Harry Potter had finished flouncing quite rapidly. He'd really only needed to get away from Malfoy, and the alcove. Put a bit of distance in - up some stairs, turn a corner, and then he found a different niche, sliding in as if he wasn't about to start shaking.

Dealing with Snape was far harder than dealing with Malfoy. Gryffindor Gold certainly made Malfoy flinch. He wasn't used to people demanding things from him, and if there was any blowback, well, Harry Potter had a Name. Lucius Malfoy did as well, but Harry rather figured his own was a bit bigger. It might be time to see if that would pay off.

Still, today was for hunting information.

And he had one other source other than Snape (who he really ought to at least have considered first thing. Malfoy wouldn't have noticed any odd guests...)

Standing, quieting his breathing, he strode quickly up towards Gryffindor Tower. The twins were working on something complicated, but that didn't matter.

They admired style, so he was going to give them a taste.

He did a backflip onto the couch between them, a simple devourer spell* catching the charm they were tossing between each other.

"Who's after me?" Harry Potter demanded.

"Plenty of people, really."

"Specificity is, this once, a virtue."

"Who wants me dead?" Harry demanded more forcefully.

"Couldn't tell you. Wasn't us, not our style." The twins said in their funny singsong voice.

Harry rolled his eyes at the last. "Anyone caught? Anyone questioned?"

"Nothing and no one." the twins responded.

"Bugger me," Harry swore - hearing Hermione audibly wince at it. I hadn't even realized she'd followed me over.

"If they won't follow proper procedures -" Harry asked, as plaintive as windswept gravel, "Am I supposed to go through this every week? Without complaint?"

The twins shrugged, "Ask Dumbledore. Nothing happens around here without his say so."

It was wise advice, sure.

But Harry wanted answers.

He rolled out of the couch into a somersault, straightening into a standing position. Acrobatics were dead useful.

Harry needed a gameplan - several, actually. He got a broom.

Flying gave him peace of mind, and no one questioned him spending hours in the sky. Hardly anyone seemed to notice, although occasionally he'd see Granger sitting and waiting for him by the end. She claimed his aerial dancing aided in her studying. It certainly aided in his.

Penitent, if he could pull it off, quiet and everything otherwise. No need to antagonize, he wanted real answers, not pretty little lies. And give a Slytherin half a chance, and he'd certainly spin something. To keep Harry Potter out of trouble, if nothing else.

Gryffindors charged forward. Slytherins knew the guylines, and how to tack into the teeth of the wind. Harry'd stop this murderer cleanly, if possible. Unfortunately, the cleanest way should have already worked. Question outsiders, take them to task, dose them with truth serum, and give them a trial and a jail sentence.

That this hadn't happened was troubling.

Snape's office hours started in thirty minutes. Time enough for a shower. He'd have an hour.

Harry Potter arrived, hair still dripping, and knocked on Severus Snape, Potion Master of Hogwarts', office door.

"Enter." Snape's lazy drawl said.

Harry Potter did, closing the door quietly behind him as was his wont (when he wasn't pretending to be a Gryffindor.)

"You are the first student in five years to use my office hours, and the first Gryffindor in my recollection - which is quite sharp, I assure you." Snape said, his velvety voice rolling out like fifty shades of oblivion. "What do you want?"

"Answers, sir. Since you apparently have this time reserved for students, it seemed a good time to ask."

Snape's eyes glittered at him, as he set down his quill, not before writing something particularly vicious in the margins of that third year potions paper. "Then ask."

"Who is trying to kill me, sir?" Harry said, his green eyes solid.

"I can assure you I do not know." Snape said, "But I do find it curious that you would ask me, rather than your own head of house."

"As far as I've been able to determine, there has been no criminal investigation. Have I been misinformed?" Harry asked pointedly.

"No," Snape said, the word forbidding in its abruptness

"Then that suggests any knowledge would come from those... more willing to tred softly near the grey edges of the law, rather than those who see in strictly black and white."

"Are you trying to call me morally questionable, Potter?" Snape's eyes flashed, his humor wickedly barbed.

"No, sir." Harry said, bending the conversation back to where he wanted it, "Can you tell me why there's not been any sort of formal investigation?"

"The matter is jurisdictional, in the main." Snape drawled, "The Headmaster wishes to avoid Ministry interference in Hogwarts."

Well, now there was a screw that could be turned, Harry thought.

"Without ministry interference, what are the chances that my would-be murderer would be found before another attempt?"

"Vanishingly small. As would be the case with ministry interference."

Potter nodded, turning to go.

"Potter-" Snape said, and Harry Potter halted, turning back. "You are a first year; do not, under any circumstances, confront anyone you think might want to murder you."

Harry Potter was nearly shocked - that almost sounded like concern coming from Snape. "I won't betray your trust, sir."

*shields deflect, devourers eat.

[a/n: Oh, ye of little faith in human stupidity.

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Snape's significantly more likely to be forthcoming when he wants to rant, even if he's keeping the rant well banked.]