A/N: This chapter has not been beta'd. I was pressed for time (I work in retail, need I say more?) and didn't want to delay the posting any more, esp since computer access can be iffy.

Most Evil Plan
Chapter 20
Hogsmeade

"What's that?" Harry asked as he looked around, finally breaking the silence.

"The headmaster's patronus," Snape responded after waving his wand and stating a spell causing the image to disappear. "I would think that you would know that, after all, weren't you the one who was able to produce a patronus at age 13?"

"I meant why was it here? There aren't any Dementors around."

"The Order uses them to communicate with each other," Snape answered, "And you really need to learn to say what you mean."

Harry ignored the second half of that statement, after all, any normal person would've understood the question. "What did he want? Did he change his mind about this outing?"

"Hoping he had, Potter?" Snape smirked.

With a shrug, the raven-haired boy gave a non-committal answer, "Hermione didn't expect him to agree since he is so protective of 'The-Boy-Who-Lived'."

"Do you always refer to yourself in the third person?" Snape snidely commented before continuing, "And you didn't answer my question."

"It often seems like it doesn't matter what I want," Harry said, dismissing the question as non-important, "And in this case I meant 'The-Boy-Who-Lived', not me."

"Potter," Severus sighed, "You are the 'The-Boy-Who-Lived'."

"I might be," Harry agreed, "But 'The-Boy-Who-Lived' isn't me…at least not all of me."

Once again Severus sighed. He was always amazed at how dramatic teenagers could be, and some much more so than others. "Come on, Potter, we haven't got all night," he instructed as he lead them into the Three Broomsticks.

"Did they return?" Hermione asked anxiously as she looked around Great Hall.

"How would I know?" Ron mumbled as he shoveled another fork full of food into his mouth. "I've been down here with you since dinner started."

"I know," Hermione said with a sigh, "But don't you have the map?"

"Nope. I didn't have time to grab it since we went to visit the headmaster," Ron replied, "I barely had enough time to drop my and Harry's books in the dorm."

"Oohhh," Hermione said, casting a look at the head table, unfortunately, a shake of the head from the headmaster gave her the answer to her unasked question. "I can't believe they didn't return once they received the Headmaster's message."

Ron shrugged, "As long as they're there, I hope they don't rush their trip. I'm really looking forward to those chocolate frogs."

"Ron! How can you think of your stomach at a time like this?" Hermione scolded.

"It's dinner time," Ron simply replied.

"But our best friend could be in danger."

"He's always in danger," Ron said.

Hermione looked at Ron shrewdly, "You're awfully calm for someone who was convinced that this was a trap set up by Professor Snape."

"You and Dumbledore convinced me that Snape didn't have any plans to kill Harry tonight."

"Well, what about Malfoy?"

"Oh, that would be nice," Ron said in reply.

"What!" Hermione said, clearly in shock.

"Yeah, I mean, if Snape had plans to kill Malfoy, we would be able to get rid of both of them. Malfoy would be dead and Snape would end up in Azkaban," Ron said with a vigorous nod of his head. "Yeah, that would be brilliant."

"Ron, I meant Malfoy and Harry," Hermione explained, with a look towards the smirking Slytherin. "He's definitely up to something."

"He's always up to something," Ron remarked, "Or at least he wants us to think that he is. Besides," Ron said with a shrug of his shoulders, "even if he was, it's Malfoy, nothing he or his father planned has ever worked out the way they hoped."

"True," Hermione said, biting her bottom lip. Ron had a point, she decided, but then again, how often was Ron right? Hopefully Harry and Professor Snape would return to the safety of the castle immediately after dinner.

"Potter, put that away," Snape ordered as Harry withdrew some galleons from his pocket to pay for dinner.

"No, that's okay," Harry stated quietly, "After all, I asked you if you wanted to have dinner together."

"That principle might be true for a date," Severus mocked, "But this hardly counts as one."

"I know that," Harry mumbled, "But it's not like I can't afford it."

"And you think one dinner for two at Hogsmeade is going to break me?"

"Um…no?" Harry answered, partly in question. "But I heard that teachers don't make a lot and it's not like you planned this dinner or having a son."

"If Mr. Weasley can afford to raise his seven children on what he makes, I am sure that I can afford this dinner for the two of us. If I couldn't than I wouldn't have suggested that we leave the school." Severus answered before sighing. "And while it may be true in the muggle world that teachers aren't appreciated, need I remind you that this is the wizarding world and things are often looked at differently."

"Uh, no, sir," Harry said quietly before asking, "Could I at least pay for my share?"

"Potter," Severus snarled with a glare at the young boy, "Enough. It would seem odd if I made my new found son buy his own meal."

"I coul-"

"Potter," Severus said forcefully with another pointed glare at Harry and a brief look at the other patrons around them.

"So it's all about pride then?" Harry smirked, tossing the potions master's words back at him.

Severus raised an eyebrow amazed that the boy could remember something for more than five minutes and replied, "No, not all."

"Then what?"

"Things you are too young to understand," Severus responded standing up, "Now, if you're ready?"

"Of course," Harry said, also standing and following Snape out to the streets of Hogsmeade.

"They must be finished with dinner by now," Hermione commented after another glance at the time. "Harry usually doesn't eat much, so it wouldn't have taken that long."

Ron snorted, "If he was smart he would've rushed through his dinner. After all, who wants to spend time staring at Snape when they don't have to."

"Professor Snape, Ron," Hermione corrected, "And that's Harry's father you're talking about."

"Still don't know if I believe that," Ron mumbled, "After all, Harry looks almost exactly like James Potter, at least according to all the professors, including Snape."

"Professor Snape," Hermione repeated. "And that could easily be attributed to a spell, potion, or charm."

Ron snorted, "One that nobody has noticed in sixteen years? Doubtful. Especially with Moody around."

"Professor Moody," Hermione corrected, "Honestly, Ron, is it so difficult to respectfully use their titles?"

"In these cases, yes," Ron said adamantly. "After all, Moody never actually taught us, now did he? And Snape?" Ron asked with a shrug, "Enough said there."

Hermione just sighed and shook her head, after all, there was only so much she could do. "Why don't you see if you can locate the map," she suggested knowing that if they watched the map not only would they immediately know when the pair had returned, but would also be able to discover if any Death Eaters were wandering around the castle.

"Salamander blood, often used in healing potions; the thicker the blood the more potent the potion," Snape mentioned as he picked up a bottle and swirled the contents in the vial.

"Phoenix tears, also used for healing potions," Severus stated as he picked up a bottle and held it to the light, "Looks cloudy, either tears weren't freely given or this bottle contains tears from several different phoenixes," he continued, placing the bottle back on the shelf and reaching for another. "Better," he softly commented, "Slight hint of red and yellow when looked at in this pure form."

Harry snickered as he walked behind the potions master, looked like red and gold to him, but he supposed that he couldn't really expect the Head of Slytherin to sound pleased over something with Gryffindor colors.

"The Pinel seemed to be picked too early; passable for student stores, but does not meet my standards," Snape said as he dismissed the jars of what looked like crushed leaves to Harry.

"Cardbo?" Severus questioned, "What is one to do with this?"

"Sir?" Harry finally asked when Snape continued to look at the last item as if waiting for an answer. "Are you talking to me?" Harry had never heard of Cardbo before, but there didn't seem to be anyone else in the store.

"Why would I ask you about potions ingredients?" Severus snapped.

"Maybe because we're in the apothecary, you're talking and no one else is around?" Harry snapped back. "Or maybe the pressure of teaching a bunch of dunderheads has finally gotten to you and you've cracked."

"Potter…" Snape angrily hissed.

"Yes, sir?" Harry replied innocently.

"Just stay there and be quiet," his professor finally instructed before turning his attention back to the shelves and resuming his cataloging of potion ingredients and their properties.

"Sir?" Harry asked after Snape paid for his selections and the two left the shop, "Why don't you share any of that information about the ingredients with us in class."

"What do you mean?"

"The entire time you were shopping you were talking about the ingredients; what they were used in, how they were harvested or prepared, their qualities, all very useful information."

"Potter, if you-" Snape began angrily.

"Sir, I'm not making fun," Harry hurriedly interrupted, "but to be honest, I think I learned more in that shop than I did in the last five years of potions class…except for that first lesson," he quietly added.

"It's not my fault you don't pay attention."

"I pay attention," Harry argued. "Sit down now; Potions on the board…Well, what are you waiting for? Get to work. Potter! Ten points from Gryffindor and detention," Harry imitated his professor. "We've used the horn of a Bicorn a million times, but never once had you mentioned that the finer it is grounded the more potent the potion. Nor have you ever talked about the age of the horn and how that influences the potion either."

"That's what homework is for," Severus remarked dryly.

"After we've brewed the potion?" his student asked skeptically, not waiting for the older man to answer since Harry doubted that he would have. "What good would that have done since we never brewed the potion again? Not to mention the fact that even after doing those essays I've never come across most of that info."

"Then you need to read more."

"I doubt that most of that stuff can be found in books or I would've heard about it from Hermione," Harry commented dryly. "You have years of potions experience at your disposal, if you even shared a fraction of what you know with your classes, I bet there would be less incidents and accidents."

"Potter, do not make the mistake that you are gaining favor with me because you complimented my knowledge or teaching skills."

"What?" Harry questioned in shock. "I didn't, I don't," Harry denied, "And I didn't mean to compliment your teaching skills because…" his voice trailed off as he tried to find a tactful way of saying what he thought, after all, this wasn't a conversation with Ron in the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Yes, Potter?" Snape questioned, "What about my teaching skills?"

After a few minutes of silence, Harry suddenly asked, "Is this a conversation between father and son?"

"I suppose so," Severus responded, "Since that is how most would currently view us. May I inquire why that matters?"

"Because as a father you can't deduct house points or put me in detention with Filch for the rest of the year if I criticized you as a teacher. As a father, you couldn't punish me if you don't like my answer."

"I couldn't?" Snape challenged. The boy was right about house points and detention, but there was so much more he could do as a father.

"No, you couldn't," Harry repeated triumphantly. "Trust me, I memorized what you could do as a professor according to the parent-teacher rules."

"Perhaps," Severus agreed with a smirk, "But there are no guidelines or limits of what I could do as a father. I believe parents often discipline their children if they feel that they aren't being respectful to them or to others," he snickered. "Now the question would be what would an appropriate punishment for such an offense be?"

"Fine," Harry mumbled, realizing the truth of Snape's statement, "You win." He hadn't meant it to be a contest, but apparently his professor was willing to use whatever power he had to keep Harry from sharing his thoughts and opinions.

Snape looked at the sullen boy quietly walking beside him for what seemed like the hundredth time.

The duo hadn't spoken a word to the other since Snape mentioned the fact that as a father he could punish a son for being disrespectful. The two had continued to enter various shops, some times to purchase items, but more often than not, just to keep from talking to each other.

After exiting yet another store, Snape decided he had had enough. After all, if either the Dark Lord or the Headmaster heard about the results of this outing, neither would be pleased.

"Madame Puddifoot's," Snape smirked as they came to the next place of business, "Care to relive your memories of that place?" he asked with a pointed look at Harry.

Harry glared at his professor…er, father in return. First because the man knew that it was a sore point for Harry and second because of the odd tone he had used to voice that comment. If it had been spoken by any one else, Harry would almost describe it as having a teasing quality, which of course was impossible since it came from Snape.

"No thanks," Harry muttered, a quiet 'Sir' tacked onto the end as if afraid of punishment.

Severus stopped and turned to glare at the boy, "For Merlin's sake, Potter, will you stop it?"

"Stop what…sir?"

"The pouting and this act of false respect. It is making you more annoying than you usually are," Snape countered.

"I apologize," Harry said before ducking into the next shop.

"Potter, why are you acting like this?" Severus asked once he caught up with the boy. "Where is the hot-tempered, self-righteous, arrogant Gryffindor who argues and talks back to his professors?"

"But you're not just my professor, are you?" Harry asked.

Snape looked at the boy, it was obvious that he was hoping that Severus would state that he was just his professor and only his professor. Before the potions master could form a reply, Harry continued, "If that potion is to be believed, you are also my father."

'Believed?'Severus silently questioned, did Potter suspect something? After a perusing glance at the boy beside him, the potions master dismissed that idea. No doubt if Potter knew the truth he would be yelling and screaming at him like a true Gryffindor would. "You have just now figured that out?" he mocked. "Your intelligence is lower than I thought."

"Sh-" Harry started before cutting himself off.

"What?" Snape baited, "What were you going to say? Please enlighten me with your words of wisdom."

"Just stop it," Harry said softly in resignation, "I already said that you won. What more do you want?"

"Won?" Severus questioned, not sure what the boy meant.

"Yeah, won. I get it," Harry cried in anger and frustration, "You can be just as much a git as my father that you are as my professor."

"That was not m-"

"HA!" Harry scoffed as he interrupted his father, no longer able to even pretend to be respectful to the man beside him. "As my professor you can assign detention, extra homework, and deduct points. As my father, you can restrict visits to Hogsmeade, take away my broom or other possessions, and even try to dictate who I spend time with, All of which I'm sure you wouldn't have any remorse over," Harry concluded. "But you know what? I've just decided it's not worth it. Do your worst."

"Potter," Snape began, not sure what to say. He didn't expect the teenager to take his threat to heart, nor for the boy to suddenly decide that he didn't care.

"Harry," said boy interrupted. "I'm sure it's weird to call your son by a different surname, especially one that holds unpleasant memories for you. And since I've chosen not to change my name…" Harry trailed off with a shrug of his shoulders. "Anyway, I know that it's strange hearing it, especially when you call me Potter in class, so calling me by my first name seems like the only alternative."

Snape shook his head, never had he seen anyone change their moods or the conversation so quickly. Of course, the boy had a point as well, Severus realized with a groan. There was no way he could deny the request without creating more obstacles between the two of them. On the plus side, however, he would have something positive to report to the headmaster and the Dark Lord. "Harry, as I tried to say earlier, that is not what I meant by our previous conversation. I would never unfairly punish you, not as a professor or as a father."

Harry snorted, "Oh yeah, the last six years have clearly shown how much you hate favoritism and unfairness."

"Pot-Harry, that was an unusual situation, and even then it wasn't done in the extreme," Severus paused to glare at a snorting Harry. "Things are different now. Before I had appearances to keep up. It wouldn't do for the Dark Lord to learn that I was being pleasant to the Boy-Who-Lived," Severus drawled.

"Just Harry," said boy quietly mumbled before continuing in a louder voice, "And now?"

"As you stated earlier the whole world including the Dark Lord and his followes, as well as my Slytherins, know the situation we now find ourselves in."

"Are you in danger?"

"No more than usual," Severus finally responded.

Harry nodded, knowing that was as much of an answer he would get from the spy. A moment of silence came about as he weighed his next words, "Is there a way to manipulate the potion?" he finally asked a few minutes later.

Startled Snape glanced at the boy, once again wondering if he suspected something. If the boy beside him was a Slytherin, Severus would definitely feel that that was the case since it would be a perfect lead reveal the truth. Perhaps he could attempt legilimency on Harry without him being aware of what was happening? No, he decided, averting his eyes, not only was it not worth the risk, but the boy was too much of a Gryffindor to be anything but rash or angry if he knew the truth. No, Severus smirked; he would simply share the possibility that Potter was suspicious with the headmaster and let him handle the situation. "According to the ministry, no known way has been discovered."

"But is it possible?" Harry asked again.

"Most things are," Snape honestly replied, "Why?"

"Well," Harry began hesitantly, "I was thinking that maybe we could brew it again and manipulate it to show that James Potter was my father, perhaps attribute this result to the fact that your DNA somehow contaminated the potion or cauldron or something," Harry shrugged. "Then we could forget all about this. You wouldn't have to pretend to like me or that you want to get to know me. Dumbledore would have his spy back, and you wouldn't be in danger from your former associates."

"I understand that you don't like the situation you find yourself in," Severus began, "And I hate to be the one to burst your dreams, but your plan wouldn't work."

"Why not?" Harry demanded, "Because a Gryffindor suggested it?"

"Partly," Severus smirked, "A Slytherin would know that it would take a miracle for the Dark Lord to trust me again once I turned my back on him because of my son. Not to mention that if he even suspected that I wasn't loyal to him before, he would definitely make me redeem myself and prove my devotion, most likely by kidnapping you or one of your friends from school. And even if I was able to prove my loyalty, I would still be the first to be blamed when future plans failed."

"Did he suspect?" Harry injected curiously.

"Others suspected that I wasn't as loyal as I claimed to be," Severus answered vaguely.

"But did he?"

"I'm here, aren't I?" Snape snapped rhetorically. "However, there are more technical issues that also make your plan impossible."

"Like what?" Harry demanded, surely they could work out those details if it meant that they never had to act like father and son.

"Like the fact that it would take time to discover a way to manipulate the potion. We would hardly be able to ignore each other until we accomplished what we desired. Then there is the matter that in order to manipulate the potion, we would most likely need a sample of DNA from Potter, something which would be difficult to achieve since he is dead," Snape sneered.

"But it is possible?"

"More than likely," Snape answered, "If one has the time, the materials, and the proper motivation," he finished dryly, knowing that one day, Potter would realize exactly how possible it was.

"Hmmm," Harry commented before realized where they were, "Hey, can we go in here?"

"Honeydukes?" Snape scoffed, "I do not wish to deal with a hyperactive child on a sugar high."

"I'm sixteen, not a child, and I know not to overindulge."

"Of course you do," Snape sarcastically responded, still standing outside the shop.

"Well? Can we go in?" Harry asked impatiently.

"And if I said no?"

Harry just glared at the older man, one hand on the door.

"I believe I liked it better when you were too mad to do anything but silently obey," Severus murmured quietly, causing Harry to snort in amusement, "Very well, we will enter, but as soon as I say that it is time to go, we leave."

"Of course," Harry readily agreed, tacking on "As long as I'm done shopping," as he slipped into the store, causing Snape to raise an eyebrow and mutter, 'Definitely liked it better when he was too upset to not talk back.'

"Is he back yet?"

It was now a few hours after dinner and Hermione and Ron were impatiently waiting in the Gryffindor common room for Harry. By now the entire tower was aware that Harry had joined Snape for dinner. While most of the house was worried about their Golden boy being alone with their most hated professor, only his two best friends knew the real situation…and the real danger he might be in.

"Does it look like he's back?" Ron snapped.

"Are you sure the map isn't in Harry's trunk?"

"Positive," Ron said, "I even looked under his bed and under the mattress."

"The mattress?"

Ron blushed, "It's where my brothers always told me to hide things that I didn't want others to find."

"But wouldn't that-" Hermione broke off as she realized that her sentence would take them off the subject of Harry. "So it's not in the room?"

"No," Ron muttered, "I couldn't find it anywhere. It's definitely not in the room, unless Harry spelled it invisible or put a notice-me-not charm on it."

"What was he thinking?" Hermione rhetorically asked. "What a time for him to show his Slytherin side."

"Slytherin?" Ron echoed, "Harry doesn't have a Slytherin side."

"Honestly, Ron, of course he has a Slytherin side. Almost no one is all one house."

"But Slytherin?"

"Ron, look at his father, of course Slytherin," Hermione said again, not wanting to mention what the sorting hat said about Harry and Slytherin. "Now quiet, we have more important things to worry about…Like why they aren't back yet."

"Would you really bet that there would be less accidents and mishaps in class if I shared the properties of the ingredient with the class?"

"Huh?" Harry asked, since he hadn't expected Snape to speak.

"I am referring to the conversation we had after we left the apothecary," Snape stated quietly, "I believe your exact words were 'I bet there would be less incidents and accidents."

"Oh…yeah," Harry confirmed, "I guess so…I mean it sounds reasonable to me. The time I spent in the apothecary with you just now really helped me to understand more about the ingredients you talked about, how to prepare them and why. I seriously doubt that I will ever crush a nundu's toenail after hearing you rant about what a waste that was, not to mention dangerous."

Severus glared at the boy, he didn't rant; he simply explained to the proprietor why such an item shouldn't be placed on his shelves, especially in a place that schoolchildren frequent.

"I mean, some people, like Hermione, could read something and have it make sense, while others usually need to hear it from someone else, see it in action, or do it themselves, either way," Harry shrugged, "Most people probably aren't like Hermione."

Severus raised an eyebrow at the boy's logic, before curiously asking, "Which are you?"

"A little bit of everything I guess," Harry shrugged, "Though maybe a bit more so with hearing something."

"Yes," Severus drawled sarcastically, "That explains why you understand and follow directions so well."

In a juvenile moment, Harry stuck his tongue out at Snape, "I understood the directions, I just refuse to follow if I disagree with them."

"And what would Miss Granger say about that?"

"It's not like she doesn't know how I feel or hasn't done the same thing herself," Harry replied thinking about when they brewed polyjuice, snuck a dragon out of the castle or snuck into the restriction section of the library, "So I guess it doesn't matter."

Again Severus raised an eyebrow, he would definitely have to keep a closer eye on Miss Granger in the future, "Hmm, and your classmates?"

"Well, I already mentioned Hermione, but I don't think there's any way she couldn't learn from," Harry grinned as he thought about his friend. "Ron by visualizing after he hears about it, assuming that he actually listened and was able to block out any distractions; Dean by reading; Seamus…probably a combination, but I'm not really sure which ones; Parvati and Lavender by talking about it and dissecting it," again Harry grinned, after all, anyone who was acquainted with the two girls knew how they operated and loved to talk. "Neville by doing something."

"Yes," Snape said in agreement, shocking Harry, "By blowing up his cauldron in practically every session, he learned not to step near or cauldron or to be in my presence if he could avoid it."

Harry scowled, he should've known that Snape was going to say something derogatory about one of his friends. "That's not exactly what I meant," Harry challenged. "Yes, he might have blown up a cauldron in every class, but he learned from his mistake not to do it again."

"And it only took endangering his own life and that of his classmates' to learn that," Severus drawled.

"Maybe if things were explained beforehand, it might've been different," Harry snapped back in defense of his friend. "He has never committed the same mistake twice…and seriously, how often were we really in danger due to his mistakes? He created a lot of noise and often a lot of smoke, but no one had ever been seriously hurt."

"That's because there are safeguards in the rooms, not to mention that the first five years of potions class takes into account the fact that everyone is admitted into the class, regardless of skill or intelligence."

"There are safeguards in case something happens," Harry agreed, "But they don't prevent someone from making a catastrophic mistake."

Severus didn't respond to Harry's comment but instead questioned, "Longbottom?"

"Neville," Harry confirmed. At Snape's continued look of disbelief, he continued, "How else do you explain how well he did on his OWLS?"

"Not well enough to get into my class," Snape smirked.

"Hey, I never said that he accomplished miracles, just that he learned from his mistakes. Who knows, he might have gotten an O if you had shared the properties about each ingredient while we brewed."

"Hardly an incentive to do so," Severus commented dryly.

"He did well on the practical portion," Harry continued, ignoring Snape, "Because we had already brewed it once before."

"Is that your only proof you have to support your theory regarding Mr. Longbottom?"

"No," Harry hesitantly responded.

"What other evidence do you have? After all, we have never brewed the same potion twice in class before this year, and thankfully, he is not in class this year; neither has he approached me for permission to use the lab during free time."

"Like you'd let anyone other than a Slytherin use the labs," Harry snapped.

Severus raised an eyebrow, "Again I ask, where did you get the information to support your rather absurd theory?"

Harry remained silent.

Teenagers, the professor thought with a shake of his head, one moment they were arguing and yelling, the next sullen and silent. "Will you at least tell me what potions he brewed?"

Harry kept his gaze on the road ahead of him, not even willing to risk that his father would accidentally get the information from his mind.

"Come now, Mr. Potter, if what you say is true, then we've done Mr. Longbottom a gross injustice."

"Like you care," Harry snapped, as he thought about Snape's words "or even trust that I'm telling the truth.

"Besides, it's not my decision to tell you what Neville does in his spare time."

"How Gryffindor of you," Severus smirked, hoping to goad his student into telling him what he wanted to know.

"Yep, and proud of it," Harry smirked back, not rising to the challenge. "Don't even bother asking again or threatening to punish me, I'm not going to tell you. If you want to know, you'll have to ask him yourself."

"Very well then."

"So…why did you as if I was willing to bet on it, anyway?"

"Because I thought that maybe we should," Snape answered as if the answer was obvious.

"What? How?" Harry asked as he stopped and stared at his professor in shock.

"Neither one of us shares the information about the bet with anyone," Severus stressed, "Beginning in your class on Monday, I will share similar information with the class about key and new ingredients for the next two weeks, if there are no 'accidents' then you win the bet."

"Just my class?"

"Yes."

Harry shook his head, "No, that wouldn't work. Everyone, especially the Gryffidors would be too nervous about the change, especially since it was just in that class. They'll end up making mistakes due to inattentiveness."

"Inattentiveness?" Snape echoed, "My, My, such a big word, Mr. Potter, I'm impressed."

"Oh, shush…And it's Harry, remember?" the boy reminded, "I think you should do this for all the first year classes."

"All?" Severus repeated in horror. "To them, every ingredient is new, I would talk myself hoarse in one day."

"A nice side benefit for the students them," Harry smirked, "But yes, all the first year classes…I would even recommend all the second years as well."

As Snape's scowl deepened, Harry hurried to add, "Look at it this way, in years to come you can yell at them for not knowing something that you told them about in deep detail."

Snape smirked, "Yes, that could work," he murmured as he thought about the possibilities.

"As for the other years, either decide to teach that way every other class, um, you can always say that their potion results were so dismal that you are going to treat them as first years or something, or you can pick one session and teach that way every class like you are going to do with us. Then compare accidents, explosions, incidents and mistakes to the class you didn't teach that way to see which did better."

"Better?" Severus questioned, "What happened to 'no accidents or incidencts?'"

"In a perfect world," Harry snorted, thinking of how certain students love to ruin their classmates potions. "But there are other factors involved."

Snape reluctantly nodded his head in agreement.

"But," Harry paused a moment, "What do we bet?"

Snape shrugged, "Anything, it could be something we want, something we require the other person to do or stop doing; as long as it isn't against the school rules or won't place anyone in danger and we both agree to the terms."

Harry thought about what he would want. Perhaps permission to spend Christmas or the summer with the Weasleys? After all, if Snape was his father that would be within his power to give, even if Dumbledore didn't like it. Or perhaps he could get a 'get out of detention' pass. A smirk crossed Harry's face as another thought came to him, perhaps he should have Snape wash his hair or wear robes similar to the headmasters. Harry broke out in a grin, the possibilities were endless, now he just had to choose something.

Snape looked at the grinning boy and wondered if he had made a bad choice to enter into this bet. After all, with Potter's luck, it was possible that the boy just might win. The potions master shook his head, Potter's luck, yes, but dunderheads would be dunderheads, so more than likely everyone else would remain the same.

"Can I think about it and let you know later?" The boy finally asked.

Severus nodded, "As long as we agree on the terms before the bet begins, in other words, before the first class on Monday, otherwise I will take your silence as an indication that you don't have as much Gryffindor bravery as touted."

"The hat did mention Slytherin," Harry quietly mumbled to himself as he glared at his father. Now he would definitely have to take that bet, find a way to guarantee that he wins, and make sure that he reward satisfies his Slytherin side as well. "More likely it would indicate indecision on my part," Harry said in a louder voice in response to his father's comment.

Snape made sure to keep a smirk on his face, "By Monday," he said as a reminder."

"Yeah, yeah," Harry mumbled with an absent wave of his hand,

As the two headed back to the castle, both were preoccupied with their own thoughts to notice the other casting furtive looks at their companion.

After the conclusion of their last conversation Snape was reminded that Harry might have Slytherin tendencies. As a result, he was replaying their conversations in his mind, taking the comments his student made not as a Gryffindor but as a Slytherin. The more he thought about it, the more concerned he became. Was it possible that Potter knew the truth and was waiting for something before he admitted it?

Harry, however, was filled with guilt. All he could think about was the truth. Granted, having Snape believe the lie wasn't necessarily hurting anyone, in fact, it might be making things easier, but at the same time, Harry knew it wasn't true. While he still didn't necessarily like or trust Snape, he also didn't feel right about Snape believing something that wasn't true.

With a sigh Harry realized that the best time to share this information with his professor would be now, before they entered the castle and were surrounded by other students and professors.

"You're not by the way," Harry said softly to Snape as the castle came into view.

END CHAPTER 20
UPCOMING:
Chapter 21 Truth and Lies (Tentative title)

If you were Harry, what would you bet Snape?

Hey, we all know that Harry (esp fanfic Harry) has a massive guilt complex, right? So is it that impossible to believe that he couldn't live with himself for lying about something?

Happy Christmas to all. Hope you enjoy the holidays.

12/23/06