Snape Makes Demands

The rest of the week went well enough, Madam Pince always gave Nim a gimlet eye when she followed Harry into the library, but she always look approving when she made her rounds later and found her curled in Harry's lap or asleep on the table, laid out along the edge of Harry current book.

For Quidditch tryouts Nim sat extremely nervously with Hermione. Harry kept his position as seeker, but within days wished he hadn't: It was Oliver wood's last year at Hogwarts and he was adamant that Gryffindor must win the cup.

Luckily there was little a seeker had to do except catch the snitch in a way that won the game, not lose it, or failing that, keep the other seeker from catching the snitch. So most of his practice time was zooming around the periphery of the action, watching not the action, but for the flicker of gold where the snitch fluttered.

To amuse himself Harry felt for Hedwig's sense of the aerial environment wind and smells and terrain. But owls for all that they flew, hunted a mostly flat surface below them. In contrast serval cats hunted birds and rodents in plains, swamps, and jungles. Nim's sense of spatial awareness didn't lend itself to flight, but did include tracking of flying targets. All the big kittens on brooms were just pretend birds. She'd gladly watch them for hours even without Harry quizzing her mid-flight about who was where and what they each were doing. Even if they were operating at such a distance that she was better able to hear than see.

.

By Monday Nim was riding on Harry's shoulder again. And Professor Snape met him at the classroom door, and glanced at her with a sneer.

"The hero is up and about again, I see."

"Yes, sir," said Harry, "Thank you again, sir."

"How well do you trust her to remain calm and under your control, and not interfere with your brewing?"

"Um Professor," said Harry, "I can mostly control her, about everything except letting me out of her sight. I think if I tell her, she'll sit on a stool and just observe until the end of class."

"Hmm, perhaps," said Professor Snape, "and when Neville explodes his cauldron, will she do something sensible like stay put and out from underfoot, or will she run away and dive into the bottom shelf of the ingredients cupboard?"

"She's usually quite a bit less high strung than that," said Harry.

"Alright," said Professor Snape, "what about when you make some careless mistake and decide to blame it on sabotage by a classmate rather than face up to the temper of either of your so called friends."

Harry blinked.

"Or do you fancy yourself a good enough actor to tell your friends one lie, while believing something different to your familiar? I don't care for potions accidents, but I care even less for fights, and fights near unstable potions or with wild animals less than that."

"Very sensible," agreed Harry, "You understand, Nim? No violence to defend my honour or my person while in the potions lab."

Of course I understand. Nim mewed and rubbed her cheek against Harry's temple, You don't defend your honour yourself, so I get to.

Harry huffed, "You remember what happened to you last time you upset a potions cauldron."

Made a friend, and had a nice warm bath.

"What?" said Harry, "No. No, you don't just get showers as a reward for checking what spills out of cauldrons." Harry swallowed, "Professor, may I be excused from potions class for … two weeks, I …" Harry shuddered, "I think that will be safest for everyone."

Professor Snape nodded, "One point to gryffindor for showing bare minimum caution."

Harry started, and blinked. Did he just … ruin my record? His record?

"That will be fifty points and detention for not attending class," said Snape, "If you hurry you can get that changed to only ten points for not turning in a Safety Release Form before the start of class."

Harry's mouth fell open. Then he sighed, "where can I get such a form?"

"Madam Pomfrey or the Deputy Headmistress."

"Yes, sir, thank you, sir."

Professor Snape nodded and turned away.

Professor McGonagall would be teaching right now. Harry made his way to the hospital wing. He only had to stop once to stand still and hold onto the wall while shudders of anger and confusion and relief shook him. All while supporting a cat on one shoulder that weighed more than his head.

.

"Oh dear, it's Harry," muttered the Healer when she caught sight of him.

Harry was only mildly surprised that he could hear her from that distance, "Hello dear," she said when she was close enough, "what seems to be the trouble?"

"Snape and I agree," (for the first time ever,) "that it wouldn't be safe for Nim to be in his class. Can you help me fill out a safety release form about that?"

Madam Pomfrey stared at the cat, and the fact that she was in fact up high enough to see eye to eye.

"She definitely looks big enough to do some damage if she put her mind to it," agreed Madam Pomfrey.

Nim purred.

"She understands English?"

"She understands more words than I can keep track of," said Harry, "I'm never certain she understands complete sentences. Or at least not sentences with more than two clauses, or whatever."

"Hmm," said Madam Pomfrey, "Follow me."

She led Harry into one of her little offices, it seemed to mostly be parchment-work, she pulled down a folder and handed him a form. Harry looked it over, seemed straightforward enough.

"I have to fill one out for each class session I intend to miss?" said Harry.

"Yes," said the healer.

"And The Professor and I agreed on two weeks, then re-evaluate, so that's six classes. So may I have five more forms?"

"You don't want to just fill it out except the dates, and then use the twinning charm?"

"I don't think my twinning charms last two weeks yet."

Madam Pomfrey sighed, "Not a twinning conjuration, a twinning transformation."

"How is that different?"

"Get out several pieces of parchment roughly equal size to the form," said Madam Pomfrey, "used but no longer needed is fine, better even."

"Um, like early drafts of letters or homework?"

"Yes, exactly."

Harry got them out and Madam Pomfrey showed him how to use the other form of the twinning charm.

Harry thanked her and left.

On the way out he saw Millicent Bulstrode huddled on one of the beds that had a curtain, though the curtain was only drawn about half way. She was holding a compress to her head. She also had a bruise on her hand, and who knew where else she was injured under her robes.

She should be in potions right now.

"Is there forms you have to fill out when we miss classes from being stuck in here too?" said Harry.

"Yes," said Madam Pomfrey, "But no, none of your professors will believe them if I'm not the one to deliver them."

"That's not what I was thinking of," said Harry, "I was thinking that since I'm already going to be handing in forms to Professor Snape, that I could hand in," he nodded towards the bed, then realised, "right, not believe it if he didn't get it from you."

"Precisely," said Madam Pomfrey, "about twenty years ago, someone had the idea they could lock someone up and get it past all their professors by turning in reports that the student in question was still stuck in the hospital wing. There were criminal charges for kidnapping of course."

Harry blinked, and then shuddered, "Of course, thank Merlin."

Madam Pomfrey nodded, "Go finish your paperwork. Leave the adult things you're not ready for yet, to adults."

Harry resisted the urge to sneeze, Madam Pomfrey would for sure take that the wrong way.

.

Hogsmead

Hogsmeade turned out both more than, and less than he'd hoped. On the one hand it was nice to finally explore the village that they'd heard so much about from upper year students. And it was great to induct Ron into the ways of the Harry-Nim cult of exploration of magical neighbourhoods.

On the other hand there were dementors around, and everyone who recognised Harry wanted to spread or verify rumours about Sirius Black.

To complicate matters slightly, Hermione brought Crookshanks. Harry wasn't sure if she was trying to compete. Or if she really did want Crooks along, or if Crooks really did want to come along. Either way, Crooks didn't ride on her shoulder, he either followed along on foot, or intermittently begged to be carried for awhile, until he saw something else worth examining from up close.

Pansy saw them as they passed the stationary shop and tried to get her group to start something, but Draco evidently wasn't in the mood, and enough of the others followed his lead that nothing came of it.

Ron made some snide comment once they were out of earshot.

"I think," said Harry, "refusing to shake his hand all those years ago, irritated his pride much more than I realised. And I think admitting that I'd figured out that we were cousins soothed that somehow. He was downright hufflepuff at me after he got Snape to fix up Nim."

"I still don't get how you didn't know we are cousins," said Ron.

"I didn't know the House of Black existed," said Harry, "I'm still not sure that bringing up how someone is related to them is a more than an insult, but whatever."

"You too Ron?" said Hermione.

"Yes," said Ron, "Harry and I are fifth cousins once removed. I think we're both third cousins with Draco. Once removed in Harry's case. No … that seems off somewhere."

"Interesting," said Hermione, "draw it out sometime."

"Alright," said Ron, "Just promise you're not going to go pureblood genealogist on us?"

"I wasn't planning on it," said Hermione, "What would that entail?"

"Not sure," said Harry, "I think filling in said genealogy with expected hereditary magical talents to see who you'd want to marry or have your kids marry."

"That sounds … mildly prejudice."

"Yeah," said Harry.

"More to the point," said Ron, "blathering about said 'research' ad infinitem at fancy dinner parties."

"Oh dear," said Hermione, "that does sound boring."

"Probably a subtle way of complementing or insulting the people around you without needing to say anything untrue, or even provable," said Harry, "see if you can get anyone around you angry or frustrated enough to exhibit accidental magic, or challenge you to a duel."

"Right," said Hermione.

"It's a social game even muggles play," said Harry, "except they stick to mundane talents, not magical ones."

Ron snickered, "I'll have to mention that next time I'm stuck at a table with Aunt Muriel."

"You know there's a separate game," said Hermione, "instead of trying to establish a clear dominance hierarchy of status, you try to obscure it."

"What?" said Ron, "how?"

"You try to only bring up talents that people don't share, like we could talk about how you're best at chess and I'm fastest at memorising books and Harry is best at Parceltongue."

"And flying," said Ron.

"Meh," said Harry, "but you're also a good flyer, probably would be as good as me if you had Wood screaming at you as much as I have."

"I don't know about that," said Ron.

"Back up," said Hermione, "You see? You both went to arguing about who's best, because it's a skill that you both share. Skills can and should be learned and improved, but the 'nobody is dominant, because everyone is dominant at something,' status game is about talents, not because they're more important than all the skills that we're all using, but to make sure everyone knows they are valued, and should continue to contribute to the group."

"Sounds like a slytherin way to pretend to be hufflepuff," said Ron.

"To me it sounds like a hufflepuff way to convince several friend groups to work together long enough for them to actually become friends," said Harry, "Or at least get confused about whether they are actually just one big friend group."

Ron and Hermione stared at him.

"Sorry," said Harry.

"I never figured you to be prejudiced against hufflepuffs," said Hermione.

"I'm not," said Harry, "just a different group of talents. We're not even sure if it is a set of talents that groups naturally, or if they were just talents that Helga Hufflepuff valued. In any case, given that they are talents, they should also be skills that we could learn, just perhaps not as fast as hufflepuffs can or do or whatever."

"Hmm," said Hermione.

Nice save, master.

I'm not sure if that's really the way I hoped you'd respond to that.

Humph. I'm older than you. And I've seen things, I want you to learn them too.

That doesn't mean I'm not more talented than you at some things.

… Master is offering playing the stupid hufflepuff anti-dominance game with his slave cat. This is wrong. Correct order is, either 'prove it,' or 'yes, teach me,' or 'good, keep quiet until one of those things matters.'

All of the above, teach me things when I'm not trying to spend time with my friends.

Oh.

Any suggestions where we should explore next?

Yes.

.

.

Changes

"Eaaaarrrg," came a manly scream from the other end of the corridor.

"Ugh?" said three male voices suddenly wrenched into consciousness.

"Potter! Call your crazy kneazle. I'm trying to shower in here."

"Yes!" hissed Harry throwing his fist in the air, "freedom."

"What the hell?" said Ron.

"The first omen that she's ready to be alone more of the day than evening hunting patrols."

"And that's a good thing?" said Ron, "I thought you liked bringing her to class."

"I do," said Harry, "don't tell the teachers."

"I won't if you won't," said Ron.

"Anyway," said Harry, "I don't want to fail potions."

"I would quit it if I could figure out how."

"You'd quit all your classes if you could figure out how."

"Not true," said Ron, "Charms and transfiguration is what we're here for, defence and history are gravy, divination is mildly amusing, in a headache inducing way."

"I'm enjoying Ancient Runes," said Harry, "I don't think I've learned anything you don't already know yet, I bet you could still switch if you wanted."

"Humph," said Ron.

"OI, POTTER! CAT, NOW. Either call her or come get her."

"Nim, leave Dean alone already," Harry said at conversational volume, "you know humans expect privacy in the bathroom."

Don't believe you, but I'm vaguely aware that boy humans expect privacy at weird times.

That's a completely different and even stronger taboo, and I don't want images from you spying on my dorm mates.

Your sense of precaution and observation are sorely lacking.

My instincts might be different than yours.

And I might be female. Would you prefer images from exploring the bathrooms along the other staircase?

What? No! Let's not go there for several more years.

But you'd like me to check it out and memorise what I see, just in case.

I didn't say that.

But you're not saying 'no…'

Insane cat.

Your insane cat.

Don't I know it.

.

Nim, go back to the tower or something. I need to go to potions.

No, you don't.

Well, not today specifically, but someday soon, might as well be today.

Humph, but what should I do with myself?

"Patrol the tower, make sure there are no wild rats, and give all the owned rats friendly reminders to stay in their cages."

Nim purred and stalked off.

"Hey!" said Ron.

"It's not like she can get through the portrait without help," said Harry, "She'll probably be waiting for us when we get out of potions."

.

"What are you doing here, Potter? I already accepted your note."

"Nim consented to let me attend alone today," said Harry.

Professor Snape stared at him, after a second he nodded waved him to a workstation. Millicent Bulstrode.

Alright, fine.

"You don't have to sigh at me like that, Potter," said Millicent Bulstrode.

"That sigh wasn't about you," said Harry, "do you want ingredient retrieval or cauldron prep?"

"I don't trust you with cauldron prep," said Bulstrode, "I've never even seen you do cauldron prep."

"I'm new to it this year," said Harry, "Maybe I should watch your technique."

Bulstrode turned to stare at him, "Maybe I should watch your technique and make corrections."

Harry shrugged, "so ingredient retrieval together first?"

She looked around, narrowed her eyes, and nodded.

"What was that?"

"There's epic rumours about your bad luck," she said, "It could make one paranoid."

"It could," agreed Harry.

"Retrieval first," she agreed, "and two witnesses of everything that goes into the cauldron."

"Agreed," Harry said.

.

She liked his use of the scouring charm, and showed him that the imperturbable could be used to knock off old residue, as well as waterproof. Not just the cauldron but also the cutting board and the dragon hide gloves.

"You don't want to cast it too strong," she said, "or it impairs heat transfer and makes your grasp slippery. And some potions are more sensitive to the magic than to contaminants from the cauldron material."

"Sounds reasonable."

"Also for things like dragon hide, the spell will wear off from the gloves faster than it will wear off anything else."

.

No one spiked their cauldron, Harry wasn't sure if that was an effect of Draco giving him permission to exist, or that no one expected him to be here so nothing had been prearranged. Or if he was left alone for the sake of his slytherin brewing partner.

.

Nim had managed to get through the portrait. Some returning second years had let her in. Ron found Scabbers asleep in his carrier. Hermione found Nim curled on the foot of her bed, and Crookshanks sitting at the far end glaring at her. But Nim went to down to Harry with only a little prompting from Hermione.

At supper Harry found himself ruminating on his childhood, then on his summer in Diagon alley, holed up in the Leaky with books and Nim. Claw pain across his shoulder and back. And back to belt pain and his uncle, then face pain and Dudley's gang, and back to the Leaky, and visiting with Hermione in the book shop, and the horrible previous summer with Hedwig locked up and himself locked up, and nothing to read.

Nim, What do are you trying to figure out?

Nim moaned.

It was bad, agreed Harry, but we're not going back there to get locked up again. He didn't even lock us up last time. I promised I'd practice for killing bad wizards and he let me out and gave me boxing lessons and then sword lessons.

Then …?

I ran away because his sister started insulting my Mum.

"… It's him! Take Harry and run …"

"… No not Harry. Please not Harry …"

"… Stand aside stupid woman …"

"… No, not Harry, I'll do anything, don't hurt Harry. …"

Yes, that was my Mum. She was a hero too.

Nim gave a start and fell off his shoulder.

Harry barely managed to catch her. After a bit of thrashing she righted herself and curled up in his lap.

"What was that?" said Hermione.

"Not sure," said Harry, "I think she's got a headache and it's affecting her balance."

"And your appetite?"

"Probably some," said Harry.

"Eat anyway," said Hermione, "If you get a low-sugar headache it won't help her."

"Point," agreed Harry and stuffed more food in his mouth.

.

Professor Snape

Again his day started with, a shout of, "HARRY, CALL YOUR CAT!"

But this time it was answered by Neville suggesting to start a shower for Nim first, and once she was busy, to start showering in the neighbouring stall. Dean didn't hear him, but after some continued yelling, Seamus left to shout the solution over the sound of running water.

"Harry," he said when he returned, "You have a very weird cat."

"I know," said Harry and rolled over.

.

Runes continued to go tantalisingly just over his head. But sometimes he did get it and he felt like his mind was expanding.

.

Professor Lupin seemed to glance at Harry more than he looked at most of the others. Was that more celebrity favouritism, or did he genuinely notice that Harry and Hermione were a bit better prepared than some of the others?

.

The next potions lesson Professor Snape partnered him with Neville. Harry showed him what he'd learned about cauldron prep, Neville corrected his dissection technique of some ugly and seemingly temperamental seed pods.

Outside they found Nim waiting patiently.

Lavender thought that was weird, Neville thought it was cool she'd stayed put. Seamus compared such loyalty to that of a dog. Nim hissed at him. Which set off Dean and Parvati.

"Guys," said Harry, "Either she went to the tower and couldn't get in, or I forgot to tell her to go to the tower. It's not her fault."

They grumbled a little but settled down.

"Also, we've probably all heard similar stereotypes about dogs, but dogs are all individuals, how many of those stereotypes are accurate? You've seen how Nim is, comment on her loyalty or her nerves as you please, please don't compare her to stereotypes of dogs or cats or kneazles, some of those might be true in aggregate but expecting them to be true of individuals is just bad and insulting statistics."

"Are you suggesting we shouldn't insult your cat?" said Seamus.

Harry shrugged, "Compliment her or insult her all you want, just do it without comparing her to species stereotypes in general, but dogs in particular."

"Oh," said Dean, "I get it."

"Same goes for slytherins too, if you're smart," said Tracy.

"What?" said Ron.

"Just because I'm in slytherin, doesn't mean I like snakes, or Malfoy, or am a pureblood supremacist."

"I wouldn't think so," said Harry, "How's your dad?"

"Complaining that you haven't owled him recently, actually."

"Damn it, I forgot again," said Harry.

"Why are you owling her father?" said Greengrass.

"Business," said Harry.

"Romantic type business?" said Greengrass.

"No, apothecary type business," said Harry, "should I be—" Harry stopped with a hiccup and shivered, "I didn't even consider … I don't even know what's traditional about that sort of thing."

Greengrass snorted, "We're very aware how clueless you are, Potter, that's why I was surprised."

Several of the other slytherins snickered.

"Alright," said Harry, "You may all rest easy that I … wasn't expecting anything like that to come up for another year or two."

"Two would be about the traditional time for things to start being negotiated with parents and on paper, but gryffindors and hufflepuffs usually start exploring their desires a bit before that, especially those that know they'll be part of family alliances later. And won't be allowed to take mistresses or consorts until a year or more after they breed an heir."

Harry went red, Hermione went white, Ron pulled her away before she hexed someone, or derailed the conversation to or against house prejudice, instead of what everyone else was trying to do: 'Educate Potter without seeming to do so.' Curry his favour. While also taking advantage of the opportunity to show status by knowing information that 'clueless Potter' didn't.

Damn it.

"And I figured, you'd wake up one day soon and realise how many of the girls a year or two younger than you watch you. Grew up on stories about Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived."

"Merlin," said Harry. I didn't want worshippers, especially not for something I didn't do, at least it seems like it's what my mom did.

But you don't mind me worshipping you for what you did for me.

You're different.

But I don't have to be, you've saved people as well as cats, right? Hermione talks about your saving-people-thing, what evidence was she drawing from.

Saving her from a troll and Ron's little sister from a basilisk.

Right, so let them worship you if they feel like it.

Oi!

Well?

Probably not this year, I've got my time all used up catching up on potions and figuring out runes. And then there's Oliver Wood.

Good point. You should threaten to quit.

I'm not going to be the cry baby. The fifth years should need the study time more than I do.

I suppose, and they probably want to. But look at it another way, it would be saving them, they'd probably thank you. Maybe even make it worth your while.

Merlin! Who's side are you on?

I just want you to be happy, Master.

Oh! Nim?

Who else?

I … thought I was thinking to myself actually. Usually I only notice it's you if you send greyed images of cats, or start pulling my memories in an order that doesn't quite follow a path I'd take.

That wasn't me, that was your potion's professor.

He what?

When he stares at one of us in the eye, he can get in, once he was in he took several minutes to find his way between us. One of my previous masters knew how to defend against things like that, but I'm not sure I know how to explain.

Is that how you get in?

No, that started when our blood pooled and I licked some of it, and finished when you called me your own the third time. It could have finished earlier if you'd licked some of our pooled blood instead. Or said I was your own sooner.

So … if I want you out, I've lost my chance.

Obviously. Also you don't want me out. I don't think you can want you out.

Hmm.

Or at least, I don't think I can want you out.

Fair enough.

You don't want me out do you?

Not permanently. But sometimes, like the previous discussion about sex among other things, I'd like some time to verify my own thoughts without your … commentary.

Oh. Well say when you want my silence, Master, and I'll try to obey.

Good.

Also if I can teach you the mind defence discipline, you probably can keep me out of your memories, or show me just the ones you want. I don't know if you'd be able to keep me from seeing your surface thoughts and emotions.

Ah.

"Aw, goody little Potter is shocked," cooed Pansy with a significantly meaner edge peeking out around the false gentle tone.

"I was significantly more shocked by where my cat's mind went on discovering that the humans were talking about sex, than I was to be reminded that I have enough fans that a fraction of them might wish to become groupies."

"What are groupies?"

"Those creepy middle aged people that try to follow the Weird Sisters or Rotten Banshee behind stage."

"Oh, ew," "Nice," "Yuck," "Awesome," chorused across one another.

"Yeah," said Harry.

"Potter has groupies," crowed Zabini and Seamus at the same time, then glared at each other.

"Potter, detention!" called Snape.

"Merlin," muttered Harry, "at least someone agrees with me." Though justice would have been if one of the others got the detention for saying things like that.

"Directly after tea, Potter."

"Yes, Professor," called Harry, and sighed and looked around, "I guess I'll see you all in class, if not sooner," he walked away taking Hermione's other hand when he caught up to them.

"Thank you for letting me at least attempt the experiment of handling that on my own."

"You're welcome," said Hermione, "Sorry, I didn't realise that was what you needed at first."

"No problem," said Harry.

.

You know master, those students picked on Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors for having love trysts before settling down, or at least for having that reputation, but …

Harry sighed, But what, Nim?

But ravenclaws and slytherins have a reputation too.

Of course they do, should I have already overheard it, or can it wait a few years?

I don't know, I'd have expected you to have heard it before. But I can't find it in your memories.

Ah.

Ravenclaws with their 'eternal quest for knowledge,' are known for, well a few of them anyway: experimenting with themselves early, maybe as early as three to six. Then, without knowing what they've discovered, or thinking that they've exhausted that line of inquiry, giving that up for more pressing academic pursuits, perhaps years after most of their cohort are married, they get around to wondering about 'that sex thing' and exploring it single-mindedly as if to discover and catalogue the whole range of what sensations are possible. Or similar things with 'that romance thing.'

That sounds in character, but … prejudiced again.

Of course it does, I'm not saying believe the reputation about every ravenclaw you meet, just be aware of it, in case it turns out that is where one of your friends or acquaintances is coming from.

Agreed.

And slytherins, again by reputation though it does not apply to everyone, instead of exploring early and / or late, to find out everything that is possible, explores early to learn how best to please their partner.

Oh, of course.

Also, besides a reputation for prowess in bed they tend to acquire as good a portfolio of accomplishments to make them attractive to the best possible matches, or to give their parents the best possible power during contract negotiations.

Of course. And I suppose the kind of accomplishments they want aren't 'killing a troll, a defence professor, and a basilisk.' (Not that I can really claim the prowess about the defence professor, only about the rage that let me hold onto him as he burned.)

Well for an eleven year old, that's more than can be expected.

Fair point.

.

Detention

"Alright, Potter, there are cauldrons to scrub over there. Hop to it."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." Harry turned in the direction indicated and assessed the stack of cauldrons.

"And keep your cat out of trouble."

"Of course, sir."

"Let's get one thing straight, Potter," said Professor Snape, "I'm not titled. 'Sir' is neither appropriate or appreciated. Professor will do, or within the confines of this room 'Master' is an at least forgivably believable imitation of your betters, if you've even come across any of my apprentices, which I doubt."

"No, but I've overheard enough NEWT students and other slytherins who I now realise were imitating those apprentices."

"Other slytherins?" said Professor Snape.

Harry felt his memories cascade for references to his sorting.

One stopped at him explaining to Hermione, in confidence, sometime last year, that the hat recommended slytherin, though had accepted his desire not to be placed with Malfoy.

A sense of triumph.

Nim, was that you or Snape?

That was me. You're not looking at him. But you should tell him.

Not a good plan.

It's an excellent plan. It will help him take you seriously about harvesting the basilisk.

"Um, Professor?" said Harry.

"What?" said Professor Snape.

"Thank you for getting me out of that conversation, right before supper."

"You're trying to get out of cleaning cauldrons."

"No, I'm … wanting to clear the air before I ask for a favour."

"What favour?"

"Can you …" Harry swallowed, "set up privacy charms, and promise to consult me before talking to anyone about the topic I want to discuss?"

"To the extent I don't become legally obligated otherwise, perhaps."

"To avoid being branded with 'accomplice after the fact' or 'conspiracy'?"

"Yes, among other things."

"That's reporting to the aurors, what are your responsibilities regarding reporting to the headmaster?"

"That contract is confidential."

"Then … maybe I have … half as much to discuss with you."

"Fine," he threw several charms at the door, and another at the windows, "get on with it."

"Does your potions mastery extend to expertise in ingredients harvesting?"

"It does."

"Does it cover … I don't know, the accepted or standardised ethics of windfall … discoveries of potions ingredients and things."

"It does," said Professor Snape, "What's this about?"

"I … was forced to kill a basilisk towards the end of last school year, I've since learned that it might be valuable, but … there's a range of opinions about how long it can last in it's current state, I … wish I had known that sooner, not that I was allowed time to speak with you about it last year, err before summer hols."

Professor Snape snorted, and glared at the ceiling, "If any of it does turn out to be still in usable condition, what do you want to do with the proceeds?"

"That's part of what I wanted to learn from you," said Harry, "is it all to the finder to split, I assume with the harvester? Does the land owner where it was found get a portion? Who owns Hogwarts anyway?"

"The Hogwarts Land Trust owns the castle and most of Hogsmeade, and rents the castle to the school for a token fee, given that most of its profits go to tuitions for muggleborns and orphans. And most of its money comes from renting to Hogsmeade businesses, which it mostly uses to pay taxes and keep out big industry and enforce a that small town / school town / winter tourist destination ambience on the village."

"Of course that is by design," sighed Harry.

"You know, most gryffindors consider it protection of real a thing, not an economic farce."

Harry sighed, "It can be both."

Professor Snape sneered, "What's your point?"

"Never mind, would you like to help with, or even be in charge of, rendering the basilisk? Is there already a clear guideline who would get the proceeds, or for that matter who would get to decide who gets the proceeds?"

"If I said technically you get to decide, but there are definitely guidelines for who you should give a fraction to, would you believe me?"

"… I might."

"And if I did, who would you give fractions to?"

"The Weasleys, and well technically on paper it might be to the land trust, earmarking it for tuitions might make me feel better than giving it to the school as windfall, I can never tell if the school is rich and ought to be managing its resources better, or if it is poor but happens to receive a lot of weird crap and has to figure out how to use it for decorations and things."

"No comment."

"And maybe after the Weasleys, I'd want to help compensate the students who lost time being petrified."

"Noble."

"But this is all academic if it's not worth anything. Or if you tell me all the stuff is only useful for assassinations or dark magic, or whatever."

"True."

"It also wouldn't be worth it if every one of those parties or additional ones besides could make recourse to the law to try to get all of it. I'd rather let the thing rot than bring it up and try to sell it and get swamped in even more fans, and everyone suing me for a greater portion of the proceeds, until the net profit is negative, etc."

Professor Snape sneered, "Good point. And if I told you that the school already compensated the petrified students with pro-rated tuition for the next year, plus a discount on books."

Harry blinked, he had seen Hermione arguing with Flourish and Blotts about getting the fourth year books at a discount, since she'd bought her third year books before her coupon arrived. He'd wondered about where she'd gotten that coupon, but since he'd already bought his third year books, he hadn't worried about looking for one.

"I'd still want to get Ginny a mind healer," said Harry.

Professor Snape cleared his throat and stood up, and glared down at him, even though he was across the room, "very very few people know it was Miss Weasley who was led astray and let the basilisk into the school. Most think she was just another victim of the Heir of Slytherin. You might do well to not speak of the other aspect of it all. The social censure could be extreme."

"Yes, Professor," said Harry, "But … a mind healer?"

"I am not at liberty to discuss the medical treatment of one student with another student, or even any faculty member except the nurse and that student's head of house."

"Oh," said Harry, "good. I … that's good."

"You may ask her directly, you might do well to ask her in private and remind her that as someone outside her family you're expecting her to keep back most details. And that you don't mind. And conversely perhaps that as a friend of the family, already mildly in the know, you don't mind being one of the few people she does tell, if and when she ever feels like talking. Of course, only say that if you don't in fact mind providing a listening and non-judgemental ear."

Harry rubbed his temple, "I should take notes."

"You should, can you manage without putting her name down?"

"I think so," said Harry.

Harry took notes.

.

"Alright, sir. Sorry, Professor. Thank you for the advice."

"Are you done asking for advice?"

"Not entirely," said Harry, and glanced at the clock.

Professor Snape opened his mouth, but Harry jumped in ahead of him, "Was this supposed to be a two hour detention?"

"Let's go with that," agreed Snape.

"But I've lost an hour," said Harry, "how about I work for an hour, and come back tomorrow for the rest. And we both tell everyone it was two detentions."

Professor Snape sneered, "I suppose that could work out, if you can finish those cauldrons in an hour."

"Probably," said Harry.

Once he was scrubbing away, Professor Snape disappeared. But Harry knew better than to expect him not to return shortly before the time was up and inspect the work. Or just reappear the instant Harry started day dreaming.

No, he really left, I heard him walk away, even after he vanished.

Good to know, pay attention in case he comes back, visible or not.

Certainly, Master.

.

He's back, Master, he's come over to look what you've done.

Good. Thanks. Luckily I'm almost done.

Professor Snape reappeared at his elbow, "so, Potter," he made it an insult, like he usually did.

"Yes, Professor."

"If all of your basilisk related philanthropic uses have already been met, would you keep all the proceeds?"

"Given that 'proceeds' implies, the net after the rendering contractor and/or consignment dealer have taken their cut:"

"Yes, assuming that."

Harry sighed, "I don't need the money, but … it would be very nice not to live with my relatives any more. That would take a lot of money I think."

"It depend on how well you expect to live."

"I lived a month in the Leaky Cauldron for about 120 sickles, I could do a lot better if I could rent somewhere with a kitchen and cook and clean for myself."

"And what did you get for those sickles?"

"A bed and two, sometimes three meals a day," said Harry, "I … guess I spent some on muggle clothes too, but I spent more on school books and my shoulder pads."

"Quidditch gear?"

"No, a leather saddle so that Nim can ride on my shoulder without covering me in blood."

Professor Snape stepped back and his wand swished. Then thrice more.

"Take off your shirt."

"What?"

"I want to see the scars you're talking about, I don't trust you applied enough or the right salves to your wounds. Some breeds of wild cat have a notorious amount of sepsis on their claws."

Nim hissed, but made no move to get up from her loaf of being on lookout from the next bench over.

"Nim, don't."

I know that it's a valid concern, that's why I'm not offended, merely affronted.

Harry sighed.

"Professor, she's not a leopard," said Harry, "She showers most mornings. It's err causing politics in the dorm."

"Take off your shirt."

"Privacy Charms?"

Snape grunted and threw the same string of three charms at the door and then two more at the windows.

"Thanks," said Harry and dried his hands and took off his robes, shoulder pads, and shirt.

Professor Snape walked around him, and cast charms at several of the bigger scars.

"It's not murtlap, what did you use on them? Something muggle?"

"I didn't use anything on them," said Harry, "I just showered. I heal well." He looked over his shoulder to the extent that he could. And rolled them up and down, "They look ten times better than they did the day I picked up the shoulder pads."

Snape grunted.

"In two months," said Harry, "If I don't forget the shoulder pads, I'll probably have only two scars again. My forehead and my elbow."

"Which elbow."

Harry showed him.

"What did this?"

"Basilisk fang," said Harry, "Fawkes cried on it."

"Your luck is defies belief."

"I know," said Harry, "so does this healing thing."

"Certainly," agreed Snape.

"Or at least it bothers Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon."

"You live with Petunia?"

"Yeah," said Harry, "You … know Aunt Petunia? You knew Mum didn't you?"

"I did."

"What was she like?" said Harry.

"She was brilliant."

"That's all everyone tells me," said Harry, "What was she like outside of school? Aunt Petunia seems to have hated her, and no one else seems to have known her outside of school."

"What is your friend Hermione like outside of class?"

"Still scary smart," said Harry.

Professor Snape sneered, "is she forgiving?"

"It depends on … what you mean, she … can get frustrated how long it takes the rest of us to understand what she seems to see immediately."

"And what of her ability to notice and respect other ethical systems than her own?"

"She's … a little slow about that," said Harry, "But then, I don't think most people are very good at that."

Except slytherins.

Shut up, Nim, I'm trying to concentrate.

Professor Snape nodded, "Your mother was even less forgiving than I am. Generally she was kind, but she was never friendly, it took me years to differentiate the two."

Harry stared away for several seconds, "I … Did she yell like Mrs. Weasley, or the silent loathing thing like Aunt Petunia, or …?"

"She didn't yell," said Professor Snape, "but her loathing was anything but silent, and her vocabulary was wide and creative."

Harry smiled at the image.

"She hated your father for the longest time," said Professor Snape.

"Why?"

"Because he was a loathsome bully for the longest time," said Professor Snape.

"What?"

"Like your cousin Malfoy, only more violent, and a higher opinion of his own humour."

Harry closed his eyes, "and being a gryffindor, violence was the first tool rather the one kept in reserve?"

"Something like that."

Harry sighed, "Was he … like Ron and Malfoy are, believing their own party line about the stereotypes about the anti-ethical behaviour of the other?"

"Not as bad as his best friend Sirius Black, but yes."

"Speaking of uncontrolled violence?" said Harry, "I suddenly wish Aunt Petunia was right that he was merely a lazy drunk."

Professor Snape sucked his lip, "What did she tell you about your parents?"

"That they were both drunks or stoners and died in a car wreck," said Harry.

Professor ground his teeth.

"I … never thought much of it until I knew better, last time … the last time she started on them … I had to run away before I did something violent … or lost control of my magic."

Professor Snape waved his wand and two potions vials flew to his hand, he offered one to Harry, and chugged the other.

"What's this?"

"Calming draught."

"Oh," said Harry, "I … sure." He took it. "Thank you, Professor."

They stared at each other for several seconds, then Harry looked away. "I was going to wait until tomorrow to ask you this, but … would you have confiscated me from my relatives, if … if I hadn't fought the hat so hard not to put me in the same house as Ma— Draco."

"That depends on a number of things," said Professor Snape, "among others, did you have any scars at the time to prove any stories you might have told about their abuse?"

"Probably I didn't," said Harry, "the dog bites and burns are what generally lasted longest, and the burns mostly stopped when I started doing enough of the cooking as to be left to work alone."

"And the dog bites?"

"Stopped when I could run away fast enough to climb out of reach."

"Not so much of a stretch then that you came by a cat friend then?"

"That depends on … if you're talking about finding her, or about some kind of mental or experiential compatibility that let us become familiars or stay familiars long enough for the … whatever it's called to become permanent."

"How long was that?"

"Nim reports about three days," said Harry, "I … was aware of the beginning because the sharp contrast she was to Hedwig, I'm not sure I noticed anything changing at the end of that time."

"You have two familiars?" said Snape, "how does that even work?"

Harry shrugged, "There's a place in my mind where I expect human instincts to interpret the body I have and the things it knows, and instead there's … the instincts of two other bodies also reporting the things that their bodies know. Sometimes there's conversation about what to do with the knowledge. Hedwig and Nim both hunt mice, but Hedwig also likes lizards and sometimes bugs. Nim also likes birds, at least in theory, I've never noticed her catching one."

Nim sent him a feeling of intense laziness—

Harry glanced at her. "I think she just said they're too much work."

— And an image of himself as a cat reaching out with his arm/tail/wand and plucking them from the sky to give her.

"She says she wouldn't mind eating the remains if I felt like using them for target practice."

"Hmm," said Professor Snape, "may I?"

"May you what?"

"Analyse the magic of the link?"

"It won't … damage the link?"

"It shouldn't affect you at all, its a modified form of mage sight."

"Alright."

Professor Snape waved his wand and tapped his temple. He looked Harry over, and at Nim, and at a patch of air that might be between Harry and the owlery. And at…

"You know," said Professor Snape, "you have a third familiar, or had one, a long time ago."

"Not that I remember," said Harry.

"Did the basilisk try to possess you?"

"Not that I remember," said Harry, "Would I even remember a possession, Ginny didn't remember most of hers."

"I didn't mean possession like a daemon or dark magic, I meant taking you for a familiar, it's not the same, according to most sources, can you force Nim to do your orders?"

"She's often quick about obeying the orders that she wishes to obey," said Harry, "I … don't know that I could find my way deep enough to override her will, or whatever, for an order that she didn't wish to obey."

Do you want me to teach you on Hedwig? Then you'll be able to try it on me as well.

Do you know how?

No, but I bet we could figure it out.

Could you possess me?

Oh, no Master, I'd never do that.

I didn't ask would, I asked could.

I don't know how, I wouldn't learn.

But?

If I figure out how, in the process of trying to learn an adjacent skill, I will warn you that I've learned. And we can negotiate the safest way for you to learn how to defend against it.

Ah. Good plan. See that you do.

"Exactly," said Professor Snape, "They aren't the same, partly because you are both alive. Usually only revenants and similar forms of necromancy can possess living things in that way."

"What's a revenant?"

"It's somewhat like a ghost, except instead of haunting an enemy or a favourite place, it haunts an object, and usually tries to possess or merely influence people that spend enough time around that object, and where there exists enough compatibility between the personality of the dead and the living. Accounts vary about whether the living and the dead must be blood relatives, whether the death must have been violent, and other similar necromancy relevant details."

"Are they common?"

"Not really," said Professor Snape, and frowned and cast another spell at Harry's head.

"Ouch," said Harry, "What was that for?"

"You felt that?"

"Yes."

"What did it feel like?"

"Burning, nausea, maybe power drain."

"Where did you feel it?"

"The burning in my scar, the nausea … not in my inner ears like it should be, maybe … migraine-like? What's that look?"

"Nothing yet, keep going."

"Usually I feel power drain, along the veins and forearm tendons on my wand arm."

"Right."

"This was … maybe veins and tendons along my neck, on the scar side of my neck."

Professor Snape nodded, "well described, thank you."

"So now what?"

"Mostly just, I won't do that again."

"But what did you do?"

"Tried to measure something about your scar."

"Why?"

"It seems … we know even less about the dark lord's plans for you, the night your parents died, than we thought we did."

"Oh, but …" said Harry.

"Or we know less about how your mother protected you, than we thought we did."

Harry shrugged, "what's new?"

"Or both," said Snape, "Put your clothes on and finish the cauldrons, I have some things to check."

"Yes, Professor."

"Only come back tomorrow if you feel like it, also I do have office hours."

"I'm not ready to adjust either of our reputations by that much."

"A valid precaution," said Professor Snape, "Sleep well when the time comes. Potter."

"Yes, Professor."

"And feel free to assign yourself detention whenever you need talk therapy and can't be bothered to visit during office hours, but expect to be scrubbing something or preparing ingredients for the duration."

Harry spun to stare at him, but he was already sweeping away and undoing the charms on the door.

See, I told you it would win him over.

That remains to be seen.

He basically just said he's accepting the position as surrogate head of house, since McGonagall isn't helping you.

Oh. Merlin. He did didn't he.

.

"Percy?" said Harry, "May I talk with you?"

"Certainly, what about?"

"In private?"

"Maybe, where?"

"Can we go … like … right outside the tower and find someplace to sit, if you're escorting me?"

"Hmm," he said, "Yes, I think so."

"Thank you."

.

"Alright, we're settled, what's this about?"

"First and simplest: Ginny, I'm not asking all the private medical details of the treatment, but … did she or is she … getting the treatment she needs for … when the heir of slytherin kidnapped her?"

Percy stared at him finally he said, "that was very carefully asked, and yes, she did."

"Good," said Harry, "But … did she get … both magical treatment to make sure that any magic wasn't still hurting her, and a mind healer about … how scary it was and how much he probably lied to her and stuff?"

"Yes, both," agreed Percy.

"Good," said Harry, "That was all."

Percy sighed, "I need to warn you that a reputation for having need of a mind healer is very stigmatising in the wizarding world."

"Same in the muggle world," said Harry, "But there's an assumption that there's a difference between healing from damage that everyone has to do sometimes and growing badly or being sick that … maybe should apply the same but often don't."

"Sensible," agreed Percy, "But if all that you knew of someone was that they took time off to see a healer, would your first thought be 'weird and dangerous' or 'that poor dear had a bad scare'?"

Harry sighed, "Yeah, alright, I won't mention it to anyone."

"Thank you," said Percy, "Now, you said, 'that was all.' But before that you said it would be 'first and simplest.' Which was it?"

"What?" Harry stared at him, "Oh, right, um."

"What?"

"I just heard that my parents might have had an arranged marriage."

"Oh," said Percy, "I have no idea. My mom might know more about that."

Harry shrugged, "I … in the muggle world that is getting more and more unusual. I'm just not sure how to think about it."

Percy shrugged, "a hundred years ago, love between marriage partners was considered either outright dangerous or a mere luxury that might or might not arise later."

"That is so weird."

Percy shrugged, "These days, it is commonly considered … a desirable luxury but still just a luxury. Survival and business and meeting one's honour obligations come way ahead of shall we say 'personal fulfilment'."

"That's logical," agreed Harry, "but wouldn't those all get taken care of before marriage?"

"It depends on how long you expect to live, and where your food and shelter are coming from, and what work you can do, and who is willing to pay you for it."

"Um?" said Harry.

"Money as a means of storing value vs Money as a medium of exchange are two different concepts, and you'll notice that muggles predominantly choose the second. It derives from a very different philosophy about what the labour market should look like, and even what shape the family should be."

"Huh?"

"Is it more ideal for three or four generations of the family to live in the same town, maybe even the same house."

"That does sound ideal," said Harry.

"To many it does, but it comes with the trade-off that you must find work nearby. You can't travel off to Egypt or Roumania to find work that suits you, or that pays well, or whatever."

"Oh," said Harry.

"If you put family first, then unless you're incredibly lucky, career, and especially a personally fulfilling career, must be second. Conversely, if you travel the world to get the best work, you run the risk of not marrying, or the person you marry must take the less fulfilling career in order to follow you, or, if you're both lucky and smart, perhaps you find the stable career first, then marry someone who has already found a stable and fulfilling career nearby, then you settle down, but again, that's just you two, no giant house full of grandparents or in-laws. No safety net of parents and siblings ready to bail you out of trouble or offer advice. Instead you're stuck with whatever advisers you can buy, or insurance you can afford, and have the foresight to acquire."

"Yeah, I see," said Harry.

"So which life do you want?" said Percy, "not that you have parents and grandparents to rely on, you might someday have in-laws?"

"I want as big a family as possible," said Harry.

Percy nodded, "I thought so."

"I just don't want it to be too full of … annoying people."

"Certainly," said Percy.

They were quiet for a while.

"Which might be another way of thinking about how arranged marriages should work," said Percy, "if you were the parent or grandparent, who would you let your children marry?"

"Non-annoying people?" said Harry, "Yeah, but … I still would attempt to make sure everyone could be happy. Not merely protected and fed."

"Good," said Percy, "I like the way you think. Should I warn Dad to expect a letter from you?"

"About what?"

"Marrying Ginny."

"I … what?"

"It is the next logical question," said Percy, "you just said, you like the traditional marriage model, and would try to be a good patriarch someday, so … how soon are you going to start looking for a wife? Or a family you'd like to be an ally family to yours for a generation or three."

"I've heard … start looking now but wait until O.W.L.s to start negations."

"Ah," said Percy, "True, but that is just a cop out. You don't have parents to try to explain your preferences to, you just need to figure out your preferences well enough to explain them to yourself."

"True."

"And you don't have parents to listen to your current preferences, and subtract the insanity of youth, and reinterpret the rest through the wisdom of age, and then filter through the available options that match your preferences, and filter through again to remove the girls too rich to look at you or too poor they'd be afraid you will use them for slaves, unless they trust you not to use a girl from a poor background for a slave, or think that a poor slavish girl is the only kind of wife you deserve, and filter through again for who knows what else, and owl you back with a choice of five for you to pick your current favourite from for them to try to negotiate with first."

"Whoa, slow down."

"I said you don't have parents to do all that for you, you'll have to do it yourself."

"True," said Harry.

"So …?" said Percy, "how soon are you going to start looking, or making a list of things to filter about?"

"Erg," said Harry, "Not tonight, I … I'm still trying to figure out if my parents … if Snape …"

"What about Professor Snape…"

"If he'd be my mom's consort if she'd survived long enough to have one of those. Assuming of course that they both weren't too muggle to believe that tradition."

"Merlin, Harry, SNAPE?"

Harry nodded.

"Did he say so?"

"Not outright," said Harry, "He probably thought I was too muggle to understand."

"Oh," said Percy, "Was he right about that?"

"Yesterday, yes, definitely. Today? Not as sure."

"Then wait a month until you're sure whether you are, and if in fact you decide that you don't mind knowing that about either of them, then ask him."

"Oi," said Harry, "That wasn't quite what I wanted help thinking about."

"Of course not," said Percy, "But I can only listen and ask questions, and advise you about schedule, and give you books about philosophy, I can't understand things for you."

"Well of course not," said Harry. That's what … NIM, can you understand things for me?

Sometimes, if they happen to be things I already understand, and they are simple enough thoughts to fit through the link.

Oh. OK. Thanks.

"Alright, Percy, thank you for your advice. No, I don't currently have plans to write letters to the parents of any of my friends."

You should though. I like Hermione and Susan and Tracy.

Tracy isn't even…

Greengrass is out of your league unless you can get Tracy to accidentally let slip how rich the basilisk makes you.

If that's all it takes I don't know that I want her…

Silly big cats don't think very smart about kittens.

We do have different instincts.

"You're welcome, Harry," said Percy, "If that's all, let's go back to the tower."

"Yes, Mr. Prefect, sir," said Harry.

Percy snorted, but led the way.

.

{End Chapter 5}