Severus Snape's Son: The Slytherin Rebel

Chapter 24

Dacian Volkov POV

Sunday morning, I wake up early to head off to the library, my goal to find books about defence against the dark arts. So that I might be able to hold them off a bit.

There is almost no one here yet, except a little group of Ravenclaws and of course Hermione Granger. So, I take my time sorting out different books I have interested in. Defensive Spells in a Nutshell. The Dark Arts Explained. Using Defensive Magic.

I'm not much wiser hours later, the only real knowledge I have gained is not to panic and hope the attacker doesn't use the Unforgivable Curses, so I don't have much of a chance.

At lunch, I'm sitting with Dexter again, him looking very depressed.

'Dexter, look at me.' I say after a while, stuffing some toast in my mouth. 'I know it's a tough time, but I know we can get through this.'

'Dacian...'

But I interrupt him again. 'I wanted to ask if you want to practice duelling with me.

'Dacian.' It's long silent. 'I don't think I want to stay with you nowadays.'

My heart sinks. 'What do you mean?'

'It's dangerous.' He looks really sorry, but he avoids eye contact. 'I can't.'

'What?'

But he's ignoring me now, and it starts to get through me what he is implying. Dexter stands up, leaving his half-finished plate behind, and strides out of the Great Hall, not even looking behind.

I sigh deeply. Great.

Later in Potions class, he doesn't sit next to me as usual, and I'm left alone on a table. Staring at professor Slughorn, who's explaining the effects of a calming draught.

'Everyone, gather your materials, you have one hour to make the draught. This will be graded.'

I don't find potions that difficult; I just need the concentration for it, and today I try to focus the most just to have something off my mind.

Add three lacewing flies and stir thirteen times clockwise.

It's finished around thirty minutes later, and when I look around, most of the students are still busy. Slughorn is walking around, we accidently made eye contact, and is now heading towards me.

'Well, Mr Volkov, let's see how you've done.' He smiles at me and then bends over to look at the dark liquid. 'Good job, it's almost perfect. Ten points to Slytherin.'

'Thanks.' I mumble, totally not satisfied. Of course I can do it, he taught me...

Severus Snape POV

Liebestraum no. 3 from Liszt.

One of the most famous pieces of the piano repertoire, so of course I learnt it when I was younger. I'm playing it in the Room of Requirement at night, the night before it will all happen. When I entered, I thought it wanted to come here to drink, but instead of a bar or anything like that, the room provided me with a beautiful concert piano.

From the many shelves around me, I took the famous Liebestraum and started playing. Naturally, after years of not touching the instrument, it took me a while before my fingers knew how to play again. Yet now I am playing the piece again and again, each time slightly different. Each time improving.

My mind is finally falling into place when I stop for a few minutes. I am not evil. I am just trying to save people, without them noticing.

Perhaps because I recognise myself in Dacian is the reason I care about him. He likes music like me, he masters magic like no one else, he likes the quiet and piece, he doesn't have many friends, now none.