Disclaimer: i do not own Harry Potter
A/N: this is my time writing for the HP fandom. i could never get my head around FF for open canon but now that it's closed, may the fics start rolling. i wrote this for the Snape after DH com over on LJ, but as i have an account here i thought it be best to share it with all of you too. it is complete but i didn't get to edit it satisfactorly over on LJ so i'm going to do that before i post it all. shouldn't take too long.
Kreature's Gift
A cool wind swept over the streets outside number twelve Grimmauld Place. Fall leaves rustled and twisted by the feet of the three shivering teenagers standing on the front steps to the dismal building. Ginny, Ron, and Hermione knocked upon the plain wooden door for the third time, sharing knowing glances among one another.
Again no answer, though even from the outside the three could hear the sound of pounding footsteps somewhere just beyond. Ginny raised an eyebrow, Ron gave a shrug, and Hermione let out a loud sigh while withdrawing her wand from a pocket.
With a loud crashing noise, the door flew open as Hermione's spell met its mark, leaving a small spiral of smoke drifting from the lock.
Dust seemed to lie upon every surface of the darkened entranceway. The trio stood a moment, silently taking in the quiet of the room before them. Shadows lurked upon every wall and the faint scent of mildew lingered unpleasantly. Hesitantly, they stood as the pounding steps came crashing towards them.
"Kreature!" came a shout from the direction of the staircase. "I am going to kill you!" Then, with a pop and a series of stumbles from the shocked teenagers, a snout nosed, beady-eyed, house elf appeared at their feet."Young master knows Kreature only lives to serve," he muttered to no one in particular. The house elf bowed toward all three lowly. "Kreature will serve by seeing to the door."
It was then a scruffy haired teenager rounded the corner scowling darkly. Ginny had to stifle a giggle before he halted at the sight of the door.
"Harry," Hermione called out, taken aback by his disheveled appearance.
"You all right?" asked Ron. Harry blinked a few times, seeming to take a few moments to take in the sight of his three friends and the house elf congregating in the stuffy front entrance, all looking from one to the other with confused expression of concern and amusement upon their faces.
"Oh, hi?" came his voice, suddenly realizing they were all waiting for him to say something.
"What's going on in here?" asked Hermione.
"We heard thumping," stated Ginny with a raised eyebrow.
Catching his breath, Harry fixed his face back into a fierce scowl. "You aren't going to believe what that thing, has done."
"Harry," Hermione said with disapproval. "You shouldn't speak like that."
"What's the little creep done now?" asked Ron.
"Ron!" Hermione nudged him sharply.
"You aren't going to believe this," Harry breathed, looking around at all of them. "Remember how I had Snape's portrait commissioned for the school?" They all nodded. "Well, for some reason they saw fit to deliver it here."
If he was expecting a reaction, then he was unsuccessful for the group just looked at him, unperturbed.
"Oh, and you didn't want to face him yet, is that is?" ventured Hermione.
Ginny on the other hand was looking at the house elf quizzically. "What did Kreature do?" she asked, glance back at Harry.
It was as through a spark of sorts was lit behind the boy's eyes. His hands started to clench absently and his face seemed to darken a shade.
"He," Harry began, turning furiously and pointing to the elf. "That thing, saw fit to put it up!"
The withheld breath all three were restraining, was released at once. They all looked nervously to one another, not sure how to proceed.
"Oh," began Hermione. Well that's…"
"In the master bedroom."
Several blinks and a few disgusted looks we had.
"Still it's…"
"Where I sleep," he continued on.
Ginny shuddered.
"With a permanent sticking charm," Harry finished with a note of defeat.
After a moment of silence a loud gulping noise could be heard and they all turned towards Ginny. "So he'll be watching when we…"
"Ginny!" gasped Ron in disgust.
Harry blushed and looked away. Ginny on the other hand, glared viciously at her brother. "I didn't mean that!"
"There are others bedrooms," added Hermione tentatively.
"So then he can hear us when--"
"Ginny!"
"When we're over," the girl spat. "Will you stop that!"
Ron scowled. "Well I just know what you're thinking."
"Only because it's what you'd think about in such a situation," Ginny growled. "You do realize there are such things as silencing charms, don't you?"
Harry inwardly groaned and Hermione suddenly seemed inexplicitly interested in patterns of dust upon the side table.
"I did not just hear that," muttered Ron, refusing to look at either his best friend or sister.
"Well Harry," came Hermione's soft voice after a moment of uncomfortable silence. "It's a simple matter of commissioning another portrait. Then he can just stay in the other frame."
"I realize that," Harry replied. "But you're forgetting that that process takes months, not to mention he'll still have access to the house…" The boy stilled as realization dawned on him. "Oh god, what if he can visit other pictures here too?"
Ron's gaped. "Shit, he can be spying on us right now…"
"I'm sure Professor Snape has better things to do than to listen in on our conversations," snapped Hermione
"Like what?" exasperated Ron. "The guy's dead, can't be too much to do, can there?"
"I am going to kill that house elf," groaned Harry.
Ginny walked over to Harry and gave him a little hug and peck on the cheek. "It'll be fine," she said soothingly. Ron coughed, to which Ginny shot back another glare. "You could always sell the house," she finished.
"A little dramatic don't you think?" replied Hermione.
"You deal with a dead Snape hanging around your bedroom then," Harry replied darkly.
"Look," said Hermione. "Harry, let's just go in there and get it over with. Maybe death's mellowed him out a bit… or not. Still what can he do? Come on."
Hermione took him by the arm and led him to the stairway. He followed reluctantly up the creaking steps with Ginny at his side and Ron following closely behind. Every step seemed to weigh heavier and heavier upon him, till he stopped still in his tracks at the end of the hall.
There they all stood, looking ominously at the door just a few paces away.
"Well?" asked Ron.
"I don't know," Harry hesitated. "Should I, should I knock first?"
They all stared at him, though it looked as though Hermione was doing her best to hide a few giggles.
"Knock?" asked Ginny, in an amused voice. "The guy's dead, does it really matter? Come on, and quit stalling, we need to get this over with."
Harry shook his head. "You don't understand, I thought I had more time… er… to prepare and stuff. You don't understand."
Hermione stepped forward with a breath. "He gave you his memories. That's a very personal thing. I'm sure it'll be awkward at first, but—"
The boy spun so fast it made her jump back. "But nothing! I was wrong. Don't you get that? I was wrong and now he's dead."
They all looked at him with quiet, pitying expression on their faces. "There was nothing you could have done Harry. You know that don't you?" whispered Hermione.
"Of course I do! What the hell was I supposed to do about a great, giant snake?" It seemed as though they all stepped back at once. Harry closed his eyes and took a deep breath, steadying his voice. "Look you just don't understand. I thought, I thought I had more time… to… think of something… to say."
Ginny then pushed forward, looking as though she were about to give him another hug but then sidestepped by, bursting through the door.
"Ginny!" they cried, as she pranced through, holding her head high with a wry smile on her face.
"Professor? Processor Snape? Are you awake?" she called, spinning around the room in search for the portrait.
"Professor?" came Hermione's voice as she fallowed and stepped into the room.
Once they all had entered, Harry's eyes swept the walls quickly with his breath hitched in his throat. Then they stopped, resting upon a large, ornately framed portrait. And there in the center, stood the overshadowing form of Professor Severus Snape, former potions master, head of Slytherin house, and headmaster to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
"Professor?" Harry asked questioningly. His brow furled as he stepped closer to examine the portrait.
"Harry, that's not…" whispered Hermione, her eyes wide and watering.
There was a deathly silence through out the room. Ron and Ginny looked at each other, shrugging. Hermione had her hand over her mouth, shaking her head frantically. Harry on the other hand continued to stare at what could only be described as a simple, ordinary, Muggle painting.
This wasn't right, the boy thought to himself; there must have been some sort of mix up.
"Look, there's a letter," said Ron, handing over an enveloped addressed to a one Mr. Potter of number twelve Grimmauld Place.
"Huh?" Harry replied, suddenly snapping out of his racing thoughts. Deftly, he opened the paper. He read the contents allowed as he spoke: "Dear Mr. Potter, we at Predigest Portraits & co. regret to inform you that the process of canvas-to-life was unsuccessful in the case of your departed loved one. It is rare but not uncommon for an anomaly to occur, thus tampering with the precise magic and timing involved in this complex and advanced field of magic, resorting unfortunately in the creation of a useless Muggle painting. We have sent the picture over for your inspection so that you may see first hand the detail and art in which we are always pleased to provide. You may, of course, burn appropriately or dispose of as you see fit. We will, of course, be happy to re-commission our artists at no extra cost.
"Our patrons are our first and foremost concern, and we wish to make this time of loss an easy one for all loved ones concerned. Unfortunately, the complex and advanced art of framing is handled by a sister company Fastidious Frames & co. and will cost an extra twenty-two Galleons (payment instructions listed on the back)."
By the time he finished, Harry felt a distinct, sinking feeling fill his gut causing him to glance back at the ominous black figure, affixed permanently to the wall.
"What a load of bull!" cried Ron. His voice broke the silence like the breaking of glass and there was a collective release of breath from the group.
"Are you all right Harry?" Ginny whispered, coming to his side.
"Charging extra for a frame when it's them who screwed up," Ron went on. "And what does that mean, rare but not uncommon? Do they even know what they're talking about?"
"It doesn't matter," Harry breathed. "Its fine, whatever."
"Harry?" This time it was Hermione.
Harry felt as if all the air had been sucked out of his lungs, but this was what he wanted, wasn't it? He thought desperately, looking again to the letter and back to his friends surrounding him, all with mixed expressions on their face. "I said I'm fine. I guess I could just stick a sheet over it now, or something. It's not like he'd be real anyways. It's just a portrait."
"Harry…"
"No, I get it. He's dead," he snapped. "I just never thought that Snape, dead, in any situation, would make me feel this way." He shook his head and sat down on the corner of the bed.
"Well if it's any conciliation," said Hermione, settling her self down beside him. "I've been reading Lovers Lost in Limbo— It's just a title," she added after Ron made a face. "Anyways, it talks about the various ways in which one can communicate with the dead or their lasting imprints.
"According to A. B. Lee, aside from actual ghosts, portraits are the closest one can achieve to speaking with the dead because they are a true imprint of a persons 'echo', so to speak. They remember, they comprehend, and they are true to their memory. It's all very vague but it basically means it would be as though you were talking to Professor Snape as though he were still alive. I'll come by and drop it off tomorrow if you like."
Harry let out a groan. This was not helping.
"Is that what you want?" asked Ginny. "To talk to—"
"I don't know what I want," he said. "That's why I wanted time. And now I have it, so it really doesn't matter." He stood up abruptly, startling Hermione from her spot. "Come on, I'm sick of this room. Let's just go."
Harry pointedly refused to look back at the portrait and swept from the room.
"That painting is still seriously creepy, if you ask me," added Ron, standing by the door.
"Shame you can't sell house elves," answered Ginny with a grin.