"Move your foot. Repeat the wand movement."

Resisting the urge to sigh, Harry did so. In his mind, he was casting spells with his wand, not bashing someone on the head with it. Still, he didn't complain because the last time all that had gotten him was four extra laps.

"Yes, Sir," Harry said.

After the lesson, he had apparently learned the movement in a manner that was satisfactory enough, at least for now. He was sent out to do four laps around the yard. Harry was pleased that he was able to complete them in less than half the time it used to take him, even with the hiatus he had taken when Snape was gone.

They had been back less than a week, and he had yet to get any answers out of the man. It was frustrating, because Harry felt that he deserved to know what Voldemort was up to. He was sure the man was up to something. It was bad enough feeling responsible for Snake-face's rise to power and the Order's loss of their most valuable spy without being left in the dark as well.

Harry felt like that was where he belonged- in the dark. If he was not careful, the darkness would consume him. He might have expected Snape to be surrounded by darkness, and perhaps he was. Snape was only part of the problem though.

As much as he wanted to direct his anger at Snape, only some of it belonged there. Snape had stood up for him and taken him in, out of obligation perhaps, but he had done more than anyone else. Harry still felt abandoned by his friends and by the adults in his life. If they thought he was going to get over this quickly just because someone accepted an adoption practically by force, they could think again.

When he had been around the yard the requisite number of times, Harry stopped at a bench and leaned over, panting slightly. There was a towel and a plastic muggle water bottle waiting. Snape had said muggles knew what they were about when it came to some things. Harry squirted some water from the bottle into his mouth and walked around the side of the house at a leisurely pace. He liked to sit by the pond after his workout. It was peaceful and he could be alone with his thoughts.

He hadn't been sitting by the pond very long when he heard a flutter of wings beside him.

"Hedwig!" Harry cried.

He stroked her gently and carefully took the leather she held out from within her talons. "Sorry girl," Harry said. "I don't have anything to give you. I'll make it up to you later, okay?"

Hedwig made a motion that Harry could have sworn was a shrug, and took flight to head for her perch. She had plenty of food and water waiting for her there anyway. Harry watched her fly away with a sort of wistfulness in his belly. She had been his first friend, and sometimes he felt like she was his only one.

To shake that feeling off, he turned his attention to what she had given him. Rather than one letter, it turned out to be a packet of them. Harry flipped through them and saw Sirius's messy writing, Ron's scrawl, and Hermione's careful print. He sighed, placing two of the three on the bench next to him and opening the letter from Sirius.

Hello Pup,

How's the Dungeon Bat treating you? I know, I know, I'm not supposed to call him that. He and I have a truce. Remus says we're 'co-parents.' I have no idea what he means by that, really. As far as I am concerned, you living with Snape in the summer is just a technicality. It kept you away from Fudge and those Ministry hacks. Keep your head down kid. I'm still not sure about all this, especially since Snape has authority over you. He's not your father, remember that. James is still your father. I'm still your godfather. You can tell me anything.

Keep practicing. At least with Snivellus Snape training you, old Voldy is toast!

Padfood

After reading through the letter for the second time, Harry was tempted to rip it to shreds. He settled for just ripping it once and then banishing it. Neither was particularly satisfying. Sirius had not really said any of this to him in person. That wasn't what Harry found most irritating about it though. Sirius was back to his old habits, complaining about Snape and telling Harry to keep his head down. Harry was tempted to banish the other two letters without reading them. They were probably more of the same. It seemed as if the inhabitants of Grimmauld Place had decided that Harry needed minding, or at least reminding.

Rather than banish the letters, Harry opted for the compromise of not reading them. He stuffed them into his sweats' pockets and picked up his water bottle and towel. After he had showered and dressed in loose but comfortable clothing, he wandered downstairs to the kitchen, where the house elves had a snack of nuts and fruit waiting for him along with a protein drink. Harry haited the protein drinks, but he drank it without complaint.

After his snack, Harry often went back into his room to rest, read, or work on homework. Today he decided to go see Snape. His guardian was where he always was at this time of day, sitting in his office. When he saw Harry standing in the doorway, he looked up from the parchment he was working on.

"Hello, Harry," Snape said. "How was your run?"

"Fine, Sir," Harry said. "Five minutes faster."

Snape nodded, and looked back at his parchment. Harry came in and sat down in the chair across from him. Neither said anything, but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence, at least not completely. Harry was still getting used to Snape being back. They had just been learning how to make their new relationship work as adopted father and son before Snape had been thrown back into Voldemort's lair. Harry was having a hard time not resenting Snape for going, even though he knew on an intellectual level that he'd had no choice. None of them had a choice in this.

"Are you busy?" Harry asked suddenly.

Snape looked up slowly, his expression almost curious. "Not particularly. I can always spare time for you. You should know that by now. Did you need something?"

Harry looked down at his hands. He found himself nervous, as if he'd only just realized what he came in here to ask. They'd barely said a word of significance to each other since Snape returned, and it was eating away at him.

"What happened, when you were gone?" Harry finally asked.

At that question, Snape put the parchment on the desk and looked down his nose at Harry with a look that showed such clear displeasure that Harry was having flashbacks to Potions class. He glared at Harry, his black eyes glinting, but Harry did not back down. He refused to regret or withdraw the question.

"We have discussed this," Snape said, his voice as cold as his glance.

"No," Harry said, "you've refused to discuss this. You won't tell me anything. You wouldn't tell me where you were going, and now you won't tell me what happened. I have a right to know. It's about me, after all. How can I make decisions if no one gives me information?"

The expression on Snape's face became harder, though Harry wouldn't previously have thought it possible. He stood up and came around the table so fast that he was in front of Harry before he even realized the man had stood up. Snape could move fast when he wanted to.

"As I told you," Snape said, his voice so low it was practically a hiss, "I will not discuss my personal life with you. And that includes my responsibilities for the Order. You might think that you have a right to this information but you, Potter, are a child. And right now, you are my child. You are no longer just an impertinent brat I have the misfortune of teaching. I do not have to watch you run around and put your life in danger and watch others let you get away with it. Is. That. Clear?"

These last words were delivered inches from Harry's face, so that he could feel them. Harry swallowed and nodded. After he finally ground out, "Yes, Sir," Snape backed up a little, but only to the desk. He remained glaring at Harry with a steely expression that reminded him of the look he gave Neville when he'd just blown up another cauldron.

"You are not as important as you think you are," Snape repeated. "You are a child, with the responsibilities of a child. Since you are a target, I am teaching you to defend yourself. When you are of age, you may join the Order. You may fight in the war. I cannot stop you. You will of course, continue to be a target. I did not risk my life to keep you out of this in order to allow you back in."

Although he found himself nodding, Harry wasn't sure how to feel about this speech. He was both offended and a bit appreciative. He had never had anyone who cared enough about him, at least as a parent. His own parents had given their lives for him, he knew that of course. He realized that Snape had done, and continued to do, the same thing. It wasn't something he liked to think about.

"I'm sorry, Sir," Harry said.

"I don't want to hear any more about it," Snape said firmly. "I will not tell you about Death Eater meetings, except in the general sense. I most certainly will not tell you about my activities. This is not information you need to know. It is bad enough that you have to live here, with me, knowing what you do know."

With that, Snape turned on his heel and stalked out of the room. Harry wondered at how he could make an impressive exit without the aid of his signature black robes. Maybe it was just from the fact that he was so used to seeing him that way.

Even after Snape left, Harry remained in the study for quite some time. He really was never in there without Snape, but no one came in there to chase him out. The lecture had been bad enough, but Harry felt worse for never having gotten any information either. That on the heels of Sirius's letter made Harry feel sad more than angry.

When he remembered the other two letters, he decided to open them. Hermione's letter was mostly boring summaries of books she'd found in the library of Grimmauld place and reminders to finish his schoolwork. Ron's described new inventions of the twins and asked Harry when he could come visit. Harry didn't want to visit Ron though. He didn't want to go back there at all.

Lunch was a somber affair. Snape no longer seemed angry, but he wasn't speaking much either. Harry did his best to eat and not irritate his guardian, even though that normally didn't bother him much. Snape may not be the type to punish him for every little thing anymore, but he wasn't averse to order Harry from his sight if he thought he was being annoying.

When they were almost eating, Harry couldn't stand the silence anymore and was trying to think of anything to break the monotony. He looked up at Snape, whose eyes were on his plate. He'd barely said two words the entire meal.

"I got letters. From Sirius. And Ron and Hermione," Harry said.

Snape nodded but made no comment.

"Ron wants to know when I am coming to visit. Can they come here instead? You know, Hermione, Ron. And the twins?" Harry asked.

He had added the twins as an afterthought. He was more interested in seeing them than the others, to tell the truth. It certainly got a reaction out of Snape. His head shot up.

"Excuse me?" Snape demanded.

"Fred and George," Harry clarified.

"I know to whom you are referring," Snape said, his words turning harsh.

"Right, Sir," Harry said. "Of course."

Harry was trying not to let a smile sneak out now at Snape's reaction. When Snape didn't say anything after a minute or two, Harry put his fork down and leaned abc a little. Then he waited.

"Well?" he asked. "Can they?"

"In what context?" Snape finally said the words slowly, as if it pained him.

"Oh, I don't know," Harry said. "I was thinking I could have a sleepover. I never did get a proper birthday party."

Snape was glaring at him now. "You had half the Order at your birthday party."

"That doesn't count," Harry said. "They all had to be there anyway. No one wanted to be there. I want a proper birthday party. Never had one, you know?"

Even as he said the words, Harry had no idea where they were coming from. He had never asked for anything in his life. Certainly he had never asked the Dursleys for anything. Snape had told him to feel free to ask for things, but he had meant material goods, not birthday parties. Harry knew that Snape was an extremely private person. To ask for one friend over would have been a stretch. To ask for the Weasley twins was extreme, especially after Snape had just told him off.

He could practically see Snape consulting child-rearing books in his head as he contemplated Harry's request. Harry was wondering if he was about to get in trouble just for asking. The longer he waited for a response, the more he was wondering what he had been thinking.

"How many … individuals … are you thinking of inviting? You do realize security is a concern?" Snape finally said.

"Oh, well, couldn't we use portkeys? Like the World Cup?" Harry said.

"Portkeys," Snape repeated. "You did not answer my question."

"Fred, George, Ron, Ginny, Hermione … maybe Neville, and Luna?" Harry said slowly.

"Very well," Snape said finally. "I will speak to Dumbledore and arrange it. However, if you do not behave yourself, you will supremely regret it."

Harry looked at Snape.

"I agree to your terms, he said."