Chapter 9: Sage's Father

Chapter 9

Sage's Father

Dumbledore looked up from his desk. "Ah Severus, glad you could come on such short notice. You look like you could use a lemon drop."

Snape scowled and sat himself down so that they could get down to business. "I don't think I need a lemon drop. What did you want to talk to me about."

"Suit yourself. I wanted to talk to you about your nephew."

Snape's left eyebrow perked up, "Sage, what did he do now?"

The headmaster smiled and shook his head. "He's done nothing at all. You jump to conclusions so quickly. You would think he was one of the Weasley twins the way you say that."

The potion's master crossed his arms and glared at Dumbledore. "He's already managed trouble in my class and I'm his own uncle."

"That is something that I wished to talk to you about, Severus. I know it must be a bit odd to have Sage in your class, but you must realize it is odd for him too. After all, the way you act in the classroom is downright frightening most of the time, not to mention unfair and debasing sometimes. Sage is not used to that side of you. He is used to you being stoic and sarcastic but he is not used to the way you act here."

Professor Snape shook his head, "He can adjust. I do not act that much differently. Besides, you know that I must keep up appearances for the budding Death Eaters in my house."

"You are very different here to someone who knows you well, Severus, and yes I do know what you must go through because of the Slytherins."

A loud scowl came out of the professor's mouth. He was getting annoyed. "Then, pray tell me, what is the problem?"

"The problem is that Sage told me that he didn't think that he belonged here yesterday. I managed to get out a few of the things that were bothering him. On the top of that list was the way you act here and how none of the students like you or respect you. He is upset that they judge both you and him so easily without knowing any of your circumstances. He's just a boy, Severus."

"And maybe he doesn't belong here, Albus. Did you ever think of that?"

"You have entirely missed my point."

the Potions master growled, "Enlighten me then."

"I know that things have not been easy for you either and that it is difficult for you to be responsible for him, but you do not act like much of an uncle to him. Now that he is here, what he sees and hears is probably very disorienting. He has no one else Severus. He clearly has a lot of respect for you if he is upset with how none of the other students respect you or like you. He is an impressive boy."

"I won't baby him, sir, don't ask me to."

Dumbledore sighed, "I was paying both you and him a compliment, Severus. I'm not asking you to baby him. I am asking you to show him that he matters every once and awhile. Don't think that I don't know that you care for him. You don't have to act like you aren't human. I saw the way you looked at him when he had that attack. I've seen that look before. Don't pretend that Sage doesn't matter to you. He's your brother's son, Severus, he's Jace's son."

"Don't talk about him," the professor barked suddenly.

"I won't ignore his existence like you do, nor Lily's for that matter. They are gone, yes, and that hurts. Don't you think that Sage shares that same pain? He never knew his father. I'd wager he's even seen his own father's death during his visions. You're the only person he talks to, Severus, he hardly even answered me. He trusts you. You need to get passed all of this for him, it's time."

"I don't need this," Profesor Snape growled getting up.

"He needs it and so do you, you have never dealt with your loss. Talk to him about his father, Severus. It'll help both of you get through the pain."

The Potions master looked back and threw a poisoned sneer back at the headmaster, "Pain, you know nothing of pain. That boy knows more of pain than you'll ever know. He lives through the worst pain imaginable once a fortnight. Do not begin to talk about pain."

Sage was sitting engulfed in a table of third year Gryffindors who suddenly had found a liking for him. Sage however, had not found a liking for all the attention and all the noise. His standing up to Snape had upped his popularity. Being a Magi had then quadrupled that. Now, he was beginning to feel claustrophobic with all the people sitting by him.

"Hey Sage, can you transfigure this water into Rum?"

Sage looked at Seamus and was about to open his mouth when a shadow came over him.

"You had better not," Snape threatened.

Sage turned away from the table and faced his uncle.

"I wouldn't sir. I was going to say that I could but wouldn't."

"You will not let your…housemates…ruin all sense of propriety in you. Nor will you forget the expectations of you." He said the word 'housemates' in such a forced tone that there was no doubt he had wanted to say something else. Perhaps something like foolish, idiot children…

Sage stared at him, unsure of what to make of his uncle's words and attitude. He knew better than to risk an answer.

Professor Snape's whisper loomed in the air, "Come with me."

"Yes, sir," Sage said, picking up his bag.

He got up from the table, caught a few sympathetic looks, and began to follow his uncle out of the hall. The professor stalked down the hallway with Sage following one step behind. Soon they were in the dank confines of the dungeons and in Professor Snape's office. They both stood facing each other, staring, blankly staring. Sage was obviously the one to look down first, as he always was. This deference satisfied the elder Snape, and he leaned back against his desk.

"Sit," he ordered, dragging out the syllable.

Sage obeyed and took a seat in the chair in front of the professor's desk, the very spot his uncle was looming over. His blue eyes just stared forward, focusing somewhere near where his uncle had his arms folded across his chest.

"I will not have you running wild around here."

Sage looked up at him, confused. "I don't understand, sir." He could not recall running wild anywhere, anytime...well not recently at all.

"Your new friends have a reputation for rule breaking."

The confused look still plastered on his face he said, "Sir, I don't understand what that's got to do with me?"

Professor Snape growled again. "You will not be."

"Breaking the rules, sir?"

"YES, are you that slow-witted?"

Sage looked down again, but the acid was still in his voice when he replied, "No, I was just thinking that I am not that easily influenced. And they aren't my friends. I much prefer my own company to theirs. They just started talking to me."

Severus grabbed him by the chin and made him look up. He gave Sage a look of warning with his eyes blazing. "I do not suggest taking that tone with me again."

Sage softened, feeling guilty. "Sorry, sir." Snape let go of his chin with a huff.

"Now that the whole school knows what you are, you will need to keep up your guard."

What is he on about Sage thought. He's all bothered about something.

Snape read his confused look and continued. "Have you not noticed how quickly everyone wants to befriend you now? Now that they know what you are capable of, that you're a Magi. You just need to be aware that a good number of them would simply use you. Gryffindors are not worthy of your trust."

"Use me?" Sage raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, use you. Use you like Finnegan would have to turn that water into Rum."

Sage shook his head, "But, I wasn't going to do it anyways, sir."

"Likely," the man said raising his eyebrow in doubt. "And he never spoke to you before now. Think for yourself."

"Yes sir," he answered nodding. "I will."

"Hmmm." Severus clearly did not believe him.

Sage looked up at the man. Snape's eye was twitching – it always twitched when he was bothered about something.

"I wouldn't do anything to disappoint or embarrass you uncle, really. My trust is not that easily gained. I don't even know these people."

The professor sighed and massaged his temples. He was battling in his brain over what Dumbledore had said to him, what he himself felt, and what he didn't want to show. Sage noticed the man soften a little bit.

"Sir?"

Snape snapped back to life and stared down at Sage again.

"Just be careful. People are not always what they seem. Even your friends can betray you and use you. You must be vigilant because of your powers. This is all new to you, you need to be aware."

Sage was quiet and pensive. Severus looked at him keenly, trying to pick up on anything. He felt that Sage was uncomfortable, that there was something he wasn't saying.

"Is there something you want to ask me?" Snape said, trying to get the boy to tell him what was wrong.

Sage looked up again, his blue eyes has a certain concern in them. "Uncle, do you trust anybody?"

"I've only trusted two people fully in my entire life, and they both were killed."

"My father," he said quietly, almost in a whisper.