Chapter 35

By 8:30 the next morning, Severus was teaching class and Andraste was in Harry's body again. "Let's go over what we learned yesterday," she said, tossing him a tennis ball. He threw it up into the air, making it disappear before it got the chance to head back down. Then he held his hand out to her just as a duplicate ball appeared. "So, when is your next quiddich game?" she asked, but Harry smiled in response, tossing the ball from hand to hand.

"You have to do better than that, Andraste."

"Fair enough," she smirked, holding out her hand to him. "Make me one too." He did, but instantly his own disappeared. After several attempts he managed to make two different balls, and hold a conversation at the same time. Soon their two hours were up, and they went back in their own bodies. Immediately, they took two more potions and switched back again. "Practice making different things, I'd like to see how many you can have going when I get back," Andi said, and then walked out, taking the long way to the potions class to be sure that none of the students realized that Harry's body was coming from Severus' rooms.

"How kind of you to join us, Mr. Potter," Severus said, his tone cutting through the air. "To what do we owe this sudden pleasure?" Andraste threw him a small smile that only he could see before responding.

"I don't know Professor Snape; I thought it might, you know, be fun to come to class." The other students gasped at the blatant disrespect that they heard coming from Harry.

"Class begun over two hours ago, Mr. Potter. It would have been fun for you to be here at the appropriate time."

"I needed more sleep, glad you don't mind," Andraste said as she took Harry's normal seat.

"I quite mind, Mr. Potter, and you are welcome to spend the rest of the class period in the Headmaster's office. You will receive a zero for today, and I will expect you in detention at 7 o'clock tonight. Now get out of my class." Andraste threw a final look at the shocked students before smiling at Severus and heading back to Harry.

"You have detention tonight at seven with Professor Snape, and if anyone asks; you slept in and got sent to see Professor Dumbledore when you showed up late." Harry laughed and shook his head.

"Was I horrible?"

"Atrocious," Andraste said, looking around the room to see what Harry had created while she was gone. "Um, Harry, I don't see anything new, did you make anything?"

"Right this way," he said with a mischievous smile. He walked down the hallway and opened a door that hadn't existed when Andraste left. She followed him into an amazing room. The ceiling was easily eight meters high, and looked very much like a magnified version of the night sky. The room was filled with plants of different sizes and shapes, many of which Andraste had never seen before. She stepped inside, finding that the floor had the consistency of gelatin, every step turned more into a bounce, and the gravity of the room was less than it was outside. She turned back to Harry, seeing his look of pride on her own face, and told him to go get Severus; she wanted him to see this for himself. Harry obeyed as Andraste headed to the center piece of the room; a giant trampoline. Severus walked in a few minutes later to find Andraste doing various flips and tricks, and generally looking as though she was having the time of her life. When she saw them come in, she flipped backwards off of the trampoline, landing easily on the soft ground.

"Look what he did," she said, glowing with pride at what Harry had created. "And he even kept it up the entire time he was getting you."

"It is very impressive, Harry;" Severus said, looking at Andraste's body. "We are both proud of you. Now, if you two will excuse me, I would like to return to the class before Mr. Longbottom blows something up." With that he turned around and headed back out of the room.

"Well," Andraste said once Severus was gone, "this would be a great place to practice flying. Do you think you can keep it up while we do that?"

"I'm sure I can," he said confidently.

"Great. Now, to fly, you really need to feel the magic surround you, the same way you let energy surround you when you mediate before astral projection." The room around them flickered several times before Andraste interrupted his attempts. "Don't try so hard. Can you feel the power flowing through you?"

"Yes, I had no idea you were this powerful."

"I don't generally advertise. Now, just let the feeling of it overtake you. Know that you can fly. All you have to do is know." Slowly the golden glow that surrounds Andraste when she's flying overtook the body that Harry was in. He began to rise off the ground, slowly. He opened his eyes; triumph and excitement shining on his face, and promptly fell. "Okay, two things there," Andraste said laughing, "first of all, I'm the one keeping the room here now, it should be you doing it. Secondly, you can't let go of what you're doing, or you'll end up on your ass. Trust me, I learned without a soft ground to fall on just how much that can hurt." They practiced through another round of the potion; and eventually Harry was able to fly competently and keep the room from disappearing at the same time. When Severus finally came in from class, and suggested that it was time for a lunch break, Harry smiled brightly at him and offered to make the food.

"Feel free if you think you can do it," Andraste said, "but you're trying it first." Harry made a large tray appear, and reached for a mini-sandwich, popping it into his mouth. Andraste and Severus both laughed out loud at the expression of complete disgust on his face as he rushed to the kitchen to find something to drink. "So," she said once he returned, still alternating between wiping his tongue on a paper towel and taking large gulps of water. "How was it?"

"Horrible," he grimaced, "but you knew it would be, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but I thought it would be best if you learn for yourself." Andraste tossed him a potion to wash it down with, and once they were in their own bodies again, Severus clapped his hands. The house elf that normally assisted him appeared.

"Yes, Master," the small creature said, "what can Sara do for you?"

"We're hungry, Sara. Do you think you could get us some lunch?"

"Right away, Sir," the elf bowed and disappeared with a small pop.

"So why didn't it work?" Harry asked once they were eating the much tastier food that Sara brought them.

"It's like the CD," Andraste said, after she swallowed the bite that was in her mouth. "It's just too intricate. You'd have to be able to make the smell, taste, texture... everything just perfect. Only nature is that impressive." He seemed to contemplate what she had said for a moment, staring blankly into the air above her.

"You make it look so easy, but it takes so much more thought than wand magic. Still, it must be amazing to have power like that. There's nothing you couldn't do... or have."

"Magic of any kind is a huge responsibility, Harry, and sometimes a burden. I didn't ask for this anymore than you asked to be the-boy-who-lived, and sometimes I think I'd be better off without it. But that's the way it is. We deal with it, we move on, and we save the world. That's why we're here, as much as it sucks. That's what matters. Not me, not you, and not if the power is amazing or not. We have a job to do, and a lot depends on us doing it right."

"It's not fair, you know. I shouldn't have to wake up every morning wondering how Voldemort is planning to kill me next."

"Yeah, Harry. I know. But for all it's not fair to you that the world is expecting you to save it, it's not fair to the world that there's not a damn thing they can do to save themselves. At least there's something you can do, you're not helpless; they are." Severus watched the exchange, silently agreeing with what Andraste was telling Harry, yet still feeling just a bit sorry for the boy.

"They are not. They're way older than me, way more powerful."

"I wonder, Harry, if you even have any idea how powerful you are. I can feel it when I'm in your body; even if you don't realize it – at 16 you're one of the strongest wizards I've ever met. So why don't you stop feeling sorry for yourself and be thankful for what that you have." It was obvious by the look on his face that Andraste had hit a very raw nerve.

"I have this power because he killed my parents!" Harry shouted at her, jumping out of his seat. "You don't know what it was like growing up. My aunt and uncle hate me, I got the shit kicked out of me constantly by my pig of a cousin, and every one runs around expecting me to risk my life because of some stupid scar! And you're going to tell me not to feel sorry for myself? Try living my life for a week and see how you feel then!" Severus watched as a dangerous fire began to burn in Andraste's eyes, but for all other appearances she seemed calm. After a moments silence she responded to Harry, her voice cold and even.

"You're parents loved you so much that they died to protect you, and regardless of if you liked living with them or not, your aunt and uncle gave you a home. Now let me tell you something; if I ever had parents I don't remember them, and they certainly didn't love me enough to come looking for me. The only home I have ever had was for six months, with Jeremy, and I think you've seen how well that worked out. I never had anyone to guide me, to trust, or to even give me a roof over my head. Since I was 12 I have fended for myself, and all I've known is that I was a freak with powers that even witches didn't have, and that I had no choice but to use them to help people. And no one, I repeat, NO ONE, ever once took the time to help me, even when I was a child. So I am going to stick to what I said, and tell you to stop feeling sorry for yourself. And if you want me to spend a week in your life, you'd better be prepared to spend a week in mine." Harry stood there silently staring at the ground for a minute before sitting back down, his knees pulled up onto the chair.

"I'm sorry," he muttered quietly, "I shouldn't have gotten angry. You're right."

"I know I am," Andraste said, her voice no softer than it had been before. "But it's not about being sorry, it's about understanding that we have a job to do. And that job is all that matters."

"I know..." he said, almost choking out a whisper before his eyes lit up and he turned to Severus. "I don't know if it helps, but I have been working on one thing."

"And what is that?" Severus asked him impassively, wishing that Harry hadn't dragged him into this argument.

"Occlumency. I've been practicing. I think I can do it now."

"How long have you been working on it?" Severus asked, the doubt clear in his tone.

"Only a few weeks. I started after Andraste got hurt because of that last vision... but I really think I have it." Without any warning Severus whipped out his wand and pointed it at Harry.

"Legilimens!" Just as Harry had said would be the case, the spell was completely unable to penetrate his thoughts. "Very good. I see that with the proper motivation, even you can learn mind control."

"That," Harry said laughing, "was definitely the Snape that we used to know and well, not so much love." Severus gave him a half smile and continued.

"I am very happy to see that you have mastered Occlumency at last, but I want you to continue to wear the necklace. Right now there is too much at risk to put you or Andraste in that danger. And, as we learned, even the most practiced of us are vulnerable at times." Andraste wasn't completely sure if he was referring to the fact that she had picked up on the dream, or that she could read Severus' mind at will, but either way he was right, it was just too risky at that point for Harry to not wear the necklace when he was sleeping. That didn't mean, however, that she couldn't keep it until their night session.

"If you don't mind though, Severus, I would like to use the necklace for a bit. We can give it back to Harry when he comes for his 'detention' tonight."

"I see no reason why that would not be acceptable." Harry took off the necklace and tossed it to Andraste, still obviously somewhat bothered by their heated exchange.

"I have some things to do... I'll see you at seven," he said, and then walked out of the room. As soon as he was gone, Andraste retrieved the stone that Alexandra had given her, and set it beside her necklace on the table.

"What do you think it does?" she asked, knowing full well he wouldn't have the answer.

"There's only one way to find out." Severus picked up the necklace, and gently laid it in the hole of the larger stone. It was obvious that had it not been for the small clasp at the top of Andraste's diamond, they would have fit together perfectly. "It appears," Severus said, "that the only way to find out is to take apart the necklace."

"I don't want to risk not being able to put it back together," Andraste said, picking the chain up and putting it around her neck. "Let's go practice," she said, standing up and heading to the music room. Severus had intended to question her about the exchange that she and Harry had, but decided to let it go and instead followed her silently. They worked on their performance for quite a while, and were settling down with a cup of tea when Harry knocked on the door. Just over two hours later they had completed his lesson and were exhausted enough to head to bed.

"We're getting married tomorrow," Andraste commented, laying down next to Severus. "Are you nervous?"

"Absolutely not," he said, his voice much more sure than the look on his face. "We need to go pick out rings in the morning." Andraste smiled at him, knowing full well that that wouldn't be necessary. Instead of answering, she kissed him, hoping that he wouldn't see it for the abrupt subject change that it was.