Harmony Bond (Completed)

Chapter 11: Disclosure

The headmaster took a moment and sighed as he tried to figure out where to begin. There was a lot to tell and he was not so naïve as to not realize that what he was about to disclose might very well mean the end of his position at Hogwarts. Oh well, he had done what he thought best at the time. He realized some mistakes now, but perhaps if he was honest with Harry he might retain some semblance of the regard that the young man once felt for him.

"Alright Harry, I guess we might as well start with Professor Snape since you are adamant on your refusal of him. You remember the prophecy I told you about over the summer?"

Harry was about to nod, but then McGonagall spoke up.

"What about the prophecy Albus? You never told the Order the details. Do you have the full prophecy?"

Dumbledore turned and regarded his deputy headmistress and long time friend. He had been so focused on Harry that he had forgotten she was listening as well. Perhaps he was slowing down with age. Well, she would need to understand then before they continued.

"Yes Minerva, I have the full prophecy, as I was present when it was given. I have been withholding until I thought the time was right. I suppose now that Harry knows, that I should tell the rest of the Order. For now, here is what I heard nearly fifteen years ago…"

Dumbledore relayed the exact prophecy as Harry had heard it before and McGonagall went pale as the news settled into her. Harry still wasn't pleased with the headmaster, but realizing he wasn't the only one that had been withheld on was somewhat mollifying for the moment. When the headmaster finished, he turned back to Harry.

"Now Harry, as I told you, when the prophecy was given it was overheard in part and the part that was heard by a Death Eater was then relayed to Voldemort. I believe his hearing the incomplete prophecy is what led to the attack on your parents and yourself. Now you need to know the identity of that Death Eater. It was a young potions master by the name of Severus Snape."

The news perhaps shouldn't have been surprising. In a way it sort of made sense. Still, it hit Harry like a train. All the color drained from his face as the headmaster paused and Hermione wrapped her arms around him. Knowing there was nothing she could do for the moment, she kept silent, offering only her arms. Gradually the news absorbed and the rage in Harry grew. Hermione felt it build and wondered what she could or should do. This time she knew the rage was justified and that she wouldn't be able to do much beyond what she was already doing. A full three minutes later, Harry's head gradually came up and his eyes were cold as he allowed his magic to leak and roll toward the headmaster as he responded.

"Snape! He's responsible for it all! And you've kept him here, near me! Who the hell do you think you are?"

"Please Harry, there is more. I am prepared for your hate, but at least wait until you have all the details. I will accept whatever payment you wish to excise from me at the end."

Dumbledore's words and Hermione's hands on his back calmed Harry enough that he was able to give the barest of nods, indicating that the headmaster should continue.

"I understand your rage at Severus Harry, but he regrets his decision to take the partial prophecy to the Dark Lord as much as you do. The story is really his to tell, but you have a right to know. I could call him up here, but I am aware that he would not tell you what is needed. I am all too aware that Severus sees James Potter when he looks at you and can never see beyond that. To understand, I need to go back another twenty years or so before your parents' deaths. Your mother was muggleborn of course. She came from a middle class background. Her father ran a small store on the edge of the village of Cokeworth, and his family resided on the edge of town. As young girls, Lily and Petunia Evans played in the fields that bordered the village. It was during those early years that the first signs of your mother's prodigious magical talent manifested. As you can probably surmise, her sister Petunia was not happy and supportive of Lily's talents. Instead, Lily became friends with a poor boy from the town who sought refuge from his abusive home in the same fields where the girls played. That boy's name was Severus Snape, a halfblood from an unhappy marriage between a witch of modest talents and an older muggle man. Severus was able to offer Lily support and explain magic to her, causing a friendship to grow in the years leading up to their departure to Hogwarts. When they reached the age of eleven, the two friends arrived at this school. Lily was sorted into Gryffindor and Severus went to Slytherin. In the first couple years of their schooling, the friendship continued, but gradually strained. I won't go into all the possible reasons why. Needless to say, Severus began to believe in the ideals espoused in Slytherin and, by fourth year, was mostly estranged from his childhood friend. At the same time, he also ran afoul of a group of boys who styled themselves as the Marauders. James Potter led the small band and was the personification of Gryffindor pureblood arrogance. I know that may be hard to understand, but your father was young once and had lessons that he needed to learn. Lily Evans was often at odds with the young Marauders, despite James' regular attempts to gain her attention. His efforts were not aided by the Marauders' constant baiting of Severus. Eventually James grew up and Severus separated further from Lily. Late in their sixth year, Lily began to change her mind about James. She tried at several points to reach out to her old friend and mend
bridges, but by that time Severus was already friends with the rising Death Eaters and he and Lily traded nasty words. After school Severus became a full Death Eater, but his heart never left Lily, despite what words he spewed to the Dark Lord. As he grew up, he began to question some of the Dark Lord's ideals, but there is no going back once you take the Dark Mark. When he overheard the prophecy and took it to the Dark Lord, he was aware that you would be targeted. He has admitted that he
didn't care what happened to James' son, he only wanted Lily for his own. The Dark Lord guaranteed he could have Lily in exchange for the information he delivered. When the Dark Lord went back on his word and killed Lily, Severus was distraught. I
found him in the wreckage of the house, mourning over her. It was then that I took him into my custody and learned the full story. On that day I exacted oaths from him that would guarantee that he worked for the light as a double agent in revenge against the Dark Lord who took the one person he ever loved. I hold him with bonds stronger than any simple oath could elicit. That is why I keep him close and that is why I ask you to allow him to remain."