#12 Grimmauld Place

Moody stood back as the headquarter's door appeared to him and walked in. Arthur Weasley was waiting for him. “We got the message, anything new?”

Alistair looked at him for a moment. “Yes. Where’s Snape? The news concerns him."

The patriarch of the Weasley family gave him a confused look. “He’s in the kitchen with the others. Is Harry okay?”

Alistair nodded. “Yes, in a manner of speaking." He gave Arthur another look. “Meet me in the sitting room. Snape’s about to get some shocking news. I need a non marauder in the room with me.” After another funny look, Arthur walked away.

Severus looked up as the much respected auror walked in. He stood up slowly. “Has Potter been found?”

Moody nodded. “Severus. I need a word with you in private.”

Sirius rose. “If it concerns my godson, I should be there too.”

Snape tuned. “He said Severus, not Fleabag.”

As if on cue, Remus stood up as Sirius made to lunge. “Easy Padfoot, I’m sure if it’s important enough, we’ll find out later.”

Sirius growled in his throat as he sat down. Almost as if it was an afterthought, Mad eye turned to Molly. “Do you still have some fire whisky in the sitting room?”

“I moved it so Fred and George didn’t get any ideas." She pulled out her wand and summoned the crystal decanter. She handed it over to the aging auror. Mind you don’t drink too much, I haven’t had time to brew any remedy drafts.”

“It’s alright Molly, I can summon some from my stores if I need it.” Severus said as he followed Mad Eye out of the room.

When they were in the living room, Mad Eye walked over to the cabinet and produced a matching glass. He poured some of the amber liquid into the glass and handed it  to Severus.

“Moody, I fail to see why I need to indulge in alcohol tonight.”

“Trust me, you’ll need it when I reveal the news to you. You’re in for quite a shock.”

That rendered the potions’ master speechless as he accepted the glass and took a sip of it.

Arthur came to stand behind the couch.

Severus saw him and was further disquieted. Moody noticed it.

“I asked Weasley to join us cause I have no idea how you’ll react.” He paused for a breath and then continued.

“The reason Potter disappeared from our radar tonight is because his glamour was removed. A young vampire found him tonight and reversed the spell, revealing his true identity.”

Severus’ breath hitched. He took another sip of the liquid.

“Tonks apprehended the vampire, thinking the young boy was a victim. Turns out they’re both related…to you.”

“Impossible.” Severus whispered.

"She escorted both boys to St. Mungo’s. The healer confirmed that harry potter and Mathais Noir are in fact Aubrey and Ambrosias Snape."

Snape’s eyes widened and his jaw worked animatedly.

Severus took another sip of the alcohol.

“But how? He finally asked. “Aubrey died that night!”

"The healer went back to his files and checked it out. The night they were born, Lily and James were there too. Lily delivered a still born. We believe that in trying to save his wife from suffering, he switched out the babies."

"The night of the fire, Ambrosias was stolen away and taken to France. He’s been known as Mathias Noir. Then last week, his adopted parents were killed by renegade vampires and drained of their blood. Mathais himself, was bitten and is now a vampire himself."

“He found his brother on death's doorstep and brought him to The Leaky Cauldron. They just found out themselves. You may not believe it Snape, but Harry has not led the life you thought he did. I’d bet my life that those Muggles that Dumbledore left him with were the cuase of his injuries. We won’t know exactly what happened till we can get Harry….Aubrey to open up for us.

Severus put the glass down on the table next to him and put his head in his hands.

“Damn you Potter!" He whispered harshly.

Then he got up and started pacing around the room. "That bastard! He took my life from me! If only here were alive, I’d kill him! My wife was devastated! After all those months trying to concieve, he robs us and gets away with it!"

As he ranted Aurthur pulled out his wand, ready for anything.

Snape was pacing faster now and his rants were getting all the more colorful.

"Potter, you damn effing bastard! This is low even for you! Lily, how could you let him!” he whispered softer, in a broken voice.

"Severus, I don’t think Lily knew.” Arthur said in a calming tone. “Not if James had him under a glamour. Don’t you think that if she knew she would have let it continue? She was the most kind and caring person at Hogwarts. There’s no way she would do that to you."

“It had to have been James.” Snape softly. He sat down again on the couch and began to cry softly. Both men stayed where they were, but were disquieted themselves.

For several minutes they let him cry, and then Aurthr squeezed his shoulder and Severus looked up. The cynical mask he wore for everyone had fallen apart and the eyes that gazed up at him were red rimmed.

“Take me to see my sons. Please.”

Arthur nodded. "Of course. He offered a hand up but Severus ignored it and instead followed the other men to the door.

Molly rushed up to her husband, what’s going on Arthur?”

“I’ll tell you later Love. Call off the search.” Then they were gone. Molly looked after them in confusion. Overhead, their children plus Hermione had the same expression.

Severus’ mind was in turmoil they approached the false storefront and were permitted entrance.

As they entered, Moody led them strait to the room.

Though Severus knew they would look different, seeing them with his own eyes was still a shock to him.

The boy’d he’d once despised was fast asleep, having been given a sleeping draft.  Though he still looked battered, his chest still lifted and fell in a peaceful pattern.

His other son, the vampire, looked at him as he walked into the room.

Father and son locked gazes for several long moments.

Severus was the one to break the silence. “Mathias?”

The vamp shook his head. “Mathias died away a week ago. I’m Ambrosias now, Father.”

“Father.”

Just that one name spoken aloud broke the ice and Severus rushed forward and gathered his son into his arms. Ambrosias had to work hard to over through his urges again. He allowed the hug to go on for a few moments and then pulled away.

Severus looked at him in askance. Ambrosias looked apoligetic and his eyes has suddenly went from dark brown to black. He closed his eyes and blocked out the sound of the beating heart and his thirst for blood. Trying to tamp down his thirst, he pulled out his flask and drank deeply from it.

A few minutes more passed before he was in control of himself. He looked up at his father then.

“Forgive me dad. I’m still new to this lifestyle. I had to pull away to keep from attacking you.”

Severus’ heart clenched. His son was a vampire. If he’d been there, he could have prevented his son being turned.

He nodded. "I’m not angry with you. Ambrosias. This’ll take me some time to get adjusted to.”

His son nodded. "I’m more concerned with Aubrey. He won’t tell me what happened. But my senses tell me a lot more."

At his father's confused look, he explained. "My vampire abilities include hightened senses. It’s like I’m thinking with both parts of my brain now. Evrything about me is stronger. I can even tell you’ve been drinking."

Severus approached him, slower this time. "And what does your sense tell you about your brother?"

Ambrosias looked down at his slumbering sibling and inhaled deeply.

"I smell dirt, leather, and blood. It’s his own but it smells different from the blood in his veins…and I also smell an owl."

“That would be his owl, Hedwig.” Arthur supplied from the doorway.

The young vampire nodded. “His aura is calm now, but earler I sensed fear, rage, and despair. I don’t know what those Muggles did to him, but it was enough to almost kill him.”

Severus nodded and then muttered softly to himself. A miute later, his gaze became focused on his son. Knowing what his father was doing, Ambrosius cleared his mind and let his senses hitch a ride on his father’s magic.

Through his legimens, Severus gently explored his son’s mind and what he saw shocked him. It took only a few minutes, but it was enough, when he and his other son blinked again, they were both livid.

The healer was looking at him steadily.

“What did you see?”

"The Durlsey’s were trying to get rid of him. Harry knew it and set his bird free. Vernon burst into the room with a shot gun and harry reacted by rushing him and knocked him down. He ran past them and dursley grabbed his ankle and then the fat boy, stomped on his chest. By that time, Durlsey had recovered and used the butt of the rifle to pound him on him several times."

After muttering those words, snape found he couldn't continued, so Ambrosias took over. 

"The fat boy  sat on him and punched him several times. That action caused his magic to act on its own and it knocked Dursely and his son out. He escaped then and ran out the door….and Petunia didn’t stop him. She hollered at him to never darken her doorstep again."

"He rode his broomstick all the way to London, but as he landed in the alleyway, he was attacked by some wizards. They took his broom and wand. Then they beat him to a pulp. That’s the last thing he remembered. I couldn’t get much more out of him. Even asleep, he resisted me. They did something else to him the day before, but I didn’t get that far."

The healer nodded. "I don’t like legelemens used on my patients unless it’s necessary, but this time, I’ll turn a blind eye to it. It confirms my suspicions. With this new information coming to light, I’ll need to report the information to the right authorities and then we can change the certificates."

Severus nodded and then took a seat next to his son.

All was quiet in the room and Arthur, Moody, and Tonks left. While Snape gazed on his son, Ambrosias was reading his father.

The aura around him was dark, not evil but tainted. He also read sadness, hatred, and guilt. But buried underneath it all was love, it was fettered by strong chains but it was there.

His father was holding it back. He could sense the taint on his father.

“I know you’re reading me, so I might as well explain myself.”

“You’ve been touched by evil.”

Severus nodded and then pulled up the sleeve, revealing his dark mark. "You’re one of them.” he said in soft surprise.

"I was a spy for The Order. I’d manged to hide my blood status for years, but the Dark Lord marked me a long time ago.  Lucioushates it when anyone steals his spot light. He turned on me and blew my cover."

"Not long after we brought you home,  the Dark Lord struck. You were kidnapped and your mother died in the fire that destroyed my ancestral home. After that my grief consumed me. That slithery bastard told everyone that ‘the light side’ had destroyed it because they found out I was a death eater. But I didn’t believe it for a second and nither did the wizarding world."

"When the Potter home was destroyed and James and Lily died, Malfoy pointed the finger at me, to save his own ass, mind you. I was caught off guard so I hid. But Dumbledore found me, and cleared me of all charges, then offered me the job of Hogwarts Potions Teacher. But all was lost to me, only the possibilty of finding you kept me from committing suicide."

“I thought for sure that when Harry came to Hogwarts, he’d be sorted into Gryffindor. After all, both his parents were in that house, but the sorting hat put him in my house.”

“I used to despise Harry because he looked just like his father. I didn’t beat him down or anything, but I wasn’t exactly pleasant to him either. I never realized that all was not as it seemed. No child should have to suffer abuse. Especially not my child.”

Ambrosias looked at him steadily. “What are we going to do about it?”

His father’s aura had changed in the last few minutes. Rage mixed with excitement colored the area around him.

Just as he was about to speak, Dumbledore entered the room. His all knowing gaze swept over all of them.

"Moody told me everything. I’m so sorry Severus."

"You’ll not stop me from having my revenge, Old Man. Those Muggle bastards abused my son and almost killed him."

Dumbledore cracked a conspiratorial smile. “Who’s stopping you? I was meaning to have a word with Petunia all along. She must know that I wasn’t kidding when I bade her to take Harry in. She failed and now she’ll be paying for her crimes.”

Severus gave him a long look. "This coming from the Muggle loving wizard?”

“Their not Muggles at all…they’re not even human.”

Severus looked at his son. “You stay here and watch over your brother.”

Abroseus looked like he wanted to dissagree. But with a firm look from his father, he only noded and then sat back down as they left the room.