True Nature

"Do not think I am unaware the Castle refused to allow you to expel him from Gryffindor House. You wanted him resorted into Slytherin House simply because that's the House of the 'Dark' wizards. Because he can speak the language of the snake. Because his scar shows signs of dark magic residue.

But tell me, what else would it show when it was created by the use of a Killing Curse thrown at him in infancy? Did you really think it'd show light magic residue? The Sorting Hat was taunting me about how I was going to have to put my galleons where my mouth is when Mr. Potter became a Slytherin. And since when has a scar emanating dark magic residue ever meant the person bearing said scar is evil, Minerva?"

"But from where I'm standing, that's the worst part about this realization. He should've been resorted. Into my house. Because maybe then I'd have seen this coming and been able to stop it. Maybe we could've shown him another option for dealing with his tormentors. Chances are good we wouldn't have because those three definitely deserve their markings and it is the most fitting of punishment for them.

But it's possible we would've. Because we Slytherins don't turn our noses up at our members just because we don't like something about them. Or think they aren't worthy of their parentage like you Gryffindors do. We may not like everyone in our house. But we don't cast them aside. Or say they aren't worthy of our house because they aren't like us. Or share our goals in life. Or come from a family we don't agree with. But I'm not his Head of House and so I didn't."

"You should've been doing everything you could to help him because you're his Head of House. You. Not me. Not Filius or Pomona. You. But you weren't. Were you? You still aren't. You cast him aside and did everything you could to distance yourself and your tower from him.

What were you hoping? That he'd get such bad grades from the rest of us that Albus would have no choice but to expel him and thereby ruin any prospects he might have for a good future? Did you forget he's the Potter heir? You can't ruin his future for him by failing him out of school even if that was your goal. Any other school would snap him up before he even cleared the front gates. But way to solve a problem there, Minerva."

"But here's the one thing I want you to consider the next time you decide an eleven year old child is evil incarnate. What exactly makes a person choose to become a Dark Lord or Lady, Minerva? He was eleven years old when you decided he was evil incarnate because of that scar on his head. A scar he got as a one year old babe fighting off a Dark Lord intent on murdering him. What'll it be next time?"

She opened her mouth to hotly deny what he'd said about her trying to force Potter out of the school via failing grades and he cut her off. "Don't bother denying what your plan was last year. The grade you gave him in your class added to how you've consistently allowed your tower to isolate him for the last three years tells the tale all too clearly. Even when you found it was the Weasely girl who opened the Chamber, you still blamed him for it, didn't you? You forgave her. But him?

Not even. You do realize she was possessed after a fashion, don't you? By the soul fragment in that book she was writing in all year? A soul fragment you know damn well was Tom Riddle and you know who he became as well as I do. You knew it at the time. A soul fragment she spent the entire school year listening to and trading secrets with. I'd say she was much more influenced by evil than Mr. Potter considering he's never gotten another child killed while doing the Dark Lord's bidding. She has." He paused to let that sink in and then continued to rip her to ribbons.

Further down the table a short, dumpy lady earing a pink cardigan was scribbling rapidly on a piece of parchment and listening intently as two of the teachers went head to head over the child her dear Cornelius wanted dirt on. Albus had been driving Cornelius mad with his proclamation that the Dark Lord of times past had returned claiming Potter had witnessed his return.

Cornelius wasn't sure of that because he'd never heard the boy say any such thing. But he'd sent her here to find out and quiet the boy if it was true. So far she'd seen and heard nothing that in any way meant the boy was a potential problem for Cornelius. This information, however, could do Cornelius a lot of good should Potter prove troublesome in the future.

"You're always the first in line to imply he's evil. That he's gone dark. That whatever is going on in the school is his doing. That he can't be trusted because he bears a scar on his forehead. Because he lived when his parents didn't. When so many others died. Well, what does that make her? Because she willing wrote in that book, Minerva. The book didn't compel her to use it.

She chose to. And more than once too. Sitting down and writing a few lines once wouldn't have allowed the diary to possess her. She chose to keep writing in it time after time. Even after she became suspicious of him she still chose to write in the diary. And that let him in. That let him take her over. He warmed his way into her mind. Pouring himself into her brain and endearing himself to her in the process. That means not only was he in her head, but she had a soft spot for him in her heart."

"But you don't think she's evil do you? She let the Dark Lord possess her because she wanted a diary to write her little fantasies and insecurities in. A normal thing for little girls as I understand it. But still, she KNEW that book wasn't a good book for her to be using. She even knew she could go to those Twin Devil brothers of hers and they'd get her a new book she could use freely. But she didn't even consider it.

She chose to let Tom in. And that's far more than he has ever done. He fights him. Every single time. She didn't even try. Who knows how much of him is still in her. You certainly don't. Because you never bothered to have her checked over. Or even told her parents to do so. You never even mentioned the possibility to them. Did you?"

"But I'm telling you once and for all. His behavior here in this Castle isn't the behavior of an evil or a dark person. I've told you before he doesn't know Dark Magic and has never once even attempted to use a Dark Spell on anything or anyone. You don't listen because that's not what you want to hear."

Softening his voice he tried to soften the blow to her pride somewhat. "Keep bad-mouthing him like that and you might just convince him he's been neglecting a side of his education he should pursue. I'm perfectly sure the Wizarding World will be quite happy to forgive you if you turn their little Hero Boy into the next Dark Lord who'll make the current one look like nothing more than a wet, spitting kitten."

Her eyes flew up to his face as she seemed to realize he was angry with her again. "I said nothing of the kind, Severus," she protested.

"On the contrary, Minerva," interrupted Filius grimly. "That is exactly what you said. Because we don't teach judgmental magic here and you didn't recognize it as a Light Magic spell, it had to be Dark Magic which you believe he has unparalleled access to that can't be monitored by any external means. But I'm curious Minerva. Since when have you become an expert on Light Magic? Since when have you become so arrogant as to assume you know every single Light Magic spell in existence? I certainly don't and I know a great deal of spells and their counters."

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