"You have to squeeze to tell him go," Duncan explained.

Severus was sitting rather uncomfortably, on top of a large Clydesdale. Right, squeeze. The horse inched forward.

"It isn't moving."

"You need to squeeze harder I think."

Severus kicked it, a little too hard.

The horse whinnied and reared, nearly sending Severus toppling off its back. He clutched at its mane and clung on for dear life.

Duncan laughed somewhere to his right. "Whoo, boy," he said, grabbing the reins and settling the horse down.

"This obviously isn't working," said Severus, through gritted teeth.

"Hmm, Dad wanted me to teach you though."

"Forgive me, should have known." His voice dripped with sarcasm.

"That's fine." Severus rolled his eyes. "You just need to be more gentle."

"Right. Gentle," he muttered.

"Don't kick him, he doesn't like that. And if he rears, you need to pull on the reins to let him know to stop."

Severus nodded. Duncan stepped back a bit.

He squeezed the horse properly this time, starting it into a slow trot.

"Now what?" he called to Duncan.

"Use the reins to tell him to turn!"

He pulled the reins left sharply, the horse swerving right.

"Good!"

It was odd, feeling the animal move beneath him; the pumping muscles and rhythmic bouncing of the horse's gait.

Until it stopped and decided a grassy patch was more interesting. Severus tried to make it start. "Come on, horse," he muttered, "Move, you bloody dolt."

Perhaps it was that it had heard him. Or perhaps it was that he has continued squeezing its sides to the point he accidentally kicked it. For whatever reason, the horse decided to bolt.

Great, he thought, as it sped into a gallop.

"Pull on the reins Severus!" Duncan called to him from up the hill.

Right, reins. He pulled on the reins hard, the horse jolting to a stop that sent Severus soaring off the top. He managed to roll out of the fall, but not without bruising his behind.

Duncan was nearly splitting his sides with laughter as he came down the hill. "You okay?" he asked when he reached Severus.

"FINE," he growled in reply.

Duncan patted the horse as Severus tried to remount. The horse shifted and pounded the ground, preventing him from mounting.

"What's wrong with it?"

"He knows you're mad. Try to be gentle."

"Gentle's not exactly part of my vocabulary," he muttered.

Duncan looked at him, confused.

"Don't you ever pay attention, or are you completely and utterly stupid?" Snape snarled at him.

Duncan took the horse by the reins and led it back up the hill.

This whole thing was stupid. Why was he wasting his time with these people? Why didn't they just leave him alone?

Severus sighed and glanced about the surrounding countryside. The wind was picking up, tossing the grass like a sea. He didn't belong here. He should just leave these people alone, turn around and never come back. It would be easier on all of them.

It was what he should do, if he actually cared about them. Keep them safe through distance; avoid the danger of association.

But he didn't care. He only wanted answers

Severus started back up the hill to look for Duncan. He found the man in the stables, removing the horse's saddle.

He swallowed his pride. "Sorry." It barely came out more than a whisper.

"Dad never taught you to ride?" Duncan asked, brushing down the Clydesdale.

"No."

"Was he ever mad with you?"

"What do you mean?" Severus asked, surprised.

"Like you get mad with me." Duncan looked him in the eye. "Like how I can't help it."

Severus searched the stall floor. "Well... yes. Sometimes he did."

"He taught you."

"In a sense." He looked up into Duncan's face. "But I should know better."

Duncan shook his head. "You can't do something you've never been taught." He ran the brush through the horse's mane. "It takes time."

"Yes, it does." Severus paused, "But I'm willing to learn, that is, if you're still willing to teach me?"

Duncan looked up and beamed Diana's smile at him.

For the first time in a while, Severus could feel a real smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.