Stay - Mattheo Riddle

Chapter 92

'Everyone from the Minister for Magic downwards has been trying to keep famous Harry Potter safe from Sirius Black. But famous Harry Potter is a law unto himself. Let the ordinary people worry about his safety! Famous Harry Potter goes where he wants to and I don't doubt that your sister was there either, but unfortunately, nobody saw her, Neither of you give thought for the consequences.' Harry stayed silent. 

Snape was trying to provoke him into telling the truth. He wasn't going to do it. Snape had no proof – yet. 'How extraordinarily like your father you  and your sister are, Potter, especially your sister, she's been lying to you, you know... but back onto the topic of your stupid father,' Snape said suddenly, his eyes glinting. 

'He, too, was exceedingly arrogant. A small amount of talent on the Quidditch pitch made him think he was a cut above the rest of us, too. Strutting around the place with his friends and admirers ... the resemblance between you is uncanny.'

'My dad didn't strut,' said Harry, before he could stop himself. 'And nor do I.'

'Your father didn't set much store by rules, either,' Snape went on, pressing his advantage, his thin face full of malice. 'Rules were for lesser mortals, not great Qudditch players, he was the second best supposedly, but seemed that HUfflepuff had the advantage with a girl in the same year as him. His head was so swollen –'

'SHUT UP!' Harry was suddenly on his feet. Rage such as he had not felt since his last night in Privet Drive was thundering through him. He didn't care that Snape's face had gone rigid, the black eyes flashing dangerously.

'What did you say to me, Potter?'

'I told you to shut up about my dad!' Harry yelled. 'I know the truth, all right? He saved your life! And so did the Hufflepuff girl. Dumbledore told me! You wouldn't even be here if it weren't for my dad!' Snape's sallow skin had gone the colour of sour milk. Harry still somehow hadn't figured out that the Hufflepuff girl in reference was his sister in her past life.

'And did the Headmaster tell you the circumstances in which your father saved my life?' he whispered. 'Or did he consider the details too unpleasant for precious Potter's delicate ears?'

Harry bit his lip. He didn't know what had happened and didn't want to admit it – but Snape seemed to have guessed the truth. 

'I would hate you to run away with a false idea of your father, Potter,' he said, a terrible grin twisting his face. 'Have you been imagining some act of glorious heroism? Then let me correct you – your saintly father and his friends played a highly amusing joke on me that would have resulted in my death if your father hadn't got cold feet at the last moment. There was nothing brave about what he did. He was saving his own skin as much as mine. Had their joke succeeded, he would have been expelled from Hogwarts.'

Snape's uneven, yellowish teeth were bared. 'Turn out your pockets, Potter!' he spat suddenly. Harry didn't move. There was a pounding in his ears. 'Turn out your pockets, or we go straight to the Headmaster! Pull them out, Potter!'

Cold with dread, Harry slowly pulled out the bag of Zonko's tricks and the Marauder's Map. Snape picked up the Zonko's bag. 'Ron gave them to me,' said Harry, praying he'd get a chance to tip Ron off before Snape saw him. 

'He – brought them back from Hogsmeade last time –'

'Indeed? And you've been carrying them round ever since? How very touching ... and what is this?' Snape had picked up the map. Harry tried with all his might to keep his face impassive.

'Spare bit of parchment,' he shrugged. Snape turned it over, his eyes on Harry. 'Surely you don't need such a very old piece of parchment?' he said. 'Why don't I just – throw this away?' His hand moved towards the fire.