Like Father, Like Son

Second Chapter

*

Explanation

*

About the time the abandoned classes had been calmed down, the no-more-Harry taken to the Infirmary, and the events in majority were somehow under control, four people were standing in front of the Headmaster. Ron and Hermione were anxious to get some explanations, while Sirius and professor Lupin looked merely thoughtful, if not the tiniest bit saddened for some reason the youngs were unable to understand.

"This is very difficult to explain," Dumbledore told them. He turned towards Hermione. "Miss Granger, have you ever heard of Adoption Charms?"

"Yes, I have," Hermione said. "Doesn't it mean that he'll - he'll lose everything?"

"No," the Headmaster answered smiling. "It means that he'll receive everything."

"What do you mean?" Ron asked, very confused. "I don't know anything about Adoption Charms. What do they do?"

"It's very complicated," professor Lupin said. "But surely you know that in Wizarding World, the children are adopted far more completely than in Muggle World. For example your brother Percy..."

"Percy?" Ron interrupted. "He's - he's adopted? But - how -"

"Yes, he is adopted," Lupin told him. "It was a complete adoption. No one knows who his real parents were. There's no demand to remove the charm in any age. He knows he's not born a Weasley. He looks like one, but surely you've noticed that he's not just like the rest of you?"

"Definitely," Ron murmured. "He looks like Charlie's head in Fred's body, but his character is from some other universe."

"You see?" Lupin smiled. "Just as well Harry - or, rather, Remus - looked just like he would if he really was James's and Lily's son. But his character is slightly different that it would have been if they were his biological parents. The Charm even hides it in the Sorting Ceremony to fit him in his 'family' - I'm sure Percy would otherwise have been in Ravenclaw."

"But what will happen now?" Ron asked, still astonished. "He looks - different. So the Charm is removed from him? Will his character change as well?"

"We don't know yet," Dumbledore said. "Maybe it will, maybe it won't. He looks different, because he looks like he would if he'd spend his whole life in his real family. When he wakes up, he'll start changing in his mind as well. He'll remember growing up with the Dursleys, being Harry Potter, hating Severus Snape. But, he'll become the person he'd been if he had led a different life.

Little by little, he'll change. His memories won't be replaced with new ones, but he'll change to the person he'd be if he hadn't been adopted. His interests will change. He'll probably be the best student in Potions, and a much better student in general. He'll most likely be in different house." Dumbledore was quiet for a moment, then continued, "And, probably, he'll get new friends."

"New friends?" Ron echoed. "But - what about us?"

"I don't know, Ronald. I don't know." It was the first time they had ever seen the Headmaster so depressed. "If we're lucky, he won't change much. Hopefully he'll make friends with you again. That's the best option, for both you and him. He needs good friends to help him go through this - through finding out that the person he's hated for his whole life is actually his father, and through settling into his new life."

"And what's the worst option?" Hermione asked, although she already knew the answer. She had read far too much about adoption in Wizarding World to be really unaware of that.

"The worst option is," Dumbledore said, suddenly looking very old and tired, "that he doesn't want to even talk to you - or that he'll be a person you don't want to be friends with."

"So if we're very unlucky, we'll have two Snape's around?" Ron asked.

"That's not very polite, Ronald," Lupin said. "Severus is very good man. He did what he had to, and it made him bitter."

"But still!" Ron exclaimed. "He's a rude, greasy-haired git, and -" He shut up very quickly as he noticed that he was talking about his teacher in front of two of his professors and the Headmaster.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Merlin knows I've said that many times enough," he said, acting amused, "but I won't let you insult my friends, young Mister Weasley. It's my exclusive right."

"Your friend?" Hermione bursted out. "I thought he was your worst enemy!"

"So thought everyone else," Sirius said with a little, sad smile. "And therefore our little play filled its purpose. Yes, Severus Snape is my friend. He's Remus's friend also. And he was James's friend."

"More than a friend," said Remus, grinning a little bit. "You should know that."

"More than a friend?" Ron questioned. "What do you mean?"

"Remus means," said somebody behind them, "that James Potter, the precious hero of Gryffindor, was my brother. My twinbrother - obviously not identical."

Ron and Hermione both turned around and stared. Snape stood in the doorway, looking extremely pale and rather weak. He was grasping the frame to get some support, but he looked just as stern and bitter as usually.

"If he was your brother," Hermione said, "then why do you have different family name? And why doesn't anyone know?"

"That's nothing of your business, Miss Granger," Snape snapped. "You'll know what you have to know. Now, Albus - where's my son?"

The Headmaster smiled. "Your son is in the infirmary, Severus," he informed the Potions Master. "Like you should know very well. He should wake up at any moment. When he does, Poppy will question him to find out exactly how much he knows already. After that, you can go to him."

"You'd better not to," Lupin said kindly to the youngsters. "We can't yet say how much he's changed already. If he requests seeing you, we'll send for you. If not, we'll also tell you about that."

Hermione nodded, swallowing hard. "What - what will happen now?" she asked, fearing the worst.

Dumbledore gave her a serious gaze. "We'll inform the whole school that there's a new student, Remus Snape," he said, "and we'll also inform them about the death of Harry Potter."

"Death?" Ron whispered.

"Yes, Ronald," Lupin said. "Harry Potter, as you knew him, is now dead. Remus Snape is a wholly new person. In future we'll see whom he chooses to be friends with, or who'll be his opponent. Until then, you can't do anything."

And with this, he sent them to their way.