.Still own none of the Potter-verse, just playing with it : )

Many thanks to everyone who has reviewed!

sorry for the lame title, and for taking so long getting this up

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Harry decided against reminding the snarky professor that the reason they were staying with the senior Snapes was because it wasn't safe at his home. Come to think of it, Harry wasn't sure who he would have been in more danger from, death eaters or Snape himself!

He finished his toast, and washed his dishes. Just as he was about to make his escape, Snape asked to have a look at his homework.

Damn and Double Damn!

He hadn't had the chance to liberate his school trunk from its exile under the stairs before Tonks had come to deliver him and his things to Grimmauld Place.

He gulped, then confessed, "I… ah.. haven't actually… started it yet?"

The professor frowned. "No notes? No first drafts? On any subject?" his voice was almost a whisper.

The boy shook his head at each suggestion.

Snape took a deep breath. By this point in the holidays, he had almost finished his assignments, and his son had yet to start? Oh his study habits were going to change!

"Then I suggest you get started", he told the boy coldly.

Harry indulged in an eye-roll while his back was to the man. If he had the choice, he would have had his home work well on the way to being finished by now!

"And I want to see your first drafts", Snape added

Harry started his normal "yes sir" before he processed what had been said.

Wait a minute!

"First drafts?!", He exclaimed. How many drafts was he going to have to write?

Snape smirked. As he had suspected, the boy was planning to do the minimum amount of work he could get away with.

"And I want to see a decent effort!" Damn he really wanted to end that sentence with 'Mr. Snape' but of course legally the boy was still a Potter, and he was triple damned if he was going to call his son after that arrogant toe-rag! So he settled for, "Right, boy?"

Harry gulped. Nothing good happened after being called 'boy'

And just what would be classed as a 'decent effort' anyway? Given the professors impossibly high standards in class…..Harry silently said 'goodbye' to any free time he might have had these holidays as he made his way up to his room.

Maybe he was being ungrateful? At least he was allowed to do his homework here, and had a desk to work at, much better than trying to hold a torch under the bedcovers in the middle of the night after a day of chores, keeping an ear out for his aunt and uncle so he could feign sleep if they thought to check up on him, and of course making sure to get enough sleep so he could get through the next days chores.

And he had actually enjoyed doing homework when he was at primary school, before he had started to receive better marks than Dudley. That was when he started getting punished for doing homework, studying and even outshining precious Dudders in class tests. He had gotten into the habit of pretending he had only understood about half of the course work and deliberately answered questions wrong on tests. At Hogwarts he had planned to show what he could do if he put his mind to it, but he was side-tracked by the novelty of having a best friend for the first time in his life, and people were always sort of expecting something special from him. The best way to hide was to maintain an average score where possible. Ironically, he and Hermione would have been perfect study partners if Harry hadn't known Ron. He also knew Hermione didn't have to work as hard as him, he had to really concentrate, which was hard to do in the common room.

Before making a start on any of the summer essays, he read over the requirements each professor had (demanded!) asked for in their subjects.

McGonagall was 'simply' wanting three different types of transfiguration, variations of incantations and wand movement- not the easiest, but he sort of had a couple of ideas, he would come back to that one.

The Charms one was going to be a breeze, he definitely knew how to use a simple Charm defensively, though he had a fair idea there may be two other essays on how to use 'Winguardiam

Leviosa' on a mountain Troll!

There had been no assignment for the Defence Against The dark Arts, for which he was grateful and he didn't really plan on taking Divination next year. That left Potions. Harry groaned out loud when he read over Snape's essay. He was going to have to go through all five years worth of Potions books for all the information! (He just knew Hermione wouldn't need to re-read her previous notes!)

This was going to be the toughest essay to research never mind write!

And he knew the man was less than forgiving when it came to marking.

Harry tapped his finger against his lips as he tried to decide what his best option would be- to start with the monster essay and squeeze in as much of the others with the time left, or do the others first and concentrate 100 on the Potions project.

Or, of course, not doing that horrendous assignment at all.

Snape wasn't taking less than 'outstanding' o.w.l.s in his n.e.w.t. class, a grade Harry wasn't optimistic about having achieved, given the way his class assessments had gone last year.

He decided to leave that one and start one of the others. If, by some miracle he had passed the grade, he would have time between he results coming out and school starting write a decent essay.

He would maybe start the research earlier, just in case.

He picked up one of the others.

History of magic oh joy!

Harry rolled his eyes. What a surprise, it was to be on defining moments of the Goblin Wars, just like last years….wait a minute! Harry dug around in his school trunk and there was last years Goblin War essay, just waiting to be copied, with maybe a little more information added.

A couple of hours later, while Eileen and Severus prepared lunch, Tobias went to let Harry know it was nearly ready and to finish up where he was and wash his hands.

The man stood at the open door watching his grandson reading over what looked promisingly like a completed paper. He entered the room, his slippers making no sound on the thick carpet.

Harry was unaware anyone was in the room with him until he felt a hand on his shoulder.

With a small yelp of surprise, Harry curled away instinctively even as he turned to see who had sneaked up on him.

Seeing the stunned, hurt look on his grandfather's face, he shook his head. He knew he wasn't at privet Drive! He knew Uncle Vernon wasn't here! He knew all that, he had just forgotten for a second.

"Sorry, sir, you gave me a fright", he tried to make light of it.

"Sorry about that, lad, I guess I should have coughed or something", Toby apologised, feeling a little embarrassed at scaring the child.

"'s okay" Harry assured, trying to laugh off his over reaction.

"I just came up to let you know that lunch is almost ready", Toby smiled. "And next time, I'll knock, even if the door is open" he chuckled.

Harry went to the bathroom and washed the ink off his hands, before scooping cold water on his face. Jeeze, could he have made a bigger fool out of himself?!

He made his way slowly downstairs, hoping that his grandfather didn't mention it.

"There you are, Harry", Eileen greeted, as though she hadn't seen the boy just a couple of hours ago.

He couldn't help but smile in return. It was nice to have an adult happy to see him.

Severus watched, slightly amused, as his parents fussed over getting the boy fed. Good grief! He was surely able to pour his own pumpkin juice…wait a minute. .what…?

"Mother", he asked her in a voice low so the other two wouldn't hear. "did you….?"

"it's just…."

" A nutrient potion! I saw that. Why?"

"Have you seen how much or rather how little that boy eats? It wouldn't keep a bird alive", she kept her voice a low as her son's.

Snape frowned. True, Harry had not eaten much on their arrival, but that was to be expected he supposed. And he only had two slices of toast this morning. "He may still be just settling in"

"And until he starts threatening to eat us out of house and home, this will keep him healthy!" she ended the conversation, taking Harry his juice.

"Thanks, gran", he took a large drink, almost finishing the whole glassful in one go "I guess I needed that" he felt obliged to comment bashfully. He hadn't realised how thirsty he had been.

"Perhaps you should take frequent beverage breaks, to help you to stay hydrated while you do your school work", Snape advised, not unkindly.

"You could just set up your stuff in the dining room, and have a jug of water beside you", Tobias suggested. It did seem a shame for the boy to be exiled to his room.

"Really?", Harry beamed at that, "That would be great. Thanks gramps." he had always been sent out of the way at the Dursleys.

As Harry started to eat, his father regarded him thoughtfully. He couldn't believe the child had already claimed (and been claimed by!) his parents. He felt (oh surely not jealous!) left out? Unnecessary?

His parents seemed to be enjoying themselves, looking after the grandchild they never expected to have. Truth be told he had not planned (nor expected) to ever have a child. He knew he was not marriage material, and that women did not find him attractive.(He would always have chosen brains over looks anyway.) In fact there was only one woman he had ever entertained the thought of commitment with, and that had been Lily. They had been close friends at school, but nothing more, and he had been gutted when she married Potter, the bane of his life! He had thought she had taste! She was smart enough, he thought, not to fall for James's charms as so many other witches had.

But no, the only person he had wanted to spend the rest of his life with, had married a man he couldn't stand. To be fair, she hadn't known how Severus had felt about her until much later.

Tobias interrupted his son's musings by asking, "When are you going to see Harry's folks?"

"I had hoped for this week, but they have not yet replied to my owls", Severus answered

Harry's fork clattered to the floor.

"You sent owls to the Durlseys?" he blurted . Oh I am sooo dead if I get left alone with Uncle Vernon ever again.

" It would be impolite to just turn up on their doorstep unannounced", Snape spoke as though explaining the very obvious.

"They won't answer. They hate owls.", Harry told them, nervously.

"Then how do you communicate when you are at school?", Eileen queried, a little puzzled. Even muggle born students usually had no problem using owl-post to keep in touch with their parents.

'Oh!… uh…" Harry thought fast, "Well ,they know Hedwig" he ducked under the table to retrieve his fork, knowing the professor could tell he was lying if he just by looking at him.

Snape's eyes had narrowed at the boy. Now that he thought about it, he couldn't remember many letters being delivered to the youngster. And had young Malfoy not made comments about that?

"Well, there is always the telephone", Eileen offered, "Oh , Sev Harry wanted to call one of his school friends, rather than write, would that be all right?"

Snape raised an eyebrow, watching the boy intently.

"I believe he would be better writing to Miss Granger."

"Oh Harry, you didn't say it was your girlfriend!" his grandmother gushed

What?! NO! He almost dropped his fork again.

Harry faltered even as Tobias smirked at his wife, "Stop teasing the child"

Severus shook his head at his family.

"I shall compose another note for Petunia and Vernon, and send it off with Hedwig" the professor suggested.

"Or I could just call?", Harry insisted. He did not want to risk his pet to the Dursleys, how often had his uncle threatened to kill his owl?

"That does make more sense, Sev.", Tobias added his two cents worth.

After lunch, Harry nervously dialled his Aunts house, hoping no one was home.

The prim voice answered "Hello?"

"Aunt Petunia? It's Harry" he told her.

The change in her tone was immediate.

"What do you want?"

"Um did you ,by any chance, get a couple of owls?"

"I knew you were behind those, Boy! When your uncle gets a hold of you…", she hissed threateningly down the line.

"I just found out about them. My, uh, father wants to come visit you, and he wants to know when would be convenient?", the boy blurted out in a rush, twisting the phone cable nervously through his fingers.

"Your father is dead" ,she reminded him, coldly.

"Turns out he is still alive, that's kinda what he wants to discuss." Harry sighed.

"Well, we are certainly not going to fight for you! Your father can have you", she snapped and hung up the phone.

Harry stared at the receiver for a long moment before replacing it in the cradle.

He had known, of course, that they had never wanted him, but the rejection still stung, and he had to think of a way to stop the Snapes from visiting the Durlseys. The teen could feel tears stinging his eyes, but determinedly blinked them back. His mothers sister had grudgingly let him stay there for nearly fifteen years but he was under no illusions, he had never been part of the family. But part of him had hoped that maybe……

"Well?", Snape prompted, leaning against the doorframe, arms folded.

Harry tried to get some words out, but he couldn't think what to say, nor get enough breath to speak.

He opened and closed his mouth, feeling like a fish out of water. He shook his arms which suddenly felt cold and tingly. He gazed through unfocused eyes at his teacher, trying to loosen the clothing from his neck, even though he was wearing a v-neck t-shirt.

In a second, the man was behind his son, holding him against his chest. He managed to negotiate them both onto the floor, and tried to help the boy focus on breathing.

"Easy, Harry. You're all right", Severus kept muttering.

"Sorry, sir", the boy muttered, trying to push himself off his father. Snape held him back firmly , the boy would probably pass out if he tried to get up just yet.

Harry groaned inwardly as he realised he was being helped again by Snape. What was wrong with him? Twice in as many days he had collapsed on the Potions Master. He felt humiliated at his weakness, and tears were gently escaping from his eyes.

"You are all right, Harry", the man soothed, "just keep breathing in, hold it….and out…easy as that…and again, in.." he kept up the soft directions, and Harry felt himself relax, following the softly spoken words. His breathing started to return to normal, and he suddenly felt chilled all over, shivering slightly.

"Feeling better?", the professor asked quietly.

Harry managed a nod, though he lowered his head ,embarrassed about the episode.

As they stood together, Harry was a little annoyed that Snape held on to him. It was even more galling that the man had been right to do so, as Harry stumbled almost falling back to the floor.

Severus guided the boy to the sitting room and onto the sofa, and headed into the kitchen to make them both a calming tea (his mothers special blend). He returned with the steaming drinks, and pulled the large knitted blanket off the back of the sofa and draped it around the boy's shoulders.

Harry pulled the blanket tightly around himself and accepted his tea, grasping the mug with both hands as he drank, letting it warm him outside as well as in. "Thanks", he offered sincerely, keeping his eyes lowered.

Snape inclined his head in acknowledgment.

When the drinks were finished, and the boy was relaxed, Snape felt it was time they had a talk.

"Any idea what brought that on?", the man asked.

Harry flushed and shook his head.

"Of course not!", Snape drawled, "You have absolutely nothing stressful happening in your life at the moment.", he finished with a quirk of his left eyebrow.

"I guess it's a little bit of everything", Harry shrugged, "I was thinking about what to say to my aunt …..about you and …" he gave another shrug, hoping the man bought it.

"Are you feeling better?", he inquired

"Just really embarrassed ", the boy answered running a hand through his hair.

"Am I allowed to tell Ron and Hermione? About our situation?", Harry chewed on his lip, nervously. He had a feeling that the answer would be 'no' and with probably a sharp put down, but he couldn't not at least ask.

Severus cocked his head to one side as he considered.

On one hand, it would be good for Harry to be able to talk things over with his friends.

Then again, this information could put his friends at risk, not to mention the more people who knew, the more chance of the wrong people finding out.

"At the moment, I have to say no", the professor told him.

"I kinda expected that.", Harry muttered. He was a little disappointed, but at least the man had thought about it instead of just snapping out the answer.

The man grimaced, but felt obliged to offer, "If you need to talk about any of this, you know you can come to me?" he told the boy, and added ,"or my parents, of course" He winced inwardly as he thought about how cold he had sounded.

"So at school everything is going to stay normal?", Harry wanted to check.

"Everything will be the same, except that when you receive detention from any other professor you will also receive one from, and with, me."

"What?!", Harry yelped.

The answer was a smirk at his outrage.

"It is no more than I give any Slytherin student.", the professor told him.

"Really? Even Malfoy?", Harry snorted

"If it was for something I considered worthy of detention, yes. If it was for something minor and I felt a professor had over reacted I would try to have the student serve the detention with me instead, and they would use the time to study or do homework instead of the usual cauldron scrubbing."

"That's not fair!", Harry complained, hurriedly adding "not that I plan on getting detention!"

"I should hope not!", the man remarked. "I you are feeling better?"

The boy nodded, shrugging off his blanket. He was a little too hot now

"I believe there are some essays upstairs awaiting your attention."

"Grampa said I could bring my stuff downstairs?" Harry reminded his parent uncertainly.

"He did.", Snape nodded, agreeing to allow him to do so .

Harry brought down his school things and Snape placed a large jug of iced water on the table. "drink plenty, it will help your concentration", he advised. He paused just before exiting the dining room, "And if you get stuck, give me a shout.", he offered. Maybe he could do this parenting thing?