Title: One Stupid Person
Author: quixotic-hope (harrysev)
Beta: Amanda Saitou
Pairing: Harry/Severus
Rating: R
Genres: Romance, Angst, Fluff, First time
Warnings: slight-AU (ignoring HBP)
Spoilers: 1-5
Summary: Having lost his value as a spy for the light, Severus must now take a Death Eater-aging potion and befriend the dratted Boy-Who-Lived. But what happens when he starts falling in love?
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and Co. belong to the wonderfully talented JK Rowling. I mean no harm by using her characters in this story. I am making no money whatsoever; I merely hope to entertain people.
Chapter 3: Introductions
On board the Hogwarts Express, Harry quickly found an empty compartment and sat down. Ron and Hermione were in the Prefect's cabin, and they had asked him to save them a seat. Harry wondered if they'd even show up at all, but quickly brushed the thought away. Deciding that he had nothing better to do, Harry picked a book out of his trunk (yes, he did read!) and started to read.
A few minutes later Harry heard a knock. He looked up in time to see his compartment door slide open. Harry had to clamp his jaw shut to keep from gaping. Standing before him was a young man of about his age, with dark brown hair down to his shoulders. His hair looked very soft, Harry noticed. His eyes were a deep brown color, and they matched his hair perfectly. He was taller than Harry by a few inches, and he was dressed from head to toe in black. Harry swallowed.
"Is anyone sitting here?" the stranger asked.
"A couple of my friends are supposed to show up later, but you're more than welcome to join us," said Harry once he got his brain working again.
"Thank you," said the boy stiffly before taking a seat across from Harry.
"I'm Harry," said Harry. He didn't want to give his last name unless he had to. "I haven't seen you before, and you look too old to be a first year."
I'm too old to be in school at all, thought Severus bitterly. He noticed that Harry hadn't told him his last name and promptly told himself that he was not curious in the least.
Aloud, he said, "That's because I am. My name is Alan Rickman. I am a seventh year."
"So am I," Harry told him, his interest growing. "Where did you transfer from?"
Nosy little prat, isn't he? thought Severus. "France. My parents were murdered. I moved in with my uncle," Severus recited.
"I'm sorry," said Harry, thinking back on his own life and wondering if Alan's uncle was any nicer than his own. Knowing that he wouldn't want to talk about his parents, Harry asked, "What's France like?"
"Well, people are far less inclined to stick their noses in other people's business there," snapped Severus.
Harry flushed and looked down at his hands. He could take a hint. "Sorry," he muttered and went back to reading.
Severus saw Harry look down at his book and sighed. He really shouldn't be so hard on the boy he was supposed to befriend.
"You have nothing to be sorry for," said Severus, swallowing as much of his pride as he could. "I do not like thinking of my old life." Well, that was true enough.
"I can understand that," said Harry.
My ass you can understand that, snorted Severus, but he wisely chose to say nothing.
"You never told me your last name," Severus pointed out. He saw Harry sigh and raised an eyebrow.
"Potter," said Harry quietly, watching to see Severus' reaction.
Probably trying to see how much I gawk over him, thought Severus cynically. Well, fuck if he thinks I'm going to do that.
"Famous Harry Potter?" he asked mockingly.
"You could say that," said Harry, looking rather upset as he glanced down at his book.
Severus figured that Harry was upset because he hadn't fawned over him. His gaze fell on the book Harry was reading and had to fight off a snort of laughter. Potter read outside of class? He found that hard to believe. Deciding to ignore Potter for the time being (he did, after all, have all year to get to know the brat), Severus pulled out a book of his own and started to read.
xxx
Harry and Severus sat in relative silence for another hour before the compartment door slid open, and Ron and Hermione stepped in. Both were surprised to find someone other than Harry in the compartment.
"Hey, guys," said Harry, ignoring their flushed faces. Following their gaze to the young man before him, he said, "This is Alan Rickman. He transferred here from France. Alan, these are my friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger."
Severus bit his tongue to prevent himself from pointing out how rude it was for someone to call another by his given name without permission. He inclined his head to the two and then turned back to his book.
"Oh! I went to France a few summers ago! Isn't it just lovely there?" asked Hermione eagerly, sitting down next to Severus.
"I suppose," said Severus idly, making a point to turn the page of his book. Hermione, apparently not having taken the hint, continued speaking.
"I went with my parents. Naturally, we visited the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, and the Musée d'Orsay. Have you ever been to any of them? I'm sure you must have. Don't you just love France? Why did you leave?"
"Because my parents were murdered," snapped Severus, effectively shutting Hermione up. Harry had to bite his lip to stop himself from laughing at the look on Hermione's face. Severus saw amusement flicker across Harry's face, but didn't comment.
"Oh," said Hermione, feeling very out of place all of a sudden. "I'm sorry."
Severus fought to keep an amused smirk off his face. He was, after all, supposed to be distraught at the thought of his parents' supposed death. An uncomfortable silence filled the room.
"So Harry, did you hear the good news?" asked Ron, clearly trying to change subjects.
"No, what?"
"Snape's gone!" exclaimed Ron joyously.
Several emotions fought within Harry. On the one hand, he was relieved that Snape wasn't going to be there. Whenever Snape was around, he did everything in his power to make Harry feel as small and inadequate as possible, which always made Harry's chest clench painfully. On the other hand, Harry wasn't sure if he was ready to go an entire year without seeing Snape. What if Snape never came back? What if Harry never saw Snape again? Harry didn't know if he could handle that.
Severus was not surprised to see relief flood Harry's eyes. What he was surprised to see was an overwhelming sadness and fear. What on earth would the boy be sad about? Shouldn't he be happy that his evil Potions professor was no longer around?
"I take it you do not like this Snape very much?" asked Severus, interested to hear what the trio would have to say.
"He's a bastard," said Ron bitterly. "All he ever did was criticize and take points for no reason. Unless you were a Slytherin, that is. He treated Slytherins like they were Merlin's gift to the universe or something. And his hair was really greasy. You should've seen it! It was like he never took a shower or—"
"Shut up!"
All occupants turned to look at Harry in surprise. Harry was turning red in the face, whether from anger or embarrassment, no one knew.
"He was not a bastard," argued Harry heatedly. "Yes, he did criticize and take points, and yes, he did treat the Slytherins so much better than everyone else, but he still taught us a lot. And your hair would be greasy, too, if you spent all day over a cauldron!"
Hermione, Ron, and Severus were stunned speechless.
Potter doesn't hate me? thought Snape.
What the hell's the matter with Harry? wondered Ron.
Hermione just gave Harry a thoughtful expression.
Feeling the gaze of everyone's eyes on his face, Harry turned bright red. He hadn't meant to say all of that. He simply couldn't stand to hear Ron berate Snape like that. Deciding to ignore the group, Harry sunk further down into the seat and resumed his reading.
Ron looked at Hermione, who shrugged.
"Come on," she said, tugging Ron's hand. "Let's go patrol the halls." Ron nodded and followed Hermione out of the room, stopping to give Harry one more odd glance on his way out.
That left Harry and Severus alone.
"Who's Snape?" asked Severus. He saw Harry go red once more and frowned. What was the matter with Potter?
"He is—w-was our Potion's Master," said Harry quietly, not looking at Alan. "He was also head of Slytherin House."
Severus was surprised to hear Harry call him 'Potions' Master' instead of 'Potions' Professor,' but said nothing.
"Your friend Weasley seems to despise him. Why do you not?"
Harry sighed. This was a hard question to answer, one that he didn't think he could answer truthfully. Glancing up, he saw curiosity and something else, something unreadable, in the other's eyes. He felt the need to be honest. Well, at least somewhat.
"I did hate him, for a while. Then I realized that he's not as bad as everyone thinks." Seeing Alan raise an eyebrow, Harry elaborated. "I mean, I can understand why everyone hates him. But, it's just, he's saved my life several times. I didn't realize it at the time, but he has. I know he didn't want to, I mean, the guy hates me..."
Severus saw sadness in Harry's eyes as he said that last statement and wondered about it. Could Potter really be upset because Snape hated him? Harry shook his head and resumed speaking.
"Anyway, he still saved me. I never thanked him for it. And he never, he never treated me like I was better because I was famous. Well, he treated me worse actually, but it was better than all those people fawning over me. I just wish he hadn't hated me so much," added Harry quietly. Realizing that he had spoken too much again, he blushed and picked his book back up.
Severus stared at Harry in shock. Potter didn't want to be fawned over? That had to be some sort of joke. Potter loved all the attention he got. What was he playing at? Why had he said that he wished that Snape hadn't hated him? Surely his opinion of the boy did not matter that much.
One afternoon with the boy had managed to confuse him more than anything else in his life, Severus realized. Seeing that Harry had continued to read, Severus picked up his own book and looked down. For some reason, he could not concentrate. His mind kept drifting back to the previous conversation, to what Harry had said. I just wish he hadn't hated me so much. What the hell was the matter with him?
xxx
Hours later, they were at Hogwarts. Severus followed Potter and his friends to a carriage and sat down next to Potter. Weasley and Granger were sitting oddly close together, he noticed. Their hands were clasped tightly together between them. Potter was staring out the window, a sad look on his face.
Perhaps Albus was right, conceded Severus. Perhaps he is depressed.
When the carriages arrived at the school, Severus left Potter and his friends in search of Minerva. He found the Deputy Headmistress leading the first years up the stairs. She smiled when she saw him. Severus frowned.
"Ah, Mr. Rickman. Thank you for joining us. We were about to go to the Sorting," she said, an amused glint in her eye that could rival the Headmaster's.
"I can hardly wait," he responded curtly. He saw the other students look at him in surprise and had to stifle a smirk.
"This way, please," said McGonagall, leading the students to the Great Hall. The Sorting Hat was already waiting for them. Dumbledore stood, smiling down at Severus.
"Ladies and gentlemen, before the sorting begins I have an announcement to make. This is Alan Rickman," said Dumbledore, gesturing toward Severus. Severus nodded his head and turned cold eyes on the Headmaster. Dumbledore smiled a little. "He has decided to spend his last year of education here at Hogwarts. He will be sorted first, and then the first years will continue as normal. I trust you all will make him, as well as the first years, feel right at home."
Severus glared at Dumbledore as he walked over to the Sorting Hat. The twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes only irritated him more. Sighing in defeat, Severus gracefully sank onto the stool and placed the hat on his head. His house was, of course, already determined, but he needed to give off the illusion of being sorted.
Well, Mr. Snape. So good to see you again, said the Hat. Severus frowned, knowing the Hat could tell he that he was even without actually seeing him. Up to the challenge of being a Gryffindor?
Oh bugger off, thought Severus irritably. Just get this over with.
Oh very well, sighed the Hat. "GRYFFINDOR!"
Gryffindor started clapping, although Severus could tell that they were not as welcoming as they usually looked. Perhaps it had something to do with his clothing? Without a word, Severus took off the Hat and walked over to Gryffindor Table, sitting down next to Potter. He alone seemed to be happy with his new housemate.
"Nice to see you, again," smiled Harry.
"I wish I could say the same," replied Severus. He saw Harry's smile deflate and felt guilty. "Your housemates do not appear to like me very much," he added, hoping to take the edge out of his last comment.
"They all assumed that you would be placed in Slytherin," Harry told him. "You were glaring at Dumbledore," he added by means of explaining himself.
"Was I?" asked Severus with false innocence. To his surprise, Harry chuckled.
"Just a bit," said Harry.
Severus didn't know what to think. Was befriending Potter really going to be this easy? Maybe he could figure out what was wrong with the boy quickly, then, and be back to teaching next term. Yes, decided Severus, this wasn't going to be so hard after all.
Author's Note: I hope you all don't mind that I named Sev "Alan Rickman." grins I couldn't think of anything else to name him.