Unhappy Endings

130: What Went Wrong

"Our explanation begins with your scar. You already know that it is a connection between you and Voldemort, and that this connection goes both ways." You sat down and put your head in your hands. "I grew worried that Voldemort would at some point discover this connection, which he did the night Mr. Weasley was attacked."

"I already know all this." Harry grumbled.

"Haven't you wondered why I haven't spoken to you, even looked at you, for months?"

"Dolores?..." You muttered an answer, but Harry was less sure.

"Well, yeah, I did..."

"I was worried that if Voldemort discovered there was a closer relationship between us than simply between headmaster and student, that he would use you to spy on the Order. Another mistake." He shook his head. "Voldemort showed us both tonight that his aim in possessing you would not be to destroy me, but to destroy you." Harry looked at his shoes, beginning to both cool down and feel admonished. "Sirius told me you believed there was a snake inside of you. This was Voldemort attempting to manipulate you. To protect you from this, I had you study Occlumency."

"But Professors Snape and Tonks stopped giving me lessons..."

"My fault entirely." You admitted.

"No. It is mine for not insisting. I thought Severus could overcome his feelings towards your father, Harry, especially with Esmeralda, but I was wrong. Some wounds cut too deep to be healed."

"He barely taught me, though. I always felt more open to it after the lessons. Like he was trying to open me to Voldemort—"

"Don't start, Harry." You sneered, surprising the boy.

"I would trust Severus Snape with my life, Harry. You have never recovered from your mistrust of him in your first year. Your father... he really damaged Severus."

"You saw. I showed you. Why can you still not bring yourself to believe me, Headmaster Dumbledore or the very vision of your vicious father!?" You stood up, beginning to really get upset. The constant distrust of Severus was completely unfounded, and you didn't care to see the disservice to your love.

"Sirius, your uncle, didn't trust him. Didn't believe he'd really turned to our side..." Harry stood up and faced you.

Albus stood up and pulled the boy back into the chair. He gave you a look telling you to calm down, but you looked back at him coldly. "Again, some wounds run too deep to be healed, Harry. Severus and Sirius never liked each other at school. This has never changed." Harry stared at the carpet, hopefully put back into place. "During your Occlumency lessons, Professor Snape discovered that you were dreaming about the door in the Department of Mysteries."

"But I've been dreaming about that all year... before Voldemort discovered the connection."

"Yes. Voldemort has been obsessed with hearing that prophecy since he returned. Because of your scar, what he was obsessed with, you became obsessed with-- in the form of dreams. Once he discovered the connection, Voldemort had little difficulty in manipulating you into thinking he had captured Sirius."

"But I checked Grimmauld Place! Kreacher said—"

"Kreacher lied. He wanted you to go to the Department of Mysteries."