Chapter 25

Big Things have Small Beginnings

The Hogwarts' 'Start of the Year' feast was in full swing – expansive banners from the four houses were billowing from a gentle unseen breeze, the great hall was festooned in wreaths and golden furnishings, and delicious food was strewn about the tables. The mix of delicious smells, ringing laughter and nervous excitement coalesced into a merry atmosphere. The happiness that accompanies a warm homecoming was felt by all in attendance, save for one man. The malcontent wore a scowl on his face and an aura of sourness oozed from him, in stark contrast to the fanciful mirth floating all around. He was a thin man with sallow skin, a hooked nose, and greasy, shoulder-length black hair.

Severus Snape grimaced at the gay surroundings, an awful rictus of a smile plastered on his face – social gatherings always put him in a state of uneasiness. Whereas the faculty members sitting around him were happily digging into their second helpings of meat and pie, he had not yet taken a bite from his meager plate. He kept shooting annoyed glances at the jovial Headmaster, who seemed oblivious to the fact that the school Potions Master was trying to get his attention.

Snape finally began to pick at some wilted lettuce on his plate when a hand clasped his bony shoulder.

"Severus, a word please."

Snape quietly stood and followed Dumbledore from the Head Table to an anteroom near the back of the Great Hall. Only Professor McGonagall seemed to notice the two men leaving the party, everyone else was too busy laughing and eating. Dumbledore gestured for Snape to have a seat, before closing the door and sitting down across from the Potions Master.

"Well?"

Dumbledore answered by reaching into the folds of his strikingly purple velvet robe and withdrawing a thin scroll of parchment. He unrolled the note and tapped it with his wand – Kingsley Shacklebolt's voice boomed from within the paper.

A magical car was spotted flying towards Hogwarts. We believe it's Harry. Several muggles witnessed the car mid-flight and Ministry officials have been dispatched to deal with the situation. Word has leaked to the press, the Evening Prophet will publish an article later today. Let me know if the boy arrives unharmed.

The parchment the rolled itself up and jumped back into Dumbledore's robes. Snape glanced at a table on his left and sure enough, that day's edition of the Evening Prophet had a picture of a flying car splashed across its front page.

Snape sneered. "Of course, he just had to make a grand entrance."

"Now Severus, we don't know exactly what happened."

"Still you make excuses on his behalf?! You don't even try to hide your favoritism anymore."

Dumbledore held up a tired hand. "Severus, please…"

"Would you be so fond of the boy, I wonder, if that sordid hat had placed him in Slytherin? Answer me Dumble–…what? What is it? What's wrong?"

Dumbledore had stood up in a flash and cocked his head to side. He reminded Severus of a dog who had suddenly gone very still, trying to locate the source of an annoying high pitched whistle.

"I believe your favorite student has just arrived onto the school grounds…or should I say crashed…"

…"We'll go and get our stuff," said Ron in a hopeless sort of voice.

"What are you talking about, Weasley?" barked Professor McGonagall.

"Well, you're expelling us, aren't you?" said Ron.

Harry looked quickly at Dumbledore.

"Not today, Mr. Weasley," said Dumbledore. "But I must impress upon both of you the seriousness of what you have done. I will be writing to both your families tonight. I must also warn you that if you do anything like this again, I will have no choice but to expel you."

Snape looked as though Christmas had been canceled. He cleared his throat and said, "Professor Dumbledore, these boys have flouted the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry, caused serious damage to an old and valuable tree — surely acts of this nature —"

"It will be for Professor McGonagall to decide on these boys' punishments, Severus," said Dumbledore calmly. "They are in her House and are therefore her responsibility." He turned to Professor McGonagall. "I must go back to the feast, Minerva, I've got to give out a few notices. Come, Severus, there's a delicious-looking custard tart I want to sample —"

Snape shot a look of pure venom at Harry and Ron as he allowed himself to be swept out of his office…

…Dumbledore was halfway down the hall by the time Snape had cleared his thoughts and caught up to him.

"Headmaster I must insist you revisit your decision over tonight's events. I don't think you're taking into account the gravity of the situation. The boy is not only a danger to himself, but to others as well – he would be much safer at home."

"You don't trust my judgement? Or Minerva's?"

"I feel as though the two of you cannot be…impartial when it comes to Potter."

"Harry? I strive to treat all my students fairly."

"Fairly or equally? We are all human Dumbledore. It's in our nature to favor some people over others."

Dumbledore stopped just before the entrance to the Great Hall. Laughter and shouting could be heard from within, beckoning the two wizards to join in on the fun.

"Exactly Severus, basic human nature, and it works both ways. It applies even to you, no matter how hard you try to portray yourself as an uncaring statue. Have you not considered that maybe you're prejudiced against young Harry? That you refuse to give him the benefit of the doubt?"

"He recklessly flew a car over London, risked the life of his friend and defaced a hallowed school tree!"

Dumbledore looked at Snape and then turned to look into the Great Hall, pondering. Snape stared hard at the tall Headmaster, a dark red flushing his cheeks.

"Yes, he did. But you had to admit," Dumbledore poked the skinny teacher and smiled. "It was a rather impressive feat for a second year to pull off?"

As Dumbledore strode into the Great Hall, he quietly said over his shoulder, "He is a bit wild, has some anger in him, ignores the rules. Reminds me of another student I taught not so long ago…"

Severus stirred in lacewing flies and shriveled frog legs into his simmering potion, turning the hot liquid a light blue. Steam was slowly rising from the hot cauldron, giving off the faintest hint of licorice and spice – exactly like the textbook said it should. He risked a glance around the classroom, eager to see how the other NEWT level students were progressing with their adrenaline serum.

Professor Slughorn was fussing all over Alice McMahon's cauldron – how the poor girl ever made it to this advanced potions level was beyond Severus. A few of the other students seemed to be progressing nicely, but none of their cauldrons gave off the tell-tale candy scent the way Severus' serum did.

His eyes continued to rake across the room, but Severus was purposely ignoring a table towards the back – he finally relented and snuck a quick peek.

Lily Evans and James Potter were working at the same table, along with a chubby Hufflepuff boy. Lily was a whirling red haze, rushing here and there, chopping and stirring furiously, while simultaneously flipping through pages in her textbook. She had removed her school robes and had rolled up her dress shirt sleeves to allow her to work unencumbered. Sweat glistened from her brow and grime streaked her arms and face. Yet she was still the most beautiful thing in the room thought Severus bitterly – and he wasn't the only one transfixed by her red magnetism.

James Potter's serum was a vivid purple and the steam emanating from it smelt like sour apples, but he couldn't have cared less about his subpar work. He was absentmindedly stirring his serum and pretending to read his textbook, but Severus noticed that he was actually sneaking sideways glances at Lily every chance he got.

James said something that caused the Hufflepuff boy to laugh and Lily to shoot him an angry glare and shake her head. But when she turned back to her textbook, Severus thought he noticed a small smile trace Lily's lips. An angry lion roared in his belly! He felt like dumping his serum all over that cheeky Potter's disgusting head. Arrogant little…

"Ahh Severus! Now what do we have here?" enquired Slughorn. The fat slug had soundlessly sidled up to Severus to inspect his work.

Severus quickly looked back to his cauldron and noticed that the potion had turned from light blue to a dark shade of cyan. Damnit! I should have made the last few stirs counterclockwise!

Slughorn leaned over the cauldron and took a long whiff. "Hmm, I do detect a faint hint of licorice, but for the serum to have optimal efficacy it needs to have the right amount of viscosity, it must be thicker. A tell-tale sign that it was on par would have been for the potion to have turned a light blue color by now."

"It was sir, just a moment ago, but…"

"It's okay Severus. Not perfect, but a darned good try. Can't always be the best!" Slughorn gave the skinny teenager a pat on the back and slugged along.

Condescending ass – I can easily remedy this and the serum will still be perfect! Severus gave his potion two quick splashes of beetroot juice and the liquid slowly turned back to a light blue hue, but Slughorn had already made a mark in his gradebook and was now focused on another student.

Severus sighed and glanced back towards the Gryffindor couple. Somehow James had inched even closer to Lily and had his hand on her shoulder. As if sensing Severus' prying eyes, James suddenly looked up at him and winked, arrogance dancing in his eyes.

Severus glanced around like a guilty man and then dashed into the bathroom. Technically, it was a girl's bathroom, so he always made sure the coast was clear before entering. But once inside he felt safe, secure in this cocoon. No one ever ventured into moaning Myrtle's domain and he relished the peaceful solitude it afforded him.

"Who dares to bother…oh, it's you. Mr. Mopey. Another rough day?"

Moaning Myrtle had been an overly sensitive, sulky girl for most of her life and she was even more petulant in death. Ever complaining and temperamental, she had the uncanny ability to depress everyone, alive or living, that she encountered. But this pale skinny boy who ventured into her bathroom every so often – he actually depressed her.

"Fine, be a gloomy guss. It's no wonder you have no friends! Snivellus!"

Severus felt an icy cold gust wash over him and then…he was left alone in silence, with only the drip-drip-drip of a leaky faucet to keep him company. He walked over to large metal sink and twisted open a copper tap, but nothing came out.

"Of course, it doesn't work."

He moved on to the next sink and let the cold water flow from its tap. He cupped his hands under the stream and splashed the liquid on his face, the cold water sluicing over his cheeks and down his hot neck. He looked up and stared at his reflection in the streaked mirror.

It's no wonder she looks right through me, I'm a pale faced freak. Why can't a wizard permanently change his appearance? Severus made a mental note to search the library for any related information– he would never dare ask Professor McGonagall, the school's transfiguration teacher for help on that front.

Severus had never cared much for his appearance; he kept his hygiene at a barely acceptable level. He held other things in higher esteem – intelligence, loyalty, creativity. Why couldn't his classmates value these traits too? Everyone was so obsessed with how they looked and who they hung out with. The world made no sense.

How is this fair? I can't help the family I was born into, wasn't blessed with wealth and riches. It's not my fault my mom married that stupid muggle. I can't help the way I look! That damned Potter, he had the looks, had the money – he must have been a god damned saint in his previous life.

I've been blessed with nothing, how can I be expected to live a happy life? How can I ever have someone like Lily?

Snape's thoughts flashed back to a happier time during the last semester. Lily had been so happy Severus had denounced some of the crueler Slytherin students, she had unexpectedly given him a kiss on the cheek. She had turned bright red, her cheeks flushed as crimson as her hair. Severus brushed his fingers across his cheek, closed his eyes and relived the moment, over and over…

Severus opened his eyes, wiped away the final tears of regret, of lost chances. The pity party was over. His head drooped low as he ambled out of the bathroom and ran smack into a towering figure. Severus looked up and saw bespectacled piercing blue eyes staring down at him.

"Master Snape!" Dumbledore glanced towards the bathroom door. "Gotten a little mixed up this evening?"

"Umm, well…"

"Oh don't worry, it's of no concern. This castle has so many rooms, I myself get confused from time to time."

Dumbledore grinned down at the young man, but Severus didn't look ashamed being caught coming out of a girls' bathroom…he looked crestfallen.

"You know, I'm just on my way to a late night errand and would love some company. What do you say Severus? Can you help an old man out?"

"Well, it's rather later Headmaster…"

Two figures walked down the stones steps and into an open courtyard, their path illuminated by a bright white moon. Severus had grown a few inches during the previous summer, but he still appeared slight next to the tall figure of Dumbledore.

"How are classes going? From what Horace has told me, you're a natural at potions."

"Yes."

"And how about your other NEWT classes? Are you enjoying them?"

"Yes."

Dumbledore loved teaching and been at Hogwarts for a long time, so he was accustomed to sullen teenagers and their one word answers. He remembered his temperament at that age and could understand Severus' reticence to speak, especially when all alone with the school Headmaster. It was hard to form a personal relationship with every child who passed through Hogwarts, but any opportunity to spend one on one time with a student was important to Dumbledore. And this poor lad always reminded him of a lost lamb. But judging from his school marks, he was an intelligent, very capable lamb.

"Thanks again for keeping my company, I do hate prattling on to myself. I also thought you might enjoy the opportunity to help collect some rare ingredients for the Hogwarts' storerooms."

Dumbledore smiled and gently put his arm around the young man. Severus involuntary flinched at the touch, a nervous shiver running through his skinny body. He immediately moved away from the Headmaster – a victim's response. Dumbledore's brow creased with sadness, wondering why the poor boy had expected pain at the touch.

The pair walked in silence across the school grounds until they arrived at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, a great bear of man and his excited hound waiting for them.

"Hiya Professor, and whose this wit ya?" asked Hagrid. Fang jumped up excitedly at the sight of the newcomers, his slobbering mouth in a wide grin.

"Hagrid! How are you this evening? Severus was kind enough to offer us his help."

"Hello there lad. I told ya Professor, I can git Slughorn's stuff right easy myself. Ain't no bother at all."

"I know you're quite capable, but I must confess, I enjoy the walking around the forest just as much as you do."

Hagrid grinned, giving a knowing smile. "Tis a beautiful place, innit? Dun no why the students are so scared of it."

As Hagrid led the way into the forest, Dumbledore looked down at Severus, shrugged his shoulders and mouthed 'Me neither'.

A few yards into the forest Hagrid turned to Dumbledore. "I'll be goin left with Fang ter track down some ruppleberries, old snake skin and unicorn hair. That stuff 'ill be deep in forest, so lemme 'andle it. You two head off ter the right. There's a few moon rooster nests and harpy pods over there."

"Thank you Hagrid. See you in a flash!" Dumbledore led Harry off into a thicket. "Are you familiar with the creatures Hagrid mentioned?"

"I know moon roosters are small nocturnal birds, sir. But I've not heard of harpies. What are they?"

Severus may have been reticent to talk about himself, but his affinity for potions and rare ingredients got him talking again.

"Yes, moon roosters are nocturnal. They leave their nests at night to hunt, leaving their eggs unattended. And harpies are actually small feral pigs that live in the forest. I don't know where they got their name, and no, these pigs don't fly!"

Severus laughed and then lowered his voice, "Are we going to…kill a rooster and a harpie?"

"Would that trouble you?"

"No sir," Severus replied a little too quickly. "I mean, as long as we're not killing for sport I think it's fine…right?"

"It's an unfortunate truth that sometimes we must kill animals, but that's life. Tonight we will collect rooster eggs, but all we need are a handful of tails from the harpies. Fear not, they have the ability to grow them back."

Dumbledore pointed to a copse of large oak trees. "Moon roosters typically nest at the base of large oaks. Keep your eyes peeled, the eggs are bright red and gold, but the nests blend seamlessly into their surroundings."

Dumbledore watched as Severus excitedly went about searching the tree roots, giving an excited yell every time he found a nest. Soon they were moving on to catch some harpies, a bag full of eggs under Severus' arm.

"Somethings moving in the bushes!"

"It's a harpy pod. Slowly, now."

Severus dropped the bag and crept up to the moving bushes – he dove in headfirst. Squeals soon followed and Dumbledore watched contentedly as the teen ran carefree through the bushes trying to grab one of the little pigs. It lightened the Headmaster's heart to watch the boy have some pure fun, even if it had to be at midnight in the heart of the Forbidden Forest for him to let his guard down.

Dumbledore finally took pity on Severus and waved him over. The boy obliged, panting heavily and caked with mud. His hands were empty and his second hand robes now sported tiny holes and tears. But he wore a big toothy smile across his pasty face.

"Sorry sir, they're fast little buggers."

Dumbledore answered by waving his wand at Severus, mending his robes. He then flicked his wand at the bushes and snapped it back towards them. A harpy sprang into the air and landed softly at their feet. It squealed and began to run away, but even though its legs churned, it didn't move – it simply ran in place. Dumbledore reached down and gently pet the small pig across its back.

"Easy child, easy. We won't hurt you," the Headmaster crooned. The pig stopped struggling, slowly becoming docile. Dumbledore grasped the small body in one hand and stretched out the tail with the other.

"Severus, would you do the honors?"

"It won't hurt the harpy, removing its tail?"

"It might sting a little, but the tail will grow back soon enough. And he'll have terrific sorry to tell his friends."

Severus was in his element, lost in this unexpected adventure. He knew creating spells was a unique talent, even among full grown wizards, and was secretly proud a few of his originals had escaped the Slytherin dungeons and were now known throughout the castle.

But there were a few spells he kept close to the vest. A handful that only a couple of other Slytherins knew. And there was one he was working on that he had not yet told a soul about. Without thinking, it sprang to his mind and he moved on instinct. His eyes became alight, not with hate, but with excitement.

Severus' wand flashed through the dappled moonlight like a heavy blade. "Sectumsettus!"

An unseen hot flame flashed through the air – the harpy squealed as its tail was partially sliced, now hanging at an awkward angle, like a broken worm. Dumbledore was momentarily shocked, but quickly regained his composure. He waved his wand over the pig, its tail came off smoothly, and then it took off into the night, squealing in fright.

Dumbledore picked up the tail and handed it to Severus, staring at the young man very intently. Severus refused to meet the Headmaster's gaze, realizing he had revealed too much in his excitement.

"I was expecting a simple cutting spell, or maybe for you to transfigure a branch into a small knife. That spell, that incantation…where did you learn it?"

"My grandfather taught it to me…it's…it's not ready…I'm not very proficient with it just yet…"

Dumbledore let silence hang between them while he contemplated what he just saw. Dumbledore was not so arrogant as to believe he knew every spell in the world – but how could one of my students know a dangerous spell like that and I not be aware of it? The tail had not severed completely, had the boy not cast the spell with conviction? Dumbledore tasted faint traces of dark magic in the air, yet now irreparable damage seemed to have been done to the pig.

"Where is your grandfather from?"

"He, umm, he grew up somewhere in Europe…sir."

Dumbledore ignored the obvious lie. "Okay Severus. It's getting late, let us take our leave."

"We only have one tail!"

"It's of no matter, Hagrid has some back at his hut we can take. And Severus, that spell you just cast – I must ask you not use it on school grounds. A cutting spell like that be volatile, dangerous. Especially if you're not in total control of it."

"I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to hurt the harpy."

Dumbledore handed the teen the bag full of eggs – Severus grabbed it and quickly walked away, peering into the bag and pretending to studiously examine each one. Dumbledore trailed behind him, running over the possible explanations for the possible dark magic he had just witnessed.

"Severus, I hope you have enough confidence in me to be able to trust me completely. Is there anything you want to tell me?"

The boy replied without turning around, "No sir…nothing."

As he watched Severus stomp through the forest, it never occurred to Dumbledore that the teen himself was capable of creating original spells, and such dark ones at that…

Snape was still standing outside the Great Hall as a rush of students flowed by him, bumping him out of his reverie. He had been lost in forgotten memories, reminiscing after Dumbledore's casual aside about the past. He had been on the verge of scolding a rude second year who had trampled over his foot, when Draco Malfoy's strident voice echoed loudly in the school corridor:

"Enemies of the Heir, beware! You'll be next, Mudbloods!"