Severus stood up and went over to the shocked boy. He pulled him in his arms and allowed the boy to grab his cloak and cry. He rocked him slowly and gently stroked his hair. Patiently he waited for Harry to calm down and stop crying, then he said,
'Yes, I'm sorry Harry. Remus couldn't help her. He tried, I swear, but he couldn't do anything. She was shot at her heart... but Harry, you should be proud of her. She was loyal until her last day. She died trying to save Remus's life.'
Harry nodded numbly and whispered,
'I know... It's just... She was my first pet, my first ever birthday present. Hagrid gave her to me when I first went to Diagon Alley to buy my school supplies. I'll miss her!'
'Yes, I know that Harry. But let me tell you something. I know you'll never forget her, but when you will remember her, you'll remember all the good things you two had together. Like for example, she was your only companion at the Dursleys. She was there, when you felt alone. She was always there for you.'
Harry nodded, then remembered,
'What about Idylla?'
Snape looked at him in surprise,
'Who's Idylla?'
Harry slightly smiled and answered,
'My snake...'
'You have a snake?'
Harry nodded and said,
'Yeah, Ron gave it to me for my birthday. Said, I'll find her amusing.'
Snape smiled and was just about to say something, when an amused voice behind them said,
'I do find her amusing too. She was very worried about you. She didn't want to leave your side, but I managed to tell her, she needed to eat and sleep and took her to my quarters. She caught on with Fawkes quite well, I must say I was impressed.'
The two Snapes turned around and saw an amused Dumbledore standing in the doorway.
'I assume you told him, Severus.'
Snape shook his head and proudly said,
'No, Albus. He found out himself, I just confirmed it and told him what happened.'
Albus smiled and nodded,
'You've got yourself a bright young man, Severus.'
Snape squeezed Harry a little stronger and answered,
'Yes, Headmaster, I have,'
Harry smiled in his father's shoulder. His father was proud of him. Dumbledore coughed a little and continued,
'I would like for you to come with me to the Great Hall, unless you have to tell me something more...'
Harry remembered last night and started talking,
'Professor, I had another dream last night. Voldemort was having a meeting and he branded six new Death Eaters. He put a Cruciatus on Bellatrix Lestrange, Wormtail and father...'
Snape smiled at his son's sentence. He called me father! Father! He felt he could jump from joy.
'I wanted to get father out so badly!'
'He somehow transported me to Hogwarts Gates,'
Severus continued, when he saw Harry getting upset once more,
'Then he ran to me and healed me. We spent the night in here.'
Dumbledore smiled at Harry and than said,
'Thank you for telling me, Harry. I assume you are alright now, Severus.'
Snape nodded and Dumbledore continued,
'Then, shall we go to Great Hall?'
Harry turned and nodded. They walked out of the Infirmary through the corridors, until they reached the Great Hall. Dumbledore entered first, Snape behind him and Harry the last. There was a moments silence and then he heard,
'HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HARRY!'
He looked around him and smiled. They were all here. The Weasleys, the Grangers, Luna, Neville, Remus, Tonks, McGonagall. His family.
'Thank you so much! I never expected it!'
'That's why we arranged it, Harry, mate!' yelled George when he came near. Harry almost found himself strangled with the force Hermione latched on him. He choked out,
'Hermione, if you want to celebrate, then you better let go of me, I need to breath.'
Hermione blushed and the others laughed. When Harry returned to his normal colour, he hugged her again and said,
'Now, that's more like it!'
Hermione smiled and said,
'We were so worried, Harry! Professor Snape told us what happened and we just had to come and see if you are alright.'
Harry grimaced at the memory of his 'family'. He felt a squeeze on his shoulder and looked up to his father's coal black eyes. He smiled slightly and leaned in the embrace. There was a complete silence in the Great Hall as they watched Harry's and Snape's interaction. Mrs Weasley coughed a little and said,
'Well, as you already have your presents, let's go over there, where the cake is.'
Harry nodded and went over to the table with the cake. The cake was emerald green with black writing Harry birthday, Harry on it. Harry grinned and blew out the candles. He heard clapping and cheering. Then they all sang, 'For He's A Jolly Good Fellow!', with the twins yelling so loud, and so near, that Harry almost became deaf. When the singing stopped, he looked around to see Ron staring at Snape with in incredulous look. Snape himself was clapping, singing, and smiling at him. Harry snickered at the sight of Ron and rolled his eyes.
'Ron, snap out of it!' he said. Ron shook himself and grinned sheepishly,
'Yeah, okay. It's just... I've never seen Snape smiling before, even more that he's nice to you!'
Harry rolled his eyes again,
'Well, that's true. But you haven't heard everything yet. Come on, let's go get Hermione and I'll tell you everything.'
Ron nodded and they went to Hermione. She looked at them curiously and Harry said,
'I just wanted to talk to you two. Do you mind if we steal you from the party for a few minutes?'
Hermione smiled at him and shook her head. They quietly snuck out of the Great Hall. Harry headed towards the Entrance Hall and together they went to sit by the lake. Harry watched the giant squid for a few minutes before he started telling his two best friends all the happenings that happened this summer. When he finished, there was an astonished silence, then Ron stuttered,
'S-Snape is your d-dad? And you have nothing against it?'
Harry smirked and received a squeak from Hermione,
'Oh, Harry, you really looked just like him when you did that!'
Harry smiled this time, then grew serious,
'You know that you can't tell no one about that, got it? He's still a Death Eater and until Voldemort is gone, we can't tell no one. I will have to use my metamorphmagus abilities to hide my resemblance to him.'
Hermione put her hand on his shoulder and smiled grimly at him. Then she said,
'Why don't you try it now? It's only five days until the term starts...'
Harry nodded, then narrowed his eyes in concentration and thought about him being an almost exact copy of James Potter. He felt his face changing and he smiled slightly. When he opened his eyes, he saw Ron and Hermione grinning at him. He chuckled and rose. He said,
'I just remembered something! What do you say to a prank?'
Ron's eyes lit up, but Hermione stayed serious.
'Harry, you know we can't use magic in holidays!'
Harry nodded and continued,
'Yeah, I know that. But I thought that Hogwarts had so much magic inside, that the Ministry won't notice a little bit more.'
Hermione thought for a second, then exclaimed,
'Oh, all right! But if we get caught, it's going to be all your fault!'
Harry and Ron made a whoop and they all started to plan. The prank was going to be made at dinner that day and they planned another one for the Beginning of the Year Feast.