A/N: Yay for updates, hmm? I'm glad you guys are still around and enjoying the story. I would like to take this opportunity to address a few questions that have popped up in reviews.

Question 1) So is Harry an eleven year old mentally?

Answer) Nope. Harry is mentally older than Ron, Hermione, and Neville. My centaurs have a lifespan of about fifty years, which would speed up their development. Harry is an adult in the eyes of centaurs. However, if he seems a little childish, it's because he doesn't have very much experience on his side. Severus is much older and wiser, and he's seen a lot more in life. Even though he calls Harry a colt, Severus recognizes him as an adult. Otherwise, he would have no interest in a more intimate relationship.

Question 2) Centaur sex?

Answer) Err…look! A distraction! No, um, I really don't know what to tell you on this one, folks. I just figured they'd do a lot of kissing, a lot of petting, and a lot of snuggling. Anything else is too risky for anyway. One curious reviewer did ask about arousals, and here's my take on that. Severus is too old and has too much self-control to get an arousal in public. As for Harry…if he were in a centaur herd and it happened, it wouldn't be a big deal. They'd just pretend nothing was going on. Now that he's in a school of children, though…heh, maybe that's why Sev is always lecturing him on proper centaur behavior.

Chapter 12 The Simple Facts

The peaceful, friendly atmosphere the greenhouse had offered that morning was gone. Harry wanted to pace agitatedly up and down the rows, but strangely enough, a voice in his head that sounded a lot like Severus's told him to remain still and not to fidget. He kept his back straight and his eyes impassive. Perched on the edge of a table, Hermione nervously fussed with the hem of her skirt, tugging it and twisting it and then smoothing it out again.

Finally, Ron arrived.

"Where's Neville?" Hermione asked immediately. Ron sighed.

"I made him go to sleep. He was upset and I didn't want to make it worse by talking about this in front of him."

"And what exactly is 'this' that you refer to?" Harry asked, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. Ron and Hermione shared an uneasy glance before Hermione cleared her throat.

"Okay, Harry, first let's start with the facts. Someone in the school is serving He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Whoever it is wants the thing that Fluffy is guarding."

"Fluffy? Who's Fluffy?" Harry interrupted.

"Fluffy is the three headed dog we saw. He belongs to Hagrid. You see, Hagrid loaned him to the school so that he could guard something very important."

"Yeah," Ron chimed in, "And Hagrid let is slip a few weeks ago that whatever it was had some connection to a wizard named Flamel."

"Okay, so what does Severus have to do with all this?"

"I think You-Know-Who is back and Snape is his servant."

Harry wanted to tell her (loudly) how ridiculous the idea was, but he kept his thoughts hidden and his face impassive. Emboldened by his lack of argument, Hermione continued.

"Lately, Snape has treated Neville worse and worse in class. We think it's because it's getting harder for him to hide his animosity towards the boy who defeated You-Know-Who. He's terrible to Neville – always running him down and terrifying him. We can tell that there are times he tries to regain his composure, but just the sight of Neville makes all this hate and rage pour out of him. I know you don't know Professor Lupin very well, but he's a really nice teacher. A few nights past, when we were coming back from visiting you, we saw Snape and Lupin in the hallway. We couldn't hear most of what they were saying, but Snape was scary looking, Harry. He was towering over the poor man and telling him that his 'scent gave him away' and that if he didn't cooperate with Snape, he'd kill him and dump him in the Forbidden Forest!"

Harry felt his mouth go a little dry. Other than that, he showed no reaction. Ron took over from there.

"Then, there was the unicorn. Snape didn't get upset at all! It was almost like he knew why Quirrel was taking the blood, and he wasn't going to stop him. And what about the night the troll attacked? Snape's leg was hurt. Hermione thinks he let the troll in so that he could try to get past Fluffy while everyone was distracted. Snape is probably the only one that knows the forest well enough to even find the troll in the first place…"

"So is that everything?" Harry asked in what he hoped was a calm voice. Inside, he was tied up in knots. Hermione hesitantly shook her head.

"Just now, Harry, at the game…"

"When Neville started to choke, I looked up and Snape was muttering something while he glared at Neville. A few weeks ago, we were headed to Snape's office to ask about the assignment, and Snape was already inside. The door was open a crack, and we saw Snape doing that same strange muttering. He was partially blocking our view, but when he moved, there was a pile of dead fairies on his desk."

"He killed them with whatever he was muttering, Harry. Just like he tried to kill Neville at the game. And you can't forget that he's friends with Professor McNair. The two of them are always talking. McNair wears long sleeves in front of the students, even when the weather is hot. Why? Because he's got a Deatheater mark. It's all a giant conspiracy!" Hermione concluded. Harry sighed heavily, and Hermione's eyes narrowed on him. "You know something else, don't you Harry?"

Harry's doubt slipped away as he stared at the worried face of his friends. Suddenly everything was very clear. It was as if Reiki had given him insight.

"He was exiled from his herd for murder. He didn't say who he killed, but he killed someone." Hermione gasped and Ron looked a little pale.

"What are we going to do?" Ron finally asked. "We have to go to Dumbledore."

"We can't, Ron! Don't you see? We don't have any solid proof. Without proof, they'll have to let him go and Harry has to live with him. He'll know that Harry went behind his back."

"Then what do we do? I've been asking this for the past few weeks and I still haven't been given a proper answer!"

Hermione looked highly frustrated and then blurted out, "We protect whatever it is ourselves! If You-Know-Who wants it, we have to do everything we can to prevent Snape from getting it and giving it to him."

Ron looked skeptical. "And just how exactly are we supposed to stop Snape from doing whatever the bloody hell he wants to?"

Hermione smirked.

"We're not. Harry is."

"Excuse me?" Harry asked, not sure he liked where the conversation was going. Hermione looked at him speculatively.

"It's simple, Harry. You're his mate. He doesn't know that you suspect him. Keep tabs on him and when he tries to threaten Lupin or conspire with McNair, you distract him."

"And just what will you be doing while I'm risking my life?"

"We'll be figuring out just what exactly it is that Fluffy is guarding."

Harry looked at both of their expectant faces and sighed.

"Fine, I'll do it."

Harry positively trudged back to the cave. When he got there, Severus was already inside sitting by the fire. For a long time, Harry simply stared at him, wondering why Reiki had seen fit to make his life so complicated.

"What are you staring at?"

With a melancholy sigh, Harry shook his head.

"Nothing. How fare you?"

Severus looked deep into the fire and his shoulders sagged ever so slightly.

"I have…many questions."

Slowly, deliberately, Harry made his way to the fire and sat down beside the bigger centaur. He wrapped his arms around Severus's torso in a gentle hug. Eventually, Severus returned the embrace and Harry could not help but look at his large, calloused hands and wonder who's blood was on them. When he spoke, it was quietly and there was no accusation in his tone.

"Why are you limping?"

Harry waited, hoping Severus would not lie to him – knowing that if Severus would just tell him the truth and come clean, it would mean there was still some hope.

"I was hunting. A wolf snuck up on me."

Harry could only nod and hug Severus just a little bit tighter.

SSHP

The Christmas holidays were approaching. Despite the terrible things happening at the school – all the lies and deceit, and the trial date fast approaching – Harry could not help but be excited. In the herd, the approach of winter was celebrated with a night of telling stories and walking through the woods to watch the fairies dance and twinkle. At Hogwarts, there were all new Christmas traditions to learn about. The two-legs had decorated a tree and there was much talk about the giving and receiving of gifts. Severus told him that it was customary for two-legs to give each other things during the holidays.

"Don't they already have enough things?" Harry asked, thinking of their trunks that they carted around. Severus didn't answer, but rather turned slightly to catch a flash of movement in the corner of his eye.

"Just a rabbit," he informed. Harry felt a little foolish for getting scared and forced himself to ease his grip on Severus's hand.

"It could have been a wolf, you know," he said to justify himself. Severus merely smirked. In the quiet, solitude of the forest Harry could pretend that the castle didn't exist, and his life was simple and straightforward. In the forest, being with Severus and being happy was all that mattered. A smile of pure delight lit up his face as the first few dots of white began to drift down around them. "It's snowing! The first snow of winter!"

Even Severus smiled, tilting his head back to watch the little flurries shower down from the tops of the trees. Then, as if they were both thinking the same thoughts, their eyes met slowly, lovingly.

"You are beautiful, Harry," Severus whispered softly, drinking in the slender torso partially obscured by a big fluffy scarf and the black, wayward curls filled with snow. Harry's enormous green eyes widened at the compliment, and then his lips tilted upwards to ask for a kiss. Severus obliged, dipping his head and pulling Harry against him. When their lips finally touched, gentle warmth spread through both of them. Harry moaned softly, addicted to the warm, loving kisses. His tail swished slowly, happily, and his eyes closed trustingly.

Back in the school, Hermione, Ron, and Neville nervously poked their heads into Snape's office.

"How long do you think Harry will keep him in the forest?"

"I don't know. We need to be quick. He's got a lot of books in here – ones that aren't even in the forbidden section of the library. Let's get started looking. Ron, you stand as lookout."

"Alright," Ron replied before slipping back into the hall. Quickly, Neville and Hermione began to scan the books hastily in search of information about Flamel. She was on her twentieth book or so when Ron's voice echoed loudly down the hallway. "There you are Harry! We were looking everywhere for you!"

Hermione started to snap the book closed, but a passage caught her eye.

"Nicholas Flamel, a highly acclaimed potions master, was honored for his collaboration with Albus Dumbledore to create the Sorcerer's Stone. The stone, in addition to its ability to turn any metal into gold, is also capable of producing the elixir of everlasting life."

Hermione slammed the book closed and clumsily stuffed it back onto the shelf before grabbing Neville and dashing out of the room. She closed the door and locked it with her wand just as Snape and Harry rounded the corner. As usual, Snape's expression instantly turned foul upon seeing Neville. The blonde boy gulped and stared resolutely at his feet, refusing to meet Snape's intimidating glare.

Harry's eyes darted back and forth between the two before he decided a distraction was in order. With a disarmingly innocent smile, he grabbed Severus's shoulder and pulled him down to quickly peck his cheek.

"Don't work too hard. I'll be back later."

Neville, Ron, and Hermione's eyes grew large. Embarrassed that Harry had just kissed him in front of students, he quickly swept into his office to avoid their slack jaws and traumatized expressions.

Once Snape was gone, Harry shrugged.

"Why are you looking at me like that? You wanted me to distract him, didn't you?"

Ron finally managed to control his surprise.

"Yeah, mate, but that doesn't mean we want to see it."

A mischievous little smile from Harry was his only reply.

A/N: Finally, we're getting somewhere. I'm giving this thing ten more chapters before it's done. Hopefully, I'll get them all out before school starts again. Hope you enjoyed, and I loved all the positive reviews. I'm so glad none of you have decided to lynch me.