Chapter 60

Albus studied Severus' sharp profile from his place behind the desk. His Potions Master had been standing against the window for about five minutes in complete silence, brooding and seething like only he could do. Plainly he didn't want to be here, and he resented having been threatened with holding this meeting in his private quarters if he continued ignoring Albus' summons.

Despite not particularly enjoying Severus' attitude, Albus found it reassuring. If the man were considering betrayal, surely he would be using Occlumency to keep his face a blank mask instead of letting on his rebellious feelings. Severus wasn't bothering to hide his displeasure from Albus, although of course his mental shields were as unbreachable as always.

Albus was still worried, though.

It had never taken Severus so long to snap out of one of his sulking episodes. The longest before this had been last year after Sirius' escape, when the usually self-possessed man had completely lost his composure in front of the Minister for Magic and then required half the summer to cool down. Albus had hoped time and distance from Sirius would be enough to calm the man's inner turmoil in this case too, but Severus seemed even more foul-tempered with each passing day.

"You haven't reported on the Dark Mark in a while, Severus," observed Albus, finally breaking the silence.

After several unsuccessful summons following Sirius' departure from the castle, Albus had given up and decided to give it some time before trying to talk to Severus again. Now it had been over two months and the most he had seen of the angry man —aside from indifferent meals— had been the staff meeting a few weeks ago.

"If I had something to report I would have sent you a memo," said Severus with ill humour, still refusing to look at Albus.

"It hasn't changed at all, then?"

Severus' lips pursed in irritation.

"It's clearer," he reluctantly informed. After a few seconds, he added, "It's just like I remember it from before."

Albus nodded thoughtfully. He would like to see the fully mature Mark with his own eyes, but he figured it was wiser not to push Severus just now. He could only hope that the man would tell him if it burned and that he would see fit to keep Albus informed of his spying activities. No doubt Severus didn't intend to ask him for advice or instructions as to how to handle that particular line of work.

"Please sit down, Severus," said Albus finally, infusing his tone with just a touch of Headmaster authority.

The Death Eater glared at him through the reflection in the window, but after a moment of resistance he resigned himself to comply. He conjured his own chair, though, black and hard, and Albus had to refrain himself from rolling his eyes at the grown man's childishness.

"Let's get this over with, then," growled Severus. "I have things to do."

Yes, mysterious potions to attend, thought Albus. He had taken a look at Severus' private rooms a few days ago, while the man was busy teaching, and it had worried him to detect so many residues of Dark Magic all over the place. The three cauldrons simmering in his lab had distilled a particularly nasty aura. Of course it wasn't the first time Severus distracted himself with some dark project, and no one —except probably Tom and Albus himself— had so much self-discipline as to be able to wield Dark Magic safely, but it was still a motive for concern.

"I'm worried about you, Severus..."

"Don't," cut him off the man. "I'm fine."

Albus sighed.

"It worries me your attitude towards Harry..."

"I warned you that I would not discuss the brat," snapped Severus.

"I did not agree not to discuss him," reminded him Albus. "It is not he, however, who worries me. You have been displaying an unprecedented amount of hatred towards Harry, by all accounts."

"So what?" spat Severus. "It can only help my cover."

"This is not you working a cover, Severus."

"Make up your mind, old man! Two months ago you were worried I was too eager to help Potter, now it bothers you that I don't give a shit about him?"

"Language!" exclaimed an indignant Headmaster from his frame.

"Thank you, Everard," said Albus dismissively. "And yes, Severus, it worries me that you no longer seem to care whether Harry survives or not. You will have a dangerous role to play in the upcoming war, hating for real the reason why you take the risk will only make it harder for you."

"It hardly matters, since I'm not doing it for the brat," said Severus coldly. "And before you ask, no, I will not indulge you by demonstrating my Patronus. You will have to trust me the old fashion way."

Albus sighed again. He should have known it would be pointless to attempt this conversation. Severus was still clearly trapped in some sort of mental hell, not ready nor willing to step out of it. And as usual any attempt to help only served to make him hold more stubbornly to his hell.

Requesting a Patronus demonstration definitely always seemed to make things worse, but Albus risked it occasionally because it was the only way he had to know for sure whether there was still light inside this tormented soul. Despite his claims, Albus didn't trust Severus. He would be a fool, indeed, to trust such a man. What he trusted was his own assessment of his character. He trusted that he knew what moved Severus Snape, and how strong that motivation was in relation to all the other forces that had never stopped pulling him towards the darkness.

His trust in his assessment depended of a certain silver doe, however. Without that evidence...

Of course, Severus' current refusal to demonstrate his Patronus was most likely just stubbornness, the man playing the offended part and deliberately trying to make Albus doubt him so he could later accuse him of not really trusting him. But there existed a possibility that he might be struggling with his long safeguarded feelings, that he might not be sure or not want to find out whether his Patronus was still a doe and therefore he was avoiding casting it just in case. It was even possible that Severus was already aware of a change and that that was what had triggered his current crisis.

Albus was inclined to think that at the end of the struggle Lily would always prevail inside Severus' heart, but it worried him that with a Dark Mark in his arm about to burn black any day the man might not have enough time to sort things out within himself. And what would happen if Tom summoned him while Severus was still in crisis? Tom had always had a knack for identifying and exploiting people's weak spots, and he certainly knew a lot more about Severus' weaknesses than Albus did. Tom had also always trusted that he knew what moved Severus Snape, and sadly he had been right once.

For now, he supposed he would have to trust that Severus was vindictive enough as to never forgive his previous master for breaking his promise. And stubborn enough as to never break his own promise to Lily's memory.

"There is another matter I wanted to discuss with you," said Albus after a long, tense pause. "Miss Granger came to see me several weeks ago, wishing to file an official complaint against you." He opened a drawer and fished out the document. "Of course she did her research, so we can be sure all the laws and decrees mentioned are accurate."

Severus rolled his eyes, the less hostile gesture he had made since he had entered the office.

"What is the Know-It-All complaining about now?" he asked with boredom. "I have always graded her fairly. Is a hundred percent not high enough for her?"

"I would have thought you knew what this was about," said Albus sharply. "Since you were the one who threatened her with slipping Veritaserum into her Pumpkin juice."

Severus frowned.

"I didn't expect her to complain," he admitted after a moment. "Since she's guilty as hell."

"Would you care to explain?"

The man let out an annoyed sigh.

"Someone has been stealing ingredients for Polyjuice from my private stores, and I know it's her. She's the only student currently at Hogwarts that not only is capable of producing such potion, but has done it before. No doubt she was McLaggen's supplier."

Albus leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers below his chin.

"Miss Granger denies having stolen from you," he said. "And she denies having brewed Polyjuice."

"She's lying," declared Severus with certainty. "We know for a fact that she brewed it two years ago. Potter helped her steal the ingredients then."

His eyes flashed murderously again at the mention of the boy.

"We don't know anything for a fact," contradicted him Albus. "You don't have proof of anything."

"I know that the potion I had to brew two years ago to make Granger's tail disappear was an antidote for Polyjuice," snapped Severus angrily. "And I know that in the face of a phial of Veritaserum Miss Know It All looked as guilty as a guilty person can look. She's not as perfect as everyone thinks, Dumbledore, far from it."

"That might be so," conceded Albus. "But using Veritaserum on a student without Ministry authorization is as illegal as using Legilimency on one."

"I didn't use it, nor I intended to. Is there an article in some of those laws and decrees Miss Granger so helpfully compiled forbidding a Potions Professor from explaining the function of Veritaserum to a student?"

Albus stroke his beard thoughtfully. He believed Severus perfectly capable of having phrased his threat in such a way that not even a memory offered from Miss Granger as evidence in a trial could compromise him. That would have been wise of him, considering that Miss Granger held the potential to be a formidable enemy if she put her mind to it. Which reminded him...

"Miss Granger also asked me if I knew how Miss Skeeter had overheard you when you were plotting against me," he said with mild amusement. It had been a long time since Albus had had such an entertaining meeting with a student. "Oddly, despite her complaints she doesn't doubt your allegiance. She does seem to have a personal vendetta against Rita Skeeter, though."

"Granger is a fool," sneered Severus. "She flatters herself if she thinks that article was about her at all. Skeeter was just trying to sow discord between Potter and Krum."

"Most likely," agreed Albus. "She raises an interesting question, however. According to Miss Granger, Skeeter overheard her talking with Mr. Krum right after the second task, but we know dear Rita hasn't been allowed inside Hogwarts grounds for a while. Miss Granger even asked Alastor for confirmation that she wasn't skulking about invisibly."

Severus seemed to be considering the issue despite his annoyance, probably because the mystery of how such an accomplished spy like he was had succumbed to simple eavesdropping must have been eating him alive since January.

"Anyone could have overheard her and informed Skeeter afterward," he said after a thoughtful minute. "But I'm almost certain that there wasn't anyone —visible or invisible— at hearing distance when I was talking with Igor during the Yule Ball. I would have sensed if there was an eavesdropping charm in place, and muggle artifacts don't work here..."

For a moment, while he watched Severus turn possibilities inside his head, Albus' constant worry dissipated. Distracted from the anger that Harry and Sirius triggered in him, Severus didn't look so much like a man treading the fine line between light and darkness. He looked his normal, unpleasant Self.

"All I can think of is that Skeeter might be an unregistered Animagus," concluded Severus, his lip curling in disgust. "Something small and filthy, like a cockroach. Until a year ago I would have said that woman was incapable of such a magical feat, but if Pettigrew could do it..."

Albus nodded. He had been considering the same possibility. Being able to transform at will into a bug would definitely explain how Skeeter had managed to make so much trouble. Even now, suspecting she may be an Animagus, there was nothing they could do but to be on the lookout for suspicious little animals, since it was unfeasible to raise wards against Animagi.

"I will clarify this issue the next time I see her," vowed Severus with a dark look. "She has been lying low, probably to avoid me, but she will have to reappear in human form eventually."

"Be careful, Severus," warned Albus. "You would be the number one suspect if something happened to Rita Skeeter."

"I am suspected for my father's murder too," said the Death Eater with an unconcerned shrug. "And yet no one can link me to that."

Severus rose to go, and Albus, seeing that the man had the look on his eyes that meant he would rather be crucio'd than staying against his will, let him go. He had not addressed half the issues he had intended (the Veritaserum accusation was certainly only the first item in Miss Granger's long list of complaints), and Severus had refused to discuss the one that troubled him more, but it would have to do for now. At least he had come, giving Albus an opportunity to gauge his Potions Master's current frame of mind from a close distance.

Albus sat in silence contemplating Severus' last words for a while. He was a little concerned about what the man might do to Rita Skeeter when he found her, especially if he was in a Death Eater mood at the time. Hopefully he was just planning to legilimize her, obliviate her and then set her up somehow so she would end up in Azkaban. He didn't think it prudent at all for Severus to go anywhere near the reporter, but some part of him couldn't help secretly wish the man would take care of the issue without anyone —not even Albus— the wiser.

He was more interested in the fact that Severus had for the first time mentioned his father, and all but admitted his involvement in the man's death. Albus had been convinced of such involvement ever since the casualties of that particular raid had been disclosed in '78 —a time at which Severus had been a true Death Eater on the loose—, but it was interesting to receive some sort of confirmation. Especially now that he might have to reassess the man's character.

No one alive —except probably Tom— knew what Severus Snape's home life had been like as a child and teenager. When Severus had changed sides he had already been a superb Occlumens, and one quite reluctant to allow any degree of access to his mind, so Albus had not been able to explore the young man's memories the way no doubt Tom had at some point. Before that neither Albus nor anyone else in the staff had ever thought to inquire. After all, Severus had always carried himself with the scornful attitude that was to be expected of the last male descendant of an old —although impoverished— blood purist lineage. His half-blood status had been known, of course, but like most Slytherins in such situation he had pretended his Muggle father didn't exist and he had reacted aggressively to any slights. His unconcealed disdain for all things muggle had easily been explained by a pureblood ideology and by a desire to be accepted by his fellow Slytherins.

That, combined with a natural inclination to the Dark Arts and several bad influences while at school (mainly Rosier, Wilkes and Avery) had resulted in his early inclusion in the Death Eater's ranks. At the time Albus admittedly had not believed there was anything more to Severus Snape's story than that. Like Skeeter, when he had heard about a Muggle called Tobias Snape tortured and murdered at the hand of Death Eaters, he had assumed it had been some sort of rite of passage, a required pruning of the family tree as well as a test for the young Severus.

That all might be true, but Albus had long wondered if Severus' background and descent to darkness had been as simple as that.

To start with, Severus had admitted to him —when he had eventually told him about the Dark Marks—, that he had been branded at sixteen, during the summer preceding his sixth year. Much earlier than Albus had thought. What exactly had happened that summer, he could only speculate, but he did know that Eileen Prince had died at the beginning of the holidays and that soon after that Severus had received a warning for breaching of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery (clearly the boy had not realized that with her witch mother gone his magic would no longer be masked). Furthermore, Albus had been informed by the Ministry at the time that the underage magic performed had been a Cruciatus Curse. The incident —although concerning— had not been investigated at the time, since Severus was underage and it had been a first offense, but it could be assumed that the victim had been Tobias Snape, the only other person living with the boy at the time. Whether Severus had had some cause besides general hatred of Muggles to torture his father, Albus did not know and wasn't sure he wanted to know. A history of abuse, however, would explain why Severus despised Muggles quite so much, even now, and why he had been so ready to join Tom.

And then there was Severus' time at school to consider. He not only had had bad Slytherin influences to pull him into the darkness, he had also had Gryffindor bullies to push him away from the light. Not that Severus had been identified as a victim of bullying at the time, of course. Since Severus had never behaved like a victim and had given as much as he got, his case had been overlooked. From the teachers' point of view, it had seemed like a simple and unavoidable enmity between the ill-tempered, disdainful Slytherin and the two exuberant Gryffindors that had been Sirius Black and James Potter. Severus had often found himself on the losing side because he was outnumbered, but he had always gotten even by Slytherin means and he had emerged from all their altercations exhibiting even more haughtiness than before.

Until recently, he had assumed that Severus' intense hatred towards Sirius and James was rooted on the werewolf incident and on Lily's relationship with James respectively, in addition to the natural Slytherin-Gryffindor enmity, but sufficient as all that might be to make anyone hold a grudge forever Albus was beginning to think there was more to it. He feared something else might have happened at some point, under cover of darkness or kept quiet by the students for some reason. Something that had marked Severus just as permanently as Tom's brand on his arm.

And, of course, Severus had lost Lily's friendship at the end of his fifth year.

Albus sighed sadly. Any of those elements —factual or speculative— would have been enough to make a young boy lose his way. A combination of all... It raised the question of whether Severus had ever stood a chance.

Feeling extremely old and a terrible failure as Headmaster, Albus pushed aside all those gloomy thoughts and forced himself to focus on the present. And on the Greater Good, as usual. He couldn't afford to grow too attached to Severus, nor to Harry, but he had to do his best to keep them on track. And alive for as long as possible. That was a bit hypocrite, he knew, considering that he was currently organizing a deadly task for Harry and coercing Severus to resume his role as spy, but what else could he do?

He retrieved from another drawer the last set of directives emitted by the Goblet of Fire. There was a detailed plan of the maze, down to every turn and thickness of the hedges, as well as warding instructions. Albus considered that he would have to add a massive notice-me-not charm to make sure none of the champions could see it if they decided to fly over the Quidditch pitch at night.

There had been some debating about whether to engage Hogwarts' staff to help with the preparations, but in the end Albus' firm refusal had prevailed. He didn't want Pomona to have anything to do with growing the plants that would trap her student, nor any of his other teachers to have to carry the burden of having devised the challenges or raised whatever creatures the maze would contain. He also didn't completely trust Severus with inside information about the task, even though it was highly unlikely he would try to interfere.

So a team of herbologists was being brought from France to work on the hedges, and they would begin recruiting other specialists or handlers as soon as the Goblet spat out the list of obstacles, which according to the schedule would happen a few days after the champions were informed about the maze.

No doubt the third task would be dangerous too, but Albus wasn't nearly as worried as he had been before the previous two tasks. He was even looking forward to see the four champions working together as a team. Some days, when he saw them all sitting at one of the tables, talking and laughing and so resolutely united against the Goblet of Fire, he felt as if his heart were to burst from pride.

He knew that Harry was the heart of the alliance, the champion that had brought them all together, but Albus felt so proud of the four of them... The Goblet had definitely chosen them for a reason.