1981

1981

by Iva1201

Chapter 2: ...and Unwanted Enemies

A/N:Many thanks to InkandPaper and cardigrl who betaed this chapter and Esmestrella for her helpful comments. (((-:

Enjoy! (-:

ooooo

Malfoy Manor

July 1992

"I can't believe he did it! After all those promises to be just towards Slytherin he goes and awards the damned Gryffindors points for being undisciplined, again!" fumed Snape, furiously pacing Lucius Malfoy's study.

The blond aristocrat watched Snape from behind his writing table, smirking slightly. "Have you forgotten he is a Gryffindor himself, Severus?" he said calmly. "We all favour our own Houses."

Snape turned to him, furious. "Yes, Lucius, wefavour our House. But Dumbledore disgraces his. Slytherin has won the House Cup six times in a row because I care for discipline, not because I take too many points from other Houses - despite what everybody says."

"Draco has complained that you deduct the points from Slytherin in private." Malfoy nodded in approval. "What I fail to understand, however, is how you still manage to get so upset over how he treats ourHouse. You have known Dumbledore for...how many years now? Twenty, at least. Just what do you find unexpected about this development? Did you think Dumbledore would change? Don't be silly, Severus! I, for one, am much more disturbed with regard to the Potter boy. He won't become the leader we were hoping for...no, I fear he has inherited too much from his Mudblood mother..."

Malfoy spotted the look on Snape's face, and stopped. "Excuse me, Severus," he muttered. "I know you were fond of her. But that doesn't change the fact she was a Muggle-lover, just as much as your old fool Dumbledore is. Pity, she was rumoured to be very talented."

Lucius stood and went to the bar to help himself to a drink, offering one to Snape as well. Once back in his seat, he continued. "Do you remember what I once told you about the reason I don't like Mudbloods? The girl was behaving exactly like all the Mudbloods I'd met before her. Thinking she'd swallowed all the wisdom in the world, just because she could do magic while her Mudblood peers couldn't. Just like that Gryffindor know-it-all you have this year. 'I know the answer! I know the answer! Ask me! Meeee!'" His hand up in the air, waving it to get Snape's attention, Malfoy senior mimicked (very accurately as his friend thought) Hermione Granger. No doubt he was mirroring his son.

Against his better judgement, Severus burst out laughing. Well, what was wrong about making fun of his most annoying pupils when said students would never be able to find out? One minor fact - Lily had indeed been as insufferable as Miss Granger when they had first started at Hogwarts. But she had been one of his best friends nevertheless. A friend he killed...Severus swallowed. He couldn't afford to be seen in this mood, not here. Three people knew; with them, he could mourn. But not here. He forced himself to listen again; strange as it might seem, he still took Lucius for a friend as well.

Malfoy rambled on about the Muggleborns. "No, a wizard should grow up in the world of his own kind, and should remain there. And if you could have turned out to be such an excellent man even with those parents of yours, let me say that the Prince blood running in your veins has something to do with it as well. No, Mudbloods should stay where they belong..."

Lucius Malfoy stared into his glass. When he looked up again, he smiled at Snape slightly patronisingly. "Half-bloods, on the other hand - that's a completely different story. Look at yourself! I was rather hoping the Potter boy would inherit the talents of his parents as well as our blood. But leave it to Dumbledore to deposit the boy with some Muggles and let them turn Potter into yet another of his Muggle-lovers... the fool!" Malfoy rose angrily, hitting the table so hard with his glass that the amber liquid inside splashed out. Then he shouted for the house elf. "Dobby! DOBBY! Come down here immediately and clean this mess! Now - did you not hear me? Excuse me, Severus," he muttered. "There is nothing worse than to inherit incompetent servants, trust me."

In the meantime, Severus sobered, once again becoming aware of just why he had turned to the old and (when one did not think of Slytherin) mostly-wise Headmaster of Hogwarts all those years ago. Dumbledore, you old fool! He swore. You almost did it again!

Snape preserved the annoyed expression on his face, but, inwardly, tried to calm himself. Strangely, he managed it in just a couple of seconds. Am I already so used to him treating Slytherin badly? wondered the dark wizard.

Lucius Malfoy appeared calmer as well. With a twisted smile on his lips, a smile Severus hadn't seen for almost eleven years now, the Malfoy patriarch sank comfortably back into his chair. "But the Potter boy is not our last hope," he quietly announced. "After all, the Dark Lord may return sooner than anybody expects." Thoughtfully, the blond wizard ran his finger over an old, worn-out volume laying on his table - some book on the Dark Arts, Snape guessed. The Potions professor was hanging on Malfoy's words now, recognising the statement for a threat more than an expression of unfounded hope.

"Have you any plans, Lucius?" Snape asked carefully after a while, hiding his dread behind a good pretence of curiosity.

His eyes distant, Malfoy senior answered in a threatening voice Severus had again failed to notice (or perhaps it hadn't been there) for the past eleven years. "I may have one." Lucius Malfoy smiled thinly. "We shall see if it is possible... Let me surprise you, my dear friend."

An hour later, Professor Severus Snape was leaving the Manor. Dumbledore, you old fool, he thought once again. I have learnt - the hard way - that I shouldn't take your actions to heart. Yet still I catch myself doing it again, time after time, no matter how stupid it feels later. But has it ever occurred to you that Lucius might have turned as well, being as close to Narcissa and Draco as he is?

The young wizard shook his head in real disappointment. In a way, Lucius really has turned, you barmy old man - while you insisted on being foolish enough to exchange another tamed Death Eater for five minutes of glory for an already spoiled-rotten boy! You are a fool, Dumbledore! Be it the only thing that the Dark Lord got right.

Snape spat on the ground, suddenly wanting to shout out all his feelings aloud. But he rarely let himself to do that; instead, he Apparated to Hogsmeade, seriously thinking about resigning from his teaching post. However, the small voice that had once persuaded him to take the position of Head of Slytherin House again asked him who would take care of Slytherin if he did that... Snape knew he would have to stay, if only to prevent Lucius's revenge getting someone killed...

ooooo

Hogwarts School

Great Hall

Late July 1992

"Ah, good morning, Severus!" Dumbledore greeted him cheerfully, taking the seat right next to his Potions professor and helping himself to a hearty breakfast. "We have a rather nice day today, wouldn't you say?" asked the ancient wizard, not at all minding that his beard was now full of croissant crumbles.

"Definitely not," scowled Snape, thinking of all the potions Poppy had asked from him and his own research that he had neglected in the past two weeks due to the warm weather. "What are you doing here?" The younger wizard frowned at Dumbledore then, realising that the Headmaster was not supposed to return from his visit to Nicolas Flamel until Sunday - at least three days from now.

"Not happy to see me, Severus?" teased the Headmaster. Snape raised an eyebrow in answer. So he wants to speak with you, Severus. Are you so predictable that he knew you were coming to breakfast here only because you were safe in the knowledge that he was somewhere else? Probably. But, hell, what did he expect after that damn display of favouritism towards Gryffindor?

For a while they ate silently, the only sounds the clinking of their tableware. The summer sun made its way through the large windows of the Great Hall, making Dumbledore smile, but leaving Snape more and more annoyed. Why couldn't it have been this hot in those last days of school? Dumbledore would, no doubt, have proclaimed the rest of the lessons cancelled, and Snape would have had the chance both to enjoy the weather and complete his brewing in the later cooler, or even rainy, days.

But no, he simply wouldn't get the chance to enjoy this year. First Potter coming to the school looking and behaving so like James that he had to forget that, once, he had actually rather liked the boy -- when he wasn't drooling baby spit on my best robes, that is.Then, Quirrell offering his head to the Dark Lord. And now, Dumbledore pretending that he cared, but doing something so unforgivable it not only undermined his position at school,but - even worse - gave the Snakes new reason to dislike or even hate members of the other Houses...

"Do you know why I did it, Severus?" Dumbledore asked quietly, gently interrupting Snape's stream of thoughts.

Surprised, Snape looked at his superior, a half-eaten apple in his hand. "No," he frowned.

Dumbledore nodded, sadness written all over his wrinkled face, face that had only a couple of minutes ago been lit with a happy smile. "You know the role the boy will have to play in the future, Severus. You may believe me when I say that it pains me. It actually reminds me of the feeling I had when you were in your seventh year and I worried about your future..." The ancient wizard paused, and for a while gazed straight into the sun that was shining steadily at them. Severus eventually managed to silence his worries and in a way even overcome his expectations, he thought. Could his hopes for Harry fulfil themselves as well? He should pray, as he had once done for the Slytherin Potions prodigy whom Minerva used to dislike so much. And look at them now! One would think they were a married couple with all their arguments - but friends, nevertheless. Maybe this, also, was what was needed - Severus not only looking after the boy, but actually caring...

Looking again at Snape, Dumbledore continued carefully. "Severus, I know you liked the boy's mother. Why do you insist so much on seeing James in the boy? He is nothing like him, trust me. Petunia didn't want to take the boy in, as you well know, and I fear very much what Harry could tell me if I asked him about his life before he came to Hogwarts." Dumbledore recalled the small boy sitting in front of the Mirror of Erised, and sighed. More quietly, he went on. "I can't share the rest of the prophecy with you, but, my dear boy, Harry may very well pay the highest price for our salvation. Let me give him some hope that it all may yet end well. Let me encourage him to at least try to fulfil his destiny."

The old man allowed himself a sad smile before continuing. "Your Slytherins know they did well, Severus - and neither you nor Minerva can fool me that the School Cup is the one you value most. If I know you, the Quidditch Cup is on the mantelpiece of the Slytherin common room already, to console your Snakes. Please, forgive this old man his wish to give a small boy - burdened with a duty that may get him killed - a prospect of a better future." A single tear ran down Albus Dumbledore's face, and Severus knew he would forgive the older man. Eventually, he always did.

Seeing Dumbledore cry was rare; the ancient wizard had seen entirely too much in his long life for that to happen often. Snape viewed this unusual display, therefore, with a heavy heart. A sour mood should have been reserved for him. After all, Minerva always said that he had a monopoly on scowls, frowns and sneers at Hogwarts. "I will help you look after the boy." Snape vowed to continue his obligation to Lily. And then, eyes down, he said also, "I will do my best to forget he is James Potter's son." Thank Merlin the boy at least inherited his mother's eyes!

"Thank you, my boy." Dumbledore looked at Snape gratefully, his eyes still sad. "I know you won't ask anything for yourself in return, but I shall try to give your Snakes a better deal next year."

Snape nodded, hoping this promise would last longer than all the good intentions Dumbledore had undoubtedly had before this year, too. He finished his apple, then hesitantly told Dumbledore of Lucius's promises. "But let me warn you, Headmaster, that certain traditional families won't be able to forgive you for your favouritism this easily. Lucius Malfoy in particular shared the opinion that Potter should be taught a lesson."

Dumbledore looked at Severus questioningly, clearly alarmed. Snape shook his head. "No, I don't know anything specific. But we should guard the boy better next year."

The old wizard nodded his affirmation and Snape once again assured Dumbledore that he would assist him - in the end becoming the welcoming committee for the boy and his faithful associate in mischief. Unfortunately, Lily's son's latest adventure reminded the dark Professor yet again of the reckless boy's father. And so, promised or not, Harry Potter remained his favourite target in the classroom as well as out of it. But he did guard the boy's safety, as well as the safety of his friends.

If Dumbledore was disappointed, he didn't share the feeling with his Potions instructor. All in all, the Headmaster was rather glad that Snape had remained at Hogwarts after the war. The thought that he had once given the job to Severus as a measure to keep the young man safe and close to him seemed surreal now. But it had all started with the desperate boy searching for help...

In the beginning, there was a boy who fancied the Dark Arts above all else, except maybe his potions, but who didn't actually want to become Dark; the boy whom he set on the straight path to hell. The lost boy had grown up into a man living with a purpose, or, better to say, a great desire not to let other children repeat his mistakes. Dumbledore hoped he would succeed, and wished he would be of more assistance than a "pain in the arse" in this quest of Severus's.

But the Headmaster kept forgetting that one man is not enough, that a single person can never change everything for the good, in spite of the best intentions--and that this truth applied to his own case, as well as to Severus's.

ooooo

A/N: Lucius Malfoy: I don't view him as an incarnation of evil, sorry. In my opinion Dumbledore gave him a valid reason to step in with his unfortunate behaviour at the end of Harry's first year.

Clap your hands, if you believe Slytherin is not evil! (-: