Chapter Text
A Precarious Agreement
Midnight 24th December 1981
After the first fall of Voldemort two months ago, Severus Snape, along with the other Death Eaters had been quickly tried and condemned to Azkaban. It took Albus Dumbledore far longer than he liked, one month to be precise, to convince the Ministry to free Severus and then it took another month for the man to recover from his imprisonment. There, the Potioneer had been condemned to isolation with only a malicious Dementor for company. Severus had been convinced that he was going to die there so now, it seemed surreal to be walking the Hogwarts grounds in the snow.
The castle was deserted as not a single student had remained there for the holidays following the end of the war and Severus was relieved. It allowed him to walk out on the grounds without having to avoid joyful students running around in the snow. He'd been spending his time generally avoiding all human contact and conversation for the last month and he'd done a very good job of it.
That was, until, after about twenty minutes outside, he saw the headmaster walking over to him wearing a ridiculously patterned cloak and hat, which would probably make anyone else laugh hysterically. But not Severus.
"Poppy will not be happy to find you outside, Severus," Albus said to him but the younger wizard didn't reply. "She claims that you're the worst patient she's ever had, you know," he added with a twinkle in his tired eyes. "I can't help but feel that you've rather been avoiding us," he added after a moment.
"Clearly, you can't take a hint like everyone else," Severus retorted.
"Clearly not, no," Albus said, staring at the younger wizard with piercing blue eyes.
Severus was still clearly in mourning for Lilly Potter and likely would be for some time but not only that, he was still visibly weak and Albus had spent many a night watching over the man's bedside as he slept fitfully. It had taken him by surprise that over the last few months, that he and Severus had gone from a truce built upon necessity to something resembling real trust - even if he had failed Severus in the sense that the Potter's were dead and the man himself had been imprisoned.
"I have to admit, I've missed our conversations," Albus remarked.
"I have nothing to report, there is nothing to report on any more."
"There will be. But that wasn't what I meant."
"What other conversations have we had that you could possibly miss?" Severus scoffed at him. "Our late night, sleep deprived and now foolish attempts at protecting the people that I myself doomed? Do you miss those, perhaps?" he mocked.
"You know that wasn't what I meant. I feel their loss too and I am arguably more to blame than you yourself," Albus said, sadly.
Severus scoffed at him and glared for a moment. "Did you follow me out here to make sure that I hadn't fled now that I'm of no use to you?" he demanded.
"No, of course not. I was concerned for you. I have been concerned for you for some time. I feared that you would not recover. I am...truly sorry, Severus," Albus sighed. "I'm sorry I couldn't get to you sooner. I'm sorry that you were left there for..."
"It doesn't matter," Severus interrupted him.
"But it does. What was done to your mind was..."
"Don't mention it...any of it...ever again."
"...Very well," the old man agreed, clearly reluctantly. "Incidentally, your Occlumency shields are quite possibly the most impressive I've seen in all my years," he began after a moment in an attempt at cheerfulness. "It's especially surprising in a wizard so young. Minerva and Poppy certainly couldn't believe it when I failed to break through them for those first few weeks."
"Because the great and powerful Albus Dumbledore is infallible," Severus sneered.
"The not so great or powerful Albus Dumbledore is still required to rest after all his efforts to get through to your mind," Albus said, his eyes twinkling. "Quite instinctive to you, isn't it?" he asked, "It took me decades to learn. I was quite impatient in my youth and it rather frustrated me at the time."
"I had...an effective tutor," the younger wizard said, carefully.
"Might I enquiry as to the methods this tutor used?"
"No."
"Ah, what a pity. It could enlighten young minds everywhere."
"Not likely."
"Well, if you insist," Albus relented. "However...enlightening young minds is what I intended to discuss with you at some point," he said. "You are a free man by all rights..." the Potions Master snorted at him but it didn't seem to deter Albus.
"I've already agreed to protect the Potter boy when...if...the Dark Lord returns..."
"And in the meantime, I think it wisest that you remain here as a teacher."
"Hasn't it been made clear to you in my short term here that teaching is not in my nature?"
"Perhaps not. But what other choice is there? When Voldemort..."
"Don't say his name," Snape's hissed, instinctively clutching at the Dark Mark on his arm.
"When Voldemort returns you must..."
"I know what I must do if the day comes and I am prepared for it. We've had this conversation before, you don't need to repeat it to me."
"Not exactly. We barely had time to discuss anything before you were arrested. What better way is there for you to protect Lily's son than this? Other than raising the child yourself?"
"No!" Severus objected, horrified.
"Then it's settled."
"I'm a convicted Death Eater. Even you might have a hard time convicting people that I'd make a good teacher."
"Well, I can be quite persuasive," Albus said, simply. "It's not going to be easy," he added, "A lesser man would have fled."
"To what? Where would I flee to?" Severus muttered, lowering his head, hiding behind strands of black hair.
"You'll stay?"
"...Yes," he sighed and Dumbledore nodded.
"It seems...rather reluctant but...in the spirit of the season...Happy Christmas, Severus," Albus smiled at him after a moment, just a little.
"Hmmm," Severus scoffed.
"Yes, you're not one for festive celebrations, are you? How foolish of me," the headmaster said in good humour and he rested a hand on Severus' shoulder. "Come back inside, a warm fire will work wonders on these cold days," he said.
Severus sighed but with little energy or will to protest, he allowed himself to be lead towards the castle which would become both like a prison to him, and surprisingly, a refuge as well in later years.