Coming Clean
By
Snivellus
I hope this chapter lives up to all I wanted it to be. I have the worst fears about my pivotal point in my stories. I have it envisioned in my mind to play out a certain way, and try to portray it the best I can through my writing.
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Chapter 7
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"Severus! Dinner!" Eowyn yelled from upstairs."
"Coming darling." Severus said as he moved his hand from hovering over the wand that was kept in the glass case.
Harry was still sleeping when the Snape's sat down for dinner, and Eowyn decided it would be best not to wake him, and take him food later, if he was hungry. With it being Christmas Eve, Eowyn had fixed a large ham with sprouts and roast potatoes. Severus and Sylvia both commented on how delicious it tasted.
During the middle of their dinner, a large white owl pecked on their window. Severus recognized it to be Harry's owl, Hedwig.
"Well, come in!" Severus said after opening the window.
"He is sleeping. You may put his letters down and rest on the perch over by the wall for a while." Severus told the bird. She hooted in agreement.
After dinner, Severus cleaned up the kitchen with a wave of his wand, and decided to go check on Harry.
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He knocked on the door and waited for an answer.
"Come in." Harry said groggily.
"Pardon me for waking you, Mr. Potter, but your owl is here with some letters from your friends, and my wife wondered if you cared for anything to eat." Severus said as politely as he could manage.
"Oh, I am not too hungry right now, maybe later. What time is it, sir?"
"It is 7:30pm. You have been sleeping for quite a while."
"Oh have I? I am sorry, sir."
"It is all right Potter, you are still recovering." Severus was about to leave, when he heard his wife's voice in his head. 'Tell him tonight.'
"Harry, are you up for a talk?" Severus asked using his first name.
"Yes, of course. I wanted to thank you again for letting me stay here. I don't know what I was thinking the other night, just it seemed like there was no way out. But you probably don't understand."
"I understand more than you know. I once had thoughts, as you did the other night. I was once your age, and under an enormous amount of pressure, as you are. I know what it is like."
"The Headmaster said, that I could relate to you most of all, but I find that kind of odd, I mean what do we have in common."
"More than you know."
"That is what the Headmaster said. What does that mean, will you tell me?" Harry asked.
"Yes... but first I must ask that you not divulge any of this information to anyone. As you are well aware of, I am a private man, and I need to keep it that way, at least until after the war."
"You have my word. I know it isn't much, but I swear to you that it is good."
"Yes... of course."
"Does it have anything to do with Eowyn, I mean Madame Snape, not liking to use magic?" Harry asked forwardly.
"How did you know that?" Severus asked.
"She and I made biscuits this afternoon, and well she didn't use any magic, whatsoever."
"That is because, Harry, she cannot." Severus let out a deep sigh.
"But she went to Hogwarts, she cannot be a Muggle."
"No, she once was a very talented witch, just like your mother. But then the Dark Lord placed upon her a dark curse, that cannot be broken unless he is killed, but I am starting too late in the story. I must start from the beginning." Severus closed his eyes for a moment and then begun.
"I once had a brother. His name was Septimus. He was older than me, and my father's pride and joy. My brother did my father's bidding, no matter how difficult or challenging it was. My brother was a Gryffindor, as was my father. I suppose the reason I got put in Slytherin, was because of the great thirst to prove myself to my father. I wanted nothing more than the praise of my father.
My father was a noble wizard. He worked at the ministry, in the Department of Mysteries to be more precise, and my brother was prepared to follow him into that line of work as well. Well, at least until Tom Riddle began gaining supporters. My father being the Pureblood wizard that he was, thought that Riddle's propaganda was pure gold, and he would have done anything to become one of his right hand supporters. I know that you are probably under the impression that there were no Gryffindor Death Eaters, but I assure you they came from all houses." Severus said, seeing the look on Harry's face.
"My brother, Septimus, was asked by my father to join with him. Of course, he did not ask me, because I was nothing but an waste of space in my father's eyes. He felt that I did not have the courage that it would take to do what he was asking." Severus paused for a moment.
"What did your mother think of all this?" Harry asked.
"My mother, my mother was under the control of my father. She had no thoughts of her own, not since I had been born. I never really knew my mother, besides the body in which she inhabited."
"That is awful." Harry felt sick; he wanted his Professor to stop.
"So my brother joined, the stupid fool. Unlike my father, my brother and I got along well, and he was the one that always told me not to listen to my father. He said that it was his duty to do our father's bidding, not mine.
Time went on and my father realized that the Ministry was starting to arrest witches and wizards who were associated with the Dark Lord, so my father wanted out, here I thought Courage was supposed to be a trait of a Gryffindor. He told my brother that it was his duty to insure that he was allowed to leave.
My brother went to the Dark Lord and asked if my father could be released from his service. He didn't even wait for my brother to finish, before he killed him."
"Stop! Please stop." Harry cried. He couldn't stand the tone in which Severus carried on. It was flat, emotionless.
"Forgive me, I must finish, or else you will never know. I am sorry that I speak this way, but I have to detach myself from what happened, or I would never sleep at night."
"Go on then, if you must." Harry gulped.
"So with my brother dead, my father became more frightened. He asked me for help. For the first time in my life, my father came to me. I was more than willing to help him. But what he asked of me was madness.
He wanted me to join, in place of him. He said that I had more to offer the Dark Lord than he. I did not want to do this, but I did, to please him. I took the Polyjuice Potion to please my father. Looking back, I am sure the Dark Lord was not fooled, but somehow he had let it go."
"So that is how you became a... a Death Eater?" Harry asked.
"Yes, that is how I got this branded onto my skin." Severus said as he pulled up his sleeve and stared at it in shame.
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"So how does your wife fit into all of this?" Harry questioned after they had both sat in silence.
"My wife Eowyn, was and Auror as was her brother Eomer. The same night that I joined the Dark Lord, Aurors were tipped, and came. I was badly injured, and the Dark Lord cursed Eowyn, taking away all of her magical powers. The Dark Lord had done it before, taken away people's magic. Mr. Longbottom is a perfect example. Most of his magical ability was taken away the night that his house was attacked when he was a baby.
As for how we met, it was at St. Mungo's, and it was there, where I told my story to the Headmaster. You know the rest."
Harry did not know what to say. It was perhaps the first time anyone had told him what life had been like before and during Voldermort. Harry was always so eager to find out what had happened to Snape, but now being here, in his house, he wasn't so sure anymore. Harry could tell that it hurt him just to speak of it.
Harry wanted nothing more than to help Eowyn. He knew now what they were speaking of this morning. Harry was the only one who had the power to kill Voldermort. Harry now understood that the lives of witches and wizards that Voldermort had cursed long ago, lay in his hands. Harry didn't want that responsibility. He was just a boy, trying to grow up.
"Sir, what if I fail." Harry asked after a while.
"You will not fail Harry. When the time is right, you will succeed." Severus said trying to give the boy hope.
"Why does it all have to rest on me? I do not want this burden."
"Harry, it does not all rest on you. There are wizards and witches out there helping you, giving you the tools you need to succeed. Which is why I told you my story, it is time for me to give you my tool that I can offer you." Severus said.
"Oh. You mean Occulmency lessons?" Harry asked.
"No, something else."
"What, sir?" Harry was unsure, his Potions professor having a tool that would help him overthrow the Dark Lord? Whatever it was, he was about to find out.
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By
Snivellus
I hope this chapter lives up to all I wanted it to be. I have the worst fears about my pivotal point in my stories. I have it envisioned in my mind to play out a certain way, and try to portray it the best I can through my writing.
***********************************************************************
Chapter 7
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"Severus! Dinner!" Eowyn yelled from upstairs."
"Coming darling." Severus said as he moved his hand from hovering over the wand that was kept in the glass case.
Harry was still sleeping when the Snape's sat down for dinner, and Eowyn decided it would be best not to wake him, and take him food later, if he was hungry. With it being Christmas Eve, Eowyn had fixed a large ham with sprouts and roast potatoes. Severus and Sylvia both commented on how delicious it tasted.
During the middle of their dinner, a large white owl pecked on their window. Severus recognized it to be Harry's owl, Hedwig.
"Well, come in!" Severus said after opening the window.
"He is sleeping. You may put his letters down and rest on the perch over by the wall for a while." Severus told the bird. She hooted in agreement.
After dinner, Severus cleaned up the kitchen with a wave of his wand, and decided to go check on Harry.
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He knocked on the door and waited for an answer.
"Come in." Harry said groggily.
"Pardon me for waking you, Mr. Potter, but your owl is here with some letters from your friends, and my wife wondered if you cared for anything to eat." Severus said as politely as he could manage.
"Oh, I am not too hungry right now, maybe later. What time is it, sir?"
"It is 7:30pm. You have been sleeping for quite a while."
"Oh have I? I am sorry, sir."
"It is all right Potter, you are still recovering." Severus was about to leave, when he heard his wife's voice in his head. 'Tell him tonight.'
"Harry, are you up for a talk?" Severus asked using his first name.
"Yes, of course. I wanted to thank you again for letting me stay here. I don't know what I was thinking the other night, just it seemed like there was no way out. But you probably don't understand."
"I understand more than you know. I once had thoughts, as you did the other night. I was once your age, and under an enormous amount of pressure, as you are. I know what it is like."
"The Headmaster said, that I could relate to you most of all, but I find that kind of odd, I mean what do we have in common."
"More than you know."
"That is what the Headmaster said. What does that mean, will you tell me?" Harry asked.
"Yes... but first I must ask that you not divulge any of this information to anyone. As you are well aware of, I am a private man, and I need to keep it that way, at least until after the war."
"You have my word. I know it isn't much, but I swear to you that it is good."
"Yes... of course."
"Does it have anything to do with Eowyn, I mean Madame Snape, not liking to use magic?" Harry asked forwardly.
"How did you know that?" Severus asked.
"She and I made biscuits this afternoon, and well she didn't use any magic, whatsoever."
"That is because, Harry, she cannot." Severus let out a deep sigh.
"But she went to Hogwarts, she cannot be a Muggle."
"No, she once was a very talented witch, just like your mother. But then the Dark Lord placed upon her a dark curse, that cannot be broken unless he is killed, but I am starting too late in the story. I must start from the beginning." Severus closed his eyes for a moment and then begun.
"I once had a brother. His name was Septimus. He was older than me, and my father's pride and joy. My brother did my father's bidding, no matter how difficult or challenging it was. My brother was a Gryffindor, as was my father. I suppose the reason I got put in Slytherin, was because of the great thirst to prove myself to my father. I wanted nothing more than the praise of my father.
My father was a noble wizard. He worked at the ministry, in the Department of Mysteries to be more precise, and my brother was prepared to follow him into that line of work as well. Well, at least until Tom Riddle began gaining supporters. My father being the Pureblood wizard that he was, thought that Riddle's propaganda was pure gold, and he would have done anything to become one of his right hand supporters. I know that you are probably under the impression that there were no Gryffindor Death Eaters, but I assure you they came from all houses." Severus said, seeing the look on Harry's face.
"My brother, Septimus, was asked by my father to join with him. Of course, he did not ask me, because I was nothing but an waste of space in my father's eyes. He felt that I did not have the courage that it would take to do what he was asking." Severus paused for a moment.
"What did your mother think of all this?" Harry asked.
"My mother, my mother was under the control of my father. She had no thoughts of her own, not since I had been born. I never really knew my mother, besides the body in which she inhabited."
"That is awful." Harry felt sick; he wanted his Professor to stop.
"So my brother joined, the stupid fool. Unlike my father, my brother and I got along well, and he was the one that always told me not to listen to my father. He said that it was his duty to do our father's bidding, not mine.
Time went on and my father realized that the Ministry was starting to arrest witches and wizards who were associated with the Dark Lord, so my father wanted out, here I thought Courage was supposed to be a trait of a Gryffindor. He told my brother that it was his duty to insure that he was allowed to leave.
My brother went to the Dark Lord and asked if my father could be released from his service. He didn't even wait for my brother to finish, before he killed him."
"Stop! Please stop." Harry cried. He couldn't stand the tone in which Severus carried on. It was flat, emotionless.
"Forgive me, I must finish, or else you will never know. I am sorry that I speak this way, but I have to detach myself from what happened, or I would never sleep at night."
"Go on then, if you must." Harry gulped.
"So with my brother dead, my father became more frightened. He asked me for help. For the first time in my life, my father came to me. I was more than willing to help him. But what he asked of me was madness.
He wanted me to join, in place of him. He said that I had more to offer the Dark Lord than he. I did not want to do this, but I did, to please him. I took the Polyjuice Potion to please my father. Looking back, I am sure the Dark Lord was not fooled, but somehow he had let it go."
"So that is how you became a... a Death Eater?" Harry asked.
"Yes, that is how I got this branded onto my skin." Severus said as he pulled up his sleeve and stared at it in shame.
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"So how does your wife fit into all of this?" Harry questioned after they had both sat in silence.
"My wife Eowyn, was and Auror as was her brother Eomer. The same night that I joined the Dark Lord, Aurors were tipped, and came. I was badly injured, and the Dark Lord cursed Eowyn, taking away all of her magical powers. The Dark Lord had done it before, taken away people's magic. Mr. Longbottom is a perfect example. Most of his magical ability was taken away the night that his house was attacked when he was a baby.
As for how we met, it was at St. Mungo's, and it was there, where I told my story to the Headmaster. You know the rest."
Harry did not know what to say. It was perhaps the first time anyone had told him what life had been like before and during Voldermort. Harry was always so eager to find out what had happened to Snape, but now being here, in his house, he wasn't so sure anymore. Harry could tell that it hurt him just to speak of it.
Harry wanted nothing more than to help Eowyn. He knew now what they were speaking of this morning. Harry was the only one who had the power to kill Voldermort. Harry now understood that the lives of witches and wizards that Voldermort had cursed long ago, lay in his hands. Harry didn't want that responsibility. He was just a boy, trying to grow up.
"Sir, what if I fail." Harry asked after a while.
"You will not fail Harry. When the time is right, you will succeed." Severus said trying to give the boy hope.
"Why does it all have to rest on me? I do not want this burden."
"Harry, it does not all rest on you. There are wizards and witches out there helping you, giving you the tools you need to succeed. Which is why I told you my story, it is time for me to give you my tool that I can offer you." Severus said.
"Oh. You mean Occulmency lessons?" Harry asked.
"No, something else."
"What, sir?" Harry was unsure, his Potions professor having a tool that would help him overthrow the Dark Lord? Whatever it was, he was about to find out.
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