Under normal circumstances, Snape's return to the dungeon would have been
great for him. These were not normal circumstances.
He crouched in the corner of the Potions classroom as Snape came in. He knew Snape couldn't see him, but he still felt awkward. He watched as Snape sat down behind his desk and pulled out a roll of parchment.
So Harry sat under the cloak, reading the fifth year potions book while Snape sat writing a letter. Harry noticed that he wasn't that bad when he wasn't staring down over a cauldron. Of course, it helped that Snape didn't know he was there.
When the wizard finished his letter, he whistled, and a black owl flew in. Harry smiled. Was everything the man owned black? The owl accepted the letter and took off for the Ministry.
He stood, striding out of the room. Harry followed casting a Silence Spell on his feet, and slipped out after the professor. He ran by Snape, who didn't even notice him, and retrieved his broom. Quickly, he dashed back to Gryffindor tower. He uncloaked as he approached the portrait hole.
When the Fat Lady saw him, she cried out and alerted Violet, who had temporarily moved into her frame.
"Violet dear, please go inform Ms. Snape that Harry has returned." Violet smiled and dashed off to find the intern professor. Harry smiled sheepishly as the Fat Lady reprimanded him.
"You had us all worried about you. All the professors are searching for you."
"Not all," came a silky voice from behind him. He closed his eyes, knowing it was Snape. Slowly, he turned, facing his potions professor. "Where were you Potter?"
Harry looked him straight in the eye, not faltering. "I was above the enchantment in the Great Hall," he said guiltily.
Snape pursed his lips, but didn't countermand him. "Why?" His eyes flickered down to the book he was holding; he was fairly surprised to see a fifth year potions text in his hand, next to his cloak.
"Why?" he felt the anger rise up in him again, and Snape noticed it. "Because I wanted to be left alone, and no one was going to do that. Sir," he added hastily.
At that moment, practically the entire faculty charged down the corridor. With a choruses of "Where were you's" and "What were you thinking's" he managed a meek retelling of his alibi and reasoning.
Dumbledore, seeing Harry was still upset, urged the others to leave him alone. Soon, the only ones in the hall were the Headmaster, McGonagall, Snape, and Harry.
"Really, Mr. Potter, you had us all out and about for nothing." He toed the floor and apologized to Professor McGonagall, then to the Headmaster, who merely shook his head.
"Next time you wish to be left alone, come to me. You can use the Conference Hall to think things over."
"Yes, sir. I will sir." The three professors turned to leave, but Snape turned back and addressed him quietly.
"Potter, if you ever lie to me again, I will have you expelled." And he left, leaving Harry extremely baffled. He also felt relieved that no one had taken points from Gryffindor.
He turned back to the Fat Lady, "Dragon Scales," and she swung aside. Ron and Hermione were sitting on the couch. Ron had been reading his Quidditch World Cup Review, and Hermione had fallen asleep on him. He had one arm wrapped around her, and she had leaned into his chest. Harry smiled as he entered.
"About time Ron," was all he said. Ron wanted to jump up, but decided against jostling Hermione.
"Where have you been Harry?" At the sound of his name, Hermione jumped up.
"Harry! Where on earth have you been?" He laughed and Ron patted her on the back.
"I was above the enchantment in the Great Hall," he explained for the third time. He didn't even want his friends to know that he'd spent the last hour or so with Snape. He tossed the potions book back at Hermione, but she wasn't fully awake and it hit her square in the chest, knocking her over.
"'Mione!" Ron knelt down beside her. She had one hand on her sternum, and he placed his over hers. Harry's face was red as he watched them.
"Are you alright Herm? I really didn't mean -"
"I'm okay. It just knocked the wind out of me." She smiled and Ron stood, offering a hand to help her up. She grabbed it and he lifted her easily.
Immediately, she regretted standing, and a wave of dizziness washed over her. Ron wrapped his arm protectively around her, and she leaned into him.
"I think I'm going to bed," she took the book, which Harry was holding out for her. Ron kissed her on the head and she made her way up the stairs. Harry smiled and turned to Ron.
"What?" he asked accusingly.
"When did you to get together?" Ron's face went as red as his hair.
"Well, when you went missing, she started crying. You're like her best friend; she told me. At first, I just placed my arm on her shoulder, then she leaned in and I wrapped my arms around her. I guess we both just knew."
Harry rolled his eyes, "How come every time I go missing, a couple gets together?"
Ron laughed, remembering how Ginny and Colin started. "It's you mate. It's gotta be you." It felt good to laugh again, but then he remembered why he wasn't laughing in the first place. He face fell and he clapped Ron on the shoulder.
"As I said, it's about time. Let's go to bed." They trudged up the stairs and Harry fell asleep, dreaming about how things should have been.
He crouched in the corner of the Potions classroom as Snape came in. He knew Snape couldn't see him, but he still felt awkward. He watched as Snape sat down behind his desk and pulled out a roll of parchment.
So Harry sat under the cloak, reading the fifth year potions book while Snape sat writing a letter. Harry noticed that he wasn't that bad when he wasn't staring down over a cauldron. Of course, it helped that Snape didn't know he was there.
When the wizard finished his letter, he whistled, and a black owl flew in. Harry smiled. Was everything the man owned black? The owl accepted the letter and took off for the Ministry.
He stood, striding out of the room. Harry followed casting a Silence Spell on his feet, and slipped out after the professor. He ran by Snape, who didn't even notice him, and retrieved his broom. Quickly, he dashed back to Gryffindor tower. He uncloaked as he approached the portrait hole.
When the Fat Lady saw him, she cried out and alerted Violet, who had temporarily moved into her frame.
"Violet dear, please go inform Ms. Snape that Harry has returned." Violet smiled and dashed off to find the intern professor. Harry smiled sheepishly as the Fat Lady reprimanded him.
"You had us all worried about you. All the professors are searching for you."
"Not all," came a silky voice from behind him. He closed his eyes, knowing it was Snape. Slowly, he turned, facing his potions professor. "Where were you Potter?"
Harry looked him straight in the eye, not faltering. "I was above the enchantment in the Great Hall," he said guiltily.
Snape pursed his lips, but didn't countermand him. "Why?" His eyes flickered down to the book he was holding; he was fairly surprised to see a fifth year potions text in his hand, next to his cloak.
"Why?" he felt the anger rise up in him again, and Snape noticed it. "Because I wanted to be left alone, and no one was going to do that. Sir," he added hastily.
At that moment, practically the entire faculty charged down the corridor. With a choruses of "Where were you's" and "What were you thinking's" he managed a meek retelling of his alibi and reasoning.
Dumbledore, seeing Harry was still upset, urged the others to leave him alone. Soon, the only ones in the hall were the Headmaster, McGonagall, Snape, and Harry.
"Really, Mr. Potter, you had us all out and about for nothing." He toed the floor and apologized to Professor McGonagall, then to the Headmaster, who merely shook his head.
"Next time you wish to be left alone, come to me. You can use the Conference Hall to think things over."
"Yes, sir. I will sir." The three professors turned to leave, but Snape turned back and addressed him quietly.
"Potter, if you ever lie to me again, I will have you expelled." And he left, leaving Harry extremely baffled. He also felt relieved that no one had taken points from Gryffindor.
He turned back to the Fat Lady, "Dragon Scales," and she swung aside. Ron and Hermione were sitting on the couch. Ron had been reading his Quidditch World Cup Review, and Hermione had fallen asleep on him. He had one arm wrapped around her, and she had leaned into his chest. Harry smiled as he entered.
"About time Ron," was all he said. Ron wanted to jump up, but decided against jostling Hermione.
"Where have you been Harry?" At the sound of his name, Hermione jumped up.
"Harry! Where on earth have you been?" He laughed and Ron patted her on the back.
"I was above the enchantment in the Great Hall," he explained for the third time. He didn't even want his friends to know that he'd spent the last hour or so with Snape. He tossed the potions book back at Hermione, but she wasn't fully awake and it hit her square in the chest, knocking her over.
"'Mione!" Ron knelt down beside her. She had one hand on her sternum, and he placed his over hers. Harry's face was red as he watched them.
"Are you alright Herm? I really didn't mean -"
"I'm okay. It just knocked the wind out of me." She smiled and Ron stood, offering a hand to help her up. She grabbed it and he lifted her easily.
Immediately, she regretted standing, and a wave of dizziness washed over her. Ron wrapped his arm protectively around her, and she leaned into him.
"I think I'm going to bed," she took the book, which Harry was holding out for her. Ron kissed her on the head and she made her way up the stairs. Harry smiled and turned to Ron.
"What?" he asked accusingly.
"When did you to get together?" Ron's face went as red as his hair.
"Well, when you went missing, she started crying. You're like her best friend; she told me. At first, I just placed my arm on her shoulder, then she leaned in and I wrapped my arms around her. I guess we both just knew."
Harry rolled his eyes, "How come every time I go missing, a couple gets together?"
Ron laughed, remembering how Ginny and Colin started. "It's you mate. It's gotta be you." It felt good to laugh again, but then he remembered why he wasn't laughing in the first place. He face fell and he clapped Ron on the shoulder.
"As I said, it's about time. Let's go to bed." They trudged up the stairs and Harry fell asleep, dreaming about how things should have been.