Longing for Lethe

Longing for Lethe

By: pandorabox82

Author's Note: Well, I thought it would take me a lot longer to write this chapter than it did. I like where this is headed, and I know it's going to be a long story, right now, we're maybe a third of the way through it. You should be able to tell who I base my Sybill on by now, but if not, there are some more subtle clues in this chapter. Put them all together, and you'll get who it is. (Here's a hint: Look up 'Me and My Guy' on Amazon.com). Anyway, there's no direct interaction with Severus and Hermione in this chapter, and the next one, Sybill won't go to talk to Hermione until half-way through it. I can't promise that chapter nine will be out as fast as chapter eight is, but I'll try. Harry's being a prat both to write, and in my story. So, in this chapter, Harry learns about his mother, and Ron isn't as great a jerk as everyone makes him out to be. I like Ron, and besides, Harry should be the one to react to this news, as they're his parents! Anyway, on to the story. Oh yes, and if you missed the URL last time, my new group for this story is: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LongingforLethe

"Mr Potter, if you are going to be making such racket, I'll kindly ask you to leave. This is, after all, a library - not a Quidditch pitch."

"Yes, Madam Pince. I'm sorry for yelling so loudly," Harry replied. "Besides, we were just leaving. I found out some interesting news that I simply must ask one of the professors about." Pointing to the annual still in Ron's hands, he asked, "Is it all right if I borrow this for a few days? There are some pictures of my mother in it that I've never seen before."

It had to have been the morose, puppy dog eyes that Harry gave her to make her agree to let him borrow the annual. Under normal circumstances, she would never have let the book leave her sight. "Very well, Mr Potter, you may take it with you, although you had better take extremely good care of it."

"Thank you, Madam Pince, I will make certain it does not leave my sight," he replied, trying not to smile too largely. He and Ron then exited the library, careful not to make too much noise and upset Madam Pince once more.

Once in the hallway, Ron turned to face Harry. "You know, that's the second time we've been kicked out of a place today. That doesn't bode very well for us."

"No, it doesn't. Say, who do you think we should talk to about Snape and my mother?"

"Why don't you write Sirius, or Lupin?"

"I'd never find out the real truth from them. Most likely, they'd just say my mother was temporarily insane. Not that I don't think that didn't play some part in it. Did you see anyone else we have easy access to in the annuals?"

"Well, there was Lockhart..."

"No, he still doesn't have his full memory back. All he can babble about now a days is someone named 'Rose'. Anyone else?"

"Well, you could go ask Snape himself."

"Are you completely nutters? He'd as soon kill me than tell me something like that!"

"Since you won't talk to Snape, you could always try Madam Pomfrey."

"She kicked us out of the infirmary, Ron. I highly doubt she'll talk to us."

"Then our only easy option is Trelawney. She was a year behind your parents and Snape, and Snape seemed to be quite friendly with her while they were in school."

"But will she talk to us, Ron? I mean, we have been a bit rude to her in the past."

"She'll have to, Harry. She's your only option."

@à à à @à à à @à à à

A short time later, Harry and Ron stood nervously outside Trelawney's office door in the North Tower Corridor. Just as Harry gained enough courage to knock on the door, a voice caused him to pause.

"May I help you?"

"Oh, Professor Trelawney, you're the person we were looking for. Do you think we could talk with you for a bit?"

"Well, I was on my way to see Miss Granger, but I sense that what you need to talk about is weighing heavily on your mind. I'm sure that she can wait for me. Please, do come in." Turning to her door, she uttered the phrase, "Death be not proud," and ushered them in. Her office smelled just as heavily of patchouli as her classroom did.

Motioning to the chairs in front of the fireplace, she conjured up a pot of rose-petal tea. Pouring each of the boys a cup, she then poured one for herself and took the remaining seat.

Harry was the first to speak. "Excuse me if this is out of turn, but isn't that a morbid password?"

"You've never read Donne, then?"

"Who?"

"John Donne, a very fine Muggle poet of the late 1500-early 1600's. His works are very complex, make Shakespeare look like a walk in the park. Anyway, my password is the opening to one of his most beautiful Holy Sonnets, and if you knew the entire sonnet, it is not the least bit morbid."

"But if he was a Muggle, how do you know about him? Dad said that both of your parents were magical," Ron queried.

"I'm a Ravenclaw to the core. We read all the classics, believing they gave us a proper framework to learn from. For if one can remember an entire Donne sonnet, it makes it all the easier to remember ones Charms." She took a sip of tea and regarded them intently for a moment. "Now, what is the reason you are here? It's obviously not to discuss at length the complexity of John Donne's work."

"No, it's not. It's about this." Harry held out the annual, open to the page that held the picture of his mother and Snape.

"How did you ever find this?" she asked, a note of anxiety in her voice.

"Well, it all started this morning. We brought Hermione that globe you had us make, and when she shook it, her "true love" was discovered to be Professor Lockhart." Harry continued on, not noticing the pained look that flitted over Sybill's face, nor hearing her breathed "Gil". Ron noticed, and was going to say something, but thought better of it. "Well, then we kind of got into a little argument over Hermione's unorthodox behaviour lately, and she kind of told me to find out more about my mother before I begin drawing conclusions. Ron and I then got removed from the infirmary and went to the library to see if we could find out what she meant. Then, after finding that in the annuals, we kind of got kicked out of the library. And, since you were a year behind them, we figured you had to know about what went on."

"I do. But the question is - do you want to hear the truth?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I?"

"The truth can be very painful, especially to those not prepared to hear it. Believe me when I tell you that there may be some revelations that were best left in the past."

"I want to know. You're the only one who can tell me," he fervently said.

"Then please, watch the china. 'Tis very precious to me. Now, where should I start?"

"The beginning is a nice place."

"Ah, but I was not here for the beginning, so I must start with the middle, and go to the end. In my fourth year, I watched your mother approach Professor Snape and ask him something. He nodded in a positive reply and when she'd left his table, he was smiling for the first time in years. He missed the malicious grins on the faces of your father and his friends. I believe that it was a cruel joke from the start - an attempt to once more humiliate the boy who was much smarter than they were.

"Months passed, and Severus looked more in love with each passing day. When we returned from break, the first day back, Severus walked in to breakfast only to see your parents snogging. I heard his heart break in that moment. Did you bother to look any further through the annual?"

"No, why?"

"Turn the page." Doing as she commanded, they found a picture of Severus eating at Sybill's table. They were talking to Lockhart, and while a sad look haunted Snape's eyes, he was still a part of the conversation.

"So, he ran right into your comforting arms, then. Didn't take him too long to get over the 'love of his life'," Harry sarcastically remarked, derision dripping off his every word.

"No, I was his only friend in that time - at least the only friend who didn't try to get him killed. Besides, I was already in a relationship at that point. My point is - that is the last 'happy' picture you will ever see of him. I trust you know about the deadly little prank your father and his goon's tried to pull?"

"Of course. Sirius said that my dad saved Snape's life. Besides, they wouldn't have really gone thorough with it, they just wanted to scare him a bit. It was all in good fun."

"Just because your father had a last minute attack of conscience doesn't make him a hero! If Severus would have died - or worse, become a werewolf, the school board would have expelled your father, Sirius, and Peter, and would have sent Remus off to Azkaban. You would never have been born into a welcoming wizard community and Voldemort would most likely tread these halls! It's bad enough he almost killed Severus, but then to knowingly sign his own death warrant, as well as that of your mother's, is unthinkable."

"What do you mean? He died a hero, trying to save my life, and my mother's!"

"I see no one's told you this part of the story behind that fateful Halloween day. The minute that Peter told Voldemort where your parents were, the Fidelius charm broke. Severus knew what would happen next, the writing had been on the wall for ages, and went, at great personal risk, to inform your parents of the coming attack. Your father scoffed at his warning, believing that Voldemort would never dare to attack the great James Potter. Well, Voldemort did come for them, and your father reaped the rashness he had sown. He died a fool, Harry. If you're looking for a hero, look no further than Severus Snape."

"Better to die a fool, then to betray all you know is right," Harry hissed.

"Harry!" exclaimed Ron, his voice filled with shock.

"Well, it's true, Ron. Even that little ferret Malfoy knows it to be true."

"I see now, that Miss Granger was absolutely correct in her assessment of the situation. Harry, please leave, and Ron, stay here a moment. I need to speak to you, privately." Sybill's voice sounded quite weary, and a bit forlorn, as she addressed them.

"Fine, I'll go! I don't need this anyway!" Harry yelled as he slammed down his teacup and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Sybill looked at Ron after Harry'd gone, her eyes tinged with sadness. "Ron, I know you think me cruel to tell Harry some of the truths about his parents, but he is the one who asked. Please realise that while he is quite angry now, he'll need the support of his friends. And, in case you were wondering, my full name is Sybill Rosethorne Trelawney. My parents' estate in Wales grows roses for tea, and I was named after the manor. Only one person was allowed to call me Rose. Make sure you take the annual back to Madam Pince before she begins to worry. That will be all."

"But, Professor Trelawney, I have so many questions..."

"That will be all, Ron." Her voice was controlled, measured, and full of sorrow. She held his gaze with eyes luminous with unshed tears. They begged him to leave her some last amount of dignity.

Impulsively, Ron grabbed her hand. "Thank you, for being the friend to Hermione that we can't be right now. I'm glad someone is looking out for her." Giving her hand a gentle squeeze, he then released it and picked up the annual from the coffee table where it lay. As he walked out the door, he paused and said, "Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me." He then exited her office, carefully pulling shut the door.

Sybill stared at the closed door, trying to regain some measure of her composure before she went to visit Hermione. 'I do believe that Ron would be okay with everything, but Harry is turning out to be just like his father. Oh, Gil, how I wish you were here with me.'