Hola, people! Thank you so much to my reviewers- Allison, Charma1219, Myst4Drgn, Mikee, Crazycheesecake, Piggie, Artemis Le Faey, Atari420, Lady Lightning, Xirleb70, Lirael, Elfmoon87, Nilboriel, Sev1970, Taryn and Jordan, and momma-dar. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart! Keep reading!!
Ah, I must apologize- this chapter has more of that 'natural intuition' and 'talents from Snape' thing coming up in it, although it doesn't talk about a change in his personality. Harry just has some new knowledge that he picks up easier now. So basically he's now discovering his natural talents that hadn't showed up until this point, either due to the charm of Lily's or just.. because. I hope that doesn't offend anyone too much.
Read on!
***~~~***
Severus Snape had been dropped into the middle of his cell many hours ago, and he hadn't moved from the spot. He wanted to cry, to erupt in sobs of pain and anger and to kill that man that he had once called 'Master.' Unfortunately for the potions master, he couldn't conjure up the strength to move his little finger, much less have the stamina to subject his body to backbreaking cries of anguish. His only release from that hell was to escape into the mind of his most hated student.
Severus found himself almost wishing that Harry would come back. Even though he despised the child, Potter was his only way out at the moment, his only comfort during that time. And what had he done? Refused to talk to him when all the boy wanted was to comfort him. Harry was trying to protect him, he knew that. Snape just couldn't figure out why. He had always been awful to Potter, always. He had always hated the boy, and he was sure that the feeling was mutual. Why in the world did Potter want to save him?
Severus was somewhat embarrassed to admit that had it been Harry in his situation, and not himself, he wouldn't have cared about the child at all. Unless Dumbledore had ordered him to do something, Severus probably wouldn't have even thought about helping Potter, either. God, what was he, some kind of cold-hearted piece of crap?
Yes.
Potter?
That would be me.
What do you want? How long have you been here?
Long enough to hear you call yourself a cold-hearted piece of crap. A very accurate description, by the way.
Hush, Potter.
Heh.
What do you want this time?
I wanted to check on you, yet again. And I want to know why you tried to shove me out of your mind.
I didn't.
Yes you did. Don't deny it. You know you did.
I don't know, Potter. It doesn't matter.
Whatever you say, Professor. Are you alright?
I'm fine. I'll be fine.
Professor?
What?
How did he find out that you were a spy?
Lucius Malfoy, no doubt. He never really liked me all that much. Or trusted me.
You're a hard man to trust.
I know. How's the investigation coming along?
There have been some.. developments.
What kind of developments?
I'm not allowed to tell you. In case they use some kind of truth potion, I suppose. Sorry.
I understand.
Really? That's a first.
Potter?
Yes?
Why do you care so much? About what happens to me, I mean?
Truthfully, I have no idea. Perhaps I'm not in my right mind.
Good answer.
Why do you say that?
I'd hate to think that you really cared. It would destroy my persona, to have someone care about me.
No doubt. Oh, and Professor?
What?
I need some advanced potions books that might prove useful in getting you out of there. Do you know where I can find some?
Who's brewing the potions?
Erm.. me.
HAH! You're nearly as bad as Longbottom! There's no way you're getting near an advanced potions book!
Would you rather have Remus do it?
NO!! He's even worse than you!
Good. So tell me where to find the books, or Remus will be making the potions and therefore sentencing us all to a cruel and painful death.
Alright, Potter. There are seventh year potions books underneath the second drawer to the left of my desk. I might recommend some kind of invisibility, and something that would disintegrate the bars on my cell. I don't think 'Alohamora' is going to work.
Thank you, Professor. I'll get to work on that immediately.
Try not to blow yourself up.
Would you care?
I – If it meant my freedom, I would care.
Of course you would. See you later, Professor.
Goodbye, Potter.
Severus found himself at a loss for an answer to Potter's last question. Would he care? Such an innocent question, but the answer was hard to give. If Potter died, would he be sad? Would he grieve at all for the boy that had saved the wizarding world on multiple occasions?
The answer that he had given the teenager was only partially the truth. He would miss his freedom and his life that could have been saved if Potter lived, that was true. But something inside of him told him that he would miss a lot more than that. Severus had just recently found out that Harry was his s-
No. He could not think of the boy that way. He would not think of him that way. Acknowledging the truth would be a weakness, it would mean taking the boy whom he hated into his heart and caring for him. It would destroy Severus. He had learned the hard way that when you care, you get hurt. He had loved Lily with all of his heart, and then she had gone off and died. Not that it was her fault, of course. No one could control their death. But Severus felt so guilty, hurt, and alone when she had died. God, he had felt so guilty. He still felt guilty. That's why he had saved Potter in his first year. Potter couldn't get hurt, because he was Lily's. Severus owed that to her. But he could still hate her son, couldn't he? Save him, sure, but like him? Absolutely not. Although he did admit that most of it was an act for the Slytherins and for Voldemort, years of pretending to hate the child with all of his soul had taken its toll. Now the hating just came naturally.
Severus was certain that he and Potter would never be able to reconcile their differences. But what would happen if he got back to Hogwarts? When he got back to Hogwarts? Would he ever be able to interact with the boy knowing that Potter- who would probably be charmed to look like James again, no doubt- was his – well, his? How would he be able to hate Potter when he knew that underneath the charm that made him identical to James, there was a teenager who looked just like him? God, it would be impossible! Maybe, when he was rescued, Harry would get rid of Voldemort. Not likely, but always a possibility. If Harry killed him, then Severus could leave Hogwarts. He wouldn't have to hide anymore. And he wouldn't have to see that filthy little Potter brat again.
**
Meanwhile, back at Hogwarts, Harry Potter had awakened and was now crutching swiftly toward the dungeons. He didn't really want to go down there, but he had been trusted with the book – however reluctantly – and had to completely his little 'mission.' He was still slightly confused about Snape's answer to his question. Actually, he was confused about the entire conversation. Snape seemed – well, he just didn't seem like himself. He had almost seemed lost, if that was possible. Harry assumed that the days of seeing no one but Voldemort and talking to no one but Harry was slowly driving the man insane. Harry couldn't really blame him. It had to be hard.
As Harry knelt to pull out an Advanced Potions book, he thought about why he really did want to help his professor. He never wanted to see anyone hurt, that much he knew. Even if Draco Malfoy were hurt and dying, Harry would have helped him. The only person he wouldn't help would be Voldemort, for obvious reasons. But Snape.. he really felt strongly about saving his evil potions master. He had a new respect for him after he found out that Snape had been working as a spy, he supposed. He had felt a certain awe for the man. There was this sense of bravery and determination surrounding Snape now that Harry had never been able to feel before. He had even felt it when Snape yelled at him when Harry had given him the letter.
God, what was wrong with him? This was SNAPE, a no-good, dirty, rotten git of a man who had spent the last four years making Harry's life a living hell. He was really confused. Really confused.
Before Harry could continue with his train of thought, he grabbed an Advanced Potions book and ran out of the dungeons- well, ran, as fast as crutches would allow. He really needed to get rid of the stupid things. Even the prospect of building muscle didn't seem very appealing any more.
Harry paused for a moment outside the library. He knew that his professors weren't expecting him; they all thought that he was still asleep. But he had felt an urgent need to start working again. Harry needed Dumbledore or McGonagall to take him to Diagon Alley for potions supplied, but first he needed to find out what he needed.
Harry crutched into the library and right into the surprised faces of his professors.
"Um.. hi," he stammered.
"Hello, Harry. Feeling better?" asked Dumbledore kindly.
"Yes, Professor, I'm feeling much better." He held up the advanced potions book. "Professor Snape reluctantly gave me permission to use an advanced potions book," Harry said, rolling his eyes.
Remus chuckled at his student's dry humor. "So you'll need to go to Diagon Alley, no doubt," said the werewolf.
"Yes, but first, I need to check and see what I need. Professor Snape recommended some sort of invisibility potion and a substance that would dissolve the bars on his cell. He said that he doubted the gate would open with a simple 'Alohamora," Harry twirled his hand in the air to demonstrate his point. Immediately, the doors that had been locked in the library were unlocked. (A/N: Wandless magic!)
"Sorry," Harry apologized sheepishly.
"That's alright, Harry. We're still checking on the Riddle House. Why don't you write down the substances you'll need, and we'll go down to Diagon Alley and get them. All right?" asked McGonagall.
Harry nodded and took a seat, opening the book and instantly finding an invisibility potion. He read through the potion, which looked simple enough. All he had to do was add a touch of rosemary to three quarters of mandrake leaves, put the mixture in a half cauldron of goblin blood, and stir counterclockwise at a rate of 27 stirs per minute, continue to add the beak of a baby hippogriff, three eggs of the Suelian Snake.. the list went on and on, but Harry couldn't really see a problem in it. It would take him twenty-three hours to make, all of which he would have to spend at the cauldron's side.
What was the advantage of this potion over an invisibility cloak or an invisibility spell? Surely there must be one, if Snape had suggested it.
Harry checked the potion again. "Ah, root of Verbitus Plant," he said to no one in particular.
His professors looked at him strangely.
"Verbitus Plant, though it's not typically used in a potion like this, makes the drinker soundless, and the potion can only wear off, not be countercursed, because of its root. So while it's not totally necessary, it keeps the drinker soundless and invisible. That's how it's different from an invisibility cloak or an invisibility charm," Harry explained. "With the charm, a countercurse can be used and you're visible again. The cloak is even worse. It can fall off or be pulled off by an opponent. With the Verbitus root added, I – or any of you- will even be able to utter a spell and won't be heard. Voldemort would never know what hit him!" Harry said happily.
"Wow, Harry," exclaimed Lupin, "How did you know that?"
"You don't learn invisibility charms until seventh year," added McGonagall.
"We worked with the root in second year. But I don't have any idea how I remembered all that. I guess I've been listening to Hermione too much. She kind of rubs off on you," he said.
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "I think, Mr. Potter, that perhaps your natural intuition that has been withheld up to this point is now showing itself for the first time."
"Huh?" Harry and Remus asked.
"Really, you two," admonished Minerva, "he means that Harry's natural talents for potions and charms are now showing themselves. This is part of the changes that are occurring as of late."
"Oh," murmured Harry and Remus. They both looked confused for a moment before Harry's face crinkled in disgust.
"I don't think I want to have natural talents if I inherited them from Snape," he spat.
"Now, Harry, don't worry about where or who your talents come from. Just embrace them because they will save you."
Harry nodded his agreement. "Alright. Back to work."
