[Harry Potter] Deep Scars

"Don't tell me you've started to like the boy." Dumbledore looked at the man who seemed to emerge from the shadows in the dim office and asked with a sigh. Snape's wide, dark eyes were like a long, endless tunnel. His face twisted with offense, and he roared furiously, "Like him? You think I like him?!" The tip of his wand glimmered silver-blue as he pointed it at the old man. With a deft flick of his wand, he traced a flowerlike circle in the air. "Expecto Patronum." A mischievous silver stag leaped from his wand, dancing nimbly through the air before landing at the man's feet. Its tiny antlers gently brushed Snape's long, sinister black robes. The little stag blinked its round eyes again and again. The old man's astonishment was reflected in its silver eyes, sparkling like stardust. "Harry." Dumbledore sighed softly, sounding both shocked and relieved. "All this time...?" Snape himself did not know when he had fallen in love or when he had changed. He could not even promise what the future held, but... Snape tugged at the corner of his mouth in self-mockery, yet his gaze at the little stag by his feet held a hint of tenderness. That feeling would never change, not for a single moment in all the days to come. "Always." Severus Snape's voice was as resolute as an oath, yet as gentle as a vow. -- [SS/HP] Deep Scars At the end of fifth year, after losing Sirius, Harry was trapped in torment, consumed by guilt, grief, fear, and anger. Unable to control the anger welling up inside him, he could only keep hurting himself to distract himself. At the same time, he grew increasingly unable to bear the expectations others placed on him. The nightmares that plagued him every night pushed both his body and mind to the brink of collapse. Surrounded by people constantly praising his Chosen One aura, Harry could only turn for help to Severus Snape, the man he hated most, who hated him just as much, yet was the only one who treated his identity as the Chosen One like the trash it was... The English title is "As Deep As the Knife Will Go" Pairing: SS/HP, with a slow-developing romance Dumbledore isn't bashed, and Voldemort isn't whitewashed. Everyone is as I imagine they would be. I want to write about every character, so updates will be slow, but I promise the story will be substantial and satisfying! Three chapters on the professor's birthday, the first day of posting! After that, I promise a weekly update! A serious story with a slow-moving plot. The romance takes center stage in the middle and later sections! If you don't want to get hooked on an unfinished story, read with caution! Comments, chats, and thoughts are very welcome! ※Updates are scheduled for every Saturday at 12:00! If the page won't load, replace "www" in the URL with "my"!※