In honour of Severus Snape

The Prince Redeemed

‘The Prince Redeemed’

     Harry’s invisibility cloak brushed against his legs as he crept along the old, dusty floorboards towards the two men conversing in the room ahead. As he approached, their voices became louder and clearer- a high pitched voice spoke and a whispered, hateful one replied and Harry identified the latter immediately as the man he hated more than any other.

“My Lord, this would be the perfect opportunity for me to find Potter and bring him to you. Then you will have the pleasure of disposing of him and the fight will finally be won by none other than you, my Lord.”

Harry watched Voldemort stroke his pale chin with his long, white fingers; his snake, Nagini, enclosed in a magical sphere behind him.

“How is this ‘the perfect opportunity’?” Voldemort wondered aloud. “There is a battle at Hogwarts tonight; I think it would be best to wait a little longer before I reveal myself to the hundreds of fighters.”

“This is to be of no offense my Lord, but the fighters know you are here and you are so powerful that none of them would stand a chance against you. But I think you misunderstood me. There would be no need for you to enter the fray because I would be more than willing to find Potter for you; I am the headmaster of Hogwarts so no one would attack me unless I cursed them first. I would solely function to look for Potter and will do nothing else.”

“I know of your past with Potter’s father Snape, you will not be tempted to kill the boy I hope?”

Snape sniggered. “No my Lord, I understand perfectly that you wish to do that happy deed for yourself, I shall not deny you of that.”

“Very well, Severus, I give you permission to find the boy. But rest assured that if you do not return with him, you will suffer my displeasure.” Snape’s eyes glinted strangely. “I give you and only you the permission to find the boy and do whatever you must to bring him to me, unharmed. If he is killed, I will only have you to blame. I trust few people Severus, you should feel privileged.”

“Yes, my Lord, I am so honoured that you have given me the opportunity to retrieve the boy for you and I-“

“Stop your blundering Snape and go and find the boy before somebody else kills him!”

Snape bowed to his master and almost knocked Harry over as he swept from the Shrieking Shack.

     Harry’s heart was pounding inside his chest: Snape had been given special permission to search for him and knowing how easily he killed Dumbledore, Harry felt sure that he would not be able to stay hidden from both Voldemort and Snape. Harry pulled the Marauder’s Map from his pocket as he leant against the door frame of the dingy room and watched Severus Snape’s dot move hastily towards the Great Hall. If Harry could just enter the castle and reach the Room of Requirement where the remaining members of Dumbledore’s Army were hiding, Harry felt sure he would be safe. But what if Snape found a way to enter the room? He would have to think of another plan.

     Harry began to walk away from the Whomping Willow when he stopped suddenly in his tracks. A strange feeling crept through his entire body and for once, it was his own rage enveloping his guts and licking at his insides. Snape is the reason your parents are dead.  He goaded Sirius out of the house which led to his death, and he killed Dumbledore without any remorse or sorrow. Harry felt anger such that he had never felt before. This was his chance to avenge himself on Snape for all the pain, loss and grief he has caused.

I am not a coward.

      Harry hurried across Hogwarts grounds with a new objective: to find Snape, yell at him, hurt him, attack and curse him to oblivion and he no longer cared if he was taken to Voldemort, no longer cared if he was killed as long as he got his revenge first. This was his chance to confront Snape, alone. He knew Snape couldn’t kill him because of Voldemort’s wishes so Harry was free, as he saw it, to cause as much pain as possible.