Chapter 5
By Corgi and Goldenpaw
Harry returned to preying on the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws after telling
Ron and Hermione to mind their own business. By the time he worked off
his annoyance at Dumbledore and his friends, Ravenclaw was down fifty points
and Hufflepuff seventy. He did feel somewhat better, but had a hell of
a lot more to think about than he did when he started. Feeling he had tortured
the student body more than enough for the day, he made his way towards
the dungeons. He strode through the hallways, making sure he went fast
enough to make his robes billow properly, when he heard someone calling.
He stopped and pivoted in place so that he faced the direction the voice
came from. Scurrying down the stairs towards him was Madam Pomfrey, with
a parchment grasped in one hand.
"Professor Snape, I'm glad I caught you before you barricaded yourself
in your lab."
"What do you require, Madam Pomfrey?" Harry replied while glaring at
a few loitering students.
"I've run out of these potions. Would you be able to restock them for
me?" Madam Pomfrey handed Harry the list, which he opened and glanced at
the needed potions.
"Of course, now if you'll excuse me I've papers to mark."
"Thank you, Professor Snape."
With a curt nod Harry continued on his way to the dungeons and his office.
Now that's a surreal moment, thinking he had an office, though the thought
was appealing to Harry. At this moment in time he was lucky that he was
answering to Snape's name and not his own. He was afraid about what would
happen if the two of them were in a crowded room together. The way his
luck was running lately he'd answer if any of the Gryffindors called to
him.
Harry made it to the office without encountering any one else. Once
safely inside he turned his attention to the mound of essays waiting to
be marked. He glanced at Snape's schedule to see what classes he had to
attempt to teach in the morning. He had first year Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws
after breakfast. Following them were fourth year Slytherins and Gryffindors
for a double period, and then a double dose of second year Slytherins and
Gryffindors. After lunch he had the sixth year N.E.W.T. class, the fifth
year Ravenclaw and Hufflepuffs for a single lesson and the last class was
a single dose of second year Slytherins and Gryffindors. What fun! Harry
dug through the pile and pulled out the assignments for those classes.
Harry started with the first year student's papers and gathered the
necessary reference books to help his task along. He knew that his potions
knowledge was not anywhere near what it should be to do Snape's job and
he prayed that he wouldn't muck things up and ruin the man's reputation
in his field. He knew from the various books and journal Professor McGonagall
sent him over the summer of his fifth year that Snape was highly respected
among his peers. Harry wondered for a moment if his being a Death Eater
at one point would affect that reputation. Probably not, many of the more
accomplished Potions Masters in earlier years did far more horrible things
than Snape did as a Death Eater. Actually if Harry thought about it he
probably had more morals than his predecessors. The first years all had
to write essays on the uses of lacewing in potions. Harry quickly looked
up the information and was surprised to find that he covered all of the
uses when he did his futile revisions so he wouldn't be so horrid in September.
Sadly Snape refused to let him into the N.E.W.T. level Potions Class. 'Well
I see all that studying isn't going to be a complete waste. Now let's hope
I'm nasty enough while marking to pass as Snape,' Harry thought to
himself as he opened the scarlet ink, grabbed a quill and started decorating
the essays with red marks. He tried his hardest to mimic Snape's elegant
scrawl and only managed a passable facsimile. He hoped no one noticed and
made a mental note to find a charm to forge the man's handwriting. He had
the 7th year N.E.W.T. class later in the week and Malfoy would definitely
notice the handwriting was off.
Slowly he made his way through the homework assignments for Monday's
classes and started to make inroads into the remaining pile of nonsense.
Now he knew why Snape considered his students to be dunderheads. Some of
the things the students wrote in their papers were ludicrous. Harry felt
a strong surge of shame as he realised he had written trash like that.
Unlike the students here he knew he didn't try that hard. Then again it
was hard to put in an effort when there was no encouragement to do so.
He knew teaching was hard and his respect for his teachers, both muggle
and wizard, went up several notches.
Once he was done with marking the essays it was way past lunch time
and Harry felt his stomach rumble. He didn't know if Snape ever summoned
the house-elves to his chambers and decided to walk to the kitchens and
get something to eat; besides he didn't know how to summon one of the elves
anyway. He strode through the hallways once again, flushing out more courting
couples hiding behind statues as he went. All the houses, except Slytherin
of course, found themselves down points as the fake Snape vented his wrath
on them. The sound of voices raised in anger caught his attention and he
followed the noise to it's source. What he saw surprised and angered him.
The entire male contingent of the third year Gryffindor dorm surrounded
two Slytherin students. Harry racked his brain trying to identify the two
students. From some where their identities were revealed to be McNichols
and Anderson, two first years. Harry wondered briefly where the information
came from before leaping into action.
"We'll give you Death Eaters what you deserve!" A brown haired Gryffindor
shouted at the two Slytherins. Harry barely recalled that the boy's family
was wiped out in an attack during the summer and he was now a ward of Hogwarts
until he came of age.
"You won't be harming anyone's families anymore, you bastards," cried
another of the Gryffindors. Harry didn't know them too well so didn't remember
their names.
Rage surged through him and for the first time in the seven years he's
known Snape, he understood the man's position regarding the students in
his house. If he's seen scenes like this repeated then Harry understood
too well. He was happy that he never walked down the path his housemates
were currently on. Yeah there were some Slytherins he hated with a passion,
like Malfoy, but he's never ganged up on them with the rest of his friends.
He was going to put a stop to this and make plans to stop future assaults.
These two Slytherins were still children and neither came from a family
that supported Voldemort.
"100 points from Gryffindor for such a cowardly display, your Head of
House is going to be ashamed to hear of this. Mr. Anderson, Mr. McNichols
return to your dorm, immediately." Harry wanted to get the two first years
out of range, just in case one of the hot heads dared to fire a curse in
his presence. Once they were gone from his sight he turned his complete
attention to the seven miscreants. "So the big heroic Gryffindors felt
the need to hunt Death Eaters," he whispered in Snape's dangerous whisper.
"Gryffindor courage requires seven people to gang up on two eleven year
olds with hardly any knowledge of curses. You'll have detention for two
weeks with myself, Filch and Professor McGonagall. Return to your dorm
immediately!"
"You have no right to reprimand us. You're a Death Eater; my dad told
me so!" One of the bravest of the seven shouted at Harry.
"If I was, boy, do you think I'd be working here? The Headmaster wouldn't
willingly employ one."
"You stood trial!"
"Don't speak of things you do not know or understand. Another hundred
points from Gryffindor for defamation of character and I'll be speaking
to your Head of House about your behaviour. I suggest you listen to orders
for a change. Now GO!"
All thoughts of food vanished as he glared at the seven Gryffindors
racing back to their dorm. Once they were completely out of his sight he
pivoted and headed to McGonagall's office. He knocked on the door hoping
she was in. He heard her muffled 'enter' and stepped within her domain.
"Good afternoon, Severus. Is there anything I can do for you?" Minerva
asked an odd look upon her face. Harry guessed that Snape never came to
her.
Harry gave what he hoped was a covert glance around the room and noticed
a replica of the house points glass on the wall. He walked over to it and
tapped it to gain her attention to the point total. He watched her face
and gave her a smirk when she glared at him.
"Alright now that you've gloated, Severus, would you care to tell me
why you've just taken 200 points from my house?" He could see her claws
coming out.
"It seems Gryffindor courage is lacking these days, Minerva." Harry
sneered at his Head of House. "Seven of your students, actually the male
contingent of your third years, decided to gang up on two of my first years.
They accused the two of being Death Eaters and had the intention of cursing
them for the crimes of others. Now is that the actions of a true Gryffindor,
Minerva?"
"No it is not, Severus." Minerva's face was pinched in disapproval.
"I take it that is not all that happened."
"Indeed. One of your charming little boys decided to up the ante so
to speak. His reply to my orders was 'You have no right to reprimand us.
You're a Death Eater my dad told me so!' I do believe that was Mr. Miller.
I then docked the second 100 points from them. I've given them two weeks
of detention to be alternated between, you, Filch and myself. If you wish
to punish them further feel free."
"I intend to! Thank you for informing me of this, Severus. Please accept
my apologies." Minerva nodded a farewell and stormed up to the Gryffindor
common room.
Harry smirked and made his way back to the dungeons to look at Snape's
lesson plans. He would love to be a fly on the wall in the common room
when McGonagall exploded. Perhaps Snape would be there and would be willing
to relate the tale later. Harry re-entered the office and began searching
through the drawers looking for Snape's lesson plans. He found Snape's
planner and searched through the lesson plans for that Monday's scheduled
classes. It seems Snape changes the order he teaches the potions in every
year. The first years were due to make a boil cure, which was the first
potion he learned seven years ago. Snape didn't have lecture notes here
in his planner and Harry didn't think there were any on the lectern in
the classroom. He didn't recall Snape ever looking down at notes while
teaching. Then again the man probably knew everything by heart when it
came to potions.
On the off chance there were any lecture notes he went to check the
lectern and found that he was correct. He went back to the office and looked
up all the potions Snape had scheduled and made up detailed notes for the
classes. He hoped he wasn't going too far off Snape's usual teaching methods
tomorrow. Hopefully he'll get to talk with the man before lessons started
in the morning. His next extracurricular meeting with Snape wasn't until
Wednesday in the Room of Requirement after dinner. Glancing back at Snape's
planner he noted the antidotes Snape needed for the classes. Harry went
to the man's potion cabinet in search of the antidotes listed in case of
accidents. Snape had all but one made and Harry looked up the missing antidote.
The recipe seemed straight forward. So he decided to make the attempt to
prepare it, besides he still had the potions Pomfrey required to prepare
also. Praying to any deity that would listen for luck, he dove in and began
the antidote. By the time he was finished he had a potion cooling that
was the proper consistency, colour and smell. He'd have to wait until after
dinner to start on Madam Pomfrey's potions.
He strode through the hallways once again and made his way through the
path the frightened students made for him. He could hear the whispers behind
him and growled silently to himself at the rumours running rampant through
the school. Damn the Headmaster and his games. He didn't know what Snape
would do in this situation. He decided to ignore them and consult Snape
about dealing with the students. Harry sat in Snape's seat and helped himself
to food. Snape made sure Harry knew what the man liked and didn't like.
It didn't matter to Harry. Given the way his relations were he didn't turn
his nose up at any kind of food. He looked up and glared at the students
table by table. When he reached the Gryffindor table he saw every head
turned towards him and every face was glaring back at him. He returned
the glares ten fold and added a sneer for effect. The only people not giving
him dirty looks were, Hermione, Snape in Harry's body, Ginny and Ron. Ron
was glaring at Snape and Harry wondered why Ron was behaving like that.
Snape, on the other hand, looked edgy.
Harry turned his attention to his plate and ignored everyone. He did
keep a weathered eye on Snape and his friends while eating. Snape's potion
slicked long hair definitely had its uses. As he was finishing he saw Ron
drag Hermione off while saying something to Snape over his shoulder. Harry
didn't like the closed off expression on Snape's borrowed face at all.
Snape got up and stormed out of the hall and Harry wondered what Ron said
to him. Harry had the suspicion that something Snape did may have tipped
Ron off this time. Harry had too much to do that night and figured if Snape
had a problem he could seek Harry out.
Harry made his way back to Snape's private lab and began working of
the first of Madam Pomfrey's requests. He paid meticulous attention to
the details and noted in satisfaction that each potion he made that night
looked and smelled correct. All he had left were two straight forward potions,
which he'll start in the morning since they both required simmering for
several hours before the final ingredients were added. He' be able to wait
until his prep period to add the last ingredients to them.
Harry headed to Snape's bathroom to shower and changed for bed. As he
disrobed he noticed the scars littering the man's body. He recognized many
of them as curse scars as he had a few of his own. He turned around and
craned his neck to look in the mirror at Snape's back. He noticed very
familiar looking symmetrical scars all over the man's back. Seems Professor
Snape's father favoured belts too. Harry quickly showered and changed into
Snape's night shirt, slippers and dressing gown, before sitting in front
of the fire to relax.
All in all the hectic day didn't go so badly. He never realised how
much work his teachers put into their classes. He never appreciated the
amount of work Snape must put in, not only for his lessons, but the extra
work for the infirmary. Not only did he do stuff for the school, he did
even more for the Order and Voldemort. Harry was under no illusions about
the amount of work the man must do just making the Wolfsbane potion for
Remus. Harry sighed in relief when he remembered the full moon was three
days ago. At least he didn't have to worry about making the Wolfsbane potion
now. Hopefully by the time it needed to be made again he and Snape would
be back in their own bodies. Despite all the work he had to do with prepping
for potions class, Harry actually enjoyed doing all of it. He wondered
what it would be like to do all that work for a subject he loved.
Slowly Harry relaxed and he debated whether to sit a few moments longer
by the fire or to hoist himself out of the chair and head to bed. A sound
at the door had him instantly alert. He didn't move a muscle as he watched
the door open. At first he didn't see anyone as the door started to close,
but as soon as he noticed a form coming out of an invisibility cloak he
drew Snape's wand and rolled over the arm of the chair. He dodged around
the chair to get a clear shot at the intruder.
"Obstupefacio!" Harry shouted at the intruder.
For Severus, spending the day with Potter's friends hadn't been as much
of a trial as he first thought it would be. He still felt that Hermione
Granger was a know-it-all Gryffindor, but now that he listened to her and
watched as she sat patiently with Ron and himself going over homework that
afternoon, though he had no real need for it, he began to see how loyal
and caring she was. She wanted her friends to excel and do well and he
found that very commendable. He wished that he had friends like her when
he was in school. Only the forced tutoring between himself and Lily Evans
gained him anything close to friendship.
Hermione insisted they do their homework after their little meeting
with Malfoy by the lake. Severus didn't ague or whine like Ron did. He
willing traipsed up to the dorm and retrieved his books, parchment and
ink. He slid into the empty chair at the table Hermione and Ron were at
and pulled out the charms homework that Hermione wanted to start with.
As she explained to them what she read about containment charms, Severus
felt a heated gaze boring through the top of his borrowed head as he scribbled
away at the assignment. Severus looked up to see Ron glaring at him.
"What?" Severus asked the temperamental redhead.
"You usually fight with me when it comes to Hermione's lectures about
doing homework." Ron looked accusingly at Severus.
"I'm tired Ron. I've had meetings all weekend with Dumbledore and lessons
with Snape. I don't have the energy to fight her today." Severus hoped
that would placate Potter's friend.
"Oh, alright, Harry." Ron didn't sound like he bought the excuse.
They continued doing their homework until it was lunch time. As a unit
they headed down to lunch and sat in their usual seats at the Gryffindor
table. Ron shot him dirty looks throughout the meal and Severus did his
best to ignore them. Hermione chattered about Arithmancy and Severus had
to bite his lip. He wanted to debate with the witch, but Potter wasn't
taking the class. This was the kind of camaraderie he yearned for all his
life. He was always on the fringe of things, never truly part of the events
around him. It was this he sought when he sold his soul to the Dark Lord.
Hermione finished telling them about her Arithmancy class and switched
to Potions. Severus listened closely to what she was saying. He was amazed
at the interest she showed in every subject she took and the amount of
information she could recall at a moments notice.
"We're doing the Vena Sanatio potion on Wednesday and it's really interesting.
It contains basil, aconite, snake tongue, blood root, ground dragon scales
and dragon liver. It can heal a completely severed artery in mere moments."
"It's not dragon liver," Severus cut in absentmindedly as he ate. "The
dragon liver would interact poorly with the oils released from the basil
and snake tongue, causing the potion to explode. You're supposed to add
toad spleen to the potion."
Hermione and Ron sat there in stunned silence. Ron was looking at him
suspiciously and Hermione sat there in deep thought. To Severus she looked
like she was mentally re-reading the text book. In a matter of moments
she refocused and stared at him in awe and pride.
"Wow, Harry, you're right!" Hermione's look of pride caught Severus
off guard. "All that revising you did the summer after our O.W.L.s really
paid off. It's too bad Professor Snape wouldn't let you into the N.E.W.T.
class. I bet you would really surprise him."
"Yeah, well he didn't, so it really doesn't matter. I'm done. Are you
guys ready to go?" Severus said as he looked up at the staff table and
noticed Potter wasn't there.
"I'm done and we still have Defence homework to do." Hermione bounced
out of her seat, dragging Ron out of his by a sleeve.
"But Hermione, we did homework all morning!" Ron whined as the bushy-haired
witch dragged him away from the food.
"It's better if we finish it all before classes tomorrow, Ron. You only
have Defence left to do, while I have that and Ancient Runes. You'll have
the rest of the evening left to goof around."
Severus followed Potter's friends back to Gryffindor's common room.
Severus wondered if Potter did any revising for Potions the summer after
his godfather was killed, or if he was just saying he did to placate Hermione.
He made a mental note to quiz the brat at a later date. When they reached
Gryffindor tower he made his way straight to the table they used before
lunch, pulled out Potter's text and notes for Defence Against the Dark
Arts and settled down to write the essay. He figured he was once again
going to make people suspicious since he couldn't do a haphazard job on
the homework like he believed Potter would do so.
They worked quickly and quietly on the remainder of their homework.
Hermione cracked open her Ancient Runes text and Severus stretched the
taunt muscles in his back. The joints may not ache in this body but the
muscle's in his back hurt from what he suspected was years of abuse. Sadly,
he realised that everything he believed about the boy was completely wrong.
The way the boy constantly was found out of bounds or wandering the hallways
was mostly likely a response to sudden freedom. Severus couldn't help but
sympathise with the boy. He definitely will confront the boy about that
letter from his Uncle and the scars he found. He just hoped the boy would
believe the scars on his body would all be attributed to the Dark Lord.
He removed those blasted glasses so he could rub tired eyes and quickly
replaced them when he felt someone move near him.
"Want to play some chess, Harry?" Ron was holding a battered chess board
and pieces.
"Sure, just let me get my pieces from my trunk." Severus replied, thankful
that he noticed the box of chessmen in Potter's trunk.
"Okay, but hurry before Hermione drags us to the library for research."
Severus snickered as he gathered up the books and parchment. He took
the steps two at a time and flung the books on his bed. He rummaged in
the trunk and pulled out the pieces and headed back to the common room.
As he entered the common room a group of seven boys entered the room in
an agitated state. They were all third year students and from what he could
gather they were complaining about him, which meant Potter was doing a
damn good impression of him. His blood ran cold when they started complaining
to some of the fourth years about the Death Eater taking two hundred points
from their house. He wondered if Potter did anything to disabuse them of
that notion.
Severus didn't have to wonder for long because as he sat down and set
up the chess pieces, Minerva stormed into the common room. He had never
seen her like this in all the years he's known her. Her face was red in
anger and she looked ready to kill. He wondered for a mere moment whether
her anger was due to the sudden drop in Gryffindor's house points.
"You seven come here this instant!" Minerva shouted, actually shouted,
at her third year students. "I haven't been this ashamed of anyone of my
students as I am today. Ganging up on two students and threatening to curse
them for crimes they couldn't possibly have done! Besides harassing younger
students you seven had the audacity to slander a respected professor of
this school."
"He's a Death Eater, Professor. My dad said he was tried for being one."
Miller had the nerve to shout back.
"He was wrongfully accused, Mr. Miller, and your father shall be in
hot water once the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement receives
my owl. You seven have earned another two months of detention as well as
the suspension of all Hogsmeade privileges for rest of this year and next
year. You'll report to your first detention with Professor Snape tomorrow
at 8 p.m. I expect to hear from him that you apologized for your behaviour."
With that last comment hanging in the air, Minerva whirled and stormed
out of the portrait hole.
Ice formed in the veins of Severus' borrowed body as he watched Ron
make his first move. He exchanged worried looks with Hermione and then
wondered how much Potter has told his two friends. As he made his first
move Ron met his eyes and he saw the same worry in his eyes. Ron made his
second move as Hermione abandoned her homework and spelled a barrier around
the three of them. Hardly thinking Severus countered Ron's move and waited
for Hermione to speak.
"Do you think this little blow up is going to cause Professor Snape
trouble?" Hermione's worry sounded almost like fear and Severus wondered
if they really were concerned about him.
"I don't know. A lot would depend on if any of the Slytherins get wind
of this little incident. If they owl their fathers and they find the files
of his trial, then Professor Snape may be as good as dead."
"Aren't the trial transcripts available to the public?" Was Ron's contribution
as he moved his knight into the fray; he looked up in expectation as Severus
contemplated the board and his next words.
"Professor Dumbledore told me that Snape's trial and all the paperwork
pertaining to it were sealed." Severus hoped that they didn't know about
his spying.
"Why would they do that?" Ron asked as he watched Severus make a move
and then he quickly countered it.
"That's probably because he was spying, Ron. The Headmaster mostly likely
suspected that Voldemort wasn't truly gone. He made sure the Professor's
cover was intact. I bet he used memory charms on everyone at the trial."
Hermione was looking at Ron with exasperation and Severus was fuming at
the fact they knew what he was doing for the Order.
"He probably did. He and Professor McGonagall, as well as Mad-Eye Moody,
were at his trial. I think he may have done the same at Karkaroff's trial
since he tried to sell the Professor up the river."
They sat in silence as he and Ron continued their chess game. Rapidly
they played and much to Ron's surprise Severus had beaten him in 40 moves.
Severus didn't understand the redhead's look of suspicion. The glare that
the boy gave him made him squirm in his chair. He didn't have any idea
what he did to earn that. Hermione noticed that it was time for supper
and distracted the youngest Weasley boy from his loss. Severus trailed
silently behind them. When he sat down with Potter's friends Ron continued
to glare and the rest of the Gryffindor table took to glaring up at the
staff table.
Severus looked up and followed the path of their glares to where Potter
was sitting in his body. Potter placed food on his plate then turned his
attention to each of the student tables. Potter's glare eventually settled
on the Gryffindor table. Severus could literally feel the increase in the
glare Potter was gifting his house mates with and Severus watched as Potter
added a sneer for effect. Soon enough Potter settled down to eat, but Severus
could feel his attention focused on him. Obviously Severus was sending
out signals that something was bothering him.
Severus ate without much appetite and then he noticed Ron whispering
into Hermione's ear. When they got up Severus started to follow, but Ron
looked at him and began to speak.
"I need to talk to Hermione alone, Harry. I'll see you up in the dorm."
Anger and suspicion was clear in the wizard's eyes as he dragged Hermione
off.
Severus managed to close off his expression, which was hard to do in
Potter's body and left the Great Hall for the Gryffindor dorms. He felt
Potter watching him as he left. Once back in the dorms Severus barricaded
himself behind the bed curtains that surrounded Potter's bed and stayed
there silently for the rest of the evening. He listened as everyone came
to bed and continued to eavesdrop on the group. He heard Ron calling out
for him and he pretended to be asleep. While feigning sleep he heard Ron
telling the other boys not to trust him and that he believed that the person
they all thought to be Harry was an impostor and something had happened
to Harry. Once they all settled down and their breathing settled into the
rhythm of sleep, Severus slipped out of bed and wrapped himself in Potter's
cloak. Silently he left Gryffindor tower and made his way to his chambers
in the dungeon. He told his portrait the password and slipped into the
rooms. All was well until a shouted spell hit him and blackness took over.
A spell revived him and he found himself lying on his sofa in front
of the fire. He looked up into his own face and growled at the boy inhabiting
his body.
"What the hell were you thinking, Potter?"
"I didn't know you were coming to visit, Snape. I thought you were someone
planning on a little revenge or an assassin come to do some bodily harm,
so I stunned you."
"Well at least your reflexes work. We've got some problems to deal with."
"I figured we would. What's the reason for Ron's death glares at supper?"
"I haven't a clue, Potter. We played chess, I won, and he started glaring."
"OH! That explains it. I've never beaten Ron at chess. While we're discussing
the ever deepening hole we're in finding ourselves in, come check my potions."
Severus was led into his lab were carefully bottled and labeled potions
were waiting.
While Severus was checking the potions they both went over the various
things that went wrong today and made plans to meet everyday before classes
started to discuss anything that could go wrong. Severus was surprised
at the quality of the potions Potter made. He never did work like this
in his class. He didn't need to question Potter about his studying after
all. It was obvious that he actually did so. Now he wondered what other
surprises the boy had in store for him.
"Professor, since we're running around in each other's bodies can we
drop the formality when we're alone?"
"What formality, Potter?"
"Let's drop the last name nonsense. Given that this is almost as intimate
as sex we should address each other by our first names."
"If we must, Pot… Harry." Severus was a bit surprised at that comment
and decided to push the envelope and prod the boy about his treatment as
his Uncle's. "Now tell me Harry, about those muggles you live with."
"There's nothing to tell, Severus." Harry once again tried to dance
around the subject of his relatives.
"I found your Uncle's note." Harry paled at the mention of the letter
and glanced up with fear. Seeing the fear in his own eyes made Severus
shiver. "I also found out about the concealment charms."
"Fine. I'll tell you, but you've got to tell me about your father's
treatment."
"What treatment?"
"I know belt scars when I see them."
'Damn,' Severus thought to himself as they settled down to a long evening of trading horror stories back and forth.
~tbc~
