Harry woke after only an hour of rest, feeling refreshed and relieved. He lay for a long while, simply staring at the canopy and smiling. Snape cared. To Snape, Harry mattered. No matter how much the man denied it, Harry was now important to him and it was the most wonderful feeling in the world.

‘Are you awake or what?’

Harry grinned. “Yeah, I’m awake.” He lifted his head. “And so are you!”

Shadow rolled his eyes. ‘Something’s got you in a good mood. I take it Snape didn’t go off the deep end this time?’

“Oh. Oh!” Harry sat bolt upright. “Shadow, I’m sorry. I got us into trouble again without even taking any notice of what you had to say. I’m sorry!” Harry’s brow crinkled in worry.

‘Calm down! Yes, I wasn’t happy about it at the time, but it all turned out all right in the end, yes?’

Harry relaxed. “Yeah.”

‘So what did Snape say to you?’

“He, well, he apologised for the spanking – said it’d never happen again.” Shadow pantomimed wiping sweat off his brow and Harry chuckled. “And then, he said the best thing of all – he said that I wouldn’t be here if he didn’t want me here, and that, to him, I wasn’t a burden and he called me Harry! He hugged me too, though I’d bet he’d deny it!”

Shadow smiled at Harry’s enthusiasm, but he did look a bit jealous.

“Shadow, you know he would do the same to you if he knew you were here; he’d like you too. In fact, I think he’d like you a whole lot better! You’re much more sensible than I am, and you use big words like he does too!”

Shadow’s smile grew a bit larger. ‘OK. I suppose so. It’s just… I can’t help being jealous, no one can talk to me except you and Salem and absolutely no one can give me a hug…’ Shadow’s voice trailed off and his eyes seemed suspiciously wet.

“Oh, Shadow.” Harry leaned forward, ignoring the stinging in his own eyes in the hopes of comforting the boy who’d become his younger brother. “One day, I swear, one day, once I’ve trained up my magic really well, I’ll find a way to get you out of there! I promise!”

Shadow sniffed. ‘Promise?’

“On my honour as a wizard.”

Shadow grinned and swiped his nose with his pyjama sleeve. ‘Show me then!’

“Show you what?”

‘Your magic! What else? I bet you’ll have recharged by now. Show me, I want to see, please!’ Shadow bounced on the bed a little, reminding Harry of Sirius.

“Oh, yeah! I completely forgot that I might be able to use it again!” Harry rolled up his sleeves and prepared to reach ‘inside’ himself.

‘How could you forget something like that? You idiot! Would you forget your own head if it wasn’t screwed on?’

Harry grinned. “Probably. Now, hush. I can do this bit a lot quicker now, but I still need quiet.”

Harry concentrated and reached down deep, until his mind was completely entrenched within his magical core. He revelled in the feeling for a second before snatching a single coil of molten gold and leaping back to the surface of his consciousness. “Right here goes!”

Harry started to pull the thread through into the physical realm, but was stopped by a sudden, squeezing pain in his forearms. He gasped, and his eyes snapped open, staring down at his wrists as they were enveloped by the same terrible pain from earlier. Harry whimpered as the feeling started to pulse, and gasped as both of his forearms turned the same molten gold as his magic. Both the pain and the fizzing of the magic grew until he thought he could hardly bear it, but this time he did not pass out…

Suddenly, the magic’s pulse overcame that of the pain and a weird, golden mist flowed out from his fingertips and onto the bed, twisting, roiling and finally firming into a solid shape. The shape of a book.

All at once, the pain and the magic vanished, leaving Harry staring at the old tome resting on his bed; magically drained, but mentally buzzing. He reached out and stroked the soft, leather binding of the book.

“Guess I forgot about this too,” he whispered, softly.

‘Um, Harry? What the hell just happened?’

Harry looked up into Shadow’s worried face. Thinking back to the first time that he saw the book, Harry felt very guilty. “Oh… I, this was the book in the box, Shadow. I didn’t want to worry you, so I didn’t tell you it had absorbed into my skin…”

‘Idiot, idiot, idiot! Do you have any idea how many curse books use that method and then kill the carrier on the way out? You fool! You could have died! And then who would I have? No one; no one at all!’ Shadow closed his eyes as though forcing back tears.

“Shadow!” Harry leapt out of bed and ran to the mirror, leaning against it and stroking his hand softly down where one of the other boy’s cheeks would have been had there been no mirror between them. “I’m sorry, really, I am. I’m here now, don’t worry. I understand, I promise, really, I do! I won’t leave you alone, even if I end up dying and have to come back as a ghost, I won’t leave you alone!”

Shadow sniffed and rubbed a palm across his cheek, wincing as salt was smeared into his new cut. ‘Thanks, Harry. That means a lot. Thanks.’

“S’OK, little brother. As if I’d leave you alone!”

‘Yeah. Thanks.’ Shadow sniffed a final time and straightened. ‘So since the damn book’s not killed you, you might as well find out what’s in it.’

“OK.” Harry snagged the book and brought it back to the mirror for Shadow to read as well. “Ahem. The Ancient and Noble Line of Prince. Wow, sounds deep. What do you reckon this is about?”

Shadow frowned. ‘Sounds like an Inheritance book. Old, pure-blooded families have them; it’s basically a book detailing the history, practices and bloodlines of the family it concerns. Oh! And the spells and potions they’ve discovered too. It’s something that’s given to all the young heirs when they come of age, so that they can know their heritage.’ Shadow’s frown deepened until he looked positively surly. ‘It’s a good thing that you passed this family’s – the Prince’s – initiation test.’

“Initiation test?”

‘Oh, you know; something that will stop just anyone from reading the book. I even heard that there was one where you couldn’t open it unless you could whittle a wooden flute.’

“What happens if you don’t pass the test?”

‘Disfigurement usually. And most of the time, it’s almost impossible to get rid of.’

Harry shuddered. “Thank goodness I passed it. I wonder what it was…”

‘It probably says in the foreword. Come on! Read it!’

“OK, I’m reading!” Harry chuckled and flipped open the first page. A seated, silver dragon stared back at him; its head was raised and an intricate golden crown was secured in place halfway down its neck.

‘The Prince Family emblem,’ Shadow breathed. ‘Whoever the Princes are, they’re either a very old family, or an extremely talented one. Only the best families get magical creatures for their emblems, and hardly any would qualify for something as powerful as a dragon! Not even the Malfoys get that!’

Harry glanced up from the dragon, who’s painted, black eyes seemed to be glittering with intelligence, and looked at Shadow. He was fascinated by this topic already and he hadn’t even turned the next page. “What do the Malfoys have then?”

‘Pegasus, I think. An emblem to proud of, but nowhere near in the same league as a dragon! The crown is also a symbol to be proud of, though more families have those. It means that the family line is still strong in magic. One of the worst things that pure-bloods consider happening is to one day check their family emblem and find the crown broken. It’s very hard to fix once it is, and that’s how most of the really old families ended up dying out.’

“Wow.” Harry gently stroked the dragon and his kingly collar once more. “So the Princes still exist, then?”

‘Yeah, otherwise, the crown would be lying shattering at the dragon’s feet, or not there at all.’

“Wow.” Harry regretfully turned the page. “Well, here we are; Foreword.” Harry cleared his throat.

“Congratulations on passing the Prince Family Initiation Test. This book was created at the time when the original twelve great Wizarding Families came together in the hopes that their actions would be forever preserved in the pages of the books of Inheritance. These families were; Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Prince, Weasley – wow, Ron’s family’s on here! Wait ‘til I tell him! – Black – and Sirius! – Lincoln, Daria, West, Dumbledore and Phrith. No Malfoys – hah! That must be sore for them!”

‘Read on!’

“I’m getting there. The last of these great lines, of course, belongs to the great Merlin himself. Phrith? Merlin Phrith? What kind of name is that?”

‘Obviously why people only know him as ‘Merlin’!’

“Yeah, hah! Now, where was I? This particular book follows the Prince family line through the ages, recording their achievements, failures and triumphs, until such time as the crown shall be broken. Only those with the blood of the Ancient and Noble Line of Prince can take ahold of this revered tome without risking the deformity cast upon those unworthy to read its pages. Noble Heir of the Prince Line, you shall now discover your heritage.” 

Harry stopped reading and stared unseeing at the pages for many minutes. It was suddenly nearly impossible for him to swallow. “Shadow? Does that mean… what I think it means?”

‘If you think it means that only people who are born of the Prince Line can even touch the book, then yes, I think it means exactly what you think it means.’ Shadow swallowed as though his throat was dry too. ‘If you’re also thinking that we’ve just accidently stumbled across our father’s family, then yes, that too.’

“But- but how do we go about finding him?” Even as Harry asked, he felt a sickening swooping sensation in his stomach. He stared at the book, feeling more miserable than he thought possible as he remembered a strong arm around him, holding him safe, kind words murmured in that soft, gruff voice, making him matter.

So that’s it, Harry thought dejectedly. That’s why finding out my true father’s identity seemed to become less and less significant as the days went by…

‘Harry? Harry!’

“Hmm, what?” Harry jerked in surprise. “What is it, Shadow?”

‘I was saying; there’s always a family tree in the back of these books! Check, Harry, check, please!’

“OK.” Feeling as though he was walking to the gallows, Harry flipped to the back of the book. How selfish am I to think that if I can’t have Snape as my dad, I don’t want anyone at all? When did this happen? When did I start feeling like this? And why Snape? Because he was the first person to truly care about what happened to me for the first time in years? Ah, useless now, isn’t it? For Shadow… I’ll do this for Shadow. He deserves that much.

Harry turned to the last page and tried to forget how he would have simply thrown the book away if he had been on his own, would have made sure he’d never known…

 Would have tried to stay with Snape. 

Harry stared down at the whole double page that was almost completely inked in by tiny, black squiggles. Whenever he focused on a certain point, the names would enlarge and become readable. He ran his eye down the page to the bottom.

Aloysius Prince and Serinta Prince, Septimus Prince and Alana Prince, Eileen… wait a minute, the name’s changed! Harry’s stared in disbelief, but those five, little letters didn’t suddenly change back into ‘Prince’. Eileen and Tobias, and their son… Harry gulped, tears stinging his eyes and he wasn’t sure whether to burst out into hysterical laughter, hysterical weeping or both.

Harry looked down at the last name on the page; Harry James Potter, then up to the boy’s mother; Lily Evans Potter, and finally, all the while praying that the name would not change, to the boy’s father; Severus Aramis Snape.

HPSSHPSSHPSS

Surprisingly, Harry’s first thought was Oh God, what am I going to tell the Professor?

His second was slightly more rational; how the hell did that happen?

Harry sighed and massaged his temples. He was sitting on the floor beside the full length mirror with the book still open on his lap. Shadow was sitting as close as he could get to Harry, reading the name of their biological father once more.

‘I suppose it makes sense.’

“How?” Harry threw his hands up in the air. “How on Earth could something like that make sense?”

‘Well, apparently, Snape was friends with our mum before she married James… They used to have a couple of rows about it and Mum was always very sad afterwards. It was during one of those times that she told us… you, that James wasn’t our real father, she didn’t dare say who though. I wish she had.’

“Yeah… me too.” Harry sighed and stroked the page, uncertain as to what he was supposed to do now. How do you tell your teacher that they’re really your birth father? I guess he’d know how it happened… Harry’s gentling stroking fingers turned into a fist, which he slammed into the page of the book in pure frustration. What the hell am I supposed to do? Why must I deal with this? Why is it always just me?

‘Harry?’

Shadow. I have Shadow! How could I forget? For the first time in my life, I don’t have to do this alone. “Yes, Shadow?”

‘We’ll be OK, I promise.’ As if to second Shadow’s statement, Hedwig raised her head from under her wing and hooted softly. Harry shut the book with a final thud.

“Go back to the box you came from!” he told it firmly, re-capturing the strand of energy from earlier and feeding a little bit of it through his fingers and into the book. The tome vanished. Harry was uncertain how he could feel proud about his strong magical heritage and bitter about it at the same time. What wrong with me? Aren’t I supposed to be happy because of this? It’s just… fantasising about having Snape as my father is one thing… actually having him, well it creates a whole set of new problems.

“It’s easier to do it that way.”

‘Sorry?’

“The magic. It’s easier to just let the bit out of me that I want to use instead of pulling the whole strand out.”

Shadow looked at his brother with solemn eyes. ‘It’s going to be all right, Harry.’

“Is it?”

‘Yeah. We’ll make it that way.’

“Uh huh.” Harry reached out a hand and snapped, “Come!” The letter on his bedside table immediately whizzed into his grip and Harry’s waxen face stretched into a smile, despite the increasing fatigue that the use of magic caused. Maybe it will be all right, after all. I don’t have to even tell Snape until I’m ready. Yes, I’ll do this at my own pace.

‘That’s Hermione’s writing!’

Harry grinned; glad for the distraction. “Sure is! Here; I’ll read it to you.” He quickly ripped open the envelope and unfolded the parchment.

 “Dear Harry, I hope you’re doing well on your summer assignments…” Harry and Shadow exchanged a glance, “and that you’re not finding them too difficult. I’ve already had mine done for over a week now... What a surprise… but unfortunately that means that I have to help Ron with his. You see, my parents and I are staying at the Burrow! I think Mum and Dad are as fascinated by the Weasleys as Mr Weasley is by them; they’re all getting along like a house on fire. The reason we’re staying here, as I’m sure you’ve already been informed, is because of the attack at the Ministry. Isn’t it awful? All those people!

“All the Muggleborn families have been put into hiding, and Dumbledore said that you’d been secreted away too. I do hope you’re all right – we were all terribly upset that you couldn’t come to stay. And you’re probably missing us as much as we’re missing you. Don’t worry; less than a month to go before we’re going back to Hogwarts. We’ll be Fourth Years then, isn’t it amazing? And there’s still so much that we don’t know! Ron doesn’t seem to be too happy about this fact. 

“Anyway, we’re all thinking of you and I can’t wait to see you at King’s Cross! Please write back soon, we’d love to hear from you, especially to hear if you’re all right! Hermione.” Harry’s smile was no longer forced as he relaxed bonelessly against the wall. He kept forgetting how terribly he missed his friends; especially their innate ability to cheer him up and restore his self-confidence.

‘That’s Hermione all over! I can’t wait to meet her.’

“Yeah. Do you want me to tell her about you?”

Shadow frowned, and then shook his head. ‘No, not yet. Not until you can tell her in person. She might end up thinking I’m the result of a Dark curse or something.’

“OK. I can’t wait until they find out about you; I know I’ll have to act as translator between you and them, but I’m sure they’ll love you!”

Harry couldn’t see Shadow’s face too well, but he thought he might be blushing.

‘Look! Something else fell out the envelope!’

Harry scooped up the scrap of parchment off the floor and studied it. “Oh, wow! It’s from Ron! Hey Harry! It’s really rubbish that I won’t be able to see you this summer; I was going to invite you to the Quidditch World Cup! Wouldn’t that have been awesome? Oh well, they postponed it ‘til next year, anyway. At least you’re away from those awful Muggles now; even if you can’t spend the summer with us, at least you’re not with them. See you at King’s Cross! Ron. P.S. Hermione’s nagging me about my homework. Honestly, girls, eh? This is brilliant – quill, ink and parchment!”

The necessary items flew over to where Harry was sitting and clunked softly down beside him.

‘Uh, Harry?’

“Hmm?”

‘Have you noticed that you’ve just done more magic?’

“Oh?” Harry looked down at the things beside him. “Oh yeah! I think the ‘little and lots’ method is working the best at the moment.”

‘As compared to ‘boom and bust’?’

“You said it! Hmm, I don’t think I should mention who I’m staying with; they went to so much trouble over the wards and everything…” Harry reached out for his quill and started to write, occasionally stopping to ask Shadow’s opinion on what he should write. Hedwig and Salem came over to see what the fuss was about; Hedwig perching on Harry’s knee and Salem sitting on Harry’s shoulder.

For some reason, the familiars seemed to take an immediate shine to each other, despite the fact that the two creatures would be deadly enemies in the wild. Harry didn’t mind in the slightest.

Both boys picked up on the relaxed atmosphere and cheered up a lot. Even after the letter to both of their friends was written, they still felt wired enough to get on and finish the dreaded Potions essay. Harry thought they’d actually done rather well.

“Let’s see if Snape can find anything to complain about in this!” Harry called triumphantly, shaking the parchment.

‘Well, there’s the comma splice in the second paragraph, not to mention the muddled analogy and the mixed metaphor in the conclusion…’

“Oh, hush, no one asked you!”

‘Well, in actual fact, you just did.’

“No I didn’t!”

‘Yes you did!’

“Oh, yeah?”

‘Oh, yeah?’

“Oh, yeah?”

“Ssssilence!” Salem glared at them both. “Until today I wasn’t sure that snakes could get headachesss.”

Harry and Shadow burst out laughing. ‘Aww, we upset the snake!’

Salem slithered off, muttering something about, “Imbeciles!” and Hedwig hooted at them reprovingly.

Harry stroked her downy feathers. “Sorry, Girl, we didn’t mean to upset your new friend. I’ll make it up to him, promise!” Hedwig closed her eyes, pacified, and let herself be stroked. “Shadow? Do you think Snape minds that we’ve been so much trouble recently?”

‘You were the one he told to repeat that he wanted you here. Weren’t you listening?’

“Well, um, it’s kind of hard to believe. Especially with Snape saying it.”

‘I know, but maybe that’s why we should believe it; precisely because Snape’s saying it. You think?’

“Yeah… yeah.” Harry smirked. “Hark; the wise one hath returned!”

‘Ach, shut up, you insufferable prat!’

“Careful, you’re starting to sound like our dad!”

That phrase brought them up short and they blushed at each other. Eventually, Shadow broke the tension. ‘Hedwig, hey, Hedwig?’ She turned sleepy eyes on him. ‘Do you think you’d be up to delivering the letter tomorrow? Or do you need a little longer?’ Hedwig considered him for a minute, before hopping off Harry’s leg, snatching the letter off the ground and soaring straight out the open window.

“Well, I think that answers that question, bless her.” Harry stood and went to close the window behind her. “Shadow?”

‘Hmm?’

“I think we’re going to be all right.”

‘Yeah, ‘course we’ll be all right,’ Shadow said, yawning a little. ‘I’ve got you, haven’t I?’

HPSSHPSSHPSS

Down in the basement, Severus clenched a hand over his heart, wondering why it had suddenly started that peculiar aching again.