Snape stared. And then his face actually broke into a smirk. "Alright, Dumbledore. I am afraid that you have gone a little too far in your tales this time,"

"It is not a tale, Severus," Dumbledore sounded amused. "I knew you would be shocked, it was to be expected...long ago, Lily Evans came to me and asked me to help her and conceal the fact that she was expecting. I helped her out and she was able to deceive James and avoid a major fight which would have occurred only because of a mistake. Lily Evans married James, yes, but Harry is not his child."

"What are you talking about?" Snape looked impatient. "Have you actually lost it this time? I don't have time for-"

"But, alas, you wont remember. She obliviated you."

"Dumbledore-"

"However, she gave me the memory to store with myself for safe-keeping." Dumbledore said gravely. "Severus, you will not remember, but it was well-known that Lily and James had a fight just before their marriage and Lily spaced out for a few weeks, incidentally bumping into you."

Now Severus looked down at the table, fighting with his face. "Is this your explanation, Dumbledore?" He asked softly. "A complete lie?"

"I have the memory if you do not believe me," Dumbledore said calmly. He accioed an extremely dusty bottle with faintly shimmering blue liquid. He pointed to the pensieve. "Have a look. Lily gave it to me for safe-keeping,"

Severus clutched the bottle, still smirking, and went to the pensieve. He poured down the contents of the bottle and they swirled, silver-white, neither solid nor liquid, forming distorted images, images long forgetten.

XXX

"You know," Hermione said softly, as she sat in front of Harry, her face thoughtful. "Maybe I should look into this matter. I have a feeling something really is going on here,"

"Dumbledore knows," Harry said. "I know he does. But he won't tell me,"

"Perhaps. Whatever it is, it's bad I presume,"

"But what could it possibly be?" Ron asked roughly. "I mean, is Harry apparently turning into You-Know-"

"Ron!" Hermione hissed, seeing Harry's suddenly pale and frightened face. "Of course not! Well, hopefully. We need to solve the mystery, just like we did in our first year. Remember the Philosopher's Stone?"

"Yeah, you figured it was Snape who had stolen the stone-but it was actually Quirrel, wasn't it?" Ron joked.

"How could I have known! Harry was the one who started the idea in the first place."

Harry smiled softly. "I was a kid, Hermione. I suppose I was just looking for an excuse to undermine Snape,"

"Anyway, I'm going to figure out what's happening here. I'll go to the library first thing tomorrow," Hermione said importantly.

XXX

Snape was in the Headmaster's office. Dumbledore was sitting at his desk, looking serene and calm. The office did not look too changed, but Dumbledore looked a little younger, not so many wrinkles on his face.

Standing in front of the desk, looking very anxious, was Lily Evans, tears spurting down her cheeks.

Severus moved closer to her, sliding his hand through her face and seeing it pass through.

"Please, please Albus, you must help me!"

"Of course, Lily, why wouldn't I? Please calm down and take a seat. I am sure I can help you if you restrain yourself,"

Lily gulped and pushed her dark red hair out of her face, sitting down. "I did a very bad thing," she whispered.

"Yes?"

"I-I was angry, blinded, Albus. I-I stumbled into him on my way down the alley. I didn't recognise him at first,"

"Who? Now there, please don't cry Lily."

"Severus! Severus Snape! He manipulated me, comforted me even though we hadn't met for years..." Lily sobbed. Snape froze.

"He-he said such things to me, Albus. I couldn't help it...I...we..." Lily flushed.

Dumbledore looked shocked. "And then?" He prodded.

"I Obliviated him, I was so scared...I ran away-but it's been a while and I feel it. What will James say? What will James say when he finds out?" She cried.

"I can help," Dumbledore murmured. "On one condition..."

The memory ended here and Snape felt himself coming out of the pensieve, full of disgust, full of repulsion.

He breathed heavily. "What was she saying?" He demanded of Dumbledore.

Dumbledore sighed. "When Lily and James fought, Lily was very upset. She tried to figure out things a little, and in an extremely strange coincidence, bumped into you. Apparantly, like Lily mentioned, you attempted to comfort her and things escalated from there. Lily was now aware of great treachery to James and out of fear, she Obliviated you and ran away, coming to me. It was quite a while later, actually-she found out that something was wrong. I used a charm on her, Severus, I concealed it, so nobody would know about her accidental pregnancy. I charmed it so that she would give birth a few months later, so it wouldn't look suspicious. And when she ultimately made up and married James, and gave birth, she came to me again, and I charmed the child-I charmed his facial features, so it looked like he were James' son. Nobody except Lily and I knew. I used the strongest glamour charms-but they have worn off-the glamour charms are wearing off after all these years...Harry is your son, Severus, and out of a complete accident."

Severus was stock-still, unable to take it in. "And nobody ever told me, after all these years?" He didn't sound as if he believed a single word. "If this is true, I want my memory restored!"

"You want me to restore the Obliviated memory, Severus?" Dumbledore asked seriously.

"I want to know the truth!" Severus said pleadingly.

"I will oblige. It is an extremely complex spell but I might just be able to do it..." Dumbledore concentrated and then muttered a few words, waving his wand at Severus, who froze and stared at him, suddenly paler than usual.

Abruptly, as if something had slapped him, the memories jolted into place-he remembered everything-the encounter, the argument, Lily breaking down and crying into his shoulder, him comforting her with sinister glee, things getting wilder and wilder until he was kissing her softly and then lying down...Severus wanted to gag in disgust and shame, but there was more-Lily scrambling for her wand, her eyes wide, him staring at her in surprise until she pointed her wand at him and spoke the unforgivable words: "Obliviate!"

Severus felt fury build up in him. "I couldn't!" He shouted. "I couldn't have done that!"

"Severus, I know that you are upset-"

"What was I thinking?" He looked genuinely contrite. "What am I going to do? How can I tell him? This makes things so much more complicated-and you never told me!" Suddenly Severus was glaring at Dumbledore, his own wand out. "You never told me, you let me hate him, you let me suffer!-"

"Severus, please listen. I swore to Lily I would tell no one-"

"This is all a lie, I know it," Snape snarled, though without much conviction. "I could not have done such a thing,"

"You have the proof, Severus."

"But what am I going to do?" Snape moaned again.

"You need not tell him anything-I can speak to him. Or Harry need not know at all."

"You can't hide such a thing from him," Snape said, dangerously. "I won't let you manipulate any more people, Dumbledore."

"Well, fine then. I'll tell him,"

But Snape shook his head again. "No. You can't. How will I be able to look into his eyes?"

"The truth is the truth, Severus," Dumbledore said sternly.

"Yes, but how will he be able to look past such a-"

"That will be determined soon. Severus, I have told you about everything-you should go to your quarters and recover a bit. You need some time alone. I will handle everything else,"

"Why did the glamours wear off?" Severus asked weakly.

"As time goes on, even the strongest glamour charms wear off a bit. It has been years."

Severus gave a sickened smile. "Years indeed,"

XXX

The next day, after classes, Harry was suddenly summoned.

"What's up, Neville?" Harry asked tentatively, seeing his friend's nervous face.

Neville produced a small, tied-up scroll. "Professor Dumbledore asked me to give you this, Harry,"

Harry took the scroll curiously and said, "Thanks, Neville. I'll just read it, then,"

"Good luck. Bye Harry!" Neville hurried off.

Harry opened the small paper and read it:

Dear Harry,

I would like a word with you in my office. Please come right after your classes.

Sincerely, Albus Dumbledore.

P.S.: Lemon Drops

"Lemon drops?" Harry wondered aloud. And then it suddenly hit him-that was probably the password to the Headmaster's office.

He went at once to Dumbledore's office, sure that he would be getting some answers once and for all.

He didn't know just how right he was.

When he finally reached Dumbledore's office and sat down, Dumbledore sighed and looked solemn. "You said that you wanted to talk to me, Harry. I am sure that you have been very confused these days and have wanted to know about several things. Well, today is the day that I tell you a very big secret...Now, it may not sink it at first, and you may not believe me, but even so..."

Harry was getting excited. "Yes, Sir?"

"Harry...I am afraid that you are not the son of James Potter...Your mother actually went together with-"

"What are you talking about?" Harry demanded.

"It was all a mistake. Your mother went with...with Professor Snape for a while," Harry froze, sickened. What the hell? "I'm afraid she only pretended to James that you were his son. I am sure that you must have figured out who's son your actually are by now. I am sorry to tell you this right now, and in such a rash manner, but I really did have to tell you at once-"

"Do you think I'm an idiot!?" Harry demanded. "Snape's not my dad! This is just some-some stupid plan of yours-my mom would never have done that!" Harry stood up. "I don't know what you're trying to do, Professor, but I'm not going to hear a single word-"

"Harry, I understand how you feel about this. It is a most unfortunate thing to happen. But this is only the truth. Professor Snape is your father, Harry, and he didn't know about this until now-"

"He-he knows?" Harry demanded. "I bet he forced my mother into it! WHY ISN'T HE FIRED?" Then Harry froze and smiled sickeningly. "I know you're lying. If I was Snape's son, I wouldn't look like my dad, would I? I'm James Potter's son, Dumbledore, and I think you've made a mistake. He wouldn't have given his life for me otherwise."

Dumbledore sighed. "There are glamours put on you, Harry. Have you not experienced strange alterations to your looks? It is because the glamours I cast on you as a baby are wearing off. James did not know, Harry,"

"I want proof!" Angry tears of shock were flowing down his cheeks at this startling announcement. "I want proof!"

"Shall I take off the glamours, Harry?" Dumbledore cocked an eyebrow.

"No! You might just change my looks or something. I want solid proof!"

"I'm afraid there is only one memory and it is rather inappropriate for you to see," Dumbledore thought of the memory he had shown Severus. "Perhaps you and Professor Snape should talk about this for a while?"

"Like hell we will!" Harry snapped. "I don't believe a single word-I'm not his son-and I didn't come here to listen to some story you spun!" and Harry stomped out of the office and slammed the door, not even caring that he had just screamed his head off at the Headmaster.