Chapter fifty-five. The Flight and the Sight
The wind was as restless and cold as the night was dark. Glance to the right, glance to the left, turn around. A rustle in the branches, or maybe those are footsteps? Maybe it's them? No. Not yet. Will they come at all? Suddenly, a voice irrupted so close as if inside Snape's head, which made them slowly turn around again, and again to no avail:
- You wished to see me?
- Yes. Are you invisible?
- Oh, yes! I trust, this little precaution would not offend you, as you were invisible yourself.
- Why you can detect me and I can't detect you?
- This is what you might expect, having an appointment with me. Now, I wouldn't mind if you laid before me the object of our meeting.
- I... _ I have... a request. Save Lilian Saul, she is on your side anyway. What you don't know is that she's in a grave danger of losing her life, right now. I have information that only you know the contraspell. Please. She is under th_
- I know. I am very sorry- I understand that you are her friend, otherwise you wouldn't be here- but she is no longer alive. As, perhaps, you don't know, I was offering her help, but she refused, it was her choice to make, in full consciousness.
- You lie.
- Unfortunately, no. There's her Magical signature.
If Snape was visible, their face would've been distorted with misery and disbelief.
- You, you let her die?!
-...
- Then, I have another query, that I make *in full consciousness*.
- What is it?
- Kill me.
Dumbledore looked at Snape intently for a moment and disactivated their Invisibility charm. Snape involuntarily took a step back. Their expression now mingled with surprise:
- Aren't you too young to be a Headmaster?
- Thank you for a compliment.
Snape frowned.
- You, indeed, want to die... - Dumbledore's voice sounded detached, they were a scientist interested in an experiment -
Could you come over to my side instead, we are rather short on specialists in Dark Magic, you see...
- What?
- I'm offering you a... deal... You can spy for me, for a start, and I can guarantee you plenty of opportunities to die, or dismantle a structure that eliminated your friend. I'm not a killer_ in a straightforward way that is - they added, seeing Snape smirk.
- You are worse! Don't you see? it's not the structure that is to blame, it's me.
- Very well. Do you accept my offer?
- Yes.
Four years later. Snape sat at the Council table on Dumbledore's orders, shuffling their notes. In the end, they sprang to their feet and started to shove paperwork into their magical container, when someone spoke to them, which had never happened before in all three meetings they've already attended to.
- ....
- No, I'm not going to the supper, I 'm not invited.
- Impossible, Dumbledore invited all their friends at the end of the last meeting, ah, yes, you left before that part.
- I'm not their friend.
- I meant teammates, they are friendly with their teammates, and invite every one of them.
- It is mandatory, I understand?
- No, of course, not.
- Why are you telling me, then?
- To be honest, I thought you didn't know you were invited: I saw you leave early yesterday. __ I don't think they mistrust you, quite the contrary: their teammates are usually chosen for their skill and trustworthiness to begin with- people they think they can rely on.
- What? Why do you think that...
- Well, giving the circumstances... I am Paramagical Interactions Mistress, so... it might be professional.
Snape raised an eyebrow:
- Never mind, I am not their friend.
- Yes, sorry, I forgot. Of course, it's not a requirement. But the point is: they must trust you. Just so you know...
Snape looked at the end of a long table, where the Headmaster sat with some Qualified Mistresses, discussing business. They looked quite unapproachable, regardless of their friendliness and the fact that they had approximately three or five years more than Snape.
Snape didn't show up on any of the parties untill two years later, after their appointment to the post of the Potions Master. They already became acquainted with Slughorn, and were on first-name terms with Sash Wonow, whose friendship they valued immensely. They sat in an armchair, relaxed, sipping their drink, others formed several groups and were chatting cheerfully. They hazarded a furtive glance at the host, and found them sitting alone, relaxed, sipping their drink. They looked on the other side of the room: walls were shielded from view by red wood furniture, that supported numerous books and magical artefacts, curtains hang in the doorway into an adjacent room. The next time their gaze stopped on Dumbledore, their eyes met, and Snape thought, the latter smiled. Snape got on with their inspection of the study, helped themself to some more refreshment, and started to observe Dumbledore again, out of the corner of their eyes.
Snape was kneeling on the rug, Potions kit close by, muttering under their breath and pointing their wand at Dumbledore's wrist, covered in black shining patterns, hanging lifelessly from the arm of their chair. When Dumbledore opened their eyes, Snape spoke without preamble, their voice quieter than ever, spiking with rage:
- If you could've only summoned me a little earlier...I would have been able to repel the curse quicker, save you much pain!
- I was a fool, sorely tempted...
- Tempted by what?
Dumbledore didn't answer.
Harry crept quietly along the glass doors of the hospital wing, Snape was lying in one of the beds, dark shadows under their sunken eyes. The four month delay for ex resident teachers was expiring tomorrow and then even Dumbledore would have no authority to allow Snape to remain in the Castle any longer. He wanted to tell, to let them know, why he did what he had done. And he had to do it now, he will have literally no other opportunity.
He pushed the door open and paused on the threshold, feeling Snape's cold gaze pin him to the sill.
The following day students gathered in an uneven semi-circle on a stony platform by Castle gates. A matte black globe with a vertical sliding door, that was open, stood at the far end of it, ready to take flight. Beside it stood Snape, he acknowledged the audience by a quick jerk of their head while walking towards the carriage, controlling their floating luggage with their wand at the same time. For a moment, they turned to face people, coldly looked around at expressionless faces, then, turning their back on them, started to climb into the cab.
Suddenly, a considerable amount of noise made them stop in their tracks.
Harry was out of breath, running as fas as he could, gates were getting closer, at long last he passed through them, ran onto the platform. He thought nobody would hear, because he certainly didn't, but he shouted anyway:
-Wait! .. Professor Snape ... please!
He saw the other slightly turning in his direction and freeze, one foot on a step, holding onto a railing on the side of the door.
- I ... I want to initiate a vote.. We can vote. There is a Student Vote thing.. It has an ultimate decisive power. I, well, sort of read it in Castle history book. So... Without further ado... Who is for abrogation of the Ex resident teacher notice that was given to Professor Snape?
Hands started to shoot into the air. Many of them, definitely more than three quarters! Harry said, trying to steady his breath:
- Well, as per the rules of the Vote, the Notice in question is no longer in vigor. Giving this information... Professor, will you stay?
A short expectant silence hang over the crowd. Harry's heart was thumping thickly and very fast, he felt it come up to his throat and fall down again, its sound making Harry unaware of the stillness around.
- No. - said Snape clearly.
The door slid down behind them and the black sphere zoomed away.