Outside the Potions Classroom

Outside the Potions Classroom







Chapter 7


For someone who couldn’t stand children, he had to admit he was feeling great spending time with Hadrian. Perhaps it was because of the forced familiarity, maybe it was one piece fitting into another – but damn it all, he liked his son.

After the…hugging incident, he began to loosen up. He started talking, asking questions. He suddenly found himself curious about this boy, his boy, and wanted to know more, understand why…find out who he was.

He had the blood of six hundred years of Snapes behind him, which meant he was clever and an opportunist, and he could only guess what eleven years of living with Granger had done to the lad. But, obviously the boy was brave. After being at Hogwarts for a few days, and having the name that the other students had come to fear, he couldn’t imagine what the boy’s life would be like.

He soon found out. “The other students, older students, cornered me. ‘Is it true? Are you Professor Snape’s son?’ You should have seen their faces…they looked at me like I had a third eye in the middle of my forehead!” Hadrian laughed. “Mom always said I made an impression, but I never thought I would have the entire school afraid of me the first day. I mean, I can’t even do a Bat Bogey hex properly. What did you ever do to these people to make them fear you so much?”

Severus frowned. He didn’t want his son prejudiced against already. Children could be such little bastards sometimes. “I am a very strict instructor. In Potions, as I imagine you are aware, there is very little room for error and even less for students who do not pay attention. I have little choice but to be firm in my teaching methods – else the Potions lab explode, as it has threatened to do on many occasions in the hands of the careless.”

“I bet. When mum first taught me how to brew my own Deflating Draught, I could tell how precise you had to be or else you could have gotten something that would be even worse than the injury.” Hadrian’s eyes shone in his reminiscing. “I like that, though. I like it when there is only one way to do something, to be exact rather than abstract. It’s like in Quidditch, y’know? You keep the Quaffle out. Win or lose. Black and white.”

Severus found himself agreeing. “Many things aren’t so clearly defined and for that reason I enjoy Potions immensely. I could never teach something so…flaky like Divination or Charms. Such foolish wand waving and tea-leaf reading.”

“Well I don’t know about Charms, but Divination sounds stupid.” Again, Severus found himself amazed. Not only did the boy agree with him, he sounded just like Granger. “I don’t think the leaves left over in my cup are going to show me a prophecy. They’re just stupid leaves! They fall to the bottom of the cup because they are heavier than the liquid. I’m excited for Defense Against the Dark Arts though. And Transfiguration. That sounds like it will be fun, too.”

“Do you plan on spending every waking moment studying?” Severus asked with his tone etched in skepticism. The apple wasn’t falling far from the tree. The tree of Herm...Granger.

The boy shook his head. “No way! I want to try out for Quidditch too. I want to play keeper like Uncle Ron. But I’m going to wait for next year.” He must have noticed Severus’s questioning look. “I’m waiting so I can see what the other teams are like, and what I am up against. Know the enemy.”

“That sounds very Slytherin.” Severus felt a pang of pride hit him.

Hadrian screwed up his face. “I sound like an opportunist, right?”

Severus nodded, although inside he was practically beaming in pride and joy. “Something to that effect, yes.”

Hadrian shrugged. “Well I can’t help it. That’s playing with my head. I was always taught I should think over things first, and then decide what I was to do. That way I wouldn’t just run into a wall.”

Severus was greatly impressed with his son’s maturity. He had to remind himself this was a first year he was speaking to, an eleven year old wizard who only knew what his mother, the man-boy wonder and his red-haired sycophant were telling him, and anything he read in books – yet was able to formulate opinions and interests that existed outside the bounds of his upbringing. Interesting, very interesting indeed.

“When I put the hat on I didn’t know where I wanted to go. My uncles wanted me to be sorted into Gryffindor, but I knew you were a Slytherin. And after meeting my Aunt Luna, I didn’t know if I would fit into Ravenclaw, so I guess it sorted me in the right spot. A lot of students think Hufflepuff is the weakest house, that we are sissies, but everyone is really nice and hardworking. I like it.

“Besides, I guess it’s not fair to say I belong here or there. Just cause I’m smart doesn’t mean I’m a Ravenclaw or cause I’m brave I’m a Gryffindor. It’s not fair to type people like that, because everyone is so different and can be so many things, right? Like you are Head of Slytherin but you are smart and brave. What made The Hat put you in one house over another? It doesn’t make much sense to me. But that’s just what I think.”

A rather loud rumble in his stomach punctuated his sentence. Hadrian smiled meekly.

Severus smirked. “I suppose it’s dinner time.” He paused, weighing the consequences out in his head. “Would you like to eat dinner with me here? We can talk some more.”

The boy looked at him as if he had just filled his hand with galleons and said go wild in Honeydukes. “Could I? Really?” he asked, the volume of his voice raised several octaves.

Severus chuckled. “I couldn’t see anything wrong with that.”

He summoned the House-elves to bring two plates down to his office. As quickly as they were called the two wizards found themselves staring at plates piled with roasted turkey and smoked ham, potatoes and gravy, grilled vegetables and lots of steaming, hot Yorkshire puddings. They continued to talk over dinner and over dessert, hot apple cobbler with vanilla ice cream, about Quidditch and more about House rivalries at Hogwarts. The rivalries were something that seemed to fascinate Hadrian, who grew up believing everyone was equal even if they weren’t in the eyes of society.

Despite his young, fresh-faced enthusiasm and hopelessly optimistic outlook, Severus found himself staring at the boy, appearing to listen intently but too overcome with disbelief to listen properly.

The thing in front of him actually came from him. He made it. Fate had joined his sperm with Granger’s egg and created this pile of flesh and bones before him. And when he did listen to what was being said, he couldn’t believe the words that were coming from this creature he had made. He was in disbelief again over how well raised he was.

Hadrian was a boy who had been unconditionally loved, had been raised to see truth and logic and everything created as equal, and was hopeful for the future. His own parents had scarred his childhood. His father’s abusive reign of terror and his alcoholism and his mother’s blatant ignorance and obstructive demeanor had only brought despair to his younger self. He had only known that to be Pureblood made you better than everyone else, that you were the best or you were nothing, and that if he questioned their values, he would be hit. Hard.

Yet here sat a child unmarred, his child. A child so well-raised, he was impressed. He was also angered that he never saw a moment of it. And he was slightly depressed, for he wondered that had he been there, would his child's life had turned out for the worse? He was so confused by the creature before him, wondering what if but really not wanting to know the answer. His emotions seemed to run in every direction and he felt very tired suddenly.

Perhaps it was better for them to meet later. Give the boy a head start in the right direction before entering his father’s dismal world.

With all the confusion he felt, with all the good points he could raise in her favor, he knew one thing was for certain. That Granger had no right to hide his son from him. She should have given him the options before she ran. Never in his life had he felt so conflicted.

“I’m pleased that you came to see me tonight. It took a lot of courage on your part.” Severus admitted when he realized what time it was – quarter to curfew. They had spent the better part of four hours together, talking in his office.

The boy beamed. “Can I come tomorrow too? I mean, if you don’t mind or aren’t too busy.”

Severus shook his head. “No, I would like that.” He honestly did have a lot to do, but wasn’t going to give up this opportunity. He didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to be with his son. It sounded so novel in his head.

He offered to walk Hadrian up to his dormitory. As they walked, silently and swiftly, (The boy even walked like him, bizarre) they were silent. Words weren’t really needed, they still had to get used to the presence of one another.

“What is going to happen in class?” Hadrian asked abruptly.

“Nothing. You are my student, Mr. Snape, and will act accordingly. Even if you are my son, there will be no favoritism. I expect from you the same standard which I expect from your peers,” he answered sternly. “So don’t blow up the laboratory and you will be fine.”

Hadrian grinned. “Don’t worry. I won’t. I’m my parents’ son after all. I have a lot to live up to.” He turned toward the portrait of The Bearded Man at the entry of the Hufflepuff dorms and issued the password. “Wigtown Wanderers.” The portrait issued a hello in a curt tone and swung open, obviously not impressed that Head of Slytherin was there. “Thanks for…well thanks for everything, sir.”

“It was my pleasure.” Severus answered honestly. “Should you need anything…please, don’t hesitate to seek me out. I am your professor and your…father.” The word sounded alien coming from his mouth.

Hadrian nodded. “I guess it’s too soon to call you that, isn’t it?”

Severus pondered it. “I would think so. And when we are there, it’s best to say it only in private.”

The boy’s eyes widened. “Of course! It’s none of theother students' business.”

“Good. Well…have a good night, Hadrian.” He extended his hand for the boy to shake. His hand was so small and warm in his own, and Severus felt reluctant to let go.

He bid farewell and the boy disappeared behind the portrait. Severus turned back to retire to the dungeons, feeling somewhat more lighter than before, hopeful even. Perhaps he could get used to being a father after all. Somehow, things seemed to be looking up for him.

Now he only had to make Granger suffer for the sins she had committed against him, and everything would be perfect.


Tbc…