Potions and Snitches
Snape and Harry Gen Fanfiction Archive

Choices

On Monday morning, Harry was woken by a knock on his bedroom door. He sat up in an immediate panic and grabbed for his wand. "What is it?" he called.

"Classes start in a week; you need to start getting up earlier," Snape called. "Come have breakfast with me."

Harry groaned. He supposed he had got used to sleeping late. "Give me a minute," he called.

It was actually several minutes later that he went through the kitchen to the bathroom, and a few minutes after that when he got back, feeling only semi-competent. He sat down at the table and rubbed his eyes.

"Tea?" Snape asked.

"Yes, thanks."

Snape poured him a cup and pushed the milk at him. "Better this week than next," he said.

"I suppose. Aunt Petunia always got me up at seven, even in the summer. When did I start sleeping late?"

"Oh, about your fourth day here. I thought you probably needed it."

"Probably."

Snape smirked. "You know, I think you're probably going through body changes at about the level of a pregnant woman."

Harry forced down the tea that was in his mouth. "I did not need that image."

Severus chuckled. "Yet I didn't get you to spew the tea." He shook his head. "My timing is off."

Harry attempted to glare at him. "You're evil, you know."

Snape choked on his tea. Harry grinned.

"And my timing is pretty good."

Breakfast appeared. They ate for a few minutes in silence.

"How did things go with Remus?" Snape asked, as he cut a sausage into precise slices.

"Okay, I suppose. It was calmer than telling him about you, but just as emotionally draining, what with going over James's history -- Remus described that as 'portrait of the author as a bullying git.' He wanted to tell me things he liked about James -- that he was a devoted friend and a generous companion, and protective within his own society, which at school he defined as Gryffindor. We talked a lot about cliques and other subdivisions of the world, and how various people define which people matter to them -- humans, or purebloods, or people of their class, or their house, or their politics, or their field, or whatever." Harry paused. "With or without magic," he added. "That's really the biggest one around here, isn't it?"

"It does make a genuine difference."

Harry shrugged. "They all do. The question is whether the difference in treatment is appropriate or useful or fair." He thought a moment. "One problem with Hermione is that she only sees the 'fair' part. She tries to give house elves freedom, which most of them don't want, rather than settling for more appropriate, but less fair, protections, to keep them from being mistreated."

Snape made a sound of contemptuous amusement. Harry shrugged.

"So there was that. Then we talked about the Auror thing. I had already considered most of what he wanted to say."

"Ah." Snape looked serious again. "I would like to discuss that with you, also, but perhaps after you have spoken to Professor McGonagall?"

"That's fine."

"Why McGonagall?"

Harry stared incredulously at Snape. "Because she's my head of house?"

"Ah." Snape looked embarrassed. "Yes, I suppose it's her job, isn't it?"

"I brought it up in careers advice, last year."

"Becoming an Auror?"

"Well, it's that or professional Quidditch. I mean, there's nothing else I'm outstanding at, really. And Quidditch isn't much of a career."

"Not to mention you couldn't do it."

"Why not?"

Snape raised an eyebrow at him. "Think, Harry. At a Quidditch game, you need to be in the line of sight of hundreds, sometimes thousands, of wizards and witches."

"Someone would kill me, you think."

"Yes."

"What if Vo- the Dark Lord were dead?"

"It would depend on how many of his followers were still active, and who, and what power they had."


They had pretty much finished with the food when they were interrupted by a thumping from the hall entrance. This time, Harry recognized it as an owl, and guessed it to be a larger one than Pig.

The arrival, a strikingly marked barn owl with a wizard post leg band, dropped a letter in front of Harry and gratefully accepted a dead mole and a drink of water from Snape. Harry glanced at the letter and recognized it was from Hermione. He set it aside and watched Snape, who was absently stroking the smooth back feathers of the bird while it tore bloody chunks from the mole.

"Lovely bird," Snape said lazily, as it finished. "Do you need it for a reply?"

"No thanks. I'll use Hedwig, when I have one written."

"Who's it from?"

"Hermione."

"So soon? What does she have to say?"

"I don't know. I haven't read it, yet."

Snape looked at Harry with quizzical amusement. "That's rather diffident, considering that you had your arm around her on Saturday."

"She ratted on me to you, Saturday. And that would be one thing if she knew we'd become closer, or that you were my virtual guardian, but she doesn't."

Snape nodded at the letter. "She may have something to say for herself."

"Oh, I expect she does. And I know how well I respond to Hermione's lectures. I'll read it after I've talked to McGonagall, thanks."

"You don't think you'll work yourself into a fury thinking about it?"

"I was hoping not to think about it. Come and watch me fly?"


Flying was exhilarating. Harry was feeling tired and happy when he pulled on a clean shirt, picked up his Transfiguration essay, and went to meet with McGonagall. Her office was spartan, but somehow calming. He knew he was protected here, even when he was in trouble.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Potter," she said properly, but with a subtly affectionate tone, or so Harry imagined. He put his essay down on her desk.

"Good afternoon, Professor McGonagall. Here's my summer work."

She glanced at it, then set it to the side. "Very well. I will look at it this week. Have a seat. Now, I believe we were to discuss whether or not you intend to become an Auror?"

Harry nodded. "I ... It seems to be what I do," he said, "fighting Dark wizards, that is, and I like solving mysteries, and figuring things out and finding people."

"You do have a reputation for being terribly nosy, Mr. Potter," she said, by way of agreement. "This career might make an asset of that trait."

Harry turned his face down to hide a smile. "Well, that would be good. Also, I know a number of Aurors whom I admire."

"So, what has given you second thoughts? Her lips pinched together in distaste. "Not your association with Professor Snape, I hope?"

"He's never mentioned it," Harry said, with a slight shake of his head. "Well, not until this morning. No, it's more what Re- Professor Lupin wanted to point out to me."

"Which was?"

"The Minister of Magic has a great deal of influence, not just in how the law will be applied, but in the details of what the law forbids and requires. By working for the Ministry, I could find myself enforcing things I know to be wrong, pursuing people I consider blameless, and otherwise..." Harry thought -- "terrorizing the innocent in the name of justice."

"I see." McGonagall frowned. "That was not an objection I had considered. Are you, perhaps, influenced by your godfather's life as a fugitive?"

Harry nodded. "A bit. More by what happened here, last year, and by what could happen to Remus. You've seen how the werewolf edicts have been getting increasingly stringent. If he neglected to register his whereabouts on Wednesday, that would be enough to have an Auror after him. I don't want to be chasing someone down for that."

"Still, Aurors have a great deal of leeway, once appointed. You may even be able to lessen the impact of unjust laws by laxity in enforcement -- not that I would condone such a thing," she added quickly.

"But I shouldn't spend five years working to get a job that I intend to do wrong," Harry argued.

"Yet, if you do not, who else will have that job?" McGonagall countered. "We need Aurors who understand the difference between right and wrong, Mr. Potter, not just the difference between legal and illegal." She smiled fondly at him. "And you are certainly stronger on the former than the latter."

"I think I'm going to need to think about it more," Harry said. "Maybe talk to some people who work for the Ministry. I should probably plan my schedule, though, as if it's my goal. That should be adequate for anything else I want to do."

"Quite. I took a look at your OWLs, Mr. Potter. You failed History of Magic, Divination, and the Astronomy practical."

"Sorry. Hagrid --"

"I understand there were extenuating circumstances for the Astronomy practical. The examiner noted that the scores should be interpreted liberally. Even so, that is eleven OWLs, which is not bad. Of those, you barely passed Herbology and the Charms practical, but you achieved Outstandings in the Defense Against the Dark Arts practical and Care of Magical Creatures, and Exceeds Expectations in all other subjects. Normally, Professor Snape will not take advanced students who acheived less than Outstanding, but in your case, your marks were so close, and so unexpectedly good, that the headmaster and I have ... persuaded him to allow you to continue on a probationary basis. He has assured me he will drop you at the end of term if you cannot keep up with the class, so you must give it your best effort.

"I suggest you take Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology (though you are not strong in it), and Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Just that?"

"The upper-level classes are longer, and the homework loads higher. You may continue with Care of Magical Creatures, if you like, but I would not recommend a second non-essential course."


When Harry headed back to his room, his schedule was set. He had refused to continue with Herbology, suggesting, instead, an independent study in wizard law. McGonagall had been intrigued by the idea, and suggested Professors Flitwick, Dumbledore, and Lupin as people Harry might ask to advise him, or set projects for him. She had been somewhat taken aback when Harry suggested adding Professor Snape to the list.

"Whatever you may think of Professor Snape's history," Harry had said, "he has a very strong understanding of what magics are restricted and when they became restricted. Also, he's the logical person to teach me about restrictions in potions components."

"Very well," she had agreed. "Write up a proposal, and return it to me by Thursday."


So now, Harry thought, he had a new assignment, and it was time to go to talk to the proposed professors, and figure out what he wanted to learn. He decided to read the letter from Hermione first.

Dear Harry,

I hope that you did not get into too much trouble with Snape. If it makes you feel any better, I got into trouble with my parents for showing up smelling of smoke. My father thinks I should spend less time with you.

Please don't be upset with me. Kiss or no, I really hated watching you smoking, and watching you be sneaky about it was worse. Ron called me a rat, and isn't speaking to me, but he doesn't really understand. You're a wonderful person, and you're important to me (and a lot of other people!), and you shouldn't hurt yourself just for ... for whatever you get out of that. Certainly you could give me that sly little look about dozens of things that would do you less damage, and would be easier to stop doing when you're bored with them.

I'm not going to say I'm sorry, because I'm not. I'd do the same thing again. I just want you not to be angry with me, like Ron is, or at least to say you understand why I did it, even if you are angry. It's not as bad as telling Professor McGonagall about the Firebolt, is it? Please write back.

love,

Hermione

Harry forgot about his research project and set about writing a series of replies that ranged from "go away and leave me alone" to "I love you too," and tore most of them into increasingly tiny pieces. Finally, he decided to sleep on it and write a reply in the morning.

He took some parchment, quill, and ink, and went looking for Professors Flitwick, Dumbledore, Lupin, and Snape.


Dinner, that night, was an improvement over all previous staff dinners Harry had attended since his return. Snape and Remus behaved civilly towards each other, and Harry, Remus, and Professor Flitwick had an interesting discussing about dueling hexes. Snape even contributed some observations on aggressive versus defensive magics, and Dumbledore some vaguely related and scarcely credible anecdotes about amusing duels in his younger years. Harry enjoyed all of it.


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