Malfoy Flavor

-5-

The next morning after breakfast, Harry was expecting to go to the lab and work on some potion or other. Severus stopped him before he could head for the lab, though.

"No, you've worked hard the last couple of weeks without a day off. I think for once you shall have no work on your birthday," Severus said quietly.

Harry spluttered. "I told you about always working on my birthday, but I never meant that I didn't want to do my training with you."

"I know, Harry, but you would deserve a day off even if it wasn't your birthday. Go ride your broom or go exploring or something. Surely there must be something you'd rather do than work on your birthday."

At that, Harry looked tempted. Getting out on his broom really did sound like a fine idea.

"Go on then," Severus said with an actual smile. "Get out of here."

So Harry went.

~*~*~*~

After riding his broom around for most of the morning and exploring the grounds, Harry went and had lunch with Severus. He then made sure it was okay and decided to start exploring inside the manor during the afternoon. The place really was huge. Harry wandered the different rooms and eventually came upon a set of narrow stairs at the back of the manor. He made his way up and found himself in what appeared to be an attic.

There were boxes and trunks stacked all over the place and there was a major layer of dust over everything.

Now this is a place I can really explore!

Harry did a couple of charms to clear the dust and then started in on one of the trunks.

He poked around for a couple of hours, just looking through other people's old junk. And mostly that's what it seemed to be. There were old, outdated clothes and old course books. He glanced through some old newspapers and magazines but didn't find much of interest. There were plenty of odds and ends that he didn't recognize. He doubted any of it was very useful, though, since the items had been tossed in with lots of other junk.

He came across a small box towards the back of the room and opened it up. He wasn't expecting much when he picked up a small book off the top. He almost dropped it in shock when he opened it to the front page, though.

Harry sank to the floor as he began to read.

~*~*~*~

Harry came bounding down the stairs, searching out Severus in his study. He knocked on the door and heard a terse, "Enter."

Upon entering, he stopped to try to gather his thoughts, which were swirling around in his head. Maybe he should have waited before confronting Severus with everything he had found this afternoon.

"What is it, Harry? Is there a reason that you've come barging in here?" Severus asked him, concern evident in his voice.

Unable to think of what else to say, Harry answered with a sneer, "Yes, Father, I've found some information this afternoon that you might be interested in."

Harry watched as shock registered briefly on Severus' face before the blank mask came crashing back down.

"What are you blithering about? I'm not your father. We both know that James is your father, and anyone looking at you has been able to tell that for years." Severus knew that James was Harry's father. It had angered him no end for sixteen years now.

"Oh, yes, that's what we've all known, isn't it?" Harry sneered with a remarkable impression of Snape's own patented sneer. "But haven't you noticed how much I've changed this summer? We both have wondered why my face has been changing. Wondered why my hair has grown and seemed to actually become even blacker than it had been, if that's even possible. Also, I've never been able to get my hair to lie flat for the life of me. Now, it's completely straight without me ever doing a thing to it. Tell me, Severus, do I truly look like James Potter any longer?"