-Chapter Eight-

Dumbledore and Snape

A day later, Albus felt tired and grumpy. He shook off Rose and Scorpius in the corridor, and made his way to the bathroom on the first floor.

Splashing cool water on his face from the gargoyle-shaped faucet, Al looked at himself in the mirror; his emerald green eyes stared back at him. This reminded him of something he'd wanted to do, but in all the excitement he hadn't yet been able to.

Making his way to the large gargoyle statue that guarded the entrance to O'Leary's study, Al said impatiently, "I'm in a bad mood today, Reginald, I just need to see the headmaster--"

The gargoyle leapt aside, and O'Leary stood behind it at the foot of the spiralling staircase. "Come, Albus," he said. "Professors Dumbledore and Snape are waiting for you."

Taken aback, Al followed O'Leary to the top of the staircase where the headmaster stopped. "You may have a few minutes alone, to speak with them," he said. Al entered the study, closing the door behind him.

In the usually empty frames were the heads of Professor Albus Dumbledore and Professor Severus Snape. Al remembered Rose mentioning something about McGonagall being at a tea party with some skinny medieval women in a portrait on the third floor.

"Ah," said Dumbledore, peering over his half-moon spectacles at the twelve-year-old wizard before him. "Severus, I believe we have a visitor." Dumbledore wore a pointed magenta hat, and had sparkling blue eyes. His long crooked nose, waist-length silvery white beard, and long, snow-white hair welcomed Albus the same way it had welcomed Harry.

Snape, however, was nothing as his father had ever described; Al had pictured Severus Snape to be a large, muscled knight in shining armour, a man of pure courage and bravery. In fact, he had once glanced at a chocolate-frog card of Godric Gryffindor and thought of his father's stories about Snape. However, now he saw how Snape had landed in Slytherin.

Pale, sallow skin; a long, hooked nose ending in a point, and dark eyes like coals. A slightly unpleasant-looking sneer on his thin lips. Long, jet-black and greasy hair that was parted in curtains over his face, ending at his shoulders. What Al could see of his chest and shoulders was a black cloak.

Al smiled at Dumbledore politely, and as he turned his gaze on Snape to do the same, the former headmaster forced a slightly uncomfortable-looking smile. It quickly became a glare again, but Dumbledore kept his warm smile on.

"Welcome, Albus Severus!" Said Dumbledore. "You are named, as you must already know, after myself and Professor Snape, the man you see next to me. And, by the look of your uniform, you appear to be a Slytherin, much like Professor Snape! What do you think, Severus?" Snape observed Al, looking him over. "Exactly the same height as his father was, and just as thin. Same untidy black hair--"

Dumbledore muttered something only Al could hear. "Same eyes as his father,"

It seemed Snape heard the last part, and what little colour he had in his face quickly left. "The same eyes Lily Evans had, hmm, Severus?"

Al looked at Snape. "My grandmother?" He asked thoughtfully. Snape continued watching Al carefully, and Dumbledore said, "Now, right to business. Albus, your headmaster and Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher both tell us you've experience some nightmares since the appearance of this… tower, in the forest."

Albus nodded, and replied, "Er, yeah. It's really strange, and it feels almost like… I don't know." Dumbledore's smiled grew smaller, but stayed on his face. "Do continue," he said. Al took a breath. "Like the tower is communicating with me, through my mind. I know it sounds stupid--"

Snape piped up, surprising both Al and Dumbledore, by the looks of it. "Not at all," he said. "It could very well be using students or teachers as its puppets. Dark magic works in ways we do not understand-- nor will we ever fully understand."

Cocking his head in Dumbledore's direction, Snape's portrait continued, "He didn't inherit the infamous Potter brain, at least. In fact, it seems he's inherited his grandmother's intelligence. Interesting… didn't I always tell you I thought she'd be in Slytherin when we were children? Cunning, ambitious. He seems more like her than--"

Dumbledore frowned slightly, and cut across Snape. "That is all, Severus," he said smoothly. "Albus, we have a solution to your problem. When your father was fifteen and attending Hogwarts, Tom Riddle was in power. He used dark magic, and the connection he had with your father to penetrate Harry's mind. In fact, it grew to be such a serious problem that Harry was led by Voldemort to believe someone he cared about was in danger; this led up to the events that ended with Sirius Black's death, an enormous loss in Harry's life."

Albus listened with rapt attention; Snape added, "I instructed your father throughout that particular year of his life to teach him the difficult art of Occlumency; an Occlumens is a wizard with the ability to shield their mind from attempts of other wizards trying to see their thoughts."

Albus knew this; his father had explained the concept to him over the summer. "And a Legillimens can do the opposite: read minds." Looking impressed, Snape quickly hid this and went back to scowling, which seemed out of habit. Dumbledore smiled and nodded in his frame.

"Yes, you are correct. Sadly, Riddle mastered both arts before even rising to power, which proved problematic for your father in his battle against Riddle." Snape added, "Despite our few… sessions, I found it difficult to work with your father. He saw memories of mine by accident… memories I did not want him to see."

Dumbledore finished, "We have discussed the topic with your father, Albus. He agrees that if dark forces within the tower are using witches and wizards from Hogwarts as its puppets, then the students must be taught how to defend their minds. Since you are the only student so far to report dreams and visions, Professor Retskope has offered to teach you the practice of Occlumency. He is skilled with it, as well as Legillimency."

Nodding, Al replied, "Thank you. I've been wanting to meet you both since I started here, last year, but I never got the chance."

Snape looked bemused. "Caught up in all the excitement, were you?" Going red, Albus grinned and said, "You heard about that?"

Dumbledore chuckled. "Naturally. We weren't surprised; you and your brother take after Harry so much."

At the mention of Harry, or perhaps James (or maybe even both) Snape's face went sour again. Not wanting to get into the subject, Al said goodbye and left the study, bumping into O'Leary on his way out-- who seemed to have his ear pressed up against the door.

"Yes, well," he said, slightly embarrassed, "Your first lesson with Professor Retskope begins next Thursday night, at seven o'clock in his office."

Al thanked the headmaster and left, but found himself wondering what it would be like if Dumbledore, or even Snape were headmaster while Al was attending Hogwarts.