There’s always something distinctly wrong when you’re staring at a thirteen year oldchild and notice that there is a terrorist-affiliated mask on his face. Especially when you know the child is the icon of the Light. If anyone needed justification for fainting, that was it. Of course, Severus’s normal responsewould have been to sneer at the boy and ask him if his loyalties had changed. Buthis voice! Oh how painfully familiar it sounded, and not altogether in a good way.

When he came to, he found everyone crowded around him. 

“My dear boy, what is wrong?” asked Albus mildly. “Are you feeling ill?”

“Look at him!” shouted Severus hoarsely. “And you tell me there’s nothing wrong with him?!?” 

“But my dear Severus, Harry is…well, exactly the same as he’s always been,” said apuzzled Filius. “What in Merlin’s name are you talking about?” 

“Describe his face for me,” said Severus tersely. “Now.”

“You know, I’m right here,” said Harry indignantly. “I’m not see-through, you know.” 

“Of course, Harry,” said Minerva soothingly. “Now, Severus…there is nothing wrongwith Harry.” 

“Describe his face to me.” 

“Well,his face is thinner, and his hair is still unkempt, his eyes are a brilliant green…” here, Harry blushed. “He has Lily’s nose, and James’s cheekbones…” 

“Are youpeople blind?” 

“Severus,what in Merlin’s name are you talking about?” asked Remus. “Harry looks normal!” 

“Fine words coming from someone who’s just met the child,” snarled Severus. “And don’t call me Severus, wolf.” 

“He’s a bit taller than he was at the beginning of the hols,” said Filius. “But that’s to be expected.” 

Finally, Madam Pomphrey broke in. “But that doesn’t account for the changing bone structure! Nor the sudden increase of four inches in height in the last hour!” 

“That was not what I was referring to, Madam, but that is correct as well,” said Severus grudgingly. “But I am referring to the Death Eater’s mask…on his face.” 

“I have a mask on my face?!?” 

“Severus, have you gone insane?” 

“My dear boy, are you all right?”

“Have the potion fumes finally created a vacuum in your brain?” 

“Severus– ”

They all clambered, until Severus finally shouted, “Enough.” 

They fell silent. Severus took an audible breath, and looked up. “Not a single one of you can see that – abomination on his face?”

Onlypuzzled faces met his gaze. “Potter. Take a look in the mirror, and tell me what you see.” 

“My face feels fine, thanks,” said Harry. 

“Humble the poor man, would you?” whispered Minerva. “He’s finally cracked…we shouldn’texcite him so.” 

Albuschuckled. “So, my dear boy, what do you see?” 

“I see my face. What did you expect?” grumbled Harry. “Wait, Professor, did you say you see a…Death Eater’s mask on my face?” 

Severus nodded dumbly. 

 “It wouldn’t look like this, would it?” Harry fumbled around in his pockets. “Huh, that’s strange. I can’t find it!” 

“Whatare you trying to find?” asked Lupin, casting concerned glances towards Albus. 

“This thing that appeared in my bedroom on my birthday. It looked like a Death Eater’s mask, but it was silver –” 

With each word, Severus’s face suddenly grew paler. 

“– and it had a lily etched on the inside –”  

Severus’sface grew even paler, if it were possible. As it was, he turned several shades greener, accentuated by the black robes he was wearing. 

“– so I didn’t think so. But it felt sort of…weird? Almost scary.” 

By thistime, Severus had slumped back into the bed he was currently occupied.   

“The poor man,” whispered Minerva snidely. “No wonder –” 

“It would do you well not to question my sanity in this state, Mother,” said Severus snarkily. “After all, you never know what I might do to you.” 

“Why, I never!” said Minerva indignantly. “Mother, indeed! I’ll have you know thatafter what you did to my daughter –” 

Albus put his hand on her shoulder. “Minerva,” he warned. 

Severus smirked. “So easily tempered and cowed. How appropriate for a Gryffindor.” 

“Severus.”

He scowled, and folded his arms. “Yes, Albus?” 

Albus chuckled. “My dear boy, you know what I mean. Now, tell us what has paled your complexion so. Oh, don’t look at me like that. You paled considerably while listening to Harry speak. Isn’t that right, Filius?” 

“My,yes,” Filius squeaked in agreement. “I haven’t seen him since that DADA class with that boggart –”

“You manipulative old men!” screamed Severus, then quickly regained composure. “Fine, I will tellyou.”

********

Sirius hummed to himself as he washed dishes. He had gotten the hang of it, finally. He must’ve broken at least five dishes per each stack…which meant he had broken at least fifty of them. Luckily, they were easily repaired, with magic, of course. Not that he let Aberforth know. That man was an absolute nut about no magic in the building. It was odd. Having gone through life pampered and spoiled, he had never done this type of menial work. But now…he found that hedidn’t exactly hate it. The very opposite, in fact. It was wonderful to let go of his mental abilities and just mechanically work. It certainly was building up his muscles. In no time, he would be back to normal – or as normal as he could be after Azkaban. 

He had been told by Aberforth that no knew of his escape yet, probably because of all the chaos and confusion caused by the sudden outburst of white magic there. Where had it come from? And on Harry’s birthday, no less. Surprisingly, he could still remember it. 

Sirius, James, Remus, and Peter were all waiting anxiously in the hallway outside the room where Lily was giving birth. James had been in there earlier, but after all his griping and threatening to faint, Lily had  tossed him out. She told him she would be fine with her mother. 

James had almost scoffed, until he saw the look on his former Professor’s face. Granted, she had been his favourite Professor, but if you fell out of favour with her…James shivered. 

“Hey, Prongs, you all right there?” asked Sirius.“You’re not going to faint on us, mate, are you?” 

“Maybe you should sit down,” said an anxious Remus.“You’re going to wear a hole in the floor with all your pacing.” 

“I should be in there with her,” said James. “She needs me.” 

He stood still a moment, and moved as if to barge into the room. Immediately, the other three lunged towards him and held him back. 

“Prongs!” Remus gasped. “You shouldn’t go in.” 

“Why the hell not? That’s my baby and my wife –”

“Who kicked you out, remember?” 

“And your mother-in-law?” 

“Oh, fine,” grumbled James, plopping down on aseat. “It’s not like I can’t handle it…” 

“No, you can’t,” said Sirius. “And it’s final, so shut up.” 

James made a face at him and folded his arms. Sirius smirked. Well, that had been easier than he thought it’d be. Of course, maybe the fact that he had almost fainted in there before had deterred him. After all, who wants to look like a fool twice?

They waited there for fifteen minutes, which quickly turned into an hour. Finally, at 4:16pm, Harry James Potter was born. Or well, James was let in at 4:16pm, because that was when they first heard the baby wail. He had his suspicions… 

Never mind. The boy looked like James, to be sure. But he definitely had Lily’s eyes – the most brilliant shade of emerald green Sirius had ever seen. One look at the tousled hair, and Merlin, those eyes! –he was in love with the child already. Of course, he was beyond exhilarated when James and Lily asked him to be godfather. Peter and Remus were dubbed the back-ups, of course. And one of Lily’s other friends – Alice Longbottom – was named godmother. 

Siriuswas jolted back to the present when he felt a large hand clasp on to his shoulder. He jumped, and spun around. 

“Relax, child, it’s just me,” said Aberforth. “What’s got you thinking so hard you can’t even hear me walk up to you?” 

“I was thinking of the day Harry was born,” said Sirius wistfully. “I’ve missed so much of his childhood…” 

“You could always make up for it, you know,” said Aberforth. “He’s just up the hill.” 

“But…how? I’ll be recognized,” said Sirius. “And didn’t you say Remus was in there? He’ll recognize me for sure!” 

“Hmmm…”Aberforth rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “That child has such wonderful luck really. His parents die, his godmother goes insane, his godfather sent to prison…” 

“Make me feel guilty!” snarled Sirius. “It’s not like I did it on purpose. I wanted to stay by that child.  But that damn rat –” 

“Relax, Sirius,”said Aberforth soothingly. “Well, we’ll just have to think about it. Maybe Harry will come down here? I’ll ask Filius.”

“ProfessorFlitwick? He’s still there?” asked Sirius. “He’s so old –”

AtAberforth’s pointed look, he quickly remedied his statement. “I mean, I expected Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore – sorry, your brother – to stay at Hogwarts forever. But Professor Flitwick? He’s like one of those who’s meant to be more?” Sirius sighed, when he saw Aberforth’s face. “Never mind. Don’t listen to me when I start running off my mouth like that.” 

Aberforth laughed. “Like I was ever meant to run an inn.” 

“Exactly!” Sirius exclaimed, then turned a bright shade of red, and he quickly covered his mouth. “Pretend you didn’t hear that.” 

“Ah, my dear boy,” sighed Aberforth. “I haven’t laughed so hard since the last time you were here.”

********

“It was my brother’s mask.”

At the shocked faces in front of him, Severus quickly corrected his statement. “My adopted brother.” 

“Regulus Black. His family, as you know, died in a catastrophic fire at his home. His brother,” Here, Severus sneered. “Had denied him. Other families would have willingly taken him in, but at school, Regulus and I were close. During the summers, he would always spend time at my home, or I at his. Regardless, we were close enough relation to take him in, and we did so.” 

Severus closed his eyes. “Our families were of the Dark. When I was seventeen, I was told I was to receive the mark, but I put it off, saying that Reg and I wouldlike to have them together. The Dark Lord honoured our decision, and I was given two years of respite. I had no particular love for him, but my father,”he spat. “Decided that it would be best that I did.” 

He let out a ragged gasp. “Two days after Regulus and I received the Dark Mark, Regulus was killed in an Auror raid. I could no longer hide the fact that Lily was Muggle-born,” he looked at Minerva, and she paled. “And so I divorced her. Yes, it was brutal,” He answered Minerva’s unasked question. “I had to, or she would never have left me. I casted her off like an old robe. Then…she ran away to James Potter.” 

Hepaused, and there was an audible silence. Taking a breath, he continued. "She must have thought that…the mask was a huge joke. But…I gave her the mask as areminder to myself that…I didn’t want her to die the same way my brother had.The lily…I etched it on. There is a similar one on my own…” 

He trailed off, and there was silence in the room. Suddenly, they were all jolted out of their musings by Severus’s voice, which had picked up again. “But why would she give you the mask?”

He stared hard at Harry, then lunged towards him. “Let me see the mask.” 

“You’re freaking crazy!” shouted Harry. “I don’t have a freaking mask on, and you’re out of your mind! My mum would’ve never married you!” 

“No one told you, did they?” chuckled Severus bitterly. “No one told you the great James Potter was second pickings to me, did they? Your mother loved me first,and if that mask is the one I think it is, then she loved me to the end.” 

“Your mother never loved your father,” he continued on, ever the sadist. “Then…how is it that you came to be?” 

“Enough, Severus,” commanded Albus. “You’ve hurt the boy enough.” 

By now, Poppy had Harry in her arms, and there were five pairs of accusing eyes at him.Severus threw up his hands in mock surrender. “You don’t want to hear the truth? Then fine.”

He stormed out of the Infirmary, his cloak billowing as he did so. 

“He’s wrong!” sobbed Harry. “My mum loved my da!” 

ProfessorMcGonagall walked up to him. “She was very happy with James, it’s true. I would know.” 

Harrylooked at her with his big green eyes. “How?” 

Minerva looked at Albus questioningly. Albus nodded. Since secrets were coming to light, they might as well reveal them all – or the beginnings of them, anyways.“Because…my dear child, I was Lily’s mother.” 

Harryblinked at her, and then it hit him.

“Th-that means you’re my grandmother!” whispered Harry, and then sobbed out, almost incoherently, “So why did I have to stay with the Dursleys? You’re my blood, aren’t you? Didn’t you want me?” 

The, he muttered something intelligible, but it didn’t seem anyone heard.  

“I’m sorry, Harry, I am. I wanted you so badly…” By this time, most eyes in theroom were wet, and there were visible tears running down Minerva’s face. “But, you weren’t my blood. See, I adopted Lily. If I had known about the Dursleys–!” 

“Y-you really wanted me?” stuttered Harry, hampered by his sobs. “Th-then why didn’t you tell me? When I was at school…you could have told me!”  

“And then have you disappointed when you couldn’t stay with me?” Minerva said gently. “I knew you didn’t like it there, but…I never knew it was that bad.”

“Well, now you do!” Harry buried his face in Poppy’s arms, and wailed. A heart-breaking cry, it shattered the hearts of all those who heard him, including one Severus Snape, who had to re-gain his stability on the stairs leading to his rooms. He shook it off, dismissing it as some prank. But inside, there was a beginning of a small crack in the stone wall blocking off his heart.