Title: The Will Of Love
Part: 3/7
Author: Jmaria
Spoilers: 'A Hole In The World' for Angel and OotP for Harry
Disclaimer: So not mine. Though how I do wish.
Summary: The heart of the matter
A/N: Ok, figured out this will only be six or seven parts long, due to well, the fact that I have so many other fics going on right now. That and the fact that this story takes place in the span of two days, total. The reason I've been taking so long on this one is that I had to re-read the transcript of "Lineage" so I could be canon in Wes' schooling. (Which, I come to find out includes the spell he did at seven and that he was head boy at the Academy, and that he was never good enough in his father's eyes.) It's been three weeks, since I last posted, but my mind melted a little bit . . . so bear with me.
Part Three
The three teenagers couldn't help overhearing the conversation between their headmaster and the stranger sitting on the bed across from them. Hermione caught the gaze of the woman who was lying on said bed. She was pale, her lips cracked, but she smiled at the younger girl.
"Hey." She said weakly.
"Fred, you must conserve your energy." The man turned back to her, startled out of his stupor by her.
"I don't want to waste any time, Wesley!"
"You're not -"
"The potion might not work! They said there's just a chance - "
"Shh, please, Fred. Do this, for me?"
"Pardon me, but I couldn't help overhearing your conversation, Professor Dumbledore." Hermione skirted around the bed, her eyes locking on the old wizard.
"Of course, Miss. Granger." He smiled at her.
"You knew the Potters, Mr.. . I'm afraid I didn't catch your name, sir?"
Wesley let out a tiny chuckle. Dear gods, that had been him to a tee back in his old Hogwarts days. He smiled at the frowning girl. They were all watching him nervously. Good lord, the boy had Lily's eyes. They were so like the eyes that had given him that sad disapproving look back in his school days. On the last day he'd seen any of them, save Severus.
"Yes . . .Only Lily was still an Evans back then. James hadn't quite gotten around to proposing to her yet. They were only in the middle of their seventh year here."
"You knew my parents?"
"Yes. Damn shame, their loss. They were good people, no matter what Sev tries to say otherwise."
"SEV?" The redheaded boy cried, his eyes going wide at the mention of his potions professor. "You knew Snape?"
"Well, of course he would, Ron! Snape went to school with Harry's parents. If Mr.. . whatever his name is went to school with them, he surely would have gone to school with Professor Snape!"
"Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, Miss Granger." Wes smiled as the girl blushed, catching her off-guard when he interrupted with his name. Fred smiled softly. Wes had that kind of charm about him. A true gentleman. So true a gentleman, that he'd been willing to let the love of his life go on with hers, never letting her know he loved her.
"Jerk." She smacked him lightly.
"Fred?"
"Sorry, mind on another time." She smiled up at him, before breaking into a fit of convulsive coughs.
"This is Winifred Burkle. Miss Burkle - may I tell them, Wesley?" Dumbledore stood at Fred's side, watching the younger man brush her sweat soaked hair back from her forehead.
"Yes, this is a learning facility. I suppose it is all right."
"Miss Burkle has been possessed with the essence of an old one. A demon that is purely evil, and perhaps one of the greatest evils ever known to walk on the face of this earth."
"Gee, when you put it that way, I almost lose hope." Fred said dryly.
"Sev is working up a potion, darling. You will be healed. If anyone can make this potion, it is Severus Snape."
"You're putting an awful lot of faith in Snape. . . "Harry said nervously. The older man's eyes fell on him as he boldly continued on. "He -"
"Sev can be rough at times. His parents didn't help him any. A witch of a mother, both literally and figuratively. His father was disappointed that he didn't follow in the family business." Wes lowered his head. "And his brother. . . his brother betrayed him to his greatest enemies. The Marauders."
"Snape had a brother?" Hermione bent her head toward the couple. "I didn't know that."
"Well, you wouldn't. They don't share the same last name, he is three years younger, and was expelled from Hogwarts. In his fourth year."
"You know an awful lot about Snape's brother." Ron said suspiciously.
"I rather suspect I would, seeing as he is my brother." He met the eyes of Harry. And swore for a second, it was Lily's disapproving look that was staring back at him.
* * * * *
Wesley Wyndam-Pryce was practically jumping off the walls in excitement. Of course, he was reigning it all in. He was going to Hogwarts, with Severus! Finally! But Severus had changed, become a different boy than the one young Wesley so fondly remembered and loved.
"Well, Son. Aren't you going to say hello to your mother?" Roger demanded.
"I would, Sir. But Mother is at home. Hello, Mrs. Wyndam-Price." Severus said curtly to the blond woman on his father's arm.
"Severus, you look well."
"Don't coddle the boy. He's old enough to have a smart mouth, he's old enough to be a big man and not be coddled by you."
"Roger. . . " Alicia fingered the strand of pearls around her throat.
"Have I said one word that is not true, Alicia?" He demanded.
Wesley shook a little. Father rarely ever used that tone before he'd gotten a slayer, nearly four years ago. He seemed to use it every other day now. Especially when they were discussing their sons. Alicia kept her eyes focused on the train, this was neither the time nor the place for this particular discussion.
His mother was far too quiet these days, and most of their arguments revolved around where he was to attend school. Mother harbored her son's dreams of joining his brother at Hogwarts, while Father wished for him to continue on at the Watcher's Academy.
But the letter had arrived. He had been chosen as an acceptable wizard to join his brother at Hogwarts. He could be with his brother, completely away from his father's oppressive reign. All and all, it would be much better than being the Council's prodigy Watcher-In-Training. And spend more time with the brother that was steadily pulling himself away from them all.
But being at Hogwarts would prove to be the downfall. For the truth was out. Severus Snape was a Slytherin. And Wesley Wyndam-Pryce was a first year.
A first year Gryffindor.
And with the hat's decision, Severus Snape would never look at his brother as that again. He was nothing more but a damn Gryff and a mudblood to boot. Somehow, the irony that his brother was just as much a mudblood as he himself was, was not lost on the young man.
* * * * *
Wes told them how it had been after that. He'd been friends with the young Marauders, who had taken to the young man who upset poor Severus so. For years he helped them pull pranks on the man he'd once looked up to. But Severus had cut ties with the Wyndam-Pryces. For a time, Wesley imagined himself in love with Lily Evans. But it was a foolish crush.
The biggest betrayal had involved a near death experience two years later. Fred had never known any of this. No one who was associated with him knew of his past. At least, none of his Ancient past.
She clutched his past as the shame of his actions as a child washed over his face. Harry's head was hung in grief and anger at the harsh and careless acts of his father and his friends. Ron and Hermione were quiet. Not sure what to say to that.
Wesley looked up at the young man who reminded him so very much of his parents.
"You cannot blame Severus for hating us so very much. Nor can you blame them for their actions. We were foolish children. We made mistakes. All children do, you know. But this is the least of my crimes against my brother." Wesley lowered his head. "My greatest crime would come in my fourth year here. And it was so atrocious of a crime, that I was expelled and my wand was snapped in half."
Wesley clutched Fred's hand. He needed some strength from her to confess this. Taking a deep breath, he began to speak.
A/N: Major cliffie. I know that it's horrid of me, so sorry. honest. feedback, pretty please?