Complications // Severus Snape

• Ch 23 Black Bird •

I closed the door to the Potions room behind me, but my legs refused to carry me any farther than four paces down the corridor. I glanced back at the door to the Potions room.

It just didn't make sense. Snape wouldn't revive Voldemort, not after he killed Lily...maybe Cecil was blackmailing Snape. Snape said that Cecil persuaded him; that could be a euphemism for blackmailed. What dirt could Snape have on him, though, that's worse than Voldemort coming back?

But Snape wouldn't be so easily intimidated by Cecil. He had to have chosen to brew the potion. And, if that was the case, then he must not care about Lily anymore...if he ever did. Maybe the whole Lily thing was an act, to gain Dumbledore's trust!

I turned back around, and began walking again. However, after two paces, I stopped again.

What about his Patronus? Dumbledore said that only the purest of heart could form the Patronus Charm. A pure heart has no hypocrisy, no guile, no hidden motives. But Dumbledore could be wrong. How, after all, can anyone be completely pure of heart?

I wasn't sure what Snape's intentions were, or if I should even be questioning him. But I gave him an opportunity to explain himself, and he never did. But did Snape ever actually explain himself?

I shook my head, trying to free myself of all thought of Snape. He was confusing me, and I always liked to have a perfect understanding of things. I needed a distraction.

Without another backward glance, I continued walking forwards.

—for one pace. Then, I heard approaching footsteps accompanied by humming. There was no way that I was going to get caught leaving Snape's room fifteen minutes after class. I dove behind a tapestry just as Professor Dumbledore rounded the corner. I held my breath as he passed by the tapestry behind which I was hiding, and he stopped outside the Potions room door. I watched through a hole in the tapestry as Dumbledore quit humming and knocked on the door.

From within the room, I heard a groan of frustration, and Snape said, "Haven't you already done enough, Miss Kelly?"

The door remained closed. Dumbledore said, "I'm afraid that I am not Miss Kelly." Snape opened the door, and looked at Dumbledore. Snape was not angry, nor was he annoyed—he looked rather dull, like a light switch inside of him had been turned off.

"What is it?" Snape asked, his voice matching his dull expression.

"Poppy would like another batch of Calming Draughts," Dumbledore said. "Are you all right, Severus? You seem—"

"I'm fine," Snape snapped, "—and I'll get started on those Calming Draughts right now. Is that all?"

Dumbledore slowly nodded. "That is all. Perhaps you should have one of those Calming Draughts yourself, once you brew them..."

"I am fine!" Severus seethed, and closed the door to the Potions room. Dumbledore looked at the door, shaking his head.

"Poor Severus," he said, then made his way back upstairs.

I emerged from behind the tapestry. "'Poor Severus'? He's the one bringing back Voldemort!" I said, though no one was in the dungeons to hear me.

In a burst of anger, I began to make my way out of the dungeons, and ascended a multiplicity of staircases until I was finally in the Astronomy Tower. I looked out at the grounds below, examining the way which the towering, ominous trees of the Forbidden Forest cowered in the slightest breeze. I leaned against the railing as the snow began to fall heavier, beginning to question my actions yet again.