All belongs to the wonderful J. K. Rowling of course, and Warner Bros.

Chapter 6

Starting From Scratch

Once Snape was satisfied his home was not going to be tarred with grubby fingers he led Harry back inside and straight to the kitchen table. Pulling out one of the chairs he motioned for Harry to sit. Harry followed the silent command and once seated Snape swept behind him to take the spot to his right.

Harry waited expectantly, arms leaning against the wooden tabletop as Snape surveyed him shrewdly through dark eyes for several long moments. He began to squirm under the man's unshifting gaze – why wouldn't the professor just start talking and stop looking at him like that?

Finally Snape cut the silence.

'Firstly I want you to explain to me why you are here.'

Harry looked at him and blinked.

'You know why already,' he answered, brow furrowing a little.

Snape leaned in a little closer.

'Mr Potter, when I ask you a question I expect an answer, is that clear?' He said in a soft yet rather icy voice.

'Yes,' Harry answered, his voice dropping to almost a whisper under Snape's presence.

'Then let us begin again, why are you here?' Snape repeated, leaning back against his chair and folding his arms across his chest. 'I want you to tell me in your own words to make sure you fully understand the situation.'

'Because I lost my memory and you are going to help me get it back… and my magic,' Harry explained carefully.

'Correct. And do you know why it is important to get your magic back to the level that it was before?'

Harry screwed his face up in concentration.

'So I can go back to the castle school?' he offered.

'That is the long term aim,' Snape nodded, 'however at this stage it is more important for safety – yours and everyone else's. Magic can be a dangerous thing when you are unable to control it properly. It is imperative that you master that control as soon as possible.'

'Yes,' Harry nodded eagerly. He wanted to master it. He still couldn't believe that he could do what Dumbledore said he could but it must be true after what happened with the colouring pencils.

'And do you know how we are going to go about it?' Snape pressed on.

Harry shook his head looking back into Snape's dark eyes.

'Through a lot of hard work and following my instructions at all times,' Snape said emphatically.

'Oh, I will,' Harry nodded to which Snape raised a sardonic eyebrow.

'That, you have yet to prove to me, Mr Potter,' he said slowly. 'This leads me neatly into the next part of our talk. Doing as you are told does not just mean while we are working on your magic and memory, it also includes while you are here in my home.' Harry sat back a little from his earlier eagerness, noting the tone that Snape's voice had now taken on.

'In one way it may be of some benefit that you have lost your memory, Mr Potter,' Snape said, 'however, one's personality – certainly when that personality is a wilful one – is always lurking. Just because you have lost your memory does not mean you have lost who you inherently are or any underlying tendencies that you have held for the last eleven years,' Snape continued on sharply.

Harry looked back at him blankly. He didn't have a clue what the man was going on about now. Was he supposed to respond… or not?

'In short, Mr Potter, the opportunity is going to be taken. We are going to start from scratch with you, not only with your magic and memory but your behaviour as well. Nobody seemed to ever pull you up in the past when you misbehaved or stepped over the line and as such you had no sense of boundaries or discipline…'

Harry's face began to drop a little. He still had no idea what Snape was trying to get at but he didn't like the sound of it. He began to feel fidgety and definitely didn't like the way the Professor was looking at him.

'…I intend to rectify that situation and hopefully you will emerge better off for it. A new and much improved Mr Potter.'

Snape stopped then and leaned back further into his chair, an arm outstretched to the table where his index finger began tapping against the surface. There was another long pause of silence as he surveyed Harry with dark and penetrating eyes. Harry tried to grasp what Snape was saying while fighting a growing desire within him to escape from the table.

'Was… was I bad then?' Harry asked after several long moments, still struggling to follow the thread of where the 'talk' had headed but wanting to stop the dragging silence.

'Very,' Snape answered decisively, 'but as I have said, we have, in rather an unconventional way I must admit, a clean slate with you on which I hope to write a more ingrained sense of respect and obedience.'

Harry looked down at his hands. Had he really been that bad? He didn't feel like he would have been.

'So, on that note I think now is the right time to make clear what I will expect from you while you are here, agreed?'

Harry sucked his lower lip between his teeth and nodded slightly.

'Good,' Snape commented. 'Now firstly, you will be respectful at all times which includes speaking to me respectfully, something that has certainly been lacking in the past. You will call me 'Sir' or 'Professor' at all times, is that understood?'

'Yes,' Harry answered quickly. Snape raised an eyebrow.

'I mean, yes Sir,' Harry amended quickly. Snape surveyed closely before continuing.

'Secondly, this is my home and there are certain areas that are not for you. Do you remember what I said earlier?'

'I think so,' Harry said slowly.

'Repeat it for me so there is no confusion,' Snape ordered.

'Well… I'm not to go into your bedroom or study… or… or … the side garden with all those plants,' Harry said, furrowing his brow a little as he thought it over carefully.

'And?' Snape prompted sharply.

Harry looked up at him blankly and Snape sighed in frustration.

'What about the third floor, Mr Potter?'

'Oh yeah!' Harry said in dawning comprehension. 'I'm not to go up there either, but I don't know how to get there anyway,' he added with a slight shrug.

'Then there will be no temptation for you, will there?' Snape said in a decisive tone.

Harry shook his head slightly, feeling completely immobilized by Snape's gaze.

'As for general household rules,' Snape continued, his index finger still tapping rhythmically against the table, 'I will expect you to keep tidy at all times and do any chores that I may ask you to do without complaint, you are not here to be coddled or waited on.'

'Yes Sir,' Harry answered dutifully.

Snape eyed him for a moment before nodding his head sharply.

'Bedtime will be at eight thirty sharp, any delay and you will go earlier the next night, understood?'

Harry nodded. These rules were starting to add up and it didn't sound like this man was going to be very lenient if they weren't adhered to.

'… and consequences if you break them, are you listening to me?'

'Uh, yes Sir,' Harry jumped a little at realizing he'd tuned out of Snape's lecture for a moment. He brought his eyes back up to meet Snape's and saw a displeased look plastered on the man's face.

'I hope you are,' Snape said coolly, 'but in case it is still not clear to you let me spell it out in a way you will understand. Breaking rules, showing disrespect or being deliberately disobedient will not be tolerated. Others may have become more lenient with you due to your current condition however the way I see it, apart from the loss of your memory and magic, nothing has changed. It is clear, particularly now, that you need some strong and consistent guidance with boundaries and discipline – something that I believe has been sorely missing for the last eleven years. You were obviously spoiled by your relatives growing up, allowed to do as you please and run amok. This will change very quickly as you will soon learn that I am not one to put up with any nonsense. Have I made myself perfectly clear?'

Harry sat completely still, looking back at Snape with a feeling of growing ill-ease in the pit of his stomach. Everything was so confusing at the moment. This man seemed to know everything about him and Harry didn't like what he was hearing one bit.

'Well?' Snape prompted after Harry continued to stare through him without answer.

'Uh, yes sir,' he nodded. 'I won't be any trouble. I'm not gonna mess around or anything I swear!' Harry added emphatically.

Wow, he must have been really bad at school for the Professor to give him such a lecture like that! His mind wandered again onto thoughts of what mischief he could have possibly got up to when Snape's voice interrupted once more.

'You would do well to stick to that promise, Potter,' Snape answered after a slight pause. 'Now, it's almost time for lunch so go upstairs and wash up then come straight back down here. You can set the table while I prepare some soup and sandwiches.'

Harry nodded and slipped down from his seat. He began to head out of the kitchen before turning back towards the table where Snape was still seated, a finger still tapping repetitiously against the table's surface as the man looked lost in his own thoughts.

'Sir?'

'Yes?' Snape answered, flicking his eyes up.

'When will we start doing my memory and magic stuff?' Harry asked.

'Tomorrow,' Snape answered sharply as he stood up. 'I will be drawing up a schedule for you to follow so you know exactly what needs to be done and what is expected of you.'

'Oh,' Harry said. He had hoped to start on something that afternoon and couldn't keep the disappointment from his voice which Snape immediately picked up on.

'Contrary to your belief, Mr Potter, you are not going to be waving around magic in the blink of an eye like it's a party trick. It is going to be closely monitored and controlled by me and heaven help you if I ever catch you trying to do some on your own without any supervision. Is that clear?'

'Yes Sir,' Harry nodded quickly at Snape's glare.

'Good, now hurry up and do as I've told you,' Snape instructed, pointing a long finger towards the door.


'Right,' Snape said, taking his own seat at the kitchen table and spreading out a sheet of parchment between himself and Harry who sat opposite with his elbows on the table and his chin resting in the palm of his hands. Green eyes were wide and eager as they swept over the parchment. At last they were getting to something!

He had been disappointed yesterday. Snape had mentioned nothing more about his memory or magic since Harry had asked him just before lunch. After they had eaten the soup and sandwiches (which Harry had woofed down so fast Snape had scolded him sharply on his lack of table manners) Harry had been sent outside for some 'exercise and fresh air'. There had been nothing to play with, however, and Harry had soon become bored and ended up just laying on the leaf littered grass watching the clouds go past trying to make out patterns and shapes in them.

He'd apparently fallen asleep as the next thing he knew he was being shaken roughly awake and hauled back inside to get ready for dinner with Snape muttering about an early bedtime. Sure enough he had been sent to bed abruptly at eight o'clock even though he hadn't felt remotely tired after his impromptu nap.

Today however was a new day and Harry leaned in eagerly to read the spiky scrawl on the parchment.

'This is the schedule I have drawn up for you to follow so you know exactly what you should be doing,' Snape explained. 'As you can see most days will follow the same routine – I like things to be ordered,' Snape added. 'So, you will be up by seven thirty and dressed ready for breakfast, I will give you an alarm clock so there will be no excuses. You will be responsible for washing and drying the breakfast dishes, you are capable of that are you not?' Snape questioned, looking at him with his dark, narrowed eyes.

'I…think so Sir,' Harry answered softly.

'See that you are,' Snape said, turning his black eyes back to the parchment. 'You will not be an idle child in my home, Mr Potter. We will do the lunch dishes together and I will be responsible for them after dinner.'

Harry nodded.

'From nine o'clock to eleven we will be working on your memory, I don't think it will be either productive or healthy to push for any longer than that,' Snape continued.

Harry looked down pensively.

'Do you think it will take long to get it back?' he asked softly. Over the past few days he had not wanted to think about the absence of his parents or the reason behind it but now as things got settled questions were ever present in his mind. Plus it was hard not knowing who you were! Especially when the snippets you were getting seemed less than favourable – if he really had been as bad as the Professor seemed to allude to he wanted to know what he'd done and why.

'It is hard to say,' Snape said swiftly, 'a person's memory is a complex thing - '

'I want to remember my mum and dad,' Harry noted quietly as he reached his fingers out and began to fiddle with a corner of the parchment. Snape visibly stiffened in his seat and Harry looked up at him, his eyes searching for a response.

'That may not be possible,' Snape answered.

'Why not?' Harry asked, sitting up straighter and looking a little put out at the direct remark.

Snape's face seemed to harden.

'Now is not the time to get into this, we will discuss it later,' he said in a tone that clearly implied he had closed the discussion.

'But - ' Harry started but Snape cut him off abruptly with a swift crack of his palm against the table.

'What did I just say?' Snape shot.

'We'll discuss it later,' Harry mumbled after hesitating for a second. He looked back down and rolled the corner of the parchment up between thumb and index finger.

'What I say is what I mean, Mr Potter, the sooner you realise that the better,' Snape said swiftly as he pulled the parchment away from Harry's fingers. 'Now, eleven to twelve you will go outside for some fresh air and exercise… what is it?' Snape snapped at noticing Harry's now wrinkled nose as he looked at the 'outside time' written on the parchment.

'Well…it's boring,' Harry said softly after a slight hesitation, 'there's nothing to play with.'

Snape's lip curled up a little.

'You are not outside to play you are there to get fresh air and exercise as I already told you, now let's continue - '

But Harry had no intention of continuing, he interrupted Snape before he'd even realised he had.

'But that's silly!' he said, and then sucked his bottom lip in at the ominous glare that was flashed his way. He shrank back a little wondering where his outburst had come from.

'I beg your pardon?' Snape said in a hushed and icy tone.

'It's… it's just…' Harry faltered, 'don't you have something I can play with…. like a ball or something? Then I could get more exercise playing.'

Harry waited, holding his breath as Snape glared at him.

'If you behave yourself today I may see what I can do,' Snape finally answered, 'however,' he continued at seeing the grin on Harry's face start, 'if you ever interrupt me like that again you will be a very sorry young man, is that clear?' Harry nodded instantly, his lips pressed together as if to hinder any further outbursts.

'Now then, where was I before I was so rudely interrupted?'

'I think we're up to twelve o'clock, Sir,' Harry offered. Snape flicked his eyes once more to Harry who wondered with a sinking stomach whether he had once again spoken out of turn, but after a brief glare Snape resumed.

'Twelve to one will be for lunch and make sure you always wash up before sitting down at this table for a meal. I do not take kindly to grubby children.'

Harry nodded once more though inside he silently wondered whether there was anything that this man took kindly to.

'One to two is quiet time,' Snape continued on, pointing a finger to the appropriate place on the parchment. Harry stared down at the words.

'What's quiet time?'

'Exactly what it sounds like, Mr Potter,' Snape answered. 'You are to go to your room and do something quietly for an hour, either read some of your school books or, preferably, take a nap. Whatever you do it is to be quiet; I will not have you bouncing off the walls in the afternoon while we are dealing with magic.'

At the sound of the word Harry sat up and looked wide-eyed at what was written next to 2 – 5 pm completely forgetting the fact that the Professor expected him to take a nap at eleven years old which a moment before he had frowned heavily at.

'I have put three hours to include theory work which we will start a little later down the track, however I may reduce or lengthen the time depending on how we go.'

Harry grinned openly as he nodded with eager enthusiasm. Snape once again narrowed his eyes at this display and leant in closer to him.

'It is not a playtime, Mr Potter,' he said in a soft but none the less attention getting tone, 'it is an imperative part of your re-education that you must master effectively. I expect you to approach it with serious application. You will work hard on everything I give you to do and if you do not or if I deem that you are not taking it seriously enough there will be consequences, have I made myself perfectly clear on this?'

Harry sat momentarily still at Snape's harsh tone before shifting a little in his seat, the eagerness diminished a little from his face but not from his mind.

'Yes Sir,' he nodded dutifully, 'I'm gonna work really hard, I promise!' Harry insisted. 'But it is exciting isn't it?' Harry continued on despite Snape's shift to move his attention back to the schedule. 'I mean, don't you get excited by the magic you can do?'

Snape glared at him before once more leaning down and meeting Harry's eye line.

'It is a part of who you are, not a quirk that we are able to do. You are a wizard, not a damn muggle who found out he can do a party trick!' Snape finished sharply.

'I didn't mean that,' Harry said softly, 'it's just… it's all so new and strange.'

'Well you had better get used to it and quickly, Potter. Now, if you interrupt me again while I am going through this you will stand in the corner until lunchtime,' Snape threatened coldly.

'Yes Sir,' Harry sighed, turning his attention back to the schedule.

Snape went through the remaining part quickly, Harry sitting obediently silent next to him. He wasn't really sure if Snape was serious about making him stand in a corner but he didn't feel like finding out either way.

5.00 – lesson reflection (write down everything you have learned and practiced after each lesson)

6.00 – Dinner

7.30 – Bath time

8.00 – Supper

8.30 - Bedtime

'Now,' Snape said taking the parchment from the table, 'this is going up in the kitchen here so you can see it, for now though there is just over half an hour left before lunch so you may go outside.

'Ok,' Harry sighed. The thought of being sent outside for the next half hour to do nothing didn't excite him but he was itching to finally get down from the table. He also didn't want to test the Professor's patience and perhaps put the afternoon's lesson in jeopardy. Despite the talk, the professor's patience and his viewpoint on discipline were still untested.


TBC…

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