Disclaimer - Harry Potter, and all the characters from the books belong to
J.K. Rowling not me. All other characters are mine.
The weekend had gone by slowly to some, and others still longed for another mug of butter beer. Monday had come and it was once again time for potions class. By now word had gotten around to all the students about Professor Snape and his "changes". Everyone was happy about the change in Snape, everyone except Malfoy, who was becoming annoyed by the fact that Snape didn't give him praises in front of the class anymore. By Tuesday, everyone had realized that Snape's rude behavior had been replaced by twice as many potions.
"Something has to be done about Snape," Neville said in passing.
"I agree," Hermione directed at Ron and Harry, "We have got to tell Dumbledore about what is going on."
"Maybe only one of us should go."
"Oh Ron, if you don't want to go then just say so and me and Harry will go by ourselves."
"Maybe Ron is right Hermione," said Harry. "Maybe it would be better if only one of us went."
"But who would go? I don't feel comfortable going by myself."
"Then I guess that just leaves me. I'll go," said Harry.
"Are you sure? Maybe I was wrong; maybe Hermione should go with you. She knows exactly what to say."
"No, I'll go alone. You two should follow Snape; watch to see if he does anything out of the ordinary. If I don't find out anything through Dumbledore, then Ron, you and I will take the cloak out tonight to spy on Snape."
The three of them parted ways. Two leaving to spy on Snape and the other making his way to the Headmaster's office.
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"Sauerkraut sandwich," Harry said to the secret passage that led to Dumbledore's office. He shook his head with a smile, "Dumbledore always has the silliest passwords."
"Ah, come in Mr. Potter. What is it that I can do for you today?"
"Well, Professor Dumbledore Sir, I wanted to talk to you about Professor Snape."
"Oh, what about him?"
"Well Sir, he has been acting rather strange lately. Really hasn't been himself."
"I see. Sit down Harry." Professor Dumbledore came around behind his desk and sat down also. "Harry, Professor Snape is indeed acting weird, but I assure you that it is nothing to be worried about. His mind is just preoccupied with other things right now."
"Things? What kind of things Sir?"
"Professor Snape has been having dreams of someone from his past lately," reflecting back on his previous meeting with Snape thinking about what he can tell Harry without exactly telling Snape's secret, "and it seems that his dreams are beginning to take precedence over all other thoughts."
"Who is he dreaming about?"
"I cannot say Harry. I took an oath not to tell."
"But what if it's the Dark Lord?" asked a frightened Harry.
Dumbledore chuckled, "I can assure you Harry that it is not the Dark Lord. You have nothing to fear."
With all of his newfound information, he went in search of Hermione and Ron to tell them what he had just found out.
- - - - - Back in the Common Room - - - - -
"How could he not tell you who Snape was dreaming about?" shouted Hermione. It was a good thing they were the only ones in the common room that night.
"Shhhhh. Someone might hear us," said Ron.
"Well I'm sorry that it upsets me that Dumbledore didn't tell Harry who Snape was dreaming about. You would think that if a scared, concerned student came to you about something like this you would tell them exactly what was going on. For all you know he could in fact be dreaming about the Dark Lord and Dumbledore just didn't want to worry you with it. He could have lied."
"Then Ron, you and I will go to watch Snape tonight," said Harry.
"How come I can't go too?"
"Because Hermione, we all three can't fit under the cloak anymore. After all, we are seventh years, not first years anymore."
"Harry is right Hermione. You will just have to sit this one out. We will tell you everything when we get back."
Harry and Ron made plans to leave after midnight. They didn't exactly know where Snape's dormitory was so they figured they would just try his office for some answers. Only four more hours to go.
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It was a quarter past midnight when Harry and Ron slipped out of the portrait that led to Gryffindor Tower. They didn't exactly know what to look for once they reached Snape's office. They knew they needed to find out where Snape's dormitory was, but they didn't think they would find a map that would lead them there in the office. Actually, what they did find was even better than a map. They found Professor Snape himself, dead asleep.
"Be extra quiet Ron. We don't want to wake him."
They could hear Snape lightly snoring as they stepped into the office. Harry and Ron maneuvered themselves into a corner to be out of the way in case Snape woke up. They watched Snape for what seemed like hours before there was any movement from him. Ron had fallen asleep while waiting for Snape to wake up. When Snape started to open his eyes Harry nudged Ron awake with his elbow.
Snape sat back in his chair, wide-awake now. "Oh, why are you tormenting me?" Snape said into the night air half way expecting an answer. "Why after all these years must you come back to haunt me?"
Harry and Ron looked at each other perplexedly then turned their attention to the half crazed potions teacher who was still talking to an imaginary person.
"What is it that you want? Why are you showing me all of these things in my dreams? What do tornados have to do with anything?"
Ron and Harry couldn't believe what they were hearing. They just knew he was talking about the Dark Lord, and he had something to with a tornado? Snape was making no sense. Maybe it would have been better if Hermione came too.
"I don't want to dream about you anymore. I have kept the memories of you in the past. So why now do I dream of you?"
Snape put his head back down on the desk. He looked miserable to Harry and Ron, who felt no pity for him. They thought anyone tortured by the Dark Lord should be miserable and should have no pity. Only they didn't know Snape wasn't dreaming about the Dark Lord. He was dreaming of someone much more dangerous to him than the Dark Lord could ever be. Someone who was real; someone who wasn't just in his dreams.
The weekend had gone by slowly to some, and others still longed for another mug of butter beer. Monday had come and it was once again time for potions class. By now word had gotten around to all the students about Professor Snape and his "changes". Everyone was happy about the change in Snape, everyone except Malfoy, who was becoming annoyed by the fact that Snape didn't give him praises in front of the class anymore. By Tuesday, everyone had realized that Snape's rude behavior had been replaced by twice as many potions.
"Something has to be done about Snape," Neville said in passing.
"I agree," Hermione directed at Ron and Harry, "We have got to tell Dumbledore about what is going on."
"Maybe only one of us should go."
"Oh Ron, if you don't want to go then just say so and me and Harry will go by ourselves."
"Maybe Ron is right Hermione," said Harry. "Maybe it would be better if only one of us went."
"But who would go? I don't feel comfortable going by myself."
"Then I guess that just leaves me. I'll go," said Harry.
"Are you sure? Maybe I was wrong; maybe Hermione should go with you. She knows exactly what to say."
"No, I'll go alone. You two should follow Snape; watch to see if he does anything out of the ordinary. If I don't find out anything through Dumbledore, then Ron, you and I will take the cloak out tonight to spy on Snape."
The three of them parted ways. Two leaving to spy on Snape and the other making his way to the Headmaster's office.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Sauerkraut sandwich," Harry said to the secret passage that led to Dumbledore's office. He shook his head with a smile, "Dumbledore always has the silliest passwords."
"Ah, come in Mr. Potter. What is it that I can do for you today?"
"Well, Professor Dumbledore Sir, I wanted to talk to you about Professor Snape."
"Oh, what about him?"
"Well Sir, he has been acting rather strange lately. Really hasn't been himself."
"I see. Sit down Harry." Professor Dumbledore came around behind his desk and sat down also. "Harry, Professor Snape is indeed acting weird, but I assure you that it is nothing to be worried about. His mind is just preoccupied with other things right now."
"Things? What kind of things Sir?"
"Professor Snape has been having dreams of someone from his past lately," reflecting back on his previous meeting with Snape thinking about what he can tell Harry without exactly telling Snape's secret, "and it seems that his dreams are beginning to take precedence over all other thoughts."
"Who is he dreaming about?"
"I cannot say Harry. I took an oath not to tell."
"But what if it's the Dark Lord?" asked a frightened Harry.
Dumbledore chuckled, "I can assure you Harry that it is not the Dark Lord. You have nothing to fear."
With all of his newfound information, he went in search of Hermione and Ron to tell them what he had just found out.
- - - - - Back in the Common Room - - - - -
"How could he not tell you who Snape was dreaming about?" shouted Hermione. It was a good thing they were the only ones in the common room that night.
"Shhhhh. Someone might hear us," said Ron.
"Well I'm sorry that it upsets me that Dumbledore didn't tell Harry who Snape was dreaming about. You would think that if a scared, concerned student came to you about something like this you would tell them exactly what was going on. For all you know he could in fact be dreaming about the Dark Lord and Dumbledore just didn't want to worry you with it. He could have lied."
"Then Ron, you and I will go to watch Snape tonight," said Harry.
"How come I can't go too?"
"Because Hermione, we all three can't fit under the cloak anymore. After all, we are seventh years, not first years anymore."
"Harry is right Hermione. You will just have to sit this one out. We will tell you everything when we get back."
Harry and Ron made plans to leave after midnight. They didn't exactly know where Snape's dormitory was so they figured they would just try his office for some answers. Only four more hours to go.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
It was a quarter past midnight when Harry and Ron slipped out of the portrait that led to Gryffindor Tower. They didn't exactly know what to look for once they reached Snape's office. They knew they needed to find out where Snape's dormitory was, but they didn't think they would find a map that would lead them there in the office. Actually, what they did find was even better than a map. They found Professor Snape himself, dead asleep.
"Be extra quiet Ron. We don't want to wake him."
They could hear Snape lightly snoring as they stepped into the office. Harry and Ron maneuvered themselves into a corner to be out of the way in case Snape woke up. They watched Snape for what seemed like hours before there was any movement from him. Ron had fallen asleep while waiting for Snape to wake up. When Snape started to open his eyes Harry nudged Ron awake with his elbow.
Snape sat back in his chair, wide-awake now. "Oh, why are you tormenting me?" Snape said into the night air half way expecting an answer. "Why after all these years must you come back to haunt me?"
Harry and Ron looked at each other perplexedly then turned their attention to the half crazed potions teacher who was still talking to an imaginary person.
"What is it that you want? Why are you showing me all of these things in my dreams? What do tornados have to do with anything?"
Ron and Harry couldn't believe what they were hearing. They just knew he was talking about the Dark Lord, and he had something to with a tornado? Snape was making no sense. Maybe it would have been better if Hermione came too.
"I don't want to dream about you anymore. I have kept the memories of you in the past. So why now do I dream of you?"
Snape put his head back down on the desk. He looked miserable to Harry and Ron, who felt no pity for him. They thought anyone tortured by the Dark Lord should be miserable and should have no pity. Only they didn't know Snape wasn't dreaming about the Dark Lord. He was dreaming of someone much more dangerous to him than the Dark Lord could ever be. Someone who was real; someone who wasn't just in his dreams.