Harley Potter and her world famous twin

Free Man

By the time Snape came back, after getting an unconscious Ron back to the castle, Harley had worn out both potions. She sat beside the three unconscious figures, tears staining the front of her sweat shirt.

Snape conjured stretchers for the three of them. As Harley watched, no questions asked as he levitated them on to the stretchers and started to take them back.
That's when Snape noticed that Harley had made no move at all.

"Are you not coming?" He asked.
Harley struggled onto her feet, the physical pain having returned with the psychological ones.

Severus Snape wanted to ask many things to the girl walking behind him wiping her tears subtly . He wanted to reassure her. But he wasn't sure just what he was supposed to say. What if his words made it worse? He had a tendency to hurt the people he loved, for he surely did love this child of Lily, unknowingly. He did not want to repeat his mistakes.

He did not talk to her until Black was handed over to professor Dumbledore Until the two Griffindors were safe at the hands of madam Promfrey. Then he went with the least triggering words he could think of.

"Are you alright? " he asked.
"I'm fine" the girl said even as her body shook. She was not looking at him.

"Really? " Snape asked stepping closer to her. She did not reply for a couple of seconds.

"Not really "She finally replied.
Harley looked up, her eyes were rimmed with red, though she was not crying at the moment. Tear stains were obvious on her dirt streaked face.

Severus Snape didn't not know what to say. It was understandable that the girl was in trauma after encountering so many dementors. But what could he say to her?

It seemed that he didn't need to say anything as the young girl wrapped her arms around him and held tight. Madam Promfrey who saw this looked as astonished as he felt. Then she smiled and gestured for him to hug her back.
He patted the girls back rather stiffly as the girl wept into his chest.

It was the first time someone acted this way around him. Especially a student. They were all scared of him. It was a pleasant change to have a child trust him so wholeheartedly.

A sudden feeling of affection for the girl overcame him. This child could have been his if things hadn't gone so wrong. Unlike the rule breaking and arrogant griffindor boy, this girl was much like Lily.

"What happened? " He asked. For now he was sure that it was not a simple aftermath of dementor attack.

The girl started telling her story. From the friend who was killed, to how she dug up a grave, to how she brewed potions to numb her feelings...

Snape tutted at the last part. Such potions were not taught because of a reason. They could go horribly wrong if brewed incorrect and could have many side effects even if done correctly. How did she find out about that potion anyway? The book that had it's recipe was in the restricted section.

Then he cursed himself as he remembered. She found out through him .Of course. He had seen the girl take notes on it the day the chamber of secrets opened. He had let it go without a second thought then. How stupid.

The girl continued her story to how was upset through the nights... That shocked him because if her descriptions were correct the girl had rightly brewed the potion. But then how was she so hysterical?

Then she talked of taking another potion and that became clear to him. Is every kid, no matter how clever, stupid? Because this one definitely was.

Harley felt much better after talking. Though she didn't really tell him all details, she told him much more about Roan than she told Malfoy. And Snape was a surprisingly good listener. Until he started to scold her for brewing random potions that is.