Love Potion No. 13

Chapter 10

“Severus please come down.” If anyone had come into the headmaster’s office at that very moment they’d have been positive the elder wizard had lost his mind. Standing on the top step of his book case ladder in his nightcap and gown, with a bowl of fresh crickets trying to tempt the pot bellied bat down from the rafters, the headmaster looked positively nutty. The bat had been up in the rafters all day hanging upside down in the furthest corner of the roof, it’s wings wrapped protectively around its body and it’s beady eyes staring blankly at the wall. “Please Severus, I can not talk to you up here it is giving me a headache.” The headmaster declared as he shook the plate of crickets again hoping to draw the bat down closer to him with the temptation of food. “I know things are difficult at the moment but there’s no sense in sticking your head in your wing and hoping the problem will go away.” When the bat made no move the headmaster sighed and carefully stepped down from the ladder. “I understand you’re upset my dear boy but Harry’s not had as long as you have had to sort out his feelings, he probably doesn’t recognize them. And you have to admit you’re relationship hasn’t exactly been a happy one up to now has it? It’s hardly surprising the boy’s upset and confused by what’s happening to him.” With a sigh the headmaster sat down in his chair by the fire having abandoned the plate of crickets on his desk. “I remember my first mate, she was beautiful. A beautiful plumed breast, feathers made of stars and the most amazing singing voice, I could have listened to that nightingale for years…” The headmaster smiled wistfully to himself and then sat up when he heard the tell tale whisper of wings on the air before the soft pad of feet on the stone floor. Albus smiled over his shoulder at Severus before offering the Potions’ professor the seat opposite him.

“I hit him.” Snape whispered as he sat down in the plush armchair wrapping his cloak around him tightly in quiet protection.

“We all do rash things in our lives Severus, it was a mistake in the heat of the moment I will not report it.” The headmaster smiled at his potions professor who sighed heavily and leant his head against the wing of the chair, so that he could stare into the warm flames of the fire. “He did not mean those things he said Severus, he’s young and doesn’t understand their meaning.” Severus nodded albeit reluctantly, something in Harry’s voice had cut him more deeply than anything the boy had actually said.

“I heard him scream, I thought he was dead.” Severus whispered remembering all too clearly the piecing wail of Harry that had reached only his ears when the boy had been caught in the tree.

“Fear is a wonderful thing Severus, a little can save our lives, too much and it can consume us. Fear also reveals to us something’s that we never thought possible. Harry misinterpreted your fear as something threatening, you should correct his judgment of you.” Snape sighed heavily his eyes drooping heavily. He’d exhausted himself by staying transformed all day and now he was struggling to stay awake. “You should go to bed Severus, things will be better in the morning I promise.” Snape couldn’t help himself any longer and in the warmth of the fire fell quietly into slumber.

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“Mr. Potter, would you take a walk with me?” Harry looked up from his breakfast cereal to the headmaster. Harry swallowed nervously but nodded in agreement. After a night of sleeping on what he’d done and said, and with a purple cheek that stung like hell, things didn’t seem as clear as they’d been the day before in Harry’s mind. Quietly Harry followed Dumbledore out the front doors of the school and out into the gardens. The leaves were already beginning to turn as the last of summer gave way to Autumn. Harry inhaled deeply on the fresh air as he tentatively followed the headmaster down the path onto the lawn. Harry had been surprised he hadn’t been summoned to see the headmaster before this morning; the entire school had been talking about what had happened outside the sixth year potion classroom. Snape had been absent from breakfast and Harry was almost relived not to have to face the elder wizard.

“I enjoy Autumn, the colours are always so rich, so warm.” Harry nodded silently at the headmasters comment as the elder wizard came to a stop beside a small blackberry bush. “I’m not going to reproach you for yesterday Harry, I expect you’ve already come to realize what you said wasn’t fair on Professor Snape.” Harry stared at the bush desperate to avoid looking at the headmaster’s gaze knowing he’d see disappointment hidden behind the gray eyes. “Did you know that the bat is one of the rarest Animagus forms a wizard can take?” Harry frowned a little in confusion wondering where this new conversation had sprung. Slowly Harry shook his head and Albus smiled warmly. “It is rare because it is a form taken by soul mates.” Harry’s frown deepened further as the headmaster continued. “Soul mates are rare even in the wizarding world Harry, they are two wizards or witches born with only a small potential of their magic available to them. It is only when they meet their soul mate that their magic is complete and takes its full form.” The headmaster trailed off for a moment allowing Harry to take in all the information he was feeding him. “The reason the bat is a common Animagus form for Soul Mates is that bats while enjoying recreation sex, only ever have one partner for life.” Ending quietly the headmaster began walking again down towards the lake. Harry trailed behind him mulling over everything the headmaster had just told him. When he reached the edge of the lake Dumbledore stopped and bent over to pick up some stones. Harry smiled as the elder wizard began skipping the rocks over the water, before bending over and picking up some rocks of his own to skip. “Severus was a high achiever at school Harry, he didn’t like to fail and strove for success even in the face of humiliation from his peers. You already know the tales of your father and Severus, but one you might not be aware of was that Severus never achieved his animagus form. It was a source of frustration for him, and fuel for the bullying. It is only recently he has managed to achieve his form.” Harry’s eyes sprang open in surprise as he looked over at the headmaster for the first time since they’d begun to talk.

“How recent?” Harry whispered as he skipped the final stone into the water much to the headmaster’s delighted clap with the successful six hops.

“The first year you attended Hogwart’s.” The headmaster spoke calmly as he turned to begin the short walk back to the castle. “That year as you probably remember was hectic for us all, so I nor Snape paid little attention to why he’d achieved his animagus now, rather than at any other time. That was until the potions accident before summer this year.” The headmaster glanced across at Harry waiting patiently for the boy to work it out himself. Albus smiled as Harry stopped dead in his tracks half way up the stairs back into the school.

“It’s me.” Harry muttered quietly still in shock and reeling over what it meant.

“Indeed Harry, just as you were encouragement for Snape’s animagus, he was for yours, as well as a little potion accident that helped things quicker than you were probably ready for.” Albus smiled brightly at Harry and clasped a hand comfortingly over his shoulder. “I know this is unexpected Harry, and while it’s new for you Severus has been dealing with this for five long years. It has made him a little bitter I believe, to know that his success in this aspect of his life was due to you and while I think he could have handled it a little better you have done nothing but rub salt into his wounds Harry.” Harry sighed heavily still a little angry that Snape had been at him since school had started back with no good reason. “You need to talk to him Harry, you will both benefit from getting along, he is in his chambers the password is Gillyweed.” With a firm squeeze of his shoulder Albus turned and disappeared back into the school leaving Harry staring at the empty entrance hall.

TBC>>>>>>>>>>>>