⇾ Daily #26 (flipped protag/antag) ⚘

I cannot tell him.
I cannot tell them.

Severus had lived his life with loud thoughts. They pounded at his mind, drove him to near insanity only to quiet and later drag him back to the world of the sane just so they could do it all over again.
How would he tell Harry?
How would he tell Dumbledore?
I must.
I must not.
I must choose.
“Choose”. What a nasty, thoughtless word, as though making choices was a simple thing.
Everyone made choices. He had made his. Lily had made hers. His parents had made a choice- a stupid, reckless choice.
Fate had made its choice.
Life had made its choice
He had to make his once more.
Potter was weak, pretentious, everything his father had been. Being the Chosen One made it worse. It made him believe that a grand destiny awaited him at every turn. It made him think himself brave.
He knows nothing of bravery, came the shouted thoughts.
Neither do you, thought Snape, yelling back at his own thoughts. Perhaps he truly was mad. You don't have the courage to tell them the truth.
Would anyone believe him, one so shrouded in mystery? He hid everything. He hid scars behind long black robes. He hid hurt behind poisonous words.
He hid his own lightning scar behind stringy black hair.
He hid his status as the Chosen One behind a child.
The real Chosen One.
Severus was being a coward. He knew that. Only a coward would watch for years as little Potter paraded around, pretending to be so burdened with something so heavy.
Severus would not deny the boy was burdened.
He was burdened with a lie.
He'll be burdened further when he finds out the truth.

⇾ 302 words ⚘