Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any of the parts of this story affiliated with the Harry Potter series written by J.K. Rowling. As such, I do not receive any payment for publishing these works.

Chapter 6: Behind the Locked Door

Genre: AU/Family/Hurt/Comfort

Word Count: 1,825

Content Rating: PG-13

Italics: 'Thoughts' or "letters" or stressed words

Bold: Important information

Underline: Titles

"" - Character speaking

Horizontal lines: A break in time or scene

'That blasted girl!' Severus thought as he heard the click of the lock. At first he had been shocked by her physical resemblance to Lily, but now he was annoyed by her personal likeness. There were subtle differences though, Lily would have shouted and kicked, but Hazel seemed too careful for that. Lily would have been so much more obvious with what she was about to do than Hazel - in fact he could remember a similar situation in Second year.

"Lily! I don't want to talk to you right now." A twelve year old Severus said stomping away from the persistent red headed girl down the cobbled hallways of Hogwarts.

"Severus Tobias Snape! Don't you dare push me away." She yelled back, her face flushed with anger as she continued to pursue him.

Severus slipped down a corridor normally unused. It was lined with cobwebs and a fine layer of dust. He didn't want to fight with her - he just needed space - the situation was horrible enough as it was. A girl, even if that girl was Lily, would just make it more embarrassing.

Potter and his gang of marauders had somehow enchanted his quills to write in grease instead of ink. He had tried to tell the professor, but they just told him to go to the nurse if he had personal hygiene issues. The whole class had snickered and he had ran out Lily chasing after him. So instead of yelling he would lose her in the undisturbed corridor - like a true Slytherin.

Severus slipped down another small hallway and into a empty room. He tried to make himself as tiny as possible in the furthest corner of the room. A ruby faced girl arrived moments later. It seemed no matter where he hid she always found him.

"Why do you push me out? Do I need to lock you in here?" She screamed and Severus tried to dart past her and out the door, but Lily grabbed him and locked the door with her wand. She kept it trained on the door incase he tried to unlock it.

"Now you're stuck with me." Lily said happily and waited for him to talk.

Severus let out a sigh and looked at the boy before him. Harry was small almost delicate looking. He supposed that was one of the traits he had gotten from his mother, but even then the boy looked unhealthy. His jet black hair was so obviously his father's it made Severus sick to his stomach. Everything else, except the eyes and glasses, seemed to be a blending of the two Gryffindors neither Lily or James. He had expected him to be the spitting image of his father in appearance and attitude, but it seemed the boy was set to prove him wrong.

Severus almost smiled as he realized the look Harry had in his eyes almost perfectly matched Lily's on that day so many years ago; a fierce determination coupled with utter outrage. He remembered how he used to cringe and crumple under that gaze, but kept his poise. Severus would not be intimidated by a nine year old boy and so he shot a glare right back.

Harry huffed and picked up the journal and flipped to one of the entries. Severus strained to see which he had turned to but in the tight cupboard the lighting was too poor to see very far.

"Read this." Harry demanded and handed Severus the book.

Severus took the book gingerly and relished in the pages covered in Lily's script. She used to write in it every night before she went to bed. He noticed these pages seemed wrinkled and many of the pages were dotted with fresh and old tears. He imagined they were those of mother and son. By now he knew he wouldn't like what the entry contained, but did so anyways because it was Lily's and her son was asking him to.

"Dear Diary,

My heart is breaking. I can feel it shattering and the pieces tear into my lungs choking me. How could someone I love so dearly hurt me so much? Weren't we supposed to be friends forever? He was the one who brought me into this world of magic. Should I leave now?

I don't know if I can bare to see his face again. Not knowing what wicked words can spill out of it. I wonder if he meant it or it was just another way to push me away? Is my blood really so tainted? I think not, but maybe thats a lesson he needs to learn.

How is he supposed to learn it if he hangs around those rotten people all the time that tell him I'm no better than an earthworm digesting dirt and feces to survive?

I wonder if his heart feels like mine - torn by my laughter. I hope it does.

This may seem terrible, but if he hurts I know he cares. If he is happy or doesn't care at all, then I guess it was all for the best.

Lily"

Severus could feel his chest burn with shame at those words. After that day they had never recovered - never reconciled. His broken heart led him to ruin while her heart led her to Potter. He was startled as Harry flipped the pages of the journal to another entry. Severus tried to look away from the book, but found his black eyes latched onto the curly blue ink.

"Dear Diary,

He's been waiting outside the portrait for days now begging to be let in. My broken heart however has hardened and I can't help but feel too enraged to even speak to him. I sunk as low as to ask Potter to escort me out in his cloak so I can pass by Severus without being seen.

My friends keep telling me how much better I am without him stuck to my backside. That he was the only thing holding me back and that someone who can say such filthy things to a loyal friend deserves to suffer.

I don't know if they are right, but my patience for Severus has waned. How many opportunities have I given him? How many times have I chased him?

Lily"

Severus couldn't blame her for her anger. He still hadn't forgiven himself after all this time. He smoothed the fold of his trousers as Harry flipped to another entry.

"Dear Diary,

He loves them more than he loves me. I know it to be true by the way his eyes glitter when he talks of Dark magic or his supposed Dark Lord. I was foolish to let him in again, to let him give his side.

I will no more.

Lily"

Severus could feel his heart break all over again. His thirty-one years on earth had not been filled with joy nor even any resemblance of happiness except those times with Lily. As a boy he had not known he loved her - not until that seventeenth year - the one of his induction.

"Why?" Harry asked so simply, but Severus could tell the boy knew nothing of what he asked. Harry just knew his mother had been hurt and wanted to know why. The boy would be a Gryffindor, Severus could already tell. He sighed and let his shields slip as Lily's eyes pleaded with him for the truth.

"I never meant to hurt her. I loved her and will love her until the day I die, Harry." Severus began looking much older than his thirty-one years, "Do you know who the Dark Lord and what dark magic is?"

"Sort of. I know Lord Voldemort killed many people because he believed that only purebloods - whatever those are - should live and be magical." Harry replied and Severus nodded.

"Purebloods are wizards and witches whose families have never had children or married with Muggles. They're considered the highest ranked in our society since they come from families that have been around for centuries which makes them very wealthy. Your father was the last in a line of purebloods before your birth." Severus paused to make sure the boy understood. Harry looked awed to hear something of his father, but nodded. "Some of those families believe this makes them better since they have more magical blood."

"Don't you believe that though?" Harry asked confused.

"No. I am a half-blood myself, but I am getting to that." Severus explained annoyed at the interruption. "Now, Dark magic is a branch of magic as old as those families. It has a bad reputation since many of the spells are harmful to the life and well-being of others and the caster, but not all of them are so. Some can be quite helpful, but have been banned by the Ministry of Magic for various reasons not all of them valid."

Harry furrowed his brow, but nodded for the man to continue.

"Many of these old pureblood families practice this Dark Magic and use it to maintain control - one of those people is the Dark Lord. Now, as a young boy I wasn't interested in the Grey or White Magic dotted throughout the realm of Dark Magic. I wanted to harm my enemies and gain fame for myself, but once I lost your mother I began to change. By the time I got the courage to show her what I had found and developed for good- so she would forgive me - she was dating your father who bullied me relentlessly."

"My dad was a bully?" Harry asked.

"He was an arrogant, selfish, and reckless man." Severus said bitterly, "He cared no more for the welfare of others then you do stepping on blades of grass."

"I don't believe you!" Harry shouted. "You're just like Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon telling me my parents were drunks. They were good people - I know they were!"

Harry refused to believe his dad was like Dudley. He didn't want him to be - he wanted James Potter to be the golden boy his mother wrote about at the end of her journal. He wanted his dad to be the noble jokester that he had read about. For all he knew Professor Snape was lying.

"I'm sorry I yelled." Harry said after a few moments of silence.

"I didn't expect you to believe me," Severus admitted, he was used to being called a liar. Had anyone ever just believed him?

'Only Lily.' His mind reminded and Severus slipped back behind his mask.

"Can you tell your cousin to unlock the door now?" He asked.

"But sir, you never told me how they died." Harry reminded.

"I tire of explaining. Unlock the door and I'm sure Minerva will bend to your fancy." Severus said bitingly.

Harry just nodded and called out. Hazel came and unlocked the door a few moments later and frowned at the two brooding males.

'Boys.' She thought and rolled her eyes.

A/N: Let me know what you think!

I know Snape seems a little nice, but try to remember how much in love he was with Lily. If you were given the chance to hold a item dear to your deceased love one in front of their child I think we would all be a little soft.