For a long moment Severus is quiet and still, and the media library feels as though it might shudder with the sound of a pin dropping while he stares at Harry with an expression that seems to telegraph without words (or Legilimency) Are you out of your fucking mind.
"..I'll think about it."
It is perhaps a tactically sound idea. If anything.
He probably is, but if so, the condition is nothing new.
"Thank you, again. I really appreciate that you asked and that you're willing to listen." He should stop there, but Harry has never exactly been good when it comes to impulse control. "And didn't give me a split lip and a black eye like when I've tried this with the others."
This conversation has abruptly become even more awkward than it already was. Severus doesn't know how to respond to that. Somehow it's more surprising than anything else has been said so far - or maybe it's just the contrast. By all prophetic accounts this should be the golden child of Gryffindor sitting before him, one of the boys by blood and inheritance. He can easily see Black and Potter shirking responsibility but-- that? To one of their own, it's unexpected. And he's not sure if he believes it.
Finally: "Other." A small correction. "It seems James Potter is no longer aboard."
"I'd heard. I've been here almost a year and I've seen the whole set of them come and go." Harry could understand their reasons, but he doesn't agree with or respect them. Now, in retrospect, he supposes he could have been a bit gentler approaching them, couched his words, or tried to be their friend first, but it all would've felt dishonest.
"Sirius is still here. I haven't told him that you are."
The whole set of them makes him wonder if that means Pettigrew and if he ended up dead or-- Lily.
He pushes it from his mind.
"Black is quite aware," Severus says, wry and not entirely kind humor twisting his voice. "The terms of our current cease-fire are vague and unlikely to be kept indefinitely, but I have better things to do than contribute to Sirius Black's inflated notions of self-importance by paying further attention to him."
"Temporary truces seem to be the done thing here." It's taken him a few months, but he's almost mended fences with Sirius and he'd hate to have to go back on that and take sides. As a gesture of almost friendship, he's asked the other wizard to help him learn how to be an animagus. (Nothing can go wrong with this plan.)
"I suppose that's it then. Unless you've anything else?"
Honestly, this has gone on a bit longer than necessary; Severus didn't expect that weird bit of sharing, but he did say he's been here for a bloody year. Maybe he just hasn't had the opportunity to tell anyone about getting his nose broke by his father and godfather and needed to wordvomit at someone, anyone, even the man who his mother didn't choose. Merlin only knows what that'll accomplish. Surely there's someone on this ship more well-equipped for feelings.
Severus stands up and nods once, then turns to leave. Harry knows where to find him if anything else comes up.
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"..I'll think about it."
It is perhaps a tactically sound idea. If anything.
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"Thank you, again. I really appreciate that you asked and that you're willing to listen." He should stop there, but Harry has never exactly been good when it comes to impulse control. "And didn't give me a split lip and a black eye like when I've tried this with the others."
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Finally: "Other." A small correction. "It seems James Potter is no longer aboard."
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"Sirius is still here. I haven't told him that you are."
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He pushes it from his mind.
"Black is quite aware," Severus says, wry and not entirely kind humor twisting his voice. "The terms of our current cease-fire are vague and unlikely to be kept indefinitely, but I have better things to do than contribute to Sirius Black's inflated notions of self-importance by paying further attention to him."
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"I suppose that's it then. Unless you've anything else?"
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"No. That's all."
Honestly, this has gone on a bit longer than necessary; Severus didn't expect that weird bit of sharing, but he did say he's been here for a bloody year. Maybe he just hasn't had the opportunity to tell anyone about getting his nose broke by his father and godfather and needed to wordvomit at someone, anyone, even the man who his mother didn't choose. Merlin only knows what that'll accomplish. Surely there's someone on this ship more well-equipped for feelings.
Severus stands up and nods once, then turns to leave. Harry knows where to find him if anything else comes up.