Authors Note: I dedicate this chapter to Wizardinglover for always commenting on my chapters (even if it was just to say that she was happy i uploaded!) And i hope you reach the end of the story soon! I look forward to hear what you (all of you) think about it :) Thanks so much to all the new readers who have caught up and are commenting! It's great to hear from you!!! I sincerely hope this chapter lives up to all of your expectations. Enjoy!
Chapter 15- '...of love, loyalty and innocence...'
"Bravery," Snape puffed at the Fat Lady. The portrait moved aside so that Snape could get past. Snape hadn't even thought about the consequences that would arise when he walked into the Gryffindor common room; although the students didn't hate him as such, they didn't find him friendly and thought him to be slightly sinister. When he entered the large room, it seemed like every Gryffindor present froze in mid-action to look at the person who had just entered. Finally, a boy in fifth year who was in Snape's defense against the dark arts class spoke up:
"Is it okay if we leave the dormitories now?"
"No, it would be best if you all go to sleep," Snape said as he looked around for Albus.
"What happened, Professor? Did something happen to Harry Potter?" Another student asked, looking slightly worried.
"Um, yes, but he will be fine," Snape replied hesitantly.
"What happened?" James demanded wanting to know what was wrong with his father.
"This isn't the place to discuss it. Everyone please continue with your activities," Snape announced, hoping to speak with James and Rose in private to see if Albus had spoken to them. Slowly the students continued on with their homework, assignments or general gossip and once everyone seemed distracted, Snape made his way over to James and Rose.
"What's happened to my Dad?" James demanded again.
"Your father- well I do not know the full story, but from what I understand, your father arrived just outside Hogwarts and was attacked by Dementors and Fenrir Greyback," Snape whispered because he didn't want the other students overhearing.
Rose put her hand to her mouth in shock and worry.
"Is he okay?"
"Yes, he will make a full recovery, though it may take a few days."
"Can I go and see him?" James asked, looking slightly worried too.
"Yes, but I think I should go with you, Mr Potter. But the reason why I came up here was to ask you if you have seen your brother," Snape asked looking eagerly at the two students in front of him.
Rose and James looked at each other. Finally Rose answered.
"Albus came to the common room not long ago, but he didn't talk to us and just went to his dormitory. We both went up there to find out what was wrong, but he was upset... he didn't want to talk to us..." Rose looked down, obviously hurt and confused as to why her cousin didn't want to talk to them.
Snape was relieved that Albus was safe, but he felt a little sorry for James and Rose; they still didn't understand why they were rejected.
"Do you know why Al is upset?" James asked; he had the feeling that Snape knew something they didn't.
"Yes, but I insist that I see him first and if he desires, he can tell you both what happened later- I really must speak with him. After I have finished talking to Mr Potter, I will meet you back here and we'll go together to the hospital wing. Do not leave the dormitory," Snape said in a commanding whisper. Rose and James nodded as they watched Snape walk up towards Albus' dormitory.
Snape knocked on the door before entering.
"Go away James!" Albus yelled in response, not lifting his head up from his pillow.
"Mr Potter?" Snape asked, closing the door behind him.
"Please, go away," Albus whispered. Although Al didn't feel it was right to tell his professor what to do, he really didn't want to talk about what just happened.
Snape walked over to Albus' four poster and stood next to the bed, looking down at the back of Albus' head.
"I will not leave you until you agree to come with me to see your father. I promised him I would find you and bring you to him. As long as you come with me, we will have no need to talk about what happened," Snape said quietly in what he hoped was a kind voice.
"I don't want to see my dad," Albus replied.
"May I ask why not?" Snape enquired, a little surprised that the boy didn't want to see how his father was after everything that just happened.
Albus shook his head, his face still buried in the pillow.
"I don't know why you don't wish to see him, but I must emphasise the importance of me getting back to your father as soon as possible; I have much to discuss with him. I also want to ensure that your mother is contacted; it's important that I speak to her too."
"Can't you just go? I don't need you to watch me," Albus said, not in a rude tone, but as if he were pleading.
"Unfortunately not, I promised to find you-"
"And now you have, so-"
"Your father wants to make sure you are okay-"
"I'm fine-"
"Not from what I can see-"
"Just tell him I'm okay."
"You're upset-"
"So?" Albus was becoming a little aggressive now. He really just wanted to be left alone.
Snape didn't know how to reply. He wanted to say that they could talk about what happened, but he wasn't the type of person who was good at emotional talks and people's feelings. It was times like these that he wished Ginny or Harry were with him, but seeing as they weren't and because he needed to convince Albus to visit Harry, he hoped that by encouraging Albus to talk, they may get further, even if Snape felt uncomfortable talking to Albus about something so personal.
"We can talk about what happened if you wish," Snape said in a serious tone, not wanting to succumb to the sympathetic side of himself just yet.
"I can't talk to you-"
"Why not?" Snape asked, slightly offended.
"You'll think I was stupid or something," Albus said defensively.
"No, I wouldn't," Snape replied, trying to reassure the boy that he could trust him.
"You don't really want to; you don't care- you just want me to cooperate!" Albus yelled, turning over so he could see Snape standing over him.
Of course, Albus was essentially right, but at the same time, Snape was curious to know why Albus didn't want to see his father.
"I do want you to cooperate, but if you wish to talk about it then I will be content listening," Snape replied, sitting down on the edge of the bed. Albus didn't move from where he was lying, he didn't seem to care that Snape was sitting so close to him.
Albus was about to talk about his fears and worries and ask Snape what exactly was wrong with his dad, but then thought of a more pressing question to ask.
"I saw your Patronus," Albus said, looking Snape in the eye. "I can see why you didn't want to show us on Christmas Eve," Al said thoughtfully.
Snape froze; that was a statement he was not expecting.
"Patronuses are very personal to the conjurer. I did not feel comfortable revealing something like that to children I hardly knew," Snape replied defensively.
"You should have; she's pretty," Albus stated more kindly as Snape had just reminded him that the doe Patronus he saw must mean something to Snape.
Snape simply nodded.
"Can you tell me why your Patronus is a doe?" Albus asked, curious.
Snape looked away from Albus, not sure if he wanted to share that information with the boy. But if he expected Albus to be honest with him, then perhaps he should tell him about Lily.
"On Christmas Eve, your father mentioned that I was friends with his mother, Lily. Do you remember?"
Albus nodded; he could sense what was coming next.
"Well, Lily and I were actually very good friends. She was the first friend I ever had, we met before we went to Hogwarts and stayed friends until fifth year-"
"Until you called her a 'Mudblood'?" Albus asked, finally understanding why Snape wanted to hide that memory from his father.
Snape nodded and continued: "Lily meant a lot to me. I was seventeen the first time I produced a Patronus and ever since then, it has been a doe; the same as Lily's."
"So you loved my grandmother?" Albus asked wide-eyed with interest.
Snape flinched at these words, because those exact words were what he never wanted to hear from one of Potter's children, but alas, the words were now said, though not in the cynical tone Snape always imagined.
"I guess so," Snape answered, knowing full well that his relationship with Lily was definitely love.
"You loved her didn't you?" Albus said smiling a little; he realized that Snape wasn't been entirely truthful.
Snape stared at the boy, who had tear stains on his face, but nevertheless looked a little happy to find out what Snape told him, and nodded in spite of himself.
"Wow..." Albus replied.
In an effort to get back to Albus' problems, Snape changed the subject.
"Now that I have told you something, are you going to tell me what is bothering you, Mr Potter?" Snape asked.
Albus contemplated this for a moment, before answering.
Slowly Albus told Snape what was bothering him as if he were choosing his words very carefully.
"I have always thought of my dad as being happy, carefree and having lots of fun with me, my brother and sister. He smiles lots and has always been there whenever we needed him. Never in a million years would I have guessed that my dad was the person who defeated Voldemort. I always thought that the person who did would not only be a good fighter and really brave like my dad, but also be... damaged and sad. When you were telling us on Christmas Eve about everything Dad had done in his life, I was not only shocked about what he did, but the fact that he's still so... normal. I know it sounds stupid, but I can't believe my dad did all those things, because it doesn't seem like he's suffered- on the outside anyway. And then tonight... when I heard him yelling for his parents to save themselves and he was crying and yelling and scared and never-" Albus began to sob as he continued to speak, "in my whole life have I seen him sad or scared like that. He really has suffered. Do you remember when he said he didn't want to do it all over again- alone?" Albus asked Snape looking him straight in the eye.
Snape nodded; it was hard to forget.
"Well I thought, if he keeps having these visions, in a way he will be reliving it again and then what if he changes? What if it changes him? What if he's no longer my dad and everything that has happened to him comes back and makes him depressed and sad and... different? He'll go through it all over again because of me," Albus concluded as he continued to sob; he felt guilty and worried greatly that his father wouldn't be the same ever again. Snape now understood why Albus was upset about the incident, but it didn't explain why the boy didn't want to see Harry.
"So why don't you want to come with me to see your father?"
"Because what if it happens again? There's nothing we can do to comfort him! He believes what he sees is real! I can't watch that again- I can't! And he- he- he scares me!" Albus cried as he turned over and continued to sob into his pillow.
Snape didn't know what to do. Admittedly, he did understand where the boy was coming from; if he had a choice, he would rather not watch Harry experience another vision, but Snape had seen worse in his life and also focused more on Harry's discomfort as opposed to his own; it was important to get Potter better. But the hug worked, as Snape knew it would and thought that this may cheer Albus up.
"Hugging your father will stop the vision, so if it happens again, you will know what to do," Snape stated encouragingly.
"But he thrashes around and yells and it's like he doesn't want people to get near him," Albus mumbled into his pillow.
"I know, but you have to realise that he doesn't know we are there and although consciously he believes he doesn't need help, deep inside, he wants to be comforted," Snape reasoned with the boy, not believing the words that were coming out of his mouth.
"You hugged my dad," Albus stated, turning over again- his tears had stopped.
Snape paused. Of course the boy was right, but it was only at that moment that Snape realised that that is in fact what he had done.
"Yes, I did and it worked."
"I didn't think you would do that," Albus said a little ashamed that he thought Snape was incapable of hugging another person, especially a person he used to detest.
"Neither did I," Snape answered looking away from Albus.
There was an awkward pause between Albus and Snape, the silence was almost deafening. Finally, Snape asked:
"What happened tonight? Why were you outside the grounds in the first place?"
Albus looked ashamed as he replied:
"I received an owl from Dad saying that he was here and to meet him just outside the front doors. I went to meet him, but he wasn't there so I walked around the grounds. Then I saw what I thought was his Patronus, but as I got closer, it was just a white cloud of smoke or something, but by then I was off Hogwarts grounds and then the Dementors came. I called for my dad to help me, thinking he couldn't be far away. Then I saw a person running towards me but it wasn't my dad. I was really scared; the Dementors were surrounding me but I made sure I kept my mouth closed. A man ran to me and tried to hurt me but I was thrashing and kicking and fighting and I think he just gave up and simply lay on top of me so I couldn't move. He looked really scary, but he didn't hurt me much. But he did say that Dad wouldn't be able to save me from the Dementors because he'd soon be dead-" Albus stopped abruptly, his eyes wide as he realised something.
"My dad's going to die, isn't he?" Albus asked, tears in his eyes; if his dad died, there would be no one to blame but himself.
Snape could see how worried Albus was and answered the boy truthfully.
"No, your father will not die," Snape tried to assure the boy, knowing that the potion won't kill the man.
"But how do you know?" Albus demanded, tears pouring down his face.
"I know what potion Greyback forced your father to drink and I promise you it won't kill him," Snape said.
"How can you promise me that? You can't swear it won't kill him! Greyback might have done anything to it! Dad could die!"
"He's not going to die," Snape repeated again.
"But, the night that Dumbledore died- Dad said the potion seemed to force Dumbledore to remember his sister's death. Isn't that like what Dad experienced? Oh no- Dad's going to die!" Albus completely lost control and cried hysterically; there was no way his father was going to survive. Greyback said Harry would die and Dumbledore died from that potion- Harry said the potion Dumbledore drank was green- everything fit and all Albus could think about was that his father was dying and it was entirely his fault.
Of course, Snape didn't see it that way. He knew Dumbledore didn't die from the potion he drank, not that Snape was about to tell Albus how Dumbledore actually died, but he needed to give Albus some form of substantial proof, otherwise he may never convince Albus to come with him and also, he didn't want Albus to be crying all night about something that wasn't going to happen.
Snape tried to speak, but Albus' crying was so loud, that he didn't see the point in yelling otherwise he may as well announce it to the entire school.
"Mr Potter, calm down so I can talk to you." But Albus was beside himself and couldn't control his sobs. Snape didn't know what to do but knew he had to do something because the boy was beating himself up for no reason.
"Mr Potter, listen to me. Your father is not dying-"
"Yes he is! Don't lie to me! I'm not a child you know!" Albus cried, his face buried in the pillow, though his speech was still audible.
"I understand you are not a child, which is why I want to tell you what I know about the potion your father drank. So if you could just settle down, I won't have to yell," Snape said, in what he hoped wasn't too harsh of a tone; he simply wanted the boy to calm down.
"I- I can't stop!" Albus sobbed. "I don't know what I'd do without my dad."
"Just try to take deep breaths; your dad will be fine, I promise," Snape said gently as he reached over to place his hand on Albus' shoulder, which was still shaking uncontrollably. Snape was surprised the boy didn't flinch at his touch and amazingly Albus began to calm down. Snape pulled his hand away from the boy's shoulder when he turned onto his back to show his professor that he was ready to listen.
"This... this will not sound..." Snape didn't know where to begin. There was a lot he needed to tell, but he didn't want Albus to be scared of him before he even finished.
"What is it Professor Snape?" Albus asked, realizing that his professor wasn't completely comfortable with what he wanted to say.
Taking a deep breath, Severus began quietly: "The name of the potion your father drank is called Nocens Memoria," knowing that that would be a good place to start.
"But I've never heard of it," Albus said a little confused.
"That is because I invented it," Snape said so quietly that Albus had to process the words for a second before fully understanding what the man said.
"So you made that potion? Are you trying to kill my dad?" Albus yelled as he sat up and tried to get out of bed. But Snape was fast and grabbed the boy by the wrist and pulled him back onto his four poster. He thought that perhaps Albus would react this way, but he wasn't going to allow the boy to escape until he had explained the story.
"Mr Potter! Stay where you are; I need to explain what I-"
"I don't want to hear it! Why would you ever make a potion that horrible!"
"Please, let me explain-"
"No!"
"Mr Potter! I will force you to stay here, even if that means using magic, so I suggest you stop trying to escape," Snape said in a harsh tone; he knew how important it was that Albus understood the whole story before parading around the school that Severus Snape was trying to kill Harry Potter.
"Let go of me!" Albus yelled as he tried to pull away.
"Just listen to me for moment!"
"You're scaring me!" Albus screamed, staring fearfully into Snape's eyes. Snape was stunned. Lily's eyes had never looked at him like that before and without even realizing it, Snape softened.
"Albus, I promise I will not hurt you. I would never want to hurt your father and if you just let me explain, you'll know why," Snape said kindly, letting Albus go.
But Albus didn't run as he realised that Snape seemed sincere, so he sat back on his bed, listening.
"When I was eighteen I approached the Dark Lord, wanting to become a Death Eater-"
"A Death Eater? Why would Mum and Dad ever name me after a Death Eater?" Albus demanded, speaking very quickly as he began to panic about being in the presence of such a person.
"There is no need to panic, Mr Potter. I was a Death Eater but I swapped sides and began working for Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix," Snape answered speaking in a serious tone.
"I don't believe you!" Albus exclaimed. After learning that Snape loved the Dark Arts and always treated his parents with contempt, Albus now felt that Snape truly was a Death Eater and that somehow his father was fooled into thinking that Snape was on his side. Albus realised that Snape hadn't tried to hurt him as of yet, but he did create that potion that may potentially kill his father and everything was simply happening so fast that Albus' reasoning was absent at present. Everything good his father had ever told him about Severus seemed to have escaped his mind; panic took over.
"Get away from me!" Albus yelled out of fear.
"No, Mr Potter, not until I have finished telling you what I want to say-"
"It's all making sense now; you like the dark arts, you made this potion, you hated my dad and now I discover you're a Death Eater- it all fits! Why did Professor McGonagall ask you teach here? Is she crazy?" Albus asked as he scrambled out of bed and made it half way to the door before Snape grabbed hold of his upper arm and swung Albus around to face him. Snape bent down to maintain eye contact with Albus, who was looking angrily back at Snape trying to pull away, tears welling up in his eyes. Snape could tell the boy was scared and he couldn't believe he was stupid enough to even mention that he was a Death Eater. However, the damage had been done and now all he had to do was try to fix it.
"Mr Potter- stop trying to pull away!"
"I don't want to talk to you anymore! You're a Death Eater!" Albus yelled at the top of his voice.
"Shhh!" Snape hissed at Albus for he didn't want the rest of Gryffindor tower charging into the dormitory.
"No! I won't be quiet! You're going to hurt me and my dad!" Albus yelled, tears pouring down his face.
"Mr Potter, do you remember what I was telling you not long ago? I will never harm you or your father. I know it is unnerving that you are talking to a Death Eater, but I assure you that I haven't been a true Death Eater since I was twenty one and if you just let me explain you will understand the situation better and you won't be so upset," Snape pleaded, desperately wanting Albus to listen to him.
Albus stopped trying to push away from Snape and relaxed his body. Slowly, Snape removed his hands from the boy's arms and was thankful that Albus walked towards his bed and leaned against his pillow, watching Snape intently.
Relieved that Albus was listening once again, Snape continued.
"So when I was eighteen, the Dark Lord said I could become a Death Eater if I invented a potion that he thought was both ingenious and useful. But he also gave certain criteria: the potion needed to make the consumer forget where he was and what he was doing, making them weak and useless, but also for that person to survive, they must have another person with them. So I created Nocens Memoria which forces the drinker to relive upsetting or traumatising memories and, depending on how terrible the memory is the more damage it will do both physically and emotionally. If the consumer had no one with them they would die because the continued reliving of memories would eventually make them so weak that they would perish from lack of sustenance. But in the case of your father, he is surrounded by people and consequently, he will be safe from an everlasting vision of his worst memories. As you saw, the only way to stop the visions from occurring momentarily is to have another person hug the sufferer, so as long as someone is around to hug your father, he will be okay," Snape said still kicking himself for ever thinking of such a stupid idea- hugging? What was wrong with him?
"I brought my instructions and ideas to the Dark Lord. He thought I had some talent, took my ideas from me and manipulated them to suit his own needs. It was only when I heard your father talking about the night Dumbledore died that I realised what the Dark Lord used my potion for. He altered it so that the drinker would only experience visions after having a sip of the potion, stating that they want to die and also get extremely thirsty, no doubt according to his plan and the conditions within the cave. It is also possible that the Dark Lord's version of my potion killed Dumbledore, but I assure you that mine does not."
Albus was speechless. He simply stared at the man before him.
"I never had the opportunity to brew the potion I created until recently. When I found my notes in my lab I decided that I would concoct the potion and see how it would turn out. I finished the potion only shortly before school began in the new year and stored it securely in my lab. Greyback must have somehow entered my house and managed to get past all of my defenses to obtain the potion. I have no idea how he could have managed it... there is no way he could have known what the potion did, so it must have been a petty guess." Now Snape was thinking out aloud rather than telling what Albus needed to know. Realising that he was getting off the topic, Snape looked at Albus to see how he was taking the news.
"So my dad isn't going to die?" Albus asked, slowly, as if the information was only just sinking in.
"No, he's not," Snape said relieved the boy finally understood.
"Does my dad know everything you just told me about the potion?" Albus asked, quietly.
"No, but I will tell him," Snape assured the boy, wanting Albus to understand that he was not going to hide something so important from Potter.
"Do you know how to make him better?"
"Yes, but unfortunately the antidote will take three full days to brew, but while I am making it I will keep a close watch on your father."
Albus nodded and then asked, remembering what Snape said earlier in the conversation: "I assume that you swapped sides otherwise Dad wouldn't have named me after you... why did you swap?"
Snape could see this coming, but instead of just saying the simple words, he thought that perhaps telling the whole story would be suitable.
"You know the prophecy made about your father and the Dark Lord?" Snape asked, realising that this could be another occasion where Albus attempted to escape him.
Albus nodded a little fearfully.
"I was the Death Eater who heard it and I was the one who told the Dark Lord about it- but," Snape added quickly before Albus could interrupt him. "I had no idea who it referred to and had I known that it referred to Lily's son I never would have told the Dark Lord. When I found out that the Dark Lord thought the prophecy referred to Harry Potter, I went to Dumbledore and asked him to do everything in his power to protect Lily. He agreed and from that point I turned spy for Dumbledore and stopped working for the Dark Lord. The night that Lily was killed, I felt it was my fault she died. Dumbledore suggested that I help him protect your father in honour of Lily's sacrifice. So for the six years your father was at Hogwarts, that's what I did. Although it has been many years since then, I still have no desire to cause harm to your father or his children. I promise you that I had no intention for that potion to be consumed, especially by your father," Snape emphasised, wanting Albus to understand that he wasn't danger to him or his family.
"But he did drink it and even though you say it won't kill him, what if it changes him? What if he ends up reliving all the bad things that happened to him? What if his memories are so bad that he becomes really weak and he never gets better?"
Snape could tell Albus was starting to feel guilt and worry again, and he wished the boy would stop blaming himself.
"You said the worse the memories, the weaker the person becomes and my dad's past is so bad that what if he does die-"
"That's not going to-"
"But what if you didn't know the potion would do that? What if he dies?" Albus cried again, realizing that this potion, no matter what Snape says could severely affect his father- all Albus wanted were for things to go back to the way they were. Snape didn't know what to do as he simply watched Albus cry out of fear and guilt. Surprisingly, Snape felt empathy for him and realised that when Lily died, he would have loved for her to have been there and told him that it wasn't his fault. Perhaps Albus just needed to see his father and hear those words come from Harry's mouth.
"Why don't we go to your father and you can talk to him; it will make you feel better-"
"N-no, he's going to be so disappointed in me and I hate it when my dad is mad at me and what if he has another vision again? I can't do it!" Albus sobbed, sounding both scared and helpless.
"I see that you are upset, but I really need to bring you to your father. Your cousin and brother are waiting for us in the common room so that we can go to the hospital wing together," Snape pointed out, hoping that that would cease Albus' sobbing, but to no avail.
"What are they going to say when I tell them what I did? Rose will lecture me for disobeying the rules and James will be annoyed that I can't do anything right," Albus cried.
"I am sure they will be forgiving, Mr Potter-"
"No they won't! You don't understand how mad they'll be! James will never let me forget it and Lily will give me her sad look and Mum won't love me like she used to and Dad just won't be Dad and the whole family will fall apart because of me!"
"And yet, none of that will hurt as much as you will hurt yourself," Snape said quietly.
"What do you mean?" Albus asked through his tears.
Snape paused; having listened to Albus he realised just how much the boy was like himself. Answering the boy, Snape stated: "The night Lily died, I felt so guilty for what I did, even though Dumbledore told me it wasn't my fault. I spent the rest of my life protecting her son, always remembering why I was protecting him in the first place: I killed his mother and father. Even to this day, I still feel guilty for killing them- I haven't forgiven myself-" Snape said sorrowfully, allowing his emotions- for a moment- get the better of him.
"But it wasn't your fault! You had no idea the prophecy was about my dad!" Albus exclaimed, even though tears were still falling.
"I know, but I still can't forgive myself. I wouldn't want you living the rest of your life, punishing yourself for causing your father a few days of pain. Sure the pain is intense and unpleasant for all of us, but he will recover-"
"But after everything he has been through, maybe he'll crack, maybe he'd be the person I thought he should have been: sad and damaged, but I don't want my dad to be that way!"
It seemed that Snape's attempts at convincing Albus that it wasn't his fault wasn't what was bothering him, but if his father would change as a consequence of the potion.
"Listen to me, Mr Potter; your father has been through a lot in his life and granted, his memories will be particularly traumatizing and will possibly make him very weak, but while I am here, I will not let him die. That I can promise you," Snape said kindly as Albus sniffed in response. "Although I cannot promise you that your father will be exactly the same man he was before he drank the potion, I will tell you this." Taking a deep breath, Snape continued: "I don't know your father that well, but I watched him grow up when he was at Hogwarts and I saw the things he did. As Dumbledore always reminded me, there was only one way Harry was not going to defeat the Dark Lord and that was through the power of love. Your father loved every human being, muggle and magical alike. He told you on Christmas Eve that he was willing to sacrifice his life for the good of the world and as you know, that helped him to survive. There are very few people in this world that would make such a sacrifice, but your father is one of them. I have seen the way he acts around you and your siblings, and I can tell that he cares for his family more than anything else ever could. So while you may fear that he will change as a consequence of this potion, I watched him survive the real thing nineteen years ago. He had his friends who supported him; they kept him grounded from the very beginning. Reliving it again won't be pleasant, but I believe that if you and your family stood by him like his friends did all those years ago, I am sure he will get through it again and he will continue to be the wonderful father you love so much."
There was silence. Albus had tears in his eyes, but he was smiling nonetheless and even Snape felt his heart racing; he couldn't believe he just said those things to Albus; he had no intention of taking it so far, but at least now he hoped Albus would not burden himself so heavily with guilt; he didn't want that for the boy.
But before Snape even knew what was happening, Albus reached out and hugged his professor whispering: "Thank you."
Snape was so taken aback that he just sat there, not knowing what to do. Eventually, when it seemed the boy wouldn't let go, he wrapped his arms around Al and hugged him back. It was a strange moment for both Snape and Albus, but neither of them were really disturbed by what was happening; they were content.
"I'm ready to see my dad now, Professor Snape," Albus said, tears still in his eyes.
"Very well, after you," Snape said as he stood up from the four poster and allowed Albus to walk in front of him down the stairs.
Snape couldn't help but feel elated as he walked to the hospital wing with James, Albus and Rose. Many would think that perhaps Snape was delighted that he was finally going back to Harry so that he could examine the man and talk to him about what was happening. But that assumption would be quite wrong; Snape was happy that he prevented the boy from making the same mistake he did; after all, nothing is more painful than guilt.
As Snape walked down the many corridors, he felt happy; he couldn't really explain the feeling, but knew that it was the happiest he had felt in years.
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