Because You Love Me

74. A Shocking Revelation

 For the next few days, not a soul in the castle saw Severus Snape except for the students who had him in class. He didn't go to breakfast, lunch, or dinner with the rest of the school, but a house elf had been seen going to the Dungeons at various points during the day, undoubtedly delivering meals to him.

Alaina was beginning to get worried about him. Not seeing him or being near him was enough to drive her crazy. She often walked past the entrance to the Dungeons and contemplated going down and paying him a visit, but she figured if he wanted to see her he would have made an effort by now. Fear was beginning to grip her tightly. The way Severus had been acting, it was possible that he may never want to see her again. If that happened she wasn't sure how she might handle it. What if she couldn't handle it at all? What if she cracked and did something horrible like use her power? The possibilities that ran through her mind were almost too much to bear. She shook her head and tried not to think about it.

Spirits weren't much better in the Gryffindor Common Room. Harry was just as worried as his mother was, maybe even a little more. He hadn't said anything to her about it yet because he didn't want to upset her, but Severus Snape had been acting strange toward him in class. He completely ignored Harry like he was invisible or something. If he had a question, his professor would answer it, but other than that Snape avoided him like the plague. It was really starting to worry him. Harry hadn't seen Snape with his mother at all, which was highly unusual as well. He always saw them at one point of the day or another. It was unsettling.

"Harry, it's going to be alright," Hermione told him. She and Ron were sitting next to him on the couch in front of the fire roaring in the fireplace. They had decided to skip breakfast that morning to support him. "He's probably just going through some sort of phase. Maybe they had a fight or something."

"No," Harry protested, "he's done a complete turn around. It's like it's my first year here again. Snape isn't himself. Something's happened, but I don't think he and Mum have broken up because she would have told me."

"Well then what do you suppose you done to make him mad?" Ron asked thoughtlessly.

Hermione slapped him and he realized what he'd said. He rubbed the spot where she hit him, a scowl on his face.

"Harry did nothing!" she insisted. "Professor Snape seems more sad and distracted than anything else. I could have sworn I saw him wiping his eyes the other day. He's been that way ever since he talked to Professor Lupin the day we faced the boggart."

Harry frowned. "He talked to Professor Lupin?"

She nodded. "I saw him go in as I was heading to my next class."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Ron demanded.

"Because I didn't think it mattered."

Harry's frown remained. "It may not, Hermione, but I think I'm going to see what Mum thinks. She could use a lift in spirit. She's been down the last few days I've passed by her classroom. Maybe this will give her some sort of hope."

"Do you want us to come with you?" Ron asked.

"No. You guys go ahead and eat some breakfast. I'll see you in Potions."

Ron and Hermione nodded and waved goodbye to him as he left the common room.

Harry rushed down the hall to his mother's office and knocked loudly on her door. It was only seconds before it swung open wide.

"Well good morning," Alaina greeted him. She had a smile on her face, but Harry could see the sadness in her eyes. They were puffy too, which meant she hadn't been sleeping well. "Do you want to come in?"