Thanks to juliedecarson for beta'ing this chapter.
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Happy New Year!
Most Evil Plan
Chapter 11
Why?
Dinner ended later than normal since most of the students were more interested in discussing the headmaster's revelation than actually eating the food that was on their plates. Harry, of course, had left the Great Hall immediately following the announcement. It was only a few minutes later, just long enough to yell at Ron, that Hermione and Ginny left to try to find him. Within ten minutes, the remaining sixth year Gryffindor students left. The boys were trying to escape all the questions their schoolmates were asking them about what it was like living with Snape's son. Lavender tried to console Parvati who fainted at the revelation that she had indeed gone to the Yule Ball with Snape's son. After twenty-five minutes most of the other students started to leave and ten minutes after that the remaining students had exited the Great Hall and headed towards the library or their common rooms to discuss the situation without the presence of any professors.
"Albus," Severus called as the headmaster moved to leave the Great Hall. "Why did you have to confirm the rumors for the school? You knew that I didn't want anyone to know."
"My dear boy, you should be thanking me."
"Thanking you?" Severus asked in disbelief. "Classes were difficult enough today, I can only imagine what the students will be like tomorrow."
"Nonsense," Albus stated confidently. "By tomorrow this will be old news and the students will be wondering about something else."
"And that is why I should thank you?" Severus asked in disbelief.
"Oh, no, my dear boy. You should be thanking me that I did this before the ministry interferes."
"The ministry?" Severus echoed, "Why would the ministry be concerned about this?"
"Because of who is involved," Albus elaborated as he continued down the corridor.
"You mean Potter," Snape snarled. He should've known that nothing would be simple when Potter was involved, Severus thought.
"Actually, no," Albus returned, eyes merrily twinkling. "I meant you."
Those words brought Severus to a halt. "Me?" he questioned in shock, as he watched the headmaster continue down the corridor towards his office, carelessly whistling some obscure tune.
"Albus, stop right now and explain what you mean," Severus commanded, hoping that for once he would get a direct answer from the older wizard.
"Not now, Severus," Albus responded cheerfully, either not noticing or not caring that the potions master addressed him like a student. "I believe I have company."
"There you are," Hermione exclaimed as she took a seat on the floor next to Harry outside the entrance to Dumbledore's office. "We were worried about you."
"We?" Harry asked doubtfully. He believed that she was concerned, but highly doubted that Ron had even noticed that he left.
"Yes, we," Hermione repeated. "Ginny and I. If we couldn't find you, we were going to sneak into your dorm and borrow the map. We didn't want to ask…" Hermione's voice trailed off as she realized that she was about to approach a dangerous topic. The very subject she promised herself she wouldn't mention.
"Ask Ron to get it?" Harry filled in.
Hermione reluctantly nodded before saying, "Just give him time."
"I know," Harry sighed, "But it's tough enough dealing with this and everyone knowing without having to worry about how my best friend is handling this. He should be concerned about me, not the other way around."
"I know, and he will be," Hermione comforted, "especially after Ginny and Mrs. Weasley talk to him."
Harry smiled briefly at the thought of his best friend at the receiving end of the female Weasley's tempers.
"So," Hermione asked as she absently tapped her foot, "Why are you here? Are you waiting for Professor Dumbledore to leave?"
"No," Harry answered, "He can't leave."
"Harry," Hermione asked in alarm, "What did you do? I thought you knew better than to prank people. Just because you might be a bit upset a-"
"Hermione," Harry interrupted, "unlike our dear headmaster, I haven't done anything."
"If you didn't do anything, then why can't he leave his office?"
"Gee, maybe because he hadn't returned to it yet?" Harry drawled sarcastically.
"Oh," Hermione mumbled in embarrassment. "Well, if he hasn't returned, then he was most likely delayed. Maybe you should leave and come back another time, after you've calmed down."
"Trust me, Hermione," Harry stated as calmly as he could, "Compared to how I was feeling a half hour ago, this is calm."
"Still, it wouldn't hurt you to wait to talk to the headmaster tomorrow. He should be returning soon."
"I know," Harry admitted.
Hermione paused as she thought how to best ask her next question. She had given up on persuading Harry to leave, but hopefully she could find out exactly what he was planning.
"Harry, what exactly are you planning on doing to the headmaster?"
"I don't plan on doing anything. Maybe I'll just show him the same respect he bestowed on me."
That didn't sound too good, Hermione thought nervously. "Harry, please tell me that you don't plan on yelling at him or cursing him."
Harry just looked Hermione in the eye and silently raised one eyebrow.
"Harry," Hermione cautioned.
"I already told you I don't plan on doing anything. However," Harry smirked, "Can I help it if my temper gets the best of me and I lose control of my magic the next time I see him?"
'Oh, Harry,' Hermione thought. "You can if you are purposely waiting here for Professor Dumbledore to appear. In this case, yes you can. You are deliberately waiting for him to retaliate for what happened."
"Don't you think he deserves it? He had no right to do that. When rumors were flying about me being the heir of Slytherin he didn't stop them, so why did he interfere this time?"
"Maybe because it concerns a professor?" Hermione offered tentatively.
"At least I know that Snape didn't appreciate it either," Harry mourned, not responding to Hermione's reasoning.
"Harry," Hermione whispered, after hearing footsteps and voices heading in their direction, "Someone's coming, it's not too late to leave."
The look Harry gave Hermione as he scrambled to his feet stated quite clearly that he wasn't going anywhere.
"At least promise me that you'll try to keep control of your magic," Hermione pleaded.
Not receiving an answer from her best friend, Hermione gave a resigned sigh, before she too scrambled to her feet. If she couldn't stop him, maybe she would at least be able to keep him from getting him expelled.
As soon as Albus Dumbledore rounded the corner Harry started to talk.
"Why?" Harry asked passionately, "Why did you do that? You could've at least had the decency to warn me so that I could've been prepared. It might've been nice to tell my friends myself."
"Harry," Hermione hissed, seeing a shadowy form standing around the corner from Harry and Albus.
Harry turned to face his friend, "No, Hermione, I won't calm down or take it easy or whatever else you want to tell me."
Pointing a finger at the headmaster, Harry continued, "I am sick of this man interfering in my life. First he doesn't tell me the things I have a right to know and next he's giving everyone information about my private life. This was none of his business! And it most definitely wasn't the concern of the entire population of Hogwart's."
Turning back to the headmaster Harry continued, "All I wanted was a few days to think about things. A few days to pretend that nothing had changed, that I was still Harry James Potter, son of James and Lily Potter. I knew that my life was never going to be the same again. I suspected that when I saw the results of the Amevi potion, but knew it would be fact after that other potion turned blue. Why couldn't you give me my few days of denial? I wasn't ready to face the fact that the greasy-git was my father, what in the world would make you think that we would want the entire school to know about it?"
"Harry," Hermione tried to warn after her eyes caught a movement made by the shadowy figure when the potion master's nickname was mentioned.
"Not now, Hermione," Harry injected sharply, "I'm talking to the headmaster."
"Yelling more like," Hermione corrected under her breath, finally realizing that it was useless trying to keep Harry from speaking his mind. At least he still had some control over his magic, she thought. Yes, the portraits were shaking and the suits of armor down the hall were rattling, but at least no one was being blown up like a balloon or had blue hair yet.
"Not only do I have to contend with this information, but I'm going to have to deal with comments from the Slytherins as well. Heck, now that everyone knows, the other houses will probably join in as well. It didn't take much in the past for them to turn against me. It was bad enough that I had to deal with Snape. That couldn't have been avoided, given what has been uncovered, but did you have to confirm the rumors for the entire school? I could've handled rumors flying, after all, it wouldn't be the first time. And I'm sure that Snape would've found a way to deal with them as well," Harry ranted as he paused to think if there was anything else he wanted to 'share' with the headmaster.
"For once I agree with you, Mr. Potter," Snape drawled in slight amusement as he stepped out of the shadows. After all, it wasn't often someone stood up to Albus Dumbledore.
Harry paled as he realized that the professor he had insulted had heard every word he had said.
"Why don't we continue this conversation upstairs," Albus suggested solemnly.
"No, thank you, headmaster," Harry responded, as he realized that there wasn't much more he could say or do about the situation. After all, what was done was done, now he just had to deal with it. "I have nothing left to say to you." Focusing his attention to the potion's master he continued. "Sir, I apologize for insulting you. I lost control of my temper. I'll understand if you deduct points and assign a detention."
"It matters little to me if you understand or not," Snape snorted before drawling, "However, I believe the last thing either of us wish is to spend additional time together, regardless of what we might have learned. Therefore, I will not assign a detention this time, but merely deduct twenty points from Gryffindor."
"Yes, sir," Harry answered before turning and walking away from the headmaster and Snape, Hermione following quietly behind him.
Snape watched as the two Gryffindors walked away. He understood Potter's reaction since he felt similar, but he was still surprised at the amount of anger the boy portrayed.
Actually, not just surprised but wary. Much as he didn't want to admit it, Potter was a wizard of great power and potential. That amount of anger in someone so powerful could lead to terrible things and a terrible future, Severus thought as he remembered the anger he himself carried when he was a teenager.
Not for the first time he wondered exactly what Voldemort hoped to accomplish with his latest scheme. Perhaps the Dark Lord no longer planned on killing the Golden boy, but instead hoped to sway him to his side. That might explain why Voldemort was so adamant about having Severus revealed as Harry's father. With the pretext of getting to know his son, Voldemort could ask how firmly the boy was entrenched on the side of the light. Perhaps the Dark Lord hoped that Potter would be so eager for a family that he would leave his friends, beliefs and values behind?
Momentarily forgetting that he wasn't alone, Severus completed this train of thought out loud, "If he merely wanted to have the boy troubled at the discovery that Potter wasn't his father, anyone would've sufficed. Perhaps it would've been more of a challenge to Potter if he didn't know who his father was or how to contact him. A name that meant nothing and could've been anyone might have caused more havoc in Potter's life." Once more, Severus questioned if he was the best one to become involved in the Dark Lord's plan, not that he would be able to change things now. "Given what just transpired, perhaps Albus would've been a better choice as Potter's father if the Dark Lord had only wanted Potter to be emotionally distressed over the identity of his father."
"Perhaps so," Albus commented sadly giving a sorrowful look at the path Harry used to walk away from him. As Severus regained his composure at the reminder that he wasn't alone, Albus quietly stated the password to his office entrance and headed up the stairs.
Mentally chastising himself for forgetting that he was standing in the hallway of Hogwart's with the headmaster beside him, Severus followed the headmaster into his office.
After refusing the offered sweets and tea, Severus started the conversation. "Did anyone overhear what was said?"
"I wouldn't be surprised if the whole castle had heard Mr. Potter express his disapproval of my interference," Albus answered.
"Not Potter," Severus snarled, hating to admit that he hadn't been fully aware of his surroundings, "me."
Peering at Severus over his half moon spectacles, Albus replied, "No one other than myself, and I admit that I am more than curious as to what your thoughts were focused on."
"Only if you explain why you made that announcement and what you meant by the ministry's interference," Snape insisted, as he watched the headmaster inhale another lemon drop.
Albus just peered at his colleague over his half-moon spectacles not saying a word.
After a few moments of silence, Severus reluctantly gave in, as he suspected he would. Just once he would like to win a battle with the headmaster. "I was thinking that once more you allowed your Golden boy to get away with something that would've gotten any other student expelled."
"That might be how you are feeling, but that was not what you were thinking," Albus returned, eyes twinkling merrily. "And according to you, that is normal for me. You however, not only allowed him to insult you, but had momentarily forgotten where you were. That is very much unlike you."
"If you must know," Severus started to say after a few moments of silence, "I was shocked at how angry Potter was at you. And at how powerful he could be if he applied himself."
"That shouldn't be too shocking," Albus commented. "After all, Harry addressed me in a similar way the first day of classes. Was that all that you were thinking about?"
"Actually, no. His anger and potential was just what started the thought process."
"And it's conclusion?"
"That that much power in one so angry is dangerous. The fact that there is that much anger in one so young, makes it even more so."
"Ahh," Albus sang in understanding, "It reminded you of Voldemort."
"Or myself" Severus admitted honestly. "I started to wonder if the Dark Lord was expecting different results than he shared."
"He usually does," Albus said just as honest as Severus as he began to suspect the conclusions his potion master had drawn.
Reluctantly, Severus stated his fears out loud, "What if he no longer wants to kill or capture Potter, but wants to recruit him instead? What if he succeeds?"
"Not possible," Albus stated confidently.
"Why?" Severus asked bitterly, "Because he's one of your Gryffindors? You know as well as I that many Gryffindors have become Death Eaters. The most famous of them was even a marauder."
"Severus, stop," Albus firmly commanded. "House placement has nothing to do with this. This has to do with Harry and who he is. Voldemort offered him the chance to join him many times; once even promising to bring his parents back." Raising a hand to halt Severus from interrupting, Albus continued, "Impossible, I know, but Voldemort can be very persuasive. Most might think that it would've been worth it see if it could happen, yet still, Harry resisted. He has an amazing sense of what is right, as well as the courage and conviction to follow it."
"So unfortunate that he doesn't have any common sense," Severus muttered.
Ignoring Severus's ill-mannered remark, Albus continued, "His heart is always in the right place. The strength of his heart is immeasurable and unequal. There is nothing he wouldn't do for those he loves. Yes, there might be times when it leads him or others into danger, but there have also been instances where his actions had helped and saved us. What you might call Gryffindor foolishness or bravery is actually Harry following his heart. As long as he is true to his heart and continues to follow it, I have no doubt that he will indeed succeed where others have failed."
As direct a response as ever, Severus thought. Apparently that was all Albus was willing to share. Conceding defeat, Severus instead began to pursue other matters, "Fine. Now about that announcement…"
"My dear Severus," Albus asked innocently, "wasn't that part of the plan? You know that I wouldn't do anything to hurt you."
Then just answer the question, you old fool, Severus mentally snapped. "Of course you wouldn't," Severus appeased, "However, no, that wasn't part of the plan. Unless you have been in contact with the Dark Lord and have your own set of instructions?"
Not receiving a response, Severus continued, "The plan was simply to have the potion reveal myself as Potter's father, causing Potter to become upset and focused on other things, making it easier for the Dark Lord to attack."
"Well, there you are then," Albus cried out cheerfully, his eyes twinkling in glee. "We've certainly accomplished that."
"You've accomplished that," Severus emphasized, "You have also succeeded in obtaining Potter's disapproval. Something, I am sure, was not part of your plan. It certainly won't make my job any easier."
"Au contraire," Albus sang before his eyes took on a saddened glow. "I admit that I wish Harry wasn't so upset with me. But even that can be worked to our advantage."
"How so?" Severus inquired curiously.
"Why, now the two of you can bond as you express your disapproval of my interference."
Bond! Severus thought in disgust. Perhaps he should make it clear to the headmaster what he thought of that. "I guarantee that we will not bond over this or any other matter."
"Of course not," Albus agreed, "After all, the two of you have nothing in common."
Severus looked at the headmaster in amazement. For once the older man spoke the truth. The plain and simple truth, Severus thought, no riddles or hidden meanings.
With Severus remaining silent, Albus deducted that the conversation was concluded, "Now since there is nothing further to discuss, I wil-""
"Nothing further to discuss?" The potion master trilled in outrage, "I demand to know what you meant by the remark of the ministry being concerned because of me."
END CHAPTER 11
Does Albus tell Severus what he meant?
What happens when Harry returns to the Gryffindor dorms?
What would classes (& meals) be like tomorrow (Friday) for Harry & Severus?
Will (or should) Harry ever talk to AD again?
UPCOMING:
CHAPTER 12 Stage Two...Snape writes to V again...
12/31/2005