Harry Potter and the Misunderstanding

CHAPTER 8

Even ten years after he'd ceased to attend Hogwarts as a student, the Headmaster's summons had the effect of making Severus feel like a schoolboy being scholastically sentenced. His afternoon classes had gone no better than the morning, and the result of this was that more than one student had made the silent and conscious decision that day not to continue Potions to N.E.W.T level.

Taking his frustrations out on the students had at least alleviated the worst of Severus's nerves. As it was, Severus was relatively composed when he knocked on Dumbledore's study door promptly, after his final class.

"Come in, Severus." The headmaster's voice was muffled behind the thick oak of office door.

Severus entered the study and lowered himself gracefully into a seat across from Dumbledore. The old wizard was at his desk and leaning comfortably back in his armchair.

"Severus, why don't you tell me what Harry has done to make you so cross." He said gently.

Severus noticed that Dumbledore did not bother with his usual pleasantries this time, and the lack of accusation in Dumbledore's tone immediately broke through Snape's defences, which had been up since the moment he had sat down to lunch that day.

Severus' body was tense as he began his story: "The boy is nothing but a spoilt brat," Severus said. "He thinks everything should be run according to his wishes! That first night, when I showed him where he'd be sleeping? Well! It obviously didn't meet with Potter's high standards, because he proceeded to mock me, I get the whole room?" Severus imitated a childish whinge.

Albus frowned at this, but Snape did not pause: "Then, when I came home yesterday evening, I asked Potter if he'd finished the lessons I set him. He looked me dead in the eye, Albus, and said he had. After we had evening tea, I sent him to bed. Then I went into the library to correct his work, and what do you know? He'd never even touched the books or the parchment. Everything was exactly as I'd left it that morning!"

Severus' hands curled into fists as he remembered the boy's face: Potter's audacity to acquire the pretence, a facade of innocence, still made his blood pressure spike, and Severus continued to mutter under his breath, his anger at the event making his hands physically shake.

At first, Severus had thought that perhaps Potter had taken his finished work up to his bedroom for some reason as, even having known James Potter as he did, Severus still could not believe that the boy would disobey him so blatantly.
He'd found Noddy in the pantry, industriously arranging the shelves therein.

"Noddy, please tell me Potter didn't spend all day outside playing." He had asked.

"Not the whole day, no, Master. He is in here around one o'clock wanting his lunch from Noddy, Sir."

Snape's eyes had narrowed. "His books and papers do not appear to have been disturbed. Did you see him working today?"

"No, Master, I never saw him at work," Noddy answered promptly.

Severus, with his deductions confirmed by Noddy's testimony, had raced upstairs in a rage. Potter, unsurprisingly, had tried to lie. That little brat wouldn't know the truth if it walked up to him wearing a nameplate.

Severus glared at Albus as he spoke, daring the man to interpret the events in any other way than that which Snape had offered. "My house elf confirmed that he hadn't been working. The boy is nothing but a manipulative liar." Severus told the headmaster.

"Do you not think you're being a bit too harsh, Severus?"

"Why do you automatically take Potter's side?" Severus demanded, leaning forward and slamming his fist against the desk. His abrupt action immediately set the delicate magical instruments to rattling. "You haven't even met the brat, and yet you just assume that I'm the one who's in the wrong?" He glared at the man furiously.