Chapter 7

All canon characters belong to JKR

Thanks to June for her help as my beta.

Chapter 7

"Come in and sit. Your father has something he needs to tell you," said Hermione, as the children walked in and sat next to them, wondering why their parents had called them.

Severus stood and walked to the large armchair next to the fireplace. He had his back turned to them as he tried to steel himself for what was about to happen.

"Do you both remember the lessons you have learned in your History Of Magic classes?" he asked them, as he began. Raven and Kat nodded, then looked at each other. "And you remember particularly the discussions of Voldemort? Again they nodded.

"That man was horrible," said Kat as she shuddered. Hermione reached and took her hand, then smiled at her reassuringly.

"I think those Death Eaters were far worse than him," said Raven, "They killed all those innocent people; they did whatever that man told them to do." He then added, "I hope they all rot in hell."

Severus looked at Hermione. It was now or never. He began unbuttoning his frock coat as he started pacing in front of the couch, where the children and Hermione sat.

"Daddy, you didn't call us here to talk about some old history lesson," said Kat.

"No. But, there are things you need to know, and things I need for you to do. I want you both to stay in this castle at all times."

"But this weekend is a Hogsmeade weekend!" Raven yelled, looking at him in confusion.

"Raven, I ask you to do this for a reason," Severus continued to unbutton the coat. He turned his back to his children, slowly took off the coat, and placed it on the coat hook next to the door. He then began to unbutton the cuffs of his white shirt. "The Death Eaters ... what more do you know of them?" he asked as he slowly rolled up his left sleeve.

"They were scum, pretty much," said Raven. "Servants to some insane wizard who wanted to rid the world of Muggles. I imagine once they finished with the Muggles, they probably would have begun killing wizards, too. They all deserved to die, if you ask me."

Severus bowed his head.

"I've heard things," Kat said quietly, as she looked down at the floor. "I've heard the things they did to people during their meetings." Severus winced at the thought of his daughter hearing such things.

"And did they have any identifying marks?" Severus took a deep breath and looked down at the Dark Mark, which was still visible after so many years.

"Only some image branded on their arm. Professor Binns drew us a picture of it once," said Kat.

Severus slowly turned around to face his children and held out the arm, now showing them the Dark Mark. His children gasped in horror and looked at him.

"Did it look like this?" he asked.

"Daddy... no," whispered Kat, as tears ran down her cheeks.

"But you were a war hero. No," said Raven, as he shook his head in confusion.

"There are things you need to know. Things I had hoped to never have to tell you, but I find I now must," said Severus.

"No, I can't hear this, I won't hear this," said Raven, as he stood. Severus walked towards him, but Raven visibly cringed and kept backing away. "How could you have been one of those... things?"

"Raven, let me explain," pleaded Severus.

"Explain what? That you were a slave to a man with some perverted belief that Purebloods should rule this world? That you killed innocent people? I've heard those stories, too! I know what you did," he shook his head. "How could you? You disgust me. I hate you. Don't ever come near me!" Raven ran out of the room with tears streaming down his face.

Severus looked at Hermione, who was now clutching a very frightened Kat.

Osiris flew down from his perch in the corner of the room. "I'll go watch after him, Severus. He just needs some time." He then flew after Raven.

Severus walked to the couch and sat down next to his daughter. She looked down at his arm as he sank back into the cushions. Kat looked at his face, now filled with pain and worry, then again looked down at the Dark Mark on his forearm.

"Did it hurt when they did that to you, Daddy?" asked Kat, as she looked into his eyes. Severus looked at his daughter as she tentatively reached out to his arm.

"Yes," he answered, flinching slightly as she touched the Mark.

She lightly traced the outline of the Mark and felt him shudder beneath her small fingers. She saw a look of pain on his face, and she drew her hand away, not realizing it was the emotional and not physical pain he was reacting to.

"Does it still hurt, Daddy?" she asked as her words faded into a sob.

"It will always hurt, my sweet kitten, always." Severus held her tightly as she cried and threw her arms around his neck. He felt the sting of his own tears fill his eyes.

* * * * * *

Meanwhile, Osiris had followed Raven to the Astronomy Tower. He knew the boy would be there, since it was his favorite spot. He looked around the room, then saw the boy crying and huddled in a corner. As Osiris swooped down next to him and perched on the sill, Raven looked up.

"Why did he do it, Osiris? How could he have been part of that? My own father ... part of that filth!" The tears ran down his cheeks. "I hate him, Osiris. Those Death Eaters were nothing but hateful cowards. He was a coward."

Osiris ruffled his feathers and hopped onto Raven's knee.

"I don't ever want to hear you say that about your father again. Do you understand me?" Osiris knew Raven was upset, but he also knew he needed to tell the boy the truth. "Your father is the bravest man I have ever known. Do you know that Order of Merlin First Class medal hanging in the study? They don't give that to just anybody. There are less than 20 wizards past or present to have ever been given that."

Raven wiped his tears, and sat back against the wall.

"But why would he have been a part of something like that?" asked Raven. "I don't understand. He fought in the final battle. He was a war hero, but now I don't know. I...I just don't know."

Osiris sighed as he remembered the early days of his and Severus' youth.

"You have to understand one thing about your father. He grew up a very lonely and solitary child. He had no friends, and his father was a cold emotionless man. No, not emotionless. Your Grandfather Snape did have one emotion: hate. He was cruel to Severus and your grandmother.

"The only happy times Severus had were the few occasions during the year when I was allowed to visit. Even those were trying. When he began attending Hogwarts, which was a few years before me, he made very few friends. He met Lucius, who was a couple of years ahead of him. Lucius introduced Severus to some other kids, who all eventually became Death Eaters. For the first time in your father's life he was accepted; he had friends. Do you understand?"

Raven nodded, then wiped the remaining tears on his face.

"About a year before Severus graduated, he took the Dark Mark. I never knew about it until after he began to regret his decision. Voldemort made many promises, and he painted a grand picture. But, your dad was a curious young man, so he went out to seek his own answers. He went out into the Muggle world and loved it. He realized soon after that Voldemort was a liar, who was slowly going mad. One day, after a raid in a small Muggle town, your father couldn't do it anymore. He was so disgusted with himself and with what he had done. He went to Albus, only wanting to turn himself in, but instead Albus asked him to join the Order of the Phoenix and become a spy. Albus gave your father a chance to atone for what he had done, and to help them rid the world of Voldemort and people like him."

"But Dad killed innocent people, Osiris."

"I know, Raven. Your father made a mistake when he was young. A mistake that, for all the good he has done, he will never truly be able to escape from. Believe me; he never wanted you kids to know about his past. During the final battle, he risked his life so that Harry could have the chance to kill Voldemort. Had it not been for your father, none of us would be here."

"And what of Uncle Lucius? Was he a Death Eater, too?"

"Yes. He was a little late in learning his mistake, but about a year before the final battle, he realized Voldemort was insane. When Lucius figured out that your father was a spy, he came to your father, asking if he too could help defeat Voldemort. It hasn't been easy for either of them, Raven."

"I've," Raven swallowed hard, "I've heard things." He looked at Osiris. "I've heard about the Dark Reveals, about the things they did to people."

Osiris bowed his head. "One time and one time only, I looked into your father's memories of those Dark Reveals. I have never ventured into his mind like that again." He felt the boy tremble at his words.

"What happened to change his mind?" asked Raven.

"It wasn't really one incident, but a culmination of years of torment, suffered by your father as well as his victims. Like I said, he ventured out into the Muggle world. He loved it; he learned that some Muggles were just as, and even more intelligent than some wizards he knew. Little by little his views began to change, and then, after one particularly violent raid, he couldn't stand it anymore. Those Muggles never did anything to him, and he couldn't live with their cries of pain any longer."

"He's never told me about the final battle. Do you know what happened?" asked Raven.

Osiris nodded. "I can show you what I remember of it, and I can also show you what your father let me see of it in his memory. He also told me about it later. It was on a Wednesday morning, just before the end of your mother's seventh year here at Hogwarts." As Osiris told his tale, Raven sat back and closed his eyes wanting only to see the images and hear the words of his protector come into his mind. There was never any eye contact needed between any of them. Osiris and Crookshanks were able to communicate with their family and friends as though he could just speak to them in a normal voice. Osiris wasn't sure if it was magic or some other force, but it made it easy for them all to talk to each other with little effort. This had come about gradually over the years and never questioned.

* * * * * *

The final battle happened early in the morning. It started when the Death Eaters began taking down the wards surrounding the grounds of the castle, dismantling the wards one by one. Severus ran into his private rooms. He had just sent the first through fifth year classes to the bunker beneath the dungeons. They were far to young to be in battle, yet the sixth and seventh years were meeting in the Great Hall, along with the members of the Order and some several dozen Aurors.

Osiris had been looking out the window when he turned and saw Severus in his Death Eater robes.

"I'm going with you," said Osiris.

"No, you are not." Severus pointed his wand at his cousin and muttered, "Ferratus cavea." Immediately a small iron cage came up around Osiris. "Please, it is far too dangerous for you out there."

"Let me out of here!" Osiris flew around the cage, trying to open it.

"It will remain locked until the end of the battle," Severus approached the cage. "If I do not survive, I have asked Albus to watch over you."

"What if he dies as well?" asked Osiris sadly, as the tears welled up in his small black eyes.

"Then we are all lost." Severus turned and walked out.

Osiris heard the wards go up for the rooms, and then turned to look outside the window. The castle grounds were filling slowly with Death Eaters. The school's wards had been brought down; Voldemort was coming for them all.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I'll have more tomorrow evening.