Defending Heart

Chapter 4: The Slytherin Commonroom

Sorry I kinda neglected this. I have exams at the end of the month.

The Slytherin commonroom is incomparable to the Gryffindor one. Sleek and wide open, so much bigger with elegant black stairwells and clean leather furniture, polished floors. Harry can admire its beauty, but it send a chill down his spine. It's such a cold room, one nobody could be comfortable in. When he walks in a small group of Slytherin students stare at him, and while disconcerting it's refreshing not to feel like a commodity. Pressured into being the idea of Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived and not Harry Potter, the goofy D.A.D.A teacher with a flare for the theatrics.

"What are you doing here?" One of the students asks, quickly adding 'Professor Potter' on the end to mask his scepticism.

"Is Severus Snape here, do you know?"

The small group scoffs and shares amused glances, the back two snickering whispers to one another. Odd, Harry understands the Gryffindor rivalry, why James might have an issue with the boy. But it's rare to see students at odds with their own Housemates. "He's upstairs, dunno what he's doing," one mentions, pointing to the West staircase.

"Thank you," he wonders why he feels the need to be formal with these random children before his mind returns to the activity at hand.

Harry doesn't know what he was expecting Severus Snape to be, but this isn't it. He walks in on the dorm, empty besides two 5th years, a Gryffindor and Slytherin. And the Gryffindor he recognises as Lily Albarn, the sweet girl James has been crushing on since 1st year. Who's parents he helped adapt to the Wizarding world, a pair of helpful, kind Muggles with impressively open minds. They are extremely proud of their daughter.

"Oh, hello Miss Evans," he smiles down at Lily, who looks up.

"W-Wow, hello Mr Potter!" She stutters back, and Harry's resolve crippled slightly. Back to being a status symbol, he supposes. Except Severus leans back on his pillow, black unlike the others which are green, and folds his arms over his chest tightly. "Sev, say hi!" Lily prompts.

Severus stares Harry up and down, cocking his head to the side to rest on his hand. His gaze slides black pupils, moving silently like a predatory snake, to the window, where rain splatters on the window. "You aren't impressive, y'know?" He scoffs. Honestly, he admits to himself Harry would be incredibly attractive if he didn't look so much like James. His eyes are emerald like Lily's, and his aloof, confused face is adorable. Severus catches himself. Not only is this his teacher, it's his worst enemy's father. Of corse, this man is likely just as evil and arrogant as his son.

"Miss Evans, would you please give us some privacy?" He asks nicely, a reassuring smile plastered on his face.

"Of course, Professor!" She smiles and stands with admirable energy, turning to Severus with a bright smile. "I'll just be in the library, if you'd like to meet later," she promises, descending into the main common room with a wave.

Severus gulps discretely, pulling his knees against his chest and curling up a little on the bed. Being with Mr Potter alone is unnerving, not because his presence is particularly intimidating but because they're so isolated. Teachers aren't inherently trustworthy and there's no predictability to someone he knows nothing about. "Or maybe I'm presupposing you're like James," Severus mutters to himself. "Sorry Professor, but what are you here?" He asks, confusion evident despite his attempts to appear impassive.

"I'm here, I suppose to get answers. I understand this is highly irregular-" Harry pauses, breathing deeply before he begins. "I just wanted to ask about James and he bullying reports,"

"So that's it," Severus laughs dryly, feeling a sense of anger rise in him. He barely keeps himself contained, barely keeps his composure. "You're so arrogant you don't believe your son could be an as- be so hateful,"

Harry furrows his brow, in conflict with his own emotions. For whatever reason, he's always felt defensive in matters concerning James. "No, that's not why I'm here. I want to know why, I suppose. How long has this been going on for, when did it start and why?"

"Don't you have the files?"

"They just give me timelines," Harry shakes his head, pulling a wooden desk chair from the corner to sit on, just before the beds. Severus is thankful he hasn't changed out his school uniform, otherwise this would be terribly awkward. It's not his fault all his pyjamas are Pokemon themed.

"I'm first year, the first day actually," he recounts the tale of their first meeting on the Hogwarts express, and Harry observes how comfortable Severus becomes when he's telling a story. The flare of nostalgia burns in his eyes even as he describes negative experiences. "And I remember him, so bloody insistent on joining Gryffindor. It's all he bragged about, and we hadn't even had the sorting ceremony yet!"

Harry can't help but smile, reliving the memory of James' first day and how insatiably excited he was to be a Gryffindor. It's part of his loyalty Harry knows, so be so faithful to an ideology or cause or person. A beautiful, bright part of James that maybe can't come out as well in front of other students.

"So then I said 'if you'd rather be brawny than brainy!' And I actually got a snicker from some would-be Slytherins," A shadow of a grin spreads on Severus' before before it disappears back into a frown. "Then they all started hating me too,"

Harry chuckles a little, impressed by the incredulity of this odd misunderstanding. "I see what happened, you attacked Gryffindor. The thing he loves and respects most. My fault I suppose - I never did prepare him for criticism,"

Severus just looks up at the Professor in confusion as he stands, returning the chair to normal. "Thanks, I got all I need," Harry slings his satchel over his shoulder again and walls briskly from the dorm room.

"Professor!" Severus calls him back, guffawing in puzzlement at the bizarre actions of his teacher. "Wait, there's more!"

"I'm sure there is," Harry sings, spirits lifted slightly as he musically walks down the stairs. From the opposite dorm, the girls' dorm, a head peeks out.

"Professor Potter's here?" She frowns into the boys' dorm, catching Severus' eyes between the doors. "What was that about?"

Severus shakes his head. "Bugger if I know,"