Petunia was glaring at him and McGonagall was sitting there with her mouth wide open.
“It's true, Snape. She's yours. And I thought you were supposed to be smart.”
“Mrs Dursley.. That's a serious...” Minerva began as she stood but still she eyed Snape with suspicion.
“Th... That's not even... remote possible! At the time Potter was conceived we... No!”
“Severus?” Minerva suddenly narrowed her eyes. “What are you saying? You're not actually telling me you and Lily ever...”
“It wasn't like that!” Snape protested.
“Severus! You sit down right this minute and tell me what you did!” Minerva commanded, horror and disgust flashed in her eyes.
“Don't! I never! How can you even think that! How dare you!” Snape cried.
His face was white with anger and disgust at what Minerva was suggesting. The witch seemed to relax somewhat seeing the emotions on his face but she was still uneasy.
“If there was any victim in that affair it was me! Besides Minerva the timing doesn't fit!”
“She said she used magic,” it suddenly came from Petunia.
“Who?” said McGonagall even though she knew the answer.
“Lily confided in me. She made me swear to keep her secret. Until...”
Severus wasn't quite sure what was the best course of action. On one hand he wanted nothing more than to disprove Petunia's claim and hear her story but on the other he was pretty sure Minerva would kill him sometime during this conversation. Minerva took a deep breath and pointed at the space beside her on the couch. Although Severus preferred to stand he knew he needed to keep her calm until he had explained himself – otherwise they would end up dueling in Petunia's living room. He quickly moved over and sat down next to her.
“Severus... Why don't you start?”
He nodded, carefully weighing his options and deciding on the best escape route should he need it.
“I thought you fell out.”
“We did. I didn't hear from her for what seemed ages. I met her in the spring of '79. It was a complete coincidence!” said Snape, adding the last sentence when he saw Minerva tensing up. “I was sitting at the Leaky Cauldron when she came in. I didn't know why at first but she came over to me and asked if we could talk. However, it turned out she had heard that I... had made my unsavory friendships more... permanent.”
McGonagall nodded.
“But Severus. She was married to James at the time. She...”
“I know,” Severus said as he cut her off. “She said she'd forgiven me and wanted to know if I would still speak to her. I don't need to tell you how I felt hearing that. So we arranged to meet again.”
Severus closed his eyes for a moment – the hurt still fresh in his heart. How could he tell Minerva? What would she think? But he knew she would chase him down sooner or later for the story if he fled. And he needed to prove he was not... related... to Potter.
“When we met I told her that I was sorry for... I told her that I loved her. She seemed to already know. We met several times after that. Lily grew... friendlier with me. I truly believed her. She spoke of how things could have been. But I eventually realized she wanted me to leave and come with her – to the Order. She offered to speak to Dumbledore on my behalf. I couldn't. Then she said she loved me.”
Minerva made a sound but Severus quickly continued.
“Don't worry, Minerva. She didn't mean it. At least not like that. I eventually understood that she was merely trying to get me to leave the ranks of the Dark Lord. Her promises were too vague, her attachment to Potter too obvious. But I wanted to believe her. That there was a chance. And... Minerva, if I'm guilty of anything it is too have lead Lily to believe I was more willing to follow her than I was. Of course when she eventually confronted me with it directly I turned her down. She left in a fit of rage and I didn't see her again until... that night. But my point is that this happened months before Potter would have been conceived. It simply isn't possible.”
“Severus, do you truly expect me to believe Lily would cheat on James of her own free will?”
“Hah! You're all so convinced my sister was an angel aren't you?” sneered Petunia.
“And yes, she did do it! She told me herself!”
“She was always clever,” Severus mumbled. “She truly believed that... I could be saved.”
“You proved her correct didn't you?” said Minerva. There was some uncertainty still in her voice but her tone had become gentle.
“She told me she used magic. For some months,” said Petunia.
“A stasis spell?” Minerva asked, her eyes wide.
“She said James was suspicious. But she couldn't... She wasn't sure at the time who the father was. She was afraid he would leave her. When she considered it safe she took it off.”
“That can't be! Lily would have told me if...” Snape cried.
This time it was him who was feeling cornered and he hated every moment of it. He didn't want Petunia's claims to be true in any way! And that horrible feeling from earlier still wouldn't leave him. When he had arrived he'd considered the place hellish – now he was certain this was hell!
“She did! Or at least she told me she did!”
“Mrs Dursley, you had better start from the beginning!” said McGonagall.
“So you will listen to me now? Very well. She contacted me a few days after the baby was born. I had quite a lot to see to with little Dudders and I didn't much appreciate my sister appearing after months of silence. When I asked why she was here she told me that this was the only place she could go. The only place James would let her visit because he knew we had no contact to your world and couldn't contact anyone in it. She had apparently managed to convince him that she wanted to share the happy news with her sister.”
Petunia moved a bit in her chair and continued when her audience didn't have any comments.
“She was in quite a state actually. It was then she told me. She had given birth with no one but James for help because they were in hiding – having been recently attacked. When she first saw the child all her fears were confirmed and she secretly did some kind of test to confirm that the child was indeed not James'. I don't know exactly what she did but she told me she knew only one other person it could be.
“Paternity potion,” Snape mumbled without realizing.
“She told me she had written a letter to you and tried to post it but James had stopped her and demanded her to hand it over. She knew he'd suspected something and she was terrified he'd leave her. But when he saw the letter he apparently became enraged and refused to let her send it – taking away her owl. She got hold of the letter and hid it upon her person. She fled the house in the middle of the night and left the letter with a friend who was to deliver it to you. When she returned James threw a fit and said that you would never have either Lily or the child. He knew she'd informed you that the girl was his and he said out to disprove that. Lily said he did something to the baby to make it look like him and that he had introduced it as his son to his friends because he knew what Lily had written in her letter:
The girl is yours!
Come find me.
Lily.
He apparently hoped you would think she was referring to herself if you inquired and heard the Potters had gotten a son. She told me then that she had become afraid of James. She still loved him and knew he was only acting this way because he was hurt and jealous but she dared not speak to any of their friends because she knew most of them to be more loyal to James than her and so she remained silent, hoping that you would appear. You hadn't by the time she got to me. She told me she had gone to the friend and found the letter had in fact not been sent and was informed that you were dead.”
“What?” was all Snape could say. Minerva was starring at Petunia like she had grown antlers.
“I don't think we need to guess to know who that 'friend' was,” mumbled McGonagall and gave Snape a knowing look.
“She told me she didn't believe it and that she had handed him another letter with instructions that should you ever return and turn out alive that letter would be delivered. She told me she had written in the letter that you should come to me and that I would then explain her situation to you for she didn't have much time to explain in the letter as she wrote it right then and there. Until then she said I was to keep her secret because she was afraid of having the child taken from her. That was the last time I saw her. I waited for you to show but when you never did, eventually I assumed you were truly dead and Lily had been mistaken. Wait, let me just get you something!”
Petunia suddenly rose and flew out of the room and up the stairs. Severus was trembling. This couldn't be true! Petunia was delirious! The world had gone mad! He suddenly felt a hand on his arm and flinched. Minerva was looking at him.
“Severus, I don't know what to say...” she began but then Petunia reappeared with an old dusty box.
“Here,” she said pulling letter out of the box. “This arrived for me some months afterwards.”
She handed the letter over to Minerva who starred at it for a while before she silently handed it to Snape. He recognized it as parchment and his heart jumped once he spotted the soft cursive writing on it. Lily's handwriting.
Don't be alarmed but remember that thing I told you about?
I need you to keep it secret unless he shows up.
I know he's alive. Tell no one but him.
It's important! No one must know.
I've recently found my trust has been misplaced.
Promise me, Tuney!
Love Lily.
“Imagine my surprise to find Harry on my doorstep later on. But I kept my promise to her and to you people. You never showed of course and I only became more convinced she was mistaken. There that's all I know! Now are you taking her or what?”
“That hardly explains everything,” mumbled McGonagall as she rose and Snape got up as well.
“Minerva, it's not true! It can't be! Potter is James' child. He... She looks just like him!”
“You heard Mrs Dursley. James changed her appearance. I can't say I'm happy with this, Severus, I truly can't but this needs to be sorted out! I certainly hope Albus returns shortly – there's a few questions I'd like to ask him as well!”
“So what are you going to do? Simply change Harry Potter's identity overnight?” sneered Snape.
“No. I think we had best wait for Albus to decide what to do about the public. For now, I had better go and speak to Harry. Wait down here for me.”
It wasn't fair! That was all Harry could think over and over again as she sat curled up on her bed. Why did this have to happen to her? Someone from Hogwarts had actually come down to see her and while she had been terrified to find Snape in her bedroom, as soon as she saw McGonagall she had dared to hope that maybe, just maybe they could help her.
When aunt Petunia had stopped playing the game and even admitted that they were pretending she had been over the moon! Was she finally allowed to stop pretending to be someone else? But no! No sooner had she gotten her hopes up before Petunia had started playing another game! And this one was much worse than the first! It was a game. At least Harry hoped it was.
She wanted to scream and kick the walls until they came down. The professors would leave later on and then Harry would be left to deal with the Dursleys after having caused them to stop playing the game. It wasn't going to go well. She had been sitting there for quite some time before someone knocked on her door.
“Harry? May I come in?” It was professor McGonagall's voice.
Harry shuffled over and opened the door. The elderly witch sat down on the bed and gestured for Harry to join her.
“How are you feeling?”
“I'm okay, professor,” she lied.
“I know this must be quite a shock for you but I want you to know that you've done nothing wrong.”
Harry nodded. She agreed even though she wasn't so sure the Dursleys would agree.
“It's not true what my aunt says,” Harry suddenly said. “She pretends a lot.”
“Hmm,” said McGonagall. “Harry, she certainly told us an interesting tale and she did provide proof as well. I would like you to come downstairs with me so we may discuss it.”
“No! I mean... Professor! It's not true! I'm not... He's not...”
“Your father?” McGonagall supplied.
“Yes, that! And... He hates me anyway!”
“Hmm... Harry, I'm sure he doesn't. I know it's hard, but it is possible. Professor Snape knew your mother very well. And we would like to check and see.”
“You mean you can find out? How?” Harry asked.
She felt oddly opposed to the notion of checking. She was afraid of what the result might be.
“Come downstairs with me and we will discuss it,” said McGonagall and held out her hand.
Harry hesitated but eventually took it and followed the professor down the stairs.
Severus Snape was trying his best to pace a hole in the living room carpet. Petunia Dursley sat in her armchair and glared at him – having given up trying stop him. Severus did not stop until he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. He looked up at McGonagall but as soon as his eyes fell on the dark haired child behind her his eyes narrowed and he spoke:
“I want a test! Give me some time to brew the potion and I'll prove I'm not...”
“Severus!” Minerva snapped and held up a hand to stop him.
“By all means insist on the potion but not yet! There's a much simpler way to find out!”
“What?” Severus said as he raised an eyebrow.
“Petunia claims James glamoured the girl. We'll see if there is one by attempting to remove it!”
Severus sighed. That seemed logical enough. Why hadn't he thought of that? He wanted this to be over! He couldn't be connected to the Potter brat! He just couldn't! That arrogant, troublesome little... No, concentrate! When the two of them reached the bottom of the stairs he stepped into the small hallway to meet them and instantly raised his wand at the girl. She immediately flinched and her eyes widened in fear but before Minerva could react, Severus barked:
“Finite Incantatem!”
Nothing. There was no change in the child – if one disregarded that she was now curled up in a ball on the floor.
“Severus! What on earth do you think you're doing!” cried Minerva.
Snape was still letting the feeling of relief wash over him. However, there was something else there too. Loss? No! Surely!
“You have your proof! She's not mine!” he defended himself.
“Did you really think it would be that easy? Let me try!” said Minerva and slowly raised her wand at the child who was now looking up at her fearfully.
“I will not hurt you, Harry,” the professor said reassuringly. “Finite Incantatem!”
Still nothing happened. Severus sighed but Minerva only raised her eyebrow.
“Detego!”
Severus blinked. Trick of the light surely. He could have sworn. Was Potter shrinking? It wasn't by much but the child had definitely gotten shorter.
“Detego! Finite Incantatem! Detego!”
Something was definitely happening! If it wasn't for Lily's eyes still looking up from the floor and the scar, Severus would never have guessed that this was Potter! The girl's hair was the same length but a darker, colder shade of black and it lay completely flat on her head. She was slightly smaller. The girl's eyebrows and lips were thinner and her cheekbones were higher. Her nose was different as well. It was a bit more pointy and narrower. Severus couldn't speak. He had been relieved to find the counter spells not working but had also felt a strange pang of... something else. Now he felt horrified, angry and... relieved... still.
“Oh, my goodness!” gasped Minerva.
“What?” cried Potter fearfully.
A loud gasp could be heard and Severus finally became aware of Petunia standing in the doorway with her mouth open. Minerva quickly transformed a picture into a mirror and handed it to the girl. She starred into it for few moments before tears started running down her cheeks.
“I can't do this!” was all Severus Snape said before he turned and fled through the front door.
He needed to get off the property – away from the bloodwards to apparate but he never made it that far. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned, wand raised, to find Minerva there.
“Severus! Stop! Think for a moment!”
“I don't have to deal with this!”
“Yes, you do! Young man, I never knew you to run away from your responsibilities!” said McGonagall sternly.
“She is not my responsibility!” snapped Severus.
“She most certainly is! You had no objection to the process of actually creating her! I suggest you deal with the result of your actions!”
“This proves nothing!”
“Honestly, Severus! You're either dense or too stubborn to admit she's yours and I know too well which it is – and I'm telling you now that will do you no good! Insist on a potion if you like! If that'll put your mind to rest! But you're not going anywhere!”
“She's not mine! I could never have fathered that insufferable brat!”
“She looks a lot like you.”
Severus huffed and crossed his arms in defiance.
“I need to return to Hogwarts and speak to Poppy. I'll see if she can get that potion somewhere. I need you to remain here or at least nearby to watch her until I return!”
“You're out of your mind!”
“I am not!” she replied in her watch-your-attitude voice.
“I certainly hope Albus is back once I return, but if he isn't I'll need to enlist Flitwick's help. It's important that we maintain at least the appearance of normality until Albus returns and decides what we are to do! Since I dare not remove her from the bloodwards without his permission I need you to watch over her! I don't trust those people one bit!”
“I'm not going back in there!” sneered Snape.
“As you wish! Then camp in the front yard but if I find you left her alone I'll hunt you down and drag you back here by the ear, Severus!” the old witch threatened.
“I'll be back as soon as I can! At the very latest by lunchtime tomorrow!”
“Tomorrow?” repeated Severus.
“Intend to speak to some old friends and see if any of them knows how to contact Flamel!”
With that the witch turned and marched off the property before Severus could say a word. He turned and glared at the house. Very well. He would stay in the garden. There was no way he was going near Potter!