AN: I don't own Harry Potter. I wish I owned Severus but I don't. SLASH in
here, GAYNESS. This is that last warning for that for the rest of the
story.
Now then, for all you Luci lovers. Guess who's baaaack!
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Severus arrived late at the teachers table the next morning. Covering a yawn he sat down while everyone else was eating. He grunted to acknowledge the few "Good mornings" he got.
Some considerate house elf had anticipated his needs; his cup was filled with coffee, just the way he liked it. A little coffee with his cream and sugar.
The potions master raised the cup to his lips and allowed his eyes to wander over the front page of The Daily Prophet. The first headline caught him with a mouthful of coffee, which was soon sprayed over the table onto to the stone floor.
{MALFOY LEAVES AZKABAN!} He snatched up the paper and read the headline again, along with the following print.
{Wizarding Millionaire Lucius Malfoy was released From Azkaban prison, early yesterday morning; being declared cured of Voldemort's curse. His statement, after leaving the dementor run prison, was simply, "I have been wronged, but it will be right."}
Snape looked down at the picture of the all too familiar man. It seemed to recognize him and mouthed 'You. Are. Mine.'
The professor stood up abruptly, and realized that Dumbledore had been trying to talk to him. He ignored all the eyes on him and managed to get out, "I'm sorry headmaster I'm not . . . feeling well."
His steps echoed in the once noisy hall, but no one spoke until he was out the doors. He could hear the din rush in as everybody speculated. It wasn't until he was halfway down the hall that he realized the paper was still clutched in his hand.
He contemplated ripping it up and burning it. His robes slid over the smooth skin on his back, he'd gotten the scars removed only a month ago . . .
"Nightmares aren't supposed to be real." He whispered hoarsely . . .
"Severus?" He whirled around defensive spell ready, only to be met with the kindly face of Albus Dumbledore.
"Headmaster . . ." "Come up to my office and we will discuss what is bothering you."
The paper hit the oak desk with a 'fwap'.
"He's out. He'll be looking for me." Dumbledore didn't even look down. The taller man ran a hand through his limp hair.
(Of course. He's probably read it, anticipated all my reactions and thought up an appropriate response.) He opened his mouth to say something, ANYTHING to express his feelings. But what came out was nothing he expected.
"I'm scared." To his everlasting shame those two words, so childish, yet so true, opened up a door he had thought shut forever. Tears welled up in eyes wide with shock at an admission that had made to no one since he'd been five.
The headmaster was around his desk in an instant, arms open, but Severus shook his head.
"No." Albus sighed.
"As you wish. But you know as well as anyone that while you remain here you are safe."
"But are the students? No Albus, you know as well as I that anyone around me is in jeopardy." The old man shook his head.
"I refuse to let you face this alone, again. I failed you once. I will not repeat my mistakes." The potion master ground his teeth, then sighed.
"At least let me go away from the School for a time." Dumbledore appeared to contemplate this for a long while.
"Very well, but you will take a companion of my choosing." Severus nodded his agreement. Albus smiled triumphantly.
"Very well, you will take Professor Lupin." Snape did a double take.
"B-b-but, Headmaster!" The venerable man's eyes twinkled mischievously.
"You agreed it be my choice Severus."
"That's cheating!" The younger man winced as his voice came out just this side of a whine. The headmaster's eyes hardened.
"Cheating or not, you will take Professor Lupin with you. He will guard you where spells cannot." Snape decided not to ask what could get past spells, and cut his losses.
"Very well. I will, ask him to accompany me."
############################################################# AN: Hi y'all! Yes I know it took awhile but we finally got that new computer and I had to set up the old one to transfer the story and . . . well anyway REVIEW PLEASE! =^_^=
Severus arrived late at the teachers table the next morning. Covering a yawn he sat down while everyone else was eating. He grunted to acknowledge the few "Good mornings" he got.
Some considerate house elf had anticipated his needs; his cup was filled with coffee, just the way he liked it. A little coffee with his cream and sugar.
The potions master raised the cup to his lips and allowed his eyes to wander over the front page of The Daily Prophet. The first headline caught him with a mouthful of coffee, which was soon sprayed over the table onto to the stone floor.
{MALFOY LEAVES AZKABAN!} He snatched up the paper and read the headline again, along with the following print.
{Wizarding Millionaire Lucius Malfoy was released From Azkaban prison, early yesterday morning; being declared cured of Voldemort's curse. His statement, after leaving the dementor run prison, was simply, "I have been wronged, but it will be right."}
Snape looked down at the picture of the all too familiar man. It seemed to recognize him and mouthed 'You. Are. Mine.'
The professor stood up abruptly, and realized that Dumbledore had been trying to talk to him. He ignored all the eyes on him and managed to get out, "I'm sorry headmaster I'm not . . . feeling well."
His steps echoed in the once noisy hall, but no one spoke until he was out the doors. He could hear the din rush in as everybody speculated. It wasn't until he was halfway down the hall that he realized the paper was still clutched in his hand.
He contemplated ripping it up and burning it. His robes slid over the smooth skin on his back, he'd gotten the scars removed only a month ago . . .
"Nightmares aren't supposed to be real." He whispered hoarsely . . .
"Severus?" He whirled around defensive spell ready, only to be met with the kindly face of Albus Dumbledore.
"Headmaster . . ." "Come up to my office and we will discuss what is bothering you."
The paper hit the oak desk with a 'fwap'.
"He's out. He'll be looking for me." Dumbledore didn't even look down. The taller man ran a hand through his limp hair.
(Of course. He's probably read it, anticipated all my reactions and thought up an appropriate response.) He opened his mouth to say something, ANYTHING to express his feelings. But what came out was nothing he expected.
"I'm scared." To his everlasting shame those two words, so childish, yet so true, opened up a door he had thought shut forever. Tears welled up in eyes wide with shock at an admission that had made to no one since he'd been five.
The headmaster was around his desk in an instant, arms open, but Severus shook his head.
"No." Albus sighed.
"As you wish. But you know as well as anyone that while you remain here you are safe."
"But are the students? No Albus, you know as well as I that anyone around me is in jeopardy." The old man shook his head.
"I refuse to let you face this alone, again. I failed you once. I will not repeat my mistakes." The potion master ground his teeth, then sighed.
"At least let me go away from the School for a time." Dumbledore appeared to contemplate this for a long while.
"Very well, but you will take a companion of my choosing." Severus nodded his agreement. Albus smiled triumphantly.
"Very well, you will take Professor Lupin." Snape did a double take.
"B-b-but, Headmaster!" The venerable man's eyes twinkled mischievously.
"You agreed it be my choice Severus."
"That's cheating!" The younger man winced as his voice came out just this side of a whine. The headmaster's eyes hardened.
"Cheating or not, you will take Professor Lupin with you. He will guard you where spells cannot." Snape decided not to ask what could get past spells, and cut his losses.
"Very well. I will, ask him to accompany me."
############################################################# AN: Hi y'all! Yes I know it took awhile but we finally got that new computer and I had to set up the old one to transfer the story and . . . well anyway REVIEW PLEASE! =^_^=