Chapter 9
"The Vision and the Corridor"
The next morning dawned bright and sunny. Usually, Severus was up and about before Harry awoke, but the older centaur had slept in for once. Harry pressed himself closer to the warm body beside him, closing his eyes and pretending to sleep. His dreams had been disturbing. He didn't remember what had happened, only that it was terrible.
He felt Severus shift and then sit up. Harry continued to feign sleep, not really knowing why he felt the desire to do so. He was rewarded, however, when he felt a gentle hand brush back a wayward lock of his mane.
The simple gesture opened up a world of possibilities.
He thought back to that terrible night with Bane. It had been that night that he'd realized just how unusual he really was. The feelings he'd had for Bane had been unnatural at best, perverted at worst.
And yet…Severus seemed fond of him. He treated him with respect, shielded him, healed him, and ran his fingers through his mane in the wee hours of the morning.
It was as if they were mates.
A dark, nasty little voice in the back of his head spoke up cruelly.
'You always assume too much, don't you? He's not sick like you. No one else is. You're all alone,' The voice, much to Harry's dismay, sounded a great deal like Thistle.
He let out a small groan, then sat up in the now empty bed. Severus was no doubt in the bathroom, grooming himself for the day. It was a big day for him, as he would be introduced to the students in the Great Hall at breakfast time. Thankfully, Harry wouldn't have to endure that yet. Severus assured him that he would be allowed to grow comfortable around the humans before facing them all at one time.
Tiredly, he rubbed his eyes. Unbidden, a dark image flashed on the backs of his eyelids.
It was a centaur woman lying on the ground. There was blood smeared on her cheeks and forehead, but most horrifying were her eyes. Grass green eyes stared vacantly at him, completely devoid of life. He knew those eyes. He knew that red mane. His vision swam upwards, to a line of dark trees, a sliver of moon, and an inky sky.
His breathing labored, he stumbled out of the bed and into the bathroom. Sure enough, Severus was under the water spray. Once Harry was inside the bathroom, standing in the door, he didn't know what to do next. The horrifying image of his dead mother (was it real?) kept flashing in his mind. He wanted to throw his arms around Severus and let him shield him from this as well.
But he didn't.
Thankfully, perhaps seeing the sheer heartbreak in his eyes, Severus invited him to sit by the fire. Gratefully, Harry left the bathroom and moved to the thick rug. He flopped down gracelessly, his thoughts a million miles a way. He barely noticed when the damp body sat next to him, wordlessly offering comfort.
He did notice when Severus spoke to him. It was a rare event for him to start the conversation when they were by the fire.
"Was it a vision?" he asked with little preamble. Harry shivered at the recollection of those staring eyes, so similar to his own, and shook his head. Interpreting his shiver the wrong way, Severus stood to light the fire, then returned to his side. Slowly, hesitantly, he wrapped his arm around his shoulders, offering the warmth of his body.
Harry accepted the comfort gratefully, pressing his face into Severus's chest.
"I think it was a vision of the past," he said softly. Severus carded his fingers through his hair, not responding for a long time.
"As a centaur, it is our nature to think of time as a river. Though it is difficult to swim against the current, often our minds must return to where we have already been. Perhaps there was something you were supposed to know…some truth you are meant to understand that you did not at the time."
"Last night I dreamed…I saw my mother's dead body. I've never had visions of it. I remember my parents, kind of. I have this feeling of comfort I associate with them. It makes me happy to think about them, makes me feel warm and loved. To see her like that…"
"It must have been very upsetting," Severus soothed, letting his hand run up and down Harry's spine, gently petting away his fears. They sat like that until Severus couldn't wait any longer. Reluctantly, he let Harry go and stepped away from him.
"Thank you, Severus," Harry said quietly, wrapping his arms around himself in the absence of the older centaur. Severus nodded once, then silently left their cave. Harry sat alone for a few moments before he decided to occupy his mind with something else he'd been putting off since had had mentioned it to Severus. He had to write to Sirius and his grandmother.
He found parchment and a quill, then returned to the crackling warmth of the fire.
'Dear Sirius and Grandmother,' he began. 'I hope you both fare well, and this letter finds your spirits in good health.'
He took a deep breath. The hollow greeting seemed inadequate, but he didn't know what else to say. The recent happenings in his life cycled through his mind's eye. There was the strange vision of his dead mother, his dark natured new companion, and the fact that he was living with two-legs.
'I have many questions.' For once, the typically hollow greeting was ridiculously true. 'You need not worry for my safety, as I'm with another centaur. He is…' How did one describe Severus Snape? His clan name, a tidbit of information he'd learned when Hermione addressed him by it, gave him no clues. He didn't remember ever hearing mention of a herd that went by the name Snape.
'He is my guide in a world that is very unfamiliar to me. You see, I find myself living amongst the magical two-legs, at their school where they teach their young. I am being treated well, and have even befriended a few of them. I find my fear of them, for the most part, was irrational.' He decided it would be best not to mention anything about his trial. There was a great deal he would be better off not mentioning, in fact.
'I miss you both, very much. I am far from home, but I think I am where I need to be. My visions have never been so clear. I feel as though I am on the very edge of a high cliff, and if I can only find the courage to jump, I will understand. There is some truth Reiki is guiding me to find. I can feel it like a pull on my spirit.'
Deep in thought, Harry watched the flames dance and contemplated all of the strange things he'd seen and heard.
'I will leave this short, as I can't quite put into words the things I'm experiencing.' Harry paused, remembering the way he had left the herd. Had Bane and Thistle already told everyone? How much did his grandmother and Sirius know?
'The circumstance that caused me to leave is yet another issue I am dealing with. I hope your good opinion of me has not changed.' He signed his name with a rolling dread in his stomach. Everyone had to know by now. He could only hope Sirius and his grandmother still loved him.
Writing the letter took more time than he had imagined. The ink was just drying when Severus returned.
"Is breakfast over already?" Harry asked surprised. Severus shook his head, coming to sit beside him again.
"I left early. You seemed…unwell this morning," Severus replied, glancing surreptitiously at the letter. Harry offered him a small smile.
"Writing to my grandmother and Sirius helped a bit," Harry said, completely oblivious to the way Severus's eyes sparked with recognition at the mention of Sirius. Harry folded the parchment and offered it to him. "Will the Headmaster be able to deliver it?"
"Yes," Severus answered a bit stiffly. He took the letter to the table before slowly returning to Harry's side. This time, it was Severus who was obviously lost in disturbing thoughts, and Harry who was trying to offer comfort. After several unsuccessful attempts at goading the older centaur into talking about whatever was bothering him, Harry decided a bit of warmth was the best solution. With just as much hesitance as Severus had displayed, Harry tenderly wrapped his arms around the broad torso. After a few tension filled moments, Severus returned the embrace.
After that moment, Harry could tell when he looked at Severus that the older centaur had fought some kind of battle with himself, and had obviously come to the decision to allow Harry to grow even closer to him.
0-0-0
Later that day, Harry met with Ron, Hermione, and Neville again. Ron was quick to suggest chess, but Harry had other ideas. Severus had decided Harry could handle himself with the three teenagers, and had disappeared to his new classroom to prepare it and take inventory.
Harry was feeling bold.
"Why don't you show me the castle?"
After the three exchanged hesitant glances, they nodded their agreement. They were past curfew, but the Headmaster had granted them permission to come to Harry's chambers, hadn't he? Besides, the idea was to get Harry to come out of his shell. Surely, they assumed, no harm could come of it.
That line of thinking, of course, means trouble is brewing.
The hallways of Hogwarts were deserted. Most of the portraits were slumbering, but a few were awake to converse with a very shocked Harry. He walked with his eyes as wide as saucers, taking everything in and being completely overwhelmed.
As they walked, Hermione whispered a continuous stream of information about the castle. Harry half-listened to her, to absorbed in what he was seeing to really pay any attention. Because he didn't listen when she explained the magical nature of the staircases, he was extremely surprised when the one they were on quite suddenly moved in an entirely different direction. The three students exchanged nervous glances as they held on for dear life, obviously unsure of where their new destination would be.
They came to a stop in front of a long corridor soaked in shadows and spider webs. Ignoring the boys' looks of hesitancy, Hermione boldly walked into the long corridor.
"I'm not entirely sure…but I think that door at the end leads down to the library."
"Well, you would probably know, Hermione, but it doesn't look like it's been used recently," Neville protested half-heartedly. Both he and Ron knew that Hermione had already made up her mind. They were going to find out where the door lead, and there was little they could do about it. Harry, surprisingly, took to the idea quickly.
"Come on, you two. Severus said there was nothing to fear in the castle. Let's see where it goes," the growing excitement in his voice was infectious. With twin smiles, Ron and Neville followed the bushy haired girl and the centaur down the long, dusty hallway.
A/N: I know. I know. Long time no update, and I left you with a cliffhanger to boot. I don't have much of an excuse except that I am on vacation, and I've been busy with a few job interviews that I desperately need. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, all the same. As to the website, it is still under development. Hopefully I can get the link out to you all within a week or two.