“You what?” Harry exclaimed, his eyes wide and his glasses falling to the tip of his nose.
“You heard what I said, Harry.” Dumbledore said quietly, looking at Harry intently.
“But you’ve got to be joking. Tell me, tell me this is just a joke. This is some kind of therapy, that’s what it is. You’re trying to ease my stress by making me laugh,” Harry gave a half-hearted laugh and pushed his glasses back up. He stood in Professor Dumbledore’s candle lit office, the bookshelves loomed above him like laughing giants.
“This is no joke, Harry” Professor Dumbledore said somewhat exasperated, “Please calm down!”
“Calm? You expect me to be calm when you force me into this ludicrous lose-lose situation?” Harry was growing more and more frantic, his voice was raised and his face a picture of absolute horror. He seemed to be finding it hard to breath, sweat was beginning to show on his forehead, and he was anything but calm.
“It is not a lose-lose situation, Harry, it is a plan, and about the only one we have right now,” Dumbledore replied. He sat back in his chair slightly, as if awaiting an attack.
“But I can fight him, I know I can!” Harry said.
“No you can’t. You’re only sixteen, how can you possibly be expected to fight the dark lord just yet?”
“Oh, so I’m expected to pose as one of his ex-Death Eaters? How is this going to work? I’m shite at Potions!” Harry screamed at the old man in front of him.
“Watch your language, Potter,” a deep cold voice emanated from the dark corner.
“You know I am Professor Snape. You can’t possibly think this is a good idea!” Harry said, turning to the head of Slytherin with an almost pleading attitude.
“I think Professor Dumbledore knows exactly what he is doing. If he says we have to take these drastic measures then I am perfectly willing to do so. If you are going to take my position you had better learn to respect and value your elders.”
“So it is agreed,” Dumbledore said, placing his hands together slowly, “Severus Snape is to become Harry Potter and Harry Potter is to become Severus Snape.”
********************
Harry walked outside feeling the cool breeze lap against his face and play with his hair. He felt terrible. He thought about what Dumbledore had said, about the plan he was about to embark upon. It wasn’t a plan, it was ridiculous. How on earth could he convincingly play the part of the down-right evil Potions master? Worse still, how could Snape play him? What would Ron and Hermione say when they found out the boy they thought was their best friend for three months actually turned out to be their irascible teacher? He wanted to tell them, to warn them somehow, but he remembered what Dumbledore had said.
“No-one must know, Harry. You must understand this. It would compromise the situation entirely and put everyone’s lives at risk.”
“But couldn’t we use someone else, I mean… why Professor Snape? Why not Lupin?”
“He is the only one with the skills to pull this off successfully, you know that Harry. Plus, better Severus here than your friend Remus. You wouldn’t want the added danger of becoming a werewolf every month, would you?”
“You mean this is going to last longer than a month?”
“Three months, at least, I think Harry. We’re going to have to start preparing you both straight away. You will have to get to know each other extremely well. Perhaps even better than you know yourselves.”
Meanwhile, Snape had just stood there, not saying a thing. Harry was sure he must be as livid as he himself was. Suddenly he heard footsteps coming from behind.
“Potter!” Snape’s voice hissed. Harry turned around to see the dark menacing figure of Snape loom up. His yellow teeth were bared as he spoke next, “Potter, the headmaster wants you back inside. Now.”
“Professor Snape. You can’t honestly be willing to go through with this?” Harry whispered in a last attempt at freedom. “I mean, this harebrained scheme can’t be the only way of stopping Voldemort!”
“Do not utter his name in public so casually. How many times do I have to tell you? And stop telling me what I can and cannot be willing to do. To be honest I do not wish to subject myself to any time in your form, let alone three months. Do you really think I want to be known as Harry Potter. That I want associate with your friends? And spend time in the Gryffindor Common room? Can you seriously see me liking the idea of being a student again? Unlike you I am willing to do what I have to, however. Perhaps you don’t understand the severity of the situation?”
Harry stared up at Snape and knew he loathed him with every fibre of his being. He was going to hate this, he could tell.