Disclaimer: I am a starving college student - I own nothing.

Reviewers: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and, yes, Harry was a bit calm, wasn't he? Well, the information hadn't quite sunk in yet, and he has been making an effort to control his temper, emotions, and life (whether successful or otherwise).

xikum: It is rather like a chess game, isn't it? Oh, how I'd love to play a game of chess with the snarky potions master…

AngelZash: takes a deep bow Oh, what a wonderful compliment! I'm glad my evilness can amuse.

Chapter 17: Discussions and Diversions

Snape walked along the Hogwarts grounds. He was not one for summer or sunshine, but the weather was deplorable that day, and Snape thought that it suited his mood well.

The Order now had another possible goblin rebellion to deal with, not to mention the economic devastation that that presaged. A run on bank deposits seemed inevitable. Worried as he was, though, Snape was distracting himself from what was really on his mind.

He had a son. Potter was his son. Harry. Potter. Boy. Brat. The boy who was an infernal thorn in his side. Snape realized he needed to settle on something to call the boy. His son. Lilly's son. His and Lilly's son. Snape smiled as he remembered the revenge he had gotten on Vernon. The man would live in perpetual fear.

"Potter!" Snape yelled, noticing a figure on the quiditch pitch blasting anything within casting distance to bits.

"Harry!" Snape called again as he closed in on the pitch.

"Yes, sir?" Potter said as he sent a crate flying into the stands, which was saying something, as the stands were situated at least fifty feet above the ground.

"Glass is better," said Snape.

"Excuse me?" asked the boy.

"Glass, Potter. Harry. Surely you've heard of it?" Snape sneered, though his tone was not malicious or belittling. "It offers more satisfaction when one breaks it by throwing a well placed curse," Snape continued, the amusement he felt hidden from his voice. Well, there was one thing he and his son had in common at least: they both liked to break things when they were angry.

Harry started toward the castle, presumably in search of glassware.

"Thanks," said Harry with a small, bemused smile before he turned.

"Thanks, sir," corrected Snape under his breath once the child had left, finally allowing a small smile of amusement to play at his lips.

Snape would speak to Harry that evening. In the meantime, he had urgent business to attend to.

* * * * *

"Master," intoned Snape breathily as he kissed the hem of the Dark Lord's robes.

"Yes, my Sseveruss?" asked the thing. "I do not suffer interruptions lightly."

"I have come to report to you, My Lord," Snape said. The Dark Lord had ordered Snape to report to him, whether he was summoned or not, if he had new information. Details such as fairness did not stop the Dark Lord from dealing out punishments liberally, however.

"What news have you?" asked the Dark Lord.

"The fool, Dumbledore, has designs to take over at the Ministry." Dumbledore thought that distracting Voldemort with false information was their best plan of action at the time, and this decoy seemed safest for Severus, seeing as Fudge himself had believed it. Any reaction by the Ministry could also serve to expose which departments had been infiltrated.

"That is good to hear, Sseveruss," said the snakelike man… if he was a man yet. "He will fail. I will ensure it."

"Of course, Master, you are wise," Snape said humbly.

"Have you details of the old man's plan, my Sseveruss?" asked the Dark Lord.

"Not yet, My Lord. I hear as much from… other sources as I do from the old man directly. He does not fully trust me, though I am working to further his trust in me," said Snape.

"I will accept that for now," said the thing. "I will expect more information next time, Sseverus."

"Of course, Master," said Snape. The Dark Lord was luckily in a pleased mood today. Well, if you can consider that lucky.

"Go now, Sseveruss," the Dark Lord dismissed his servant.

"I am yours to dispose of as you wish, Master," Snape ritually humbled himself once again. He then took ten respectful steps backward before Disapparating.

* * * * *

"I believe the diversion will be successful. The Dark Lord did not question the information," Snape reported to his other master.

"That is good to hear, Severus," said Dumbledore, the tone and words oddly reminiscent of Snape's earlier conversation. "Hopefully, Voldemort will become a bit careless as he thinks our attentions are elsewhere.

Snape was prepared for a lengthy discussion of the Dark Lord's plans, the goblins, the dementors.

"Have you spoken to young Harry, yet?" asked Dumbledore.

Damn.

"I intend to speak to him this evening," said Snape.

"What do you plan to say to him?" asked Dumbledore. That was the question Snape had been hoping to avoid.

"The truth," said Snape, hoping that would shut the headmaster up.

"That is good to hear. What truths specifically, Severus?"

Snape sighed, knowing that his mentor meant well.

"I do not know yet, Albus," said the tired wizard.

"Be kind to him, Severus," said the headmaster. "Merlin knows he's encountered little enough kindness in his life." Snape was surprised to see just how old and weary Dumbledore looked when he said that. Dumbledore was usually a pillar of strength.

"I'll do my best, Albus," said Snape, not quite sure he was capable of being kind.

"He needs a family, Severus."

"I suppose he does," said Snape, a gleam in his eye "seeing as I've… taken care of his old one."

Snape was happy to see the twinkle return to Dumbledore's eyes. However much he detested the twinkle at times, its absence was always disconcerting.

* * * * *

Snape knocked on Potter's door… Snape knocked on Harry's door upon reaching the dungeons.

"Come in," came a voice from within, as the door magically opened. It was a good thing the boy was allowed to use magic over the holidays while he was at Hogwarts, and now that he was Fudge's Favorite Boy gain.

Snape entered to find Harry sprawled on his bed, his strange new pet crawling on his stomach. Snape really did have to document the effect of adding the thing's toenails into various potions.

"Harry," said Snape to the boy. "We have things to discuss."

Harry did not bother to look up.

"So it seems," came the response.

The boy finally did Severus the courtesy of meeting his eyes, and Snape indicated the chairs by the fire, hoping that Potter… that Harry wouldn't be too difficult about all of this. He'd really like to get this done with as quickly as possible.

"Perhaps you can have request that the infernal elf that Dumbledore has tailing you bring us tea," Snape suggested, keeping his voice even despite his annoyance.

"Of course, sir," came the clipped response. Snape vaguely wondered if he could get away with just calling the boy 'boy,' though he thought Albus might have his head for it. Harry was fine on the odd occasion, but Snape needed something to call the boy when he annoyed him.

The boy seemed to be making a determined effort to remain calm: he looked as if he would explode if he did so much longer. Perhaps he needs more glass, Snape mused.

"Dobby," said Harry as he took a seat in one of the armchairs, not raising his voice any.

"Yes, Harry Potter Sir," said the excited house elf as he extricated himself from a pile of Harry's laundry. The elf really needs to learn to hide better, thought Snape.

"Would you bring us tea, please, Dobby," asked Harry as politely as he could given his current state of mind.

"Of course Harry Potter Sir! Dobby is bringing Harry Potter and Master Snape tea right away." With that, the elf vanished.

"How are you," asked Snape, watching the boy shrewdly. He didn't want the boy doing anything stupid. Well, anything more so than usual, anyway.

"Lovely," the boy responded sarcastically. Severus had expected that.

"Potter," he growled warningly.

The boy merely raised an eyebrow at that.

"I'm not going to do anything stupid, if that's what you're worried about, Professor," said Harry.

Snape narrowed his eyes at the boy. "I should hope not."

***This scene will continue from Harry's perspective.

Vote: Next chapter: repeat of this chapter from Harry's point of view, showing his reactions, or on to bigger and better things? (Well, maybe not bigger and better, but new, at any rate).