A/N: Wow, 106 reviews! Thank you so much, everyone! I never get so many reviews for anything, this is a huge deal for me. Here's a nice long chapter with a hint of Harry angst for you. Enjoy!

6. Veritaserum

Harry breathed heavily as Snape looked him up and down with disdain. The rest of the class, still lining the corridor, glanced nervously between Snape in the doorway and Harry on the floor.

"What did you say, Mr. Potter?" Snape's voice was barely above a whisper.

Harry picked himself off the floor, ignoring the screaming bruises and aches all over his body from being whacked in the legs and thrown to the ground once every twelve—and now, more terrifyingly, every two hours. Why did it only take two hours that time? Why wasn't it in Snape's office? Was the time just going to shrink and shrink until he was stuck reliving the same second over and over again, or stuck in a single moment, still and helpless? Frozen in time, going mad until he died of starvation?

"Professor, you have to help me!" Harry said, somewhat wildly.

"You will cease this behavior immediately, Potter!" Snape hissed.

"Please!" Harry begged. "I need you to help me! I've been going back in time, it's like I'm stuck, and it's happening faster now! I think it's going to happen again in two hours!"

The Slytherins snickered, while the Gryffindors made shushing noises and looked concerned for Harry's sanity. Ron was pulling on his sleeve and treading on his foot, while Hermione only stared at him while she helped Neville stand.

"Fifty points from Gryffindor for this grotesque display of insanity," Snape said coldly.

"I'm not insane!" Harry insisted, his eyes wide and his glasses askew.

"Class is now three minutes late," Snape said, ignoring Harry's last while addressing the whole class. "Enter and take your seats. Potter, stay out here with me a moment."

Hermione continued to stare at him until she was clear of the doorway, while Ron made an apologetic face and shuffled into the dungeon classroom with the rest. Snape stared lividly at Harry until the whole class was inside the room, then slammed the door shut.

"Whatever your game is today, Golden Boy, I'm not playing it," Snape snapped, spitting in Harry's face as he stepped closer. "I do not care if all the stress of your life has caused you to become unhinged; you will behave like a normal human being!"

"I'm not playing any games," Harry growled through his teeth. "Sir, I'm serious, this has actually happened to me four or five times now, and I've gone to Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore and they couldn't help me, you're the one who seems to know something about it, so I really need—"

"Detention, Potter!" Snape barked.

"Stop giving me detention!" Harry roared.

"One hundred points from Gryffindor!" Snape said vindictively.

"Just use Legilimency on me!" Harry shouted. "I'm not lying!"

"Silence!" Snape said. "I will not tolerate this!"

"I don't care!" Harry screamed. "Just do it!"

"Silencio!"

Harry didn't even see Snape's wand leave his pocket. He whipped his own wand out too late; it left his hand with a quick "Expelliarmus." Mute and wandless, he was helpless to resist as Snape roughly grasped the back of his robes and shoved him into his office.

"Long have I awaited this moment," Snape breathed, pushing Harry into a wooden chair and conjuring ropes to hold him in place. Harry squirmed, shouting soundlessly in Snape's direction. "The occasion during which you give me the perfect excuse..."

Harry's fears were confirmed when Snape took a small, clear vial of liquid from a shelf. "I believe I have introduced this to you before."

Harry stared at the vial. Snape put it down on his desk, along with Harry's wand. "I will let you ponder the possibilities while I attend to my class."

And Snape left him alone, staring at the dusty desk, the vial, and his wand. Harry couldn't believe the fix he was in now. He didn't have time for this, he needed help right away.

Harry pulled against his bonds, but he couldn't worm his hands or feet free. He looked down at himself; Snape had nearly mummified him in rope. He tried instead to scoot forward by undulating his whole body against the ropes. He merely crashed over onto the stone floor after a few inches of progress.

Momentarily thankful that the Silencing Charm had been put on him, as no one had heard his cry of pain, he continued squirming toward the desk. He was two meters away….he found that by swinging his legs, he could sort of get more momentum that way…still about two meters away….

"I don't want to know what you're doing, Potter," Snape's amused voice floated in from somewhere above. Harry grimaced. "But let us see where we stand. Finite Incantatem."

Harry cleared his throat; his voice was back but slightly muffled, as his cheek was pressed against the cold stones. "Professor, please, I'm not lying to you. This is really happening, and it's happening faster now."

Harry felt himself being levitated upright, and the chair fell to the ground with a clatter. He dazedly met Snape's eyes.

"Time to find out what you're playing at," Snape said, waving the clear vial in front of his face.

"Professor, please, no…"

Snape unscrewed the cap and pinched Harry's nose, forcing his head back and his mouth open. To Harry's horror, he felt and tasted the liquid go into his mouth. The angry professor violently released his head, and Harry coughed, trying to spit it out.

"There we go, Potter," Snape said, a hand on each arm of the chair to which he was bound, leaning over him dangerously. "Drink up."

"You're insane!" Harry spat. "You can't just do this to students!"

"I can if I have reason to believe if the student may be under an outside influence," Snape said silkily. "And you have given me such a belief."

Harry felt a strange nonchalance fall over him, like when he was under the Imperious Curse. It occurred to him, dimly, that if he could fight off the Imperious Curse, he might be able to fight Veritaserum.

"What is your name?" Snape asked, his breath making Harry cringe.

"Harry James Potter," Harry replied.

"Who stole the gillyweed from my stores last year?" Snape asked.

"Dobby the house elf," Harry said. No, he thought to himself. Why did he say that? Maybe he couldn't fight this, after all.

Snape stood upright, looking victorious. Surely Snape hadn't been waiting a whole year to put him under Veritaserum to ask him that?

"Are you under the influence of the Dark Lord or any other entities at this time?"

"No," Harry said. Snape frowned.

"Have you genuinely been..." Snape paused. "Going back in time?"

"Yes," Harry confirmed.

"And you are not, to the best of your knowledge, insane?"

"I am not insane," Harry said.

Snape sighed. "Tell me more."

Harry did so, telling Snape his story from the beginning. It took quite a few minutes, during which Snape towered above him, arms crossed, absorbing all. Harry was cut off as an explosion sounded from the classroom, followed by several shrieks.

"Stay here," Snape told him before he left the room.

Harry stared after him blankly. He felt like his mind was slow, like he knew he could think faster but right now he couldn't. He wondered if it was the Veritaserum. Was that potion supposed to make him dizzy like this? How did that make people tell the truth?

Harry twisted his arm within his restraints, which Snape had lessened slightly, to look at his watch. It was almost three. He felt that was an important time for some reason. Was it? And what was the explosion?

A cauldron, Harry thought to himself. Yes, Neville's cauldron exploded.

And he was supposed to go back in time again in just a few minutes.

"Professor!" Harry yelled from his chair. "Professor Snape!"

Snape entered his office looking more angry than usual. "What is it, Potter?"

"I'm supposed to go back in time again in just a few minutes," Harry explained frantically.

Snape scowled. "So what do you expect from me?"

"Can you stay with me?" Harry asked.

Harry blushed furiously, wishing more than anything that he could take those words back. This was Professor Snape. The hatred between himself and his teacher was deep and mutual. And now, on Veritaserum, with a light head full of fear, he was acting like a child.

He looked up at Snape with wide and wary eyes, awaiting the scathing remark that was sure to come.

"I'm not sure what the point of that would be, if you will merely go back in time and have to repeat the last two hours again. My presence will have no effect," Snape said.

Harry blinked. That was decidedly less scathing than he had been expecting.

"However," Snape said, his voice dripping fake concern, "I will stay with you, if only to berate you afterward when you do not loop back into the past."

"Thank you, Professor," Harry said.

Snape sat down at his desk and sniffed. "I think you're even more irritating when you're on a Truth Potion."

"That's probably right," Harry said, unable to stop the words coming out of his mouth. "I lie to you a lot."

Snape only cocked an eyebrow, rather than making Harry divulge all his secrets to him, which Harry thought was rather considerate.

One, then two minutes passed. Then five. Harry braced himself, getting ready to be thrown to the floor by a book bag once again. After ten minutes, when nothing happened, Harry was very confused.

"It was supposed to happen by now," Harry said. "This is about when it happened last time. I was in Dumbledore's office."

"Do you think that whatever has happened to you has been broken?" Snape asked.

"I don't know," Harry said.

Snape regarded him thoughtfully. "I will go to the Headmaster. If anyone can help, he can."

"He didn't help last time, or the time before," Harry said sluggishly.

"Have you slept recently, Potter?"

Harry thought. Had he? "Yes. I think I woke up four hours ago."

"Have you eaten anything?"

"Not for a while. That doesn't matter, though."

Snape scowled. "Why not?"

"I hadn't noticed I was hungry. I'm used to not eating very much."

Snape stood and untied Harry with a sweep of his wand. "I will send a house elf down with something for you. You will not be anorexic in my office."

"It's not anorexia," Harry said, helplessly watching each word escape him. "I'm used to it from childhood."

Snape's eyes narrowed, glinting maliciously. "Fascinating, the things that are revealed while under such a strong Truth Potion."

Harry gulped, hoping he wouldn't ask more.

"Here is the antidote," Snape said, retrieving a small purple bottle from inside his desk. "I have no interest in your pathetic upbringing."

Harry took the vial and drank it down eagerly. Snape watched disdainfully, then said, "You will remain here until I come back. I do not want you wandering about causing more trouble than you already have."

"Shouldn't I come with, sir?" Harry objected, handing the bottle back to Snape.

"And what would be the purpose of that?"

Harry stretched experimentally before he stood up; he had been tied down in the same position for two hours and his body was protesting. "To tell Dumbledore everything. Sir."

"I can do that accurately enough, Potter."

"But—"

"Has it not occurred to you that if the Dark Lord is doing this, it would not be wise to alert him to the plan of action? Since you have no skills in Occlumency to protect you from such a threat," Snape added lowly.

"But then, wouldn't he know that you're helping me? Isn't that bad too?" Harry asked.

"It amazes me just how dim your mind can be," Snape sneered. "Quit delaying me. I will be back within a few hours. I encourage you to take some rest until then."

And he left Harry alone in his office.

Harry sat down on the cot he had slept in before and wondered what to do. He felt better now that he wasn't on any truth potions. He still couldn't believe Snape had done that. Why risk Dumbledore, or even the Ministry, finding out for so little gain?

Harry held his head in his hands, his elbows on his knees. He almost wished he could do this loop over again, just to avoid this contact with Snape.

Harry looked up, blinking. He really was as dim as Snape always said. This was a horrible curse, whatever was happening to him…but it was also, in a strange way, a chance. This was free extra time he was gaining, this was a chance to act out with no thought or care for consequences. It was a constant blank slate.

But he shouldn't think that way, he chided himself. He should just figure out how to end this and move on. And if this really was Voldemort's doing…maybe Voldemort just wanted to kill him by living these few hours over and over again until he aged and died.

Harry took his shoes off and lay down, his mind racing with this morbid thought. He decided to take Snape's advice and tried to go to sleep.

"Wake up, Potter."

Harry opened his eyes. He was facing an unfamiliar stone wall, and not the deep red curtains of his own bed. He remembered his whole situation with a groan and turned to face Snape.

"What time is it?" he asked groggily, sitting up.

"Eleven at night," Snape said. "The house elf came with some sandwiches, they're still here if you'd like."

Harry stood shakily and took one from the tray on Snape's desk. "So what did Dumbledore say?"

"He's still researching a solution," Snape said, and Harry's heart fell as he chewed. "He did say, however, that next time you should escape from my class and go straight to him, to give him an extra two hours. He needs more time."

Harry took a deep breath. Some advice on what to do was better than none. "Okay. Thank you."

Harry and Snape sat in the dim office for some time in silence while Harry ate. At half past, Snape cleared his throat and spoke.

"I will no doubt try to stop you," Snape said quietly. "You should try to escape unnoticed. I doubt you could defend yourself in a duel."

"I'll do that, sir," Harry said.

Snape seemed to struggle with himself for a moment. Then, "I was in error earlier telling you I didn't care about your home life."

Sensing danger where this conversation was going, Harry said, "It's okay, Professor, I shouldn't have said anything. It's over, it was years ago."

"I have reason to believe otherwise," Snape said stiffly. "You are a terrible Occlumens, Potter."

Harry bit his lip. "I'm sorry, I do try."

"When this is over, I want you to tell someone what happens to you at that Muggle hive you call home," Snape said. When Harry didn't respond, Snape said, "You aren't going to."

Harry grimaced. "No, sir."

"That is your choice, then," Snape said.

They were silent once again. The minutes dragged on until it was past midnight. It could happen at any time now.

"Do remember, Potter, that by messing up this time, you've condemned us all to relive Monday once again without realizing it," Snape said.

Harry stared. "What?"

The dungeon was replaced with the dungeon hallway, and Neville's bag was coming his way. Harry jumped to avoid it. Then, finally in possession of a plan, he ran.