'Sir...are you alright?' Harry asked and Snape slowly turned his head to him, a very sad and worried expression on his sallow face.
He stared at Harry for a few seconds then when he realised that he was staring a little too much, the one thing he seemed to be doing a lot since this term began; he diverted his eyes and looked at his hands. Harry was looking at him curiously, wondering what was going on inside his mind and he wished that he could read minds like Snape could. He wanted to know what the man was thinking because he was just speaking of Harry's mother then suddenly he had frozen up.
'So what happened to Kate?' Harry asked, trying to lighten up the mood a bit but when Snape looked up at him dazed again, he wanted to take it back.
'She left, Potter', Snape said softly and narrowed his black eyes at Harry, 'I must say that you have succeeded in finding me a lady friend but the possibility of anything further occurring is out of question at the moment.' And there was a small flicker of something in his eyes.
Harry instantly saw it and knew that what Snape had told him wasn't true, after what the twins had told him as well as the others. He wanted to smile but didn't find enough courage to do so.
'I believe you, sir', Harry said, looking at his hands suddenly.
'What is that supposed to mean?' Snape asked smoothly, trying to allow his voice to remain calm.
'Nothing, like I said, I believe you. Nothing happened.'
'Potter I...' then he changed his mind and sighed, 'believe what you want. I'm too tired to argue. Go to bed Potter before you fall into your breakfast plate tomorrow due to sleepiness.'
Harry didn't want to go but nevertheless, he got up and gave in to prying any further.
'Alright, good night Sir', he said as he stood there facing Snape, 'thanks for telling me what you did, at least I can see you from a different perspective now and hope you do the same.' And when he saw Snape raise his eyebrows he bit his lips, 'sorry, I meant...'
'Harry Potter, no matter how hard I try, I can't help but loathe on you because you are the exact replica of James Potter, so exact, sometimes I believe you would whip out your wand and hex me, just like he used to do in the good old days.'
'But I'd never Sir', Harry said softly, 'I'm not like that, not in that way actually. I...'
'You are more like you r mother', Snape said and when he realised what he had said, he bowed his head and whispered, 'good night Potter.'
'I just wish my father wasn't dead', Harry said walking to the door, 'then I'd confront him and make him apologise to you.' And he opened the door and let himself out.
Little did he know that Snape, after hearing his last line, rested his head on the desk and cried for the second time that evening.
'At least I stayed up', Ron said as soon as Harry climbed through the doorway to the common room, 'Hermione suddenly started complaining about a headache and what she would do when she got expelled and Ginny wanted to stay up but started to nod off. The twins went up still laughing.' And he smiled, remembering their previous jokes.
'Fine enough', Harry said, and he sat down by the fire next to Ron, and wished that Hermione was still there.
He wanted to tell them both at the same time what had happened between himself and Snape but realised that he'd have to tell her tomorrow. Turning to Ron he told him most of what happened, wondering deep inside if Snape would agree with him relating what happened to anyone else. Harry had to admit he felt a bit guilty telling Ron what had happened because it seemed personal to Snape.
'Wow!' Ron said with his eyes wide open, 'your mother and Snape? Blimey I'd have never thought of THAT!'
'I know', Harry said looking into the fire and trying to believe it for himself as well, 'that's what he said.'
'He's probably lying', Ron suddenly said, 'I mean, after all this time, he all of a sudden tells you this?'
'I don't think he is Ron', Harry said looking at him, 'Snape was dead on serious when he was telling me. I could see he meant it from the expression on his face and his tone...it was true.'
And Harry could clearly remember Snape's expression on his face when he had told him about his father bullying him. Snape had looked angry yet deeply hurt and scared at the same time. It was the exact way he often felt about Malfoy and he realised that Snape and himself had two things in common: they both loved his mother and they both had an enemy in school who made their life a bit threatening at times.
'But then, he was telling me about my mother, how he once kissed her and so on, how her voice sounds, then he suddenly stopped, just like that', Harry said stretching his hands out in front of him to warm them.
'Well, maybe he realised he had gone too far in lying', Ron said playing with a part of the carpet.
'I'm telling you Ron, he wasn't lying. You weren't there.'
'I suppose you'd know, but you can't just stay on his word can you?' Ron said, 'ask Sirius about it, Lupin, maybe they can tell you what...'
'Sirius wouldn't tell me anything, after all', and Harry gazed into the fire, 'he was part of my father's gang in bullying Snape.'
'But Harry, don't just take Snape's side, not because you can relate to us and Malfoy, I mean, for all we know, Snape probably used to be the one who heated things up first...'
'I'll ask Lupin', Harry said then yawned.
'Tired mate', Ron said, 'I am too. Waited long enough to hear what happened. Night.' And he got up and ruffled Harry's hair.
Harry stayed by the fire for a few minutes then he got up a bit of parchment and wrote a short letter to Lupin:
Lupin,
I need to talk to you about something that's bothering me. Don't mention this to Sirius please. I know it sounds a bit selfish but it would be best if you didn't. Please, just you alone.
Harry.
And he took up an envelope that was lying on the table and slipped it inside then smiled as he noticed Hedwig tapping at the window nearby. Harry was a bit surprised to see her there so late. He opened the window and she flew in, and he saw that a letter was attached to her tiny leg. She held it out and he took it off then she snipped the letter from his hand in her beak.
'Take this to Lupin and Lupin alone', he said and she winked at him then flew off.
He opened the letter and saw that it was from Sirius himself:
Harry,
Hope you are well and comfortable at school again. Everything here is alright and Molly as well as Arthur, Lupin and Tonks say hello. Lupin and Tonks will be at Hogwarts tomorrow to visit Dumbledore and they would love to see you. Be in Dumbledore's office at 6 p.m.
Take care and lots of love,
Padfoot
Reading over the letter one more time, Harry couldn't help but smile. It seemed as if luck was on his side for today as well as tomorrow. He slipped the letter into his pocket and went up the stairs and to bed, looking forward to talking to Lupin tomorrow.
