Chapter Fourteen

Harry jumped up, filled with rage and stormed out of the dorm. He marched down the corridors, not really thinking but acting purely on the anger that filled him. He slammed open the Potion room door making the group of sixth years jump, and several potions fizzle and spit a few green sparks.

"What the hell is this?" Harry shouted, the few remaining students who had managed to keep their potions under control looked round, leading to their potions also giving up a few green sparks.

Severus swept over, glaring at Harry.

"What are you playing at Harry? My sixth years are trying to make an ageing potion, it is extremely advanced and you've just ruined every single one." Severus hissed quietly.

Harry wouldn't calm down though, he gave his step father a shove and took a step backwards, "I know what you did! You helped Voldemort kill him!"

Harry waved the letter under Severus's nose. Severus snatched it and read quickly over the scribbles.

"This is not-" Severus started,

Harry cut across him, "I don't care what you have to say!" He screamed, his throat was hurting from shouting so much, "I trusted you! You're nothing. I can't believe you. You never deserved Mum!" Harry knew, as soon as the words left his mouth he'd gone to far.

A dark cloud past over Severus's face, his mouth hardening into a tight line, "If you have something to discuss with me, Mr Potter, you may do so after class. Now get out of my classroom."

Snape took Harry's arm and guided him forcefully out the classroom, slamming the door shut behind him.

Harry felt empty, all the rage that had built up had left, he felt sick and exhausted and was already regretting exploding the way he had. He wondered aimlessly through the corridors to Lupin's classroom and took the nearest desk to the door. Thankfully it was a book lesson so he could hide behind his text book and focus on not bursting into tears and embarrassing himself.

He left as soon as the bell rang, ignoring Remus and his friends calling after him. Instead he went to the library and flopped down in a chair.

"You OK Harry?" Hermione asked, she had a huge stack of books with her and looked as tired as he felt. Crookshanks was walking calmly by her feet, looking over the library with beady eyes.

"I just got some bad news." Harry mumbled.

"Want to talk about it?" Hermione suggested, sitting next to him.

Harry lent back in his chair, "What would you do if you found out someone you'd always trusted wasn't who you thought they were?"

"Well if someone was trying to actively trick me I'd be cross but we never really know everything about another person Harry, everyone has a past." Hermione pointed out.

"But this is huge, more than just a little bad thing someone did it's a huge bad thing someone did." Harry tried to explain without actually telling her what had happened.

Hermione frowned, "What do you mean? Have you done something?"

Harry shook his head, "No it's not me."

Hermione looked at him, with her clear brown eyes, "Harry, tell me what's happened."

"I found out that someone was selfish and it caused the death of my Dad." Harry sighed, he was close to tears now, "Everything that happened since, Mum having… it was just so tough and I grew up not even knowing my father because this person was pissed at something Dad had done years before."

Hermione looked confused, "So are you cross at the person who did the thing that got your father killed or are you cross at your father for hurting that person in the first place?"

Harry sat up straight, "I'm not cross at my Dad!" he shouted, "How could you even think such a thing?"

"Harry I wasn't trying to upset you I just didn't-"

"It doesn't matter." Harry snapped, "I'm going to my room."

Harry stormed out of the library leaving Hermione, stunned behind him. Harry paced his dorm angrily. Even Crabbe and Goyle left him be when they saw the flash of fury in his eyes.

Draco returned just before dinner and stopped, staring at his friend,

"Harry, what's up? We've been looking for you."

Harry didn't have the letter, it was still with Snape, which caused another flash of anger.

"Harry whatever has happened you need to calm down." Draco told him firmly.

Harry nodded, and forced himself to sit down on the bed and take several deep breaths. The knowledge that he's stormed into a classroom to shout at Snape would not only be around the school but soon his mother would know as well.

"I got a letter, from Peter Pettigrew." Harry began.

"Peter Pettigrew," Draco thought the name over, "The guy who betrayed you parents? Told You-Know-Who where they where?"

Harry nodded, "That's him."

"Why on earth would he be writing to you?" Draco asked, he had an uneasy feeling about where this was going.

"He wanted to tell me that it wasn't just his fault my father was killed. You-Know-Who threatened him and forced him to tell but the only reason that You-Know-Who was even interested in my parents was because someone else told him that they were a threat. And that person was Snape." Harry spat out.

Draco closed his eyes and took a deep breath, no wonder Harry was so upset, "Harry I know that can't have been easy to hear but, well there was a lot going on during the war and do you even know if it's true?"

Harry nodded, "Dumbledore said that he knew what was in the letter and he wouldn't have lied to me. Snape wanted my Dad dead and he caused it! It wasn't just Dad, Mum was nearly killed as well and me and how could he do something like that?"

Harry was getting upset again, anger over taking his brain and stopping him from thinking straight, he wanted to scream and cry but didn't want to do that with Draco in the room.

"Harry I..."

"There's nothing to say. He lied to me, for twelve years, he lied to me and everyone else." Harry said firmly, "How can I forgive that?"

Draco didn't know what to say so instead he put an arm around his friend and gave him a hug, "Lets go down for dinner."

Harry nodded and followed him out the dorm, he just wanted to sleep and felt slightly sick but more than that he didn't want to be alone.

One thing he hadn't thought of was the fact Severus would also be a dinner, glaring down at him from the teacher's table. Harry glared back.

"Who's put a bee in your bonnet?" Pansy asked, holding tightly to Draco's hand and helping herself to mash potato.

"Don't ask." Draco told her, looking over at Harry who still looked fit to explode.

Severus excused himself from the teacher's table and swept over to where Harry and his friends where sitting.

"You left this in my classroom Mr Potter." Snape told him briskly, thrusting the letter into Harry's hands and marching away before Harry could say anything.

"Is that the letter?" Draco whispered.

"Look at that." Daphne pointed down the table to where Gemini was smiling down at Harry, a cruel shine in her dark eyes.

She shuffled down the bench and smiled, "Are we having issues with the darling family?" she asked smoothly.

"It's nothing." Harry told her, a warning edge to his voice.

"Really?" Gemini asked, "You seem to have gotten a letter that's upset you. Now who could have sent something like that?"

Gemini didn't wait for an answer instead standing up and walking out the hall, quickly followed by her brother and several other Slytherins.

"How on earth did she know?" Harry muttered, his confusion taking over his anger for a moment.

"Harry?" Daphne said, getting his attention, "What's in the letter?"

Harry shook his head and handed it over. Daphne read over it and shook her head, before handing it to Harry and Pansy to read.

"I get why you're cross but this guy seems like he just wants to blame someone, anyone, that isn't himself for what happened." Draco pointed out.

"Your Mother always said Pettigrew was a bad egg, how do you even know it's true?" Pansy said.

Harry rolled his eyes at having to explain this again, "Dumbledore said that he'd gotten a letter explaining what was in this one. Why would he give it to me if it wasn't true?"

"Maybe what was in the letter to Professor Dumbledore wasn't what was in this one. I think Pettigrew is just a liar." Daphne said, utterly unconvinced by the letter.

Harry glanced up to where Severus was sitting at the teacher's table, still watching down at him.

"He lied to me. He got my father killed and nearly my Mother." Harry said through gritted teeth, "How can I forgive him for that?"

"Looking forward to the trip to Hogsmead?" Pansy asked, changing the subject.

Harry shrugged, "Not sure I'll be allowed to go yet."

"Well I am." Daphne said, "I hear they have a wonderful dress shop there and I'm hoping to get a new dress for your new years party. And they have a book shop."

"Me too." Pansy smiled, "Draco is taking me to a little tea shop they have on a date."

Draco smirked and wrapped his arm around Pansy, "I've already made the booking."

Harry smiled at his friends attempts to cheer him up, "I hope I can go, they have a brilliant sweet shop, I'm hoping to get a few things for Danica and they have something called Zonk's joke shop which sounds like a lot of fun."

"We should all go round together, it'll be more fun that way." Daphne suggested, "Apart from the date bit anyway."

"I wonder if Hermione is going." Harry mused, he felt bad for shouting at her earlier.

"Well I suggest you write to your mother this evening and ask her if you can go. There's only a few days until the trip. Remember to add in how much you want to get things for Danica." Pansy grinned.

Harry nodded and managed to force down a few mouthfuls of dinner. He sat in study period trying to write out a letter to his mother. He didn't want to tell her about the letter, he didn't want to think about how that letter was going to effect his mother.

But what if she already knew? What if she had always known what Snape had done and she married him anyway? Harry didn't want to think about it. Instead he put down a few basic details about how his classes were going before asking if he was allowed to go to Hogsmead and sending them his love.

"Professor Dumbledore." McGonagall said, looking up from her desk where she was supervising the third years.

"Hello Minerva, I was just wondering if I could borrow Mr Potter?" Professor Dumbledore asked warmly.

Harry looked up at the mention of his name.

"Of course. Mr Potter, you may pack up your things." McGonagall told him.

Harry nodded and stuffed his school books into his bag.

"Twice in one day?" Daphne whispered to him, "Do you want me to go with you?"

"No talking please Miss Greengrass. Focus on your school work." Professor McGonagall chided her, "You have plenty of homework to be getting on with."

A couple of the Gryffindors looked over and smirked at a Slytherin getting told off.

Harry shook his head, "Don't worry about it. I'll see you in the common room."

Daphne gave a worried nod and went back to her Potions homework under the glaring but watchful eye of Professor McGonagall.

Harry followed Professor Dumbledore out the classroom and waited in the hallway.

"What were you working on Harry? I hope I wasn't interrupting." Dumbledore asked kindly.

"No. I… I was just writing to my Mother, finished my homework earlier." Harry said, he didn't see the point in lying.

"Well why don't we take a walk to the owlery and you can send it off while we talk?" Professor Dumbledore suggested.

Harry nodded and they started to walk towards the large tower that held the owls. It was cold, with a fierce wind howling through the glassless windows.

Harry carefully made his way over to Hedwig, avoiding the patches of ice the covered the floor. He could feel Dumbledore calmly watching him; the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. He ignored it and gave Hedwig a stroke and a few owl pellets before carefully tying the letter to her leg and letting her hop onto his arm.

"She's a beautiful owl Harry." Professor Dumbledore remarked.

"Thanks." Harry gave him a smile, "She was a birthday present from the Malfoys."

Dumbledore nodded, "Ah yes. I remember when your mother first befriended Narcissa. I wasn't sure it was a wise idea."

Harry didn't want to ask why but his curiosity got the better of him, "Why? Narcissa is lovely."

Dumbledore nodded, "Yes, but her and Lucius were both proud supporters of before he was defeated."

Harry felt his anger bristle, "They were cleared, it was put down that they were forced."

"Yes." Dumbledore gave a small smile, "That is was the official record states."

"What..." Harry turned his back to Dumbledore for a few moments and moved Hedwig to the window watching her take off into the darkening sky.

"I do not mean to alarm you Harry." Dumbledore put a hand on his shoulder, turning Harry round, "But I, unlike many, think you have a right to know what it was like during the last war. I don't look at you like a child."

"Professor Dumbledore, I… I would like to know." Harry said, the moment he'd said it a small flame of regret started in the back of his mind but he pushed it away. He needed to know, he didn't want to find out he was really living with other traitors that had destroyed his family.

Dumbledore smiled, a glint of triumph in his eye, "I knew you would, shall we go to my office? Slightly nicer surroundings. We may even get a cup of tea and a cream cake."

Harry nodded and followed the headmaster out the owlery.