Bring Me to Life

Chapter 3- Pondering

Dumbledore stood. He walked across his office and looked out a window that overlooked the front lawns of Hogwarts. This night, it seemed to him, had a strange air about it. He sighed.

Most nights, anymore, when he felt this strange feeling, it usually meant that something awful was about to happen. Sighing once more, he glanced up at the night sky.

My, he thought, what a beautiful night! Look at all those stars!

Stars never had to worry. Stars never had to ponder what to do next. Oh, to be a star! Suddenly, he felt a peculiar feeling. It was, almost, as though he wanted to...no, it was too crazy! Then again, nothing at Hogwarts was too odd. He felt as though...he wanted to sing!

Dumbledore could feel it well up inside him. It was about to break free! He opened his mouth, about to belt out a verse as music began to slowly rise from the background.

Then a knock on his door. The music disappeared along with the urge to sing. He turned.

"Enter," he said.

Snape came in. Dumbledore smiled at him and gestured to him to take a seat.

"What troubles you, Severus?" he asked, as both men took their seats.

"Headmaster, a most strange incident took place tonight. It, well...where do I begin?" he said.

"The beginning is where most people usually desire to begin,"

"Right. Well, it is difficult, sir. You see, I entered the library this evening, as I do most evenings, but this time was different. I found Miss Granger there,"

"I see. Did you two exchange words?" the Headmaster asked.

"More than that, Albus. We began to argue. We began to talk about inner demons and looking in spell books to find answers to them, and then..."

"Then?"

"We sang. We sang a song that affected both of us in a very personal way,"

Dumbledore steeped his fingers. "So, you sang a song about your inner demons?"

"More than that, sir," Snape said, hanging his head low.

"Then what?"
"I think...I think that I love her...and that she loves me in return," he said.

Dumbledore's eyes widened, but his overall expression did not change.

"You...think...that you love her?" the headmaster asked, his eyes returning to their normal size.

Snape nodded. Nothing was said for a moment. Then, Dumbledore sighed.

"I do hate to sound...uncaring, but what do you want me to do about it?" he asked.

Snape stared at him. He had never heard Albus speak in such a way!

"Sir, I only...I don't know what to do, sir," Snape sputtered, dumbfounded.

"Well, there are only a few courses of action. You can either ignore your feelings and go about your daily life, you could speak with Hermione about your similarities and work out a friendship, or you could court her," he said, shrugging.

"Isn't there anything else?"

"Well, I'm sure there are many other choices, indeed, but none that you would care for, I believe,"

"But, let's say I decide to court her, isn't that against school rules?"

Dumbledore didn't reply immediately. He hummed for a bit, tapping his steepled fingers together. Finally, he spoke.

"It depends. If you simply court her, without making...advances, then there's not a problem. However, if you were to engage her in a...mature relationship before she was to graduate from this school, then you both would be in a whole world of trouble. Does that make sense?"

Snape nodded. "Completely," he stood. "Thank you, headmaster. I'll see you at breakfast in the morning."

The potions master turned to leave, but something stopped him. Dumbledore had just begun to sprout out the lyrics to "This Old Man."

"This old man, he played one. He played nick-knack on my thumb with a nick-knack--"

"Uh, headmaster? You do know that the spell Hermione uttered is no longer active, right?" Snape interrupted.

"Well, of course, Severus. But what has the world come to when people need a spell for an excuse to sing to their heart's content?"

Snape, with a small smile playing about his lips, turned and exited the headmaster's office.