Disclaimer: I do not own Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, or Fawkes. Harry Potter is J.K. Rowling's and I am ridiculously jealous.
SCC's Note: This is supposed to take place in the summer between Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Defense Against the Dark-Arts
A man with shoulder-length, greasy black hair and a prominent hooked nose walked down an empty hallway. His booted feet beneath his standard black robes echoed on the marble floors. He approached a rather large statue of a Griffin and stopped before it. The usual snarl on his face contorted and with great restraint he muttered "Jelly Beans."
The statue before him leapt forward, nearly hitting the man, and revealed a marvelous wooden staircase. He walked forward and the Griffin statue closed with a snap behind the hem of his robe.
After a rather short walk up the stairs he reached a wooden door. He opened the door without knocking and walked into the room.
"You wanted to see me Headmaster?" He said, addressing an old man sitting at the desk with his back to the window that faced the castle grounds. The man looked quite unusual. He was dressed in violet robes etched with silver leaves and a matching hat covered his long white hair that disappeared below the desk.
The man smiled with an apologetic look shining in his blue eyes through his half-moon spectacles. He looked at the man down his twisted nose, a hard thing to manage as the man was still standing. "Yes Severus." He replied in his kindly voice. "Have a seat."
The man named Severus obliged and ungracefully took a seat in the cushy, red chair. He noted that the Headmaster seemed to be a bit downtrodden these days. The man with the white hair smiled sadly.
"You applied for the position of the Defense Against the Dark-Arts professor again I see." He began, rising from his chair and pacing in front of the window. Severus did not reply. "You might wonder why I never take you up on this position, as a new Potions Master would be far easier to ascertain, would it not?"
"Yes, Professor Dumbledore." Severus muttered from underneath his curled lips. He brushed his oily hair out of his face distractedly.
The Headmaster did not ask which point he was answering to. He continued to talk as if he had not heard the man's words. "Every year I so finely avoid informing you of why. But with the current…circumstances of our world, I think it is high time I explain my reasons."
Severus responded to this a bit, his eyes darting to the old man's face, but as usual controlled most signs of his anticipation. The Headmaster turned around and placed his long fingers on the back of his chair. He paused for a second as if searching for the right words, then began to speak slowly. "You see Severus, I do trust you. You came back to the light before Voldemort lost his powers, and have worked in our service ever since. You still fight hard for the Order and have not thought of returning to the Dark Lord. But…" Here Dumbledore paused here and seemed to be lost in thought.
Severus sat impatiently in the chair, readjusting himself to try and get comfortable in the overstuffed chair. He wanted to tell the old man to hurry up, but knew better than to do. Dumbledore always worded things very carefully. Finally the Headmaster seemed to think of the right words to say, and continued on with his explanation. "Severus, I keep you as Potions Master because that is a good place for you to stay. I know you are also talented in the Defense Against the Dark-Arts area, oh, extremely talented, but it is not perhaps the best place for you to be. If I were to let you become the Defense Against the Dark-Arts Professor, I would fear for your temper."
Severus betrayed his will and a look of surprise darted across his face. "But-" he began, leaning forward in his chair. Dumbledore held up his long fingers telling the professor to stop protesting. "Do not argue with me Severus. I know you understand what I mean. Look at how you reacted when Harry-"
"The boy dug into my private thoughts Dumbledore. Surely you understand-" His usual pale face had grown white, and his voice grew venomously quite. His fingers were clinched around the armchair.
"Let his curiosity get the better of him." Dumbledore finished his sentence. "You cannot hold a grudge on this boy for what his father did to you." He glanced at Severus, and the words at the tip of the younger professor's tongue died. "You were no innocent bystander Severus."
Severus leapt up from the chair. "Surely Headmaster, Surely you do not agree with what they did to me." His tongue felt suddenly parched and he looked at the old man.
"Do not be foolish Severus." Dumbledore replied calmly. "What I said was that you also attacked them and shared an equal hatred. You, however, cannot let this hatred carry on to an old enemy's son. You know very well that one cannot choose their blood lines, and that one chooses how they are to be."
Severus nodded and looked at the rich wooden floors of the Headmasters circular office. He heard a fluttering sound and started when a steady weight suddenly landed on his left shoulder. He looked over to see a golden-red bird resting on his black robes.
Dumbledore paid no attention to his mythical bird. "James was a good man Severus."
Severus looked at Dumbledore, unsure of what he was getting at.
"He would have eventually asked for an apology if you would accept."
Severus looked at his Headmaster, at a loss for words, cruel or genial. He looked at the phoenix, sure that it had been nodding in agreement with his owner. After a moment he regained his wits. "Pardon, Headmaster. You cannot be sure of this." He still seemed in deep shock.
"Yes I can Severus. In his final weeks before his untimely demise, he mentioned to me several times that he wished you two could solve your differences." He paused, then he added "The strongest bond is not hate Severus" with a meaningful look.
Severus sunk into a chair. "If he was willing to not be so…like he was," He stammered, still not quite believing what Dumbledore had said, "then why was Black still like he always was?" He finished, careful not to add 'insufferable git'.
Dumbledore seemed to know his unspoken words. "Sirius went to Azkaban still young, and he never had the chance to mature. He might have Severus, had he had the chance to contemplate life. He always was more stubborn than James."
Sneering, Severus muttered something under his breath. Dumbledore seemed to understand what the professor said and gave him a reproving, kind but still reproachful, glance. "Remember Severus, that you were not willing to forgive either of these men."
The Potions Master rose and almost muttered an apology. Instead he looked at his boss and nodded his head. Dumbledore seemed to accept this and said nothing. Severus was not done though. "Why – why are you telling me this Dumbledore?" The phoenix on his shoulder squeezed his talons into the man.
The Headmaster smiled, finally noticing his bird. "Fawkes would like you to remember what I am about to say. I am not telling you this so that you will be nicer to Harry. Though I wish you would, I do not expect it. Do not be too hard on the boy though. Remember he has lost much, and the fate on the world rests on his future. No, this is not the meaning." He paused and Fawkes the phoenix flew over and landed on Dumbledore's curled had. "In times of war Severus, men must learn profound things. You may go." Dumbledore sat down on his chair and began to flip through papers, looking deep in concentration.
Knowing that it would be useless to question the old man more, Severus turned to take his leave.
Dumbledore cleared his throat, causing Severus to look back. "You may have the job." Dumbledore smiled then waved his hand in dismissal.
Severus left the Headmaster's quarters more confused than excited about his appointment to his new position.