The light beyond the door was blinding. It took Harry's eyes a few seconds
to adjust to it. When his fuzzy vision was once again clear, he noted that
the curious light was coming from two large windows across the room.
Windows in the underbelly of a castle were rare, even in a place as
enchanted as Hogwarts. He looked about, taking in the stone wall to his
right, and a door to his left, which lay open to reveal a sizeable room
beyond.
It was a dark blue room, with furnished to match the mahogany paneling. There was an extensive collection of books on a shelf, a sofa, and two overstuffed chairs facing a fireplace.
The Headmaster cleared his throat, jolting Harry out of his critical study of the room before him.
"Sorry Sir." Harry turned his full attention to Dumbledore who was now greeting the room that appeared to be empty. It was no small surprise to the young man when the would-be empty room answered back in a familiar masculine voice.
"Good morning, Albus. You're early today. Has there been trouble?" Harry traced the voice to one the chairs facing the fire.
"None at all. I've come bearing good news. Come out so we can discuss the new arrangement." Albus replied cheerfully.
"As you wish," Came the stiff reply, and the man stood, making his hooded figure visible above the back of the chair.
"You know," Chuckled Dumbledore, "your identity will bring no danger at present. I believe the hood may be drawn."
Harry suppressed a gasp as the figure lowered his hood. There stood Severus Snape, Harry's well known and most hated potions professor and all around greasy git, but not so at the same time. Gone was the greasy curtain of face-obscuring hair, replaced by what looked more like black silk, the infamous hooked nose was a little straighter, and typically sallow and sickly looking skin was now pale and milky. He looked ten years younger and nominally handsome.
"I see, Mr. Potter has spent his time away mastering his pond life impersonations. Headmaster, perhaps you ought to inform him that his gaping fish face is neither becoming nor appreciated" Snape sneered.
"Severus." The headmaster's tone was warning, "That is quite enough. I'm sure you'll find Harry far more accomplished than you give him credit for." Harry blushed at the Headmaster's praise.
"Regardless, I have come here today to discuss something of great importance with you, and young Harry plays an integral part in the matter, so do play nice, Severus. Oh," He added as an afterthought. "You might want to sit down for this." Severus paled as he complied with the Headmaster. Whatever the news was, he wasn't going to like it.
"As you both know the war is far from over. Though Voldemort is dead, his legacy lives on so long as his minions remain united. There are but a few remaining Death Eaters, but they are a force to be reckoned with, nonetheless. They are currently out for vengeance against the traitors that helped to bring down their master. Any known covert members of the Order are being tracked down and assassinated with the last of their strength. Several of our most valued spies have already been brutally murdered. We have taken steps towards eliminating the threat but they are both resourceful and well hidden. All attempts have been fruitless.
"Unable to take any effective aggressive action, we have moved our efforts to defense. We have begun to hide our allies, helping those who need it the most. There have been several families concealed under secrecy charms already, including the Malfoys, the Parkinsons, and the Zabinis."
'So why is Potter here, Albus?' Snape demanded. He had a fair idea of where this was going.
"Patience in a virtue, Severus." The Headmaster replied. "You above all know that." He then looked pointedly at Harry. "Harry, I'm afraid I need to ask you a favour."
"Anything, Sir." Harry said without hesitation.
"Do not be too quick to reply. What I'm asking will require the utmost secrecy. I don't believe it is a task you will particularly enjoy, either."
"if it will save a life, I will do whatever is necessary." Harry was resolute.
"If that is your final decision my boy." Harry nodded, and Dumbledore's twinkling blue eyes took on a glint of pride.
"What do you want, Albus?" Interrupted Snape, "You can't seriously want the boy to." Snape trailed off, looking as though the end of his sentence was a fate too horrible to utter aloud.
Harry observed his former professor with confusion, until the Headmaster's implications sunk in. He paled drastically. "Oh no."
"Ah, figured it out then?' Albus looked extremely pleased with himself.
"Headmaster, please reconsider" Snape all but begged.
"Severus, Harry will be able to protect you better than any one else I can think of. Sooner or later someone will track you down, and when that time comes, you need to be some place safe."
"Severus?" Harry quietly inquired, barely audible to the angry man.
Snape turned towards him, his black eyes glittering dangerously. "What is it, Potter!" He spat back acidly.
"I meant what I said." He said, staring into the black depths. "If it means saving you," He faltered. "Saving a life, I will do it.at any cost." Severus scowled more deeply.
"Don't you understand, boy?" He demanded with quiet venom. "I might be the end of you. If word gets out that you're harboring an ex-death eater spy, your as good as dead! Are you willing to put yourself in jeopardy? And the lived of those who are close to you?"
Harry laughed. Any further words died on Snape's lips at the sound. It was harsh, bitter, and belonging nowhere near someone as young as Gryffindor's golden boy.
"Gee, why didn't I think of that? Naturally, Death Eaters would not make any attempts on the life of the bane of their Dark Lord's existence if he wasn't harboring a spy. Of course, after Voldemort's repeated failures to take my life, and my eventual defeat of him, I've never been the target of vengeance-bent minions. Naturally, I know absolutely nothing about loved ones being ripped away from me in an attempt to drag me down. Do the names Lily and James Potter, Cedric Diggory, and Sirius Black mean anything to you, Snape?
"I'm not a little boy. I've never had a real childhood, between Voldemort's murder attempts and my so called family I was never granted that gift of life. I didn't have time to be a child. I was the hero of the damned world. So don't you dare talk down to me now!" Harry paused to calm himself, breathing heavily. When he spoke again, it was quietly and mournfully. "If I can save just one life.then I-I.I just don't want to see anymore death that I might prevent. Even if it is your miserable life I'm saving."
For once in his life, Severus Snape was rendered entirely speechless.
"That settles things!" Albus reasserted his presence, clapping delightedly. "Severus my boy you have some packing to do. You have one hour."
It was a dark blue room, with furnished to match the mahogany paneling. There was an extensive collection of books on a shelf, a sofa, and two overstuffed chairs facing a fireplace.
The Headmaster cleared his throat, jolting Harry out of his critical study of the room before him.
"Sorry Sir." Harry turned his full attention to Dumbledore who was now greeting the room that appeared to be empty. It was no small surprise to the young man when the would-be empty room answered back in a familiar masculine voice.
"Good morning, Albus. You're early today. Has there been trouble?" Harry traced the voice to one the chairs facing the fire.
"None at all. I've come bearing good news. Come out so we can discuss the new arrangement." Albus replied cheerfully.
"As you wish," Came the stiff reply, and the man stood, making his hooded figure visible above the back of the chair.
"You know," Chuckled Dumbledore, "your identity will bring no danger at present. I believe the hood may be drawn."
Harry suppressed a gasp as the figure lowered his hood. There stood Severus Snape, Harry's well known and most hated potions professor and all around greasy git, but not so at the same time. Gone was the greasy curtain of face-obscuring hair, replaced by what looked more like black silk, the infamous hooked nose was a little straighter, and typically sallow and sickly looking skin was now pale and milky. He looked ten years younger and nominally handsome.
"I see, Mr. Potter has spent his time away mastering his pond life impersonations. Headmaster, perhaps you ought to inform him that his gaping fish face is neither becoming nor appreciated" Snape sneered.
"Severus." The headmaster's tone was warning, "That is quite enough. I'm sure you'll find Harry far more accomplished than you give him credit for." Harry blushed at the Headmaster's praise.
"Regardless, I have come here today to discuss something of great importance with you, and young Harry plays an integral part in the matter, so do play nice, Severus. Oh," He added as an afterthought. "You might want to sit down for this." Severus paled as he complied with the Headmaster. Whatever the news was, he wasn't going to like it.
"As you both know the war is far from over. Though Voldemort is dead, his legacy lives on so long as his minions remain united. There are but a few remaining Death Eaters, but they are a force to be reckoned with, nonetheless. They are currently out for vengeance against the traitors that helped to bring down their master. Any known covert members of the Order are being tracked down and assassinated with the last of their strength. Several of our most valued spies have already been brutally murdered. We have taken steps towards eliminating the threat but they are both resourceful and well hidden. All attempts have been fruitless.
"Unable to take any effective aggressive action, we have moved our efforts to defense. We have begun to hide our allies, helping those who need it the most. There have been several families concealed under secrecy charms already, including the Malfoys, the Parkinsons, and the Zabinis."
'So why is Potter here, Albus?' Snape demanded. He had a fair idea of where this was going.
"Patience in a virtue, Severus." The Headmaster replied. "You above all know that." He then looked pointedly at Harry. "Harry, I'm afraid I need to ask you a favour."
"Anything, Sir." Harry said without hesitation.
"Do not be too quick to reply. What I'm asking will require the utmost secrecy. I don't believe it is a task you will particularly enjoy, either."
"if it will save a life, I will do whatever is necessary." Harry was resolute.
"If that is your final decision my boy." Harry nodded, and Dumbledore's twinkling blue eyes took on a glint of pride.
"What do you want, Albus?" Interrupted Snape, "You can't seriously want the boy to." Snape trailed off, looking as though the end of his sentence was a fate too horrible to utter aloud.
Harry observed his former professor with confusion, until the Headmaster's implications sunk in. He paled drastically. "Oh no."
"Ah, figured it out then?' Albus looked extremely pleased with himself.
"Headmaster, please reconsider" Snape all but begged.
"Severus, Harry will be able to protect you better than any one else I can think of. Sooner or later someone will track you down, and when that time comes, you need to be some place safe."
"Severus?" Harry quietly inquired, barely audible to the angry man.
Snape turned towards him, his black eyes glittering dangerously. "What is it, Potter!" He spat back acidly.
"I meant what I said." He said, staring into the black depths. "If it means saving you," He faltered. "Saving a life, I will do it.at any cost." Severus scowled more deeply.
"Don't you understand, boy?" He demanded with quiet venom. "I might be the end of you. If word gets out that you're harboring an ex-death eater spy, your as good as dead! Are you willing to put yourself in jeopardy? And the lived of those who are close to you?"
Harry laughed. Any further words died on Snape's lips at the sound. It was harsh, bitter, and belonging nowhere near someone as young as Gryffindor's golden boy.
"Gee, why didn't I think of that? Naturally, Death Eaters would not make any attempts on the life of the bane of their Dark Lord's existence if he wasn't harboring a spy. Of course, after Voldemort's repeated failures to take my life, and my eventual defeat of him, I've never been the target of vengeance-bent minions. Naturally, I know absolutely nothing about loved ones being ripped away from me in an attempt to drag me down. Do the names Lily and James Potter, Cedric Diggory, and Sirius Black mean anything to you, Snape?
"I'm not a little boy. I've never had a real childhood, between Voldemort's murder attempts and my so called family I was never granted that gift of life. I didn't have time to be a child. I was the hero of the damned world. So don't you dare talk down to me now!" Harry paused to calm himself, breathing heavily. When he spoke again, it was quietly and mournfully. "If I can save just one life.then I-I.I just don't want to see anymore death that I might prevent. Even if it is your miserable life I'm saving."
For once in his life, Severus Snape was rendered entirely speechless.
"That settles things!" Albus reasserted his presence, clapping delightedly. "Severus my boy you have some packing to do. You have one hour."