The next morning, Harry got up and started towards the Great Hall. He had just come down the staircase when he turned a corner and suddenly found himself face-to-face with Snape.

"Follow me."

"But, I…" Harry started.

"Potter," Snape's voice was cold and commanding, "I said to come with me. Don't make me ask again." He started off with a brisk pace towards his office.

Harry had been there several times before, and each time filled him with more and more dread. He couldn't imagine what Snape wanted him for. After all, wasn't he on the same side? Weren't they supposed to be working together?

"Sit." He did. Snape started in, walking around the room with his hands clasped behind his back. "There are some here who find you extraordinary. There are some who think that you are amazing and that you are a valuable asset. Let me assure you that I, for one, am not of the same opinion, nor will ever be. I do not agree with the way that Dumbledore insists that you know things or that you are involved in our endeavor. You are most likely to expose us and to thwart our plans. You know this important information when other, more capable students are kept in the dark. I do not agree with this, and I certainly will not tolerate any behavior from you that proves that you might jeopardize our strategy. We are on the same side, Potter, but that does not mean that I like you. If I hear you mention a word of this to any of your dear little friends, I will come down on you so hard and so fast that you won't know what hit you. Is that clear?" The condescension and sharpness of the tone of Snape's voice stung Harry's pride awake.

"I didn't ask for any of this. This has just been flung on me without giving me any kind of option. I didn't choose for Voldemort to target me. I didn't choose to become involved. It just happened! I never asked for special treatment or to know these things or to have a protector for my entire life. It wasn't my idea or my choice! How can you…"

"Silence!" Snape roared. "How dare you raise your voice to me. I'm still your professor, and you still need to treat me with respect. Don't push me too far, Potter, or you'll regret it." Harry relaxed visibly, and gestured for Snape to continue. "Yes. Well, as you are now the new superstudent who has the privilege of working with us and knowing our secrets, I think that you need some extra responsibilities. So, I've taken the liberty of putting together some Defense Against the Dark Arts material for you. As I have been made aware of what your previous teachers consider amazing progress, I have put together some additional lessons to those that Professor Figg will teach this year. Each week, you will meet with me, alone, and we will work on things one-on-one. I have talked to Professor Dumbledore about this, and he thinks that it is a wonderful idea." His expression turned from one sarcasm to a dark smirk. "Of course, my standards will be higher and the penalties for late or sloppy work as well as any sign in or out of class of disrespect will be much greater. However, I suspect you should have no problem with that Potter, from the high esteem that everyone here has for you. I expect you eight o'clock sharp every Thursday evening, starting tomorrow. You are dismissed."

"But, Professor Snape, I…"

"Was I not clear? I said you were dismissed!" Snape thundered, and Harry hurried out of the room.