Author's Note

Thank you for all of the amazing feedback on the last chapter- it makes me so happy that you guys feel connected to the story enough to feel real emotions!

So- brace yourself for a little angst in this chapter! We'll have some smiles too- but Snape and Harry have a LOT to deal with. Happy reading!

"Did you miss me?" he said with a cheeky smile before looking down at the ugly gray nightshirt and giving a scowl. "What in the heck am I wearing?"

Snape sat up and pulled the boy into a tight hug before grabbing both of his shoulders and pushing him away slightly so he could get a good look at him. With a worried look on his face, he ran his hands gently across Harry's forehead and down his face. "How are you feeling? Are you in any pain?"

Harry looked at him, a bit bewildered and pulled back slightly. "No, I'm fine. I just feel like I've come back from the weirdest trip. Like, I was dreaming but it felt so real. And I know it was just yesterday, but it also feels like it was forever ago. I don't really know how to describe it…it's just really weird."

"How so?" Snape asked, as he sat up straight and scooted himself back toward the bed frame. He didn't want to crowd Harry or overwhelm him, he was clearly feeling a bit confused.

"I don't know. I feel like I just woke up after being asleep for a long time, or knocked out in a coma or something. And the dreams are still there, but they're fading quickly, so I'm left with only pieces of the dream. Patches of memories."

Harry took a moment to try and find his words; he picked at a thread on the quilt while Snape sat patiently, waiting for him to finish. "They feel different than my real memories from when I was 5. But just as old, if that makes sense. It's like they are stored in the same part of my brain, but they pop forward first, maybe cuz they are much happier. I feel like my mind has blocked out a lot of my real memories from that time in my life— so in that sense, these are easier for me to retrieve."

Like a statue, Snape stayed completely still, hoping Harry would keep talking and not wanting to interrupt him or distract him in any way. But it felt good to know that Harry had at least some memory from his de-aging, and that he associated it with happy feelings rather than fear and loneliness.

Harry began to speak again, this time turning to Snape. "You know when you've seen a picture from a long time ago, and you don't know if you're really remembering the day it was taken or just remembering the picture and something you made up about that day? It feels a bit like that, like I'm not sure what's real. I can't really describe it. It feels like I made it all up in my mind, that it's a memory of a dream instead of a real memory."

Snape nodded his head, trying to make sense of it. "You don't have to make sense of all of it now. Don't force it, we'll have plenty of time to try and understand what happened. What is the last thing you remember?"

"Honestly, my most recent memory is taking the potion. Although that feels like a week ago." Harry stretched his arms across his chest and then cracked his knuckles. "My body feels kinda stiff too. And I'm hungry. Like, really, really, massively hungry."

As if on cue, Harry's stomach gave an angry growl.

Snape wanted to pull the boy into his chest again and just hold him, but he resisted the urge. Instead he pushed himself up from the bed and smoothed his hands down his now wrinkled clothes. "Let's get you something to eat. But take your time, get up slowly, I don't want you to fall or hurt yourself."

He reached out a hand to help Harry up, but the boy just scooted past him to the edge of the bed, standing up on his own. Harry raised his arms high above him in a long stretch, and then fanned out his fingers before flexing them back into a fist several times. "My hands, they're better!"

Snape watched him moving his fingers and felt a thrill run through him. He had been confident they would heal his nerve damage, but he didn't want to be too hasty in proclaiming him cured. He would reserve his full enthusiasm until he knew for sure everything was back to normal.

"Walk slowly, you can hold onto me if you need to balance," Snape said, his ego still smarting a little that Harry had refused his help getting out of the bed.

Ignoring him once more, Harry jumped up and down in place for a few seconds before setting off in a little sprint across the bedroom, his face beaming with joy. "Look, I'm fine now!"

"Harry!" Snape shouted as soon he saw the boy take off in a run. "Stop it, this instant!"

"What? I'm fine! You did it, you healed me!" Harry was smiling as he bounced up and down on his toes, shaking his hands out in front of him like he was in aerobics class.

Snape caught up with him in a few long strides, his heart pounding and a scowl now etched deep onto his face. He grabbed Harry's arm with one hand and pressed down firmly on the boy's shoulder with the other to keep him from jumping. "Stop it. We have no idea how your body responded to those potions, so you need to calm down until we can do a proper assessment. And you know better than to run in the house." He looked at him with one of his signature warning looks.

"Sorry," Harry said, flippantly. "But I really am fine, I can tell."

"I certainly hope that's the case. Now please, walk slowly to the kitchen and I'll make you some breakfast." Snape put a hand on Harry's back to encourage him forward.

"Wait." Harry stopped in front of his door and looked down. "I want to change out of this awful nightgown first. Where did you get this ugly thing? I look like a pioneer woman who walked off a prairie in the 1800s. It's ridiculous."

"For your information, Mr. Potter, that is not a nightgown, it's a nightshirt. And plenty of wizards wear them," Snape replied defensively.

Harry laughed out loud and took a piece of the oversized cloth in his hand, looking at it with disdain. "You're joking. Don't tell me this rag is one of yours?" He looked up at Snape with a mischievous look on his face. "Haven't you ever heard of proper men's pajamas?"

Snape raised an eyebrow. "Haven't you ever heard of keeping your rude opinions to yourself?"

Another small chuckle escaped Harry's lips as he flashed Snape his signature cheeky grin. "Well, that's rich."

Snape smirked but then narrowed his eyes a little and dropped his voice. "My, my, we are feeling quite brave this morning. If I were in as much trouble as you, Mr. Potter, I might consider minding my cheek."

Harry's smile quickly vanished. "Oh."

"Indeed." Snape stared him down slightly, although he was having to work to hide his amusement. He really had missed the brat and his banter. He tapped him on his back lightly. "Go get changed and use the washroom. I want you back in the kitchen in fifteen minutes."

With that, he closed the boy's door to give him some privacy to dress alone. He felt an odd mixture of happiness at seeing 12yo Harry, and a sadness that he wasn't needed nearly as much anymore. He tried to push those feelings away and focus on the present.

Harry came into the kitchen significantly more subdued, dragging his feet and letting his shoulders slump forward. He dropped himself into his chair before realizing it was way too tall. He stood up again and switched it out for a different chair, vaguely remembering that Snape had raised it up for him when he was smaller.

"I guess I'm in trouble, huh," Harry said, sad eyes looking up at Snape as he put down a plate full of eggs, tomato and toast.

Snape took out his wand and returned the chair to it's normal size before sitting down and fixing his eyes on the boy. "Oh yes, Mr. Potter. We are going to have a very lengthy discussion about what you did, but first I want you to eat your breakfast. I want you to be able to concentrate when we have our talk because it is not a conversation I want to have to repeat."

Reaching for his fork, Harry picked at his eggs slightly before bringing them to his mouth, struggling to force himself to chew and swallow them. His hunger seemed to have abandoned him.

"Eat, Harry." Snape said, as he watched the boy dejectedly push his food around on the plate.

"I'm not hungry anymore."

Snape let out a dramatic sigh and put his teacup down with a small clink. "Nonsense. You're hungry, and you need to eat. Now quit being so melodramatic."

"But you said if I ever went into the lab without your permission, you'd punish me so harshly I would wish for death," Harry whined as he let the fork drop onto his plate. "So if you're going to torture me, can we just get it over with?"

With a perfunctory roll of his eyes, Snape took a breath and turned to look at the boy. "Honestly, Harry, do you really believe I would ever harm you in any way?"

"You have before," Harry mumbled, now picking at the lint on his trousers, refusing to look up at Snape.

"Rubbish. Giving a disobedient boy a well-deserved spanking is not the same thing as torturing you or causing you real harm." Snape took the boy's chin between his fingers and lifted up his head. "When I punish you, it is because you've deliberately broken a rule, usually repeatedly, and only after I've given you plenty of warnings. I have never punished you unfairly or excessively, and you know it. And you have no idea what real torture or physical abuse looks like, and I hope you never do."

"I know," Harry whispered, sniffling as he wiped a tear away with the back of his hand.

Snape let go of Harry's chin and put a hand on his back, patting him gently. "Now that's enough theatrics. My word, I have never known any other child to wallow so readily in self-pity."

His tone was gentle, but he shook his head slightly as he took a bite of his own eggs. He took another moment to swallow his food before he continued, "We will discuss everything rationally after breakfast. Lucky for you, I've had plenty of time to calm down and consider the situation carefully. I can assure you, while I plan to make sure you remember this lesson for a long time, I will not be unreasonable. Now, eat. Please."

Harry nodded his head and picked up his fork with a loud sigh. "Yes, sir."

"You're also quite lucky that 5 year-old Harry was so endearing. Not nearly as disobedient and cheeky as his older counterpart, but a handful nonetheless." Snape hoped to lighten the mood.

"I was not a handful!" Harry said, stifling a smile and putting a hand on his hip with mock outrage. "I was a perfect little angel and you loved every minute of it."

Snape cocked a dramatic eyebrow in disbelief. "Perhaps you don't remember your first day here. You had several tantrums, threw a bowl of porridge, and got caught climbing up the kitchen cabinet to steal biscuits. Oh, and then I found you out of bed playing with your toys long after I'd tucked you in for the were a complete menace. It was exhausting."

A blush crept over Harry's face as a memory came back to him. "Oh, yeah. But I was really good after that!"

"It's amazing how a trip or two over my knee were able to turn your behavior right around," Snape quipped as he took a dramatic sip of his tea, reveling in watching Harry's face and ears burn bright red at the memory.

"Yeah, but after that, you were a pushover. Let's face it, I was so adorable you couldn't help it, you let me get away with murder after that," Harry replied, now smiling fully as the tiniest hint of a blush appeared on the side of Snape's neck.

Snape scoffed and put on a serious face. "Don't be absurd. I have never once been a pushover. Your memory has clearly been severely affected if you think for a moment I would let you get by with any misbehavior. Perhaps the 5 year-old Harry just had enough sense to learn his lesson more quickly than his stubborn and defiant 12 year-old version. I still maintain that if I had been able to raise you properly from that age, we would have cured you of your naughty behavior years ago. If only."

Harry nearly choked on his milk with laughter. "Uh-huh, sure. Whatever you want to tell yourself. Merlin-forbid anyone ever think that stern taskmaster Snape has a soft side." He then whispered under his breath, "Pushover."

With a loud click of his fingers, Snape pointed at Harry's plate, forcing himself not to smile. "That's Professor Snape to you, you cheeky brat. Now enough of your nonsense, we have things to do today. Finish your food."

During breakfast, Snape had to keep himself from smiling like a complete dolt the whole way through. He was genuinely glad to have his sassy 12yo Harry back, and he was thrilled that he seemed to be completely healed, handling his cutlery and his milk glass without a care in the world.

After washing the dishes side-by-side, they took their tea to the parlor. As usual, Snape sat in his armchair, and Harry got comfortable on the sofa.

"Where's Master Barclay?" Harry asked.

"He was completely exhausted. I sent him home last night so he could get a good night of sleep and have a restful morning. He should be back later this afternoon to check on you, and then the three of us are going to sit together so we can do a full assessment for our research." Snape lifted the teacup to his mouth casually.

"Oh. What research?"

"We will discuss it all this afternoon, but if you have been fully healed, this has been quite an extraordinary feat. We would like to write it up as a Case Study, and since you are the person who experienced it, your input will be extremely valuable."

Harry smiled, and sat back on the sofa. "Wicked. So I get to help?"

"Of course. I think we also have a new project for your apprenticeship. Now, enough of that, we have other things we need to discuss first."

Harry swallowed visibly and nodded his head, fidgeting slightly with one of the throw pillows under his right arm.

Snape set down his teacup and laced his hands together on his lap, wanting to project that he was calm and completely in control of his emotions. He hadn't expected Harry to get so worked up over breakfast and he wanted to make sure the boy was listening to him.

"I would like to begin by saying that I'm extremely pleased that you're here, in one piece, and that your injuries seem to be much improved. I don't want to overlook what a victory it is to have you back in full health," Snape began.

Harry gave him a nervous half smile. "It's brilliant. Thank you…for everything."

Snape acknowledged his gratitude with a single nod of his head, tightening his lips and forcing himself to carry on. "I also just want to reiterate that there is nothing more important to me in this world than having you here, safe and healthy."

His voice nearly cracked and he could feel his emotions welling up, but he would not let them spill out. He willed them away like a professional and steadied his voice.

Oh, get it together you sappy old fool. No one wants to see you snivelling away like a pathetic child.

Snape took a moment and cleared his throat, hardening his features and stomping on any emotion that dared try to come to the surface. "However…glad as I may be to see you healed, I am extremely disappointed in your actions."

Harry's head fell forward and he nodded again. "I know." He knew he'd been reckless, but there was a part of him who still believed he'd done the right thing. He was healed now, right? It had all worked out.

"You knew you were not allowed to go into the lab. I also think you knew when you took that potion that I had not approved it yet for your use. Not to mention how incredibly foolhardy it is to take a potion without knowing the dosage or without having an antidote beside you, and in your case, not even knowing what it does. You could have harmed yourself permanently. And for what? Because you were feeling impatient? Or because, once again, you thought you knew better than me?"

"I'm sorry," Harry said, his head bent down. Several tears trickled down his cheeks and fell into the carpet as he cradled the pillow across his stomach.

"We were able to heal you because Master Barclay and I worked night and day to rework all of our formulations. But you could have just as easily been permanently debilitated. For the love of Merlin, Harry, anything could have happened when you took that potion!" Snape was losing control of his emotions now, and his voice was starting to raise.

"I just wanted to get well!" Harry shouted back at him, anger bursting forward as his head shot up.

Snape gritted his teeth and shot him an icy glare and the boy immediately lowered his voice and dropped his head. "Sorry."

He took a moment to calm his emotions before he spoke again. "I heard you that night, in the lab, I heard you when you told Master Barclay that maybe I should just stay broken, that maybe it would be better if I just learned to live with my disability." Tears streamed heavily down his cheeks.

Reaching his hands to his face, Harry ripped off his glasses and tossed them on the table before dropping his head into his hands.

"You promised me you'd do anything to make me better—you promised—and then you acted like you were just going to let me stay that way. Well, I didn't want to live like that. I didn't care what happened to me with that stupid potion, I just wanted a chance to be better again. And the risk was worth it."

A silence filled the room, punctuated by a few of Harry's deep sobs. Snape sat completely still as he reflected on the boy's words. He was seething. The idiot boy still doesn't think he's done anything wrong.

Snape put a hand on his chin, running his index finger and thumb back and forth in opposite directions over his bottom lip as he considered his words carefully.

Finally, he breached the silence. "Those conversations were not meant for you, Harry. I was conflicted, not because I didn't want to heal you, but because I was terrified that I would somehow cause you more harm. I could not have lived with myself…I promise you, Harry, every single decision I made was to try to keep you safe, to make sure I was doing the right thing for you."

"I know," Harry said, moved by the emotion in Snape's voice, but not yet ready to look in his eyes.

"No, you do not know…you're a boy, you have no idea the weight of the decisions I was trying to make on your behalf." Snape's anger was bubbling to the surface now. "You say the risk was worth it, but it was not your risk to take."

"Your eavesdropping aside, the fact that you had the arrogance and audacity to act on your own volition without even discussing your concerns with me first is egregious. Taking that potion was foolish, but the fact that you did so because you didn't have enough faith in me is what really hurts. You risked death rather than put your trust in me to make the right decision for you."

Silent tears slid down Harry's face. Snape's words cut him like a knife because he knew the man was completely correct.

"Time and time again I have tried to show you, both in my words and my actions, that I will do anything for you. That you are my highest priority. That I will put your health and well-being above everything else in my life, including my own."

Snape paused for a moment to take a breath before he continued. "The fact that you would throw that in my face and risk everything to take a potion you knew nothing about just because you didn't believe I would help you…it was more than a slap in the face. It was a dagger to my heart. Can you imagine for a moment how I would have felt if you had died or been permanently injured? After everything we've been through, you did not trust me enough to even talk to me about it."

By now Harry was in a right state. He knew Snape was speaking the truth. He was apparently so incapable of trusting anyone that he couldn't even trust the one man who had loved him, cared for him, and proven himself reliable time after time.

"You're right, I'm an idiot. I should have trusted you but I didn't. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I hate myself, I don't deserve you!" Harry let out a gut-wrenching wail and his body shook with his sobs.

Without thinking, Snape got up from his chair and grabbed Harry, putting his arms around him and pulling him tight into his chest as he sat back onto the couch. Harry wasn't a little boy anymore, but still Snape cradled him on his lap, holding him closely and shushing him gently.

"Shhh, Harry, none of that is true. I'm right here and I'm not angry. Shhhh, you're alright. Take a deep breath…good boy."

Snape rocked him and whispered gentle words to him for several minutes, holding him tightly with one arm while he ran the other hand up and down his back. Harry was soothed by the vibrations from Snape's deep voice as they reverberated in his chest as he spoke. "I don't want you to ever say that again. You deserve love, and you don't need to earn it. Not from me, not from anyone. Real love is unconditional, do you understand me?"

"I'm sorry," Harry cried into Snape's chest. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

With a hand on the boy's head, Snape spoke clearly. "You've been through a lot in your life, Harry. And I know that the adults who should have made you feel secure and loved have failed to do that. You have very good reasons for not trusting people. But that part of your life is over now. I need you to understand that. I love you and I have made a commitment to care for you and I would rather die than let you down. Can you understand that?"

Harry nodded, his face pressed into Snape's chest. "I'm sorry."

"I know you are. And I forgive you. But we cannot keep doing this. Your life is too precious to go running amok without any regard for your own safety. You have got to stop being so cavalier, you are not invincible. This is not the first time you've done this, you are constantly rushing ahead without stopping to think about the consequences. You did it with that damn stone in your first year. You did it when you ran off without telling anyone. And I know we haven't spoken about it, but you rushed into that cave without stopping to consider how dangerous that was. Then with the potion. Enough. No more. You have to promise me you will stop this reckless behavior."

"I will," Harry whined, sniffing loudly, his breath hitching with every inhale as he sat up on the couch.

Snape stayed there for several moments running his fingers through Harry's hair while he calmed down. He finally set the boy back on the sofa next to him so he could make eye contact.

"You're a clever boy, Harry, but you're 12 years-old. You're still a child. I don't expect you to be perfect, but I do expect you to learn to control your impulses. You need to recognize that having feelings and acting on them are two very different things. You are allowed to feel frustrated, upset, scared, or whatever else you feel, but you have to learn how to think before you act."

"Yes sir," Harry said, resigned. He knew Snape was completely correct.

"Now tell me, when you went down to the lab to take that potion, did you know that was completely out of bounds?

Harry nodded his head.

Snape cocked an eyebrow and hardened his voice. "A verbal answer, Harry."

"Yes, sir."

"And you knew that it was a huge risk to take that potion. You had no idea what it was going to do."

The boy's shoulders went up in a shrug. "I don't know, it sounded like it would work but you were just too afraid to give it to me. I knew if you and Master Barclay made it, it had to be good."

Snape glared at the boy. "And you were basing this on what evidence? An out-of-context snippet of a conversation you overheard from the top of the stairs?"

Harry's face turned red. "Yeah, I guess so."

"And do you think that was wise?"

"No…no, sir." Harry felt sheepish, now. Once again, things sounded so much worse when Snape laid them out like this.

"You knew what you were doing was wrong, and you knew I would not approve of your actions. And yet, instead of bringing your fears and concerns to me, you decided you would handle things on your own, gladly risking your life without a second thought. You knew better, but you didn't let it stop you from doing what you want. This is the reason I'm upset with you. This is also not the first time we've discussed this issue, it is an ongoing problem with you."

"I'm sorry…I really am." Harry wiped his face with the back of his hand and looked at Snape with big puppy dog eyes.

Snape pulled out a handkerchief and put it in Harry's hand without pausing.

"You acted recklessly, and I think you know it. And while the rest of us suffered quite hefty consequences, especially Master Barclay who was here for weeks brewing all hours of the day and night to help you, you have come out of this situation rather unscathed."

Harry looked up at Snape and swallowed nervously.

"As your parent or guardian, or whatever you want to call me, it is my job to help you understand that there are consequences for your actions. Hopefully so you do not repeat your mistakes. I am incredibly grateful that there were no lasting, permanent, debilitating consequences, but it is imperative that you learn from this, and that is why I am going to punish you."

"I understand, sir…I'm really sorry." Harry braced himself for a harsh judgment, and if he had to be honest with himself, he knew deserved it. Snape always had a way of breaking him down with these lectures so he was practically begging to be punished, desperate for forgiveness and a clean slate.

"For the next month you will work in the garden and the lab to prepare over 300 fresh ingredients for the potions store. You will make several sets of ingredients, for your own store, for myself and Hogwarts, as well as a set each for Master Barclay and Master Llewelyn, which you will gift to them for their generosity in helping us. You will harvest, prepare, and bottle each and every one of these ingredients, and then you will organize Master Llewelyn's store with the fresh supplies. You will also do the same for me when we return to Hogwarts."

Snape paused while Harry looked up at him like he'd grown an extra head. "I can assure you, this will be a difficult, time-consuming, and arduous task, but I hope that while you're working over the next several weeks and months, it will help remind you that your actions can have long-lasting consequences. You will remember this lesson with every leaf you pick, beetle you crush, and vial you label."

Harry looked at him in disbelief. It was a very Snape-like punishment, just not at all what he had expected. "OK…"

"You will also spend a half hour in the corner before bed every night this week so you can reflect on your impulsive nature and think about strategies to help you curb your tendency to act before you think. Perhaps being forced to stand still and stare at a wall will teach you some patience."

"Yes, sir." Harry hated the corner, but there were certainly worse things Snape could do. He was beginning to wonder if the man had lost his mind, or whether he was saving the most brutal punishments for last.

"Finally, tomorrow you will write a four foot essay on the importance of trust. What it means to you, how you build it, how you receive it, and how you maintain it." Snape nodded his head at his final pronouncement.

"Yes, sir…" Harry waited for more, he was sure Snape would be itching to carry out his threat to give him the thrashing of his life, but the man seemed to be finished. Before he could stop himself the words slipped out. "Is that it?"

Snape raised an eyebrow. "Is that not sufficient for you, Mr. Potter? I put a great deal of thought into these consequences, hoping you might take away some important life lessons from this experience."

"No, sir. It definitely is. I just thought…I don't know." Harry could feel his ears burning as he mumbled under his breath, wishing he hadn't said anything.

"You thought what?" Snape turned his face and put a finger behind his ear as though he were straining to hear. "You thought I'd just throw you over my knee and be done with it?"

"I guess so."

"You're not 5 years old any more, and now that you are getting older and more mature, I thought you might benefit from more nuanced and metaphorical consequences. This is not just about punishing you, I desperately want you to change your behavior. Your life depends on it."

"Yes sir, I understand."

"I hope you do, because I promise you, I do not want to ever have this particular discussion with you again." Snape crossed his arms before giving him a good stare. "However, if you think you would benefit from a spanking to cleanse you of your guilt and serve as a very physical reminder that your actions have consequences, I will certainly oblige you. Although your other punishments will still stand."

Panic flashed across Harry's face. "NO! No, sir, I definitely don't."

"Very well, then let us move forward. However…" Snape took Harry's face in his hand. "If I see even a flicker of any kind of rash or risky behavior, I will decide you're not emotionally mature enough for my alternative methods and you will find yourself over my knees so fast you won't get to blink first. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good." Snape gave a sharp nod and let go of his face. "Now then, I think we should probably get to work on your studies. We've lost enough time over the last several weeks, we need to buckle down. Although perhaps you should wash your face and freshen up, first."

Harry laughed awkwardly as he sniffed in, knowing his face was a blotchy mess. "Yes, sir."

"Up you get," Snape said as he tapped on the boy's back.

"I love you. And I'm really sorry." Harry reached over and threw his arms around Snape, catching the man slightly off-guard. "I promise I won't ever do anything like that again. I'll do better. Honest."

Snape returned the embrace and kissed Harry on the side of the head. "You really are more trouble than you're worth sometimes, you know that."

"Yes, sir, I'm a right pain in the arse."

An eyebrow arched precariously at Harry. "Watch your language, Mr. Potter, or you'll have a whole new understanding for that phrase."

Snape patted his thigh twice with a little more force than usual. "Go clean yourself up, then we'll get to work on a new schedule for you. You are going to be a very busy boy for the next few weeks. Let's hope that keeps you out of mischief."

Harry smiled as he pushed himself off of the couch. "You really did do a brilliant job with the potions. I know it didn't happen the way you'd planned it, but you fixed me. You're a genius."

"Ah, if only you'd had such faith in my abilities before you turned yourself into a pre-schooler."

Snape pulled out his wand and did a quick cleaning over his clothes to rid himself of the tears and snot Harry had left all over him. He got up from the couch and poured himself another cup of tea before settling back into his armchair, a great sense of relief washing over him. Perhaps, finally, their lives could start to get back on track. He dared not hope for it and jinx himself.

After lunch, right on time as expected, Master Barclay popped through the floo, looking more well-rested than he had in weeks.

Harry and Snape were waiting patiently for him in the parlor, tea and biscuits at the ready.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen. You are looking quite well, Harry. I must say, you've grown quite a bit since I saw you last." He flashed a smile at Harry, as he walked over and gave him a brief hug.

"Thank you so much, Master Barclay. I feel amazing. I can't believe you did it. You healed me!" Harry was beaming as he awkwardly waited for Master Barclay to settle down on the couch before he took his seat.

Snape poured the older man a cup of tea and set it on the table in front of him. He looked at Harry and cleared his throat.

"Oh yeah, and um, I made this for you. Just to say thanks." Harry passed Master Barclay a hand-made thank you card.

Snape had forced him to sit at the table that morning and write thank you notes to all of the people who had helped him while he was in hospital and injured. He hadn't finished, but Snape thought it would make an excellent evening activity for the next few days to remind him that his actions have far reaching effects on others. Plus, it was just good manners.

Master Barclay took the card in his hand and opened it, reading it silently before closing it and setting it down gently on his lap. "The card is lovely, Harry, thank you very much for your thoughtful words. I am very glad I was able to be here and help you recover. While I hope we don't find ourselves in such a situation again, I want you to know that I will always be here to help you and Professor Snape." He reached over and gave Harry a fatherly pat on the knee.

Harry blushed slightly. "Yes, sir. Thank you. I'm really lucky to have both of you. And I promise I've learned my lesson, I'll never take a potion like that again."

A small chuckle escaped from Master Barclay's lips as he sipped his tea. "I'm glad to hear that. Although, on the plus side I think we've had quite a breakthrough with the potions we've created. Unwillingly or not, Harry, we have made some important potions discoveries these past few weeks, which is why I'm here to talk with you."

Snape joined in. "It's important that you pay close attention now, Harry. We are going to be discussing our future Potions research. As you will be my Apprentice, this has specific relevance to you."

"Yes, sir," Harry said, trying to project seriousness even though he was so excited he could hardly sit still.

Master Barclay continued. "We're going to write up several papers, Harry. Both on the de-aging and re-aging and time-space properties of the bioluminescence ingredients. We have used both firefly proteins and a bioluminescent plankton protein. In addition to writing a case study about your nerve regeneration, you will play a critical role in our further research."

"I promise, I will help in any way I can." Harry looked at Snape. "But I don't know much about what you put in those potions."

"And yet, that didn't seem to stop you from swigging it down like a cold glass of morning pumpkin juice a few weeks ago." Snape had to control himself before he rolled his eyes.

Harry turned pink at the reminder.

"Harry, we will formalize your apprenticeship whenever you're ready. I don't want to rush you, but the sooner we can do it, the safer I think we'll all feel. However, we will go ahead and start preparing manuscripts and collecting data. Professor Snape and I will help you familiarize yourself with the ingredients and the properties of each of them. This will be very important work, and I hope what you end up focusing on this for the remainder of your apprenticeship. Bioluminescent proteins are incredibly exciting and promising as a potion ingredient."

Snape continued. "Master Barclay will come by 2-3 days a week, and on those days we will all three work together. Some of the work may be tedious for you in the beginning, since you will be preparing the background research and citations, but it will also be most helpful to you as you build a foundation moving forward."

"I understand," said Harry, thrilled that he was going to be a part of real potions work. Cutting edge, never been done before potions work.

"Now, then. Before you forget too much, we need to try and document as much as possible about what you felt when you took the potion, what you remember from your time de-aged, and how you felt waking up this morning after being re-aged. In addition, Master Barclay will put you through a battery of medical tests and diagnostic spells to check the healing in your hands and feet."

"Yes, sir."

"If you need a break, let us know, but otherwise we will work quickly but thoroughly until we get everything. Are you ready to begin?" Snape looked at Harry, hoping he wasn't pushing him too much.

"I'm ready."

"Very well, Master Barclay, I'll let you lead the assessment while I make notes."

Over the next several hours, Snape and Barclay put Harry through a battery of physical and psychological assessments. They ran spells, had him do agility exercises, strength exercises, and tested his hand-eye coordination. They would wait to test his wand work until the apprenticeship had been finalized, not wanting to jeopardize anyone tracing his magic before they could secure everything.

By dinner time, Harry was completely worn out, but both Potions Masters were thrilled with the data they'd collected. Not only did Harry appear to be back in full-health, but Snape had a suspicion that he had actually gained some abilities after his nerve regeneration.

It was subtle, and until he could test his magic, Snape couldn't be sure, but it seemed as though his reflexes were a bit quicker, his coordination more precise, and his strength well above what they expected for a boy whose muscles had been atrophying for several weeks.

Barclay stayed for dinner, after which he and Snape retired to the parlor for a nightcap while they discussed their research.

"You need to write thank you cards, Harry. You can do so at the kitchen table or in your room, whichever you prefer. But do not rush them." Snape paused and pointed his finger at him while he gave him a look.

"If your writing looks sloppy or there are any spelling errors, I will make you do them again. These people put a lot of time and energy into cooking us food, the least you can do is spend a few minutes to say thank you."

Harry looked disappointed but did not argue. "OK. But can't I sit in the parlor with you and Master Barclay to do it? I'll be quiet, I swear."

"No, you'll get distracted. Finish five cards—properly and with nice handwriting—and then you can join us for a few minutes. But don't forget, your reflection time will start at 8:00." He looked down at Harry with a stern face to make sure he extinguished any thoughts the boy had of arguing with him.

Harry's face flushed. He desperately wanted to protest but he had only narrowly escaped a harsh punishment from Snape today and he didn't want to push it. "Yes, sir. But, can I stand in the corner in my own room. Please? It's so embarrassing, I don't want to do it in front of Master Barclay."

Snape scoffed slightly. "The same Master Barclay who had to stay up brewing potions all night for you after you de-aged yourself? Who didn't get hardly three hours of sleep for 10 days straight? Are we talking about that Master Barclay?"

"Yes, sir." Harry hated when Snape made him feel so ridiculous.

"Well, seeing as your actions had a direct effect on him, I would think he might deserve to be a witness to your punishment. And it might humble you to reflect on your behavior while he is in the room, a nice reminder that what you do has an impact on others."

Snape was quite satisfied with his little speech. He wasn't planning to humiliate Harry, but he wanted to get it into the boy's thick skull that he does not exist in a vacuum, there are other people who care for him and who are directly affected by his poor decisions.

"Please, sir. Please?" Harry begged. "It's so embarrassing, please don't make me."

"Finish your letters, I'll think about it." Snape said, refusing to commit. He knew he would send Harry to his room, but he figured he'd let him squirm for a little while.

When Harry had finished the letters, he brought them into the parlor for Snape's approval.

Snape read through them and gave a nod. "You may sit with us for a few minutes."

Harry looked up at the clock, he only had fifteen minutes before he had to start his "reflection time," but he still happily settled into the couch to listen to Master Barclay and Snape discuss plankton.

At 8:00 on the dot, Snape looked up at Harry and gave him a small flick of his head before turning his attention to Master Barclay. "If you'll excuse us, Master Barclay, it's been a long day for Harry so I'm just going to get him settled in his room."

Harry felt a wave of relief that Snape had spared him the embarrassment of standing in the corner in the parlor. He stood up and walked to Master Barclay. "Thank you again for everything you've done to help me. Goodnight, Master Barclay."

Master Barclay stood up and put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Goodnight, Harry. I'm so glad you're feeling better. Get some rest and I will see you in a few days."

Snape put his hand on Harry's back as he guided him to his room.

"Thank you," Harry said quietly after Snape had shut the door.

"Choose your corner. Obviously I'm trusting you to have the self-discipline to remain in place even after I leave. I hope I don't need to resort to making threats for you to do the right thing."

"No, sir. I'll stay, I promise."

Ah, emotional blackmail. Snape's other specialty. He tended to prefer elaborate threats, but sometimes a bit of well-placed emotional manipulation could also work wonders.

Harry walked to the far corner, well away from the door. He absolutely hated the corner, but he still felt like he'd gotten away lightly so he wasn't going to complain.

"You will stand there for thirty minutes. I want you to spend this time reflecting on ways you are going to prevent yourself from acting so impulsively in future. I want you to reflect on how lucky you were, but how easily things could have gone badly."

Snape walked over and put a hand on Harry's shoulder and gave it a small squeeze. "I also want you to reflect on how loved you are by so many people, and how painful it would be for them if anything happened to you."

A few tears slid down Harry's face as Snape left the room.

Thirty minutes later, which felt like three hours to Harry, Snape came into the room to release him. He sat on the end of the bed and called Harry over to him. "Come here, Harry."

"Get ready for bed. You may read quietly or write in your journal, lights out at 9:00."

Harry surprised Snape by sitting on his lap and giving him a hug. "I'm sorry. I should have trusted you. I know you love me and I don't ever want you to suffer because of me." He buried his face into Snape's shoulder.

Snape rubbed his back for a few moments and enjoyed the cuddle. He still wasn't sure how much affection he should show the boy now that he was 12 again. He didn't want to smother him or make him feel like a baby. But the hug felt nice and he returned it without hesitation.

"You're not alone in the world anymore, Harry. I love you, Master Barclay loves you, your friends love you, Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall love you. Every single one of us would be devastated if anything happened to you. I can promise you, I don't have it in me to survive another tragedy of that magnitude, so don't you ever, ever do something that reckless again."

Harry nodded.

"Now, up you get. Brush your teeth, put on your pajamas and get ready for bed. I'll come back and say goodnight when it's time for lights out."

"Would you read to me? Just for a bit? I know I'm not little anymore, but I like it when you read to me."

Snape felt his heart flutter. He didn't want to baby Harry, he was sure the boy had had enough of that between being injured and being five, but he had grown to enjoy spending time at night reading to him and giving him a cuddle.

"Of course, Harry. Do you want to wear your regular pajamas, or shall I transfigure you a footed sleeper for old time's sake?"

Harry smirked. "Oh, are we making fun of each other's pajamas? Because now that I know you go to bed dressed like a Victorian house-elf in an oversized dishrag, I could keep the jokes going all night."

Snape just raised an eyebrow. "Careful, Mr. Potter. I'd hate for a terrible accident to befall your pajama drawer, lest you be forced to sleep in one of my old nightshirts for the rest of the month."

Author's Note:

Harry is back and as sassy as ever! I hope you enjoyed a bit of banter with your angst, lol. But now what? Harry still seems to want some affection, but he's having a harder time. Snape has no idea what to do. OH NO!

Do you think they will figure it out or will one of them get frustrated?

How do you think Snape handled Harry's punishment?

What do you think about Harry being healed? Do you think there's more to it?

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE comment and let me know! Your feedback keeps me writing!