A/N: Not entirely sure where this story is headed. Wrote it months ago and quite literally forgot where it was going. Hopefully memory will kick my ass and help me to remember. =]

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything related to it. All I own is the plot and the imaginary character Dyrim.

Convincing A Master

Chapter 1: Of Betrayal and Secrets

Wearily he opened his eyes, emerald orbs quickly alert although they were glazed with the affects of many pain-killers and healing potions that flowed in his system. Rather blankly he looked about, taking in the plain whiteness of the room that was bright from the afternoon sun and instantly knew he was in St. Mungo's. He felt his muscles twitch and spasm as he attempted to curl his right hand into a fist, only to growl slightly when he realized his wand was no where in sight. Then he remembered...The battle at Hogwarts', feigning death, his wand breaking, defeating Voldemort. He'd finally defeated Lord Voldemort, the nightmare that had plagued him since he was an infant.

"Harry? Neville, Harry's awake," A calm, rather distant voice said in what Harry assumed was as much excitement as Luna could reveal.

Turning his head his eyes met with pale blue framed by wispy blond locks. Next to the Ravenclaw stood his fellow Gryffindor, Neville. The look on Neville's round face was one of shock and gratefulness.

"Luna? Neville? What are you so surprised about? What's happened?" He asked in a dry, rough voice. His eyes gazed about swiftly once again. "Where are Ron 'n Hermione?"

Luna helped him sit up and gave him a glass of water which he quietly sipped, enjoying the cooling sensation it had on his parched throat; but his eyes were on Neville's darker ones, seemingly pinning him where he stood. The more hesitant boy, fidgeted under the scrutiny before finally speaking.

"Harry, you've missed a lot 'cause you've been in a coma for about three months or so..."

"Neville get to the point, I don't want you to beat around the bush for my sake." A fear arose in him that his two best mates were no longer with the living.

"Harry...Weasley and Granger haven't been here since the day you were admitted after the battle," Luna finished when Neville looked to her pleadingly. Harry also noticed that the blond called them by their last names and a deep frown creased his brow. "The only ones who have visited besides myself and Neville are Remus, the Weasley twins, and Tonks. Everyone else has abandoned you, Harry."

The words hit the 'Boy-Who-Lived' like a ton of bricks. His best friends had abandoned him? How could they after all they'd been through? He shook his head in denial; shoulder length raven strands flying about like a black halo.

"No, they must be busy is all. Ron and 'Mione wouldn't leave me so cruelly."

He didn't notice the two trade glances as he stared at his hands fisted in the blanket, paler then the thin covering. But Luna, for all her abnormality even for the Wizarding World, wouldn't lie; so it had to be true. Everyone who had once stood by Potter left him in the dust. The once loved Harry Potter was now a pariah. With a subtle nod from Lovegood, Neville pulled out a newspaper and placed it on Harry's lap. The raven froze upon seeing his face on the front page. Noticing the date was merely two days after his hospital admittance he unfolded it with trembling hands and began to read.

GOLDEN BOY A BAD BOY?

After all these years, the truth is finally revealed. Harry Potter, famed

Boy-Who-Lived and destroyer of You-Know-Who, is not the benevolent

being he claims to be. Thanks to a few eyewitnesses wishing for the public

to be warned I can now tell you that Mr. Potter is not a Golden Boy.

I will now inform you that mere seconds after You-Know-Who's defeat, Harry

turned his wand on the remaining Death Eaters; murdering them on the

spot with his own skewed since of justice. Even those that begged

for mercy! "He was stark ravin' mad he was. Laughing like a

lunatic. I was afraid for my own life! And he's been my friend

since first year at Hogwarts'!" Ronald Weasley told me,

his face still pale from talking about the unspeakable events.

And it wasn't just the Death Eaters he went after. I've been told that he fled the

scene and fell upon the nearest muggletown with vengeance, killing

the innocent muggles by 'accident'...

With a roar of anguish Harry threw the paper from him, angry tears flowing down pale cheeks. Neville and Luna could feel the growing despair and sadness that wrapped out the eighteen year old like a thick winter cloak. It made them fearful as they watched those peridot eyes glow bright with a malice that should not have been painted upon that face. Longbottom gulped nervously; his hand inching towards his wand as the Ravenclaw looked on with interest.

"How could they? They that I protected, whom I gave my childhood up for!" The deep, guttural timbre that spilled from his lips was not the voice of the Harry they knew. It was a voice that was the honey of malice and hate.

His school mates could only tremble slightly as he gazed at them with hard eyes. "Things are changed...And for the better."

He sat there brimming with annoyance at being summoned to the Great Hall just to meet the new 'potential' staff member. His dark eyes flicked about at the other three Heads of House and the Headmaster himself, and could barely contain the irritated growl as lightning flashed outside and the rain beat against the windows. Severus would rather be brewing potions or preparing himself for the dunderhead students that would be arriving tomorrow. But no, he had to come out of his dwellings to meet the person that wanted to be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Of course he knew the teacher wouldn't last through the year and would quit at the end of term just like all the others had.

Then his train of thought was broken as, with a snarl of thunder, the doors flung open to admit a wet, black shrouded being that strode between the four tables with an unerring grace. As the stranger approached the staff table Headmaster Nyssa stood in a welcoming gesture. The cloaked figure bowed before straightening. All five of the head staff took notice that they didn't lower their hood.

"So you're the one that wrote requesting to be the new DADA professor?"

The stranger nodded and in the shadows of the hood they saw a grin that revealed white teeth, including two fangs. "Aye, tha' be I. Dyrim Nikolai Ambrosia at yer service, gents an' lasses."

Severus wanted to laugh at the thick Irish accent, but the husky, silky timbre spilled from that tongue like too sweet honey. It was intoxicating to hear and he couldn't help but imagine that voice purring his name as he dominated them. His eyes were so intent on the hooded figure that he thought he saw a flash of emerald eyes though he couldn't be sure. Feeling a shiver go down his spine he turned, realizing that the others were deep in conversation he turned and listened to them debating. They seemed unsure about whether or not to allow the man to become part of the staff. Usually he didn't give a rat's ass about these decisions but for once he did care.

"I say take him on. He's shown intelligence by keeping his identity hidden from us," he mumbled softly.

The other four stared at him as if he'd sprouted another head which made him sneer as he stood, trying to cover his own shock. He hadn't realized he'd spoken the words till they were already in the air. Nyssa nodded and turned to Dyrim as Snape began to walk around the head table; finding that his being there was a complete waste of brewing time.

"We welcome you to Hogwarts' Professor Ambrosia."

Dyrim bowed once again before speaking in those sultry tones. "I can't thank ye 'nough, Headmassa afore lettin' me teach 'ere. I jus' know I's gonna 'njoy mah stay. If'n the Professor can show me tha way to mah classroom?"

Snape froze as he realized Dyrim was pointing at him. Curling his lip he nodded and continued walking, paying no heed as he led the newest teacher through the ancient castle. His robes billowed behind him as his shoes softly clicked against the floors, but it unnerved him that he didn't hear even a rustle of clothing from Dyrim. He wondered how one could be so silent in their movements but brushed away the question as he opened the DADA classroom door and lead the cloaked being in.

"This is your teaching area and up those stairs is your office, there's a door in the back of your office that will lead you to your living quarters..."

He didn't see the stranger close the door, nor hear the click of the lock. But he was taken aback as he was violently shoved backwards against that same door and pinned against it by the body of the person he now knew to be a male as it was hard to deny it since he could feel him from his chest down to... Snape's eyes widened slightly. The man that was pressed so intimately against him tilted his head back allowing the hood to pool around his shoulders. A soft gasp rattled in Severus's throat as he gazed into bright peridot orbs framed by the thick black lashes of a dreamer. Graceful golden eyebrows arched over the gems and the ivory toned angular face was framed by short blond hair that was like spun gold and lay about in an organized mess. A proud nose wrinkled cutely in amusement as full pink lips curled into a smirk.

But the information that hit Snape the hardest was that he'd seen those familiar green eyes somewhere... for the eyes he knew to be that shade of green where both loved and hated at the same time.

"Who are you really?" He hissed and was immediately surprised by the answer.

"I am merely a Lion that was consumed by the Snake, Professor Snape," Dyrim purred softly.

A tremor ran down Severus' spine, taking notice that the thick ungodly accent was gone, but the beautiful voice remained. But what did he mean by 'a Lion that was consumed by the Snake'? Had he been a student of Hogwarts'? Baring his teeth he snarled softly only to receive a quiet chuckle. Growling deep in his chest he grabbed Dyrim and spun, pinning him violently to the door, feeling the younger man tremble.

"Tell me who you are," he demanded.

Those damnable eyes gazed up at him gleaming with mischief. "You'd hate me if I told you. Just like the rest of Great Britain. Lies were told and a soul was sent to hell because of a good deed and jealous friends."

A spark caught in the back of the Potion Master's mind at the words and he realized what Dyrim was playing at. "You're going to make me find out on my own aren't you?"

A nod was his answer. "And I'm guessing your name isn't what you say it is, is it?"

"I had to make a new name for a new life."

Snape curled his lip in thought, not realizing that 'Dyrim' was leaning forwards until it was too late. Warm, soft lips pressed to his in a gentle kiss before pulling away. A sad smile played on the blonde's face as he took a step back and lowered his eyes to the ground. His posture made Snape think of a hurt cat...a rather large, hurt cat.

"I'm sorry...I shouldn't have done that...You can go now, I think I can find my way around from here."

For some reason the dark haired man felt a burning ache in his chest at the depressing sight, knowing he should be angered for being taken advantage of yet he couldn't bring himself to do so. Quickly he left, practically slamming the door behind him only for common sense to return and cause him to pause outside the door and listen for anything that could help with finding out who this Dyrim really was.

A soft sob came muffled through the door and he heard the sound of a body falling. A part of him wanted to go back into the classroom, but another part made him stay still. After listening to the heart wrenching sobs he quietly walked away.