Dunderhead - A Harry Potter story: Snape becomes Harry's mentor

Chapter 7: UNCOMFORTABLE

Severus looked on, deeply unsettled by Harry Potter's sudden change in attitude, as well as by his own vanishing rage. The boy was not the arrogant or disrespectful copy of James Potter that Severus had seen moments before. Potter could only be described as one thing, and that was a distraught teenager. He was a child, really, and the boy looked as if he could not stand to care any longer.

Severus Snape was no stranger to feelings of helplessness and depression. His entire life had been filled with wretched misfortunes. Be that as it may, he knew how to deal with his own problems, and he never moped around feeling sorry for himself. He was a true Slytherin, after all, and resourcefulness was one of their most prominent traits. Severus was not equipped to deal with other people's problems. He was not used to dealing with sobbing teenagers and, as the head of Slytherin, a House with the most pride, he rarely saw his students let their emotions show anyway, let alone allow them to take over. The most he ever had to deal with were homesick first years and eleven-year-olds, who were fairly easy to satisfy. Just have their parents send them an owl and everything would settle down. Besides, a month into the school year and most students would be too absorbed in their friends and activities to be upset over their separation from their parents. In fact, the majority of Hogwarts' pupils were quite glad that there was no parental supervision.

Severus noted that Potter did not bother to wipe his tears away and, unbeknownst to Severus, this was because Harry had, somewhere in the back of his mind, accepted that he'd just have to deal with what was left of his tattered dignity later. What was the point in wiping away the mess currently leaking down his face?

While Potter cried, Snape was meandering his way through his thoughts, trying to decide what to do. He felt like the walls of his office were closing in on him, presenting James Potter's son to him in a tunnel vision, and despite his desire to be anywhere but here, he could only focus on the boy standing weakly in front him, still slightly red on the one side of his face from the bruise that Severus had given him earlier.

"Get a hold of yourself!" Snape urged suddenly, feeling increasingly uncomfortable. When the boy kept on, he scowled and snapped: "Potter, stop this nonsense!" But Harry was too far gone to care and Severus wondered if it would be best to send him back to Gryffindor Tower in order to calm down. Then again, he would hate to have McGonagall on his back for being too harsh to the brat. "Damn it, Potter! Stop making a fool out of yourself. What have you to cry for? Your privileged life? Your hundreds of fans? Your status as Dumbledore's Golden Boy?" Severus demanded. "Well?" 

Potter shook his head, obviously only half listening to the man's remarks. When the boy took a gasp, Severus thought that it might finally be over - until a new torrent of emotion pushed forth. 

"Oh, don't you dare. I won't have Minerva on my back again." Severus muttered. Harry's Head of House had been constantly on at Severus for his prejudice towards Potter. When Severus had told Dumbledore of the pensieve incident in the staff room, he had tried to justify his actions to the headteacher and Minerva had sneakily overheard him. She had threatened to set him, along with his entire potion stores, on fire if he ever manhandled her student again. And, by Merlin, he believed her.

If I just let him loose, he'll stop soon enough. He can walk up to Gryffindor tower and his sentimental friends can deal with him there, Severus thought weakly. He tried a different angle. "Crying, Potter? I'd never thought I'd live to see the day." Severus sneered, thinking that maybe humiliation would snap the boy out of this... well, whatever it was. "Just wait till all your peers hear about this. Their great saviour, defeater of the Dark Lord, the brave, self-sacrificing little Gryffindor crying his eyes out in front his professor. Pathetic."

Potter did not respond. If anything, he cried harder. 

"Damn it, Potter! Stop your snivelling, or I will make you regret it!"