23Severus Snape stalked down the corridor, robes billowing behind him, a snarl on his face. Earlier that day, the Gryffindorks had trounced Slytherin in their annual Quidditch match. A slaughter would be a more appropriate word though. Or shutout. 280-0. The Weasley boy didn't let in even a single goal before saint Potter managed to snatch the snitch right from under his godson's nose. He would be having words with Draco later about his disgraceful performance. Or he would, if he were still on speaking terms with Draco. Stupid Dark Lord getting in the way of him bonding with his godson.
He was heading towards his chambers when the sound of quiet sobbing interrupted his brooding. Normally, he would just ignore it and move on. The troubles of dunderheads didn't concern him. But he was in an especially foul mood after the match and he figured making some poor little Hufflepuff cry even harder would brighten his day. He barged into the room, flinging the door open, but stopped as his mind tried to process the scene in front of him.
Sitting on the floor, surrounded by over a dozen bottles of firewhisky- about three quarters of which were empty- was Potter. Severus's jaw did not drop. He was a master Occlumens, and above such open displays of surprise. He did however, raise his eyebrows ever so slightly and let out a very low breath.
Hearing the door open, Potter twirled his head around to see who was there. "Oh, itsh you," Potter slurred, taking another swig of his firewhisky. He frowned at it when he reached the bottom. "What d'ya want Shnape? I'm busy!"
That brought Snape out of his reverie. "Potter," he sneered. "Winning the match wasn't enough for you, was it? No, saint Potter has to go and break the rules by drinking Firewhisky, doesn't he? So arrogant, just like your father. That'll be 100 points from Gryffindor, and a week's worth of detention." Snape turned on his heel to walk out the door, but then he heard something that made him stop dead in his tracks.
"'M not like ma father. You're more like ma father than I am."
Snape slowly turned around. "What?" he hissed, somehow managing to encapsulate all of his hate and rage over that claim into a single word.
Harry was unaffected by the man's anger, though whether that was because he was too drunk to care, or because it didn't compare to Voldemort's was anyone's guess. He nodded and took another swig from a new bottle. "'S true. From what I know, ma father was a bully in shchool. Tha's exactly whatchoo are. A bully. I've never even met the man. He'sh been dead for fifteen yearsh, and yet you shtill hate me for being born. Do you even knowsh why I ish drinking? Of courshe not, and yet you automati-auto-right away think the worsht." Harry shook his head and continued.
"You go around inshulting me and ma friends for no reason. You take off pointsh for things we don't even do, thingsh yer shnakes do to us, and are just generally a mean pershon. And it's not jusht me, you do it to everyone who ishn't a Shlytherin." He took another swig. "That'sh a bully. And you've been doing it for ash long ash you've been a teacher."
Severus was clenching his fists so hard his knuckles were turning white. He really didn't want to deal with Potter's accusations so he deflected. "Then why are you drunk, Potter?" He still sneered, but his heart wasn't in it this time.
Harry laughed self-deprecatingly. "Why dosh you care, Profeshor? You hatesh me, remember?"
"Humor me."
Harry laughed again, and took another swig. "Hmm..." He took a moment to stare into the almost empty bottle before draining it and reaching for a new one. He stayed silent for a few more moments and Severus was about to open his mouth to snap at him before he spoke. "The woman I love is with someone else."
Severus Snape had been called many things in his lifetime, a bastard, a greasy git, a sneering bat, but an idiot was not one of them. "Granger?" he asked.
Potter nodded. "Shaw her and Ron shnogging after the match." He tapped his bottle with his finger and took another swig. "So I came here."
"Wait, Granger is with Weasley?" asked Snape surprised. He couldn't see those two together. They were constantly bickering with one another.
Harry nodded and took another swig. "Sheeing them, felt like my heart shattered into hudredsh of little pieshes. I ran away ash fast ash I could and started drinking tose try an' forget. Dumbolddoor shays that love's how I'll beat Moldyshorts, but right now I don't think love ish wurf it. If love ish shupposhed to be sho great, THEN WHY DOES IT HURT SO MUCH?!" Harry glared at Snape, his eyes demanding an answer.
Severus used his impressive Occlumency skills to keep his face and voice as neutral as possible as he deflected again. Thinking about Potter's question reminded him of Lily and thinking of her hurt. "If you love her so much, why didn't you do anything about it?"
Harry snorted and took another swig. "Becaushe she lovesh Ron. She hash since fourth year. She told me. And I know Ron lovesh her. He told me last year. Ron ish my besht friend; he'sh my brother. How can I take that away from my brother? And Hermione." He sighed and took another swig. "I love her. I love her more than anyone I've ever known. I want her to be happy. If being with Ron will make her happy then sho be it, I'll shtep aside. But by Merlin, doesh it hurt. Tell me Profeshor, ish thish what you felt like sheeing my mum with my dad? I knowsh you loved her. Moony told me. Ish this what it felt like for you when she choshe shomeone else? After everything you did for her? Becaushe I need to know, why doesh it hurt sho much? And how can you shtand it?" He finished the bottle and frowned when he realized he was out of new ones. "Damn it! Dobby!"
Three more bottles of firewhisky popped in next to Harry, who immediately reached for one of them and started drinking. "Shanks, Dobby," he slurred.
Severus stood there, absorbing what Potter had said. It would seem they had more in common than he thought. He had completely misjudged the boy for all these years. It was time to let go, and move on. Snape made the decision to tell Harry his greatest secret. "It's been over two decades since I've last spoken to Lily, but not a day goes by that I don't regret what happened between us," he said softly. "The only reason I haven't given up on this world is because the thing that ended her life still walks among us."
Harry nodded and took another swig. "Tha' musht be why Dumbolddoor trushts you so much then, huh? You wanna shee Voldie gone ash much ash I do."
Snape nodded infinitesimally. "That is correct, Harry."
Harry swirled the contents of the bottle around, staring at it. "I'll kill Voldemort," he stated. "Not sure how or when, but I will. It's my 'deshtiny' according to Dumbolddoor." He rolled his eyes and took another swig. "I don't care about that shtupid propheshy though. I'll end the bashtard so my brother and the love of my life can be free. And if I'm lucky, maybe Riddle will take me down with 'im."
Severus stared at Harry. Only if you knew him well would you be able to see the horror etched on his face. He opened his mouth to speak. "Harry-" but the young man passed out before he could say anything else.
Harry Potter woke up feeling like his head had been used for beater practice. He groaned as he got up and felt a piece of paper fall off his face. He groggily unfolded the note and started reading.
Harry,
The blue potion on the nightstand is a hangover cure-
He didn't get any further as he looked around wildly for the cure. Finding it, he quickly downed it in three gulps and sighed in relief as the potion took immediate effect. His massive hangover now gone, he looked around and was surprised by what he saw. He was in a large room decorated in green and silver, lying on a huge, fluffy, king-sized bed. He snorted at the Slytherin colors. Only the and the nightstand were in the room, along with a bag on the floor. He opened the bag and was surprised to see a fresh pair of clothes. He realized where he was now- it was the Room of Requirement- but he wondered how he got there, since he didn't remember walking there last night. He turned his attention back to the note, hoping it would explain.
Harry,
The blue potion on the nightstand is a hangover cure. I figured you'd probably need it, but be aware this is a one-time deal. I will not be brewing this for you again. After our titillating conversation last night after which you so elegantly passed out, I brought you to the Room of Requirement to recover. Again, I shall not be making this a habit. The detentions I assigned you still stand, however. I expect you to have read the book I left for you before you arrive. If you do not, I shall be rather… displeased.
Harry stopped reading the note again to look through the bag. Sure enough, under the clothes was a book labeled The Mind Arts: A Comprehensive Guide to Occlumency and Legilimency. Seeing the book jogged something in Harry's memory and he remembered who it was that caught him drinking and the subsequent exchange. His face flushed bright red as he continued to read.
I will deny ever saying any of this of course (I have a reputation to uphold), but I believe your mother would be proud of the man you have become, Harry. I know how you are feeling about Ms. Granger, well do I know it, but don't make the same mistakes I have. As cliche as it sounds, there are other fish in the sea. Get out a bit, away from your little motley crew. Meet new people, date some girls. You may be surprised. And who knows, maybe one day Miss Granger will realize that Mr. Weasley is not the one for her. Between the two of us, I can't see them lasting long anyways, not with the way they constantly bicker.
As for the Dark Lord, I hope you will choose to defeat him without sacrificing yourself. You dishonor your mother's sacrifice by hoping to die along with Him. That is not what Lily gave her life for. She gave it so that you could live. I know things may seem dark now, but they will get better.
If you want some advice on how to get stronger, I recommend you learn some more heavy damage spells. Regardless of what Professor Dumbledore seems to think, you can't win a war with stunners. Learn about some of the muggle wars and their tactics and you'll see what I mean. If you aren't willing to kill, then at least learn some spells to incapacitate. Although, in the end, you will have to kill at least one creature before this war is over.
I owe you an apology, Harry. For six years, I have looked at you and only seen your father, when you are, in fact, much more like your mother.
Things will get better.
-Severus Snape
Harry reread the letter several times, just to make sure it was real. He looked up at the ceiling and saw a picture of a bat flying protectively around a lily flower and its bud. He snorted then broke out in a wide grin. Perhaps, Snape wasn't such a greasy git after all.
A/N: Hello everyone. I hope you all enjoyed this little one-shot of mine. This is my first foray into the world of writing Harry Potter fanfiction and I hope it turned out well. This was just a little something I wrote to get my feet wet, as it were, at my mother's prompting. I plan to write more, and longer, stories in the future, so be on the lookout for that. Please review and let me know what you think; I would love to hear from you all. Have a great day!