I do not own any of this!
Chapter 31
Harry kept his eyes closed as Snape moved around the room. He heard the splash of water, and then felt the coolness of a metal goblet being pressed into his hands. He drank gratefully, only opening his eyes when he had drained the goblet.
Suddenly remembering where he was, he jumped to his feet a fast as he could and bowed, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as he did so.
'My lord, I.'
Snape cut him off before he could say anything else. His voice was harsh, and Harry blinked his surprise.
'This is hardly the time for pleasantries. Sit down, before you keel over.'
Harry sat, cowed by Snape's unusually terse attitude. He could almost smell the anger radiating off his master.
'No doubt you are wondering why I have returned early. I received a very interesting owl this morning. From your friend Mr.Weasley. And you know what was in this letter?'
Harry frowned as Snape held out what looked like a photo. Craning his head to see the picture, Harry paled. It was the photo taken by Colin. It showed Harry lying on his stomach on the bed in Gryffindor Tower, fists clenched.
The reason for this was painfully obvious. The magical qualities of the photo made the marred purple of the welts and the blood seeping from the cuts uncannily real. Harry looked up, meeting his master's eyes worriedly. He saw silver fury.
'What were you thinking, doing something to deserve this?'
Harry began to get annoyed.
'I didn't do anything!'
Snape's brows furrowed, and he snapped, his voice impatient.
'No matter what you think of him, I know perfectly well he wouldn't punish you without at least some cause. Now, the truth, if you please.'
Harry was infuriated.
'Someone messed up his workroom. He assumed it was me, and punished me accordingly. What was I supposed to do? Answer back?'
Harry was alarmed to realise his last few words held a sarcasm that sounded exactly like Snape's. He glared at his master, waiting for an answer.
'Merlin.'
Snape turned, running his hands through his hair for a moment. Harry had never seen him with so little control. His glare softened. Wincing, he leaned forward and stood up, attempting to calm the man. Strange, he thought, how roles could be reversed.
'Look I'm fine. And I probably would have answered back, but Ron was there, and he was threatening to punish him as well. I wasn't going to risk that.'
Snape nodded, his calm demeanour returning. He took hold of Harry elbow and led him over to the couch, forcing him to lie face down.
'Typical Gryffindor bravery. Stupidity if you ask me.'
Harry grinned into the cushions, but made no reply. He knew that was actually a compliment, even if no one else would.
He tried to relax as Snape took off his now blood soaked shirt, replacing it with a cool liquid soaked cloth that stung slightly when it was applied. Snape worked in silence for a few minutes, before settling down in an armchair nearby.
'Who is the 'someone'?'
Harry grimaced.
'Fred and George.'
Harry noticed Snape's dark expression and hurried on.
'Before you do anything, you might want to know they helped me clean up the workroom, and got a hundred points from Gryffindor.'
Snape snorted and stayed silent. It was Harry who asked the next question, hoping to move the conversation onto a slightly more comfortable topic.
'So what did you have to do in London, my lord?'
Snape noticed both his attempted change of topic and the return of formality, but commented on neither.
'Finishing the paperwork for the potion, which, by the by, has been approved. And making preparations for our stay in a few weeks. Accommodation for a month takes a bit of organising, as I'm sure you are aware.'
Snape decided to bait Harry a bit more, and the sarcasm returned to his voice. He smirked as Harry swiftly asked the predicted question.
'Why do we have to stay in London for a month?'
'It's the Time of Testing. You must be assessed.'
Harry brow furrowed in confusion.
'I though you were tested after three years?'
Snape inclined his head slightly.
'I'm impressed that you manage to recall information from so many months ago, apprentice. And you are correct, the Time of Testing involves the testing for third year apprentices. However, first and second years are assessed in both practical and written tests. All apprentices take part. In some ways, it is a competition. But the rivalry is between masters, not apprentices. It is a chance for you to prove your worth to the Board, and to other masters.'
Harry considered this, and its implications. He was grateful that the news took his mind of the still sharp pain in his back. He listened as Snape continued.
'It will give you a chance to get to know other apprentices of your age. You won't be living with me; you'll share quarters with another apprentice. His master is one of my close friends. You should enjoy his company, and I will get a break from your incessant annoyance.'
Snape's voice was deadly serious, but Harry didn't need to look to know he'd see the silver mirth in his eyes. Harry replied, his voice full of obviously fake disgust.
'And finally I'll get a break from the greasy potions professor. What a relief!'
Snape pursed his lips, appreciating his apprentice's sharp wit. He knew it could come in handy at times. All the same, it was perhaps slightly too cheeky to let go.
'Watch you tongue apprentice. You just earned yourself an hour of punishment training when you've recovered.'
Harry groaned theatrically.
'Yes, my lord.'
After a few minutes Harry voiced a question that had been bothering him.
'If we leave in a few weeks, that makes it June, right. So will we be back in time for the feast at the end of term? It's just, I'd like to see Ron and Hermione before the summer, or I won't have the chance.'
His voice trailed out, slightly unsure of where he stood. Snape however, was surprisingly sympathetic.
'We will return on the last day of term. Unless you have annoyed me greatly, I should think I could grant you a few hours free to meet up with your cohorts.'
Harry nodded, relaxing slightly.
'Thank you, my lord. I'll make sure I don't annoy you while we're away.'
Harry heard Snape breath in heavily through his nose, a sign of amusement.
'You manage to do that without trying, Apprentice Aeternus.'
Harry chuckled. The use of his full title made him thoughtful. He didn't realise he had drifted to sleep until he woke up hours later, to find his master also asleep, a potions text open on his lap. Harry grinned to himself, wishing he could take a photo. To Ron, the moment would have been priceless.
The pain inn his back finally diminished slightly, he drifted back to sleep to wait for the dawn.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Hey, I think this fic is finally moving on in terms of plot! I quite liked writing this chapter, so feedback on style would be appreciated. I have no idea when I'll update next, as my first GCSE is in about two weeks.
Hope you enjoyed this, and again begging you to check out my ficlet 'A Drifting Rose', and to possibly leave a review so I know you've read it?
Thanks for any reviews - Pose.
Chapter 31
Harry kept his eyes closed as Snape moved around the room. He heard the splash of water, and then felt the coolness of a metal goblet being pressed into his hands. He drank gratefully, only opening his eyes when he had drained the goblet.
Suddenly remembering where he was, he jumped to his feet a fast as he could and bowed, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as he did so.
'My lord, I.'
Snape cut him off before he could say anything else. His voice was harsh, and Harry blinked his surprise.
'This is hardly the time for pleasantries. Sit down, before you keel over.'
Harry sat, cowed by Snape's unusually terse attitude. He could almost smell the anger radiating off his master.
'No doubt you are wondering why I have returned early. I received a very interesting owl this morning. From your friend Mr.Weasley. And you know what was in this letter?'
Harry frowned as Snape held out what looked like a photo. Craning his head to see the picture, Harry paled. It was the photo taken by Colin. It showed Harry lying on his stomach on the bed in Gryffindor Tower, fists clenched.
The reason for this was painfully obvious. The magical qualities of the photo made the marred purple of the welts and the blood seeping from the cuts uncannily real. Harry looked up, meeting his master's eyes worriedly. He saw silver fury.
'What were you thinking, doing something to deserve this?'
Harry began to get annoyed.
'I didn't do anything!'
Snape's brows furrowed, and he snapped, his voice impatient.
'No matter what you think of him, I know perfectly well he wouldn't punish you without at least some cause. Now, the truth, if you please.'
Harry was infuriated.
'Someone messed up his workroom. He assumed it was me, and punished me accordingly. What was I supposed to do? Answer back?'
Harry was alarmed to realise his last few words held a sarcasm that sounded exactly like Snape's. He glared at his master, waiting for an answer.
'Merlin.'
Snape turned, running his hands through his hair for a moment. Harry had never seen him with so little control. His glare softened. Wincing, he leaned forward and stood up, attempting to calm the man. Strange, he thought, how roles could be reversed.
'Look I'm fine. And I probably would have answered back, but Ron was there, and he was threatening to punish him as well. I wasn't going to risk that.'
Snape nodded, his calm demeanour returning. He took hold of Harry elbow and led him over to the couch, forcing him to lie face down.
'Typical Gryffindor bravery. Stupidity if you ask me.'
Harry grinned into the cushions, but made no reply. He knew that was actually a compliment, even if no one else would.
He tried to relax as Snape took off his now blood soaked shirt, replacing it with a cool liquid soaked cloth that stung slightly when it was applied. Snape worked in silence for a few minutes, before settling down in an armchair nearby.
'Who is the 'someone'?'
Harry grimaced.
'Fred and George.'
Harry noticed Snape's dark expression and hurried on.
'Before you do anything, you might want to know they helped me clean up the workroom, and got a hundred points from Gryffindor.'
Snape snorted and stayed silent. It was Harry who asked the next question, hoping to move the conversation onto a slightly more comfortable topic.
'So what did you have to do in London, my lord?'
Snape noticed both his attempted change of topic and the return of formality, but commented on neither.
'Finishing the paperwork for the potion, which, by the by, has been approved. And making preparations for our stay in a few weeks. Accommodation for a month takes a bit of organising, as I'm sure you are aware.'
Snape decided to bait Harry a bit more, and the sarcasm returned to his voice. He smirked as Harry swiftly asked the predicted question.
'Why do we have to stay in London for a month?'
'It's the Time of Testing. You must be assessed.'
Harry brow furrowed in confusion.
'I though you were tested after three years?'
Snape inclined his head slightly.
'I'm impressed that you manage to recall information from so many months ago, apprentice. And you are correct, the Time of Testing involves the testing for third year apprentices. However, first and second years are assessed in both practical and written tests. All apprentices take part. In some ways, it is a competition. But the rivalry is between masters, not apprentices. It is a chance for you to prove your worth to the Board, and to other masters.'
Harry considered this, and its implications. He was grateful that the news took his mind of the still sharp pain in his back. He listened as Snape continued.
'It will give you a chance to get to know other apprentices of your age. You won't be living with me; you'll share quarters with another apprentice. His master is one of my close friends. You should enjoy his company, and I will get a break from your incessant annoyance.'
Snape's voice was deadly serious, but Harry didn't need to look to know he'd see the silver mirth in his eyes. Harry replied, his voice full of obviously fake disgust.
'And finally I'll get a break from the greasy potions professor. What a relief!'
Snape pursed his lips, appreciating his apprentice's sharp wit. He knew it could come in handy at times. All the same, it was perhaps slightly too cheeky to let go.
'Watch you tongue apprentice. You just earned yourself an hour of punishment training when you've recovered.'
Harry groaned theatrically.
'Yes, my lord.'
After a few minutes Harry voiced a question that had been bothering him.
'If we leave in a few weeks, that makes it June, right. So will we be back in time for the feast at the end of term? It's just, I'd like to see Ron and Hermione before the summer, or I won't have the chance.'
His voice trailed out, slightly unsure of where he stood. Snape however, was surprisingly sympathetic.
'We will return on the last day of term. Unless you have annoyed me greatly, I should think I could grant you a few hours free to meet up with your cohorts.'
Harry nodded, relaxing slightly.
'Thank you, my lord. I'll make sure I don't annoy you while we're away.'
Harry heard Snape breath in heavily through his nose, a sign of amusement.
'You manage to do that without trying, Apprentice Aeternus.'
Harry chuckled. The use of his full title made him thoughtful. He didn't realise he had drifted to sleep until he woke up hours later, to find his master also asleep, a potions text open on his lap. Harry grinned to himself, wishing he could take a photo. To Ron, the moment would have been priceless.
The pain inn his back finally diminished slightly, he drifted back to sleep to wait for the dawn.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Hey, I think this fic is finally moving on in terms of plot! I quite liked writing this chapter, so feedback on style would be appreciated. I have no idea when I'll update next, as my first GCSE is in about two weeks.
Hope you enjoyed this, and again begging you to check out my ficlet 'A Drifting Rose', and to possibly leave a review so I know you've read it?
Thanks for any reviews - Pose.
