Chapter 18

Harry walked slowly down the steps leading to the dungeons. He knew he was dragging his feet, however actually getting to the classroom was not something he particularly wanted to do. He was dreading arriving. He toyed with the idea of telling Snape he felt ill from what had happened earlier but dropped it. The man would know he wasn't being honest. It was the thought of the having to answer the questions that made him feel queasy.

/\/\/\/\

Severus sat at his desk thinking. He glanced at the clock at the back of the classroom. Potter was late. He growled under his breath, irritated. The boy no doubt was going to try skive off. But as he thought it, he heard the timid knock on the door.

"Enter" he barked.

The boy opened the door and walk in apprehensively. Severus gestured impatiently for him to sit.

"You're late, Potter."

"Sorry sir." The teen mumbled, sitting on the edge of the chair, hands gripping his robes.

"Your amulet" Snape reminded him, annoyed. Potter fingered it nervously before pulling it over his head and putting in his pocket almost hastily. He stood to move to the space they usually practiced combat in. Severus almost smiled, amused; so Potter had guessed he wanted to know about the peculiar stone and was trying to avoid it.

"No Potter, I wish to talk to you first. About the amulet." He could tell from the pained expression on the boy's face as returned to his seat that he had guessed correctly. "Let me see it."

/\/\/\/\

Harry hesitated. He didn't want to give it to Snape. He didn't want to give the man the opportunity to examine it or take it away. He needed it. Snape raised an eyebrow. Harry knew if it come to a contest of wills there was no way he could win and he didn't like the idea of Snape forcing him to give it up. The man has already angry at him for being late. Reluctantly he drew it out of his pocket and set it on the desk top.

Snape picked it up and inspected it, turning it over in his hands. "What are its properties exactly?"

"It-" Harry stopped indecisively. He didn't want to say anything that might give something away. "It sort of makes you look better. Makes it look like you have no blemishes, scars, bruises, makes you look healthy, that sort of thing." Harry stamped on the impulse to snatch the amulet from the Potion Master's hands. Snape didn't look particularly impressed with the explanation.

"It works on anything?" The man asked shrewdly.

"Well, not curse scars"

"It did not hide the burns on your burns today, nor did it make your wrist look unbroken when you 'tripped' down the stairs."

/\/\/\/\

Severus had wondered rather a lot about the enchanted stone he now held. He watched Potter as he tried to answer.

"Well, sometimes… sometimes I can make things show through. I don't know how though. I mean it would have looked odd if I'd gone to the infirmary with a straight broken wrist."

"You made a mistake there." He said coolly. The boy looked at him startled.

"What?"

"In the infirmary. You may have let your wrist look broken but Madame Pomfrey thought it most odd that you had no bruises after falling down the stairs." The teen looked at him, appalled.

"Does she know? Did she tell you?" He asked panicky.

"Relax Potter." Severus said calmly, "She only told me because I asked. It is not so unusual that people with magical abilities have odd injuries. Particularly children, who are not as in control of their magic. Sit." The boy had jumped to his feet. "How did you fool Madame Pomfrey's diagnostic scans? The amulet too, I assume?"

"Yes… It makes you appear ok. So it deflects the scans and stuff." He fidgeted in the chair, uncomfortable.

"When did you buy it?" The teen merely looked at him mutely. "At the same time as the potion?" Still the boy didn't answer. Severus didn't want to force him into it.

"Why then?"

"What do you mean why?" Harry asked incredulously.

"You said you were 'mugged' in the holidays. Why would you buy something to hide the evidence of attack and go to such lengths to hide your injuries?" Snape asked. He wanted to get past the ridiculous story that the boy insisted on and get to some answers.

"I t-told you, I was e-embarrassed."

"Then why not buy healing potions from wherever you bought the Brenson's Brew?"

"I c-couldn't."

"Why not just go to the matron quietly and ask to be healed? She is bound by confidentiality unless it's life threatening."

"I didn't think it would stay c-confidential."

"So it was arrogance and vanity that led you to buy it then."

"No! I just didn't want everybody to know t-that's all. I thought I could c-cope"

"Did you go stay with the Weasley family this year, Potter?"

"W-what?" The boy asked confused at the sudden chance of tact. "N-no, why?"

"How did you buy your school supplies then?"

"I asked Ron to get them for me."

"So you could not, in effect, have bought either the potion or the amulet in the holidays."

"No, I-I did, I-"

"You're lying, Potter." He said in a quiet voice.

/\/\/\/\

Snape had snared him with words. The Potion's Master was looking at him from across the desk, amulet still in his hand. Harry knew from experience that the quieter Snape's voice got, the worse the trouble you were in. Harry remembered what the man had said about lying. He felt himself start shaking and quickly forced his hands to grip his robes so that the man wouldn't see. He took a deep breath.

"I-I'm not lying. I did buy them in the h-holidays." He wished his voice wouldn't waver so.

"Perhaps. But not the one past. You are lying by omission." Harry didn't answer. He didn't know what he could say that wouldn't dig him in deeper. "I will not warn you about lying again, Potter." He gripped his hands tighter. "The next logical question would of course be 'who did it to you?' wouldn't it Potter?" Snape asked, almost conversationally. The man's gaze seemed to pin him to the chair. He felt horribly trapped, in every sense of the word. He shook his head. He was afraid Snape might decide to force him to answer. Harry had no doubt he was capable of doing it. He desperately wanted to get out. But he knew he wouldn't get to the door before the Potion Master did. Besides which, Snape was still holding his amulet.

"It is, is it not?" The man sounded amused, almost. Harry just looked at him, trying not to let the fear that had started to bubble in his stomach show.

/\/\/\/\

Severus did not want to push the boy too hard. The mere fact the he had not tried to run from him showed that the boy had some trust in him- or had realised it would do no good. Severus rather suspected the latter.

"Either way I very much doubt you will tell me the truth even if I did ask it." Potter merely looked at him. However much the boy was trying to hide his feelings, Snape could still feel the teen's distress was mounting. He glanced at the clock. They had been talking for nearly an hour. He wondered how much more the teen could take. Not much he would guess. He placed the peculiar rock on his desk, in front of the boy.

"That is enough for tonight Potter, come tomorrow, same time."

The boy was out the classroom before he could get another word out.

Harry still felt shaky as he walked along the deserted charms corridor. He stopped to lean against the stone wall and took deep breaths. He should have refused to say anything. Snape could find the hole in any story faster than nifflers could find gold. No…refusing would have done nothing, the man would have found a way to make him: probably by threatening to tell. Or something else… Harry shivered. He did not want to make the man angry. Period.

Suddenly he heard muffled voices. He stood quickly and started to walk away as the door opposite opened to reveal Lupin and Flitwick, both looking at a sheet of parchment. Lupin looked up immediately and saw him. Too late to walk away. The man smiled warmly.

"Good evening Harry."

"Good evening professors."

"Hold on a second, Harry," The lycanthrope said as he tried to carry on walking. "Thank you, Filius, you've been a great help." Lupin said, shaking the tiny Charms teacher's hand.

"Oh always a pleasure, Remus." He said back in his squeaky voice. Bidding them both goodnight he shut the door.

"You look terrible." Lupin said, voice full of concern. "And you're shaking. Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Harry answered, forcing himself to smile. "I just had occlumency tonight, that's all." It didn't seem to matter how much he tried to avoid the man, he just kept running into him.

"Come, I'll make you some sweet tea."

Harry could think of anything he could say short of blank refusing, so resignedly he followed the man back to his office. Once inside he sat while Remus pulled out two cups and started making tea. Harry could sight of himself in the window. He looked pale, white almost, with dark smudges under his eyes. No wonder the man thought him ill.

"How's school going?" He asked as he handed Harry a plate of biscuits.

"It's been busy. Loads of homework." He said as he took his mug. "And the teaching?"

Remus smiled, "Busy. Loads of marking."

Harry smiled back and took a sip of his tea. He nearly choked it was so sugary. He still wasn't used to sweet things.

"You've been avoiding me, Harry." Lupin said gently. He kept looking at the mug so he wouldn't have to look at his teacher's eyes.

"I-" What could he say? That every time he looked at the man, all he could think about was that he had killed Sirius? Or that the man kept trying to come closer to him just pushed Harry further into his sea of guilt? He did not deserve to be here when Sirius and Cedric and all the others weren't.

"I've been busy with the homework and the extra lessons with Snape and stuff, I guess."

"Harry-" Lupin sighed, and reached to put his hand on Harry's shoulder. He forced himself to stay still. "I know this year's been tough. You keep trying to shoulder the burden alone though and it doesn't make it any easier." Harry could feel his eyes on him.

"Thanks for the tea, sir." Harry said, standing and setting the cup down. "I'll see you in class tomorrow." With that he walked to the door.

"I meant what I said Harry, about being here." Harry paused, his hand on the door knob.

"Good night Professor." He opened it and left without looking back. As he closed it he heard Lupin sighing despondently. He felt even guiltier. But he knew pushing away was the only thing that could help them. He turned and began his walk to the Tower.

I just want to thank everyone for the reviews and emails I've had concerning this story and those who have been nagging me to update. Its very warming to know that there are so many people interested in this story. If anyone is interested I am stilling looking for a beta for this story. Please email or review if you are interested. Thx