A/N: This is a very short POV from Snape, post Chapter 9 for my Quirrel fic, 'Redemption'. It's more of a conversation with Professor Dumbledore. The purpose of these vignettes is to give a little insight into Will, Celly and Severus.....they're essentially 'missing scenes'. It began out as one, this beginning one, but I've since written two more, and with a little encouragement from my fellow writers, I've decided to upload them.
'Redemption Vignettes'
Hogwarts Corridor, 17th November, 1994, 9:01 pm
I'd just come down from the Slytherin commonroom. My Slytherins were in a unusually noisy mood tonight so I threatened them with detentions if they didn't go to bed before at least 11:00. All I wanted to do was just get back to my room, mark some assignments from my fourth year Hufflepuff/Ravenclaw potions class and go to bed. But firstly, to the staffroom, for a cup of coffee.
"Severus! Wait up!"
I stopped, turned around and saw Dumbledore walking quickly to join me.
"Good Evening, Headmaster," I greeted him.
He smiled. "Good Evening, Severus. You needed a hot chocolate too?"
I nearly smirked, but instead smiled warmly at the older wizard. "Professor....I have not had a hot chocolate at least since I was a young boy."
"Well, I think there's nothing better to have before bedtime." he replied, opening the door to the staffroom and letting me in.
"I find that a potion will always help me in getting what I want, Professor."
"Oh," he said, sounding as if I was missing out on something really wonderful.
He wandered to the shelf of china cabinet in the room, took two cups and sat down with me in front of the fire. He handed me one cup, and we took our wands out and began to stir in our drinks with the spells we'd learnt in silence.
"Celestina seemed particularly sad today, Severus. Would you know why?" he asked, looking at me over the rim of his cup.
I remembered the conversation we'd shared the night before, and what I'd said to her about her relationship with Wilton.
"I may have said some things, Headmaster...."
"...pertaining to Halloween night?" he finished my sentence. I looked at him, somewhat astonished, but not entirely unexpectant. He must've noticed my expression, for he gave a small smile and said. "You should know, Severus. I'm quite capable of knowing the events throughout the school. Wilton and Celestina's 'Perfect Night'."
He sighed. "What did you say to her?"
"What I thought was true." I replied.
"And what did she say back?"
I opened my mouth to protest, but he silenced me. "Your mood these last few days has not gone entirely unnoticed by me either, Severus. She must've said something to upset you..."
I stared into my near-full coffee cup at my tired, dismal face. "I talked to Celly last night....she said I didn't understand....and that if I appreciated and took advantage of what I had, Lily would be with me..."
I closed my eyes and felt hot tears stinging them. Lily.....I was so sure she was in love with me...but there was nobody else for her....nobody else but James-Head-Boy-Quidditch-Captain-Prankster-bloody-Potter.
Before I could stop myself, I found the tears streaming down my cheeks. It has been so long since I've shed tears....not since the year after I left Hogwarts. When Lily married James, I cried. Yes, no-one would've thought that strict, harsh Snape would cry. But heavens, I did. For two straight days. In the years afterwards, when I joined the Death Eaters, became a spy for Dumbledore, became a teacher at Hogwarts and saw the fall of Voldemort as a result of Lily's sacrifice for her son, I did not shed a single tear. After all, I had cried all my tears for my losses. Indeed, what was the point of shedding more?
I felt Dumbledore's hand, firm on my shoulder.
"She's wrong, Severus. You know she's wrong! You do know love. Everything you've done for Celestina: telling her about Wilton, telling her what you thought.....it was out of love for her. I suspect the reason she lashed out at you last night was because she's in denial about what that night meant to her, so she took it out on you. Just always remember that she's wrong. You love more deeply than anyone I've ever met."
I felt my tears subside. I patted the wizard's hand and smiled weakly at him. For all the terrible things that were happening in the wizarding world at that time, I felt that all the pain was worth it for all he had said.
"Thankyou, Headmaster."
'Redemption Vignettes'
Hogwarts Corridor, 17th November, 1994, 9:01 pm
I'd just come down from the Slytherin commonroom. My Slytherins were in a unusually noisy mood tonight so I threatened them with detentions if they didn't go to bed before at least 11:00. All I wanted to do was just get back to my room, mark some assignments from my fourth year Hufflepuff/Ravenclaw potions class and go to bed. But firstly, to the staffroom, for a cup of coffee.
"Severus! Wait up!"
I stopped, turned around and saw Dumbledore walking quickly to join me.
"Good Evening, Headmaster," I greeted him.
He smiled. "Good Evening, Severus. You needed a hot chocolate too?"
I nearly smirked, but instead smiled warmly at the older wizard. "Professor....I have not had a hot chocolate at least since I was a young boy."
"Well, I think there's nothing better to have before bedtime." he replied, opening the door to the staffroom and letting me in.
"I find that a potion will always help me in getting what I want, Professor."
"Oh," he said, sounding as if I was missing out on something really wonderful.
He wandered to the shelf of china cabinet in the room, took two cups and sat down with me in front of the fire. He handed me one cup, and we took our wands out and began to stir in our drinks with the spells we'd learnt in silence.
"Celestina seemed particularly sad today, Severus. Would you know why?" he asked, looking at me over the rim of his cup.
I remembered the conversation we'd shared the night before, and what I'd said to her about her relationship with Wilton.
"I may have said some things, Headmaster...."
"...pertaining to Halloween night?" he finished my sentence. I looked at him, somewhat astonished, but not entirely unexpectant. He must've noticed my expression, for he gave a small smile and said. "You should know, Severus. I'm quite capable of knowing the events throughout the school. Wilton and Celestina's 'Perfect Night'."
He sighed. "What did you say to her?"
"What I thought was true." I replied.
"And what did she say back?"
I opened my mouth to protest, but he silenced me. "Your mood these last few days has not gone entirely unnoticed by me either, Severus. She must've said something to upset you..."
I stared into my near-full coffee cup at my tired, dismal face. "I talked to Celly last night....she said I didn't understand....and that if I appreciated and took advantage of what I had, Lily would be with me..."
I closed my eyes and felt hot tears stinging them. Lily.....I was so sure she was in love with me...but there was nobody else for her....nobody else but James-Head-Boy-Quidditch-Captain-Prankster-bloody-Potter.
Before I could stop myself, I found the tears streaming down my cheeks. It has been so long since I've shed tears....not since the year after I left Hogwarts. When Lily married James, I cried. Yes, no-one would've thought that strict, harsh Snape would cry. But heavens, I did. For two straight days. In the years afterwards, when I joined the Death Eaters, became a spy for Dumbledore, became a teacher at Hogwarts and saw the fall of Voldemort as a result of Lily's sacrifice for her son, I did not shed a single tear. After all, I had cried all my tears for my losses. Indeed, what was the point of shedding more?
I felt Dumbledore's hand, firm on my shoulder.
"She's wrong, Severus. You know she's wrong! You do know love. Everything you've done for Celestina: telling her about Wilton, telling her what you thought.....it was out of love for her. I suspect the reason she lashed out at you last night was because she's in denial about what that night meant to her, so she took it out on you. Just always remember that she's wrong. You love more deeply than anyone I've ever met."
I felt my tears subside. I patted the wizard's hand and smiled weakly at him. For all the terrible things that were happening in the wizarding world at that time, I felt that all the pain was worth it for all he had said.
"Thankyou, Headmaster."