Invenio Veritas

Chapter 6: The Ring

************************************************************************

"Take out a piece of parchment and a quill and put everything else away!" growled Snape as he made his grand entrance into the potion's classroom. "We will have a small quiz on the potion you made on Monday. List the ingredients with a brief description of each, then write three paragraphs on the ways in which the ingredients react with each other."

With that, Snape sat down at his desk and left the class to work. Harry could hear the groans as everyone got out their supplies. He really had nothing to worry about. The potion on Monday had been very simple. Even though he didn't study, Harry completed the test quickly, well before anyone in the class. He put down his quill and let his eyes wander around the classroom. He looked over at Hermione who was writing her three paragraphs (which looked like encyclopedia entries). Ron was tapping his quill on the table while looking down at a rather blank piece of parchment. Harry laughed to himself before his eyes landed on the dark figure in the front of the room.

'He used to . . . with my mum?' thought Harry to himself. 'I guess he probably misses her. That's why he got so angry when I mentioned her.' Harry, one again, got the overwhelming urge to apologize to Snape. 'What am I thinking? He's said horrible things to me the last four years so why do I feel so bad?' Harry debated the issue for a while and then decided. Taking out a scrape of parchment, Harry scribbled a note and attached it to the bottom of his quiz with a piece of spell-o-tape.

"Times up. Put your quizzes on my desk and then leave," said Snape as he stood up. The rest of the students quickly scribbled down the rest of their answers. Harry didn't wait for Hermione and Ron. He stood up and walked to the front of the room. Without looking at Snape, he turned in his test and walked out of the classroom.

************************************************************************

"I can't believe that git gave us a test without telling us about it!" said Ron as he sat down at the house table for lunch.

"Well Ron, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be called a 'pop quiz' if he had told us about it," said Hermione.

"That test wasn't that bad," said Harry as he poured a glass of pumpkin juice. "How'd you do Hermione?"

"Fine," she said. "I hope he doesn't mark me off for six paragraphs instead of three."

"Six?" said Ron, looking at Hermione in amazement. "I didn't even get two!"

"Well, perhaps you should have studied."

"I did study."

"Looking at your notes and mumbling 'greasy git' under your breath is not what I would call studying," said Hermione as she threw an annoyed look at Ron.

Harry laughed and rolled his eyes at his two friends who continued to argue.

"What are you laughing at Potter?" said Ron, noticing Harry amusement.

"I just remembered something Professor Lupin said yesterday," said Harry as he looked at his two friends. "He said that my mum and Sirius used to argue all the time. I told him that reminded me of you two."

"Well, Sirius does have a temper," said Hermione. "Sounds just like Ron, thought, you're not as handsome as he is."

"Hermione!" cried Ron and Harry at the same time.

"What? He is! Especially that picture you have of your parents' wedding, Harry."

"Hermione! He's my Godfather for goodness sake!" said Harry, still looking at his friend in shock.

"I know Harry," said Hermione, her face reddening a little. "Anyway . . .. Your mum and Sirius really argued a lot? About what?"

"I'll give you one guess."

"Snape?"

"Well, I'd fight about it too," said Ron. "That's like Hermione going out with Malfoy!"

"Oh Ron, don't even talk like that!"

"Yeah, Ron!" said Harry.

***********************************************************************

The rest of lunch passed by quickly for the rest of the students but not for Severus Snape. He decided to forgo the noisy Great Hall for his own office. After eating his lunch, Severus tried to catch up on some work. Taking out his fifth year pop quizzes, he began grading the dismal tests. 'Why do I even bother teaching?' Severus thought to himself as he set aside another F.

"Ah, Potter's test," said Severus as he took out Harry's quiz. He refilled his quill with red ink, but to his dismay, there wasn't much to mark off. Harry's test was perfect. Severus grumbled to himself as he gave Harry full points, deciding to cut the boy some slack. As he set the test aside, he noticed a strip of parchment attached to Harry's test. Taking it off, it read:

Professor,

I apologize for upsetting you during detention. Thank you for the potions.

Harry Potter

Severus looked at the note. Harry Potter was apologizing? Was this some kind of joke? Some way to get him extra points? 'No, not for extra points. Potter's test was perfect,' thought Severus as he read through the note. 'Why would he apologize? I've treated him horribly since first year. I've said a million things to upset him without apologizing once.' Severus closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. The boy was torturing him and not even realizing it.

************************************************************************

The trio of Gryffindors started to their next class after lunch. On their way up to the staircase, they were met by a dark figure with billowing robes. Harry avoided making eye contact with Snape as they made their way to class but stopped when a silky voice called his name.

"Potter." His tone was missing its usual malice. Harry turned and his green eyes met Snape's black gaze.

"Yes Professor?"

"Apology accepted. How's your supply?"

"Fine."

With that, Snape turned and stalked off in the direction of the dungeons. Turing back to his friends, Harry met their gazes and decided to keep walking. Ron and Hermione followed silently in his wake.

**************************************************************************

After dinner, while heading back to Gryffindor tower, Harry suddenly remembered wanting to speak with Dumbledore about a family heirloom.

"Ron, Hermione," said Harry, stopping before the picture of the fat lady. "Do you want to come with me to ask Dumbledore about a family heirloom?"

Both friends nodded and the three teens turned and headed toward Dumbledore's office. Stopping in front of the gargoyle, Harry leaned in, whispered the password, and backed away as the stone creature slowly moved. Walking up to the office, Harry knocked on the door and waited for an answer from within. Harry heard a faint "come in" and opened the door. Dumbledore was at his desk, writing on a piece of parchment. He looked up as the three students entered.

"Oh, hello Harry," said Dumbledore. "Oh, and Ron and Hermione! Hello to you two as well. What can I do for you all?"

"Well, you see Professor," began Harry. "I was researching my lineage for an essay in History of Magic and I came across a spell that makes a family tree."

"What spell is this?" asked Dumbledore.

"Familia Progenies," answered Harry. "The spell is cast on a piece of parchment and then you touch the parchment with a family heirloom and it creates a list of your ancestors."

"Yes, I am familiar with that spell. Do you need help with it?"

"I really don't need much help with it, Professor," continued Harry. "I do need a family heirloom, though."

"Did you try your cloak?"

"Yes, but it didn't work. Do you have anything else that belonged to my parents?"

Dumbledore raised his finger to his chin and thought for a moment before standing up and walking to a large cabinet at the back of his study. He pulled out a large wood box and rummaged inside of it. He then pulled out a smaller wood box and returned to his desk.

"Your father gave me this along with his invisibility cloak," said Dumbledore as he handed the box to Harry. "I completely forgot about it until just now. I believe it belonged to your mother."

Harry took the box from Dumbledore and opened it. Inside, it held a ring. It was a silver band with a Celtic pattern etched into it, and in the middle of each section of the repeating pattern was a tiny emerald. The ring looked old but was very beautiful. Harry took it out of the box and held it between his fingers.

"I guess it's worth a try," said Harry as he kept his eyes on the ring. "Um, Professor? Do you have a piece of parchment I can use?"

"Oh, certainly," said Dumbledore as he got a spare piece out of his desk.

"Thank you," said Harry as he took the paper. He set the parchment on the Dumbledore's desk and cast "Familia Progenies" on it. It glowed the same color yellow as before. Taking the ring he still had between his fingers, Harry touched the band to the parchment. Instantly, golden, flowing script appeared on the sheet in front of him and his heart leapt in excitement. Ron and Hermione watched on each side of Harry and smiled as the gold lines spread over the paper. Harry filled with anticipation as the prospect of finding put about his family became possible. He began to scan the list of names on the parchment and, when reading across one of the names, did a double take and froze. Ron and Hermione noticed Harry stopping and staring.

"What Harry? What's wrong," said Hermione as she looked at her friend. Harry didn't respond. Instead, a look of horror covered his face and he began to ramble incoherently.

"Wha . . . no, not . . .poss. . .no. . .no. . .no. . .no. . .no!"

Harry sank down into a chair across from Dumbledore's desk. He continued to stare at the paper he was now holding in front of his face.

"Harry? Harry, what is it?" asked Hermione. Harry still did not answer. Dumbledore stood up just as Harry's body began shaking. The parchment flew from his hands as he reached up and put his hands over his eyes. Ron and Hermione ran over to his side, trying to calm him and stop him from shaking. Dumbledore bent over and picked up the forgotten piece of parchment. He then realized what had caused Harry to go into shock. Instead of seeing the name "James Potter" in the position of Harry's father, written in bright, gold ink was the name "Severus Snape."

***************************************************************************