What would it take for Severus Snape and Harry Potter to finally stop hating each other? Well, first, Severus would need his fiancée back, and have Harry to thank for it. Check. Also, Severus would have to save Harry's life while putting his own on the line. Check. Severus would have to tell Harry just why it is that Dumbledore trusts him. Check. They'd have to spend lots of time together, like the whole summer. Check.

Severus Snape glared at the letter he had written. Why did Dumbledore make him do these things? The headmaster knew he wanted as little to do with Potter as possible. Of course, he did not know all of Snape's reasons, and it had better stay that way, forever! Even if Dumbledore asked he'd lie to him. He had loyalties older than his ones to Dumbledore, and it really wasn't anyone's business but his own, anyway. Potter really out to be there though. Severus just wished he could skip it, both parts. They would both be extremely uncomfortable. He gave the thick envelope to the raven, the mail unique carrier mail carrier he was privileged to use. He wondered what Potter would make of it.

Well, Potter wasn't quite sure what to make of it. Mail from the Order after only one week of summer holiday? Delivered by a raven? What was going on? Was something wrong? Even more confusing was the handwriting on the address. Harry was fairly sure it belonged to his potions master. "What's Snape writing to me for?" Harry wondered. Harry cautiously opened the letter, as if expecting it to explode in his face. It did not. There was a note and another envelope inside. The handwriting on the second envelope was Ron's, while the note was clearly from Snape. Harry read it aloud, absolutely mystified.

Mr. Potter,

The Weasleys have asked me to relay this to you, as they felt it would be safer. Dumbledore has given his permission for you to attend. I will be arriving in your house at nine o'clock Saturday morning. Wear dress robes please.

Severus Snape

"Safer?" Harry thought "Attend what? Dress robes?" It took a moment for the most absurd part of the message to sink in. "Snape here! Oh, no!"

Harry opened the second envelope. Inside was a note form Ron and a card. He read the note first.

Dear Harry,

Please come. It's been planned for months. Mum won't go ahead without you, and things are getting a bit sappy around here and the sooner its over with the better. I know it's a bit of a risk, but please come anyway.

Ron.

"Huh?" thought Harry, "maybe the card will explain". After he read the card he wished he could have read it first." Bet that git Snape did that on purpose" The card did explain, and rather well. It was a wedding invitation. Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour were getting married at the Burrow on Saturday!

Harry didn't really feel like going, but he didn't have enough time to figure out how to tell Snape he wasn't coming. The raven that had delivered the mail had stayed just long enough to annoy Hedwig briefly before flying off. Harry could not see it against the night sky, it was almost as if it had disappeared. He could try to send Hedwig to Dumbledore or the Weasleys, but tonight was Thursday and there just wasn't enough time.

Harry thought it might be a little fun. Ron would be there, which would make up a little bit for having to travel with Snape. Harry wondered why Dumbledore had chosen Snape, of all people. After all, not long ago he had expressed his disappointment the Snape couldn't get over his grudge. A grudge, Harry remembered, that had helped cost Sirius his life.

The mind of Severus Snape was traveling along the same lines. He had hated James, and his hatred was part of the way he had acted the way he had. But the whole situation was so much more complicated than that. He had more reason to hate Harry Potter than Harry Potter knew, than even Dumbledore knew. And that wasn't all. He had secrets, secrets he did not trust Harry with, things that just knowing one part of would be dangerous. It was absolutely vital that the Dark Lord not find out, lest he put the pieces he had together.

Nonetheless, Severus was not comforted. "Well," he thought savagely to himself "Your precious secrets have cost a boy the closest thing to a father he ever knew!" He got up of the bed he had been sitting on in the dark, and began to pace the bedroom, frustrated. He said aloud, "What am I supposed to do?" On impulse he strode across the room and opened the top drawer in chest of drawers. From inside he took out a

marvelous, beautiful box. It was made of different colored metals, engraved and inlaid with interlocking patterns of trees, birds, plants, and stars, and depictions of as many of the so-called mythical creatures of Faery as fit. The center of the lid was inlaid with a silver oroborous, a single emerald set between the heads and tails of the serpents that met each other in a diamond.

He lifted the lid of the box. Inside it were his most treasured possessions. A photograph of his mother smiling up at him, timid and sad. A ring that matched the motif box lid. A wand that would never have fit in the box if it hadn't been enchanted to anything inside it. He pulled it out to get at the last thing in the box. It was nearly two feet long. The last thing was a framed muggle photograph. The serpent theme was repeated on the frame, as it was on many things in this house. With a small moan Severus put the photo into the light of the nearly full moon that came through the nearest window. He seldom looked at this photo, for much the same reason he hated looking at Potter. It was painful. Despite that fact that the picture was still, the camera had managed to catch the subject in a way that suggested she was never still, and showed her temperament. Her eyes seemed to be laughing at him teasing. He could almost hear her teasing him. "Severus is afraid!" "I can't" he groaned "it would be disastrous!" He knew what she would say. "So?" He kicked the wall in annoyance and heard something crunch. It certainly wasn't the wall.