"Harry, come on," moaned Ron over the loud rumbles of his stomach. "Why do you always have to take so long packing away nowadays?"
"What do you mean?" snapped Harry, blushing. "I take the same amount of time I always have."
Ron continued to complain without noticing Harry's brief outburst, but Hermione eyed him in quiet confusion. Harry did not return her gaze, but finished throwing his things into his bag and then began to dawdle out of the Potions room. The Potions master himself was in the store cupboard again, and Harry wanted to see him one more time before he had to leave the close proximity that was maintained throughout his Potions lessons.
"Harry, because of you I bet all the chicken legs will be gone," grumbled Ron.
"Of course they won't, Ronald. You should stop eating so many of those anyway, it can't be good for you," said Hermione, rolling her eyes at the greedy nature of her friend.
"Stop eating so many of them?" asked Ron, looking scandalised.
To everyone's relief, there was still enough chicken legs to placate Ron, and so they didn't have to put up with his constant wining anymore. Harry, although he had a bowl of his favourite trifle in front of him, did not eat. He played with the food in his bowl, turning it into an unappetising mess. His mind was not on food. It was far away, imagining the things he could do with Snape, if only he were allowed, if only Snape liked him back, and did not despise him for who his father was.
Harry often thought about his father as well. He wished that he and Snape had not hated each other as they did, wished his father had no endangered Snape's life, but more than anything he wished Snape would not compare him so to his father. He was not his father. Wasn't this strange desire for the man who hated him proof of that?
Hermione noticed Harry's absent mood, but did not comment. She decided to keep an eye on things, and figure out for herself why he was suddenly behaving so strangely. It could not just be stress from the OWLs which were nearly upon them- she knew it had to be something else, but she could not, for now, decide what it could be.
Ron, meanwhile, was busy stuffing chicken into his already full mouth as though it was going out of style. He did not notice Harry's mood, nor did he notice Hermione, who kept throwing him looks of purest disgust for the way he was throwing down the food on his plate. Harry might be having sordid thoughts about their Potions master, but Ron was already in a loving relationship- he and his chicken were meant to be.
Albus Dumbledore did not appear in the Great Hall for dinner. He was staying away from anywhere that would bring Harry within his sights. Snape did not appear either, and Albus knew why- Snape was currently prowling up and down in front of Albus' desk, thinking him to be paying close attention to what was being said.
"-furthermore, Potter has become even more absent minded in lessons, if you can believe that Professor; I do not know what he is playing at, but he takes longer to pack away at the end of each lesson. I was in the store cupboard today, checking through my vials, and could hear even Weasley complaining about it, and he is not exactly a bright student- quite the opposite, in fact. Potter shall not pass his examinations with this head on- not that I expect him to pass a majority of them anyway, for he is exactly like his no good father, just as arrogant and pig headed-"
"Severus, please," said Albus, holding up his hand to show that he had heard enough.
Whilst Albus could not show it, whenever Snape came into his office and began ranting about Harry, he had the desperate urge to throw him out of the window. But he could not betray anything other than a sign of friendly concern for Harry; he could just imagine what would happen if he did.
"Severus, Harry is a very bright young man. I do not worry about him passing his OWLs. I am more concerned about the growing connection that Voldemort and Harry seem to be having. It was not weak last year, and has been growing more powerful ever since Voldemort's return. I know that Harry has been experience severe pain in his scar, and that he is experiencing also strange visions which show him to be around or to actually be Voldemort when Voldemort is at his most dangerous. I think he is merely stressed about this, as well as the upcoming exams and the danger in which Sirius is. Please, do not attempt to undermine him at every turn. Harry is still just 15 years old, and he is suffering from stress which some grown men will never understand."
"Again you defend him, Dumbledore. Again, he is more important than anyone else!"
"Severus, enough," snapped Albus, who had now risen to his feet behind his desk and was looking altogether very alarming. "I do not wish to hear another word against Harry Potter from you. We both know the reasons why he is important- the prophecy, Severus, must I remind you about that? You promised me, when Lily Evans was murdered, that you would look over her son, but you do nothing but make his life that bit more difficult than it already is."
Snape had blanched when Lily had been mentioned, and was already walking to the door when Albus finished speaking.
"It was low of you to remind me of those nights," said Snape quietly, looking at the floor.
"It was necessary, I think," replied Albus, sitting back at his desk.
"It is not necessary to remind me of my mistakes Dumbledore. It is cruel."
And with that, Snape stormed from the room, slamming the door behind him and waking several of the old portraits.
Albus sat with his elbows resting on his desk and his head in his hands. He knew it had been cruel to remind Snape of his perished love, but he had been furious at the accusations pointed at his own love. He knew he was too old and much to wise to have been pulled into the need for revengeful words- he had seen too much for such childish behaviour- but in the moment, he had been overcome, and whilst he regretted his outburst, he was almost certain Snape would not bring up complaints about Harry with him again.
Dementia- Here you go, chapter two :) This has provided one hell of a release from my own life at the minute, and I hope you all enjoy the read :) xxx666xxx
