Harry had known whom he was related to. The last time, this had not created any ripples, because Snape's portrait had not yet been put up in the Headmaster's office and only Lily had been affected. James and Sirius had looked stony when Harry told them, and then they had brushed it off. Lily had cried a little and then all of them except Harry had forgotten it. Harry had it in the back of his mind but had not said anything, as the arguments otherwise were pretty ugly already.
This time around, he had been curious about Snape's and Dumbledore's reaction to what the potion would reveal, because almost all the purebloods would have a muggleborn witch or wizard as a relation and be descended from them. He had watched as each name had been called and knew Snape was very curious about his mother. He also knew Dumbledore would want to know as well which family had Lily been a part of. Harry was very much looking forward to seeing both their reactions and was hoping for a good laugh about it with Snape later on, and who knew Harry thought, grinning to himself, he could also get away with teasing Snape as well.
Harry waited patiently until his name was called and he went walking swiftly and at the same time, taking care to walk keeping both Snape and Dumbledore in his line of vision. He drank the potion calmly and then poked his finger and let the blood drop on to the parchments and waited for Morgana Prince's name to appear.
Morgana Prince was a squib. The Princes were apparently an affluent family until a few generations ago. They were inordinately proud of their family not unlike the Blacks and they were all Slytherins. Morgana was born some two hundred and odd years ago and she married a muggle called Gartin. It was from that couple that Lily was descended. A few generations later a daughter born in the Gratin family whose name was Primrose and who married another muggle called Thomas Evans. In the Evans line Lily was born, and apart from her no one else until Harry's time had exhibited any magic at all. By the time Primrose married Thomas, the Gratins had completely lost touch with the world of magic and they lived like all other muggles.
The Princes in the meantime had lost their affluence, and slowly they merged with other ordinary wizarding people of no special mention. They lived quietly. A few generations later Eileen Prince, Snape's mother was born into that family. She was the only daughter of Socrates Severus Prince and Xarina Rosemerta Prince. She married a muggle, Tobias Snape. The elderly Princes were furious and refused to have anything to do with their daughter and grandson, and died without seeing their grandson even once.
Harry blinked as the parchment came up with the name of Morgana Prince and looked at Snape and Dumbledore. A second later he started to laugh at their expressions.
Snape got up early that morning, with almost a spring in his step. He was going to know Lily's family. Harry did not look worried or thoughtful; so Snape concluded that Lily's family was someone whom Harry approved of. He had wondered over and over about which family Lily was a part of and he had placed his bets on a few of them. The only families he could think of were the Dumbledores, Potters, Blacks and Malfoys.
Harry had also told him, he wanted to see Snape's reaction and that he thought it would be extremely funny, so it was a family Harry was comfortable with and yet would shock Snape. Well, Snape decided all these families would shock him nicely, but now that he almost knew; he was instinctively a good guesser after all and he would not be shocked and he would NOT give Harry Potter the chance to create a Patronus using his reaction. With such determination burning in his chest, Severus Snape smirked to himself and got ready for the day.
Dumbledore was told by Snape that the potion would be ready by the end of the week and Dumbledore had been very happy. From that time onwards his mind had started wandering. Whose family did Lily belong to? He knew in his family there were no squibs, but then his mother was a muggleborn, and perhaps there may be something in that. Perhaps Harry was related to him. On that thought assailing him, Dumbledore became very much excited. He slowly calmed down later, but the thoughts of the Saturday and Potions were never far away all that week and on Saturday, he also woke in a suppressed state of excitement. He had initially been very curious about Harry, but slowly, he had come to like the boy very much. Harry intrigued him and made him think, especially about his confidence and his very clear thinking and dynamic actions, but he realized that he also like the boy a lot and would not mind him as a relative.
The morning slowly arrived for Snape, Harry and Dumbledore. Snape and Dumbledore got up very early that morning and were one of the first ones to come to the Great Hall.
'Good Morning Severus.' Dumbledore said cheerily. 'Today is the big day where we will once and for all put an end to all this muggle born discrimination. I am very happy, Severus.'
Snape sneered, but kept quiet. McGonagall though was curious. 'For the children Albus? Yes. This will hopefully stop all the dogmatic opinions that most purebloods seem to favour.'
Dumbledore nodded and then smiled widely again. 'I am wondering if I will be related to anyone here, I would like to be related to Harry, he is the child I know best among all children in the School and he is a delightful child.'
Snape almost laughed outright at that. Delightful child was something he would not use with Harry. But then, to be fair to Dumbledore, Snape knew much more about Harry than Dumbledore, well, this time at least. Instead he sneered.
'I also thought about just who may be related to whom. While I could care less about whom Potter is related to, I sincerely hope Lily will be related to someone decent. Not any of the death eaters or the Blacks or any Slytherin, in fact.'
Dumbledore simply stared at Snape, before he blinked once and looked away. He was shocked. Snape was speaking almost normally about Lily. In the past years, Dumbledore had never heard Snape utter the word Lily, after Snape met him in his office, shortly after Lily's death. The last thirteen years, Dumbledore could count on one hand, how many times Snape would have spoken of Lily and mentioned her by name. And yet, today, Snape was talking normally about her as he would about Minerva or some one else. Dumbledore was amazed and decided not to comment on it and draw Snape's attention, lest he went back to his old ways, where he suffered as much as he Dumbledore did with the fallout with Grindelwald. Dumbledore's eyes clouded for a minute, before he shrugged off memories that still had the power to hurt him, decades after they happened and smiled at Snape and Minerva.
'Oh, I would not mind a Slytherin who is not working for Voldemort, Severus. I only hope whoever it may be would treat him as family. He has Sirius and Remus as well, but this would be blood family and if they are above suspicion, we could ask them to stay with Harry for a few weeks in the holidays, so that the blood protection he lost because of not staying at the Dursleys can be negated.'
'I thought he was well protected here.' Snape asked him, with a frown.
'He is, but at Privet Drive, there was a blood protection that came from Lily's blood Severus. That was powerful and to have such a protection would be wonderful. Harry is safe at Grimmauld Place though, do not worry.' Dumbledore told him and smiled as he watched the sneer flash on Snape's face.
'Worry, about Harry Potter. Dumbledore, you are joking surely.' Snape told him and turned away as the doors of the Great Hall opened and students walked in, all of them in a suppressed state of excitement.
The professors too, were very excited as well and after breakfast, they started with the Potion, deciding to call from the seventh year and go year by year, and they called out names one by one and slowly they finished with the seventh years, and came to the sixth years and worked their way down.
Snape was using his Occlumency to the fullest when Harry's name came closer and closer and then suddenly it was Harry's turn. 'Potter, Harry.' McGonagall called and Snape watched as Harry stood up smartly and walked very coolly to the staff table and take the potion and let a drop of blood fall on to the parchments. Snape and Dumbledore watched with fascination and then were completely shocked and taken aback when they saw the name of Morgana Prince.
Harry was related to a Slytherin and that Slytherin was none other than Severus Snape!
Dumbledore could not believe his eyes that had become wide with shock and his mouth open and hanging rather unattractively. Snape in the meantime had watched intently as the names appeared with threads shooting up and down between the names and saw the name that had separated from the wizarding family and gone into the muggle world because she was not accepted there. Morgana Prince! One of his ancestors from his own family had turned away one child because she could not do magic. And Lily was descended from her and Harry was her son. Lily was related to him, Snape! And Snape after that thought could not think. He looked at Harry in total shock and staggered back and abruptly sat down on a chair, his mind completely at a standstill and unable to work.