A/N: My story, my rules. Trolls will be ignored. Move onto the next chapter if you wish, you won't lose any plot.

Severus sat morosely in Dumbledore's study. It was Saturday. Minerva and Bill Weasley had joined them.

"I don't want to do it, Albus," said Snape, dully. "I have never punished a student for something they didn't do."

"I don't think we've got a choice, Severus. We've been investigating this since the day Harry was cursed."

"It's cruel," growled Snape. "When I find out who did it they will wish they'd never heard of the tournament."

"Severus is right," said Minerva. "Albus, there has to be a way round this."

"I'm sorry, I couldn't break the curse," said Bill. He was upset. He'd been unsuccessful in the past. There had been a curse where someone had died. But in a weird way this was more personal. Bill hadn't met Harry, but his family had talked enough that he felt he had.

"We all know dark curses are hard to break," said Albus gently, "Some take years to break. Unfortunately, this one didn't give us years."

"They rarely do when they relate to people," said Bill, "They're often used as blackmail and extortion. In a way you're lucky the outcome isn't, well, worse."

"Worse, Mr Weasley?" asked Minerva in tones that made Bill grateful he was no longer a student.

"Well, objectively, no-one has died. Look, I know that's callous, but it's true. That's not always the case with a curse. And the solution doesn't turn anyone into a squib, maim or disfigure them. Look, I know this is horrible, but knowing what I know, it could be a lot worse."

"And that's going to help you sleep better tonight, is it?" asked Severus, icily.

"No, sir," replied Bill, guiltily.

"And you are sure the goblins aren't able to help more?" asked Minerva, "The goblin nation has some of the best curse breakers."

"They lent you me. That's their offer. Their official response is that it's a wizard competition with wizard rules. We chose to reinstate it. It's our fault, we're on our own. Unofficially they sent me."

"A political response if there was one," snapped Severus.

"The curse is in Harry's blood. There's nothing else to be done. Our time is up. I am truly sorry I couldn't break it."

"Someone with knowledge of the egg set that curse, Albus. Someone who knows what the task is," said Minerva, "I know we've been here with this conversation before, but it's imperative we closely monitor Harry between now and the task, to make sure they don't do something like it again."

"I do genuinely believe," said Dumbledore, "That if Harry does further research even, it will be harmless to him. Whoever it is will see him working towards the task. The problem is the fact that someone wants him down in Black Lake, or at least still in the contest and then something will happen in the third task. We looked at Harry's egg every which way, including checking it with the Merpeople."

"It's a shame so many people could have got to it," said Bill.

"There are a surprising number of people with knowledge of it," said Dumbledore, "Bagman's whole department, us the host staff, Karkaroff, Maxime, a decent number of Ministry personnel, at least a few St. Mungo's staff as part of the safety committee. While it is not beyond the realms of possibility for the people I just mentioned themselves to do this, it's more than likely someone has mentioned the task 'in confidence' to the wrong person. We never found out when the egg was cursed. It could have been anytime, including before Harry threw it in his trunk. It was obvious from early on Harry wasn't seriously competing, even before he was given his egg. And while the parchment refers to Harry's actions in the first task, there have been any number of visitors to the castle that wards haven't flagged. The wards keep dark creatures out, not ill-intentioned people."

"So there's nothing to be done?" asked Severus.

"There is unfortunately one simple thing to be done," said Albus. "Carry out the curse's penalty."

"Bastards!" snarled Severus. "I don't want to do it."

"Severus, you know the curse creator did this just to spite us all. It's going to hurt, but it won't kill him. We've probably doled out worse at some point, at least, I hope this punishment isn't too harsh, with curses you never know. You are also aware this was designed to hurt us to carry it out as much as to hurt him, don't you?"

"Do you know what the worst thing is?" asked Severus.

Albus looked at him.

"If you'd told me to do it at the beginning of the year I'd have said 'Pass the ruler' with no guilt whatsoever."

"And that, Severus, is why I'm choosing you to do it," said Albus heavily.

Severus nodded. A fitting penalty for not caring.

"Harry, take a seat," said Dumbledore. Minerva had returned to her office and Bill had flooed to the Burrow. The whole of the Weasley clan was at home between Christmas and New Year. Ron and the twins had gone home after the ball.

Harry looked nervous. Mainly because Dumbledore and Snape looked serious. Dumbledore picked up a parchment from his desk.

"Harry, this is the parchment produced by the curse on your egg. It is perfectly safe to handle," said Dumbledore.

Harry was confused. He'd solved the problem. He'd lifted the curse. No-one would die.

Dumbledore passed Harry the parchment, "Touching it will not harm you."

Harry took it. He read the words.

Audacity - smart wo4ds.

Secret - found it, moron.

Negate my purpose - what is this - a bleeding Bond film?! Tit.

Temerity - fancy word, dickhead.

I liked my pineapple, that was the only fun part!

Ah. Fuck.

Harry stared at the parchment without really seeing it after that. There was silence. Harry knew neither of his professors thought he read that slowly.

"It's the 2nd of January on Monday," said Harry absently.

"We got one of the world's best curse breakers in, Harry, I'm sorry. He was unsuccessful," said Dumbledore.

"You're not waiting til Monday, are you?" asked Harry perceptively.

"The castle is quiet tonight. The Hogwarts Express arrives tomorrow," said Dumbledore quietly.

There was silence again. Harry couldn't think straight. He hadn't got to the angry stage. He was at the upset stage. He could feel tears welling up behind his eyes. He blinked them away. Not here. Not now. Gryffindor.

"Who?"

"Me," said Snape quietly.

There was a longer silence.

"I'd rather a geriatric with arthritis."

"Come, Gryffindor!" said Snape, gently hauling Harry out of his chair by his collar and taking him to the floo.

Harry slipped into a seat in Snape's office.

"Mr Potter," said Severus, heavily.

"Your combined brains couldn't solve this one?" asked Harry, accusingly.

Severus shook his head. "I'm sorry."

"You said at the beginning that Death Eaters wanted me dead. They want me to compete. They're forcing me to compete. And penalising me when I don't."

"Thank you for listening."

"It was a memorable moment, being told Death Eaters are out to kill me," snarked Harry, knowing he'd get away with saying anything right now.

"And the curse prescribed punishment because we had the 'temerity'," spat Snape, "To try to avoid their game."

Harry nodded.

"Tell me when you're ready. I have placed a silencing charm on this room."

"I'm going to sit here and sulk for a bit, thanks," snapped Harry.

"Thought you might."

"You and Dumbledore said I shouldn't make an effort with my egg. You should be getting it, not me."

"Professor Dumbledore, Mr Potter," replied Snape, not refuting the boy's point.

Snape sat down behind his desk, picked up a coin from the corner of his desk and ran it back and forth between his fingers. It was something he did to relax, usually after some dunderhead had tried to blow up his lab.

"Warm ups?" asked Harry cattily.

"You'd have suited Slytherin, Mr Potter."

Harry barked a brief, quiet laugh devoid of humour. He went back to staring at the knee on his jeans and picking off imaginary bits of fluff. Minutes went by.

"Do you want to get this over with?" asked Severus gently. Harry could hear the softness in Snape's voice. That scared him.

"It's gonna hurt, isn't it?"

"Hopefully not much more than last time. Telling me where to get off is up there on the list of things not to do. You can swear at me as much as you like this time, if that makes you feel better. Consider it a one time offer."

"I'll bear that in mind."

"Do you remember the pins and needles sensation when you solved the egg puzzle? When you feel it again, that's the curse's punishment completed."

"How many?"

"No idea. The wording didn't say. It said you must be punished for your 'rudeness'." Harry heard the harmonics of hatred in Snape's voice for the curse caster. "Perhaps a dozen, perhaps a few more. Not much more. That's no longer a punishment, that's a beating."

"Ready?" asked Severus, hesitantly.

"You've asked that already. I have no choice do I? said Harry. "Sir?"

"Yes?" said Snape, moving to stand behind Harry's left as the boy bent over the desk.

"Thank you for not being an utter bastard about this."

The first stripe landed. Harry yelped.

"I don't remember it smarting quite that much!" snarled Harry.

"You must have blanked it from your mind," replied Snape, knowing he was using more force this time. He'd talked with Albus and they'd agreed there was no way the curse was going to let the boy off lightly. "No sensation?"

"Not unless you mean the burning sensation in my arse, no," snarked Harry.

The ruler cracked again. Harry breathed.

"You will remember to tell me, won't you?" asked Snape dryly.

"No, I'll forget and let you mince meat my bum," retorted Harry.

Again.

"Any chance of a pain reliever about now?"

"Do you see me offering refreshments, Mr Potter?"

This time Harry rose off the desk. "There's no way it was this bad last time, I'd remember. Please stop, I can't do this," he said.

"Do you feel the curse lift?"

Harry shook his head.

"Back down then, Gryffindor," said Snape, waiting. Harry took a breath and got back down.

The ruler met its target.

"How many was that?" asked Harry.

"Some. It's a number bigger than one but less than infinity."

"Tosser," growled Harry. He didn't see Snape's smirk at his response.

Another line of fire erupted across his behind.

Still no pins and needles.

"Can I have a break? A really long break"

"Til the end of the year?"

"I was hoping for the decade," Harry managed with a wince.

"Nope."

Harry yelped and stood up, tears beginning to roll down his face.

"I can't."

"Unfortunately for us both, you have to else someone dies."

"I can't do this any more," cried Harry, not looking at Snape, "I thought I could, but I can't. I haven't done anything wrong. Last time at least I told you where to go, and was actually deserving of it."

"If it helps you could think of the remainder as a suitable punishment for calling me a tosser just now," replied Snape.

"Fuck you, this isn't funny any more," Harry snapped, meaning it.

Snape was physically twice the weight of Harry and at least twice as strong. Harry wasn't expecting Snape to simply put a hand between his shoulder blades and push him back to the desk. The stripe had been delivered before Harry could process what was happening.

"Please, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that," Harry cried.

"I told you," said Snape softly, "You can swear at me as much as you like. I'm not offended. I am simply breaking the curse. Yet?"

Harry shook his head miserably.

The ruler landed again. Harry tried to get up. He didn't budge Snape's hand an inch. Still no sense of pins and needles.

And again.

Harry lashed out with his foot and caught Snape in the ankle. Harry heard a grunt. He belatedly realised that was a really stupid thing to have done.

"I shouldn't have done that, should I?" managed Harry, blinking a tear onto the desk.

"Perhaps I should do the next one properly instead of the love taps I've been giving up to now."

"Sorry."

Snape striped his bum no harder than before.

"Not as sorry as I am," replied Snape, feeling Harry squirm under his hand.

Snape had kept count. The next one was an even dozen. He'd define that as a harsh punishment, he hadn't gone easy on the boy. He prayed the curse did too.

He put another line of fire across Harry's rear.

"Stop!" shouted Harry.

"If you're pretending…" threatened Severus, not letting the boy up yet.

"No, no, I'm not. I felt it through my body."

"I want to be quite clear, if you stop early, we might have to start again," warned Snape. He couldn't bring himself to do that. Albus would be doing it.

"Promise."

Snape let go of Harry's back. Harry didn't get up. At some point he'd crossed his arms and now he'd buried his head in them. The boy breathed raggedly. Severus transfigured the ruler into a quill and pocketed it. He'd made sure the boy hadn't seen it in the first place. He took hold of Harry's shoulders and gently lifted him off the desk. He rarely hugged his Slytherins, most of them weren't huggers. But the few that were were limpets. Harry buried his head in Snape's shoulder and cried.

Time passed. Harry's tears subsided. Severus conjured a handkerchief and gave it to Harry.

"You realise the chances of the curse allowing a healing balm are probably slim, don't you?" asked Snape.

Harry nodded.

"Even if you wanted to attempt it, Mr Potter, I don't."

Harry nodded.

"You're nodding to piss me off, aren't you?"

Harry nodded.

"Brat. Do you want to avoid the dorm tonight? I know there are a couple of people in your house still here. I can have Poppy give you a bed in the infirmary. You can floo there. Less steps."

"Yes, please," said Harry gratefully.

Snape escorted Harry to the infirmary. Poppy knew what was going on. She gave Severus a harsh look when Harry tried not to wince.

Severus waved his wand at the bed. "Extra soft."

"Thanks."

"If you feel like eating, ask Madam Pomfrey to summon an elf. You may ask them for absolutely anything you like. You are excused from any event tomorrow if you wish, meals, greeting the returnees etc, and if you don't wish to go to classes on Monday you are excused from those too. I am truly sorry, Mr Potter."

"I know you are," said Harry, "You had no choice. I'm only partially sorry I kicked you in the ankle."

Albus looked up when the door to his office opened. Severus looked wrecked. Similar to the two times he'd returned from Death Eater meetings after suffering the Cruciatus, but not quite as bad as the evening he joined Voldemort's inner circle.

"How is he?"

"Medium."

"How are you?"

"Awful."

Albus studied Severus. Everyone has their own way of dealing with guilt. Severus was quite direct about his methods.

Albus passed Severus a whiskey. It barely touched the sides.

"What did it take?"

"A dozen. I've never handed out a harsher punishment."

Dumbledore winced. "Expected."

"You've been Headmaster for years, Albus. What's the worst punishment you've handed out?"

"I strapped a student once. Half a dozen."

"Ouch. What did they do?"

"He played a practical joke as he termed it. If it had worked as intended another student would have died."

Severus' head shot up. "I never knew."

"Yes, that incident. It was deserved. Unlike Mr Potter."

"It was horrible, Albus."

"I'm glad. I'd be concerned otherwise, Severus."

"I've done some damn distasteful things in my life, Albus, but that's up there, which is odd, considering some of the fucking awful things I've had to do."

"You aren't in a forgiving mood, are you?"

"Not especially."

"I know you, Severus," said Albus, "You're not going to take this well, are you?"

"Not in the slightest, no. If you'll excuse me for the night, I'm going to go get blind drunk in my quarters."

Severus flooed back to his office. He visited his house common room, spoke briefly to the half dozen students there, went back to his office, flooed Poppy, found out Harry had thankfully fallen asleep and then he retired to his quarters for the night.

He poured himself a firewhiskey, it wasn't going to ease his guilt but at least blind drunk wouldn't hurt so much. He knew he shouldn't, it was irresponsible, but there were few students in the castle and the chance of him being needed this evening was miniscule.

There was a knock on the door ten minutes later.

"Who is it?" he asked without moving.

"Let me in or I'll break your door down," said Minerva amiably.

Severus used his wand to open the door.

Minerva took one look at the man. "Oh, it's like that, is it?" She took his firewhiskey out of his hand.

"Hey!"

"If you're going to drink, do it properly. Not alone and something decent." Minerva produced an expensive bottle of single malt from her robes. Severus summoned two glasses.

"We will win the war, Severus," she said, "Just not every battle." They both drank to that.

Neither of them got too drunk that evening, but Minerva did listen to Severus' litany of guilt. There was nothing to relieve that. The man had a very unfortunate past. After an hour Minerva swapped over to water.

"I deserve the hangover," said Severus.

"Drink this," she said passing him a glass, "The physical pain won't make the guilt go away and you know it."

"I deserve it."

"No, you don't. You were saving someone from dying. And if you're not talking about just this instance, Albus and I know you. He's allowing you to get totally wasted for the evening. I'm telling you what you need to hear. Your guilt won't go away with a drink. It might have done when you were younger, but it doesn't anymore. Don't make the same mistakes twice and learn to forgive yourself."

"I can't, Minerva."

"Time, Severus. And if you're still feeling guilty tomorrow, the rest of the dunderheads are arriving back tomorrow. You can take platform duty."

Severus gave a hollow chuckle and drank the water, too late to realise she'd laced it with sleeping draught.

A/N: This was here for Harry to realise there is a shoulder he can cry on, and for Severus to realise he truly likes Harry as much as, if not more than, his house. I don't plan on another scene like this in the story. We established at the beginning, Snape doesn't mentor with a ruler.