Fathers and Sons

Fathers And Sons

*

Can't Be True

*

Harry blinked and sat up on his bed. He glanced at his alarm clock. It was exactly midnight.

Midnight, July 31st. His sixteenth birthday. A pack of owls was tapping at his window. He bounced up from his bed and went to open the window. The owls flew inside, perching on his bed.

Harry slowly took the parcels and letters from the owls' legs. From Ron, Hermione, Hagrid, Lupin, and, to his slight surprise, Tonks.

Nothing from Sirius. No more anything from Sirius.

He swallowed back tears as he slowly piled the presents and letters on his bed. Jus as he attempted to start opening the parcels, he heard yet another hoot from the window.

Harry turned around, and stared. He had never before saw anything like her.

The owl was a bluish shade of white. She wasn't a snowy owl, though, she was a lot bigger than Hedwig, but she looked somehow lighter. Her eyes were glittering silver, and she seemed to glow soft light.

The boy walked towards the owl. As he started taking the letter from her leg, he heard, to his great shock, a cool female voice.

"This is the Time-Treasuring Section of Owl Post," it said. "This Owl was sent to you fifteen years ago, and has been set to be delivered on your sixteenth birthday. It was sent by Remus Lupin."

Harry raised his eyebrows. Well, this was beginning to get curious. What would Lupin tell him in such a special way? And what could have been so important that he'd wanted to be certain that Harry got the knowledge - fifteen years after it was written? What would matter over the years?

Determined to find out, he unfolded the letter. The owl left immediately.

He began reading the odd letter.

"Harry," it read.

"I suppose you're confused right now - why would I owl you, over years even, when I could talk to you face to face?"

Harry smiled slightly. Yes, he was indeed confused. So, he went on reading.

"At the moment, it's the night of your first birthday. Sirius and Peter have already left to their homes, but I'm staying here for... special reasons.

I don't know how to say this, not really, so I think I'm going to be rude and say it right away.

Harry, James and Lily are not your parents."

Harry stared at the parchment in shock. Had he just read right? He reread the last line several times, just to be sure. It didn't change.

With slightly trembling hands, he proceeded reading further.

"You read right. James is not your father, nor is Lily your mother.

Harry, I know this will upset you - you'll probably get mad at us all.

You never had a mother. You were carried by a man - by me, to be exact."

Harry's throat was very dry. His hands still trembling, he forced himself to continue.

"I know this sounds ridiculous, but it is true. Due to my curse - Lycanthropy - I'm able to carry a child. That is, you.

Then you are we all lying to you, you might ask. It is simple: to keep you with us.

Three weeks before I found out I was carrying you, my mate left me. He - he was a Death Eater."

Harry closed his eyes. Hot tears rolled down his cheeks. He was a Death Eater's son? And Lupin - his other father, he reminded himself - had been left alone, expecting a baby, Harry?

"Why didn't I keep you myself, then? I wanted to. Honestly, I wanted nothing more - you were part of my mate, my only way to keep in touch with him. But I couldn't, thanks to the Ministry.

I knew a werewolf once. She had a baby, non-lycanthropic. But when her mate died in a battle, they took her child away - it wasn't safe for the baby to have only one, lycanthropic, parent. She hasn't even seen her son after that.

I didn't want to lose you, so I went to ask for help from James and Lily. They promised to help, and we put up concealment charms to hide my pregnancy and fake Lily's. We never told Sirius or Peter - if Sirius knew and didn't report, he would have got troubles, and Peter, as dear as he is, couldn't keep a secret to save his life."

Harry clenched his teeth. Indeed. Peter hadn't kept a secret to save James's and Lily's lives.

"When you were born, we cast an Adoption Charm on you. It was set to be removed on your sixteenth birthday. When you read this, you're already receiving your real looks, as well as your real name. Your character will probably change, too, although not as quickly.

The name I gave you before you became Harry Potter is Michael Severin Snape."

Harry stared at the letter. He had surely misread it some way. Or maybe this was only some sick joke? It had to be. It had...

Suddenly, another thought hit him. The letter had said that his looks had changed, or would change. What did that mean?

He grasped the mirror Luna had sent him in the beginning of the holiday - "So you could do something to that hair, no offense" - and looked at his reflection. He let out a sigh of relief as he saw his old, familiar face looking back at him. So it was only a joke, then. Maybe the Weasleys had thought he needed some cheering up.

Then he glanced around the room and saw his glasses lying on a chair.