Disclaimer: See chapter 1

Chapter 10: Harry's Surprising Day

Harry spent the next few days trying to avoid Snape as much as possible. The only time he couldn't was at meals and lessons. Meals they both usually ignored each other. Lesson's Snape was even worse to deal with. Harry had a hard time trying to see Snape as an Uncle, let alone his father's twin. From what he knew of his father, they were totally opposite of each other. It was during one of these lessons that Harry was currently on the floor of. Snape was having him try it without his wand and Harry wasn't doing to well.

"Potter, you are not clearing your mind." Snape snapped at him.

"I'm trying, sir." Harry said while picking himself up slowly off the floor.

"Not hard enough. You should still be able to put up the block you had before. Or is that too much to expect from a Potter?" Snape said savagely.

"No, sir" Harry said through clenched teeth.

"Then I at least expect that much. Understood, Potter?" Snape said bitingly.

"Yes, sir" Harry said, willing himself to stay calm.

Harry had learned how to put up a small block. That was why Snape had him doing it without his wand now. It hadn't been much, and Snape could always get past it, but Snape had at least acknowledged the effort. Harry quickly tried to clear his mind, but there wasn't enough time.

Hermione laying in a bed in the infirmary, her face covered in black fur and sporting cat ears…100 Dementors closing in on him, Hermione and Sirius from across the lake…A great, black Dragon standing up and fiercely striking out at him.

"Potter!" Snape snarled angrily.

"I'm sorry, Professor. I'm trying." Harry said, standing up quickly.

"Don't just try, do it." Snape said angrily.

"Yes, sir!" Harry snapped back.

They both glared at each other in silence for a few minutes, neither one backing down. Snape took the opportunity to hit him with the spell while he had direct eye contact.

Harry and Neville were surrounded by Death Eaters…Tonks, Moody, Kingsley, Lupin, and Sirius fighting the Death Eaters …Dumbledore showing up…Sirius and Bellatrix dueling near the veil…Sirius falling through the curtain, still smiling with a shocked look…

No, you can't see that! Harry thought. He slowly forced the thoughts back, forced himself back to what was happening now. He was kneeling on the ground this time. It wasn't much of an improvement, but at least he wasn't lying flat out on the floor.

"Very good, Potter. A little late, but at least you're not flat out on the floor this time." Snape said smoothly. "Get up and get ready to go again, Potter."

"Please, Professor. Can't we stop? We've been at it for an hour already." Harry said softly, not really expecting him to agree.

"No, Potter. We'll stop when I say. Get ready." Snape said coldly.

Harry reluctantly stood up and got back in position. No sooner then he got up; Snape hit him with it again.

Dudley and his gang chasing Harry through the park… Dudley beating on him while his buddies hold Harry down… Being locked in the cupboard under the stairs without any food all day… Uncle Vernon yelling at him and calling him a freak…

Harry pushed all the thoughts out, trying to leave his mind blank. All of a sudden he was hit with images from Snape's childhood.

A 2 year-old James being hugged and kissed while a 2 year-old Severus gets pushed aside… Everyone eating Christmas dinner and Severus sitting alone eating leftovers… A 7 year-old James opening presents at Christmas while a 7 year-old Severus watches with tears in his eyes… Severus father standing over a cowering 5 year-old Severus, yelling and calling him worthless and a coward…

Harry found himself forcibly thrown out of Snape's mind. He landed hard on the floor, hitting his head. He looked up a little fearfully at Snape, waiting for him to start yelling. He was surprised to see Snape smiling a little, smiling for Snape anyway.

"Professor?" Harry said, sounding as confused as he felt.

"That was much better, Potter. Now you just have to learn not to go into the other person's mind. You need to focus on something you want me to see and try not to let me see anything except that. Let's go again." Snape said softly.

"Yes, sir." Harry said, standing up reluctantly.

They kept at it for what seemed like forever to Harry. Finally, after about another hour, Snape called a stop to it. Harry had been able to completely block Snape out once. Snape was even harder on him after that, refusing to except any less. Harry was tired and just wanted to go lay down. He followed Snape back upstairs. As soon as they got back to the study, Harry tried to go to his room, not wanting to talk to Snape about any of the memories or how he had felt. He just wanted to get away from him for awhile.

"Potter." Snape said, sounding as tired as Harry felt.

"Yes, sir?" Harry said quietly, not turning around.

"Are you going somewhere?" Snape said, and Harry could hear the sarcasm in his voice.

"Please, Professor, can't I skip it once?" Harry said, turning to look at Snape, knowing the answer but trying anyway.

"No, Potter, you can't. Do you honestly think I am going to let one day ruin what we have accomplished this far? Go sit down and get started." Snape said coldly.

Harry glared at Snape, then walked over to the desk and sat down. He sat there staring at the blank paper in front of him. Snape went and sat down across from him and started going through some papers.

"You aren't going anywhere until you are done. I suggest you get started." Snape said, not looking up from his work.

Harry grabbed the quill angrily and started to write. He hated having anyone knowing his feelings, let alone Snape. He didn't want him to know how scared and helpless he felt when he found out he was in a trap at the Department of Mystery's. Knowing he had to be strong for his friends. Had to give them hope when all he wanted to do was give up. Knowing it was his fault that Sirius had to come there because he had believed Voldemort and not Snape. He didn't want Snape to know any of that. As angry as he was he didn't even realize that he had writing down everything he had been thinking. He stopped writing and glanced up at Snape. Snape was still going over papers and taking notes, ignoring Harry. Harry sighed and went back to writing. He knew that Snape could care less about how he felt at any giving time. He was trying to teach him how to control his emotions, and insisted it was necessary to understand the reason he felt the way he did at the time. They hadn't really talked since Snape had told him he was his Uncle. This was the most they had seen each other. Harry still wasn't ready to accept that he was related to his "Greasy Git Potions Master" in any way. Finishing his writing, Harry set down his quill and looked at Snape. He wanted to ask him about the memories he had seen but wasn't sure if he should. Deciding he didn't have anything to lose, he decided to go for it.

"I'm finished, Professor." Harry said cautiously.

Snape held his hand out for the paper without even looking up. Harry handed it over and sat watching Snape. After a few minutes, Snape looked up, directly into Harry's eyes.

"Was there something else, Potter?" Snape said coldly.

"I..I was just w..wondering why you were treated so d..different from m..my f..father, sir" Harry stuttered over the words, not sure how Snape would react.

Snape got an amused look in his eyes and he smirked. Not exactly the reaction Harry had expected. It made him a little uneasy to see Snape amused by anything, let alone something that he had said.

"You, Potter, should know better then anyone how that is." Snape said quietly.

Snape stood up and walked around to the front of the desk and leaned back on the edge. He folded his arms across his chest and regarded Harry for awhile. Harry sat back in his chair as far as he could, trying to disappear into it. He really didn't know how to handle Snape in this mood.

"Why were you treated as you were, Potter? Why were you left out or forgotten?" Snape said softly.

"Because I was different. I wasn't… I'm not like the Dursley's. It frightened them, sir." Harry said softly, looking down at the floor.

Severus nodded his head and looked at the wall behind Harry.

"Most muggles are afraid of the unknown. So are most wizards and witches. My father was afraid of the known. I looked just like my Great- Grandfather Snape. He was a loyal follower of Grindelwald. He was his most trusted follower. Great- Grandfather Snape. Best known for almost single handedly killing off his own family. He had a very nasty temper. Anyone who disagreed with him was never heard from or seen again. He was what a dark wizard is really like. What my father was afraid I'd become." Severus said, lost in thought.

Harry looked up in surprise. He didn't know what to make of any of this. How could he be related to anyone like that? Then again, how could he be related to Snape? Severus looked back at Harry suddenly, catching his eyes. Harry flinched from the look of merriment in Snape's eyes. He decided a happy Snape was as bad as an angry Snape.

" Father thought that he could keep me down. If he treated me like nothing then I would become nothing. Of course, you and I know differently, don't we? It just pushes us to work harder. Imagine my surprise when I found out about Great- Grandfather Snape. I was even named for him. That was one of the happiest days of my life. Father and Mother were arguing, again. They always argued. Mostly about me. Mother was upset by the way that Father treated me. During that argument, Father said he didn't want another "Snape" incident, as he called it. Of course, Mother had to defend her Grandfather. As for me, I had to find out about my Mothers Grandfather. If he could scare Father without being around, and I reminded him of him, I had to know this man. I found out everything I could about him and started to be like him. That only made Father even meaner." Snape said fondly.

Severus walked back around to his chair and sat down. He pulled the papers he was working on earlier over and started to work on them again. Harry wasn't sure what to do. He decided to get away and try to figure out everything that Snape had said. He stood up and headed for the door.

"Potter." Snape said softly.

Harry stopped and turned back to him.

"Yes, sir?" Harry said.

"Not every thing is as it seems. Not all the stories about some people are true." Severus said, looking up at Harry. "You should know that better then most. It is up to you to decide what you believe. In our world, muggles are considered the freaks. Don't let what those muggles told you bring you down. You should work harder to prove them wrong."

"Yes, sir." Harry said, sounding confused.

Harry turned and went to the door. Severus went back to his papers. At the door, Harry turned back to Snape.

"Professor." Harry said softly.

Severus looked up at him but didn't say anything.

"Your not really that bad." Harry said quickly, then hurried out the door.

It was a good thing that Harry left quickly. If he hadn't he would of seen the look of shock on Severus's face. He had never had anyone say anything nice to him accept for Dumbledore, and actually mean it. He had definitely not expected it from a Potter.

"He's really not like James. He is more like Lily. You just have to look past who he looks like." Tina said matter of factly.

"Did you need something, Tina?" Severus said, not looking at her.

"You got a letter, Master Snape. I bring it to you. It is from the evil wizard, sir." Tina said, handing him an envelope.

"Thank you, Tina." Severus said, taking the letter.

Tina watched anxiously while Severus read the letter. After he finished reading it, Severus stood up and headed for the door. Tina followed him and watched as he opened the front door. Severus stopped in the door and turned to Tina.

"I'll be back late. Make sure that Potter stay's in his room. No matter what." Severus said, then turned and disappeared out into the night.

Tina watched until the door closed, then went up to check on Harry.

Harry was sitting on his bed thinking about what Snape had said. He had never had anyone tell him anything like that, and to have Snape say it meant more then if someone else had. To say that he was actually worth something was …weird to say the least. They did have more in common then he would of thought. If they were so much alike then why did Snape treat him so badly? You would think that he would understand him. Although they never knew that. Even now, when Snape knew how he was treated, he still treated him the same way. Just because he looked like his father. Harry decided that he was going to show Snape that he wasn't like his father. He went over to his desk and picked up the book that Hermione gave him and started to read it. He was determined to be able to block his mind by the end of the week. To show Snape that he wasn't the dunderhead that he thought him to be.

Tina smiled to herself. It was starting to work out. Now just to get Harry to see the real Severus Snape. Not the one that everyone else saw, but the one that he never let anyone see. The Severus that Tina knew.

Xoxoxoxo

I'm really; really sorry this took so long to get out. I was not satisfied with the way it was going. I kept deleting parts and redoing them. I'm still not satisfied with it. I don't like the way that Severus came out. It is information that is needed for the story, but I don't like the way that it is. I might have to redo it again. I'm really not satisfied with it. I hope it is okay. I'm working on the next chapter now. Ron and Hermione will be making an appearance soon. It just wouldn't be the same without them.

Thanx for the reviews. They are what keeps me going on this story. I never thought that anyone would like this story. I'm really happy you like it. (Does happy dance) Pleaze keep them coming. Thank you for the suggestions. I'll try to get them in somewhere.

I will have the next one out soon. I really am sorry this took so long.

Rhi