The Rise of a Snape

A Web of Lies

            "You WHAT?!" Snape and Harry exclaimed simultaneously, while Remus looked incredulous. Dumbledore merely stared back gravely.

"You can't possibly expect the public not to mention the bloody DARK LORD to buy that I suddenly have a long lost son," Snape snapped, clenching his fists, "and Potter to suddenly disappear- not to mention he-" he waved a hand at a frozen Harry, not wanting to call him Potter, but not wanting to call him Snape, "-looks exactly like Lily!"

Harry would have laughed at the comically wide-eyed Snape if the situation hadn't been so- ridiculous!

There was a heavy pause.

"Yes," Harry said, finding himself surprised by finding a point in Snape's loud rant that he agreed with, "I- well- Aunt Petunia said I look exactly like my mother," he said again, stumbling on the word 'mother'.

"How could I possibly- surely someone would recognize me- and what about the order and nobody knowing..." he trailed off, looking overwhelmed, questions swirling about in his head.

Ron and Hermione wouldn't know either? If he went along with this plan, where would Harry supposedly be going?

Keep calm; keep calm- he took inhaled and exhaled slowly.

"People see what they would like to see," Dumbledore declared quietly, hands clasped in front of him, blue eyes tired behind his half-moon glasses, "to them, it would be simply impossible to believe such a story."

"Dumbledore, you can't possibly-" Snape started furiously.

"I agree," Remus said thoughtfully, coming out of his thoughts and looking hard at Dumbledore, who turned to meet him.

Both Harry and Snape goggled at him, gob smacked. He- agrees?

"Well, I bloody well do not," Snape snarled furiously, standing up in a rush, "Lupin-"

"Oh, will you just shut up and think!" Remus snapped angrily also standing up and looking Snape in the eye. He blushed slightly at Dumbledore's raised eyebrows, but stood his ground.

Snape looked affronted, looking on the edge of a biting remark, but Remus cut in in a louder tone before he could speak-

"The Boy-Who-Lived title would be gone, and the Death eaters will follow that instead of Harry," Remus' voice was rising, "speaking of which- Harry would be safe,"

"Not with me," Snape shouted, with such desperation that Harry was forced to look at the man again. He actually looked worried- worried, conflicted, and hurt.

"Not with me," Snape said a little more softly.

"But he would be," Remus whispered- Harry noticed for the first time that the two men were looking at each other with- understanding?

"Don't you see," Remus continued softly but urgently, and with a tired, desperate look in his amber eyes "with the correct story, he would be hiding where no one would expect him to be found."

There was a choked intake of breath from Snape- Dumbledore's face had wilted slightly as he stared at Remus Lupin, the man that had unrightfully lost so much.

"Snape- I owe it to them you know," Remus continued heavily, voice rough, "Lily, and... James."

Snape's jaw had tightened at the name 'James'.

There was a pause, before Snape- still locking his gaze with Remus'- nodded jerkily.

There was a tense silence. Harry's throat was tight, and he felt sick, sick to his heart as the gravity of the situation had caught up to him.

My whole life was a lie.

He closed his eyes slowly, ashamed to feel his eyes burning beneath them. He blinked them open again to see Snape, whose gaze had hardened.

Snape and Remus had sat back down, Snape's stiff back and Remus' despairing gaze.

"So, it's happening then?" Harry said hesitantly, faintly surprised that his voice hadn't given out on him.

For what seemed like the first time, they turned their gaze to him.

"Nobody can know," Snape said with finality, but not unkindly. His lips were thin.

"Not even Weasley and Granger."

Harry swallowed and closed his eyes. That would be the hardest part he thought, 'not knowing' my friends.

Then the thought hit him- "But they wouldn't be in danger," Harry gasped quickly, relief dawning over him, "the Weasleys, Hermione, and everyone- they won't be tied to me- or Harry Potter- they wouldn't be so much in danger- or targets!"

He was babbling, he knew, but that was what mattered.

This, he thought with a determined gaze, not thinking about himself, the war, or even Sirius who had been on his mind for the whole summer, was what matters.

The people who had done so much for him would be safe.

"No," Remus said, sighing wistfully, "we are all in danger- this is a war."

Harry opened his mouth to speak, to argue, but Remus raised a hand.

"But, yes," he said softly, "they would be safer. Less of targets."

"This won't be easy," Snape hissed sharply, obsidian eyes becoming cold and frosty, "and Merlin knows how long this will last."

Harry shrugged, used to the cold and unyielding (and rather insulting) Snape, and looked him in the eyes.

"I could take it." He replied coolly. Harry wasn't quite sure of where this strength was coming from, but he fed into it. It was something else to think about- someone else to save- it was worth it.

For them.

"Very well," Dumbledore said quietly, but firmly.

Together, they crafted the elaborate plan- with the determined Wolf, the reluctant Knight, the Chivalrous Child, and the regretful King.

This was the rise of Seraphinus Snape.

Seraphinus- meaning the "burning one" or the "serpent".

Safe, Harry repeated in his head, he owed them this- they would be safe.

He would do this for them. Hide behind a name expected of a Snape, burrow in another's skin, scrap the life he once had and replace it with the life crafted for him- a web of lies.

The one he was meant to have.

Lily-child...

Hope.