Gah! I'm sorry it took so long, but I just got Paint shop Pro and I was really distracted with that and I went to Six Flags, with no computer. XP Here you go.
Part of the Plan Six: The Innocent Age
Most of the teachers were already seated, so almost all of them were shocked to say the least when Harry Potter and Severus Snape walked into the hall peacefully, chatting about some potion or something. Apparently, Snape was making a real effort to be nice and Harry was going with it. When they sat down to eat lunch, Harry broke off conversation with the Potion Master and turned to the Defense Teacher. Lupin ended up inviting Harry to visit his quarters instead of flying, and Harry readily agreed.
In Lupin's chambers they talked for a while, speaking of everything and nothing, mostly sitting in silence, remembering other conversations in other rooms. (... I'm sorry for my retarded little lapse...) Soon it was time for dinner, and Remus was delighting in showing Harry every secret passage he could remember, some that weren't even on the Marauder's Map 'cause Lupin never told anyone. In one they flushed out a harried looking ghost screaming about fried cheese.
"Well, that's new since I've been here," Remus said bewildered.
"I think I should tell Malfoy about that one..." Harry said, imagining what Malfoy would do.
"Amusing, Mr. Potter, very amusing," a voice behind them said coldly.
Harry's face fell at Snape's apparent reversion to snarky git. He replied nervously, "Oh, Professor Snape, sir. Merely a joke, you see."
"He can't give you detention," Remus whispered, "It's summer."
"He probably does deserve it though, by now," the other Professor said, "And that ghost used to animate the one-eyed wizard up on the seventh floor. The Weasleys flushed her."
"That was little Bathsheba? No wonder," Remus snickered. Harry looked bewildered.
"Oh-" the werewolf said, "It was a prank in our sixth year. They never knew who did it, so we got the blame," he said, winking at Snape.
Harry looked even more bewildered. Snape coughed lightly, and Remus explained further.
"The Marauders weren't the only illustrious pranksters of the era, we just were so loud about it almost everything was attributed to us. Severus here even warranted a code name in the Books of Moony and Prongs. That's probably a long story, but do meet Poisontongue, the only Parseltongue- natural or otherwise- of the Marauder's Hogwarts," he said, lightly smacking the Professor on the shoulder. The said Professor sneered, then bowed theatrically, saying, "Poisontongue, not so much at my service."
"Moony even less at yours," Remus replied warmly. Snape straighten and swept off to his seat.
"You see, he's really an actor at heart. He loves the attention, even if it's negative," Remus whispered, glancing at the retreating back. After a moment, they both entered the Hall and sat down. Snape, or Poisontongue, as Harry decided to cal him jokingly, was already babbling to the Headmaster about the manuscripts he had found.
Apparently, he had found Slytherin's thesis on the uses of human blood. He was saying they were in Parseltongue, so he was having difficulties reading them, but he was avidly discussing them to anyone who would listen.
Harry was forced to take a seat across from the Professor because Remus had already taken a seat at the other end of the table. Absently, Harry noted that Trelawney should throw a fit, 'cause there were thirteen people at the table. As soon as he sat down, Harry was met by a string of almost unintelligible potions terms. Quickly, Harry interrupted with a question he had been wondering about.
"But Professor, don't you use blood as a locator because it is unique to one person?"
The Potion Master stopped, annoyed and amused at being interrupted.
"An actual logical question from Mr. Potter? The world must have ended," he said loudly, attracting some people's attention. Then he straightened and said more seriously, "Slytherin worked with neutralized blood, or blood with no distinguishing features. All blood you use in my class is already neutralized, but in the NEWT class, we do a bit about neutralization."
Harry nodded and turned back to his meal. It progressed mostly in silence, as Harry's question apparently shut Snape up. As the pudding was being served, Dumbledore requested to come to Harry's rooms, as did Snape and Remus. Remus insisted on a tour, so Dumbledore and Snape went straight to the library as Harry and Remus stopped at the sitting rooms and bedrooms and such, all of which were still very green. Remus laughed at the Gryffindor blanket, but was otherwise disappointed at the lack of red. The tower's inhabitant had to point out that it was Slytherin's tower and the werewolf was admittedly rebuked. In the highest room, Remus discovered a secret passage to the library, so they leapt down and shock the two there but appearing from behind a shelf.
Snape had a few books set out for Harry, so he idly flipped through one, a tome on blood potions, while talking to Remus. One of the potions caught his eyes, so he fell silent as he read through it.
"Hey, Professor Snape, is this potion hard to brew?" he asked, offering the adults the book. Snape hurried to take it from him and Remus and Dumbledore peered over his shoulders, trying to see it.
"It's a Class III Heritage potion. Blood-based, but it gives you family names. We'll need a Ministry sample for lines, but it's almost exactly what we need for the project, y'know?" he said. Remus' eyes widened, then both of them looked at Dumbledore, who nodded. Snape reddened and nodded back as Remus turned to Harry.
"No- not too difficult, Harry."
"I'll be right back," Snape said, "I need to retrieve something."
He stood and left, so Harry looked curiously at Remus and the Headmaster, but soon returned to the potion as they weren't doing anything interesting. Mentally, he figured how much of the stud he had, and wondered where you could purchase a pint of human blood. Soon Snape returned, carrying a Pensive.
I really don't like this chapter. Snape's OoC, even by my characterization... I don't know! Oh, and I listen to Fogelberg way too much. Review, please!