(Fic) Man In Black 1/1 (Snape)
Completely forgot about posting this last week.
Title: Man In Black
Author: Shannon
Rating: PG
Character: Snape
Disclaimer: Not mine. Snape and everyone else belongs to JKR.
Distribution: My site, My LJ, anyone else that has my fics can have this. Anyone else ask first.
Summary: Snape thinks about why he’s the way he is.
Author’s Notes: Written for the Johnny Cash, multifandom ficathon. I’m writing using the theme of the song Man in Black.
**This is set sometime during Harry’s 2nd year, although it does mention events mentioned in book 6.
They all wonder why I’m the way I am. Why I’m not friendly, or kind. Why I cling to formality to keep everyone at a distance. It’s because they all believe it’s over. They believe the Dark Lord is dead, the Wizarding World is safe from terror now.
I know better. He is gone…for now. But he’ll be back. Potter may have hurt him twelve years ago but he didn’t kill him. That’s why Bellatrix and so many others went to Azkaban rather than renounce him. They know too, and they’re waiting for the day he can come back. And he will be back, eventually.
Last time it took him years to find his followers; to build his army. It won’t take years this time. They’ll all come back to him as soon as they know where he is. It won’t be long. He tried and failed last year, but he’ll try again; with someone stronger than Quirrell helping him.
But the rest of the Wizarding World won’t be ready this time. The Ministry won’t see it coming without the slow-growing terror of last time. The Order of the Phoenix has disbanded. Dumbledore seems to believe Harry Potter is safe…
He’s not. Not anymore; he was safe enough hiding with the muggles but now he’s entered the Wizarding World; and the Dark Lord will want his revenge.
The Dark Lord believes in the prophecy. Believes it must be fulfilled. He doesn’t recognize that he is the one that put the prophecy in motion. Killing the Potters is what has given the boy the strength to destroy him. He doesn’t see that he made Harry Potter strong. He doesn’t see that he could end the prophecy just as easily by not seeking Potter out again…but he will. He’ll want to end it by destroying the child. He may succeed, or Potter may destroy him for good this time. Either way the death count on both sides will be too high.
That’s why I can’t allow myself to relax. Why I can’t sit back and enjoy the peace and form bonds of friendships with my fellow Professors. Someone has to stay guarded against the potential dangers. Someone has to be ready for his return.
That’s why I can’t afford to allow the students to do mediocre work. The Dark Lord has never been concerned about who he kills to get what he wants. And what he wants is Harry Potter. As long as he wants Potter there is a chance that he’ll attack the school. He won’t care that he’s killing students. He may attack Potter when he’s with his friends, or at the Burrow with the Weasleys. They’re all as likely to be fighting this battle as the rest of us. They need to be able to protect themselves.
I don’t hate Potter. I hated his father, I admit that. If I hated Potter I wouldn’t have bothered with Quirrell at the Quidditch match last year. No one would’ve blamed me, they would have assumed I was as ignorant as they were to what was happening. I do hate his carelessness. He doesn’t understand the consequences of his actions. He can’t afford to draw attention to himself. He can’t afford to depend on Miss Granger to get him through his classes. I want Potter to survive. If the prophecy is to be fulfilled the Wizarding World will need him. If the Dark Lord is the one to fulfill the prophecy; if he destroys Harry Potter our world will never be the same. He’ll be invincible. The Ministry can’t fight him, either can Dumbledore. Not without Potter.
I don’t hate Longbottom either. I hate his incompetence, yes. I hate his fear. There is always the risk the Dumbledore is mistaken and the prophecy could effect Longbottom as well. Or that the Dark Lord, in his insanity, will decide to destroy both boys to be sure Longbottom isn’t a danger. He can’t afford to be incompetent. Like Potter he can’t afford to assume Miss Granger will be there to whisper instructions to him.
I’ve tried to explain this to Dumbledore but he doesn’t understand either. He believes his school to be safe. He believes Potter to be safe. I can’t make him understand that none of us are safe…not now. Not if he refuses to see that everyone is not opposed to using the darkest magics to get what they want…and to survive.
So I won’t change. I’ll continue to be the most hated Professor at Hogwarts. I’ll force my students to push themselves to the limit. I’ll spend my weekends and summers learning what I can about the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord. I’ll cling to formality and keep everyone at a distance. I’ll continue to force Potter, Weasley, and Longbottom to excel in potions in spite of their resistance.
I hope that one day Dumbledore will hear my words. Heed my warnings. Prepare the students for the battles that are coming. Prepare himself. I’ve learned things this summer; learned that the Dark Lord has taken steps to make himself immortal. I don’t know that he’s succeeded, but I’ve warned Dumbledore.
The students are arriving today; it’s time to once again hide the mark that makes me who I am. Hide the mark that makes me cautious; the mark that Dumbledore wishes to ignore. Hide the evidence that is telling me that the Dark Lord is getting stronger. That he is closer to finding a way back. Hide the constant reminder of why I’m needed; of why I can’t allow myself to change.
I can’t change until I know our world is safe. Someone has to remain on guard. Someone has to be prepared for what’s coming.
The end.
Title: Man In Black
Author: Shannon
Rating: PG
Character: Snape
Disclaimer: Not mine. Snape and everyone else belongs to JKR.
Distribution: My site, My LJ, anyone else that has my fics can have this. Anyone else ask first.
Summary: Snape thinks about why he’s the way he is.
Author’s Notes: Written for the Johnny Cash, multifandom ficathon. I’m writing using the theme of the song Man in Black.
**This is set sometime during Harry’s 2nd year, although it does mention events mentioned in book 6.
They all wonder why I’m the way I am. Why I’m not friendly, or kind. Why I cling to formality to keep everyone at a distance. It’s because they all believe it’s over. They believe the Dark Lord is dead, the Wizarding World is safe from terror now.
I know better. He is gone…for now. But he’ll be back. Potter may have hurt him twelve years ago but he didn’t kill him. That’s why Bellatrix and so many others went to Azkaban rather than renounce him. They know too, and they’re waiting for the day he can come back. And he will be back, eventually.
Last time it took him years to find his followers; to build his army. It won’t take years this time. They’ll all come back to him as soon as they know where he is. It won’t be long. He tried and failed last year, but he’ll try again; with someone stronger than Quirrell helping him.
But the rest of the Wizarding World won’t be ready this time. The Ministry won’t see it coming without the slow-growing terror of last time. The Order of the Phoenix has disbanded. Dumbledore seems to believe Harry Potter is safe…
He’s not. Not anymore; he was safe enough hiding with the muggles but now he’s entered the Wizarding World; and the Dark Lord will want his revenge.
The Dark Lord believes in the prophecy. Believes it must be fulfilled. He doesn’t recognize that he is the one that put the prophecy in motion. Killing the Potters is what has given the boy the strength to destroy him. He doesn’t see that he made Harry Potter strong. He doesn’t see that he could end the prophecy just as easily by not seeking Potter out again…but he will. He’ll want to end it by destroying the child. He may succeed, or Potter may destroy him for good this time. Either way the death count on both sides will be too high.
That’s why I can’t allow myself to relax. Why I can’t sit back and enjoy the peace and form bonds of friendships with my fellow Professors. Someone has to stay guarded against the potential dangers. Someone has to be ready for his return.
That’s why I can’t afford to allow the students to do mediocre work. The Dark Lord has never been concerned about who he kills to get what he wants. And what he wants is Harry Potter. As long as he wants Potter there is a chance that he’ll attack the school. He won’t care that he’s killing students. He may attack Potter when he’s with his friends, or at the Burrow with the Weasleys. They’re all as likely to be fighting this battle as the rest of us. They need to be able to protect themselves.
I don’t hate Potter. I hated his father, I admit that. If I hated Potter I wouldn’t have bothered with Quirrell at the Quidditch match last year. No one would’ve blamed me, they would have assumed I was as ignorant as they were to what was happening. I do hate his carelessness. He doesn’t understand the consequences of his actions. He can’t afford to draw attention to himself. He can’t afford to depend on Miss Granger to get him through his classes. I want Potter to survive. If the prophecy is to be fulfilled the Wizarding World will need him. If the Dark Lord is the one to fulfill the prophecy; if he destroys Harry Potter our world will never be the same. He’ll be invincible. The Ministry can’t fight him, either can Dumbledore. Not without Potter.
I don’t hate Longbottom either. I hate his incompetence, yes. I hate his fear. There is always the risk the Dumbledore is mistaken and the prophecy could effect Longbottom as well. Or that the Dark Lord, in his insanity, will decide to destroy both boys to be sure Longbottom isn’t a danger. He can’t afford to be incompetent. Like Potter he can’t afford to assume Miss Granger will be there to whisper instructions to him.
I’ve tried to explain this to Dumbledore but he doesn’t understand either. He believes his school to be safe. He believes Potter to be safe. I can’t make him understand that none of us are safe…not now. Not if he refuses to see that everyone is not opposed to using the darkest magics to get what they want…and to survive.
So I won’t change. I’ll continue to be the most hated Professor at Hogwarts. I’ll force my students to push themselves to the limit. I’ll spend my weekends and summers learning what I can about the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord. I’ll cling to formality and keep everyone at a distance. I’ll continue to force Potter, Weasley, and Longbottom to excel in potions in spite of their resistance.
I hope that one day Dumbledore will hear my words. Heed my warnings. Prepare the students for the battles that are coming. Prepare himself. I’ve learned things this summer; learned that the Dark Lord has taken steps to make himself immortal. I don’t know that he’s succeeded, but I’ve warned Dumbledore.
The students are arriving today; it’s time to once again hide the mark that makes me who I am. Hide the mark that makes me cautious; the mark that Dumbledore wishes to ignore. Hide the evidence that is telling me that the Dark Lord is getting stronger. That he is closer to finding a way back. Hide the constant reminder of why I’m needed; of why I can’t allow myself to change.
I can’t change until I know our world is safe. Someone has to remain on guard. Someone has to be prepared for what’s coming.
The end.