Harry groaned as he pressed his palms into his eyes to scrub the sleepers from them. He then felt someone move next to him. His head whipped towards the movement before he relaxed.

"Dad?"

"Harry," his father replied, sitting in a chair next to the boy's bedside in his familiar black robes.

"I'm in the hospital wing?"

"You are. You've been here asleep for the past hour."

"Oh." Harry ran his teeth over his bottom lip before he glanced around the room nervously. He inhaled sharply when he noticed that they seemed alone. "Dad, where's Mum?" he blurted out, feeling a familiar panic rising up in his chest.

"Aurora is right here." His dad moved to the side so Harry could see her lying on the opposite cot from the young Gryffindor. "I've been waiting for both of you to wake up."

"Is she all right? She was bleeding earlier from the glass, Dad. He tried to get most of it out, but he did it the Muggle way so maybe some got left behind."

"Easy, Harry. She's fine. Madam Pomfrey has already healed her. She's just resting now." His dad then leaned forward slightly. "Who do you mean by 'he,' though, Harry?"

"The man from Birmingham, Dad. We were walking down the alleyway to get to some diner to get back here. He showed up then after she cursed some other guy's . . . you know . . . stuff."

His dad merely stared at him neutrally. "I see."

"It was odd. He just knew somehow that she was hurt. I didn't. He just took a step towards her, and then yeah. He didn't hurt us or anything, though. I mean, he carried her up to his flat and got the glass out of her side. Oh, and about the thing you were saying before, that you killed him or whatever, he said that he never met you actually because of him being missing for thirty years or something."

"Harry?"

"Yeah, Dad?" The young boy's eyes narrowed then. His father seemed angry for some reason.

"When he took a step towards her, what did he do? Did he say anything? Do anything?"

"Well, he put his hand on her side, on her wound I think, and said something like 'Never think you're invincible.' Why?"

"And how did she react?" His father's voice was even, but there was clear underlying rage.

"She tensed against me and sort of—I don't know—needed to lean on me more." Harry's eyes then widened as he realized what his father was getting at. "No, Dad. It wasn't like that. She needed to rest. I told her so, but she wouldn't. She was getting paler as we continued. He helped her."

"An interesting way of helping someone clearly," his dad replied lightly.

"Dad, he's not a bad man."

"Oh? I suppose you believe everything you're told then, do you?"

"He saved us, Dad. Saved me twice now. He told me about the shopkeeper. That the guy would have gladly handed me over to You-Know-Who."

"Harry, he's killed three people that we know of so far. You trusting him so blindly—"

"Wait. Stop! He told me after I agreed that your mum would've been upset with me trusting him like that, too. That she would've given me hell over it." Harry caught a brief flicker of something in his dad's dark eyes before it vanished. "He was right, wasn't he? She'd have been upset with me over it?"

"All that proves is that he has knowledge of your grandmother, Harry. It doesn't prove that he's trustworthy, however. He could be carrying all this out as some elaborate scheme to get close to you so that you'd trust him before he later handed you off to the Dark Lord as well."

"But, Dad!"

"No, Harry," his dad said firmly. "We cannot afford to trust this man."

"He could be your dad, though!"

"Or he could be a very good liar, Harry." His dad sighed. "Son, I realize that you are quick to believe that there is good in everyone, but that's a lie. There are people out there who have no good left in them, who only wish to set fire to the world and watch it burn."

Harry frowned before he quickly rolled over and turned his back to his father. The man from Birmingham wasn't one of those people. Harry just knew it. His father would learn it soon enough.

~FKTF~

An hour later, Snape let out a growl of frustration into his hands that covered his face. Why couldn't his son get it through his head that not everyone deserved his trust? He'd have thought after living with the Dursleys, supposed family, would have taught that painful lesson to the young boy. He shook his head then, letting his hands drop to his side.

Harry had fallen back asleep after doing his best sullen brat impression earlier. So, Snape's questions were unanswered for the most part. The main one was bothering him the most. Why the hell hadn't his son been on the train? Granted, it had turned out for the better this time, but it was still unsettling to say the least.

Snape frowned before he turned around and glanced at the sleeping witch. He moved his chair then, knowing that Harry wouldn't be talking to him for a long while now. All his hope, their hope, rested on her now. It was the second time she had saved his son's life now. A little voice in the back of his mind whispered that it was a sign, but he quickly silenced that voice that strangely enough sounded like his son's.

His eyes narrowed when he caught Sinistra's hand tense. She was likely waking now, so he patiently waited. He needed her cooperative. And he knew from experience that if she was upset with him, she'd not be helpful in the slightest.

"Where am I?" Her voice was soft and groggy.

"You're in the hospital wing," he quietly answered. He watched her slowly turn her head to the side so she could look at him.

"Severus?"

"Yes." He then watched the familiar panic set into her face. She and Harry were becoming too close clearly. "He's behind me, Sinistra, sleeping."

"He's fine, though?"

"Just minor bruising."

"Good. I mean, not good about the—"

Snape held up a hand, cutting her off. "I knew what you meant, Sinistra. It's fine." He then released a slow breath. Perhaps if he eased her into his questions, it'd be easier for them. "Yet again, you've managed to save my son. So, thank you."

"Not sure if I did, though, Severus," she softly replied. "If I hadn't been there, he'd have made the train and wouldn't have been there for the attacks at the station."

So she wasn't aware then. Snape remained silent for a few moments then as he thought of what to say next before finally deciding just to tell her the truth.

"If he had been on the train, he'd likely not have made it here, Aurora." He watched the confusion settle on her face. "While Platform 9 ¾ was mostly untouched by the bombings, several of the attackers managed to board the train as it was leaving the station. We had several Aurors onboard of course as we always do, but it seems as if we had a traitor on board as well. The Aurors were confined to one part of the train as the attackers searched for Harry. When they realized he wasn't onboard, they returned to London likely."

"Death Eaters?" she asked, frowning as she stared at him.

"If they are, then they're clearly not from the Inner Circle."

"What do you mean?"

Snape shook his head before answering. "Every Death Eater's child is untouchable. If it is discovered that you attacked a fellow follower's child, you are killed immediately. If it is a member of the Inner Circle's child you harmed, though, you are killed as is your entire family."

"Harry is your son, though."

"Yes, but he's also the Boy-Who-Lived, Aurora. He's the only visible mistake the Dark Lord has ever made. No doubt, that weighs heavily on the Dark Lord's ego." His eyes narrowed when he caught Aurora picking at the sheet. She was hiding something. "What is it?"

"I had a visitor this summer at Windsor, Severus." She sighed, slowly glancing at him. "Narcissa Malfoy to be exact."

Snape's eyes narrowed on her. Narcissa Malfoy had visited her? Why? He hadn't thought they were close. Perhaps he was mistaken. There was a lot about his colleague he didn't know.

"She wanted me to know that Harry was safe. That the others had orders from the Dark Lord not to go after him anymore."

"Why would she tell you that and not me, Sinistra? I'm his father."

"Yes, I know you're his father, Severus." The witch sighed, shaking her head. "It would seem that Draco is under the impression that you and I are involved with one another. And with Harry calling me 'Mum' every now and then, the belief was further cemented."

"You didn't correct her?"

"No. I didn't tell her that it was true either, though, Severus. I just brushed it off and let her tell me her message."

He ran his hand through his raven locks, frowning. "And why is it that I'm just learning about this now, though, Sinistra?"

"Because you were on vacation with your son, and I didn't want to interrupt you."

"Felix Felicis," he growled. "Next time, woman, interrupt me!"

"Fine."

He felt horribly annoyed now. Why was it that every stupid person thought that by hiding things, the person was doing the right thing then because of the age-old excuse that they were protecting the others from this horrible secret? Idiots. The whole lot of them.

"Were there any losses? With the attackers on the train, I mean?" she asked quietly.

"Not on the train. However, at the station, there were numerous casualties, Magical and non-Magical. There are also some who are still missing reportedly."

"Anyone we know missing?"

"Unfortunately." He paused for a moment. "Molly Weasley."

"What?"

"The attacks were mainly confined to the other side of the barrier, but some of it spilled onto 9 ¾. The barrier for example," he stated. "When it vanished from the other side, it likely was taking the brunt of the explosions at the time. So, when it reappeared on the platform, it sent brick and mortar flying through, striking and injuring numerous people. As it always is, mass chaos soon followed. It would seem that during the chaos that she became separated from her family. They haven't found her thus far unfortunately."

"Who else?"

"Mister Flint's mother. They're the only two that are missing currently." He then stopped. "This time at least," he added quietly.

"What do you mean?" He glanced at her.

"I take it that you haven't read the Daily Prophet lately, then?"

"Not exactly on my list of priorities, Severus. Why?"

"Since late June, three women have disappeared without a trace."

"You kept up with this while you were on vacation?"

"Not exactly. I've read most of it while I was waiting for you and Harry to wake up. Minerva filled me on the rest earlier."

"Wonderful." She sighed. "Could it be Death Eaters again?"

"Unlikely," he replied. "Of the five women's disappearances, Molly is the only who is not married to a Death Eater."

"Anything in common among them?"

"Yes." His eyes darted to hers before he calmly stated, "They're all purebloods."

"You have to be joking."

"I'm not. The headmaster believes it's a coincidence, however. He, in fact, is convinced that other women have disappeared, but that only the prominent missing pureblood women are being reported missing."

"What do you think?"

"I think there are no such things as coincidences. However, I have my own mystery to sort out currently, though." He caught her eyes narrowing in confusion, but brushed her look off. "Do you know why you'd have been holding a bottle in your hands when you and Harry were found by the gates?"

"A bottle?"

"Yes. A whiskey bottle to be exact. When Hagrid found both of you, you were holding it in your hands for some reason. Do you recall why?"

She frowned and tried to think for a few moments. She then made a soft sound. "Oh. Um, yes, yes I do. A man we ran into—blue eyes and light brown hair—he claimed to be your father. I told him to return with us and prove it. He cut his palm and then filled the bottom of the bottle with his blood."

"I see." He forced his face to stay neutral. "He did this in front of you?"

"Yes." She nodded. "He kept trying to convince me that he was a friend."

"Did he say anything else?"

"Um, yes, something about him being missing for thirty-two years."

"Convenient."

"That's what I thought, too. He said that he was closer to a Squib than a Muggle as well, and said his wife's name was . . . 'El,' I believe."

"El?" he repeated quietly.

"Yes. That's what he said. Why?"

"My parents had carved their names into an old oak tree long ago, before I was born in fact. Mother had stated it was before he had started drinking heavily. The names on the tree were 'Toby' and 'El." He released a slow exhale, shaking his head.

"So, he might be telling the truth, then?"

He glared at her instantly, having heard Harry say the same thing earlier. "Do not even get me started with that again. I'm not going to trust some random man who seems correct about some things."

"All right. Fine," she quietly replied, nodding. "I understand."

He nodded, thinking. The man no doubt had time to switch out the blood in the bottle for a vial of his father's before he brought them to Hogwarts and left them there. So testing the blood would be a waste of time. He'd just have to wait and let things play out unfortunately. Something he hated doing.