Potions and Snitches
Snape and Harry Gen Fanfiction Archive

Lies And Other Untruths
Harry was failing miserably at Occlumency. Again. The incident at the lake with Ron had brought memories back to Harry that he had tried to suppress. Memories about a bath tub. Memories of Snape dropping him into the water at the cove from five feet in the air. Memories of falling from a cliff in the night into the crashing waves, and trying to stay afloat and keeping away from August in a crevice he had voluntarily jumped into. Even if Harry could have kept the memories at the back of his mind during the day, they were so close to the surface that they were bound to come out during Occlumency lessons. Snape was not pleased.

"Three days Potter. Only you could be on the cusp of having an understanding of Occlumency, and then spend three days throwing that understanding away." Harry didn't argue with him or even get mad. He only hoped that the man hadn't put all the pieces of the jumbled memories that he'd seen the last few days together. He'd only seen flashes of a tub full of water, but he'd seen the replay of himself dumping Harry into the cove enough times that he might start to relate the two.

"Again, pick one of the approved methods and stick with it."

"Yes sir." He heard Snape say the spell and felt him in his mind again. August staring at him in the water filled crevasse. "Come here before you drown." "No, you'll hurt me." Snape had seen this memory already this evening and seemed to be tired of it. He searched for another memory only to find himself watching Harry tumbling off a cliff in the darkness. He pulled out of Harry's mind and stared at him.

"What is it about water Potter?"

"Nothing," he lied.

"I believe that like I believe that you just fell into the lake the other day."

"Just leave me alone. Look at some other memories."

"I don't wish to see any of your memories Potter. I want you to apply yourself enough to master this skill so you can move on and learn other things. You are wasting both of our time."

Feeling irritable and not knowing why Harry said, "Yeah that's me, just a waste of time."

"I do not enjoy your teenage dramatics, nor do I wish to waste my time listening to such things."

Harry thought that was rich coming from him because he was often sarcastic to students and dramatic, especially if he was angry. He stood up. "I'll just see myself out then. You've got more important things to be getting on with then teaching me how to defend my mind." He opened the door and stomped out. Snape didn't call after him and Harry was grateful. The man was clearly irritated with him and his lack of progress, and an irritated Snape was never something he wanted to deal with.

Harry began his trek up out of the dungeons, and then started up the grand staircase in the entrance hall. He was almost to the top when there was a strange wooshing noise, and he paused mid step. It sounded like running water. He turned, wondering where it could be coming from, but saw nothing. The sound grew louder and Harry thought that whatever was leaking was going to flood the whole of the ground floor if they didn't fix it. He turned in a circle at the top of the stairs and realized he was alone. It was after dinner and most people would be in their common rooms or the library by now. Finally, wondering if he should find a professor, he took a step and heard a slap and looked at his feet. There was a growing puddle of water.

"What?" He turned again, feet slapping on the wet stones.

"Potter?"

Harry turned and found Snape staring at him from the bottom of the grand staircase.

"I didn't do it sir, I swear."

"What are you talking about Potter?"

"There's water everywhere sir," Harry said, turning in another circle.

Snape came up the stairs and looked at the floor where Harry was staring.

"I see nothing," he said, and met Harry's eyes just in time to see the confused look in them.

"It's running down the stairs. Where's it coming from?" Harry lifted a foot up high as if he was trying to keep his shoe dry.

"Potter- perhaps you should go to the Hospital Wing."

"What about the water?"

"It can wait."

He motioned with his hand for Harry to lead off in the direction of the Hospital Wing, and Harry took a step forward, but stopped cold as soon as he did. "I can't go that way. It's totally flooded." He sounded panicked, and took an uncertain step backwards.

"There is no water Potter." But Harry wasn't listening because the water he was seeing was heightening his fear of drowning as each second passed. Before Severus could stop him, Harry turned and ran back down the stairs, and then, heaving open one of the heavy oak front doors, he hurtled out of the castle.

Outside Harry was relieved to find that there was no water, though there was water running out the front door behind him and down the steps to the grass below. Snape came out the doors behind him and said sharply, "Potter, look at me."

Harry obeyed, but felt uncomfortable looking into the dark eyes of the Potion's Master. He found worry there, and that was something he wasn't used to seeing written across the man's face.

"Clear your mind. Now."

"But-"

"Clear it."

Harry closed his eyes, but was finding it a little more than difficult with the sound of running water. "I can't."

"Forget the approved methods. Think about your fears of water and pull them away from the forefront of your mind."

"I'm not afraid of water," Harry protested opening his eyes, but at the commanding look he received, he closed his eyes again. Because Snape was there in front of him, the immediate memory that came to mind was getting dunked in the cove, so Harry imagined that it was Snape trying to pry the memory out of him as he had been twenty minutes ago in his office, and yanked it away. Surprisingly Harry could feel the memory slipping to the back of his mind. It was strange, because he could still feel it there, could still remember, but it wasn't as sharp as it was before. It was as if it had happened a long time ago. He moved on to him and Ron fighting in the lake, and then the crevasse with August.

"Can you still see the water?"

Harry opened his eyes. There was still water, but he couldn't hear it anymore. It was as though the sound had turned off. "I can see it, but the sound is gone."

"It is imperative that you clear your mind. Because the images of water were at the forefront from our lessons, I believe the dark lord is using them to breach your mind."

Harry stared at him and a cold chill went over his body. Just like before, when he'd been made to believe Sirius was in trouble at the Ministry, he was being tricked. Harry stared at the water and willed with all his might that it would go away because it wasn't really there, but it only deepened in response, and began gushing out the castle doors.

"Is he here?" Harry asked.

"It is possible he is nearby and is trying to flush you out of the castle."

"Literally," Harry said, and received a sharp look in return.

"If he is aware of your fear, he is aware that I was helping you with occlumency."

"I'm sorry-" Harry started, but Snape held up a hand to stop him.

"Clear your mind, now."

"I can't."

There was a high laugh then, and Harry stared up at the sky and then to Snape, who was looking too.

"I heard it as well."

A moment later after another cackle a flaming ball fell out of the sky and right between them, making them jump back.

"Lestrange," Snape said. "Inside! Go!"

Harry ran back into the castle, despite that he still saw almost half a foot of water on the floor, and Snape slammed the door closed and warded it shut. There were several bangs on the front door, and then a burn mark appeared on the inside.

"Go to the Headmaster's office!" Snape shouted, and when Harry started to protest, the man reached out and shoved him forcefully in the direction of the stairs. Harry gave him a shocked look, and then ran. He was only halfway to the Headmaster's office when the man came around the corner in a hurry.

"Harry. He's here."

"They're trying to burn down the front door," Harry said.

Dumbledore lifted Harry's chin with two fingers and stared into his eyes. "He is inside your mind." He took Harry's hand, startling him, and began pulling him back down the hallway towards his office.

"But Snape's in the entrance hall by himself!"

"By now Minerva and Filius are already there. There are more pressing matters to attend to." Harry didn't see what could be more important than keeping death eaters out of the castle though. There were close to 300 students to protect. As soon as they were inside the man's office (Harry had never seen the stone steps rise so fast), the Headmaster was pressing a small silver orb into Harry's hands.

"What-" but he wasn't allowed to finish his question because the Headmaster was talking in hurried tones.

"He is only able to breach your mind because he knows where you are and because he is nearby. If you are suddenly not where he thinks you are, and in a place you don't know, the link will be broken until he can find you again."

Harry was about to ask what that meant, but the Headmaster looked into his eyes then and said, "Be careful Harry." Then he tapped the orb with his wand and said, "Away," and Harry felt the familiar tug of a portkey behind his navel. The Headmaster and his serious blue eyes and his office disappeared, and Harry found himself on a cobbled street in the twilight. He looked to his feet and the water was gone.

There was a scream from somewhere nearby and Harry searched for it. He seemed to be in an alley. He crept along the stone wall of a building and peeked out onto the main road as several more screams rent the air. He was in Hogsmeade, and for a moment he couldn't believe that the Headmaster had sent him away from the safety of the school. There was an explosion in the distance and Harry crouched low and ran down the street as close to the buildings as he could get until he could see Hogwarts up on it's hill. Something was on fire, but he couldn't tell what. It might have been one of the greenhouses. His heart wrenched. His friends were still at the castle.

A door burst open suddenly across the road, and the owner of the pet shop came tumbling out onto the cobbled street. Two masked death eaters came out behind him and hit him with a hex that lifted him into the air and cast a green glow around him. Harry wanted to throw a spell to help him, but he was out in the open and would give his location away if he did. Instead he slipped away into another alley, though he was unable to ignore the screams that followed him. There was another explosion and this time Harry could tell it was in Hogsmeade. They were going to burn the town down. He didn't know how many people he was up against or where Voldemort was, and in that moment he felt more vulnerable and alone than he ever had. Not even Ron and Hermione were there to stand back to back with him now.

Harry continued down the unfamiliar alley, uncertain how to get back to Hogwarts without being spotted by Death Eaters, who were running up and down the streets chasing shop owners and children. It sounded as though Madam Rosmerta was somewhere putting up a fight, but Harry couldn't tell if she was on High Street, or Low Street.

A child ran past the end of the alley where Harry was crouching in darkness and Harry reached out and pulled the small boy into the darkness. The boy's eyes were alight with fear and Harry held up a finger to his lips. "Where can you hide?" he whispered.

"A hidden room in the cellar of Honeydukes," he said, voice shaking. He pointed to a wooden door a few feet down the alley and Harry ran down the alley with him and unlocked the door with a spell. He opened it and the boy ran inside and disappeared. At a particularly loud cackle Harry shut the door and continued down the street, not wanting to be anywhere near the boy's hiding place if he were caught.

Suddenly a cold hand came out of the darkness of the alley and grabbed Harry's wrist, and his heart jumped up into his throat, pounding painfully. He spun, wand out, and found the pale face of Narcissa Malfoy. She had her wand up under his chin and digging into him painfully. She gave him a calculating look, searching from one wide eye to the other.

Grip painfully tight on his wrist, she said swiftly, "You are Draco's friend." It was a statement, and Harry wondered how much he'd told her about their summer. Her voice was tinted with disdain in the same way that Lucius' voice always was when talking to Harry.

Harry swallowed. "I don't know how good of a friend I've been to him." He tried to gauge her reaction, but her eyes were cold and lifeless like glass. "He's shown his friendship to me every time I least expect it."

Her grip loosened ever so slightly. "That does sound like Draco." There was a spark of something in her eyes not like glass there in the dark alley. It reminded Harry of the way aunt Petunia looked at Dudley. "He is like his father," she finished.

Feeling like he couldn't possibly be in any more danger than he already was there in the grips of a death eater who could apparate him away at any moment to Voldemort, Harry hazarded, "I've never seen Lucius be friendly."

"Draco is nothing like Lucius," she said with contempt, "Lucius is nothing but cruel."

"You said-"

"I know what I said."

Harry stared into her eyes, searching for an answer, or for that cold glass like look to disappear again.

There was another scream, and it made Harry's heart race faster than it had been before. It sounded like Rosmerta. Someone ran past the end of the alley, throwing a curse as they went, and when they were gone, Narcissa said quietly, "He doesn't know that his father is not Lucius." Harry's eyes came back up to meet hers again, and she let go of his wrist. "Have you never wondered why Severus Snape treats him with such kindness?"

"Professor Snape?"

"Is Draco's father," Narcissa said with finality. There was relief on her face, and Harry wondered if he was the first she'd ever told. He also wondered why she was telling him now instead of taking him to Voldemort. Maybe it was because he was Draco's friend. Maybe it was just to try to throw him for one last loop before she took him to his death.

He didn't bother to say that Draco looked nothing like Snape with his white blond hair because with magic he knew almost anything was possible. "And Professor Snape knows?"

"He does." There was another explosion, this time right near the end of the alley, and bits of glass and stone went flying landing at their feet. Something hit Harry on the temple and sliced his skin open. Narcissa acted as though nothing had happened at all. "I will not turn you over to the Dark Lord. Draco would never forgive me, and neither would Severus when he finds out the truth about you."

She stepped back from him, like she was done with him, but Harry shook his head in confusion. "About me?"

Her look of disdain came back. "He knows he has one son... he does not realize he has two." Harry let his mouth hang open slightly. He wanted to ask what she meant, but someone came into the alley then and she shoved him away from her. "Go!" she hissed and she apparated away. Harry did the same a split second later, uncertain of where he meant to go.

When he reappeared he wasn't anywhere close to Hogwarts. He was outside of Privet Drive, staring up at the quiet house in the darkness. Such a stark contrast from the war and chaos he had just left.

The porch light was on and he could tell that Aunt Petunia was in the kitchen washing dishes because the kitchen light was on as well. He imagined Uncle Vernon was probably in the living room watching the news. 'He knows he has one son... he does not realize he has two.' Narcissa Malfoy's words ran through his mind again, not just once, but over and over. 'Draco would never forgive me, and neither would Severus when he finds out the truth about you.' The truth about me? Professor Snape has two sons? Just finding out that Draco was Snape's son was shock enough. He didn't think he could handle fully thinking about the second son that Narcissa was implying. She can't be talking about me, Harry thought. She can't. She had to be lying, or trying to trick him somehow. Lily and James... but Gan's words from summer came back to him. He said that hate wouldn't cause a person to be so cruel, but resentment would. Harry hadn't had a clue what Snape would be resentful about during the summer, but with Narcissa's implications he thought he had an idea now. Snape wasn't resentful towards Harry but towards James. Because Lily had been with James and had Harry. But that wasn't true was it? Somehow, everything that Harry knew about the world had come crashing down in the last few minutes. He was not James Potter's son, he was Severus Snape's (if that was indeed what Draco's mother had been implying and if it was the truth), and with the revelation that Draco was Snape's son too, that meant that Harry and Draco were brothers. Harry had a father and a brother. It was what he had always wanted, but at this moment he felt betrayed. There was such a tangled web of lies to work through that he didn't even know where to start.

The front door he had been staring at blankly for several minutes opened and Aunt Petunia stepped out with a bag of rubbish and looked startled to see him there. "You!" she screeched.

Harry walked forward, uncertain about what he was doing. "Me," he said, and forced her to move aside as he swept into the house. He was confused and hurt and angry. He couldn't think of a way to make it stop. Could not think about the techniques Gan had taught him to let the emotions wash away from him. He was too full of adrenaline to use those techniques in any case.

"Vernon! The boy is back!"

Harry turned to face her so sharply that she took a step back in surprise. "I want to ask you a question, and then I'll be gone. I'll never come back." Her eyes were anything but empty like Narcissa's had been. They were hard and angry and shocked.

He heard his uncle lumber into the room behind him from the sitting room. "Ask it then boy, so we can be rid of your unnaturalness. Why aren't you in school anyway?"

"The school is being attacked," Harry said. "I escaped." He turned and stared directly into Petunia's eyes. "Who is my father?"

"James Potter. Why did you have to come all the way back here to ask that?" She eyed the gash on his head and Harry could tell that she wondered if he'd lost his memory, or perhaps his mind. The anger had faded and Harry wondered just how bad, and how angry he looked because she looked uncertain and afraid.

"But my mum, she wasn't always with James, was she?"

"She was with that riff raff that lived down the street from us. Severus Snape was his name. He went to school with her."

"He teaches at the school. I've been with him since I left in the summer."

"Just like your mother," Aunt Petunia spat. "Always running into his arms. It would make sense that he's your father instead of that James character."

"Why does it make sense?" Harry was hoping she'd say anything at all to dispute Narcissa's words... to turn them into lies. The more she said the more Harry's heart felt like it was shredding though.

"You look like him. I don't know why I didn't see it before." She said it as if she were disgusted. "I was surprised when she married James anyway. He was only nice when he wanted to be and she didn't have the sappy look of happiness in her eyes when she was with him, not like she did when she was with that boy... Snape."

Lily wasn't happy with James, but she had been with him, and apparently what Narcissa said was true. He was Snape's son. But so was Draco, and they were the same age. He didn't know when Draco's birthday was, but he didn't like the idea that Snape had somehow gotten two women pregnant in such a short time.

"Is that all you came for boy?" Vernon said gruffly, cutting his circling thoughts short. His patience seemed to be wearing thin. "You promised you'd leave and never come back after we answered your question."

Harry turned to stare at him. He had a desire to see fear in his uncle's eye's like aunt Petunia's. "I'll leave," he said, but he wanted to do something that he had never been allowed to do in that house before. Magic. He bolted up the stairs despite his aunt and uncle's shouts of protest and ran into the upstairs bathroom. He stared at the cold, empty, pristine bathtub. His nemesis. Wand in hand he pointed it at the tub and forced magic out of it with the intent to make the tub useless. It was like Snape had said about inventing spells with intent. He watched with satisfaction as the tub filled with liquid concrete. Petunia was behind him screaming then and Harry sent a spell at the tub that hardened it. That tub would never be used again. They would have to replace it, but he wouldn't be there to see it. He would never be back there again. He turned and stared directly into Petunia's fearful eyes and Vernon's surprisingly impassive ones and grinned. Then he turned on his heel and was gone with a loud pop, Petunia's screams following him to his next destination. Harry opened his eyes in the pitch blackness, and was once again alert, aware that cruel enemies could be anywhere, even in an unassuming house in a quiet neighborhood.

Chapter End Notes:
Not a super long chapter, and I know everything happened relatively fast, but it was meant to be a bit disorienting like it was for Harry.

You must login (register) to review.
[Report This]


Disclaimer Charm: Harry Potter and all related works including movie stills belong to J.K. Rowling, Scholastic, Warner Bros, and Bloomsbury. Used without permission. No copyright infringement is intended. No money is being made off of this site. All fanfiction and fanart are the property of the individual writers and artists represented on this site and do not represent the views and opinions of the Webmistress.

Powered by eFiction 3.5