Chapter 4
By ResQgal
Previously:
"I don't know, Potter, let's go see the Headmaster." Severus couldn't
help asking himself what else could go wrong.
Harry, in Severus' body, led the way towards the headmaster's office. His thoughts were racing with what they should do about their current predicament. Hermione Granger is not easy to fool. Snape, who was trying to get his attention, brought him from his thoughts.
"What is it Potter?"
Severus leaned forward and whispered quickly. "You need to walk faster. Your robes aren't billowing enough."
Harry nodded curtly and glared before picking up his pace a bit. He was rewarded with his robes billowing out perfectly behind him. 'So that's how he does it.' He glanced back to see his professor struggling to keep up in the shorter body. A smirk graced his lips. As they approached the gargoyle Harry muttered the password and glared at Snape. "Hurry up Potter, I don't have all day." They exchanged dirty looks as they ascended to the headmaster's office. Of course, he was waiting for them on the other side with that damned twinkle in his eyes.
"Have a seat my boys. I'm pretty sure I know why you're both here. Tea?"
They both muttered a 'No.' Severus glared through Harry's green eyes. "Can we make this quick, Albus? I have homework to do if Potter is to pass any of his classes. What should I do about Miss Granger?"
Albus clasped his hands and smiled. "Well that's simple. When you get back you'll just have to start calling him Voldemort. Find some reason to say it when you get back. Oh, and Harry, try not to be nice to Professor Snape's owl. Tomorrow morning just take the letter and glare at it till it flies off. Good day."
Snape, in Harry's body, stood up enraged. "Albus, you know I can't say his name!"
"Severus, you will say it. Good-bye."
Severus practically growled as he left. It was an odd sound to hear coming from Harry's body. 'That infuriating, meddling man.'
Harry headed out to prowl around the grounds, looking for rule breakers. He knew he couldn't take points from Slytherin and he didn't want to take points from Gryffindor, so he headed to areas of the grounds where the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs normally relaxed. He was rewarded with two sixth year Ravenclaws that were a little too involved under a tree. "Ten points from Ravenclaw. I'm sure you can figure out why."
As he stormed away he heard the boy mutter, "The old git's probably never been laid. Lot of nerve he has." Harry cursed under his breath, but didn't turn around. Is this the sort of thing Snape heard everyday? Harry kept his face blank but inside he felt like cursing the insufferable brats. 'Did he just think that?' He decided to take his rage out on others as he continued stalking around looking for someone to take points from. To his surprise he heard Hermione and Ron talking behind a bush.
"Something isn't right with Harry. I'm not even sure that it is Harry so don't tell him anything important Ron."
"But, why? He seemed fine to me."
"Last night he said Dark Lord instead of V .. Voldemort. And this morning Hedwig seemed uncomfortable around him. Owls are incredibly smart."
Harry looked around to make sure that no one saw him spying on the Gryffindors. The only person he saw was his body containing Snape who was also listening. Harry motioned for Severus to walk away and he stayed there waiting for the pair to emerge from the bush.
"Weasley, Granger. Ten points from Gryffindor. Don't think I don't know what you were doing back there."
Of course Ron started to argue. "No we weren't. We were just ..."
"That's enough," Harry said in a stern whisper. "I heard what you said about Mister Potter. I have instructed him to call the Dark Lord that while in my presence and he must have slipped around you. Don't start off on some Gryffindor goose chase. If I see you back here again you'll have detention."
He stormed off, thoroughly pleased with himself, heading for the dungeons.
Meanwhile, Severus, in Harry's body, was sitting under a tree by the lake. It was something that he had noticed Potter doing before so it seemed appropriate. At first he couldn't understand why the boy would sit here like this. But, as his thoughts started to wander and he took in the sounds around him, he decided that it was a great place to think. He was used to the silence and comfort of his private rooms, but the noises permeating the outdoors seemed to ease and open his mind as well.
He was interrupted from his musings when he felt something, a stick perhaps, hit him in the back. He turned his head to see a pair of grinning Gryffindors, Granger and Weasley.
"Hey Harry, whatcha doing?" Came Weasley's oh so intelligent question.
Severus just shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it."
Hermione, with a strange glint in her eye asked, "Is it about You-Know-Who?"
Severus nibbled his lower lip as he'd seen the boy do on occasion. "Isn't everything to do with me about Voldemort?" Severus felt he deserved a pat on the back for using the Dark Lord's name for the first time in twenty years. He felt oddly liberated. He was also pleased to notice Granger relax slightly, but he could tell that she was going to be keeping a close eye on him. He decided that it might be good to ramble on some more. "With everything that's been going on they have me spending way too much time with Snape. He's impossible to work with."
Hermione smiled and laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I know, it must be tough."
Severus had to use all of his willpower to keep from flinching at the touch. It had been a while since anyone had tried to comfort him. It was ... nice. He figured that this is what it was like to have real friends. Not just acquaintances.
"Hey guys, ferret alert." Ron whispered. Severus looked up to see Draco, Vincent, and Gregory coming towards them. He figured the best way to deal with this situation is to envision them as being the marauders from his time. He instantly drew his wand.
The blonde Slytherin approached with a sneer permanently fixed on his face. "If it isn't Potty and his pet mudblood and weasel."
Severus aimed his wand at Malfoy. "You have a lot of nerve Malfoy. Go find a rock to crawl under."
The Slytherin pointed his wand at Harry and muttered a curse that Snape knew was a dark curse, but he easily blocked it and sent a cheering charm at Malfoy. Draco suddenly got a grin on his face and reached for Ron's hand.
"Great day is it not? Much nicer than usual. Well I will be on my way."
Ron and Hermione stared on in disbelief as Malfoy harassed his goons into skipping stones with him.
Ron turned to Harry. "What'd you do that for? I know you've learned some nasty hexes lately."
Severus sighed. "What he used was a dark curse. Snape's been telling me about them so I can defend against them. I didn't want to escalate the situation. Malfoy is better off cheery. I hope he's stuck like that for a while."
Ron rolled his eyes. He had hoped for a bloodier retaliation. Hermione looked proud though.
Severus mentally rolled his eyes. "Why don't we go in? I don't want to be around when Malfoy realizes he shook your hand, Ron."
The three of them walked back to Gryffindor tower in peace.
Severus just hoped that Potter wasn't getting in trouble with his body. These games that the headmaster insist that he play in, he hated with every fiber of his being. Because he didn't like his life being messed with and turned around. And tomorrow was another day to struggle through, as he was honestly not looking forward to sitting through all of Harry's classes. He'd done that already, he was a teacher now. Plus, now he was angry with himself for starting to understand Potter, and to think of him as another human being. But above all else, he now realized what he had taken for granted. He missed being able to have a glass of firewhisky at night before bed. He also missed his large private bath. There was one thing he was not missing; he didn't miss those aging bones of his.
~tbc~
