Chapter One: A Torturous Misconception

'Promise me that you will never leave me'

'Harry…'

'Promise me, Severus.'

'I cannot do something that is out of my power.'

'You kept your promise to Dumbledore. You protected me'

'That is an entirely different matter.'

'Damn you, Severus, I want you to promise me!'

'Harry. Harry, look at me.'

Harry Potter raised his green eyes to Albus Dumbledore. The eyes which were usually tranquil and calm, were now quietly burning with the fires of guilt and betrayal. Dumbledore's own piercing blue eyes gazed back at him. 'Harry, this isn't your fault.'

This isn't your fault. Harry looked down at his lap. That's what you said when Sirius died.

'Harry, I know how you feel.'

'No, you don't.' Right, you crossed the line, old man. 'And we are not having this conversation again.' Harry said heatedly, glaring into Dumbledore's eyes now. For the second time in his life, he wanted nothing more than to rip off that calm, ancient face with his bare hands, to rip out those blue eyes so they would never pierce his ever again, to shake that body so that every bone will crumble away… 'Every time you say that it's not my fault, it turns out to be entirely my fault. Just….Just like Sirius.' His voice choked on the last word, and he had to close his eyes momentarily from stopping the hot tears that threatened to fall. When he opened them again, Dumbledore was no longer looking at him.

'I should never have let him enter Voldemort's circle. I should have foreseen the dangers that he would encounter. Harry, I know you don't want to see me or talk to me, let alone believe me. And I assure you that you have every right to feel this way. But you have to know that Severus's death…'

'Don't you dare speak his name!' Harry shouted, standing up from the chair Dumbledore had forced him to sit in. He didn't care what he says to the ancient wizard anymore. 'Don't you dare…when YOU are the one who TOLD HIM to protect me, when YOU are the one who asked him to be your spy…when YOU are the one who asked him to help you with your blasted ORDER, when…'

'When I am the one who caused his death.' Dumbledore finished for him in his grave voice. Harry was shaking with suppressed anger now, any moment he's going to hurt the old man…any second now…'as you said, I am unworthy even to speak his name. I know that, Harry. But I beg of you, right this second, to sit down and listen to what I have to say.'

That was the last thing that Harry wanted to do. He glared at hatefully as he could into Dumbledore's eyes, and was nearly crazed with frustration when they looked back at him with the same calm look that they so often wore. With the greatest effort that he had to muster in his life, Harry took a deep breath and forced himself into the chair, clasping both of his hands so hard together that his knuckles went white.

'I was wrong to let Severus teach you Occlumency. I was wrong to appoint him as your guardian from Voldemort.' Dumbledore said in a low, sad tone that made Harry feel guilty in sprite of himself.' I was wrong to ever let him help me…But most of all, I was wrong to let you set eyes on him.'

Harry's eyes snapped up, had he heard wrong? What the hell does he mean? What does he know about us? Does he know about…? A fearful thought occurred to him. 'What?' He managed to croak out.

Dumbledore's eyes lost some of their calmness now, for an unknown reason that Harry both ached and feared to know. 'I always knew you never got on well with Sev…with him, I knew that you despise him because of the insults at your father. I knew of your deep hatred towards him. But because of an old man's foolishness, I turned a blind eye towards what I know and thought only of your protection.'

'I don't understand, Sir. What…What exactly do you mean?'

'I mean, Harry, that I apologize that you have to feel guilty over someone you hated so much.' Dumbledore said gravely.' If only I had asked someone else…someone who you place your trust into and someone who you respect…like Remus Lupin and Alastor Moody…I would've have felt more at ease for the fact that you feel guilty. For this, Harry, I beg infinitely for your forgiveness, though I know how impossible it would be.'

Harry had no idea how to react to Dumbledore's words. This was beyond anything that he had expected…Merlin, this was WORSE than anything he had expected…Dumbledore feels guilty because HARRY feels guilty ABOUT SEV…About Snape. How could someone as wise and as powerful as Dumbledore make such a mistake? Have such an absurd misconception?

Though Harry couldn't entirely blame him. To each and every teacher and student at Hogwarts, the Potions Master and Harry Potter was the greatest pair of enemies ever existed. Every one had witnessed more than once of how Snape had bullied Harry, and how often Harry lose an absurd amount of House points and get detentions because he retorted Snape…But Dumbledore? Could it be possible that the little show between him and Snape…between him and SEVERUS…had fooled even the greatest wizard ever existed?

'You may go now, Harry, if you wish.' Dumbledore's soft voice cut into Harry's thoughts. He blinked and focused on his shaking hands. He could not look at the Headmaster. He DARED NOT look at him. 'I know you wanted nothing more than to be in solitude at this moment.'

Harry stood up immediately, and without raising his eyes once at Dumbledore, grabbed his bag and almost ran towards to office door.

'Harry…'Dumbledore's voice called behind him as his hands reached the doorknob. 'I am sorry…I truly am.'

Harry wrenched open the door and let it shut behind him. As it closed quietly, he could hear Fawkes letting out a mournful sort of hoot. He sped down the staircase, tears streaming uncontrollably from his burning green eyes to the front of his robes.

End of Chapter One