"...I need a break" America panted. Russia glanced at him briefly and raised one eyebrow.

"Again?" he asked.

"We've been walking for ages!" America snapped. "I've lost count of how many days have passed!"

Russia snorted. "So dramatic" he murmured. "It has not been that long."

"Oh please!" America flung his arms in the air and rolled his eyes, looking disbelieving. "I've seen the sky go dark at least two times now -"

"Only once" Russia corrected him. "You are adding extra time on. It has not been that long."

America shrugged his shoulders and glared at the floor.

"Whatever" he muttered. "I still want a break."

"No wonder England left you" Russia sighed. "You are one of the most irritating people I have ever met."

"...What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" America demanded. "England never left me - I left him! It's called the 'Revolutionary War' if you ever feel like doing a bit of research!"

"Yes but he hated you in the end, da?" Russia responded. "That is why you threw a childish fit."

"...No!" America flung his arms in the air, looking furious. "Dude, stop trampling all over my achievements! It wasn't a 'childish fit' - it was me responding to his unjust ways! And I did not leave because England 'hated me' you dick, I left for the good of my country!"

Russia laughed. "So defensive."

"I'm not defensive - you don't even know what you're talking about. It's in textbooks and movies and museums and - stop laughing at me!"

Needless to say, they didn't end up stopping for another break for a while.

...

Giving Potter an occulmency lesson was the last thing he wanted to do but then, when did he ever get what he wanted? This knowledge didn't stop Snape from scowling darkly as he made his way down the long corridor.

"Bloody Potter" he cursed, under his breath. "No matter how many years pass, there is always one present to make my life hell..."

"Hmm..." he murmured, a moment later. "I wonder if there's a spell out there that could stop the boy from reproducing...that would help me quite a bit..."

"Talking to yourself, Severus?" laughed a voice from behind him. Snape froze and his eyes nervously raked the corridor, praying that there would be someone else present.

No...it was just him.

And Kirkland.

"What do you want?" Snape gritted out, ignoring the slight pounding in his chest. He wasn't afraid...he wasn't afraid!

...Of course, being afraid wouldn't be an issue. Not with Kirkland; the bloody man had come back to life! He'd died; he'd stopped breathing and then had come back to life, as if nothing had ever occurred. Being afraid would be a very rational response.

...Not that he was, of course.

"I am simply walking down the corridor" Kirkland replied, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm feeling slightly lonely, actually. I just loaned Flying Mint Bunny over to Hagrid to use for his next class..." he let out a wistful sigh.

Snape stared at him.

"Flying...Mint Bunny?"

"Yes" Kirkland perked up and nodded his head. "He's my...well, not my 'pet' exactly. That would be wrong and completely derogatory. Flying Mint Bunny is my friend; and a very good friend at that."

"Flying...Mint Bunny" Snape repeated, trying to figure out exactly what Kirkland was going on about. "What the hell...is a Flying Mint Bunny?"

"Not 'what'" Kirkland scowled. "Who. It's his name."

"...Right" Snape blinked.

"As for what he is..." Kirkland thought for a moment. "Well...his name pretty much gives it away, I suppose. He is a flying green bunny rabbit."

Snape stared at him for a moment.

"Is that a joke?" he asked, at last.

"No, of course not" Kirkland replied, shooting him an odd look. "Why so surprised, Severus? You are a wizard - open your mind a little bit."

"I am rather open-minded" Snape retorted, his voice cold. "However, throughout all my years of being apart of the Wizarding community, I have never heard of a flying green bunny rabbit."

"What can I say - Flying Mint Bunny is one of a kind" Kirkland shrugged. "As are all of my other amazing friends."

...And then Snape remembered that Kirkland wasn't just a blubbering fool; he was a blubbering fool that had come back from the dead.

"I need to go" Snape muttered. "I'm busy."

Kirkland was silent for a moment.

"Severus" he said, at last. "I think we should...discuss something. Something I think that has been on your mind for a while..."

"Kirkland" Snape snapped. "I'm not interested in having any sort of discussion with you. I have things to do -"

"No, no, I really think we should talk about this" Kirkland insisted.

"We don't need to talk!"

"...I just wanted to say -"

"Kirkland!"

" - That I understand why you'd be a little...embarrassed about your outburst in the hall a while back. Don't worry too much; we all say and do silly things. Avoiding me isn't going to make the past go away."

Snape stared at him.

"Excuse...me?" he choked. "I don't...what...?"

"You don't need to be embarrassed about your outburst" Kirkland repeated, smiling. "It's fine."

"I...I'm not upset about that you IDIOT!" Snape growled. "Why in the name of Merlin would I CARE about that?!"

Kirkland shrugged. "Well, I can't imagine what else it would be."

Snape stared, opened-mouth at his fellow professor stared back at him. His eyes zeroed in on the slight smirk on Kirkland's lips; dammit the other man was laughing at him!

"I'll see you later Severus" Kirkland said. He gave him a brief nod before continuing on his way. Snape stared after him, his eyes wide and disbelieving.

"That...that...that..." Snape struggled for a good word. "That...that fucking twat!"

...

Snape was late.

Harry sighed as he leaned back in his chair, and stared around his professor's office. It was so different from Dumbledore's but then, that was only to be expected.

He glanced towards the doorway, wondering Snape had forgotten about his lesson. Or maybe the other man had decided not to come...Harry wouldn't put that past him.

His eyes drifted over to Snape's desk, where a familiar looking object had been placed; a penseive. He stared at it for a few moments, studying it closely. It closely resembled the one Dumbledore had used the year previously.

Harry had noticed the object soon after he had entered Snape's office, and his thoughts had drifted towards ones about it as he'd lounged around in the office. He couldn't help but wonder what Snape had put in there; what sort of memories would be present in the most private of objects belonging to the most private of professors?

Perhaps something relating to Voldemort?

Harry had to admit; he was curious. He wanted to know so badly what Voldemort was up to. Why was he so silent? Why hadn't he done anything since his resurrection of sorts?

And why did Dumbledore think that these lessons were so important?

There were so many questions that Harry wanted answered, and he was certain that Snape would have them. If the man had no information on Voldemort, then surely he would know what Dumbledore was hiding from him. What Dumbledore found necessary to keep hidden from him, he had no qualms with revealing to the Order.

Walking over to that penseive and taking a look inside would be so easy...

At that moment, Snape walked through the door.

Harry wasn't surprised to see a scowl stretched across his Professor's face. The older man glanced up and his expression darkened when he caught sight of Harry.

"Let's get this over with" he spat.

...

Harry needed information; he needed it!

That little penseive had stayed in his line of vision throughout the entire lesson; he had been unable to drag his eyes away from it. He just knew it would hold at least some of the information he wanted.

A part of him desperately wished that he had taken a quick peak before Snape had walked into the room but a part of him simply felt guilty. Despite how much of a git Snape could be, that penseive was his property. It housed some of his most private thoughts. Snooping around was just...wrong.

"I need to take a look in Snape's penseive."

Then again...what Dumbledore was doing wasn't exactly right either.

Hermione and Ron exchanged looks; Hermione looked apprehensive and Ron simply looked confused.

"What's a penseive?" he asked, sounding blank.

"It's an object that holds a persons thoughts" Hermione responded. "They can view them when they feel like it...it's excellent for clearing your mind."

She glanced at Harry.

"What do you mean you want to look into Snape's penseive?"

"I need to know what Dumbledore's being hiding from me" Harry replied, taking a seat down in front of his friends and staring at them with wide eyes. "I know there are things he isn't telling me...I need to know what they are."

"So how will looking through Snape's memories help you?!" Hermione demanded, sounding slightly appalled.

"Oh come on, Hermione" it was Ron who answered. "Snape knows everything. And he's part of the Order."

"Well yes...but we can't just look through his memories!" Hermione cried. "It's just so wrong!"

"It's in his office" Harry told her. "Just...sitting there. On the desk. I know it isn't the best choice, Hermione, I really do. It's just...there's a chance I could figure things out. Dumbledore's hiding things from me and they concern me...he won't tell me anything! It's driving me mad..."

"Oh Harry" Hermione's shoulders slumped. "Can't you just...talk to the Headmaster?"

"Trust me, I've tried" Harry snorted.

"I'm with you, mate" Ron told Harry, giving him a supportive smile. "Plus, it would be pretty brilliant to hear what Snape is thinking."

"We wouldn't be hearing his thoughts" Hermione replied, sounding slightly annoyed. "And it isn't brilliant, it's wrong!"

"I'm going later today" Harry told her. "After everyone goes to sleep...I get why you don't agree with it. But...I need to know."

Hermione muttered a small, "fine" and continued to look displeased with the situation.

"So...at nighttime then" Harry decided. "After everyone has gone to sleep, we'll sneak down to Snape's office and take a quick peak."

"Let's just hope he doesn't catch us" Hermione muttered.

...

AN:

Thank you for all your reviews! You guys are amazing :D

There's not long to go before America and Russia arrive at the school! Haha, I'm glad you guys like the antics of those two - their definitely fun to write xD And of course, England is an incredibly fun character as well...especially when you add Flying Mint Bunny into the mix!

Review and tell me what you think of this chapter :D