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This story will most likely be updated every Monday going forward on FF. The explicit version of this story is complete on the AO3 website and can be read at any time.

"500 Fabulous Fucking Spells, really Harry?"

He almost spit out his orange juice while Hermione combed The Prophet at breakfast. "George told you, seriously?"

"No, George told Lee, who owled Dean, who told Neville, who told Luna, who asked me a very bewildering question on the subject- one that I'm still not sure how to answer. And I'm sure Ginny knows by now too."

Harry slumped over his breakfast in a complete loss, hearing the funeral precession for his dignity.

"It's a good book Harry. Surprised you asked for that one, though."

"You've read it?" he asked in a voice that was not his own.

"Of course I did, in fifth year when it came out. I've read a lot of books in wizard development."

"Did you give Ron a copy?" he couldn't help himself.

"Oh, no," Hermione swore. "If I did, he'd pick the weird ones."

He wanted to laugh but he was too embarrassed.

"Please Harry, you're in seventh year. Many students had wizarding relationship books in the third year. They get passed around by students, you know how it is. Well, not the expensive one you have, but still, you and Ron were late bloomers."

"But you…" he gave her a weird look.

"I'm not saying I tried anything before sixth year!" Hermione said defensively. "But I at least prepared for my practical examinations."

"Yeah yeah…"

"…Ginny was surprised you didn't try more wandwork."

"DON'T. STOP. I'm already embarrassed."

"Faaaamous Hogwarts Quidditch Player…" she jested. "ENDING games faster than any…"

"Don't talk about your boyfriend like that," Harry quipped. That shut her up. He hated to hear that Ginny was disappointed in their relationship in other ways… surely he wasn't that bad. "So…" he grasped for the change of subject. "Malfoy and Goyle dueled last night, and Malfoy threw the fight."

"Yes, I heard, Harry! Everyone is talking about it. Draco was supposed to be really hurt but he looks fine this morning. I heard Goyle is bragging about winning, but I wonder if he actually did."

"I passed Malfoy under my Invisibility Cloak last night and he did look hurt. Think he was heading to Snape's office."

"Poor Draco. I mean, not poor Draco… but still…"

Harry laughed. "I know… So uh, do you have time before class today? I have something I want to show you."

She smiled, intrigued by the way he said it.

They had about thirty minutes before class so they found an unused classroom, locking the door and warding it. Harry pulled out his wand. "I have new magic that I'm sure you don't know yet. Want to see?"

She eyed him, unsure whether she trusted unknown magic from Harry.

"Are you ready? I'm going to perform some magic on you, it's not weird or anything, and it's not going to hurt. Do you trust me?"

"Of course, Harry," but she eyed him nervously at this strange declaration.

And with some thinking he pulled the light out of her torso. She watched, mouth falling open. The light at first refused to leave her, sticking to her, but separated eventually and hung politely in the air for both of them to gawk at.

"How did you do that!?" she shrieked. Hermione's light was blinding, much brighter than his. He felt like he was seeing a visual representation of their friendship: pure, bright, and everlasting. In that moment he wanted to tell her how much he loved her.

"It's Enigma Magic- Dumbledore's." Harry looked at her, so happy to be here with her in this moment. "Related to the Patronus, or sort of."

"That's really incredible, Harry!" Hermione gaped, looking from him down to the light. He started to return the light to her chest. "Don't put it away!" she breathed. "It's so… interesting. I… I don't feel anything. You pulled it from me, but I don't feel anything gone!" She waived her hand at the space between her body and the light, trying to feel some sort of attachment.

"Yeah," Harry said. "Dumbledore's Deluminator- I think it had this stuff."

"Oh, that makes sense." She looked back down at the light. "I bet you can do all sorts of stuff with this."

"You can find people you love if you do something with it. Not super useful, but still…"

"Dumbledore wouldn't think that's useless."

"Maybe not, wouldn't help me in Auror training though."

"Not necessarily. I bet it has all sorts of implications. What if it literally shows you where your heart and feelings are? Kind of like a tell."

"Yeah," Harry agreed.

"You can essentially see into people's hearts, Harry, or at least make some connections. Occlumency is for the mind, this is for the heart. Strong emotions, at least."

"Death Eaters though…" Harry said with a shrug.

"Wow…" Hermione said again. Harry took this moment to put the light back into her chest. The room got dark. "Can I see yours?" The question sounded kind of embarrassing.

"Uhhh, no," Harry said. She stared at him, surprised. "I'll have to teach you the magic, because I can't pull mine out yet. So, you have to do it."

"Okay," she said simply, consenting to the lesson.

"Uhhh…" he smiled, not believing her. "We're… going to be late for Charms if we stay here."

"That's okay, Harry. Show me." And he couldn't believe his ears.

They stayed.

It was almost spring but one last snow decided to show itself on Sunday.

In their eighth year study group, Goyle was noticeably absent. Pansy was being nicer to Draco and kept trying to touch him, making everyone uncomfortable, most of all, Draco.

Instead of studying, Harry was going over defense tactics in his mind against the girls in Dueling Club. He decided a Shield Charm or an extended Bubble Charm would be the simplest. He imagined Draco calling him a coward but they could hardly touch him if they were literally prevented from doing so.

Ginny showed up to the library with an entire dueling lesson plan that Draco shot down immediately. When she continued to argue, he reminded her she is more than welcome to present these to Snape, and see how that worked out for her. Ginny declared she would, but dropped it when Blaise gave her a slow shake of the head- 'don't.' When that argument was put to bed, they finally got thirty solid minutes of studying in.

"What do you want?" Draco startled, realizing Luna had been staring at him for an undisclosed amount of time.

"Your dad is getting released early from Azkaban this summer. You must be very happy," she said without a trace of bitterness, like she couldn't wait to see her own dad again. Draco went rigid.

Harry was impressed the silent study group could get even more silent. "Luna…" he started softly, "I don't think the Malfoys want to discuss personal family matters, even if it was in The Prophet. It's their business."

She looked at him. "Oh? Is it…? Well, I was so happy to see Daddy again after I got home last year…"

It must be weird for both of them to be in the same year now. She was even summoned to go to Lucius Malfoy's trial as a witness, Draco's too, but skipped them both to go on holiday with her dad.

"No. Nothing is happy about it," Draco said purposefully. "He's not allowed a wand for five years. Getting out of prison does not make our lives whole."

"Oh… of course… I'm sorry…"

Draco eyed her wearily, unable to discern if she was taking the piss out of him or not. Uncomfortable, they all shuffled back to studying or asking Hermione questions.

Harry had been sitting on this information too- Hermione showing him the article in the Prophet last week. Maybe that's why Goyle picked a fight with Draco, happy news he did not feel like the Malfoys deserved, while his own father just got life in Azkaban for killing on Hogwarts grounds.

Harry felt the wand in his pocket, unfamiliar.

"Harry," Luna asked, evidently picking up on her own awkwardness. "Why is Ravenclaw excluded from Slyffin-puff?"

"It's a compliment to be excluded, trust me!" Harry gave an uncomfortable laugh.

"Oh no," Draco said sternly. "She is definitely a Slyffin-puff."

Luna felt the insult but it didn't' stop her, "Really?"

"OH yes!" Draco said, pointing with an expensive quill. "Through and through. Remember that quidditch commentary?"

"Ohhh, yes!" Luna said, thinking. "Everyone did make fun of me for that."

"It was brilliant, after all," he regressed. "As all Slyffin-puffs are."

"Are you sure you're not one?" Luna asked.

"Well…." he looked away. "It IS contagious… like a disease."

"Yes, that's true," Luna nodded seriously. And Draco still couldn't tell if she was joking. But then again, neither could Harry.

Goyle didn't show for Dueling Club either. Snape was uncharacteristically late, storming in the room in a towering temper.

"LINE UP, two by two, I don't CARE who your opponent is. Duels are never evenly matched anyway- be victorious or suffer."

Hermione paired with Ginny, and Harry paired with the closest person, an unknown fifth year Slytherin who looked delighted at the chance to hex Harry Potter.

"There are some spells you cannot block," Snape spat, walking back and forth directly between the rows of people. "Shield charms do very little to protect you from an experienced wizard using nonverbal spells. You will go down quickly when you're not at Hogwarts."

Harry didn't feel like this was true at all. At school, your wand was in constant practice learning new things. At home, you could just… be a sloth or something. Just lay on the couch all day, going to and from work, only using your wand to butter your toast or summon parchment. He rolled the wand in his pocket absentmindedly in his fingers, trying to get a feel for it.

"POTTER! Pay attention!"

"I AM paying attention!" he yelled back, annoyed. "SIR!" He yelled even louder for good measure. Snape rolled his eyes while a couple students sniggered.

"As promised, today I will be teaching you a spell to save you in most duels- the Mirror Refraction Spell. It will make you appear to be in a place you are not. An illusion- a refraction of the light. Unlike a blinding spell, a refraction spell does not have to hit your opponent to work, it's applied to you, working 100% of the time unless you are completely incompetent. Cast the spell and side step if necessary, that's all it takes to confuse your opponent. You'll be standing three meters away from your reflection, and any spell aimed at you will simply miss. A dangerous spell that cannot be blocked won't hit, and you can use this spell as long as it takes for your opponent to figure it out. Useful if you end up with a nonverbal spell caster, or if you are simply outmatched and want to live a little longer. "MALFOY!" Draco stepped forward like a captain. "The Mirror Refraction Spell."

"Refractio!" Draco shouted and stepped left and nothing happened. But now he must actually be on the right somewhere.

"You will learn this spell nonverbally. It is pointless if your opponent knows what you've cast. Most wizards are worthless as they only rely on their eyes. If their eyes fail them, most are helpless." And Snape spun, sending a terrible blast towards Draco's reflection. To everyone on Draco's side, it looked like Snape purposefully missed. But on Harry's side… gasps. The blast just went right through him. "AGAIN- this trick will only works if a wizard relies his eyes. Pray you don't get anyone smarter. PAIR UP. Practice the spell nonverbally. NO WHISPERING. Malfoy, Weasley, Potter- circle the room. Make sure there's no muttering."

Harry left his Slytherin opponent disappointed. Going about the room, he lavished the new deceptively simple spell, casting it immediately (with sonus to also throw the sound,) and instantly fooled people. When he got around to the group of fifth year girls, they cornered the mirrored version of him only to realize Harry didn't exist where he stood. It was difficult to produce spells today but managed several demonstrations. Using the refraction technique, he was able to frustrate several girls into submission, and when they couldn't get close to him, finally resigned themselves to learning.

Ginny spent her time happily blasting dangerous spells through fake refracted people to demonstrate. Hermione, who wasn't supposed to be teaching anymore, still enveloped the sloppiest wand users to show them proper form and encourage their nonverbal attempts.

"ENOUGH!" Snape bellowed after a quarter of an hour. "Real duels- ten only, pair up in front. First brave 20 get to duel; first hit wins. Malfoy! Potter! Last duel at the end, and don't embarrass me."

They all paired. Draco only had eyes for Harry, looking like he was quite done with pity and mercy. Harry rolled the wand nervously in his pocket, knowing it would fail, aware of what was about to happen. He even wore his dueling vest today for safety.

"ONE DUEL AT A TIME. Start at this end, use the refraction spell in the first minute. Invent a way to still hit your opponent. START!"

The 20 that volunteered were itching to fight. Starting from one end, the first duel began. Almost everyone used spinning or arching spells to circle past the illusion to hit their opponent sideways. After each duel ended, Harry felt more and more nervous, Draco ignoring the nearby duels to stare him down. One by one, each duel ended.

The second it was their turn, they bowed.

"Yet another honor, 'The Chosen One' -it must have been fate, because it wasn't talent."

"May your father's grandchildren be the pride of Gryffindor."

Draco's eyes turned to slits and opened, signaling his attack.

Harry instantly threw up a Shield Charm, a spell instantly hitting it. There was no time for a refraction spell. A slash hurtled towards him and his feet carried him away, moving automatically, ducking, slashing, spinning his way out of danger. Many people gasped at the speed in which they moved and reacted. And just like that, Harry was hit! But he did not stop the duel. There were more gasps as Draco got hit next, Harry using this as his only chance to cast a Mirror Refraction spell. But it didn't matter- four more spells hurtled towards him, spreading out, multiplying, bound to hit him no matter where he stood. Harry cast several Shield Charms to protect himself, sending a few offensive spells back with wandwork that even impressed Draco blocked all of his binding and freezing spells almost lazily.

"Expelliarmus!" Harry bellowed, finding his opening. Draco's wand nearly dropped out of his hand but he held on- clenching it as if his life depended on it. His face screwed up- outraged at almost losing another wand.

"Expelliarmus!" Draco's fury forced the wand out of Harry's hand, clattering to the floor. People gasped and clapped afterwards.

"20 POINTS FROM GRYIFFINDOR!" Snape yelled from across the room. "You were hit FIRST and you CONTINUED to duel. SHOWING OFF is not permitted, Potter! You. Know. Better."

But Harry wasn't listening. He was picking up the wand from the floor and walking towards Draco. He pulled out his real wand from a pocket, holding both wands in his outstretched palm, showing Draco the spare, allowing him to take it if he wanted.

Panting from their match, Draco stared down at his old wand like a dead thing came back to life. With wide eyes of wonder, he picked up his newly won back wand and stared at it. Snape watched this odd behavior from across the room as well as all of the students around them.

Draco looked positively awe-struck.

Harry was on the floor, unsure of how he got there. Gasps. Hermione and Ginny both screamed.

It took a moment to realize he got punched. Feeling the blow now, body catching up, he pushed himself off the floor, looking up at Draco who was angrier than he'd ever seen him, emanating pure unbridled rage.

"HOW DARE YOU!" he roared right above him, his mouth gaping in a screaming snarl, close to hitting him again.

"50 POINTS FROM SLYTHERN!" Snape erupted a Shield Charm between them. When Draco still advanced, Snape physically got in front of him, shoving him away. "FISTS! DISGRACEFUL! MALFOY- GET OUT OF HERE!" Draco stared at Snape, furious. With one revolted look back at Harry, he retreated, the door slamming as he left.

Snape looked down at Harry like he hated him.

"5 POINTS to Gryffindor for that disgusting display."

No one knew what happened or why Harry got 5 points, but Dueling Club was over.

"Harry, why did you do that in public?"

"I told you, Hermione, it had to be real! The wand ownership won't transfer if it's not real! And it's Draco's wand anyway, I don't want the damn thing. He's mad now, but I'm sure he'll get over it. It's symbolic, like, 'Here father, don't mess up this time, you're using my wand now.'"

"I agree it was noble and very kind, but that was extremely embarrassing. He's trying to be your equal and you remind him at every chance you get that he's at your mercy. You're too grandiose sometimes. I know you don't mean to do it, but it gets under people's skin."

Harry frowned. He had been planning to give the wand back ever since their first Dueling Club. Instead of feeling good about the ownership successfully transferring, he was quite put out that everyone seemed upset about it. Now he wished he chucked the thing in the lake.

Breaking their set meeting dates, Harry decided to visit Snape that very night, praying Draco was not there complaining about him.

"50 points to Slyffin-puff," Snape said, turning a page when the door opened. Hogwarts potions bubbled happily in the corner.

Harry pulled off his Invisibility Cloak. "So, on a scale of one to ten, how bad did I screw up today?"

"You just embarrassed him. He'll survive."

"And?"

"It was practical." A page turned. "Draco will give Lucius the wand to use around the house during his probation. Having a wand is dignity- it will help their family heal. Even when Lucius can get a wand again, Ollivander will not sell to him; they will have to go abroad for quality. You've solved two problems. Dumbledore would be proud."

Harry sighed and sat down, accepting the tea that floated by, wondering again if it contained the relationship strengthening potion. Whatever rubbish he was feeling now, he didn't want that to be strengthened. "I knew it was too much, but it had to be real. Didn't think he was going to explode like that."

"You're right, it did need to be real. It amazes me you infuriate people with your pathetic attempts at kindness. It's a real talent of yours."

"So… is he going to talk to me again?"

"Why do you care?" He didn't look up once from his book.

"Well… I don't," Harry decided. "I just figured we'd all have to be… civil in the future under the circumstances."

"Perhaps." Snape flipped another page and Harry was starting to feel annoyed.

"I came here for a little comfort I think." He gave the book a look like it offended him, wondering when Snape was going to actually pay attention to him.

Snape slammed it shut. "After you insulted a student and disrupted Dueling Club AGAIN with your antics? The perpetrator wants comfort?"

"I can leave," Harry offered.

Snape literally threw his book on the floor and sat closer to him, taking his fingers and inspecting his punched face. "You're not going to get comfort. You don't deserve comfort," he whispered in a painfully attractive whisper that sounded incredibly serious. But no matter how dangerous his voice sounded, light fingers touched his bruised face, tilting his head lovingly, eyes on the wound.

"I showed Hermione the Enigma Magic…"

"…And…?" he breathed through a soft kiss to the bruised area.

"…She… she liked it…"

"Did you let her know…" another kiss that lingered, "…that she's tasked with collecting your dead body?" He laughed darkly.

"I thought I asked you to do that."

"My, my, trusting me with your location?"

"I… I didn't say when we'd do that…" but Snape seemed insanely pleased by the offer to collect his dead body, like there was no higher honor. Harry didn't think he should feel that pleased about it, the request was more practical than anything.

"Wait…" Harry said as his robes were being peeled off.

"What is it now… more wands to give away?"

"Bruises. We didn't go over bruises." He pointed at his face.

"You deserved that," Snape said, sounding like he meant it. "Wear it."

"I don't think I will, thanks. Spell? Tell me or I'm going to Pomfrey."

Snape sighed, giving him a resigned look. "A bruise is simply trapped blood under the skin. Use the normal healing spell. You didn't even try."

"There's not a mirror in here, would you do this one?" No, Harry guessed the answer in his brain.

"No."

"I can't believe you. If you're not going to heal it, I'm not going to snog you."

"Fine." And he sounded fine, summoning his book from the floor and opening it again. Annoyed, Harry pulled out his Defense Against the Dark Arts homework and settled in. "…What's the answer to number 12?"

"Page… 372… I think…" Snape looked up, trying to remember. And that was the correct page. Harry scooted in and leaned his back on him while he did his homework. Snape kept stealing glances at his bruised face like he couldn't stop looking at it.

"If you're really sorry, you'll keep that bruise for a week. Don't deny Draco the visual- he will cherish the memory."

"Yeah, yeah."

Potions bubbled in the background, the crackling fire felt soft and warm, and for once Harry felt focused enough to do his homework and absorb information. Snape got up twice in the hour to check on his potions, adding a stir or some ingredient. He sat back down and cupped his face again.

"That bruise looks really good on you…"

Harry smirked. "You have horrible taste…"

"I know…" Snape smirked too, leaning in to what was going to be a kiss, but stole a peak at his homework instead.

"I promise to get an 'A' on this one, sod off."

"And here I thought you could use some extra help."

Harry accepted the real kiss, that turned into two kisses, and more. But this was annoying- he actually felt like doing homework for once. It didn't take long to remember homework was very boring compared to what they were doing.

Harry decided to climb into Snape's lap. Hands instantly cupped him, grabbing him, but one look at his bruised face and Snape started to laugh. Harry pulled the back of his hair. "How about I punch you? We'll match."

"If you think you can."

Harry tried to hit him but his fist was blocked by some miniature shield barrier. "All this pain play, and you can't take a punch? I feel like I should get a freebee by now."

He tried to playfully hit him several more times, all blocked by defensive charms. Harry cast a nonverbal refraction spell, pulled his fist back, and his punch actually landed.

Snape gasped at being hit and his eyes flashed wide. Harry remembered Snape's screaming father in his childhood memories. "I'm sorry," Harry said quickly. "I thought we were playing, I'm sorry." And although he didn't hit him very hard, Harry kissed his shocked face, trying to take back the punch. And he kissed him again, and again, showering him with them. And then he undid the first few buttons of Snape's robes, kissing his neck, moving the hair out of the way. "I'm really sorry."

"No need. I wasn't expecting it..." came a perfectly even voice. And the neck he was kissing stretched to give more room. He breathed into him, kissed him, and sucked his neck, just so he knew he was definitely sorry for hitting him. Arms found their way up to Harry's sides, bringing him in closer.

Harry pulled away and…

"What's wrong," Snape's annoyed voice asked, like he knew exactly what was wrong.

"I… I…" Harry ran his fingers over the scar, seeing the true extent of it. It looked terrible.

"Are you blind?"

"It looks worse than I thought."

"Mmmmm," Snape agreed. "Doesn't hurt."

"How… how did you survive?" Harry breathed. Snape dropped his hands to his side, defeated at the prospect of another in depth conversation instead of a snog. Harry crawled off him. All tension drifted away and Snape poured himself tea and drank it rather distastefully.

"It was an Enigma," he lied. "God like powers, you know. Dumbledore cursed me with his love magic. Survived."

"No- seriously. It must have been traumatic, but I'd like to know. …Won't you tell me?"

"I hate to disillusion you… but there was nothing special about me almost dying. I was unprepared. I didn't see it coming; I thought I had more time. I clang to life, barely, pathetically… that is all. I cannot claim credit for surviving, as there is nothing heroic in being unconscious."

"Oh." This made him feel very stupid as he left his body there.

"Were you prepared to die last year? Like Dumbledore?"

"No. Yes. ...Both." It sounded honest. "But some days I can't wait to die." He sipped his tea again through his sarcasm, looking miserable.

"I'm sorry," Harry said. "I'm sorry I left you there. I…"

"I would have been furious if you didn't leave immediately and go find the Pensive."

"Yeah…" Harry agreed.

"Do you really want to talk about this now?" Snape asked resentfully.

"No," and he didn't. He really didn't.

"Fantastic." They lapsed into another long painful silence as a pulsing vein in Snape's forehead screamed don't bring up your mother. Don't bring up your mother.

"Do… do you think about other professions outside of Hogwarts?" Harry grasped. "You could do anything now."

"Hogwarts is my home," he put simply. "Or are you saying I shouldn't be around children?"

"I think you'd be fine with children," he said it accidentally, hearing the double meaning that slipped through. Snape looked at him incredulously as if Harry just threw on a green scarf, did a jig, and claimed himself Salazar Slytherin. "Well, you'd do anything for them," Harry tried to save. "Do anything… for the school."

"Would I now?" Snape whispered, weighing the events of last year in scale.

"Well, you'd be better than Aunt Petunia."

There, he did it- he mentioned her name. Before Snape could conjure a rebuttal, denial, or change the subject, he dared the question: "If you ever want to do me a favor, would you go with me to my cousin's wedding when he gets married? It's now my greatest wish."

Snape's lips curled. "It would be kinder to curse them, I think."

"Kindness is definitely not what I'm going for. If I have to see my Aunt and Uncle again… well… you're Snape."

"Well spotted, Potter." They didn't elaborate or talk about Petunia again, but the mood lightened at least 20 percent, both of them with visions of Aunt Petunia seeing Snape at the wedding. Or maybe that would be rude to Dudley. But did he care?

Snape not-so-subtlety wrapped his arm around him again, asking to continue. Harry turned and they kissed softly for minutes, opening his mouth further to let him in, running his fingers over the texture of his neck, wondering what other scars he was hiding…

An alarm rang out and they both jumped apart. Snape abandoned Harry almost comically, Harry falling into the space in the couch where a body used to be. For the next ten minutes he didn't look at Harry once, working on two separate potions that needed babied in that exact moment- long brews too important to get wrong.

Snape made his way back to the couch looking distracted, his hair already taking a bad turn from the steam.

"If tonight's not a good night, I'll get out of here." Harry put his tea cup down and stood up.

"I wouldn't mind you staying, but yes, tonight has many distractions." Snape kissed him goodbye, picking up Harry's Invisibility Cloak for him, feeling the softness of it. Then his eyes moved to it, feeling it absentmindedly, brow furrowing as he draped it over Harry, feeling it still, eyes moving to it suspiciously… then he looked annoyed as if something didn't make sense. Then he really inspected it, draping an arm underneath it, seeing the effect. He felt it still, frowning, and blinked several times while running a hand through it.

Harry stared up at him, seeing the warning signs, wondering how quickly he should leave. But Snape's hands were already checking both sides of it, straightening it and smoothing it over Harry, but it didn't need to be straightened or smoothed over- acting more like water than a cloak. More blinks. His fingers ran over it again, really seeing it, then his eyes opened wide… and narrowed suspiciously at Harry.

"Where did your father get this cloak?"

"Uhhh… no idea." To lie or not to lie.

But Snape's lips parted and his eyes widened again, all the puzzle pieces sliding together. Many expressions flashed on his face in a short period of time: shock, understanding, fear, disbelief, too horror-struck to speak.

He threw down the pieces of the cloak like they suddenly burned him and started pacing wildly about the room.

Harry sunk back into the couch with his cloak, disliking this development. After several intense angry circles of acceptance Snape started to mutter. "Potter has a Hallow, Potter has a Hallow. TCK." Snape decided this sentence sounded disgusting in his mouth. "That IS a HALLOW, isn't it!?" he barked at Harry.

When Harry said nothing, Snape paced wilder still.

Hunching over, Snape ran hands through his hair in what looked like grief but it soon bubbled into anger. Potter had a fucking Hallow. "WHY!" He turned and demanded with a sharp finger. "WHY did she DIE!? HE HAD A HALLOW!"

"…Dumbledore. Dumbledore had it. He noticed it was a Hallow… so… so he borrowed it… to check… to check it out." Harry knew he shouldn't have said this. Real fury flashed over Snape's face, his pupils going back and forth.

"The Dark Lord… was after them… and he… he…."

"…He took it… yeah."

Snape looked so struck, so incapacitated, Harry slipped the Invisibility Cloak off his lap and stuffed it into his pocket, protecting it from view, just in case Snape tried to destroy it.

Snape screamed and started blasting his own possessions. Harry ducked, the desk and fireplace exploding into pieces. Cowering, he took cover at the foot of the couch as the room was torn apart. Nothing got even close to hitting him so he stayed on the floor.

After what felt like five minutes of carnage, the silence finally crept in.

Harry listened, ensuring it was over, then tentatively peaked over the in-tact was slumped over on the side of the wall, disheveled, head in his hands.

"…Severus?"

When he didn't answer he got to his feet and walked through the wrecked room, the workstation intact, as well as the couch where Harry was hiding- but that was it. He sat down beside him against the wall and waited a full minute for movement. When he didn't stir, he brushed the hair out of his face and behind an ear. Snape's eyes were wide and unfocused.

"I'm sorry," Harry whispered. And although his eyes seemed very moist there were no tears, just redness and a hollowed-out stare. Was it smart to even be here?

But something else was happening: Snape stole small glances at him, then tearing away quickly as if stared, trying to give him permission. "Go on, then." He closed his eyes, removed his glasses, and reopened them, allowing him to look for her if he wanted. He let him look as long as he needed, Snape's features softening into a faraway glassy stare, jaw tightening, complete grief and devastation melting over his face- real emotion without any masks. But it scared Harry. His discomfort must have shown on his face because Snape's expression hardened. He swallowed and broke away.

"Go..." Snape whispered.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. …GO."

And Harry left with his Hallow.