Chapter Thirty-Seven: A Kind Headmistress?

(Beginning of June, 1996)

Severus took a deep breath. It's not James, it's not James. Hermione had told him that Harry's situation had got progressively worse, and now she was certain he was gravely depressed. She had brought up Severus' offer to talk to Harry, and told him that now it was greatly needed. So now, he was going to attempt to comfort the son of the boy whom he despised. It was quite ironic.

Harry Potter was sat in the library, with a miserable expression on his face. He looked ill and malnourished, and Severus suspected Harry hasn't been looking after himself well. Once Severus got to really look at Harry, his feelings of anxiousness disappeared in seconds. When he looked sad, the boy didn't resemble his father as much. Severus knew James Potter as a smiling, flamboyant sort of character. You'd never see James Potter as unhappy. So when Harry looked down at the wooden library table with his green eyes looking as dull as murky river water, Severus could truly see the difference between Harry and James. Harry Potter was not James Potter. He could see that now.

Severus began to walk up to the library table, and took a seat next to Hermione, which was conveniently opposite Harry. Harry did not look up to look at Severus, he just carried on staring at the oak table.

"Harry." Hermione said, and Severus could tell she was trying her utmost best to be gentle. "This is my…friend Tobias Prince."

Harry did not answer, and Severus wondered as if he'd even heard her. Was the boy so entranced by his thoughts that he wasn't even aware of the real world going on around him? Severus felt a pang of pity for Harry.

"He's in Seventh year." Hermione continued. "And he wants to help you."

And then, Harry looked up. His face bore the most revolted expression Hermione had ever seen, and she felt chills going down her spine.

"Help me?" Harry snarled. "I don't need his fucking help. Tell him to piss off."

Hermione froze. "No Harry, you don't mean that." She said softly.

"I bloody do." Harry spat in anger.

The doors of the library then swung open to reveal a flustered red-head. Ginny. She was running towards the table where Harry sat and threw a sheet of paper on the table. It took Severus a few seconds to realise what it was, and when he did he immediately turned to Harry to see his reaction. He knew it was not going to be a positive one, that much was obvious.

"How dare she?!" Harry shrieked, seizing the poster and ripping it to shreds.

Severus looked back at the torn up poster that bore the words, 'If you need anyone to talk to, see Professor Umbridge. Do not suffer alone. Suicide can be preventable.' Underneath the bold words was the moving image of Professor Umbridge herself, giving a sympathetic smile.

"They're all around the school." Ginny revealed. "She's trying to help students who might be suicidal after Cho…"

"She wasn't suicidal!" Harry almost screamed. "It was Voldemort! I know it! How dare she put these posters everywhere, as if that's the reason she died!"

"I know, it's disgusting. Doesn't she have any shame?" Ginny agreed, but this only fuelled Harry's rage.

"Go away, Ginny!" He shouted at her, and she ran away like a scared puppy. Hermione felt sorry for Ginny, but she knew that the girl was being pathetic, really. She was clearly siding with Harry on everything, and didn't realise that it infuriated him more than help him.

And, to make matters worse, Luna Lovegood started speaking from the other table.

"It might be helping students, you know. Even if it has nothing to do with Cho, those posters could be saving someone's life." She said in her poetic voice.

Harry glared at her, but didn't say anything. He couldn't deny that she might be right, although he didn't particularly care about anyone else's situation. His life was bad enough. And what was Professor Umbridge doing anyway, with all those posters? Was she actually trying to be nice for once? No, that would damage her reputation of a horrible, cold-hearted bitch. Harry was convinced that she made the posters to torment him. He didn't expect any less of her.

Severus then decided to speak up. Perhaps it would help if he told Harry some words of comfort, as all that had happened so far was him finding out about the posters, and Severus knew that Umbridge's wide grin on the myriad of posters around the school couldn't do Harry much good.

"I know what it's like to feel like your world is ending, and that nothing matters anymore." He told Harry, but suddenly, as if he had been lighted by a match, Harry's anger resurfaced with ten times the intensity.

"And somedays, you don't want to do anything at al-" Severus continued, but Harry made it so that he would say no more.

"You don't know anything." He told Severus curtly, and then proceeded to storm out of the library. Before he left, however, he looked hard at Hermione. "The next time you force your boyfriend to talk some crap about my feelings, make sure he actually has something helpful to say." He then slammed the doors of the library behind him as he exited.

"I'm sorry." Hermione immediately apologised, but Severus shook his head.

"He needs time." Severus said simply.

Hermione nodded, and fiddled with the ends of her jumper sleeves. It had not gone tremendously well, to say the least. She felt bad for Ron, who was currently in his dormitory. The greeting he would get from Harry was not going to be a pleasant one, that was for sure.

"He's a kind person." Hermione said after a while, and Severus nodded in response. He didn't doubt the fact that Harry could be kind. Depression brought the worse out of everybody.

"He's just crushed. Cho's death…it broke him." Hermione faltered, and her eyes started watering. "My poor Harry…" She whispered.

"Don't worry, Hermione. He'll get better. Time heals everything." He told her.

"After you, he's my best friend. He's in so much pain- I can tell just by looking at him…"

Severus went to hold her hand, but she pulled away.

"What if it's all my fault?" She exclaimed, and brought a hand to her mouth in shock.

"No, Hermione, no. It's not your fault."

Hermione shook her head. "It is, it is, it is!"

Severus then grabbed her by the shoulders and looked at her dead in the eye.

"What good does it do if you blame yourself? How will that help Harry? Harry needs you right now, and you don't have the time to worry about if it's your fault. It doesn't matter. He needs you right now."

Hermione nodded, trying to believe him. It didn't matter if it might have been her fault. Harry's wellbeing was more important than anything.