Betrayals, Truths and Family

Chapter 14: A Son Goes Back to School

Harry was panicking.

He was meant to go back to Hogwarts tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

But he didn't want to.

He wanted to be anywhere but there.

He didn't want to see the ones that pretended to be his friends.

He didn't want to see the Headmaster.

He didn't want to see anyone.

He didn't want to pretend to not be friends with Draco.

He didn't want to pretend his dad wasn't his dad.

He needed his dad.

He needed his dad.

He needed his dad.

His dad hurried into his bedroom, concern on his face as he looked for Harry and found him huddled on the floor in the corner of the room, his knees pulled to his chest, and tears streaming down his cheeks.

His dad knelt in front of him, "Harry, what's happening? What do you need? Can you breathe for me? In… and out… In… and out… That's it, well done. Keep doing that for me, please… In… and out," Severus said gently, worry in his eyes as he looked at his son.

"Daddy," Harry whimpered as his breathing got more under control, he shuffled forwards and collapsed into his dad's arms in a puddle of tears.

"I felt you through our bond, Harry. What's the matter? What do you need?" Severus said.

Their parent/child Veela bond had been steadily growing over the last few weeks, though his dad said it would be stronger than it was now when his glamour was removed, and when he came into his inheritance.

"I can't-can't do this. I can't go back. I don't… I can't pretend. I can't be their friend. I can't hide the fact that you are my dad. I need you, daddy. I need you. I can't be with them. I'm scared. I don't want to do this. I know we have to save everyone from him. But I can't… I can't do this. I don't want to do this. I just want to be me. I just want to be here. I don't want to go there. It hurts too much," Harry said, his voice panicky.

"Harry, baby, breathe for me… In… and out… In… and out… That's it. That's it, well done," Severus said, kissing Harry's hair and rubbing his back gently, "It's okay, baby. I know your mum said you should pretend. But you don't have to if you don't want to. I know it hurts. And if you can't pretend to be their friend, then that is okay. I will be there to protect you, and so will Draco and the twins, and Neville, and Luna, and anyone else you become friends with. You aren't alone. And we don't have to pretend to be who we aren't either if you don't want to. Damn everyone else to hell, if you want to openly be my son, then you can. I will protect you from everyone who dares to try something. I promise. I will petition to have you re-sorted if you want me to. And the castle has built a bedroom in my quarters for you which you can live in if you want to. Who cares what anyone else thinks? You are my baby boy, and you will be with me if that is what you need,

"I'm not going to let anyone take you from me ever again, Harry. If you want to stay with me, you will stay with me, end of story. But you also need an education, and as much as I wish I could remove you from Hogwarts, I am not currently able to do so. However, if things get bad then I will pull you straight out and take you to the other side of the world if I have to, to keep you safe. I know the Tournament will be dangerous, and I will be training you for it to make sure you are prepared. If they won't let me take you out of the Tournament, then I will do everything I can to make sure you are as safe and prepared as possible. I promise,"

"When will it end? I just want everything to end. I can't do this anymore, daddy. I can't," Harry muttered, choking on tears that caught in his throat.

It was all too much for him.

"Your grandpa, Lucius and I have been working with some friends of ours to gather everything we need to take him down. We are speaking to people he knew, and doing everything we can. And as soon as we have everything we will work on taking him down. We are hoping it won't take too long, but no matter how long it takes, baby, you aren't alone. And you don't have to do anything. Just let us adults deal with it all for you. All you need to focus on is your education, your friends, and whatever else you want. If we can't get you out of the Tournament it is another nail in his coffin, and we will help you every step of the way. No matter what,"

"Nothing is ever that simple," Harry said quietly.

"Hm, but we will try and make it as simple as possible for you. You shouldn't have been dragged into anything in the first place. But we will do whatever we can to make sure you aren't dragged into it too much," Severus said, "I wish I could take you away from there, but by the time I found out the truth about you it was too late for me to change your school, or for me to leave Hogwarts. I'm sorry, Harry. But I promise, if anything major happens I am taking you out of there at the first opportunity. The Heads of two other schools are coming this year, in October. Maybe they will invite us to their school? But no matter what, you aren't alone, Harry. I'm not going anywhere. You can live with me all year if you want to. You can just leave our quarters for classes, some meals, and whatever else you want to leave them for. I'm not letting anyone take you from me ever again. Never,"

He held Harry close to him, sitting on the floor and rocking his baby boy, rubbing his back, whispering to him that everything would be okay, eventually, that he wasn't going anywhere, that he wasn't alone anymore.

"Daddy, I'm scared," Harry whispered, his tears had subsided mostly by that point, and his breathing was better, just a little shaky now.

"I know, baby. I know. But I've got you now. And I'm going to protect you from everyone and everything as much as I can, I promise. Do you want to take the train?" Harry shook his head adamantly, "Okay, we'll just floo right to the school then, and Draco can come, too. Then we can inform the rest of the staff of the joyous news that father and son have been reunited," Severus grinned as Harry pulled back slightly and gave him the tiniest of smirks.

"Even Dumbledore?" Harry asked.

"Especially Dumbledore," Severus chuckled, "I think his reaction will be rather funny, don't you?" Harry nodded again and Severus smiled at him, kissing his forehead, "Everything will be okay eventually, Harry, I promise. The sooner the better, and we are working as hard as we can to get everything and everyone in place. Everyone who has hurt you will be severely punished. And if anyone dares to hurt you from this moment, they will also be severely punished," Severus growled protectively and Harry let out a little chuckle.

Severus kissed Harry's forehead again, and smiled as Harry leant into him, "I'll keep you as safe as I possibly can, Harry," he whispered.

Severus stood by the floo watching Harry and Draco say goodbye to his father, Lucius and Narcissa. He couldn't deny that he had a smirk on his face, and his family had them on their faces also. What was to come would be spectacular, he hoped, and he would be pensieving the memories for his family to see them, too.

Harry had offered them the use of his invisibility cloak so they could watch it in real time, but Severus had said that Dumbledore can sometimes see through the cloaks so it wasn't the best thing to do, unfortunately.

They were floo'ing to the entrance hall of Hogwarts just in time for lunch to start, and all the staff would be in attendance for this lunch to go over a few last minute things before the term officially kicks off. Things that weren't mentioned in the staff meetings, for whatever inane reason, but this seemed like a wonderful time to introduce them all to his son, and his godson, properly.

He led the two quietly chatting boys into the Great Hall and smiled slightly as none of the other staff noticed them just yet, all immersed in their own conversations. In fact, the three of them managed to sit down at the head table in the three empty seats beneath Filius and Pomona before anyone noticed them.

"Severus, good to see you," Filius said joyously before his eyes widened at the sight of the boys who were helping themselves to some food, "Afternoon, boys,"

"Good afternoon, Professor," the boys said together, smiling as the rest of the staff finally noticed them and the shock on their faces.

"Harry, my boy, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be on the train?" Dumbledore said and Severus hated how Harry stiffened at being spoken to by the man.

"It's rather strange that you are just asking Harry that question when there is another student here already also," Severus said, raising his eyebrow at the old coot.

He loved the look of surprise on the old face at the use of Harry's first name.

"Yes, Severus, however young Mr Malfoy is your godson, so I just assumed that he had spent the summer with you and decided to skip the ride. Harry however is of no relation to you and therefore has no reason to be here already when his friends are probably worried about him as he should be on the train," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling away and his voice soft, but Severus could sense a hardness to it, too, especially with the slight tension in the man's jaw.

"Hm, funny you should say that. We found out over the summer via a time-delayed letter from Lily that Harry is actually my son,"

The looks from everyone were hilarious and he was alongside Harry and Draco trying not to laugh, especially at the coot trying desperately to hide his anger in a look of shock.

"I also learned that I had been obliviated, by Lily herself, of our entire relationship, but I have my memories back now, and I have my son now. I took legal custody of him, so he is officially mine, in all ways. The castle has also added a room for Harry in my quarters and he will be staying there as often as he wants to so we can continue getting to know each other properly, and, well, after fourteen years without my son, I want to keep him close," Severus said, smirking at the old man.

"Completely understandable, Severus," Pomona said with a kind smile on her face as she accepted everything that was going on.

"Harry would also like to get re-sorted," Severus said, grinning when the next round of shock passed through the staff.

Albus looked like he was going to burst a few veins trying to contain his anger, and, well, everything else.

"Why would he like to get re-sorted, Severus?" Minerva said, almost choking on her words.

"Well, it has come to light that certain friends of his aren't who they have pretended to be and he doesn't feel safe, nor comfortable around a number of the Gryffindors," Severus said, and again the shock in the room was palpable.

Merlin, he wanted to laugh.

But he wouldn't. Not until they were safely in their quarters and away from prying eyes.

He had never seen such an array of shock. So many eyes bugging out of heads.

"Whatever are you talking about, Severus, my boy?" Albus said breathing deeply to try and repress his feelings.

Severus couldn't resist an eyebrow.

"I mean that certain Gryffindors are being paid with Harry's own money to be his friends, against Harry's will. Or, they were, We went to Gringotts and have sorted it out by now so that the payments will stop. Others are just hoping to use him for where his fame can get them if they were friends. And Harry doesn't want people using him like that, and he would rather not be close to the people who would steal from him,"

Again, the shock, confusion, and, well, everything that was going on in the faces of his colleagues was something that Severus would probably keep with him forever. Especially since Harry and Draco were snickering at them behind their hands, though Harry was rather hunched over and there was a little fear in his eyes that made Severus want to pounce on the old coot and tear him to shreds.

Oh well, he would do that, eventually. Hopefully anyway, if the sentence he receives is too light then the Veela council would more than happily get Severus off for the crime of killing the old fool. Although, depending on what happened throughout the year he may just have to resort to it anyway.

Not that he particularly minded.

"Severus, I am sure it is just a misunderstanding," Dumbledore said, trying to smooth everything over as if it were nothing.

"I'm pretty sure goblin documents are unable to be falsified due to the magic they use. It was also the King of the goblins himself who spoke to us and sorted out the so-called 'misunderstanding'," Severus said bitingly.

"In any case, Severus," Dumbledore said, just as bitingly, "That is no reason for Harry to be re-sorted,"

Severus' lips twitched in anger as Harry hunched over more, "I would have to disagree. If Harry doesn't feel safe or comfortable in his own House then he has every right to demand a re-sort, just like every student of this school does. Especially if their magical guardian is happy with the demand, and as his magical guardian, I am more than happy to allow my son to change Houses if that is what will make him feel safe and comfortable," he grinned at the look of anger, that wasn't quite as well hidden as the rest of them may have seemed to the others, on the man's face.

He couldn't help it really. This man had hurt his son and he wanted revenge. And he would get it, in due time. But they were still arranging things and that would take a little bit longer.

Then they could begin, and it would be beautiful.

"As the Headmaster of this school, I have the final say on whether a student can be re-sorted, and Harry will be fine in Gryffindor," Dumbledore bit out.

"Actually," Pomona said, looking both nervous and like a mother-hen who wanted to protect her student, "If three of the four Heads of Houses agree with the child and magical guardian that the child should be re-sorted for their own safety and comfort then we can override the Headteacher. And I for one think that if there are students in Harry's current House stealing from him and trying to use him and his fame to get them to higher places in the world instead of using their own skills, then he deserves somewhere where students aren't doing that. I think that Harry should be allowed to be re-sorted,"

That was when Fawkes burst into the room carrying the Sorting Hat and Dumbledore's eyes burst out in shock, anger, and what Severus thought was a little bit of fear.

"I agree that Harry should be re-sorted if he wants to be. And the students involved in the stealing should be punished accordingly," Filius said, smiling kindly at Harry who smiled nervously back at him, though he was still hunched over.

"As his father, his magical guardian, and a Head of House, I believe I can give him the last approval to be re-sorted," the Sorting Hat nodded, "And so we have over-ruled you,"

Some kind of magic seemed to snap into place and Fawkes gently lowered the Hat onto Harry's head.

"It's nice to speak to you, again, young one," the Sorting Hat said kindly, and Harry smiled to himself, and to the inside of the Hat which still went all the way down his head.

"You, too," Harry muttered.

"So, where would you like to be sorted? You can fit into any of the Houses, you are actually one of the few that can fit into all of them. Do you want to be with your father and your new friend? Or do you want to be somewhere else? Maybe Hufflepuff will help you find some friends who will be loyal to you? It will also allow you to show the softer side of yourself, rather than the tough exterior you have had to put up throughout your time here. And Ravenclaw will help you shine like you're meant to academically? I know you will be spending a lot of time with your father, because you aren't safe, and don't want to leave him too much, which is completely understandable. You could, of course, choose Slytherin, and be with Draco, but then you will also have most of your classes with those who have betrayed you, and I don't think you want that, do you?"

Harry shook his head and thought seriously about his choices.

He couldn't go back to Gryffindor. And he really didn't want to be with them in all his classes, or even most of them. He couldn't handle that.

He wanted to be with Draco, he really did. But he couldn't handle being in the same class as Ron and Hermione. It was too late for Dumbledore to change the timetables so if he chose Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff he wouldn't have to deal with them too much. If he chose Ravenclaw he could be smart and studious, like he wanted to be.

But if he chose Hufflepuff he could be himself. All of himself. He wouldn't have to fake anything in Hufflepuff. He could be smart. He could be creative. He could be everything he truly was.

Everyone underestimated Hufflepuffs. And Professor Sprout was rather kind, too, he had to imagine that she was a good Head of House.

Yes, he would still spend a lot of time with his dad, and with Draco, but he would be safe in Hufflepuff.

He hoped so anyway.

"Good choice, Harry," the Hat said gently before going rather serious, "I know that your father and others have plans, I talked to your father the other day, but I can't tell him a lot of what I know, or you for that matter. The joys of sitting in the Headmasters' office all year is that I know almost everything that the man does. He is rather loud when he plots. I can't say anything though due to how many spells he has placed on me. But Harry, I need to warn you that more revelations are to come for you both. Painful ones. Especially for your father. He will need you to support him, and help him through it when the time comes, can you do that for me, Harry? Can you help your father through the pain he is going to endure?"

Harry was terrified. And yet he was grateful for the warning.

"Y-yes, I can try," he whispered, his mind thinking on what could possibly be so painful that his usually strong father would need his support.

"That's all you need to do. Try, stay with him, love him. I'm sorry I can't tell you myself, but, well, manipulations beyond what anyone could imagine in this day and age are at play. I will stop by for a chat when I can, also, you and your father are two of the rare souls who actually talk to me during the year and it is rather lonely. Anyhow, I shall allow the others to breathe again," was the last thing the Hat said just for Harry, "Better be, Hufflepuff,"

Harry smiled nervously as Fawkes lifted the Hat off his head. His dad was smiling at him, so was Draco. Professor Sprout was beaming in happiness and excitement, already welcoming him to her House with kind words and praise. Most everyone else was smiling too.

Except Dumbledore, and McGonagall. Dumbledore looked angry, though he was trying to hide it, and Harry tried not to hunch further into himself than he already was, he really did. McGonagall just looked subdued.

He took a shaky breath and focussed on his dad.

He needed to focus on his dad.

Then maybe they could get through whatever was to come.

Hiya, how are you all?

I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, it was a challenging write for, well, reasons. I was originally going to have Harry go into Slytherin, but then I was like, nah, he should go to Hufflepuff instead because Hufflepuff is cool, and I feel like he needs a place where he won't be constantly surrounded by those who have hurt him. The next chapter will be the opening feast as well as a few extras potentially, we shall see.

Also, if I were to set up a Spotify and make playlists for all of my stories would anyone be interested? They would include songs that remind me of the story in some way, give away little easter eggs for what is to come in the story with some of their lyrics, or songs that just fit. It will be a very eclectic mix of songs because I listen to a variety of music. But I have so many songs that make me think of my stories and I want to share them, if people are interested anyway.

I also have a Facebook group called Maraudering_Paige which you are all welcome to join if you would like to and are able to. It is where we can talk about Harry Potter, fanfics, life, share memes, and more. It is also where I have an update schedule of sorts and will be keeping you up to date on what I am working on, both with original stories, fanfics, and everything else that I am doing/want to do. So if you are interested in joining then I am more than happy to accept you into the group.

I hope you are all having an amazing day!

Kind regards,

Paige xx