Folly, Part Six, A Harry Potter Fanfic

[terri_testing]

Summary: Snape’s life has been a series of spectacular errors of judgment, to put it kindly.

This has to have been his worst.

*

“Prettier musings of high-wrought love and eternal constancy, could never have passed along the streets of Bath, than Anne was sporting with…. It was almost enough to spread purification and perfume all the way.”

Comments

[oryx_leucoryx]

For someone like Severus to do this it appears more believable than for someone like almost-18 year old Hermione, but I still wonder how likely such complex memory change can work with no glitches.

How much of Neville's personality would change with the change of history?

Isn't it ironic that the one person Neville trusts is an admitted serial liar?

Neville knew Gran better than Severus does. I don't think Severus' scenario for how Gran would treat Neville if her talent were brought to her attention would have gone as he expected.

[terri_testing]

Of course, that's why Severus tried to construct a history emotionally close to Neville's real one, rather than just rip out the most emotionally significant memories of his life and discard them..... The abuse and not-being-good-enough were retained. But Neville will have lost his parents' story and that emotional resonance, he might have lost that Gran had quite a specific model for him to fail to live up to (a more unwinnable situation even than just being thought a Squib), and he might have lost learning that his dad, unlike his old family, doesn't want him to be stoic about his pain and fear

[oryx_leucoryx]

Of course Hermione doesn't have Severus' experience of spying.

I do wonder how Severus' interactions with Neville will influence his interactions with students. And whether he will want Neville to attend Hogwarts. And if anything might change with how he treats Harry (assuming that as in canon, Harry is introduced to the Wizarding World by Hagrid).

Hmm. I wonder if there is an AU in which Severus learns to recognize the vulnerable early on, and he takes them all far away from Albus.

[terri_testing]

Well. He has read all those parenting books. And the one for educational professionals, on recognizing and dealing with children processing trauma.

Of course that was while he thought Neville was a Squib and he'd have to raise him to fit in the Muggle world. Nothing that he's read applies now that Neville is a wizard, right? I mean, what would Muggles have to teach Wizards about raising or teaching their own?

[mary_j_59]

I'm not sure that your Severus doesn't explain too much, and at too much length, to "his" Neville. But I love the growing relationship between them. Another thing I admire about your stories is that, at times, Severus is downright nasty - yet he's capable of being kind, too. The characters are very believable.

Just chiming in, really, to say I'm happy there was another chapter, and I hope you'll keep going!

[terri_testing]

You know, I was expecting you (or someone) to object to the nasty side of Severus here. (Though thank you for finding his combination of ruthlessness and kindness believable

[mary_j_59]

Unfortunately, I think the nastiness is in character, for the reasons you describe. Severus firmly believes "muggles" are inferior - and, as you say, he doesn't actually hurt anyone. Not really; not according to his lights. But the loquaciousness-

I completely agree with you that dialogue, and even internal monologue, can be riveting. It's just that my impression of canon Severus is of a rather taciturn young man. He has a nice turn of phrase when he cares to use it, but he doesn't seem to waste words.

Then again, in canon, we have never seen him trying to communicate with/care for a distressed child he actually loves.

Anyway, quite fascinating.

[terri_testing]

Thanks for clarifying your concern! (And I've found a bit I want to change in response

[oryx_leucoryx]

So, are we going to see this Neville meeting Draco, Harry and the rest? And the Hogwarts staff? Or will Severus keep him away from them all?

[terri_testing]

For Severus to keep his son away from them all, he'd have first to divorce himself from Albus. And I don't quite see him doing that now, or even registering in time that he might possibly be well-advised to do so.

Do you?

(To answer your other implicit questions, dear Oryx, I'm writing the Muggle ladies' interventions with Severus, and roughing out Sev's first interview with Albus about his son, which doesn't go according to anyone's specifications. ..

(Including, it appears, mine.)

(I have a horrible suspicion that Albus will end up making a reasonable-seeming suggestion about Neville's nurture....

(But I may manage to write Severus averting the worst.

(it's a battle between my own opinion of Albus, Severus's views as of that time, and Severus's paranoia, invoked by his care for his son. )

Wish me (and Severus, and Neville) luck!

[oryx_leucoryx]

Oh, the best of luck to all of you! I'm shuddering in advance thinking of any influence Albus may have on Neville's upbringing.

BTW Severus did not change Neville's birth-date, did he? So Neville is still a potential prophecy-boy, if Albus ever decides Severus defied Voldemort three times? Though knowing about the Harrycrux he may never even consider an alternative. Still, did Albus ever check how many magical births were recorded in late July 1980 (assuming that information is automatically recognized by the system that eventually generates the Hogwarts letters)?

[jana_ch]

So, the story of Neville Snape will be continuing? I certainly hope so Every once in a while a check for a new chapter.

[ext_3359375]

It occurs to me that if Snape wants to disguise Neville's true identity, he really ought to call him something other than Neville.