Chapter two is up! I had an insane response to the first chapter, and i'm sorry it took so long to get this up, but, there is 4,366 words, soooo, love me? Haha anyway thanks for the 7 reviews, 31 faves and an insane 73 follows. You guys are AMAZING and I love you.

Disclamer: I do not own harry potter.

No warnings for this chapter, other than maybe a self harm trigger, but it's only very faint.

Edit: Major formatting error fixed

Harry woke slowly, enjoying the gentle return to consciousness, which was a stark contrast to his usual pattern of suddenly bolting upright, hair plastered to his face with sweat and a barely restrained scream on his lips. Yawning he cast a wand-less, word-less tempus and was surprised to find it was already six AM, an hour later than he'd normally rise. Oh well, he thought stretching, if it meant a good night's rest, he was willing to give up his morning jog, just this once. Grabbing his wash kit from his trunk, he padded past his still sleeping dorm mates and slipped into the bathroom, shutting the door with a barely audible click. He searched around the ugly green bag for his shampoo, pausing with consideration as his hand brushed past a razor blade. His fingers closed around the sharp edge for a moment before he shook himself out of his reverie. Starting that when he didn't even need to would only mean he'd have to cut deeper when he did. Starting on his search again his hand alighted on the elusive bottle and he resisted the urge to let out an uncharacteristic, childish, yell of victory, instead choosing to grin as he climbed into the shower, for what seemed like forever.

Harry could have groaned as the magically regulated water hit his back at the perfect temperature, soothing out all of the knot's and kink's of tension in his shoulders, and for a moment he simply let it wash over him, temporarily wiping all worry and thought from his body. It was tempting to stay in there forever, but he was sure that sooner or later, someone would come looking for their "golden boy" Scowling at that thought he opened his eyes and reached for his shampoo, taking the time to rub it properly into his scalp, the hairdresser had recommended it to him, it kept the colour bright and was the secret to his hair finally staying straight. He'd felt like a bit of a girl at first, using expensive branded products, instead of the cheap stuff from the shop down the road, but he'd soon gotten used to it.

Sighing, he checked the time again and realised he'd been in the shower for almost half an hour now, if he didn't hurry up, the great hall wouldn't be as empty as he hoped. He scowled and whacked the button on the wall that stopped the water flow, immediately shivering as the stream of heat suddenly stopped. Quickly he grabbed a fluffy towel and wrapped it around him fully, burying his nose in the soft material. He waved a hand down his body to magically dry off the water and cast a quick heating charm. Harry was never more grateful for magic than when he first came back to school after a summer of not being allowed to use it.

Checking himself over in the mirror he reassured himself that the glamour's were still in place, satisfied when he saw no visible mark on his body, he set to re wrapping his ribs, a painful process he hoped he wouldn't have to do for much longer once he got the chance to brew some potions. With the wrap in place he pulled his robes on and slipped out the door toward his bed, grabbed his books, and slunk out of the dormitory, trying not to wince as the steps jarred his ribs.
He took his time walking down to the hall, other than his echoing footsteps, there was no sound, so he could relax slightly in the knowledge that it would be hard for someone to sneak up on him. His mind presented him with the idea that someone could jump down off one of the higher staircases and land on him, then supplied him with the image of someone jumping, bat like, at him, at the word bat, he instantly substituted the image with Snape and giggled a bit. He shouldn't be so horrid to the man really, but with the way he treated him, because of his father no-less, was unfair, so Harry gave back as good as he got. Really if Snape left him alone, he'd probably respect the Potions Master. A portrait waved cheerfully at him, and Harry nodded his head in return, it always made him smile when the non-living occupants of the castle said hello, it reminded him he was home.

Still lost in thought, he jumped nimbly over the trick step out of habit and dragged his head down out of the clouds, just because he was home didn't mean he could drop his defences No Where was safe, and no where ever would be, at least until, he supposed, Voldemort was defeated. His eyebrows knitted at that thought, Dumbledore still expected him to kill the Dark Lord, which was in Harry's opinion ridiculous, he was just a teenager, barely of age. It was stupid enough that they were expecting him to be married off, let alone destroy the most powerful wizard of their age. How was he supposed to have the spell knowledge, the stamina, the sheer strength? 10 years with the Dursley's followed by 7 weeks every year had made sure that his strength hadn't progressed massively and no amount of training could overcome that. He'd escaped by luck all the other times, faced with Snake Face himself again, then Harry wasn't sure he'd survive.
Shaking the morbid yet realistic thoughts out of his head, he sat down and grabbed his ritual cup of coffee, helpfully supplied by Dobby in a black MacBeth style cup, emblazoned with the words "Hubble bubble toil and trouble" It made Harry grin every time he saw it, which he was sure was an organised ploy by the house elves.

Half a cup later he felt slightly more human and reached for a piece of toast and chocolate spread, which he was probably slightly too liberal with. Drinking some more he considered another slice, but his stomach protested at the thought, loudly, reminding him that it wasn't used to large amounts of food. He sighed, he'd have to remember to have porridge tomorrow morning then. Rising, he downed the last of the hot drink and observed the Potions Master enter the hall through the teacher's entrance, good. He could head down to potions now and get a feel of the wards around the lab. He knew they'd be complicated, but where was the fun if they weren't?

Harry was aware of suspicious onyx eyes following him as he left the hall, and knew Snape had his ideas, he couldn't prove it however, Harry was a little too smart for that. Or perhaps the man did know, and the wards had turned into somewhat of a game, If Harry got through, his reward was whatever potion he wished to brew, after all, he did return the ingredients after. He shrugged mentally, as long as Snape wasn't about to pounce on him about it, he wasn't really fussed, spotting Luna heading into the hall, he waved a hand slightly to catch her attention. She smiled vacantly and drifted over.
"Hi Harry, finally got rid of the Nargle's then?"
Harry waved a hand over his head before he'd realised he'd done it, as was his habit when Luna mentioned Nargle's, then smiled sheepishly as he registered what she'd said.
"Yeah, suppose I have, how was your summer?"
"Oh fine, just painted a little."
She was staring at something just above Harry's shoulder, and if he hadn't of known her, he'd of thought she wasn't paying attention, however he knew that Luna was paying a lot more attention than most people ever did, even when they were interested in the conversation.
"Sounds good." He said with a nod, then spotted Hermione and Ron heading down, they were arguing, not what Harry needed right now. "I'm going to head down to potions now, talk to you later ok?"
Luna gave what could probably be interpreted as a nod, and wandered off to stare at a tapestry right at the bottom of the stairs, effectively getting in the way of a few students and starting a commotion, he wasn't sure if she'd done it on purpose or not, but he wasn't about to waste the opportunity, and so slid away into a quite corridor, a small short cut he'd worked out last year avoiding Malfoy.

The walk down to the dungeons was thankfully quiet and free of Slytherin's heading for breakfast, thanks to the back passage he was following. He took the time to retreat into his mind some-what to try and convince his brain his ribs didn't hurt, it was an old trick of his, learnt from many years having to work with various injuries at the Dursley's. He simply turned the pain down in his head, it had taken a lot of initial meditation, but he was glad he had worked it out. Vernon's face when Harry had started his jobs after a particularly vicious "punishment" like the large man had barely hit him with a pillow had been priceless.

The following punishment for being freaky, Harry thought darkly, could probably be described as priceless too, in a sick sort of way.

Down at the dungeons five minutes later, Harry leant against the wall, it was at least twenty minutes before the bell would go to tell students to head to lessons, so twenty-five minutes before anyone would bother him. Perfect, quickly running a revealing spell to check there was no one near-by, Harry pushed himself off the cold stone surface and faced the hidden door to the upper year labs. Lowering his eyes he muttered a spell before raising his hea

d to interpret what should be a coloured representation of the wards. He blinked for a moment, shocked.
Around the door was every colour under the sun, and a few more for good luck. Pink, green, violet, navy, everything! Harry groaned, there were at least twenty low level wards in front of the more challenging ones, and at least five were those that would set off an alarm when dismantled. In the time it would take Harry to pull them all down, he'd have less chance to brew, and was more likely to be caught out in the corridors. Vaguely Harry wondered where Snape was finding the raw power to keep all these wards up, perhaps he'd gotten help from Dumbledore? Either way, Snape had to be feeling drained, maybe they'd be weaker tonight when Snape's core was beginning to become exhausted.
Or maybe, a more cynical part of his brain added, Snape's a lot more powerful than you all give him credit for.
Part of him shuddered at that thought, as much as he respected the man, it was still hard to tell what side he was on at times, and it didn't change the fact he had a violent temper. If he had the ability to keep all these wards up, and at a distance, what hope did they stand if he finally snapped?

A crash issued from the corridor next to him and out of years of learnt self preservation, Harry threw a hasty but powerful concealment charm over himself and ducked into a nook in the opposite wall, watching the corridor with hasty eyes. An enraged cry of 'Peeves!' rang out across the corridor as the poltergeist shot down the hallway with a manic giggle, followed by a bedraggled looking third year, missing a shoe.
"I'll get the Bloody Baron on you!"
The cackling didn't stop and what Harry presumed must be the third years trainer came flying down the corridor, ducking, the Slytherin narrowly avoided being smacked in the face. Grabbing her shoe with a scowl, she straightened her hair out and stormed off in the direction of the great hall. Waiting a few moments to make sure that Peeves was gone, he cancelled the charm and stepped out, pulling his potions text from his bag as he did so, he wasn't sure he'd have time to study the wards further before people started to turn up, so figured he might as well read the chapter today's lesson was bound to be based on. Not that he hadn't read it before of course, but it couldn't hurt.

Engrossed, the sound of the bell surprised Harry slightly and he jumped before looking around quickly to see if anyone had witnessed his uncharacteristic drop in concentration. However no one was around yet, so Harry returned to his book. Eventually though, as more people began to turn up, he was forced to store the text under his arm for fear it would be knocked from him. A first year Hufflepuff bashed into his legs and stared up fearfully, in his annoyance, Harry fixed the small boy with a glare, sending him running with a squeak before Harry could apologize. He didn't have much time to think about it however, as Ron and Hermione appeared round the corner, Ron still with a final piece of toast in his hand. Hermione spotted Harry and sped up, pulling an oblivious Ron by the sleeve, whom was more annoyed about the fact he'd almost dropped his food. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Harry, we didn't see you at breakfast."
Ron shoved the last of the toast in his mouth and chewed in a comically exaggerated way, attempting to suggest that no one should talk yet, he swallowed.
"Just point out the obvious Mione."
"I was just starting the conversation Ronald"
"Try saying hello?"
Hermione scowled and smacked Ron on the arm before turning away, arms crossed, Ron pouted and looked to Harry, who held up his hands to indicate he was not going to get in the middle of this. Ron stared at the scowl on Hermionie's face, before looking around for a route of escape, seeing none, he took the only option left.
"Sorry Mione."
The older girl's expression softened in a way that only someone with a fondness for whomever had annoyed them could, and she turned back towards the group as if to speak, however she was cut short by the arrival of the Professor, who swooped by in a flurry of black material.
"Dramatic much?" Ron mumbled and Hermione let out an undignified snort of laughter, shaking her head incredulously, before following the rest of the class into the potions room, Ron faked a hurt look at Harry, then realized their bushy haired friend had disappeared and bolted after her, not willing to lose his spot by her, and so his grade. Harry ambled after, taking the empty table next to them, the odd number of students in the newt class meaning that he had no partner and would be making the potions on his own.

Snape waved his wand angrily at the board, making the instructions appear, with an angry "begin" before shifting his focus to a large pile of official looking papers. Heading to the supplies cabinet, Harry caught up with Ron.
"What crawled up his arse and died?"
Ron chuckled then looked over his shoulder to check if they had been caught, Snape's attention was fully caughton his paper's however, and the two friends gave each other a subtle grin.

Due to Snape's distraction the lesson went well and Harry's potion was almost perfect, of course it meant that when he placed it on the desk it went unnoticed, but he still took it as a small victory.
The rest of the week went by much of the same, the newt classes were tough, but Harry enjoyed the challenge, and for the first time, he began to flourish, despite the distraction of the up-coming marriage law. He spent most of his evenings in a quiet niche in the library, completing his assignments as soon as they were given to him and reading when he had the time.

The peace lasted until Friday.
Filing in to another double period newt potions lesson, Harry hoped this one would be as uneventful as the last, an event that seemed likely when he spotted Snape's nose still buried in a pile of paperwork, which looked like it hadn't yet got a dent in it. A flicker of sympathy flashed across Harry's mind, but it passed without much recognition.

The hope died when he spotted Draco heading over his way, dragon scales clutched tightly in one hand. He sighed, maybe he could head this off without an explosion and the obligatory trip to the hospital wing that would come with it. He couldn't go to the hospital wing, not yet, not before he'd had chance to brew healing potions.

A small amount of panic blossomed in the pit of his stomach at the thought of someone finding out, but he suppressed it and concentrated on getting rid of Malfoy.
"What's that in your hand Malfoy? Surely you can't be planning on using that can you? After all everyone knows that any ingredient obtained from a dragon would cause a serious explosion when combined with this potion."
Snape's head snapped up, the suggestion of something going wrong actually getting through to him. The sallow face scowled as Draco's hand disappeared inside his robes, reappearing empty only a moment later
"Really Mr Potter did we resort to eating our potions textbook this summer in a pitiful attempt to get Mr Malfoy in trouble? Your suggestion is preposterous, I don't keep such valuable ingredients around dunderheaded students. Even ones as talented as whom you are trying to blame. Ten points from Gryffindor for your stupidity."
Harry resisted the urge to growl and ignoring the smirk on Draco's prat-ish face, lowered his head back over his cauldron. Getting into an argument with Snape wouldn't solve anything, he was in pain and stressed about tomorrow, he'd probably say something he would definitely regret later on.
"Really I do feel sorry for whom-ever is forced to marry you, I wonder how it would be to be trapped with an imbecile for all your life. And the Children! Unless your partner is a massive know it all like your girlfriend Granger, they've no hope!"
A few of the students snickered, Harry saw red, throwing his chair backwards as he stood up he growled back.
"Yeah, well at least unlike you someone would love Hermione enough to marry her without this fucking marriage law!"
Snape was up from his desk within a second, angry posture matching Harry's, sending out waves of angry energy through the room, causing everyone's potions to go a deep crimson red and blowing out the fires underneeth.
"Do not venture into realms you have no hope in understanding Mr Potter, 50 points for your foul language and quite frankly inappropriate comment, then after reporting to Dumbledore this evening you can grace Filch with your presence for the first of a week's detentions."
By the tugging on his arm, Harry vaguely noted his friends thought he should probably stop, he considered it for a moment, they did have a point, but the notion disappeared rather quickly.
"Realms I don't understand? Professor I hate to break it to you but I'm sure every male in this room fully gets the process of wanking.""
Snape stalked across the room and slammed his hands down on Harry's desk, leaning over him with a fearsome expression

"Mr Potter I do suggest the you shut up now before not only are you in detention with me for the rest of the year, but so are your children's children."

"Because that's what you do isn't it professor? You're so scared to get back at whom-ever's wronged you, you take it out on their children. You're nothing but a coward!"

The sound Snape let out was almost inhuman, and by this point the magic both men where realising in their anger was so strong, most of the class had retreated to the sides of the room. Their heads were so close now Harry could practically smell the grease on his teacher's hair.

"You'd know all about being a coward wouldn't you Potter? Cowering behind a gravestone whilst the Dark Lord murdered Mr Diggory, where was hero Potter then!"

"YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THAT NIGHT!"

The hoarse yell reverberated about the dungeon room, backed up by a powerful pulse of magic, that if Snape had not had the sense to throw up wards, would have thrown the Professor backwards.

"Lashing out at me with magic when words fail you? Pathetic, just like your father, all brawn, no brain"

"So you are exactly like you father then? What does that make him? An introverted sadistic son of a bitch and a coward?"

"Don't you dare bring my father into this Potter he was a better man than yours ever was."

"At least my Dad loved me"

"At least mine lived to see me grow up!"

"You were the one who got old Snake Face to FUCKING MURDER HIM!"

"WHY YOU LITTLE -"

"PROFFESOR SNAPE! MR POTTER! MY OFFICE, NOW!"

Everyone jumped at the magically amplified voice of the headmaster, the two men in the middle of the room froze, slowly turning to face the door, the anger draining from their faces to be quickly replaced with horror.

"YOU HEARD ME!"

They jumped again, then quickly headed for the door, Snape mumbling a hasty "Class dismissed." as he went. Dumbledore righted the classroom with a wave of his hand then turned to follow the two men he considered his sons out. Really he loved them but sometimes they made him feel like hitting his head against the wall.

When he entered his office that feeling only increased, both boys were stood in opposite corners, glaring daggers at each other. He indicated that they should sit in front of his desk as he took his place on the other side with a weary gesture, before burying his head in his hands for a moment. He sighed and looked up.

"What am I going to do with you two?"

They both had the decency to look rather chastised, but suggested nothing. Instead finding either their hands of the wall to the side of them rather interesting.

"I'm not even going to yell at you, you've heard it before and repeating myself will do no good. Harry, I understand Severus has assigned you some detentions"

"Yes sir"

"Double whatever he assigned you then I think shall be sufficient punishment, and a written formal apology."

Harry nodded. Two weeks with Filch was going to be hell, and it wasn't going to make any of his injuries better, and worse he wasn't going to get any chance to brew. He resigned himself to the fact he was going to be in pain for a while, and started reviewing various techniques for ignoring pain that didn't leave him completely vacant. So absorbed was he that he almost missed Dumbledore speak again.

"Severus."

The lanky man looked upwards in recognition of his name, hands dropping to his lap.

"Severus to whom were Harry's detentions assigned to?"

"Argus." The man spat, some disgust coming through in his tone. Harry couldn't blame him, the man really could be vile.

"You're now taking them, and I want you to teach Harry occlumency again, under the cover of remedial potions of course."

Snape's trademark scowl returned full force, but he bit his tongue, he didn't wish to get in even more trouble, Albus would only force the frustrating boy on him more. Besides, the more compliant he was, the faster he could get out of here. Hopefully to some alcohol so he wouldn't tear strips out of the Potter spawn tonight.

"I understand the new marrige law is putting strain on everyone, so I'm not going to make you start the occlumency lessons, nor the detentions tonight. Instead, Sunday evening might be better. Hm?"

Harry mumbled noncommittally, and tried not to glare at the headmasters twinkling eyes, what on earth he had to be happy about right now Harry didn't know, perhaps it was some. Attempt to comfort them? Before he could dwell on it further however, Snape spoke up.

"Of course Albus, thank you. Potter, thank the headmaster"

"Thank you"

"You can thank me by giving me the miracle of attempting to get along, yes? Go on now, it's time for dinner, and I hear the house elves have made lasagne tonight. It should be as scrumptious as always."

Although the prospect of a meal in the hall excited neither of them, they nodded and headed out all the same. Two weeks of detentions couldn't be too bad anyway, though the occlumency lessons were probably going to be hell, no point in denying that.

"Potter, make sure you wear rough clothes to detention, unless you wish for your school robes to be ruined."

Harry sighed and mentally retracted his previous statement as the older man swept off dramatically, scaring a few young students as he went, of course two weeks of detention with Snape were going to be bad. Probably worse than with Filch.

Running a hand through his hair he sighed and headed in the direction of the tower, he wasn't really that hungry anyway, all he wanted was a long hot shower. The image of the razor flashed across his mind, and Harry pushed it away with a maybe.

No use making promises to himself he couldn't keep after all.