The start of the school term brought much excitement. Everyone was exited about meeting new students, learning more magic and seeing their friends again. One topic that brought much excitement was the new position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Harry Potter who'd had a new teacher every single year since he had started at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was devastated when he heard who the new teacher would be. Severus Snape, a mean and malicious man who d spent most of the last 5 years trying to ruin Harry s life.
Now in his sixth year he had to put up with the man teaching his favorite subject. The Potion Master was a cruel man who enjoyed seeing suffering, especially if it involved Harry. Why couldn't he have stuck to potions? Harry thought to himself bitterly. This was definitely the worst start to the year he could have ever imagined.
The classroom door swung open and Harry tried to sneak in quietly next to his two best friends Ron and Hermione. "You re late Potter, Snape called out from the front of the class. Dear, dear five points from Gryffindor, and on your first day back as well." Harry sighed, he knew that was the first five of many points he would loose in Snape's lessons.
They were learning how to create a firewall between themselves and an opponent. "Potter," snapped Snape. "Would you please like to demonstrate how to perform this spell. Watch yourselves, if he s doing as bad in this class as he was in potions you ll be lucky if he causes you to obtain third degree burns."
Harry looked furious "Incendia," he shouted at his professor. Large flames licked at Snape. The professor managed to douse the flames in time to save his hair from becoming singed . Snape gave Harry such an evil glare, if Harry had not been used to this look then he would have been scared to death.
"What in the name of God where you trying to do? You re supposed to create a barrier not try and burn your opponent to death." Angry comments flew from Snape, each of them bounding off Harry. As much as Severus liked the boy, secretly of course (nobody could know he was human) he was so angry right now. A fist hit Harry straight in the face and he fell to the ground. When he finally realized what he had done it was too late.
"You fucking bastard!" Ron started shouting angrily at his teacher. The whole class was talking about what had just happened. A few of the girls had tears in their eyes and Hermione had rushed to Harry's side. Ron got up and started to try and attack Snape. Creating a magical barrier the professor managed to keep him at bay.
"I fucking hate you, what do you think you re doing." Harry was on his feet and glaring at Snape. "You don't hit students, you just don't do it." Furious he called out "there's a reason you don t have a girlfriend, who could love you?" With one final glare he walked out of the room leaving his teacher and the rest of the class looking stunned.
The next Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson he turned up to he found a supply teacher. He didn't mind, in fact he was extremely pleased that Snape would not be teaching them today. A bruise had formed on his cheek and the whole school had been talking about his last Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson. Maybe the sallow skinned professor had been fired. When Snape had not turned up for any of his lessons for the next two weeks people really started talking. He hadn't even turned up to any meals, everyone was confused. "I hope he s dead," Ron said hopefully. "After what he did to you I wouldn't blame someone for trying to kill him".
It was during breakfast one rainy morning that Harry s owl Hedwig turned up bearing a note.
Come to my office 6 pm tonight. I have a favor to ask of you. The new password is Sugar Mice. Don t be late. Dumbledore.
Harry straight away started to wonder what this favor would be. He, Ron and Hermione spent most of the day inventing different ideas of tasks Harry would have to complete.
When 6 pm arrived Harry knocked on the office door and waited for the familiar voice to tell him to let himself in. "As you know Harry," professor Dumbledore started when Harry had taken a seat in the interesting room that was the headmaster's office, "Professor Snape has been absent from his work for the last couple of weeks and I feel you, being one of Hogwarts more capable of students should talk to him."
Harry was stunned. "Sir why me? Why don t you talk to him? Snape hates me!" Dumbledore shook his head and began to speak again.
"Professor Snape, Harry. You may one day discover the reason why I have asked this of you. As for myself I have already tried to talk to Severus but he seems too upset to talk to anyone". Dumbledore rested his twinkling eyes on Harry s and stared at his as if trying to read his thoughts. "Will you do this for me, Harry?" He asked.
"Yes professor" came the grave reply. Dumbledore smiled and ushered Harry out of his office. The headmaster knew something Harry didn't, was it Harry's fault that Snape had not been turning up to his classes? Plus, How could Harry cheer up Snape up, Snape loathed him. If Dumbledore couldn't do it then surely Harry would fail also.
Harry begrudgingly started on the journey to the dungeons. He usually tried to avoid the professor as best he could, now he was visiting him. It felt wrong. He arrived at Snape s office sooner than he would of liked, he knocked and stood shaking. It took the Potion Master almost three minutes to answer the door. When he did Harry could tell the professor looked worn. "May I come in?" Harry asked shyly. Something about Snape's presence scared him a little, and he felt slightly disappointed when his teacher led him into his office instead of turning him away.
When they were sat comfortably Harry started to begin his task. "Professor why haven t you been in lessons? Everyone misses you and we re not learning very much without you." This was a blatant lie, everyone was happy that Snape had been absent and they were learning rather a lot from his substitute. Nevertheless Dumbledore wanted Harry to try his best to convince Snape to carry on teaching.
"Potter, I can assure you that do not need to worry you re pretty little head over why I am not appearing for lessons and I m sure that you would be happy I am not teaching, especially after what happened on the first day of term." Snape looked kind of depressed, and this statement seemed to make him look even more hopeless.
"Please sir, if it would help in any way, is there something bothering you? You can tell me." Harry looked hopefully up at the man. He didn't seem as terrifying as he used to when Harry was younger. When the professor looked like this it made Harry start to feel sorry for him. He hated to see others hurt, even if it was his greasy haired nemesis.
"The troubles of a 30 something year old man need not concern you. I would rather you stop asking or I will have to ask you to leave." The coldness that was usually in his voice was gone and he seemed more like a shell of the professor.
"You can tell me anything," insisted Harry. "Please I want to help."
"Out now Potter." He said, he seemed to have completely given up and when Harry refused to leave he did not seem surprised . "You re just like you re father." Snape gave a weak smile which Harry returned.
"I know you two didn't get along, but could you tell me about him?" Harry decided changing the topic, especially to one in which Snape was highly opinionated then it may cheer him up enough for Harry to convince him to start working again.
"He was an arrogant little prick that thought he could do whatever he wanted. Just like you in a way."
Harry gave a fake laugh. "I guess I can be a bit arrogant," he said, actually meaning it. "And I do kind of get away with a lot." He smiled a genuine smile.
This seemed to cheer Snape up, "You re not that arrogant I guess." This was an amazing complement coming from Snape. Harry laughed properly this time.
"Thank you sir."
As the night went on Harry and Snape really started to bond. Snape told Harry all about his past and Harry told Snape of his ambitions. Harry didn't realize how deep his professor was before. He didn t think for a second he had emotions. And then he said it.
"I guess at the moment I m just trying to get on with my life, I got my heart broken recently, by the most amazing boy - I mean man . I've ever met. I just want to touch him, to hold him But he'll never see me like that." A tear started to fall down Snape s cheek.
"How do you know?" Harry asked. He thought he was the only gay at Hogwarts, now he realized his teacher was too, he felt a lot better about himself. "Ask him how he feels?" The realization of how different the teacher was to the way he used to see him shocked him. It was good shock, but so surprising.
"He recently said something It killed me on the inside. There s no way . No way…" Snape started to cry again and Harry moved towards him.
"People s opinions change. I used to hate you but now I've got to know you I feel totally different. Totally different."
As Harry put an arm around his teacher to comfort him he felt a tingle. "You don t hate me?" Asked Snape, sounding confused.
"How could I hate you when I've seen the real you?" He smiled." We should hang out some time, I really want to hear more about what it was like as a death eater. It sounds awful. Especially the way they treat you." Harry felt the sudden urge to kiss his teacher but resisted. "Promise you'll come back to teaching?"
Snape paused, then nodded slowly. "Good, in that case I m off to bed, I've got you first lesson tomorrow. Night sir."
As Harry left Severus Snape suddenly seemed to brighten. He doesn't hate me, he thought happily to himself. He cradled his pillow as he fell asleep that night, wishing as he did each night, that the pillow was Harry Potter.