Chapter 2
Harry took a few days to decide who would be the best option to teach him how to duel.
He immediately dismissed Flitwick. Not only did the wizard cause him problems back in first year, but he was a little too close to Dumbledore.
Remus was a good option, but Harry had no idea how he felt about Dark magic. Basically, everyone he talked to thought that the Patronus charm was Light. He had no idea whether Remus had the same idea.
Harry needed to learn, if not Dark magic, the theory of Dark magic. If Remus thought Dark magic was evil, Harry couldn't ask-
Well... he could ask Remus to teach him to duel without Dark magic. That way if Dumbledore caught wind of it, he wouldn't know Harry was learning about Dark magic.
He still needed someone to tutor him in Dark magic. And the only person left on the list was Snape.
He knew Snape was an expert in dueling and Dark magic (because Sirius ranted about 'Snivellous' for an hour once). The only problem was, Snape hated Harry with a passion.
(Actually... Harry actually had no idea why Snape hated him, although he knew it had something to do with his father.)
But even if Snape hated him, the man had saved his life twice. Harry could play that, and maybe get some answers at the same time.
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The day before the train was scheduled to bring him home, Harry used his Cloak and map to sneak over to Snape's office. He wanted to ask him before he left, so the man had all summer to think about his request.
Once Harry was sure the coast was clear, he pulled off his Cloak and knocked.
Snape opened the door and scowled when he saw Harry. Before he could say anything, Harry said, "I'll make it quick, Professor, but it's really important."
He pinched his nose, then snapped, "In."
Harry stepped inside, and Snape closed the door behind him. "What?" he growled.
"I have two questions for you," Harry said simply. "The first is, why do you hate me, although that one doesn't really need an answer. The second is, I need you to teach me Dark magic and Dark magic theory."
Snape stared at him. After a pause, he said, "What shape does your Patronus take?"
"A stag, but I told Hermione, Ron, Remus, Sirius, and Dumbledore that," Harry said. "I am who I say I am, but you wouldn't know that because you don't actually know me."
Snape scoffed.
"You think I'm a spoiled, fame-seeking brat," Harry guessed. "I hate my fame."
He sneered. "Do you really think I would-"
"Enough!" Harry snarled at him. "Do you hate my father so much that you can't see what happened to me? Do you hate me so much that you can't see the scars, and the fear, and the lack of proper appetite?
"My bedroom was a cupboard for ten years. I was locked in that cupboard multiple times, denied meals, beat up, forced to do every chore in the house to perfection.
"Why do I hate my fame?" Harry hissed. "Before I came to Hogwarts, being the center of attention meant I was in pain. Here, being the center of attention means I'm expected to be a heroic, brave Gryffindor or accused of being an evil, lying, cheating Slytherin."
"Why didn't you..." Snape hesitated. "No one believed you."
Harry blinked. Snape knew. "I tried," he said quietly. "I told a teacher at my primary school. She didn't believe me. Said the Dursleys were upstanding people," he sneered. "I also tried to tell Dumbledore, but he said, 'Of course they love you' and 'it's just a misunderstanding.' It's hard for me to trust adults." He gave Snape a pointed look. "Especially when one of them treats kids like scum."
Snape rubbed his face with his hand. "It was never my intention..."
"Neville's Boggart is you," Harry pointed out. "His uncle did horrific things to him, and he has to visit his parents in Saint Mungos and you're his worst fear."
"Why are you asking me if this is how you feel about me?" Snape asked quietly.
"You're basically my only option," Harry said stiffly. "And I may hate you, but I trust you to save my life, at least. And if you don't teach me Dark magic, I'm pretty sure I won't live next time V- You-Know-Who fights me."
"Dumbledore wants me to teach you Occlumency," Snape said heavily. "I will teach you Dark magic during those lessons."
"What's Occlumency?" Harry asked.
"Mind magic. It protects your mind."
"That seems important," Harry said dryly.
"What happened, at the end of the third task?" Snape asked cautiously. "Neither the Dark Lord or Dumbledore went into any detail."
"The person who recommended you to me implied you weren't loyal to either of them," Harry said.
"I am loyal to the Dark, but not the Dark Lord," Snape said quietly. His eyes flashed dangerously. "I hate Dumbledore."
"Yeah, I hate him too," Harry agreed.
Snape gave him a serious look. "I need to apologize to you, Potter. And every other student, but mostly you. I hated your father with a passion. He was cruel to every Slytherin, but especially me. Your... you seemed, outwardly, to be exactly like your father. Treating you the way I did was a mixture of revenge on your father and to fool Dumbledore into thinking I was in love with your mother."
Harry blinked at him. "You what?"
Snape's lips twitched. "Your mother and I were close friends when we attended Hogwarts. I considered her a sister. Dumbledore is unaware of who I was actually attracted to, and I would like to keep it that way."
"I'm guessing you're not going to tell me either," Harry drawled. Snape shook his head. "I hear your apology, but I don't accept it, yet. You need to apologize to Neville, too."
"I did," Snape replied. "After I discovered that I was his Boggart. I had to act the same way in public. But Mr. Longbottom knows that I do not hate him."
"Why does Dumbledore think you hate Neville?" Harry asked curiously.
"The reason the Dark Lord targeted you was because of a prophecy," Snape stated. "The prophecy referred to a boy born at the end of July that had the power to defeat him."
Harry snorted. "I barely made it out of that cemetery alive! Power to defeat You-Know-Who, my a**."
"Language," Snape stated, lips twitching again. "I... overheard that part of the prophecy and told the Dark Lord about it."
"He acted on a half-heard prophecy," Harry said dryly.
"A half-heard prophecy that spoke of a threat against him," Snape pointed out. "There were two boys the prophecy could have referred to: you, and Mr. Longbottom. Most people do not know this, but a majority of purebloods are weaker in power than most half-bloods. He decided that you were the boy the prophecy spoke of and not Mr. Longbottom."
"Well, given that You-Know-Who is a half-blood, and he's got a huge ego, that makes sense," Harry hummed.
Snape stared at him. "He's a what."
"Long story," Harry told him, waving him off. "So, are you going to teach me when I get back to school or-?"
"On the chance that the Dark Lord attacks you over the summer while you are defenseless? Of course not," Snape retorted. "Dumbledore has plans to take you to a safe house during the summer. I will teach you then." He paused. "A fair warning, Dumbledore will most likely order your friends, Weasley and Granger, not to write to you during the summer, for safety."
"I haven't told my friends any of this anyway," Harry admitted. "Hermione trusts Dumbledore way too much, and Ron hates anything Dark."
"You should not be isolated with no contact with the magical world," Snape said bluntly. "The Weasley twins are Darker than they appear." He strode over to his desk and pulled out two journals. "This will allow you to communicate with them without being discovered. Only you and them will be able to see the messages, unless you key someone else into the journals."
"Huh. I'm flashing back to second year," Harry said absently, taking the journals.
"What do you mean?"
"Well..."