"I was wondering when you were going to come to me with this, Severus,"
"You understand," Snape said, pacing back and forth across Dumbledore's office, "that there is nothing that can be done about this, yes?"
"In the immediate, yes, I know."
"And you understand that I have to go to the, celebration," he said this word with disgust, "in order to keep up appearances?"
Dumbledore nodded.
Snape ran a hand through his hair and looked at the headmaster. "And what will no doubt transpire there?"
He nodded again and gestured for Snape to sit. It took him a moment to comply, but then he threw himself into the chair in defeat.
Dumbledore waited patiently then for his potions master to speak.
"There are times, Albus, and I wish I could say they were more infrequent, when I think I should have chosen Akzaban," Snape said without looking up.
"You are doing a very good thing and a very difficult thing and everyone who knows appreciates and acknowledges it."
"Then why do I feel like I am merely damning myself further?"
"For all of our sakes, I wish the ends did not have to justify the means, Severus. But what you are doing is necessary and something no one else can do for us. And I know you understand this."
"I always wanted to be special," Snape said bitterly.
Dumbledore couldn't suppress a slight chuckle and Snape merely glared at him through his hair. "I know that you must feel that you are suffering more for having chosen to do the right thing. If I could tell you that your suspicions were wrong, or were something that could be changed, I would. But I cannot do more than offer you my support and the wish that you dwell in possibility that this can be won sooner, rather than later."
"There's something else you should be aware of," Snape said after a long pause.
Dumbledore looked at him expectantly.
"Professor Hemrand and I seem to have gotten ourselves involved. I tell you, not out of any comfort with it myself, you understand, but because it seems obvious to me that this makes life potentially more dangerous for us both."
Dumbledore frowned and nodded, as if pondering this very seriously. Mostly he was trying to keep from laughing at Snape's discomfort. "Yes, indeed, that is very interesting. Complicated too, I'm sure," Dumbledore looked up at him then, giving the younger man the option of treating as a question.
"That is a word for it, yes,"
"Well, you're adults, and if I didn't stop you two as students here, I am certainly not going to stop you now." He paused. "Is there anything else I should be aware of?"
"Not at the moment, but I'm sure some other hideous news will manage to find its way here shortly."
"You understand," Snape said, pacing back and forth across Dumbledore's office, "that there is nothing that can be done about this, yes?"
"In the immediate, yes, I know."
"And you understand that I have to go to the, celebration," he said this word with disgust, "in order to keep up appearances?"
Dumbledore nodded.
Snape ran a hand through his hair and looked at the headmaster. "And what will no doubt transpire there?"
He nodded again and gestured for Snape to sit. It took him a moment to comply, but then he threw himself into the chair in defeat.
Dumbledore waited patiently then for his potions master to speak.
"There are times, Albus, and I wish I could say they were more infrequent, when I think I should have chosen Akzaban," Snape said without looking up.
"You are doing a very good thing and a very difficult thing and everyone who knows appreciates and acknowledges it."
"Then why do I feel like I am merely damning myself further?"
"For all of our sakes, I wish the ends did not have to justify the means, Severus. But what you are doing is necessary and something no one else can do for us. And I know you understand this."
"I always wanted to be special," Snape said bitterly.
Dumbledore couldn't suppress a slight chuckle and Snape merely glared at him through his hair. "I know that you must feel that you are suffering more for having chosen to do the right thing. If I could tell you that your suspicions were wrong, or were something that could be changed, I would. But I cannot do more than offer you my support and the wish that you dwell in possibility that this can be won sooner, rather than later."
"There's something else you should be aware of," Snape said after a long pause.
Dumbledore looked at him expectantly.
"Professor Hemrand and I seem to have gotten ourselves involved. I tell you, not out of any comfort with it myself, you understand, but because it seems obvious to me that this makes life potentially more dangerous for us both."
Dumbledore frowned and nodded, as if pondering this very seriously. Mostly he was trying to keep from laughing at Snape's discomfort. "Yes, indeed, that is very interesting. Complicated too, I'm sure," Dumbledore looked up at him then, giving the younger man the option of treating as a question.
"That is a word for it, yes,"
"Well, you're adults, and if I didn't stop you two as students here, I am certainly not going to stop you now." He paused. "Is there anything else I should be aware of?"
"Not at the moment, but I'm sure some other hideous news will manage to find its way here shortly."
