Catalyst Part 1
Title: What Might Have Been: Catalyst
Author: Nightshade sydneylover150
Rating: T for Teen
Disclaimer: I’m a poor grad student in the field of mental health, do you really believe that I would be poor and struggling to pay off loans if I owned these two wonderful characters? Trust me, I wouldn’t! ;
Beta: Thank you to Charmedlily for betaeing this story!!!
A/N: Please read and review. Flames will be laughed at and constructive criticism will be welcomed with open arms.
‘thoughts’
“Speech”
Movie dialogue/actions
Flashbacks/Memories
Without futher ado, on with the story!!!
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What Might Have Been
Door slams open and Professor Snape, with cape and hair flying out behind him giving him the appearance of a creature of the night, walks into the potions classroom.
“There will be no foolish wand waving or silly incantations in this class.” Snape states rapidly as he enters the classroom. When he goes up the stairs and reaches his desk at the front of the class he turns around, hands folded in front of him.
“As such I do not expect many of you to appreciate…. the subtle science and exact art that is potion making. But for those select few…” He raises his right thumb and looks at Malfoy. “…who possess the predisposition…”
Snape gathered his outer black teacher’s robes into his hands and crossed his arms in front of his chest. He started to look actively around the classroom at his new students. “… I can teach you to bewitch the mind…. and ensnare the senses. I can teach you how to bottle fame… brew glory, and even put a stopper in death.”
Upon noticing Harry writing something on his parchment in front of him, he turns his full glare on the child. “Then again, maybe some of you have to Hogwarts in possession of abilities… so formidable that you feel confident enough… to not pay attention.” His silky voice filled with irritation and unspoken anger.
‘So this boy is going to be like his idiotic father, pity. A child of Lily’s should amount to much more than what that ingrate seems to have produced.’
Hermione elbowed him hard and turns the young boy’s attention back to Snape who was busy glaring daggers at him.
“ Mr. Potter. Our new celebrity.” Snape is now standing with his left arm bracing himself against the wall to keep him from attempting to shake some sense into the young boy in front of him. “Tell me what would I get if I added root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?”
Hermione raises hand wildly in a desperate attempt to answer the question, causing Harry to look over at the girl. Harry shakes his head not knowing what would be the result.
“You don’t know?” Snape says dispassionately. “Well, let’s try again. Where would you look if I asked you to find a bezoar?”
Same reaction. “I… I don’t know sir.” Harry manages to get out.
“And what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?”
“I don’t know sir.” Harry states as he looks first over at Ms. Granger and then back at Professor Snape.
“Pity.” Snape said with almost a sneer. “Clearly, fame isn’t everything, is it Mr. Potter.”
Harry is finally fed up with being treated like dirt. He got enough of that when he was at home with the Dursleys.
“Clearly, Hermione knows. Seems a pity not to ask her,” Harry states with a sneer and a tone that borders on insolence.
Everyone in the classroom giggles.
“Silence.” Professor Snape silkily but firmly calls to the students from the front of the classroom.
He then turns his attention back to Potter in front of him. After a moment’s pause, Snape moves quickly down the stairs from where his desk enters the row in front of the table where Hermione and Harry are sitting.
Hermione still has her hand raised and as Snape passes her, he calmly states, “Put your hand down, you silly girl.”
He then proceeds to sit down in front of Harry.
“For your information Potter… asphodel and wormwood make a potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of the Living Dead. A bezoar is a stone taken from a goat’s stomach and will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by aconite.”
He stares deeply into the boy’s eyes before glancing down briefly at the parchment in front of him to see what Potter had been so intent on scribbling down. His speech! That was what was written on the parchment in front of Potter. That had been what Pott… no Lily’s child had been working so hard on that it had seemed like he had not been paying attention to him. Quickly Snape looked up and caught the child’s eyes.
The boy gave him a puzzled look, although he still seemed to be frustrated, if not angry over getting into trouble for writing notes. Snape just slightly nodded his head down and flicked his eyes down and met the boys glance. Even the nosey child next to Lily’s son noticed the movement, but what was important was that the boy had. Without pausing for a second after meeting the boy’s eyes, and once more acting as if he didn’t really notice the words written on the parchment, his eyes dart to the side to look at the rest of the class.
“Well… why aren’t you all copying this down?” He states somewhat angrily.
Everyone rushes to copy down what Snape had said. As Snape got up, he glanced down once more to make sure what he had believed to have seen written on the parchment had really been written down.
Now that the boy was attempting to copy down notes, the handwriting was extremely messy and the boy’s hand coordination poor.
‘That is why he was so focused on writing. He was attempting to write clearly….’
Snape moved steadily through the tangle of benches and seats to the walkway between the dungeon desks. All the while, his quick mind was racing with thoughts.
‘He’s more like Lily than I had supposed. And now he will already start to hate me, just like his father.‘
He thought quickly as he walked up to his desk and sat down behind his desk. He took up his quill in his right hand, dipped it in ink and prepared to take points off of Gryffindor for insolence. Something in that thought statement made his heart drop. He consciously had to admit upon realizing that Harry had so much of his mother in him that he had wanted to be able to connect with the child more. However, his own arrogance and blind hatred towards everything that reminded him of James Potter seemed to have won out over his logic.
‘Perhaps, though I can re-win his affections.’ Severus thought suddenly as he brought the quill down onto the parchment in front of him. ‘Perhaps there is a way that I can foster the inside that is Lily’s gentle personality to keep out James bloody Potter. Perhaps I can get my revenge and protect Lily’s Henry to the best of my ability without losing the child to blind hatred.’
“And Gryffindors… note that five points will be taken from your house… for your classmate’s cheek.” He wanted to make sure that Henry realized that he was not in trouble for copying his speech down, but for his talking back to Snape, who was his teacher.
“And Mr. Potter,” Snape called out to the young boy catching his attention once more. He looked in to Henry’s eyes, softening his gaze just enough to be noticeable to Henry. “You will be staying after class for a few minutes.”
A red head seated behind Henry started to put up a fuss. Severus heard murmurings from the Gryffindors about how unfair the ‘greasy git’ was being towards the half-blood. ‘That is another thing I am going to have to counter act; the Gryffindor self-righteous bias. It might take some time but I’ll instill enough Slytherin reasoning into the boy to help him question the blind, unquestioning nature that seems to rot most Gryffindors’ brains. I will not let that be Henry’s fate. Lily’s son will be raised to question authority’s right to make decisions for him and be an independent person, just as she was.’
Henry. Severus had not even realized how quickly he had taken to using the name in his mind. Granted it helped him separate the young boy with Lily’s eyes and spirit from the sadistic git that had humiliated him so many times and stolen his best friend, but the name served another purpose. It was then that Snape realized that Harry Potter ceased to be Potter or even Harry in the potion master’s mind. He had become Lily’s Henry. It had been the name that Lily had secretly told him that she had placed as the boy’s first full name.
Flashback
“I named my son Henry James Servatius Potter.” Lily whispered to her best friend Severus Snape as they ducked into the hallway to the kitchen to grab some tea and coffee for themselves. The Order meeting was lasting longer than either of them had anticipated.
Severus raised his eyebrow and bitterly stated, “I thought Potter and you had settled on Harold ‘Harry’ James Potter. Why is it that you have altered the name?”
Lily laughed, realizing what her best friend was truly asking her. In reality Severus was asking, ‘What did you have to do for the bastard to allow the name Henry and a name similar to my own in your son’s name?’
“James doesn’t know Sev. Nor will he ever, he is too blind in that way.” She grabbed her friend’s hands. They had just rekindled their friendship a few months before Henry was born and she wanted him to know that she valued it. “I wanted a piece of my best friend to be in my son’s name.”
She grinned when Snape offered her a half smile. It always had made her happy when he smiled.
Then she continued, “Plus I’ve always like the name Henry. I figured I could get away with my dream names since James wasn’t present at his birth nor has he ever looked at Henry’s birth certificate.”
Snape stared at her blankly for a few minutes before his half-smile bloomed into a fully fledged grin. “My dear Lils, are you sure you were not supposed to be in Slytherin.”
Lily just laughed and grinned before coyly asking, “Who says I was not supposed to be?”
Snape stared blankly before laughing himself.
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Henry just gave Hermione a side glance and a look of apology and then turned back to his work. However, the boy glanced up at the man once more and nodded.
Severus smiled inwardly, Henry had understood. Not completely, Severus knew, but the boy understood. Henry would be Lily’s and his pride, Severus Snape resolved firmly to himself. Snape would foster the cunning that Lily was known for and instill some of his own. First thing to do would to get him out of the Evans hands, who were probably spoiling the boy rotten.
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Harry watched the man in the front of the room. This man, this professor, had changed his demeanor once he had glanced down at his parchment. It was not noticeable to anyone else in the room. Hermione, who had noticed the change, appeared to be unaware of the full extent of the change.
Harry’s sixth sense, the one thing many abused and neglected children developed in an effort to protect themselves, gave him the feeling that Professor Snape had not been expecting to see his speech written down on Harry’s paper. It appeared to the boy that Snape had been expecting someone or behavior that was opposite of Harry’s own. As he listen to his friends (were they his friends?) complaints about Snape, Harry could not help wonder if that was part of the reason why the professor was not fond of Gryffindors. The constant prattling and jumping to conclusions could be unnerving, especially in a class where explosions were likely, if the lecture that Snape was currently giving was any indication.
Harry did not know why he was feeling this way nor why he was questioning his fellow Gryffindors’ reactions. He was sure that if he had not seen that look in the professor’s eyes or that meaningful look, he would most likely be like his noisy “friends.” Somehow being here, in potions now that he had seen that something in the professor’s eyes, helped him feel safe. He felt like he could be…. Well himself.
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Class ended rather quickly for the pair. Snape watched as his Slytherins filed out after the rapidly escaping Gryffindors, particularly the Longbottom boy who had managed to blow up a cauldron on the first day. Snape saw his godson look back briefly towards Henry.
‘It appears the boy really does want Lily’s son’s friendship.’ Snape mused to himself. He had heard from Draco that he had attempted to become friends with Henry. His godson had been unsure why Henry had rejected him, but Snape had a feeling it had to do with Draco’s attitude and the influence of a few choice Gryffindors, one who was present in the room.
‘Damn you Dumbledore! Can you not leave well enough alone?’ As he watched Henry turn to see Draco go, he saw the boy display curiosity and uncertainty. ‘Perhaps, Draco’s desire for friendship with the boy is not as wrecked as it seems….’
The only Gryffindors left in the room, beside Lily’s Henry, were the Weasley and the know-it-all. The girl really was not that bad, she appeared to only be making sure that Henry was alright, the Weasley on the other hand was beleaguering Snape right in from of him.
Snape glanced at his best friend’s son and realized how uncomfortable he looked as Weasley continued with his tirade. ‘Honestly is the boy stupid? Can he not see he is upsetting his friend?’ Snape thought to himself as he quickly rose from his desk and moved towards the trio.
“Mr. Weasley and Miss. Granger, I do not remember inviting you to stay after class.” Snape stated dryly. “Perhaps it would behoove you to continue on to your next class.”
“I just wanted to make sure Harry knew where to go for our next class professor.” Hermione replied politely, abet rather shyly.
Severus acknowledged that this child would be a good friend for his love’s Henry. She was loyal and saw the truth in matters which Weasley did not. Weasley on the other hand.
“He did not do anything wrong Professor, why are you punishing him?” The boy cried out in indignation.
“I will make sure that Mr. Potter arrives to his next class with a pass, Miss. Granger.” Snape said silkily. “As for you Mr. Weasley, it would be to your benefit not to question a professor’s motives. You are dismissed. I strongly suggest you leave before I start taking points.”
Weasley’s mouth opened like a fish’s multiple times. It would have been amusing to the professor if it had not appeared to upset Henry and if he himself wanted to talk to Henry as soon as possible.
“You better go Ron.” Henry commented quietly. “I will be alright. I will see you at our next class Hermione.”
Snape was slightly surprised at Henry’s soft dismissal of the Weasley boy, but proud that he had acknowledge his smart, little muggle-born friend. ‘Perhaps they will become closer as time goes on.’
Weasley seemed surprised as well and even a bit angry. He had apparently never suspected that Henry would dismiss him and was opening his mouth probably to release a sharp retort. Miss. Granger, Hermione was it, appeared to understand the true intent of the boy’s words.
“Come on Ron, I think Harry and the professor have some things they want to discuss.” The girl almost literally dragged the red head out of the room.
Now it was only the two of them. Henry was still seated at his desk, abet backed up so he could leave for his next class. He looked slightly confused as Snape seated himself in front of Henry once more.
‘This is going to be hard. How does one admit a personal failure to an eleven year?’ Snape thought as he stared briefly into the boy’s green eyes that were so much like his mother’s. ‘Do it Severus, it will be a greater failure if you do not.’
“I wanted to apologize, Henry, for my unjust accusations and behavior during class today.” Severus stated bluntly but as kindly as he could. He remembered using a similar voice with Lily. He watched as the boy began to look even more confused. Severus wondered what brought that on.
“Is there a problem with the apology, Henry?”
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Harry was surprised when Professor Snape apologized to him. Ron had stated that the man was a class one git and evil. ‘But evil people don’t apologize!’ Harry thought, ‘An adult has never apologized to me before! Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia just scream and lock me in my cupboard.’
Then another thought occurred to him. ‘Why is he calling me Henry? I’m Harry. Is he uncertain of my name?’
The student heard his professor ask if something was wrong with the apology. Harry realized he would have to do some damage control before the professor became angry and started to use that deadly voice he had used during class once more.
“No sir. There was nothing wrong with the apology. I just….” Harry paused for a moment unsure what to say without telling the man about his home life and the first rule was not to speak to anyone about it. He heard a voice in his head urging him to tell the man plainly what was on his mind. That was the voice that had kept him alive all his life, he was not going to doubt it now.
“No adult has ever apologized to me before, sir. And I’m confused…. Why are you calling me Henry? I’m just Harry.”
He watched as the corners of his professor’s mouth curled into what could be considered a smile. If Harry had been in Hogwarts longer, he would have realized what an odd and foreign occurrence that was; and how the very sight of Professor Snape exhibiting any emotion beside disdain and anger towards someone outside of his own house, was cause to wonder if the world was going to end and if hell had frozen over.
TBC......
Part 2