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: This chapter has yet to be proof read, I've done a spell check but we all know spell checks don't catch everything! I'm posting this because I figure, why the hell not? I'll probably repost this chapter tomorrow when I go back and re-edit it, but don't worry, it won't change a lot! So please escuse any weird grammatical errors, it's really late right now! (3:37 AM) I'm really procrastinating, I should be doing my homework but instead I'm writing a fanfic, oh well! I want to thank all my reviewers again, you guys inspire me to keep on writing! So thank you very, very much! Also, I'm sorry it's kind of short. The next one will be longer, I promise! Oh, and the next one might not be up for awhile, seeing as school is supose to start up on Monday now and that will obviously, once again, take up much of my time. So only expect updates about once a week from now (but they'll be longer to make up for it).
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. 8 - Storm
Severus Snape silently followed behind the Headmaster, deep in thought, his mind reeling with the information he had just gathered. It was only when Dumbledore stopped walking and Severus ran into him did he focus his attention on his surroundings. Albus Dumbledore turned around and looked quizzically at Snape but Snape just sneered at the Headmaster. Refusing to answer the older wizards unasked question, whatever that question was, Snape did not know and did not want to know. Instead the Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher was focusing his attention on the corridor he had just walked in too, the corridor full of students who were in the midst of a class change. Students who had stopped to stare at the two wizards who had just emerged from a door that no one had noticed before. It was not the staring that had unnerved Severus Snape, it was the rude reminder of just how much memory he had lost. He saw the students, but he only recognized one student when he knew he should've been able to recognize all the students. He had, after all, been the teacher for all of them throughout the whole year, and he knew that he had taught many of them throughout the last few years.
It was then that Minerva McGonagall briskly walked around the corner of the corridor and, looking quite distressed, walked over to where Dumbledore and Snape where standing, still looking at the staring students.
"My goodness," McGonagall loudly stated, her eyes sweeping over the still students, "by the looks of it I would say that none of you have ever seen Professor Dumbledore or Professor Snape. Move along now or you'll be late for your next class."
The students immediately jumped into motion and started for their next classes. When McGonagall was satisfied that all the students had clearly understood her she turned her attention the other two Professors in the corridor.
"The Minister of Magic has arrived, again, with a few Aurors too," McGonagall hurriedly whispered, "He still believes that the school is no longer safe. He wishes to speak to you and," she paused, looking at Snape, "to Severus, if he is able. I allowed him entry into your office."
Dumbledore turned his head and looked at Severus, "Do you think you are able?"
Severus nodded, his mind still focusing on what had just learned from Narcissa.
"Albus, if I may ask, what happened between you and the Malfoys?"
"Minerva, that knowledge shall remain between me, Severus, and the two Malfoys who were present."
McGonagall sighed, nodded, then turned to follow the Headmaster, falling in step with Severus Snape. She looked over at the man, he seem tired, worn, he looked worse then she had ever seen him, and she had seen him in pretty bad condition before. She also noticed that he was not only limping a great deal but also stumbling every now and then. McGonagall became worried, had the man over exerted himself? It clearly seemed like he had. But it also seemed that Dumbledore had either not noticed or was not worried about this clear sign of exhaustion from the often withdrawn man.
It was not long before the two wizards and one witch were on the spiral staircase leading into the Headmaster's office. Dumbledore pushed the door opened and the three walked into the room, Severus being the last. And as soon as the three Auror's saw him they quickly stood up and pointed their wands.
"Now, now," Dumbledore said, "There is no need for such hostility. Severus doesn't even have a wand at the moment."
"So you acknowledge that Mr. Snape is dangerous with his wand?" The man that had remained seating enquired.
"Not to you, no, but if you speak of those that wish to kill him, then yes," Dumbledore replied with a smile.
"I thought the Minister of Magic was Cornelius Fudge?" Severus asked quietly, a hint of confusion in his voice.
"Oh yes, I forgot Severus. Fudge was fired following the events at the Ministry of Magic, this is the new Minister of Magic, Rufus Scimgeour," Dumbledore answered.
"How do you not know who the Minister of Magic is Snape? If anything this gives more proof to the suspicions that you are working for Him!"
"Rufus please. Severus did not know you had become Minister of Magic because he has just had much of his memory erased, including all of the last five years."
"Dumbledore!" Rufus replied, frustrated, "I'm quite sure the man can answer for himself!"
"And I'm quite sure he'd be more inclined to answer your questions himself if he did not have three Aurors pointing their wands at him," Dumbledore calmly replied.
"It's simply for my protection, you know that the Ministry of Magic does not believe the school is safe. Especially with a known Death Eater teaching."
"I am not teaching and I am no longer a Death Eater," Severus snapped at Rufus Scrimgeour before turning to look at Dumbledore and asking, "Albus, may I sit down?"
"Of course. Here," the Headmaster conjured up a chair for both Severus and Minerva and Severus gingerly sat down while Minerva remained standing, leaning on the back of her chair. Dumbledore then walked over and sat down behind his desk, folding his hand on top of a thin pile of papers, "Now Rufus, will you please tell your Aurors to lower their wands and sit back down. No one is going to hurt anyone here."
Rufus Scimgeour crossed his arms, glared at Dumbledore for a few tense minutes before finally nodding and saying, "Sit down, but keep your wands ready."
The three Aurors silently sat down, folding their hands on their laps, their wands gripped firmly in their palms.
"Now Severus," the Minister of Magic began, focusing his glare on the injured wizard, "What did you say before?"
"Snape," Severus growled back, "Call me Snape."
Rufus looked surprised for just a second, but he quickly organized his face back into his trademark glare, "I will call you by your first name if I wish. It's my right."
"It's Snape, and if you refuse to call me such then I will leave. It's my right to not talk to you if I do not wish too."
"Do you ever answer the questions you're asked, Severus?"
Severus Snape scowled at the Minister of Magic and then began to rise from his chair, having the full intention of leaving.
"Severus," Dumbledore warned in a low voice.
The Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher looked over at his Headmaster and raised an eyebrow in confusion but consented to sitting back down.
"You let Dumbledore call you Severus," Rufus hissed threateningly.
"That is because I trust the Headmaster with my life, unlike you, who I don't even remember," Snape retorted.
"You don't remember me?" Rufus laughed, "You are lying, just like you always have."
"Oh yes, I must be," Snape replied sarcastically, "Maybe if I think hard enough all my memories will come back to me!"
"Why must you persist in being so angry all the time, Snape?" Rufus said the name with disgust, like it was nothing but filth.
"Because I have just had over half my memory erased for your cause! And yet still, I'm nothing but a traitor! I have put my life on the line everyday for this war and yet I'm still just a Death Eater. A filthy, lying, Death Eater," Snape argued, "At least now you can no longer hold that title against me," he finished, more softly.
"And what do you mean by that? I have said it before and I will say it again, once a Death Eater, always a Death Eater. It's a decision that can't be reversed."
"If I may," Dumbledore suddenly interrupted, "Rufus you can trust me when I say that Severus Snape is no longer a Death Eater. And that is no longer based on the simple fact of where I believe his to allegiance be but also on the fact that he no longer carries the Dark Mark."
"How can he no longer carry the Dark Mark! It's is permanent!" Rufus replied, his voice rising slightly.
"Yes it is permanent, at least, on the skin. But we all know that the skin is not invincible," Dumbledore responded, his anger rising slightly.
"What do you mean? You cannot tell me things without proof Albus!"
Dumbledore sighed, "It is not my place to show you the proof."
With that said all six sets of eyes turned to stare expectedly at Severus Snape who simple scowled in return. Shaking his head, "I'm not putting myself on display," he challenged.
"If you can prove you are no longer a Death Eater then I will not be forced to put you in custody and take you to Azkaban," Rufus declared.
"And why would I be sent to Azkaban!" Severus snapped back, fear squeezing his heart at the thought of being imprisoned in Azkaban.
"Because you are a known Death Eater and the Ministry of Magic believes you were the one to allow the other Death Eaters entry into the school! We cannot allow someone that dangerous to stay in the same place that so many children are staying!"
"Rufus," Dumbledore interjected, "I have told you that it was not Severus who let those Death Eaters in. I have also told you that it was Severus that saved my life. Without him I would be dead right now."
"And yet you give no proof! You refuse to tell us who it was that allowed the Death Eaters entry even though you claim to know who it was! We have concluded that you are simple trying to protect Severus Snape, for whatever reason!"
Dumbledore opened is mouth to speak but before he could he was cut off by Severus exploded, "Fine! If it clears my name, and Dumbledore's, then I will show you the proof you so desperately need!"
The six set of eyes returned to stare at this unexpected, and unusual, burst of anger. They watched as Severus slowly stood up, using the chair as support, shrugged off his robe and undid the buttons on his shirt. His fingers fumbled slightly, his injured hand not working quite as well as it use too. It was also the first time that Rufus Scrimgeour has seen the injured hand for it had been hidden within the folds of Severus Snape's robes for the entire conversation. After the buttons where successfully undone Severus removed his right sleeve first and then, with a small sigh of anger and resentment, the wizard removed the left sleeve and let the shirt fall on to the chair behind him. The Minister of Magic, and the three Aurors that had accompanied him, could not contain their gasps of horror at the sight before them. The blackened hand, arm, and chest where grotesque. The days in the hospital wing had done nothing to repair the injuries, and nothing ever would.
"And here is your proof," Severus spat out in anger. He turned his arm so that his forearm could be clearly seen and revealed the spot in his arm where the Dark Mark should have been. The spot that the skin had been removed, the spot where he had been cut down to the bone. The bone which had not been spared the affects of the curse, the bone that was also black and charred, "Skin will never grow over this," Snape continued, his anger getting the best of him, "My arm will never heal. It is useless, I can barely move it anymore. And yet, you still think I'm nothing more but a filthy traitor! After everything I have done to help you win this war you still refuse to believe that I have changed my ways!"
"Severus," Dumbledore consoled, "he understands. Please, I think that is enough."
Severus Snape turned his head to stare at the man you he trusted above all else and nodded. He grabbed his shirt and started to put it back on.
Dumbledore, satisfied that Snape had finished, returned his attention to the Minister of Magic, "If that is all then Professor McGonagall will take you to the edge of Hogwarts' grounds and grant you leave."
Rufus Scrimgeour nodded, got up, and followed McGonagall out of Dumbledore's office, with the Aurors following close behind. The Headmaster returned his attention to the only remaining wizard in the room and saw that he had finished putting his shirt and robe back on. And he saw something that alarmed him greatly, the pain clearly evident on the Professor's face.
"Severus, what is wrong?" Dumbledore question, concern colouring his voice.
Severus Snape turned to face Albus Dumbledore but was greeted with a spinning room and a massive headache. He grabbed the back of the chair for support but it was too late.
For the first time in all the years that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had been in existence, a wizard fainted in the Headmaster's office.