Snape opened the boy's door to find Soren exactly where he'd told him to be. In a calm but firm voice he called him out of the corner. "Soren, come with me. We're going to my study to have a very serious discussion."

Soren turned to look at his father, tears streaming down his face. "I'm sorry." He stalled for a moment, not sure he was ready to walk to his fate.

"I can promise you won't do yourself any favors by refusing to follow my instructions. If you're truly sorry, you will demonstrate it by accepting the consequences. Now move."

Slowly Soren shuffled toward the door, the silent tears now evolving into legitimate crying.

Snape waited for Soren to step into the hallway before he began his trek to the East Wing. He didn't want to have to drag the boy, so he slowed his gait until he reached the door, tapping it twice with his wand until it opened. A quick glance backward and Soren was dragging his feet, hovering several meters away.

"You're trying my patience. You have three seconds to get in the door before I start adding to your punishment."

At those words, Soren hustled until he found himself inside the dreaded study. He took a moment to look around, surprised to see a rather warm and cozy room. He wasn't exactly sure what he expected, but the way his father had talked about it he'd imagined some kind of horrifying torture chamber filled with medieval devices and the skeletons of other badly behaved children who had had the misfortune of disobeying his father. But instead he saw a large desk with a matching executive chair, two smaller armless chairs in front of the desk, a wall full of books, a giant picture window overlooking the grounds, and a huge brown leather sofa.

The door closed ominously behind him and Soren turned his head quickly to see his father waving his wand around in what appeared to be some kind of silencing spell.

"Sit," Snape said flatly, pointing at the large chesterfield on the left side of the room with his wand.

Immediately Soren rushed to the leather sofa, choosing a spot in the middle and shoving his hands underneath his legs, nervously awaiting what would come next.

Snape took one of the smaller armless chairs with one hand and set it down dramatically a few feet in front of Soren, sitting down across from him. He tucked his wand away and waited a moment before he began.

"Explain yourself," he said plainly. "What on earth possessed you to climb 20 meters up a tree and then refuse to come down."

Soren shrugged. "I was upset."

"Why?"

A few tears streamed down Soren's face and he sniffed, but before he could wipe his face with his sleeve, his father handed him a handkerchief. Snape had started keeping them tucked away in his coat now that he seemed to be conjuring them on a regular basis these days.

"We do not use our clothes as a tissue. Now go on, tell me why."

"Cuz you think I'm stupid and you don't want me," Soren said, fresh tears flowing as he wiped his face with the soft white handkerchief.

"What makes you think that?"

"I heard you say it. You said my mum was dumb too and that's why I'm dumb. And plus, you're always mean to me and shouting at me and threatening to smack me. And then I heard you say I was being stubborn and I was afraid I was going to get in trouble." Soren cried in earnest, his sobs shaking his whole body.

Snape lifted his head toward the ceiling and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Where did you hear this?"

"Today when you were talking with Ms. Cloutier in the parlor. I just came to get a biscuit from the kitchen but then I heard you, so I hid around the corner, behind your chair. I thought maybe you would say something nice and it would make me feel better, but you didn't."

"So you were listening to a private conversation that you had no business hearing?" Snape was having to work hard to hold onto his irritation. He hated any kind of invasion of privacy, but he didn't have to think too hard to imagine how hurtful his words must have been for the young boy.

"I didn't mean to…but then I heard you talking about me. And I got really upset so I ran back outside."

"Did Tinny know you were coming inside for a biscuit?"

Soren shook his head and his ears turned red. "No, I told him I had to go to the loo."

Snape raised an eyebrow in disapproval. "So you lied, why? So you could sneak more biscuits from the kitchen?"

"Only one though. Tinny said I was only allowed two with my tea because you wanted me to eat my dinner, but I was still hungry."

"So you overheard something you should not have heard because you were being extremely naughty, lying to Tinny, and sneaking a biscuit."

"Yeah," Soren acquiesced, at least having the decency to look ashamed.

"Yes, sir. You're in enough trouble, now might be a good time to make a valiant effort to address me respectfully."

"Yes, sir," Soren whispered, the red now flushing on his face and his neck.

"Then what happened."

"I heard you say mean things and I got really mad, so I ran outside and started climbing the tree. I was really upset because Ms. Cloutier promised me you didn't hate me or think I was stupid, but I heard you say it and I wanted to run away. But I didn't know where to go so I just thought I'd climb as high as I could and then everyone would leave me alone." Soren started to cry again.

Snape let out a deep breath and sat back in his chair. He regretted what he had said about the boy and his mother, for sure, but he would have never said those things within Soren's earshot, definitely not on purpose.

"You know you should never listen to other people's conversations, And what happened today is precisely the reason why— not only is it a gross violation of other people's privacy, but there are things that aren't meant for you to hear, either because they do not concern you, or because they may be misunderstood, taken out of context, or hurtful. Just know if I had caught you then, I would have put you over my knee right there in the parlor. I'm not going to punish you for it now, but I want this lesson to be clear, if you ever so much as think about eavesdropping on me, Ms. Cloutier, or anyone, I will deal with you thoroughly and on the spot, do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. With that being said, I want to apologize for the things I said. I was careless with my words, and I am sorry. I do not think you are stupid, and I certainly do not hate you."

"What about my mum?" Soren asked. "Why did you say mean things about her, didn't you love her?"

Oh god. Snape paused to compose himself, feeling wholly unprepared for this conversation. Finally, he found his words. "It was unkind of me to say that. In reality your mother was a lovely person whose company I enjoyed greatly, but unfortunately she did not have the benefit of the same education as I did. But it shouldn't matter, the value of a person is not their intelligence or their magical ability, it is the kind of person they are. How they treat other people, their honesty, their morals and values. And in all of those regards, your mother was beyond measure. Do you understand that?"

"Yes, sir."

"Is there anything else you heard that is bothering you?"

Soren shook his head.

"Pardon?"

"No, sir."

"Now is your chance. Once this conversation is over, we are going to put this behind us and I do not want this to come up again. I will answer your questions and apologize as necessary, but then it's done. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. So what do you need to hear from me so that I can reassure you that I do not think these negative things about you."

Soren shrugged.

"Use your words."

After fidgeting slightly and picking at a spot on his trousers, Soren finally responded. "You could be nicer to me. Maybe play with me sometimes. You only talk to me when you're angry at me or telling me off."

Snape reflected for a moment. "I see. I am your father, not your friend, and it is my job to correct you and teach you how to behave, precisely because I do care about you and I want you to succeed in the world. I want people to respect you and look up to you wherever you go, and for you to be known for being an honorable man with good morals and impeccable manners. The same goes for your academics— I am holding you to the highest standards because I believe you are capable of achieving great things, and I want you to reach your highest potential. Do you understand this?"

"Yes, sir. But how come you don't want to spend time with me? Is it because you don't like me? Is it cuz you think I'm bad?"

That one hit Snape right in the gut. He took a moment before he responded…"I don't think you're bad, Soren. A bit naughty sometimes— extremely naughty today—but overall I think you are a boy with a lot of potential, and I do not want to see it wasted. But I realize now that there are things I, too, can improve on."

"Yeah, you could definitely be nicer."

Snape raised an eyebrow. "Mind your cheek. I have not changed my expectations for how I wish you to speak to me."

"Sorry."

"Are you content with my apologies, or have I missed something?"

"No, sir. That's all."

"Very good. Now let's review some of your behavior today, shall we? Let's start with the lying and dishonesty so you could have another biscuit. Do you think that is acceptable behavior?"

"No, sir."

"We do not lie in this house. If you feel the need to lie about something or hide it from me, you probably know it is wrong. I make rules for a reason. When I make a rule that you can only have two biscuits with your tea, it is because I am worried about your health and want you to eat your proper meals so that you can get strong and grow in a healthy way. It is because I care about your well-being. You may not like my rules, but you will follow them."

Soren nodded. "I know."

"If you are still hungry, you may come to me, Ms. Cloutier, or Tinny and ask for another snack. But you do not sneak into the kitchen under false pretenses to steal more biscuits behind our backs. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir."

"If I find out you've been lying or dishonest in any way, about anything, there will be unpleasant consequences. Unfailingly. Now, let's talk about your dangerous behavior climbing the tree."

"But I'm a good tree climber!"

"Did Tinny tell you to stop? Not to climb so high?"

Soren let his head drop slightly. "Yes, sir."

"Well, then you should have stopped. I know he is our house-elf, but when Tinny is with you, you will obey him, he is an extension of me. You certainly do not disobey me or Ms. Cloutier either. When we tell you to do or not do something, I expect you to obey immediately. Did you do that today?"

"No, sir."

"No, you did not. So why do you think everyone was so upset and scared when you were high in the tree?"

"Cuz I could fall and hurt myself."

"Precisely. You are important to all of us- to me, to Ms. Cloutier, and even to Tinny. We would be extremely distraught if you got hurt or anything bad happened to you. This is why we make rules to keep you safe. I know you may not understand them all, but I assure you, your safety and health are my highest priorities."

Snape paused a moment before he continued. "When I came to rescue you from the tree, you did not obey me. Multiple times I gave you instructions that you ignored, while also being rude and disrespectful, I might add. I know you were upset, but that is not an excuse. So now I want you to apologize for all of your misbehavior today."

Soren thought for a moment before he began. "I'm sorry for lying to Tinny and sneaking a biscuit. And for not coming down from the tree when you and Tinny told me to. And for being disrespectful."

"What got you into this mess in the first place?"

"Oh, for listening to a conversation I wasn't supposed to. I'm really sorry for that." Soren nodded his head, his eyes showing true contrition.

"The most egregious part of today is that you did something you knew was dangerous, and you put your life at risk, on purpose. I expect you will make mistakes, but this is one behavior I do not want you to repeat. I will have no tolerance whatsoever for you doing anything so reckless again. There are a lot of things we can fix, but your life is irreplaceable. If I ever find out you've done something so dangerous again, you will get the hiding of your life. There will be no calm discussion, no protection from Ms. Cloutier, I will take us directly to the study and tan your hide until you can't sit for a week, without hesitation. I want to be very clear about that."

Soren's eyes got big and he nodded. "Yes, sir. I'm really sorry."

"Now for your punishment…"

Soren leaned forward and put his hands on his father's knees. "Please, father. I'm really sorry, you don't need to punish me. I won't do it again, any of it. I was upset, but I feel better now. I'll be good. I promise."

In all his years of teaching and meting out punishments, Snape had never once let a student's begging affect him in any way. Ever. But something had happened to him today, perhaps the guilt he felt for his role in this whole fiasco, that made it impossible for him to carry out the punishment he intended. Still, he couldn't let him walk out the door without something.

Hardening his voice, Snape grabbed Soren by the wrist and pulled him up until he was standing between his legs. "Come here."

Soren's eyes filled with tears and his breath hitched. "I'm really sorry…please father."

"I know you are, but there are consequences to your actions. I think you know that."

"Are you going to spank me?" he said, with his head down, tears rolling down his face.

Snape was struggling with how difficult this was going to be. Honestly, against all of his usual inclinations he had nearly lost all resolve and was still considering whether or not he should. But ultimately he knew he should be consistent, otherwise the boy would never take him seriously, or worse, would be confused about what to expect from him moving forward. Not to mention, Snape believed it was an important part of closure, a way to move forward without guilt. "Yes, I think you've rather earned it, don't you?"

"Yes, sir," Soren whispered.

"Well then, let's get it over with. There's no point in dragging it out further." With that, Snape carefully bent him over his left thigh and gave him ten moderately hard smacks with his hand. They were delivered calmly, and methodically, and even though Snape wanted to make sure Soren felt them (it would be pointless otherwise), he was not putting his usual gusto into it, and while Soren yelped with each one, he didn't cry out or fight them. It was easily the most half-hearted punishment Snape had ever given, but he felt like he needed some kind of follow-through, for both their sakes.

When Snape was done, he pulled Soren up and looked him straight in the eyes, his two hands grasping the boy's arms firmly, but gently. "Never again. I want you to promise me you will never be so cavalier with your own life again, that you will never be so flippant about falling to your death or hurting yourself."

"I promise," Soren said, tears now rolling down his cheeks. "I really am sorry."

"I believe you." Snape pulled out another handkerchief and dabbed at the boy's tears before bringing him closer so he could look him directly in the eyes."I'm sorry again for the hurtful words I said that made you feel that your life was not important to me. That couldn't be further from the truth. I'm also sorry that I have made you doubt your intelligence, and that I said unfair things about your mother. I cannot undo the words that you heard today or the pain that they caused you, but I can promise that I will do better to make sure I do not ever make the same mistake again. I hope in time you will forgive me, but ultimately that is for you to decide."

Soren nodded his head, his eyelashes dark and wet with tears. He reached out and put his arms around his father's neck, laying a head on his shoulder. "I forgive you, father. Do you forgive me?"

Snape was caught off-guard by the hug and simply patted the boy on the back. "Yes, you never need to ask me that, you will always be forgiven. I may get angry with you or punish you when you misbehave, but I will never not forgive you. Once you've been punished, the slate is wiped clean and we will move on."

He stood still another moment before he extricated himself from the boy's embrace. "Tonight you will go straight to bed after supper. And on Sunday, you will spend the morning doing chores when Ms. Cloutier is on her day-off. But just know this, you are on very thin ice right now, if you step one toe out of line, I will not be this lenient again. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, father." Soren said, a smile on his face for the first time in hours now that the weight of everything had completely gone. His bum wasn't even hurting that much, well, nothing like the smacks he'd received last time that had burned like a raging inferno. He knew his father had gone exceptionally easy on him today, but he really was going to be on his best behavior, he was determined to prove to him what a good boy he really was.

"Now at least have the decency to look properly punished when you leave here, I don't want you to ruin my reputation by bounding out of my study with a smile," Snape said drolly. "And you will apologize to Tinny and Ms. Cloutier, you gave them both a terrible fright today. I also want you to tell Tinny the truth about what you were up to, he deserves your full honesty about what happened today."

He then stood up and returned the chair to the front of his desk and put a hand on Soren's shoulder, opening the door and escorting him down the stairs and to the parlor, where they found Marie, reading quietly on the sofa, her nerves frayed.

"Soren has something to say to you."

Marie looked up, shocked to see Soren in one piece, his father's hand on his shoulder, and a calm look on his face. His eyes were slightly red-rimmed, but he wasn't nearly as distraught as she'd feared he would be.

"I'm really sorry for scaring you today, Ms. Cloutier. I should have come down right away from the tree, I promise I won't do anything like that again."

Without another moment, Marie took Soren's hand and pulled him into her, hugging him tightly. "I know, Soren. Are you alright?" She smoothed a hand down his arm lovingly.

Snape rolled his eyes. "He's perfectly fine, as you can see."

And it was true, Soren looked more relaxed and content than he had most days so far. The long conversation with his father had soothed some of his fears, and even though he had no doubt he would still be dealing with a strict and unyielding man, he felt something had shifted today. And maybe his father did care for him after all.

Marie stared at the boy and then Lord Kent, wondering if he had cast some sort of spell. She'd spent the last hour in absolute panic worrying he was beating the boy black and blue, and yet here Soren was, smiling shyly in front of her, completely at ease with his father in a way he had not been before. She was extremely curious about what had transpired in his study, but she wouldn't dare ask, he was a man who valued his privacy and didn't take kindly to prying questions.

They soon shifted to the dining room for supper and had one of their most quiet, but pleasant meals yet. When their plates were empty, Snape looked at Soren. "You may be excused. Get ready for bed, I will be up shortly."

Soren said nothing and calmly got down from his chair, making his way toward Marie with his arms out. "Goodnight, Ms. Cloutier."

"Goodnight, Soren. Sleep well." Marie pushed her chair out and gave him a quick hug. "I'll see you tomorrow, darling." She searched his face for any sign of fear, but he showed no hint of anything concerning, despite her worst fears.

"As part of his punishment, Soren will be going to bed directly after supper tonight. I will just go up to make sure he is in bed. You are free to retire whenever you like, of course, but if you wish to join me for a nightcap, I'll return to the parlor as soon as I'm finished."

Upstairs, Soren rushed to get ready for bed, filled with nervous anticipation that his father was going to be coming up to check on him. He brushed his teeth, changed into pajamas and sat up in bed, holding his rabbit and waiting anxiously. The minutes seemed to drag on before he heard the unmistakable sound of his father's footsteps coming down the hall.

"Good, you're in bed," Snape said as he approached him. His voice was not angry, but stern. "There will be no further foolishness tonight, and you will stay in bed until morning. Hopefully your little adventure today has sufficiently worn you out and you'll fall right to sleep. If not, you are not to get up for any reason, unless it is to use the toilet. Do you understand?"

"Yes, father. I'll stay in bed," Soren said eagerly, wanting nothing more than to please him.

Snape gave a curt nod of approval before pulling the corner of the duvet down slightly so Soren could get fully under the sheets. "Now lay down properly and close your eyes."

It was hardly the same warm and cuddly tuck-in he got from his governess, but Soren complied immediately, holding his rabbit close to his chest and turning onto his side and pulling up the covers. "Goodnight, father."

"Goodnight."

With a dramatic swish of his wand, Snape darkened the room leaving only a small light burning in the washroom. As he walked toward the door, he turned around to give one final warning.

"I mean it, if I hear a single noise that makes me think you're up here playing about, you'll be over my knee faster than you can blink. And I will not be nearly as lenient as I was with you earlier. Now go to sleep." And with that, he closed the door just firmly enough to punctuate his message.

Soren couldn't help himself, he smiled with his whole face. His father had actually come up and put him to bed. And even if it wasn't the cuddliest of tuck-ins, Soren was beginning to feel safe with him. The man had saved his life today, and had leapt out of the tree without hesitation to catch him. And even if words of affirmation weren't his father's strong suit (his love language was clearly "words of foreboding and elaborate threats"), he obviously cared for him.

"I'm going to be the bestest boy in the whole world," Soren whispered to his rabbit. "Then he'll love me and keep me forever."

To Snape's surprise, he found Marie sitting in the parlor, waiting to join him for a drink.

She whipped her head around when she heard him coming down the stairs. "Is everything OK? Is Soren alright?"

Snape dipped his head slightly to one-side and gave her a disapproving glare. "Honestly, Ms. Cloutier, I don't know what kind of monster you think I am, but I assure you, he's perfectly fine. I'm not generally in the habit of torturing small children, tempting though it may be. Now then, would you care for a drink?"

Marie nodded. "That would be lovely. What are you having?"

"Firewhisky, but I also have a nice selection of fine wines, port, and cognac if you prefer something different."

"I'm generally not a big drinker, but honestly, after a day like today, a firewhisky sounds perfect."

"Indeed." Snape signaled to Tinny, who returned quickly with two crystal tumblers, generously filled with amber liquid. "Should we make a toast? To survival, perhaps?"

Marie chuckled and lifted her glass. "I will definitely drink to that! Cheers!"

"Cheers," Snape said as he clinked her glass before settling back into his armchair.

"You look like you're feeling better."

Snape took a long sip from his glass, closing his eyes and savoring the burn. He let out a long exhale before he opened his eyes and replied. "I'm sure I'll feel even better after another glass of this and a long night of sleep."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, each sipping their drinks and no doubt replaying the scenes from earlier in the day. After finishing his first glass rather quickly, Snape had Tinny pour him another three fingers. "I should mention that I appreciate you keeping a level head today. I was not in full control of my emotions earlier and you were right to step in as you did. We are lucky to have you here, Ms. Cloutier."

Marie was starting to think she was hallucinating, first the flying, now this? It took her a moment to even register what he said. Was he—the man who did nothing but criticize her—saying something nice? Appreciative even? "Thank you, Lord Kent. I think anyone in your situation would have been just as overwhelmed, you're a human being you know, you're allowed to have feelings. I'm just glad you realized it before you acted on them."

"I know you think I'm cold, even unkind, but I do care for Soren. It's all just…new. I never imagined myself having children, it wasn't something I ever felt particularly well-suited for…clearly." The firewhisky had loosened his tongue, and as soon as the words came out of his lips, Snape chided himself. But the emotions of the day were heavy, and he was too tired to carry them alone, as he had done for so many years.

"I know you do. And I think Soren knows that now too." Marie wanted to put a reassuring hand on his arm, but his chair was just far enough away that she couldn't reach it without making things awkward.

"Do you know why he climbed the tree?" Snape asked, massaging his forehead with one hand, while he sipped with the other.

"I'm guessing he had some big feelings he didn't know how to process. I heard what he said to you on the ground, I'm sure that was hurtful."

"Yes. But there's more to it than that. He apparently overheard some of our conversation earlier, when I alluded to the fact that both he and his mother may be of limited intelligence." Snape cringed at the memory of his own words. "Obviously hearing that was what prompted such strong emotions. He told me he was certain then that I not only thought he was stupid, but that I hated him as well."

Marie looked horrified. "Oh god, that's awful. No wonder he was so upset, the poor boy."

"I feel terrible, I should have never said those things. I regret much of the way I handled that conversation. I apologized to Soren, but I feel I should apologize to you as well. I should know better at this stage of my life that words can wound people, sometimes permanently, and just like any weapon, they should be handled with extreme care. So, I'm sorry for my insensitive words, Ms. Cloutier, I can assure you I will not make such a mistake again."

Snape was not one who ever apologized. Mostly because he kept to a strong moral code and personal set of values, and rarely felt that he needed to. Even if others found fault with him, he was at his core a good man. He could be harsh, and brutally honest, but there were only a very few times in his life he had done things that he truly regretted. Things that hurt other people, particularly people he cared about. And this was one of them. There was something cathartic about apologizing to Marie, but he was not planning to make it a habit. He hoped those were the last apologies he would have to make for a long time. Preferably for the rest of his life. He loathed having to admit he was imperfect.

"Thank you, Lord Kent, your words mean a lot. Try not to be so hard on yourself, though, we all make mistakes. What's important is that we learn from them and do better, and it sounds like you have already made that commitment to yourself. I'm sure Soren appreciated hearing that as well. Only a really good parent takes the time to apologize to their child…you should be proud of yourself."

"Are you attempting to 'gentle parent' me, Ms. Cloutier? I can assure you, I am perfectly capable of managing myself." Snape quipped, lightening the mood.

"If it would make you feel better, I can always go get the naughty step. I'll make sure to put it in the corner first, of course, so you get the full effect." Marie couldn't stop herself from letting out a small chuckle, feeling a pleasant buzz from the firewhisky.

"Very cheeky, Ms. Cloutier. But you'd do well to remember that I'm the one who hands out the punishments in this house." He gave her a mock stern look causing her to erupt into more laughter.

"Yes, you've made that very clear, you don't let anyone get away with a thing in this house."

Snape paused and set down his drink before hardening his face and lowering his voice. He wanted to make it clear he was changing the tone of the conversation. "Speaking of which, we need to discuss the fact you didn't have your wand today. That was extremely reckless."

"It's not like we're at war. I don't need to walk around with my wand in my hand all of the time, that kind of hyper-vigilance is a trauma response, you know. Maybe you should talk to someone." Marie continued to giggle, refusing to take him seriously.

"I don't find that the least bit funny, Ms. Cloutier. There is a magical child in this house and Merlin knows what could happen at any time, as we saw today. You should always, always, have your wand on you. Imagine if I had not been there today, or I wasn't able to rescue him in the way that I did, you were not there to cast a spell to cushion him or do anything to save him. That is a serious transgression in my book and I want you to make sure it never happens again."

Marie was always somewhat amused when he lectured her, but the firewhisky had quickly gone to her head, and now her filters were completely gone. She smiled playfully at him before giving a dramatic roll of her eyes. "Oh no, am I in trouble with Daddy now? What are you going to do, take me to your study and punish me like a naughty child?" She laughed even harder at this.

He lifted his eyebrow at the suggestion, but kept his face stern and his tone flat. "That can easily be arranged. In fact, I can think of more than a few good reasons you'd benefit from a trip over my knee. And I have no doubt you'd be much more inclined to remember your wand if you had a sore backside to remind you in the morning."

Marie's face was already a bit flushed from the booze, but she could feel the heat raising on her cheeks at his suggestion. Would he really do it, or is he just teasing me? And why am I so intrigued by the idea? Because you're a psychopath. Get it together, Marie. She searched his face trying to figure out if he was joking, but it was completely unreadable. She'd definitely stepped over the line and her embarrassment sobered her up quickly, her face and ears burning everytime she replayed his words. "I'm sorry, Lord Kent, the firewhisky has clearly gone to my head. You're absolutely right, I should have had my wand today, I felt extremely helpless when you were up there and I would have never forgiven myself if something had happened to Soren. I can promise you I will always keep it with me from now on."

"See that you do. But just so know, if you ever find yourself in need of some assistance to remember, I will happily oblige." He smirked slightly this time, enjoying her clear discomfort.

"Thank you, but I think I can manage."

"We'll see," Snape said in his most patronizing tone, pairing it with a look that said he didn't believe her one bit.

Marie's face flushed again. Why do you let him wind you up like this? Because you like it, you pervert.

Snape stood, setting his empty tumbler on the side table. "It's been a long day, I think I will retire upstairs. I'll be in my study for the next hour or so writing. Should you need anything. Goodnight, Ms. Cloutier."

"Goodnight, Lord Kent."

Marie remained on the couch, slowly sipping the remainder of her drink, feverishly debating her internal voices while also wishing the floor would just swallow her up. When she finally made her way up the stairs, she paused on the landing for a fleeting moment wondering if she was bold enough to knock on his study door and call his bluff. Are you insane? You're drunk, you idiot. Go to bed! Ultimately, she turned right and made her way back to her room, where she fell asleep without even taking her clothes off.

On Saturday morning, everyone gathered around the kitchen table, well-rested, and surprisingly cheerful. With no classes, the day was almost entirely free, and Marie was surprised when Lord Kent joined them briefly for a walk in the garden, pointing out some of the more interesting trees and plants growing on the property, and how they might be used in potions.

Marie could see he was making an effort to connect with Soren, and the boy was lapping up every second of attention, eagerly asking questions and paying attention to every word.

"Father, will you do the hedge maze with me? Please!" Soren begged, pulling on his hand.

"I cannot today, I need to return to my lab soon, I have a potion brewing that requires some tending. But I'm sure Ms. Cloutier will be more than happy to go with you."

Soren's face fell and he moaned with annoyance. "No! You can't leave, you just got here, pleaseeee? I always go with Ms. Cloutier. I want to go in the maze with you!"

Snape pulled firmly on the boy's hand and looked down at him sternly, hardening his features. "Excuse me? You will mind how you speak to me. And don't even think of throwing a tantrum. I said I cannot this time, so we will do it another day. Now that's the end of it."

"Yes, sir." Soren was clearly disappointed, but he also knew when he was getting close to pushing his father over the edge and he didn't want to spoil the day, it had been the first time his father had ever elected to spend time with him outside of meals and he was really enjoying it.

Marie came up and put an arm around the boy, "I would love to walk in the maze with you. Besides, the more we go through it, the easier it will be to beat your father the next time he wants to race you through it!" She gave him a quick tickle and he laughed. "You go ahead, I will join you in a minute."

"Yeah! I'm gonna to go practice right now!" Soren said excitedly, sprinting off toward the maze.

"Don't be so confident in your victory, Ms. Cloutier. I designed it, you know. Every little spell on that maze is one of my own creations. But please, don't let that spoil your fun. The more practice you have with it, the less humiliated you'll be should you ever make the unfortunate decision to challenge me in a race."

"You underestimate my competitive spirit, Lord Kent, I always find a way to win." She flashed him a mischievous grin and noticed that even though his face remained impassive, his eyes flickered with delight.

Snape tutted patronizingly at her. "My, my, we are feeling brave today. Just know, Ms. Cloutier, I do not look kindly on people who cheat, so if that was what you were implying, you should do so at your own peril. Cheating is a highly egregious and punishable offense in my house. We wouldn't want Soren to think that was something he could get away with."

Marie laughed as they strolled slowly down a short garden path. "Presumptuous of you to think I'd ever be so careless as to get caught. I've told you before, I only break rules I know I can get away with. And I'm undefeated."

Snape paused and turned toward her, putting his hands behind his back and leering down at her in full-professor mode, complete with his most disapproving glare. "This is no doubt the unfortunate result of a complete lack of discipline and no respect for authority. Tell me again, Ms. Cloutier, what a shining example you are for the virtues of permissive parenting."

"I think I turned out pretty well. I mean, I wouldn't say I'm beyond redemption." She gave him a confident smirk.

"It's certainly nothing I couldn't fix with a few trips to my study. I find a good dose of old-fashioned discipline can do wonders for even the most stubborn and overconfident witches. Particularly those who feel they are far too clever to respect the rules."

Marie just shrugged, fully committed now to seeing how far he was willing to take this banter. "I mean, if you're smart enough to get away with something, the rules shouldn't really apply to you. That's my philosophy anyway."

He raised an eyebrow. "I see. So by your logic, if you're not smart enough to get away with it, then you deserve to get caught and any consequences that come along with that. Or do you just plan to cry, beg, and attempt to charm your way out of it? That is usually the plan B for troublemakers, is it not?"

"I wouldn't know, I never get caught. But to answer your question, if someone is careless enough to get caught, they honestly deserve whatever they get. I don't really concern myself with what happens to such people."

"How intriguing," he drawled. "I shall keep that in mind should you ever have the audacity to think you're clever enough to get away with breaking any of my rules."

"I mean, so far I have an impeccable record, so I wouldn't really keep your hopes up."

"So far are the key words there, Ms. Cloutier. I will remind you that I am an exceptionally patient man. Like Sun Tzu said: 'If you wait by the river long enough, you'll see the bodies of your enemies float by.'"

Before Marie could respond with something cheeky, Snape looked at his watch. "And now I must return to my work. But please, enjoy your time in the maze. Let me know when you're bold enough for a challenge. I'm eagerly looking forward to thrashing you soundly. Either way." He gave her a devilish smirk before disapparating to the dungeons, leaving Marie with her heart-racing, her eyes fully and a flush of exhilaration.

Marie spent the remainder of the day with Soren, playing in the gardens, reading in the library, playing chess with him in the parlor. But her thoughts were constantly on Lord Kent. She thought about him way more than she should considering she was a good deal younger than he was, not to mention he was her boss. And he's an arrogant, uptight control-freak who is as warm and fuzzy as a block of ice.

By the time dinner arrived, she was practically desperate to see him. She watched the clock constantly, every minute dragging until he finally appeared in the parlor twenty minutes prior to dinner.

Soren and Marie were sitting in the parlor playing a game of "Go Fish" with a pack of cards she'd brought with her. When the little boy saw his father, he got up on his knees in excitement. "Father! Ms. Cloutier taught me how to play a card game, do you want to play with us? It's really fun!"

Snape raised a disapproving eyebrow at Marie. "Indoctrinating my son into the world of gambling, are we? What an exceptional use of your time."

"It's only 'Go Fish,' it's a children's game." Marie attempted to smile at him but sensed right away he wasn't in the mood for banter. The playful air about him that she had enjoyed so much this afternoon was gone, somthing was bothering him.

"I don't want him playing with cards again." Snape said matter-of-factly, banishing the cards with a single wave of his hand.

"Hey! Why did you do that? We were playing with that!" Soren exclaimed, indignant, and giving a menacing look to the man from the floor.

"I beg your pardon?" Snape said with a deep sneer, stalking over to the little boy and lifting him up by the arm so he could look at him in the face. "I've clearly let you get away with far too much cheek if you think you can speak to me that way. Go to the corner. Now."

Soren knew he was in trouble, he could see it on his father's face and hear it in his tone, but when his father released his arm, he stood still and looked him in the eyes, feeling brave but hurt. "We were just having fun, you didn't have to ruin it by being so mean."

Snape grabbed his arm and gave him two hard smacks right on top of one another. "Into the corner. Now. Any further cheek and you'll get a proper smacking, now move."

Soren didn't need another reminder, he moved quickly to the corner, his face burning with tears of disappointment, his backside stinging from the smacks.

"Lord Kent, honestly, it was just a simple game. Don't you think you're overreacting?"

Snape turned his attention to Marie. "You would do well to mind how you speak to me as well. How many times must I tell you that you are not to question how I discipline my son? You're insufferable."

Well, then, thought Marie. "I'm sorry."

Snape sat in his armchair with his eyes closed and a hand massaging his forehead. Soren was whimpering softly in the corner and Marie stayed perched on the edge of the sofa unsure of whether she should say anything else.

No one said a word for several minutes and time seemed to go by excruciatingly slow as the tension hung in the air, the only sounds coming from Soren who was sniffling.

Finally, Snape broke the silence. "By the way, we will be having guests here tomorrow," he said in an irritated tone.

"Oh. I had actually planned to be out most of the day tomorrow to see some friends for lunch and do some shopping. Do you need me to stay?"

"No. Your day off is your day and it will always be respected. You've earned a break." His tone was flat, but with far less tension.

"Thank you."

Snape nodded briefly but wasn't looking at her. "Soren, your time is up. Come here."

Soren turned around and walked toward his father, his head hanging down. He was feeling quite sorry for himself after having had such a brilliant day.

When he got within reach, Snape took his wrist and pulled him in closer. "Look at me."

Soren lifted his sad brown eyes upward.

"You know quite well that is not how you speak to me or any adult, do you not?" Snape scolded gently.

"Yes, sir." He sniffed a bit. "I'm sorry. Are you still mad at me?" Tears welled slightly in his eyes.

"No. We talked about this yesterday. When you misbehave, I may punish you, but then we move on. But the expectation is that you learn your lesson and do better. This is not the first time I have had to remind you today to watch how you speak to me, which is why I sent you to the corner. Had you simply obeyed, that would have been all, but instead you took that moment to give me more cheek. Not a very wise choice, do you think?"

"No, sir. I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to, I was just mad." Soren let a few tears roll down his face. He really was trying his best to be good, but he couldn't even make it one full day.

"I realize that. You are welcome to your feelings, but it is not an excuse for bad behavior. Now that's enough tears. It's finished. I don't want you sulking over it for the rest of the evening. You're a child, you are going to make mistakes. I will correct them and then we move on. Now fix your face. If I have to spend one more minute watching you mope about like a kicked puppy, I will hex you with a cheer-up charm." He pulled out a handkerchief, wiping the wet streaks from both side's of the boy's face— not exactly gently, but in a very parental way.

When he was done wiping the tears, Soren just stood there, as if he were waiting for something else. What, is he expecting a cuddle now? Snape had to resist the urge to say something snide, but he realized the boy needed some kind of reassurance so he patted him briefly on the shoulder. "Good, now go sit down."

This seemed to do the trick, and although it wasn't exactly what Soren was going for, it was enough for him to feel a little more assured that his father had forgiven him and wasn't angry anymore.

Marie was quietly fascinated watching Snape handle the whole interaction. Although she was still very against his use of corporal punishment and the way he punished first and asked questions later, she was impressed with the way he'd handle Soren afterward. Still a little cold for her taste, but she supposed the fact that he was acknowledging the boy's feelings was at least a start. Maybe there was hope for him.

Once Soren was sitting on the couch, Snape made an effort to soften his voice and converse with him normally. "So what did you and Ms. Cloutier get up to today? I'm very curious to know how you fared in the maze. If you hope to take me on one day, you're going to have to practice very hard. I can complete that maze in 2 minutes with my eyes closed."

Soren smiled. "I did it three times! Ms. Cloutier only did it once, though. But she's really good at it. Except its not fair, she uses her wand and I don't have one!"

"Is that so," Snape asked, raising an eyebrow at Marie. "I'll have you know that's cheating, Ms. Cloutier. Even though the maze is charmed, it is meant to be solved by logic, not magic. You need to sharpen your mind, not your wand skills, if you want to succeed in the maze."

Marie blushed slightly. "I was just testing some things out, I wanted to see if I could stop the maze from changing. But whatever spells you've put on them are incredibly complex, I couldn't figure out how to manipulate them at all."

"Pity," he said, playfully. "I suppose you'll have to be content with losing then."

Soren was enjoying the banter, although he had no context for the conversation. "Ms. Cloutier is really clever though, father, and we're going to practice the maze every day until we can win!"

"I admire your dedication to such a lofty goal, Soren. I will always encourage you to spend time practicing any skill until you can master it. That is an excellent quality."

Soren lapped up the compliment, it was the first time his father had ever said anything remotely uplifting.

"Perhaps Ms. Cloutier might learn from your example. Hard work is the best way to achieve success, not wasting time looking for short-cuts. I would encourage you both to remember that."

"I disagree, Lord Kent. I say work smarter, not harder. If you can achieve your goal by being more clever, there's no reason to spend so much additional energy."

He stared at her with disapproval, but Marie could tell by his eyes that he was not quietly amused.

"We can do the maze together tomorrow, father. You can show me how you do it!" Soren said excitedly, looking forward to spending time alone with the man on Marie's day off. He had dreaded it all week, but was now looking forward to it.

"We'll see," Snape said, a slight edge in his tone. "We have guests coming tomorrow, and I may need to have some serious discussions with them. Privately. Which means you will need to entertain yourself for some of the day. It might also be a good time to practice your reading or review some of what you learned this week so you can start off ahead on Monday."

"Oh." Soren's face fell slightly but he did his best to control his disappointment. "Who's coming?"

"Mr. Potter…and friends." He couldn't help but to sneer slightly.

At this, Soren got excited and bounced in his seat. "Harry is coming to visit me!"

"You do not address adults by their first names. He is Mr. Potter to you, do you understand?"

"Yes, sir. But he told me to call him Harry."

"I don't care if he told you to call him King of the World, in this house, you will always refer to adults by their proper name and title. You would do well to remember that."

"Yes, sir."

At this point Marie couldn't help herself. "Harry Potter? THE Harry Potter, is coming here? Tomorrow?"

It took all of Snape's energy not to roll his eyes. "Yes. We have some business to attend to."

"I thought he was coming to see me." Soren said, pouting slightly.

"I'm sure he will be delighted to see you, but we have some other things to discuss tomorrow."

"I had no idea you knew Harry Potter! That's so exciting, maybe I should stay and meet him. He's like, the most famous wizard in the world right now!"

"Yes, so I'm told," Snape's irritation was evident in his voice.

"How do you know him?" Marie asked, now completely invested.

"I would appreciate if you didn't pry, Ms. Cloutier. One should respect other people's discretion, both in business and in personal matters."

Marie figured she wouldn't get a straight answer out of him, and he had, politely, put her in her place. "You're right, I apologize."

"Father, can I show Mr. Potter the maze tomorrow?" Soren asked, innocently. "I think he'll really like it!"

A vision of Cedric Diggory's limp body came flooding back to him suddenly, and Harry's traumatized face after nearly dying at the hands of Voldemort. It was one of the darkest days of Snape's life as a professor and a spy. He was sure Harry would have a panic attack if he had to ever step foot in a maze again. As much as he might enjoy the thought of bringing the boy down a notch, as a survivor of trauma himself, he would never knowingly thrust something so triggering on another person.

"Not tomorrow. Mr. Potter is a very busy man, he is not coming here to roam around in my gardens." He didn't know how else to explain it to the boy.

"Oh."

"I'm sure he'll find some time to spend with you another day, perhaps you can show him your classroom and what you've learned. I think he will be very impressed with your counting."

"Yes, sir. I will!"

This thankfully seemed to cheer the boy up and they headed to the dining room for their evening meal, Snape feeling slightly better but still dreading the day ahead. The letter he'd gotten from Potter was weighing heavily on him, but he was making every effort not to let it affect everyone else.

AUTHOR's NOTES

Thank you so much to everyone who is reading and taking a moment to review/comment— it means a lot ot me. Your comments have kept me writing and engaged in this story!

And HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to everyone who is celebrating today. It is my first with a live baby so I am feeling extra sentimental!