An Unlikely Innovation

"Ah yes, well I figured that since the Patronus Charm is rather difficult to learn I needed to figure out a different means for my friends to protect themselves. By creating a Runic cluster in combination with several transportation and projection Charms I was able to inscribe symbols that would ward the creatures off. It seems I will need to work on the range though, I heard that Draco was only able to stop those closest to him…"

Harry's rambling seemed to distract him enough for the gaping expressions of the rest of the room, especially his Runes professor, who knew the boy to be skilled but not borderline genius.

"Mr. Potter… if you could explain how these work I would be quite excited to study and…"

"No thank you."

Professor Babbling blinked in confusion once more, "Excuse me?"

"I said 'no thank you'. The Runes were of my own design and if I were to ever go into business these would undoubtedly be one of the first I would produce. If I let you examine them you could copy the idea and take credit for yourself. It is the same reason that Headmaster Dumbledore does not write a book explaining each of his spells and discoveries before he is able to copyright them."

"Or perhaps it is because your 'marks' are so very close to those of the Death Eaters?" Snape bit out.

Harry turned, ever so slowly, to face the man, his smile dropping instantly. "Perhaps I was wrong Headmaster, if my work is going to be compared to that of the murdering psychopath who slaughtered my parents then I will not be doing any further progress on it."

"Harry I…" Dumbledore practically pleaded, not wanting to waste such a discovery.

"If that is all sir?"

The elderly man let out a defeated sigh before nodding, "Yes Harry… that will be all thank you."

The student departed, and a second later the Bones Matron's scowl was in full force, "You stupid man! Do you have any idea what you could have just cost us!?"

"Potter created a…"

"Way of stopping Dementors without a use of the Patronus! Do you know how many Aurors can cast the spell successfully? Less than a quarter! Need I remind you that these creatures guard Azkaban which we are required to help patrol? Do you realize how many lives have been accidentally lost because of them!?"

"Amelia…"

"No, she is right Albus, I have had it with Severus' crackpot theories and accusations towards Mr. Potter. This stops now, or I will be going to the papers with Mr. Potter's discovery and the response by his Head of House."

Dumbledore paled, but gave a slight nod, "I understand, Severus this is to stop… immediately."

"But Headmaster…"

"If it does not the boy will be removed from your House and any classes you instruct along with a disciplinary investigation."

Snape fell silent but gave a defeated nod.

"Now then… let us hope we can convince Mr. Potter that saving dozens of lives is worth the ire of one bitter old professor." Bones growled.

...

Severus Snape glared at the nearly empty bottle sitting on his desk. It seemed as though another year was preparing to follow in the footsteps of the past two. Potter was going to make some amazing discovery or act of courage, receive credit and praise, and any potential darkness would be ignored.

Even worse was that his own actions had now led to the ire of the head of the DMLE, along with the not-so-subtle demands that he leave the boy be.

But he couldn't, not when the path that James Potter's child walked was so clearly leading to darkness, he owed it to the world to prevent another Dark Lord's rise… didn't he?

Another glassful of burning liquid and the man's thoughts began to waver, why the hell was it his responsibility? Why shouldn't he just let the damnable brat do as he pleased? Sure, he probably had killed Lockhart and Quirrell, but neither was really that big of a loss, and if his memory served Petunia Dursley was a living example of what the true Dark Lord had always preached about Muggles.

Killing her, and her rotten family, probably did the world a service if nothing else.

Why was he so hell bent on targeting the child?

Perhaps he had been wrong. He himself was certainly not free of sin or terrible actions in the course of 'aiding humanity' so how could he pass judgement on a teenager ?

'Because you hate his father, it has nothing to do with his actions' a traitorous voice whispered in his mind, which Snape blatantly ignored… or at least attempted to. It had been speaking to him ever since first meeting the child and now that his stomach was beginning to fill with that amber truth serum known as 'alcohol' he was finding it more and more difficult to keep up his mask of 'the greater good'.

"It isn't like I have any real evidence…" the man muttered to himself. "Perhaps holding back on further suspicions wouldn't hurt."

....

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