Harry wandered aimlessly through the castle after leaving his friends in the library. The information Hermione had found was more than just a little overwhelming. Having the suspicion that James was not his father was one thing, finding information that appeared to back that up was quite another. He stopped abruptly as he reached the end of a corridor. Looking around he realized that his wanderings had brought him to the bottom of the astronomy tower, which should be unoccupied, this early in the evening. He carefully opened the door and quickly slid through, hoping he hadn't been seen. Maybe a breath of fresh air would clear away the cobwebs in his head. The stars were clear in the velvety black of the night. Harry stood quietly in the middle of the tower, contemplating the beauty of the heavens set before him, and the darkness of the truths he'd seen in the last hour.
Ginny, Ron and Hermione waited in the library for Harry to return for hours. Hermione used the time to study charms texts while Ron fumed and paced. Ginny quietly thought in a corner. Unable to stand her brother's pacing one more minute Ginny stood and said "Ron, why don't you go see if Harry went back to the tower. We'll wait for you here."
"Good idea Gin, be right back" Ron took off, seemingly grateful for some productive activity.
"Hermione, I really don't think you'll find anything else tonight, you haven't turned a page in at least half an hour."
"I feel so awful Ginny. I never should have gone on like that. I got so wrapped up in what I found that I didn't consider what Harry must have thought when he saw those pictures. I hope he forgives me." Hermione concluded looking miserably at the book in front of her.
"Have you ever known him to keep a grudge?" Ginny asked reasonably.
"No, but that makes it even worse."
Ron skidded back into the library, panting hard from running through the hallways. "He's not in the tower at all. Now what do we do?"
"Nothing." Ginny said firmly. "We go back to the tower and to bed, and see him in the morning."
"But, what if."
"Ron, he wants to be left alone, just let him be alone for awhile. What would you do if you found him, anyway?" Ginny asked.
"Uhhhh." Ron muttered.
"Gin's right Ron." Hermione said unexpectedly. "Let's go back to the tower, we'll figure this out in the morning.
Ginny slowly eased out of her bed. Her watch read 2:30 am. She just couldn't sleep. There were too many thoughts whirling around in her head. Thoughts of Hermione's find, and Harry's reaction to it all. She decided she might as well go down to the common room and see if she could get some studying done. Sliding noiselessly into a chair in front of the fire, Muggle Studies text in hand, she realized she wasn't the only person taking advantage of the quiet. Sitting in the large chair across the fire from hers was Harry, a pensive look on his face. He didn't seem to have noticed that she was there. Ginny just sat and watched him quietly for a few moments, trying to decide whether or not to say anything. Just as she was getting ready to quietly leave, Harry turned to look at her. The misery on his face took her aback.
"I'm sorry Harry, I really didn't mean to intrude. I just couldn't sleep and thought I'd do some studying. Do you want me to leave?"
"No, that's alright."
"Harry," Ginny said hesitantly, not sure if she should prod him for information. "where did you go earlier?"
"Astronomy tower."
"You didn't try to uh.jump or anything, did you?"
"No, Voldemort seems to be doing quite a good job of destroying my life, I don't think I need to do it myself. Besides, if Voldemort doesn't succeed, I'm sure Snape would be happy to finish me off." Harry was surprised to notice that Ginny didn't automatically flinch when he said Voldemort.
"You don't really think Snape wants to destroy your life do you?" Ginny asked reasonably.
"I don't know. He sure seems to hate me. The funny thing is I've always thought he hated me because of who my father is. Now I'm beginning to wonder if he hates me because he never wanted me. Maybe I destroyed something with my mum. At least I know that she's really my mum." He ended on a slightly desperate note.
Ginny considered his words for a few moments before saying "You know Harry, I really think that it's Snape who's come off worst in all this."
"How do you figure that?"
"Think about it. If you are his son, and I'm not totally convinced you are, then look at all he's missed. He doesn't know you at all. He doesn't know how loyal, and honest, and forgiving you are. Sure he's seen you fly, but he's never seen the look in your eyes when you make a particularly good catch on the quidditch patch. He missed your first steps, your first words, your first day of school, the first magic you ever did, and he'll never get that opportunity. Harry, what if he is your father, and didn't know it? We've all been assuming that he did know. But what if he didn't? Think for a minute of all he's missed, and how that knowledge must make him feel if he is your dad." Ginny took a deep breath. "Mum always said 'when you feel like someone has hurt you beyond repairing, just take a look at what they must be feeling.' I didn't understand her at the time, but you know, I think maybe that's good advice. I think I'll go back to bed now, see you in the morning."
Harry continued to sit in his chair, contemplating Ginny's words as the fire slowly died. He fell asleep where he sat, only waking when his friends came down for breakfast the next morning.
Severus Snape felt like throwing something as he prowled through his dungeons. How could Dumbledore put such a short time limit on him. At least he could have given him several months! If he was honest with himself, Severus understood exactly why the headmaster had given him 1 week. He'd already delayed it for several months, and left to his own devices he would put this off forever. Complicating the whole situation was the question of how they were going to keep this from getting back to Voldemort. He shuddered involuntarily as he considered Voldemort's response to the news that Potter was his son. Could his life get any more complicated?
He rose abruptly to his feet, deciding to get some air. As he stalked through the corridors he absent-mindedly looked around for students out of bounds. The action was second nature by this time. Quietly opening the door to the astronomy tower, he slowly trod up the long, winding staircase. He was half disappointed to see that there were no students holding trysts at the top of the tower, and half relieved that he had the fresh air to himself. Taking points off of students always made him feel better he mused. He stood in the middle of the tower, soaking up the silence and admiring the stars in their dance across the sky. By the time he finally returned to his rooms in the small hours of the morning, Severus had reached a decision. He knew what he had to do to talk to Potter, no, he corrected himself mentally, his son. How strange those thoughts felt to him. 'His son.'