Memories
Summary: One shot. Albus and Severus snap shots through the years. Father/Son relationship. What could have been. AU.
Disclaimer: Knock. Knock. Who's there? JK. JK who? Just kidding it isn't JKR here to give me full rights to her characters. Therefore, I own nothing.
AN: Basically a could-have-been story.
Flash
"They said it was abuse?" Albus Dumbledore was standing in St. Mungo's looking into a room that held a small child with black hair and a hooked nose.
"Yes, the healers that examined him said it was quite vicious what they did to him, but he hasn't spoken a word." The healer, a young man roughly the age of 25 told him.
"You mean his father" Albus said, not taking his eyes off the boy sitting in a bed, reading.
"Excuse me?" The healer asked confused.
"You said it was vicious what they did to him. It wasn't his parents, it was his father. His mother stepped in front of him and took the bullet for her son. She would never lay a finger on the boy." Albus spoke, his anger at the young healer slightly rising.
"I'm sorry sir. They didn't tell me anything about what happened. Just said the boy came from a violent home. You have my fullest apologies sir."
Albus said nothing, but continued to stare at the young boy reading.
"The Ministry said that all charges would be dropped. They agreed it was only self defense. I think it helps he hasn't started Hogwarts yet."
"Indeed. How did he arrive again?" He watched as the boy's sleeve fell down his arm as he was reading. It was covered in scars.
"He just showed up here, covered in blood. I guess he some how managed to accidently apparate here. I don't know how that's possible. The farthest anyone has accidently apparated is the roof of their house! He has to be a powerful wizard, one more powerful than any of us have seen in years. You can expect great things to come from that lad." The healer spoke as if he had just heard what the boy did, obviously amazed.
Albus once again said nothing, but stared at the boy's book. It was a potions book. One far advanced for a first year, little lone a child.
"Is it true? What their saying the boy did? Did he really…" The healer's voice was quiet. Almost as if he hadn't wanted anyone to answer.
"Yes. His father was no doubt killed by the curse" Albus stated gravely.
The healer looked slightly scared by the news. He too was now staring at the boy with unevenly cut long black hair.
"How can someone use the killing curse at that age, wandlessly none the less? How would he even know the curse to cast it?" The healer had paled a great bit. He looked away from the boy. His faced show signs that he was about to be ill.
"It appears that his mother owned some dark books. It is said that they found them in his room." Albus spoke, but ignored the first question.
"A wandless killing curse though! Not even Grindelwald was able to accomplish that. Thank Merlin for that, but if a boy can do it, whose to stop the next dark wizard that comes along?" The young healer grew even paler.
"Nothing" Albus replied, but he wasn't paying any attention to the healer who was now leaning over a nearby trashcan. He was looking at the boy. The boy was looking at him, the boy with onyx eyes.
Flash
"Ah, Albus, so good to see you!" Minster of Magic, Millicent Bagnold, stood in front of Albus Dumbledore, hand stretched. "Everything has been cleared with the counsel. All you have to do is sign the dotted line!"
Albus accepted his hand and was rewarded with a beaming smile from Bagnold.
"Do you happen to have a quill? It appears I sat on mine and it snapped." Albus spoke lightly.
"Yes, yes of course." Bagnold began searching his pockets. "Ah, here it is!" He handed over a bright pink feathered quill. "Are you sure you want to do this Albus?" Bagnold spoke more seriously this time.
"I am sure. I will take the boy and we will stay at Hogwarts. I will be able to instruct him there to control his magic. It will be for the best."
"Well, alright then. Just sign this bottom line here."
Bagnold pointed to the indicated line and Albus signed with the bright pink quill.
Flash
Albus was standing just outside the boy's room at St. Mungo's again. He sat back and watched the boy as he packed what little things he owned in a bag.
As the boy zipped the bag shut and grabbed his potion book from the nightstand, he walked toward the door.
"Ready my boy?" Albus spoke warmly.
The boy only nodded in reply and began walking down the hall to the entrance. Albus placed and hand on his shoulder, allowing the boy to guide him.
When they walked out the doors, Albus wrapped his arm across the boy's shoulders, holding him tight and apparated away.
Flash
They appeared in front of Hogwarts' gate. A figure approached, half giant, half man, a set of keys dangling from his humongous hand. He opened the gates and gave a warm smile to the young boy next to Dumbledore.
"Hello there little fellah! I'm Rubeus Hagrid and you are?" The giant man voice was gruff, but held nothing but warmth in it.
"Severus Snape." The boy spoke in a monotone, but held out his hand to shake.
The man called Hagrid accepted it with two of his fingers and shook it slowly. He glanced up at Dumbledore, who allowed a small chuckle to escape from his lips.
Hagrid released the boy's hand and turned to face Dumbledore. "I just repaired the carriage, so it should move nice and easy for ya."
"Thank you Hagrid. I'm sure we'll be down for a visit in few days once we are all settled in." Then Albus shifted his attention to the young boy next to him. "Come on Severus, we are going to ride up to the castle if that's okay with you. I'm afraid my legs aren't what they used to be and it is terribly hot outside today."
The boy nodded and they began their walk toward the carriage. Suddenly the boy stopped and ran back. "It was nice meeting you Mr. Hagrid."
Hagrid flashed him a smile. "It was nice meeting you to Severus. Just Hagrid will do though. I'll tell ya what, in a few day once ya get all settled in ya can come down here and I'll take ya to see a baby unicorn! How 'bout it?" He glanced up at Dumbledore who gave him a small nod, sealing his approval.
"That would be great Hagrid." The boy gave him a small smile and ran back to Dumbledore's side.
Albus waited for him and grabbed hold of the boy's hand and they finished their walk to the carriage.
Suddenly the boy stopped. "Albus, what are they?" The boy asked quietly.
Albus looked sadly down at the young boy. "They are Thestrals."
Flash
A young Severus runs down the hall and stops in front of a small statue.
"Blood Pops!" He states loudly and hops on the spiral staircase that begins to move upwards.
Once the stairs stop, the boy gets off and runs into an office. "Albus! Albus! You should have come, it was amazing! The unicorn was so little and Hagrid and I got to feed it!" Severus spoke fast and out of breath.
"Take deep breaths my boy. We wouldn't want you to pass out on the floor from lack of oxygen. Have some water too." Albus smile and conjured a cup before filling it with water from the tip of his wand.
The boy grabbed the cup thankfully and downed half of it in a gulp. "Thanks, but you should have been there Albus! It was amazing. We fed the unicorn some flowers and then we saw a centaur! Have you ever seen one Albus? He could speak and he was really friendly too!"
Albus just smiled at the boy who continued to go through the rest of his day's events.
Flash
A young Severus was standing in Albus' office silently crying when Albus himself walked in.
"Albus! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! It just happened! I swear!" Severus spoke in panic as hot tears streamed down his face.
Albus took no time in rushing to the boy's side and hoisted him up. "Shh, Severus. It's okay, just tell me what happened." The boy let out a sob. "Please Severus calm down and just tell what you didn't mean to do." Albus rubbed small circle of the boy's back as the boy released another sob.
"Your bird! Fawkes! I killed him! I killed him just like I did my father. Except my father hurt me and Fawkes didn't! I swear I didn't mean too! Please Albus you have to believe me! I didn't mean to kill him! Just please don't send me to Azkaban! Please!" Severus sobbed.
Albus let out a small chuckle and Severus looked up in surprise.
"How can you laugh? I killed Fawkes!" Severus said with a mixture of sadness, confusion, and a little bit of anger.
"Severus, my dear boy, you didn't kill Fawkes. It's just his burning day."
"Burning day? What's that?" Severus said. His sobs dying down some and he wiped some of his tears away with his sleeve.
"Come on, let's sit down alright." Albus moved the slightly too heavy boy toward his seat behind his desk. "Fawkes is phoenix Severus. A phoenix lives until a certain point in their life and then they pass away. Once that day comes they burn up and are then reborn from their ashes. So, you see Severus, Fawkes didn't die, not really, you just happened to come across him on a burning day. So, there you see it's alright."
"He's going to be okay?"
"That he is my boy that he is. In fact, I bet if you go over there right now he probably is already sitting in the ashes."
Severus hopped off Albus' lap and raced toward the perch that Fawkes usually stood on and sure enough when Severus looked in, a little Fawkes was sitting in his ashes and let out a small "Squawk".
Albus moved over toward him and together they watched the little bird move around.
"Wow."
"Indeed" was Albus' reply and he reached up and patted the boy's head.
Flash
"Slytherin!" The sorting hat yelled and Severus jumped off from the stool, refusing to make eye contact with the head table. He walked over to the Slytherin table and shook hands with one of the Slytherin prefects known as Lucius Malfoy.
Severus ate his dinner quietly, not speaking a word to anybody and not looking up where he could feel the old man's eyes watching him.
When everybody was dismissed from the hall and ordered to head down to their dormitories, Severus hung back.
When the hall was clear of students, he looked up toward the head table, but the man he was looking for wasn't there.
Instead he felt someone pat his shoulder and slip into the seat beside him. They sat together for awhile, not saying anything.
Finally, not being able to stand the silence, Severus spoke up.
"I'm sorry Albus. I didn't mean to disappoint you." He said silently, on the verge of tears.
"Disappoint me? How did you disappoint me Severus?" Albus spoke asked calmly, but knowingly.
"I was sorted into Slytherin, not Gryffindor. I know you wanted me to be in Gryffindor and I understand if you want to get rid of me and send me off to an orphanage" refusing to allow his tears to fall.
"My boy, I never want to be rid of you or send you off to an orphanage and I am most certainly not disappointed in you. In fact, I'm a little disappointed in myself for not making it clear to you in the first place that I don't care what house you're in. You will always be my boy."
Severus looked up in surprise and a few tears streamed down his face.
"You promise?" Severus asked.
"I promise." Albus said giving his a small smile. "Lemon Drop?" He asked and reached into his pocket and pulled one out.
Severus nodded and took one from his hand before placing it in his mouth.
"They're my favorite." Severus said before hugging Albus.
"I know. They're mine too."
Flash
Albus ran down the hall and came rushing into the hospital wing.
"Where is he Poppy? Is he alright?" Albus spoke fast and worriedly.
"He has a minor concussion, but nothing major." Upon noticing his pointed look she added. "He is fine Albus, the scaring is bad, but the boy is fine. You'll just have to keep a closer eye on him. Now, I have to go deal with Mr. Potter's gash that Severus gave him by the lake. Severus is in the last bed on the right. His usual spot." Poppy stated and rushed into her office where James was presumably being held.
"Severus? Severus are you alright? Poppy told me about what she saw. Severus? Why did you do it? Why did you hurt yourself?" Albus said a he sat down on the side of Severus' bed, whose back facing him.
"Severus, please. Please talk to me. Why did you hurt yourself? Please, Severus, speak to me about it. Explain to me why you hurt yourself." Albus said while running his hand up and down Severus' back.
Severus turned around to face him, silent tears streaming down his face.
"You let them hurt me! You let them hit me! You promised me when I was younger that you would never allow anyone to do that again! They took my pants off today Albus! They took my pants off today in front of half the school by the lake! They hung me upside down and took my pants off. Not just my trousers, but my pants! I told you over and over again that they bully me and all you do is give them a slap on the wrists! You talk to them about it and take some silly points away! That doesn't stop them! They still hit me, or hex me, or tease me! All you do is sit in your office and let them prance around the school doing whatever they want! I thought you cared for me! I thought you loved me." Severus spoke the last bit quietly, almost beyond Albus' hearing capabilities.
Albus reached over and grabbed Severus, holding him to his chest as the boy cried. "I do love you Severus! I love you so much. I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I love you Severus, I do. I promise to make it better! Just please don't hurt yourself anymore! Please Severus! Promise me you won't hurt yourself anymore! I need you Severus, my boy. My boy, I love you!" Albus spoke slowly rocking Severus back and forth in his lap. He rubbed circles down the boys back, allowing his own tears to fall.
Flash
"How could you Albus! Detention! That's it! You gave them detention! Sirius Black tried to kill me Albus! He tried to kill me! You let a werewolf on the grounds of a school and allowed him and his friends to go gallivanting around the place during a full moon telling whomever they want to go to the Whomping Willow. Just place your hand on the knot of the tree, sneak down into the tunnel and then their will be a surprise for them! That's what he told me and it was a surprise all right! It was a bloody werewolf! They tried to kill me or worse make me into one of those things! How could you let a werewolf run loose! This is a school! There are children here! Then the werewolf slips up, tells his buddies, and then they try and kill me!"
Severus was pacing in front of his guardian desk in his office. Finally he stopped and looked at Albus more calmly.
"Albus they tried to kill me. They tried to kill me and you're letting them get away with it. How could you Albus? How could you let them get away with it? You promised me once that you would make things better, that you would stop them from hurting me, that you loved me. Now I see that you lied, about all those things. You hurt me Albus. I just hope one day you regret your choices because you've just lost me Albus and you won't get me back."
"Mr. Potter saved you Severus! You may owe him a life debt, but he saved you! Your safe now Severus! Severus, please. It had to be done please Severus! They would have killed Remus if I told the Ministry! Who am I to decide who should live and who should die? That's not fair Severus! I am not God nor will I play it!" Albus spoke from behind his desk.
"You just traded my life for Remus' Albus. I'm dead to you now. You dug your grave and now you must lie in it."
Severus turned on his heel to leave.
"Severus."
He stopped.
"I'm sorry Severus, so sorry."
Severus looked at the old man's pleading eyes and left.
Flash
A young man with black hair and a hooked nose ran into the Hogwarts castle. He raced up the marble hallway until he reached a statue.
"Blood Pops! Betie Botts! Chocolate frogs! Uh, Acid Pops! Uh Pepper Imps! Uh… Come on open up! Uh Liquorices Wands! Ice Mice!" Severus paced outside the gargoyle trying to get him to open up.
"Lemon Drops!"
The gargoyle statue began to move and Severus climbed onto the stairs.
When he entered he saw the old man sitting at his desk reading some piece of parchment.
Without looking up he spoke. "I assume you told you master about the Prophesy. Having regrets? Have you finally seen what a monster he is? You came to me asking for a teacher's position. I was so happy that you came to me. I thought that after all this time that my boy was finally going to come home. That my boy was going to come back to me." He paused and set down the paper he was holding, still refusing to look up. "People told me you would turn dark when I took you in. People told me you would turn dark when you entered Slytherin. People told me you would turn dark when you hung out with those pure blooded brain washed boys. Then people told me you had turned dark, that you became one of his followers. I still didn't believe them. I was blinded by my love for you, my boy, my son. Then you have the nerve to prove me wrong. You spy on me during a meeting and run off. I knew you had gone to him. How could I have not seen it before? My boy, my son, a death eater. I bet you're his favorite now. Tell me who is he going after? Is it the Longbottoms? No, of course not Lily Potter is pregnant, the wife of your enemy. You would have steered him that way. Now, here you are, in my office. Tell me Severus, are you feeling guilty? I don't see how, one who is soulless cannot feel guilt."
Albus was standing now, anger exuding off him. He was refusing to look at Severus as he paced across his office.
"Tell me Severus why are you here! Tell me why I shouldn't call the Aurors right now to come and take you away! Tell me why, now! Why not all those times I pleaded with you in your dormitory, or over the holidays, or on your birthday, or every time I saw you! I begged you to forgive me! To give me a chance! You refused! Now tell me why I should give you a chance to even explain to me why I should help! Why!" Albus was looking at him now with pure rage. The twinkle that used to be there was gone.
"Because I owe a life debt to Potter. Because I'm sorry. Because I know what he is now! He's a monster who does nothing, but hurt people for his own pleasure! He tortured a little girl to death the other day and laughed! Laughed! He laughed like it was the funniest joke in the world to him! Albus she couldn't have been more than four years old! Please, I made a mistake! Send me to Azkaban! Just stop him! Please stop him! Please Albus! I'll do anything!" He was now at Albus' feet sobbing.
Albus froze. His son was here not begging him to help him, but to stop Voldemort. He was begging for him to destroy the monster that stole his soul, his chance of happiness. It was his boy, not some stranger trapped in his son's body, but his little boy. He kneeled on the floor and held Severus to him. His own tears falling as he pulled his boy into his lap and held him.
"Alright Severus, alright. Shh, calm down my son. Calm down my boy. I'll help you. Please calm down. Tell me who he's going after Severus. Tell me who he's going after and I'll make it better. I'll make it better."
"The Potters, he thinks it's the Potters. I swear I didn't even know Lily was pregnant! I swear! Please Albus! Please! Help them! Leave me here and go help them!" Severus moved out of Albus' arms and reached for the floo powder hanging off to the side of his fireplace. "Go to them Albus! Go to them now and hide them! You of all people can hide them better than anyone! Please! Go now!" He shoved the container of floo powder into Albus' hands.
Albus stood and walked in front of the fireplace.
"You'll be here when I get back?"
"Always." Severus replied.
Flash
"Severus, I'm sorry. The Potters have been betrayed. They are dead. Severus' I'm so sorry."
Albus was sitting in Severus' rooms in the dungeons. He was holding his son on the black leather sofa that was placed against the wall in front his son's fireplace that he just came out of.
Severus was silently crying in Albus' arms mumbling over and over again "This is all my fault."
Albus' stroked his boy's back trying to console his son. "Shh Severus. It's not your fault. You didn't know. Shh, Severus. My boy, he killed them, not you. It's his fault Severus. Severus, Shh. Calm down my boy."
"Severus, that monster is gone for now and the boy lives. The boy lives Severus, the boy lives."
Flash
"Severus, the boy is coming to Hogwarts next year. We both know Tom is still out there Severus. You will have to look out for the boy, Severus. You owe James a life debt and you will repay it to his son. Is that clear Severus?" They were sitting in the empty staffroom, Albus drinking tea, Severus drinking fire whiskey.
"I know I must watch out for the boy. That doesn't mean I have to be nice to him. I will ensure he lives to the best of my abilities. That is the debt I owe. I'm sure he will be as arrogant as his father." He paused. "If his father had just kept to himself rather than push me around none of this would have ever happened and I could have left the boy alone" Severus spoke bitterly.
"Severus, the boy is not his father, just as you are not your father. However, I asked you to look out for the boy and that is your debt therefore you have no other obligations. I'll ask you to be nice, but you are not required to be."
"Then I will do as required."
Albus sighed, but decided to change the subject.
"Severus I want you to keep a close eye on Professor Quirrell for me. He seems a bit odd since he has come back from his trip."
"Yes, yes, I will also keep an eye on the stuttering turban wearer. I still don't understand why you refused me for the job once again and hired that dunderhead instead."
"In due time Severus, in due time."
Flash
"How could you! You hired that wolf and now look what he's done! Sirius Black has escaped and Lupin about killed three children, including your precious Potter, and me! I warned you about this Albus! Now look what has happened!"
Severus was pacing the floor of the headmaster's office looking livid.
"Me? How could you Severus tell the whole school he was a werewolf? Sirius Black was proven innocent hadn't you heard? It was Peter Pettigrew that betrayed the Potters! You are correct that a guilty man escaped, but it is not Sirius Black!" Albus spat back.
"He may have been proven innocent in the case of the Potters, but he was finally getting what he deserved during our school days! He is still a guilty man!"
"Is that what this is about Severus? This grudge? You only have me to blame for Sirius Black's punishment. I am so sorry for that too Severus. More than you'll ever know."
Flash
A pop was heard and someone appeared on the ground outside of the Hogwarts gates.
"Severus! My boy! Hold still! Your safe now! Hagrid! He's back! Help me get him to the castle!" The half giant appeared and lifted the young man into his arms and began to carry him toward to castle.
"It will be alright, we'll be with Poppy soon, Severus. Everything will be okay!" Dumbledore stated as he ran to keep up with Hagrid's fast pace.
"Albus?" Severus' voice was weak. There was blood all over him. "He believed me Albus. The dark lord believed me. I was welcomed back into his ranks."
Flash
"Occlumency? You want me to teach the boy Occlumency? The boy hates me and I must say the feelings mutual. I have been teaching him Potions for five years now and he hasn't bothered to listen to me, so why me? You if I'm not mistaken are a master of both Occlumency and Legilimency."
"I am busy Severus and you are far better at Occlumency than I am."
"Busy? What have you got planning this time you old fool?" Severus asked.
"I will tell you in time, but for now I need to think and you need to teach the boy. It is very important you teach him Severus. Perhaps the most important thing you will do."
Flash
"How can you ask me to do this? How can you ask me to kill you? I will refuse to. It is my soul. How can you ask me, your only son, to do this?'
"Severus, it must be done. We both know that my time will be over soon anyway. You must do it to save Mr. Malfoy. Please Severus. You must do this and when the time is right, you must tell Harry that he is the final horcrux."
"I do not wish to kill you father, but if this is what you order me to do… But, the boy, how could you raise him like that? You train him to fight, only to lead him to be slaughtered."
"I have never known you to care so much for the boy, Severus."
"Care for him, no, but to lead him to his death, to dehumanize him like a pig? That is what the Dark Lord does. I expected more from you Albus, so much more. But, it's all for the greater good, isn't it?"
Flash
"It is to be done tonight Severus. I must leave the castle with Harry and when we come back, it will only be a matter of time."
"Albus, I am so sorry."
"I love you my dear boy."
"And I love you Albus. Thank you for everything. I will miss you father."
"When did you first notice that you thought of me as a father Severus?"
"When I cast my patronus."
"Really? I don't believe I have ever seen your patronus Severus."
"Expecto Patronum!" At the end of his wand a large figure emerged. The Patronus danced around the room. The Patronus was a phoenix.
Albus smiled at Severus and reached into his pocket.
"Lemon Drop?"
Severus smiled.
"Always."
Flash
Harry Potter pulled out of the pensive. He couldn't believe what he had just seen. Severus Snape had been the one to lead him to the Gryffindor's sword. Not Albus Dumbledore. Albus Dumbledore had died that night in the astronomy tower. He had died at the hands of a man he considered his son till his dying day.
It had all been his plan. Albus Dumbledore's plan for the greater good. He knew what must come next. He would march into the forbidden forest and go to his death. He would ensure Nagini was destroyed and then Voldemort would die once and for all.
He would make sure Severus Snape's death would not be in vain, nor would Albus Dumbledore's, nor anyone else who had died for him in the past, nor anyone who died for him tonight.
He would bring down Lord Voldemort for the final time tonight.
However, as Harry walked out of the office something caught his eye.
On Headmaster Severus Snape's desk was a jar full of Lemon Drops. Taking one out, Harry popped one into his mouth.
He smiled as he descended down the stairs of the office of the two greatest Hogwarts Headmasters, because he knew that tonight they were together again.
As father and son.
AN: Everybody say awe! Wasn't that cute? I thought so. This story just hit me today and I couldn't resist writing it. Feel free to leave a review. I'd like thank everybody who reads this story.
If you see any errors let me know and I'll fix them!
Review please! :)