A/N: Thanks for the good reviews!!! (-:
I hope you will write one for this chapter, too! Please tell me what you think!
The third chapter will be longer, I promise!
Chapter 2
Several Snape led Harry Potter down into the dungeons. The young wizard had only been in Snape's classroom until then but now they went into the professor's private rooms.
He didn't know what to think about spending four weeks together with his least favorite teacher. Of course he was more than glad that he was away from his uncle and aunt but on the other hand he didn't know if Snape would be any better. Well, at least he had seemed to be pretty disgusted as he had come in to realize what had been done to Harry. No, it absolutely couldn't come worse, not even with Snape.
After causing a painting of a black horse to open by muttering a word Harry couldn't understand the potion master opened a heavy wooden door in which magical symbols had been carved with great care. Then the two of them entered a room with glasses standing around everywhere, in some of them swam strange creatures Harry couldn't name. There was a book shelf with hundrets of books, to the boy's surprise there weren't only books about potions but also some books about magic in general and even a few novels. There were three doors which led to other rooms. In front of the fire place there was a sofa and an armchair, both in dark blue. Even though everything looked pretty dark it wasn't uncomfortable at all. The only thing Harry would have to get used to were the things swimming around in the glasses for most of them looked very, very ugly.
Snape walked towards a door, opened it and stepped aside to let Harry enter. It was a bedroom. In the centre of it there was a big bed with dark red sheets, in a corner the student could see a desk and a chair, a small fire place was there as well. That was so much better than his old room!
"You think you can endure living here for a few weeks, Potter?" A cold voice came from behind.
"Of course, thank you, sir!"
The potion master placed Harry's baggage on the ground in his room and turned around again. "I will go to mix a potion that will help you to heal faster. You can stay in here or in the living room, just keep out of my room." He gestured to one of the two other doors. "The bathroom is in here." His finger wandered over to the last door. "If you are interested in one of the books just take it. But handle them carefully and put them back from where you got them as soon as you are finished. Oh, and before I forget it - as soon as you feel better you will want to get out. The gardens, or where ever you want. The password to come through the painting is 'Slytherin'. Before you say anything: Yes, I know that it's not very creative, but on the other hand, who would think of something as simple as this?"
Before Harry could say anything the man was gone.
The boy sighed and walked over to the book shelf too take a closer look on the books. All of them where bound in leather and some looked very old. 'Probably pretty expensive', Harry thought to himself as he placed it back into the shelf. Finally he found something interesting and settled on the sofa. The armchair probably was Snape's place.
The young wizard sighed for still every muscle in his entire body hurt like hell. He really hoped that the potion his teacher was making would help. As good as he could he tried to concentrate on the book.
To his surprise it was pretty good. He had never expected Snape to have a good taste but he obviously had. It was a crime story which had wizards and witches as the main characters. Harry really liked it and quickly forgot everything around him.
******
Snape walked over to the classroom for all the things he needed for the potion were there.
He carried everything over to the table and started to mix it. It took him some time to finish it and so he had a few moments to think about what had happened.
Of course everybody in Hogwarts had known that those Muggels Potter had been living with weren't too nice to the boy - but nobody could have imagined that it had been so bad! Something in Harry's eyes had told him that this hadn't been the first beating. No, not at all.
Severus sighed. All this reminded him so much of his own past, his childhood. And that was something he really didn't like to think of. His father, his mother... 'No! Don't, just forget all about it", he told himself desperately. Something he had done for years, unfortunately without any success.
But now he had to worry about the boy who was waiting for him right now, probably still in pain. Oh yes, the pain. He remembered it all too well! Lying awake all night, hoping in vain that it would fade...
He shook his head and banished those thoughts from his mind. After nearly 45 minutes he had finished the potion and quickly returned to his rooms.
The heavy door flew open without making a sound and Snape looked around. Harry was sitting on the sofa and read a book. Still the dark bruises were obvious on his skin and the potion master had to hold back a sigh.
He walked in and cleared his throat for Harry to hear him. The young wizard turned around and lay the book aside.
Severus sat down next to him on the sofa and handed him the glass with the healing potion inside. "Drink this, I know it tastes bitter but you will feel better afterwards."
Harry nodded his thanks, took the glass from his teacher and took a sip. Snape hadn't lied at all, it tasted terrible! He took a deep breath and then he swallowed all at once - and regretted it immediatly. It felt as if he would never be able to get rid of that taste again. Even though he didn't want it he grimaced. Suddenly a slender hand appeared in front of his face, it held a glass of water. At least Harry hoped that it was water, not one more bitter-tasting potion.
The professor watched carefully how his student drank the potion he had mixed for him and saw how the boy grimaced afterwards. Yes, he knew out of own experience how bad it tasted, but he also knew that it really helped. And since Madam Pomfrey wasn't there either they didn't have much choice. Anyway, Snape stood up, filled a glass with water and handed it to Potter. After drinking it he seemed to feel better. Severus took the now empty glass back.
"Thank you, sir", Harry said in a very low voice. He still didn't know what to think about all this. Of course he was more than grateful that Snape had brought him here but after all he wasn't his favorite student. And he also didn't seem to be too happy about the current situation. Probably he hated having him here.
"You're welcome. You should go to bed now. You must be tired and you need rest. The potion will work better then." There were no emotions in the potion master's voice but there was nothing of the usual hate in his voice or eyes either. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to stay here after all.
"Yes, sir. I'm very grateful that you let me stay here, really. Goodnight." With that he turned to leave.
Harry was surprised to hear Snape's voice behind him as he walked towards the guest room. "Goodnight, Potter."
TBC
I hope you will write one for this chapter, too! Please tell me what you think!
The third chapter will be longer, I promise!
Chapter 2
Several Snape led Harry Potter down into the dungeons. The young wizard had only been in Snape's classroom until then but now they went into the professor's private rooms.
He didn't know what to think about spending four weeks together with his least favorite teacher. Of course he was more than glad that he was away from his uncle and aunt but on the other hand he didn't know if Snape would be any better. Well, at least he had seemed to be pretty disgusted as he had come in to realize what had been done to Harry. No, it absolutely couldn't come worse, not even with Snape.
After causing a painting of a black horse to open by muttering a word Harry couldn't understand the potion master opened a heavy wooden door in which magical symbols had been carved with great care. Then the two of them entered a room with glasses standing around everywhere, in some of them swam strange creatures Harry couldn't name. There was a book shelf with hundrets of books, to the boy's surprise there weren't only books about potions but also some books about magic in general and even a few novels. There were three doors which led to other rooms. In front of the fire place there was a sofa and an armchair, both in dark blue. Even though everything looked pretty dark it wasn't uncomfortable at all. The only thing Harry would have to get used to were the things swimming around in the glasses for most of them looked very, very ugly.
Snape walked towards a door, opened it and stepped aside to let Harry enter. It was a bedroom. In the centre of it there was a big bed with dark red sheets, in a corner the student could see a desk and a chair, a small fire place was there as well. That was so much better than his old room!
"You think you can endure living here for a few weeks, Potter?" A cold voice came from behind.
"Of course, thank you, sir!"
The potion master placed Harry's baggage on the ground in his room and turned around again. "I will go to mix a potion that will help you to heal faster. You can stay in here or in the living room, just keep out of my room." He gestured to one of the two other doors. "The bathroom is in here." His finger wandered over to the last door. "If you are interested in one of the books just take it. But handle them carefully and put them back from where you got them as soon as you are finished. Oh, and before I forget it - as soon as you feel better you will want to get out. The gardens, or where ever you want. The password to come through the painting is 'Slytherin'. Before you say anything: Yes, I know that it's not very creative, but on the other hand, who would think of something as simple as this?"
Before Harry could say anything the man was gone.
The boy sighed and walked over to the book shelf too take a closer look on the books. All of them where bound in leather and some looked very old. 'Probably pretty expensive', Harry thought to himself as he placed it back into the shelf. Finally he found something interesting and settled on the sofa. The armchair probably was Snape's place.
The young wizard sighed for still every muscle in his entire body hurt like hell. He really hoped that the potion his teacher was making would help. As good as he could he tried to concentrate on the book.
To his surprise it was pretty good. He had never expected Snape to have a good taste but he obviously had. It was a crime story which had wizards and witches as the main characters. Harry really liked it and quickly forgot everything around him.
******
Snape walked over to the classroom for all the things he needed for the potion were there.
He carried everything over to the table and started to mix it. It took him some time to finish it and so he had a few moments to think about what had happened.
Of course everybody in Hogwarts had known that those Muggels Potter had been living with weren't too nice to the boy - but nobody could have imagined that it had been so bad! Something in Harry's eyes had told him that this hadn't been the first beating. No, not at all.
Severus sighed. All this reminded him so much of his own past, his childhood. And that was something he really didn't like to think of. His father, his mother... 'No! Don't, just forget all about it", he told himself desperately. Something he had done for years, unfortunately without any success.
But now he had to worry about the boy who was waiting for him right now, probably still in pain. Oh yes, the pain. He remembered it all too well! Lying awake all night, hoping in vain that it would fade...
He shook his head and banished those thoughts from his mind. After nearly 45 minutes he had finished the potion and quickly returned to his rooms.
The heavy door flew open without making a sound and Snape looked around. Harry was sitting on the sofa and read a book. Still the dark bruises were obvious on his skin and the potion master had to hold back a sigh.
He walked in and cleared his throat for Harry to hear him. The young wizard turned around and lay the book aside.
Severus sat down next to him on the sofa and handed him the glass with the healing potion inside. "Drink this, I know it tastes bitter but you will feel better afterwards."
Harry nodded his thanks, took the glass from his teacher and took a sip. Snape hadn't lied at all, it tasted terrible! He took a deep breath and then he swallowed all at once - and regretted it immediatly. It felt as if he would never be able to get rid of that taste again. Even though he didn't want it he grimaced. Suddenly a slender hand appeared in front of his face, it held a glass of water. At least Harry hoped that it was water, not one more bitter-tasting potion.
The professor watched carefully how his student drank the potion he had mixed for him and saw how the boy grimaced afterwards. Yes, he knew out of own experience how bad it tasted, but he also knew that it really helped. And since Madam Pomfrey wasn't there either they didn't have much choice. Anyway, Snape stood up, filled a glass with water and handed it to Potter. After drinking it he seemed to feel better. Severus took the now empty glass back.
"Thank you, sir", Harry said in a very low voice. He still didn't know what to think about all this. Of course he was more than grateful that Snape had brought him here but after all he wasn't his favorite student. And he also didn't seem to be too happy about the current situation. Probably he hated having him here.
"You're welcome. You should go to bed now. You must be tired and you need rest. The potion will work better then." There were no emotions in the potion master's voice but there was nothing of the usual hate in his voice or eyes either. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to stay here after all.
"Yes, sir. I'm very grateful that you let me stay here, really. Goodnight." With that he turned to leave.
Harry was surprised to hear Snape's voice behind him as he walked towards the guest room. "Goodnight, Potter."
TBC