Returners of the Past

44 - Snape and Dumbledore

While Harry was away, James, Sirius and Lily were out with the Lupin's.

Back at 12 Grimmauld Place, the Potter children were already fast asleep. The house was still wide awake. While the children were asleep, Ginny was wide awake working. However, there were more peculiar things happening down in the living room.

Severus Snape was sitting silently on the couch. His greasy black hair was resting on his face, and his matching black robes draped down his body. Snape eyes were locked on the floor to avoid making eye contact with the old man sitting in a chair across from him.

The old man was very thin and tall. He had long silvery hair that fell down to his waist, and his beard was just as long. He wore half moon shaped glasses that rested upon his nose. The man was easily recognizable. There wasn't a witch or wizard who didn't know his name. It was Albus Dumbledore.

What made this situation so strange? Well, up until a few weeks ago, Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore were dead. For several years in fact. There isn't a spell that can bring back the dead. If there was, the world would be very different, wouldn't it? Nobody really knows how Snape and Dumbledore are alive and sitting in the living room of 12 Grimmauld Place.

Snape grew more and more anxious as the two of them sat in silence. He grew impatient waiting for the silence to be broken.

"Why are you here?" Snape asked as he looked up from the ground for the first time.

"Severus, if I knew the answer, you'd surely know as well." Dumbledore answered. Snape let out an annoyed sigh.

"No! I mean why are you here." Snape corrected him. Dumbledore smiled and let out a laugh. He looked Snape in the eyes.

"Well, I'm obviously not here for pumpkin juice." Dumbledore smiled again, "I'm here to talk to you, Severus."

Snape's eyes widened. Why does he want to talk to him? What is there to talk about? These questions circled in Snape's mind.

"I've heard that you've been avoiding everyone in this house." Dumbledore told him. Snape snorted, "I suppose the boy told you that."

"Well of course he told me that." Dumbledore answered, "And that got me wondering. Because it's hard to prove that you're willing to change and start over if you're locked up in a bedroom for a week."

Snape's eyes widened again. Dumbledore knew that Snape wanted to prove to Lily he wanted to start over. He hated knowing that he was responsible for ruining his friendship with her all those years ago. He relaxed and rolled his eyes.

"Severus, it's not wise to hide from everyone. That will get you nowhere." Dumbledore told him. Snape let out a deep sigh and began to speak, "But what if she doesn't want to forgive me. If I were her, I surely wouldn't want to forgive me."

Dumbledore let out a laugh. "Well, she and James didn't want to move out the minute you got here, did they?" said Dumbledore.

"Well. I must be going. It's getting late." said Dumbledore as he stood up and made his way to the door. Just before he reached it, Snape stood up quickly. "Wait." said Snape loudly, but he was quiet enough not to wake anyone.

Dumbledore came to a stop and turned to look at him. "Yes?" he asked Snape. Snape took a breath. "Where- Where are you staying?" Snape asked him nervously.

"Well, at first I went to my brother Aberforth's. He was certainly shocked to see me. I was more surprised to see he was still alive." Dumbledore told him as he laughed, "Of course, I didn't expect him to let me stay right away, but I told him how I felt. At the moment, I'm staying at Hogwarts. But i'm visiting Ab a few times a week."

Dumbledore gave Snape a wink before turning around again. He grabbed the door and opened it. He stepped outside and froze again. "Severus." he called with his back turned to the door.

"Goodnight." said Dumbledore before he apparated away. Snape stood in shock. What just happened? He wasn't too sure. He was frozen. He continued to stare outside through the open doorway, and rested his hand on the door knob.

Snape unconsciously began to smile as he gently shut the door.