tell me if i've ripped this off of someone, because it seems familiar
"Games"
Gen (undertones of Harry/Albus, Severus/Lucius).
Painted birds and bad intentions.
PG-13.
With apologies to Jerzy Kosinsky.
Dedicated to the guitar sample in Sage Francis' song "Crack Pipes".
"Do you remember, Severus, the games we'd play?" Lucius was standing in Severus's office, pretending to admire the books and specimens, pretending to enjoy the glass of something questionable burning in his hand.
"Those summers at father's seaside estate, do you recall? Hexing the children of that mudblood family, playing tricks on the servants. Oh, and those awful birds, the ones that ate all the flowers. We'd catch them and cast glamours on them and watch them be pecked to death by their own kind."
Severus remembers.
"And then there was that one game, in the dark," he said, and dragged his forefinger slowly down Severus's chest.
x
During Potter's first year, the long arm of Albus Dumbledore was firmly around his neck. Afterschool meetings in his office, mission briefings in the form of grandfatherly concern and eyes turned the other way. Presents. The boy has money, but he can be bought out with affection.
He'd sit in class and take notes of every third fact, glare - already with the headmaster's manipulation- ego-assurance in his eyes. Defiant, but full of self-pitying sacrifice. Dumbledore had made him a martyr. Poor grades, but martyrs are allowed their failures. Of course.
Severus would give detentions sometimes with the intentions of knocking sense into him, but when the time came, a sickness would settle in him and he'd be unable to speak. He could not speak to this boy.
Dumbledore would occasionally come to these detentions (gentleness to authoritarian cruelty) and gather Potter away from the dirty cauldrons and dirty professor. This inevitably meant that there was something to do, casual dismissal of life-threatening situations, saying only just enough - Severus' associations were still hazy, after all. Potter would stand tall with Responsibility at this. Perfectly. Dumbledore would look to Severus for approval. Slytherin cunning, after all.
"Be careful, Headmaster. Plans can fail. " Last-ditch attempt at dissent and Severus flinched inwardly at the weakness of it.
"I will not deny my mistakes, but I will not dwell on them, either. We all do what we must, Severus. Surely you must understand that." He ruffled Harry's hair and handed him a chocolate frog.
Harry smiled sweetly up at him.
x
At some point he notices that Slytherins aren't the only ones whispering about Potter. The Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw double class mutters with childish confusion and resentment, rumors traded behind cauldrons (quills pressed to mouths).
He takes points off lazily, but not many - some of this confusion he shares.
And once he overheard a boy with a red and gold tie whispering to his friend: are we even sure he is who he's supposed to be?
x
One early evening he was interrupted by a sharp knock on his door. "Come in," he grumbled, and Potter insolently slouched in.
"I'msorry," he said. Severus just stared.
"For...things," he elaborated.
Severus sighed loudly and went back to grading papers.
"For being mean. To you. In class. I'msorry." Like he was reciting a poem whose meaning escaped him.
He stood there expectantly. Performance deserves accolades.
"If I were you," Severus said quietly, "I would start building the cross."
x
When we were children, we'd cast glamours on birds and watch them be torn to shreds.
x
Severus also has meetings with the headmaster but he has never been comforted by them, though he suspects the same methods are used on every guest. He has (questions) suggestions for the way things are run, the people who are run. Specifically, Potter. Specifically, are you aware you're ruining a life? The way you treat him, manipulate coddle him?
But Dumbledore has a speech for every occasion and this is no doubt an occasion and so:
"Sanctuary. It's sanctuary, Severus. There are important things in his future. He has such potential, and I am helping him to turn it into skill. He needs guidance but he also needs safety and comfort."
(such potential)
(will not deny my mistakes)
And something cold and bitter clicked into place in Severus' head.
"You've done this before. Haven't you." He heard himself speaking as if from a distance.
"Ah, yes. This time, however, I will not fail. Riddle's... developments were unfortunate, but now that I am aware of the possibilities, I am able to prevent them."
He smiled. "Cinnamon heart?" he asked brightly.
Gen (undertones of Harry/Albus, Severus/Lucius).
Painted birds and bad intentions.
PG-13.
With apologies to Jerzy Kosinsky.
Dedicated to the guitar sample in Sage Francis' song "Crack Pipes".
"Do you remember, Severus, the games we'd play?" Lucius was standing in Severus's office, pretending to admire the books and specimens, pretending to enjoy the glass of something questionable burning in his hand.
"Those summers at father's seaside estate, do you recall? Hexing the children of that mudblood family, playing tricks on the servants. Oh, and those awful birds, the ones that ate all the flowers. We'd catch them and cast glamours on them and watch them be pecked to death by their own kind."
Severus remembers.
"And then there was that one game, in the dark," he said, and dragged his forefinger slowly down Severus's chest.
x
During Potter's first year, the long arm of Albus Dumbledore was firmly around his neck. Afterschool meetings in his office, mission briefings in the form of grandfatherly concern and eyes turned the other way. Presents. The boy has money, but he can be bought out with affection.
He'd sit in class and take notes of every third fact, glare - already with the headmaster's manipulation- ego-assurance in his eyes. Defiant, but full of self-pitying sacrifice. Dumbledore had made him a martyr. Poor grades, but martyrs are allowed their failures. Of course.
Severus would give detentions sometimes with the intentions of knocking sense into him, but when the time came, a sickness would settle in him and he'd be unable to speak. He could not speak to this boy.
Dumbledore would occasionally come to these detentions (gentleness to authoritarian cruelty) and gather Potter away from the dirty cauldrons and dirty professor. This inevitably meant that there was something to do, casual dismissal of life-threatening situations, saying only just enough - Severus' associations were still hazy, after all. Potter would stand tall with Responsibility at this. Perfectly. Dumbledore would look to Severus for approval. Slytherin cunning, after all.
"Be careful, Headmaster. Plans can fail. " Last-ditch attempt at dissent and Severus flinched inwardly at the weakness of it.
"I will not deny my mistakes, but I will not dwell on them, either. We all do what we must, Severus. Surely you must understand that." He ruffled Harry's hair and handed him a chocolate frog.
Harry smiled sweetly up at him.
x
At some point he notices that Slytherins aren't the only ones whispering about Potter. The Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw double class mutters with childish confusion and resentment, rumors traded behind cauldrons (quills pressed to mouths).
He takes points off lazily, but not many - some of this confusion he shares.
And once he overheard a boy with a red and gold tie whispering to his friend: are we even sure he is who he's supposed to be?
x
One early evening he was interrupted by a sharp knock on his door. "Come in," he grumbled, and Potter insolently slouched in.
"I'msorry," he said. Severus just stared.
"For...things," he elaborated.
Severus sighed loudly and went back to grading papers.
"For being mean. To you. In class. I'msorry." Like he was reciting a poem whose meaning escaped him.
He stood there expectantly. Performance deserves accolades.
"If I were you," Severus said quietly, "I would start building the cross."
x
When we were children, we'd cast glamours on birds and watch them be torn to shreds.
x
Severus also has meetings with the headmaster but he has never been comforted by them, though he suspects the same methods are used on every guest. He has (questions) suggestions for the way things are run, the people who are run. Specifically, Potter. Specifically, are you aware you're ruining a life? The way you treat him, manipulate coddle him?
But Dumbledore has a speech for every occasion and this is no doubt an occasion and so:
"Sanctuary. It's sanctuary, Severus. There are important things in his future. He has such potential, and I am helping him to turn it into skill. He needs guidance but he also needs safety and comfort."
(such potential)
(will not deny my mistakes)
And something cold and bitter clicked into place in Severus' head.
"You've done this before. Haven't you." He heard himself speaking as if from a distance.
"Ah, yes. This time, however, I will not fail. Riddle's... developments were unfortunate, but now that I am aware of the possibilities, I am able to prevent them."
He smiled. "Cinnamon heart?" he asked brightly.