Harry had gone up to the common room after leaving the hall but only for enough time to grab some parchment and leave a note to say where he was.
When he had stuck the note on the notice board he went down to the library and started to flick through a few books.
He spent the next hour doing this and taking notes until he felt someone coming up behind him, "Hello, Professor" he said, not looking up from the book in front of him.
"Potter" Snape said, sitting down across from him. He picked up one of the books on the table. Its cover said:
"The Ministry of Magic's Magical Laws"
"Planning on doing something illegal, Potter?" Snape asked.
Harry looked up at the Potions master. "Depends on what you see as illegal" he said. "What you doing here?"
"Shouldn't I be asking you that?"
Harry shrugged and said "Just bits of extracurricular activities." He smiled. "How are you?" he asked seriously.
Severus looked surprised for a moment. "Do you really care?"
Harry looked Snape in the eyes. "If I didn't care I wouldn't have asked."
Snape seemed to think his words through for a moment before answering. "I'm fine."
"Any side affects?"
"Like what?"
Harry shrugged. "Do you feel any different now then you did before?"
Severus shrugged and sat back on his bench lazily. Harry watched this and smiled. "What?" Snape asked.
Harry chuckled and shook his head. "Just never seen you so relaxed. It suits you."
Snape glared at Harry which only caused him to laugh harder. Severus tried to ignore him by picking up one of the other books that covered the table. Harry noticed and tried to grab the book before Snape could open it but the elder wizard was faster.
Severus looked at the cover of the book which read "Mastering Potions Addition 2"
"This is not even in your Potions curriculum for next year, or Seventh year either, for that matter."
"So? It's not like I'm doing Potions next year" Harry said, stacking up the pieces of parchment he had brought down with him.
"And what makes you think that, Potter?" Snape asked, sitting back in his chair. Harry stopped what he was doing and looked at the Potions master, frowning.
"I didn't get the mark I needed to continue with Potions."
Severus shook his head. "No you didn't" he said, then paused. "But you did show me that you're not as useless as I thought at the subject."
Harry stood looking at Snape in shock for a moment before saying anything. "I think that spell messed with your head a bit more then I thought it would."
Snape rolled his eyes, put the book back down and stood up. "You assume I'm a cold hearted bastard all the time."
"It's not like you've shown many people that you're not" Harry mumbled and started to tidy up his pieces of parchment.
Snape stopped and looked up at Harry. "What's that supposed to mean, Potter?" he spat.
"Never mind" Harry said, walking off to put the books back on the shelves.
Severus didn't follow him. Instead his attention was caught by the pieces of parchment Harry had piled on the table. He reached over, picked them up and started to flick through them. He was so engrossed in what was written on the paper that he didn't notice Ginny coming up to the table.
"Professor Snape?"
Severus looked up at her with a start. "Yes, Miss Weasley?" he asked rudely.
"Sorry to interrupt you, sir, but is Harry still here?" she asked.
Before Snape could answer Harry came up behind her. "Yeah, I was just about to leave though" he said, causing Ginny to jump. "Sorry" he said when she hit him in the chest.
"Potter" Snape said, causing both teens to look at him. "Come to my office." He handed Harry the rolls of parchment and walked out of the library before Harry could object.
Harry sighed and looked at Ginny who shrugged and took his hand, tugging him along after the Potions master. They followed him down into the dungeons and all the way until they reached his classroom.
When they stepped inside Snape told them to stay there. Ginny looked at Harry and the two of them sat down at the front desk. Harry put the parchment in front of him. "What's that?" Ginny asked and Harry pushed them over so she could read them.
Ginny looked up at Harry. "Will this work?" she asked.
"I don't know, I only just started looking into it" he said, shrugging his shoulders. Just then Snape walked in holding two books.
He walked over and stood in front of the table Harry and Ginny were at and put the books down. "I want both these books back in the same condition as they are now" he said, putting the books down.
Harry nodded and looked at the books. "What are they, sir?"
"Potions books, Potter."
Harry rolled his eyes. "I figured that myself" Harry said.
"You're getting quite cheeky, Potter" Snape spat.
"You always said I was cheeky" Harry shot back. "What are the books for, sir?" he asked.
Snape sighed, frustrated, and picked up the dark green covered book. "This is on Werewolf anatomy and everything they can and cannot take and what will kill them" he said, "and this book" he picked up the brown leather book, "is a book on every Potions ingredient there is in existence."
Harry frowned. "Why are you giving me these?" he asked.
"I want to see all the notes you do on this by Friday. Do not do anything other than research this before letting me or the headmaster know" he said sternly.
Harry sat in shock. "You're not going to try and stop me?" he asked after a minute.
"No, Potter."
"Why not?" Ginny interjected.
Snape glared at her then looked back at Harry. "Follow my instructions and I will help you if you need it" he said. "Now, it's late and the two of you should be heading back to you dorms."
They both nodded and stood up, Harry picking up the books, when there was a knock on the door. It opened and Madam Hooch walked in. She stopped when she saw Harry and Ginny. "Sorry, never mind" she said and turned and started to walk back out.
"No need to leave, Madam Hooch, we were just going" Harry said and Ginny nodded when Hooch looked at her. Harry turned to Snape. "I'll have as much as I can by Friday." Snape just nodded and both teens left the room bidding both teachers good night.
HP-HP-HP-HP-HP-HP-HP-
Harry and Ginny walked up to the common room hand in hand. When they walked through the portrait hole the first thing they heard was raised voices. Harry gave Ginny's hand a small squeeze before walking into the room.
The raised voices they could hear were Sirius, Molly, Bill, Charlie and Percy.
"She's a child!" Bill said.
"No she is not! And as I have told you all many times it is not your place to decide anything to do with Ginny!" Molly yelled at her eldest son.
No one had noticed Harry and Ginny walking in so Harry tugged on Ginny's hand and sat down in one of the chairs, pulling her onto his lap and whispering "Let's see what their argument is about, huh?" She just nodded.
"You're making a mistake by letting them date" Percy said. "Look at what happened in June!"
"That was not Harry's fault!" Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Ron and Hermione all said at once.
"It was our own choice to go!" Ron said.
"I can't believe your siding with them" Charlie said.
"And why shouldn't we?" asked Fred.
"Harry is a good person" George said.
"He'd never do anything to harm Ginny."
"Hell, look at what he did in her first year" Ron said. "He barely knew her and he saved her life."
Harry felt Ginny tense in his arms and he hugged her tightly.
"And Percy, you have no right to say anything" George said. "It's not like you cared very much last year."
"That's not fair, George, and you know it" said Bill.
"Just like it's not fair to blame Harry for what happened at the Ministry last year" Remus said.
"What if You Know Who finds out Harry and Ginny are seeing each other? Ginny will be a target." Charley asked
"Ginny is perfectly capable of taking care of herself" Molly said.
"And it's not like we're not all already targets" Arthur said "It's well known to the Death Eaters that we don't side with them and never will."
Sirius turned away from the argument and caught sight of Harry and Ginny. "How long have you two been sitting there?" he asked.
"A while" Harry said while Ginny just glared at her three eldest brothers before standing and saying she was going to bed. She kissed Harry on the cheek before giving her parents a hug and going up to the girls dorm closely followed by Hermione.
Harry stood up. "I'm turning in now as well" he said. "Night."
"Not even going to defend your side?" Charlie asked.
Harry stopped just at the bottom of the stairs leading to the boys' dorm and turned looking at the three elder Weasleys. "I have no need to defend my actions as they have nothing to do with you" he said before going up the stairs.
Not long after Harry had been in his room the door opened and Ron, the twins and Sirius walked in. "That was very grown-up, what you did Harry" Sirius said as he sat down on his godson's bed.
"Thanks, I think" he said.
Sirius smiled. "So, when are you going to tell Moony what happened to all his old robes?"
Harry smiled. "I don't know, but he seems to be getting more impatient to know what happened."
"You took Lupin's cloths?" Ron said.
Harry nodded.
"Yep and he also bought him the new ones" Sirius said.
"No I didn't, he did."
"With the money you put in his vault" Sirius said. "He won't spend it you know."
Harry nodded. "That's why I bought him new robes and stole his old ones" he smiled. "Oh" he pulled out something from his trunk and flung it at Ron. "Happy belated birthday or early Christmas."
"Huh?" Ron asked in confusion, looking from Harry to the package.
"Open it" Harry said. Ron shrugged and ripped it open.
Ron looked up at Harry, eyes wide while the twins jumped onto Ron's bed. "What is it?" they said together. Ron didn't say anything, just looked at his friend.
"It's his own vault key for his own vault" Harry said.
"But why?"
"I told you, it's a belated Birthday or early Christmas present" Harry said.
"Is there anything in it?" George asked hungrily.
Harry nodded. "Yeah, just a small bit to start with."
Ron's mouth dropped. "How much is a small bit?" he asked.
"A quarter of what I gained from the twins' shop since signing the contract" he smiled.
"Where are the other three quarters?" Fred asked.
"Remus, Hermione and Ginny but don't tell them, it's going to be part of Ginny's birthday present and same for Hermione."
"And Lupin?"
"He doesn't know how to tell him yet" Sirius said. "Come on you lot, it's late and some of us have to go to the Ministry in the morning." He nudged Harry, who nodded. The twins and Sirius left and Harry and Ron got ready for bed.
When they were both lying there Ron spoke. "Thanks Harry" he said. "You didn't have to."
Harry looked over at Ron. "Trust me, I owe you and your family a great deal more than money can buy" he said. "Good night Ron."
"Night Harry."
TBC…