Chapter 9 Truce

A day of waiting did nothing to help Harry's nerves. He replied to the early morning owl from Hermione sending homework and telling her of his decision- reasoning that if she knew as well, he couldn't back out. He carefully packed his trunk, practising a folding spell from the book of household charms. Then he made a list of all the useful books that the Room had found for him so that he could find them in the library later.

At half past six he put on his invisibility cloak and made his way down to the dungeons. As he approached Snape's quarters he removed it and folded it to fit a pocket in his robes.

Harry knocked at the door and waited nervously. When Snape opened it, his expression was neutral.

"Enter," he said, stepping back to make room for Harry to pass.

"Thank you for the photograph, sir," began Harry. Snape pointed him to the sofa, where a tray of tea and biscuits waited on top of a low table. Harry sat and clasped his hands together tightly to stop himself from trembling.

"Thank you for coming, Harry. It is brave of you," said Snape, pouring the tea. "You must have a lot of questions."

"What's going to happen now, sir?"

"Well Harry, you have a room in my quarters and you will stay here this week. You have not completed your grounding, I believe." Snape looked at Harry sternly, to check he was accepting these words calmly. "You have completed your written punishments, so you will do your homework and classwork, and we will get to know each other in the evenings."

"Are you going to spank me, sir?" asked Harry blushing.

"Do you think you deserve it?" replied Snape. There was a long silence, but Snape waited to let Harry sort out his emotions.

"Yes," he whispered quietly, "but I'm scared."

"We will wait," said Snape. "When you are ready, you may ask me to punish you. Risking your life is the most serious offence of all Harry, and will always earn you a trip over my lap."

"No," said Harry quickly, "that's worse. I'll worry about it until it's over. Can we just do it now please?"

"Very well, go to your room and prepare for bed, Harry. I will be in shortly." Snape reached out and squeezed Harry's arm in reassurance.

"Will you tell me what you are going to do?"

"Very well. Because this is most serious and I want you to have maximum deterrent I will remove all obstruction for your punishment. I will use only my hand this time, and as you are 12 years old, you will receive 12 spanks."

Harry nodded and left the room deep in thought. He knew it was fair, lenient even, but he was still terrified.


Snape paced the room as he waited for Harry. He felt the responsibility of Harry's trust and needed to find the balance between punishing enough to assuage Harry's guilty conscience, but not so much that he inspired fear in the boy. Finally, he entered the room. Harry was seated on the bed, without his glasses, looking too small, too frail. He stood as Snape approached and Snape sat down next to him. He guided Harry over his lap and lowered his pyjama trousers. Harry gasped and tensed.

"Harry, why are you in this position?" Snape asked gently.

"Because I did something stupid and dangerous and I could have been killed."

"Exactly. This spanking is a warning of what you can expect if you ever do anything so reckless again." He landed a ringing slap and waited a moment for Harry to recover. When Harry was breathing calmly he continued until he had administered ten firm spanks. Harry was sobbing quietly now.

"I will not tolerate you risking your life Harry. You are too precious to me."

"I'm sorry," wailed Harry. "I promise I'll never do it again."

"You will have two more spanks and then we are done," replied Snape, "these will be extra hard to make you remember." Snape steeled himself and aimed for the tender skin at the top of Harry's thighs, delivering a stinging slap to each side. It broke his heart to hear Harry's squeals of pain. He rested his hand on Harry's back and allowed the child a few moments to weep. Then he helped him to his feet, righted his pyjamas and pulled Harry forward into a firm embrace.

Harry's arms went around his neck and he wept into his chest. He seemed far more upset than the punishment should have warranted.

"You are forgiven, Harry. It is over now."

"Thank you, sir, for being so kind to me."

"You deserve kindness, Harry. You should have had it from me from the moment we met. I deeply regret that I did not show you kindness then. But now you shall have kindness every day, but, mind me Harry, if you need it you will have correction too. I expect diligence, respect and obedience from you and it return you can expect me to be careful of all your needs."

Harry pulled back and smiled through his tears. "I'll probably be an insufferable brat."

Snape ruffled his hair, "And I will be cranky and bad-tempered until I have had my coffee in the morning. I am not expecting perfection, just an honest attempt to take care of yourself and be a good student. Now, Elise will bring us some fresh tea before bedtime. Come into the living room."

Harry felt abashed as he sat down carefully on the sofa. Snape had not been harsh or hateful about the spanking. He knew that Mr Weasley had spanked Ron bare, with a slipper. He had thought he deserved to get the same. But now he was forgiven and was being given tea. He vowed to himself that he was going to be polite and obedient and do his best to make Snape proud of him.

"Thank you, Elise," said Snape, "Can you make sure all of Mr Potter's belongings are returned to his room, tonight?" He turned to Harry. "Do you have homework?"

"No, sir, I owled everything to Hermione this afternoon," he explained.

"Oh yes, your little accomplice," teased Snape. "I believe I owe her a detention."

"Please don't punish her," begged Harry. "She was just looking out for me."

"I thought you might like to see her tomorrow," said Snape. "I can hardly admit to visits from your friends while you are grounded now, can I?"

"Oh," said Harry, blushing again as he realised. "Thank you."

"Now we need to talk about the guardianship, Harry. You need to know that whatever you decide, you will not go back to the Dursley's."

"Elise said that magic had given me to you. What did she mean?"

"House elves understand things differently from wizards, Harry. They feel our magic in a way we are not consciously aware of. She understood my vow to protect you first, then after I visited the Dursley's, my intention that I would care for you and make sure you could never be abused again. They signed you over to me and the contract would become binding with your signature. I think she also understood your need for a parent and in her own way was trying to help you come to terms with it."

"But does it really mean I am your son?"

"It does if you want it to, Harry. If you truly feel it, our magic will connect and we will form a bond as father and son. I desire this, but you must decide freely. Professor Dumbledore will find a family suited to your needs, if you wish him to look."

"I don't want him to look. He doesn't understand. Can we try this week? See if we can be okay with each other?"

"That's very sensible, Harry," said Snape, pushing back his disappointment. "We'll talk about it again before you go back to Gryffindor Tower. Now, it's time for bed. Go and clean your teeth and I will come and say goodnight in a moment."

Harry thought about protesting his early bedtime but decided that he would like to lie on his stomach for a while and think about everything. He was smiling to himself as Snape entered the room.

"What are you so happy about? You should be sulking about your sore behind!" teased Snape.

"Elise has decorated my room, just like my other room. Just like home," replied Harry.

"Very sneaky," commented Snape. "I think that house elf must be a Slytherin."

"I don't stand a chance, with the two of you," sighed Harry.

Snape embraced him and kissed his forehead, then pulled back the covers so that he could climb into bed. Harry was a little startled so Snape swatted his bum lightly to chase him on his way.

"Ow," protested Harry half-heartedly as he lay down on his stomach and rubbed his behind.

"Go to sleep, my insufferable brat," said Snape affectionately.

"Your insufferable brat," echoed Harry. After Snape left he lay in bed giggling. Maybe this was what it was like to have a father.