a/n: SO not beta'd. Sorry it took so long to get this out. Meant to send it to be beta'd months ago, but kept getting sidetracked.
A/N 2: might not be actual calendar for Sept 1997, but they took the Hogwart's express on Monday, Sept 1 (the feast is also on Monday); classes started Tuesday Sept 2.
TRUTH IS IN THE BLOOD
CHAPTER 36
FEAST OR FAMINE
"Come on, Harry," Hermione encouraged.
"Do I have to?"
"Yes," the brunette witch replied firmly. "You're Head Boy, you need to be at the feast."
He sighed knowing she was right, still, that didn't mean he was going to give in easily. "How about I use my invisibility cloak? I'll still be there,"
"But nobody would be able to see you," Hermione said, dryly adding, "Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of attending?"
Harry shrugged, "I could just not go," he offered.
"You're going and you'll be visible."
"All the better for them to make comments," Harry muttered indistinguishably before loudly adding, "What if-"
"No."
"But-"
"No," she repeated firmly. "Don't worry, everything will be fine," she softly added, comfortingly.
He snorted doubtfully, "As I told Snape these are the same people who thought I was The Heir of Slytherin and now they know my father is the Head of Slytherin. Somehow, I doubt that everything is going to be fine."
"Well," Hermione slowly admitted, "Maybe not everything, but you will have to face them sooner or later, might as well do it now when you're not alone."
Taking a deep breathe Harry stepped past his best friend and pulled open the doors to the Great Hall. Automatically, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville and Luna followed.
"Hey," he heard Malfoy shout as they walked towards the Gryffindor table, "It's Snape Jr."
To Harry it seemed as if the entire hall erupted into laughter.
"At least this Snape washes his hair," he heard someone else state.
"Yeah, but he doesn't brush it," someone added, once more sending peals of laughter to Harry's ears.
The first comment caused Harry to grimace, and he willed himself to resist the urge to card his fingers through his hair at the others. To almost everyone watching, it appeared that either he didn't hear the comments or that they hadn't bothered him. Only a few knew differently.
Taking his seat at the Gryffindor table surrounded by his friends Harry waited for the feast to start, hoping that it would end quickly.
After the sorting hat finished his song, of which Harry didn't hear a word since he was too busy thinking about what would be waiting for him in the tower, the hall settled down and the sorting began.
Unfortunately, the quietness only allowed the student's comments about Harry and Snape to travel to his ears.
"Looks like we were right and Potter really is a bastard."
"A Gryffindor?" Harry heard someone mutter after the hat sorted a student into his house, "Maybe this is another of Snape's offspring."
Harry sighed, if this was how his schoolmates were when teachers were in the room, he really didn't want to go to the dorms.
"Hey, Harry," Dean called a few minutes after the food appeared; he was sitting a few spots down from the trio.
"Hi," Harry tentatively returned, picking at the food on his plate.
"How are you doing, Harry?" Seamus asked.
"Uh...fine," came the quiet reply.
"Did you have a good summer?"
Harry's eyes narrowed, "It was good, I guess," he answered looking intensely at his house mates. "How come you guys aren't saying anything?" he asked them suspiciously.
"What do you mean?" Neville asked, "They're talking."
"Yeah, but they're being nice. Everybody else has been rude and making comments about…things," Harry finally answered.
"That's mostly Malfoy," Seamus commented.
"And the few students he's influenced," Hermione added.
"Yeah," Harry said off-handedly, "but why not these students?" he questioned.
His friends exchanged looks before Ginny spoke, "They're Gryffindors, we're family," she explained.
Harry snorted, "Didn't keep them from talking about me in the past."
"They've matured," Ron blurted out before anyone else had a chance to comment. "I have, so they must have as well. With everything that's going on, you can't expect them not to," he added.
"I guess," Harry skeptically agreed dropping the conversation much to his friend's relief.
"Harry's seems to be adjusting well," Albus commented softly to Severus during the feast.
Snape snorted, "Why wouldn't he?"
The headmaster peered at his employee through his moon-rimmed glasses. "Just over a month and a half ago he was in shock from certain information."
"He wasn't the only one," Severus drawled. "In fact, once the ministry announced the results of the potion, I believe most of the Wizarding World was in shock. Especially the silly romantic witches that hoped to one day capture the orphan boy's heart. Not only was he no longer an orphan, but his closest relative was someone they knew and loved to hate."
"Now, now, my dear boy, I'm sure that's not true."
Severus just turned to him and lifted and eyebrow.
"No, the true romantics were weeping with joy that their hero would finally find a home and a family."
Severus' jaw began to fall open in shock at the words he just heard. "Surely not," he protested. "They couldn't honestly believe that we, that he and I would become family in the five days before he reached his majority."
"Ah, but what does his age have to do with anything?" Albus inquired.
"As an of age wizard, Potter no longer needs a family or father," Snape informed his employer.
"Family is forever," Albus stated in disagreement. "The bonds built are not severed when one reaches the age of seventeen. Nor," he continued when Severus went to speak, "does one have to stop building such bonds.
"Why I can imagine they spun all sorts of tales of how family, and more specifically, Harry could melt the ice around your heart if given the opportunity," Albus continued merrily, before standing to give the start of term notices.
"If giving the opportunity," Snape snorted disdainfully, before quietly muttering to himself, "And perhaps I like the ice."
"I would like all of you to welcome our newest professor, Cole Smith," Professor Dumbledore announced, indicating the man sitting next to McGonagall.
"Smith?" Dean repeated as the headmaster continued his announcements, "I wonder if he's related to Zacharias Smith in Hufflepuff?"
Harry groaned.
"What's the matter?" Hermione, Ron and Neville immediately asked.
"Just realized that if he was that it meant that this year's defense professor will definitely dislike me," Harry shared with his friends.
"Why do you say that?" someone questioned.
"Zach doesn't like Harry," Seamus supplied. "Personally, I think he's just jealous of Harry's popularity."
"He's a git," Ron clarified.
"Ron!"
"Well he is," Ron told his girlfriend, "at least when it comes to Harry. Merlin, remember fifth year in DA? 'Where's the proof You-Know-Who's back?' 'Why are you qualified to teach us?' 'Like expellarmus will save us against You-Know-Who.' 'Wh-"
"Okay, Ron," Ginny interrupted, "We get it, you can stop now."
"He might not be related to Zach, I was just wondering if he was," Dean explained, before adding, "Smith is a pretty common name after all."
"Not in the wizarding world," Ron argued.
"It is in the muggle world. In fact," Dean added with a laugh, "half the time it's not even the person's real name. Maybe our new professor is using a fake name."
"Non de plume," Hermione supplied.
Ron laughed, "That's his real name? No wonder why he changed it to Smith. But how you know that? Perhaps you read it on his briefcase?""
"No," Hermione injected sharply, "It means fake name, alias."
"Isn't that what Dean just said?"
"I-"
"If Smith's not his real name," Harry interrupted before his two best friends were lost in another fight, "Then we've really got a problem. People only use fake names when they have something to hide."
The table fell into silence as they thought about what Harry just said.
"Yep," Seamus decided with a nod, "Definitely another year with the Defense Professor out to get Harry."
"Hey, Dean, Seamus," Harry called out to his roommates when it was just the three of them in the dorm. Both Ron and Neville were spending time with their girlfriends before classes started.
"Yeah, Harry?" Seamus responded as he compared his summer homework to Dean's.
"Uh, don't take this the wrong way, but I really want to know why you two are being so nice? I mean, I haven't heard a single word from either of you about Snape."
The two friends exchanged a look before Dean answered. "We know you. Just because Professor Snape is your father doesn't mean that you're going to change."
Harry frowned. Not only had he noticed the look that they exchanged, but neither would meet his eyes. "What's really going on?" he demanded to know. "Are you guys waiting for me to lower my guard before you tell me that I don't deserve to be a Gryffindor or something? Perhaps I didn't see you on the train because you were too busy plotting against me with our housemates? Perhaps with most of the school?" Harry added, not seeing the shocked look on the faces of his dormmates.
"Wouldn't that be funny," Harry continued with a mocking laugh, "all of the houses including Slytherin united in their hatred for Harry Potter. The Slytherins because I am The-Boy-Who-Lived, and everyone else because I'm the son of Severus Snape. But hey, unity is unity, right?"
"Harry-"
"And don't give me 'Gryffindor family'," he shouted, interrupting Dean as he tried to talk. "One, because I don't really know what family means, especially since in my experience, family tends to hate me and Two, because being Gryffindors didn't prevent you from turning on me in the past."
Harry began to pace as he continued to rant, his shouting drawing student's from their dorms and the common room to gather outside the door to the 7th year dorms. "So what do you have planned for me tomorrow?"
"Nothing," Seamus and Dean responded in unison after a moment. Both had been shocked by the question to answer right away.
"How about the day after that? And the day after that? What about next week? Next month?" Harry questioned, "I want to know what's going on!"
"Go find Hermione, Ron, Neville or Ginny," Parvati quietly ordered a couple of fourth year Gryffindors as Harry continued to rant, offering various scenarios of what his housemates might be planning.
"How about his father?" a third year asked, "Should someone go find Professor Snape?"
"Er…no," Parvati answered, easing the looks of fear on the students faces who had heard the question. "At least not now. If his friends can't get him to calm down, we'll get McGonagall. She'll get Snape if he is needed."
"Fine!" Harry shouted, putting an end to any other discussions and gathering all eyes on him once again.
"What are you doing?!"
"Packing," Harry snarled, as he threw some clothes and books into his school bag. "I'd rather leave now then wait until you guys decide to evict me from Gryffindor tower."
"Harry, stop!" Dean shouted, "Give us a chance to explain."
"I did, but you didn't say anything."
"Sorry, we were a bit shocked," Seamus muttered. "We didn't expect you to be so suspicious of us or to come up with those scenarios."
"I'm part Slytherin," Harry announced, "Of course I'll be suspicious when people act differently then they did in the past."
"Yeah, well," Seamus sheepishly admitted, "We also weren't aware of how much our past actions hurt you."
Harry shrugged dismissively, "the only thing I'm really worried about is what's going on now."
"Wait a sec," Dean said before rifling through his trunk and pulling out a piece of parchment, "Maybe you should read this."
After a moment of hesitation, Harry took the offered parchment, wondering why Dean thought it was so important or related to this conversation. He opened it to reveal familiar handwriting, he looked up, confirming that it was okay to read it.
"Go on," Dean said encouragingly, "We'll talk after."
With a small sigh, wondering exactly what he got himself into he began to read.
Once finished he lifted his head from the parchment. Too embarrassed to meet Dean's or Seamus's eyes he turned his head to the side and noticed the crowd standing in the doorway for the first time.
"I…uh, did you all receive this letter?"
"Since we haven't read Dean's letter we really can't say," Lavender responded, "But I do believe that your friends wrote everyone in our year about what had happened."
"And the D.A," someone added.
Parvati nodded, "Once we understood what Hermione was doing and what she hoped to accomplish, most of willingly wrote our friends as well."
"I volunteered to write letters to the students in my year after Colin received a letter from Ginny and Luna," Dennis added eagerly.
"Thanks," Harry said with a slight blush before softly asking a bewildered, "why?"
"Not much else to do over the summer hols," Ron joked as he pushed through the crowds and entered the dorm room with Hermione.
"We knew you wouldn't want to answer everyone's questions and that you might be worried about their reaction, giving the past," Hermione answered.
"We hoped to avoid scenes," Neville added. He and Ginny had entered right behind Ron and Hermione. "The kind where they either ask you a ton of questions or they act in ignorance as they had in the past."
"We just didn't figure on you being so suspicious of their behavior," Ginny added as she leaned back onto her boyfriend.
"He's part Slytherin," someone offered as an explanation.
"Hey now," Ron shouted, ready to defend his best friend.
"Ron, it's okay," Harry laughed. "That's what I told Seamus and Dean when they said they were shocked at how I reacted."
"Oh…well, that's okay then, I guess," he sputtered.
Harry looked at the crowd around the seventh year boy's dorm, "And you guys are really okay with this?"
"If you're okay with it, then there's no reason why we shouldn't be," Dean stated logically, reiterating the letter.
"Who knows," someone added hopefully, "maybe this'll mean that Snape will be nicer to us Gryffindors now."
"So…" Harry began hesitantly when the six of them were in the Room of Requirement, "Exactly who did you guys send letters to and why didn't you tell me?"
"Every sixth and seventh year," Hermione began.
"Except Slytherin, of course," Ron added.
"We would have included them," Hermione continued, "But none of us knew them well enough to correspond with them."
"Plus, they're Slytherins," Ron reminded his friends.
"So?" Harry and Hermione asked in unison.
"So they probably wouldn't even read a letter from a Gryffindor, let alone agree to be nice to The-boy-Who-Lived."
"Harry," The-Boy-Who-Lived corrected.
"Yeah, whatever," Ron said dismissively. "Either way, why should we waste our time or parchment writing to them?"
"Helping Harry is not a waste of our time," Hermione informed her boyfriend.
Ron snorted in disagreement, "It is when it involves us and Slytherins. I told you they wouldn't read a letter from a Gryffindor."
"They might read one from a Ravenclaw," Luna softly said.
As heads swiveled to look at her, Neville commented, "Too late now to find out if they would."
"No it's not," Luna protested. "We can just ask them."
"Ask them if they would read a letter from a Ravenclaw?" Hermione questioned.
"But that would mean we would have to talk to them," Ron said in disgust. "Besides, they'd probably lie about it anyway."
"Then we'll ask them what the letter said," Luna decided logically.
"Er…only one problem with that," Ginny said softly, "There was no letter."
"Yes there was."
The other five friends exchanged glances.
"There was?" Harry asked automatically before realizing what might have happened. "Luna, did you write to the Slytherins'?"
"Oh, no," she said, "not all of them. As Ron implied that would take quite a while."
"Who did you write to?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Most of the sixth years, a few of the younger years that I know and Tracy."
"Tracy Davis?!" they all questioned.
"Yes, she's a friend."
"But...how?" Ginny asked.
"I just picked up a quill and wrote," she answered with a shrug. "Pretty much word for word what you wrote in the other letters."
Ginny shook her head, "I mean why, er how did she become a friend?"
"She lives near us."
"She what!" Ron yelled.
"Lives right down the road, where it forks off. The Diggory's live to the east, the Davis's to the west."
"Oh," Ginny and Ron quietly commented, wondering why they hadn't known that.
"Um, Luna?" Hermione hesitated, "Er…don't' take this the wrong way, but why did you feel comfortable writing to the Slytherins? I mean," Hermione continued looking uncomfortable, "your own house hasn't been that nice to you."
Luna nodded, "that's why the Slytherin's have been."
"Er…" Neville said, not sure what to make of that statement.
Noticing everyone's confused looks, Luna explained, "During my first year some of the Slytherins noticed how my housemates treated me. They said that they understood what it was like to be judged before anyone really knew you. They invited me to sit with them during classes, study with them in the library, even walk with them in the halls to help protect me."
"But they're Slytherins!" Ron reiterated, clearly in shock. "Aren't they supposed to kick you when you're down?"
"You have a strange definition of Slytherin," Luna said, giving Ron a funny look before shaking her head, "Anyway, They said something about my house treating me like the rest of the school treats them. I didn't know exactly what that meant, but they have never been rude to me or mean."
"Defense first thing," Ron announced happily as he looked over the class schedule McGonagall just passed out. "Much better than having the greasy-git," he said only to receive an elbow in the ribs from his girlfriend and a glare from almost everyone else at the table. "Er..no offense, Harry," he added as soon as he realized why everyone was upset with him.
"That's okay," Harry said, shrugging it off, after all, he would have to agree. Potions first thing in the morning definitely wasn't fun.
"I wonder what Professor Smith will be like?" Neville asked to fill in the silence.
Hermione shrugged, "We'll soon find out. Though I do have to say that the book is quite good."
"Like that's an indicator," Ron said with a snort, "You read all of Lockhart's books at least three times."
"I was thirteen!" she hissed.
"Geesh," Dean muttered to Harry, "Were they like this all summer? I would think that once they started to date the fights would've stopped."
Harry nodded his agreement to that statement, that's what he had thought as well. "Sometimes I think it's the only way they know how to communicate…at least with each other."
Seamus and Dean laughed.
"Come on, Harry," Hermione said as she stood up, Ron right next to her. "We don't want to be late. That wouldn't make a good impression at all, especially since we are Head Boy and Girl."
"Okay, okay, I'm coming," he said standing up and grabbing his book bag. "Neville, are you coming?"
"I'll meet you there," he said after a look at Ginny, "I'm going to walk Ginny to charms, but you guys could save me a seat."
"Will do," Harry responded. "We'll see you there."
"Slytherins!" Ron muttered as Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle walked into the room. "Why do we have to have Defense with the Slytherins!"
"I don't know," Hermione stated, biting her bottom lip as she thought about it. After all, there weren't too many professors who could handle snakes and lions in the same room. In her opinion, it was a cruel thing to do to a new professor, especially for his first class.
"Well," Ron said, trying to be cheerful about it, "At least we'll have something to aim for when we practice new spells in class."
Harry snorted, "That just means that they get to aim them at us as well."
"Oh…right," Ron said.
"We should get out our quills, parchment, and homework," Hermione decided as she went about those tasks herself.
"Why?" Ron questioned. "For all we know, he might be like Umbridge and just have us read the text all day."
"Really, Ron," she sighed, "Do you honestly think that Professor Dumbledore would do that to us again?"
"If he didn't have a choice," Ron argued, "yeah."
"He-"
"Guys, enough," Harry interrupted before they could give him a headache. "We'll find out soon enough what the new professor is like, class should start soon."
They nodded and went back to their previous tasks, Hermione reading her book in case there was a surprise quiz and Ron glaring at the Slytherins.
"He's the one making a bad impression," Ron muttered a few minutes later. "It's almost time for the class to begin and he's not even here yet!"
"Ron, he probably has a lot to do," Hermione suggested, "It is his first class."
"He should've been more prepared," Ron argued. "This probably just means that he isn't qualified to teach, after all. Harry," Ron continued turning to his best friend, "Maybe we should start the DA again."
"Ron," Hermione said before the green-eyed boy had a chance to speak, "Give Professor Smith a chance. Maybe he got lost."
"He still has about thirty seconds, by my watch," Neville pointed out.
"Thank you for the time, Mr. Longbottom," Snape sarcastically drawled after storming through the classroom door and heading to the front of the room. "And that will be ten points from Gryffindor, Mr. Weasley for insinuating that the professor of this class is late and incompetent."
"What! You can't do that," Ron yelled. "And obviously he is incompetent if he's not here."
Snape raised an eyebrow, "What am I? A figment of your imagination?" he asked, causing some of the students to laugh.
"You're the Potions Master," Ron said.
"And if you remember from last year, also a Defense Master," Severus reminded the students, "making me qualified to teach both."
"Then who's Professor Smith?" Ron asked.
"The new Potions Professor," Hermione answered figuring things out.
"But that's not what Dumbledore said!"
"Professor Dumbledore," Hermione corrected. "And actually, he just introduced the new professor. We just assumed it would be for defense."
"Well, yeah," Ron muttered, "They usually are."
"Enough!" Severus announced. "And ten more points from Gryffindor for delaying the class. Everyone should already have a quill and parchment ready," Snape stated, causing a flurry of activity in the room, "and open up your books to page 25."
As the class quickly moved to follow Snape's instructions, Harry sank in his seat, wondering why Snape hadn't told him about this.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Ron asked angrily as they left the defense classroom. "You could have saved me some embarrassment and Gryffindor twenty points."
"Ron, obviously Harry didn't know," Hermione answered.
"Still," Ron began only to fall silent after he processed his girlfriend's words. "You didn't?" he questioned Harry, stopping to look at his best friend.
"No," Harry admitted shortly.
"Why not?"
"I don't know," Harry answered softly, "I really don't know."
"You would think Snape would've told you what was going on," Ron continued, "after all, you're his son."
"Yeah, you would have," Harry agreed sadly.
"Hey, scarface,"
Harry rolled his eyes and sighed as he turned around to face the only person that ever called him that, "Malfoy, you've been calling me that since first year, can't you come up with something new?"
Draco smirked, "Well, I can no longer call you Potter, Potty or something similar since you aren't really a Potter, now can I? That doesn't leave to many choices. Snape is out as well. First because you did not respond when I said Snape, Jr yesterday, and second because given what I just saw in class, it appears that your real father doesn't want you." Malfoy gives a mocking laugh, "It's pretty pathetic that you don't even meet a traitor's standards."
At the reminder of what just happened with Snape, Harry tensed.
"Harry, don't pay any attention to him," Hermione advised. "As usually, he's wrong."
"What!?" Malfoy hissed.
"Harry's real mother was a Potter," Hermione informed the angry Slytherin. "Plus, he was legally adopted by James and Lily Potter, giving him as much right to that name as you have to Malfoy," she remarked. "Something you would know if you either read the paper or paid a bit more attention to what is going on around you," she finished addressing the boy.
"Cone on, Harry, Ron, we don't want to be late for our next class."
"Yeah, well, I might have been wrong about the Potter part, but I was correct about Snape!" Malfoy shouted as they began to walk away. "Funny how all of the Slytherins knew who was teaching Defense, but his own son didn't!"
"They knew!" Ron hissed. "I can't believe that they knew and you didn't."
"It does explain why they were so quiet before class started," Hermione mused out loud. "No doubt they kept silent so they wouldn't give anything away. Plus, there's the fact that the one thing Professor Snape hates is entering into a room where no one is prepared for class."
"Who cares about that," Ron muttered, "I'm talking about the fact that he told them and never mentioned it to Harry!"
"Look, Harry," Hermione said as the two of them made their way to the potions class, which was still being held in the dungeon, "If it bothers you that much, you should ask him."
"It doesn't bother me," Harry denied.
Hermione skeptically rose an eyebrow, "Yes, it does," she argued. "You've been brooding about it all morning. The only way you're going to get an answer is to ask him."
"He made it pretty clear that he didn't want to be bothered by me," Harry reminded his friend.
"He also said that if you needed to, you could talk to him," she argued. "And you really should talk to him about this since it is bothering you. Just take a few minutes after classes today and find him in his office."
"Maybe," he said as they entered the potion lab and took their regular seats, his tone indicating that he didn't want to talk about it anymore.
"I wonder what Professor Smith will be like," Hermione commented as they waited for class to start. "I wonder if he's a Potions Master, as well. Somehow I doubt it," she continued. "I would hope that Professor Dumbledore would've mentioned that last night at least.
"I wouldn't say this to Ron," she admitted, "But I really am disappointed that your father won't be teaching this class to us."
He could fully understand why she wouldn't want to say that to Ron, and he was especially glad that she wouldn't, since it would most likely start another fight between the couple.
"What? Why?" Harry finally asked.
"He's brilliant at potions," she said. "I heard such wonderful things about this class. He's tough," she said, and of course, anyone who ever had him as professor already new that, "But he really challenges his students, especially his 7th year NEWT students. Every year since he's been teaching at least one student has made significant discoveries with his help. Some times it's a new potion or an improvement to an old one that saves time, money, or resources. I was really looking forward to that portion of the class with Professor Snape," she said sadly.
"At least someone will not be disappointed by my presence," Snape drawled as he entered the lab.
"Sir?" Hermione eagerly said, "Does this mean that you will be teaching us?"
"I will attempt to teach you," Snape clarified. "Whether or not some of you learn, we shall have to wait and see."
"But…why?"
"The headmaster decided it would be beneficial if I continue teaching you potions," Snape drawled. "Apparently he thought it would disrupt you to switch professors your last year. Hopefully you read the first chapter in your text, since we will be brewing that potion today."
"Harry, now is your chance," Hermione whispered as they finished cleaning up their station. "Stay after and talk to him."
"Hermione, I won't have time," he protested. "I do want to eat."
"Harry, you really should read 'Hogwarts: a History'," she said with a laugh, "It's the first day," she reminded him, "Lunch is magically extended since many first years often get lost finding their way back to the Great Hall."
"Hermione…"
"Harry…" she mocked, before ordering, "Just do it. I'm sure everything will be fine."
"Can I get that as a guarantee in writing?" he joked.
"Just go," she said as she picked up her books to leave. "I'll make sure Ron saves you some food," she said giving him a quick one-armed hug and pushing him towards the front of the room before she left, making sure to close the door behind her.
"Sir?"
Snape sighed, "Potter," he said with a nod, indicating that he was listening.
"Um, I was wondering why you didn't tell me that you weren't teaching potions this year."
Snape raised an eyebrow, "I believe I just did teach potions."
"But you aren't teaching the other years, just us," Harry added. "And you're teaching defense."
"Yes, I am."
Harry sighed in frustration, "But why didn't you tell me about the changes?"
"I did not know that I had to," Snape said warningly.
"You didn't have to," Harry admitted, "But it would've been nice."
"Why? So you could become the center of attention and impress all your friends with what you know?"
"You told the Slytherins!"
"So this is about the fact that they had more information about the school than Gryffindors," Snape said sardonically.
"No, it's not," Harry argued, "It has nothing to do with the Slytherins. It's about you not telling me."
Severus just stared at the boy.
"Never mind," Harry finally said, turning to leave. He had a feeling Snape would never understand.
"No, Potter," Snape insisted, "Tell me."
"Why? Apparently you don't care."
"Maybe not," Severus admitted, "but I didn't give you permission to leave yet."
Harry snorted, "I don't need permission," he argued, "I decided to stay to ask you a question, so I can leave anytime, especially since I decided that I probably won't get an answer."
"Ask your question and I will answer you," Snape offered.
"I asked!" Harry huffed, staying silent for a few minutes. "Fine," he said when his father didn't say a word, "I'll ask again since you obviously don't remember. Why didn't you tell me that you were going to be switched to the Defense position instead of teaching most of the potion classes?"
"As I indicated earlier, I did not need to; nor would I see why I, a professor, should share such things with you, a student."
Harry winced at the words his father stressed before sighing and shaking his head. He was right, Snape hadn't understood. "Not as a professor to a student," he muttered quietly, as he picked up his books and walked towards the door, "but as a father to his son."
"Harry? What did Professor Snape say?" Hermione inquired as soon as he sat down.
Harry just shook his head, not answering.
His friends exchanged worrisome looks at his despondent posture.
"Hey!" A fifth year Gryffindor prefect called out before Harry's friends had a chance to question him further, "Who's already had Defense class with Snape today?" As usual, it hadn't taken long for word to get around Hogwarts. It looked like everyone now knew what subject the new professor was teaching.
Second and seventh year Gryffindor students raised their hands.
"Well? Was he any nicer to Gryffindor?"
Almost as one the reply of a resounding 'No' was heard.
"Oh, man," he muttered in reply before turning to the first years and offering advice on what not to do in Snape's class.
"But he's Harry Potter's father," one of the first year students replied. "Surely he's good and nice."
"Kid, if he heard you say that, I think he would hate you more than he hates Neville Longbottom and Harry combined."
Harry groaned at the reminder of how his father felt towards him before tuning out the conversations around him.
"Harry…Harry…Harry," Hermione repeated said, finally giving the boy a slight shake to get his attention. "You know he didn't mean it like that. I'm sure Professor Snape doesn't hate you."
"I'm glad you're sure," Harry snapped, absently moving the food around on his plate without eating any of it.
"I don't know why you're so shocked," Ron muttered before shoveling more food into his mouth. "It's Snape…you can't really have expected things to be different."
"Ron!"
"I know, I know, close my mouth and don't talk with my mouth full," he mumbled, "Anything else?"
"Yes," she hissed, slapping him on the back of the head "Don't be a git! You're not exactly helping here."
"What? I'm just telling the truth," he tried to explain.
Harry shook his head and sighed, "I'll see you guys later," he said as he stood up and starting walking away.
"Harry!"
"Luna," he said with a smile as she caught up with him at the doors out of the Great Hall. "I don't think I'm very good company right now, but you're welcome to join me, if you want to," he said as he held the door open for the two of them.
"Tough day?"
"If it's not comments about Snape or not really being a Potter, it's Hermione and Ron fighting when they try to help or Snape being a git. Just once I would like a nice, quiet, peaceful year."
"Hmm, maybe you should try to catch a Juju," Luna suggested.
"Why? What are they?" Harry asked, "Creatures that make everything nice, quiet, and peaceful all the time?"
"No, silly," Luna laughed, "No such creature exist. In fact, I don't think such a thing exists as well…at least, not outside a book. A Juju is a rare and wonderful creature. It should help with both the comments and Ron and Hermione's disagreements."
"How?"
"By silencing them, of course," she commented matter-of-factly.
Harry couldn't help it, before he knew what he was doing, he was laughing.
"One bite and the victims voice is stolen until an antidote is administered," Luna continued. "Unfortunately, I don't see how it would help you with your father," Luna said sadly.
"Two out of three ain't bad," Harry said with a shrug. "Besides, I don't think anything could help that situation."
"Surely something could," Luna said, becoming serious.
Harry shook his head. "The only thing I can think of is if I act like him and forget the whole thing," he reluctantly admitted. "It's so confusing. We got along all right over the summer. I mean, we both survived," he said with a small laugh. "We didn't partake in any family outings or dinners or anything, but we were able to be civil to each other…mostly," Harry continued with a grin.
"At first, we both agreed that we would do our best to ignore the situation, but that was before we spent any time together. I realized he really wasn't that bad and he had tried to help me in the past, so I started thinking that maybe this wasn't such a bad thing. But then...then," Harry said with a shake of his head, "the end of summer came and he was practically gleeful at the thought of me being gone from his rooms. It was only because I asked that he grudgingly agreed to be available if I had to see him, of course, he made it sound like it was a fate worse than death if that happened," Harry said with a laugh, "me coming to him for help.
"And I'm sure by now you know who is teaching Defense and who is the new Potions Professor?" Harry asked, continuing when Luna nodded. "I couldn't believe he hadn't told me. Well, actually, I could, I just didn't want to because of what it meant. And I was right," Harry continued with a sigh.
"He just thinks of us as professor and student, and has made that clear since the start, but for some reason, I keep expecting him to act like a father. Something he keeps showing me that he has no intention of being."
"Give him time," Luna suggested. "Being a father is new to him…and yes, I know that being a son is new to you, as well. But you always had a father, even if he wasn't alive. You dreamed and wondered what it would be like. If I was a gambling girl, I would bet that Professor Snape never dreamed about having a son…having a family. With time, he might though."
"Or he might not," Harry pointed out.
"Or he might not," she agreed. "Again, only time will tell. Either way, you will always have us to be your family."
"Great," Hermione said as soon as Ginny and Neville entered the Room of Requirement, an hour after dinner. "Now that we're all here we can begin."
"Begin what?" Ron asked nervously. "If you say homework, I'm out of here…after all, it's only the first day of classes."
"Ron," she hissed, "Homework is important and you really should start it before you fall behind, however, this is more important than homework."
Harry and Ron lifted an eyebrow inquisitively. After all, there weren't many things Hermione listed more important than homework. "It better not be NEWTS," he warned his girlfriend.
"It's not," she snapped, "It's Harry."
Harry blinked in shock, sat up and looked at his friends, "What's wrong with me now?" he asked.
"Nothing," Hermione replied, "But school has started again and I was thinking that we should continue where we left off last year."
"Oh no!" Harry shouted, shocking his friends. "There's no way I'm going to have any of you follow me around all year. We're lucky we weren't expelled because of how we acted. Merlin," he continued with a sigh, "I think we did more damage and broke more rules last year than our first five years combined."
Ron snickered, "But not as much as Hagrid did with Norbert."
"I'm serious," Harry glared. "I doubt Voldemort is going to attack me at Hogwarts right now."
"I agree," Hermione stated, nodding emphatically.
"But you said…" he began only to trail off in confusion.
"That we should continue where we left off last year," Hermione supplied, "But I was referring to the training and practice scenarios for when Voldemort does attack.
"And," she stressed, "I have these."
"You're paying us?" Ron asked looking at the galleons in her hands.
"No," she answered with a sigh, "I redid the DA galleons. If anyone of us is attacked we can use them to alert the others."
"What do you think about the galleons?" Luna asked Harry later that night. After Hermione finished explaining about them, the two couples quickly excused themselves for some 'private time'.
"It's a good idea," Harry commented. "I can't believe none of us thought of it before. Of course, we were usually always together, so I guess it didn't matter then."
"Hmm," she agreed. "Everything does seem to be different this year, doesn't it?"
"Not too much different. I still have an insane mass-murdering Dark Lord after me," Harry snorted. "But yeah, I think I know what you mean. I'm happy that Ron and Hermione are dating, and Neville and Ginny. I just never really expected it. Hermione and Ron, I mean."
"You expected Neville and Ginny?" Luna asked. "Maybe you should re-add Divinations to your class schedule."
Harry laughed, "No thanks. I guess what I meant was that I never really thought about Neville and Ginny as a couple, though now that they are, I think that they are a good match. Neville is peaceful and soothing. He's able to calm Ginny, and her temper," he added dryly, "down."
"And you thought about Hermione?" she asked, quickly adding, "And Ron?"
"Not together, as I said, but in a way, yeah," he admitted. "I mean, I thought about the future. What would happen when we were older, when we finished school, got married and had families of our own. I wondered if we would always be that close to one another. Mostly I was concerned that I would lose them."
"I don't follow," Luna admitted quietly.
"They were my first real friends. My best friends," Harry added with a grin. "But I couldn't help but be afraid that once we graduated, once we no longer saw one another again we would lose touch. You know, get caught up with our own lives and only see each other at special occasions."
"Ah," the blonde said in understanding. "So who did you picture Ron with?"
"Certainly not Hermione," he instantly said. "They fight way too much."
"They don't seem to mind."
"True. But I know that that type of relationship isn't for me. I mean, I don't want someone who will agree with me all the time, but I don't want to argue about everything either."
"Did you ever see yourself with Hermione?" Luna quietly asked, as if afraid of the answer.
"Not really. Well, maybe after the Yule ball," he added with a grin. "She looked really beautiful, and like a girl," he joked. "Honestly, though, I never really saw any of us with anyone in particular. Mostly because I was afraid that whoever we were with would tear us apart. You know, not understand how close we are, how much I need them. I couldn't choose between a girlfriend or them. They would win everytime."
"Like with Cho," Luna said softly.
"Kind of, yeah," Harry agreed. "All I knew was that whoever any of us ended up with, it was someone who could understand that they were my family. And that I would never leave them."
Luna nodded, "well, then, maybe it'll be a good thing if Ron and Hermione end up married. Both of them know how much the other means to you and neither would want or expect your relationship to end."
"True. Now if only they would stop giving me headaches with all their arguing," Harry joked, Luna joining in with him.
"You know, I think I might have been infected by reechoes."
"Ah..um..do you need to go see Madam Pomfrey?" Harry asked. "I'm not exactly sure how one treats an infestation of rek-"
"Reechoes," Luna supplied. "And there really isn't a treatment. They will go away after I take care of the reason they infected me."
"Okay, well that's good. Uh, do you know why you were infected?"
"Oh, yes, they tell you," Luna explained. "Have you ever had a conversation with somebody that keeps echoing in your head? A conversation that you just can't stop hearing or thinking about? That is caused by Reechoes. Sometimes it's because the conversation was very important and you need to remember it or sometimes it is because the conversation isn't finished."
"Er, okay," Harry agreed. "What conversation is echoing in your head and which is the reason in this case?"
"Our earlier conversation on the grounds, about you and your father," Luna stated, "And it the infestation occurred because it's not finished."
"It's not?"
"Nope. I've been thinking about ways that might help you get to know your father better and for him to get to know you," she explained. "First, you have to remind him that you are not who he thought you were for six years."
"Huh?"
Luna sighed, "You have to show him, prove by your actions that you are his son, and not the son of James Potter. "I don't mean anything bad about James," she rushed to add when Harry tried to interrupt, "but it's no secret that the two did not get along and that that was the number one thing Professor Snape held against you. So, my idea is that you let your father see a different side of you. Prove him wrong about everything he ever said about you. If he said you were arrogant like James Potter, be humble. If he said you were lazy about studying or poor at brewing, work that much harder. Also, I can't help but wonder if the revelation of him as your father came too late, and that that's why he's not as involved as you would like."
"Again, huh?" Harry said with a smirk.
"You're seventeen," Luna explained. "In the wizarding world that is the age where children usually separate from their parents, not find them. Perhaps he figures that once this year is over, and you no longer have to be in contact with him, that you won't. That you would forget about him, leave him so to speak," she added.
Harry looked at her, "Somehow I don't really think that's true," he said skeptically.
"Perhaps it is, and perhaps it isn't," she said in agreement, "But either way, if you want things to be different, you will have to change it. I sincerely doubt that he will come to you. So, I suggest that you take him up on his offer."
"What offer?"
"The offer of seeking him out if you need his help or advice with anything."
Harry grimaced, as he imaged what that scene would be like.
"Oh, good!" Luna exclaimed, "The Reechoes infection has cleared up."
After the first few days of classes, the comments regarding Harry and Snape were almost nonexistent. Occasionally a few students might taunt Harry either by asking him when his appearance would change, or how often he had to wash the grease out of his hair. And Malfoy could be heard over saying that the Dark Lord had a plan to get both Potter and his traitor father, but they seemed to be the few students who still cared.
In fact, some of the students no longer believed that Harry and Snape wererelated, much less father and son.
Snape acted the same as he always had towards the rest of the Gryffindors, but his interactions with Harry had changed, but not as one would expect giving the new revelation.
In the past he would comment at least once a day about how much Harry had been like his 'arrogant father', or ridicule the boy somehow, but now, he never addressed the boy unless it was about school matters. He didn't shout at Harry, assign detentions, nor, to the Gryffindors delight, deduct house points. However, he also didn't talk with Harry to compliment him on a job well done in class, nor to ask him how he was. This puzzled most of the students, since in their opinion, he should have been pleased to have Harry in their family.
Harry also acted differently towards Snape. While most might expect him to behave differently, he wasn't acting like a son would, but rather more like a star student. He always seemed to be studying potions or defense, would be one of the first ones to class, with his homework on his desk ready to be turned in, book open, and quill and parchment ready. The only thing that expressed the feelings that he wanted things to change was the look he gave his father as he and his friends left the classroom.
"Hey, Potter," Millicent called as she approached the dark-haired Gryffindor, ten days after they arrived at Hogwarts. "I'm here to invite you to eat at the Slytherin table with us at lunch today."
"Why?" Harry immediately questioned.
"Because your father is our Head of House."
"And traitor to Voldemort," Harry pointedly added.
"Not all Slytherins follow him," she snapped back.
"True," Harry smirked, waiting to see if she would add anything else before he responded.
"So…will you join us?" she impatiently questioned.
Harry looked at the Slytherin table before looking back at his friends. "Perhaps another time," he finally said. "There's something I need to talk with my friends about today."
Millicent nodded, "Okay, but we will ask again."
Harry nodded before walking to the Gryffindor table and sitting down next to Hermione.
"What was that about?" Ron asked in between bites.
"She invited me to sit and eat lunch with the Slytherins," Harry admitted.
"What?" Ron gasped. "Does she think you're stupid?"
"Their Slytherins," Seamus smiled, "Of course they think Gryffindors are stupid."
"They're just going to poison your food or something," the red-head continued, ignoring Seamus.
"Honestly, Ron," his girlfriend sighed, "They're just initiating a truce between the two houses, or at least between Harry and the Slytherins."
"What? Why? How do you get that?" Ron sputtered.
Hermione shook her head, "Why else would they invite him to lunch after five years of taunting him?"
"Gee, I don't know," Ron faked, "Maybe to kill him?"
"Ron, look at this logically," Hermione patiently tried to explain. "Harry has recently been revealed as the son of Professor Snape. The same Professor Snape that is their Head of House," she added.
"Thank Merlin," Ron muttered, "can you imagine what Hogwart's would be like if there were two Professor Snapes?"
Neville shuddered in horror along with many other Gryffindors who overheard Ron's comment.
Hermione glared at him for the interruption, "It's only logical that they would want a truce with Harry to remain on good terms with their Head of House."
"Either that or they're helping You-know-who get revenge on Snape for being a traitor."
"By killing someone that everyone knows Snape doesn't like?" Seamus asked. "Sounds more like reward if you ask me."
"It's his son," Hermione stressed.
"Yeah, and it hasn't made Snape change how he treats Harry or Gryffindors."
"Well, he can't play favorites," she protested.
At that comment almost all of the Gryffindors burst into laughter, since in their opinion, it was obvious that the favored his own house.
Hermione scowled before looking at Harry, "Well, what are you going to do? Are you going to join them?"
"Not today," Harry smirked, "But she said that they would ask again."
"HA!" Ron gloated. "They! That means more than one person. All of the little Death Eater wannabes probably got together and planned this as revenge."
"Or all of those opposed to Voldemort joined together to welcome Harry," Hermione returned. "Not all Slytherins are Death Eaters. Harry needs to give them a chance."
"Constant vigilance," Ron retorted. "He needs to be on his guard."
"I'm not saying he shouldn't take precautions when he does sit over there," Hermione responded, "He just needs to have some common sense."
"When?" Ron repeated incredulously.
"Yes, when," Hermione confirmed. "It would be rude not to sit with them at least once."
"It could also be deadly," Ron muttered.
Hermione glared, "I doubt that. They'll be in full view of the professors and other students the entire time."
"They're sneaky," Ron argued. "If anyone could pull off a murder with everyone watching it would be one of them. Especially if no one is there to watch Harry's back."
"They we'll just have to make sure that someone is there," Hermione retorted. "One of us will join him and the Slytherins for lunch."
"What? Oh no, not me," Ron stated emphatically. "Count me out. No way am I sitting with a bunch of snakes. Things like that is would ruin my appetite."
"Then I'll go myself," Hermione huffed.
"Uh…Hermione," Harry injected, "I don't know if that's a good idea."
"Why not?"
"Well, er, it's just…" Harry blushed.
"Well?" Hermione impatiently waited.
"You're muggleborn," Neville supplied.
"Yes, so?"
"We're talking about Slytherin. They might accept half-bloods, bloody hell, most of them follow one, but muggleborn…well, that's a different story," Ron said.
"If they want to show Harry that they are sincere, they shouldn't have a problem."
"The problem," Harry spoke up, "is that we don't know if they are sincere or even which ones might be. It could just be Millicent and one other person.
"They probably won't attack physically," Harry continued, "because as you said, we are in full view of the professors and the rest of the school, but verbally," Harry paused and shrugged, "well, who knows what they might say."
Hermione sulked, "Well, then, what are we going to do?" she finally asked. "You really shouldn't go alone."
"We'll figure it out later," Harry decided.
"I'll go," Neville and Ginny both offered at the same time.
Harry shrugged, "As I said, we'll figure it out later. For all we know, she might not ask again."
"Sir? Can I talk to you for a minute?" Harry asked after potions on Thursday.
"Is this going to be regular activity of yours?" Severus asked.
"Er, I don't think so," Harry answered, "I just need to talk to you about something."
"Again," Snape added.
"Again," Harry admitted sheepishly.
"And who did you bother before with all these questions?"
Harry shrugged, "Before all this," he said waving a hand between the two of them to indicate what he was referring to, "happened, I didn't have these questions. These situations are brought about because of recent discoveries."
"You don't say," Snape said in an acerbic tone.
"I do," Harry said forcefully. "It's because you're my father that things are changing."
Snape lifted an eyebrow showing his disbelief.
"Or should be changing," Harry added. After all, the last time he went to Snape it was because Snape hadn't changed even though Harry and his friends thought he would.
"Just say what it is you came to say and leave," Snape finally responded. "I'll try to offer whatever fatherly advice I can."
"I wouldn't have come to talk to you about this," Harry began, "but since it involves your Slytherins I thought you would be the best person to help."
Snape stood and walked around the room, "It is related to school, right?" he questioned. "I have no desire to hear about your love life."
Harry snorted, "That's funny, considering that's all you seemed to talk about over the summer."
"Since it was non-existent, I considered it a safe topic of conversation.'
The young Gryffindor frowned before deciding to ignore the previous comments and address the reason for his visit. "Some Slytherins invited me to join them for lunch yesterday."
"Who in particular?"
Harry shrugged, "Millicent actually issued the invitation, and she referenced that 'we' would ask again, but I don't really know who's involved in that 'we'."
"And they would ask again because you refused?"
"I wasn't rude about it or anything!" Harry defended himself. "I just had to talk with my friends at lunch about something."
"And what would be so important that it couldn't wait to be discussed with your friends at dinner?"
Harry blushed as he sheepishly replied, "I wanted their opinion regarding the invite."
"Yes, I can understand that," Snape drawled sarcastically, "After all, Gryffindors are known for their unbiased opinion of Slytherins."
Harry nodded, "And that's why I'm talking with you. We really don't know how sincere they are. Hermione suspects that they want to initiate a truce even though they didn't say that. Ron, however,"
"Let me guess, believes it's a trap to bring you to the Dark Lord?" Severus supplied.
"Actually, he thinks that they will poison my food," Harry admitted, "And partially as revenge against you for being a traitor."
"Even better," Snape responded, his tone indicating that he would not be affected in any way if that turned out to be true.
"Anyway, the whole point is that I'm not sure if it's safe. Millicent said that not all Slytherin's follow Vold-, er You-Kno-who and I'm sure that' true," Harry said with a pointed look at his father, "But that doesn't mean that they're not above lying to get me there or that the ones that do follow him won't try something.
"Of course, I don't think they'll be able to do much, what with all the professors and other students in the Great Hall as well. No that I think about it though, it would be easy enough to set up a distraction or lure some of the professors away.
"Then again, if they are sincere and want a truce, I doubt they'll take kindly to the idea that I am so suspicious and that I won't give them a straight answer. I could r-"
"Potter, stop," Snape ordered holding up a hand. "You are giving me a headache. Obviously you've thought about this," he drawled.
Harry nodded in agreement. "It's pretty much all I've been thinking about since lunch yesterday, which is why I'm talking to you about this now. The minute I enter the Great Hall, Millicent or someone might be there waiting for me, after all, she said that they would ask again. W-"
"Potter," Snape hissed in warning, rubbing his temples.
"Sorry," Harry sheepishly muttered, trying to remain silent. After a few seconds when Snape didn't talk, Harry continued, "Hermione thought that this could be what Hogwart's needed to create unity between all the houses. I would hate to mess it up by ignoring it or-"
"Potter!" Snape yelled, this time removing his wand. "If you can't keep quiet on your own, I know of a few spells that would help."
Harry nodded, this time not even opening his mouth to apologize. Somehow he didn't think Snape would use a silencing spell.
"Thank you," Snape sarcastically commented when Harry remained silent. "I don't see the harm in joining the Slytherins for lunch-"
"By myself?" Harry questioned before holding a hand over his mouth.
Snape glared at his son before waving his wand. With a soft 'pop' a tray of sandwiches and a glass of pumpkin juice appeared on the desk next to Harry. "I often find that food helps to silence teenagers," he drawled indicating that Harry should help himself. "I doubt you will be in need of a bodyguard," he continued. "Especially with both myself and the headmaster in attendance. The Bulstrodes were more light then dark during the last war, so I don't suspect anything untoward in her invitation."
Harry finished chewing and hesitantly raised his hand to ask a question. After receiving a nod from his father he said, "We, er, Hermione, Ron, N-"
"I believe I know who you mean," Snape drawled, "Just ask."
"Well, we thought it might be better to have someone come with me. To watch my back so to speak. Millicent might not have anything planned, but Mal-, er, someone else might."
Snape smirked at Harry's obvious correction, "If you are with someone when they ask, or if you have set plans for lunch with someone, by all means, ask the inviter if your friend could accompany you. In any other situation it would be rude to invite someone to join you when the invitation was just for yourself." Snape smirked, "Not to mention that it would seem a cowardly thing for a Gryffindor to do."
Harry snorted, "But no doubt smart and cunning for a Slytherin."
Snape inclined his head, indicating the truth in that statement, but otherwise didn't respond to Harry's comment.
They remained silent, the only sounds coming from the chewing of sandwiches and the slurping of pumpkin juice. After the last sandwich was eaten, Snape looked at Harry.
"Now, if that was all…" he remarked, waving a hand between Harry and the door.
"Yeah, that was all," Harry agreed as he stood up, gathered his belongings and headed to the door. When he reached the door, he turned back to find Snape once again reading the papers on his desk, softly he called out "and thanks, it did help," before exiting and heading to his next class, not noticing his father's head snap up with a look of surprise on his face from Harry's words.
"I can't believe you're going to do it," Ron commented again.
"Well, I am," Harry retorted, "At least…that is, if they do ask again."
"At least?" Ron repeated incredulously. "If you ask me, once is more than enough. Way more," he continued.
Harry shrugged, "If everything goes well-"
"You mean, if you're not poisoned, killed or taken to You-Know-Who," Ron injected.
"I don't see why I shouldn't go again if they invite me," Harry continued with a glare at Ron.
"They're Slytherins!" Ron repeated. "That should be enough of a reason not to join them the first time."
"I talked with Snape and he had some good advice to give," Harry said half pleading. "My minds made up about this, Ron," he continued firmly, "Nothing you can say will make me change it."
"Yeah, well," Ron snorted, "I still can't believe that you're taking his advice instead of mine."
END CHAPTER 36
Will Millicent ask HP to join them for lunch again?
Is it a plot to capture him? Or are other intentions behind it?
Will Ron forgive HP for taking his father's advice?
Will Snape begin to understand what it means to be a true father to Harry?
UPCOMING: (titles may change)
CHAPTER 37 MIXED EMOTIONS (very tentative title…will probably be used as the title for a later chapter, but can't come up with a better/different title for ch 37 right now)
7/7/08