This may not be too bad Professor Snape mused as he swiftly trod the corridors between his dungeons and Dumbledore's office. It was an encouraging sign that Harry had approached him so quickly wasn't it? Stopping before the entrance he muttered "Marshmallow Cream" and the door popped open. As he came into the office at the head of the stairs Snape was surprised to see several other people assembled, he'd thought this was to be a private meeting.

"Ah, Severus, please come in." Dumbledore looked up from his seat behind his desk.

"Albus, I thought this was a private meeting." Snape said rather plaintively.

"Yes, well, Minerva is Harry's head of house and should know what is happening with him, and Remus is also very close to him. You don't mind, do you?"

What could he say? Obviously Dumbledore had made up his mind on the matter and it was of no use to protest.

"Very well" He said quietly, seating himself in the one remaining chair.

"Severus, have you made any progress with Harry?" Dumbledore smiled encouragingly at Snape.

"Er, well, yes. Didn't Remus tell you?"

"No Sev, it wasn't my story to tell."

"I would rather hear it from you anyway." The headmaster encouraged.

"Well then, Harry did his detention with me last night, and I spent the time trying to decide what to say to him. But before I managed to say anything, he asked me if I was his father. Hermione Granger had found that old yearbook picture of Lily and I, and had very kindly put two and two together for Harry." Severus didn't notice that he had consistently been calling his son 'Harry,' but the others in the room did notice, and it was a telling change. Snape had never previously referred to him as anything but 'Potter'. "As I told Remus this morning, when I told Harry 'yes' he took off down the hall." Snape paused as Minerva made a small sound in her throat and glared at him.

"Didn't you explain the situation to him?" She asked, still glaring.

"Minerva, I couldn't catch him. In case you didn't notice, he's pretty speedy. May I finish now?" Snape asked snidely. Getting no answer but a continued glare from McGonagall, he continued on.

"After several fruitless hours of getting nothing much done, I went up to the Astronomy tower for some air. While I was up there, who should come swooping in but Harry."

"Harry was out on his broomstick at NIGHT!" McGonagall exclaimed in horror.

"Yes, and I'd be grateful if you didn't say anything to him about it. Oh, by the way Albus, Harry's figured out a way around the safeguards set around the tower. If you go up instead of down you can get past them. You might want to think about how to discourage that. Anyway, I took the opportunity to bar the door against his leaving, and managed to give him Lily's letter to read. (Should he mention the conversation about Lily's character...no better not, he thought.)

"And?" Dumbledore asked, looking intently at Severus through his half-moon glasses.

"After class today he stayed behind to ask if we could meet to talk. We're meeting tonight after Longbottom does his detention. And before you ask Minerva, he melted another cauldron."

"Well, then, it sounds as though things are moving along nicely. Do let me know if I can be of assistance, Oh, Minerva, Remus, please stay a moment." Dumbledore watched as the potions master silently left his office. When he was certain that Severus was gone, he fixed his attention on Remus Lupin.

"I know him well enough to know that Severus was leaving something out."

Remus returned the headmaster's regard unblinkingly, trying to decide if he should enlighten the two others. Finally heaving a sigh he opened his mouth.

"You didn't hear this from me, and I'm only telling you this because I think it gives some insight on how Severus is coming to terms with having a son. When Severus told me at breakfast what happened last night, he mentioned something that Harry said about Lily." Remus paused there as he gathered his thoughts. "Apparently all Sev had time to say to Harry before he bolted was 'yes', so Harry had some time to think about how Snape could have come to be his father. And he settled on the least likely explanation. At least to those of us who knew Lily." Remus paused again a look of almost unholy glee crossing his face.

"Well, spit it out, Remus" Minerva ordered, caught up in the story.

"He accused Lily of being.." Remus started laughing, and tried desperately to get himself back under control.

"What, Remus?" Dumbledore asked, smiling slightly.

"a...a...a...scarlet woman!" Remus collapsed back in his chair, howling with mirth.

Minerva McGonagall froze in her chair momentarily, eyebrows raised . Never in a million years had she expected to hear that! "Excuse me Remus, but did you say 'scarlet woman?'

Remus had to fight for enough breath to say "yes." He watched his fellow professor through tears of mirth, wondering what that prim and proper matron's reaction would be. He was surprised to see her collapse back into her chair consumed with merry peals of laughter.

"Oh my, that boy's been around Molly Weasley and no doubt!" Minerva finally choked out."

"That's funny, that's almost exactly what Sev said," Remus replied getting himself under control.

Dumbledore, who had been sitting behind his desk enjoying the merriment that invaded the room, looked up with a big smile and said, "I would have given anything to see Severus' face when Harry said that!"

The three professors looked at each other before falling helplessly into laughter again at that thought!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Severus waited impatiently for Longbottom to finish scouring the dirty cauldron' stacked up in the lab sink. Not that he expected the hard labor to teach this particular student any modicum of responsibility, but the effort had to be made. Neville was rather surprised to be dismissed with only a cursory examination of his efforts, but was too thankful to be released from the dungeons to give the unwarranted beneficence any further thought.

Ten more minutes, Severus thought, feeling a tinge of nervousness. He paced briefly around the room, and then seated himself at his desk and stared unblinkingly into the room. As he waited for the time to pass his eyes lit on the potions the fifth years had made earlier that day. Strange how Harry seemed to be doing better at potions this year than previously. "Possibly a side effect of the charm wearing off?" he wondered, standing up to examine the bottles more closely. Hmmm. What was this? Harry's potion was nowhere near the correct color. Yet it had been during class. What in the world..?

A tentative knock at the open door disturbed his reverie, and he jerked his head around to see Harry standing nervously at the door. Turning quickly, he moved toward Harry, and was surprised to see Harry back swiftly away from him. Surely he hadn't scared the boy that badly!

"Let me lock the door and we can go to my rooms. It's quieter there and we are less likely to be disturbed or overheard." Snape said turning away to close the door.

Harry nodded and watched quietly while his father slid an ornate brass key into the lock. He followed along as Snape glided noiselessly down the hallway. How did he do that? Harry mused, and then stopped with a gasp as he almost ran into Snape's back when he halted in front of a portrait.

"HIC"

Harry's brow furled in puzzlement. Had he heard someone Hiccup? He peered around the hallway, but there didn't seem to be anyone there. He must have been mistaken.

"HIC"

There it was again. Leaning over slightly he looked around Snape's back to see a fat, jolly looking man slumped over a table.

"Friar Solemnis!" Severus said loudly.

"Whassa password." The good friar slurred.

Snape growled and then leaned forward and whispered something to the portrait.

The portrait slowly opened, and Harry tentatively followed as Snape entered his quarters. Looking around Harry was agreeably surprised. He had half expected to see a sea of green and silver with Slytherin snake symbols everywhere. He never would have imagined such a comfortable, cozy room.

"Sit down Harry. Would you like some tea?" Severus found himself getting somewhat nervous again as the silence continued.

"Um, no sir." Harry said, choosing a comfortable looking chair near the door.

"Very well then. You read Lily's letter?" Severus asked as he settled into a chair that allowed him to look directly at his son.

"Oh yes, I almost forgot!" Harry exclaimed as he rose and pulled a carefully folded piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Snape. "Thank you for letting me read it sir."

"Do you have any questions for me Harry?" Severus asked as he accepted the letter.

"Well, I was wondering, um," Harry stuttered to a stop, not sure if he really should ask this man who apparently hated him more than anything. I'll never know if I don't ask, he finally decided. "You said that you didn't get this until this summer...I don't understand..." Harry's voice petered out as he tried to frame his thoughts into a coherent question.

"You want to know how I got this letter and why I didn't have it earlier?" Severus clarified, watching Harry struggle.

"Yes."

"Lily, your mother, wrote letters to Headmaster Dumbledore and myself, and placed them in another letter to Professor Lupin. It was spelled to be delivered just before your 15th birthday if it was not retrieved prior to then. Professor Lupin delivered them to us when he returned to school after checking up on you." Severus winced internally as he made the mistake of bringing up the Dursleys.

Harry cringed slightly in his chair and his eyes turned to the floor.

"Surely you must have more questions." Severus prompted after several minutes of silence.

"Well, I don't understand about this charm thing. I know I'm changing, and I know that the spell she put on me is wearing off, but how long is it going to take?"

"Charms was not my best subject, so all I can give you is a guess" Severus mused, looking at the ceiling and thinking intently. "It complicates things not knowing what spell she used. Your mother was an absolute genius at charms." He continued as he thought hard. "My guess is that you should be entirely free of it within the next 6 months. Professor Flitwick would have a much better idea than I do. Or even Minerva.:"

"Is there anyway to take it completely off?" Harry asked intently.

"I would imagine so, if we could figure out what it was." Severus answered, watching in amusement as Harry carefully considered the information. "Why would you want to remove it quickly?"

"I'm tired of not knowing who I am. When I look in a mirror I want to know it's really me and not a lie." Harry said matter of factly.

Snape's eyes widened as he realized just how much Harry had revealed with that one unthinking statement. This would bear thinking on before he tried to address it.

"Well then, shall we seek out Professor McGonagall?" Snape asked, rising from his chair.

"Right now?" Harry asked, surprised.

"Why not? It's not late, and I've always found that it's best to go to the experts if you need answers."

Harry rose and followed his father to the door. "Does Professor McGonagall know about the letter?" Harry asked.

"Yes, as your head of house she had to" Snape turned back to face Harry as they entered the hallway. "Professors Dumbledore, Lupin and McGonagall all know about the situation, and you can talk about this with any of them. I would be wise to avoid mentioning this to others for now." Severus finished.

The two of them set off down the hallway unaware that the younger man's strides and manner of walking now precisely matched the older man's.