Living in the Highlands
Lady Countryrose
Ch. 5
Severus had found himself at Hogwarts, not as a professor that he had been for nearly a decade. But as a student again. He was in the library across from his beloved friend. He glanced around and noticed that it was a fifth year, before they were to take their O.W.L.S.
Severus placed his quill on the table. When Lily shot her head up and looked at him with a worried look. "What's wrong, Sev?"
He let out a sigh. "Why bother, this is a dream."
"It doesn't mean that it isn't that much real, Sev. What's wrong?"
"Am I doing everything right," he asked her.
Lily's green eyes burned into his dark eyes. "You're doing all that you can, Sev. That is all that I'm asking of you. You are doing wonderful with Harry, and that is all that I will ever ask of you."
"Lily," he groaned. "You were meant to be here."
Lily looked at him with sadness in her eyes. "I can't protect him or prepare him. Not like how you can. He needs his uncle to teach him."
"What are you saying," he glared at her.
"The Dark Lord isn't dead, Sev. You need to teach Harry to protect himself." She started to fade, as well as the library. "He needs to know." Then she was gone.
Severus gasped out, as he sat up in bed. He had not dreamed about Lily in years. But to have her come with an ominous message. It was enough for him to heed her warning.
'Time to teach Harry to protect himself.' He had many discussions with Minerva and they never agreed to a time to start. But with the dream of Lily. He knew then that it was time. But he had to tell Harry something first.
So, Severus Snape had gotten out of bed. Showered and then dressed. Before going down for breakfast. Once everyone was done. Severus had pulled up his sleeves and waited for Harry to ask. Which, he found, wasn't long.
"Uncle Sev, what is that?"
"Severus," gasped Minerva.
Severus turned towards Harry. Showing his arm. "This is a mark of a Death Eater, Harry. A mark of a follower to a Dark Lord, Lord Voldemort. The man that killed your parents."
Harry looked up at him. Severus didn't know if he was looking at him in anger or despair. "I had joined them to spy against them, while trying to protect your mother."
Harry opened his mouth, after a long awaited silence. "Why did you really join them?"
Minerva looked pained. He knew it was one of the debates to let Harry know. But she never really agreed. She didn't want Harry to hate him.
Severus closed his eyes for a moment before looking into Lily's eyes of her son. "I joined, because I had no other choice. I was a poor boy from the wrong side of town. I needed help to get somewhere, to make a name for myself."
Harry looked pained, like someone had stolen something from him. "And my mother?"
"She didn't want this life for me. I had loved her, she was my light in the darkness."
Harry looked at his arm again. He looked uncomfortable. Even though the snake had stilled for so long. But Severus could nearly feel it moving. "Why are you telling me this?"
Severus closed his eyes for a moment. "I saw your mother, Harry. She wants me to teach you how to protect yourself from the Death Eaters."
Harry nodded his head. "Okay."
Minerva blinked at Severus. "Dreams are a wondrous thing. We may have the power to communicate with the dead. Or our subconscious letting us know, it's time to do things."
"Gram," asked Harry. "Do you know how to teach me what Uncle Sev is?"
"No," Minerva shook her head. "I can teach you to change one object to another," she smiled. "Severus is a good man, who befriended the wrong people, Harry. He is here to protect you, and he will teach you how."
Harry nodded his head. "Where do we start, Uncle Sev?"
Severus had pulled a book out of his robe pocket and handed it over to Harry. "First, I want you to learn how to draw Runes."
Harry groaned, but took the book. It was then that Severus noticed that Harry was in a kilt. He knew that the Potters had no clan colors, but Harry was in a black kilt. Since he would be in Hogwarts. Along with a white button-down shirt and a black vest.
Severus never understood the reasoning of why Minerva wanted Harry to have a kilt. The only answer that he was given was, "To be a part of something, bigger than oneself. The clans were proud warriors."
Over the years, he was given mixed messages for how Harry was to grow up. "He is a boy!" Along with. "He needs to learn the ways of a warrior!"
'No matter how I look at it. I am always in the wrong.'
Severus led Harry to the fireplace and called out. "Hogwarts, Severus Snape's dungeon!" Together they rushed through the network, before they made it to his chambers. With the wave of his wand, he closed the fireplace from travel.
Severus waved for Harry to sit on the couch. He then went to his desk and grabbed some parchment. Then went and handed them over with a quill and ink.
"Harry," Severus had taken a deep sigh. "I will have the door open in my office, leading to my classroom. Please try not to disturb me while in class."
He pointed towards a door. "The bathroom is through there. But if you need anything, like food or drink. Call for Mintz, he will get what you need." Severus had then gotten towards his office and into his classroom.
He went over to the schedule and glared at the lineup for the day. "Great second year with Gryffindor and those bloody Weasley twins, and Slytherin. This is not my day."
Severus Snape then went to work on setting up class. He only had twenty minutes before class had started.