Surprisingly enough, the rest of the week passed fairly quickly for Harry. He was doing his best to avoid Snape, as he didn't want to know what the man's reaction was to his proposal. He passed the time talking with Remus, and he even decided that since he was at the school, he'd take advantage of the library and get a head start on studying for the O.W.L.s. Harry was still considering becoming an Auror and he figured that one probably needed top grades to become one; if nothing else, studying kept this mind off of what was going on with Snape. In the evening before the Hogwarts Express was due to bring the students to the castle, Harry decided to talk to Professor Dumbledore about what would happen after the potions wore off.

Harry didn't have to look far as he encountered the headmaster on his way into his office. "Professor, may I speak with you, please?" he asked.

Dumbledore smiled at Harry and said, "Of course, come in." The two went up the stairs and into Dumbledore's office. "Sit down, Harry. Lemon drop?"

Harry shook his head no and sat down. He sat in silence for a few seconds and then spoke, "Professor, I was just wondering, what will happen when my mother's potions wear off?"

"Well, Harry, as you know, you will take on your true appearance. It's happening very slowly so those people who see you everyday probably don't really notice it much right now. Eventually though, you will look quite different from the way you do now. You were the spitting image of James, except for your mother's eyes of course, now I can already see that you do have a great deal of your father in you, though your mother's features are those that are coming out the most at this point. That may change as well. I really don't know." Dumbledore explained all of this and then paused before saying, "I presume you are asking because Professor Snape doesn't wish to acknowledge you as his?"

Harry winced, almost imperceptibly, though Dumbledore noticed, and then replied, "Yes, sir, I am."

Dumbledore nodded and asked carefully, "Do you want it, Harry?"

Harry looked away from his headmaster and shrugged. "I don't know, sir,� he began. “He's always been so hateful towards me and I've responded in kind. Now I don't know anymore. I can't hate him, whatever he does; he's still my father. After thinking that both of my parents have been dead for all of these years, now that I know the truth, I can't quite bring myself to hate my own father. Part of me is overjoyed, even if it is Professor Snape. Another part of me is feeling very angry with him. So really, I'm not at all sure what I want."

Dumbledore looked at him with an understanding expression and replied, "I understand, Harry. This is a difficult situation; I think you're doing surprisingly well, though. Be patient, Harry. It will all work out in the end."

Harry nodded. "I hope so, Professor. But, what about my appearance?"

"Oh, of course, Harry. Well, there are various charms that can be performed. I think that we will choose a simpler one so that you will be able to perform it on yourself. However," Dumbledore looked sternly at Harry before continuing, "because it is a simpler charm, you must renew it once a day. Choose a time where you will have no problems being alone. If you choose to do it as soon as you wake up, you'll have to be careful. You don't want to forget and go to class that way."

Harry looked at the headmaster, relieved that it wouldn't be anything too complicated. "All right, I understand, Professor. Who will teach me the charm? I'm assuming it won't be Professor Flitwick..."

Dumbledore's answer surprised Harry. "I will,� he said, “I am the only other person on the faculty besides Professor Snape and Professor Lupin who knows your true heritage. Professor Snape's worst subject was always Charms and Professor Lupin wasn't much better."

Harry smiled a little at that bit of information, but he didn't comment on it. Instead he said, "Okay, shouldn't we start practicing soon? The train comes tomorrow..." Harry didn't finish, of course Dumbledore knew when the train was coming! He felt a bit silly.

But Dumbledore ignored his slip and replied, "Of course, how about if we start now?"

Harry looked pleased. "All right," he replied.

Dumbledore and Harry spent the next hour going over the charm and how to perform it. Harry decided that he would renew the charm after dinner as he'd gotten into the habit of going off by himself after dinner anyway; he spent the time studying extra defense methods and Ron was used to him doing that. He'd started the habit while at the Weasley's home. By the time they finished Harry was feeling rather exhausted, so he simply returned to his room and fell asleep.

***

The next day found Harry both apprehensive and pleased about Ron and Hermione's arrival that evening. When they did arrive, Harry greeted them, and they went to sit in the Great Hall for the Sorting Ceremony and feast. They tried to find out what Dumbledore and Remus had wanted Harry for, but he refused to tell them, explaining that he would tell them later when they were someplace more private. Hermione looked unhappy, but she understood; Ron simply accepted it, though in hindsight Harry supposed that he was being unusually accepting because he was so hungry.

The sorting ceremony was fairly quick this year; the hat's song was shorter than usual, and it gave a warning about remaining divided. Gryffindor received ten new first years, Slytherin eleven, Ravenclaw eight, and Hufflepuff twelve. Then Dumbledore gave his usual remarks about the Forbidden Forest being forbidden, Filch's list of banned objects in the castle (it now contained nearly 500 items), he also reintroduced Remus as the new DADA teacher, and then he continued with a warning, "As I announced last year, Voldemort has returned. Because of this, Hogsmeade weekends may be cancelled without notice and Aurors will be around the castle at various times. They will have the ability to assign detentions and remove house points, though only in certain cases, therefore you would do well to respect them and their authority. Thank you, that is all."

The students looked uneasy at Dumbledore's last comments, but soon everyone began eating and their unease was quickly forgotten. After the feast everyone went to their houses. Once in Gryffindor Tower, Harry, Hermione, and Ron quickly found a mostly secluded corner and Hermione cast a silencing charm around their area. Then she turned to Harry, "Well, Harry?"

Harry took a deep breath, and, hoping that this wouldn't go too badly, began to explain, "The day before my birthday Remus and Dumbledore received a letter. From my mum." Harry stopped and looked at his friends, Hermione's eyes were wide and Ron was gaping, so he continued, "She also sent two more letters, they were to be delivered by Lupin and Dumbledore. I got one and... Snape got one."

Hermione gasped with surprise and Ron exclaimed, "Snape?! Why him?"

Harry explained, "Because, what my mum explained in the letters included him. See remember how he found out that he used to be a Death Eater and then he started to spy for Dumbledore?" When Harry saw his two friends nod their heads, he continued, "Well, umm... see, before he became a Death Eater he was given my mum by Voldemort. He was supposed to kill her, but he didn't. Somehow he helped her escape and then he went to Dumbledore. That's when he became a spy. Anyway, after I was born... my mum and dad found out that my dad wasn't really my dad... er... Snape is my real father..." Harry explained all of this very quickly; he just wanted to get it all out.

Hermione's eyes quickly showed that she realized what had happened. Ron wasn't so quick but he grasped the most important point. "Snape's your father?!" he exclaimed, "But-but..."

Harry smiled a little at that. "Exactly," he said.

"What are you doing about it, Harry?" asked Hermione.

Harry shook his head, "Nothing. He doesn't want me, and I don't really know that I want him."

Hermione looked a little shocked. "But he's your father, Harry! Do you realise what that means?"

Harry nodded his head. "Yes, Hermione. It means that I'm not an orphan anymore. I know that! It's hard to explain, part of me is thrilled that I have a living father, part of me doesn't care that it's Snape. But there's the part of me who hates the fact that of all the people to be my true father it would be Snape, just look at the way he's treated me for the past four years!"

Hermione nodded her head sympathetically. "I know Harry, he's been cruel to all of us. But maybe there's a small hope of reconciliation. Have you spoken with him?"

"Yes, I have," Harry said bitterly, "I asked him about my mum, then before I left I suddenly got it into my head to ask him for a truce."

“What did he say?"

Harry shook his head. "Nothing. I didn't give him the chance to answer... I ran out, and I've been avoiding him ever since."

Hermione sighed and said, "Oh, Harry. You have to face him sooner or later, you know."

"I know, Hermione! I know," Harry said.

Hermione sighed and patted Harry's arm, then she seemed to notice Ron. "Ron! What's the matter with you?"

Ron had been watching the whole conversation in shock, and his mouth still hung open. "You want Harry to make up with Snape?" he asked incredulously.

"Of course, Ron! Professor Snape is Harry's father, after all. Maybe Harry will be a good influence on him," Hermione explained.

"But it's Snape, Hermione!"

Hermione simply rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Come on, we should go to bed, it's late and classes start tomorrow." With that, she walked off to the girl's dormitories. Ron stared at her for a moment.

"She's mental, Harry. Are you really going to do it?" he asked seriously.

Harry looked up; he'd been staring into the fire. "What? Oh, make up with Snape? I don't know, Ron," he sighed, "Look, I'm going to bed too now."

Harry neutralised the silencing charm Hermione had put up and then climbed the stairs to the room he shared with the other fifth year boys. After a minute or two Ron followed him up.

Harry had a difficult time falling asleep. He was thinking about what Hermione had said. He'd had a lot to think about the past few days, and Hermione had voiced exactly what a little part of him had been saying all along. He should at least try to get along with Snape. Even if he wasn't sure about the whole father/son thing; even if Snape didn't want to acknowledge that he was his, he didn't want to close any doors. With that thought in mind, Harry finally was able to fall asleep.