Four Years Later
Part VII: Errands II; Old Enemies/ New Friend

"You wanted to see me Minister?" Potter asked with a smile, standing in the Minister's doorway.

Scrimegeour stared at Potter, when suddenly his secretary buzzed him. "Mr. Minister, Harry Potter is here to see you."

"Thank you," Growled Rufus. "Mr. Potter we've been waiting to see you." Scrimegeour radiated hostility and anger. "I suppose you're here for your Certificate of Order of Merlin First Class."

"Actually I just received an Owl last night from my future father in law saying that I needed to go to the Minister's office to collect something that belonged to me."

"Future Father-In-Law?" Scrimigeour growled.

"Arthur Weasly said you would want to see me."

"Fine," the Minister wrenched open a drawer and put the certificate on the table. Potter picked it up and put it in his robes.

"Now let's get down to your schedule. Obviously we aren't going to require you go through Auror training, but you will have to..."

"Wait," Potter said, "What are you talking about?"

"Well you do need a job, and what else would you be besides a Auror?"

"Actually, I'm going to be working at Hogwarts, Defense Against the Dark Arts," Potter smiled.

"Still Dumbledore's man, through and through?" Scrimegour asked cruelly.

"No," Potter responded. "As a child I fought in someone else's name. I'm a Man now, I have to fight for my own name, my own life, my own family. I still revere Prof. Dumbledore as the greatest Wizard I have ever known, but I am my own man."

"Get out," Scrimegeour ejected him. "And be careful not to cross my path again."

Potter smiled as he strolled out of the office, and apparated across the country.

He strolled up to a very plain looking building in the middle of nowhere. he knocked on the door.

"Go away!" called a voice from inside. Potter knocked again, and again the voice said "GO AWAY!" Once more Potter knocked on the door, which was then ripped open. There was the greasy haired wizard who'd taught Harry potions. "You?" Growled Severus Snape. "What do you want?"

"May I come in Severus?"

Snape rolled his eyes, but proceeded inside. Severus's hair had become peppered with white hairs, and a beard begun on his face, only an inch or so long, also with a few white hairs scattered through out. "What do you want?" Snape asked as he returned to a boiling cauldron. he took a deep sniff.

"Brewing something good?" asked Potter.

"Polyjuice potion," Severus replied coldly. "An auror ordered it, paying top dollar for it too."

"Must be a nice living," Potter said, admiring the ingredients along the wall.

"Did you come here to check on me?" Snape asked dangerously giving the pot a slow stir.

"No," Potter admitted. "I came here to tell you two things, both kind of hard for me."

"Then get it over with," Snape said moving away from the cauldron.

"I forgive you," Potter said. "For years of unwarrented personal attack and discremination, for undeserved cruelty and abuse."

Snape's eyes flashed with anger. "You... forgive me?" Snape grabbed his cane from the corner. he'd been trying to look strong in front of one of his least favorite students, now he wanted to show the brat the truth. "Because of your curse, I need this to stand for more than ten minutes at a time!"

"That's the other thing..." Potter dropped to one knee. "I want to ask... beg for your forgiveness for that curse... for my venom, and hatred toward you. I want you to forgive me." Potter looked up at Snape.

Snape reared back, almost shocked by Potter's reply. he used his cane to move back to the cauldron.

"Please Severus," Potter pressed.

"Yes," Snape said quietly.

"You forgive me?" Potter asked, frankly surprised that it was that easy.

"You are forgiven. You've come to me to speak as a man... and you weren't exactly wrong moments ago when you forgave me..."

"Thank you Severus," Potter said standing.

"I take it you are working at Hogwarts," Severus said as Potter was headed for the door.

"How did you know?" Potter asked.

"History, my student, has a tendency to repeat itself. There are a few students you have a great deal in common with... one other Gryffindor, and two Slytherins."

"Who?" Potter asked.

"The Gryffindor went on to become a transfiguration teacher and then your Headmaster. One Slytherin tried to be the Dark Arts Defense instructor, but was denied. His anger led him to become..."

"Voldemort," Potter finished.

"Yes," Snape replied. "The other Slytherin wanted that Defense class... but was denied until his last year of service..."

"You?" Potter smiled.

"You'll find that those who are most like you in the early years of your life become those who are least like you in the later ones," Snape replied with a dark smile. "Enjoy your career Potter."

Potter left with a strange feeling about his future. Happily he returned home to a loving fiancé, and loyal friend who had lunch ready for him.