Harry frowned at the room full of people. He assumed it was a surprise birthday party for him, either that or it was just a regular party he wasn't invited to. Some surprise party it was when they didn't even notice the guest of honour standing in the doorway. Harry ignored the dining room full of people and went into the kitchen. Fred watched him, unnoticed, from the corner of the room.

The kitchen was unexpectedly occupied when Harry entered it, ignoring the occupant he headed straight to the cupboards and began searching them. The silence was broken after a couple of minutes.

"I believe their is a gathering in your honour in the dining room." Snape drawled.

"I noticed." Harry said shortly.

"I'm surprised you're not out there revelling in the opportunity to be the centre of attention, even more than usual." He said maliciously, Harry didn't respond and just continued to rifle through the cupboards.

Finally having found what he was searching for he proclaimed, "Aha!" and pulled the glass bottle out of the cupboard under the sink.

"What, precisely, are you up to?" Snape asked.

"Well I figured they had to have stocked up for the party." Harry replied, waving the bottle of vodka in front of the Potions Masters face, and sat down opposite him at the small table. Grinning he unscrewed the top of the bottle and took a swig. Snape was watching him with an eyebrow raised. Harry swallowed and asked, "Want some?"

"No thank you Mister Potter." Harry shrugged and drank another large mouthful. Having not eating much all day he was somewhat looking forward to the room full of people next door's reaction to an extremely pissed Boy Who Lived, if he could remember it the next day was. Harry smirked and drank some more. Snape frowned at him, and Harry let out a snort of laughter, resulting in a lot of vodka spraying out of his nose and mouth. He could have sworn Snape smiled, but it must have been his imagination because when he looked again Snape's expression was neutral. Harry though, found it thoroughly amusing and began giggling, uncontrollably.

"Do you plan to spend the entire evening in here, by yourself, getting intoxicated?"

Harry managed to answer through his giggles. "If I could." Sobering up a little and taking a deep breath, and another mouthful of the vodka he continued. "But I don't doubt that once I am discovered I will be dragged in there to join the festivities." Harry said the word 'festivities' with so much disgust that Snape almostlooked shocked.

"Birthday parties not your thing then Potter?"

"Over-protective adults pretending to be my parents and failing, and babbling idiots trying to 'understand' me while trying to squeeze as much information out of me as possible are not my thing, sir." he said and took another, especially long, drink from the not half empty bottle.

"Feeling suffocated Potter?"

"No sir, feeling drunk." He smirked at Snape, who rolled his eyes. They both looked up as someone else entered the kitchen. "Fred!" Harry exclaimed happily. "You're looking rather spiffing this evening." He said, eyeing Fred's attire, a blue button up shirt and black slacks.

"Why thank you Harry, may I take this opportunity to say that even in your undershirt and tracksuit bottoms you look absolutely spiffing also." He said grinning at Harry who smirked back.

"Of course. Vodka?" he said lifting up the bottle.

"No thanks, looks like you're drinking enough for both of us." Fred said as he sat down next to Harry.

"Indeed." Snape said.

"Professor." Fred said in greeting. "I haven't thanked you for saving our arses yet have I?" Fred asked.

"No."

"Well, thanks."

"That was you then?" Harry asked. "I thought it was, no-one actually told me of course." He said crossly. The kitchen was silent for a few minutes, apart from the sounds of Harry drinking and the thunk of glass bottle hitting the wooden table every time he set it down.

"You planning on going in there?" Fred asked eventually.

"No-one's come to find me yet, they seem to be doing all right on their own." He replied. "Sooo . . . Professor, what brings you to out lowly little kitchen?" Harry asked.

"That would be none of your business Potter." Snape replied smoothly.

"Of course."

"It's good to know you're finally learning your place."

"I'm certainly doing that. You must be proud sir, some of your incessant badgering and bullying finally got through." Snape glared at him at that remark and opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by a loud shout from the doorway of the kitchen.

"Mum! He's in the kitchen!" Ron yelled, he turned round to face Harry. "What are you doing in her mate?"

"Chatting to Snape." Harry said seriously. Ron blinked at him, and then smiled and mouthed 'good one'. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Something you wanted Ron?" he asked, covertly sliding the bottle under the table.

"Eh, yeah." He said as his mothers head poked round the doorway.

"Come on Harry dear, into the dining room." She smiled at him.

"Sure Mrs. Weasley." He said compliantly and heaved himself up out of the chair. She smiled and her head disappeared, Ron followed her. Harry took an unsteady step and Fred caught his arm.

"Getting piss drunk now was not the best of ideas Harry, you haven't eaten all day for cryin' out loud." Fred said in exasperation.

"It'll be funny though." He said and started giggling again.

"They'll accuse me of corrupting you." Fred complained.

"That was Her not you."

"I should imagine it was." Snape muttered, Harry frowned at him before weaving his way towards the door, shaking Fred off as he went.

"Can't have you holding my hand all night Fred honey, people'll get the wrong idea." Harry said sweetly. Fred grinned.

"Or the right one?"

"Ssshh now Fred." Harry said with the air of someone talking to a two year old. Holding his head high and taking a deep breath, steadying himself he said, "Okay then, here we go." And stepped into the dining room.

"I don't envy you Weasley." Snape said as Fred followed Harry out.

End of ch6, review if you're reading. thanks x