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Dear professor Snape,
I am completely aware you don’t have any obligation to read this letter, but please, do. First of all, I want to apologise for what my father and Sirius has done to you. My godfather told me about all the “cool pranks” they have done and I firmly believe they weren’t cool at all. If you think I am like them, I can’t really blame you for not liking me.
As you are the only person who truly tried to help me, I have a plan for both of us. As you are aware, my school years haven’t been easy. Fighting Voldemort (twice), a basilik, dementors, getting attacked by a werewolf, believing a serial killer is trying to get me, have been…hard on my mental health. Especially as I don’t live with Sirius as he promised and I am still with aunt Petunia. We aren’t very close. So maybe if you try to see my point of view and imagine the toll it took on me, you will understand why sometimes I acted the way I did. Maybe you will realize I’m not really that bad. Of course I still have my flaws, but who does not?
Except of this, you are in a very dangerous position in the war, playing with both sides. Professor, tell me honestly, do you think you could survive like this until the end? And not get thrown in Azkaban after? While I admit you are an excelent wizard, Merlin himself couldn’t manage to deal with both sides. You are the only person I have seen who doesn’t want this war. I don’t want it neither. I am young and I don’t plan to die so soon. If you feel the same, meet me tomorrow at 4 am at Gringotts. It is fine if you don’t want to be a part of my plan-you can just leave after the goblins erase your memory. Turn up tomorrow if you want to have a fresh start. I can’t really tell you more in a letter.
I know you will make the best decision for yourself, and I just hope you will give me a chance.
P.S. The goblins charmed the letter to be destroyed after you read it. And please, don’t share this with anyone else, it is not like they would believe you.
Harry Potter
And the letter transformed into ash in a few seconds. When Severus saw a letter from Potter, he didn’t know what to expect, but this was not it. He was surprised the boy actually wanted to leave a world where he was venerated. He always assumed he was just reckless and Gagner did the thinking, but clearly that wasn’t the case. In a hurry, he dashed towards the cupboard and grabbed a bottle of elf-made wine. It was gifted the Malfoys, and Severus saved it for a special ocassion. He threw himself of the small sofa and took took a mouthful and started to think about the situation.
He couldn’t blame the child for not wanting to fight in the war after he fought the Dark Lord and a basilik. And this was not even all. Severus could imagine how betrayed he felt when his friends and godfather hardly talked to him and let him stay with Petunia. He could guess she hasn’t changed at all - still full of unfounded hatred towards magic, yelling with that shrill voice of hers.
Severus was trying to decide of what to do. He had to admit, the boy didn’t have it easy and he was definitely not surprised that he wanted to leave. Potter was also right in regard of his chances of surviving the war. He couldn’t be free nor happy with the Dark Lord and Dumbledore lurking around, so did he even have anything to lose if he went to hear Potter out? If he decided not to be a part of his plan, he could at least apologise in person.
It took him so long to notice the boy was not like his father, the apology meaning more to him than Severus would like to admit. As sad as it was, not many people has apologised to him in the past, so this letter hit a very personal spot for him. After drinking more than he should have, he decided to go and hear him out. What was the worst thing that could happen?
It was nearly 2 am and Harry was thinking about Snape. He wondered about his choice, but he hoped he would at least come to the bank. While Harry was an independent person, he wished for someone to watch his back. Furthermore, Harry would save him from this war, so he considered it a win-win situation.
After making sure everyone was asleep, he took his trunk and slowly went downstairs. He silently waited to see if anyone had woken up, and then left the house on the tip of his toes. As he closed the door, he ran as fast as he could away from his house and then waited for the knight bus.
After he arrived to the Diagon Alley, he put on his invibislity cloak and hurried. While the area seemed empty, he didn’t want to take any chances. His knees were shaking as he hurried, with every passing second he truly realised that was the night his plan was starting. His chance to break free after months of hard planning. From the middle of the second year he was aware he couldn’t keep living like this, going from one life threatening situation to another.
He was already distressed and plagued by nightmares and the war didn’t even start. Hearing and seeing Voldemort in his dreams every night was enough to make him give up. While he was an emotionally strong person, everyone had their limits - and his were crossed too many times.
As he saw the bank, he cast a quick tempus to check the time: 3:30 am. So Snape would not be there yet. He moved through the bank as fast as he could until he saw Ironclaw and took off his cloak after making sure no wizards were around.
“May your gold overflow, master Ironclaw” he greeted quietly.
“And may your enemies tremble at your feet, mister Potter. Please, follow me.” Without adding anything, Harry rushed after him into his office. “Let’s not beat around the bush and tell me Mr. Potter, have you talked to master Snape? I had told you before, having him would be the easiest and safest way.”
“I asked him to meet me here, at 4 am to tell him about the plan. I didn’t want to tell him details in the letter as I was scared he would tell Dumbledore. We just have to wait and see.” The boy wasn’t completely sure he could convince the potion master, but he didn’t want to worry Ironclaw with this.
As Ironclaw left, he was waiting for Severus. The plans were made and while it was dramatic, it would be the best way to succed. His inner ravenclaw was ready as he laid out all the written pages and scribbled maps were on the desk.
While people expected him to be in gryffindor, he had a hard time fighting the Hat not to put him with the eagles. The boy was aware something wasn’t right from the beginning, why would no one tell the savior he is a wizard? The Weasley family yelling about muggles in the train station, the gatekeeper being sent to take the kids…too many weird things. He caught on them fast, as he wasn’t naive but neither ambitious or cunning as a slytherin. He simply wanted to learn about the magic world.
He used to be punished in his chilhood if he got better grandes than his cousin, so he was so excited to be able to gain so much knowledge. Later on, this summer more exactly, he learned about the blocks on his magic. Looking at his grades, no one would think he is a great student, especially not a ravenclaw, but that “Acceptable” in potions became a lot more after he learned he had a pretty significant block on that subject.
Harry always thought that the biggest misconception about ravenclaws was the fact that they were only book smart. This was completely wrong. Most of them simply weren’t interesting in gaining unncesary attention or fame and simply wished to continue learning in peace. Harry was one of them. A ravenclaw with only books smarts couldn’t survive the Dursley nor the adventures at Hogwarts.
He had been working on this plan for a while and if Snape would join him, the plan would be the best way to survive. While he did think about the different possibilities (like the potion master refusing and having the goblins oblivate him), the chance of this going well were high. Harry wasn’t stupid or naive, he knew living in a new country at fourteen years old by himself would be extremely hard. Snape could offer stability if they end up some kind of friends; which Harry believed they will. He could acknowledge why the professor didn’t like him, especially as he was aware of the dangerous situations he put himself through every year. After arriving at the school in a car, being seen by muggles flying and getting nothing more than a slap on the wrist as a punishment, he understood why the professor was bitter and saw him just like James.
He was ready to prove he was smart and didn’t care only about fame and glory. Even if the potion master refused fo join him, Harry would try to remove his dark mark as an apology for all the troubles he caused. While it was complicated, it wasn’t impossible-Voldemort had been doing those marks since he was in school and after he found some books on Parselmagic in knockturn alley, he knew he was ready.
Two months ago, while he was making the plan, he was also worried about being found because of the unique scar. As he told the goblins his concerns, they were able to help him get it removed and found out it was actually a piece of Voldemort’s soul. Harry felt the betrayal deep in his heart, he deserved to know this. It was his soul. His essence of life. His whole being. And it was kept a secret from him. He was also painfully aware the light side would probably expect him to die fighting, as they didn’t seem interested in trying to solve the problem. Luckly, the goblins removed the piece during a ritual and now he had to wear a glamour until he left.
He was constantly thinking how he would have lived with his relatives in misery just to die soon after finding his place in the magic world. People saw him as a hero and planned to make him become one, but no one knew the real Harry Potter. Not Ron, not Hermione, not Sirius and not any teacher. They saw what they wanted to see: Harry, a young James Potter and a reckless child. He wasn’t a fool - he admired bravery, but it wasn’t his thing. His thing was enjoying a book and research interesting subjects while drinking a cup of tea with some classical music playing in the background. He was ready to be himself and he was curious to see a new side of his professor. While he was extremely strict, potions was by far the most dangerous subject and Harry didn’t truly believe that the youngest potion master alive was there to teach kids willingly. The boy was excited to see what potions he would invent if he left with him and had less responsabilities.
As he was thinking, the door bursted open by Ironclaw who was followed by the person Harry wanted to see: Snape. “Potter, I had to admit that you request has intrigued me.”