A Bond for the Ages

Chapter 42

Translations:

[Latin] Frater = Brother

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"Harry, please, talk to us," Hermione pleaded, pulling Harry's attention from the retreating Slytherins. He looked at them, his jaw clenched as he waited for more of their verbal attacks. "We want to understand how this happened."

"Do you?" Harry said shortly.

"Of course," Hermione said, sounding offended that Harry didn't believe her.

"Then why haven't you listened to me?" Harry said. "Why haven't you trusted me about anything?"

"Because it's all mental!" Ron said loudly. "Come on, mate. Snape? Malfoy? What are we supposed to think after what they've been like the last four years?"

"You're supposed to trust me," Harry said.

"We're trying," Hermione said.

"You shouldn't have to try," Harry said and the silence that fell over them rang loud.

They stared at each other for several long seconds, so long they nearly stretched into full minutes. Harry could see the emotions his friends were unable to keep hidden: confusion, anger, hurt, fear. Emotions he had seen in them before, but not often pointed towards him. Eventually, he sighed, preparing for what he knew could very well be his last moments with his friends, the people that had been through everything with him, but couldn't seem to stand by him in this one thing. It would be up to them if their friendship continued. He hoped this wasn't it, hoped he didn't have to lose anyone, but he knew better than to be that delusional. He had different sides to his life now and they did not seem to want to mix. He was going to lose something; he just hoped it would be something he could survive losing.

"You want to know how this happened? Thing is, I don't really know. I don't know how we got here, but we did," Harry said. "What I do know is, even when he hated me, he helped me. When I was confused and scared and alone, he was there. He went against orders for me, for us. He might have hated me, but he has still done more for me than anyone."

"How could you choose Snape over us? Over Sirius? We're your family," Ron said and Harry had to push down the pain in his heart. He gave Ron a small glare.

"You've decided to make it a choice. You've decided to force me to pick. Sirius decided revenge was more important than me. Sirius would rather do what he wants instead of be around for me. Sirius would rather keep hating Slytherins and tell me I'm not deserving of the Potter name instead of realizing I've found something, and just accepting it's not with him," Harry said, his voice thick as his throat tightened. "Everything Snape's done has been to help me and Draco, even when he hated us. Everything Sirius has done has been for him."

"Harry..." Hermione said quietly, sounding sad.

"I don't want to lose you as friends, but I'm not giving them up," Harry said. "They've given me something I can't give up, not anymore."

"And what's that?" Ron said with a sneer.

"A family," Harry said, using the word, even in his head, for the first time. It terrified him, as though now he'd used the word he'd risked cursing what he'd found with two Slytherins and two immortals.

Ron looked disgusted. "What happens when they abandon you like the traitorous snakes they are?"

"They won't," Harry said, finding he actually believed it. "They're not what you think. You don't have to like them, but, if you want to stay my friends, you have to accept that they are in my life, that they mean something to me. You don't have to understand it, just accept it."