Complexity
By ChocolateEclar
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or places, although I do own this story and some elements of the characterizations of Al Potter, his siblings, and their cousins.
A/N: This fanfic will be a series of loosely connected stories about the happenings in the headmasters/mistress's office. It is a continuation of my one-shot Curiosity and may not go in chronological order. Please read Curiosity first before reading this. It's not too important, but it'll cause later chapter to make much more sense.
A/N 2: Oh yeah, once again I have to say that I am aware that JKR said that McGonagall would not be the headmistress now, but I didn't want to create a whole new character for this. Also, if you have not read Harry Potter 7, WHY ARE YOU HERE? (Stop reading unless you like spoilers.)
EDIT: I changed a bit of wording around in this. Basically the same thing, but it definitely would help if my grandmother hadn't snatched up my book right after I read it.
Summary: Post Deathly Hallows series of tales. In which Snape now has a portrait and Al Potter goes to Hogwarts and talks with the people who share his name. (A continuation of my oneshot 'Curiosity.')
Chapter One: Eternity
There is curious sensation, like paint brushes being swept across his skin, and little flashes of light behind his eyelids. Then, almost as suddenly as the feelings started, they subside and he opens his dark eyes to discover what has happened with the world now.
He is looking down upon an office filled with books and an old, empty bird perch and a host of cabinets and glass cases filled with silver instruments and other oddities. There is a man sitting on the visitor's side of the desk smiling up at the space beside him on the wall. He leans a little forward to see that the space is occupied by a portrait of an old man with half-moon spectacles.
The man in the chair and the old wizard in the portrait are discussing something to do with ministry policies but stop abruptly when they realize that there is someone else listening.
"Hullo, Professor," says Harry Potter matter-of-factly to the newcomer.
"Potter," replies Snape slowly. The hair and eyes are the same, but Harry Potter is definitely older than when he last saw him. That brings forth thoughts of a snake bearing down on him and memories and blood pouring thickly out of his body. He fights the urge to shudder.
"Harry has made it possible for you to be here, Severus," says Dumbledore fondly. "With your sudden departure from the school through a window, the office felt you had abandoned your post, so of course no picture of you resided here."
"Ministry wasn't fond of the idea," explains Harry. "I had a hard time convincing anyone there that you had to be placed here. It wasn't until Kingsley became minister and things settled down that anything really got done."
"The memories – " begins Snape, as a sudden annoying thought crosses his mind.
"Were never seen by anyone except me," Harry insists. He starts to say something else when a sudden cry pierces through the air. He reaches down to sooth the bundle in the baby carrier on the floor that Snape had not noticed before. Inside, he can barely glimpse a bit of dark hair peeking out from under a blanket embroidered with tiny Golden Snitches, but curiosity makes it hard not to wish to see what color the baby's eyes are.
"Shh, I'm here, James," mutters Harry gently, as his face glows with happiness. Somehow this does not bother Snape much. It is not as if he had expected Harry to name the baby after him.
"Ginny might've come too today for your, er, awakening," says Harry, "but she wanted to be with Hermione in the event of labor. Ron won't know what to do." He chuckles softly and smiles affectionately at the baby.
"You have time to think of my portrait's appearance on this wall around your little happily ever after?" asks Snape, sneering.
Despite the mutters of disapproval from some of the other portraits, Harry laughs and replies, "Least I could do. I really wanted to talk to you, and McGonagall, she's the headmistress now, didn't seem to mind seeing you again either."
They talk for a little while, although Snape is mostly interested in how Harry has managed to survive despite Dumbledore's insistence that he had to die.
"Oh, I sort of did die," Harry says. His voice is almost flippant, but there is something about the look in his eyes that speaks volumes about how the experience has changed him.
"And you killed the Dark Lord," says Snape.
"Yes, although you should know that Neville pretty much avenged you," replies Harry.
"Longbottom," says Snape doubtfully, as he raises one eyebrow. He remembers the boy running around causing all sorts of mischief in the name of Harry Potter and Dumbledore's Army the year he was headmaster, but he still cannot quite get past the image of the foolish child blowing up cauldrons.
"He killed Nagini," states Harry. "With a sword."
"The same sword you retrieved from a forest?" asks Snape carefully.
"The very same," Harry replies happily. "It was perfect."
"And he lived?"
"I made sure of it," says Harry a little fiercely.
They discuss a few more events that Snape missed by dying that night, and Snape seems a bit amused to hear of Bellatrix Lestrange's end.
"My cousin Dudley, you know, my aunt Petunia's son, had a kid four years ago," Harry remarks. "I'm almost certain he'll be a wizard." He is grinning a little at the prospect.
"Petunia will find that upsetting," replies Snape simply. They do not talk about how he knows Harry's aunt, although Harry looks at Snape peculiarly for a moment.
"You'd be surprised," he finally says. "She almost seemed a bit sad that I might be going off to die when I left them." He pauses and adds thoughtfully, "She wanted to go to Hogwarts."
"Jealousy is a powerful motive for hating your own sister."
"I think the guilt might actually lead her to accept a wizard grandson," Harry notes.
They say little after that, although Dumbledore interrupts the silence to inquire about people and places Snape does not care about. He settles back in his chair and is not surprised when Harry finally stands up, holding the baby carrier, and says, "It was good talking." Snape nods, and Harry leaves with one last glance at the Quidditch pitch down below one of the windows.
"Do you mind joining us here, Severus?" asks Dumbledore after a moment.
"It's… thought-provoking," Snape replies.
"Certainly," says Dumbledore. "Seven years is a long time to be gone. There are new teachers and new students, and there are old students who have grown up."
Snape nods and watches the sun go down through a window, as the other portraits talk amongst themselves. An eternity in that office might not be so bad. Well, as long as Dumbledore did not offer him any sweets every day. That might get irritating.
He smiles just a little as something inside of him relaxes.
A/N: The eternity with Dumbledore offering Snape sweets idea came from an episode of Mugglecast (#102) on the site Mugglenet in which they wondered about what Snape and Dumbledore would talk about as portraits.
A/N 2: Please review. I should have the next chapter up really soon. (We meet Al Potter again in the middle of the night.)