The new relationship between Harry and Snape is morbidity from the fact that the boy began to come to the professor's apartment a couple of times a week. Mostly a male boy with an interesting assignment, sometimes they played chess, and sometimes Potter took the Weasleys and Granger with him. The children found themselves insecurely next to the gloomy professor, but gradually such evening gatherings became something rather ordinary.

The trio continued to ignore Draco. Luckily, they didn't get caught very often. In large classes, they sat at different ends of the class, during breaks and during their free time, they simply avoided Malfoy and his gang.

"Good work, Harry. Tomorrow we'll be Slytherin's nose in the morning," Oliver looked so energetic, as if he hadn't been training all these three hours. What cannot be said about Harry, he is tired. Wood expected him to catch the next few Snitches.

"I doubt it," the boy sighed wearily. And waved his hands to his friends. Ron and Hermione were sitting on the empty podium, watching the practice, "Will you come with me today?"

"I don't know…" the young witch, but seeing the mood of her friend's expression, quickly changed her mind, "If you want."

"Hooray! Wait for me outside the dressing rooms. I quickly."

"Eh, I'm still uncomfortable around Snape," Ron threw his hands behind his head. The corridors of the dungeon, fortunately, were mostly empty and no curious students could listen to them.

"After you called him a bastard?"

"I didn't call him a bastard; I said he acted like a bastard."

"In any case, the relationship with him was risky," said Hermione, the boys according to our recommendations. There were no more silly nitpicks and caustic comments.

"Do you think he suspects us of stealing his supplies?"

"Hmm… I hope not."

The trio approached the Potions Master's private room and Harry quietly walked through the door. A few seconds later the door opened. The professor looked a little tired. Without his black robe, he didn't seem so scary and old. How did it happen with the ponytail.

"Good evening, professor."

"Mr. Potter, are you with your friends today? Come in," the man opened the door wider and let the trio inside. "Wiesel! I'd like some tea, please."

"Of course, sir. What tea does the young master want?" the elf turned to the children.

"Lemon, please."

"Just black please."

"Green for me, please."

"Of course." Wiesel returned a few minutes later with supplements and, of course, sophomore biscuits.

"Thank you," the trio thanked the elf, who bowed politely and disappeared.

"I need to finish the work, sit quietly until I finish. It probably won't be much time," the Gryffindors continued drinking, talking softly while Severus was at the other end of the office.

"Enough for today," he said as soon as Harry reached for a third cookie.

"But…"

"Hang up in a few hours. I would not want you to have insomnia due to high sugar," the man took the bowl of cookies away from the guys. Looking at the sad faces of the trio, he sighed softly, "I'm almost done. Go upstairs and bring one of the magic books," The children immediately perked up. There were several of these books in Harry's room. Their main feature was an unusual narration. If you open a book just like that, then the pages in it will be empty, but it is enough to pronounce the necessary words and amazing live pictures blur across the book.

Now, every time Harry came to meetings with Snape, he read these books to him. As it turns out, Severus is a very good storyteller when he isn't spitting poison at his listeners. The man was a very intelligent and well-read person. Potter was even beginning to enjoy those obligatory hours of visiting a caregiver.

"What shall we take?" the scarred boy asked, sorting through the books. There were so many interesting things.

"Stars? We haven't picked up this book yet," Ron suggested. Harry nodded and pulled a thick reference book from the shelf. Stars, comets, asteroids and other astronomical bodies shimmered on the dark blue cover. Periodically, the stars formed into constellations and began to move.

When the trio returned to the living room, Snape had finished his paperwork and was seated in a black chair across from the couch.

"Interesting choice," the man took the book from Potter's hands to get a better look at it, "Astrum," he muttered softly, placing the book in the middle of the table and opening it.

Constellations appeared on the page. They moved along the sheet, and then broke off and began to soar around the trinity, the word is alive. Severus began his story. The children listened spellbound, looking at the stars. Sometimes the guys asked questions and the man even answered them, without caustic comments.

Suddenly the clock struck nine in the evening. The teenagers jumped in surprise, they were so immersed in astronomy that they did not notice at all how quickly time had flown by.

"That's enough for today, after an hour the lights out, you should return to the living room," the professor suddenly closed the book and all the pictures disappeared in an instant, "Tomorrow is an important day for you, Mr. Potter. You should sleep. I don't think your captain will be happy if you fall asleep in the middle of a match."

Harry nodded. He was caught off guard by Snape's sudden comment.

"Good night, professor."

"Good night," the man looked after the trio. As soon as they rounded the corner, he sighed softly, "These kids are driving me crazy."

Severus couldn't deny that he had begun to sympathize with these terrible Gryffindors. And the boy looked too much like Lily. Those big green eyes...

The day started very well. Kidney pie, cup of coffee and chocolate chip cookies. Everyone in the Great Hall was talking about the upcoming match. Much to Harry's relief, Draco wasn't at breakfast. Oliver seemed particularly excited. He talked endlessly about the new strategy and the like.

"Shut up a little, Oliver. You still haven't touched your food," Percy remarked coldly. He was probably the only person who could cool Oliver's ardor a little.

"What an evil you are," the captain of the team muttered, but still took up the fork. A soft chuckle swept across the table.

It was the first time in a long time that Harry had seen Draco so close. But as soon as the boy looked into his eyes, he immediately looked away somewhere to the side. Potter did not attach much importance to this, he had suffered enough to start the game.

The match went remarkably well. Until the Bludger started hunting Harry. The twins tried to redirect him, but to no avail. Even Malfoy got in the way. They were both chasing the Snitch, but the ball wasn't far behind either. It seemed that if you slow down just a little bit, you would instantly go to the hospital wing, or even worse, to the next world.

Draco lost control of his speed and fell off his broomstick. And Potter continued to fly along with the Bludger, which demolished everything in its path. And just when the Snitch was close at hand, the ball crashed right into the boy's hand. Harry heard the hideous crunch of his own bones and the sharp pain. But continued. It was the only chance to win. He fell off his broom, but he caught the Snitch.

The students burst into applause. It was a Gryffindor victory. Just as the young man wanted to relax, the Bludger nearly blew his brains out. Luckily, Hermione got to Harry first and destroyed the ball.

"Thank you," the boy breathed softly.

"How are you?" Ron got down on one knee.

"Looks like the arm is broken."

"Let's take you to Mrs. Pomfrey."

"Don't worry, I'll fix everything," Lockhart materialized next to him.

"No need."

"Oh, dear boy doesn't know what he's talking about," Ron tried to stop the professor, but to no avail. As soon as the careless spell was cast, the hand immediately stopped hurting. But that didn't make it any better.

"What happened here, Mr. Lockhart?" a familiar cold voice sounded from behind Chrysostom.

"Professor," Harry sighed softly. Any teacher, even Snape, was better than Lockhart.

"Nothing…" Lockhart began, but Ron cut him off.

"Lockhart removed the bones from Harry's broken arm."

"Professor Lockhart, Mr. Weasley," Severus said sternly, "Come on, I'll take you to Madam Pomfrey."

"Good," the professor helped Harry to his feet, and in the fourth they walked towards the castle.

Until I forgot. Professor Lockhart, please never use spells on our students again. I hope this is clear? Cold politeness combined with a low dangerous voice created the desired effect. Ron smirked as the teacher's face paled to the color of the tablecloth in the Great Hall. All the same, the golden rooster was afraid of Snape like fire.

"Behave yourself, Mr. Weasley," as soon as the boy could not resist and showed his tongue to his pale professor, he immediately received a light cuff.

"I'm sorry, professor," said Ron without a shred of regret.

The hospital wing was quite busy. As always, after a Quidditch match. Draco was lying on the bed next to him, but as soon as the golden trio appeared in his field of vision, he immediately crawled out of the infirmary.

"I'll visit you later, Mr. Potter."

The Gryffindor team, Ron and Hermione crowded around Harry.

"Good work, Harry," Oliver complimented. He sat on the bed next to him while Percy helped him with bruises and abrasions.

"Here, Mr. Potter, this will help you with the bones. A hard night awaits you - bone growth tasted just disgusting."

They chatted nonchalantly for a while until Mrs. Pomfrey kicked everyone out except Ron and Hermione. When the sun was almost gone below the horizon, Snape arrived. By then, the Weasley and Granger had fallen asleep on either side of Potter's bunk. The boy would have gladly joined them, but the terrible pain in his arm did not help him sleep.

"I see your friends are a bit tired." Harry thought Snape was amused by the scene. "How are you feeling?"

"My arm hurts," the boy complained quietly.

"Here, have a drink," the man handed him a glass. The young magician looked at the professor warily. He's had enough of the Skele-Gro, "It's just warm milk with painkillers."

"Thank you, sir," Potter carefully took the glass and quickly drained it. The milk turned out to be very tasty, despite the slight aftertaste of an anesthetic potion.

"Mr. Potter," Harry looked blankly at the professor, "Good game," Snape's voice was cold as always, but even that made the boy smile for some reason.

"Even if we beat your Slytherins?"

"Don't be arrogant, Mr. Potter."

"Thank you sir."

"But your friends should go back to the Gryffindor tower, lights out soon."

"Can't they stay?" It was a selfish request, but Harry wished his friends were here.

"No, they need rest just like you. I know it's hard, but try to sleep." Snape gently pushed Hermione's shoulder. "Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley." The girl shuddered in surprise.

"Professor?" she asked sleepily.

"Break out soon. You need to get back to the tower." Granger nodded and tried to wake Ron up.

"Ron, let's go," the boy was, to put it mildly, not thrilled.

"Give me some more sleep, Hermione," he muttered softly into the folded arms he was using as a pillow.

"Mr. Weasley, you can continue sleeping as soon as you return to your tower. Preferably before lights out." Snape's cold tone quickly cheered Ron up.

"Good night, Harry."

"See you tomorrow, mate."

"Good night, Mr. Potter. I will see you in the morning."

Harry couldn't sleep. His hand ached terribly, as if he had washed the Dorsey's house a hundred and fifty times in a row without interruption. A sudden whisper made him jump.

"Hey."

"Dobby," Harry said irritably.

"Mr. Potter didn't listen. It's dangerous at Hogwarts; Dobby was trying to keep Mr. Potter from getting on the train."

"So it was you who bewitched the passage to the platform? You were the reason the Bludger almost blew my brains out?"

The elf began to stutter and say whatever came into his head. Also suddenly, he calmed down when quiet footsteps were heard in the corridor. And in a second it disappeared into a white haze. Potter collapsed onto the bed, pretending to be asleep. The door creaked softly.

"I told you," Hermione whispered.

"Ron? Hermione?" The boy stood up and looked around. The room was empty. Suddenly, two flying heads appeared out of thin air.

"I told you," Ron said contentedly, fully pulling off his invisibility cloak.

"What are you two doing here?"

"I thought you'd like some company tonight. Skele-Gro is such a nasty thing," Weasley shrugged, sitting down on the next bed.

"We wanted to come earlier. But Snape decided to take us all the way to the living room, then Percy had to wait until everyone went to bed," Hermione explained, sitting down next to him.

"And what happened to you? You look a little worried."

Harry told everything that had happened to him in the last fifteen minutes.

"It's all strange," Granger whispered.

"We need to figure out what's going on here as soon as possible. Before it's too late."

"Hermione, when will the potion be ready?"

"I need a little more time."

Another rustle outside the door made the trio jump. Someone was heading for the hospital wing very quickly. Ron and Hermione quickly threw on the invisibility cloak, and Harry jumped under the covers. The sudden movement grazed his broken arm and the boy nearly cried out in pain. But he restrained himself, buried in a pillow, simulating a dream.

From a quiet conversation, the trio learned that another attack had happened. This time it was Colin.

Someone stepped closer to Potter's bed. The young man suspected it was Snape. Weasley and Granger sat as still as statues. And without taking a single breath, afraid that they will be discovered. What a relief the young wizard experienced when the professor simply straightened the stretched blanket in a hurry.

When the adults had left, Hermione slipped out from under her robes and walked over to the damn boy's bed.

"What about him?" Ron asked nervously.

"He's petrified like Filch's cat. He'll be all right when Professor Stalk grows a mandrake."

"Who do you think is the heir of Slytherin?"

"Maybe Malfoy?" Harry suggested.

"This coward and slug? Do not make me laugh. He is bold in words."

"Then who? We don't have many options," the boy replied with slight annoyance.

"First you need to find out when the room was first opened. I'll dig through the archives, see if I can find anything."

"I hope the potion helps at least a little to clear things up."

All night they chatted about the heirs of Slytherin, about a terrible monster, about an elf that bothers Harry and not only. This greatly helped the scarred boy not to think about the most unpleasant burning sensation in his hand. One of the worst nights of Harry's life got a little better when his friends decided to visit him a little earlier, sacrificing their own sleep.