Time Heals All Wounds?

Chapter 22:

Severus Apparated onto Diagon Alley and quickly stalked up the cobbled street to the main door of Gringotts and stormed inside. He snatched the first goblin that crossed his path and demanded so speak to his account manager this instant. The frightened young goblin scurried off and quickly returned with the Snape's personal accountant in tow. Unfortunately, Bogrod was not affected by the glower that was etched across Snape's face. Once the goblins reached the Potions Master the younger one quickly dismissed himself, scurried off and left the two to speak.

"I have some topics that require discussion immediately. Is there an available location where we may speak in complete privacy?" Snape, never a fan of small talk, immediately got to the point and Bogrod simply nodded and walked away. Snape followed him to a private room. The goblin sat behind the desk and waited for Snape to speak.

"Care to explain to me how I have a son that I knew nothing about until twelve hours ago? A son that has lived with abusive relatives for most of his life when his biological father was alive, able and willing to take care of him?" The goblin's eyes widened slightly in response but otherwise he remained passive.

"I was unaware that you had no knowledge of your child." Snape intensified his glare.

"Are you proposing that I knew I had a child, but chose to leave him with abusive Muggles? That I would abandon my own flesh and blood instead of raising him in a safe environment? I would choose your words carefully, goblin." Bogrod paled and bowed his head in apology.

"I was informed after the child's birth that you wished to have nothing to do with him. I believe I still have the letter on file. I will collect it." Bogrod said then abruptly rose from his chair and left the room. He then returned a moment later with an envelope in his hand and handed it to Snape.

To whom it may concern at Gringotts,

It has come to my knowledge that I have recently had a son to a Miss Lily Evans; however, I do not want this child to carry the Snape line. This letter is to officially state that I want nothing to do with this child in any way. The child should take his mothers name and have no attachment to me in any way. I never wanted to have a child so do not want any part in his life ever.

Regards,

S. Snape

Potions Master

Severus' hands shook with fury and his nostrils flared. This has Albus Dumbledore written all over it. That old coot was responsible for almost killing his son and keeping the boy from him all his life. The man was going to pay for this.

"Well, it does bring me a degree of joy to inform you that I did not write this letter nor was it written on my behalf by another. This is a forged letter that has resulted in a child being nearly being beaten to death and being kept from his family. I demand you get to the bottom of this immediately. I wish to know who wrote this letter and why." Snape demanded as he rose from his chair and swept out of the room in a billowing of robes.

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Harry hadn't moved since he had seen that birth certificate. Until he was eleven, he had one idea of who is parents were and what they were like. Then, when he went to Hogwarts, he was told that his parents were not drunken lowlifes, but in fact heroes. Now, his parents were not who he believed they were. His entire life had all been dashed with a simple piece of parchment. Not only did he have a father, he had a father who despised him with a passion. A living biological parent and they hated him. That was worse than believing that his parents were dead and his only family members hated his guts and beat him to show it.