In the morning when he had to leave for DADA, Harry left his laptop open by Matthew's bed for him to find when he woke up. Before Harry had gone to sleep a few hours previously, he had added a new account to the laptop just for Matthew's personal use. Hopefully it would distract the boy some until Harry got back that afternoon.
At the end of the day's classes, everyone in the Sixth Year Ravenclaw and Gryffindor class was buzzing with excitement of the weekend; all except for Roger. He stayed behind as the rest of the students cleared out.
"Sir?" he asked, walking up to Harry. "Do you know where Matthew is?"
Harry set down the book he had been rifling through. The only other person in the room was Snape, who was at his desk a few yards away, grading papers within hearing distance.
"I must ask you not to tell anyone else without Matthew's permission," Harry said. "And I am only telling you because you are close to him."
Roger nodded seriously.
"Both of his parents were killed in a car accident yesterday evening," Harry began. Roger's eyes had gone wide. "He is staying in my quarters for the time-being. Right now I do not think he wishes to talk with anyone, but tomorrow night I would like for you to visit him. Can you do that?"
Roger nodded again with a determined gleam in his dark eyes. "Yes, sir. Just come get me in my Common Room when it's time."
"I will. Thank you," Harry said, and Roger left just as the other students had for Dinner.
Harry sighed and turned to face Snape. The man looked suspiciously preoccupied.
"Sir?"
There was silence for a few seconds before Snape answered, eyes never leaving the parchment he was enthusiastically slashing biting remarks onto in red ink.
"If you are talking to me, I cannot hear you."
Harry's brow furrowed. What? Then he saw the two barely-noticeable black cords trailing from beneath Snape's hair and down over his chest, disappearing into a robe pocket. He was listening to the iPod.
Harry grinned as he left for the Kitchens to get Dinner for himself and Matthew.
x
Matthew had not moved from his bed, but Harry knew he had touched the laptop because it was sitting in a different position than he had left it in. He set down the food in front of him, but Matthew barely ate anything.
"Are you finished?" Harry asked. Matthew nodded silently, and Harry picked up the tray. "I will be out in the main room if you need me."
The rest of Friday and most of Saturday was almost depressing for Harry. Matthew was glummer than he'd ever seen him, and all Harry could do was bring him meals, offer to play Muggle games that Matthew refused, and work on his Lesson Plan. He'd gotten a fair amount of it drafted and had just lit the lamps to compensate for the disappearing sun when Hermione burst in through the Portrait hole.
"I can't take it," she said in a creepily calm voice. "It's too gloomy in this castle right now. We're going to The Phoenix Nest."
x
Severus Snape was calmly walking along a torch-lit hallway when something very unexpected happened.
Harry Potter appeared from around the corner of the end of the hallway Snape was walking down, and ran towards him. As he got closer Snape could see that there was a panicked expression on Potter's face, and all the far-fetched and horrific possibilities flashed through his brain.
"Potter, what are you—?"
But Potter had run straight past him, and was half-way to the other end of the hallway as he called back, "Sorry sir! Now's not a good time!"
Potter was just nearing the corner when an equally-rushed Hermione Granger emerged from where Potter had appeared a moment ago. The expression of horror intensified on Potter's face and he ran full-out, disappearing around the wall. Granger sprinted right past Snape without even bothering to say what was going on, though he noticed the look on her face seemed abnormally aggressive. As she too disappeared around the wall at the far end of the corridor, Snape heard her yell, "HARRY JAMES POTTER, I DON'T CARE IF I HAVE TO STUN YOU! YOU WILL WEAR TIGHT PANTS THAT ACCENTUATE YOUR ASS!"
There was a simultaneous high-pitched scream and flash of red light, then silence. The entire time, Snape stood there motionless.
After a moment, a floating and Stunned Harry Potter reappeared from around the corner, advancing in Snape's direction and closely followed by Granger. As she passed she greeted cheerfully, "Hello, Professor. We hope to see you at The Phoenix Nest tonight."
Once they had vanished back down the corridor, a singular thought floated through Snape's head.
"Note to self: Never give Granger a reason to be angry with you."