Severus made his way to the seventh floor corridor, where the blasted wall to the room of requirements was being guarded by the Slytherin prefect Draco Malfoy. Draco narrowed his eyes when he saw him but Severus approached nonetheless.

"You saw how the new headmistress treats Potter, did you not?" He asked. Draco's eyes flickered with curiosity at his tone of voice. "Perhaps Potter will appreciate if the governors intercept some of Umbridge's authority before his friends are punished." He said. The boy looked up and down the corridor before turning back to him.

"My father would not…" Doubt filled his expression.

"For him? Your father would do anything. He will be pleased if you could get even closer to Potter." He pretended he didn't know that Potter was fully aware, and the blonde boy, more skilled than Severus gave him credit for, did not admit to that flaw in the Dark Lord's plan.

"Thank you Professor… I will send that letter tonight." He said. Severus didn't acknowledge the response and turned to leave. If he knew the Malfoys, a conversation with the governors was the least of Umbridge's worries.

When he returned to his rooms Salazar turned to him. "You better get in here. The boy is kicking up quite the fuss." The aristocrat said crossly. Severus frowned. What on earth could Potter possibly be doing? He entered into his quarters to find Potter turning his head in his sleep, tears forming in between his lashes. He reached to shake him awake.

"No…"

Severus blinked in surprise and paused before reaching him, not having expected the teen to talk. He did not wake up. "Wake up, Potter." He called shaking him softly. He should have given him a dreamless sleep potion.

oOoOoOo oOoOoOo oOoOoOo

Harry ran, he kept running and running. He couldn't let him reach him.

"Harry…" Came the whisper.

"No! Leave me alone!" Harry yelled and stopped turning to stand his ground. He instantly regretted it. A blinding darkness enveloped him. It made it hard to breathe. He was drowning.

"Potter!" Harry gasped as he opened his eyes, his breathing out of control as he tried to remember where he was. His sore back and aching wrists served to remind him of the night before.

Filch was whipping him… and Snape stopped him. Snape brought him over to his rooms, practically dragging him since Harry's legs had shaken so much. He tended to his wounds… yet again.

"Professor…" Harry mumbled starting to breathe more evenly. Snape's frown was not the usual of annoyance. Not now that Harry could tell his expressions apart. It was concern. It made the unease melt into a warm feeling in his stomach that made even his sore back irrelevant. He groaned as he sat up, unable to lie back down.

"Was it the Dark Lord?" Snape asked. Harry shook his head.

"No… just a normal nightmare…" He said softly. "I'm so tired…"

"Can you get back to sleep?" Harry shook his head and the potions master sighed. "Are you hungry?" he asked. He could go for something sweet right now. Still, he didn't want to demand anything from the man. He shrugged. "I'll take that as a yes. You will have to learn to communicate a bit more effectively, Potter." Harry watched him go off, complaining about his communication skills, all while he ordered something from the kitchens.

He tried to make sense of the man. He thought of all the times in the past when they both mutually despised each other. Had he forgiven him for that unfair treatment in the first few years? No. But he was no longer bitter about it. He'd learned over and over again that there were no perfect people in the world. No black and white. Everything was a murky grey. From the Malfoys to Dumbledore.

And although he still acknowledged the potions master's flaws… he valued the other's support much more than those bitter memories. "Thank you."

Snape paused as he poured them the tea the house-elf had just brought. Harry realised that he had interrupted his rant. "So you have said." He finished pouring the drinks.

Harry pondered for a second if the other found it hard to accept gratitude because he didn't receive it often. That's what Harry had done at first after all. Sometimes he still did it. "Seems like you've patched me up more times than Madam Pomfrey has had to in the last five years." He said sitting up with a groan.

"Take it easy Potter…" Snape said.

"I'm fine…" He said softly. "What did you do to Filch?" He asked.

"I simply stunned him. He had no right taking out his messed up fantasy on you."

"He wouldn't be the first guy to do that…" Harry mumbled remembering the sickening memories that Filch had brought to his mind.

"Blast… my wording was inappropriate, Potter."

Harry looked up and saw the man distractedly putting some sandwiches onto a plate. It seemed like he was avoiding looking up at him. "Doesn't make it untrue…" He whispered. Suddenly he wanted to tell the other everything. He wanted the other to re-assure him. To tell him it wasn't his fault. To tell him he was still normal. Instead, a far more pressing fear came out. "What's Voldemort going to do to me if he finds out about that?" He whispered taking the cup of tea the other offered him.

"…Don't worry about those things, Potter. Professor Dumbledore is doing everything he can to protect you and make sure the Dark Lord doesn't get to you." Snape said tense. He wondered if the other had considered that. Harry felt awkwardness settling in and decided to change the topic.

"Professor… what's so appealing about the dark arts?" Snape looked up at him then, with well concealed alarm, but alarm none the less. "I'm curious."

"Do not be curious about such things. The dark arts are addictive." He warned him.

"I've heard that. But I was thinking… the dark lord knows so much about an entire branch of magic that I know close to nothing about. Maybe I should learn a bit a-"

"Are you out of your mind Potter?" Snape hissed.

"If I knew exactly what the dark arts are… maybe I would be more prepared to reject them when Voldemort tries to tempt me with them."

"Stop saying his name!" Harry did not apologise and kept eye contact with him showing he was not going to back down from this.

"Am I that weak that I can't even learn about them from you? How will I stand up to him when he offers?" He asked. Snape stood and paced his rooms for a good minute, glancing at him every few steps, trying to settle an intense argument that was probably going on in his head.

"I will give you a general description of the nature of dark magic." Snape finally said and sighed. He sat down in the single chair, turning it to face him more. Harry sipped his tea, unable to believe the other actually accepted.

"The dark arts have very many branches, they are… rustic, ancient. It is wild magic that can grant you anything. They can entice you and lure you in and never let go." He said. "They're used to hurt, manipulate and kill. As you can see from the three main illegal examples… but in between there are too many variations to be able to learn them all. So you start learning some things, and you get better quickly, more powerful. And you want more. You want to see how far you can go. However our bodies are not made to hold such… raw energy." Snape explained. He was tense, and from the way he spoke Harry wondered if he too had been enticed once.

"If there's so many variations… how can I stand a chance against someone who's spent his whole life experimenting with dark magic?" He whispered.

"That is why there are many people investing their time and energy to ensure you stay safe." He said simply.

"And yet I find myself in his clutches almost every year." He chuckled and shrugged. "Except this year I feel like I'm just going to go crazy."

"A lot of things have happened this year, mister Potter."

The silence stretched slightly and Harry looked up again. "I've had dreams… I haven't allowed them voluntarily… but I've had dreams… where I can see the meetings… sometimes I'm Nagini… sometimes I'm him." Snape narrowed his eyes slightly at this.

"Does it feel like he's aware of your connection?" He asked.

"I had a dream where he spoke to me. He said he understood me… that we could be on the same side." He whispered looking at his hands. "Is he able to convince me? By manipulating me?" He asked.

"I think you are smart enough to understand the consequences of joining his side."

"…You called me smart." He chuckled.

"Well, do not get used to it, your potions work leaves much to be desired still."

"Yes… I know sir." He said and tried to stifle a yawn.

"I will get you a pain relieving potion so you can get back to sleep. Come morning your wounds will be healed." He said.

"And then Umbridge will be furious that I got out of it easy…" he mumbled.

"Come morning, she will have many more things of higher importance to worry about." Snape reassured him. Harry wondered what the other had done. But whatever it was, just like a few hours ago… he prayed the other wouldn't get caught.