Dumbledore called permission for his visitor to enter. Snape opened the door and stepped inside where he waited politely to be recognised. Harry had ample space and opportunity. He slipped in behind Snape and was scooting surreptitiously down the outer wall of Dumbledore's study before the Headmaster even looked up from his paperwork.

"Ah, Severus! Come in."

Without comment, Snape closed the door behind him and went to settle into one of the chairs arranged in front of Dumbledore's desk.

"Trouble sleeping?" asked the Headmaster, laying aside his quill.

Snape's reply was sneering, but it sounded as if that were merely out of habit. Harry heard no bite in it, only weariness. "Was that meant to be funny, Albus?"

"Forgive me. I forget it's a sore subject for you."

"No, you don't," Snape grumbled, and Dumbledore chuckled.

"I've not had much sleep myself, as you might imagine." His smile soured, and Harry thought the Headmaster did indeed look tired as he settled back into his seat, casting a dark eye over the chaos of parchment and broken sealing wax strewn across his desk.

"So? Are they...?"

"No, no. Not for the moment, at least. If they had been seriously considering it, the Ministry would have closed us days ago."

Snape nodded slowly. "Have many have we lost?"

"Far too," Dumbledore sighed.

"The fools," muttered Snape. Dumbledore merely shook his head.

Harry was struck by the ease and familiarity with which the two spoke to one another, and by the subtlety and economy of their conversation. So much was left unsaid except by nuance that Harry thought that all the interactions he'd witnessed them have with others (himself included) were almost theatrical in comparison. It was as if, in private, pretence fell away from them like dust, and while they were still very like the men Harry knew, alone together they were somehow distilled.

"Do give them some credit, Severus. They all know how close they came to finding themselves in Molly's position. It is human nature to want to keep what is precious close to you in times of trouble." Snape sniffed as though he didn't think much of human nature. "After all," Dumbledore went on, "why would Voldemort come knocking on their door? It's a slightly different matter here."

And the reason for that, Harry thought ruefully, was standing invisible a few feet away. Every student in the Great Hall that morning had known it, too. Sulking, Harry sank back against the bookshelves behind him, wincing when they groaned faintly, though neither of the men seemed to notice. They were lost in their own thoughts, which Harry suspected probably bore a resemblance to his.

"Somehow," Dumbledore said, fixing Snape with a contemplative look, "I don't think you came here at this hour to discuss the state of enrollment. What's really troubling you, Severus?"

"What else?"

"Harry."

It wasn't a question. Neither was it a surprise to Harry, who braced himself for the laundry list of complaints he was sure would follow.

"I'm concerned about him, Albus."

Harry was so taken aback by the simple sincerity of the statement, he almost dropped his cloak. Hugging it tighter, Harry drew closer, as though he needed to confirm for himself, by seeing the words spoken, that these sentiments were actually coming from Snape.

"How delightfully unlike you, Severus."

"I'm serious," Snape replied, unfazed by Dumbledore's teasing. From his new vantage point behind the unoccupied chair to Snape's right, Harry could see that the irritation that tugged at Snape's expression was not directed at the Headmaster.

Dumbledore looked at him with a sober fondness. "As I have known you ever to be, my old friend. What do you propose?"

Snape shook his head, at a loss. "He's volatile."

"He does have a history of it, I'm afraid," Dumbledore conceded, glancing, not without humour, at the bare spaces on many of his shelves. Harry blushed and ducked his head, shamefaced even though no one could see his contrition.

"You know this is different," Snape said, gesturing at those same shelves, then resting a pointed finger at the empty space once occupied by Phineas. "He's becoming unpredictable. We can't very well have him pulling a Lupin."

Dumbledore scowled, clearly as annoyed by the analogy as Harry was. When he replied, it was with less fondness, "What would you have us do, Severus? Keep him cloistered in the dungeons?"

"Gods, no." Harry was unsurprised by the horrified expression on Snape's face. "But I still think he's too unstable to be wandering about the Castle untended. Just loosing him back into the student population is not going to work."

Harry was a little irritated by the way Snape made it sound as if they had re-released an injured animal into the wild. But, well...

"I know you think he and the Granger girl will heal each other somehow," Snape added cynically, "but it's an unnecessarily dangerous experiment."

"Neither can entirely replace what the other has lost, but I feel they can do more for each other than any of us can do for either of them."

"That might be true, given time. It's the interim that concerns me. They're both still only children, Albus."

"You underestimate them," Dumbledore said with quiet conviction, earning back a bit of Harry's affection.

"Does it ever occur to you that perhaps you overestimate them? Granger's cleverness won't banish her guilt. It's not something that can be puzzled out, though she seems to be making herself half-sick with trying. And even if it could be, I can't see how Harry can help." (Harry wondered just when he'd stopped being 'Potter.') "Especially given that he's spent the past several days unconscious by choice."

"A choice you presented him," Dumbledore interjected, pointing a slightly accusatory finger. Clearly, he hadn't agreed with Snape's judgment.

"It was a choice I felt he deserved to make," said Snape, becoming slightly combative. He pointed a finger of his own. "Just because you thrust expectation at him doesn't mean he possesses some latent superpower, Albus. It's unfair of you to project your hopes on the boy. And he is a boy, Albus. One who's had to face things that would have defeated grown men."

Dumbledore made a gesture to indicate this was his point exactly, but Snape waved him off.

"He's not an Order member, Albus. He made no resolution to join this fight. Could not have made an informed one, at any rate. There are no ideologies propping him up. He's a warrior by chance not choice, and his strength is not limitless."

The speech left Harry a little breathless. Snape had no way of knowing he wasn't entirely correct. Harry had made a choice, and part of him wanted to confess then and there the conversation he'd had with Voldemort. Because Snape wasn't entirely incorrect, either. Harry had never felt so weak.

Dumbledore began to argue, but Snape did not give him an opportunity. "You don't get it, Albus. You see him as you need him to be, as he could be, not as he is. But you weren't the one," he said with surprising vehemence. "I found him in the mud beside that train. And if you'd seen what I saw then..."

To Harry's astonishment, Snape actually seemed to choke up. He took a calming breath and tried again. "If you'd been the one to find him, you wouldn't be sitting there now defending his dubious exceptionalism and ignoring the fact that he is only human."

Snape was highly agitated, and clearly not finished. Though it looked as if the effort pained him, Dumbledore respectfully remained silent as Snape gathered his thoughts. Harry's own had taken a holiday, and he simply stared, dumbfounded, at the Potions Master as if seeing the man for the first time.

"When I came upon him, he was in the clutches of a Dementor. And when I pulled him from the ground, when he realised the Dementor had gone and he wasn't going to die, do you want to know what I saw in his eyes, Albus? Disappointment."

Snape leaned forward and held Dumbledore's gaze firmly to make sure the gravity of what he'd just said was understood. By the ashen look on Dumbledore's face, it had been.

Though he tried to prevent it, Harry's memories of that night came back to him, fresh and re-solidified. He recalled the look on Snape's face when he'd locked eyes with him, his chin still cupped in Snape's hand. There had been apprehension and, now that Harry thought to look for it, something like pity but less patronising. Harry was still picturing it when Snape continued in a low voice.

"He'd literally stared his own death in the face, and he hadn't just accepted it, Albus. He'd embraced it." Snape cursed quietly and pinched the bridge of his nose. "No one his age should even be capable of that expression. And now, blast the boy, it haunts me every time I look at him. So, you think on that, Albus, the next time you want to play 'Let's Just See What Happens.'"

Dumbledore was silent for a long while, during which Snape fumed inwardly. Harry was both humbled by Snape's insight and touched by his anger on Harry's behalf. A sudden swelling of gratitude made him want to raise his hand and lay it over Snape's in silent thanks, though for several reasons, that was out of the question. Harry tried reminding himself that this was Snape, surely the last thing-directly below bubotuber pus-that Harry could ever be inclined to willing lay hands on. Despite his best efforts, the urge didn't really pass.

"No boy his age should carry the burden he bears, Severus. Of course, I know this," Dumbledore said finally, emotion thickening his voice. "If I could, I would not hesitate to shoulder it for him. But you know as well as I do that that is not our fate."

Snape did not appear to think much of Dumbledore's heartfelt proclamation and answered it with perturbed silence and some unnecessary rearrangement of his robes. "The boy cannot continue like this. Whatever strategy you devised for him before that train left London, it will have to be revised. He's...changed."

"Perhaps it is you who have changed," Dumbledore ventured.

Snape scoffed but looked uncomfortable. "Everything has changed. It bothers me immensely that the Dark Lord did not make me aware of his plans beforehand," Snape confided.

"Do you think he suspects?"

"Who can say?" Snape said wearily. "I have a feeling that if his suspicions were serious, I would not be sitting here now. The attack was Bella's project. It's possible he kept it from me only to placate her. She's never trusted me. But I do know that, despite it not being as deadly as anticipated, the Dark Lord was nonetheless very pleased with the results. Somehow, he knew Harry was aboard, but his direct attacks on him continue to fail in 'fortunate' ways. At this rate, all the protections surrounding the boy will be stripped."

"At least he is still a virgin," Dumbledore said resignedly. Harry wondered what on Earth that could have to do with the present conversation. "He is still a virgin, isn't he, Severus?"

"Positively reeks of it," Snape grimaced.

Dumbledore seemed relieved. "By the way, I never got around to thanking you for that, Severus. Unorthodox as it was, I believe it really was the best thing for him at the time. I trust the temptation wasn't uncomfortable for you?"

"Please, Albus. I've been teaching here for how many years? I'm all but immune to 'the temptation' by now."

Harry was so confused, he felt he quite needed to sit down, but no inconspicuous options presented themselves. Harry's virginity? The temptation? Meaning what, Snape was some sort of paedophile? A paedophile whom Dumbledore had allowed to secrete Harry off to his hidden dungeon rooms?

But...that was ludicrous. Even if Dumbledore hadn't objected to such a thing (and Harry felt certain he would have), Remus would have prevented it.

If he even knew he should have.

Now Harry really wanted to know what lay behind that locked door. The real one. He was suddenly less keen on Snape. How did Harry-or Dumbledore for that matter-know what might have happened while Harry was 'unconscious by choice'? It didn't seem likely to Harry, but it did at least seem possible, and Harry had a hard time breathing.

"And Loraina?" Dumbledore inquired, barely distracting Harry from some very uncomfortable thoughts.

"Loraina," Snape sighed. "Temptation really is the least of our worries where she is concerned."

"You think I should not have brought her here," Dumbledore divined.

Snape's raised eyebrow indicated that that was an understatement. "I know faculty is spread thinly, but she really should never have been on duty alone. This morning, Albus? Really."

"It was an oversight," Dumbledore said with only a hint of apology.

Snape rolled his eyes. "Quite a lot of those happening lately." Dumbledore looked as though he couldn't imagine to what Snape was referring, so the Potions Master clarified, "Granger?"

Hermione? Reluctantly letting go of his concerns about possible molestation, Harry listened more closely.

Dumbledore turned up his hands as if to ask what Snape would have him do now, after the fact. "Miss Granger, it would seem, merely decided to return to her dormitory without alerting anyone. I don't believe the damage or the danger was too great."

"You lost her, Albus."

"Only temporarily," Dumbledore replied testily. "If the matter so concerned you, Severus, you certainly could have seen to it personally. But if you will recall, things were, to put it mildly, a bit chaotic."

"And if you will recall, I was tending to the other one at the time," Snape snapped back. "I'm not trying to fight with you, Albus. I'm only saying we cannot afford any more mistakes at this point. The circumstances have never been more precarious." Both men made a visible effort to calm themselves so the conversation could continue more civilly. "Harry should be kept from Loraina until he has gained better mastery of his emotions," Snape continued. "The link he shares with the Dark Lord is too dangerous."

"He must attend classes, Severus."

So this Loraina was a teacher? But the only new teacher was...

"I appreciate that, but his interactions with her should be confined to only that until I make more progress with him. Their private instruction will have to wait. She shouldn't have even accompanied him on the train."

Rainey! Loraina. Loraina Cobbleshot. Harry knew that name but from where?

"For now it is far more important that Harry not accidentally reveal her presence."

Dumbledore nodded. "I agree. I have no problems with that."

Snape nodded as well but still looked anxious. "If the Dark Lord discovered my omission, it would shatter his trust in me. I could not salvage it, Albus"

"I would not have you attempt it," Dumbledore said, kindly once more.

"But if the boy keeps secrets, Albus! We may not even be aware a breach has occurred. I fear there is something he is not telling us."

"Perhaps," Dumbledore said calmly. "But, barring that?"

Snape ran a clawed hand through his hair and considered his answer. "Barring that, the deception should hold. So few, even of the Death Eaters, are aware of his enmity. The Dark Lord was humiliated, and those of us present were forbidden from ever speaking of it. Any student who might have betrayed her to their parents, even accidentally, is now at Durmstrang. Except for Draco. But who knows if he has any contact with his father."

"Yes," said Dumbledore, "is there any word on Draco's father?"

Snape shook his head. "Lucius knows better than to show his face. But for his cowardice, it would have been an almost flawless escape. As it is, almost half of those unmasked after the incident at the Ministry have been recaptured. It would take something exceptional to win him back into the Dark Lord's good graces. Though, delivering Loraina would undoubtedly do the trick. Lucius, unfortunately, was present for the offense, and so knows exactly her value to the Dark Lord. Should Draco have any contact with his father, let us hope the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is not a detail he feels is worth sharing."

While Harry digested this new information, Snape groaned and ran a hand over his face.

"Nothing is going as planned, Albus."

"It rarely does." Dumbledore's smile was wry.

"And we still haven't worked out the problem with Harry."

Harry could imagine that line in quotation marks. He wondered how many of these late night meetings had been held to discuss 'the problem with Harry.'

"It's early days, still. He will get past his grief and his anger will cool."

"You know it's more complex than that, Albus, and I do wish you would not insult my intelligence by pretending you aren't aware. He's in more danger than ever, and I suspect you know why."

Dumbledore seemed to be waiting to be told what he was supposed to be aware of already. Harry wished Snape would stop looking so uncomfortable and just tell him already.

"Surely you know it's more than just a psychic link they share. I see the Dark Lord in him," Snape said ominously, causing Harry to make a small, involuntary sound of protest.

Both men looked in Harry's general direction, but Dumbledore was the only one to indicate he saw anything but empty air. His eyes narrowed slightly, and Harry somehow managed to suppress the impulse to bolt for the door. Before Snape had an opportunity to register proper suspicion, Dumbledore spoke.

"Come now, Severus," he gently admonished, giving no further indication he might be aware of Harry's presence. "Do you really have so low an opinion of him?"

"I'm not referring to their character," Snape said, not recognising the diversion for what it was and seeming annoyed with Dumbledore's misinterpretation. "Nor even their circumstances, though they are too similar for comfort. Harry is...a good boy," he conceded with much hesitation. "You know better than most the Dark Lord never was. There is a wholesomeness in Harry the Dark Lord was born without. But there is also something Dark in Harry, as well. Something planted, not inherent. I sensed it the first time I ever laid eyes on him. It quite made my skin crawl," Snape recalled with a shudder. "It took me some time to appreciate that it was more than the unpleasant shock of seeing a miniature version of his father. Or that my continued aversion had a source other than his disobedience, disrespect, recklessness..."

Apparently, several more examples had come to mind, but Snape cut the list short.

"My point is, when the Dark Lord returned it became stronger, more distinct. I hadn't mentioned it before because I wasn't entirely certain until the attack." Snape was so agitated, he was actually wringing his hands at this point. "My Mark responds to the boy," he confided in an almost whisper, idly scratching at it through his sleeve.

Harry didn't want to accept that it could be true, but he couldn't help wondering if the thing was bothering him now and if Harry's presence really was the reason for it. He raised an uncertain hand to his own scar.

"When I say I see the Dark Lord in him, I mean it literally. I fear he sowed something in Harry when he gave him that scar, and my concern is that it will act as a cancer, eating away at him. Every time tragedy visits it becomes more pronounced. If we aren't careful, Albus, I'm afraid it will consume him."

Harry was unsure how he felt about this hypothesis. He'd always seen his scar as something innocuous at best, inconvenient at worst. It was a reminder of what his parents had sacrificed, of why he continued to fight. Harry'd never really disliked his scar, except that it attracted unwanted attention from strangers.

But that was Before.

Ever since the cold destruction he'd visited on Dumbledore's office that night, his scar had felt...alien. It seemed as if it was not really a part of him anymore, but instead was something parasitic. Its tingling was no longer a helpful alarm, it was a portent of Harry's disgrace. His scar was no longer benign, and the implications of Snape's diagnosis made Harry feel suddenly ill.

"I've suspected it for some time," Dumbledore admitted gravely, glancing briefly in Harry's direction. "Which is precisely why I feel it is in Harry's best interest not to be allowed to become mired in his feelings of loss, but rather to move forward in his training and for us to find a way for him to vanquish Voldemort once and for all. I share your concerns, Severus, you must realise that. But I have immense faith in Harry."

Harry wondered how much of what Dumbledore had just said was for Snape's benefit and how much for Harry's.

"Then what do we do about his temper?" Snape asked, sounding defeated. "You're right, we cannot keep him permanently sedated. But we also cannot have him transmitting everything he sees to the Dark Lord. I can hardly show the boy any kindness if he's watching."

"Ah. So you are feeling more kindly toward him," Dumbledore needled.

Snape shot daggers at the old man with his eyes and fidgeted in his chair. "He's still completely insufferable," he grumbled.

Dumbledore smiled knowingly at the Potions Master in a way that, if Harry had been Snape, he would have been contemplating a good number of hexes. "Would it be so terrible to come to an understanding?" Again, Dumbledore glanced in Harry's direction.

"It's immaterial. The boy loathes me."

"Well, give him less reason and see if he comes around," Dumbledore said encouragingly.

Snape was clearly put out but did not argue. Though, it appeared he'd had enough of Dumbledore's company for one night, and he stood. "I suppose I'll let you get on with it, then," he said, indicating the paperwork on the Headmaster's desk.

Dumbledore laced his fingers in his lap and smiled. "Goodnight to you, too, Severus," he said without sarcasm.

Snape turned and strode swiftly toward the door but then paused, clearly debating something. He crossed over to the cabinet containing the Headmaster's Pensieve, and there he extracted and then deposited a memory. Harry suspected he knew which one. Then, without a word of explanation, he made for the door.

And here is where Harry's brilliant accidental caper met its fatal flaw. Getting in had been simple, but how in hell was he going to get out? He felt certain Dumbledore knew he was there, but he had no desire to confirm it by staying back for a chat. Harry was at Snape's heels, but the man only opened the door wide enough to let himself through, and Harry watched in mild horror as it began to swing shut behind him.

"Oh, Severus," Dumbledore called as if only just remembering something.

Snape sighed, may have cursed, and reentered. He left the door open behind him to facilitate an easy escape, and Harry did not hesitate to throw himself through it. Behind him, Harry heard Dumbledore say innocently, "Nothing important, really. It simply occurred to me that I did not offer you a sweet. Rumdoodle?"

"Really, Albus, now you're just being cruel."

Even from the bottom of the stair, Harry could hear Dumbledore chuckle just before the door above slammed shut and Professor Snape stomped down the steps past him.