As strong as we are united.
Chapter Five - Accidents?
Harry slowly ate his porridge, so that Snape was left waiting after he had emptied his own bowl. At one point, feeling full enough, Harry had glanced up and put his spoon down, but Snape had been sitting perfectly still, staring pointedly at the not-yet-empty bowl in front of Harry, not looking anywhere near relenting. Harry had taken one look at the expression on Snape's face and had decided to finish his meal with all due haste.
When Harry's bowl was eventually empty, Snape nodded and, unthinkingly added "Good." Harry was stunned. He had never been praised before
Snape then poured Harry a large glass of milk, thinking that the scrawny, underweight boy in front of him could do with the vitamins and irons. He set it on the table in from of the boy. "Drink up, it's good for you." Harry had just brought the glass to his lips when three large owls swooped in the open window, narrowly missing Harry's head. There was a crash when Harry dropped his glass with fright; he was staring at the owls as if they had three heads and a set of horns on each. "It's all right, it's the post, the owls deliver my post every day." Snape explained.
Harry gaped, astonished, but his expression rapidly changed to one of horror when he saw the spilt milk and smashed glass on the floor. He stood up and looked around for a cloth. "I'm sorry sir, please don't be angry, I'll clean it up, please don't be angry." Harry had backed into the corner and was trembling, clearly terrified. "Sorry, sorry sir, sorry sir."
Snape stood up, concerned despite himself at his odd behaviour but then understanding dawned. He stood up and walked towards the corner the boy had backed himself into purposefully. When he got close he reached out, but Harry flung his arm up to protect his face and cried out, cowering. Snape paused, not wanting to get the boy any more wound up than he already was.
After a few moments, and the anticipated blows had not come, Harry lowered his arm slightly and looked up. Snape was standing a few feet away, his arms by his sides, with a neutral expression on his face. Seeing Harry's face, Snape pulled a chair over and sat down, beckoning the boy over with his hand "Come, don't be afraid".
Harry unwillingly obeyed and his voice was desperate as he stammered again "sorry sir." Snape put his finger to his lips, and Harry grew silent. When Harry reached Snape, and was standing in front of him wit his eyes studying his own bare feet, his shoulders heaving and his breath coming in short gasps, Snape reached out his hand and placed it under his chin, forcing the boy to make eye contact. "Sorry."
Snape cut him off, but spoke in gentle, unthreatening tones. "Don't worry about the glass, no harm done, now breath boy, nice and slow."
"But, but I broke the glass" Harry stuttered utterly bewildered.
"Did you mean to break the glass? Did you do it on purpose?" Snape enquired.
Harry shook his head, no. 2then it was an accident, I do not punish children for accidents." Snape explained.
"Oh." Harry struggled with this new concept.
"I take it your uncle does though?"
Harry had now sufficiently recovered enough to mumble, "Yes mister".
Snape exhaled loudly. "Humph, well, I won't punish you for having an accident." He paused and then added as an afterthought "Although wanton misbehaviour is a different matter of course." Harry nodded, relieved. "Now, come and have some more milk."
Harry sat down once more, and Snape put a fresh glass of milk in front of him. "Thanks mister" he said.
"Welcome" came the gruff reply. After this strange outburst of affection, Snape then turned his attention to the post. There was the Daily Prophet as usual, a letter from Dumbledore, probably concerning the boy, and a bulky package. Snape presumed it was the stuff he had ordered the previous night. He was pleased that it had come so quickly.
"Mister" exclaimed a voice, "mister, the pictures, they're moving!"
Snape sighed for what seemed like the thousandth time already since he had picked up the Potter boy, and explained. "Yes, they always move, that's magic."
"Magic!" Harry wondered. "You mean magic's real?"
"Yes boy, magic's real" Snape proceeded to explain the concept of magic and the magical world to a boy with emerald eyes, who sat flushed with expectation at his kitchen table.
Chapter Five - Accidents?
Harry slowly ate his porridge, so that Snape was left waiting after he had emptied his own bowl. At one point, feeling full enough, Harry had glanced up and put his spoon down, but Snape had been sitting perfectly still, staring pointedly at the not-yet-empty bowl in front of Harry, not looking anywhere near relenting. Harry had taken one look at the expression on Snape's face and had decided to finish his meal with all due haste.
When Harry's bowl was eventually empty, Snape nodded and, unthinkingly added "Good." Harry was stunned. He had never been praised before
Snape then poured Harry a large glass of milk, thinking that the scrawny, underweight boy in front of him could do with the vitamins and irons. He set it on the table in from of the boy. "Drink up, it's good for you." Harry had just brought the glass to his lips when three large owls swooped in the open window, narrowly missing Harry's head. There was a crash when Harry dropped his glass with fright; he was staring at the owls as if they had three heads and a set of horns on each. "It's all right, it's the post, the owls deliver my post every day." Snape explained.
Harry gaped, astonished, but his expression rapidly changed to one of horror when he saw the spilt milk and smashed glass on the floor. He stood up and looked around for a cloth. "I'm sorry sir, please don't be angry, I'll clean it up, please don't be angry." Harry had backed into the corner and was trembling, clearly terrified. "Sorry, sorry sir, sorry sir."
Snape stood up, concerned despite himself at his odd behaviour but then understanding dawned. He stood up and walked towards the corner the boy had backed himself into purposefully. When he got close he reached out, but Harry flung his arm up to protect his face and cried out, cowering. Snape paused, not wanting to get the boy any more wound up than he already was.
After a few moments, and the anticipated blows had not come, Harry lowered his arm slightly and looked up. Snape was standing a few feet away, his arms by his sides, with a neutral expression on his face. Seeing Harry's face, Snape pulled a chair over and sat down, beckoning the boy over with his hand "Come, don't be afraid".
Harry unwillingly obeyed and his voice was desperate as he stammered again "sorry sir." Snape put his finger to his lips, and Harry grew silent. When Harry reached Snape, and was standing in front of him wit his eyes studying his own bare feet, his shoulders heaving and his breath coming in short gasps, Snape reached out his hand and placed it under his chin, forcing the boy to make eye contact. "Sorry."
Snape cut him off, but spoke in gentle, unthreatening tones. "Don't worry about the glass, no harm done, now breath boy, nice and slow."
"But, but I broke the glass" Harry stuttered utterly bewildered.
"Did you mean to break the glass? Did you do it on purpose?" Snape enquired.
Harry shook his head, no. 2then it was an accident, I do not punish children for accidents." Snape explained.
"Oh." Harry struggled with this new concept.
"I take it your uncle does though?"
Harry had now sufficiently recovered enough to mumble, "Yes mister".
Snape exhaled loudly. "Humph, well, I won't punish you for having an accident." He paused and then added as an afterthought "Although wanton misbehaviour is a different matter of course." Harry nodded, relieved. "Now, come and have some more milk."
Harry sat down once more, and Snape put a fresh glass of milk in front of him. "Thanks mister" he said.
"Welcome" came the gruff reply. After this strange outburst of affection, Snape then turned his attention to the post. There was the Daily Prophet as usual, a letter from Dumbledore, probably concerning the boy, and a bulky package. Snape presumed it was the stuff he had ordered the previous night. He was pleased that it had come so quickly.
"Mister" exclaimed a voice, "mister, the pictures, they're moving!"
Snape sighed for what seemed like the thousandth time already since he had picked up the Potter boy, and explained. "Yes, they always move, that's magic."
"Magic!" Harry wondered. "You mean magic's real?"
"Yes boy, magic's real" Snape proceeded to explain the concept of magic and the magical world to a boy with emerald eyes, who sat flushed with expectation at his kitchen table.