Disclaimer:

Everything that in some way sounds like JK Rowling (characters, plot, dialogues, etc.) belongs to her.

The mistakes (spelling, grammar, whatever) are mine, though. So, if you find some which escaped me, please send them back. I'll care for them.

How could I've been so blind?

Chapter 8

Dumbledore slumped down into his chair. Now he understood the reasons behind Severus' choices. But the way to this hadn't been nice. Not that he had expected it anyway.

Severus' childhood must have been living hell. He had only seen four memories, but the rest of his home life surely wasn't any better. If not these scenes of his past, his back gave evidence. Today he had many more scars than in the last memory.

It was no wonder that he chose to become a Death Eater. His father obviously hated him, taught him that muggles hated wizardry. Probably he was bullied in primary school. This meant more muggles showing him that they didn't like his kind. Of course he hadn't known better than to hate them then he came to Hogwarts.

There, not much changed. His tormentors were wizards now. They didn't bully him for being a wizard, but for hating muggles. They blamed him for something that wasn't his fault. No one cared that he was friends with a muggle-born.

What was even worse, the teachers, including Dumbledore himself, had looked away. Slytherin house wasn't very popular amongst the staff. Silently everyone approved of them being the target of the noble Gryffindors. No one cared if any of them showed signs of abuse.

Of course Severus stood no chance against his own house. Or the older Slytherins, to say the truth. After all they were the only ones accepting him. They promised him power. Power to get revenge on the muggles who tormented him.

Unfortunately they forgot to tell him the price for this was the health of his soul. He wasn't truly evil or grew up in a pure-blood family where everyone told him that muggles were scum. But his father was the best example for this, and his teacher. Still there had been no possibility that his soul would survive the duties of a Death Eater without getting harmed.

Now Dumbledore knew this. But if someone told him before that fateful night in Severus' life, he wouldn't have believed it. He had always thought of him being a true Death Eater, deep in the Dark Arts, evil. If he thought of him at all.

His attitude had changed over the last day. He grew to love him. Like a father should love his son. Severus dearly needed this love, probably now more than ever.

Dumbledore vowed to himself that he would care for Severus, whether he asked for his help or not. He wouldn't allow the young man to hurt himself rather than to speak about his feelings.

Well, now this story is at an end. Rest would be canon, sadly. I hope you enjoyed it, even the darker parts (or especially them).

Of course you're still welcome to post your opinion in the reviews. I'll read everything and respond to it.

And, good news! Next story is already in work!