On with the story, and remember: Peace, Love, and be a Marauder! I mean, why wouldn't you be?
Chapter 8- New Attitudes and New Skills
Harry woke the next morning feeling more rested than he had in a long time. Blinking at the bright sunlight streaming into the room, he put on his glasses and sat up. The memories of the previous night seemed far away and indistinct, but the dream, that seemed permanently etched down to the last detail in his mind. Shaking his head to banish away those unwelcome thoughts, he rolled out of bed and walked unsteadily towards the living room to see if there was any breakfast left. The sight that greeted him was enough to make him stop, rub his eyes and blink. The curtains were open, allowing the morning sun to flood in, making the room more...cheerful. The round dining table in the center of the room was set for two, unusual because Snape often ate in his bedroom. The strangest of all, however, was Snape bending over a small potions lab that Harry was certain hadn't been there the day before. When he spotted Harry he straightened and smiled, smiled!
"Good morning, Harry, are you feeling any better?" the man inquired, his tone betraying his concern. Harry nodded, unsure of how to respond verbally. Snape's smile widened and what Harry could have sworn was relief passed briefly over the man's face.
"That's good, you had me worried last night. Now, why don't you take a shower then we can get ourselves some breakfast," Snape shooed him out of the room.
'He's breathed in too many potion's fumes, that's it,' Harry assured himself as he pushed the gargoyle's paw for the hot water. He tried not to moan as the water stung his abused muscles. How long he stood there just letting the water run over him, he wasn't sure. All too soon for his liking he got out and dried off. He pulled on a black shirt and blue jeans, and amazingly they fit. With a quick check in the mirror, he pulled a lock of chin-length hair behind his ear.
'Maybe I should just let it grow out, it seems more manageable this way,' he thought to himself. After running a brush through it and teasing out the tangles he headed back to the living room. Snape was now at the round table, scanning through the latest issue of the Daily Prophet. When Harry walked in he glanced up briefly before returning to reading.
"We will have to call the house-elves, anything in particular you want?" Snape asked, trying to be polite. Harry sat down in the opposite chair and shrugged, wishing silently that Snape was still friendly and not cold and distant as before. The older man caught the disappointed look and grimaced. Damn, he'd messed up already!
'Calm down and try again,' he told himself firmly. A purple bell-pull appeared in Snape's hand and he pulled, causing a low thunderous gong to ring out.
"Well, since there are no special preferences we'll just see what they have in the kitchens shall we?" he said equitably. The words had barely left his lips before a very familiar house-elf popped in, bowing low to both of them.
"Dobby!" Harry greeted the little creature merrily. Dobby gave him a toothy grin in return.
"Harry Potter! It is good to see you well, sir. We was worried," the house-elf squeaked.
" 'We'?" Harry repeated, bewildered.
"Dobby and the other house-elves, sir, we was worried when we heard Harry Potter was hurt, sir," Dobby explained. Harry was touched that the creature and his friends had been worried. It meant a great deal to him.
"Thank you for caring, Dobby," he said softly. Dobby smiled in understanding and sat on Harry's knee, gazing up at him expectantly. Harry snapped out of his daze, suddenly remembering why the creature was there.
"Professor Snape and I would like some breakfast, Dobby." Dobby glanced briefly at Snape before returning his full attention back to Harry.
"What does Harry Potter and Professor Snape want?" the house-elf questioned. Harry turned to Snape who seemed to be watching the entire proceeding with interest.
"Anything special, sir?" Snape's eyes refocused and he shook his head.
"I don't care so long as it's food," he admitted. Harry nodded and turned back to the patient elf.
"Just bring us what ever is in the kitchen, Dobby," he requested. The house-elf jumped off his knee and bounced up and down, ears flapping.
"Yes, sir! What ever is in the kitchen, sir! Right away, sir!" With a giggle and loud crack he disappeared. Harry shook his head in amusement.
"I don't think I've heard so many 'sir's' in one conversation, certainly none ever directed to me," he joked. Snape raised an eyebrow.
"He certainly seems fond of you," he commented. Harry shrugged, settling back in the comfortable chair to wait.
"He used to work for the Malfoys, I kind of tricked Lucius Malfoy into setting him free," he said. Snape's other eyebrow raised.
"Oh? How did you manage that? I know Malfoy's an idiot but I didn't think he was that big of an idiot," he wanted to know. Harry's mouth quirked upward in to a smile.
"Let's just say I got him to throw a sock at him in my second year, I'll tell you the rest another time." Snape suddenly chuckled.
"I wish I could have seen his face when he was outsmarted by a twelve year old," he said dreamly. Harry smirked; his professor had a sense of humor after all.
"Believe me, it was priceless," he assured. The food appeared, redirecting both of their attentions to it. Harry piled the eggs, sausage, and pancakes on his plate, pouring syrup over everything and then he proceeded to devour it.
"Hungry?" Snape asked innocently, attacking his own meal at a more civilized rate. Harry nodded, not bothering to look up. Ten minutes or so later he finished and sat back, satisfied. Snape sat his fork aside as well, apparently finished.
"So," he started nervously, "have anything planned for today?" The student shook his head, curious as to why the man would ask.
"Well, how about a little tutoring? Get a jump on next year?" Harry immediately perked up at the idea.
"Absolutely, though I'll need my books." Snape nodded, relieved that the boy had agreed.
"Then how about a trip to Hogsmeade? I understand you haven't been out of the castle since you've been here and," he lifted the list of ingredients, "I need to restock these."
"When do we leave?" Harry asked eagerly. Snape spread his hands.
"When ever you're ready." Harry sprang to his feet and ran to his bedroom, emerging moments later with his school cloak.
"Now I'm ready."
"Where to first?" Snape asked as the pair walked down the main thorough fare of the all magic village. Harry thought for a moment.
"Let's get your ingredients first," he suggested. Snape nodded, his gate becoming more purposeful.
"Fine, then it's off to the apothecary we go." Both headed towards a rather small dirty shop. Upon entering, Harry discovered it was much like the one in Diagon Alley. The smell of rotting eggs was overpowering but Harry ignored the small nuisance and followed Snape up to the counter. Even before the teacher could ring the bell a small, wizened old man appeared from the depths of the dark shop.
"Ah, Professor Snape, it is good to see you again," the man wheezed, bowing respectively to Snape. Snape returned the bow and greeting.
"You as well, Algie."
"I assume you are here for ingredients and not just for my natural good humor," the man let out a dry laugh. Snape chuckled and handed him the list.
"Indeed. I'll need a full supply of all these." Algie scanned the list, nodding.
"Very well, I'll be just a moment. Look around if you like," he said before disappearing with the list. Harry looked at Snape for permission and the man nodded. Harry drifted away from him and began walking around, examining the shelves. As he went, he found more and more unusual things.
A small dark man hobbled up to a large cauldron. The liquid inside was as clear as glass and seemed to be just water. Though it was evident that it was not when the man tossed in a fine yellow powder. The liquid quickly turned red. Rolling up his left sleeve, he stuck his arm up to the elbow in the cauldron. The liquid hissed and sputtered at the contact, turning black as he withdrew his arm.
"Master," The man bowed down as an image of Voldemort rose from the cauldron, staring down at him disapprovingly.
"What is it, Stone, I'm busy," Voldemort asked impatiently.
"Master, I know your time is valuable but I must know: What happened to the traitor Snape?" the man asked in a submissive tone. Voldemort crossed his arms, becoming impatient and annoyed.
"His is in Salazar's Realm waiting for my return so that I may dispose of him properly. Why do you ask?" The man lifted his head to meet Voldemort's irritated gaze.
"He is here in Hogsmeade sir, I have seen him," he explained. Voldemort's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"You better not be lying, Stone, for your sake," he hissed. Stone bowed once more.
"Never, my lord; I have seen him with my own two eyes. He's at the apothecary shop with Harry Potter."
"Potter!"
"Yes, my lord, they travel together." Voldemort's growl was low.
"I will see about this at once. If you are correct, Stone, you shall be rewarded. If you are not, you know the punishment for wasting my time."
"Yes, my lord," the man mumbled. Voldemort's image disappeared and the liquid returned to it's normal state. The man stood and left.
Algie appeared in the front of the shop, arms full of bottles.
"Here you are, Professor," he sat them on the front counter. Snape opened his leather bag he'd brought with him and placed them inside.
"Thanks, Algie, put the cost on my tab. Come, Harry." The Gryffinodr pulled himself away from the shelves and joined Snape as he headed out the door. Algie stood there, watching them go.
"Good-bye, Snape, and you better watch your back, he's after you now," the man whispered. He summoned a rag from behind the counter and began to clean the front door's window, careful of its lettering. The lettering on the door: Algie Stone's Apothecary.
Harry and Snape walked into M&M, the local bookshop.
"M&...M?" Harry had to ask.
"Magic and Muggle," Snape explained, "not to be confused with the candy. You see they carry both magic and muggle books. All right, so we need your to get the books for your core classes and what are your electives?"
"Care of Magical Creatures and Divination," Harry answered promptly, "but could I drop Divination? I'd rather take something else. I seriously doubt I could take another year of Trelawny predicting my death in every manner possible." Snape chuckled.
"I know how you feel, I had her for Divination too." Harry looked at him, surprised.
"You took Divination?"
"Don't sound so surprised and believe me: she was just as bad then as she is now. Of course I was her selected student to die. I think perhaps, there was one time that she made a real prediction," said Snape as they picked up the Advanced Transfiguration book from the shelves.
"What did she say?" Harry asked, interested. Dumbledore had once commented that the prediction she'd made for him was her second. Could the one she had made for Snape been her first? A possibility, one to be looked into.
"I'll tell you once we get these paid for. How about some lunch at The Three Broomsticks?" Harry couldn't help but grinned as he handed the man behind the counter his money.
"Sounds great."
"One question: why Ancient Runes?" Snape asked. Both were sitting in a booth by the window in The Three Broomsticks and munching on what remained of their lunch. Harry shrugged at the question.
"Don't really know, it sounds interesting," Snape raised an eyebrow.
"For some inexplicable reason I get the feeling that is only half the truth." Harry held up his hands in a sign of surrender.
"All right, all right. The other reason is I want to figure out what's written on my cane.
Besides, it'll be useful to be able to read another language." Snape nodded in understanding. Very true.
"I should be able to help you there, I speak and read a few different ones."
"You never told me about that prediction Trelawny made," Harry reminded, taking a sip of his water. Snape sat his fork aside and clasped his hands together in front of him.
"In my third year, I was just leaving after taking my test when all of the sudden her head flopped back and her eyes rolled into her head."
"She did that for mine too," Harry interjected.
"Your's?" Snape asked, confused.
"She made one for me. Go on."
"As I was saying her eyes rolled back and she started talking in a low voice. I memorized everything she said. 'Silver one, ice is your greatest strength but do not let it over take your heart. The fire and light birds are there for you always if you allow them. Together, the three are the one, the Trinity of the Phoenix'. Then she snapped out of it and denied everything."
"Strange. In my third year she predicted that Voldemort's servant would return to him, that's the night Wormtail escaped. What did she mean by the 'Trinity of the Phoenix'?" Snape shrugged.
"No idea. I spent the rest of my years at Hogwarts looking for it and failed to find a thing. What's especially strange though is that when I went to bed that night there was a necklace under my covers. I asked around but no one claimed it. I've had it ever since," Snape reached a hand inside his robes and drew out a long silver chain. On it was a silver phoenix pendant. Harry reached out and held it in his hand, examining it closely. As soon as he touched it his scar twinged and the world began to swirl before his eyes. The last sound he heard was a startled 'Harry!' before he blacked out.
Harry recognized the diminutive hut and realized he must be once again where Snape had been held. The name of the place was unknown to him, Snape had spoken little of his time as a prisoner. He grit his teeth against the blazing pain of his scar. Voldemort had to be close by and not feeling a very charitable mood. As soon as he finished that thought Voldemort appeared only inches from him causing Harry to yelp in surprise and back away. Now that Voldemort was here Harry could tell that his earlier assessment had been right, Voldemort was not in a good mood. In fact, he was furious.
"Malfoy! Get out here now!" Voldemort yelled. The hut door opened and the stooped figure of Malfoy scuttled out, bowing many times to the dark lord. When he finally reached him he fell to his knees and kissed the hem of his robes. Voldemort lashed out with his foot, catching the blonde man in the stomach. Harry winced as he felt it too, but brushed it off. It was nothing like what the Dursleys had done to him.
"M-my lord, we-we've been e-expecting you," the man wheezed, pulling himself back into a kneeling position. Voldemort's red eyes widened.
"You have, Malfoy? Trying to impress me, or attempting to hunt down an escaped prisoner?" he mocked.
"B-both, my lord." This earned him another kick in the ribs, which sent him flying into the hut's outside wall. Harry could hear several cracks as he connected with the stone and crumpled to the ground.
"There is no need to hunt for him, he has been found," Voldemort informed him.
"I'm-I'm pleased," cough, "that he w-was caught, my lord," Malfoy struggled to become more upright but gravity won out and he lay on the ground.
"Oh I didn't say he was caught, I just said he was found. One of my informants in Hogsmeade spotted him. That means he's back in Hogwarts with Dumbledore and out of our reach."
"U-unfortunate, my lord." Voldemort raised his wand.
"Yes it is unfortunate, for you," Malfoy gulped, staring in obvious fright at the wand in front of him. Which was worse: torture or being killed.
"Crucio!" Malfoy's screams of agony were echoed by Harry's own.
Snape panicked as Harry's eyes slid out of focus and his hand fell limp from the necklace.
"Harry!" he shouted, drawing the attention of the pub. Everyone turned just in time to see Harry slide out of the booth and Snape's mad dash to catch him. The Potions Master cradled the boy to his chest, calling his name.
"Harry, wake up. Snap out of it, boy." Nothing seemed to break through the haze that the vision had trapped the teenager in. It had to be a vision, it was the only thing Snape knew of to make Harry act this way. He started when the boy jerked in his arms. Almost as if he'd been hit. He began to shiver and Snape pulled his cloak around them both to offer some marginal comfort. He jerked again, harder than the first time. A small whimper escaped the boy's lips.
"Harry?" Snape called again softly in his ear. Harry was deaf to him. The boy's body went rigid. His mouth fell open and he let out a scream that made the customers cover their ears in pain.
"HARRY!!!" Snape yelled over the screams, panic rising to a new level of intensity. The boy's screams did not let up, indeed they rose in intensity. What ever was happening to him Snape had to stop it, now. Looking around desperately for anything that might break the spell the vision had over the boy, he spotted Harry's abandoned water and grabbed it.
"Sorry," he muttered before splashing the cool liquid over the boy's face. The effect was instantaneous. Harry's eyes snapped open and he sat up, back ramrod straight. He didn't seem to be quite all there, but as Snape continued to call his name his eyes refocused. He gazed in a dazed like fashion at the stunned customers in confusion before finally focusing on Snape.
"Thank you," he whispered, smiling slightly. Snape returned the smile with a profound sigh of relief.
"You scared me, fireling, I didn't know what to do," he admitted. The room began to buzz again with conversation, most centering on what had just happened. Snape seemed to realize this and felt Harry should not be subjected to that.
"Come on, let's go." Shouldering their bags, he tapped them with his wand to make them light before helping Harry to his feet. He swung one of the boys arms over his shoulder and led him out the door. Their progress to the edge of the village was slow but once there, Snape scooped Harry up into his arms and took off at a dead run for the castle. Harry, who was almost back to normal by this point, stared at his professor in disbelief. Deciding not to comment since he was tired he laid his head against the man's shoulder. Snape only slowed his pace once they had reached the giant oak doors at Hogwarts' Entrance Hall. He finally slowed to a walk, panting slightly, and headed up to the Hospital Wing.
"Seri, Kit?" he called, poking his head in the door. No one answered.
"The Aurors must have called, they wouldn't have left otherwise," Harry said. Snape nodded in agreement and turned in the direction of the dungeons. They reached Merlin's portrait in no time.
"What happened?" Merlin demanded when he saw them. Snape shook his head.
"Not now, Marauder," he snapped. The portrait swung open reluctantly and he hurried in, carrying Harry over to the couch. He laid the boy down and conjured a thick blanket over him, tucking him in.
"What are you doing?" Harry asked, still confused by the man's behavior.
"You are taking a nap, and in here so I can watch over you," Snape informed him, as if he did this for his students every day. Harry raised an eyebrow at this.
"I thought we were going to make a potion," he argued, trying to sit up. Snape gently but firmly pushed him back down.
"We can do that later, you need a nap," he said sternly, placing special emphasis on the word need.
"Can't we do it now? I'm fine." Harry's expression was honestly pleading. Snape's resolve almost melted at the look.
"All right, but only if you take a nap first. Then I'll teach you." Harry mulled over the proposition, then nodded.
"Deal."
Two hours later found them both bent over the potions lab.
"Good, good, now add the flaxenweed and then let it simmer," Snape instructed. Harry did and watched the concoction bubble happily. He was glad he could start and finish a potion without the threat of detention; and, when he completed it right, praise for his work.
"How long do we leave it on the fire again?" he asked the teacher. Snape glanced at their notes.
"Five minutes, and, if all has gone correctly, which I believe it has, we'll have a Hair Growth Potion," he smiled. Harry opened his mouth to ask why anyone would want a Hair Growth potion when Snape's smile vanished and his face spasmed with sudden pain. His right hand jerked, grabbing his left forearm. As he did he hit the cauldron, tipping the scalding liquid to splash over his right hand. He hissed and sank to his knees, swaying dangerously. Harry jumped off his stool and knelt beside him, after waving the fallen cauldron and spilled contents back onto the table.
"Professor?" The man didn't answer but bit his lip; fighting off the urge to cry out in pain from the burn and the summons. Harry locked his hands around Snape's injured one.
"Severus give me your hand," he commaded firmly. Snape, whether consciously or unconsciously, sensed the authoritive tone and obeyed it, albeit stiffly. The Dark Mark was now uncovered and glowing ominously but Harry ignored it for the moment, focusing on the burn.
'To heal a burn you must picture the area as it was before. Then, gather your energy and coat the wound with it. This will encourage the skin to renegate,' Harry remembered the line from the book the twins had lent him. He endeavored to do this and, to his great astonishment, the burn was covered with a gold shimmering light.
"Sanuem feiri," he heard himself utter. The gold light immediately faded leaving a newly healed hand behind. Releasing it, he grabbed Snape's arm but the man jerked it from his grip.
"Severus," he looked in the man's eyes pleadingly, "please let me try." Snape hesitated, then extended the arm back out. Harry clamped a steady hand around his wrist and wrapped the other around the Mark. He cleared his mind, only thinking of stopping the pain the man was suffering. Slowly he felt the mark stop burning and the pain recede. As it did, pain in his scar, that he hadn't realized had even been there, faded as well. He drew back, releasing his grip around the Potions Master's arm. Snape's eyes lost their glazed appearance and he stared at Harry, then at the Mark, then back to Harry.
"How....how?" he croaked. Harry gave him a small smile.
"Another question that I'm not entirely sure of the answer. The burn," he gestured at the man's hand, "I learned from a healing book. The Dark Mark," he shrugged, "it just seemed like the right thing to do."
"What did you do?" Snape probed. Again Harry shrugged, looking up at Snape with worried eyes.
"Are you all right? Does it still hurt, Professor?" Snape was surprised at the depth of the boy's worry. Maybe Albus had been right about the boy wanting to give love back where he received it. But was he giving him love? Snape took a shuddering breath to calm the flood of foreign emotions. Time, all he needed was time.
"Severus." Harry blinked, thrown off.
"What?"
"Call me Severus and the pain is gone, thank you." Harry gave him a calculated look but, upon seeing Snape's genuine expression, smiled.
"You're welcome Severus."
A/N: YESSSSS!!!!!!! Finally! *almosts faints with exhaustion* I thought I'd never finish this thing. And it's my longest yet. *whoops again* I'd thank all my reviewers but I can't right now, I should be studying. But THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR BEING SO PATIENT ABOUT ME POSTING THE SAME CHAPTER TWICE! YOU'RE ALL SOOO COOL. Remember, *shakes tin can* REVIEW!