In Somnis Veritas

25

 When Albus Dumbledore found his potions master on the astronomy tower that evening, he smiled pleasantly.

"Severus, my boy. How nice to see you. I must say, I didn't expect to find you here so late in the day."

"I was hoping to be alone," Snape responded, drily.

If this offended the older wizard, he didn't let it show – instead coming to stand by Snape, looking out over the grounds of the school.

"Minerva said you had been called away to the Ministry."

"Ah, a false alarm, it would seem," Dumbledore smiled. "Tell me, how has Harry found the first of his exams?"

"You would have to ask Harry," he said.

Noting the curious look the headmaster gave him, he exhaled impatiently before speaking again.

"He refuses to talk to me."

Dumbledore chuckled. "Children, Severus. They can be difficult. What have you done this time?"

"You assume it is my wrongdoing, old man, and we all know what happens when one assumes," Snape commented. "I simply relayed your message in regards to the summer arrangements and the child took it badly."

"Oh? What did you say?" Dumbledore asked, as if fascinated.

"I told him that it his request to stay with me during the summer break could not be granted. That it was not possible," he responded, stiffly.

Dumbledore frowned. "Whatever for, my boy?"

The potions master turned to face him sharply. "You know full well. I do not wish to discuss this any further."

"But I'm afraid we must. Forgive me Severus, I know I am aging but I feel sure that even I cannot have forgotten our conversation quite so quickly. And I must say, I can't recall refusing to grant Harry's request, or indeed, my declaring it impossible," the headmaster said. "I simply said–"

"–That the boy must see me as his family for it to work. His true family," Snape finished. "That is why it is impossible."

"Is it?" he asked, perplexed.

"My relationship with the boy is companionship at best. Let us not forget that he is the son of Lily Evans and James Potter, Albus – he will never view me as anything more than a guardian, as well as you know," Snape snapped.

"On the contrary, Severus. I think you underestimate young Harry's capacity for love," Dumbledore told him. "And given everything he has been through in his short life, it's really quite amazing."

"I think you mistake me for Molly Weasley, or some other sweet and sickly character," he said, unimpressed.

"Perhaps not. However, I remember another little boy. One whose life was perhaps as difficult as Harry's has been, and yet who was capable of loving just as much," the headmaster began. "What happened to that boy, do you think?"

Severus Snape swallowed hard, but did not respond.

"Well?" Dumbledore pressed.

"You know what happened!"

"And therefore, you have concluded that you are not worthy of Harry's love? Why? Because you believe that you are not capable yourself of loving Lily's son as strongly as you loved her? Or perhaps you are afraid of losing Harry in the same vain?" the headmaster surmised.

"Enough," Severus hissed, turning to leave.

"Tell me Severus," Dumbledore began, before the potions master could reach the spiral staircase off the astronomy tower. "Is that how you truly feel? Even after looking into the Mirror of Erised and seeing yourself with Harry?"

Severus spun to face him, wondering if, for a moment, his talent for occlumency had finally evaded him.

Dumbledore simply stared back at him, a twinkle in his eye.

But before either of them could speak again, Minerva McGonagall appeared at the top of the spiral staircase, looking a little dishevelled and pausing for a moment to catch her breath.

"Minerva?" Dumbledore asked in surprise, turning his attention to her.

"Thank goodness you're back," she breathed. "Three students are missing from their beds."

"Yes, I was just explaining to Severus here that my presence was, in fact, not required at the Ministry after all. But I'm sure you don't need me for matters so trivial as students out of bed?" Dumbledore asked, calmly.

"Who are the students?" Snape asked, as if he couldn't guess.

McGonagall sighed. "Potter, Weasley and Granger."

"In that case, I shall leave the matter in your capable hands, Severus," the headmaster smiled, unperturbed.

Muttering to himself about blasted Gryffindors, Snape went to move past the deputy headmistress, but she caught his arm, her eyes full of worry.

"I'm afraid there's more," she began. "I floo called all of the staff, to confirm that they had not seen the children since curfew. With the exception of Severus, there was only one other staff member I couldn't reach."

"Who?" Snape asked, feeling sure he wasn't going to like her answer.

"Professor Quirrell," she said, turning to Dumbledore. "What's more... Potter and his friends came to see me earlier today. They had concerns that Quirinius might be trying to steal the Stone."

Before either of them could say anything further, Severus Snape was already at the bottom of the spiral staircase, striding back inside of the castle and in the direction of the third floor corridor.

OOOOOOO