AN: New chapter, finally. Sorry that this has taken me so very long but I've been extremely busy lately. I really hope I haven't lost all my readers by now and that you enjoy this chapter.


Snape's Lesson

There were only six days left until the start of the next term and Severus felt in desperate need of a full night's sleep. He had been summoned no less than three times this week for no apparent reason other than the Dark Lord was seeking the company of some of his faithful minions. Admittedly, he didn't have a lot of company lately: Malfoy and his fellow fugitives made themselves scarce, at least Severus hadn't seen one of them since the night of their jailbreak; they hadn't even been at the gatherings. Their pictures though had been all over the newspapers and their cold eyes could be found staring at every passer-by from various house walls in Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley and any other place in the wizarding world – by now there probably wasn't one witch or wizard not knowing who they were. Severus had to admit that he found the idea of Lucius having to hide from the rest of the world somehow amusing; Lucius had never known what it was like to have to run from the Aurors, the Ministry and basically everyone else. It might teach him a valuable lesson.

At least Severus himself had been forced to spend only his nights in dark hiding places, keeping his master company. And although he hadn't really enjoyed that, it still couldn't keep him from spending his days in mostly the same way, namely sitting around alone in his dark dungeons and brooding over what the Dark Lord might have in mind.

Some time in the early afternoon - more out of boredom than out of true interest - he had decided to go up to the Entrance Hall to take a closer look at those at least twenty pages of new Ministry guidelines. He really didn't care much about what Fudge had to say about this matter but sooner or later he'd have to read it so he could just as well do it now. First though he'd have to find it somewhere in that jumble of papers, parchments and leaflets.

"So you're still here after all."

"Where else would I be?" Severus muttered in reply to McGonagall's remark, searching through the papers on the table below the notice board and not even looking at her.

"I haven't laid eyes on you for three days in a row. I had begun to wonder if the prospect of having Mr. Potter in your NEWT class next term might have made you resign."

"I've been busy." He replied.

"I expected you for tea yesterday, you've never been too busy for that before."

"I'm sorry. I forgot." They always had tea together a week before the start of the term because it was the perfect time to begin their every year quarrel over which house would win the Quidditch matches and the House Cup. And because it usually was the time when the teachers returned to the school after the holidays. He had never forgotten about that before. "Where are the Ministry guidelines..." He muttered more to himself than to her and tossed some folders back onto the table.

McGonagall took him by his arm, gently pushed him aside and pulled a few papers out of a pile in the far left corner of the table. "There." She said and handed them to him. "You're under a little too much stress lately."

"Oh, am I?" He muttered while starting to read through the first paragraph of what Fudge had come up with this time.

"What about tonight after dinner?"

Severus looked up from the paper with a questioning expression on his face. "I'm sorry?"

"A cup of tea, tonight after dinner."

"Yes, of course." He replied softly and smiled at her.

"Good." McGonagall smiled back at him before she turned away and continued on her way to her office.

Severus had had his doubts if he'd actually be able to keep that appointment and he was proven right once again. He had chosen not to attend dinner and when he felt the Dark Mark burning again he was quite glad about his decision - he couldn't stand the looks they all gave him when he got up and left in the middle of a meal or a staff meeting. Most of them didn't know the reason why his behaviour had changed from a little peculiar to truly strange during the last year; still they all knew enough about him to at least suspect what was going on. And when they looked at him whenever he had to leave so suddenly, he could see something like a sudden apprehension in their expressions, as if they'd actually forgotten about what he was, or had been, and had suddenly been reminded of it once again.

This night that he spent with the Dark Lord and his loyal followers wasn't too different from the nights before; aside from the fact that his master was in an extraordinarily evil mood. Once again Severus returned to the castle just about as the new day was dawning. This time though he didn't go back to his rooms straight away but headed for Dumbledore's office after learning from one of the house elves that he was already there; or maybe was still there. He didn't have anything interesting for the headmaster but he felt the need to report at least that much to him; after all he didn't want to make him start wondering about what his loyal spy was actually doing outside of the castle night after night.

The headmaster patiently listened to him telling him basically nothing at all, tried to talk him into having a cup of tea and asked him if he was all right no less than three times. Severus said he was. After all these years he still didn't trust that caring and concerned look and he was pretty sure that what was really going on in Dumbledore's head would always remain a secret to him.

Severus had deliberately left out the little detail that the Dark Lord had felt the desire to find out just how long he could endure the Cruciatus without starting to scream; he had known what he was in for when he had agreed to become Dumbledore's spy and he definitely wouldn't come to him and start whining about it now. Luckily his master had at least quickly lost interest in his torturing activities as soon as he'd been informed about the arrival of one of his Death Eaters who he'd obviously been waiting for. Severus was pretty sure he might have died before actually making a sound. He'd learned to endure it quietly. Although he couldn't deny that he'd felt pretty much like wanting to die once the Dark Lord had been finished with him; but since that was nothing too unusual even he himself couldn't take his death wishes very seriously anymore. So instead of paying a lot of attention to how he felt he'd simply remained lying on the ground, hoping to be able to catch something that might be of interest.

He'd definitely been surprised to see that the man the Dark Lord had been waiting for was none other than Zodec Thesdale, his young and hopefully only spy in the Ministry. Severus couldn't remember ever before having seen him talking to their master directly. Under normal circumstances someone like Thesdale wasn't worth the Dark Lord's time. Unfortunately Severus hadn't been able to hear what they had to talk about and thus to find out what made this situation different from normal circumstances. So again, nothing to report to the headmaster aside from the fact that something might be going on and Thesdale might have something to do with it, whatever it was.

Dumbledore held him back just as he was about to get up and leave the office again.

"Severus, can I ask you a favour?"

"Of course."

Dumbledore smiled at him. "I'm not telling you to do something, I'm asking you."

Severus nodded, not meaning it. To him it didn't make a difference if the headmaster asked him or ordered him, he'd do it either way.

"My request concerns Mr. Potter and his Occlumency lessons."

Anything but that; I have nothing to do with that anymore.

"I know what you're thinking." Dumbledore said.

"You do?"

"More often than you believe I do." He stood up and walked over to the window to watch the early morning sun colouring the sky in a warm orange. "As you know I've been training with Harry for weeks now, every day, and I'm glad that he already achieved a great success. As a matter of fact, I don't think that there's anything else I could teach him."

Well, congratulations, you definitely achieved what I wouldn't have thought possible.

"That's where I need you."

Severus raised an eyebrow and gave him a questioning look. "You're much more powerful than I am."

"Power isn't the only thing that counts." The headmaster said softly. "You know very well for yourself what a difference it makes who performs the Legilimens spell on you. Harry so far only trained how to block me from invading his mind but..."

But we haven't yet tried it with someone he hates from the depth of his heart. Any volunteers? Severus smiled weakly. Yes, I suppose that would be me.

Dumbledore thoughtfully nodded to himself and turned back around. "That's why I have to ask you if you'd be willing to try it once more. Just once, that should be enough to find out how successful our training really was."

Severus hesitated. He didn't want to. All he wanted was to know that Potter was as far away from him as possible; which wasn't too easy to accomplish within the castle's walls anyway. He had enough things on his mind without that kid already - he didn't want to see him, talk to him or have anything to do with him. He took a deep breath and opened his mouth to start telling Dumbledore all the reasons why he didn't want to do that.

"To me Potter never seemed like he cared much about it." He said instead after deciding to rather blame it on the boy.

"He does now."

"Better late than never." Severus muttered under his breath.

"You know you don't have to." The headmaster said calmly.

"Is there anyone else who could?"

"You know there isn't."

Dumbledore looked at him for a moment and Severus knew he wouldn't hold it against him if he refused to do it. "Fine. I'll do it." He said with a sigh. "Although I doubt that Mr. Potter will be very delighted to hear about this idea."

"He will understand that it's necessary, just like you do."

Yes, Severus definitely understood. He understood how important it was, not only to their cause; there were lives at stake here, not least of which was his own. Potter knew too much about him and Severus had his doubts that the Dark Lord would rather believe in what he was telling him than in what he might find and see for himself in Potter's mind.

First though Severus himself should get a chance to see what was going on in Potter's head. It was half past eight in the evening and he was sitting at his desk in his dimly lit office, staring intently into the depths of the Pensieve standing right in front of him. He'd been sitting there for quite a while already, like a hunter patiently waiting for the prey. And his prey would come walking straight into his office any second now. Tonight Potter would learn his lesson.

And it was about time. Potter Junior seemed to become more like his father every day and Severus would put a stop to this. At least before the little moron would start believing he could treat him like James had, before he'd start seeing him as just the harmless, worthless, slimy little oddball. Because he wasn't. He'd shown them all what he was actually capable of and how powerful he was. And they'd all been afraid of him. And so would the boy-who-lived.

Severus had taken his time on deciding which of his memories he didn't want him to see - and which he definitely wanted him to see. Actually he had no doubts that in spite of Dumbledore's efforts Potter still wouldn't be a match for him; but he always preferred to be on the safe side.

Severus looked up when he heard a faint, careful knock on the open door.

"Come in, Potter." He said softly and watched Harry slowly entering the room and closing the door behind him. He was pleased to see that the cold and hateful look the boy had usually greeted him with lately had made way for a more subdued, maybe even anxious expression - Potter obviously still knew which one of them was in the stronger position here.

"Let us find out then if all the effort the headmaster put into teaching you was in vain." Severus said before the boy could even say a word, quickly stood up and drew his wand. The candles on the shelf behind him flickered and cast his black shadow over Harry. "Take out your wand, Potter."

Harry did as he was told, all the time keeping his eyes fixed on his teacher as he slowly walked around the table to stand directly in front of him. "Ready?"

Harry swallowed hard and nodded. "Yes."

"Very well then." Severus said softly. "Decide on something."

"Decide on what?"

"Potter, you do know what you're here for, don't you?" Severus asked, giving him a scrutinizing look. "Decide on what you want to hide from me more than anything else."

"Oh. Okay." Harry replied quickly. "Ready."

Severus took a deep breath. "Legilimens."

He tried to block all the uncontrolled emotions he was getting from Harry and rather focused on the images flashing in front of his eyes. The boy didn't concentrate, that much was obvious. He never seemed to be able to really keep his mind on what he was doing. Severus had already noticed that in his class and had always regarded it as one of Potter's major weaknesses; aside from things like his incurable stubbornness, his insolence and his arrogance.

The first thing Severus saw was Potter standing in a kitchen and being yelled at by a big man with a red face and small watery eyes whom he identified as the boy's uncle. It had to be a rather old memory, at least Potter looked even younger than when he had first come to Hogwarts.

The image was quickly replaced by other glimpses of Potter's not very interesting muggle upbringing; Potter sneaking through a sleeping house and being caught by his dull cousin, Potter sitting on the front porch in the pouring rain, Potter working in the garden. Awfully boring indeed.

Then a train station, Kings Cross. The Hogwarts Express. Potter with Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle in the Entrance Hall. You're dead, Potter.

Severus recognised the scene. It must have happened just a minute before he himself had entered the hall and stopped the whole incident. Just in time, no doubt.

Potter in a dark side street surrounded by Dementors. More Dementors, on the grounds of Hogwarts this time. Potter together with the Weasley terror-twins. Potter sneaking along a dungeon corridor, shadows flickering on the wall next to him. Prowling around my dungeons, are you? Suddenly the image was gone - Potter had actually managed to block him from seeing more.

For a split second Severus could see Potter with his godfather, both of them with pretty stupid grins on their faces. Then it was gone again, replaced by incoherent and meaningless pictures. Severus focused on Sirius Black, searching Potter's mind for anything about his godfather. He found nothing at all. Potter seemed to have learned his lesson. At least when it came to hiding his memories.

My turn now. Severus concentrated on his own memories, on things he'd been hiding before and now wanted the little brat to see. He flooded Harry's mind with images from a past long gone that he himself would never forget about. Memories of how he just stood there and watched his fellow Death Eaters killing a few unsuspecting muggles. Just for fun. Just because they'd been bored. Memories of how he himself had tortured and killed at the Dark Lord's command. Images of darkness, blood and death.

Harry staggered backwards and Severus decided it was enough now so instead of giving him a chance to stumble into one of the shelves and break a few things he released him again. The boy just stood there, motionless and staring at him.

„It's fun rummaging around in someone else's memory, isn't it?" Severus said softly while putting his wand back beneath his cloak. „Did you enjoy yourself, Potter?"

Harry stared at him for a moment longer before he whirled around and ran out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

Severus smiled coldly and slowly walked back to sit down at his desk again. This time he'd been prepared and he'd led Potter right to what he'd wanted him to see. He should have learned his lesson. And if he hadn't, he still had a lot more in store for him.

"What do you think you're doing!? For once in your life why can't you just... is there something wrong with your head or what!"

Severus only briefly looked up as the door to his office was thrown open and Lupin stormed inside. He had expected that someone would definitely want to have a word with him about this. But merely half an hour to listen to Potter whining and coming here, that was pretty fast indeed.

"What happened to your good manners, Lupin? Not even a knock on the door before you burst into my rooms and insult me?" He said softly and sent another playing card through the air just to watch it land on the floor at least a foot away from the cauldron he had aimed at. "However, in case you didn't notice, I'm busy."

"Busy?" Lupin asked, took a few more steps towards him, rested his hands on his desk and leaned across it. "You're flipping bloody cards into a cauldron!" He hissed in a strained voice, trying hard not to yell at him.

Severus sighed, reluctantly put the rest of the cards down onto his desk and leaned back in his chair. He folded his arms and looked up at his guest with an expression that couldn't have been more indifferent. "So what can I do for you?" He asked in a silky voice.

Lupin took a deep breath, trying to keep himself from losing his temper and doing something he might regret. Although he wasn't quite sure if he'd really regret it.

"Why can't you just leave Harry alone?" Lupin said. "I suppose bullying him around in class should be satisfying enough for you, shouldn't it? Is it because you just can't wait for the term to start again?"

 "Are you standing in for Black as godfather now?"

"Don't start that." Lupin muttered. "I'm sure that you're well aware of the fact that Harry's having quite a hard time at the moment. He's already blaming himself for what happened, he definitely doesn't need you to make things even worse by trying to scare the hell out of him."

"Actually at the moment he seems rather comfortable with blaming me for his godfather's death. I'd definitely appreciate it if, for a change, he'd decide on the more reasonable approach of blaming himself."

"You know that wouldn't be reasonable in the least. Couldn't you just start acting like an adult for a change and simply leave him be?"

"That's a matter between Potter and me, it doesn't concern you."

"It's a matter between you and James, not Harry!" Lupin replied, raising his voice again. "Just how much did you really hate James that after all these years, even though he's dead, you still feel the need to take it out on his son!"

"How much did I hate him?" Severus asked in a low voice. "Just as much as I hate you and Black. Just as much as anyone would hate someone who takes every chance to make your life hell."

"Won't you ever..." Lupin took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. "Listen: I'm not proud of the way we acted; but we were young, we were stupid, we were just kids."

"So was I." Severus whispered, stood up and strode past him towards the door, muttering "Excuse me now, I have work to do."

"Running away again, Severus? It's easier than discussing things, isn't it?"

Just shut up, Lupin. Go and complain about me but just leave me alone now if you don't want to risk being cursed into oblivion.

Another half an hour later McGonagall found him in his classroom. Lupin obviously hadn't wasted any time telling on him.

"What are you doing there?" She asked casually and in a low voice as she entered the room.

Severus was a little surprised, he'd actually expected her to storm in here and shout at him. He added the thoroughly sliced roots to the potion simmering in the cauldron in front of him before he quickly let his left arm drop down again once he remembered that he was wearing only a short-sleeved shirt. It wouldn't have been necessary, not in front of McGonagall, but hiding the Dark Mark from curious eyes had grown into a habit.

"Working." He muttered without looking up from his cauldron.

"Why the gloves?" She asked.

"Aconitum solanum, a bit poisonous." Severus replied and took off the black leather gloves.

"Aren't those illegal? What do you need them for?"

"A poison. For my other boss."

McGonagall nodded and leaned back against one of the tables in the first row, watching him. "What was that with you and Potter about?" She asked.

Severus sighed inaudibly.

"That was more than unnecessary, you know?" She continued.  "Just what's going on in your head when you do something like that? Sometimes I really can't understand you."

Sometimes? I think that's an understatement. He simply shrugged his shoulders, staring down into his cauldron although he already knew that nothing could save that potion anymore and that he'd have to do it again.

"I know you haven't had it easy lately so I'm going to blame it on that. I'm willing to forget about the whole incident but I expect you to gain some control over yourself again."

"It's not as if I enjoyed spending my evenings in Potter's company." He replied defiantly. "The headmaster asked me to, so I did it."

"Now I'm quite sure Albus didn't ask you to scare the living hell out of that boy."

"Oh please, he's not that sensitive."

"Well, if you tried to scare him, you definitely succeeded, that's all I'm saying. Congratulations on that."

"Good!" Severus snapped. "Maybe if he's afraid of me he'll show some respect at least."

"So that's your problem?"

"I don't have a bloody problem!" He barked, immediately regretting his tone.

McGonagall took a deep breath. "Listen, Severus: I have no idea what's wrong with you but I'm quite sure that neither Potter nor anyone else you've had it in for lately is responsible for it. We have six days left till the start of the term now so I'd suggest you'd better get a grip on yourself before then because if you continue to act like this I definitely won't set you on a classroom full of first years."

Severus was still busy glaring down into his cauldron.

"So how did it go?" McGonagall asked after a few seconds of uncomfortable silence.

"As much as I hate to admit it, Potter actually did pretty well."

"How well is pretty well?" She asked.

"Good enough to keep the Dark Lord out of his mind, I'd say. If only he'd concentrate on what he's doing."

"Some people find it hard to concentrate on anything while you're glaring at them."

"Do they?" Severus asked and looked up at her. "You might want to ask Potter about Draco Malfoy. It looks like Malfoy's seeking revenge. We'll have to keep an eye on that."

McGonagall nodded. "I'll ask him about it." She said and turned to leave. "Good night. And I mean that. Go to sleep." She added on her way out of the classroom.

"You finish that potion for me and I will..." Severus muttered to the now empty room and with a wave of his wand he made the contents of the cauldron disappear. He leaned back against the edge of his desk and rubbed his eyes. "Fine, I'm going to bed." He whispered to himself. "The Dark Lord will just have to wait till tomorrow. Or he'll have to kill me and find someone else to do my job."


AN: Thank you to everyone for reading, I hope you liked it and if you did I'd really appreciate it if you'd take the time to leave me a review J Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed: Ice Lupus, Lilith11, Athalia, greengirlblue, Ronnie, Elendil Snape, Anna Mette, Alexandrus W. Pendragon, Enahma, Phoenix of the Stars and Luceid. I'm very glad you enjoyed the last chapter, please forgive me for not replying to your reviews this time but I'm using someone else's computer and Internet connection at the moment so unfortunately I don't have the time to. Thank you so much for your reviews!