MY PLACE

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his wonderful universe don't belong to me, but to the real wizard, J.K. Rowling.

Chapter 25: Snape's Story

It is true what people say about the idiotic things that can come off of a hot, sharp, and most especially angered tongue. The Christmas break ended the next day, and so there was no point in James or Harry leaving.

The next morning the Potters made their way down to the station with friction still crackling dangerously, but drastically reduced. Mr. Potter had plainly explained the situation to his son, and when that failed to work had started in on a sly guilt trip. However, by that time Harry interrupted everything.

The day had been chaos.

Now, with everyone much more subdued (with the exception of Mrs. Potter, who had been too shocked to do much of anything yesterday) they artfully invented ways to slip through the gate to Platform 9 ¾. Most of yesterday's passionate fire had fled their bodies leaving them deflated, so they were quite clumsy with their endeavors through to the platform though.

"I hope I don't get a carpet with a hole in it." James garbled moodily shoving his hands deep into his pockets; "They should reserve those for dangerous people like Harry here-a walking catastrophe! Who cares if they are tired and will probably fall to their doom? It would be a happy, joyous day!"

"James..." Mr. Potter growled gently. He had been trying to get know his son better since yesterday's explosion, but so far it wasn't going over well.

"Dad!" James shot back in what Harry thought to be an ungrateful tone of voice; "I'm just talking to myself...!"

"First sign of madness..." Harry absently quoted.

James glared; "Stay out of this-both of you."

As luck would have it both James and Harry were early enough to nab a carpet without a hole in it, but they had to be situated apart from each other-which was fine and dandy for both.

"Harry!"

Harry twisted to see Frank and Alice.

"I thought you were staying at school for the holidays-you know, after your fight with James...?" Frank inquired.

"What," Harry asked grinning; "You don't like me anymore?"

Frank swatted at him playfully; "That's not what I meant!"

Harry just grinned some more, but suddenly he spotted a flash of red and green in the crowd of returning students.

"Oi, Lily!" he called straining to his eye on her and follow her voice.

Finally, Lily's attention focused on Harry and she waved then quickly kissed her parents goodbye flouncing over.

"I thought you were at school...?"

"Does nobody like me anymore?" Harry said smiling broadly; "It's good to see you." Harry had not forgotten his emotions over Mrs. Potter and Lily.

"You too," Lily replied returning the sentiment.

"Come," Harry began patting the holeless carpet beside him; "Come sit next to me."

Lily nodded and accepted while Frank and Alice frowned.

"Where are we going to sit?" Alice inquired tad bit angrily.

"Er..." Harry said carelessly; "How about you guys share the carpet in front of Lily?"

Frank and Alice grimaced again.

"I think we'll just go find some other carpets." Frank responded sadly looping his arm around Alice's and wandering slowly away. Harry didn't pay much heed to them though.

"So, Lily..." Harry began and his brain started teeming with millions of questions for her; "Er, what's your favorite color?"

"My favorite color?" Lily repeated suspiciously.

"Yeah, you know..." Harry elaborated; "The color you love to wear the most and would paint your walls with."

"Well," Lily informed him; "Those are two entirely different things."

Harry quirked an eyebrow.

Lily smiled; "I my favorite color to wear is navy blue, but I'd paint my walls an olive green to go with my black carpeting. However, my absolute favorite color is red, but I can't wear it because it clashes with my hair and I can't paint my walls with it because it would be too bright."

Harry grinned. His mother was a complex person he was starting to discover.

Several hundred questions later a very good question that had been lingering somewhere in the bad of his head came forth: "How is Snape such a good duelist?"

Lily appeared surprised but relieved; "Well, I'm not sure on all the details myself, but..."

"But?" Harry prompted curiously.

"As far as I know-and keep in mind that I tried to stay out of it-his father...he's a Death Eater, and so Death Eaters don't care much about their children except for upholding the family name. I heard he was quite...abusive on Snape, and Snape had to learn all kinds of counter curses and curses to protect himself from his father." Lily answered at long last.

Harry took awhile to digest this information. Skimming over the tree tops with the sun blazing down hot on his neck did not provide a good environment for accepting such a fate for Snape, but when he caught sight of Snape five carpets ahead of him favoring his right arm he rethought Lily's explanation.

"I suppose..." Harry agreed remaining somewhat reluctant; "But I thought he was a Death Eater."

Lily shot him a look of disgust; "You sound like James."

"What's wrong with James?" Harry asked stupidly.

Lily gave him a very odd look at that.

Harry shook his head; "Nevermind, I just...well, so isn't Snape a Death Eater?"

"Supposedly," Lily relented; "I guess he might be-he's certainly got enough hate in his life to be one, but...I don't think he'd be very good at it."

Harry shot her an incredulous gaze.

"Er," Lily rectified; "You may think he's really mean and-er, Slytherinish, but really he's got a speck of compassion in his heart that surfaces now and then."

Harry couldn't hold back a snort at that.

"I'm sure. Snape's heart is warming as we speak." Harry scoffed.

Lily swatted him; "Be like James then!"

"Hah," Harry laughed dryly; "I'm practically a carbon copy of him already I don't think I could get much closer to being like James."

Lily looked troubled at his words but continued to say; "Well, I really don't think Snape would agree to most of You-Know-Who's values. Sure he'll go along with the whole mudblood thing, but the killing? That piece of compassion will stop him-I'm sure of it."

"Lily, do you know what Vol...er, You-Know-Who does to people who disobey him? Or try to leave his ranks?" Harry asked softly his eyes losing their twinkle.

Lily shook her head gently as the air seemed to swell up around them foreboding and heavy.

"He kills them." Harry replied quietly staring deeply into his mother's green eyes; "He'll kill Snape, so Snape will either die or kill the spark in his heart."

Harry knew this wasn't true, but at the moment it seemed the only feasible reply. Lily probably didn't even know about all the various spies there were for different associations. She was too naïve right now.

Lily seemed horrified by Harry's answer and they didn't talk anymore during their flight back to school.

Harry occupied himself with ironic thoughts about what he had said about Snape. It was practically the same situation he, Harry was in. He was either to die or to kill.