Transcendence

~ Chapter 2: Sometimes the truth is best left untold ~

While Harry was breaking into Snape's office...

Draco Malfoy stared at Snape's graceful figure as the Potions Master glided past the benches of students and finally disappeared from view as he turned the corner. The Slytherin prefect greatly admired the wizard. Although the Potions Master wasn't what you might call handsome - not with that very prominent nose - Professor Snape possessed an aura that Draco found strangely attractive. He carefully wrenched his gaze from the doors and focused intently on his dessert.

Gentle murmurs of conversation filled the Great Hall, an occasional explosion of raucous laughter coming from a particular bunch of Hufflepuffs. Draco cut a piece of chocolate cake with great precision and slowly began to eat it while his calm, silver eyes scanned the Hall. The Great Hall was decked in silver and green; Slytherin had won the House Cup for the first time since Harry Potter had entered Hogwarts.

Not that it was much of a victory

, Draco snorted to himself. If Professor Sprout had not awarded him fifty points for saving a first-year student from a Fanged Geranium, Gryffindor would have won it for the sixth-year running. His silver eyes rested on the empty space beside Hermione Granger. It's just like him... and yet unlike him to break the school's traditions, Draco mused as he finished his cake. I expected him to come down, at least for the Leaving Feast, but it seems that I was wrong in my assessment. Draco sneered to himself, and watched his empty glass quickly refilling with fresh pumpkin juice. The expression on his face was more or less for the benefit of the people who were watching him. Draco felt strangely curious about Harry's behavior, and it certainly was not the first time that he felt like he was literally choking with unanswered questions.

He didn't attend meals with his usual company most of the time, but after that encounter with Vol -

Draco seemed to be experiencing some sort of trouble thinking of the Dark Lord's name and he tried again. Vol - He remained stuck and he gave up, fuming. Bloody, irritating name, he thought with aggravation. I noticed that Green-Eyes hasn't been coming down for dinner ever since he recovered from that nine-day coma. His thoughts stilled and he frowned. Damnation. He downed the last of his juice in a single gulp. I just called The Boy Who Lived 'Green-Eyes'. Draco fumed even more. Since when did that happen?

"Probably since you have noticed just how captivating he is, all somber, unsmiling, serious and reserved. You've thought the view was a rather nice change from that constantly chattering Parkinson. Admit it, Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter has fast become a very attractive young man with those eyes of his,"

a small voice spoke in his head.

Shut up.

Draco gave a small sigh and cringed in disgust when Goyle belched rather loudly. One would think that the ape didn't know any table-manners. His lips curled in distaste as his 'bodyguard' let out another rude-sounding burp. Draco focused on his thoughts once again. I noticed that Green-Eyes - Bloody hell - hasn't been anywhere near a crowd since he recovered. I wonder which spell the Dark Lord used on him. His reactions certainly conform with the aftermath of a De-Magicking spell. The Dark Lord should know by now not to use any kinds of complicated spells on him. I'd bet ten Galleons that the spell backfired and Green-Eyes has somehow become more responsive to magic. His aura certainly indicates that he is stronger than before.

The sudden closeness of Leren Montague broke his concentration and he frowned. He was secretly uncomfortable with the way the Quidditch captain was staring at him. Damn. He must have caught me staring at the Gryffindors. Draco's eyes turned steely, as if daring the other boy to say something about it. Leren, for his part, looked innocently bewildered with Draco's reaction.

"What's wrong?" the Quidditch captain asked in a concerned tone. Draco failed to notice that Leren was touching a portion of his robe.

"Nothing," he answered impassively. "I've got more packing to do," he said with a curt nod and stood up. He left the Hall quickly, missing the sudden movement of his 'bodyguards' who quickly seated themselves beside the captain.

Draco breathed a huge sigh of relief as he walked across the silent Entrance Hall. He cherished being alone. Somehow, I doubt that Green-Eyes stays aloof for the same reasons that I do. At least he was right when it came to choosing his friends... Draco resented that fact. He felt somewhat bitter when he saw how Harry's friends stayed with him no matter how he could actually be. At least, he can count on them. Me? Count on Goyle or his cousin? Draco snorted, walking down the steps unhurriedly. I'll eat my socks, pickled for two days in Snape's hair cream, when that day happens. Draco smiled to himself. For nearly six years, he had been trying to deduce what the Potions Master applied to his hair to no avail.

He continued his lazy stroll until he passed the Potions classroom. Wait a sec - He stopped, looking back at the corridor. I could have sworn that I heard his voice. But - His eyes widened when he heard the sound of deep, velvet laughter slightly muffled by the thick classroom door. Snape! He... laughed? Draco felt even more incredulous and unconsciously took several steps toward the door. He was just in time to hear a distinctly muffled voice, but clearly Harry's, replying to the Potions Master.

"- I that transparent?"

He heard Snape's answer. "If one's observant enough... yes." Snape paused. "And yes... where were we? About that punishment. As you are my godson, I'm entitled to every means possible to ensure discipline. I'll tell you what you're - " Draco heard Snape stressing on that last word, "- going to do when we get home tomorrow." It was a moment before Snape continued. "Right now, you are going to help me rebuild the wards and don't you dare slip."

Draco stared dumbly at the door, his brain sifting through the information he had unwittingly stumbled upon. The truth finally hit him hard, and he failed to restrain the gasp that emerged from his throat. Panicking, he swiftly ran from the doorway and headed for the safety of his own room.

Several minutes later, he was panting slightly from the forced exertion, forehead resting against the rough exterior of the door. His limbs were shaking tremendously and it took him another five minutes to calm himself. Finally, he heaved himself off the door and locked the room with a spell. He almost dropped his wand when he turned around to face his room. Bright flashes of light filled the darkness. He immediately cast a Light spell and the room brightened further. There on his study desk, a small spherical crystal was flashing madly, but before he could do anything about it, the flashes died. What was left was just the plain-looking crystal ball. By the hands of Rhiannon... Draco blinked several times, horror gnawing at his gut. This could only mean one thing... I have been hexed. Draco quickly went to the mirror.

"What's the matter boy?" it asked. "You're looking edgy."

He inspected himself in the mirror but everything seemed normal to him. The spell... whatever it was... had already worn off. He took a deep breath, telling himself it would be a waste of magic to trace the caster. Grudgingly, he set his thoughts aside and began to work, checking his drawers to make sure that no books of importance were left behind.

Half an hour later, he was left with nothing more to pack. He flung himself down on his bed, still fully clothed. The Light spell had worn off minutes ago but it was replaced by five magical candles. He stared at a particularly tall candle as he began to think. He felt very confused and horrified at the same time. The werewolf I could understand, he was the friend of Harry's dead godfather... but Snape? He stood up to remove his shoes and robes. The latter he folded neatly and hung on the back of a chair while he placed his shoes beside his trunk. His white shirt and black pants for the journey tomorrow were arranged neatly on his desk and he quickly slipped into his sleeping robe. Everything seemed hazy to him and the more he thought about Snape's guardianship over Harry, the more his head felt like exploding. Lying on his bed, he extinguished the candles with a soft command.

He stared at the ceiling for what felt like hours before he groaned and covered his face with a pillow. At least I'm the one who overheard that conversation. If it had been Vince, or worse, Pansy... I hope that wherever Green-Eyes is spending the holidays, it will be in a place that's tightly warded. With that thought, he let himself drift off into a deep slumber, blissfully unaware of a confrontation between a worried werewolf and a dumbfounded Potions Master.

**********

The office was eerily silent. The fact that there were no windows and was lit only by the heatless flames in the fireplace, made the room appear even more frightening. Two wizards faced each other, not speaking. Lupin's face showed his weariness; his brown eyes gleamed ethereally in the firelight. Snape's face, on the other hand, was white with shock and his obsidian eyes stared penetratingly into the werewolf's.

Exactly ten minutes earlier Snape had been in his bedchamber busily packing his clothes without magic when he heard a rap on the outer door. He frowned for a moment, wondering if it was his godson. He left his task to answer it, and as he opened the door to receive his caller, he was pushed rudely by a strong hand and nearly caused half of his Potions ingredients to topple over. Fortunately, Snape had recently renewed the Stabilizing and Unbreakable Charms on his cupboard and its contents.

Snape straightened himself and pushed his long black hair out of his face, fuming. "What's gotten into you, werewolf?" the Potions Master snapped angrily, advancing dangerously close to the D.A.D.A. professor.

"Has it ever occurred to you to place Silencing Charms or something when you're having a conversation that's best kept secret?" Lupin asked lightly before he muttered several spells. His brown eyes refocused and Lupin looked grimly at the Potions Master.

Snape frowned, wondering what the werewolf was implying. His question was soon answered and he felt as if he had been hit by several hundred Bludgers all at once.

"So basically the entire school now knows that you're with Harry," Lupin had said simply.

Still stunned, Snape finally broke eye contact and sat heavily in his armchair. He suppressed the urge to bury his face in his palms. Instead, he stared blankly at Lupin's chest. Dear Merlin... Remus isn't lying about that. He had used his skill as a Legilimens on the werewolf and Lupin didn't stop him; in fact, the werewolf had encouraged him to do so. Was Harry the one who -

"Stop being an ass, Severus. Harry is not so foolish as to experiment with something that would cost you your life. Sirius's death taught him that," Lupin interrupted in a severe tone. The Potions Master might have been skilled when it came to Occlumency but Lupin had spent years studying human behavior and body language. He didn't need to look into a person's mind to know what they were thinking and Snape knew it.

The Potions Master closed his eyes for a long moment. Lupin was still looking intently at him and Snape conjured another chair for the werewolf. The D.A.D.A. professor hesitated for a moment before accepting the seat.

"If Harry wasn't the one who broadcasted the news, then who?" Snape asked in a strained voice.

"Possibly Draco Malfoy," Lupin answered quietly. "He was the only student who left the Hall after you did."

Snape's eyes widened in surprise. "I don't think the boy hates me so much that he would expose which side I'm on, Remus."

"Who knows why the Malfoys do anything?" Lupin retorted, making Snape scowl blackly.

"You don't know the boy like I do, werewolf," Snape said quietly. He gave a long sigh. "I guess a lifetime's worth of bad luck has finally caught up with me. Anyway, it doesn't matter. The Dark Lord has had his suspicions and I'm sure he'll be thrilled to receive confirmation of my disloyalty within the next few days. Bless Dumbledore for preparing for the eventuality of my exposure." Snape rose swiftly from his chair and paused by his bedroom door. Lupin heard the Potions Master say 'Pack-' and he saw Snape wave his wand before coming back to sit down, looking a little forlorn.

Lupin's eyes softened as he watched Snape's façade fade away to reveal the real Potions Master. No one knew Snape's other self but Dumbledore. The werewolf had only seen glimpses of it back in his school days, such as the days where he had waited anxiously for Snape to tell him about the possibility of a potion to curb the harmful behavior of a werewolf. Lupin had even seen glimpses of it during exchanges of sharp words, but never all at once. I suppose Harry has seen him too. Cheer up werewolf. Don't plague your mind with worries about their safety. He thought of something to say, finally giving a small chuckle.

"At least Ron finally believes that you're on our side now," Lupin said lightly, smiling, albeit a little forcibly. Werewolf, you are crazy. This is a serious situation and you're attempting a joke?!

Snape snorted with amusement and Lupin relaxed. Snape's eyes brightened with mirth and the werewolf marveled at Dumbledore's influence on the Potions Master. "I certainly can imagine his reaction," Snape said scornfully, and to Lupin's surprise, the Potions Master made a fair imitation of the Weasley's voice. "Harry must have gone mental! Snape? That slimy git? Bloody hell! Mental! That's what Harry is! Bloody mental!" Snape gave a sidelong glance at Lupin. The werewolf was squirming in his seat, and Snape could see that Lupin was blushing. "Well... wasn't that his general reaction?"

Lupin did not answer because he wasn't sure if the Potions Master really wanted to know, as that was precisely how Ron had reacted. After his initial shock, the Weasley had made those exact sentiments known, just in a much louder voice. "Well, if you are calm enough -" Snape snorted at that, annoying Lupin greatly. "Dumbledore wants to have a word with you."

Snape sneered at the werewolf and Lupin took a deep breath, restraining his instinct to throttle the Potions Master. Snape stood up, straightened his robes and peeked into his bedroom for a moment before proceeding out without a backward glance at Lupin. The werewolf sighed, wishing that the other wizard would show him a little courtesy. Lupin stepped out of the office and closed the door gently, muttering a quiet spell and moving off. He tilted his head to his right when he realized that Snape was waiting for him.

Half of the Potions Master was in shadow but something about his posture told the werewolf what Snape was thinking. Lupin stopped, just inches away from Snape, and stared at his coal-black eyes.

Smiling, Lupin spoke. "Don't worry, Severus," the werewolf said in an undertone. "I don't feel slighted in any way. If it's of any comfort to you, I'm glad that you took Harry under your wing." Lupin was hard pressed to restrain his itchy fingers from tracing the outline of the Potions Master's face. Snape stared at Lupin's face for a moment before he nodded and turned away.

Snape could still feel the soft, burning gaze of the werewolf's and he shuddered involuntarily. He had nearly lost control of himself but there were just too many things to think about to give in to temptation.

So, he does not mind me being Harry's guardian. Of course, I think the only people to object to this would be the last of the Black... Merlin help me... What if he gets the idea to hunt down the students and their families to get to Harry through me?

Snape trembled at his bleak thoughts and briskly made his way to the Headmaster's office.

**********

The night wore on, students and staff alike sleeping and dreaming of things they were looking forward to. There were others who dreamt of things they prayed they would never have to face in the future. A redheaded prefect was mumbling in his sleep, having a nightmare of Harry being bewitched by a certain dark-haired creature. Ron Weasley continued to moan until Seamus Finnigan hit him with a hex and Ron slept quietly. A boy with distinct silver-blond hair turned to his side, hugging a pillow closely to his chest. Draco Malfoy was smiling in his sleep as he dreamt of holding a person who whispered that he was the only one deserving enough to do so. Inside the Room of Requirement, a boy with thick, messy black hair writhed in his bed, moaning and gasping. Harry Potter's face was streaked with tears as he dreamed of a future massacre over and over again, desperately trying to find a way to stop the bloodshed. It wasn't until three hours later when he dreamt of a person with strong arms comforting him that The Boy Who Lived finally fell into an exhausted sleep, soothed by nothing more than the impression that he was being held. And loved.

**********