Complexity
By ChocolateEclar
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or places, although I do own this story and some elements of the characterizations of Al Potter, his siblings, and their cousins.
A/N: The events of this chapter take place approximately one year after those told in 'Curiosity,' my one-shot.
Chapter Two: Civility
Snape can hear the boy coming to the office above the loud hum of Armando Dippet snoring. Normally, it is difficult to hear anything but the swish of the invisibility cloak on the stairs or the quiet shuffle of feet. That day, however, the boy is panting and practically launching himself up the staircase.
The door opens with a small bang as the boy hurriedly yelps out a spell and then tumbles into the office. He is taller than when Snape first saw him, although no older than his father was when he killed a basilisk in his second year. His hair is pointing in all sorts of wild directions, like a dark, furry animal resting on his head.
"Professor Snape!" Albus Severus Potter calls out frantically.
"Must you be so loud, boy – " hisses Phineas Nigellus before he is interrupted by the normally polite boy for once.
"Yes!" he yells. "Yes, I must!" And then he takes a deep breath and adds, "Sorry, sir." He raises his lighted wand and reveals a strained, panic-stricken face with freckles spattered across his nose. "Professor Snape," he says, stepping farther into the office and craning his neck up at Snape. Al seems to search Snape's portrait's painted face for a moment, and when the Potions Master just arches one eyebrow at him emotionlessly, he decides to just skip over the explanations. "I need to know how to cure someone who's been poisoned by Doxycide."
His voice is level, but his green eyes are wide. Snape wonders if the boy knows the power of those eyes, and, if so, if he is using them against him purposefully. Finally, when Dumbledore is finally roused from sleep (Snape has no idea how he could sleep with Dippet's continuous snoring), he says curtly, "I suspect it is your brother that has foolishly managed to ingest a potion only meant to deal with Doxies." He smirks at the blood that rushes to Al's face and continues, "A bezoar should accomplish the task. I expected your father to tell you that much. It was, after all, all he learned in my class."
Al shakes his head in annoyance. "Of course I tried that!" he grumbles. "That's the first thing I stuffed down his throat. But it didn't help much. I think it bought me some time though."
"There is a hospital wing for this sort of problem," Snape says.
"Yes, but Malfoy changed his mind after he launched the Doxycide Barrage Bomb at James when he saw James' face turn purple, and now if we take James to Madam Pomfrey, Malfoy will probably get expelled," Al insists. "Of course," he adds thoughtfully, "his dad could probably rescue him out of that one way or another."
"Malfoy?" asks Snape.
"Scorpius Malfoy," supplies Dumbledore with a sigh. "I am appalled by how little you pay attention to what goes on in this office, Severus." Despite his words, he is smiling and his eyes twinkle amusedly.
"Draco's son," Snape states. He says nothing else, although Al is twirling his wand in his hand nervously.
"Yeah, James and I were trying to get into the Room of Requirement when we ran into him doing the exact same thing," he sighs. "My aunt Hermione says James and Malfoy are just like my dad and his dad, but I don't think Malfoy's trying to sneak in Death Eaters or anything like that. James mostly has a problem with Malfoy because our cousin Rose seems to like him a bit. Mum says that makes James like Uncle Ron." He is speaking quickly now, as he no doubt realizes that he has been away from his brother for a half-hour.
"Maybe Rose will have found the answer in a book by now," he finally mutters and turns to leave.
"Boomslang skin, crushed snake fangs, dried nettles, and another bezoar," says Snape, as Al reaches for the door.
Al turns back to him with a wonder on his face that makes Snape scowl back just to fight off the feelings it invokes. "Boil it all in water for two minutes," he continues.
"Thank you!" Al squeaks. He bounds halfway down the stairs before he realizes that he has forgotten half of the ingredients in his sudden joy. Partially covered in the invisibility cloak, he pokes his head back into the office and Snape sourly repeats the potion. "Sorry," says Al. "Thanks." And then he is hurrying down the stairs again.
The portraits are buzzing amongst themselves for a few minutes before Dumbledore says serenely, "So, he came to you for help, Severus."
Snape laughs coldly and sneers. "I highly doubt he would have done so if he had not been afraid of him and his little friends getting in trouble for sneaking around."
"And yet," replies Dumbledore, "the fact remains that one little twelve year old trusts that you will assist him."
"A foolish Potter trust," hisses Snape.
"Trust does seem to be the key theme among them, as well as courage, I'll admit," says Dumbledore. "But I would not think it such a vice in some circumstances."
There is something unspoken between them because it causes too much pain. However, Snape knows that trust led Lily and James Potter to use Peter Pettigrew when they were hiding, and it was himself that caused such a need in the first place.
When Albus Severus Potter returns to the office a week later with news of his brother's instant recovery, Snape at least tries to be a little more civil to the boy.
A/N: Please review. I really like Al, so of course expect more of him and his nightly exploits in future chapters.