CHAPTER 6

A/N: I am so relieved that you have accepted this story in the stead of That Special Touch and have given it (and me) a chance :-) Thank you very much for all the wonderful comments!

Like in my precedent stories, Harry practises an "art" in this story as well. He carves figures out of wood in his free time. It is an important point/signature mark in all my Snarry stories that Harry has a creative streak and that Severus recognises it sooner or later (mostly later). The film Basic Instinct belongs to Paul Verhoeven (don't worry, it is simply parodied in this chapter – no actual role-playing!!!).

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Harry mopped the sweat and tears from his face with a paper handkerchief wordlessly produced by Ron. Then he told them how Severus had humiliated him, finally using the spell which had hoisted him upside-down by the ankle in mid-air.

"At least you were wearing jeans underneath your robes, mate," Ron said, trying to cheer Harry up.

"Yeah…at least that. But it's insane how he thinks I'm my father…He's so determined to make life difficult for others that he makes it difficult for himself."

Hermione nodded.

"Yes. I think that he is very insecure – you told me that you saw his parents yelling at each other in a memory…"

"It's no excuse to treat Harry like shit. Look at Harry himself, growing up with those awful Dursleys. Is he as horrid as Snape? No! He's one of the nicest people around!" Ron flared. Harry smiled at him.

"Thanks, Ron."

"I suppose Snape dealt with it rather differently," Hermione answered.

"If you ask me, he never dealt with it at all," Harry concluded. "Anyway, I think I've just got to let these thoughts and feelings out of my system. I can't go riding around on my broom whenever I feel like it…"

"Snape provokes you so that he has a reason to be nasty to you, Harry."

Harry rubbed his forehead with his hand.

"I know. I'm always telling myself to be calm, but I just…lose it…And I don't understand why Dumbledore is so insistent on forcing us together. Snape spends his lessons bullying me instead of teaching me."

"You ought go and see Dumbledore about this. Snape is not being paid to bully you. It's abusive behaviour," Ron said.

The three friends spent some time talking about Snape and whether Harry should complain to Dumbledore about his behaviour.

"Look, he seems to think that you won't go to Dumbledore and complain. Otherwise he wouldn't think that he can afford to behave like that towards you," Ron observed, "and maybe he's got a kind of contract with Dumbledore. Like, 'I'll fight for you if I may torture the students'."

Harry laughed a little.

"Sounds quite likely, actually."

"But I still think that what Snape needs is the fuck of the century," Ron added.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"You got that last part from the movie Basic Instinct, didn't you?" she said.

"You've seen it?" Ron asked, staring at her with rather wide eyes.

"Who hasn't? It's a milestone of Muggle cinema," Hermione said matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, well, maybe I could go into that git's office without underwear, hike my robes up to my thighs, sit down on the chair and pull off that infamous leg-uncrossing scene," Harry said dryly.

Ron burst out laughing, and Hermione, too, grinned.

"He'd probably hex your balls off, mate," Ron spluttered.

"Okay, enough of the dirty talk. Harry, you look like you could use a shower and a good night's sleep," Hermione said bossily.

A shadow passed over Harry's face.

"The blasted nightmares are back."

"Do you do anything relaxing before going to sleep?"

"Relaxing? He's completely tense and nervous when he goes to bed," Ron said.

"Wouldn't you be if you knew that you're going to have a bad night?"

They looked each other and all knew that Occlumency was the only solution which could help Harry.

"You like carving, don't you? Why not do that before going to bed? Or play a game with Ron?"

"Not sure if I should be carving anything when I'm as beat as this," Harry said, standing up to go to the bathroom.

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After his shower, Harry settled down in bed with a small block of wood in his lap and a pamphlet next to him. He was trying to carve a bird. He had been fond of carving all kinds of things out of wood from the age of thirteen and had recently decided to expand his pastime by buying special carving wood and proper tools in Hogsmeade. His worries and nightmares, however, had pushed this pastime in the background. Harry stroked the wood with the palm of his hand, feeling its texture. It was soft wood, and thus easier to carve, especially for a beginner or new amateur. Harry began to shape the wood with a carving knife. Bits of wood fell onto a sheet of paper spread over his lap for this purpose. Ron padded into the room and sat down on Harry's bed, watching closely.

"Is that going to be the head and beak?"

"Yep," Harry said, smiling.

Ron kept him company for a few minutes before going over to his bed. He left his bed-curtains open in order to keep an ear on Harry. Dean, Seamus and Neville were reading through each other's Potions essays in a corner of the dorm. Harry looked up after a while to discover that Ron was already sleeping. He put aside his work and slipped underneath the sheets. The night was thankfully nightmare-free for him, and he slept like a log. The weekend passed smoothly, with everyone finishing their homework, talking and occupying themselves with their favourite pastimes. On Sunday, Harry strolled around outside with Hermione, Ron, Neville, Ginny, Dean and Luna. It was cold, and Christmas was on its way. Harry had started taking the Sleeping Potion two weeks after his arrival at Hogwarts, and he was relieved that he had avoided spending two weeks of withdrawal during the festive season. There was a blanket of snow outside: a snowball-game ensued, followed by a snowman-building competition. Afterwards, Ginny and Luna skated on the iced surface of the Lake – which had been rendered safe thanks to a powerful Unbreakable Charm – while the others discussed some of their school assignments. When they traipsed inside the castle, they caught sight of Severus Snape's back. Ron sprinted outside and returned with a snowball, which he lobbed at the Potions Master.

"Ron, no!" Hermione whispered, horrified, trying to tug him behind a statue. Ron tripped and fell on the floor even as Severus spun around and the snowball caught him on the shoulder. Luna was the only one who did not turn pale as the Head of Slytherin advanced on them with narrowed eyes, brushing off the flakes of snow with utter disdain.

"So," he said, "brave Gryffindors crouching behind a statue. How pathetic."

"I'm in Ravenclaw, Professor," Luna reminded him dreamily. Severus ignored her, his eyes moving from Ron, who had got up in the meantime, to Harry.

"Potter. Petty revenge for my having dealt justly with you during your last lesson?"

"Harry didn't do anything, it was-" Hermione broke off, blushing, realising that she was in danger of landing Ron in detention.

"-me," she gushed out before Severus could say anything. Ron's eyes widened as he looked at her. Severus curled his lip, immediately seeing through Hermione's lie, and looked at Ron.

"Ah. Mr Weasley. Of course. Potter's other sidekick."

Ron said stoutly:

"You've been bullying Harry."

Neville inhaled sharply, and Ginny put a calming hand on his arm.

"Detention for Potter and Weasley. To be served separately. This evening. You, Weasley, will be cleaning cauldrons. And you, Potter, will have the pleasure of cleaning the store cupboard."

"Harry didn't do anything!" a whole lot of voices snapped back at him. Dean was glaring at the teacher, as were Ginny and Neville.

"And it was I who threw the snowball, Professor!" Hermione lied again bravely.

"Detention for you as well, Miss Granger, for lying to me twice during this conversation."

"You are like Bellatrix Lestrange," Neville stated. Everyone looked at him; Severus was white around the nostrils with rage. "You like to torture people, too."

"Detention, Mr Longbottom!" Severus shouted.

"Neville has a very valid point, Professor," Luna chimed in matter-of-factly.

"Detention, Miss Lovegood!"

"You're a bully!" Ginny stormed, and Dean nodded vigorously.

"Detention for Miss Weasley and Mr Thomas – for the whole pack of you!" Severus screamed, looking shockingly deranged.

"What is going on here?" a deep familiar voice said. Albus Dumbledore was walking towards them, eyebrows raised.

Everyone launched into an explanation at the same time.

"One after the other," Dumbledore said. "Well, Severus?"

"Weasley had the audacity to fling a snowball at me, and the rest of the pack-" Severus gestured wildly at the students, "launched insults at me."

"And you, my children? Let's start with you, Mr Weasley."

Dumbledore listened to each of them and nodded.

"It seems that you are in the minority, Severus."

"One against seven," Severus spat.

"I suggest that if you are so intent on punishing them, Severus, then put all of them into detention together in the same room for an hour. That's my last word," he added the last sentence when Severus opened his mouth to protest. The Headmaster gave Harry a small wink and drifted away, humming.

"You will be scrubbing the whole classroom and the cauldrons, all of you," Severus whispered, eyes flashing with hate.

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Harry could not remember having a better detention. Although supervised by the baleful eye of the Potions Master, it was good to know that he was together with his friends, although he felt rather sorry that they had been roped into the detention because of a snowball. He felt very thankful towards Ron for standing up for him. Ron and Hermione, in the meantime, were exchanging smiles and quick shy looks, both of them silently expressing their appreciation for trying to prevent the other from ending up in detention.

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Harry knew that his next Occlumency lesson on Monday evening would be very bad indeed. Severus was probably itching to dissect him and insult him; sure enough, when Harry entered the office, he discovered Severus flexing his long fingers, as if in anticipation of the insults he would throw at Harry. Harry was tired and irritable after a long day of lessons and Slytherin remarks in the corridor about his Sleeping Potion addiction. It was a truly awful lesson, with Harry ending up groaning on the floor and clutching at his pounding head while Severus taunted him; and during their second duelling lesson, Severus called him a "stupid little snotnose."

"I thought you were supposed to teach me how to duel magically, not verbally," Harry told Severus, just managing to control his voice with a huge effort. Severus aimed a Full Body Bind Curse at Harry, who absorbed it with a powerful Shield Charm.

"Confringo!" Harry exclaimed. The spell was so strong that it blasted a hole into Severus's desk in spite of the protective charm which the Slytherin had cast on the whole office before Harry's lesson. Severus lowered his wand and stared at the smoking hole. He turned and stared back at Harry.

"Er…Reparo!" Harry said, and the hole vanished, leaving a small pockmark on the wooden surface.

"How very considerate of you, Potter," Severus remarked frostily. "Just as arrogant as your father…"

"Stop insulting me and my father!" Harry hissed. "Just stop it!"

"What did I say about controlling your emotions, Potter?"

"How can I do so if you provoke me and insult me all the time?"

"You let yourself be provoked and insulted, Potter."

"You always get personal!"

"Naturally. That is how provocation works, Potter," Severus said in a superior tone, turning his back on Harry and moving away.

"That's a fucking excuse!" Harry observed.

Severus swivelled around suddenly and repeated the Full Body Bind Curse. Harry fell onto the floor. Severus smirked, walked around him once, as if enjoying the sight of James Potter's son lying at his feet, and freed him with a lazy flick of his wand.

"Manners and language, Potter. Now get out of my office."

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