The Rise of a Snape

Actions before Words

Hello dear readers, author here. Just a quick note: I know I'm the absolute worst at updating and I am so SO sorry for leaving this story for so long. Life got a bit insane-- I graduated high school, started college, and completely forgot about my Wattpad account but I am officially back. This story is by no means discontinued :) Please enjoy!

"Actions Before Words"

Harry rolled over, pulling a pillow over his head and resisted the urge to scream in frustration. It was perhaps the most restless night of sleep he'd had in a long while-- for once not because of any nightmares, but because of the strangeness of it all. 

There was something just... different about the Slytherin dorms. No one seemed to be very suspicious of him so far, but there was something coldly calculating in Malfoy's gaze that seemed to follow him around the room when he was getting ready for bed. He had been reluctant to follow asleep, half expecting the blonde to smother him in his sleep or something following their little meeting the night prior.

He shivered. He half regretted his little speech to Malfoy, who now seemed not to dislike him, but to be strangely... interested by his presence. He tried not to think about this new, strategic environment, opting to close his eyes again and savor the quiet morning. The Gryffindor dorm had never been this quiet, always abuzz with conversation. It was rather peaceful, in a strange way.

"Snape?" a cool voice came from above him, nearly causing him to jump out of his skin. Harry quickly took the pillow off of his head, sheepishly peering up at the owner of the voice, who looked vaguely amused by his reaction. 

Harry internally kicked himself for losing his composure so quickly. 

"Rule number one: never break your composure." Severus lectured in his mind. Well, that lasted long, Harry thought miserably.

"Um... yes?" Harry said, trying to be casual, though he was unconsciously leaning away from the tall boy who was standing over him, just a little too close for comfort. 

"It's 7 o'clock and we're going down to breakfast," Blaise said lightly, putting a hand on his hip and looking more than a little intrigued, "the others already have left, but I opted to stay behind to... show you the way." 

"Um, thank you-- Blaise, was it?" Harry said, a little flustered. He awkwardly tugged at his shirt, more than a little unsettled. How long had Blaise been standing there watching him sleep anyway? And this is why I didn't sleep last night, he thought grimly.

Harry cleared his throat uncomfortably, forcing a smile on his face and leaping out of bed ungracefully. He ran a hand through his hair, shuffling through his wrinkled wad of clothing, uncomfortably aware of Blaise watching his every move. Blaise chuckled smoothly, almost patronizingly, still in the exact same place he'd been standing.

"What?" Harry snapped sharply before he could stop himself. He winced immediately. 

Rule number two:  don't antagonize anyone. He sighed through his teeth, anxiety rising into his throat. He fumbled with the buttons on his shirt, trying to act... normal. Or whatever was closest to normal in this strange situation.

"I was expecting you to be more... refined. Like your father I suppose." Blaise said off-handedly. Harry glanced up at him, dread curling in his stomach. He swallowed, remembering what Severus had said about being in Slytherin-- it's all about actions and not words.  

He smiled tightly, refusing to be thrown off guard. 

"Ah yes, I suppose you were expecting me to have all of my shirts pre-ironed in my suitcase as well," Harry said sarcastically before he could think better of it, "and to be up at 5 in the morning writing lesson plans." 

Blaise smirked, not looking offended in the least. He had not looked away once as Harry quickly threw on his robes over and struggled with his tie. Harry felt a twinge of annoyance at his calm demeanor. Blaise seemed completely unfazed and completely put-together-- but there was something almost mocking about him that Harry couldn't quite put his finger on. 

"I meant no offense, Snape," Blaise said smoothly, something silky in his tone of voice that made Harry stiffen slightly, "I'm merely... interested in your sudden appearance here." 

He's a mind reader, Harry thought miserably, trying desperately to keep his face expressionless.

"Of course not," Harry said lightly, resisting the sudden urge to run as far away as he could from Blaise, and falling into step with Blaise as they walked out of the dormitories, "and you can just call me Seraphinus, if you want. Snape makes me think you're talking to my father."

"Whatever you would prefer," Blaise said, response perfectly polite but again, almost amused. Harry felt, again, like he had made some sort of vital mistake. 

Harry surreptitiously tucked his hair behind his ear, mind already racing. Why was Blaise even waiting for him anyway? Did there always have to be one Slytherin watching him? Did they suspect something was up already? He tried not to rush his pace, making it appear as though he was following Blaise even though he knew all of the hallways by heart. 

"Draco told me about your little... encounter," Blaise said smoothly interrupting Harry's train of thought. 

"Our-- what?" Harry said, blanching at the implications of the word, "oh, I wouldn't call it that. We probably just got off on the wrong foot." 

"We wouldn't want that, would we," Blaise said softly, pausing and placing a hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry glanced over at him, trying to relax. Blaise's expression was indiscernible, but his eyes were narrowed, as though he was trying to see right into Harry's mind. 

Harry laughed nervously, eyes flickering away from Blaise's intense ones. Blaise didn't let go of his shoulder.

"My apologies," Harry rambled quickly, "it was late. I probably was just tired or something-- you know, all the excitement of the first day and all that." 

Blaise didn't smile, but there was a slight shift in his demeanor to something more... careful. Harry couldn't quite put his finger on it. 

"Oh, but I never told you he was angry about anything," Blaise said, hand finally dropping to his side, eyes glittering as though he'd come to a decision, "but I'm sure he would appreciate the sentiment."

"Sure," Harry said uneasily, feeling uncomfortably like he was being interrogated, and almost entirely certain that he'd messed up somewhere in his response. Blaise seemed to wait for a brief moment, a slight smirk playing on his lips, before he started walking again in silence as though the strange little conversation had never happened.

They entered the Great Hall, which was alive with conversation and the flutter of papers. He had missed the warm glow of the candles and the laughter (mostly originating from the Gryffindor table). He quickly shifted his focus back to the Slytherin table, vaguely aware of the eyes of the Slytherins, whose gaze flicked onto him before back to their plates in a moment. 

"Seraphinus," Blaise said casually, glancing down at him. Harry gulped, trying not to look too intimidated by his seemingly all-knowing gaze, "you certainly are an enigma around here. You are most definitely... your own person." he finished, his words more than ever seeming to be layered with meaning.

"Th-thank you," Harry said hesitantly, though he wasn't sure if it was a compliment. But Blaise seemed to have made some sort of decision about him, though of what-- Harry didn't know. 

Actions before words, he thought to himself, glancing up at the staff table where Severus sat. He glanced back at Blaise, and with a sinking feeling realized that he was slowly leading him to the end of the table, where a certain blonde was sitting. 

Actions before words, he repeated to himself, trying-- for the first time in his life-- to clear his mind.