The story of Severus Snape from fifth year onwards. What if he had a friend who tried to help him win Lilly back, a friend who would stick with him while he loses Lilly Evans over and over again. As told by that person to Harry when he tries to find out more about the man who saved his life for the love of his mother.
I do not own Harry potter or the characters in this apart from Caliope. (said cal-i-o-pee)
Harry stood in the headmaster's office of Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry wearing his best, black dress robes. It was the first time he had been back to Hogwarts since the final battle, it had been almost a month and he had worn the same robes most days since. Funerals were plentiful for those lucky enough to have found the bodies of their loved ones. This was the last funeral of the victims of that night; well it wasn't so much a funeral, more a memorial for those unlucky enough to be lost. Harry felt a weight lift of his chest as they read the names of those lost, like it was finally over, he had taken the stand himself and delivered a speech for Severus Snape. The man he had spent most of his time at Hogwarts hating, the man who had given everything to protect him over the years with no thanks.
It had dawned on Harry as he left the podium that he knew very little about the man apart from the fact he had loved Harry's mother, hated his father and ultimately brought about a way to defeat the dark lord. Harry had mentioned this to a few of his old professors who had worked with him, but all he found out was that Severus Snape was quite possibly the most closely guarded and private man in the wizarding world. He supposed that he would have to be to carry around such secrets and lie to such a powerful man for so long. There was a glimmer of hope for Harry's search for information; professor McGonagall had asked him to meet her in the headmaster's office after the service.
"Oh Potter you're here already, good." McGonagall looked tired and older; her face was still slightly puffy from crying during the service. "Take a seat please Potter" she motioned to the desk and Harry seated himself across from the headmasters chair. He had not thought about it but she would now be the headmaster of Hogwarts, when it re opened of course, it was going to take longer than a month to clean up the mess left by the final battle. "Now I know you have come here expecting answers from me but I am afraid that even after sixteen years teaching together I knew little of the man apart from his opinions on academic subjects and the way he takes his tea." She could see the disappointment cross Harrys face. "Threat not Harry, I have not called you up here just to tell you that. I have taught at Hogwarts for almost fifty years and there are things I remember from his youth, particularly one person who would know a lot more about him than I. If you are going to get any information about the man he was behind the part he played then she will be your best bet" She handed him a piece of parchment with a name and an address on it. "Good luck mister Potter, I am confident that if anybody is going to get to the bottom of whom he really was it is you."
Looking down at the parchment Harry's brow furrowed, surly there was some sort of mistake. The house he stood in front of was a three story townhouse in the middle of the countryside, surrounded by miles of open fields and forests. It was also completely decrepit, the paint was peeling, and the windows covered in cobwebs with no glass in them, the front steps looked too dangerous to even contemplate climbing. He looked again at the name written. "Caliope Whentworth?" He mused out loud.
A rush of air hit him square in the face knocking him to the ground, as he looked back to the house he drew in a breath in shock. The house had transformed from a decrepit mess into a stunning work of art. The glass in the windows shimmered purple and pink, the paint work was pristine and the steps up to the house were white marble. He heard footsteps coming towards the front of the house and the front door swung open. "What are you doing on my land?" Said a stern voice as a cloaked figure took the steps two at a time their wand pointing directly at Harrys head. "Who are you? What do you want?" Said the voice as the figure stood over him.
"My name is Harry Potter, I'm here to see Caliope Whentworth, I was told she could tell me more about Severus Snape." The wand pointing at him instantly dropped. The figures voice was softer when it finally spoke again. "Of course you are…" A hand extended from under the cloak and helped him to his feet. "I suppose you know now about how he…" the voice trailed off. "Was in love with my mother? Yes"
They stood there for a few moments in silence both being completely still, the cloaked figure lowered her hood and looked up into Harrys face. The older woman was beautiful, she had soft brown eyes and pale skin, wrinkles around her eyes and mouth showed she was older, maybe in her late thirties. How had this woman gone to school with Snape, she was clearly too young, McGonagall had to be mistaken. The woman's eyes went wide and she gasped. "He was right." She said with a small smile as she looked up into Harry's eyes. "Exactly like your mothers."
She turned on her heel and walked back up the marble steps. "Come inside Harry, I know you must have lots of questions." They entered the house and were instantly met by the smell of baking. Caliope removed her cloak and hung it on a hook just inside the door; she motioned for him to do the same. She had straight thick brown hair down to her waist, her frame was slim but curvy and she stood at about the same height as Harry.
Harry followed her into a large living room which had comfortable looking furniture in dark reds and brown's, the room was lit with candles and lamps giving it a homely feel. The room was ordinary by most counts but Harry noticed as he sat down most of the surfaces were covered in baked goods such as muffins and scones. "When I'm stressed or upset I bake and as you can imagine I've been very upset for the last month. Help yourself to anything you like they were all made today." She sat down opposite him. "So, what would you like to know about Severus?"
"I didn't really think to be honest; I just wanted to know what he was really like, what he was like with my mother. I know he loved her but surely that couldn't have been everything to him…surely he had to have…I don't know" Harry stumbled over his words. He looked down at his hands then up at Caliope.
"You want to know that here was something more for him, that he didn't die having never know happiness and love?" she enquired. "Yes, exactly…was there someone else? Was he happy?...what was your relationship to him?"
"I was his closest friend…after your mother of course. We didn't even meet until after they stopped talking. You see we were both in love with people we could not have, we became close, confided in each other." She looked sad, she motioned to the wall behind her and he saw a picture of the two of them, it looked like they were in their late teens, stood on top of a mountain smiling out at him. "we did our around the world trip together, I was there when for him when your mother got married, when you were born, when she died…and in return he was there for me when I needed him most. We never loved each other…not like that. I believe there are people out there that are good matches for each other, that are compatible, but I think that we have soul mates. If you are lucky enough to meet your soul mate then nobody will ever compare to them." She looked up at Harry; her eyes looked tired and sad. "Lilly was his soul mate, I found my soul mate too. We couldn't have them, so we sought comfort with each other…he was my best friend" Her face sunk and tears started to spill down her cheeks. "I'm sorry" she said wiping them away.
"I don't mean to pry." Harry leant forward, taking her hands in his. "If it's not too much of a bother I would like to know more about him, his life, your relationship, his relationship with my mother. If it's too much I can come back…" He was cut off. "No, no don't be silly. I put some damn good charms on this house it must have taken you a long time to find it I can't send you home. Of course I will tell you, do you want me to start from when we first became friends or would you rather I told you about him and your mother? I could tell you about the last time I saw him…Merlin…it was only six weeks ago. I think he knew his time was coming to a close, it felt like he was saying goodbye."
He knew this wasn't going to be easy on her, he could also sense that she needed to talk to someone. "From the beginning if that's ok?" he said. She smiled.
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