A/N:- Thanks for tuning in, everybody. Please review. Sorry for such a long stretch-I've been really busy.
Warning for the Chapter: None.
DISCLAIMER:- I don't own, you no sue.
The Light In The Darkness
Eight
Snape hated him!
Harry had never felt so depressed in his life. He hadn't wanted to make Snape so angry with him! Fine, fine, he had deserved that punishment-but Snape couldn't keep him here forever! Harry began hoping against hope that Snape would feel sorry for his outburst and come and tell him that he could come out. But for now, Harry was under room arrest.
Burying his head into his pillow, Harry began cursing everybody. The Dursleys. Dumbledore. Ron and Hermione. Snape.
After a while, there was a knock at his door. Harry's head shot up and he grinned. Maybe it was Snape! Maybe the man had forgiven him! Heart leaping, Harry ran to the door and opened it.
No one was there...
A plate floated in mid-air, Harry's tea on it.
A lump appeared in Harry's throat but he knew that he was lucky to be getting any food at all. He sullenly brought the plate into the room and closed the door. It took a lot of effort to stop himself from crying over something so small.
...
Sorry.
That was the only word Harry had scribbled on a piece of spare parchment that he had found in his trunk. He stared at it and wondered if he dared give Snape this. Anything to get out of this room. Anything to diffuse the tension.
Grabbing the paper in his hand, Harry walked to the door and opened it. He ran with all his might to Snape's room and slipped the paper under his door. Hopefully the man would find it soon. Then, making sure that no one was passing by the corridor, Harry hurried back to his room and locked the door.
And then he waited...
Several minutes, hours, went by. Nothing happened. Just when Harry was about to lose all hope, he got an idea-if he fell asleep, time would pass quicker. He settled into an uneasy doze, hoping that Snape would wake him up soon with the good news that he could finally come out of the room.
...
Snape scowled at the house and at everything that he saw. He felt like burning Potter alive! How dare he! How dare that insolent boy be so-so infuriating.
Snape slammed open the door to his room and went to his side-table to get his wand. He was just about to leave the room when his boot skidded over some strange substance. He looked down and saw a paper.
Oh! So now Potter had come roaming around here, too? And here was the proof of his transgressions!
He accioed the paper towards himself, so angry that his face looked permanently flushed. But then everything suddenly froze for him.
Sorry.
Could Potter have written this...? He stared at the paper for a little while and then decided that he would ask him.
He went to Harry's room and rapped at the door. He heard some shuffling and then some hurried footsteps, almost hopeful.
Potter opened the door, looking just like the brat Snape knew he was.
"S-sir," His eyes would not meet his.
"Right. I'd like to have a little talk with you, Potter," Snape said, ominously.
"Yes, sir," Harry's eyes were still downcast, though a sign of defiance had crept into his voice.
Snape glowered at him and Harry slowly shuffled his feet so that he was giving Snape room to come inside.
Once both of them were sitting on the bed, Harry's teeth nibbling on his bottom lip, Snape said forebodingly, "Did you go into my room, Potter?"
"No, sir." Harry frowned.
"Then how did that piece of paper come to be inside my room?"
Harry flinched slightly. "Passed it through under the door,"
"I see. So you left your room when I told you not to?"
Harry flinched again. "Um...yes, sir. Uh, sorry,"
"Do you expect me to forgive you like that paper asked me to?"
Harry's breathing was hitched. "I shouldnt've..."
"Yes?" Snape asked, silkily. Somewhere inside him, however, his anger was slowly ebbing away.
"Im sorry, alright?" Harry finally looked up, those green eyes gleaming fiercely. "I should have thought before writing that-that stupid letter. Please forgive me-I don't know what else to say, but if you could only just let it go this time, I promise never to misbehave again-"
"And how will I know that you're sincere?" Snape demanded. When Harry's angry eyes went back to his hands, Snape forced his chin back up with his own hand. "You've been causing trouble since you got here, getting into scrapes. Just what do I with you Potter?"
Harry's voice was thick with raw, unshed tears. "I said I was sorry!"
"Unfortunately 'sorry' does not fix everything," Snape said, unforgivingly. "You will go through your punishment and only then will I think of forgiving you. You have betrayed my trust,"
Harry suddenly stood up. "Fine! I dont need your stupid forgiveness! It just shows how you are! If you can't forgive me, see if I care."
Snape was also standing by now. Harry's anger was suddenly replaced by fear. But then he pushed back the fear and stomped right out of the room. He heard Snape calling out his last name sharply, but it just helped to move him on. He walked and walked until he reached a room and hid in it. He didn't intend to get out any time soon.
It wasn't very long, however, when Snape finally found him, shaking and alone in the dark room. The man scolded him harshly and set Harry to cleaning the whole study as a punishment. As Harry dusted the books and vowed to take revenge on the ugly bat, he wondered if this was just how things were destined to be. Perhaps he and Snape could never be close or even civil. It just wasn't likely, and seeing the way he kept on irking the man and how Snape kept on criticising him, it wouldn't happen in a million years.
...
Harry wouldn't look at Snape, even at dinner, and when the man snapped at him to go to bed and not dawdle, Harry hardly reacted.
He was resigned to his fate living with the man and he knew that it wouldn't be too long, and soon he would be gone.
So he bore the man's hateful glares aimed at him and went into his room, closed the door, climbed onto the bed and angrily pulled the covers over himself.
...
However, that night, Harry had a nightmare. He had the strange feeling one has that they had already witnessed the same dream before.
He was a small child and a strange figure in a hood was creeping towards him-and then his dark-red haired mother came dashing in front of his cot.
"Please!" She begged. "Not Harry! Take me! Don't hurt him, please-"
There was a sickening laugh. "Avada Kedavra!"
And she fell, crippled, her scream echoing around the room.
The baby shrieked, but then the hooded figure came to him and smiled sickeningly. It pointed something at him and then there was lots of bright, green light...
Harry awoke, shouting, unaware that tears were spurting down his cheeks. He kept on crying subconsciously, missing the parents he didn't remember anymore, missing his mother. Gulping back sobs, Harry reached for the jug of water, only there wasn't any there.
This made him feel even more distressed and he struggled to get himself back to his senses.
"My parents are never coming back," Harry said to himself softly, and realised just how sad that thought made him feel.
He heard a knock at the door just before Snape entered, saying, "Potter? Are you alright?"
Harry wanted to burst into flames from embarrassment. "I'm fine! Go away!" He shouted.
"I heard you scream,"
"You heard wrong. I'm fine." Harry said, firmly. Snape walked into the room slowly, looking apprehensive. He took out his wand and waved it so that a bit of light entered the room.
"You are crying," Snape said, awkwardly. "Shall I get you some water?"
"No-no, Im fine," Harry said, even as his throat dried.
Snape summoned up some water all the same. Harry shot him a suffering look but drank the water gratefully. He then thrust the empty glass back to the man. "There. Happy? Can you go now?"
Snape flushed. "I'd like you not to take that tone with me," he said, dangerously.
Harry stared back defiantly but decided not to say more. Snape scared him.
"You had a nightmare. Do you want to talk about it, Potter?"
"No. I want you to leave,"
"I see." and Snape began to leave.
A sudden pang appeared in Harry's heart. He felt so lonely, so unloved. What would he give for someone hugging him and telling him that it was alright, for someone reassuring him that he wasn't alone, that he didn't have to do everything by himself?
He had not expected Snape to leave, but had thought that Snape was stall a little. But now seeing the man going...he realised that he didn't want Snape to leave after all. Not because he liked the sod, but because he didn't want to be left all alone, tearful and scared, heart thumping.
"No, please," Harry said. "Don't go. I-" he flushed, feeling foolish. What should he say? 'I want you to stay?'
Snape turned back, an eye-brow raised. "What is it, Potter?"
Harry felt some more tears trickling down. How could he tell the man about how much the nightmare had disturbed him, had made him feel? Snape hated him, hated his family.
"The nightmare-I have it really often. The one when my-my mom gets murdered. Once the nightmares start, they don't stop. Hermione told me that there is something called a Dreamless Sleep Potion. If it's not too much to ask, can I have it? What does it do? Does it stop the nightmares or-"
Snape's face had paled awfully. "It ensures a dreamless sleep, as it's name suggests." He said, his voice wavering.
"Oh." Harry wasn't sure that was exactly what he wanted. He kind of just wanted the nightmares to stop...
"If you like, I'll fetch a bottle for you,"
"What?" Harry was surprised. "No, it's fine actually. Sorry for disturbing you. I'll go to sleep, then," and he accordingly put his head back on the pillow.
Snape, still pale, nodded and went to close the door. "Potter?" he said, just before the door closed.
Harry stiffened, his heart beating a little faster. "Sn-sir?"
"Don't be afraid to call for me if you are disturbed once more,"
Ending Notes:- Harry makes the stupidest mistake of his life in the next chapter! Stay tuned and review (please) your comments!
