Chapter 26! Ludicrous! We've just two more chapters till the end. I hope you like it. This was one of the most enjoyable chapters to read and write!

Snape had seen the look Hermione had given him and was honestly interested. She had been trying to tell him something Harry wouldn't want him to know. It was about one class that Harry was particularly gifted in. One in which she apparently struggled. Snape thought back to that day when he had tricked Harry into brewing for him. He hadn't been able to see the boy work and had only seen the end results of his efforts. The boy had successfully brewed those potions but Snape hadn't had time to truly consider what that meant.

After a few moments Snape stood and glided silently down the hallway. The door to Harry's room slightly ajar and all three were in their pajamas on separate beds. He listened in awe as Hermione revealed that any success she had in Potions came from plying Harry with questions. Then the question. "Why do you do that Harry?"

Snape was curious as to the answer himself. Harry had given him an answer to the question a while ago. He knew Harry had hidden out of fear from Voldemort and his uncle. He was curious because he wanted to know what Harry would tell his friends. Snape listened silently as Harry sighed and fell back onto the bed.

"You guys read the letter right? That my uncle wasn't the nicest person?" Harry asked.

After a moment of silence Harry continued Snape could only imagine that his friends had nodded.

"Well Vernon hit me for a lot of different reasons. He hated it when I would do any kind of accidental magic. He called it freaky stuff and normally I wouldn't eat for a long time after that. One of my relatives' favorite punishments is locking me away and depriving me of food." Harry said ignoring the gasps of his friends. "Another thing he hated is when I would do better than his son Dudley."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"Well when we were little it meant that I couldn't be potty trained until Dudley had learned. Dudley is very stupid and I had to pace myself alongside him if I didn't want to get hit. When we got into muggle primary we were in all the same classes." Harry explained. "If I got a better grade on any assignment than Dudley did then Vernon would punish me. First he would go down to the school and explained that I cheated to get that grade and then he would take me home and hit me a lot."

Snape heard the sounds of movement and guessed that the two friends were moving towards Harry. He snuck a quick peek and saw them all on Harry's bed giving him one armed hugs. Good, at least they aren't complete idiots.

"I learned really quickly not to do well in school but I didn't want to be stupid you know? I still wanted to learn. So I started doing all of my work twice. The first time I would do it the best I could and the second assignment I would fill with a lot of mistakes. I turned the second one in so that I wouldn't get in trouble." Harry explained quietly not at all proud of it. "When I came to Hogwarts I couldn't make myself succeed anymore. I was scared. What if I did well enough that Vernon found out? I was afraid that if I did well enough that I got top marks then I would come home and Vernon would know so I didn't I made myself do poorly."

"Oh Harry! I'm so sorry!" Hermione said. "All this time I was pushing you to do work because I thought you were lazy."

"Hermione. I don't blame you." Harry said with a sigh. "I like it when you bother me with this stuff. I never had a mom, or a sister, or even a friend to do that before. You guys are the first. Don't ever think you are bothering me."

"Mate. Do you mean to tell me that you do every single assignment twice?" Ron asked flabbergasted.

Snape could feel the others roll their eyes. He decided that was all the useful information he could get for the night and he went to bed. He knew full well those three 11 year olds were going to stay up late into the night talking but he couldn't really bring himself to care. Harry had basically pointed out that Snape could either traipse around Britain in the middle of the night trying to take Granger home or she could stay the night. Snape had made the obvious jump that if one stayed then the other would have to stay as well. Honestly the boy was too good at manipulating him for it to be natural.

Snape ignored the voice in his head that told him he had only agreed because he cared for Harry. The only other child who could do this to him was Draco and the boy hardly ever tried. Snape wondered how Lucius' wife had taken the news of his freedom. She had probably been overcome with joy. Those two were both half veela and they loved each other from the very depths of their soul. She probably felt it when the mark was removed since their bond was so strong.

That train of thought reminded Snape that Draco's birthday was just two days from now. Tomorrow the clothing he had ordered for Harry would arrive and he would begin training with the professors to keep his magic levels at a controllable level. The next day would have them preparing for Draco's party and then attending said party. Severus didn't know the moment when his summer became so busy. Under normal circumstances this would've bothered him. He had had so little time to brew potions, important things that the school needed. Despite this he found he did not mind.

Perhaps being busy was not such a terrible thing. The next morning Snape found himself outside Harry's room. He knocked lightly and opened to reveal that all three had fallen asleep on Harry's bed. Granger at the top on top of the pillows, Harry in the middle curled in the fetal position and finally the Weasley boy stretched out his legs on top of Harry.

"Wake up." Snape said loud enough for Harry to do exactly that.

The boy shot straight up and upset the Weasley boy. The red head fell off the bed with a shout and Granger shot up her hair as puffy as a lions mane. Harry's face as red as a beet and Ron was complaining loudly.

"Harry! Next time don't push me off the bed!" Ron said rubbing his head.

"It's not my fault I get startled easy in the morning." Harry complained throwing a pillow at Ron's head.

Snape who knew well what would happen next rolled his eyes and took two steps back. Ron picked up the pillow and threw it hard in Harry's direction. Harry ducked and the pillow hit Hermione dead in the face. The pillow flopped down and revealed Hermione's stunned face. She quickly recovered however and threw the pillow back at Ron. Who in turn grabbed a pillow from the cot he was supposed to sleep in and threw it at Harry.

Harry not wanting to get hit waved his hand and produced a fifth year shield charm. The pillow bounced off of him and with the extra power from the shield ricocheted quickly directly onto Severus Snape. Damn didn't take enough steps back. The pillow slid to the ground making a thump when it hit. The room was deathly silent and all three children stared at him with wide eyes.

It was not well known but if the Slytherins ever started a pillow fight of any kind within the common room Severus Snape was usually there throwing pillows at random students but never getting hit himself. This was the first time he had ever been struck in over 6 years. Snape merely rolled his eyes and let his wand slide out of the holster. He levitated the pillow up and threw it hard at Harry who flew back onto the bed from the hit.

"Oh it is on." Harry said beneath the pillow. "Klangly! I need pillows pronto!"

There were numerous pops and suddenly Snape's quarters were filled with pillows. That was the moment that Snape knew he had once again been outmaneuvered by a Gryffindor. This time he wasn't as bothered. He was already in a position to defend himself. He walked out of the door and headed to the living room to prepare. He could hear Harry preparing his team.

"You guys remember the spell Fred and George taught us?" Harry asked. "Great. I improved it, here's how it's better."

"Harry that's brill!"

"Fred and George will be so jealous."

"Yeah well get the pillows ready. Severus won't know what hit him."

Severus tried to convince himself that there was no really to be bothered. Those Weasley twins weren't so bad.

"Now remember once we get out there it is free for all." Harry said.

"Of course Harry. Ever since last time I've been meaning to hit you with a pillow."

"Hermione!" Harry shouted before running out of his room.

Snape lifted his pillow and shot a pillow straight at Harry which the boy proceeded to dodge. He was carrying three pillows that were glowing slightly with magic. Harry smirked at him and dropped the first two pillows. Snape almost wished the boy hadn't been training with Godric, the boy was much too good with wandless magic. The first one shot straight at Snape but he side stepped it, then the boy pulled back with his hand and the pillow was yanked back and hit Snape on the back.

The glowing pillow exploded into colorful dust and Snape looked at his back. He gasped his back was now a bright colorful pink. He turned around and growled at the grinning Harry.

"You will suffer for this brat."

"Only if you can catch me." Harry said with a laugh.

The boy's friends appeared at that point carrying a large pile of the magically charged pillows. Snape summoned a couple and threw them at the children. Thus began the pillow fight. The fight continued for some time. All four of them using their magic to fling pillows at one another. All four covered in the instantly dried magical paint the Weasley twins had designed.

Snape was enjoying himself so much he did not notice when someone knocked on his door and opened it. Harry however did. The boy looked at the door and cracked a huge smile. The boy summoned to him three pillows and faced the door.

"It's the headmaster! Get him!"