Severus walked away from Minerva's office frustratedly. It had been months since they approached Kingsley about Harry's relatives and the Minister still didn't have a viable route for dealing with them that wouldn't thrust Harry's personal life into the media spotlight. Severus knew that wasn't an option for Harry. Their talk after the Ministry trial had confirmed as much, where Harry had admitted that he found the public attention to be intrusive. Severus could have surmised that much from the Gryffindor's behaviour at the Ministry, but he was pleased to hear Harry talk to him about his distrust of the media and the public opinion which had been so fickle on him in the past.

As he made his way to the Great Hall for dinner, setting a mental date for when he would take the Dursley situation into his own hands, Severus heard what sounded like an explosion coming from a few corridors away. Immediately on alert, Severus drew his wand from his robes and headed towards the source of the noise quickly but cautiously. The chances were that this was merely a prank gone wrong by a wayward student, but it wouldn't do to be careless, there were still dangers threatening the school.

Disconcertingly, the explosion didn't seem to be the end of it. The castle walls were shaking, bending and warping with the waves of magic which flooded the hallways. The intensity of the magic shook Severus' core, pulsing through him with no regard to his presence. He rounded a corner and came across what he assumed must be the source of the disruption. Miss Weasley was crouched over an incapacitated Mr Barns, though she did not seem to be harming him and when she saw the Professor's approach seemed more relieved than anything else.

"Miss Weasley," Severus moved her out of the way so he could get to Barns. "What happened here?"

"It was Barns, Sir." She answered while the Professor performed diagnostic charms. "He tried to attack us."

"Us?" Severus narrowed his eyes at her.

"Harry and me."

Severus sighed, he should have known that Potter would be involved in this somehow. "Am I to understand that Potter is the cause of Mr Barns' current state?"

Ginny nodded nervously. "But Barns started it! He attacked us unprovoked."

Severus ignored her, summoning Pomfrey to come and deal with the unconscious Ravenclaw. "And the magic bouncing off the castle walls? That's Potter too?"

Ginny nodded again.

Pomfrey came bustling around the corner and after a couple of tries was able to rennervate Barns enough that they were sure there would be no lasting damage to the boy. He was levitated onto a stretcher and Pomfrey swept him away to the hospital wing to aid him further. Hopefully, Barns would be recovered enough that Severus could kill him later.

He turned to Miss Weasley once more. "Tell me from the beginning exactly what happened."

Before Ginny could say anything, Ron and Hermione ran around the corner, wands drawn. "Ginny! Are you alright?" Her brother asked.

"We heard the sound of spell-fire and came to help." Granger explained.

"Miss Weasley," Severus interrupted sternly. "What happened?"

"Harry and I were supposed to meet up before dinner, but when he got here he was being followed by Barns. He tried to curse me, so Harry threw up a shield." Ginny looked unsure as she decided what she should say. "He – He didn't use his wand and he didn't exactly cast a spell, the magic just sort of exploded out of him."

"That is what harmed, Mr Barns?"

Ginny nodded, "He didn't mean to hurt him that much, he was just trying to protect me." She defended. "But then he couldn't get his magic under control."

"Damnit!" Severus growled. "Where is he now?"

"I don't know. I told him to go find Ron and Hermione." She gestured helplessly at the remaining two thirds of the Golden Trio.

Severus rounded on them, increasingly worried about the boy-who-lived-to-find-trouble. "Where would he go?"

Weasley and Granger looked at each other anxiously, exchanging some form of silent communication.

Snape folded his arms impatiently and glared at the pair of them.

Seeming to decide something, Granger nodded at Weasley who pulled a piece of parchment out of his robe pocket.

"How come you have that?" Ginny asked.

"Harry lent it to us so we could find somewhere private to go." A red blush rose on the boy's face which Severus decided he didn't want to know any more about. Instead the Professor watched closely as Weasley pointed his wand at the apparently blank parchment. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Severus didn't have the time to dwell on the familiarity of the writing which appeared on the parchment in Ronald's hands. Magic was still sizzling through the corridor and Harry had now been missing for a while, with Merlin only knew what going on with his magic.

The three Gryffindors all scanned the parchment before them, which Severus could now see was a map. On another occasion, Severus would have to enquire some more about this mysterious artifact, but not now.

"I don't see him." Ginny said despairingly.

"No, you think he's in the room?" Hermione asked her boyfriend.

"Yeah, I reckon so."

Severus tried very hard not to snap at the boy. "Where is he?"

"I think he's probably in the Room of Requirement, Sir." Ron answered at last. "You know the room we used for the DA in 5th Year? It doesn't show up on the map."

Severus nodded sharply. "The three of you will return to your dorms. I shall locate Mr Potter."

"What?"

"But Sir – " The three of them objected.

"Enough!" Severus ordered sternly. "I do not know what condition Potter's magic is currently in. You can be assured that I will inform you as soon as I am sure that he is safe. Wait in your dorms."

Having dispensed of Potter's concerned crew, Severus ran to the 7th floor corridor, unfazed by the mixture of bemused and terrified expressions of the pupils who passed his imposing, billowing figure. The castle walls were still once more, the stone as quiet and unyielding as it ever was. He slowed as he approached the empty wall space where the Room or Requirement door lay concealed and silently prayed he would be able to gain access to the magical chamber within, hoping that he, with his former role as headmaster, might still hold some sway with the castle. He stood and thought for a moment on the wording he might use to be permitted entry.

With long, purposeful strides he set off again, pacing determinedly as he muttered to the stone. "I need the place where I can help Harry….I need the place where I can help Harry…I need the place where I can help Harry."

On the completion of his third utterance, magic saturated the stone, like the haze of a mirage, his view of the wall was distorted by the shimmering waves. With a groan, the immense stone bricks began to roll and rotate to create a vacuum of space which was soon filled with an exceptionally ordinary door. Severus exhaled a breath he hadn't known he was holding.

As he passed over the threshold, Severus was bombarded by the noise and vibrations of powerful magic. Once again the air was filled with a palpable energy, his robes and hair rippled back as though frightened by the force before them. In one glance Severus took in the room. Potter was impossible to miss, furiously flinging spells at magically animated dummy. He shook as he cast, face marked with anguish, sweating with the exertion and eyes welling in panic. His wand vibrated from the power streaming through it, visible jets of magic bounced around the room, the walls waxing and waning as they fought to contain the spells. With Harry absorbed in his actions, Severus was able to observe him for a few moments, unnoticed and astounded.

Abruptly, Harry turned and the last spell died on his lips, the blasting noises receding to a sizzle as the magic dissipated. He stood, panting, staring aghast at the Professor who had now, undoubtedly, discovered his secret.

"Is Barns alright?" The Gryffindor asked eventually, voice strained.

"He'll be fine. He's been taken to the Hospital Wing."

"You should go and be with him."

"It's not him I'm worried about."

"I'm fine." Harry defended.

Severus took in the boy's disheveled appearance, his haunted eyes and sweating brow, and swallowed back the argument that he clearly wasn't fine. "I know." He reassured instead.

His response seemed to trigger some release in the boy who momentarily let go of his control and allowed despair to take over. "I'll have to leave Hogwarts."

Severus frowned and looked at Harry as though he were stupid, an expression not unfamiliar to Harry from Potion lessons gone by. "Why?"

"I'm dangerous." Harry confessed.

"Please, Potter." Severus scoffed. "We let a Cerberus sit in an unused classroom, I hardly think we would draw the line at you."

"I'm serious." Harry said despairingly.

"As am I." Snape answered with equal intensity. "This school has housed death eaters, a dark lord and any number of deadly creatures. How many people have worked or studied here with genuine ill-intent and desire to harm others? What exactly have you done which matches up to that? Plotted to kill anyone lately or have you merely tried to defend yourself and others?"

Harry toyed with the wand between his fingers, not looking at Snape as he admitted quietly, "I'm powerful."

Severus resisted responding with something snarky and instead conjured up two armchairs which he directed Potter towards. The Professor waited a few moments, during which time the air began to calm as the magic flowing from Potter abated to a gentle sizzle.

"Am I to understand that you are experiencing unusual occurrences with your own magic?" He clarified.

Harry nodded.

"Is this a recent development?"

Harry gave a one-sided shrug in response since he didn't know what classified as 'recent'.

"When did you first notice a change?"

"Over the summer – after the final battle."

Severus nodded, unsurprised. If Harry had experienced a significant change in his magic, it made sense that it would have been initiated by his experiences in the final battle. Though that meant the young man had been hiding the unusual development of his magic for half the year.

"And you haven't told anyone until now?"

Harry shook his head.

"Why have you not asked for help, you foolish boy?"

Potter looked into his lap, ashamed. "I didn't want to be different again. I've only just got rid of Voldemort, and now there's something else to make me a freak." He said bitterly.

"You are no such thing." Snape said severely.

"I'm not 'normal' am I?"

"Thank Merlin!" Harry remained unconvinced and Severus sighed. "Tell me about your magic."

"What about it?"

"You said it was powerful. How so? How do you know it is more powerful than before?"

Harry thought about how to explain it. "Before, it was like I could be quite relaxed when doing simple spells; stuff that I've known for years, I don't really need to think about anymore. Then, after the battle, when my magic changed, if I wasn't concentrating, I'd cast a lumos and set fire to my own curtains." He admitted. "Sometimes when I cast something simple, I lose control of the magic."

"You say it is out of control, and yet you have managed to keep this a secret for more than 5 months." Severus noted thoughtfully.

Harry shrugged, "I wake up early and come here to practice. If I wear my magic out a bit at the start of the day, I'm less likely to mess up or explode or something." He explained before adding dejectedly, "Doesn't always work though."

Severus leaned forward to look at the young Gryffindor's down-turned face, elbows resting on his knees.

"Tell me about what happened tonight."

Harry rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm pretty sure that it wasn't just Barns."

"How so?"

"That other Ravenclaw he hangs out with, Crutchley, was trying to start something with me just a few minutes before. He got in my face and called Hermione a mudblood. Told me to watch my back." Severus scowled and made a mental note to track down Crutchley for interrogation once Potter was sorted. "So I was already pissed off, and then when I got to Ginny, Barns showed up behind me and was pointing his wand at Ginny. When he went to curse her I just threw up a shield instinctively. I didn't really think about how much power was going in to it. Did you see, Ginny? Was she alright?"

"Miss Weasley is fine, merely concerned for you, I believe." Severus reassured. "Which reminds me; I promised your friends that I would inform them once I found you safe and sound."

"Oh, right, I can do that." Harry offered, digging his hand into his pocket. He extracted something small and shiny, which he held between his fingers. When Severus looked closer he could make out a coin resembling a Galleon.

"What is that?" Severus asked with barely concealed interest.

Harry spared him a glance, "A communication coin."

"…And that is?"

"Um, coins that we use for communicating…" Harry said slowly.

Severus rolled his eyes. "I had surmised that much for myself. I wonder if you could elaborate a little. How they work, for example? Or where you acquired them?"

"We made them…well, Hermione made them, in 5th year when we set up the DA. You should probably ask her about how they work. All I know is that I say the message and it appears on the coins of the other coin holders." Harry explained. "Hermione made them more advanced later on so that we can be more specific about whose coin our message goes to."

Severus couldn't deny his intrigue. He would have to quiz Miss Granger on her unique little invention at some point. Giving Harry a moment to send his message, Severus cast his patronus and sent his own message off to the Headmistress: 'With Potter. All is well. Will update soon.'

"You're going to tell McGonagall about my magic, aren't you?" Harry said anxiously once they had come back together.

"Professor McGonagall," Snape corrected. "And I imagine she will have worked much of it out for herself." He reasoned. "The Headmistress will no doubt be speaking to Barns about the cause of his injuries, plus, as headmistress, she has an intrinsic link to the castle. Your magic was reverberating through the castle walls, there is no doubt that she would have felt something of it."

"Yeah, I suppose so." The young Gryffindor said dejectedly.

Severus sighed, "Harry, it is fine." He reassured once more.

"Yeah, I know." Harry dragged a hand down his face. "I'll be alright."

"No, Harry, that is not what I meant. Why must you manage every burden and worry by yourself?" He asked rhetorically. "I can help you to manage your magic, maybe even work out what triggered this change."

"Really?"

"Of course, you foolish boy." Severus admonished gently. "I should think that will be a more preferable way of moving forward than having you exhaust yourself every morning before class."

"It worked." Harry defended.

"To an extent." Severus agreed. "But you were wearing out yourself as well as your magic. You do actually need to sleep, Harry."

"I do sleep." Harry sulked.

"More than 5 hours a night?" Severus quirked an eyebrow at the boy and Harry shrugged sheepishly. "So I thought, and on that note, I suggest you get to bed fairly soon and you haven't eaten yet."

"That's alright, I'm not really hungry."

"Potter, you have just expelled huge amounts of magical energy, you need food and you need sleep. That is non-negotiable." The Professor responded sternly. "Go back to your dorm and order some food from the house-elves and then go to bed. I imagine the Headmistress will want to see you after breakfast to discuss the incident today. After that we will speak about your magic."

Harry nodded his agreement. "Sir…do you think that everyone will know about what happened today? About my magic?"

"Your friends are discreet, I believe, but Barns was sent to the hospital wing so no doubt some form of rumour will meander its way around the school."

"Yeah, that's kind of what I figured."

Noting Harry's depressed expression, Severus said, "I'm sure it will only keep them occupied until the next bit of gossip comes along, a new school romance or the next quidditch match."

"It just sucks when everyone is afraid of me."

"They're not afraid of you, Harry."

"Really, well they were when they thought I had opened the Chamber of Secrets and I was only 12 then and I hadn't actually done anything."

"People are in awe of you, Harry, but I understand that it's difficult. Just know that this won't change the opinions of anyone who genuinely cares about you." Harry nodded, but wasn't particularly comforted and Severus continued more sternly. "From now on, Mr Potter, you need to tell me when something like this is happening. No more handling things on your own."

"Ok."

Severus wasn't convinced by Potter's lackluster response, but he figured the change wouldn't happen overnight. There was plenty of time to convince Potter that he was someone the young Gryffindor could trust. "Very well, go back to your dorm. I will see you tomorrow."

"Yes, Sir." Harry agreed. "Night, Sir."

"Good night, Harry."