That was when Harry looked at them and started laughing. Their expressions were too funny and he could just not help it and let himself go. A minute later he calmed himself, thinking it was certainly a Patronus moment, perhaps he could cast even two. He would taunt Snape with this.
'Sir, what is the matter? Is this Morgana Prince related to Voldemort or one of his death eaters?' he asked Dumbledore who choked again and Snape made a strangulated noise that could have been anything from indignation to horror. Harry, feeling he deserved a medal for his acting skills was now showing slight fear and concern, instead of the laughter. 'You and Professor Snape looked so funny, but then I realized, that both of you were shocked and sir, it is a bit scary. Er… please tell me which family this is Sir'
'Harry we will talk after this work is finished. I was slightly shocked. I was in fact hoping you would be related to me.' He said smiling and now it was Harry who choked and coughed. Merlin! Dumbledore thought he would be related to him. A second later though, Harry smiled much moved by that revelation, his green eyes very brilliantly shining in his face. 'Thank you Sir.' He said softly and smiled when Dumbledore beamed at him. He knew Dumbledore loved him, even the last time Dumbledore had loved him as his own; the difference of opinion they had was in his manipulations, where Harry differed in a few decisions, mainly relating to Snape.
'That's okay Harry. You have a new family now and they are as good as you can get. We will talk later. Come to my office as soon as this is over, will you? I will keep this parchment with me for now and give it to you later. Now run to your friends. They are beginning to look anxious.' and smiled once more as Harry nodded and ran off.
Snape was still to speak a word. His black eyes were wide in his face and he had begun to turn blue before he remembered to breathe. Harry grinned to himself, Snape had never expected this; not in a million years, he was still reeling with shock. Harry went to Hermione and sat down nest to her. She had stopped crying, but there were still traces of her fear on her face, that she may have been related to some truly horrible person, and she merely squeezed Harry's hand and looked at him.
'I'll tell you later. It's some family not very well known, apparently. Dumbledore wants me to meet him after this. I'll know then, I think. He'll probably try and contact the Ministry to see if there are living relatives now, I suppose.' She nodded and they turned to the staff table. Snape had got up and was now calling the rest of the names. He did not look at Harry and Dumbledore, but simply went on with his task.
Slowly all the muggleborns and half blood children finished with taking the potion and having their parchments done and Dumbledore dismissed everyone and walked out, looking at Harry, smiling and nodding his head. Snape was walking behind Dumbledore and was looking straight ahead with a huge scowl on his face.
Harry grinned to himself and stood up, and started walking towards Dumbledore and soon joined him and Snape. Snape walked in complete silence and Harry followed suit, but Dumbledore had apparently got over his shock, and was softly humming to himself.
They reached the gargoyle and after a cheery 'cockroach clusters' all three of them went up the stairs to Dumbledore's office and seated themselves. Dumbledore conjured tea, sandwiches, and cakes, handed them around and looked at Harry, who was munching on a sandwich and sipping his tea in great unconcern. Snape on the other hand was now softly growling to himself and muttering things to himself. Suddenly he looked up at Dumbledore.
'I wish to speak to him alone for a second Headmaster. If you will give me permission…' Snape trailed off, looking at Dumbledore in the eye.
Dumbledore looked deeply into Snape's eyes and then sighed and slowly nodded. 'You can take the conference room, Severus.' Snape was already shaking his head. 'No Dumbledore. I will take him down to the potions office or lab. In fact if you will give me permission I will floo down with him from here.'
'Sir?' Harry asked hesitantly and gulped as both of them looked at him, one smiling and the other scowling. 'Is there something wrong in the parchment Sir? Is my mother related to a death eater or Voldemort or someone like that?' he asked as Dumbledore choked on the death eater and Snape glared at him.
'You will know in a minute, Potter as soon as the Headmaster gives us permission to leave.' Snape told him softly, his anger all but vanished from his face and Dumbledore was once again struck at the change in Snape. He was smiling rather nastily and his black eyes were glinting with suppressed anger. Dumbledore was quite worried.
'Perhaps Severus, both of us should speak to Harry.' Dumbledore managed to say, before he was cut off abruptly by Snape.
'You need not worry Headmaster, I will take care of Potter and we will both come and meet you once I finish talking to him. You must grant me this.' Snape told Dumbledore who sighed again and slowly nodded his head, looking at Harry and smiling at him. Harry was looking very worried by now and so was Dumbledore but Snape was very, very calm, a fact that worried Dumbledore even more.
'Both of you will come here after you have finished with him, I hope Severus?' Dumbledore asked him, standing up and walking towards Snape who was already near the fireplace, his hands going to the floo powder. Harry also stood up and walked quietly to the fireplace and stepped into the fire after Snape with the words, 'potions office' after Snape. The last thing he saw was a worried and yet slightly smiling Dumbledore standing there looking at him.
Harry stepped off the fire and followed Snape into his chambers and waited for Snape to extensively ward his already warded to the brim chambers, and watched Snape close the fire place and turn towards him. Harry had in the meantime thrown himself on a sofa and seeing Snape's grim expression, started to laugh.
Snape stood there, his hands folded tightly against his chest and waited for Harry to stop laughing. Harry laughed for a good three minutes, 'Your face, Snape. It was hilarious. I never had so much fun. And Dumbledore looks ugly with his mouth open and hanging with all his face hair getting into it. Ugh!'
'Have you quite finished?' Snape asked him chillingly. Harry smiled and nodded his head. The next second, 'HOW DARE YOU? HOW DARE YOU NOT TELL ME THAT LILY WAS RELATED TO ME.? DID YOU NOT THINK I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO KNOW? HOW COULD YOU KEEP SOMETHING LIKE THIS FROM ME?' and Snape threw a water hex, that hit Harry's face with a strong jet of water and almost choked him.
Harry hurriedly cast the drying charm on himself, coughed and spat out the water from his mouth and turned to Snape.
'I knew you would know anyway. I wanted to see your face, Snape and I am not disappointed. What remains is when Dumbledore calls Sirius and Remus and tells them this. Can you imagine the scene?' Harry started laughing again.
Snape went and sat down opposite Harry and looked at him with disdain. 'Lily knew about this?' he asked abruptly.
Harry stopped laughing. 'Yes and she was very thrilled and slightly upset that she had not known before.'
'Did I speak to her? Why won't you tell me Potter? At least let me go and speak to her now. Activate that portrait for me.' Harry simply gaped at him. Was this Snape or someone else, he wondered. Snape was talking to him as a friend and it simply took Harry's breath away. Okay, so it was a rather petulant friend who was demanding information from him, but the casualness of Snape's speech was nothing short of amazing to Harry.