'Headmaster! Why have you thrust this boy on me!'

The old wizard calmly watched on as his irate employee stalked up and down his office like a mad panther in a cage.

'Severus, please do sit down,' he began calmly. 'I can't talk to you while you are pacing. It makes me giddy.'

Snape snatched at a chair, thrust himself in it, crossed his arms and glowered.

'Now, Severus, are you referring to the Occlumency lessons?' said Dumbledore innocently. 'But I had you both promise-'

'He is the most insolent, troublesome, arrogant, pathetic student I have ever had the misfortune to teach!' came the enraged hiss. 'And I would like to know why you dared to have the audacity to seal me in my office with him!'

Harry stood sulkily at the back of the room. If Dumbledore had deliberately caused all this, then Dumbledore should definitely try to sort it out, he reasoned. Sighing, he realised that the Headmaster most likely wouldn't allow the Occlumency to stop again, though. Not after what happened last time.

His eyes wandered around the room. There was the dusty old sorting hat on its shelf, Fawkes shimmering on his perch, preening himself. The portraits, most of which were all either asleep, or trying to sleep - if that was still possible with all the noise Snape was making.

Phineas Nigellus, though, was wide-awake, and was staring at him, with an amused expression on his face. Harry frowned. Yes, he would find this funny-

'Congratulations, boy!' Phineas smirked, 'I hoped someone else would take over my great-great grandson's familial duties.'

Harry was confused. 'What duties?'

'Keeping the beast-half-breeds on their toes of course,' he remarked coolly. 'The other one, though, you succeeded in upsetting rather than angering, you know-'

Other one? Harry frowned. Of course - Lupin!

'What did he do?' he asked, worried.

'Oh - he was deplorable,' said Phineas slyly, 'even before the call of the wild took him over-'

'The call?' Harry's eyes widened. 'Where is he now?' he asked quickly.

'Oh - don't worry, boy, Albus took care of him,' smirked the picture, stroking his pointed beard. 'I presume he didn't fancy another wild animal ripping up his office.'

'Oh.' Harry was going to ask him to explain, but had a sudden thought. 'Can I ask you a question about Snape -er- sir?'

'Harry!'

It was the headmaster's voice. The room went silent as Harry looked around at him. Dumbledore's face wore a very grave expression.

'Is it true, Harry, you tried to take your life?'

Harry began to tremble. In all the drama, he had almost forgotten.

'I - I - didn't know what I was thinking - sir. I have been - pretty low' He said quietly, feeling terrible.

'Professor Snape says he had to bring you back.'

'Yes - sir.'

'Harry,' Dumbledore said softly, 'why didn't you tell someone you were feeling this way? Your friends?'

Harry swallowed. 'Ron always seemed so busy,' he said, 'training for Quidditch - I couldn't. And Hermione, well, she's been in a bit of a temper, with all the revising. And then she got angry, and said she didn't know what was wrong with my-' Harry trailed off. This sounded so awful. He had somehow managed to convince himself his friends hated him. Hermione had gone to a lot of trouble to find him a rare book on Occlumency. Neville had always asked how he was. And Ginny. Even Seamus was worried about him-

Snape's eyes were slicing into him. Of course, the professor hated it when people got emotional.

And then he had to save you, AND make himself ill doing it.

Harry shrunk back. Now all this would only make him the Potions Master see him as weaker and more pathetic than ever.

'Professor Dumbledore - where's Lupin?' he asked in a small voice.

'He's doing a small favour for professor Snape at the moment,' said Dumbledore, his eyes showing the lightest of twinkles.

For a second Snape looked as if he was going to smirk. His eyes flitted away to one corner of the room, before returning to Harry. 'Why, Harry, I thought you hated him-' he sneered suspiciously.

Harry stiffened. He would have preferred an angrily spat 'Potter!' Snape had spoken his first name in such a tone, that it had caused an unpleasant chill to run right through him.

'I don't really hate him, professor Snape,' said Harry quietly. 'I just let my emotions get out of control.'

Snape raised an eyebrow, before straightening up and looking toward the desk. 'See what I mean, Headmaster?' he smirked triumphantly, 'Potter will do this again and again. You cannot teach this boy self control. He is as much a liability as he was when he first set his foot in Hogwarts.'

Harry stared at him, his eyes beginning to narrow.

'He is a danger to everyone in this school for as long as he remains here.' Snape continued, his eyes flashing maliciously. He could sense the boy's heart rate was speeding up again.

Dangerously.

Harry glared. Look at him smirking and sneering, the greasy, sadistic, slimy, evil.evil.

He felt just like he did when he had punched Malfoy after that Quidditch match. But this time he felt like aiming higher than Snape's gut. He would go right for the git's huge nose.

Not that it would be difficult target. After all, Sirius had probably felt like breaking it loads of times. Or had broken it loads of times-

Then as swiftly he felt temper begin to stiffen his body, and his hands clench into fists by his sides, he realised something else in him was trying to make him listen, force his temper back. It was as if a shield had appeared and suddenly prevented his feelings from going any further. He took a shaky, deep breath.

He felt his chest begin to relax, and his hands unclench. He breathed in some more. His heart began to slow.

'I don't hate Lupin.' repeated Harry slowly, surprising himself at just how calm his voice sounded. 'And I don't hate my father. Or Sirius.'

'Well, there's a promising start,' sneered Snape mockingly.

'And - Professor Snape?' Harry made the professor lock eye contact before continuing. The black pools glinted maliciously at him. 'I don't hate you. I refuse you to make me. From now- I-I won't let you.'

Dumbledore's mouth twitched into the faintest smile. He knew Severus would never have seen that one coming. Harry a danger to everyone?

'Once an arrogant brat, always an arrogant brat, Potter!' hissed Snape, his temper rising.

Harry had to swallow six years of battered Gryffindor pride for this. Snape's freezing gaze was still boring into him. Still Harry refused to flinch or look away.

'Not unless the arrogant brat realises what he is, and wants to do something about it,' he replied carefully. Snape eyes seemed to loose their gleam. He flushed an ugly colour. Harry waited for the sarcastic quip.

'You're pathetic!' Snape snarled, before leaping up to stalk up and down like a mad panther again.

Harry blinked several times. Had he really out-stared Snape?

'Truly wild, untameable, and vicious,' muttered Phineas in his reedy voice, his eyes following the stormy, black shape of the Potions Master warily. 'A threat to the wizarding world if ever there was one.'

'Severus-' the Headmaster called, watching his employee pace. 'SEVERUS!'

Snape had deliberately ignored him, twice. Dumbledore guessed this to mean Severus's tolerance level to be somewhere near breaking point. Now, the old wizard mused, in which direction will this confrontation go?

Harry broke the silence first. 'Yes, I am pathetic, sir. You tried to stop me from doing a stupid, stupid thing. But I was still stupid enough to do it.'

Snape froze, but didn't make any effort to turn round to face the boy.

He continued, stammering slightly, 'Y-you have every right, t-to take a hundred points, sir - or more.' Harry had never felt so serious. 'Because I'm s-sorry. I am very sorry I made you ill.'

Snape hissed. A hundred points from Gryffindor. It was very tempting, indeed. But damn the boy! He was being honest for once: not lying, not even mocking! If he didn't look at him, perhaps he could bear to be more reasonable. He tried to imagine addressing any other student.

Just any other student-

'Well, you were moronic, and pathetic. But unbelievably, you did one thing right,' he said quietly. 'You were actually in the right place at the right time, thus ensuring your selfish act only endangered my life, and not the whole of Hogwarts.'

And on these words, without looking at Harry, Snape swept from the office, slamming the door behind him.

Harry reeled. That last speech was not without its venom, but for Snape its tone had been that of a compliment. He looked up to find the headmaster smiling at him.

'That was well done, Harry,' he said quietly.

'B-But - he didn't take the points!' Harry stammered.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, 'Odd, isn't it? And you didn't lose your temper. Maybe you don't bring out the worst in each other after all.'

Harry paused to wonder. So when did Snape take points? When he had done something wrong, of course. The first potions lesson he had had, unreasonable though Snape was, he had still dared to back chat the teacher.

But what about all those fights with the Slytherins while waiting outside for potions? Did Snape really only take off points unfairly in front of the Slytherins? Harry found this very hard to believe.

Dumbledore's eyes were watching him serenely.

'You are a young adult now, Harry, and one with a great burden on your shoulders,' he said. 'And adults learn that it is often dangerous to ignore the wider picture, and allow their own feelings to cloud judgement.'

Harry nodded, and bowed his head.

The picture behind him, though, sniggered loudly.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. Harry thought he looked rather sad. 'But, I'll warn you Harry,' he said quietly. 'Professor Snape will always be likely to bend this rule.'

'Double standards!' coughed Phineas.

'Phineas!' Dumbledore warned the picture, frowning suddenly. 'I daresay if you had ever been placed in a position such as Severus's, your temper would be just as volatile. I thought you as a fellow Slytherin would be able to sympathise.'

Phineas huffed loudly.

Dumbledore's expression turned grave again. 'And Harry. I warn you, that what I have to say next is of great importance. You will be sworn to secrecy. You must never tell others what I am about to tell you.'

Harry looked into the solemn eyes, and nodded nervously. 'I swear.'

Dumbledore picked up his wand, stood and muttered several words. A golden force field sprang up around them. The old wizard's eyes pierced into the boy.

'This is to ensure nothing else can hear what I am about to say, Harry.'

Harry stared wide-eyed at the field. It was swirling all around them, like glitter in a misty fluid. He could only just make out the room behind.

'Your Occlumency skills have advanced to the level where Lord Voldemort is now unable to send you visions, Harry,' he said carefully. 'You are now safe from his prying - providing you continue to control your temper.'

Harry was astounded. With so few compliments from Snape, it had been hard for him to tell if he was improving at all. Dumbledore smiled at him briefly, but his next tones were even more serious.

'And Harry, what you have found out today about professor Snape must be kept a secret, from everyone. Voldemort must never find out.'

Harry was confused. 'That he stopped me from poisoning myself?'

Dumbledore shook his head, and leaned closer. 'Harry - Lord Voldemort doesn't know exactly why the curse rebounded.'

Harry swallowed hard. Had he indeed put Snape's life in more danger than he thought? For fifteen whole years?

'But, my mother's love?' he gasped. 'Didn't that cause it?'

Dumbledore smiled gently. 'Oh, in a way, Harry, in a way,' he said mysteriously.

'But why would it make professor Snape ill, then?' Harry was not sure if he was becoming less or more confused.

'Ah, Harry, to use your own blood in any potion is not without its risks. If the blood contains certain immunities, the drinker of the potion will inherit them.'

'Like having jabs protecting against diseases?' said Harry, astounded. The wizarding world had inoculations?

'In a way.' Dumbledore nodded. 'But as I said, it is more risky. The owner of the blood wouldn't normally want to use it in such a way, as they would create a weakness for themselves, particularly if any deadly poison entered their potion drinker's blood-'

'But - Snape's threatened to poison me in class before,' Harry exclaimed. 'W-Why would he do that?'

Dumbledore frowned dismissively. 'An idle threat perhaps? More likely the ingredients were not as potent, Harry, as I know how he hates feeling unwell.' His moustache twitched. 'Now please remember - for Professor Snape, and your own sake, you must keep all of this secret.' He stood up, and removed the glittering forcefield with a wave of his hand.

Harry saw all the odds stack up against him. For how many more different reasons, could his potions' professor claim the right to hate him? It appeared he had been doomed from the very beginning.

And the biggest question, why even would such a man choose to weaken himself to save the son of James Potter?

'Albus, what on earth have you got to say to a boy that we can't be trusted to hear?' Phineas's tone seemed rather petulant.

'Oh, Phineas, really,' said Dumbledore coolly, his eyes twinkling. 'Surely you're not so frivolous as to have been interested in hearing the real truth behind Severus's unfortunate hair condition?'

Harry clapped a hand to his mouth, and held his nose in an attempt to stifle a snort of laughter. Phineas tried his best to hide a look of contempt.

'Albus, you are exceedingly immature, sometimes,' he sneered.

'Probably why I get on so well with children, Phineas,' he smiled cheerfully. 'Maybe it is the secret to my popularity. Anyhow - chocolate frog, Harry?'

Phineas snorted and turned his back on them, 'I thought all of Snape's problems were hereditary,' he growled. 'Just taking one look at that portrait would tell anyone that!'

Harry remembered where Snape's eyes had wandered earlier. He turned to the corner. It was the darkest part of the office, away from all windows. A dark framed portrait hung there, half obscured by shelves. Its paint appeared to be swirling around. He looked back curiously at Dumbledore, who frowned.

'Sir - what sort of blood has Professor Snape-'

'I'm sure professor Snape would think you have discovered more than enough about him today, Harry,' he cut in firmly. 'But,' his eyes twinkled, 'in asking that, you have reminded me to do something.'

Drawing a handful of something out of his pocket, Dumbledore crossed to the corner in question, muttered something indistinguishable under his breath and threw a powdery substance at the frame.

There was a sudden explosion, which caused Harry to start back and shut his eyes, and the silvery instruments to rattle madly on the shelves. When he looked up again he found that standing next to Dumbledore was none other than a rather dishevelled Lupin.

'Feel any better now Remus?' asked Dumbledore brightly.

'Yes, Headmaster.It has helped me out a great deal.I dearly miss those fights with Sirius,' he smiled ruefully.

'What was the outcome, need I ask?'

'Three nil. To Gryffindor, of course. It has been rather therapeutic to-'

Lupin trailed off. He had sensed who else was in the room. Harry watched his smile fade slightly as he looked round.

To his shock the teenager saw the man was injured. Lupin looked as if a tiger had clawed him. Three long scratches were scored deeply across his face. His lip was cut and bleeding, and one of his hands was badly gashed.

Harry fought back against the darkness, the months of coldness, the slow weeks of numb hibernation. He allowed all the pain, the terror, the guilt, to hit him full on. It was raw and stinging, but also welcome. He had been rescued. He could still feel love. He was still human.

Lupin winced painfully and staggered back. Tears began to prickle in his eyes; because the boy had bounded across the room and almost knocked them both over with a bone-crushing hug.

'Oh Remus. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry,' Harry choked.

'So am I, Harry,' sighed Lupin gently.