Chapter 11: The Talk

Summary: Severus tells Albus about the dark mark.

Severus put the strongest locking charm he knew on the door. He stood there frozen as he tried to process what had just happened. He could hear people arguing. He recognized Poppy and Lupin's voices, telling the reporters they needed to leave. A couple of them tried to get passed his charm without success. The next moment Albus was there. He ordered the reporters to his office and everything quieted down.

Severus sat on the lone bed in the corner, resting his head against the wall. Everyone knew. His pictures were going to be in every paper in the Wizarding Britain. With all that had happened the night before he had forgotten to recast his glamour. It had held until that morning but had faded at the wrong time. Ten more minutes and he would have been in the dungeons when it happened. He didn't know how he was ever going to leave that room and face all those people; the teachers, the students, the parents …

He was going to get back on his potion and everything will be fine, he told himself. But he knew it wasn't true. Now that the others knew of his weakness, things would never be the same. He sat there for what felt like hours until someone knocked on the door.

"Severus? … Severus, please open the door. I'm the only one here."

Severus hesitated for a few seconds but waved his wand with a sigh and canceled the locking charm.

Albus came in, closing the door behind him. "Purple happens to be my favorite color." he said with a kind smile. "I must admit, it looks far better on you."

"Don't get used to it. And yes, purple looks gruesome on you. Same goes for yellow, baby blue and all the other ridiculous colors you tend to wear."

Albus chuckled and conjured himself a comfy chair before settling down.

They sat there in silence for a while until Severus couldn't bear it any more. "I didn't know. I just found out a few weeks ago." he said quietly. "I always knew I was different but my mother never told me."

"I assume, she had put you on the cloaking potion."

"She did and it was working properly until I started brewing the wolfsbane in the same lab I use for my potion."

"I see."

"I'm going to start taking it again when the school year is out." he stated. "And don't you try to talk me out of it. It's my decision to make." he added when he saw the look on the old man's face.

Albus sighed and shook his head. "You're right my boy. However, I must tell you that the potion is not going to work on you anymore. Taking the cloaking potion is supposed to be started in childhood when the magical core has yet to develop and it's not one hundred percent effective even then." he explained.

Severus stared at the Headmaster searching for something, anything that would tell him the man was lying or that he didn't know what he was talking about. But he didn't find anything except for sincerity.

"It's not the end of the world. You're still a powerful wizard."

"I'm defenseless."

"I wouldn't say that. I myself don't know much about elf magic. You could do some research. Perhaps …"

"Stop it, Albus. I don't want to talk about this." snapped Severus and put his head in his hands.

The Headmaster was quiet for a few minutes, then cleared his throat. "There is something else I wanted to talk to you about." he started, stroking his long beard. "I was informed by the Minister that a certain Mrs. Davies is looking into your old case. Care to tell me what she's after?"

"She's my lawyer." said Severus, tensing up. "I want my case to be closed for good."

"Your case WAS closed twelve years ago. I made sure of that."

"My case never went to trial. Legally, I could be accused for those charges again."

Albus' eyes flashed with betrayal and hurt. "Do you think so little of me? Do you actually believe I would ever let you end up in Azkaban?"

"I don't." Severus bit out. "But what happens when you're not there to defend me? You've already lived more than your fair share, are you under the illusion that you're going to outlive everyone?" he asked. He could see the corners of Albus' eyes wrinkling in a smile. "Or perhaps you've got a few Horcruxes tucked away somewhere?" he added.

"What?" Albus whispered, all traces of mirth once again vanishing from his features. "What did you say?"

Severus rolled his eyes. "My apologies, Headmaster. It was wrong of me to speak of such a dark subject in your presence," he said sarcastically.

"Of course. How could I not see it?" Albus murmured in a barely audible voice. He then seemed to shake himself out of his trace. "Why didn't you come to me? You know I have contacts in the ministry."

"Because … you would have dismissed me like you always do."

"I don't understand you, Severus. All these years … why now? Why is it suddenly so important to you?"

Severus massaged his templates. There was no point in delaying the inevitable. He had known he had to tell the man sooner or later. Bracing himself, Severus unbuttoned his cuff and rolled up his sleeve before holding out his left arm.

Albus frowned and leaned closer to get a better look. His white eyebrows rose. He took Severus' arm in his hand and ran the tip of his wand over the pale skin. "How?" he asked as he let go of his arm.

"It happened when the cloaking potion was losing its hold." answered Severus, hiding his forearm from the view once more.

Albus nodded in understanding. "The potion had been cloaking your magical core ever since you were a child. The dark mark couldn't have attached itself directly to your core; it was linked to the cloak instead and when the cloak came off, the mark lost its hold." he explained. "Those seizures you had … it must have been the dark mark fighting to stay or perhaps it was the result of the dark magic that was released when the mark came off. Either way, you are very lucky there was no permanent damage."

"Yes, I pinch myself every day." Severus sneered.

"And how did that motivate you to hire a lawyer?"

Severus sighed. The man was going to make him spell it out. "My past charges didn't matter before because I was going to have to spy again but now …" he trailed off, looking the Headmaster in the eyes.

Albus studied him with his piercing blue eyes. "I understand what it means for you to be rid of the mark. You don't have to spy again. Under the circumstances it's probably for the best." he said finally.

Severus frowned. He had hoped Albus would understand, but … "under the circumstances." he repeated.

"Don't be that way."

"It's already starting." Severus muttered to himself. He had been a force to be reckoned with, he wasn't any more.

"I'm sorry. I know this must be hard for you." said Albus. He raised his hands in surrender when Severus glared at him. "Now, now. You're the one who brought it up."

Severus rolled his eyes at the man's antics. "What am I supposed to do now?" he asked.

"You're abilities as a potions Master are intact. You're going to continue teaching."

"I don't belong in a classroom." Severus bit out. "And I am sick and tired of running after Potter. You expect me to protect him and yet encourage his reckless behavior on every turn. You let him keep an invisibility cloak for Merlin's sake!"

"A cloak like that can come in handy in the time of need."

"How many times had he actually used that cloak out of necessity? He's always sneaking about, endangering himself and others. He used that cloak to sneak in Hogsmeade when he knew damn well it was dangerous for him to do so."

Albus sighed, looking older than usual. "The vow you took must have lost its affect along with the dark mark and I can no longer hold you to that. And under the … I'm sorry. I'm afraid my practicality outweighs my sensibility. In any case, I'm going to need you here, at Hogwarts." he said.

Severus looked down at his hands. His heart filling with resentment.

"How about we make a deal? You only need to teach at Hogwarts for two more years under one condition."

"Yes?"

"I want you to try and be kinder to Harry."

"I don't do kind!" snapped Severus. It seemed like he was never going to be free of that boy.

"You're a strict teacher and there's nothing wrong with that. I have never criticized your teaching methods but you must admit you're harder on Harry than you are on any other student."

"He's rude, disrespectful and undetermined!"

"I understand you have your reasons for disliking Harry but you're going to have to find a way to look passed all that. Do this and I will convince the Wizengamot to issue you a full pardon."

Severus looked into space. He had been teaching at Hogwarts for thirteen years, two more years wasn't that long. And perhaps he could suppress his true feelings about the golden boy; he had enough experience from dealing with ex-death eaters. It wasn't such a big price to pay for a full pardon. "Two years, no more." he said firmly.

Albus nodded and patted his knee. "There's a hidden door behind the wall next to the night stand. It opens when you tap it twice with your wand and it leads to Poppy's office. You may use the floo there." he said raising to his feet. "But remember, the longer you wait to face everyone the harder it'll get."

"Thank you for the tip."

"Oh, and one more thing." said Albus as he got to the door. "Peter Pettigrew escaped this morning."