Chapter 4
Harry stayed on at Hogwarts for the rest of the day. At dinner time he sat at the main table between Professors Flitwick and McGonagall. Just before the meal was served Snape walked in. Harry snuck a glance at him. He looked much the same as usual. Harry watched him over Flitwick's head as the meal progressed.
Snape did not eat much of the roast chicken. He did not even attempt to eat the pudding. Flitwick asked him for it and Harry met Snape's eye as he handed his bowl over to the dimunitive professor.
"How are you feeling, Professor?" Harry asked in a polite tone.
Snape's eyes narrowed and he scowled. He completely ignored the question.
It was Harry's turn to scowl. He was incensed.
"Perhaps you didn't hear me, Professor Snape," he said in a loud 'I-won't-be ignored' voice, "I inquired how you were feeling."
Snape gave him a filthy look. "I didn't know you cared, Potter," he replied in a sarcastic drawl.
"Just answer the question," Harry growled.
"Quite well, thank you."
The smug look on the man's face infuriated Harry. His rage boiled over.
"What did you think of my potion?"
He hadn't meant to say it. Snape could not hide his shock. If looks could kill, Harry would be one dead wizard.
Harry watched Snape's expression closely. He saw anger, fear and perhaps a tinge of embarrassment. Snape obviously realised that Harry had seen his sleeping arrangements.
Harry blinked in surprise as Snape stood up abruptly.
"May I speak to you in private, Mr Potter?"
Harry stood up. Snape inclined his head towards the door, spun on his heel and led the way out. Harry glanced over at Dumbledore and gave him the wizard equivalent of a thumbs up sign. Clearly Snape did not want to be seen thanking him in public.
Once out in the gallery, Harry jumped in shock as Snape rounded on him, backing him into the wall and standing over him, wand in hand.
"Don't you ever breathe a word about this to anyone, Potter, or I'll hex you till-" Snape's voice was scarcely above a whisper.
"How dare you threaten me, you bloody ungrateful bastard," Harry said calmly, pushing the other man away. He refused to draw his wand. "I'm not one of your cowering students. You can't talk to me like that -"
"Yes, the great Harry Potter, whom everyone must treat with the respect he craves," Snape said bitterly.
"That's not what I meant and you know it. You always twist what I say to make it fit in with your idea of me." Harry looked him in the eye."Put your wand away and stop acting like a bloody great git."
Snape looked murderous, but he put his wand back in his pocket. He turned and started to walk away.
Harry's next question made him pause.
"Why?"
Snape knew what he was asking. Why stay in a cell? Why did he keep punishing himself? Why could he not accept any kind of help?
Snape did not turn around. "You would never understand," he said after a long pause. "Thank you for the potion, Potter. It's a miracle I'm still alive."
Harry watched the black clad figure disappear down a dark corridor. He smiled to himself. Maybe he had made some progress after all.
Harry stayed on at Hogwarts for the rest of the day. At dinner time he sat at the main table between Professors Flitwick and McGonagall. Just before the meal was served Snape walked in. Harry snuck a glance at him. He looked much the same as usual. Harry watched him over Flitwick's head as the meal progressed.
Snape did not eat much of the roast chicken. He did not even attempt to eat the pudding. Flitwick asked him for it and Harry met Snape's eye as he handed his bowl over to the dimunitive professor.
"How are you feeling, Professor?" Harry asked in a polite tone.
Snape's eyes narrowed and he scowled. He completely ignored the question.
It was Harry's turn to scowl. He was incensed.
"Perhaps you didn't hear me, Professor Snape," he said in a loud 'I-won't-be ignored' voice, "I inquired how you were feeling."
Snape gave him a filthy look. "I didn't know you cared, Potter," he replied in a sarcastic drawl.
"Just answer the question," Harry growled.
"Quite well, thank you."
The smug look on the man's face infuriated Harry. His rage boiled over.
"What did you think of my potion?"
He hadn't meant to say it. Snape could not hide his shock. If looks could kill, Harry would be one dead wizard.
Harry watched Snape's expression closely. He saw anger, fear and perhaps a tinge of embarrassment. Snape obviously realised that Harry had seen his sleeping arrangements.
Harry blinked in surprise as Snape stood up abruptly.
"May I speak to you in private, Mr Potter?"
Harry stood up. Snape inclined his head towards the door, spun on his heel and led the way out. Harry glanced over at Dumbledore and gave him the wizard equivalent of a thumbs up sign. Clearly Snape did not want to be seen thanking him in public.
Once out in the gallery, Harry jumped in shock as Snape rounded on him, backing him into the wall and standing over him, wand in hand.
"Don't you ever breathe a word about this to anyone, Potter, or I'll hex you till-" Snape's voice was scarcely above a whisper.
"How dare you threaten me, you bloody ungrateful bastard," Harry said calmly, pushing the other man away. He refused to draw his wand. "I'm not one of your cowering students. You can't talk to me like that -"
"Yes, the great Harry Potter, whom everyone must treat with the respect he craves," Snape said bitterly.
"That's not what I meant and you know it. You always twist what I say to make it fit in with your idea of me." Harry looked him in the eye."Put your wand away and stop acting like a bloody great git."
Snape looked murderous, but he put his wand back in his pocket. He turned and started to walk away.
Harry's next question made him pause.
"Why?"
Snape knew what he was asking. Why stay in a cell? Why did he keep punishing himself? Why could he not accept any kind of help?
Snape did not turn around. "You would never understand," he said after a long pause. "Thank you for the potion, Potter. It's a miracle I'm still alive."
Harry watched the black clad figure disappear down a dark corridor. He smiled to himself. Maybe he had made some progress after all.