A/N: In which I partake in a little bit of a tribute to an actor of a character that I didn't appreciate a lot until I was older. R.I.P. Alan Rickman. I may be a day late but that's okay. I'm joining the throng of people who no doubt have already written Snape centered fics because of this horrible tragedy. Just a little one-shot.
Turning furiously down the corridor, he gave no glimmer of a welcome or nod to any passerby who's eyes watched him as he stormed down the hall with his capes billowing behind him. The foolishness of his students always had amazed him but now for Potter to go looking for something as foolish as this…he surely didn't know what to make of the boy. He was certainly the embodiment of James, it felt like there was nothing similar to his mother in him except for his eyes. Nevertheless, Snape was intent upon getting to the boy before he caused any real trouble.
The past few years had been full of this sort of excitement. First, the Dark Lord showing his face on another's the year Harry had arrived, the Chamber of Secrets having been opened, with Tom Riddle to blame, and then the previous year, Sirius escaping from the most highly guarded prison in all of the land. And now-now Potter had finally crossed a line that seemed no one would get him back from. Entering his name in the Goblet of Fire, well, he hadn't exactly, as Snape knew, but being a contestant in the Triwizard tournament was certainly something no one had seen the boy ever achieving.
As the minutes ticked by he continued to race to where Dumbledore was no doubt to be found pondering over the magnificent occurance himself. So determined was Severus that he hardly noticed he was almost past the door to the office before he had already passed it. Coming back, he spoke the password after securing his safety and entered into the stairs that opened before him.
There indeed was the man himself at his desk, sitting in the chair, mumbling under his breath. The reveal had taken place last night and now the whole school was no doubt buzzing about it. Snape knew Potter had something else coming for him this time. Dumbledore looked up as he entered and offered a small nod and a finger to signal he wasn't ready yet to talk. Nodding and standing still, Snape awaited the welcome from the headmaster.
"I see you have come at once, which I agree was the best decision on such a morning as this." Dumbledore nodded slowly, coming to a standing position.
"Seeking your counseling seems to be the only thing a man can do here any longer." He said stoutly, nodding back lightly.
"Yes I do suppose in times like these most teachers do come to me." Once finished considering this, Albus looked at him directly in the eyes. "Now, about this … tournament. We must protect Harry at all costs and I know you know this."
"Whatever it takes." He nodded again.
"And we must get to the bottom of this…mishap. Harry is not aware of why he is a contestant. He doesn't know anything and it appears," at this Albus sat down again, his head landing between his hands, "neither do we."
There was a profound silence for a few moments while Snape began to reconsider how things would have been if he wasn't always looking out for Potter all the time and then slowly collected himself as Albus stood up. It was so early in the morning that he hardly worried about being late, but it appeared the headmaster was very much so and also seemed in the mood for breakfast.
"If we are to protect Harry, I believe we need to solve the mystery. Severus, watch at all times. Be ready. It seems we have a traitor in our midst." Albus said to him as they left the office, glancing around briefly before being greeted by Moody who seemed to be heading directly to the office and giving Snape a look.
Walking away from the two he started to realize he'd directly lied to Dumbledore even if the man knew he probably knew who it had been. Oh yes, he did, but he wasn't going to let the headmaster know as it was his duty not to. Sighing, he turned into the Great Hall and analyzed the amount of commotion that was occurring there, and then abruptly walked out as he remembered he'd not been even headed to breakfast. Since Albus had been very brief, he was left to thinking over the situation at hand until classes began.
Classes, now those were not something he wanted to deal with. The students would be all over each other in excitement and some in rage with what had occurred with Potter. And Potter would get the worst of it no doubt, which he would also turn upon the boy as was required of him. Severus had done his best to keep up the act for the past three years, and he would not lose it.
Storming through the halls once more, he entered into the dungeons and descended down to the classroom, where he sat and waited for the first class. Returning to normal stature, he began class like he always did, ignoring the chatter coming from the Hufflepuffs who were very chatty that day and at one point snapped at them, immediately returning to the lesson. Whatever he did he would make sure the man who had done this wouldn't get away with it. It distracted his students far too much.
A/N: Hopefully that was good enough for everyone. Just a little piece that I made up out of nowhere and as I don't recall much of the books, as I haven't read them in a while, this is what came out of that. Well I hope you enjoyed and please, review, review, review!