AUTHOR's NOTE:

Thanks for your patience! I took some time away this summer (much needed) and I actually wrote like, 90 pages of this story in my tiny print on college-ruled notebook paper. I haven't written on paper since I was like, 11? (OK, not entirely true, but that's how much I love this story).

I've sketched out the last few (6?) chapters of this story- but on the plus side, I also have a few chapters for what I think is going to be the sequel.

Oh, and brace yourselves. We might be going on a bit of a ride over the next few chapters. So excited to share this story with you!

Please hit me up and say hi if you're still reading this. Hearing from you guys is what keeps me writing when I'm having a hard time. I love you guys a lot.

ALSO: I've just spent like 4 hours dealing with FFN wreaking havoc on my editing and italics keep disappearing. I'm sorry. I'll try to work them back in but at the moment I'm too exhausted.

Just after 3:30pm, there was a timid knock at the door. Snape glanced at the clock, set his papers on the table and slowly rose from his chair, smoothing his hands down his pant legs as he strolled casually to the foyer.

Pausing momentarily to ensure his face was suitably rigid and stern, he opened the door and fixed his eyes on the 11-year-old standing on his front stoop. Without a word, he lifted his left arm and made a rather pointed gesture of rotating his wrist and glancing at his watch.

"You're late, Mr. Owens."

The truth was, Patrick was only four minutes late, but Snape was not about to cut him any slack. He was planning to use his "community service" time with the boy to break him down before he slowly built him back up again. Properly, this time, he hoped. With a modicum of manners and some basic respect.

He gave the boy a disapproving stare before he stepped aside, indicating with a small flick of his head that he should come in. Once Patrick passed the threshold, Snape closed the door firmly and paused purposefully before he continued his lecture.

"I do not take kindly to tardiness. It is arrogant and disrespectful and suggests that your time is more valuable than my own."

Patrick pulled his face into a smug expression. He could feel the annoyance bubbling up inside of him but when it was clear Snape expected a response, he forced out a perfunctory "Sorry."

Clearly, he was not sorry at all.

"I'm sorry, sir ," Snape sneered, waiting for the boy to repeat it.

Patrick stared at him for a good 30 seconds before he realized that Snape would not let him move until he got the response he was looking for. He exhaled loudly before he finally replied, "Sorry sir " in a mocking tone.

Oh, this will be a delight, Snape thought to himself, his lip curling upward for a flash of a second. If Patrick thought for a moment he could get away with a petulant response like that, he was in for a very rude awakening. Game on, you obnoxious little brat.

Snape crossed his arms and gave his most foreboding professor look, with his jaw tightly clenched and his eyes cold and steely. "While you're here, you will address me with proper respect at all times, do you understand?"

"Yeah, OK." Patrick scoffed, and he let his face settle into a smirk while he rolled his eyes. He had promised his mum he would show up and do these hours. He was prepared to do some stupid chores, but who does this bloke think he is?

Snape narrowed his eyes further, holding the boy in place with an icy gaze. He sneered through his teeth. "Try again, Mr. Owens."

Patrick waited to respond until he could see a small vein flickering in the man's left temple. "Yes sir ," he finally said, irritation evident in his voice, defiance written all over his face.

Refusing to lose his cool at this obvious challenge, Snape leaned down and lowered his voice while staring directly into the boy's face. He spoke slowly to emphasize that he was in complete control of his emotions.

"When I say respect, I mean both your words and your attitude. I will not put up with your insolence, so I suggest you mind your tone. Am I clear?"

Patrick wasn't easily intimidated, but Snape was inches from his face and he could practically feel the man's hot breath on his forehead. He tried to hold Snape's unrelenting gaze for as long as he could, but it finally overwhelmed him and he averted his eyes before giving in and mumbling a defeated "Yes, sir."

Satisfied he'd established his authority, Snape returned to his full height. "If you show up late again, there will be unpleasant consequences. In future, it would be in your best interest to arrive on time."

After glaring at him for a few more seconds, Snape turned around brusquely. Patrick waited until he was sure he wouldn't be seen before he rolled his eyes dramatically and shoved his hands into his pockets as he shuffled behind him into the parlor.

When they got to the middle of the room, Snape stopped, turned slightly toward Patrick and pointed toward the back of the room with his left hand.

"You will begin today by spending ten minutes facing the wall to reflect on the poor decisions that brought you here."

Patrick's eyes grew wide, anger and indignation erupting across his face. "Are you mad? I'm not five years old. Sod off!"

Without another word, Snape took Patrick firmly by the arm. "On second thought, we'll make that twenty minutes. There will be no more backtalk or disrespectful language."

Once he had deposited the boy firmly in front of the corner, Snape leaned down behind him and spoke in a harsh whisper. "You will stand there quietly with your mouth shut until I give you permission to leave. I suggest you get your emotions under control and do as you're told or this will be a very long afternoon for you, Mr. Owens."

Satisfied he was starting to get through to the boy, Snape made his way back to his armchair where he picked up his papers and began to read.

For a few minutes, the parlor was quiet except for the ticking of the clock and the occasional sound of a page being turned. Snape was rather pleased that despite his initial outburst, Patrick had not continued to fight him once he'd positioned him at the wall.

Just as he was congratulating himself on a job well done, Snape heard a sneering voice from behind him.

"I'm supposed to be doing work for you, not standing in a bloody corner," Patrick spat angrily, turning around to cast hateful glares in Snape's direction.

Without raising his voice or even looking up from his papers, Snape responded coolly. "Congratulations, Mr. Owens, you've just reset your time. And to clarify, you're here to be punished for the egregious behavior that nearly got a boy killed. How you spend your time here is entirely up to me. If you choose to continue with your childish and petulant outbursts, I can promise you, I will make this time most unpleasant. Do not test me. Now turn around, put your nose in the corner and keep your mouth shut."

Patrick kicked the wall angrily. "Bloody bullshit is what this is."

"You will now be there for 30 minutes and you'll write me lines afterward. Do not kick the wall again, and mind your language."

Snape kept his tone bored and dismissive. He wished more than anything he could get up and deliver a few well-deserved smacks, but sadly that was outside his mandate. So instead he decided to ignore the boy, which he knew would further enrage him.

As Patrick seethed in the corner, bored out of his mind, he was quickly realizing that there was no way out of this unless he stayed quiet and kept to his corner.

While the minutes ticked by at a glacial pace for Patrick, Snape was not bothered in the least. He could have happily sat there all day, sipping his tea and reading. He couldn't deny his spirit was slightly buoyed by the fact that he had scored a moral victory when Patrick finally accepted that it was pointless to engage with him in a battle of wills. Silly boy, he'll learn soon enough.

When the 30 minutes were up, Snape put his papers on the side table and called Patrick out of the corner.

"Come here, Mr. Owens," he said, pointing to the floor in front of him and refusing to move from his chair. It was one of his favorite power moves.

Patrick dragged himself over and stood in front of Snape with his arms crossed over his chest and thinly-veiled loathing in his eyes.

Snape looked down at him with disapproval. "Your ten minutes of reflection time became nearly an hour because you insisted on throwing a tantrum and being defiant. You may get away with that kind of behavior elsewhere, but I will not tolerate any of your cheek or disrespect. Do you understand?"

"Yeah."

"I beg your pardon?" Snape said, raising his voice slightly and narrowing his eyes dangerously at the boy as he leaned forward, daring him to talk back again.

Remaining defiant, Patrick let out an exasperated sigh before pursing his lips and forcing out a reply. "Yes, sir."

Snape raised an eyebrow. "My, my we are feeling obstinate. Perhaps you need more time in the corner after all."

"No, sir," Patrick said quickly, he didn't think he could take another minute in that blasted corner. He adjusted his tone carefully. "Sorry, sir…please."

With a nod of his head, Snape stood up and walked toward the kitchen. "Come along."

Reaching into a drawer, Snape pulled out a notepad and a pen and dropped it down rather dramatically on the kitchen table with a small thwack . "Since you couldn't control your impudent little mouth, you will now sit at the table and write 'I will not use disrespectful or offensive language' 100 times. And I promise you, if I hear one more exasperated sigh or impertinent tone, I will double it."

"What? Why?! You just made me stand in the bloody corner for ages, how come now I have to write lines?"

Snape pulled out the kitchen chair, dragging it loudly across the floor and setting it down audibly with a thud before hardening his gaze on Patrick. "You will now write it 200 times. Open your mouth again and I'll double it once more. If you'd like to leave here before sunset, I suggest you refrain from arguing and cursing at me. Is that clear or shall we return you to the corner until you're ready to behave?"

Patrick was itching to give the man a piece of his mind but instead he just gritted his teeth and shook his head.

"When I ask you a question, you will give me a verbal response." Snape enunciated each word slowly. Am. I. Clear?"

"Yes sir."

Snape snapped his fingers and pointed at the chair. "Then sit down and start writing. I don't want to hear another word."

Over the next hour and a half, Patrick sat quietly writing lines, the fight completely drained out of him. Against all odds, he kept his mouth shut and did exactly as he was instructed. Snape was only reminded he was there when he heard the occasional tapping of his pen and a single melodramatic sigh.

"I'm finished, sir," Patrick said in what was easily the most resigned and polite tone he'd used all day.

Snape was certain it wouldn't be the last of their battle of wills, but he was pleased he managed to at least make some kind of progress over the afternoon. Just to further remind the boy whose time he was on, Snape waited several minutes before he set down his papers, took a long sip of tea, and made his way into the kitchen.

When he arrived at the table he looked down at the pages briefly before putting out his hand. "Give them to me."

Patrick gathered up the stack of papers and handed them to Snape with the tiniest look of hopeful anticipation. In that moment, Snape realized that despite the boy's abysmal attitude, there was a small part of him who wanted to please him, who was desperate for some positive attention and a little bit of praise. Not today, I'm afraid.

Without even looking at them, Snape unceremoniously ripped the pages in half before walking over and dumping them into the rubbish bin. Keeping his face in a well-practiced look of indifference, Snape paused before he drove his lesson home.

"If you waste my time with your nonsense, Mr. Owens, I will waste yours. I suggest when you return tomorrow, you do so on time, and with your attitude in check or I promise you, I will find ways to make your time here most unpleasant."

The boy was speechless, a look of utter shock and horror plastered on his face. He couldn't believe Snape had just ripped up nearly two hours of work without a second glance. However, instead of feeling the rage he expected, Patrick actually felt a little bit broken and hurt. He was out of energy to fight with the man so he let his head drop slightly as he answered solemnly, "Yes, sir."

"You will be here tomorrow at 3:30pm and not a second past or we will repeat this until you can learn to be on time. You're dismissed."

Snape turned abruptly and walked to the front door, pausing for a moment before he opened it to glance down at the dejected tween following behind him. As the boy passed by, he put a firm hand on his shoulder. "I expect better from you tomorrow, Mr. Owens."

His tone was almost gentle, a calculated move on Snape's part to leave the boy with the smallest hint of paternal affection. He hoped it would give Patrick a sense that maybe, if he did behave himself, he might just be rewarded with the acceptance and positive attention he secretly craved.

"Yes, sir."

Snape gave him a nod and a single pat on the shoulder. "Ride carefully."

As soon as the door closed behind him, Patrick reached up and pushed the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand. He picked his bike up off the gravel, wiped his face with his shirt and walked quickly toward the main road, eager to get home. He'd never admit it, but he needed a hug from his mum.

Snape reached up to massage his temples, exhaling slowly as he closed the front door. Is it too early to have a drink?

He knew he needed to get back to work. Although they were making progress, there was still a lot of work to be done before they'd have a potion ready for Harry.

The last few days had gone well, they'd found a rhythm and between Snape and Barclay they were able to brew fairly quickly as they experimented with new ingredients and formulations. Snape had come up with a revolutionary idea to cure the nerve damage; it was complex and highly experimental, but with Barclay's help he was confident they could make it work.

Snape opened the back door and took a moment to close his eyes and breathe in the fresh air. If he was honest, he would kill for a cigarette, but instead he settled for a few minutes of dying afternoon sunlight and a warm ocean breeze.

He hadn't smoked since his apprenticeship. OK, maybe since his second year teaching at Hogwarts, but he'd given it up after Minerva and Albus had continued to nag him about "being a better role model for the students." What a joke .

On rare occasions he'd sneak a cheeky fag after he confiscated a pack of cigarettes from a wayward student. Most of the time it was an overstressed Ravenclaw. Sometimes a Gryffindor. No one in his own house would dare be careless enough to get caught with contraband, they knew the punishment would be swift and harsh. In the past he'd been known to slipper students in the common room as a reminder to everyone else of what would happen if they got caught sullying the House reputation. He always held his Slytherins to a higher standard, and woe be on any student who failed to uphold it. In recent years, though, he tended to turn a blind eye. He was growing soft in his old age.

For the non-Slytherins, as soon as he finished giving them a thorough dressing down (and usually a few detentions), he'd shove the pack into his pocket and wait for the moment after curfew when he could finally light up at the top of the astronomy tower. There was something utterly enjoyable about looking out over the Hogwarts grounds late at night, after all the kiddies were in bed, exhaling clouds of smoke into the cool night air and reveling in a small act of rebellion. Did it make him a hypocrite? Probably. But there were so few pleasures he allowed himself, it wasn't something he spent time beating himself up over.

Glancing at his watch, Snape took one more minute to breathe before he refocused himself and returned inside, locking the door behind him.

He had barely made it halfway down the stairs to the lab when Harry looked up from his bench, beaming. "How was it? What did you make him do?"

Raising a brow as he put on his work robes, Snape replied sharply. "That's not really your concern, now is it?"

"Oh come on, pleeaaasee? Did you make him scrub the floors? Clean the gutters?" Harry could barely contain his excitement, he was dying for Snape to give him all of the juicy details.

"How Mr. Owens spends his time here is none of your business, so unless you'd like to find out first-hand, Mr. Potter, I'd advise you to redirect your attention elsewhere. I imagine you wouldn't want me to discuss your punishments with him, so I will afford him the same courtesy and not discuss his with you."

Harry let his bottom lip stick out in a mild pout. "Awww, come on. Did you at least make him cry?"

Snape dropped his voice down and gave him a warning look. "Harry. Enough."

"Fine." Harry dropped down on his seat looking somewhat disappointed, but he knew better than to push Snape once that look came out.

"Why don't you focus on finishing your work. If you can do another chapter before dinner, perhaps Master Barclay will play chess with you later." He tapped on Harry's textbook. "I would have thought you'd be further along than this."

Before Harry could respond, Barclay chimed in. "I apologize, Severus, I asked him to help me locate some of the more unusual ingredients in the storeroom. Master Llewelyn isn't quite as organized as you or I, so it took some extra time I'm afraid," he said, giving Harry a small wink.

"Mmmm," said Snape. "He's always welcome to help you in the lab, but his studies should come first. He knows that." He turned his attention back to Harry. "I want you to complete one more chapter. And don't rush it, I'm going to quiz you on this in the morning."

Leaving Harry to finish his History of Magic, Snape walked over to Barclay and glanced into the cauldron before looking up to meet the old man's eyes, his face brightening with hope. He kept his voice barely above a whisper. "Did you do it?"

Master Barclay looked up from his cauldron, stirring carefully as the potion gently blinked bright green with each stir. "I think I've had a breakthrough, Severus. I was finally able to get the bioluminescent extract from the fireflies to react as we'd anticipated with the powdered unicorn horn. We can discuss it more later, but I'm quite happy with the results. We should be able to move forward now."

Harry was hunched over his book with his eyes cast down, but when Snape glanced over at him, he could tell the boy was listening intently to every word.

"You should be reading, Mr. Potter, not eavesdropping on conversations you haven't been invited to join."

Knowing it was probably too much to ask of the boy, Snape cast a quick silencing spell before turning back to Barclay.

"This is excellent news. I'll start working on the other components. Do you think the firefly proteins are strong enough or do we need to experiment with the bioluminescent plankton?"

Tapping his stirrer gently on the side of the cauldron, Barclay set it down carefully on the bench, his eyes never leaving the cauldron as the potion continued to blink fluorescent green as it rotated in a clockwise swirl. "I'd like to set up some trials tonight, to test the strength of it's more unique properties. Let's discuss it after Harry goes to bed, I don't want to get his hopes up before we know if it will work."

Snape nodded in agreement. "Indeed. I'll review your notes and set up some experiments we can run later this evening. Why don't you and Harry go prepare dinner? I'll join you shortly." He flicked his wand and removed the silencing shield.

He took one more look at the shimmering, blinking potion in the cauldron and allowed himself an almost imperceptible smile.

If Barclay was right, then this was a huge step in the right direction to heal Harry. They had run into problems with simple healing droughts and nerve regeneration potions because regrowing nerves was an extremely slow and complicated process. Unlike healing bone with skele-gro or using a blood replenisher that just caused cells to rapidly multiply, healing nerves required regrowing millions of specific synaptic connections, a very complex and intricate process. Each millimeter of nerve tissue had thousands of synaptic connections that had to be reconnected precisely if the nerve was going to function.

For the last few years, Snape had been experimenting with using bioluminescent proteins and enzymes to alter time within potions. It was a pet area of research for him, and all of his work so far had been purely theoretical, but if he was right about its magical properties, he could use bioluminescence to alter the space-time continuum. If he coupled it correctly with other ingredients, he could specifically target it for the nerve tissue. If it took peripheral nerves 2-3 years to fully regenerate, he hypothesized they could heal and regenerate nerves at a much more rapid pace, perhaps in a few hours by using targeted and focused alterations of time within the potion.

As soon as the silencing charm was lifted, Harry looked up from his book and turned toward the two older men, his arms crossed over his chest and anger flickering in his eyes.

"You can't just go around casting silencing spells whenever you feel like it. I'm supposed to be your apprentice, you know. And this potion is for me. I have a right to know what you're working on!"

"I beg your pardon?" Snape said, his brows coming together and his voice dropping to a growl. He stalked over to Harry and towered over him on the stool. "First of all, you do not address Master Barclay or me with that tone— Ever . Nor do you tell us what we can and cannot do. You seem to have forgotten your place, Mr. Potter. I am the Potions Master and the adult, and as you have rightly pointed out, you are my apprentice, and a child. When we are in this lab, you are under my direction, not the other way around. I will share information with you if and when I decide the time is right. If you have anything else to say about it, you and I can discuss it in private."

Harry shrank slightly on his stool, his face flushing with embarrassment at being told off in front of Master Barclay. "Sorry."

"Consider this your warning, Mr. Potter. If you forget yourself again, there will be consequences, and you may lose your privilege to be here until you can prove you understand what your roles and responsibilities are in the lab. We are working with expensive and rare ingredients, doing potentially dangerous work. This is not a place for idle chatter, nor will I tolerate any disrespect or insolence. Are we clear?"

"Yes, sir."

Harry turned back to his book and tried to will away the tears that were threatening to fill his eyes. He attempted to swallow down that feeling of bitter disappointment rising up in his chest and desperately tried to focus on something else. It had been a long time since Snape had been in full Professor Snape mode and Harry had almost forgotten what it looked like and how intimidating it could be. He didn't miss it at all, but it was a stark reminder that no matter how close they'd gotten or what they'd been through, when Harry stepped into the potions lab, Professor Snape meant business.

An awkward silence hung in the air before Barclay spoke up. "I've left my notes on my bench, Severus. Feel free to look through them and run any samples from the cauldron…Harry, why don't we go upstairs and prepare dinner together." He walked over and put a hand on Harry's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Have you finished your chapter?"

Refusing to look up in case Barclay could see the tears threatening to fall, Harry shook his head. "No, sir. Not yet."

"Come along, you can finish it upstairs while I work on dinner." He gave him a few pats on the back for encouragement. "Up you get."

Harry put his head down, collected his books and walked toward the stairs, making a point not to look at Snape as he made his way toward the parlor.

As the boy passed by, Snape grabbed him by the arm. He kept his voice firm, but there was no trace of anger. "We'll talk about this more later. But I need you to remember when you are in the lab, we are here in a different capacity. This is not an extension of our parlor or our kitchen table. Here, I am the Potions Master and you are my apprentice, and you need to behave accordingly. Do you understand?"

Harry nodded his head, still looking somewhat dejected by the earlier rebuke.

"Pardon?" Snape said as an eyebrow raised up.

Harry lifted his head enough to make eye contact. "Yes, sir," he said softly.

"Very well. Hang up your robes. I'll be up shortly." Snape let go of his arm and put a hand softly on his back, giving it a short, gentle rub before returning to his workbench.

Barclay waited for Harry to mount the stairs before he followed behind him. It took everything in Harry not to cry out in frustration.

After dinner, Harry and Barclay played chess while Snape worked in the lab.

At twenty past nine, Barclay looked up at the clock. "It's getting late, Harry, we'll finish the game tomorrow."

"Yes, sir."

Harry knew better than to argue with Barclay, not because he was scared that Barclay would tell him off as much as he was sure Snape would lose his mind if he ever found out. Not to mention, he respected and looked up to Master Barclay, and he enjoyed his company. Despite all of Snape's ramblings about Barclay being a stickler, he'd actually been pretty chill when it came to Harry.

"I'll send Professor Snape up to say goodnight in a few minutes." Barclay pushed himself up from the couch before reaching a hand out to help Harry stand up from the floor. "Also, I don't want to overstep, but I just want you to know that I sympathize with your frustration. Please just trust us that we're doing everything we can, and that we both have your best interests at heart."

Harry nodded his head. "Yes, sir. I understand. Thank you."

"Professor Snape cares very deeply for you Harry. I know it may be hard to understand, but this has all been very hard on him as well. He's doing his best." Barclay put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Now off you go, you'd best get to bed before we both get a telling off."

A small smile crept onto Harry's face. "Goodnight, Master Barclay."

"Goodnight Harry. Sleep well."

Harry woke up in the middle of the night to go to the loo and as he walked back to his room, he realized there was an unusual light streaming out of the parlor. He crept quietly past his bedroom and toward the parlor, moving slowly and keeping his ears out for any noise.

When he got to the parlor entrance, he realized the bookcase door was open to the stairs, and he could hear muffled voices coming from down in the lab. Barclay and Snape were both still working downstairs, and from the sound of it, they were having a somewhat heated debate.

Harry glanced up at the clock. It was nearly 3am. He knew if he got caught, Snape would skin him alive, but his curiosity got the better of him. He was dying to know what they were working on and so far they hadn't told him anything. He was pretty sure they were getting close to having a potion ready and that had to be the reason they were still up working!

Slowly and carefully, Harry crouched down by the top of the stairs. He knew as long as they stayed in the lab, they'd never be able to see him. That said, he wouldn't have much time if one or both of them decided to come back up the stairs. He held onto the side of the bookshelf and leaned his head in.

"I'm not sure I'm anywhere close to being ready to give him this potion," he heard Snape say, although his voice was low and deep and he had to strain to hear it.

"Severus, I would never suggest you give an unsafe potion to Harry, but he's getting frustrated. I can see him withering a bit each day, not being able to hold a pen or a fork, or ride a bike or a broom. I have enormous faith in what you've created. At some point we'll need to take a chance."

Harry heard what sounded like Snape's hand slamming down on the bench top. His voice got louder.

"He is my child, I am not going to experiment on him like he's some kind of guinea pig. He's been doing well with the physical therapy, and the occupational therapists have helped him get better at doing daily tasks on his own. He's adapting. We're wizards for Merlin's sake. Once we're out of this muggle nightmare, we can teach him spells to help him do almost anything. I'm sure he can live a full life even if his nerve damage never heals."

A wave of nausea came over Harry when he heard these words. Did Snape really not want to heal him? He promised he'd do everything he could to make me better. If he has a potion that could heal me, why won't he just give it to me? Harry had to lean back for a moment and calm himself down before he could listen again.

"We'll do appropriate experiments before we ever give it to him, Severus. We can run experiments on animal models first. But the initial tests have proven that your theory is sound. This potion is going to work."

"I haven't made up my mind yet. I also think we're going to need to get the plankton from the Indian Ocean. Their bioluminescent properties are slightly different. It may alter time at a different rate, I want the calculations to be precise. If we over or undershoot it, the consequences could be dire."

"I'll work on tracking it down. Otherwise, I think we should go ahead and bottle this now. We can start running animal experiments later this week. Why don't you get some sleep, Severus. I'll finish up down here."

Hearing that, Harry got an adrenaline rush and pushed himself up from the floor. He prayed he'd have enough time to get back to his room before Snape made it up the stairs. His legs and feet were stiff from crouching, so he held the wall for support as he tried to walk quickly but quietly back to his room. His feet were numb and painful, but he pushed on, knowing he'd be in so much trouble if he got caught.

By the time he made it back in bed, his heart was beating out of his chest and he was out of breath, his forehead covered in sweat. He hadn't heard any footsteps in the hallway behind him so he was hopeful he'd made it back to his room before Snape got to the parlor.

He laid in bed replaying the conversation he'd overheard. He didn't care what Snape said, he wasn't going to stay like this forever. He was with Barclay, he knew Snape was a brilliant Potions Master, and even if he didn't want to use Harry "as a guinea pig"- Harry was willing to take that risk.

He made up his mind, if they didn't give him that potion by the end of the week, he was going to take it himself. If Master Barclay believed it would work, that was good enough for him. Snape wasn't going to keep it from him because he was afraid of a stupid side effect. Well, Harry wasn't going to let that happen. It's his life, his body, it should be his choice. And he wants the potion.

Harry tossed and turned for nearly an hour before he finally fell back asleep, trying to plan how he was possibly going to get his hands on that blasted potion.

"Why don't you get some sleep, Severus. I'll finish up down here."

Snape looked at the potion one more time. It did look perfect, and all of the initial tests he'd run on it had come out exactly as expected. He was pretty sure they had done it.

"Fine. I think we can move forward with the second and third components. I don't know how long this potion will be stable, so I want to get those brewing right away. I want to run animal trials on each component separately before we run them together so we can figure out the timing and the dosage of each component for someone Harry's size."

Barclay began to gently bottle the potion. "I'll keep one bottle undisturbed for the final potion, and the rest we can use to run our experiments. It will hopefully be enough."

Once it was bottled, Snape lifted it up and swirled gently in the light. It was dark green with small neon flecks that looked like stars floating in its very own universe of dark potion. He picked up his quill and wrote carefully on the label: "HP #1- for nerve regeneration." He signed his and Barclays initials on the lower right hand side and then placed the bottle in the top cabinet to the left of his bench. "Better kept in the dark, I should think."

"I agree. Now, please, get some sleep, Severus. We have a lot of work to do over the next few days, and Harry needs you."

Snape nodded his head. "Thank you, Master Barclay. For being here. I couldn't have done this…any of this, without you."

"You know what the muggles say. 'Teamwork makes the dream work!'" Barclay chuckled slightly. "I believe in this potion, Severus, and in you. Only a few more steps to go and hopefully Harry will be back to full health."

"Goodnight. Try not to stay up too late. And take your time in the morning. Make sure you get enough rest."

"I'll be fine, Severus. Goodnight."

Snape dragged his tired body up the stairs. He glanced at the mantle clock on his way up and groaned when he saw it was nearly 3:30am. Harry had physical therapy in the morning so he couldn't sleep in. Not that he ever did, but it was a nice idea.

He thought about stopping to check on Harry, but the house was quiet and he was trying to restrain himself. After his third day home, Harry had complained about all of the wards on his room and Snape being too overprotective, so he'd reluctantly agreed to remove them as long as Harry kept one of the charmed mirrors at his bedside. If he had an emergency at night, he could open the small compact and call for Snape and it would send an alert to the small mirror he always carried with him.

Harry was getting stronger by the day, and Snape worried less about him falling out of bed and hurting himself, but he liked to know Harry could reach him if he needed anything. And he knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't stop himself from worrying completely. Not after everything they'd been through.

So instead, he dragged himself to bed and fell asleep on top of the quilts, not even bothering to even change into pyjamas.

The next morning flew by in a flash. Harry had a mission and he kept his head down and his ears and eyes open. Snape still had several other cauldrons going, but he had seen Master Barclay with what he suspected was "the" potion. It was a dark green with shimmering flecks.

Harry couldn't quite tell what they were doing with the potion, but Master Barclay would occasionally dip into it to run a series of experiments on some fish or spiders on the other side of the lab.

At one point, Snape caught Harry staring in Master Barclay's direction, and he snapped his fingers and pointed to his school books.

"Harry!" he said tersely.

Harry turned his head toward Snape, "Huh?"

Snape raised an eyebrow at him before he corrected himself.

"Sorry. Yes, sir?"

"Focus on your own work and stop staring into space." Snape dipped his head in the direction of his books.

"Yes, sir. Sorry. I was just thinking."

"You can think with your eyes on your schoolbooks. Focus, Harry. I haven't build time into your study schedule for day-dreaming."

"Yes, sir."

Not wanting to seem too suspicious, Harry tried not to act too interested in everything going on in the lab. He hunched over his school books and worked diligently, fighting against his deepest instincts to ask questions and snoop around. He needed Snape to have his guard down if he was going to get to that potion.

At 3:15pm, Snape called Harry to follow him upstairs.

"Patrick will be here shortly. I'm going to have him do work outside, but he may need to come in the house for a bit. Do you want to stay in the parlor or work in your room?"

Harry considered this for a minute. He didn't particularly want to see Patrick, although a part of him was curious to see how Snape was dealing with him. He wouldn't mind gloating while Patrick got told off or shouted at.

"If you stay in the parlor or at the table, we will be working. I don't want you to be distracted by Patrick being here." Snape could practically see Harry daydreaming about witnessing Patrick being bossed around. "But if I need to bring him inside to talk to him or put him in a corner, you will be asked to go to your room."

"You put Patrick in the corner?" Harry asked, an evil smile crossing his face.

"Harry," Snape groaned. "Can you be mature about this or not? If not, you can work in your room."

Harry pouted slightly. "Why can't I just go downstairs with Master Barclay? I'm not going to bother him. I work downstairs every day."

"Master Barclay is doing some dangerous experiments this afternoon and I don't want you down there. When I tell you to stay out of the lab, you are to stay out of the lab. Without question. Do you understand?"

Harry had to control himself from rolling his eyes. He'd already had an exhaustive lecture on it earlier today. "Yes, I know. I don't have a death wish."

Snape raised an eyebrow. "A simple 'Yes, sir' will suffice. And believe me when I tell you that you will wish for death if you ever go into that lab without permission."

"Yes, sir." Harry could feel his pulse quicken. He still had no idea how he was going to get that potion, but he still had a few days left to figure it out. He had given himself a deadline of the end of the week, and he was running reconnaissance now. Besides, even if Snape was going to be pissed that he snuck into the lab, it'd be worth it if the potion healed him.

"Set your books up in the parlor. We'll have tea first, so why don't you put on the kettle while I arrange the tea set?"

A few minutes later, Harry was sitting comfortably on the couch enjoying his tea and Jammie Dodgers when he heard a knock at the door. He looked over at Snape who stood calmly from his chair and shot Harry a look that he knew meant "stay quiet and don't move."

Sure enough, Patrick had not only shown up on time, but three minutes early. And if he had anything sassy to say, he was certainly planning to keep it to himself.

Snape opened the door. "On time today, I see, Mr. Owens."

"Yes, sir," Patrick said, determined to be on his best behavior, he wasn't about to spend another afternoon in a purgatory of parlor corners and kitchen tables.

"Good. Follow me."

Snape walked him out to the garage and pulled up the rickety metal door. Anticipating Patrick's arrival, he'd taken the car out and parked it down the drive.

"Take everything out. Give everything a good clean, and then put it back in an organized fashion. Anything that looks like rubbish or needs to be repaired, leave it out on the drive. When you're finished, give the garage a good sweep. There's a garden hose on the side of the house. I've also left some rags, a broom, and some cleaning supplies over there," Snape said, pointing to the left of the garage.

With a nod, Patrick said "Yes, sir."

"Any questions?"

"No sir."

"Very well, you may begin."

Snape was not entirely shocked, but pleasantly surprised that Patrick seemed to be on his best behavior. He knew he'd been hard on the boy, but he was pleased it had the intended effect.

The boy that had shown up today—on time, he might add— was a much more subdued and respectful boy. Overall he had fairly low expectations for Patrick to get the job done well, but he figured it would keep him busy, and it would be an exercise in discipline and following directions. If he'd really wanted the garage clean, he could have just flicked his wand. No, this was part of the process.

Although Harry was disappointed he couldn't hear any of the conversation Snape was having with Patrick outside, he felt quite smug to know that while he was inside enjoying tea and biscuits, Patrick was outside, covered in sweat and dirt, cleaning out the garage.

Over the next hour, Harry and Snape sat in the parlor while Harry read through his Charms book. He still couldn't hold a pen well enough to write so he was just reading aloud while Snape talked him through the theory, doing demonstrations as needed. He couldn't wait until his Apprenticeship went through and he could officially use a wand again. Assuming he could hold the damn thing.

Midway through the lesson, Snape excused himself to check on Patrick. When he walked out to the garage, he found the boy sitting on a lawn chair in the driveway with his eyes closed, apparently taking a small kip.

Patrick opened his eyes as Snape stepped in front of the sunlight, casting a dark shadow over his face.

"Hard at work, I see Mr. Owens."

"I was just taking a break, sir. I've been out here for ages."

Snape looked around, unimpressed. "You've hardly done a thing. How very disappointing… If you choose not to do the work I assign you, I can always bring you inside and have you stand in the corner for two hours. My schedule is quite flexible."

Although Patrick loathed the cleaning, he was not eager to spend his time standing and staring at the wall while Snape casually berated him. He scrambled up from the chair and dusted himself off. "No, sir, I'll get back to work."

"I suggest you do. You have two hours to complete the work. If you fail to get it done, you will finish it the next time you come. If that's the case, I will also assign you lines on the importance of time management and an essay on the benefits of hard physical labor."

Patrick scrunched up his face in disgust. "No, sir. I'll finish it today."

"We'll see. Perhaps if you stop dawdling and put your head down, that might be possible. Get to work, Mr. Owens." He tapped his watch as he turned back toward the house.

Patrick returned to the garage while Snape loitered in the driveway, his arms crossed and his eyes boring into the boy. When he was sure his message had been received, he returned inside to finish his lessons with Harry.

Day and night, Harry watched for opportunities to swipe the potion, but over the last few days Snape had practically banned him from the lab while Barclay ran experiments. Instead of spending his afternoons watching and helping Snape and Barclay brew, Harry was left to do his boring school work at the kitchen table or in his room.

He was starting to think he'd never get a chance to get the damn potion, until he woke up early one morning to get a drink of water and realized that Barclay had left the bookcase door slightly ajar.

Looking up at the clock, it was already 6am, Snape or Barclay could be up any minute, so he'd have to file that piece of info away for later. Harry knew for a fact that Snape was meticulous about closing the door when he came from the lab, but lately Barclay had been keeping such late hours, and sometimes checking on the potion in the middle of the night, that he was leaving it open for himself, especially since he was usually the first back downstairs in the morning.

As the day progressed, Harry became even more obsessed with getting to the potion, but it seemed like Snape was determined to keep him as far away from the lab as possible.

That afternoon, the two of them were sitting quietly at the kitchen table revising Transfiguration when the phone rang. Harry looked up from his books with a questioning look on his face. "Who's that? Does anyone even have this number?"

"No idea." Snape waited a moment before standing up and walking toward the kitchen telephone.

"Hello?" he said, with mild annoyance in his voice.

"Elliot, it's Elizabeth." He could hear her sobs from the other end of the line. He waited a moment for her to continue but when she didn't say anything he finally asked "Is something wrong?"

"It's Patrick. He's run away. He got angry when I told him he couldn't go to rugby today and now he's gone. I don't know what to do!"

Snape rolled his eyes. "I'm sure he'll be back. What did he say?"

"He cursed at me, threw a fit and destroyed his room before running off on his bike. I couldn't catch him in time. He told me he was never coming home. Please, I need your help. I don't know what to do. I don't have anyone else to call." She sobbed deeply into the phone receiver.

Snape closed his eyes and reached up to massage his forehead with his free hand. What did she want him to do? He had enough to deal with taking care of Harry and working on this bloody potion. But he had told her he'd be there for her, and apparently she was going to take him up on it.

"Can you come over… please?" She wept heavily into the phone and Snape let out a dramatic sigh.

"Did you call his friends?"

"No."

"Then do that now. I'll be over shortly."

He hung up the phone and Harry was staring up at him with deep interest. "Who was that?"

"Not that it is any of your business, but it was Ms. Owens. She's requested my help. Patrick, it seems, has decided to 'run away'." Idiot boy. Spoiled brat. Delinquent child.

"Oh. Are you going to find him?" Harry was fully invested now, whatever was going on with Patrick was a thousand times more interesting than his Transfiguration lesson.

"We'll see. Will you be alright here for a few minutes? I want you to finished your work and stay out of the lab. Obviously, if you have an emergency, you can call out for Master Barclay, but I don't want you down there while he's running these experiments."

Harry nodded his head and asked sweetly. "Can I read in my room?"

Snape nodded his head. "Fine. But you'd better do your work, I don't want you messing about while I'm gone. When I come back I will be asking you about it."

"Yes, sir. But if you want I can help you. Can I come?"

"Absolutely not. You're going to stay here and work. I expect you to have finished reading those two chapters of Transfiguration by the time I get back."

"Fine," Harry said with disappointment in his breath.

Snape stared him down with disapproval until he amended his answer. "Yes, sir."

"Get to work. I'll be back shortly." And with that, Snape grabbed the keys and went out to the car.

When he knocked on the door, Elizabeth opened it looking a mess, Coco was sulking in the hallway behind her. "Thank you so much for coming, Elliot." She launched herself into his arms with an unsolicited hug, and in usual Snape fashion he froze, waiting for it to end.

When she finally let go, she led him inside and closed the door behind him.

He looked around the house and was surprised to see it in shambles. It looked like a tornado had come through- pictures were hanging sideways, one frame broken on the floor surrounded by shattered glass. Things were thrown all about the living room, lamps turned over, pillows on the ground. It was a disaster.

Snape raised an eyebrow at the state of it. "Did Patrick do all this?"

Elizabeth just nodded her head. "He went absolutely mad. His room is completely destroyed. I think he punched a hole through the drywall. He had a complete fit when I refused to let him go to his game. He was screaming and throwing things. And then when I sent him to his room he just destroyed that as well. Then about 30 minutes ago he ran out the door and told me to 'Fuck off' and he was never coming back.

Snape lifted his eyebrows and shook his head in disgust. "Right. Well, did you call his friends?"

"They said they haven't seen him." Elizabeth put a hand over her mouth as she started to cry again.

"You stay here, I'll drive around and see if I can find him. If he's not back in an hour, we'll call the police."

Elizabeth looked up at him, her mascara streaming down her face. "What are you going to do if you find him?"

"I'm going to bring him back here so you can punish him and he can clean up this abhorrent mess he made. Honestly, Elizabeth." Snape shook his head.

She reached out to grab his arm, tears still running down her face. "But I can't. He won't listen to me. Please, Elliot, can't you do something? He listens to you."

"I've had quite enough of his defiance and disrespect. He needs to be put in his place and you need to punish him. He deserves a damn good hiding."

Elizabeth cried. "I don't think I can do it."

"Well you have to. I'm not his parent, Elizabeth."

"But he respects you. And don't you punish the other boys at school? It's the same thing."

Snape reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "It's not the same thing. Their parents aren't there. It is very rarely that I use corporal punishment on students, and only for the most serious offenses."

"Isn't this serious? He doesn't have a father, Elliot, and I need help. Please. I can't manage him on my own anymore, I'm begging you. "

"We'll deal with it when I get back. But I will not do the dirty work and then have you apologizing to him and smothering him in cuddles. It won't be effective if you do not make it clear that you've had enough."

She nodded her head. "I promise, I'll support you. I just don't think I can physically do it. I'm afraid of him, he doesn't take me seriously."

"We'll sort it out later." Snape stormed out to his car and put it in gear. If the boy was on his bike, so he couldn't have gone too far. The town wasn't that big. He had planned to drive down to the rugby pitch, but halfway there changed his mind and decided to go to the beach first. He kept an eye out for any sign of the boy and his bike.

It wasn't five minutes later that he found his bike parked by the beach access, Snape rolled his eyes. So predictable . He got out of his car and walked down the bluffs.

Sure enough, there was Patrick, sitting on a rock down by the opening to the caves, throwing rocks off the cliffs.

"You're in quite a lot of trouble, Mr. Owens. Get up- you're coming with me."

Patrick looked at him briefly before turning back around. "Sod off, I'm not going anywhere with you. You can't make me."

Snape glared at him and dropped his voice. "I assure you I can. So I suggest you save yourself the trouble and come with me right now. You've got quite a lot to answer for, boy, so if I were you I wouldn't make things more difficult for myself. Get up."

Patrick ignored him and turned his head away, but the next thing he knew he was being yanked up by his arm.

"We're leaving." Snape whispered harshly in his ear. "I've had quite enough of your nonsense. I'm a hare's breath away from putting you over my knee right here. So unless you want to see just how serious I am, you'll shut your mouth and get in the car. Do not test me."

There was anger flickering in the man's dark eyes and Patrick closed his mouth, allowing himself to be walked/dragged like a toddler to the car. Snape opened the passenger side door and snapped, "Get in."

Patrick sat down in the seat and Snape closed the door. He walked over to grab the boy's bike before putting it in the back of his car and slamming the trunk shut for effect.

As soon as they were both in the car, Snape turned to him. "I hope you enjoyed your little afternoon out, because you'll not be going anywhere for a very long time. Now buckle your seat belt and keep quiet. I don't want to hear a single word from you until you get home."

They drove in silence back to Elizabeth's house, Patrick staring out the window trying to hide the tears pouring down his cheeks. When they pulled in the drive Snape ordered the boy to get his bike and put it away. Patrick did exactly as he was told, he knew Snape well enough to know he was not in the mood for games.

While he was putting his bike up, Snape spied a table tennis paddle laying in a box in the garage. He grabbed it deftly and tucked it into the back waistband of his trousers. This might come in handy.

As soon as Patrick finished putting up his bike, Snape put a firm hand behind his neck and walked him to the front door. Elizabeth hugged him in the foyer before Snape clicked his fingers and pointed to the sofa in the living room. "Sit down, Patrick. We're going to have a very serious discussion about your behavior."

Patrick walked over and sat on the couch, not letting his eyes leave the floor. Coco skulked over wagging her tail nervously and putting her head in his lap. He cuddled her and cried into the top of her head.

"Thank you, Elliot," Elizabeth whispered to him in the foyer.

"We're not done here, Elizabeth. You asked for my help, so now you're both going to get it. You are welcome to ask me to leave now, but then know that I'm done here. I refuse to invest any more time into this boy if you're not going to follow through from your side. So it's up to you, but if I stay, we're going to do things my way or I'm finished."

Elizabeth nodded her head. "No, please. I need your help. I can't do this by myself."

"Then we're going to go in there and give him a stern talking to, and then he's going to get a very long-overdue spanking. After which, he will clean up his mess and spend the rest of his evening in his room."

Snape pulled out the ping-pong paddle and handed it to her. "I found this in your garage. I usually use a ruler or a slipper but I think this will do fine."

Elizabeth tried not to gasp and nodded her head. "OK." She wasn't sure what to do with it, so she just placed it on the credenza.

"And you are not going to coddle him or baby him. He needs to know this kind of behavior is completely unacceptable, and hopefully by the time we're done here, he won't ever think of behaving this way again. Are we clear?"

"Yes, Elliot."

"Then steel yourself."

Snape walked into the living room with Elizabeth by his side, his arms crossed over his chest. "Get your eyes off the floor, Patrick, we're going to have a talk."

Coco scurried away to her doggie bed in the corner, her tail wagging nervously between her legs.

Patrick looked up, subdued and a little afraid. He'd had enough time with Snape over the last few weeks to know that he meant business, and even if he could walk all over his mum, he was on a very short leash with Snape.

"What do you have to say for yourself?"

Patrick exploded. "She's being totally unfair! She wouldn't let me go to my rugby match, and she knows how important that is to me." He was yelling and now his voice was getting choked with tears. "So I ran away. I hate her." He broke out into full sobs, refusing to look at his mother.

"Enough! Watch your tone, and do not disrespect your mother. You were being punished, Patrick, because you lied, deceived, and played a cruel prank that almost got another boy killed. Playing rugby and spending time with your friends is a privilege, one that you have lost because of your atrocious behavior. You're lucky you aren't being sent off to juvenile detention. I hardly consider a month of restriction to be cruel or unfair."

"She's making me work for you too" he whined softly.

"Do you not think you deserve that? After everything you've done?"

Patrick thought for a moment, wiping his nose with the back of his hand. "I don't know."

"Pardon?"

Snape glared at him and he fidgeted for a moment before he amended his answer. "Yes, sir."

"And whatever ghastly tantrum you threw today, was completely disgraceful. Do you see the state of this house? This is your home, Mr. Owens, you live here, but you certainly do not have a right to destroy it. Do you know how disrespectful it is to damage other people's property? Absolutely unacceptable."

"I know." He looked up at his mother with tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry."

Snape waited for Elizabeth to take her chance and he gave her a glare that said she should speak up.

Elizabeth made an effort to harden her voice, trying to take a cue from Snape. "Your words and actions were really harmful, Patrick. I know you were angry and frustrated, but you do not have a right to speak to me that way. And it is certainly not OK to throw things and destroy our home."

She looked at Snape as soon as she finished, waiting for his approval.

Snape wanted to roll his eyes, it was the mildest admonition he could have imagined, but he knew she was trying, so he cleared his throat and continued.

"Here's what's going to happen, Patrick. You are going to clean up every single inch of this house, including your room. Your month of restrictions will start all over again. You will not step one foot outside of this house for the next month unless you're going to school or coming to work for me. You will not ride your bike or go outside or play rugby or see your friends. You will go to your room every night at 8:00 and spend an hour writing lines before bed every single night this week. You will do your homework and your chores, and you will be the most respectful boy in the world, or you will have to answer to me. Do you understand?"

Patrick nodded his head.

"I beg your pardon?" Snape said roughly.

"Yes, sir."

"That is the punishment for breaking your restriction. As for the abysmal behavior you displayed today, you will be getting a very well-earned spanking."

Patrick looked up in shock, first to Snape and then to his mother. "What? Why? I said I was sorry! You can't do that. Mum, you've never hit me before. This isn't fair!"

"Yes, well it's a shame she hasn't or we probably wouldn't be where we are right now. If you want to throw tantrums like a child, that's how you'll be treated. Perhaps this will get through to you and you'll think long and hard before you ever think of doing something like this again. You've run wild long enough, Patrick, that ends today."

"Get up, Patrick. I want you to bend over the couch." Snape stood in front of him and patted the arm of the sofa.

Patrick shook his head, tears streaming down his face. "No way, I'm not going to let you beat me. Mum! MUMMMM!"

Elizabeth tried to keep her face stoic and she shook her head. "Patrick, your behavior is out of control. I've tried to get through to you, but you haven't been listening. I'm afraid you've earned this. I don't know what else to do."

Snape nodded in agreement. "You can get this over with, or you can throw another tantrum, but I promise you no matter how long you drag this out, you're going to be punished. I'd suggest you don't make it worse for yourself, because the longer you keep this up, the more I'm going to add to it. And I promise you, your backside will wear out long before my arm does."

Patrick started crying in earnest. "Please don't. I said I was sorry!"

Snape tried to hide the smirk on his face but then he controlled himself and hardened his features. "Yes, I'm sure you are. I find most boys in your position are often very sorry. If that's the case, then hopefully you won't do it again. Now that's enough. Up you get."

The boy froze and shook his head, tears pouring down his cheeks. "No."

"If I have to come and get you, Mr. Owens, I assure you it will just make this worse for you. Now, stop stalling and come here. Now. You have three seconds before I start adding strokes." Snape put a little more authority in his voice and stared the boy down.

Patrick was still crying but he stood up and inched toward Snape. When he got within reach, Snape took him by the arm and pulled him closer. "I want you to look me in the eye and tell me why you're being punished."

The boy sniffled, "Because I ran away."

"What else?"

"And I messed up the house and my room."

"You threw a tantrum and destroyed property. Yes. What else?"

"I don't know!" Patrick yelled with frustration, attempting to pull away, but Snape kept a firm grasp, pulling him in closer.

"You were extremely disrespectful to your mother- both in your words and your actions. And you disobeyed her by leaving the house while you were on restriction."

He nodded his head.

"Say it. I want it to be crystal clear to you how we ended up here today."

Patrick felt embarrassed but he repeated what Snape said. "I was disrespectful to my mum and I left the house when I shouldn't have."

"Very good. Do you have anything else you want to say?"

"No, sir," he whispered.

"Very well. Over you go." Snape helped the crying boy bend over the arm of the sofa. Patrick sobbed into his arms and hid his face in the cushions as Snape placed a firm hand on his back. "Take a deep breath, Patrick."

Elizabeth handed him the small wooden ping-pong paddle and he took a moment to adjust the boy before he brought his arm back and landed the first smack. It was not even close to the hardest smack he'd ever given, but Patrick screamed bloody murder. Snape ignored his dramatics and continued on at a hearty pace. After a good five smacks, Patrick reached a hand back to cover his bum and Snape paused, grabbing his wrist.

"No. No you don't. You've earned every bit of this spanking, now move your hand."

Patrick begged and pleaded for him to stop, but Snape just moved his hand, pinned it to his back and carried on. He was actually going fairly easy on the boy, but by the sounds of it one would think Patrick was being flayed alive. He was sure the boy was feeling it, but he was carrying on as though he were being beaten within an inch of his life.

After a good dozen smack, Snape slowed down.

"You will not ever. EVER. destroy other people's property." He punctuated this with a few especially hard smacks. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir, I'm sorry!" Patrick sobbed.

"And you will not disrespect your mother." A few more hard smacks.

He landed two more good smacks on his sit spots before he stopped. "Have you learned your lesson, Mr. Owens or do you need more convincing?"

Patrick cried harder. "Noo, no sir, I'm sorry. I promise I'll never do it again. Please. I'm sorry, please stop."

Snape gave him a gentle pat on the back. "Good. Up you get." He helped the boy to his feet and Patrick immediately reached back to rub the sting out of his bum, sobbing loudly as he did so.

As far as spankings go, it was probably one of the milder ones Snape had ever given, but he knew it was such a shock to Patrick, he could make his point just by following through with it. It had been a long time since he'd seen a spoiled 11yo so hysterical over a simple smacking but he let the boy cry it out for a few moments before he finished his lecture.

Snape eyed over to the couch. "Take a seat, Patrick. Calm down."

"I can't, it hurts."

"As it should. It was a spanking, not an afternoon picnic in the park. While I hope this makes a lasting impression on your behavior, it will not leave any lasting marks on your backside. Now that's enough hysterics, take a seat on the couch and collect yourself."

Snape's voice was firm but calm. He clicked his fingers and pointed to the couch. "Enough. Sit. Down."

Not wanting to risk the man's ire, Patrick did as he was told, while he hiccoughed and tears continued to stream down his face.

"Elizabeth, please get Patrick some tissues."

Snape stood over Patrick but softened his voice. "You've been thoroughly punished, Patrick, so it's time to move forward. Do you have anything you want to say?"

Elizabeth came in with a box of tissues and Snape nodded to her to take a seat. He didn't want her to overdo it, but he recognized the boy needed comfort. She sat down and handed Patrick a tissue and put her arm around him. He immediately sobbed into her.

"I'm sorry mum!" He wailed for a minute while she patted his back and hugged him.

Again Snape nodded at her to say something. "I don't want you to ever behave this way again, Paddy. You hurt me, and you scared me."

Snape waited a few minutes for Patrick to cry it out before he spoke again. "You may take five minutes to collect yourself, but after that you're going to clean up this mess. Do you understand?"

Patrick nodded his head. "Yes, sir."

"Your mother will tally up whatever is broken that needs to be replaced. You will do extra chores to earn the money back until you pay for it. You've been punished for what you've done today, but I hope there will never be a repeat of this behavior. You will continue to work for me until you've completed your 30 hours. In the meantime you will be on your very best behavior at home and at school, because if not you will find yourself in this position again. Are we clear?"

"Yes, sir."

"Very well. I will take my leave now. Elizabeth, keep that paddle somewhere you can get it if you need it."

Elizabeth stood up from the couch to walk Snape to the door. "Thank you, Elliot." She was tempted to hug him but he'd made it pretty clear he wasn't really one for hugs.

"It's your responsibility to enforce this now. You know how to do it, so there's no excuse. Obviously you know how to reach me if there's a real emergency, otherwise I expect you to carry out your own punishments."

"Thank you." She settled for squeezing his hand. And he let her. For two seconds, before he pulled it away again.

Snape nodded his head. Before he left, he walked over to the couch and took Patrick's chin gently in his fingers, forcing him to look up at him with his pink and tear-stained face.

"Behave yourself, Mr. Owens. I mean it. I don't think either of us would be pleased if we had to repeat this. I'll see you at 3:30pm on Monday."

"Yes, sir."

"Good lad." Snape let go of his chin and reached out and gave him an affectionate pat on the shoulder.

Coco followed Snape to the front door and he gave her a small pat on the head too. He was apparently just handing out affection today. He took a deep breath and got back in his car. Merlin help us all .

AUTHOR'S END NOTE:

I've missed you! Thank you SO SO much to everyone who has left me feedback and comments and just shouted out that they love and miss this story. These are tough times, but I am super SUPER pumped about the next few chapters.

SO please, help me out- tell me you're still reading it (and hopefully enjoying it)- tell me what you want to see, what you love reading, and if you see any neon caution signs ahead!

Also, did you enjoy seeing Patrick FINALLY getting reeled in by Snape? I actually think these two have a mutual respect for each other now. Patrick has DEFINITELY learned his lesson, and he got a little bit of the "daddy" attention he desperately needed. Let's hope now he can find a way to do that in a positive way.

Harry, oh Harry…you're about to get in trouble my friend. What do you think? I've left some hints- what do you think is going to happy to Harry (why can't he just follow the damn rules?)

OMG guys. TALK TO ME! TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!