Runaways (Don't Save Me Book 2)

Chapter 48: What Is Real

 I was sitting in Albus's office as Severus had an arm wrapped around my waist. A cup of tea had been placed in front of me but I couldn't bring myself to drink it.

"Y/n... what did you see?" Albus asked softly as Severus rubbed circles into my back.

I allowed the memory to replay in my head as a deep ache started to form behind my eyes the more I focused on it but I couldn't let go. I focused on holding on to what I remembered of it and began speaking.

"I-I was an infant... and I was being handed to my aunt and uncle by a man who... who looked an awful lot like a young Tom Riddle."

Albus looked deep in thought as I continued. "The man said he couldn't give me any kind of life and that it wasn't safe for me to live with him."

"Did you catch a name?" Albus asked, softly.

I thought for a moment, allowing the memory to replay in my mind before it reached the end. I quickly looked up at Albus, my eyes widening as I remembered the name.

"Y/n?" Albus asked, growing concerned.

"The man turned around to leave... i-it seemed as if my cries were hurting him. My aunt called out to him a-and... she called him... Tom."

"Oh, my word..." Minerva whispered.

"Albus, tell me it's just a coincidence... t-tell me this doesn't mean what I think it means.... Tell me the dementors were just messing with me," I begged, needing this to not be real.

"It would explain why the dementors were so attached to her... and why she can speak Parseltongue," Albus began muttering to himself.

"What does this mean, Albus?" I asked, growing concerned and I felt Severus tense beside me as I spoke. The ache behind my eyes was slowly dissipating and I was grateful for the relief.

"For now, let's not worry until we have something to worry about. For all we know the dementors could have been trying to manipulate your memories," he answered, though his. eyes didn't meet mine.

"Albus, you and I both know you don't believe that."

"Look, for right now... let's not worry. Lord Voldemort is gone for now and until he returns... there is nothing we need to worry about."

Severus, Minerva, and I flinched at the use of his name, though I flinched for a different reason. I had always known him as Tom and hearing him called Lord Voldemort was strange to me. It made him seem as if he was no longer human and the man I once knew had ceased to exist.

"Albus! How do you expect her to just let this go?! How do you expect us to just let this go!?" Severus hissed. "She may be the daughter of one of the Darkest Wizards of our time!"

My eyes widened at his words and I quickly moved away from him but he only moved closer, wrapping an arm around my waist.

"Darling, you know that's not what I meant. Your parentage changes absolutely nothing about the way we feel about you, love... it changes nothing," he soothed.

"It changes everything, Severus! You just proved that! How do you think people will feel when they learn this?! The Ministry already doesn't trust me. If they learn this... and..." Suddenly it dawned on me as memories of Godric's Hollow flashed in my mind. "My father killed my best friends... and the parents of my Godson," I whispered as the realization sunk in, tears slipping down my cheeks.

"We don't know anything for sure, Y/n... and even if this is true... you are nothing like him," Minerva soothed.

"Harry's going to hate me... Remus... the Weasleys... they're going to hate me," I whispered as I stood up, pulling away from Severus's comforting embrace.

"Darling, this isn't your fault... we don't get to choose our parents... the important thing is who you choose to be," Severus says as he stood up, trying to move closer to me but I back away.

"I can't do this... I- I need to be alone." I quickly walked toward the door and left without another word.

...

I was sitting in my room a few hours later when I heard a small knock on the door. I placed the book I was reading to the side and walked toward the door, turning the knob and opening it. Severus stood in the doorway.

"May I come in?" he asked, softly.

I nodded, opening the door all the way, letting him in. I closed the door behind him and, as I turned around, I felt Severus's arms wrap around my waist.

"I'm sorry, love... the news just took us by surprise and none of us knew how to react. Albus and Minerva wanted to be here but they had to finalize preparations for the students arriving tomorrow. I'm so sorry if I made you feel bad when we learned the truth about your father. I never meant anything by what I said."

"It's fine, love... It caught everyone by surprise. I Just... don't want anyone knowing quite yet... not until we know more."

"Perfectly understandable. Just please know, darling... this changes nothing. I know it may feel like it changes everything, and in some ways maybe it does... but you are still the same person. The same person I fell in love with all those years ago. The girl who convinced Minerva to make me a cake for my birthday... essentially giving me the first birthday I'd ever had. The same girl was willing to never speak to her friends again because she felt she might be betraying me... and the same girl who endured torture for years in order to protect the people she loves."

I felt the tears sleeping from my eyes as his hands cupped my face. He pressed his lips to mine, softly assuring me how much he loved me. When we pulled away, he kept his arms wrapped around my waist.

"I don't know what's real anymore, Sev," I sobbed. "I-it's all been a lie." I buried my face in his chest, feeling an overwhelming urge to just hide. I wanted to run more than anything, to pack a bag and never look back, to pretend that all of this wasn't happening... but I knew that was a fantasy that could never truly come to pass. I couldn't leave those I cared about to deal with my mess.

"Darling, look at me," he soothed, gently lifting my chin. "This is real. You and I are real. My love for you is real. Your love for your friends and your godson is real. Focus on the things we can control, my love... let's not worry about something we cannot control."

I nodded as he softly kissed my forehead, wiping away my tears.

"Darling, you look exhausted. I suspect this day has taken a lot out of you."

"I'm fine, Severus," I lied, but he wasn't listening, knowing I would never admit to not being okay. He moved one hand up my back before moving the other underneath my legs, lifting me off the ground, cradling me in his arms.

"Severus!" I laughed, wrapping my arms around his neck. He carefully laid me on the bed, covering my body with the soft duvet, before climbing in next to me.

"So, you're staying here tonight I suppose?"

"Yup. You're stuck with me, darling," he responded, laughing as he pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead and we allowed sleep to overtake us.