Chapter Sixteen
"Can I leave today?" Harry asked Madame Pomfrey the next morning. "I feel a lot better."
"I think you should stay here until you stop getting the pain spasms where the Whomping Willow hit you. Speaking of that, where did I put that bruise-healing paste?" Madame Pomfrey mused, starting to look around the Hospital Wing for the paste.
"No," Harry groaned. "Don't I have enough of that paste on me? My bruises are healed!" He hurriedly undid the buttons of his shirt to show the mediwitch his stomach. True to his words, most of the bruises had been healed.
"Oh, I don't know," Madame Pomfrey said. "Maybe another day to be on the safe side."
"Please?" Harry whined, folding his hands and bringing them up to his face. "Pretty, pretty please?"
"Oh, fine," Madame Pomfrey gave in. "But if you have any pains whatsoever, you're to come straight back, all right, Potter?" Harry smiled and nodded.
"Thank you!" He pulled the covers back and got up.
Leaving so soon? Slyther said, slithering up onto Harry's head. So. Are we going back to the gits chambers?
Harry snorted. "What happened to 'greasy human'?" He pushed the doors of the Hospital Wing back, never more happy to be out of that Hospital.
I don't know. I find 'git' more appealing, Slyther replied. But then, so does 'greasy git.' Harry smiled.
"Do you know what?"
No. What?
"I have the strangest feeling," Harry said as he came up to the entrance of Snape's quarters, "that I need to be somewhere."
Where? Like here? Slyther asked.
"Potter," Snape said briefly as Harry came into the kitchen. "Back so soon? I was hoping that you'd be in the Hospital Wing for at least another couple of hours." Harry gave Snape a look.
"Funny. What happened about the 'let's stop this nonsense' yesterday?"
I believe he said 'foolishness', Slyther informed Harry.
Harry rolled his eyes."I could care less."
"I think the snake's been rubbing off on you," Snape observed with a smirk.
"Are you going anywhere today?" Harry asked suddenly, sitting down in the kitchen chair and looking at Snape curiously.
"Not that I believe of. Why?" Snape asked suspiciously. Harry shrugged.
"I dunno. I think I need to be somewhere." Snape gave Harry a look.
"Where would that 'somewhere' be?" He asked. Harry sighed exasperatedly.
"If I knew where 'somewhere' was I wouldn't be asking you," he pointed out. He held his chin in his hand, finding it extremely boring without Remus. He had always had fun suggestions for what he and Harry could do.
No, he thought to himself. No thinking of Remus Lupin! He turned Sirius in... that can't ever be forgiven.
"We have to go to the Dursley's," Harry said out of the blue, even startling himself. He looked up at Snape in realization. "That's where I need to be. The Dursley's."
"Exactly why do you need to go there, Potter?" asked Snape.
Yeah, Slyther agreed, exactly why do you need to go there, Potter?
"I would appreciate it if you called me by my first name. Harry," Harry said, glaring at Snape. "And I'd try calling you, what? Sev? Sevvie?" He fought back a grin as Snape scowled.
"I'm not willing to go that chummy with you, Potter. You will be calling me Professor Snape, like you have been doing."
"And you will be calling me Harry, like you haven't been doing," Harry replied. "Now, if you can use your magic, can you please take me to the Dursley's now?" Harry got up from the chair and went over to Snape. He wasn't exactly sure why he needed to be at the Dursley's at this time. It was just… a feeling.
-
"We've been waiting here ten minutes," Snape said as he sat on the couch in the Dursley's living room. "Nothing. Why are we here, Potter?"
"Because," Harry said, nervously sitting in the kitchen chair. "I have a feeling that something's going to happen." Realization crossed his features as he looked at Snape. "If they come home, you can't be here! They'd start asking questions, and then I'd get in trouble for letting a 'stranger in the house'. You have to leave—" Harry jumped as the telephone rang. He just sat in the chair, staring at the phone dumbly as it rang over and over again.
"Well?" Snape demanded, looking at the phone. "Are you going to pick it up or not?" Harry nodded, suddenly out of his trance. He walked over to the phone and picked it up, putting it to his ear and listened.
"Hello?"
"Boy," Vernon's voice echoed through the phone. "What have I told you about not answering the phone?"
"Yes," Harry said slowly, "but it was you. Even if I didn't pick up the phone you'd still get mad at me."
"Don't talk back to me!" Vernon exclaimed. "After all Petunia and I have done for you—" Harry bit his lip and pulled the phone away from his ear, letting out a low groan. Vernon was going back into the 'after all we've done for you' speech. Slowly placing the telephone next to his ear again, he listened as Vernon finished. "You should be a little more grateful, boy."
"Sorry, Uncle Vernon," Harry said quietly. "I'll try to be more grateful."
Though Vernon still wasn't satisfied, he changed the subject. "Anyway, Petunia, Dudley and I have decided to extend our vacation." Harry couldn't believe his ears. Extend their vacation? For how long, exactly?
"Extend your vacation?" Harry repeated his thoughts. "For how long?"
"About four days," Vernon explained briefly. "So remember what I told you before. If anybody comes to the door, stay in the cupboard and do not answer it. If somebody calls, again, don't answer it."
"Yes, Uncle Vernon," Harry said, his mouth open a bit in awe. Four days? Four extra days he had to endure with Snape? "Have—have a nice vacation." Dazed, Harry put the phone back on the hook.
Well? Who was that? What's wrong? Slyther asked as Harry sat back down in the kitchen chair.
"They've extended their vacation," Harry explained. "Four more days. Four more extra days with…with…Snape."
"Professor," a surly Snape corrected. "And you don't see me having a joy party over here, either."
Ah, this'll just give you two more time to get along, Slyther said fondly. Some more affectionate bonding? Harry grimaced.
"This'll just give me more time to get yelled at," Harry muttered to himself. "By Snape." Snape raised his eyebrows before scowling.
"Professor Snape, Potter," he said. Harry scowled back, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Harry... Professor Snape."
Isn't this the beginning of a beautiful friendship? Slyther said, and Harry could hear him grin.
"No," Harry said briefly, "not really."
-
"I never knew there was an Owlery," Harry said to Slyther before he went to bed. The day had went in a blink of an eye, and it surprised him. "Ember's there now. You know, I should go there sometime."
Well, you can count me out, Slyther said. I'd rather watch Snape wash his hair. He doesn't ever, does he though?
"Stop picking on him," Harry defended with a tired yawn. "You try working on Potions practically all day. See what it does to your hair."
I don't have hair, Slyther reminded Harry.
"Pretend." Harry slipped under the green silk covers. This is what he was used to. The silk covers instead of the normal, cotton, white blankets.
I can't go to sleep, Slyther complained.
"Try," Harry said, becoming fed up with Slyther's tossing and turning. "I swear you were human by the way you toss and turn!"
I'm cold, Slyther said.
Harry sighed. "That's because you're cold-blooded!"
Oh, and so you're saying that you're 'warm'-blooded? Slyther said sarcastically.
"Yes!" Harry responded.
Well sorry Mr. I'm-warm-blooded-and-you're-not! Slyther responded.
"Why don't you go find something to eat?" Harry suggested.
I'm not hungry, Slyther replied. Harry sighed and pulled the covers up over him, and hoped that as the night grew on, Slyther would keep quiet. That was only wishful thinking, however.
Harry, came Slyther's voice after a while. Why haven't you even mourned over that human?
"I don't know what you're talking about," Harry said lightly.
Of course you do, Slyther said. You know, the human that wanted to skin me?
"Sirius didn't want to skin you," Harry said. "Stop talking about him and just go to sleep, okay?"
You haven't even spoken of him—
"Slyther," Harry interrupted angrily. "No more. Just go to sleep."
But I thought—
"Slyther! Just be quiet and go to sleep!"
Harry settled back into the bed, staring at the ceiling as Slyther remained quiet. Though Harry was certain that the snake wasn't asleep yet, he was amazed to find that Slyther could keep completely quiet without talking. He didn't think it was really possible.
-
A/N: I'm probably going to post six chapters today instead of three. Since I usually post three today (Saturday) and then another three on Sunday, I'm going to be unable to post the chapters on Sunday so thought I'd do it all today. Thanks.