Potions and Snitches
Snape and Harry Gen Fanfiction Archive

Author's Chapter Notes:
I’m looking for a beta for a Christmas fic I want to post here. I’m not sure this is the place to ask, but there’s no forum and I don’t have the time/energy to contact every individual beta on this site before I find someone. It’s already written, between 6k and 7k words and loosely based on A Christmas Carol. Please let me know if you’re interested.
Steps Forward

“Have you spoken to Minerva yet?” Severus asked, beginning the washing up.

“No,” Harry replied. “Not yet.”

Severus considered, torn. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust his colleague. But, as he had already said to Harry, he would prefer as few people knew the truth as possible. Unfortunately, Lupin had complicated matters.

The wolf wouldn’t repeat what he knew; of that Severus was fairly sure. And as loath as he was to admit it, Lupin was a good listener. The fact that Harry had specifically asked to confide in him, spoke volumes about how close they were.

Severus mentally groaned, but caved.

“I think you should talk to Lupin instead.”

Harry, who had been helping carry things to the sink, dropped the plate with a crash. Severus cast a quick Reparo.

Lupin? I thought you didn’t like him?”

“I don’t.”

“Er … so why …?”

“He already knows part of it,” Severus said. “The part that could do the most damage if discovered. You may as well fill him in on the rest, rather than bringing someone else in on the secret.”

“But I thought you didn’t trust Lupin.”

“I don’t. But he’s sworn to keep his trap shut, and he knows that if he doesn’t, there will be hell to pay. I trust he understands self-preservation.” Just in case, Severus thought he would pay him a visit and make the situation a little clearer.

“Well … okay,” Harry said, brightening. “Thanks.”

Severus smiled, for a moment thrown by a strange warmth at the look on his son’s face. It was the first time in years that Severus could remember doing something which was, even partly, for Harry’s happiness, rather than strictly for his protection. He had forgotten how wonderful it felt.

“You had better let me do that,” he said, taking the cutlery from Harry’s hands. “You don’t want to be late for class.”

“You’re due in class the same time as me,” Harry pointed out.

“I’m a teacher. I can’t lose my House points if I am late. Go on, get a move on.”

“Okay,” Harry said, picking up his bag. “So … see you on Sunday?”

Severus smiled. “I’m looking forward to it.”

-

Harry was lost in his thoughts on his way to class. Though still a little awkward, he had to admit, things seemed to be going a lot better between him and his father. It was quite a surprise to realise that he had already got used to thinking of Snape as such. And he was rather looking forward to spending some time with him—properly; not because he had to.

He had got used to sensing Lyle following him everywhere now, but he always jumped out of his skin when he received the shoulder tap. He was almost at his Transfiguration class when the next one came.

Knowing it had to be urgent if Lyle was willing to make him late, Harry checked no-one was watching and slipped into an empty classroom. Lyle appeared, map in hand and looking worried.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’ve identified the assassin, your highness.” Lyle pointed to a spot on the fourth floor.

“Er …” Harry frowned. “Who?”

Lyle looked again, and his frown deepened. “I lost him—there’s too many people …”

“There’s over a thousand names on that map,” Harry sat, biting his lip. “It’s not easy to find one specific person …”

“Well—I suppose at least now I know who I’m looking out for,” Lyle said, though he still appeared anxious. “But, sire … I know Malfoy; I know what he’s capable—”

“Did you just say Malfoy?” Harry interrupted, stunned.

“Yes—Lucius Malfoy. You know him, sire?”

“We’ve met,” Harry said darkly. “He’s the assassin?”

Lyle nodded. “He is another of the palace guards—and one of the closest to the King. But he knows the Dark Arts—”

“I know. He supported Voldemort.” Harry paused. “His son Draco goes to school here … I guess it makes sense that he was chosen, then—wait, that’s how he knew!”

“Pardon, sire?”

“Draco saw a photo of my mum,” Harry said, remembering and wishing he had been less clumsy. “He must have recognised her and gone running to Daddy … who then told Luesson.” Great. The Malfoy family ruining his life again.

“Sire, I must recommend you avoid young master Malfoy from now on,” Lyle said. “If he is aware of his father’s task, we don’t want him to get any opportunity to attempt anything himself.”

Harry nodded. “Avoid Malfoy. Got it.”

“We had better see your father as soon as possible, but right now you are late for class.”

“Oh!” Harry said, having almost forgotten. “Yeah …” He hurried to the door as Lyle disappeared.

He didn’t argue when Professor McGonagall took five points for lateness, but tried to put the revelations out of his mind as the lesson commenced. At break, he gave his friends the slip again and made his way to the dungeons, where Lyle filled Snape in.

-

“Harry, where’ve you been all day?”

“What?”

Ron gave him a strange look as Harry looked up from his half-eaten lunch. “I said, where’ve you been.”

“Er, in classes?” Harry tried.

“That’s not what Ron meant.” Harry turned to Hermione. “You disappeared this morning, and at break, and you were late to Transfiguration and Charms …”

“Yeah, plus you’ve been away with the fairies when you have been around,” Ron pointed out.

“Just stuff on my mind,” Harry mumbled.

They both sighed. “Anything you feel ready to share yet?” Hermione asked gently.

Harry considered. “We may have a lead on who’s trying to kill me. Other than Black, I mean.”

“The invisible one?” Ron whispered.

“Yeah. But …” Harry glanced over at the Slytherin table, and was unsettled to find Draco watching him carefully. He looked away quickly.

“But what?” Hermione asked.

“It’s not—I mean, I don’t think we’ve got proof yet, but …” Harry dropped his voice to a whisper. “There’s a … possibility … it might be Lucius Malfoy.”

What?” both Ron and Hermione said together.

“Well, he’s been lurking around the school. And we know he used to support Voldemort; plus last year I basically got him sacked from the governors.”

“He got himself sacked,” Hermione said.

“Yeah, I’m sure he’d see it that way,” Ron said with a snort.

“That’s hardly a smoking gun, Harry.”

“Yeah, well …” Harry hesitated, wondering if there was anything else he could say. “It’s a theory, at any rate.”

“Git,” Ron said.

-

“LUPIN!”

“Really, Severus,” Lupin said mildly as he opened his office door, “there’s no need to knock quite so hard. If you want to smash my door in you might as well use your wand.”

Severus growled, in no mood for the werewolf’s sense of humour. “I need to talk to you.”

“Yes, so I gathered.”

He swept into the office without invitation and turned to face Lupin. “Harry will, at some point—if he hasn’t already—be approaching you to discuss … er …” He could think of no way to sum it all up, but Lupin nodded to show he understood. “For some inexplicable reason, he seems fond of you, and since you know part of it already I have agreed to it.” Severus narrowed his eyes at Lupin. “But let me make one thing clear. I don’t like you and I don’t trust you, and I have no intention of allowing you to betray Harry’s trust in you.”

“Severus.”

“Therefore, you must swear on your magic that whatever he says to you, you will neither repeat to anyone, nor use it against either of us in any way, shape, or form. And while we’re at it, you can bloody well swear you will not do anything else to jeopardise his safety at all.”

“I haven’t done anything to jeopardise Harry’s safety,” Lupin insisted, though Severus thought for a moment he could detect a flicker of guilt in the man’s eyes. It didn’t make him feel any better about this deal.

“Lupin, if I could prove that you’ve been helping Black into the castle, then believe me you and he would both be in Azkaban now.”

“I haven’t been helping—”

“As it is,” Severus spoke over him, “I can’t, and since Harry wants to confide in you, I am giving you one—and only one—chance to make amends for your actions. So, do you swear?”

Lupin looked him right in the eye, held his wand over his heart, and said slowly and clearly, “I swear on my magic that I will not repeat anything Harry or you tell, or have told, me in confidence; that I will not use any such information against either of you; that I have not been helping Sirius Black into the castle and will do everything in my power to protect both Harry and your secrets. Let me be stripped of my magic if I break this vow.”

Severus blinked as Lupin’s wand glowed gold, signifying the pledge had taken hold. So Lupin hadn’t been helping Black in? Then why did he look guilty?

There was a long silence. “Well, then …” Severus said awkwardly. “I have papers to grade.” He swept out of the office without a goodbye.

-

Remus sighed once Severus was out of the room. He had no choice in the matter—it was time to come clean. He was sure—well, he had convinced himself—that Sirius Black’s being an Animagus was nothing to do with how he had escaped Azkaban, how he was getting in and out of the castle … but the niggling doubt in the back of his mind was now much louder, telling him that he couldn’t take the risk.

He may not have been actively helping Sirius—if he had, then he would have been stripped of his magic, which was worse than suddenly becoming a Muggle, it damaged the life force—but holding back information like this could, he knew, be just as bad.

It wasn’t fear of the consequences of breaking the vow, that made him head to the Hospital Wing in silent shame. It was the fact that Severus had forced him to face his actions, and now, finally, his guilt over the secret triumphed over his fear of admitting it to Dumbledore’s face.


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