

"What just happened?" David whispered looking around. "Oh my god!"

"Well," I said softly. "Now you know the truth. I am a witch."

"A witch," he mouthed.

"Yep…a broom riding, cauldron stirring, witch," I told him matter-of-factly. "And Severus is a wizard."

"What?" David said breathlessly. "What!" he said a bit louder. He started shaking his head wildly. "I wasn't- I mean- you are- that doesn't exist!"

"Sorry to break it to you but," I said, "it does."

"I am hallucinating this whole thing!" David said hysterically. "This is not happening, it is all in my head. You are not really here. You are still dead! I am probably not even here. I am in some padded room somewhere talking to myself." David started to hyperventilate.

"Hold up," I said quickly. "Calm down!"

"Calm down! Calm down! How am I supposed to calm down?" David cried.

"I assure you this is actually happening," I said.

"Oh that is reassuring," David said sarcastically.

"It's okay," I tried to calm him.

"Are you even human?" he asked.

"I am human," I said a little offended.

"I thought you may have been a spy or something," David said.

"What?" I said.

"I wasn't expecting this," David replied.

"Well I would hope not," I said.

"What else can you do?" David asked timidly.

I smirked. "I can bewitch your mind and ensnare your senses," I hissed. "If I wanted to I could make you my puppet."

"But you wouldn't," David said nervously.

"If I wanted to I would have done it years ago," I told him.

"Right," he said wide eyed.

"Are you scared?" I asked.

David stared at me for a long moment. "Scared shitless," he said, but then he tried to smile.

"I can make your fear go away," I whispered. "I can make you forget that you ever saw anything strange." I pointed my wand at his face.

"Don't point that goddam twig in my face," David said.

I was about to ignore him and wipe his memory when something stopped me. I lowered my arm and he jumped back as I brought my wand down. I turned the wand over in my hand then gave it to David to hold. He reached out slowly and examined it.

"The rest of your family?" David asked.

"My mom and sister, but my dad wasn't," I said.

"Your dad was like me," David said pointing to himself.

"Yes," I assured him.

"And he was okay with all this?" David asked.

"Yes," I said swiftly.

"And he and your mother were very happy together?"

"Very happy," I told him.

David remained silent for a few moments in deep thought. He then looked up at me shyly. "I always knew you were special," He muttered.

I blushed.

"What else can you do?" David asked again. "Why do you need to use that stick thing and Severus doesn't? If witches are real" his eyes widened, "what else is out there?"

I smiled in spite of myself. "You better sit down," I said to him. He did and then story time began with lots of help from Severus. David had a billion questions, but seemed to deal with the fact that he had been living a lie for his whole life quite well. As I told him secret after secret about the wizarding world I began to feel an extreme sense of fulfillment. Letting David into my magical world was like breaking a barrier between my two selves that had not been allowed to meet in years. I felt whole and somehow I knew that I would never be lonely again.

Note from Author:

For those who have asked or were wondering Draco is coming back in the next chapter.