Disclaimer- this is my last disclaimer, and it goes for the rest of the story. I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters or anything. If I did, I would not be a poor, starving college student.
A/N: Sorry this took me a little longer than I expected to get out. The muse has run away, and my friend has been in town staying with me. I could use a beta reader if someone would be so kind. Thank you so much for all of the kind reviews. I honestly did not expect to get this many or that people would actually like what I wrote. On with the story.
Chapter 4- Dumbledore's talk a
Harry was sitting by the fire waiting for the Headmaster. He was free of the bandages. Madame Pomfrey had stopped over earlier and taken them off. She warned him to take it easy and not over do himself. He was physically fine, but he was going to be sore.
Unknown to Harry, Poppy also had a talk with Severus. "You need to be kind with him Severus, he is fragile right now. I fear for his emotional health. Do not let him withdraw into himself, if he does, we may never get him back. Watch him for signs of depression. Please try to make an effort to be kind to him."
Snape just scowled at the mediwitch and said that he would try. He then strode off to his personal lab. Madame Pomfrey just sighed and went to the fireplace and left.
The flames in the fireplace turned green and out stepped Dumbledore. Harry stood and extended his hand. Dumbledore took it, and then drew him into a hug. Harry was surprised to say the least. Harry had no recollection of being hugged as though by a grandfather. The feeling was comforting. Then Harry remembered whom he was hugging and stepped away.
"Ah, it is so good to see you looking better my boy." Dumbledore stated happily. "Lemon drop?" he offered.
"No thank you Headmaster. Before we begin sir, I want to apologize for what I did to your office. I have come to realize that we are all human and all allowed to make mistakes. After a lot of thought, I realize why you did not tell me of the prophecy earlier and I appreciate your concern over my well being. I want you to know that while I forgive you, I cannot bring myself to fully trust you. You have betrayed my trust. Sir, I want to know if there is a way to become emancipated? I am quite tired of people making all of my decisions for me." Harry stopped talking and waited for the Headmasters response.
The Headmaster sighed, "I do believe that there is a way to become emancipated. While we are looking into this idea, please allow myself or Professor Snape to become your temporary guardian. I just want to help you right now Harry. You have gone through so much with the death of Sirius and everything else. I and Professor Snape agree that your Occlumency lessons with Professor Snape should be resumed. He has kindly agreed to teach you." Dumbledore was a little hesitant on the Occlumency lessons, they had not ended on good terms. Sure enough there was an explosion...
"WHAT??? You expect me to take lessons with HIM? Oh no, I refuse to do that. I absolutely refuse." Harry was very unhappy to say the least.
"Harry, I know that the two of you do not get along, but please it really is in your best interest to have lessons. I would give you lessons myself, but Severus is a better occlumens than myself. If you want to be able to keep Voldemort from your mind I am afraid the only one to help you is Professor Snape." By the end, Dumbledore was almost pleading with Harry.
The two sat in silence while Harry contemplated his choices. He could take lessons with Snape and see if things got worse. He could forgo the lessons and allow Voldemort access to his mind and he could find out important information and possibly get someone else killed. Unfortunately it looked like he was going to have to put up with Snape's teaching.
"Fine, I will take lessons with Snape, but on a few conditions." Harry stated. He was still fuming inside, but he knew what needed to be done.
"Professor Snape Harry, and what are your conditions?" Dumbledore asked in his calm voice.
"One, I want him to give his word that whatever he sees inside my mind will not be used to taunt me. If he uses it to taunt me in any way, I reserve the right to hex him into the next life." Harry waited for Dumbledore's response before moving on.
"Hmm, that seems like a reasonable request, but let us bring Severus into this conversation so that he may respond for himself. Weezy, would you go fetch Severus please?" asked Dumbledore.
"Oh yes sirs, Weezy will get Master sir, Weezy be right back." With that Weezy popped away only to return moments later with Professor Snape.
"You wished to speak with me Albus?" Snape asked.
"Yes Severus, I have been speaking to Harry about occlumency lessons and he has a few stipulations that I thought you should be here to agree upon for yourself." Dumbledore said with a smile. Dumbledore explained Harry's first set of conditions.
"Fine, but I have a few of my own. No looking inside my pensieve, no questioning my methods and no snooping. Got it?" Snape sneered while looking at Harry.
"Yes sir, I understand, but I was not finished with my conditions. I want you to listen to me when I tell you to stop. Do not probe my mind for whatever you feel like and for once in your life, act like a human." Harry did not care anymore if he was going to be reprimanded. If he was going to be forced to take lessons from the git, than he wanted to have a say in how they were going to go.
"Fine, is there anything else you needed from me Albus?" When Dumbledore shook his head, Snape turned on his heal and was off.
"Was there anything else you needed from me Headmaster? This has been a long day and I wish to return to somewhere where I am not hated." Harry was praying that he would not have to stay inside Snape's house. It was not as though the Manor was not nice, for it was beautiful. Harry could not believe that Snape lived in a house as friendly and inviting as this one was.
"Alas Harry, there is more to talk about and for now I am sorry, but this is the safest place for you to be so I will have to ask you to stay here for the time being. But I also came to discuss the contents of Sirius's will. I know that this will be hard for you, but I must ask you to accompany me to the solicitors office on three days time. The will shall be read. Would you like me to have Mr Weasley and Ms Granger accompany you?" Dumbledore thought that Harry might appreciate the support of his friends, but the look on Harry's face quickly dispelled that notion.
"Please sir, I am not ready to see them. I don't know if I can deal with all of this right now. Do I really need to go to the will reading?" Harry really did not want to go. This would prove to him that Sirius was really gone, and it was too much for Harry to handle.
"Yes Harry, you need to be there to sign some documents. Severus will bring you and I will meet you outside of Gringotts." Dumbledore sighed as he stood up. It seemed that everything had to happen to Harry. Life wasn't fair, and Dumbledore wished that for once he could make this young man happy. He bid farewell to Harry and flooed back to his office.
A/N: Sorry this took me a little longer than I expected to get out. The muse has run away, and my friend has been in town staying with me. I could use a beta reader if someone would be so kind. Thank you so much for all of the kind reviews. I honestly did not expect to get this many or that people would actually like what I wrote. On with the story.
Chapter 4- Dumbledore's talk a
Harry was sitting by the fire waiting for the Headmaster. He was free of the bandages. Madame Pomfrey had stopped over earlier and taken them off. She warned him to take it easy and not over do himself. He was physically fine, but he was going to be sore.
Unknown to Harry, Poppy also had a talk with Severus. "You need to be kind with him Severus, he is fragile right now. I fear for his emotional health. Do not let him withdraw into himself, if he does, we may never get him back. Watch him for signs of depression. Please try to make an effort to be kind to him."
Snape just scowled at the mediwitch and said that he would try. He then strode off to his personal lab. Madame Pomfrey just sighed and went to the fireplace and left.
The flames in the fireplace turned green and out stepped Dumbledore. Harry stood and extended his hand. Dumbledore took it, and then drew him into a hug. Harry was surprised to say the least. Harry had no recollection of being hugged as though by a grandfather. The feeling was comforting. Then Harry remembered whom he was hugging and stepped away.
"Ah, it is so good to see you looking better my boy." Dumbledore stated happily. "Lemon drop?" he offered.
"No thank you Headmaster. Before we begin sir, I want to apologize for what I did to your office. I have come to realize that we are all human and all allowed to make mistakes. After a lot of thought, I realize why you did not tell me of the prophecy earlier and I appreciate your concern over my well being. I want you to know that while I forgive you, I cannot bring myself to fully trust you. You have betrayed my trust. Sir, I want to know if there is a way to become emancipated? I am quite tired of people making all of my decisions for me." Harry stopped talking and waited for the Headmasters response.
The Headmaster sighed, "I do believe that there is a way to become emancipated. While we are looking into this idea, please allow myself or Professor Snape to become your temporary guardian. I just want to help you right now Harry. You have gone through so much with the death of Sirius and everything else. I and Professor Snape agree that your Occlumency lessons with Professor Snape should be resumed. He has kindly agreed to teach you." Dumbledore was a little hesitant on the Occlumency lessons, they had not ended on good terms. Sure enough there was an explosion...
"WHAT??? You expect me to take lessons with HIM? Oh no, I refuse to do that. I absolutely refuse." Harry was very unhappy to say the least.
"Harry, I know that the two of you do not get along, but please it really is in your best interest to have lessons. I would give you lessons myself, but Severus is a better occlumens than myself. If you want to be able to keep Voldemort from your mind I am afraid the only one to help you is Professor Snape." By the end, Dumbledore was almost pleading with Harry.
The two sat in silence while Harry contemplated his choices. He could take lessons with Snape and see if things got worse. He could forgo the lessons and allow Voldemort access to his mind and he could find out important information and possibly get someone else killed. Unfortunately it looked like he was going to have to put up with Snape's teaching.
"Fine, I will take lessons with Snape, but on a few conditions." Harry stated. He was still fuming inside, but he knew what needed to be done.
"Professor Snape Harry, and what are your conditions?" Dumbledore asked in his calm voice.
"One, I want him to give his word that whatever he sees inside my mind will not be used to taunt me. If he uses it to taunt me in any way, I reserve the right to hex him into the next life." Harry waited for Dumbledore's response before moving on.
"Hmm, that seems like a reasonable request, but let us bring Severus into this conversation so that he may respond for himself. Weezy, would you go fetch Severus please?" asked Dumbledore.
"Oh yes sirs, Weezy will get Master sir, Weezy be right back." With that Weezy popped away only to return moments later with Professor Snape.
"You wished to speak with me Albus?" Snape asked.
"Yes Severus, I have been speaking to Harry about occlumency lessons and he has a few stipulations that I thought you should be here to agree upon for yourself." Dumbledore said with a smile. Dumbledore explained Harry's first set of conditions.
"Fine, but I have a few of my own. No looking inside my pensieve, no questioning my methods and no snooping. Got it?" Snape sneered while looking at Harry.
"Yes sir, I understand, but I was not finished with my conditions. I want you to listen to me when I tell you to stop. Do not probe my mind for whatever you feel like and for once in your life, act like a human." Harry did not care anymore if he was going to be reprimanded. If he was going to be forced to take lessons from the git, than he wanted to have a say in how they were going to go.
"Fine, is there anything else you needed from me Albus?" When Dumbledore shook his head, Snape turned on his heal and was off.
"Was there anything else you needed from me Headmaster? This has been a long day and I wish to return to somewhere where I am not hated." Harry was praying that he would not have to stay inside Snape's house. It was not as though the Manor was not nice, for it was beautiful. Harry could not believe that Snape lived in a house as friendly and inviting as this one was.
"Alas Harry, there is more to talk about and for now I am sorry, but this is the safest place for you to be so I will have to ask you to stay here for the time being. But I also came to discuss the contents of Sirius's will. I know that this will be hard for you, but I must ask you to accompany me to the solicitors office on three days time. The will shall be read. Would you like me to have Mr Weasley and Ms Granger accompany you?" Dumbledore thought that Harry might appreciate the support of his friends, but the look on Harry's face quickly dispelled that notion.
"Please sir, I am not ready to see them. I don't know if I can deal with all of this right now. Do I really need to go to the will reading?" Harry really did not want to go. This would prove to him that Sirius was really gone, and it was too much for Harry to handle.
"Yes Harry, you need to be there to sign some documents. Severus will bring you and I will meet you outside of Gringotts." Dumbledore sighed as he stood up. It seemed that everything had to happen to Harry. Life wasn't fair, and Dumbledore wished that for once he could make this young man happy. He bid farewell to Harry and flooed back to his office.
