Hello...Shall i start on my knees begging for forgiveness or work up to that?
i'm so sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I didn't realise how long had gone by. When I was younger i used to laugh when my mum said how quick time went by when you got older but now i realise...She was telling the truth. Long shifts at the cinema (fancy kids wanting to go see a film in the summer holidays) and organising a wedding, time ran away from me. I offer you tomatoes and unripe apples (all the more painful as they are harder) for you to throw at me.
I hope you're all still out there and enjoy this chapter. I aim to be quicker this time in uploading the next chapter.
Btw...I didn't get rich in time away from the story so i haven't managed to buy the rights to Harry potter.
Harry knelt in front of the common room fire, its warmth and light softening his surroundings and showing Harry to be its only occupant. Harry shifted on his knees, trying to find a more comfortable position as he waited for two faces to appear in the fireplace but the wooden floor only caused discomfort for his knees. Finally giving up on his current position, he shifted so he was sat upon the floor, with his knees beneath his chin. When he was finally comfortable, the fire in front of him flashed green and the two faces he had been waiting for, finally appeared.
"Sirius! Remus!" He said with a large grin, a sparkle appearing in his eyes that had long been missing. He looked quickly around to ensure no one had heard his excitement and came to investigate, before sighing in relief and turned back to the fireplace.
"We thought we would check in; see how you're dealing with the old harridan and the greasy git." Sirius said with a beaming smile and chuckle.
"We heard life isn't the best in Hogwarts at the moment." Remus said with a sad shake of his head "But I hope your lessons with Severus are going okay though? We haven't heard any stinging reports during the Order meetings so in Severus's case that is like a shining recommendation of your talents."
Harry shifted once more, his eyes falling to the base of fire as he avoided looking into their eyes. "I did something bad during the lessons, Snape won't continue teaching me anymore." A shameful red blush coloured his cheeks and neck. He still didn't understand what came over him to look into the pensive, he had heard from Dumbledore what was being kept in there but he didn't realise how private it was. It was like a diary, all the shameful, humiliating memories being stored in there- safe from prying eyes until some idiotic fifth thought it would be okay to have a look. He thought he would see some damning evidence that Snape really was an evil death eater but what he got was the mortification of a 16 year old boy.
"What did the greasy git do?" Growled Sirius, expression showing his murderous intent, ready to jump through the fire and run down to the dungeons to speak...,with his fists anyway, to Snape himself, regardless of his 'criminal' status.
"He didn't do much. He was angry, more angry than I've ever seen him but..." Harry paused for a moment as he gulped away the impeding tears.
He wasn't upset about what he saw in the pensive, he was more upset of the broken illusion of his father. The man many had called brave and brilliant had been nothing more than a childhood bully. He felt like his childhood was creeping away from him. Hermione would describe what he was feeling was because he was finally seeing his father as a mere mortal, no longer Godlike- unable to do no wrong and it hurt so much.
"He didn't hurt me. I did something stupid...I wish I hadn't done it now." Harry said fiddling with his fingers before pushing them through his hair, causing it to stand up on its ends.
"What did you do Harry?" Remus frowned, his furrow crinkling in concern.
"I bet he did nothing. Snivellus is just picking on him like always." Sirius snarled.
"Not now Sirius! Harry What happened?"
"I went into his pensive." Harry whispered before gathering up his courage to look towards Remus. He wished he hadn't as he saw the anger in Remus's face, causing Harry to wince before looking at the base of the fire once more. "I know it was bad but I didn't realise how bad it was until I went in..." He lifted his pained eyes up to the two men who were both frowning at him for different reasons. One in anger and the other in confusion.
"Why didn't you tell me my dad was a bully, that you both bullied Snape? He's not a nice bloke but he didn't deserve what you four did to him by the lake." Harry said, choking on an odd lump in his throat.
"It was just a joke Harry. He gave us as good back and he deserved most of it anyway." Sirius said with a careless laugh.
"It wasn't a joke. That was bullying, four against one!" Cried Harry, shaking his head at Sirius. "I was bullied, three against one, do you believe I deserved it? Is that your reasoning in the careless spiteful manor you treat Hermione? You don't believe she deserves your trust- by the way never had solid proof for your reasoning- so you bully her so much she has to leave the house and go to Snape for protection. I can't believe I didn't pick up on it earlier. You are just a bully!"
"None of that is true Harry. Sirius just has...difficulty managing his emotions. He's still paranoid from his time in Azkaban and you should just ignore it and it will blow over." Remus said with a glare that stopped Sirius's grumblings. "And you shouldn't judge us now on how we were when we were teenagers Harry. We were young and stupid. I often think that your father regretted how he treated Severus. You saw a memory of an arrogant teenager. He changed as he got older."
"You promise?" Harry whispered in a small voice, sounding more like a small child than his age.
"I promise. He grew into a brave and not so arrogant man." Remus said with a wistful smile.
Harry smiled with a half hearted effort before frowning, his brow furrowed in thought before murmuring, "I saw something else in his pensive..."
"Maybe you shouldn't tell us Harry. A man's pensive is private." Remus frowned.
"Oh go on Harry. What's the git been keeping secret?" Sirius said with a grin reminiscent of a wolf about to pounce upon its prey.
"Did you know Professor Snape has a daughter?"
"WHAT?" Remus and Sirius exclaimed, "What did you see?"
"Snape was laughing at a little girl with brown, curly hair. I didn't see her face. He was throwing her into the air and catching her. I have never seen him so happy...or smiling to be honest."
"How do you know she was his daughter?" Sirius said with a frown.
"Because after a few throws she squealed 'daddy' and Snape looked so happy I thought he would have a Hernia. He looked at her for a few moments and clutched her to him, giving the kid a massive hug. I was surprised that she didn't pass out."
Sirius and Remus looked at each other for a moment before looking back at Harry. "We should go now Harry before we're caught by that Toad and remember Harry, Don't trust Hermione." Sirius said with a grim smile before disappearing from the fire.
Remus smile and waved his goodbye as he too left the fire, leaving Harry to stare into the fire as he thought through all he had learned during the conversation.
The Order were collected in the grimy and dank kitchen of Headquarters, chatter and laughter filled the air as old friends caught up over their weeks news. Each were waiting for their leader, Albus and a couple of stragglers before the meeting could take place.
Molly flittered around filling up cups with tea and coffee, talking and smiling as she went. Looking up, she noticed Sirius looking rather happy with himself but pushed the thought out of her head, it was probably nothing too serious but a prank he had played on one of the members as they came in.
She turned to the doorway and gasped at the sight of a dishevelled Severus limping through the doorway, strands of his inky black hair falling across his face and his lips pursed up in distress. Obviously the man was injured but was too proud to say anything.
"Severus? Are you alright? Can I get you a cup of tea?" Molly said, grabbing him by the arm and pushing him into a seat.
"For goodness sake Woman, I'm fine. Go mother something else." Severus said, waving Molly away but gratefully accepting the cup of tea with his other hand.
"You sure you're okay? You have Hermione to look after now so you can't curl over and die just because you're too stubborn to ask for help." Molly tsked.
"I'm fine Molly, the Dark lord only gave me a few rounds of curio, cuts and bruises." Severus said with what could be a reassuring smile though it looked more like a grimace in the end.
"Bet you deserved it though Snape." Sirius sneered from across the table.
"Shut up Black. I'm not in the mood to deal with your childish insults." Severus said with a roll of his eyes.
At that point, Dumbledore walked in with a large grin on his face. "Good evening everyone. It's nice to see some friendly faces."
Everyone turned, greeting him with smiles and salutations. "Right is everyone here?" He said looking around to smile at everyone, "good. Now first order of the day...How is Hogwarts since I've been gone Minerva?"
Minerva shook her head and sighed loudly, "the woman has gone mad with power, she's torturing the students with that damn quill and she's not even teaching them anything. She's used that quill on Potter, Miss Granger and even some of the younger children."
"Hermione had the quill used on her?" growled Severus, "Why didn't she say anything?"
"Probably so you wouldn't be in this situation. You would only end up fired if you said anything to that toad." Minerva said with a growl.
"It would be worth it so she wouldn't get hurt." Hissed Severus, "we're meant to be protecting them but their getting injured on our watch!"
"I agree Severus but the end is nigh. It is only a few weeks until the end of term and things will be back to normal and I will return as headmaster." Albus said with a smile and twinkle in his eye.
"How can you be so sure Albus?" Minerva said, eyeing him shrewdly.
"I have my ways..." He paused for a moment before turning to Severus. "Severus, anything to report from Tom?"
Severus opened his mouth before being interrupted from a voice across the room. "I spoke to Harry the other day."
"And how did you do that Black when you shouldn't be leaving this god forsaken place!" growled Severus.
"Floo of course and he said the most interesting thing..." Grinned Sirius, smiling what could be described as a sharks smile. "He said you kicked him out of his Occlumency lessons."
"Is that true Severus?" Albus said looking over his glasses, a look of disappointment in his eyes.
"He looked in my pensive. He invaded my privacy and the boy didn't even practise. It was pointless for both of us."
"Well the funniest thing came up in conversation." Sirius said with a sickly smile, "When were you going to tell the Order that Hermione is your daughter?"
All eyes turned to Severus whose colour had drained from his face as his mind raced through all his thoughts. Desperately trying to think of a lie, to tell them they were being ridiculous, that Hermione was just his Goddaughter and nothing else but he didn't want to lie anymore. He should be proud of his daughter, not hiding her away and treating her like a dirty little secret.
He shook his head and shook his head briefly.
"Its True? Hermione is your daughter?" Frowned Albus, his eyes devoid of his trademark sparkle, his anger palpable.
"It is. I'm proud to say Hermione is my biological daughter." Severus said, his eyes concentrating on the table in front of him. The brief thought that he was acting like a ill-disciplined first year flittered through his mind but he still wouldn't look up.
"How DARE you keep this secret. You know her destiny, what she will do to Harry. You should have told us, you cannot be trusted to protect Harry, to stay within the light." Growled Albus, standing up from his chair to bear down on Severus, his magic pushing down upon Severus's shoulders.
"You cannot seriously believe that I will betray the light. That Hermione will betray Potter!" Severus hissed, standing up abruptly to stand eye to eye with Albus. "You know that she would not survive in the Dark Lords future if he won! She wouldn't want to live in that, I don't want to live in that. Why would she want to betray the light, She loves that idiot Potter!"
"I think I worked out why she would." Said Albus with a sad shake of his head, "it seems she just follows in her father's footsteps."
"No." Severus said shaking his head, swallowing past the lump in his throat. "No, she isn't like me."
"It seems like the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Now everyone...Keep an eye on Hermione. She cannot be trusted. Now next on the agenda.."
Severus sat back down, staring back at the table, rubbing his hand over his dark mark. Hermione wouldn't join his lord, she couldn't. Wouldn't. He would stop her before she followed him down her dark path.
But he could honestly say he couldn't imagine her turning dark, she was too loyal, kind and caring. She wouldn't want to join the Dark Lord and his torturing ways. He breathed in deeply, trying to gain equilibrium but winced as one of his injuries flared up. His Lord had not been happy with him not knowing where Albus was hiding after he had fled the school.
It seemed as though both of his masters were not happy with him. However it was Albus who was putting in a situation where he was watching his own daughter for treachery. The Dark Lord, idiotic as he was, knew how to keep his followers loyalty. Albus was forcing him into an impossible situation, pushing him into a corner where he was forcing him to choose between the loyalty to Albus and his daughter. And what scared the most was...He wasn't sure he would pick the Headmaster if he was forced to choose.
He Looked up to see Sirius grinning at his pain, all he wanted to do was tear the man's throat out, just to take that malicious smile off his face but he couldn't imagine that would go down well.
Soon the meeting would end and he would get out as soon as possible. There was no way he was sticking around to listen to accusations and I told you so's. He was getting out of here and escaping to the Old Bache inn for a couple of pints. He needed to think and work out what he was going to do- Where his loyalties lay.
I hope it was worth the wait. Let me know what you think. Leave a review if you fancy it. :)