Chapter 5!

"What was the meaning of that Minerva?" Severus Snape's face held an unhappy sneer.

"I don't take well to you blatant undermining of my authority." Severus's robes flicked as he walked into his cold and unwelcoming office. The dead creatures in his many jars and vials seemed to blink at his entrance and shrink away as he set a blazing fire in the empty grate of his fireplace. No, this wasn't where Severus wanted anyone to feel welcome.

McGonagall frowned she knew that tone all to well.

"I have reason to believe that Mister Malfoy stole something from Mister Weasley. I am here to retrieve his property and see if their other story has any truth in it."

Severus raised an eyebrow at her last statement. "And what is dear Mister Weasley and Miss Granger's other story?" he purred, his nose a now much less intense red. Harry laughed again in Malfoy's hands. The look of disgust on Malfoy's face made Harry laugh harder. "That lizard is going to die. It's been sneezing all day." Snape muttered, having been on the nose end of many of those sneezes.

Ron's face visibly paled at Snape's muttered remark Harry's health, Hermione on the other hand looked irritated. McGonagall noted both expressions and held an open hand out to Malfoy "the lizard please." She intoned a direct order in her few words, to which Malfoy immediately complied. The lizard in question was brownish green with spikes at its throat and a wide mouth, not at all what she imagined Harry's Animagus form, but then that hex was notorious for being inaccurate. "Mr. Potter? If you don't mind, I'm going to remove you from this state now." At hearing this two thoughts ran through Harry's head: Yay! I'm free of the lizard body! And (expletive!) I'm Starkers! So he jumped out of McGonagall's open hand, landing on the cold dungeon floor and ran under some fabric. He really didn't see where it was but he needed something to hide in. n , Unfortunately McGonagall's wand was too fast and she cast the spell anyway.

There was a loud "POP!" and a puff of blue smoke. The sound of ripping fabric and a now very much human 'boy who lived', Harry had ripped Professor Snape's cloak straight off his shoulders and stepped out from behind the man. "You could have told her 'Mione that my clothes didn't change with me!" Harry was blushing a beet red.

Hermione seemed to have forgotten about that…now, even though Harry was covered neck to floor with Snape's cloak, she blushed and turned around. "SORRY HARRY! I FORGOT!"

Ron meanwhile was laughing at his friend's predicament. He was leaning heavily on Snape's desk trying in vain to stop the bubbling laughter from escaping his chest. He had ever seen Hermione so flustered at a naked head. Even McGonagall was blushing a tad. Malfoy was pale and muttering something about "having a disgusting naked lizard" in his jumper, then he yelled, "I held you! Urgh! My hands! Ugh!"

Harry looking very put out said in a small voice "I'm a clean lizard! Or I was a lizard"

Snape was looking livid. Harry took a few small steps back. "You heard." It wasn't a question. He knew that Harry had heard. Harry gave the smallest of nods. God where did the infamous courage go when he needed it?

"Um…I think I have to go now!" and so Harry ran out of the office, up some stairs, down a corridor, up some more stairs, down and trough a few more corridors, and into the common room. Up to his dormitory and into his trunk for some decent clothes. Flinging Snape's cloak against a far wall. He'd have to give it back…and say he was sorry for eavesdropping and pissing off one seriously demented Runespore.

Later that day, close to dinner in fact, Harry was finally pried from his four-poster. The whole day he was thinking of a way to apologize to Snape. Damn it! He never thought he'd have to apologize to that greasy git, However as soon as that resentful thought entered his head he immediately remember how Snape was afraid and upset. He would have died of embarrassment if Malfoy had seen him in such a state. So ridden with guilt he played exploding snap with Ron until dinner. Crookshanks was slinking along the wall, following some invisible prey, and Harry could think of no way to say he was sorry. Lucky for them the common room was empty except them, as most went to dinner already.

"Hey, um…Hermione?"

"Yeah Harry?"

"How I go about…Well. What should I do to…say…I'm sorry to Snape?"

"Sorry? Sorry for what?" Ron asked incredulously, "You were trapped in a lizard and nearly killed by his great dirty snake!"

"Ron! You know he didn't mean for Harry to get hurt! He didn't know!" Hermione with her usual "you know I'm right" tone spoke clearly to Ron. To which he grumbled about Hermione being Snape's "great defender" again.

"Well Harry, you could get him a gift."

At that moment Crookshanks came trotting up to Harry with a huge rat in his teeth, but unlike Hedwig's gifts of mice that were all dead, Crookshank's rat was alive. "Um…thanks Crookshanks."

"That's perfect Crookshanks! I'm sure Snape would love a rat for a gift!" Ron exclaimed slapping his knee and laughing gleefully.

"Ron you're a GENIUS! Professor Snape's Runespore must love Rats! Stupefy!" The rat that squirming in Crookshank's teeth became stiff as a board and was dropped by a now disgusted looking cat. With another wave of her wand a red ribbon tied itself into a bow around the rat's middle.

"Ugh! Hermione! It's gonna die now!" Ron's face was that of horror and disgust. "Poor little thing…" Ron took a deep shuddered breath and looked at Harry. "You're not seriously thinking of taking that to Snape right? What are you going to say? 'Gee I apologize professor. So I brought you this rat.' I can tell you now mate, he's going to murder you."

"Damn it, I have to get his cloak fixed too!" Harry hit is head on his open hand.

"WHAT? Oh yeah you ripped it straight off of him! I never thought you'd tear the clothes off his back mate!" Ron fell back laughing, hitting his head on the hard common room floor "OW!"

"Well serves you right. I forgot about his clothes ok! I didn't mean for that to happen Harry honestly!" said a slightly blushing Hermione.

"Yeah I know you didn't 'Mione…. Hey! I can ask dobby! He would glad to help me!" with that Harry jumped up and began to make his way to the stairs.

"Oh no Harry you can't! What about S.P.E.W? You have to fix it yourself!"

Turning around Harry leveled Hermione with an even stare. "Herm, I always give something to Dobby when he helps me! And I'm polite! There honestly isn't anything else he wants! Besides he likes helping! So I'm going down to the kitchens and asking him! Besides, I have another pair of socks he might like"

"Alright Harry, fine! If you want to continue with elvish slavery be my guest!" with that she turned and crossed her arms over her chest. Mean while Ron was looking irritated with the mention of 'spew'.

"Yeah, that's pretty self righteous of a lair!" he muttered

"Thanks Hermione!" said a grinning Harry and he ran up the stairs

"You know that's not what I meant!" she yelled after him, then turning to glare at Ron who was making a very good attempt at studying the burnt remains of a exploding snap card.

After leaving the common room with his invisibility cloak and Snape's in his arms, Harry made his way down to the kitchens. It was rather uneventful until he got to the kitchens. Tickling the pear he saw right away he wasn't the only one making a late night visit. Dumbledore was drinking a large glass of warm milk.

"AH! Thank you meepity! I'm sure that will help me off to bed" he said after he finished off the milk, Harry inwardly grimaced. Warm milk was horrid.

"I be my happiest to help Master Dumbledores!" said the small elf. She had a small pointed nose but her large bat like ears and large bright eyes were the same as many of the other house elves. Her toga bright and clean as she twisted it in her hands at the complement, her tiny feet seemed to taking to want to walk in place as well.

"You know meepity, I'm rather sure Professor Snape would like some as well. Why don't you send him a glass for me?" at this the elf pulled her ears down much like dobby would when he couldn't say or do something.

"OH Master Dumbledores! Master Snape says he do not likes your 'filthy nasty abomination' Oh" she said pulling her ear down over her eyes.

"Oh that's alright then meepity, I don't blame you!" and with a jaw cracking yawn he stretched and said "Oh well then I'm off to bed now. You know, one will find that a bit of firm persuasion and Severus is a rather nice man to talk to." Meepity on the other hand was looking at the headmaster as if he was mad. She? Talk to Snape? Not likely!

Harry had the distinct impression that the Head Master knew he was there. Then again just what he didn't know? Moving out of the way and near the fireplaces he waited until Dumbledore was out of sight before continuing his mission…and besides maybe he could use a cookie…or two.

((Ok I will have to say this took a bit longer than I thought. But never fear! The next bit is going to be tricky so give me a bit longer than what I posted the other chapters. I'm sure the next one is going to need a going through too… oh well! OH! And a gold star for Bree not Brie! She guessed the lizard that Harry turned into! And forgiveness please about the lack of formatting on the previous chapter…that took me forever! Grrrr. I shall endeavor to fix it.))