Correspondence
Severus Snape's head snapped up at the hysterical pattering of an owl's beak on his window. The smallest owl he'd ever seen was twittering madly about his office window. He opened the window to allow the animal entrance. He could easily close his fist around the thing, and it would still have room to breathe. How it was carrying its bundle, he had no idea.
He removed said bundle from the leg of the owl and absently tossed it some owl treats. He wondered if the excitable little being would be able to swallow them, and looked up in alarm as it hacked dangerously, apparently having swallowed a big piece too fast. He pointed his wand and diced the treats so the stupid animal wouldn't kill itself trying to attend to a basic bodily function.
A very small tube was encased in a piece of parchment.
Odd... that looked like a memory... but what was wrong with it... why was it so small?
Frowning, he locked his door, pulled out his Pensieve, and dumped the memory into it. He tried to watch it from his current vantage point, but it was blurry and indistinct. He'd have to go into the Pensieve.
It was an exceedingly short trip. All he saw when he put his face into the silvery substance was a pale, bared left arm with an ugly, fading brand on it, and a chubby, toddler's fist jabbing him and insisting, "Pier!"
His arm. His Dark Mark. Harry Potter's chubby toddler fist, insisting that Peter Pettigrew was similarly marked.
A fact he'd not known the night of that incident.
He blanched as he sat up straight in his chair.
He'd never shown that memory to anyone... not even to Albus! As far as he knew, there were only two people alive with that recollection of the evening... himself, and one other, who was undoubtedly out for his blood.
Alarmed, he turned his attention to the parchment.
It was an equally short letter.
HBP -Cryptic, but effective. He snickered at the use of his old moniker... but very few people knew it, so it was as reasonably as secure as it could be.
You have answers. I have questions.
Let's meet to talk.
Same time. Same place as when this happened.
- HJP
The request itself was out of the question, of course. Great Scott, he was in more danger now that the boy had done that than ever in his life, since James Potter's stupid son couldn't block emotion out to save his own life. He certainly couldn't block out emotion in order to save the life of someone he detested.
He looked up at the owl. "Do you know who sent this letter?" He winced as the owl twittered around madly. Merlin's beard, the thing had more energy in five minutes than he had in his life. "Yes or no will be fine. Are you up for another long trip?" The owl hooted happily, so Snape grabbed a piece of parchment and scrawled across it carelessly.
Out of the question.He tied this to the owl's feet and tossed it out the window, and, putting the incident entirely out of his mind, went back to work.
Close your mind!
A few weeks later, another owl he didn't recognize came tapping at his window. He allowed the owl entrance and removed the parchment. Apparently the animal had been instructed to not wait for reply, as it took off immediately through the window he'd not yet closed.
He recognized the handwriting, of course; how could he not, after having taught the boy for six years?
He was sending different owls, though... that was good.
Like the other letter, this one was succinct.
It is. Feel free to check.
Offer stands.
Hope to see you there.
Dare he?
This would bear some consideration.
Conversation
Severus Snape stood in Godric's Hollow, concealed deeply in shadow. He was a fool for coming here, but something drew him.
Presently, he heard the tell-tale crack! of another wizard Apparating. He watched as Harry Potter strode confidently towards the ruins of the house... the house that had once belonged to his parents.
Potter walked deferentially to what remained of the front porch, and looked around. He called softly into the black night "I'm alone..."
Snape took that as his cue and stepped into the light. "As am I."
They raised their wands simultaneously; Snape casting a Disillusionment Charm and Harry Muffliato, a reaction which caused both of them to raise their eyebrows at the other.
"It's not safe for you here,” Harry said finally.
"Nowhere in England is safe for me. However, nobody knows I am here, unless you told them."
"I have not... but I don't believe we should stand out in the open, chatting."
"Nor do I."
"Have any place in mind?"
"You should not leave the country, Mister Potter, but I cannot take you any place that I am privy to, as I am not the Secret Keeper, and even if I were, it would not be safe for you... for either of us. I know that 12 Grimmauld Place was destroyed. It would be foolish of me to attempt to take you to the school, and stupid of us to try to meet in Hogsmeade. There is only one place I can think of... and I will need to check it to ensure it is safe. Would you please excuse me for a few moments?"
Harry nodded.
"I will return shortly." Snape disappeared in silence.
A few moments later, he reappeared silently. "You can Apparate silently?" Harry asked.
"All of us can," Snape replied evenly.
"’Us’?" Harry asked.
"The Death Eaters," Snape elaborated darkly, lest the foolish boy forget whom he was meeting with, as unlikely as that possibility was. "They do not always do so, occasionally preferring to announce their presence, but they can."
"Hm. Useful skill to have."
"Indeed it is."
Harry eyed Snape for a few moments, seeming to size him up, as the older man looked on calmly. "Can you teach me?"
Snape snickered. "Are you now planning on becoming a Death Eater, Mister Potter?" he queried with a raised eyebrow.
It was Harry’s turn to snicker. "Well… you know… I thought, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em, and all that."
Snape snorted. "I must admit, Mister Potter, that having had six years of what I deem to be poor success in instructing you, I am reluctant to enter into such an agreement again, particularly given that such a skill is typically used for such dark reasons. Perhaps, then, I should just scribble the instructions in the margins of an old textbook… ?"
Harry stifled a laugh, as what his old professor said really wasn’t funny, but the other man did have a point. "Yes, that did seem to work well, didn’t it?"
Snape didn’t reply, he just raised his eyebrows.
"So... your 'place'... is it safe?"
"It is... but I will have to Side-Along Apparate you."
"That's fine," Harry said, meeting his eyes. There was no fear there whatsoever. "You've done it before."
Snape snorted in spite of himself. "You were... considerably smaller, then."
"Yes... well, somehow, I don't think it's a skill you'd have forgotten with time."
"I must warn you... when I… left… Hogwarts, I asked some… ‘old friends’… to raze the place, to throw the Ministry off my trail. It is in quite poor condition, now; don’t be alarmed."
"All right."
Snape tilted his head, and held out his arm. "I have been to your home... will you now accompany me to mine?"
Harry nodded, and grasped Snape's arm.