Trust Me

I was always furious about how Severus was treated in the Deathly Hallows — he deserved to be able to tell his story himself — and thus, I have concocted this little piece. I am sure that the great Alan Rickman and magnificent Michael Gambon will somehow do Severus justice on Friday — and as you can imagine, I am praying for a little something that may echo my stories, either from Gambon or even Fiennes, I don't care, just don't focus completely on Lily! — but until then…

Oh…and it's clearly AU…

Trust Me ~ SS19

"Mr. Potter!" Minera McGonagall gasped, voicing the alarm of all those gathered in the hall who suddenly saw the boy wizard, who pulled off his cloak and smiled at his once teacher — "Hello, Professor."

Minerva looked as though she was about to hug Harry but thought better of it, "You cannot be here! If the Death-Eaters found you — "

"I am here to finish what has been started, Professor, as it is my duty to do." Harry responded, looking around him at the students, smiling at some he recognised. "I am the only one who can stop him after all."

"Truer words were never spoken, Mr. Potter, although…it seems foolhardy to return to a fortress surrounded by those who seek to destroy you…" A velvety voice rang out in the large room and Harry whirled. Professor - now Headmaster - Severus Snape was stood by the doorway, arms folded into his cloak, "I suppose I should not be surprised - you are a Gryffindor, after all."

Wands were drawn from Harry, Ron and Hermione - followed, to Harry's surprise, by Minerva and the other teachers. Snape stood, contemplating this, but did not move to pull out his weapon. "I will not draw a wand on my students." He said slowly, taking a step forward. "And so. This may be the moment." He raised one hand, "I would not kill me just yet — if the cards have been played in the correct order, my time nears an end and it will not be by the hand of anyone in this room. I do, however, have a message that I need to deliver."

Snape's coolness and calm manner startled the others who watched him, and Harry hesitated, not yet ready to cast a curse. There was something in Snape's very body language that was making him wait — but if the other made any sudden moves, he would be ready.

"I will, however, have to ask you to trust me. All of you."

Minerva scoffed, "In the way that Albus trusted you, you mean? When you pointed a wand at him and killed him? No one in this room can trust you, Severus."

Severus nodded slowly, "I understand that. Minerva." He turned his attention to Minerva, seeming to ignore the fact that Harry drew closer, stirred into anger by the mention of the revered dead Headmaster's name. "Minerva, I am going to tell you something — something that you need to react to not using your mind. What would you say if I told you I did not kill Albus Dumbledore out of hate?"

Minerva shook her head and seemed as though she was about to laugh, "I would tell you that you were lying."

"That he asked me to do such a deed, on the night when he met a fate that was fast approaching anyway — he asked me to carry out a task that would lead to his destruction — to protect the soul of a younger man and to save him any further humiliation at the hand of the Dark Lord and his followers…" Severus' eyes had not dropped from Minerva's, "What if I told you that I have only ever been loyal to one master, to him, and that I would never have been able to kill him any other way."

Minerva drew back, shaking her head, eyes sparkling, "…He wouldn't…you murdered him…we know that, some of us even saw it…"

Severus took a step forward, "No! Minerva! Listen to me — what were his last words to you? Tell me." Harry pointed his wand more directly at Snape as he attempted to make contact with Minerva, "Do not, Potter, for your mental shields are not strong enough to be able to triumph over me — and you would do well to listen to this, for it will help you to defeat the Dark Lord. Minerva, what were his final words to you, the night before, in the staffroom."

"He told me that we could always trust you — that he loved you, Snape, that he trusted you with his very life — and the next day…" She broke off, months of hurt and betrayal fighting for control inside her chest.

Severus regarded her for a long moment, before saying in his softest and most gentle voice, "What if I told you he was right?"

She stared at him.

"You know Albus, Minerva, he is perceptive — he would not trust me lightly, and he certainly would not say such a thing to you if he did not mean it — tell me, even if you do not believe me, that you believe Albus? You trusted him? Then trust his judgement! Of me."

She frowned, glancing towards the other members of staff who seemed just as challenged as her.

Severus tried one final time, "You wanted to believe it was something other than murder — I know you all did! You asked each other about it, how could it be possible — Severus Snape, Dumbledore's most trusted, his right hand man, his spy, one of his closest friends and the one he always said people could trust and believe in — how could it be possible that such a man could murder Dumbledore? I tell you — it is not possible! After everything he did for me, do you really think I could stand atop that tower and cast the curse out of hate? How is it even possible for me to hate Albus Dumbledore, even after everything he did for me, is doing for me — indeed, some time tonight, I will die for him — but that is no matter. I want you to tell me that you know I could not do such a thing."

"Why is this important now, Snape?" Harry demanded, and Severus glanced in his direction, "Because if you cannot accept that, you will not believe anything else I tell you tonight — and thus, you will never be able to defeat the Dark Lord."

Minerva swallowed and straightened her back, "Severus. Look me in the eyes and tell me you did not murder him. Severus, please."

Severus flinched at the two final words, and only Harry could understand the reason why, but he took two steps forward and grasped her elbows, "I didn't. Minerva, I loved him just as much as he loved me. I couldn't. I had to do it because he was already dying, the curse in his hand, but I did not do it for any other reason — and had he not asked me…"

She nodded, "I believe you."

He smiled, "You always wanted to believe me — and my innocence — because you knew things about Albus and I that no one else would know. You always wanted to think I would not do it." He pulled away, "But now — you must know that the end is nearing — a fight that will test the very boundaries of Hogwarts and the relationships that you share — but there is hope. Hope remains — for the Dark Lord is weak." He turned his gaze on Harry, Ron and Hermione, "You have done well in your quest — Albus is pleased, as his portrait likes to remind me every day — however, there is something that must happen before he can be completely destroyed. Once that is carried out…things will be very simple."

Harry narrowed his eyes at Snape, "What about the Elder Wand?"

Snape raised an eyebrow, "What about the Elder Wand, indeed?"

"He has the Elder Wand, he took it from Dumbledore's tomb."

Snape nodded, "He did."

"Which makes him the Master of it!" Harry seemed irritated by Snape's stalling.

Severus folded his arms back into his cloak, "Not quite correct. Taking the wand does not make you the Master of the wand. You have to best the previous Master before the wand surrenders itself, thus the wand does not belong to him. Yet. But that is not what I came to speak of — I will have to speak to Potter alone — but there was someone else I was hoping to save…before you slink away to report my treachery to my master, Draco, I plead a moment of your time."

"My father said all along that you were disloyal!" Draco shouted, somewhere from the shadows, "He said that to me on countless occasions — never to trust you!"

"Your father knows me better than most, Draco, and he saw my treachery long before anyone else — but he never said anything. I believe it is because he had no proof — although, it may simply be that our loyalty to each other outlasts his loyalty to the Dark Lord." He turned to the direction of the voice, "Draco, if you return to him now, you condemn yourself and your family to a hell that is worse than imaginable. There is, however, something you can do. You can protect your family by remaining here — find them — and make sure they stay — especially Lucius, he is foolish in the heat of battle."

Draco emerged from the shadows, holding his wand, shaking, "Why should I trust you?"

"I am your godfather, your father's best friend, I protected your mother from untold harm when we resided at Malfoy Manor — and, may I remind you, I killed to save your soul. If I was to believe in such a thing, I would suggest that you owe me a debt. However. You are one of my Slytherin students, and I will stop them all from being harmed if I can." Severus narrowed his eyes, "By all means, you do not have to trust me, although I recommend it — you can go. But I do not think it wise." He crossed to Draco, and Draco did not raise his wand, "I care about you, Draco, and I especially care about your father — please — do not be a foolish Gryffindor and fight for that which you feel you should — use your Slytherin intellect and know that this time, you have chosen the wrong side."

Draco looked at him for a long moment, before nodding abruptly once.

"He's going to kill you, Snape." Harry murmured behind them, "If you go to him, he will kill you, because you are the Master of the wand."

"Once again, Potter, you display that you cannot listen and hear details. I am not the Master of the wand — although the Dark Lord certainly believes that I am, and you are correct in one respect — he will call for me, and I assume he has worked out by now that I am what is stopping him from killing you."

"Then who is the Master of the wand?" Harry asked in response.

"The person who bested Albus Dumbledore before I arrived. I killed him out of a prior pact — but the person who bested him did not — that was intentional. Might I borrow you, Potter?"

Even though Snape had spent much time defending his loyalty, this request seemed to draw unrest from those around them. He raised one eyebrow and then pulled out his wand, handing it to Harry, "Here. Now, we do not have much time, if you would be so kind, Potter?"

He and Harry stood by the door, away from prying ears, although Severus could tell that others were listening, desperate to hear what he was saying. "Professor Dumbledore wanted to tell you this himself, but circumstances have dictated otherwise. There is something you need to know — and I know what it will do — but you need to trust in Albus and his infernal way of knowing what is going to happen and thus preventing it." He paused, "You are his final Horcrux, Harry. The night you defeated him, when you were one year old, a piece of his soul attached itself to you — and thus you are the last thing standing between yourself and victory."

Harry stared at him.

"Which means…you will have to face him, Harry, and let him kill you." Snape seemed angry at this prospect.

Harry nodded slowly, swallowing, leaning back against the wall. "I…I…I have to die…but how will I…"

"That I do not know. I was instructed only to bring the information to you — and to ensure that the Dark Lord remains unaware of the true Master of the wand." Snape looked into Harry's face, "I can tell you are afraid — that is natural."

"He is going to kill you too. Does that frighten you?" Harry shot back.

Snape raised an eyebrow, "Yes. The thought of death is not appealing to any — but — it will reunite me with those I have lost — the people I care about — and I grow tired of this fight, too." He paused, "But I am scared, as all will be."

"…Is that what happens? You can be reunited with those…" Harry was thinking — his parents, Sirius, everyone he had lost —

"I certainly hope so, otherwise it is a frightful waste of life — but Albus assures me he will be able to help you — you just have to trust in him. Like I did."

"You said you were going to die for him." Harry murmured, "Is that what your trust in him did?"

"No. My trust in Albus Dumbledore led to a long friendship that helped me to become so much more than I could ever be — he was always very good to me." Severus replied simply.

"But he forced you to spy — I saw you in the Hospital Wing some times — you were hurt badly — and that was because you trusted him and you followed his command!" Harry shouted back, "And tonight you will die for him!"

"Which I am happy to do! There is no more honourable way to die, Mr. Potter, then dying not for a cause — but for someone you love. When you face him, you will not be doing it for yourself or a cause — you will be doing it for all your friends, your parents, the people you love. That is the way it will be." Snape looked away, "It will take every ounce of your courage, and so much more, to face him, and to know what will happen - but it is not hopeless. You will not be abandoning those you care about — you will be saving them in the end."

Harry leaned closer, "I am the Master of the wand, aren't I?"

Snape nodded, "You disarmed Draco at Malfoy Manor. The wand belongs to you, and will recognise that."

"So…why do you have to go at all? Why — why do you have to —"

"Because that's how this needs to end. He needs to believe he is the master of the wand, for if I do not go to him now, he will know that I have disobeyed his loyalty — and he will wonder why. He could be overconfident, and that would be to our — your — advantage." He recoiled when his arm suddenly burnt and he looked down at the twisting Dark Mark, something unfamiliar to Harry crossing his face. "I have told you everything that you needed to know — you are a Gryffindor at heart, and although it pains me to say it — I have faith in you. I have always been happy to lay down my life for Albus to ensure that he had a victory — but I am also happy to do the same for you."

Emotionally moved by the soft words, Harry swallowed, "The hat…tried to put me in Slytherin. It asked."

"A Potter? In Slytherin? It would never have happened!" Severus replied with the smallest, faintest of smiles. He turned away from Harry and started to walk toward the door, having taken his wand back from the younger wizard. He glanced back, "The Sorting Hat tried to put me in Gryffindor. It believed that one day, I would be foolhardy and walk out to meet a fate equivalent to death for someone I cared about. I doubt it knows what it is truly saying."

Harry followed, a few steps behind, "How do I know this is true? How do I know you are not just trying to destroy me?"

Severus looked at him, and then smirked at Harry's words, "It is as Albus Dumbledore said to me atop the Astronomy Tower, and as he said to you too, and to Minerva. And to anyone else who ever asked him the same question." He paused, pulling his sleeve back and letting his hands rest on his Dark Mark. "Trust me."