As It Was *Complete*

33. Holes In Your Story

"But she did," Snape explained. "She knew that James would always resent Astra and she didn't want her to grow up in that environment so she gave care of the baby up to me and my mother. We took her home and cared for her. For almost two years we were perfectly happy. I had my baby, the most important thing in the world to me. Your mother wrote to me regularly to get updates on Astra, something Marlene helped her with."

"She gave up her baby? She could just give her away like that? Like she was nothing?" Harry said sounding shocked. He knew deep down none of it was a lie, but that didn't make it any easier. He wasn't even allowing himself to accept it.

"She wanted to do what was best for Astra," Sirius explained.

"But Voldemort was getting stronger and his pull on those under his order was harder to break. Snape was already inducted so he had no choice," Remus pitied Snape.

"It's not something you can ignore. When he calls you. Your mark....it burns. The pain...it is severe and ignoring it, leads to basic torture. You always eventually give in. You have to." Draco defended. He could understand how Snape would have to bend to Voldemort's will in the end. Draco had to do exactly the same.

"So I put Astra in an orphanage where I was assured she would be adopted into a loving family. It was run by a friend of your mother's and she wanted to help."

"She did. I was well looked after until she died when I was seven and her assistant took over the running. Then it became hell on earth. I was never adopted and I never knew who my parents were." Astra's voice broke.

"I had Dumbledore shield my memories of her. I was a practised legilimens but I wanted to make sure there was no trace of Astra for the dark Lord to find. It was only when Dumbledore died that the shield was broken and I remembered and I looked for her." Snape looked to his daughter. "And I am so thankful that I found her...finally."

Harry, who was now very quiet was trying to wrap his head around it all. He knew his father was a bit of a bully. He had seen the memories. But to do this? Take away his mother's daughter? Harry's sibling? He couldn't accept that. His father was a hero.

"This is wrong," Harry said standing up. "There are too many holes in your story. And that's what it is....a story. My father would not have done that to my mother. He loved her more than life itself. And why did no one come forward before now to help you remember that you had a daughter? Surely teachers and classmates knew? And there is no way on earth that my mother would ever be with him." He pointed to Snape. "He was a Death Eater!"

"And she loved him anyway. When you love someone you overlook all their bad qualities. You love them completely or not at all. She struggled with the fact that he was a Death Eater, that is why she pulled away. Didn't mean she ever stopped loving him," Astra said.

"And why did no one come forward?"

"No one really knew. It was kept a secret. We knew and Madame Pomfrey, McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore knew. That was it."

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat. "When the baby was put up for adoption, we knew that it was for the best. And Albus told us that Snape had his memories shielded to protect her. So it was never mentioned. No one else even knew."

Harry shook his head. "No, this is bullshit. I have seen fake memories before. This must be a fake or tampered memory so it looks like my mother did this. Is that what you did Astra?" He looked at her with a mixture of hurt and disgust. No one had ever looked at her like that before and she was not sure if she could take it much longer. "You tampered with a memory to include you? You have messed with a lot of people's lives because of this."

"Harry, now you know -" Remus started.

"Bullshit! What was it Astra, you couldn't find a family so you decided to make one up? Draco was right....you are pathetic!"