Because You Love Me

69. Outcast

He sprinted down the Dungeon steps and headed straight for Snape's office. It felt sort of strange to Harry to be going to him for something like this. He stopped right outside the door just as he was about to raise his hand to knock. What would Professor Snape think of him? What if he didn't understand? Harry sighed. He decided it would be best if he just left it alone. He turned to leave when the door of the office was flung open. He gasped, startled.

Severus frowned at him. "Harry? I have you next hour, correct?"

Harry nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Is there something that you needed?"

He paused for a moment before he said anything. "No. I don't think so."

"Then why, may I ask, are you all the way down here when your first class is Herbology this year?"

"How do you know my schedule?"

He smirked. "I took the liberty of memorizing it in case I needed to find you rather quickly."

"Oh. Thanks, sir."

Severus bent down. "Harry, call me Severus when we're alone, okay? I think you've earned that right."

Harry smiled. "Ok."

"Now, why are you here?"

He cleared his throat nervously. "Um, well, some of the students are acting strange toward me, like I stole something from them or something. Some of them even act like they're afraid of me. I don't know what to do."

"I see. I was afraid this might happen."

"What did I do?"

He shook his head. "You did nothing, Harry. It seems that The Daily Prophet has been saying that you were lying when you said Voldemort had returned. The Minister of Magic does not want to believe that he's back."

"I wasn't lying. Ginny died because of him!"

"I know. All of the staff and your friends know too. We're all behind you, Harry. You don't have to worry about anything. It's going to be fine."

Harry sighed wearily. "First Sirius Black breaks out and might want to kill me and now the whole school has turned against me. I hope he doesn't stop and ask one of them where to find me. They might tell him without even blinking an eye."

"They will suffer severe consequences if they do. Listen to me, Harry. I'm not going to let anything happen to you and neither is Alaina. It doesn't matter what anybody else thinks. We know you are telling the truth." He frowned, something Harry said dawning on him. "How do you know anything about Black?"

Harry's eyes widened. "Uh oh. I, uh, overheard you and Mum talking about him over the summer. It was the day Dumbledore came to visit. I can't believe Sirius Black is my godfather."

Severus sighed. "We are apparently going to have to keep a closer eye on you," he said sternly. "But you don't need to worry about Sirius either, Harry. Leave that problem to the adults, will you? He's not going to be able to get to you here."

"Voldemort did."

"I realize that, but because he did, security is much tighter. Trust me."

"I do."

"And if for some reason you are approached by Black, get away as fast as you can. He might not hurt you, but there's a good possibility he could."

Harry nodded. "Okay."

"And as for your classmates, they will all come to know the truth in due time and they will be sorry they have treated you this way."

"Thanks, Severus." He looked up at him and smiled. "I feel much better now."