Chapter ten
"Potter, how long have you been here?" Severus tried and failed to mask his surprise at seeing the Gryffindor standing in the shadows of the headmaster's doorway.
"Long enough to know that you're about as keen to have me as an assistant as I am to be starting occlumency training again professor," Harry answered with a smile. Severus paled considerably as he took this information in.
'Then he could gave been here to hear our argument. This is not a good thing,' the Slytherin thought to himself.
"Look, I see no possible way out of this, so let's just shake hands and try to get along the best we can, okay?" Harry asked, his emerald eyes turned to Snape. The pleading in them was very evident as he extended his hand.
Slowly, Severus stood and walked the short distance between himself and the Gryffindor. Harry gasped as his former potions master leant over, only stopping when his lips were a scant few inches from Harry's.
"Understand something, Potter, just because I have agreed to this truce, it doesn't mean I like you," Severus bit out in a harsh whisper.
Knocking away the hand Harry was holding out and stepping around the boy he gave Dumbledore a curt nod and left via the Floo. Harry was thankful that Snape did not turn back to face him after he had slapped his hand away. The seeker knew that if he had done so the Slytherin would have seen the hurt that radiated through Harry's entire being, complete with the slight sheen of tears that coated his irises.
However, what Severus had missed seeing in his soon to be lover, the old man didn't. As Harry also turned to leave, he was called back by the headmaster.
"Harry, could you please stay? I believe it's time we had a little chat."
"Professor Dumbledore, can't this wait until morning? I need to get back to Gryffindor tower. I'm really tired," Harry pleaded, his voice cracking more than once before he had finished.
"No, Harry my boy, I am afraid that it cannot wait until morning. Please sit down," Albus answered.
Harry sighed in defeat as he walked over and took a seat before the headmasters' desk.
"What is it that you wished to speak with me about Professor? And I don't mean to be rude, but can we please make this quick. It really is late and I don't think I can stay awake much longer," Harry pleaded, wanting nothing more than to curl up on his bed and try to forget that his soon to be lover hated him.
"Very well then, Harry, I shall get to the point. I wanted to tell you a bit about the position you will start on Monday as well as a bit about the person you will be working with," Dumbledore explained.
'What more is there to know, the man hates me and that is never going to change,' Harry thought morosely.
'Even when we have sex that won't change the fact that he can't stand me. And to really top things off, I think I may have a crush on the greasy git,' Harry thought to himself.'
Dumbledore smiled to himself as he read the young students mind. "As I said in the letter I sent you, Harry, you are to start you new position the day after tomorrow. You will be charged with keeping the potions lab clean each day. Also since you have your potions time free now, you will be at Professor Snape's call during those times too."
When Harry made a move to interject Dumbledore cut him off by raising his hand. "Furthermore, Minerva has recently informed me that transfiguration is no longer a challenge for you. In fact," the headmaster went on, "she has, unbeknownst to you, given you a test to see just where your abilities lie. I am very pleased to inform you Harry that you've tested out of Transfiguration with scores higher than Tom Riddle himself."
Dumbledore was looking far too pleased with himself in Harry's opinion.
'She must have been testing me last week when she told me Dobby was ill and asked me to help her fix the furniture in Gryffindor tower for the holiday. It all makes sense to me now, why she suddenly had to leave right then to go to Dumbledore's office leaving me to completely redo everything from scratch.'
Harry remembered his work. He was rather proud of his efforts and apparently he had reason to be. He'd been given 150 yards of silk to transfigure into furniture and anything else he'd thought the room might need. It had taken him nearly two hours before he was finished. He'd made all the mid-backed chairs and couches with clawed oaken feet. Each was upholstered in gold with moving red lions that pounced on silver serpents. That motif had been in honour of Gryffindor's upcoming Quidditch match. He'd then added two cafeteria length tables complete with chairs and three tiffany style lamps which had lions for bases. He had also enchanted the carpet to change form red to gold and back again. He'd even managed to make red curtains with gold fringes to go over the windows in the common room.
"Harry, Harry are you listening my boy?"
The Gryffindor shook himself from his musings when he heard the headmaster's voice.
"I am sorry sir I was just lost in thought." Harry apologized.
"Yes, well, I can see that, my boy." Albus chuckled.
"Now as I was saying since you've tested out of Transfiguration you are to assist Professor Snape during those times as well."
Harry's eyes opened in horror, "I have to WHAT? No I won't do it. I can't! Headmaster, he hates me. I'll be spending enough time with him as it is. The occlumency lessons are bad enough."
Dumbledore frowned, "I see. I did not want it to come down to this Harry, but if you refuse to do this then I shall remove you from your position as Gryffindor seeker."
Dumbledore knew he had won when he saw the young wizards body tense and his eyes light with pure anger as they locked with Albus' in a brief but intense staring contest.
Naturally the elder wizard was the victor. '
'You have more of your mother in you that I thought. Only she could stare me down like this. I suspect you get her ability to transfigure things from her too. Although your father was good at transfiguration, your mother had a certain grace to her ability that cannot be taught or even learned. It's a grace that you seem to possess, Harry.'
Albus came back to himself as the boy who lived lowered his piercing green eyes and muttered," You win."