Not Who You Think

Seventeen

Harry was looking forward to his next Occlumency lesson, which was the evening, a bit more than he probably should be, especially since they hadn't really planned how to approach Snape about his loyalty. But Harry had always worked well when put on the spot and had decided he was just going to wing it. Snape hadn't been present at any meal the past week apart from breakfast, and he had seemed extremely tired during lessons; Harry knew that he had to be working non-stop to make the potions for his father.

"Harry, please be careful," Hermione said. Harry rolled his eyes as he walked through the dungeons towards Snape's office.

"I'll be fine. You worry too much," he replied, not caring that he would look incredibly weird talking to the air if anyone were to see him right then. Then again, most people thought he was a lying psychopath, so it wouldn't really change their opinions of him. Hermione didn't reply and he grinned as he imaged her exasperated expression. He cleared his face of emotions as he stopped outside Snape's office, letting out a soft breath before knocking on the door.

"Enter," came Snape's cold, drawling voice. Harry stepped in and closed the door behind him. Snape was glaring at him from behind the desk, but he didn't react.

"I would like to thank you for not mentioning anything to anyone about what you saw in my mind last week," Harry said, breaking the silence that had appeared between them as Snape glared at him.

"I wasn't given a choice in that matter. You know I am a spy for the Order. The Dark Lord was ruthless in his assignments for me last week and didn't give me a chance to talk to the Headmaster," Snape replied coldly, sneering at him.

"And yet I am still glad that you didn't talk. To either the Headmaster or Voldemort. As I told you last week, I would have made you regret it."

"You couldn't do anything. You're just an arrogant brat who can't do anything without the Headmaster telling you to."

"You're wrong. I want nothing to do with that old fool," Harry said with a scowl, throwing caution to the wind like he often did.

"Really? You're Dumbledore's Golden Boy," Snape drawled.

"I don't trust the old coot as far as I can throw him. I haven't been his 'Golden Boy' since my name came out of the Goblet last year and he didn't do anything to get me out, even though he could as he appointed himself my magical guardian," Harry said. Snape raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. Harry just stared at him for a few moments, before continuing.

"The rules specifically state that someone underage can be pulled out by their magical guardian. If they aren't withdrawn, the Goblet emancipates them. The old fool wanted me in that Tournament, despite everything he said. When we found out I was emancipated, Neville convinced me to go to Gringotts, and I was able to claim a ring from my dad. That ring then did a handy little thing, called releasing me from everything the great headmaster had me under."

"And why are you telling me this Potter? How do you know that I won't just go tell the Headmaster everything you've just told me?" Snape asked.

"Other than the fact that I know you're a Dark wizard and only switched to the Light when you realised Voldemort was going after my mum? And apart from the fact that if you told Dumbledore you would be completely undoing everything my mum did when she sacrificed herself to try and save me?" Harry asked, leaning against the closed door behind him, wondering if he could get Snape onside without mentioning the fact that he knew about Snape's oath to protect him, making Snape loyal to him over both sides of the war.

"What?" Snape asked, seeming truly shocked that he knew that.

"Voldemort offered my mum three chances to step aside. She begged him to kill her rather than me. If you ask the esteemed headmaster, he would tell you that it was her love that saved me. If you tell Dumbledore what I've told you, then you would be spitting on that sacrifice, as I would be drugged up to my eyeballs or I would be dead," Harry said, making sure he showed just how much respect he had for Lemons as he spoke. "And your magic calls to the Dark side, you're doing it an injustice by following the old goat."