Word: Apology
Harry hesitated outside the dungeon entrance. He wasn't entirely sure what he was planning to do now, but he wasn't getting anywhere by standing out here. Feeling as though he was walking into the dragon's den, Harry went into the Potions dungeon.
Snape had obviously just finished teaching a class, as he was clearing away supplies. He looked up sharply when he heard Harry enter. His expression seemed to freeze for a moment, before settling into his usual unpleasant sneer.
"Well, Mr Potter, how may I help you? Perhaps you didn't get a good seat when you went prying into my thoughts and wanted another show?"
Harry winced, but ignored the jibe. "I wanted to talk to you- sir," he added deliberately.
"Strange though it may seem, Potter, I have more interesting things to do with my time than to stand here and listen to you prattle all day." He had finished clearing the supplies away, and began to move towards the door.
"I'm sorry," Harry said quietly. Snape stopped.
"Mr Potter, if you have only come here to waste my time, then you would be better-"
"I'm sorry about looking into your Pensieve," Harry broke in. "I had no right to look into your private thoughts like that. It was none of my business, so I just wanted to apologise for it."
Snape turned around, wearing an ugly expression. "Do you have any idea how ridiculous that sounds? What you did, Potter, was an incredible violation of the trust I showed by leaving you alone in this room. You spied on my thoughts, my private emotions, for entertainment! And you come in here," he hissed, "thinking that an apology will make it all better? How dare you expect forgiveness for what you did?"
"I didn't want you to forgive me," Harry interrupted again, "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry!"
Snape appeared to calm down. "No, Potter, what you wanted to do was to relieve your own guilty conscience." Harry didn't say anything. "I may be forced to teach you, and to tolerate your continued existence, but I'll be damned before I let you come in here and act out this pantomime just so that you can sleep at night."
"I didn't- I mean, you-"
"Now if you'll excuse me, Mr Potter, I have a class to teach."
Snape stalked out of the dungeon, and Harry could do nothing but watch him go.
Harry hesitated outside the dungeon entrance. He wasn't entirely sure what he was planning to do now, but he wasn't getting anywhere by standing out here. Feeling as though he was walking into the dragon's den, Harry went into the Potions dungeon.
Snape had obviously just finished teaching a class, as he was clearing away supplies. He looked up sharply when he heard Harry enter. His expression seemed to freeze for a moment, before settling into his usual unpleasant sneer.
"Well, Mr Potter, how may I help you? Perhaps you didn't get a good seat when you went prying into my thoughts and wanted another show?"
Harry winced, but ignored the jibe. "I wanted to talk to you- sir," he added deliberately.
"Strange though it may seem, Potter, I have more interesting things to do with my time than to stand here and listen to you prattle all day." He had finished clearing the supplies away, and began to move towards the door.
"I'm sorry," Harry said quietly. Snape stopped.
"Mr Potter, if you have only come here to waste my time, then you would be better-"
"I'm sorry about looking into your Pensieve," Harry broke in. "I had no right to look into your private thoughts like that. It was none of my business, so I just wanted to apologise for it."
Snape turned around, wearing an ugly expression. "Do you have any idea how ridiculous that sounds? What you did, Potter, was an incredible violation of the trust I showed by leaving you alone in this room. You spied on my thoughts, my private emotions, for entertainment! And you come in here," he hissed, "thinking that an apology will make it all better? How dare you expect forgiveness for what you did?"
"I didn't want you to forgive me," Harry interrupted again, "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry!"
Snape appeared to calm down. "No, Potter, what you wanted to do was to relieve your own guilty conscience." Harry didn't say anything. "I may be forced to teach you, and to tolerate your continued existence, but I'll be damned before I let you come in here and act out this pantomime just so that you can sleep at night."
"I didn't- I mean, you-"
"Now if you'll excuse me, Mr Potter, I have a class to teach."
Snape stalked out of the dungeon, and Harry could do nothing but watch him go.
