Chapter 100

It had been three days since Harry had returned to the castle with Snape. Madam Pomphrey had just brought him lunch. This evening he would be viewing some of his memory with the Headmaster.

"No more drugging," protested Harry, with a glare.

She nodded. "Your magical stores seem to be all right now. Just be careful when you cast anything for the next 24 hours."

He nodded that he understood.

"Harry?"

Harry looked up and narrowed his eyes at Remus. This was the first time he had seen his guardian since he had been back. He knew, of course, that the man had been by his bedside while he had slept, but he had always been gone when he had woken up.

"Can we talk?"

Harry nodded.

Remus sat down in the chair across from Harry. He eyed both Snape and his godson. Harry hardly ever left Snape's bedside when he was awake.

"I ... I'm sure you have questions."

"How long have you known?" Harry asked, bluntly.

Remus winced. "Since I saw you in Lily's arms the day you were born."

Remus saw Harry's hands tighten around the cup he was holding.

"Did mom know that you knew?"

"She ... suspected, but never came out and confronted me."

"Did dad ... er ... excuse me," sneered Harry. "Did James know?"

"James was your father as well. Never doubt that. Yes. He discovered the truth when you were three month's old."

"What did mom tell him?"

"He never told her he knew."

"What?" demanded Harry. 'What is with all of these lies?' he wondered furiously.

"Can I start from the beginning?"

"That would be nice," he said while glaring.

Remus settled back into his chair and began his tale, hoping Harry would hear him full out.

"Your mother and Snape came to Hogwarts knowing each other. What started off as a strong friendship clearly became more over the years."

Harry glanced at Snape while Remus spoke.

"Early in our 7th year, they had a fight of epic proportions."

"What happened?" interrupted Harry.

"He slipped up and called her a mudblood."

Harry's eyes widened in surprise.

"I won't make excuses for him but he was hanging out with the wrong crowd in Slytherin. All of his classmates went on to become Death Eater's. The day it happened, James and Sirius were antagonizing him over something that happened in charms. Lily came to his rescue, which made his humiliation even greater."

"Why would that have humiliated him?"

Remus raised an eyebrow at Harry. "Imagine Malfoy doing something horrible to you that you couldn't break free of in front of half of the school only to have Hermione rescue you."

Harry thought about it. He didn't think it would have bothered him that much, but he could see where Remus was going so he nodded. His eyes then narrowed. "What did they do to him?"

Remus sighed. "They turned one of his own spells against him."

"One of his own spells?"

"Yeah. He is quite the genius. However, I won't tell you exactly what they done. If Snape wakes up and wants to tell you, he can, but it wasn't pretty. I ... should have stopped them but I didn't.

"James ... he loved your mother from the moment he set eyes on her on the train. Once he realized he had caused Lily and Severus to break up, in a move that would have made any Slytherin proud, he moved in to replace him. At first, she didn't give James the time of day but he made huge strides to show her he had grown up."

Remus stopped speaking long enough for Madam Pomphrey to bring Harry his afternoon dose of energy replenisher's.

Once he was resituated in his chair, he nodded for Remus to continue.

"They started dating late in their 7th year. Not long after graduation, James proposed to her. I do believe she loved James but it was easy to see her heart belonged to another."

"Snape?"

Remus nodded. "James knew that he held the number two spot in her heart and he was okay with that. In his mind, since he had her and Severus didn't, he had won."

Harry frowned but didn't say anything.

"Then came your birth. The wolf in me allowed me to realize you did not belong to James the second I saw you. I kept my mouth shut though because you looked like James. Clearly Lily had done something to make this so. I figured if she wanted me to know the truth, she would have told me.

"When you were three month's old, James came across one of your mother's potions books. There was one potion in the book marked with her notes all over it. It didn't take James long to realize that if Lily had researched that particular potion, you were not his biological son."

Harry stiffened in his chair.

"But that didn't matter to him. He loved you very much."

"Even after he knew I wasn't his?"

Remus nodded. "He knew there was only one person in the world Lily would have cheated on him with. By this time, James knew Severus was a Death Eater. He had came across him a time or two during a couple of raids. All he knew was that he couldn't let you be raised by a Death Eater should Snape find out the truth. So, he turned to me and together we found a blood adoption spell. It basically made you his true heir and he hoped that it would give you some of his abilities."

"A blood adoption?" asked Harry with a furrowed brow.

"It's ... not considered a proper thing to do," said Remus.

"It's illegal," clarified Harry.

Remus nodded.

"Did mom find out about this?"

Remus shook his head no. "James hid it very well."

They sat in silence for a few minutes.

"So Snape never knew?"

"He found out the truth a couple of years ago."

"When mom and ... dad died, why didn't you tell Snape then?"

"First of all, within 12 hours of your parents being murdered, Albus had already placed you at the Dursley's. It then took perhaps three months for things to begin to settle down. Severus had been tried quietly as a Death Eater for his crimes but served no time because Albus vouched personally for his change in sides. I tried to talk to Albus about gaining custody of you back then but with my condition, it wasn't allowed."

"Then why can you now?"

"Because Albus is the other co-guardian. Sirius was smart to name us both."

"Did Sirius know?"

"No Harry. He did not."

"Would he have still wanted me?"

"Yes," said Remus, without any hesitation. "He loved you very much."

Harry twisted his hands in his lap. "That still doesn't tell me why you never told Snape."

"I had assumed that Lily had left something telling Severus the truth, and well ... I'm afraid I went a bit selfish. I knew that you were at the Dursley's. With Sirius imprisoned, I felt you should have came to me."

"So you didn't tell him the truth because you wanted me yourself?"

Remus nodded.

"Didn't you think that he would have let you see me?"

"He had no reason too. We hated each other in school."

Harry sighed then glanced at the cup he was drinking from.

"I think she was afraid you'd let loose some accidental magic," Remus said softly.

"I ... I need time to think Remus. Can you leave me alone for a while?"

"Harry, I'm sorry for keeping this from you. I've been pressuring Severus to tell you the truth. This was something I felt should have came from him and not me. I realize you're angry at me and I understand. I'll come back to see you tomorrow, unless you need me before then."

Harry nodded and went back to looking at Snape.

"How is he Poppy?" asked Remus as he ducked into the medi-witch's office.

"Physically, he's fine. His magical level is normal again. There are no lasting effects from his time around all that dark magic. Emotionally is a different story. During the time he's awake, he sits in that chair beside of Severus just staring at him. He's quiet, never saying anything. It's not good, especially so soon after Sirius' death."

Remus rubbed his hand through his hair. "I'm at a loss as to how to help him."

"If Severus dies, which could very well still happen because there's been no improvement, I fear that it will completely break him."

"I'll be back to sit with him again once he's asleep," Remus said with frustration.

A couple of hours later, Harry looked up to find Ron and Hermione looking at him. This was the first time he had seen his two best friends since his return to the castle.

"Are you okay mate? You look horrible. Ow!"

Hermione had evidently elbowed Ron.

First Remus, now them. Maybe he should have just gone back to bed.

He simply shrugged.

"Harry, do you feel up to visitors?" asked Hermione.

He shrugged again. Didn't matter to him if they stayed or went.

"We ... er ... brought you your homework," said Ron.

"Harry, you're not hiding your emotions behind your occlumency shields again are you?"

He sighed. "No." It was the truth too. He then glanced back at Snape. "Did you two know he was my father?"

That question caused Hermione to drop the books she was holding. Ron, however, knocked over the pitcher of water.

"Excuse me?" she demanded.

"At least you two weren't keeping anything from me."

"Harry, you're pulling our legs," said Ron as his voice squeaked.

"No. He is my father. Voldemort told me."

They both jumped from the use of the name. Hermione recovered first. "You can't trust anything he says, Harry."

"Remus and Dumbledore confirmed it."

"But you don't look anything like Snape," blurted out Ron.

"My mom used some kind of potion and my dad used a blood adoption behind her back to give me his talents."

"But you would know if he was your father," stated Ron adamantly.

Hermione turned to look at him. "How would he know?"

"You mean you don't know?" asked Ron incredulously.

Hermione looked slightly put out.

"There's a bond between magical adults and their children. It allows for the parents to know when their kids are hurt or worse."

"That happens in the muggle world as well," pointed out Hermione.

"But's its an even stronger bond in the Wizarding World."

"So your parents always know when you get hurt?"

"Not for cuts and scrapes of course, but for big stuff like concussions and broken bones they know something's wrong. Of course, it also depends on how close the family is too. I can't believe you don't know this."

"I've never really thought about it," said Hermione. "My parents are muggles. But how does this explain how Harry would have known that Snape was his father?"

"He would have felt close to Snape. The bond between parents and kids are passive, but they are there. It's why when people have affairs in our world, if a child results from it, it can't really be hidden. If the child and adult happen to meet out in the world, they would most likely realize the truth, even if the kid looks nothing like them."

Hermione looked simply intrigued.

Harry glanced at Snape again. "I have felt close to him."

Ron's eyes bugged out even more.

"More than once I've felt like a son to him ... or what I guess a son should feel like. I thought I was crazy. It's hard to describe but I feel ... comfortable in his presence."

"Why didn't you ever say anything?" asked Hermione.

Harry looked at her incredulously.

"Good point. Harry ... what happened? Where did you go?"

"What did Dumbledore tell you?"

"That you rescued Snape but wouldn't tell us anything beyond that," said Hermione gently.

Harry sighed. "I'll tell you but I need you both to promise not to tell anyone and not to tell anyone that Snape is my father. Clearly he didn't want me to know. I doubt everyone else finding out is going to make him too thrilled when he wakes up."

They exchanged looks. "We promise," said Ron.

Harry then told his tale, leaving out a few things - such as his ability to see magical signatures (they still didn't know about that).

Of all the things for Ron to say afterwards, he chose, "you pranked the Death Eater's?"

"It served as a good distraction."

Snape suddenly started convulsing on the bed. Harry bolted out of his chair and latched both hands over the Dark Mark before either Ron or Hermione could act.

Hermione's eyes widened. "Harry, what are you doing?"

"Get Madam Pomphrey!" he hissed.

A minute later, they both returned with the medi-witch. She sighed in frustration. "Mr. Potter, I thought I told you to quit doing this."

"He is not allowed to die."

The medi-witch glared as she set up the golem the correct way.

Another minute later saw Harry sitting back in his chair taking a pain reliving draught and his friends demanding an explanation.

"Voldemort can torture someone through the Dark Mark. I used a return to sender spell to send the pain back to him."

"I don't understand," said Hermione.

"When I put my hands on his Dark Mark, I can absorb the pain that's being sent through it. With the golem thing and the rope, I can essentially send some of that pain back to Voldemort without hurting Snape worse."

Hermione's eyes flickered between him and Snape and the golem. "You send the excess energy to the golem but just enough back to let You-Know-Who know that you're still watching."

Harry nodded.

"But how did you connect to him by placing your hands on his Dark Mark?"

"I guess it's because of the bond you mentioned earlier. Dumbledore nor Madam Pomphrey could do it."

"I wouldn't think it would be the bond, but you never know."

"Time for you two to leave," said Madam Pomphrey. "He still has Dragon Pox."

Harry watched as his friends were ushered away. He was then alone with Snape.

He quietly leaned forward and moved Snapes hair out of his face and whispered, "You're not allowed to die on me, so you may as well hurry and wake up."

A/N: Ok, so this is posted waaayyy later than I normally would have. I have NOT abandoned this story. I just have a ton of stuff going on in RL. I'm taking care of my grandfather, my dad, and my 8 month old nephew. Though, I may have convinced my mom to watch my grandfather while I take a month long vacation and visit some distant relatives. If I do that, then I'll have more time to write.

I'm curious as to what you all think about how the duo reacted to Harry's news and Ron explanation of the passive bond between adults and children. If it's not clear, I may be able to elaborate in a later chapter, or I could fix it in this one. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up, but hopefully it will be soon. From memory, we'll all find out if Snape lives or not because he's clearly still not doing so well right now.

Leaves out various treats for reviews and slinks off before being caught! (Happy New Year by the way!)