A/N: Before I begin, I'm sorry I took so long with this chapter (see my bio
for more). One of the reasons I took so long was the plot. In the movie,
the angels show Clarence George Bailey's earlier life so he has an idea of
what is going on. However, for Harry Potter, James already knows about
Snape at Hogwarts, and plus we don't know all that much about the rest of
Snape's personal life. However, I have decided to try and pull it off. I'm
still working on that part trying to get it right, so I've provided you
with this short chapter on James's reaction and decision. Expect things to
get more exciting in the next chapter.
Disclaimer: The song Sirius sings in the middle belongs to someone else. I don't know who sang it, I don't know what it's called, but it's not mine. (Donkey sings it in Shrek, which is where I picked it up)
CHAPTER 3
DESICIONS
"The man's name," he read aloud, "is Severus Snape."
Silence in the little room.
Suddenly, James let out a high-pitched squeak before he could stop himself. His face had a pasty tinge to it, as though he had just swallowed a gallon of Stinksap, and his eyes had turned large, round, and dark.
Sirius, on the other hand, was turning redder by the second, shaking with suppressed laughter. He looked as though he were taking a fit, while James, by contrast, looked like he belonged on his deathbed in St. Mungo's.
Finally Sirius, who couldn't take the pressure any longer, let his laugher free. He sobbed with laughter, and soon he was rolling along the floor in his mirth. Sirius always did know how to overdo things.
James was still in shock. The Head Angel poured him some water. "Here, drink this," he commanded. James took the cup, still shaking, and chugged down the contents. Slowly he began to recover, and he finally took a look around. The Head Angel's expression was hard to read, but James looked into his dark eyes and saw amusement dancing in them. If he starts laughing, thought James angrily, it'll be more than I can bear.
The Head Angel refrained from laughter, though the amusement in his eyes was now wilder than ever. "Er, Sirius—we would appreciate your presence up here," he called to Sirius, who was now on the other side of the room.
Sirius finally got up, wiped the tears off his face and robes, and sat down again. "Sorry, mate," he said, beginning to giggle again, "but that was so funny!" He looked up. The Head Angel was not smiling now.
"Sirius, I was under the impression that friends are supposed to support each other in times of frustration, not laugh at them," the Head Angel rebuked quietly, referring to James, and Sirius felt as though he was twelve years old again, being scolded quietly by Dumbledore for setting off Dungbombs. He hung his head, ashamed. "Sorry," he muttered. He turned to his friend. "Sorry, James." But James could see that he still thought it was funny.
"That's quite alright," said the Head Angel, looking at James. James nodded his agreement. "Now, let's get back to business," muttered the Head Angel. He looked at James. "James, I know perfectly well that you knew Snape, and I know that the two of you—er—weren't exactly fond of each other, to put it mildly. However, that is exactly why I chose you to be his guardian angel.
James blinked. Why...
The Head Angel seemed to have read James's mind. "It may seem strange to you, James, but this is exactly what God wanted. It is time to put aside all hate and show trust and faith in each other. If you can do that, and succeed, you will most certainly have earned your wings. I know it won't be easy, but I have faith in you James, and I truly believe you can do this."
"But...how?" choked James.
Sirius got a gleam of mischief in his eye. He got up and began to sing outrageously, putting the dance moves in with it.
"Cause you've gotta gotta show a little TENDERNESS..."
"That will do, Sirius," replied the Head Angel quietly, before Sirius could get started on another laughing jag. He turned to James. "Well, James, what do you think? You still have a choice."
James screwed up his eyes in concentration. Voices began to come at him...his brain was arguing furiously over the concept.
"Didn't I tell you," began his head, "that getting your wings was near impossible? It's definitely not possible now...Severus Snape! You hate him; you've hated him for years."
"But James is a good boy," his conscience spoke lovingly. "I have full confidence that he can do it."
"Severus Snape is a greasy slimeball of a git," broke in his brain. "I'm telling you, it's IMPOSSIBLE!"
"IT IS NOT!" cried his conscience.
And then James answered them both, furiously, in his mind. "Alright, just shut up, the two of you! I think I can make up my own mind, thanks very much!"
"But I am your own mind," said his brain wheedlingly.
"I don't care! Just go away!"
Muttering resentfully, his mind and his conscience silenced, leaving James to decide for himself.
What to do now? Severus Snape was far from his ideal person he would have chosen to save, on the contrary, he was pretty much the last person he would have chosen. But his wings! They were an honor he'd been waiting for far too long already, and if he didn't help Snape, he didn't know when he'd get another chance.
Besides, James thought, maybe the Head Angel was right. Maybe it was time to put aside all hate. After all, thought James, there is enough hate in this world already. Did an old schoolboy grudge need to add more?
James opened his eyes. The Head Angel and Sirius were both looking at him. He took a deep breath. "Sir, I have decided to save Severus Snape in order to earn my wings." His voice was strained, yet firm.
Sirius looked as though his eyes were about to pop out of his head and clear across the room. James looked into the Head Angel's eyes and saw frank approval in them. "You're a true man, James," said the Head Angel, shaking his hand.
Sirius was dumbfounded. He tried to speak a few times, but all that came out were strangled gasps. Finally he choked and said, "Mate, I never thought you would take this job! I'm astounded! Well, better you then me, I guess." He slapped James on the back. James gave him a thumbs up, and the two of them grinned. Sirius was back to normal.
"Great!" said Sirius. "Now you can give Snape what he deserves-a good kick in the ass!"
"Language, Sirius," chided the Head Angel. "And I'm afraid that is strictly against the rules. But James," and at this the angel turned towards him, "there is no rule against—er--roughing him up a bit." The Head Angel chuckled.
James and Sirius knew what he was about. All three men's eyes twinkled.
"Soooo..." The Head Angel thought for a moment. "Where to begin? Ah, yes. James, before you set off to save Severus, you must learn his previous life. You knew him at Hogwarts, of course, but only as an enemy. Now you must learn his childhood, his secrets...his life."
"This should be interesting," quipped Sirius. He imitated a newscaster. "A record-breaking moment in Severus Snape's life—he washes his hair!" James and Sirius laughed. The Head Angel ignored them. He reached behind him and placed on the table what looked like a small Pensive.
"Ready, James?" James nodded. "Oh, and Sirius, I would appreciate you keeping your comments to yourself during this showing."
The Head Angel tapped the Pensive three times with his hand. "Severus Snape," he said in a loud and clear voice.
Immediately, colors and sounds began to swirl around the three men, and they found themselves being transported back, back through time and space to the past, where the secrets of Severus Snape were about to be revealed.
Review, review, please review! You will make me so happy! Next chapter coming soon!
Disclaimer: The song Sirius sings in the middle belongs to someone else. I don't know who sang it, I don't know what it's called, but it's not mine. (Donkey sings it in Shrek, which is where I picked it up)
CHAPTER 3
DESICIONS
"The man's name," he read aloud, "is Severus Snape."
Silence in the little room.
Suddenly, James let out a high-pitched squeak before he could stop himself. His face had a pasty tinge to it, as though he had just swallowed a gallon of Stinksap, and his eyes had turned large, round, and dark.
Sirius, on the other hand, was turning redder by the second, shaking with suppressed laughter. He looked as though he were taking a fit, while James, by contrast, looked like he belonged on his deathbed in St. Mungo's.
Finally Sirius, who couldn't take the pressure any longer, let his laugher free. He sobbed with laughter, and soon he was rolling along the floor in his mirth. Sirius always did know how to overdo things.
James was still in shock. The Head Angel poured him some water. "Here, drink this," he commanded. James took the cup, still shaking, and chugged down the contents. Slowly he began to recover, and he finally took a look around. The Head Angel's expression was hard to read, but James looked into his dark eyes and saw amusement dancing in them. If he starts laughing, thought James angrily, it'll be more than I can bear.
The Head Angel refrained from laughter, though the amusement in his eyes was now wilder than ever. "Er, Sirius—we would appreciate your presence up here," he called to Sirius, who was now on the other side of the room.
Sirius finally got up, wiped the tears off his face and robes, and sat down again. "Sorry, mate," he said, beginning to giggle again, "but that was so funny!" He looked up. The Head Angel was not smiling now.
"Sirius, I was under the impression that friends are supposed to support each other in times of frustration, not laugh at them," the Head Angel rebuked quietly, referring to James, and Sirius felt as though he was twelve years old again, being scolded quietly by Dumbledore for setting off Dungbombs. He hung his head, ashamed. "Sorry," he muttered. He turned to his friend. "Sorry, James." But James could see that he still thought it was funny.
"That's quite alright," said the Head Angel, looking at James. James nodded his agreement. "Now, let's get back to business," muttered the Head Angel. He looked at James. "James, I know perfectly well that you knew Snape, and I know that the two of you—er—weren't exactly fond of each other, to put it mildly. However, that is exactly why I chose you to be his guardian angel.
James blinked. Why...
The Head Angel seemed to have read James's mind. "It may seem strange to you, James, but this is exactly what God wanted. It is time to put aside all hate and show trust and faith in each other. If you can do that, and succeed, you will most certainly have earned your wings. I know it won't be easy, but I have faith in you James, and I truly believe you can do this."
"But...how?" choked James.
Sirius got a gleam of mischief in his eye. He got up and began to sing outrageously, putting the dance moves in with it.
"Cause you've gotta gotta show a little TENDERNESS..."
"That will do, Sirius," replied the Head Angel quietly, before Sirius could get started on another laughing jag. He turned to James. "Well, James, what do you think? You still have a choice."
James screwed up his eyes in concentration. Voices began to come at him...his brain was arguing furiously over the concept.
"Didn't I tell you," began his head, "that getting your wings was near impossible? It's definitely not possible now...Severus Snape! You hate him; you've hated him for years."
"But James is a good boy," his conscience spoke lovingly. "I have full confidence that he can do it."
"Severus Snape is a greasy slimeball of a git," broke in his brain. "I'm telling you, it's IMPOSSIBLE!"
"IT IS NOT!" cried his conscience.
And then James answered them both, furiously, in his mind. "Alright, just shut up, the two of you! I think I can make up my own mind, thanks very much!"
"But I am your own mind," said his brain wheedlingly.
"I don't care! Just go away!"
Muttering resentfully, his mind and his conscience silenced, leaving James to decide for himself.
What to do now? Severus Snape was far from his ideal person he would have chosen to save, on the contrary, he was pretty much the last person he would have chosen. But his wings! They were an honor he'd been waiting for far too long already, and if he didn't help Snape, he didn't know when he'd get another chance.
Besides, James thought, maybe the Head Angel was right. Maybe it was time to put aside all hate. After all, thought James, there is enough hate in this world already. Did an old schoolboy grudge need to add more?
James opened his eyes. The Head Angel and Sirius were both looking at him. He took a deep breath. "Sir, I have decided to save Severus Snape in order to earn my wings." His voice was strained, yet firm.
Sirius looked as though his eyes were about to pop out of his head and clear across the room. James looked into the Head Angel's eyes and saw frank approval in them. "You're a true man, James," said the Head Angel, shaking his hand.
Sirius was dumbfounded. He tried to speak a few times, but all that came out were strangled gasps. Finally he choked and said, "Mate, I never thought you would take this job! I'm astounded! Well, better you then me, I guess." He slapped James on the back. James gave him a thumbs up, and the two of them grinned. Sirius was back to normal.
"Great!" said Sirius. "Now you can give Snape what he deserves-a good kick in the ass!"
"Language, Sirius," chided the Head Angel. "And I'm afraid that is strictly against the rules. But James," and at this the angel turned towards him, "there is no rule against—er--roughing him up a bit." The Head Angel chuckled.
James and Sirius knew what he was about. All three men's eyes twinkled.
"Soooo..." The Head Angel thought for a moment. "Where to begin? Ah, yes. James, before you set off to save Severus, you must learn his previous life. You knew him at Hogwarts, of course, but only as an enemy. Now you must learn his childhood, his secrets...his life."
"This should be interesting," quipped Sirius. He imitated a newscaster. "A record-breaking moment in Severus Snape's life—he washes his hair!" James and Sirius laughed. The Head Angel ignored them. He reached behind him and placed on the table what looked like a small Pensive.
"Ready, James?" James nodded. "Oh, and Sirius, I would appreciate you keeping your comments to yourself during this showing."
The Head Angel tapped the Pensive three times with his hand. "Severus Snape," he said in a loud and clear voice.
Immediately, colors and sounds began to swirl around the three men, and they found themselves being transported back, back through time and space to the past, where the secrets of Severus Snape were about to be revealed.
Review, review, please review! You will make me so happy! Next chapter coming soon!