Harry wakes at Prince Manor after two days asleep and walks straight into the talk he has avoided for years. Over breakfast, Severus Snape calmly dismantles Harry’s cover stories, reveals the Dursleys have been paid to keep him, and presses for the truth about scars, panic, and neglect. What follows is quiet triage for a shaken teen, a measured promise of protection, and something rarer: memories of Lily and the Evans grandparents, complete with a gifted photo and a treasured book. Snape refuses pity, offers steadiness, and makes it clear Harry will never face this alone again.