In Your Eyes

“Mr. Potter…” Snape drawled looking disdainfully down into green eyes and paused. While he enjoyed terrorizing the student’s to a degree the level of terror, pain and overall hurt in those familiar green eyes threw him off balance. Harry unconsciously looked away and tried to back up but Neville had frozen solid behind him.

“P…Professor.” Harry stuttered looking anywhere but those obsidian eyes.

[Contemptuous little brat probably thinks that everything is about him, even if I am here for him.] Snape’s soul’s voice was aloof but lacked the sneer that he voiced aloud. [But why does he look so frightened.] Harry was frightened for a reason obvious to him but not to anyone else. Well to his family also but they weren’t here, then that was exactly true either. He desperately wanted and needed a pill.

“Well um if you don’t need us…” Harry tried to move away again but Snape blocked the way with a sneer that Harry barely glanced at.

“The Headmaster requires your presence Potter, pertaining to your location this summer.” He said now looking at Harry with mild annoyance and something very distantly akin to concern.

[Dogey old goat why bother concerning over where he was the boy is back if acting very odd…] Snape’s soul murmured as Harry quickly glanced up to try and figure out Snape’s feelings for the headmaster. Obviously there was some animosity there, oh if only he knew how far the headmaster’s lies ran. Merlin he needed a pill.

“Ah alright can I just um grab my stuff?” he replied glancing around nervously. Snape sneered again shaking his head;

“Someone will bring it to your dorm for you. You and I are going to side along apparate back to Hogsmeade. Now.” He annunciated the last word incase Harry seemed to be hard of hearing. The boy-who-lived was well and truly trapped he needed a pill for sure to deal with Dumbledore but Snape would never let him get it. Plus they were creating a scene.

“Yes Sir.” He replied reluctantly, taking Snape’s obviously reluctant offered arm. The familiar uncomfortable sensations started and then they were standing in the road of Hogsmeade, a familiar girl standing with a much friendlier smirk than Snape’s. The girl was young; if Harry didn’t know her age to be eleven exactly a month ago he would’ve guessed her to be younger. Although technically he shouldn’t know her at all but that wasn’t too important at the moment, Snape looked furious.

“Deryn, you’re supposed to be in the school, why are you out here?!” he demanded completely oblivious to the fact that he sounded exactly like a concerned parent, or uncle.
“Obviously I snuck out Uncle. You left rather randomly and I was curious.” She replied flicking her long, silky black hair back and returning her uncle’s glare together their relation was obvious, Deryn had a long nose that was far more attractive on her face.

“When we get back to the castle I’m going to give you a pre-class detention, for the rest of the year!” He muttered ignoring Harry completely. Deryn however gave him a wink when the older man turned away choosing to ignore them both.

“Hi, I’m Deryn Snape.” She said holding out a hand, he shook it and felt to his relief that she was handing him a pill. Thank Merlin for small favors!

“Harry Potter. Nice to meet you.” He replied giving her a wink too and an overly grateful smile. Facing a cough he slipped the pill and almost instantly felt the calming empty feeling. Although he knew that this was the danger with this potion he couldn’t help the relief looking back up and staring resolutely foreword. Wishing that this confrontation with the old man could be avoided, he really didn’t want to try and convince him of where he was. Though really the headmaster already knew where he had been, he just didn’t want to accept it. They trudged through the empty castle, they had bypassed the train after all, and finally after what felt like for ever they reached Dumbledore’s gargoyle guarded office.

“Deryn get back to your room and I may hold off on that punishment.” Snape said dangerously leaving no room for argument. She sighed and trudged off.

“Children…” Snape muttered contemptuously before facing the gargoyle; “Sugar Quills.” He said with an air of one eating something very foul and the gargoyle jumped aside. At the top he knocked imperiously on the door, Dumbledore called for them to enter. The old wizard was wearing his typical odd colored concoction of robes and that annoyingly knowing look. Though by now Harry was well into the potion and far beyond being able to get annoyed,

“Harry m’boy I must say that you gave us quite the slip this summer! You should know better than trying to run off.” The headmaster scolded. As if he were still young enough to care what this manipulating fool thought.

“I hardly ran off headmaster. I was with my family. Grandfather says to pass on his continuing hope that you will meet your untimely end soon.” Harry replied emotionlessly and with a humorless smile at the man’s shocked look. It was then that he noticed the headmaster’s arm; it looked blackened and dead, or poisoned.

“Perhaps that will be sooner than he thinks… Sir what happened to your…” He began but Dumbledore cut him off looking rather harried instead of in control.

“Never mind that now Harry, I need you to tell me exactly what happened over the summer, going with someone you don’t know really isn’t a good move Harry.” He demanded dropping the grandfatherly appearance all together. Harry stood his ground mulishly. Looking right into the headmaster’s, no longer twinkling, eyes;

[He couldn’t possibly…But that greeting that’s exactly what Rylan would say. Could he be one of them too…that would ruin everything, especially if he were to know the truth behind the prophesy and his parentage…I would loose all control.] Dumbledore’s soul was whiney and grated on his senses, giving him an immediate headache. Looking away he saw the old man catch the movement with a dawning look of horror.

“I would have to say Headmaster, consider all your control lost already. May I go down to the feast now?” He demanded standing stiffly, voice as cold as ice. The headmaster nodded stiffly, waiting to hear the movement of the gargoyle as it set itself back in place before whipping to face Severus.

“What did he mean Albus?” the pallid potion’s master asked with obvious curiosity. Dumbledore merely waved it aside,

“What he says is of no consequence. Listen to me Severus, do not believe anything he tells you and keep a cautious eye on him. There could be trouble brewing.” He murmured before shooing him out of the office.

Halfway down the hall Deryn stepped out of a corner and smiled up at Harry,

“Hey Ry, did you tell the old codger off?” she asked with a smile, handing him a red pill this time, the antidote. He eyed it but didn’t take it.

“Come on Harry! You promised Papa that you’d cut back on them. You don’t want to make him punish his favorite nephew do you?” She insisted, he sighed and took the pill.

“It’s just hard here Der. And I’m his only nephew, unless Reine managed to have any children in the last week.” He muttered. She patted his shoulder sympathetically.

“I know it’s hard but you have to be careful, right? What do you think Uncle Severus’ face will be when I get sorted in to Gryffindor?” She said turning to a far more enjoyable subject, Harry grinned wickedly.

“Priceless. But if you don’t hurry you wont be there to sort.” He said and she swore running off with a wave. Harry made it to the great hall with enough time to slip in with the crowd somewhat undetected at least until he made it back to the table.

“What did Dumbledore want mate?” Ron demanded the minute he sat down, obviously having got the story from Luna, Ginny and Neville.

“Later.” He whispered back with a significant air hoping to deter his friend. Luckily the sorting was starting and Ron had the sense to be quiet. Harry only listened to the hats song with half an ear as the turmoil of his thoughts began again. He tried to watch the first years get sorted but found he didn’t care at least until Deryn’s turn.

“Snape, Deryn.” McGonagall called looking a little surprised; no one had informed her that Snape was going to have a relative in the sorting this year! The little girl took her place and pulled that hat on; it fell well over her dark eyes.

“Gryffindor!” The hat called out and if it could express emotions Harry would’ve sworn that it was surprised as the rest of the hall. Snape’s face was indeed priceless he looked mortified, surprised and maybe even a little proud all at once.

“Push over” Harry said to Ron who was still staring at the girl who was bounding over with a huge grin. The redhead complied until he realized his friend’s intent.

“Don’t invite her over here! Snape will kill us!” he muttered softly. Harry rolled his eyes and waved her over.

“Congratulations Der.” He said with a smile and glanced up at the staff table, avoiding Snape’s eyes but taking in his expression. The man looked even angrier that his niece was sitting with the Gryffindor golden boy then he initially had. The feast progresses and Ron compromised by eating and ignoring everything else rather than face the fact that their least favorite teacher’s niece was in their house.

“So your Professor Snape’s niece? I didn’t know he had any siblings.” Hermione asked not looking at Harry.

“Uhuh.” Deryn agreed eating rather vigorously too, “Uncle Severus has a little brother; my dad, Lance and an older Sister, Reine.” She continued when another voice interrupted the bushy haired brunette from talking.

“Congratulations Der, Severus’ face was indeed quite spectacular.” Drawled a familiar voice, Draco Malfoy stood beside the table ignoring Ron’s glares,

“What are you doing here Malfoy?” he demanded. The blond glared back.

“I can’t wish my cousin congratulations? Regardless of her house she’s still part of my family and she did just start school, surely that designates a small bit of respect?” he sneered back. Deryn stood and enveloped the blond in a hug.

“Thanks for the welcome Drake.” She said with a smile and to every Gryffindors’ surprise the Slytherin ice prince smiled back. Harry chuckled accidentally meeting Draco’s eyes as he meet the blondes challenge.

“A Malfoy showing affection, what is the world coming too?” he said and for a brief moment Draco looked as if he would laugh too then it faded.

[Merlin…He has beautiful eyes.] Malfoy’s soul whispered… ‘Wait…WHAT?’ Harry thought in shock.

AN: Thank you all muchly for the reviews! Keep them coming! =)