I do not own any of this!

Chapter 11

The day before the beginning of term dawned clear skied and warm, and Harry was woken not by the hammering on his door, but by the sunlight streaming though the slit windows set high in the stone walls of his room. Despite it being a good deal earlier than usual, Harry rose quickly and dressed, an idea having struck him in the moment of wakening. Walking through the hall, he was surprised to be met by his mentor. Harry bowed briefly.

'My lord, I was wondering if I could be allowed to go and have a fly outside. I would be back in time for breakfast.'

Snape raised his eyebrows, looking at the broom clutched tightly in Harry hand. Though he had not intention of refusing to give his permission, he decided to string his apprentice along a little.

'Judging by the broom in your hand, It looks as though you were not going to wait for permission.'

Harry shifted uncomfortably, directing his pleading gaze at the floor rather than at his mentor. Nevertheless, they were seen.

'You may go. I do not need you back until ten, we have a visitor coming. Do not be late.'

Harry had started to move after the first three words, a huge grin on his face. He paused only to bow once more, and was out the door as soon as Snape had finished speaking.

Three hours later, he appeared back in the dungeons, cheeks red and eyes streaming from the wind. When he went into the main room, Snape was sitting at the table, enjoying a leisurely breakfast. Putting his broom back in this room, Harry joined him. The meal proceeded in silence after Snape gave permission to sit, until Harry asked a question.

'My, lord, who is this visitor you mentioned?'

Snape sat back in his chair, considering his answer.

'His name id Master Gray. He is the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. He is here to ask for your services for something. He was my Masters first apprentice. Unlike myself, he believes in those methods of instruction, and according to his last apprentice, still uses them. For that reason, I tell you this - do not anger him. If you do disobey him, he has every right to punish you as he deems suitable. I will be able to do nothing. Do you understand.'

Snape was now leaning forward, looking as serious as Harry had ever known. He gulped slightly.

'Yes, my lord. And thank you for warning me.'

Snape inclined his head slightly, before leaning back.

'Now, he will be here shortly. Go and change, then come back here. I will give you some test questions to answer.'

Harry stood up and did as he was bid. After a quick wash, he was back in his uniform. Standing in front of the mirror, he smoothed the creases out of his shirt, and checked his wand in it s holster. He was nervous despite himself.

Swallowing, he went out into the main room once more, and sat down in one of the big chairs. He was shortly joined by Snape, who began to question him on everything that he had learned, from basic Latin to advanced curses.

Half an hour later, they were interrupted by a knock on the door. Not needing the reminder Snape sent his way, Harry went quickly to the door and opened it, bowing as he did so. As he closed the door and straightened up, Harry observed the two men shaking hands. It was only a few seconds before he heard his cue.

'This is my apprentice, Aeter.'

Harry stood in front of the Master, stiff and upright, staring ahead.

'Aeter, this is Master Gray.'

Harry bowed deeply.

'My lord.'

Gray regarded him for a second, before sitting down in the chair previously occupied by Harry. Snape did the Same, and Harry moved to stand to the left and just behind, still at attention, waiting until he was needed. Despite appearances, Harry paid avid attention to what was said. Disappointingly, it was all idle chitchat, until Gray changed the subject.

'I was wondering, Snadowman, if I could borrow the services of your apprentice foe a few hours. My office and classroom need sorting out, and I have much paperwork to do myself. It would be greatly appreciated.'

'Of course. Aeter, you will accompany Master Gray and do whatever he asks. When you are released, come back here.'

Harry bowed once more.

'Yes my lord, Master Gray.'

Gray stood, looking pleased.

'In that case I will see you later, Master Shadowman. Boy, follow me.'

Snape inclined his head and gave a thin smile, and watched as Harry followed the other man out. Shaking off his own worry, Snape began on his own preparations, going over his lesson plans for the first week of term.



A few hours later, Snape was concerned to be interrupted by Gray storming into his chambers, purple in the face, followed by a pale looking Harry. This does not bode well, Snape thought, as he rose to meet the angry master. Before Gray could start his tirade, Snape spoke quietly, in a claming but cold voice, his eyes resting on Harry. For his part, Harry refused to look up.

'Please, come through to the study.'

Pursing his lips but complying none the less, Gray walked through to the study, Harry still trailing in his wake. Snape sat down behind his desk, and clasped his hands in front of him. Gray, on the other hand remained standing, his distemper showing.

'Your apprentice has managed to break my oldest sky crystal, despite being under strict orders not to touch it. He ignored my instructipns, and had the chhek to talk back when I accosted him about it.'

Snape's heart sank, and he turned to Harry.

'Do you have anything to say?'

Harry bit his lip, for once uncertain of what he shioul do.

'No, my lord.'

Gray was practically spitting he was so angry. He placed his hands on the desk and leant forwards. Snape refused to lean away. Intimidation would nkt work.

'I request permission to discipline your apprentice, as is customary, and as is my right.'

The fact that Snape looked more disappointed than angry added to Harry confusion, and in a sense, to his fear. Though he hated what he knew was going to happen, Snape had no choice in his answer. He rose, and bowed slightly to Gray.

'As is your right, you may decide on a suitable punishment, and deliver it.'

Gray bowed in return, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on Snape's looking for weakness. He found none, and turned to Harry.

'Boy, go and wait in the hall, we'll be out presently.'

Harry left without a glance, after bowing to Snape, and Master Gray. His movements showed none of the dread he was truly feeling.

'Snape and Gray came out of the study a few minutes later. Snape went and stood by the far wall, looking on with his hands clasped behind his back. Gray went and stood next to a silent Harry.

'Boy! Take you're shirt off and kneel down, hands on your head.'

The command was barked out, almost making Harry jump. Despite his fear, Harry made not a word of protest, but obeyed, goosebumps rising on his skin as a cold draught met his exposed chest and back.

Standing behind Harry, Gray removed his robes, and laid them on a nearby chair, doubling the strap in his hands as he did so. He steeped forward, tradition bound words falling from his lips.

'Do you understand and accept why you are to be punished, apprentice?'

'I do, my lord.'

'Very well. You must not move during the course of you're punishment.'

As he prepared for the first blow, Harry closed his yes, and tried to calm his racing heart, fighting back memories of his Uncle. When it came, Harry made no sound, but bit hard into his lip.

Standing in the corner, Snape's face was impassive, but on the inside, the potions master was flinching and protesting every blow, as though they feel on his own skin.

As the strength and number of blows increased, Harry tasted coppery blood in his mouth. He realised that, in his effort to stay silent, he had bitten through his bottom lip. All through the punishment, Harry resisted, refusing to cry out. After a few minutes it was over, and Gray stopped, not noticing Snape, as his victims mentor closed his eyes in relief. Breathing hard, Gray spoke raspily.

'Punishment is done.'

The strap was put down, and Gray left, nodding to Snape as he went. Reluctantly, Snape followed him out, tearing his yes from a still kneeling Harry.

When Snape returned a few minutes later, he found Harry still on his knees on the carpet, blood trickling slowly down his back. Snape spoke softly.

'You can get up. You should go and lie down, I'll be in to clean those shortly.'

Harry nodded, then grimaced at he stood stiffly, stumbling slightly. Noticing his cut lip. Snape cupped Harry's chin gently with his left hand, forcing the boy to look up. He shook his head slightly, a sad smile on his lips.

'That was well taken. Loath as I am to admit it, I am proud of you. You have come a long way from the boy you were.'

Harry looked up into his mentor eyes, surprised by the fatherly tone he heard. The skin around his eyes creased as he replied.

'Thank you, my lord.'

A few minutes later Snape entered Harry's room to find his apprentice settled stiffly on his stomach on his bed. Getting his first proper look at the wounds on Harry's back, Snape frowned. The skin was laced with purple welts, and shallow cuts that Snape knew would be burning like fire come the morning.

Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, Snape felt Harry stiffen and gasp, as he placed the damp cloth he had brought lightly on the tortured skin of Harry lower back. As he used the cloth to cool the wounds, Snape spoke softly.

'What happened?'

Harry grimaced once again.

'His blasted cat jumped at me. I dodged, and it hit the crystal. When Gray walked in, I had half of the shards in my hands, and the rest were scattered on the carpet. The cat was nowhere to be seen.'

Snape nodded with understanding, and moved the cloth, placing it gently down on the skin between Harry's shoulder blades, where many of the worst cuts were. Harry inhaled sharply, then spoke, his voice grated from between clenched teeth.

'I think time has a sense of humour. It can only have been ten minutes that Gray had the strap in his hands, and yet to me it felt like hours.'

Another gasp, and Snape finished on the last of the cuts.

'I know the feeling. Now get some rest. You'll be able to see your friends tomorrow.'

Snape left the room, leaving Harry to fall into a fitful sleep, in which Harry dreamed of fire and burning, his sleep reflecting what his body would feel in the light of day.

Ok -any comments?

Before anyone complains, this chapter did have a purpose. In the summary I promised 'new enemies', well there one for you. We will be seeing more confrontations in the rest of the story, and sorry, but that's not going to change.

Any suggestions welcome, thanks for any reviews, Pose