Title: Verisimilitude

Author: GrapeSmshr

Rated: R

Coupling: HP/SS slashy goodness

Disclaimer: As much as I wish it were so, these charas don't belong to me.

Thanks to: Crazy Mary-J... You definitely helped me out with the events of this chapter...

A/N: Hey looky, another chapter out on time! I'm doing so well with this school/writing thing (it's because I'm writing in my classes when I should be taking notes). I cannot tell you how much fun it was writing this chapter. And I dare say it's the longest one yet! So... read on and enjoy!

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Chapter 7: Blast From the Past

Collapsing onto his bed, Severus squeezed his eyes shut as he mentally shuffled through the events of the day. Each class had a different style of review, each effective in its own way. Even the first-year Hufflepuff/Slytherin class went smoothly. It was something he had never seen before. Then again, it wasn't such a surprise considering he was practically existing in a universe foreign to him.

With a frustrated growl, he threw a pillow over his head. By some wicked twist of fate, he had been poisoned by his former Dark Lord and pretty much marked for death. And then he was saved by some unknown cure, discovered by--hmm, exactly who did discover the antidote? He would have to ask Albus later.

So here he was now, five years later and not a minute of those five years older, and his life was--well, he didn't actually have a life at the moment. Rather, it was currently invaded by stand-ins that had taken over everything but his personal rooms. If it had happened to anyone else, he probably would have found the entire situation almost laughable. As it was, he was a bit less than amused.

Severus had always prided himself in being in control of his life. Even as a Death Eater, his actions were somewhat counterbalanced by his spying. But now, now he really didn't know how to go about, how to once again reclaim what he had lost. Potter was right; the situation sucked.

He was interrupted from his morbid musings by a knock on his door. It wasn't Draco; he would have just barged right in as he always did. Severus wasn't up for being social at the moment, but as the insistent knocking repeated, he figured the person would not be leaving anytime soon.

Pushing himself up from his comfortable bed, he stalked into the sitting room and threw open the door, scowling instantly.

Harry Potter stared back at him, hand poised in midair as he was about to knock yet again. Lowering his hand, he smiled sheepishly. "Did I disturb you?"

"Always, Mr. Potter," Severus clipped back automatically.

Shrugging the comment off, Harry continued, "I need to make a quick trip into Knockturn Alley for some ingredients I'm low on for the sixth-years' review tomorrow. Would you like to accompany me?" As the other man opened his mouth in what Harry knew would be a rude refusal, he added, "Or perhaps you'd like to stay here and have tea with Albus and Minerva? I do believe they were about to call on you."

That was a quick decision made. Stepping past Potter, Severus closed the door behind him and started down the corridor with hasty strides.

Chuckling, Harry followed after him.

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"I just need to run into the shop right next door and then I'll be done," Harry said as he left the dank, dusty little shop they were currently in.

Severus glanced about in disinterest, having been in this particular shop numerous times before. The shopkeeper was a leering, evil-eyed old man who was creepy even by Severus's high tolerance of shady characters. Deciding the best place to wait would be outside, he exited the shop and leaned back against the brick building cooled by lack of sunlight.

He had received many a glance, as all of the local witches and wizards had known about his previous... condition. He had scowled at the lot of them, causing their curious selves to scamper off like frightened diricawls. Good riddance, indeed.

As he waited patiently, Severus could feel eyes on him. Turning to his left, he saw a burly wizard glaring in his general direction. He tensed for a moment, then chided himself for being so jumpy. There was no reason to be so suspicious of some oaf just because he was glaring at nothing. Honestly. The war had been over for a few years now, so there was no need to be paranoid. It's not like everyone was out to get him.

Or so he thought, until a wand was pointed menacingly at his nose. Damned introspection! He hadn't even heard the oaf approach! Sneering down the end of the wand, he quickly shuffled through his memory for the oaf's identity. "Can I help you?" he asked coolly, his mind blanking. At least he wasn't an ex-Death Eater. Severus relaxed a notch at this thought.

The man only glared, beady eyes narrowing further as he jabbed his wand into the side of Severus's neck, angered at the potions master's flippancy. "No, you can't!" he spat out. "It's too late for any help from you!" He stared hard at the man, apparently expecting some type of affirmative answer by way of recognition.

Having none of this, Severus merely smirked. "You know, I do believe you are correct." He held in a gasp as the wand stabbed his windpipe. Obviously that was not the response the man had been looking for.

"Still don't remember?" the man hissed, face inching dangerously closer. "Then let me refresh your memory. Your Potions class, twelve years ago. You failed me every year, and I failed my N.E.W.T.s because of you. That ruined every chance I had at getting a decent job in the Ministry. Know who I am now?"

Ah, now Severus remembered who the man was. A right horror in class, even worse than Longbottom. A danger to everyone around him. Actually, Severus was surprised he was still walking around, he was so accident prone. But instead of confirming the other man's words, he answered simply, "Sorry, I don't remember you. Too bad about your incompetence, though."

While he said those words, Severus's hand had been slowly curling, reaching up into the sleeve of his robes for his own wand. Just a little further... a little more... a little more... His eyes widened an inconspicuous fraction as he realized that he didn't have his wand with him. He must have left it in his room. Great, just great. He had a crazed ex-student pointing a wand at him, with no way to defend himself. He was abysmal at wandless magic, so that couldn't help him. And now he angered him even more. Wouldn't you know.

"I was ecstatic when I heard you were dying," the man grinned sadistically. " I hoped that a cure would never be found, but it was. You should be dead right now!"

"So... what? Are you going to kill me?" Severus mocked, unable to stop himself. Damnit! He was usually so levelheaded with his thinking before he spoke!

"Of course not. I'm no Death Eater," he said pointedly, basking in Severus's scowl. "But I will hex you until you wish you were." He pulled his wand back, spell on his lips.

But then a blur of black appeared and slammed into the man, who ricocheted off of Severus and sent him sprawling in the opposite direction.

Pulling the wand-waving lunatic to his feet, Harry glared furiously at him. "Just what do you think you're doing?" he seethed.

"Who the hell do you think--" the man effectively cut himself off as he took sight of the famous lightning bolt scar.

"What? You think it's fun to hex people? Is that it?" Harry pressed harshly. "I should turn you in to the Minister."

"No, don't!" he panicked, holding his hands out as if to protect himself. "I didn't mean--"

"You didn't mean?" Harry repeated menacingly.

"No! That's not--I'm sorry!" he cried and ran off.

Harry made no move to stop him. Instead he turned to Snape, who was still on the ground. He couldn't help but stare at the older man in concern and surprise.

Legs curled up in front of him and resting back on his hands, Severus's breaths came harsh and ragged. His onyx eyes were staring straight ahead, blinking in and out of focus. He wasn't scared, nor was he in shock. No, he was furious!

As a hand was held out to him, intent on helping him up, he growled fiercely and lifted himself up to his feet on his own. He glared at the man with such venom that he took a step back in surprise. "Let's go!" he snapped, spinning on his heel and stalking off, leaving Harry to stare after him in confusion.

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Two hours later, Harry was back in his room, mulling over the earlier events. The walk back from Hogsmeade had been tense, silent. Harry hadn't dared say anything so as not to upset the already angered man. Maybe he was still shaken up? Harry felt some sort of guilt for dragging the other man along on his errands. After all, had he not asked, Snape never would've been there to be threatened. He was still curious as to what happened.

Determined, he decided to head down to the dungeons and talk to Snape. He wanted to make sure he was all right.

Harry made the lengthy trip to the dungeons in record time, moving faster in his purposeful state. Before long, he was standing in front of Snape's door for the second time that night. Not allowing himself to hesitate, he quickly knocked on the door.

He was startled when it was immediately opened, the potions master grabbing his arm and pulling him inside.

"Why?" Severus asked. "Why did you do it?"

Harry assumed he was referring to knocking the man down earlier. "He had you cornered. I was trying to help--"

"I didn't need your help!" Severus interrupted snidely, taking a small step forward. "I never need help, especially from you, Harry Potter!"

Harry frowned. That was not what he expected. He figured Snape was just embarrassed for being caught unarmed or something. He never imagined that Snape blamed him! "From the look of the situation, you needed some sort of help!" he protested in annoyance.

Eyes flashing, Severus returned maliciously, "Did that feel good, knocking that fool over? Did you enjoy playing the hero once again?"

He was going to let the previous comments go, but Harry was much too disturbed by that last insult. "Oh yes, I always enjoy throwing myself in the face of danger, of imminent death," he snapped sarcastically, angry eyes matching those of the man glaring hatefully at him. "I'll do us both a favor. If I ever stumble upon you in a threatening situation again, I'll leave you to rot. Satisfied?" And with that he stomped out of the room, slamming the portrait shut loudly behind him.

Incensed, Severus picked up a textbook and launched it at the door, relishing in the reverberated echo that stretched across the room.

Of all the nerve! Potter had managed to turn around Severus's own rant so that he was the insulted one! What good was a rant if it wasn't even effectively carried through? Not much bloody good, he mused as his anger began to slowly subside.

It used to be so entertaining to insult Potter because when the boy insulted him back, it resulted in a loss of Gryffindor House points. But now he could argue with the man all day and not gain a thing. He couldn't even get the last bloody word in!

And if he really, really thought and lingered on it, he could understand Potter's actions, his vehement reaction to Severus's insults. But something about the man made it extremely difficult to admit defeat or wrongdoing, even on something as trivial as this. Why did Potter always make people feel like situations were their fault when they weren't? That got his anger flaring up yet again.

Throwing himself onto his bed, pillow once again pressed over his face, Severus fought the urge to scream. He knew he would be getting no sleep tonight.

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The start of the second-year Slytherin/Ravenclaw class went somewhat smoothly, if not a bit tense. Since it was a lower year, their test review was a question and answer game where the students were divided into teams interspersed by members of both Houses. Because he was still grading essays, Harry left Snape in charge of the review.

It had seemed like a good idea at the time.

Before long, it became obvious to Harry that the game was biased. Snape was giving the more difficult questions to the Ravenclaws and asking them in an intimidating manner, and the Slytherins were answering only half-correctly and still receiving full points. Not exactly a way to act professional.

Clearing his throat, Harry said from his desk, "Perhaps you should vary the questions up a bit." He wanted Snape to know that he noticed the favoritism.

Throwing a glare over his shoulder, he returned easily, "I was under the impression that this was my class as well, Professor Potter." Severus was awarded a calculated frown from Potter and some low chuckles from a few Slytherin students, which were promptly squelched under Potter's warning glare.

Taking a deep breath, Harry answered with all the calm he could muster, "I am well aware of that, Professor Snape. I was merely stating that perhaps--"

"What were you merely stating?" Severus interrupted snidely. "Perhaps I've gotten rusty in my absence and need your expertise to teach a class I've been teaching for a good fifteen years?"

Standing slowly, eyes never leaving Snape's, Harry said, "Class, you are dismissed early."

As they started gathering their belongings, Severus objected, "Class isn't over yet." They paused.

"Class is over. Now!" Harry barked, and the students scrambled out of the room without a backwards glance, the slamming door an indicator of their departure.

There was no sound save for the harsh breathing from both of them. Words were not needed as thoughts were plainly divulged in the matching sneers. It had been reduced to an amateurish staring contest until Harry finally found fit to release his torrent of angry thoughts.

"Why are you trying to belittle me in front of the students?" he exploded.

"Why are you questioning my teaching skills?" Severus countered hotly, blatantly ignoring the fact that he had done the same thing to the other man on more than one occasion. He returned to his desk and began to shuffle papers together blindly. He had to occupy his hands, which were just itching to throttle Potter's delicate neck. As appealing as the idea was, he couldn't commit homicide on a fellow professor, and he used the title loosely.

"I wasn't! I was merely commenting on the fact that you were favoring the Slytherins during the review!"

"Hmm, and I suppose you don't have a tendency to turn your head at any infractions committed by students of your former House?"

"I most certainly do not. You can ask any students of any House. I take away just as many points from Gryffindor as I do the other House members for certain offenses. That's part of my job as a professor: to be neutral."

Severus opened his mouth to say something, but he promptly closed it again. Anything he said now would only sound childish. Loathe as he was to admit it, Potter was right. Severus had been singling out the Slytherins. But he was just so angry! Not about the class, but about last night. He had always had problems admitting when he needed help, and to receive the unwelcome but much needed help of Harry Potter? It just really got to him. How ironic was it that the unruly student was now the one teaching Severus lessons he didn't realize he needed to learn?

"Look, Potter--"

"Scaring off the second-years now, are you?" Draco's smooth voice interrupted from the doorway. He descended the steps until he was standing in front of their desks, alternating curious glances between the two.

"There was a slight... misunderstanding," Severus explained with a shrug as he continued to stack his papers away--neatly this time.

Changing his gaping expression to a casual one, Harry affirmed, "Misunderstanding, yes." He chanced a sideways glance at Snape, who paid neither of the two any heed.

Draco assessed the situation carefully. When he ran into one of his second-years on her way from the dungeons, she told him what had happened in class. Having dismissed his own students early was well, he immediately made his way to the Potions classroom. Entering the room quietly, he watched them argue back and forth. It was quite comical to Draco how the two were so alike in their anger. The same tones, same facial expressions, and the same argument they had before. If they were going to bicker, couldn't they at least pick a new topic?

He sighed. "Look. I realize that you two don't quite get along, but now it's affecting your work and your students. Don't you think you should reach some sort of truce already?"

"As always, you are right, Draco," Harry admitted in defeat after a short pause, giving the blonde fuel for a smirk. "I guess we have been acting a bit... out of character." He glanced over at Snape. "What do you say, sir?" He held out a hand. "Truce?"

Eyeing the man warily for a moment, Severus reached over and grasped Potter's hand in a firm handshake. "Truce," he agreed.

"Now that's what I like to see," Draco nodded in satisfaction. Glancing at his watch, he said, "Next class is starting soon, so I need to get back upstairs. Keep it civil, you two." And with a quick wave, he left.

Picking up a quill and absently tapping it on his desk, Harry pondered what had just happened. Perhaps they had reached a plateau in their resentment for one another and could move on. Perhaps they could even be--dare he even think it--friends. "Professor Snape?" he asked tentatively, gaining the man's attention. "Would you like to have lunch with me today?"

Well, what harm could it do? They did need to learn to get along, after all. "All right," Severus conceded.

Both heaving quiet sighs of relief, they returned to preparing for the next class.

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Hahaha!! I love torturing Sev! I'm just soooooo mean. Wait until you see the next chapter! Oh, uh... forget I mentioned anything... Anyway, I am so very happy that you guys like this fic. I honestly didn't expect this kind of response from it. It really makes it that much more fun to write.

Please review! As I just stated, it really does make my day to hear your kind and encouraging words. And believe me, I could use them if I'm going to continue slacking off at school so I can write this and get the chaps out on time. And if you're like me and don't quite have the time to review, thanks for reading anyway. I do so appreciate it. Alrighty then, till next chapter. Peace out!