Veritas Intempestivus Chapter 5: Pondering Prevarication, a harry potter fanfic

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Chapter 5: Pondering Prevarication

"Honestly, Albus, you simply cannot be serious." Severus Snape, Potions Master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Death Eater, Spy, and all-around Slimy Git Extraordinaire, wanted nothing more, at that moment, than to throttle the headmaster.

"They ought to be expelled!" Snape looked as though he was ready to hex something. Or someone. Potter, if he could get his hands on him. And if the headmaster wouldn't detach his head from the remainder of his body if he did so. Permanently.

Snape was, once again, pacing moodily in Dumbledore's office.

"I know how much you oppose favoritism when it is directed toward Gryffindors, Severus." Snape gave Dumbledore a withering look.. Dumbledore held up a hand to forestall Snape's protestations.

"I know it is a failing of mine," Dumbledore continued, "that Gryffindor House often seems to be rewarded at the expense of Slytherin. I named you head of Slytherin House in part to balance that. However, the fact remains that expelling Harry Potter would be disastrous, you know that as well as I."

Snape sighed. No, Dumbledore could not expel the Potter brat, and the fact that Dumbledore's reasoning was sound made the situation all the more infuriating.

"Well, he and his cohorts should at least be given detention until they graduate. With Filch," Snape added maliciously. And Filch ought to be allowed to reinstitute the old punishments, Snape added mentally.

"It would be unwise, Severus, to punish Harry on the basis of any information that comes to light during Occlumency lessons. It is too important that he master the skill."

"Perhaps it would motivate him to actually learn Occlumency so that I would not be capable of entering his mind and extracting such information."

"Perhaps. More likely, Harry will simply refuse further lessons."

True. Snape pondered. Potter does seem to have grown a backbone while no one was watching.

"So what am I supposed to do?" Snape asked in exasperation. "Congratulate Potter and Weasley on their acting abilities and give ten points to Gryffindor for Granger brewing a complex potion?" Snape was secretly impressed that Granger had managed to brew Polyjuice in her second year, but he would dye his hair purple and adopt Longbottom before he would admit that to anyone.

"No, Severus. You continue teaching Harry Occlumency." Snape glared at the headmaster. The glare had no affect on Dumbledore. Damn his ability to always remain unflustered. And damn his conniving, meddlesome tactics. Albus really ought to have been a Slytherin, Snape mused.

The headmaster's eyes twinkled in amusement as he watched the Potions Master's reaction. Albus' tone was serious when he spoke, though.

"I know I ask much of you, Severus, but it is necessary." The amusement was gone from the headmaster's eyes. Severus looked into the eyes of his mentor. The only thing he feared more than the Dark Lord was the thought of disappointing Albus.

"Very well. I will teach your brat." Snape's words came out as a sigh. Dumbledore beamed.

"Thank you, Severus. And the potions tutorials, have you begun those?" The man did not know when to stop.

"Albus, are those really necessary?" Snape asked defeatedly? He knew what the headmaster's answer would be.

"You must learn to work together. You realize this, don't you, Severus?"

Yes, Snape was aware of this. Potter got Black killed because he didn't count Severus as an ally, if Potter got himself killed for the same reason, that would spell disaster.

Snape merely nodded, letting the subject rest.

* * *

Snape returned to his chambers and poured himself a stiff drink. He then thought better of drinking this early in the day and sent his glass flying into the unlit fireplace.

Severus sat in an armchair, staring into the fireplace. He honestly did not understand how Potter managed to suck the life out of him so completely and so effortlessly.

Snape rose and went to his desk. He sat down and wrote a note.

Potter,

We will resume your Occlumency training tonight at 7:00pm. Do not be late.

Illegible Scrawl

Snape summoned a house elf and asked it to take the note to Potter. The house elf was quivering in fear by the time it left Snape's chambers. Snape smirked. He hadn't lost his touch completely.

Snape was reconsidering his earlier decision regarding the benefits of a stiff drink when a thought struck him. If he added snake venom to the potion he had been experimenting with, he might just have the recipe for the prevarication serum he had been attempting to create for quite some time now. He didn't know why he hadn't thought of this earlier.

Snape went to his laboratory and immediately became immersed in his work. This potion could prove to be an invaluable weapon.

* * *

Damn. Snape had been working for the past six hours and it was now nearly time for Potter's lesson. Blasted Brat.

Snape put away his supplies and went to take a quick shower. His research was going remarkably well, but what he needed was test subjects. Perhaps if Potter is late, I can test the potion on him as his punishment, Snape mused. Snape thought this was a wonderful idea, but imagined the headmaster would be none to pleased. A pity, that.

Aw well, Snape would just have to take out his frustrations in other ways. Snape smiled maliciously. He could cast a much more powerful Legilimency spell than he had so far done with Potter. Dumbledore might not want to expel Potter, but the headmaster could not prevent Snape from having his fun. Torture is, after all, an art form. Oh, this will be fun indeed.

Snape had a new spring in his step as he approached his potions classroom. It was a sight to instill fear in the most courageous of Gryffindors.

Snape was nearly whistling as he unlocked and opened the door to his classroom.

Snape pointed his wand at an uncomfortable looking wooden chair and brought it to the center of the room. He then sat at his desk, waiting for Potter to arrive and the fun to begin.

Snape saw Potter approach the door, which Snape had purposefully left open. Snape smiled. Potter took an instinctive step backward. Snape's smile grew in size and intensity.

His voice was malicious as he addressed Potter.

"Enter, Potter," Snape drawled.

Potter visibly steeled his nerves, then entered.

"Sit," Snape commanded.

Amusing as it would doubtless be to watch Potter collapse under the force of his spell, it simply wouldn't do to have Potter crack his skull on the stone floor. Snape wasn't about to do the Dark Lord's work for him. Well, not tonight, anyway.

Potter sat. He seemed to be expecting Snape to say something more.

"Legilimens," was what Snape said. Snape put quite a bit more power behind the spell this time. Potter's eyes widened as the spell hit him. Potter, apparently, had realized this.

Rather than allowing a multitude of pointless images to fill his mind, as he had done on previous occasions, Snape now delved into Potter's memories, searching for the one he desired to bring to the fore.

Snape brought forth Potter's memories of the night at the Department of Mysteries. This would be painful. Snape smiled.

Snape watched the thestral Potter had been riding land. He watched Potter find the prophecy about him and the Dark Lord. He watched the Death Eaters chasing Potter and his friends. He watched Neville fumble, and the Prophecy shattering. He watched Sirius fall through the veil. He watched Potter fall out of his chair. He watched Lupin holding Potter back. He watched as Dumbledore fended off the Dark Lord. He watched as the Dark Lord took possession of Potter's body. He watched as Potter told Dumbledore to kill him. He watched Potter attempt to cast the Cruciatus curse on Bellatrix Lestrange.

Snape's face paled.

Damn. Shit. Oh, bloody hell.

Snape prided himself on being ready for anything. Snape was not prepared for this.

Snape broke the spell.

"That will be all for tonight, Potter." Snape's tone was not angry; he was not enjoying causing Potter pain anymore.

Severus was wary, and tired. So this is what Albus had been referring to. Well, it looks like I have my work cut out for me.

Potter picked himself up off the floor. He brushed off his robes as he stood, attempting to salvage what remained of his dignity, though the effort was half-hearted. Potter clearly had only the barest of holds on his emotions.

Snape caught Potter's eye as the boy stood. Snape expected to see pain, but instead he saw anger.

"That, Professor, was low." Potter spat out the title Professor in the same tone that Snape spat the name Longbottom.

Potter was trembling.

"Go, Potter." Snape's voice was soft, though it lacked its usual deadly edge.

Potter glared at him, turned on his heel, and left.

* * *

Severus Snape was once again pacing the width of Albus' office. Snape absently wondered if the headmaster had charmed his carpet against wear.

"I am afraid I am most serious, Severus."

Snape paused his pacing.

"You intend to do nothing?" Snape could not quite believe that he had heard the headmaster correctly.

Is Albus joking, or has he gone mad? Snape wondered.

"Nothing? I wouldn't go quite that far. I will be here for Harry, if he needs me. I will certainly keep a close eye on him," Dumbledore replied.

Snape sneered.

Severus Snape did not often sneer at Albus Dumbledore, but at times like these the reaction felt warranted.

Snape mentally retracted his earlier observation that the headmaster ought to have been a Slytherin.

Definitely time for that firewhisky, thought Snape as he gently massaged his temples. Severus had the distinct impression that the headache that had just set in would not be abating any time in the near future.