Severus walked into The Three Broomsticks and grimaced. The noise from the students was overwhelming, but the alternative was the Hog's Head, which was hardly an alternative at all. His presence in Hogsmeade was meant to deter misbehavior, and he couldn't very well do that from a place students generally didn't go. Aside from this, Aberforth brewed terrible tea.
Rosmerta caught his eye as she bustled amongst the tables. Her gaze was questioning, and he gave a stiff nod, answering the unspoken question that he would indeed take his usual. There was no answer as to how, but the witch had a gift with tea that made it nearly addictive. Severus frowned when she gestured to his usual corner with an apologetic shrug. He looked to the darkest table within the tavern.
Potter was sitting at his table, staring morosely at his half-empty mug of butterbeer as he twisted it in his hands. With a sigh, Severus gracefully maneuvered across the pub, weaving in and out of the boisterous students populating every other table with hardly a glance. He sat down across from the Gryffindor without hesitation, and received no acknowledgment. If it weren't for a slight furrowing of the younger wizard's brow, he'd have thought Potter hadn't noticed him at all. Severus waited patiently for the young man to say something, but when Rosmerta appeared with his tea and Potter had still yet to even glance up, he realized nothing was forthcoming.
"Speak." Severus commanded.
Potter looked up at him with a suspicious glare. Severus fought the urge to snarl in response, reminding himself that he'd earned every invisible dagger being thrown across the table. They weren't friends, and this was an open forum, a situation where they were generally as disdainful as they had ever been toward one another. He had to concede that he would be just as suspicious of his motives, if in Potter's place. Instead of snarling to hide the slight hurt he felt at encountering distrust after he'd thought they'd moved beyond it, he forced himself to meet the emerald stare.
"What about?" Potter asked eventually.
"Whatever it is that is clearly bothering you," Severus answered. "Is it still your nightmares?"
Potter visibly hesitated. "No…" he admitted slowly. The Gryffindor sighed, frowning, and sipped from his butterbeer. "It's just…normal, run-of-the-mill teenage angst, I suppose. It-it's my friends."
"Explain," Severus said gently.
Potter sighed again, sitting up in his chair and leaning slightly forward as he stared at the table. "Alright. It's nothing serious, I guess. They just…I found out they're leaving for Christmas. And so is practically everyone else in Gryffindor. They want to spend the holiday with their families and it sort of feels like I'm being abandoned. Christmas is a difficult time for me. I don't have a family to share it with. I mean, I understand why they want to leave, it's the same reason I want them to stay, but knowing doesn't make it any easier. Especially since I feel like a third wheel now whenever we're together, ever since they started dating. I feel like I'm losing my friends, and most of Gryffindor is pissed at me because I quit the Quidditch team so I could focus on my classes. I…I feel like I don't have anyone."
"Your Head of House mentioned your departure from the team," Severus said. "I was surprised to hear of it, but I don't see why that should translate to, or affect, the rest of your House. Why shouldn't you be allowed to make your own choices in regards to your health and schooling?"
"Because we're teenagers," Potter said with a scoff. "They all expected me to bring home the Cup this year, especially since I graduate at the end of term. Last chance to steal a win from Slytherin before I'm gone. When I quit, the House basically decided I was betraying them and their hopes. Now it's me who feels betrayed, since hardly anyone is talking to me, and on top of that I'm being completely abandoned on Christmas. It's…it's kind of lonely being 'Harry Potter' right now."
Severus frowned and made a decision without any real conscious forethought. "It is fortunate, then, that you will not have time to linger on these feelings over the holiday." He said evenly. Potter looked up curiously. "I still have not decided on whether or not you are fit to enter my NEWT course, and planned to test you over the Break as soon as I learned of your staying." This was entirely a lie, but Severus felt he played it off well. In actuality, he had already petitioned the Headmaster to put Potter in the class in the second term and it had already been approved. Potter, however, would not know of this change to his timetable until after the holiday. Severus smirked a little maliciously to seal the lie. "Believe you me, Potter, you will not have time to feel lonely. You are to report to my classroom every day of the Break immediately following lunch. And I do mean every day."
Potter's mouth fell open and Severus watched with some small measure of sadistic pride as the younger wizard's throat worked angrily. No noise was forthcoming as yet, and he waited for the expected argument.