A/N: I do not own Harry Potter or any character thereof. Only the story line is mine so please don't sue! I don't own anything!

A/N: I'm going to start deviating some but for the most part, the next few chapter's will follow the Chamber of Secrets.

Chapter 36

Severus was working in his lab when he heard a knock at the door. He cast a revealing charm and saw that it was the Headmaster.

"Am I interrupting you Severus?" asked the Headmaster as he opened the door.

"I'm almost finished. Did you need something?"

"Oh, not too much. I was mostly just curious as to whether you were still alive. No one's seen you for about 3 days, including the castles' elves," Albus said nonchalantly.

Startled, Severus looked up. "Three days?"

Albus chuckled. "I figured you were on one of your brewing binges." He, however, sobered quickly. "What's bothering you Severus? Why have you shut out the world this time?"

Severus turned a withering glare towards the Headmaster. "Give me about five minutes to finish bottling a few things then I'll meet you in my quarters."

Albus nodded and left the potion laboratory.

Five minutes later, Severus entered his quarter's to find Albus sitting in front of the fire place drinking tea. A cup had been made for him as well. He also saw that the Headmaster had set up the chess board.

Albus didn't beat around the bush. "What's wrong Severus?"

Severus sighed as he moved one of the pawns on the chessboard. "Nothing is wrong." At the Headmaster's incredulous look, he continued. "I've just been trying to figure out what Lucius is up to. He's been in an awfully good mood lately, and with that new law that is threatening to pass, it seems way out of his character."

Albus frowned thoughtfully. "Don't overwork yourself because of this. What's coming will come and we'll weather it out."

Severus glared at the Headmaster. "That is such a Gryffindor thing to say."

The Headmaster chuckled.

They were almost finished with their game when Albus casually mentioned, "I finally got Minerva to tell me what her and Filius were whispering about."

Severus grinned smugly as he said "check" then quirked an eyebrow up at the Headmaster.

Albus eyed the board in frustration. He and Severus were actually pretty well matched when it came to chess, however he didn't realize that Severus had snuck his queen into a position to pounce and it seemed that he couldn't prevent it from happening.

Acknowledging defeat, he captured one of Severus remaining pawns then as the potion's master declared "checkmate!", he produced a list of spells and handed them over.

"It seems that young Harry made a calendar. Those are the spells he used to do so."

Severus took the list. "All this fuss over a measly calen-..." He trailed off. "Albus, there are spells on here well above the first year level, including a seventh year spell. Surely the boy had help."

Albus chuckled. "Minerva watched him do it alone with her own eyes, at the beginning of the school year in fact. Also, during one of Filius's charm practicals, he turned the entire floor into a cushion and when asked, said he didn't feel as if he put much power behind the spell at all."

Severus pondered something briefly for a few minutes in silence before asking, "Does he realize how powerful he is?"

Albus shook his head no. "I don't believe so."

"Well don't tell him. Merlin forbid his ego inflated head become even more swelled."

In an uncharacteristic move, Albus rolled his eyes. Then he got a mischievous glint in them. "I must say, I was quite impressed with the grade that you gave him."

Severus blanked his face. "I assure you that I have no idea what you mean."

The Headmaster chuckled as he stood to return to his quarter's.

Albus was currently in his office doing some paper work. Actually, he was pretending to do his paper work. His mind was elsewhere.

Ever since the night he heard the prophecy, then sadly, watched part of it come to fruition, he realized that he would eventually have to tell Harry about it.

He was disturbed when one of the first questions out of the boy's mouth in the infirmary was him asking why Voldemort came after him to start with.

Albus knew that he needed to tell the boy, but decided that 11 was too young to know. He would let him remain a child a little longer.

The sudden flare of floo powder in his fireplace brought him out of his musings.

"Arabella, what a surprise! Is everything okay?"

Arabella Figg shook her head. "I'm sorry to bother you Albus but my sister in Germany is sick, so I'm going to be gone for the next couple of weeks to visit her."

Albus nodded. "Alright. Be safe and I hope your sister get's well."

She said goodbye and her head vanished from the fireplace. Albus sighed. He abandoned all attempts at paperwork and headed up the stairs to bed.

Severus was currently in his library reading. His mind would occasionally drift off to what Albus had revealed and to the brat's apology.

He couldn't wrap his mind around those spells that the boy had used. He didn't have a doubt that Lily could most likely have performed them at that age, but she had obtained one of her masteries in charms after graduation. She was a natural at the subject.

Combine that thought with the apology that was given and he realized that maybe there was more Lily than James in the boy after all.

Of course, at the thought of James, he immediately assumed that the boy was at home, right that very minute basking in all his glory as he no doubt told his aunt and uncle all about how he won the house cup.

Just as Severus was thinking those thoughts, Harry was currently musing over the fact that Snape would probably die from laughter at seeing the boy who lived now.

He was currently covered in paint, soil, sweat, and grease.

"What a way to spend my birthday," he muttered morosely as his aunt called him inside to eat a cheese sandwich - which was to be his dinner.

Albus was currently having a chat with Fawkes, his phoenix, when a ministry owl flew in through his window.

He recognized that it was carrying a letter telling him that a student had done magic over the summer holiday's. He'd received many of these over the years.

Sighing, he opened it up to see who the offender was this time. He frowned when he realized that it was Harry. However what confused him was that it just said that magic was sensed there, not that he had done it. But seeing as how he was the only magical person within about a 10 mile radius, the Headmaster couldn't come up with any other person it could be.

He added the report to his desk then resumed his conversation with his familiar. He would need to tell Minerva so that she could remind him of the rules regarding magic use over the summer.