A Legacy of Betrayal

"He trusted you and he knew you could fight. Remember he'd seen you wielding a wand in defense during that mockery of a dueling class Albus let the Popinjay try to host." Severus snorted because he knew all he'd done then was cast a disarming spell at the fool of a man. But Irma was still speaking so he didn't let it distract him.

"He already knew you'd saved his life more than a few times and interfered in situations where he could've gotten seriously hurt. He said something about following you into the Forest and hiding in the boughs of a tree to listen to you threaten somebody, though I'm not sure what that was all about, and seeing you in the shadows when the centaur brought him away from the unicorn killer when Minerva sent him into the Forest for that infamous detention.

However, there was also the cursed broom during that first year quiditch game of his. You saved him and he knows it. Knew it then, too. That's something no one else has ever bothered to do for him. And I do mean no one. Not since Lily died anyway. So he'd good reason for believing you'd save him again should his life be in danger. He trusts you where he trusts no one else. He may have believed those three were his friends but he didn't trust them. His life hasn't been one where trusting people is normal or allowed. As far as I know you are the only person he ever has trusted or ever might trust again."

"He trusts me?"

She shrugged. "He used to. These days, I'm not sure. Right now, I think he's afraid to trust or care about anyone. So many people have used him and hurt him, I think he's scared to try any more. I honestly think all he wants to do now is get through school and disappear as soon as he can. But if he was going to trust anyone, I'd say it'd be you."

"No one will let him do that, Irma. You know what people expect from him," Severus said with a frown.

She nodded. "I do but I can also understand where he's coming from. Not one of those people demanding he go fight the dark for them, has given him even the slightest reason to do so. Every time he's needed somebody to be there for him or to help him, no one's around. No one except you but even you aren't always there. Thanks to Albus and those brats."

"And here, where he should've been able to build ties worth fighting for, every time he's begun to get close to someone, they've either gotten themselves killed or led him into a life and death fight where he had to fight alone. Or turned what they learned from him about him into temporary fame and fortune for themselves. So how can you blame him for wanting to just disappear as soon as he can get himself free to do so?"

Severus sighed. "I can't, I guess. You're right, of course. He doesn't have any reason to fight for us. We haven't given him one while we have given him plenty of reasons to run and hide. Maybe that's why Albus keeps trying to claim a life debt against him."

"It is. He figures that since what he needs Harry to do most is die for his cause, he can't let Harry get close to anyone in case it gives him the strength to survive when he faces our enemy. Therefore, anyone who looks to be drawing too close, Albus either buys off, blackmails or sends into the line of fire hoping they get burnt badly enough to back away from Harry. If not killed. But with no people to survive for, he also realizes Harry has no reason to fight at all. So he keeps trying to manufacture a debt Harry can only repay by doing exactly what Albus tells him to do. Which is mainly turning his inheritance in it's entirety over to Albus before he goes off to die for Albus' cause. So Albus can garner more fame and glory for himself off the blood, sweat and tears of Harry's short life."

"It won't work because Harry not only knows Albus doesn't have Harry's best interest at heart but he knows how life debts work. He knows that not only do those girls owe him their lives but that he owes Albus absolutely nothing because Albus has never, and will never, place himself into jeopardy to save him. All I can say is things are about to get very interesting around here because the Harry Potter who returned to the Castle this year isn't the same Harry Potter who left last spring."

Thinking he might actually know what she was talking about but needing to confirm it anyway, Severus asked, "What do you mean? I would've thought things were already very interesting. After all, it's not every year we have a student calling upon judgement magic to cast punishment onto his peers."

Irma snorted. "As if most of our student population actually could call upon the old magic like that to begin with. He is one of the very few students I can remember walking these halls to have the ability to do so and certainly the only one here presently with the power and the purity necessary to do so. There was a time when you could have. Such as when the Marauders thought it'd be amusing to send you face to face with their werewolf friend. Most our students have neither a just cause nor the power needed. But no, I think what he did to those three is just the beginning of what he will do."

Just then Sybil Trelawney stepped into the Library. She had been standing in the hall outside the door listening to their conversation long enough to realize they were talking about Destiny's Child. As the other two caught sight of her, a grimace briefly acknowledged her presence.

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