Written for Writer's Month 2022. Prompt #6: Popular.
Set in the OotP, but no Umbridge. After the Pensieve incident.
Happy reading!
- Get out, get out, I don't want to see you in this office ever again!
Harry ran through the dark halls of the dungeons, his mind still reeling from everything he had found out a few minutes ago. He got to the Gryffindor tower in record time, sprinted through the common room at top speed and went to his dorm.
Seeing his father like that... It was unexpected, to say the least. Ever since he entered the wizarding world he had been hearing stories about his father being wonderful – brave, loyal, funny... So many people had even told him he was very similar to his father – and he was proud of that. It felt great to at least have a connection to him in that way, when he couldn't know him himself. However, knowing what he now knew about him...
His father had been a bully. His father had been an arrogant, bullying person who reminded him way too much of a strange combination between Malfoy and Dudley. It was an awful thought – all those years he had thought Snape just hated his father because of a Slytherin prejudice, much like Malfoy hated Harry. Being proven wrong about it was an awful feeling, and it left a bitter taste in his mouth. Having been so proud of his father for so long, he was now felt confused. Betrayed. Ashamed.
He didn't know what to do with this new knowledge. Obviously, he couldn't talk to Snape about it – the man looked like he wanted to kill him when he pulled him out of the Pensieve, and he couldn't very well ask his father about it. However, he couldn't pretend nothing had happened – he needed answers.
He thought about the scene he had witnessed – it was so awful! Harry knew what it was like to have the popular kids gang up on you, and he couldn't believe his own father was one of those kids once upon a time. Thinking about it, he got an idea. He couldn't talk to his father, of course, but he could do the next best thing - talk to his father's friends. Pettigrew was out of the picture, yes, but surely Remus, and even more so Sirius, would be able to help him work through it all.
He thought about writing a letter to Sirius and asking him about it, but realised that wasn't the best solution. His godfather was on the run, and the letter could be intercepted, which was too high of a risk. At the same time, it would take days for the reply to get to Hogwarts, and Harry couldn't wait that long – he needed answers right away.
It was nearing dinnertime, and Harry suddenly got an idea. He went down to the common room and found Ron, laughing at a joke Dean was telling. Harry sat in an unoccupied corner and subtly invited Ron over. A minute later, they were sitting together, far enough so they wouldn't be overheard if they didn't speak too loudly.
- Ron, I need you to cover for me.
Harry spoke in a hushed tone, making it look like they were discussing ordinary school stuff.
- When everyone goes down for dinner, I'll make my bed look like I've gone to sleep and leave through the Floo.
Ron's eyes widened for a second.
- The Floo? Where are you...
Harry shook his head.
- I have to go see Sirius – I don't have enough time to tell you all about it... Now, listen – when you get back from dinner, I probably won't be back yet. I need you to make everyone believe I'm asleep, so nobody knows I'm gone. Can you do that?
Ron looked a little reluctant.
- I don't know, Harry... Are you sure about this?
Harry looked him in the eye.
- It's really important, Ron – it can't wait. Now, can you help me or not?
Letting out a sigh, Ron slowly nodded.
- Okay. But be careful, okay?
Harry relaxed in relief.
- Of course. Thank you, Ron.
They talked a bit more about inconsequential things, passing the time. Soon enough, people began to trickle out of the common room, and Ron left with them. Harry sat up and slowly walked up to his dormitory, trying not to attract too much attention. He waited for a few minutes, in case somebody decided to come back for anything, and then stuffed pillows under his covers on the bed and drew the curtains closed.
Having done his best to make it look like he was in the bed, asleep, he went to the common room once more. A quick look around the room assured him he was alone, and so he went to the fireplace. He thought about it all once again – was it really worth the risk of being caught? A moment later, he shook his head – he needed to do this. He threw the Floo powder into the fireplace, stepped into the green flames and yelled.
- Grimmauld place!
As always, the next thing he felt was an onslaught of ash and soot, and the sickening, tumbling sensation of going through the Floo network. Thankfully, it was over soon, and he fell out of the fireplace right onto the hideous gray rug with golden decorations.
He barely had the time to stand up before Sirius ran into the room, wand drawn and ready to fight an intruder. A moment later he realised it was Harry who had come through the Floo, and that there was no danger – after all, the Fidelius charm made it impossible for an intruder to get in anyway.
- Harry! What are you doing here? Are you hurt? What's going on?
Questions were coming rapidly, every one of them more worried than the last. Harry barely managed to say anything.
- Sirius, I'm fine! Really, I'm not injured, there's no danger, stop worrying!
A few more seconds passed with Sirius ratting off questions, but eventually what Harry said got through to him, and he stopped the interrogation. Somewhere in the meantime Remus had come downstairs as well, and now the two men were looking at Harry.
- So... Not that I'm not happy to see you, but if you're alright, why are you here?
Remus nodded at that question.
- I'm wondering about the same thing. Especially at this time – I don't think Minerva would have let you come at this time.
Harry looked away for a moment.
- I kinda... didn't tell her I'd be here.
It looked like either one of the men had something to say about that, but Harry didn't give them the chance.
- Look, I know it wasn't the... best of decisions, but I had to talk to you. And I couldn't wait for letters to go back and forth.
Although they still didn't look like they approved of his sneaking out of Hogwarts without permission, Harry's explanation definitely made them realise his reason for coming to Grimmauld place was important. Having that in mind, they prompted him to talk more.
- The thing is, I had an Occlumency lesson with Professor Snape this evening.
Already, Sirius jumped at that.
- Did he do something to you? How dare he? I'm going to go there and give him a piece of my mind...
Harry cut him off.
- Stop it, Sirius! Just, stop. Hear me out, okay?
Looking like he wanted to jump into the Floo and go confront Snape that very second, Sirius reluctantly nodded and sat down.
- As I was saying, I had an Occlumency lesson scheduled for this evening. When I arrived, however, Professor Snape wasn't there yet. However, he left a Pensieve filled with memories on the desk. Now, I know it was wrong, but no one was telling me what was going on, and I wanted to know, so I... Well, I...
This time it was Remus who reacted first.
- Please tell me you didn't.
Feeling shame wash over him once again, he nodded.
- I did. I went into the Pensieve, hoping to find some information about the Order and the war, about the stuff you all were keeping from me. However, I saw an absolutely different memory there.
Here he stopped, unable to say it all without pause.
- What did you see, Harry?
He looked at his godfather.
- I saw his memory of the time you were all at Hogwarts – fifth year, to be exact. You were there – both of you – as was my father. And you...
Remus seemed to understand where Harry was going with the story. A shadow settled in his eyes, and he looked away.
- You saw the way we were with Severus, didn't you?
Harry seemed to relax a little now that he didn't have to be the one to say it. He took a breath and looked the two men who he cared about the most.
- I.. I saw you. And I saw my father – and it was so awful. I mean, I can't believe you all could treat someone like that – and for the sole reason of existing! I – I grew up knowing how it feels to be bullied, to be ganged on and tormented for existing, but I... I never... I never thought my father, or you, would be like that.
Both Sirius and Remus let out long, heavy breaths. However, it was Sirius who spoke first.
- Harry, I... I'm sorry you had to see that. All of us, including your father - well, we were idiots back then, to put it simply.
Remus nodded at that and began talking as well.
- You see, Harry, we – the Marauders – were something of a popular bunch back then. Your dad was a Quidditch Captain, I was a Prefect, we all had quite good grades and most teachers loved us, we played pranks and enjoyed the attention of the masses. Obviously, the popularity got to our heads a bit. Add to that the dislike Sirius and your father had for Slytherins in general, the fact that the relationship between them and Severus was bad from the very start, before we were even sorted, and take into account the fact that Lily, who James was in love with, had the habit of standing up for Severus... Well, let's just say that it was an extremely volatile situation.
Harry opened his mouth to say something, but Sirius beat him to it.
- Remus is right, you know. We were stupid, and we let the fact that most people liked us turn us into big-headed, arrogant morons – and that caused suffering for others, like Snape. Now, I don't like Snape – I don't think I ever will, to be honest – but I would have done things differently now than I did then.
The two men were looking at Harry, wondering what he thought of it all.
- I... I understand it, a bit, but it still sounds horrible! I mean, you were fifteen – I'm fifteen now, and I would never do something like that! I just don't get it – how could you act that way?
Remus shook his head at that, while Sirius began to speak.
- You are right, Harry - we were your age, and we should have known better. However, you have to realise this – you are very different from what we were then. You're not only James's son, but Lily's too – that alone would've made it difficult for you to act that way. Second of all, you grew up in a different way – as you said, you know what it feels like to be treated that way, which is part of the reason why you'd never act like that. We didn't really have that – we were just stupid children, thinking our popularity gave us the right to treat anyone in any way we wanted. It was wrong, but we can't go back now – I can only say, I'm sorry.
Remus nodded empathically at that.
- I'm sorry as well – what we did was awful, and I'm ashamed of the way we acted back then.
Harry looked at them both, and saw they were sincere in what they said. It didn't make it right – nothing really could – but it went a long way. It was good to know they'd changed and realised what they did wasn't alright. Still, he wondered how his father would have felt about it all.
- Um... Do you... Do you think my dad would have thought the same? Or would he defend what you did back then?
Although Harry tried to make it sound like just another one of the questions he had, Remus and Sirius could see it meant a lot more to him.
- He wouldn't defend it, Harry – I'm sure. Even more, if memory serves me, he tried to apologise to Snape once – I don't think it really worked, there was too much bad blood between them, and Snape had already gone closer to the Dark, but... I know James regretted it, and realised it was wrong.
Remus could see the effect his words had on the boy – his shoulders sagged, like a huge weight had been lifted off them. He nodded at them.
- Now, did you have something else you wanted to know, or...
Sirius looked at his godson, trying to see if there was anything else bothering him.
- Well... I don't really have any more questions, but I need your help. You see, while I was in the Pensieve, Snape came and found me in there.
Remus's eyes widened at that.
- Oh, no... That couldn't have went well.
Harry looked at him once again.
- No, it most certainly did not end well. He pulled me out, made me promise never to tell anyone what I saw, and kicked me out of his office, saying he never wanted to see me again. And... Now I don't know what to do. I need the lessons – I don't want to get possessed by Voldemort – but I don't know how to convince him to resume teaching me.
Remus looked at the teenager. The situation was very complex, and the fact that Severus was the only one who could give Harry the lessons made it all the more difficult.
- I won't lie to you, Harry – it is a difficult situation. However, I suppose we can try apologising to him – all three of us – and asking him to resume the lessons for the good of the war effort.
Harry looked up at that.
- Do you really think that would work? I mean, he was awfully mad.
Sirius decided to chime in then.
- I think it might work. If we ask Dumbledore to set up the meeting and be there, and if we all make an effort, I think it might work. Mind you, I never thought I'd be planning the way to apologise to Snape, but... I guess I really need to do that, huh?
Harry nodded at that, thankful he had people who were willing to help him. He hugged both men and went back to school, successfully sneaking into his bed without waking anyone.
The next day, Remus contacted Dumbledore and set up the meeting. After Harry had finished with his classes, a second year brought him a message from the Headmaster to come to his office as soon as possible. He said goodbye to Ron and Hermione and ran up the tower, giving the gargoyle another one of the amusing sweet passwords.
Once he entered the Headmaster's office he saw Remus and Sirius inside. Dumbledore sat behind his desk and motioned for him to sit. Not a minute passed, and the door opened once again.
- You wished to see me, Headma...
Right then, Snape saw who was in Dumbledore's office.
- What is the meaning of this, Dumbledore? Why are they all here, and why did you invite me to come at the same time?
Talking calmly, so as not to cause more conflict, Dumbledore responded.
- Now, now, Severus – all the people here wish to talk to you, and I am, shall we say, the facilitator. So, I ask that you hear them out – after all, I don't wish to have gone to all the trouble of organising this meeting for naught...
Snape looked like he was about to burst, and it was only respect for Dumbledore that made him stay there.
- So? What do you want now?
Remus raised from his seat first, and took a step towards Severus.
- Severus, I just wanted to apologise for the way I treated you while we were at Hogwarts. It was awful, and you didn't deserve it, and I'm truly ashamed to have participated in tormenting you for no reason. I don't expect you to forgive me, but I wanted you to know I regret it.
Whatever Snape had expected, it wasn't that. However, before he had the time to react, Sirius sat up as well.
- I wanted to apologise to you as well. I did you way more harm than Remus ever did – I didn't just stand by and watch, I actively tormented you for years. I almost sent you to your death, and I made your time at Hogwarts a nightmare. I know it doesn't change anything, but I really am sorry I acted that way – it was wrong.
Once again, before Severus could react, Harry sat up.
- Professor, I... I wanted to say I was sorry for invading your privacy yesterday night. I was curious about the war and everything the Order knew but wouldn't tell me, and so I thought it wise to try and find out more through your memories. It was wrong, and I'm sorry I let my curiosity lead me to act in such a disrespectful way. I'm also sorry for the way my father treated you – it was wrong, and I was devastated to see him act like that. I know this changes nothing, but I'm really sorry about everything I've done. I was wrong.
Harry stopped talking, not knowing what else to say. Snape was looking at them all, and saying nothing.
- I know I was wrong, but I really need to learn Occlumency – too much depends on my ability to keep Voldemort out of my mind. I know I acted horribly, but, I was wondering, would you please give me the lessons again?
Harry looked at his professor, who turned away to look at Dumbledore. Something passed between their looks, and Snape once again turned towards the three of them. He nodded once, and looked at Harry.
- Alright, Potter. But this is your last chance – don't ask me again.
Harry let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. He opened his mouth to thank the professor, but Snape had already gone out the door. He looked at Sirius and Remus, and then at Dumbledore; they'd made it happen.
Thank you for reading! Please, leave a review - good or bad, I appreciate all feedback!
I wish you all the best, and hope you have a lovely day!