“I messed up my life 18 years ago Potter. I don't need you to mess yours up now.”
“What? By killing my mum?”
“…”
“Snape?”
“Yes.” sigh “And I've been trying to earn her forgiveness ever since.”
“You can't earn forgiveness Snape. It's given. And it was Voldemort killed my mum.”
“You have to deserve it Potter.”
“No.”
“What?”
“No. If you had to deserve it, it wouldn't be forgiveness would it? You wouldn't deserve forgiveness if you'd done something wrong. That's the point.”
“I knew Dumbledore was wrong.”
“What do you mean?”
“He said you were very forgiving. More so even than Lily. But I knew you weren’t - not that I would do any different in your situation.”
“Snape.”
“…”
“Snape.”
“…”
“Professor. Will you just look at me?”
“…”
“Please?”
“What's that Potter?”
“You tell me.”
“Wow. Fun time with Potter. What a laugh.”
“C'mon Snape, humour me.”
“Fine Potter!” Grabs the paper “It's a black dot.”
small smile “Yep.”
“'Yep'? Are you finally mad Potter? That's all it is? A black dot?”
“Yep. Whose life do you think it is - yours or mine?”
frowns at the paper, then at the young man “If the black dot is supposed to be how you've messed up, then I'm guessing you're just flaunting your 'sinless' life under my nose.”
small frown “Not quite. If this is my life - what's your one look like?” proffers a new sheet of white paper and a quill
death glare
“Go on. Please Snape.”
“Fine! takes paper “There! Are you happy now Potter?! Will you leave?”
“No. I'm not happy. You're missing the point Snape.”
“No I'm not. That's your life - only a small dot. This is mine – considering how many people I’ve murdered – including Dumbledore – I believe I've done more dark magic than you so the whole thing is messed up.”
“Are either of them clean sheets of paper?”
“…”
“Ok. Would you accept either of these as a neat homework assignment?”
“…”
“…”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“They're both marred with black ink.”
“Right.”
“…”
“No one deserves forgiveness Snape. It's not something you can earn. If these really were our lives neither of us has a clean white piece of paper. And neither of us can get them as clean as they were before.”
“Magic can.”
rolls eyes “Not really. You'd still notice the mark, and they wouldn't be fresh, would they?”
“So?”
“You need someone else to get rid of the ink Snape. Someone to say it doesn't matter. You can't do it yourself, you can’t deserve it. You need to be given a new piece of paper.”
“…”
“I've forgiven you Snape for telling Voldemort about my parents. I don't hold it against you, all you've done. But you need to accept that. Otherwise you're never going to get better.”
The End.