Harry woke up the next morning to see his father sitting at his desk, a frown plastered on his face.

"Severus?" he asked quietly as he got up, pulling on his robes. "Is something wrong?"

The Potions Master nodded. "I've just recieved a letter from Albus," he said. "Albus from our time," he clarified, seeing the other's confused expression. "He has asked Lupin and I to return to our time due to some scandal at the Ministry. You and the others were instructed to stay."

Harry, by now realizing what was bothering his father, smiled. "I'll be fine," he assured the worried man. "Besides, I've got Draco, Ron, and Hermione here, not to mention the others from this time. Just make sure you keep yourself safe. How long will you be away?"

"We'll be gone for about a week," !Severus! replied. He looked at the boy standing in front of him in scrutiny. "Are you SURE you'll be alright? If you want, I would get Albus to send another portkey to--"

"I'll be fine," Harry interrupted. "Stop worrying, Severus, just make you you come back safely."

!Severus!, finally reassured, stood up as he pulled his son into an affectionate hug. "I'll see you in a week, Harry. Take care." With that, he swept out of the room.

---SEVERUS' POV---

Later that day, Severus once again found himself walking towards the empty classroom at the end of the hall. Pulling open the door, he found Harry inside, chopping up some ingrediants.

"Here," the other boy said, handing him some bloomslang. "Mix this into the cauldron."

It was obvious that the Gryffindor was trying to get out of explaining what had happened yesterday. Severus, however, wasn't about to let him off the hooks this easily.

"We have to talk," he said abruptly, pulling up a chair and sitting down in front of the boy without accepting the ingrediants Harry was offering him.

"About what?"

"Yesterday. It's about time you answered some of my questions. You can begin by telling me what you know about the Dark Lord."

"You mean Voldemort? You're going to have to specify, Severus, as I know many things about him. What do you want to know?"

Severus was throughly shocked by the use of his Lord's real name. In the time of battle, many people were too afraid to do so. But why would this young wizard in front of him be any different? "Why is it that you say his name?"

Harry smiled. "Someone once told me that fear of the name only increases fear of the thing itself. And they were entirely correct. What is the point of fearing another when they are, in reality, the same as any other?"

Severus nearly gaped the the young man in front of him. Did Harry really consider the Dark Lord as any other human being? The boy must be crazy! "But the Dark Lord is different!" The Slytherin argued. "He is much more powerful than any other wizard, and he is much superior to Mudbloods and half-bloods."

Harry's smile faded and his emerald eyes hardened at the cruel words. "Does blood really mean that much, Severus?" he asked softly. "I am a half- blood, yet I was able to escape the Death Eaters when they attacked. Many muggleborns have turned out to be some of the best witches and wizards the wizarding world has ever seen. Take Lily Evans for example. She's muggleborn, yet she is obviously the top student in the school. Magic power has nothing at all to do with blood. Just remember that Voldemort was a half-blood himself."

"What?" Serverus found himself gaping. "That's impossible! The Dark Lord can not possibly be a half-blood! He has told us that he is the heir of Salazar Slytherin himself."

"Many of Salazar's heirs married muggleborns. They did not agree with the deeds of their ansectors, and they have learned to stretch their wings and do what they truly believe in. Remember that even Voldemort himself was once young and innocent. He could have become one of the most respected wizards we have ever seen, but he chose another path instead." Harry sighed. "Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if it had not been for his father...."

"His father?" Severus found this getting more and more interesting. "What does his father have to do with anything?"

"Voldemort had a Muggle father. When he found out that his pregnant wife was a witch, he left her for who she was. Voldemort has hated all Muggles and Muggleborns ever since."

To Severus, this was a bit too much to take in. Not only was Voldemort a half-blood, but the only reason he hated Muggles was because of his father? "How is it that you know how this about the Dark Lord? He has not told even his most loyal Death Eaters!"

Harry smiled sadly. "I know many things about Voldemort, Severus, perhaps more than I would want to know. But Fate has decided for me to know, and so I must bear the burdens of knowing. Remember, Severus, knowledge is not necessarily good. With it comes pain and horror. Just remember that."

With that, the green-eyed boy swept out of the room, leaving Severus to feel as if he had more questions now than he had had to begin with.