Cruel Summer

The train ride home was a somber one for Harry. He was not going back to the loving open arms of his family, he was venturing back into hell. To add to his dismay, Professor Snape had volunteered to see all the students off, and had stared at Harry the entire time. Harry was not one to hate, for if he did he reserved that emotion for the Dursley's. However, Snape looking at him without the sneer had given him the creeps. When the train pulled to a stop, Harry could not bring himself to get up.

"Harry, come on, we will be late."

Harry looked up and smiled, "I'm coming." As they stepped off onto the platform, they were all three smothered with kisses. Harry snickered as Ron protested loudly, "Mum, not here!"

Finally free from the Weasley matriarch, Harry spotted his Uncle Vernon glaring at him. "I guess I better be going," he said with a sigh. He collected his trunk, and said his final goodbyes, then trudged off to the only family he knew. He took a chance to glance back one more time, to see the love of the Weasley's and Granger's, and wonder why no one loved him like this.

As Snape saw the students off to the train he sought out one certain boy. After finding him, he had stared into those emerald eyes. He did not see childlike innocence staring back. What he saw was a look of resignation, someone who had given up for whatever reason. His previous visions of Potter's mind couldn't be held off any longer. The cold potions professor turned and headed right to Dumbledore's office. After muttering about the old coot's weird passwords, he knocked on the door and entered.

"Severus, to what do I owe this pleasure," Dumbledore said, a smile upon his face.

"I came to speak to you about Potter," Snape said, sitting down in the chair.

"Severus, you can not deduct house points, or expel students whom are not here."

Snape sneered at this comment. It was true, he did enjoy making the boy miserable, more than any other, with the exception of perhaps Longbottom. "I was speaking of his relatives. How much do you really know about them, Albus?"

Dumbledore had not missed the dropping of formal titles, or the look on the potion master's face. "I am afraid we know very little. Why do you ask, Severus?"

Snape stood from his chair and began pacing. "Well, it's just ... You see, I kind of ... oh just look for yourself," he said exasperated. Snape walked over to the pensive and put the haunting scenes in it. As Dumbledore watched the scenes unfold, the twinkle in his eyes disappeared, and was replaced with a tear silently creeping down his face.

"I was afraid of this. I should have known. I should have never kept him a secret." Without warning, Dumbledore stepped over to the fireplace and called for Lupin. A few moments later, Lupin stepped out of the fire.

"Headmaster, is there something you wished?"

"Ah Remus, There is my child, but first there is another to inform." Dumbledore then walked over to Fawkes and whispered into the bird's ear. With a sudden pop the phoenix was gone. Remus looked to Snape as if to ask what was going on, but Snape held the same bewildered look on his face. "Headmaster, if you could possibly just tell us ..."

Albus got ready to speak, but a pop sounded as Fawkes returned with Sirius, much to the others surprise. "Albus, why did the mutt have to be here?" Snape sneered as he pointed at Sirius.

"Why, you greasy little bastard!" Sirius said, starting to ball his fist up.

Severus was ready for him. Wand out, he pointed it at Sirius, "You will pay for that comment!"

"Silence!" Albus yelled out, making the very floor shake under his feet. "If I have to I will bind you both, but you will sit down, be silent, and listen to what I have to say!"

All three felt like small school boys as they shuffled into the chairs that were conjured. "I have something to show you all, but first I have something of yours Severus, that I must return." Before Snape knew what happened, he was at the receiving end of his headmaster's wand. "Recidivus!" Dumbledore shouted, and Snape found himself being dragged back into the past. Dumbledore then turned to the other two and more softly he told them.

"Harry, has one other relative still alive, and that is his father."

"You must be kidding, Albus. Not the greasy bastard there!" However, when Sirius looked over to where Snape was sitting he did not see some smug, cocky man, but a man torn apart. Snape looked as if in shock, and Sirius was for once almost sympathetic to him.

"My son ... he is my son ... but, Albus, why did you erase him from my memory? Why would you take my son from me?"

All three looked at the old wizard, for they were stunned into silence. "Severus, my child, I had to. Voldemort would have found out, taken him, and killed you to get him. It was not a safe time, and you were not strong enough then to hide it from him."

All four in the room sat trying to soak in the information, when there was a strangled cry. "Albus, what about my son? We must get Harry out of there!"

"Indeed we will, Severus. I suggest you go now and prepare a room for him. You may go in the morning and collect him."

Severus got up and without a word departed from the room. The headmaster turned to the other two. "For too long you have all been enemies. I think it is time to try friendship. He will need friends before this is all said and done. Now if you will excuse me I have to go inform Minerva, who I am quite sure will turn me into some sort of animal, when she stops screaming."

TBC ...