Chapter 3
by goldenpaw
Severus laid there and listened as the castle continued to chatter at him. Telling him how happy it was that it could finally talk to him, that it really had been trying for years to get to know him and to have a decent conversation. The castle just blathered on after that and Severus really tried to drown the castle's inane chatter out, but to no avail. The damn castle had broken through his barriers and it looked like they would now stay down.
'Thank heavens I've had all these years of peace to myself. But honestly, I still have Potter to blame for this tragedy happening. Well, alright, he's not to blame directly. If I hadn't been enjoying our moment of dueling so much, I'm sure I would have seen the hexes coming our way. And that Weasley boy, it's really his fault. He hasn't got the sense God gave him. I should never have paired Malfoy with him.' Severus sighed and he watched from the corner of his eye as Potter turned towards him in curiosity.
"What's bothering you, sir?"
"Just that I now understand why the Headmaster is the way he is. It's the castle that's made him barmy. Listening to it chatter constantly about anything and everything would drive anyone crazy."
Harry became upset at his Professor for disparaging the castle. He found he quite liked having the pleasant conversational tones of the caste talking to him. He also knew the castle would be quiet after a time. He just figured the castle was making up for lost time with his Professor and was talking up a storm.
"Honestly, Professor. The castle doesn't talk with you all the time. I'm sure things will quite down after it's told you all it's wanted to for the last several years. Look on the positive side, having the castle talk with you will be a blessing. You'll now know where all the students are, all you'll have to do is ask it. In fact....oh, Merlin...that's going to be a pain. You'll even know where I'll be after curfew, when I sneak out." Harry grimaced at that thought and then shrugged his shoulders in resignation.
"Mr. Potter, I know where you'll be -- in the kitchens, stuffing your face full of food. You and Mr. Weasley never stay away from there. Especially when you get a hold of the last piece of mince pie. Bugger it, stay away from the mince pie. That's my favourite!" Severus spoke angrily at the young wizard.
Harry sat up and looked like he wanted to say something rude back, but bit his tongue. He knew they had to be civil and he was trying, really he was. But his professor wasn't making it easy for him.
Harry figured it would be best if he ignored the man in the next bed as much as possible. But then he heard his professor mumbling about how it was all his and Ron's fault. That was the last straw and he swiveled around and gave the professor his piece of mind.
"How dare you! I've told you, and the other professors have told you, it's not our fault. So don't go blaming this situation on myself or Ron. I swear, I bet you'd even blame me for the last uprising that involved Grindelwald if you could. But right now, it's just Voldemort that I'm primarily to blame for, so let's just leave it with him."
Snape cringed at the mention of the Dark Lord's name and opened his mouth to give a scathing retort back.
Harry saw this and said something in return, his anger now having reached a fever pitch, "Oh, I forgot, you hate it when I say Voldemort's name. Honestly, you'd think saying Voldemort would mean absolutely nothing. It's just a name, just like mine is. Potter, Potter, Potter. You say my last name with ease and with as much venom. Apparently my name doesn't have the same fear factor as Voldemort's does. Maybe I should make it so that you fear my last name as much as Voldemort's. I hate hearing Potter just as much as you hate hearing Voldemort."
Severus watched as the anger spewed from those red lips and watched in horror as their beds came even closer together. His anger also spiked as the words sank in and he growled at his student.
"Don't say his name, at least not in my presence. Call him the Dark Lord, I command it of you!" the potions professor yelled.
"No, I will not. I won't give you the satisfaction."
The beds could come no closer together, but the two physical bodies could. They were now sitting in their beds almost nose to nose, glaring vehemently at each other.
"You will do as I say. I am still your professor and you will respect my wishes." Harry felt the huffs of air waft against his anger heated skin as the older man spoke and it made him shudder at the feeling. It was almost like a caress. He jerked back at this thought but the bond only allowed him to pull away a few inches; he closed his eyes, hoping that not seeing the person he was angry at would calm him and loosen the infernal emoticon bond. He breathed in and out slowly to still his racing heart.
"Fine, I won't call him the Dark Lord. I'll call him Riddle instead. That should not only not make you angry, but make Riddle angry instead, since he hates that Muggle name," Harry spoke between clenched teeth.
"Very well. I accept that." Severus also tried to calm his anger. He knew that a name should not hold such power over him, but it did. And he now realized that Potter felt the same when Severus spoke his last name. He knew the younger man hated it, but what was he to do. He could not call him anything else, he was the young man's professor after all. Perhaps, instead of saying it with such loathing, Potter would not hate the sound of his own name being spoken. He felt he could do that, or at least try. He just didn't know how, when the Gryffindor made him so angry, so often. "Potter, I can and will accept that," he said with as even a tone as he knew. It was by no means pleasant, but it was certainly a far cry from the sneering voice he normally spoke.
Harry opened his eyes in surprise in hearing his last name spoken with what he could only call as equanimity. It wasn't convivial or congenial, but it wasn't hate filled either. Before he could reply, in walked the Headmaster and his head-of-house.
Harry and Snape both could see that Albus was going to be his usual, obnoxiously chipper self and they groaned. It never boded well for either of them when he was in this mood. They watched as Albus' eyes twinkled merrily and they both realised that they were still only inches apart from one another, even though their hostility levels towards each other had diminished greatly. They scrambled apart and sat down hastily in their own beds, even though the beds were as close together as they could be.
"Minerva has told me all about the incident that has happened and how the castle has a hand in setting the bond between you. She also tells me that you can hear the castle, Harry, that you have for some time now?"
"Yes, sir, since the beginning of the year. I wasn't sure at first where or who it was coming from, all I knew was that it wasn't Vol..." Harry paused and looked over at his potions professor and saw him stiffen. He grinned wryly and continued, "All I knew was that it wasn't Riddle I was hearing or the snakes in and around the castle. I only figured it out earlier, that it was the castle talking to me, when Professors McGonagall and Flitwick were here."
Albus nodded and then turned to Severus. "And you my dear boy, are you now hearing the castle as well?"
"Unfortunately, yes. I can hear the castle blather at me, it is very irritating."
"Ah, I am most pleased with this. I'm not sure either of you realise, but that does mean the castle has chosen both my successor, as well as Minerva's." Albus looked at the two younger men as his words sank in and noticed that Harry actually perked up with interest, Severus on the other hand just looked even more dispirited and grumpy. 'I wish he would come to understand what is right before his very eyes. He puts up such a fight over everything, when I know deep down he wants to accept the goodness that comes his way.'
Severus grumbled, "I don't want that kind of responsibility and I didn't ask to be chosen for it."
"Ah, but my dear boy, we are never asked. Not for many centuries now in fact. The castle has deemed you worthy and you will take up the reins of running the school as soon as Minerva and I leave. The castle won't let you leave until you accept it otherwise."
"But I don't want to be Headmaster, that would mean I would have to give up teaching Potions. I like brewing potions, it's the children I don't care for. You know that." Severus huffed and laid back against his pillow and sulked.
Then he heard a voice laughing inside his head. He looked over at Potter and then the others, he noticed that they must also have heard something. The castle thought his last statement was very funny indeed. "Silly Severus, why do you assume that I had you picked for the Headmaster's position? I know you like working on your potions, therefore when the time comes it is Harry that will be Headmaster, you will be his deputy."
Harry gasped, along with the current Headmaster and his Deputy. Severus eyes widened and he sputtered. "Potter as Headmaster! I'm to be his Deputy. That's just absurd!"
~tbc~