68

CHAPTER SIXTY EIGHT:

Severus sighed inwardly as he strode towards Gryffindor Tower, having reluctantly decided on a course of action.

"I require the presence of Dean Thomas," he informed the portrait guarding Gryffindor Tower. The fat lady gave him a wholly ineffectual searching look before yelling at the top of her lungs for the boy.

"Merlin," Severus cursed, clapping his hands over his ears as he took a step back, the A in 'Thomas' still ringing in his ears. "Do you have no better way to summon a student?" he scowled at the portrait.

"PROFESSOR SNAPE IS WAITING!" the fat lady screeched in reply, and the entrance door swung open abruptly.

"Ah, hi Professor," Hermione Granger greeted him cheerfully. "I'll just fetch Dean for you, shall I?" She made a small beckoning motion with her hand before walking off, leaving Severus to catch the edge of the portrait and step into Gryffindor territory.

Uncertain whispers ran through the group of students at the sight of the bat of the dungeons in Gryffindor Tower, but Severus ignored them with a skill honed over many years. To his relief, it did not take long for Hermione to return with Dean Thomas.

"Thank you, Miss Granger," he said to the bushy-haired girl. "The Headmistress would like to see your notes on Hogwarts improvements, if you could take them to her." Simply nodding in reply to her enthusiastic assent, he turned to the student he had actually come for. "Please follow me, Mr. Thomas." The boy seemed reluctant but fell into step behind Severus as they left Gryffindor Tower and headed down towards the basement.

"This is not a school-related matter," Severus informed the boy, "but I am afraid that your Head of House has too many troubles on her plate today to deal with this as well." He looked back to see Dean's worried expression and softened his tone somewhat. "Your family is well, as far as I am aware," he assured the boy, gesturing for him to walk beside him instead of behind him. "This matter concerns you and Blaise Zabini; as soon as we have retrieved him I will address the matter."

"Thank you, sir," the boy replied, to his surprise, and he hoped it wasn't visible in his expression. None of his Gryffindor students had ever thanked him sincerely – but for the Golden Trio, once the spells were removed from them.

"It is my responsibility as your professor, Mr. Thomas," Severus replied eventually. He could have expected it – now that the spells had been dropped from everyone Dumbledore had bespelled, attitudes towards him should change, if only slightly. They walked on in silence, down stairways until they reached Slytherin territory.

"I require the presence of Blaise Zabini," Severus spoke to a stone wall, ignoring the inner voice that reproached him for revealing to a Gryffindor where the Slytherin dorms were located. That same Gryffindor looked on in open curiosity as nothing happened.

"Mr. Thomas," Severus said in an undertone, "I suggest you hide your curiosity until we are in private. Slytherins to not approve of outsiders knowing where their House is located."

"Yes, sir," the boy answered, trying to school his expression and failing miserably. He was clearly trying to look bored, but he only managed to look constipated. This time Severus did voice his sigh.

"Ah, Mr. Zabini," he said as soon as the wall opened to reveal the boy – and beyond, the Slytherin common room. "Follow me." Knowing his snake would follow him, he turned and strode away towards his private rooms, curtly telling Medusa that he required entrance. He appreciated the fact that the guardian opened not to a set password, but to the speaker's voice or magic – it certainly made things easier when he had students along. Unless they're Gra- Hermione and can brew Polyjuice Potion, he thought with some reluctance. Thankfully, students of her caliber are few and far between.

"Have a seat," he told the two boys in his company as he chose an armchair for himself. To his surprise, Zabini and Thomas both chose the couch – opposite ends, to be sure, but even so… Perhaps this will be easier than I had anticipated.

"Mr. Thomas, I believe you have several half-siblings, is that correct?"

"It is, sir," the boy replied, a worried frown once more appearing on his face. It was interesting for Severus to see them sitting next to each other, for now similarities were apparent that he had never noticed before.

"Mr. Zabini, what was your father's name?"

The Slytherin hid his emotions well as he replied, "Maurizio Zabini, Professor."

"He was your mother's first husband, was he not?" A silent nod, and Severus asked, "And your mother retained the name of her first husband in her subsequent marriages?"

"She did, Professor Snape," the boy replied, his discomfort apparent to Severus, if not to the other student. No doubt Zabini was uncomfortable revealing such details to a member of another House.

Severus sighed, knowing that he was not very good at being gentle when giving a student bad news. "It was revealed to me today that Maurizio Zabini was placed under a love potion shortly after conceiving you, Mr. Zabini, and married Jillian Thomas not a month later. They were both under the effects of a love potion."

Both boys were openly gaping at him by this point. Zabini hid it better, to be sure, but Dean Thomas's jaw was hanging open nearly comically.

"That's who my father is?" he asked, his voice shocked. His mother had never told him the name, having somehow forgotten it.

"Was," Severus corrected. "He was killed by Death Eaters not long after your birth." Severus suspected that it had been conveniently arranged by Dumbledore – and that the same man had most likely obliviated Mrs. Thomas of the memories of her husband.

"We are half-siblings, then?" Zabini asked, shooting a glance at the Gryffindor.

"Yes," the Potions professor confirmed, looking between his two students while they silently assimilated that information. Their facial shape was slightly different – Zabini's more oval and pointed while Thomas's was rounder – but the skin tone was similar, and the hair exactly the same but for the Gryffindor's being slightly longer. Both had warm brown eyes and a wide nose, with Thomas's build being slightly broader than that of his half-brother. The similarities were certainly there.

Finally Zabini asked the question that Severus was expecting. "Who drugged my father with the love potion?"

Severus exhaled slowly, knowing that it would be hard to persuade the Gryffindor, at least, of the veracity of his answer. "Albus Dumbledore."

"What?!" Dean Thomas exclaimed, wide-eyed in surprise. "Professor Dumbledore?"

Severus nodded. "It will appear in tomorrow's Prophet, if you do not believe my words. Dumbledore was questioned today under truth serum, and a great many illegal actions came to light. I do not believe that your situation will be expressly mentioned, but felt you should know."

"Thank you, Professor," Blaise replied softly, accepting his Head of House's words as truth. He had never known the man to be anything less than honest, and it answered a great many questions he and his mother had never found the answers to. "If you will excuse me, I will write to my mother with the news." The Slytherin stood, and Dean followed him up from the couch.

There was hesitation on the younger boy's face for a moment, but then he seemed to make up his mind. "Zabini… Blaise," he said, his eyes on his newly-discovered half-brother. When the other boy turned to face him he held out his hand, brown eyes earnest on the Slytherin's face. "It's good to meet you, brother," he said, seeing in the older boy's eyes that he had taken him by surprise. "I'd like to get to know you better, now that I know we're related. I don't know anything about my dad, but I would like to meet my stepmother. I'm sure my mum would like to meet her, too," he grinned. "She never did have anything to say about my dad, and when I learned about magic I figured that maybe he obliviated her before leaving us. I have got other half-siblings, but they're all younger, so it's kinda cool to have an older brother now," the boy's grin widened, lighting up his face.

A pause, then Blaise huffed and took the offered hand. "I agree; I have no brothers, only sisters. It is good to meet you, little brother." He didn't quite smile, but something in his expression conveyed a sense of welcome to Dean, and the other boy released the grip with his grin undiminished.

"Figure I'll go write my mum a letter, then," he said cheerfully. "You're welcome in Gryffindor Tower, just so's you know." He laughed at Blaise's incredulous expression. "Family's always welcome." He turned to Severus, clearly not expecting Blaise to reciprocate the offer, and thanked him for telling them.

"It was no problem, Mr. Thomas," Severus deferred, hiding his surprise at the boy's clearly earnest offer of access to Gryffindor Tower. Slytherins weren't accustomed to such ready acceptance. Zabini echoed the thanks, and as the two fifth-year students were leaving Severus added one last remark.

"Mr. Zabini, please ask Draco Black to join me in my quarters." The dark-skinned boy blinked once, still as unused to Draco's new surname as Severus himself was, then nodded in assent. With that the two students were out the door, and Severus was left with silence. He was not looking forward to speaking with Draco – but at least this conversation had gone far better than he had expected.

Thank goodness for Gryffindors and their ready acceptance of changes to the status quo, he thought, a small smirk appearing on his face for actually assigning a positive character trait to the House of lions. Standing, he stretched and turned his mind to his godson.