May 2003

Harry woke up the next day in the tent he had set up, in a room to the left and stumbled out, being as quiet as possible to let Snape sleep in. Harry felt bad about how the other man had made dinner and decided to help more on the trip.

His legs still hurt but he made his way to the food storage bag and collected some eggs and sausage to cook. He was actually good at cooking; when one lived in the Dursley world for so long it was either be beaten or cook so he had learned. He grabbed a heavy cast iron skillet and started to cook the sausages, waiting for Snape to wake up.

About twenty minutes later, when Harry had started on the eggs, Snape emerged from the tent, fully dressed and walking with an ease that Harry envied.

"What are you doing, Potter?"

"I…uh made breakfast. Hope that's alright."

He sniffed and nodded, taking a plate and sitting on a nearby log.

He took a kettle and filled it with hot water from his wand. Then he pulled out a jar of instant coffee. He poured some in a tin mug and added the water, before taking a deep swallow. He passed the kettle and jar over to Harry with a look that said hurry up.

Harry grabbed a second tin mug out of the supply bag and fixed himself a drink. He took a deep inhale as if to absorb the essence of coffee into his brain before taking a sip.

'Thanks."

Snape grunted, pulling out the pill bottle from yesterday. He took two different pills with a quick swallow and head toss, as if trying to avoid tasting the pills.

Harry looked at him, curious.

"What's that for? You don't seem all that unhealthy with this type of work."

"Not that it's any of your business, but I have an untreatable illness and this helps."

"Isn't there a potion or spell that would help? Muggle medication seems…"

"Anti-muggle rhetoric Potter? Not that you would know all the intricacies of magical treatments, but there are some things that even magic cant treat." He looked off into the distance, looking haunted.

Harry wisely decided to drop it.

They were packing up the camp when Snape threw a small jar of ointment at him.

"You're no good on this trip if you can't walk Potter. Use it on the sore muscles and stretch. You should do better by the time we finish packing camp."

They finally got packed and on their horses, moving the cattle herd closer to the mountains and had been traveling for an hour when Harry spoke up.

"What made you decide on Montana?"

Snape sighed, but must have decided that giving Harry answers wouldn't hurt because he spoke up after a minute of contemplation.

"It was a dream of mine to be in the West. With mountains."

"Did you ever want to be a cowboy? I mean you probably grew up when cowboy movies were popular I mean."

Snape sent a hard look and smirked.

"Yes, there's just something about leather chaps I think."

Harry choked on his tongue before collecting himself.

"Are there many out here who…admire leather chaps?"

"Potter, are you really wondering how many queers live in Montana? Because honestly it's not that many. Or are you wondering if I am queer. Not that it's any of your business, but I'm not unfamiliar." He got quiet. "My illness is…related."

Harry blinked, not used to thinking of his former professor outside school settings. Honestly it was unnerving to think of Snape as a sexual creature, much less with another man.

"It's not that illness they're calling AIDS is it?"

He was silent for a while.

"Yes, but not AIDS. The step before that, HIV. The medicines help keep it from progressing. But It'll catch up to me one day."

They rode in silence for a while before Harry's mouth got the better of him.

"I also…um…have been known to like more than women. So I don't think badly of you, sir. I was curious and ought not have pried."

"Potter, I'm not sure why you think I care what you do on your own time, but thank you."

"Well the Dursleys would agree with you on that. They thought the less of me they heard the better."

Snape arched a brow and looked over to him.

"And who exactly are the Dursleys? That's not a wizarding name."

"Oh, it's my muggle relatives. Vernon's still an ass, but I get on better with Dudley and Aunt Petunia these days."

"Petunia? That shrew's still alive? I thought for sure her attitude would piss someone off enough to take her out of the picture. And she hated wixen as a child. I assume she was no better as an adult."

"Oh yeah you grew up with my mum so you know Aunt Petunia. Yeah, she hated me as a kid."

Snape grunted.

"But at least I know how to cook because of her. Could've done without flung frying pans but it makes for an exciting learning environment." He tried to joke.

Snape's mouth drew tight and puckered as if he had bit down on a lemon slice.

"You're telling me an adult swung cooking implements at you regularly and Albus did nothing?"

"Well, to be fair, I'm not sure how much he knew. I did try to get away after first year, but he said it was important that I stay and for some reason, I believed him. It seems silly now how we all trusted him to know what was best."

"Indeed." Snape replied solemnly. They rode in silence after that.