pith (pith) wrote in pithia, @ 2007-09-23 17:40:00 |
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Entry tags: | harry potter |
Harry Potter: Flesh and Blood
Title: Flesh and Blood
Fandom: Harry Potter
Spoilers: entire Potter book series; influenced by the movies
Disclaimers: The characters and the world belong to J.K. Rowling; the ficlet is mine.
On the outside, yet again. Severus, newly departed, had been summoned when Harry used the Resurrection Stone, but the boy was too smitten with his parents, his godfather, and Lupin to notice. It was only when Harry went to enter the Forbidden Forest that the spectre of Lily paused. 'Severus?' she called softly. 'Is that you?'
Her green gaze found him and pinned him in place. 'I didn't betray you,' Snape began, seeing the venomous gaze Sirius shot him. 'It was all a part of Albus's plan—'
'Thank you.' The words came from a mouth Snape thought incapable of kindness: James stepped away from his fellow Marauders and offered Severus his hand. 'Thank you for taking care of Harry. I know—I know,' James continued, looking back at his wife and then his son, 'it must've been difficult for you.'
Snape said nothing; he merely nodded stiffly and tried to blend back in with the shadows.
'Please don't,' Harry blurted. 'Please. I'd like to have you with me . . . Professor.'
Professor. Even in death, in his sacrifice, that's how Harry saw him. Not a confidante like Lupin or godfather like Sirius. Not a father like James—though if life had gone differently, been kinder. . . . But no. It had been his lot to guard Harry, who had the eyes of the woman he adored and the attitude of the man he despised—and he'd treated Harry based on memories and grudges, so he could hardly blame the boy for not being comfortable with him.
'Of course, Potter. Someone has to keep you out of trouble.' Snape's tone was clipped as always, but when James drifted over to Sirius and Remus, Lily walked over to Hogwarts' latest headmaster and squeezed his hand.
The spectres fanned out behind Harry, visible to him alone as he entered the Forest. 'Thank you, Severus,' Lily whispered. 'For everything. Thank you so much. Albus—he told me only some of what you've done. You've been so brave.' Her eyes shone with tears. 'So brave. Thank you for protecting my son.'
Snape wanted to tell her that it hadn't been for Harry. He hadn't done it to keep his promise to Dumbledore or to thwart Voldemort. He'd done it to save what remained of her in the world, to thank her for all the times she had saved him.