My Dark Hunter

Chapter 1

The Surprise Visits

Severus Snape sat in his office, staring at the letter in his hands, unable to believe his own eyes. The school year had just ended, and just moments ago he'd been relieved. Now his entire world had landed on its axis. His life would never be the same, his heart hurt so badly he could barely keep himself from crumbling. Betrayal with the likes he'd never known thrummed through him. For so long he'd grieved for his children, after all it had been fourteen years how could they have been alive? Yet this missive…contained information about them. He'd done damage he couldn't repair, even if he went to them with what he knew…how could they forgive him? Stiffening his shoulders, determination radiated within him as what sounded like his dead husbands voice in his subconscious spoke to him. Urging him never to give up on them.

Standing up, he folded the letter and placed it in his cloak pocket. He flung his office door open, and stalked towards Minerva's office. It was a good job there wasn't any student nearby; otherwise they would have wet themselves in fear. If they thought they'd seen him angry, well this was surely blowing those preconceived notions to hell. It didn't take long for Severus to reach Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress' office and fling the door open so much that it banged back with a deafening boom. The woman in question jumped out of her skin, but didn't have time to react; Severus quickly stunned, bound and petrified her with Wandless magic from where she stood behind her desk. Only then did Severus relax slightly with the knowledge that she hadn't seen him which gave him more time to prepare.

Severus hastily made his way over to the cabinets that contained information on all students dating back at least fifty years. There was a duplicated file in the Healers office, but it didn't contain the information he needed - which of course was an address. Opening the filing cabinet, flipping through the files, looking for two in particular, Hermione Granger and Harry Potter.

He found them rather quickly, taking them out he closed the filing cabinet, and he didn't want to make it easy for them to realize what was going on. Severus was running solely on adrenaline, he wasn't even thinking other than getting to his children before all hell broke loose. It was a good job he kept himself fit, as he ran down several flights of stairs and out of Hogwarts and down the path. He only stopped once he was at Hogsmeade station, take a short breather as he opened the files and got a glimpse of the addresses.

Severus truly gave new meaning to running like a bat out of hell.

Who did he go for first? Granger would be more likely to come with him and calm Potter down, but on the other hand if he took Potter first Granger would follow hopefully without all her usual inane questions. His heart sank, as his stomach twisted, they weren't Grangers or Potters, Merlin this was difficult. Feeling sick to his stomach he Apparated with one destination in mind. Groaning Severus closed his eyes, disorientated and heaving - dangerously close to losing the contents of his stomach he stiffened up until the sensations passed. Exhaling as the feelings abated, looking around he saw the sign 'Privet Drive' and began to move - he wasn't sure how long he had before they found out what he'd done. This meant he had to move quickly.

He swallowed thickly, his own memories tormenting him, his own biting words coming back to bite him in the backside. Burying them deeply within his own mind, occluding them, so he didn't have to cope with the pain they made him feel. For so many years he'd shut off all pain, never allowing himself to feel. He'd lost everything he'd ever cared about, or so he thought at the time. Now it was as though he wasn't capable of shutting it off, he was feeling everything that he hadn't felt in years.

Realizing he was on a time sensitive mission, he stalked towards the row of identical houses until he came upon the house he wanted. He could feel Dumbledore's magic surrounding it, but not the wards Dumbledore claimed there was. Of course the blood wards didn't exist; he wasn't related to Petunia Evans. Fury spiked through him, he was going to make Dumbledore pay for everything he'd done. If there was one thing people learned it was never to mess with a Slytherin and he was the ultimate Slytherin.

Grimacing in distaste at how perfect and neat everything was, it wasn't just one property either it was the entire street. Knocking on the door, he waited impatiently for someone to show their face. Once they had he was momentarily stunned by what he was seeing.

"Who are you?" Dudley asked rudely, upon seeing pale hooked nose man at his door.

"Get Potter here now," Severus snarled, his lip curling in disgust. He had never seen anyone so big in his entire life, what the hell were his parents thinking? Thank Merlin Harry wasn't this size; he would have been ripped to shreds by the public and students at Hogwarts. Of course, they found a reason, didn't they always? He was worse than any of them ever had been in all the years.

"MUM!" Dudley shrieked, running from the man in fear.

Half growling half wincing at the noise, Severus entered the house, looking into the living room, the kitchen was viewable also. The boy wasn't there, instead of waiting he went up the stairs two at time. His eyes narrowed, four bedrooms, one of them locked up tighter than Gringotts. Opening one door he noticed it must be the parent's room.

"Who was there Diddydums?" Severus heard from below, it was a female voice and unmistakably Petunia's voice. It hadn't changed the slightest since she was a child, just become more horse and shrill if anything.

"He was there!" was the answer, even from up the stairs Severus could make out the dumb confusion.

Opening the next door he found the most disgusting room he'd ever encountered. It was filled with all sorts of ornaments all dogs he idly noticed. Horrible floral wallpaper and sickly disgusting pink bedding. This was definitely not Harry's room, leaving it he opened the next door across from the one he'd just been in. Now this room he would have suspected to be Harry's, unfortunately the bed had a huge dent in it. This room he realized had to belong to Harry's cousin. There was only one room left, the one with all the locks he didn't want to use magic here, it would be traced and it was the last thing he wanted. He needed them stumped for as long as possible.

Staring at the door, overcome with rage, it seemed to be his primary emotion today, removing his wand, and he ran back down the stairs, not even giving Petunia a chance to register his arrival. "Give me the keys to his room, now." his voice was low and dangerous, his wand was shaking in his grip. His anger was getting the better off him, and if he didn't calm himself he'd do something he wouldn't regret. Normal families didn't lock each other up; to be frank he didn't want to see what was on the other side of that door. The guilt was already eating him alive…to know that his son hadn't been happy? Well that would make this situation even worse.

Petunia squeaked completely terrified, she recognized him, and also knew his temper. You didn't forget someone who almost killed you with the freakishness. She was grateful her son had just left to go to the shops for some sweets. "They're beside the phone." petunia replied stuttering between words terrified out of her mind.

Severus grabbed the only keys near the phone, keeping his wand up as he grabbed them.

Throwing them at the terrified woman, "Move, up the stairs let him out now." digging his wand into her back, feeling no pity for her terror. The walk up the stairs was maddeningly slow as she tripped up nearly every step, shaking in complete terror knowing Snape as she did - well she imagined her end was going to be rather gruesome. She just prayed that her husband and son would be left alone, but that was too much to ask for she knew Snape would kill them all.

Petunia managed to open the padlocks after dropping the keys three times, Severus growling more fiercely each time. Eventually the door swung back, and Severus forced her into the room and then he got a good look at what Harry lived with. It looked like a squalor room; soup cans adorned the chest of drawers. He looked pained, and Hogwarts had only just ended.

"Snape!" Harry uttered his voice filled with hate.

"Pack your things you won't be back." Severus demanded speaking as he normally would, despite the fact it was killing him to do so. Harry wouldn't come unless he acted what was normal for the child to see. What Harry didn't know couldn't hurt him, he would never return here - not while he still drew breath.

Harry stood gaping at the man, he couldn't believe his good luck in getting out of the Dursley's so soon. It wasn't even the third day yet, he hadn't needed to contact the Order. He had also not been told Snape was coming, yet he looked really pissed off. Taking cautions in the wind, Harry ducked under the space in the floorboard and grabbed everything he'd managed to secret in with him. "My trunk is in my cupboard." he confessed, not quite able to meet his eyes as humiliation coursed through him. He could scarcely believe that Snape was here, in his bedroom, in the Muggle world. Now everyone would know for sure, next year with the Slytherins was going to be hell.

"Let's go." Severus stated gesturing for Harry to leave. The child looked at him warily for a few seconds before doing as he was told grabbing his owl as he did so. Much to his relief, each word spoken was a knife to the heart. Once he heard Harry going down the stairs he backed out the room before closing the door with a bang. Not listening to Petunia's screeching or banging. He attached the padlocks back, let her try and explain everything now.

Running back down the stairs, he'd been here longer than anticipated. Harry was waiting at the front door still bewildered but calm. Severus noticed that he now had his trunk with him, good, and one less thing to worry about. He took Harry's trunk and began walking towards the end of the street, not stopping to see if Harry was following. No doubt the child would be glad to get out of there. He had much to discuss with him.

"Where are we going?" Harry asked when Severus finally stopped, only then did he shrink the trunk, and place it in his cloak pocket.

"We are Apparating, hold still it might be a little strange at first." Severus told him bluntly, holding onto him he Apparated them away.

Harry blinked and looked around confused where had Snape brought them? Realizing Snape had kept walking, he had to run to keep up with his Potions teacher. Harry looked around wondering where they were, who else was being picked up. Was it someone else who had been threatened by Voldemort? His eyes widened even further when he saw Mrs. Granger at the door. Weirdly enough the woman screamed completely terrified. Harry's mind was whirling out of control, what the hell was going on? Why would she react like that? Had they met before? She hadn't been like that when they'd last met but truthfully he hadn't actually spent all that much time with her.

Severus flicked his wand twice, and Hermione's trunk flew down the stairs and everything packed into it. Absolutely everything belonging to Hermione, even her Muggle books, Snape's spell had been a bit too powerful…the spell Tonks had used hadn't been anywhere near as good as that one. The stuff continued to pack in; even teddies were in before it snapped closed with a thump.

"Miss Granger, come here now," Severus demanded loudly. He had used magic too much, in his growing anger which meant he didn't have the time to hang around. He had to tell them the truth and get them out of the UK as quickly as possible.

He was completely ignoring the protests and fear emanating from the Muggle. What she was saying caused Harry to pay more attention to her. She was apologizing, blaming Dumbledore for something? And begging him not to take her…that they wanted her? What the hell was this all about? Glancing at Snape he saw the raw hatred on his face, he'd thought he'd seen him at his maddest - but apparently he was wrong.

"Professor Snape what's going on? Mum!" Hermione exclaimed making her way towards her, unfortunately Severus wasn't going to let her near the woman. He grasped her around the middle, with one hand and summoned and shrank the trunk with one swift movement - without his wand Harry noticed before he entered the fray.

"Let her go!" Harry shouted, grabbing at Snape's arm, unable to use both since he had his owl in it. The second he grabbed his arm they were gone, reappearing in some old manor…it was the last thing he remembered as comforting magic wrapped around him swirled around him rendering him exhausted to the point he fell asleep before he realized what was happening.

Severus felt bad for spelling them asleep, but he had little choice in the matter. He had to get them inside and the wards replaced and strengthened. Only then would he explain everything to them. Not many people knew he had been left this place; it had belonged to his husband so he had a measurable amount of time. It depended on how long it would take Bill Weasley to look into his files at Gringotts on Dumbledore's orders. He wasn't sure how long it would be before someone found Minerva or how long it would be before they found out the kids were gone. Dumbledore would put two and two together and probably aim to kill him. Then probably Obliviate his children and then give them back to the others. Severus wasn't about to let that happen, never in a million years. Dumbledore would have to take them over his dead cold body. He'd find a way to protect them, he was resourceful and a brilliant potions master.

Levitating them both carefully, he stalked up to the manor; he hadn't been back since Hayden had been kissed and his children stolen. Fang and Vane the house elves, had died that day trying to keep them safe. They had failed, and Severus had lost what shred of normal life he had. Opening the double doors the manor accepted and welcomed them home. He placed them on the large grand couches that were clean; in fact the entire place was still clean. The few house elves they still had, obviously remained so.

"Dane?" Severus called, swallowing thickly, Dane had been the one to find his brother elves dead and the children kidnapped. He had not been nice to him; in fact he'd almost killed him.

"Yes sir?" Dane asked appearing before him, watching Severus with wariness, tense and clearly remembering what had occurred, the last time he'd seen his Master.

"Take me to the warding hub," Severus demanded, Hayden had spoken of it but never showed him it. He had taken his blood though, to add him to the wards, but it wasn't the blood ward he was interested in. It was the wards to keep them safe, and everyone else out they need strengthened. The kids didn't need added, since they had both his and Hayden's blood running through them.

"Yes sir," Dane replied demurely still unsure about what was going on, he hadn't seen his Master in years and now he suddenly appeared and wanted to go to the warding hub? It wasn't his place to question him.

"Have one of the others keep an eye on these two; if they leave or are taken the consequences will be much more severe than what happened last time." Severus stated seriously, he wasn't going to lose his children twice.

"Yes sir," Dane replied his voice squeaker than normal. He clicked his fingers and another elf appeared. With that Dane walked down to the lowest part of the manor, lower than the dungeons to the very foundations. This was the most important process in building a magical manor. It controlled the entire place, or rather when someone took control of the wards they had control of the entire grounds and home. The earth sank underneath Severus' feet as he ducked down under the hatch.

Severus stared in awe at the sight before him; it could only be compared to a rainbow water fountain. It was a sphere suspended in mid air, multicoloured swirls dancing around in a circle. The magic you could feel emanating from it was immense, he could feel it from where he stood. They were also dangerous, put too much power into it or let it deteriorate it could cause a big bang and destroy the entire manor. It would take centuries for it to deteriorate though so it was no worries for Severus. Removing his wand, he approached it and allowed his magic to flow through his wand and into the sphere. Closing his eyes as the room heated up to unbreakable temperatures and the globe turn gold lighting the foundations. He then began to lessen the amount of magic slowly, until inevitably it came to a stop. Only then did he remove the tip of his wand from it and back away.

Hoisting himself through the hatch, content he was safe at least for the moment. He made his way back to the living room, relaxing completely when his children were still there. Fifteen years he'd missed on their life, while they grew up with others. At least his daughter had obviously had a somewhat normal life. Harry on the other hand…he'd wronged further and evidently from the room had not had a normal life. He was furious, it took everything he had not to go back to there and kill them. The mood he was in, it wouldn't be difficult; he had been a Death Eater for a reason.

Severus crouched down next to his son, moving his hair from his face, an adoption potion. His precious son, had Lily known? Merlin if she had it was another betrayal added to it. His heart twisted in unbearable agony; for so long he'd assumed them dead, a small piece of hope had always remained but he'd never put much faith in it. He'd always wondered if Voldemort had found out and ordered them executed. He'd never once considered it would be Dumbledore, breathing deeply he closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. Digging into his cloak pocket, he removed his emergency potions kit and grabbed a calming draught. Not for Harry, but for himself, he didn't want to hurt his kids, but the way he was feeling, he may accidentally say something he didn't mean.

Drinking it he banished the bottle and woke Harry up, he held onto him stopping him getting up. Harry had the ability to get out of very sticky situations like himself, so he wasn't taking the chance he'd get away without him explaining.

"SNAPE! LET ME GO! DOES DUMBLEDORE KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE?" Harry shouted furiously, fighting against the rather strong hold his Potions Master has on him. He didn't know what was going on, and part of him was terrified, not just for himself but Hermione too. Then there was the fact he blamed Snape for his godfathers death.

"Calm down Harry," Severus ordered despite the constant struggles and shouting Harry was still doing. "If you stop shouting for five seconds I'd be able to explain!" Severus snapped, which succeeded in getting Harry to stop trying to get out of his hold and stop shrieking at the top of his lungs.

"Explain what?" Harry snapped his green eyes flashing in anger and hatred towards his Potions Professor.

Harry was unknowingly hurting Severus very deeply, doubts were rearing their ugly heads as well. How did one go about telling a child they'd been kidnapped? And those that adopted him might have known? That a man he thought of as a grandfather was responsible for it? From having light sided parents who he could proclaim his proudly against two Death Eater spies? No, he wanted to be part of their lives, even if they rejected him they deserved to know the truth. Harry wasn't going to accept the truth, maybe with Hermione awake he would. He really didn't want to listen to Hermione asking a million questions, not right now.

Taking a deep breath, he began by asking simple questions. "Do you know about blood adoption?"

"Blood adoption?" asked Harry bewildered by the suddenness of the question; he was definitely asking the wrong person. Hermione was the smart one; she knew everything.

"Yes, do you know what it does?" asked Severus, grateful he'd taken the calming draught, otherwise he'd have been irritated by Harry's lack of knowledge. If Harry had been raised by him he'd have already known everything about Potions by now.

"I get the jist." Harry said quietly, his mind whirling, what the hell was going on?

Severus rolled his eyes, cast a nonverbal sticking charm on his son's backside and went over to Hermione and woke her up. Her reaction wasn't as loud as Harry's but she was very concerned for her so called Parents.

"Sit down next to Harry, now." Severus told her, Hermione's brown eyes were filled with concern she did as she was told without another word.

"Is Voldemort after us?" Hermione asked grabbing hold of Harry's hand. "Is that why we've been brought here? Is it a safe house? Where is everyone else? Why didn't we get sent to Grimmauld Place?"

"Quite finished?" Severus questioned wryly, she hadn't even stopped to take a breath.

Harry was just sitting there his arms crossed glaring at Severus darkly. If this was going to be where he was his entire summer he wasn't going to be happy. The man had gotten Sirius killed and he hated him. It didn't help he couldn't get up off this damn couch! Yet he felt like there was something going on, something bigger than Sirius or Snape or even himself.

"Sir what is going on and what did you do to my mum?" Hermione questioned, she wanted to say that Professor Snape wouldn't do that - and maybe her mum had just been intimidated but there was something odd, her mum wasn't usually like that.

"He didn't do anything," Harry admitted reluctantly, he didn't understand her reaction any more than Hermione apparently.

"What is going on?" Hermione demanded beyond exasperated she just wanted an answer! Now she was beginning to understand how Harry felt after taking to Dumbledore. Who according to Harry, spoke in riddles all the time.

Severus took Hermione's hands, confusing Hermione further. "Explain the adoption potion to Harry." Hermione stilled, her eyes wide a glimmer of what could only be described as recognition and perhaps suspicion rooted in her mind. Oh no, poor Harry, he was adopted and Snape had been tasked with telling him. Why Snape? Dumbledore would have been better off telling him. Why was she here? To help him accept it? Wouldn't an adult have been better suited for it?

"It's a potion that gives you the traits of your adopted parents, looks, even magical abilities. The Potters are known for their greatness at Defence against the dark arts, it's why they've all been Auror's the potion would allow you to be as good as they are." Hermione explained gripping Harry tightly; this was going to kill him. "It's permanent unless you are given the antidote, but some traits remain. Your looks will revert, your magic, but part of your core and blood will always be recognized as the adopted parent's child."

"Indeed," Severus added proudly, taking a deep breath, "Tell me how did you two become friends? From what I remember you did not get on." he could tell Hermione was already suspecting that something was going on. The first few weeks Hermione Granger had been alone, secluded by the students - they hadn't been able to put up with her overzealousness and bit to prove herself part of the magical world. Then from Halloween, after the troll attack they had become inseparable.

"We didn't to begin with," Hermione admitted quietly, where on earth was this going? She was so confused. They'd been taken from their houses, brought here of all places, and with only Snape for company. Dumbledore hadn't come yet, and she had a feeling he wasn't going to either. "Mostly me and Ron, Harry didn't take sides. Until the Halloween incident, with the troll."

"Harry, why did you go and warn her? You wouldn't have done it for anyone else would you did Mr. Weasley wish to go?" Severus enquired. The bond might not be completely shut down; it could be why they were such close friends. Closer than even Ronald Weasley was with them.

"I didn't want anything to happen to her," Harry replied, "And no, Ron didn't want to but he came because I went."

"And you, why did you risk expulsion to help him? You wouldn't have done it for anyone else either would you?" Severus pointed out, he knew with one hundred percent certainty that the bond was there just slightly muted.

"No I wouldn't, I just didn't want anything bad to happen to him." Hermione confessed still confused.

"Exactly, that's because you have a bond, one that despite both of you being blood adopted remained behind." said Severus. "You are twins, brother and sister, born on July thirty first." There he'd said it, now on to the reactions.

"My parents wouldn't have given her away!" Harry snapped defensively despite the shock coursing through him. He'd always thought of Hermione as a sister, to hear she actually was, boggled his mind. He didn't want to believe Snape, yet it was true, everything he said he wouldn't have done it for anyone else.

"Always jumping to conclusions Harry, you need to learn to think before you speak." Severus told him honestly.

"We were both blood adopted Harry, it means the Potter's aren't your parents…our parents are dead aren't they?" Hermione enquired, "But my parents didn't know about the magical world! Why would I be blood adopted by them?" she felt dizzy and sick, she gripped onto Snape's hands because there was nothing else to hold onto. Her entire world was being ripped from her. Poor Harry was probably not any better off.

"They did, as soon as she saw me she immediately became hysterical." said Severus, staring at both of them, he cursed quietly and grabbed his potions kit grabbing two calming draughts. It took some work but inevitably Severus managed to get them to swallow it.

"Dane?" Severus called giving them both time to deal with what they learned. Severus usually prided himself on being truthful and telling someone how it was. Yet he couldn't do that to his children. He was terrified of their reaction, what if they didn't want to know? It would kill him after finding them. It's why he'd been so reluctant to tell them, the longer he waited he knew it would be more difficult. He had to tell them but he also couldn't help but delay the inevitable just a little.

"Yes sir?" Dane asked, by the looks of things he'd calmed down in Severus' presence. He seemed eager to help them as apposed to terrified, of being in his presence. Obviously content that a replay wasn't going to occur.

"Is there enough food for dinner for three?" Severus asked the House-elf.

"Yes sir," Dane quickly confirmed.

"Then make it please," Severus replied distractedly, not paying the elf much attention. His thoughts were as always, on his children. They would need something to eat, it looked as if Harry could use it, and he was skinner than Hermione. Merlin only knows what his husband would have thought of this situation. He'd often feared that Hayden wouldn't have forgiven him for not keeping their children safe, Hayden had died for them and he'd failed in his duty as a parent. He had another chance, it's just the matter if they would give it or not.

"Yes sir," Dane answered and the house elf popped away.

Harry's backside was still stuck to the couch, he couldn't even move it the slightest and it was getting numb. He wasn't sure what to think, Hermione had been his sister all along, and the Potter's weren't his parents. Did that mean he wasn't the boy who lived? Or rather the prophecy did it even concern him? Had his parents defied Voldemort three times? The possibility of him not being responsible for everyone was…a weight off his shoulders. If his sister was all he had left, well he could live with that, after all not having parents was nothing new to him. There was something wrong with this though, why it was only Snape and the way he'd come. Then there was the way Mrs. Granger had reacted. He was missing something and he wasn't sure what it was. He might not be as smart as Hermione, thanks to the Dursley's treatment of him but he did have his own set of smarts. Contrary to Snape's opinion he could keep his mouth shut, he wasn't Ron.

"Who are my birth parents?" Harry asked quietly, observing Snape, it was extremely disheartening to see him so…human. He'd always been comfortable hating him, that's because he was so cold and hard, sneering all the time. Yet he looked so broken sitting there, it made him feel uncomfortable. Snape had been the one true constant in his life, he could always count on him to belittle him, sneer and tell him how stupid and foolhardy he was. He'd never cared about the fame and always treated him like everyone else. Alright, maybe worse than everyone else.

Severus turned to face Harry, bringing out the documents and letting them hang loosely in his hand. He could see Hermione was extremely interested in that answer as well.

"You were born with two fathers; one of them bore you for the entire duration of their pregnancy. It's why you are both so powerful, and why despite the potion your twin bond endured." Severus told him grimly. At least that's why he assumed it was the magic had helped the twin bond endure preventing them from the horror of feeling so utterly empty all their lives.

Hermione gasped "Male pregnancies are very rare, it's said Merlin had a child as well."

"Indeed it is," Severus agreed, "With Poppy Pomfrey you were both safely delivered and he survived."

"Then why did we…they gave us up?" Harry demanded, the way he'd been treated all his life; it was a logical conclusion to come to unfortunately.

"No, you were both wanted, so much so that your father allowed himself to be kissed. He was a spy for Dumbledore, but made the Headmaster swear not to say anything. He didn't want to risk your other father or your lives." Severus revealed his heart pounding like a drum.

"Why the kiss? Most Death Eaters were given sentences in Azkaban," Hermione wondered confounded. "Were his supposed crimes so heinous?" she wasn't sure what to believe.

"Azkaban wouldn't have affected or held him," Severus admitted tensely, he didn't like talking about his husband but they were his kids, they deserved to know the truth.

"Why?" Harry asked baffled, did they know he was an Animagus? A small one like Skeeters?

"He was a vampire, which is what you will come if the potion is removed from your system." Severus answered quietly. "Half vampires, you won't need to drink blood but it will no doubt tempt you, since it's in half your DNA."

"So they are both dead now?" Hermione guessed sadly, she would never know her birth parents, nor would Harry but for Harry's sake alone she wished with all her heart that they were but obviously if they'd been adopted it wasn't the case.

"No, your other father is very much alive," Severus told them, it was nearly time, and he prayed they didn't react unfavourably.

"He'd rather spy than take care of us?" Harry murmured darkly.

Here comes the hardest part, thought Severus, "No, you were taken from your cribs right here in this manor when you were two days old." the pretence up he continued, no longer referring to himself in third person. Standing up he moved to the window, looking out at the scenery before continuing on. "Seeing him kissed was too much for me to handle, I went into labour three weeks early, I barely managed to get to Poppy otherwise all three of us would have died that night."

"Kidnapped?" Hermione choked out, oh Merlin no; she prayed her adopted parents hadn't had a hand in that. Grasping for Harry's hand and squeezing tightly, Merlin who would do such a horrible despicable thing?

"I paid the Goblins to look into it, all the evidence the Ministry had managed to collect. Not that they cared much, children of two death eaters going missing, they had other things they'd prefer to do. If it had been say Ronald Weasley they'd have tried ten times harder." Severus spat bitterly, "All magic is recorded in Gringotts, adopted or not…you will have been recognized as our heirs. When they realized it was a kidnapping, and the adoption potion administered without your parents approval, they had no choice but to alert me of their findings."

"My pare…the Potters knew?" Harry rasped out his breathing ragged.

"It gets worse; Dumbledore oversaw the adoptions, both of them his magical signature gives him away." Severus added. "If I had asked them sooner…I would have known when you were eleven years old…Albus must have kidnapped you and gave you to the Potters and Grangers."

"But they didn't know about the magical world!" Hermione protested shaken to the core. So much so that this titbit of information was all she could grasp onto.

"That's the impression they gave you yes, but it's easy to miss the signs or suspicion…especially when it's someone you love." Severus told them wearily, facing them once again.

"The prophecy?" Harry ventured his face unwitting giving away the fact he was begging it not to be on him.

"What?" Hermione muttered confused "What prophecy? The one that had broken at the Ministry? What did that matter?"

"Is not you, both your father and I had definitely defied Voldemort more than three times when the Prophecy was made." Severus replied immediately, not wasting a second's time.

"My entire life has been a lie?" Harry choked out his green eyes filling with tears he refused to let fall.

"Yes, the killing curse cannot kill you, you are half vampire but as you can see it does wound you severely." Severus told him, gesturing towards the lightening bolt scar. Who know how else it had affected his son? Dumbledore had collected him and dumped him at the Muggles.

"He knew...he knew all along." Harry croaked; the tears began to fall as he realized he was nothing but a chess piece in an old fool's game. To think he could have had a sister, a twin sister to grow up with and a father. He didn't care that his father was Snape, he would have treated him right, and he'd been wanted. Dumbledore had destroyed his life, and he had no idea why, it was killing him.

He was engulfed in strong arms, as the tears started to fall, in his fathers arms he felt the maelstrom of emotion leave him. He smelt of potion ingredients even during the summer. Would he have been good at potions? It felt so good to be hugged this way. Hermione and Molly had only given him brief ones over the years.

His hair wasn't greasy like it looked, it was really soft another thing he absently noticed. His sister hugged him too and for that brief moment, Harry felt at home, felt as though everything was going to be okay.

The house elf placed the food down quietly so he didn't disturb them. Dane had a small tear sliding down its large face, it seemed as though Master Snape had his family back at last. Vane and Fury would be smiling right now; they'd given their lives to save them. Dane only wished he'd been there; it might have been the difference between saving them and stopping the evil one who took their little Master and Lady. Hermione was indeed a lady, just as Harry was a lord; they were from two prominent pureblood lines after all.

R&R please