Doesn't Remind Me
Summary: AU, WiP: What would've happened if Severus Snape had choose a different path and proved is loyalty to the one who trusted him when no one else did?
Category: Angst/Drama.
Rating: PG-13 to R. For safety, deals with violence and suicidal themes.
Notes: It seems a reviewer has noticed the very problem I've been struggling with, the Unbreakable Vow that Snape made. I've been thinking long and hard and believe that I have found a way around it, you just have to keep reading until it is revealed because I am obviously not going to tell you right now..:) But I will say this, when it comes to that part in the story and you cannot find a way to believe my way around the Unbreakable Vow well then, you can stop reading. Remember, this is a AU story so things are not going to be the same and some things may be changed to fit my story. It is after all, my story, and I can do what I want. I could make Snape have a sex change operation if I wanted (don't worry, I won't, it's just an example). So there, I believe I have explained myself quite clearly.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, if I did I'd be rich and not writing fanfics, now would I? Sue me if you wish but the only thing you'll get out of it is my pointe shoes because it's the only thing I've ever bought in my life. Anything recognizable is credited to J.K. Rowling anything unrecognizable can be credited to me, understood? Good. Now I'm going to shut-up so you can read the story!
Ch. 2 - Prevent This Tragedy
Harry was running down the empty corridors as fast as he could. Within minutes he was saying "toffee eclairs" to the gargoyle that guarded the spiral staircase leading to Dumbledore's office. The sounds of the fighting had faded long ago but Harry could still hear it in his head. Someone was dead, someone had been killed because he had been so naive as to ask his friends to guard the hallways. Yet again, one of his decisions had directly lead to the death of someone he had cared about, someone who he had known and loved.
The young boy took off his Invisibility Cloak and threw it angrily across the room. He started pacing, rubbing his temples as he felt the beginnings of a headache develop. All Harry wanted to do was scream and yell and throw things, to destroy everything around him. But he couldn't, not when he was still in so much danger. He had to wait, wait for what? He didn't know, he didn't know anything. And to Harry, not knowing was one of his greatest fears.
He had witness Dumbledore pleading. Why was that so frightening to him? Everyone pleads for their life, they'd be fools not too. But Dumbledore? This was the greatest wizard of all time, he shouldn't feel the need to plead for his life, he should make others plead for their lives!
Harry had been wrong, wrong about so many things. But his greatest mistake, his greatest mistrust, was Severus Snape. He had never trusted the professor, when in the end, it was that very professor that had saved Dumbledore from an almost certain death. It was the professor that had put his life on the line, who was most likely dead right now. Dumbledore had trusted Snape, why couldn't Harry?
Well, to be truthful, Professor Snape had never given him a reason to be trusted.
"But had he ever given you a reason to mistrust him?" Harry whispered aloud.
Exhausted, he plopped into the armchair that seemed much too comfortable for his liking. Burying his head in his hands the young boy with so much on his shoulders began to cry, for the first time in too many years.
After what seemed like hours, but could possible only be minutes, Harry regained control of his emotions and wiped the tears off of his face. Standing up, he began his pacing. It seemed to Harry that pacing had become one of his more favourite pass times. A realization that didn't sit well with him.
Just then the door burst open and a very frazzled looking Professor McGonagall strode briskly into the office.
"Come Harry, we must leave," she said, rather distractedly.
"But Professor McGonagall, what about the Death Eaters? And where is Dumbledore?"
"The Death Eaters are gone Harry, now come, we must go."
With that Minerva McGonagall turned around a walked quite quickly out of the office and Harry was forced to follow her if he wanted anymore answers.
Catching up with her in the corridor Harry asked, yet again, "Where is Dumbledore?"
"He is safe, for the moment. As a matter of fact, we are going to see him right now."
"We are?"
"I believe that is just what I said," snapped the professor.
Harry fell quiet and instead became content with studying the wonderfully patterned floor of Hogwarts. It was not until they walked through a wooden door did Harry realize where they were, the hospital wing. And in the back of the room there stood a small group of people, all from the Order. To the side, Madame Pomfrey and Nymphadora Tonks were leaning over a small table and reading a book of some sorts. And there, lying in a bed not far away, was Albus Dumbledore, looking paler then Harry had ever seen him.
"Is he?" Harry whispered fearfully.
"No, no, not all. He is just asleep. Though we fear he won't have long. But that is why you are here. You have to tell Madame Pomfrey what happened to Albus while you two were out and about," McGonagall's lapse in the use of Dumbledore's first name in front of a student showed just how distraught she really was.
Harry followed his professor across the room, which seemed longer then normal, and stood beside Dumbledore's bed, unnoticed to the others who had entered previously. Looking around he noticed that Dumbledore was not the only injured person. Bill Weasly, Neville Longbottom, and Professor Flitwick were all lying in a bed, with members of the D.A. around them. No one seemed to have noticed Harry's arrival, which Harry was very thankful for.
"Madame Pomfrey," McGonagall said in a voice rather high pitched and forced, "Harry is here now, maybe he will be able to help."
"I doubt it!" Pomfrey yelled rather fustrated, "That Snape! He could've written just a tad bit neater! You know, make it readable to anyone but himself! Why does he tell me to read a potion that will save Dumbledore if he knows I won't be able to read his writing!"
Pomfrey's outburst gather the attention of the others and before he knew it Hermoine was around Harry in a rather painful hug.
"Oh Harry! Are you all right? You're not injured are you?" Hermoine squeaked out between her tears.
"No, I'm fine Hermione, really. How is everyone else?"
"Bill's been bitten Harry! You can't even recognize him!"
"Bitten, by who?"
"Greyback, but it wasn't at the full moon so we don't think he'll be a true werewolf -"
"He just might have some wolfish characteristics from now on," Lupin interrupted, "Glad to see you escaped unharmed."
"What about the others, everyone else?"
"Neville and Professor Flitwick are both hurt," Ginny answered, "but Madame Pomfrey says they'll be all right. And a Death Eater's dead, he got hit by a Killing Curse that a huge blonde Death Eater was firing off everywhere - Harry, if we hadn't had your Felix potion, I think we'd all have been killed, but everything seemed to just miss us -"
"That's enough Ginny," McGonagall stated, "Now Harry, what happened to Dumbledore?"
"He drank this, this potion thing," Harry stuttered out, not wanting to remember what the potion had done to the Headmaster.
"This potion thing? Is that all you can remember?"
"Well, it was guarding this object, locket thing, that Dumbledore wanted. It was this invisible barrier, Dumbledore said the only way to get to the locket was to scoop the barrier up in a cup and drink it. It worked but it seemed to make Dumbledore forget what he was doing, and it seemed very painful. He needed water after."
"Is that it Harry?"
"Well, yes, that's all I can remember."
"Well Pomfrey, does that help?"
Pomfrey looked up from trying to decipher Snape's writing and addressed Minerva, "No, it doesn't tell me anything. Do you know how fustrating this is? Apparently this is the potion that will save Dumbledore's life and I cannot read it! I CAN'T READ IT!"
"Pomfrey calm down," McGonagall soothed, walking to the witches side, "I'm sure someone here can read Severus' writing."
"Why can't you just get Snape to read it?" Harry asked, everyone stared at him.
"Snape's gone!" Hermione burst out, "He let himself get taken by the Death Eaters so that we could destroy the Vanishing Cabinet!"
"But if the Death Eaters have him, if He has Snape -"
"He'll die a very painful and undeserved death," Luna finished, "We know Harry, we know. He's been labeled a traitor by the Death Eaters, he won't live long and he won't wish to live long."
"But, but -"
"There's nothing we can do Harry," Lupin said, "Severus is smart, Severus is resilient, he may yet make it out alive. We have to hope, it's all we can do."
"Madame Pomfrey."
"Yes Luna."
"Can I see that book, I just want to see if I can read it."
"What makes you think you can read it?" Pomfrey snapped.
"Well, it's just that I have very messy writing myself, so maybe I am more use to reading it."
"Oh fine, here," Pomfrey handed the book to the young witch.
After a few tense moments Luna looked up from her reading and stated, very quietly, "I can read it."