Chapter 14: Advice for Albus

"What do I do, Severus?"

Severus Snape looked at the man asking the question. His boss, in fact. The old wizard's face was more lined than usual, and the usual twinkle was missing from his eyes.

"About what exactly?" He asked although he had a good idea where this was going.

"Harry Potter," Albus said, looking Severus in the eyes. "What do I do, Severus?"

"I have no idea. Frankly, I see very little chance of the boy coming to trust or love you"

' And you don't deserve it. I betrayed my master for you, for a woman, and you mistreat her child. You don't deserve my trust, let alone his'

"I am resigned to that. I made foolish choices, and now I will have to reap the rewards"

"So what do you want? I have a potion on the boil"

"Severus, what do you think of the boy's friend group?"

' So that is where we are headed'

"They may not push him intellectually, but they seem good enough friends. Why?"

Albus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Harry's closest friends are all the children of Death Eaters or Death Eater sympathizers. I will not judge the children for their parents' actions, but what worldview is Harry picking up? Harry is already in a prime position to hate muggles, he may already be being manipulated by Lucius. What can I do?"

' The boy is lost to you Albus, and you are only realizing this now. And it's your own damn fault'

"There is nothing you can do, Albus. If you try to separate Harry from his friends, you will simply make his life worse than you already have"

"I know Severus," Albus said, voice rising. "I know!"

"And what," Snape said icily, "Do you wish from me in this? I will not turn the boy against the first friends he has ever had"

"You know him better than I Severus. You deal with him far more, and he likes you far more. I just want to stop him from heading down the same dark path so many others have trod. The path you went down"

"There is no Dark Lord to snatch him up and turn the boy to his service"

"It is far more than that! I don't want him to grow up wallowing in rage and hatred and self-pity. I don't want to see him adopting the Malfoy way of thinking, of being above the law. I don't want to see that from Harry. And Severus, you know that Voldemort is not completely gone. If we are not vigilant, he may return"

"I prefer to deal with that which is certain. The Dark Lord's return is not. And Albus, the best thing for Harry right now is for him to be loved and cared for. You will only push him further away from you if you try to police his friends"

Dumbledore put his head into his hand for a few moments.

"Albus, you will not win him back to you any time soon. He sees you as having caused all that he suffered, and he is right. What manipulations can Lucius be doing anyway?"

"Severus, you are a brilliant wizard, but you are no politician. You don't see the power Harry would have if he one day takes his seat in the Wizengamot. I guarantee you, any motion he suggests will pass, simply on the power of his name. Wizarding Britain loves him. Now Severus, imagine Lucius Malfoy having that level of power? Lucius will try to put Harry in a position, where Harry listens to and respects his opinion more than any other"

' That would be formidable. And very like Lucius'

"And what will you do, Albus? Bar him from Malfoy Manor? You will achieve nothing"

"I know. I will open a line of communication with the boy. Hopefully, I will be able to show him that I do care"

"He will see your previous actions as speaking against that"

"What should I do Severus? Watch Harry become a political pawn? Watch him sink into darkness? No, I will show him, love. It will take time, but eventually, he will come round"

' I doubt he will. But you will not listen to me. You just want everything to be good and happy, even when it simply won't be.'

"I hope you are right, Albus. I hope you are"

"Anything to report on Quirrell?"

' I almost forgot. Even after the Dark Lord is gone, I must remain your spy'

"No. Except his stammering about wanting to take another Sabbatical, nothing"

"Well, we shall speak again Severus"

' Only when you next need me'

"Of course"